LAST NIGHT @ ISSA: THE BEST BACK STAGE OF ANY FASHION SHOW AT LFW

me & pat mcgrath.

me and edward enninful. 

chanel iman, me and her mom. (isn't this lady gorgeous!?)

me and jourdan dunn! she was super nice. 

london - ohmygod! blaynistas, i am having mobile phone drama in the u.k at the moment, which is why i was not able to twitter blow by blow accounts to you last night, but i had the best and most surreal evening ever. i went backstage at issa to report on the show for paper magazine. more than any other show, i was thrilled to be at this one, why? because edward enninful (major stylist for vogue and fashion director at i.d), pat mcgrath (i mean....you gotta know who this make up maverick for vogue, vanity fair, etc is) and guido (legendary hair stylist) were all back stage. what i didn't know was that so was naomi campbell (who i totally walked in on while pat mcgrath was doing her make up....i quickly left when i saw it was her. i don't want no drama!) jourdan dunn and chanel iman.) i just cant take. being around these legends and watching them work was just the high point of my eve....i don't even know what more to say. enjoy the pics readers. xo, zb

JUST HAD TO SHARE: SCENE OUTSIDE HENRY HOLLAND SHOW TODAY

london - i actually didn't make it into the show. i had an invitation and seating and everything. but my camera died midway and i simply couldn't stand the possibility of seeing celebs and beautiful clothing and not being able to capture for you guys, so i chose to leave. i guess its all or nothing at all for this fashion blogger huh? i sorta regret that dumb move after seeing how amazing the clothes were.

JUST HAD TO SHARE: LONDON'S VERSION OF "THE TENTS

london - this is the scene outside london fashion week. its no where near as crazy and frenzied as new york. at most i think i see maybe twenty people outside staring - and that's a lot. here's where i check in every single day to scout stories and fashionable people. it feels much more professional in the sense that there aren't a ton of gawkers or if people do look, they keep it moving. its cool, but there's nothing like the rockstar vibe of ny fashion week though.

DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS GUY IS? I JUST FOUND OUT AND I WAS STOCKED

london - so i was invited to the nathan jenden show today and will be honest - i had no idea who he was and since this fashion week has been a bit of a nightmare for me i wasnt up for going. but my boy joshua invited me, so i made my way to it. i got there late ( i actually missed the show) but not too late to catch a glimpse of diane von furstenburg (FLAWLESS IN PERSON! the chic is BAD!) giving him a hug and congratulating him on a job well done. as it turns out, diane is his boss: jenden is creative director at dian von furstenburg. cute. since everyone seeme to be on a very personal basis, i didn't want to look like the groupie out the crew and ask for a picture with diane, but i sort of regret it. after interviewing jenden, he and i took the pic above together. really enjoyed meeting him and seeing his collection online. i will post pics shortly. in meantime check out my stories here and here.

BRILLIANT: THATS REALLY ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ABOUT THE CHRISTOPHER KANE SHOW

london - see, my first day and first show and first fashion week in london will always be tied to christopher kane. i literally headed straight from the airport to backstage and got a first hand glimpse of the hype: anna wintour personally came back there to check the clothes, legendary artist gucci westman and hair stylist guido were there as well. who is this guy? and why is he so relevant? i did enjoy his collection, but really thought the whole and substance of him was just hype. so far....so wrong. this is the third collection of his i've paid attention to and i'm very keen on it. this guy is a talent thats here to stay.

A QUICK NOTE FROM ZANDILE

london - hey lovers! so i am in london. got here super early this a.m. i am trying to sort out a trip to italy at the end of the week before even digging in to this monster sandwhich called fashion week. but hitting a party tonite so stay tuned for juicy bits. okay? miss you love you and especially missing nyc right now. xx, zb

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD THE DEEJAY? BELIEVE IT!

london - we all love the clothes that dame vivienne westwood designs, so perhaps we'll love her music? the legendary designer is releasing an album on september 15th (right at the beginning of london fashion week.) i almost wish it was of songs she's recorded herself, but instead, it's a compilation of  her favorite tunes. the album, titled catwalk compilations,  will be sold at selfridges in london. if you are a really good reader, i may just buy a few from selfridges when i'm in london and give it away on this site. how would you like that? 

photo: dailymail

ON I OFF WILL PRESENT LIMITED EDITION BOOK DURING FASHION WEEK

london - lord , may i please (purty please) be one of the lucky few fashionistas who get their hands on this awesome book. of course, i am referring to the limited edition book which lee lapthorne of on/off - the organization which presents edgier designers like sinha stanic and aminaka wilmont - has commissioned. it's being launched to celebrate 10 outstanding seasons of on/off fashion shows and features exclusive images and illustrations from john charles de castelbajac and jasper conran. in case we both end up in the unlucky fashionista category, log on to: www.thedoll.org/onoff for more deets on how to get your own. btw, the images to the left are an example of what will be featured in the book.

images: courtesy of on/off

THE V&A DEBUTS A NEW BOOK ON BILL GIBB

london - are you familiar with bill gibb? in the 1970s just about everyone was. from biana jagger to twiggy to elizabeth taylor, a laundry list of celebs in america and europe were devoted to him. his legendary knitwear pieces were of such high standerd that they bordered on couture and his work has been honored with exhibits at the louvre in paris and london's victoria & albert museum. now a book, published by the v&a is set to debut titled bill gibb's moment in time and fashion. it is written by central saint martins professor ian r webb and includes a forward by twiggy. the debut of the book will coincide with a brand new exhibit of gibb's work which will debut at the v&a in october. i love that museum!

photos: above left, a picture of bill gibb dressed from the national galleries. above right, a dress by bill gibb from liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

FASHION FORWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED...WE COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS

london - anyone one who's been in london for more than five minutes knows this a: fry-ups (eggs, baked beans, tomatoes and greasy sausage) sound nasty, but they are maaadddd good and b) "new-wave" designers like christopher kane, (far left) erdem (left) and marios schwab (below right) are kings. personally, i can't imagine a race or competition they can't win...nor can britain's fashion industry. the british fashion council has announced christopher kane, erdem, marios schwab and roksanda ilincic (above, left) as winners of the annual fashion award. this is the firt for kane, erdem and schwab, but the second for ilinicic. what this means is that each designer gets a nice check towards the production of their runway show during london fashion week which starts this september. in an interview, hilary riva, ceo of the british fashion council said, "this season's winners already have an international reputation giving them a firm platform to develop their business and into influential fashion brands." now if only they would hand out sponsorships to help freelance fashion writers develop their writing into a ridiculously profitable career....just saying...

INTERESTING: HENRY HOLLAND FOR LEVI'S

it boy and it girl: henry holland and agyness deyn. (richardyyoungonline.com)

london - i've got to tell you i simply adore collaborations in the fashion industry and this is one for the books. henry holland, the east end london designer who is famous friends with top model agyness deyn and built his fame on eccentric graphic tees has just inked a deal with levi's. a pair of traditional 501 jeans by levi's. (jeans-online.pl)

according to drapers magazine, he will design at eight piece range based around levi's top-selling 501 denim. the pieces will debut during the spring 2009 house of holland runway show and will similarly be available in Spring 2009.

jourdan dunn modeling house of holland's fall 2008 collection during london fashion week, earlier this month.(style.com)

levi's must think a whole lot of the designer because andrea moore, their uk an ireland marketing director said, "We don't enter into collaborations lightly, but we felt that Henry's design skills and entrepreneurial spirit were in keeping with the brand." score for both sides.

SCENES FROM MY LAST DAY OF FASHION WEEK

yes blaynista's that's me and fashion's wonderboy christopher kane. he was one of the many guests at the central saint martins graduate show this past friday. now what i should have done was ask him a few questions for this blog. but the groupie in me totally conquered the reporter. i was more than happy with a picture...

i look like a spring color story don't i? jersey has been my fabric of choice lately. and i am clad head to toe in it, along with a wonderful belted jacket from zara. everything is popping except my hair. i am in desperate, despeate need of a comb and conditioner...

that's me and my girl on the right of this photo. the wonderful young ladies on the left are also part of the m.a fashion journalism program. they are in the second year - above us.

myself and zoe, again. we were part of the seating team at saint martins' graduate fashion show.

me, and my classmates mari, and edyta.

london - good morning blaynistas! and how are you today? me? i'm feeling fabulous. after a hectic week i decided to take the last two days off to do nothing. i did no blogging, no writing, no emailing. instead i cleaned my flat in south london, cooked a wonderful meal (succulent chicken breasts seasoned with black pepper, paprika and a honey vinigerette, stirfied with shallots, mushrooms and sweet bell peppers, accompanies by a chilled bottle of chardonnay.) at one point i rolled out of bed and walked to covent garden with my friend nick to purchase russian red lip gloss fom mac and two vintage-inspired rope belts. but i digress....this post is about london fashion week which was wonderful. i encourage you to log on to www.papermag.com and www.huffingtonpost.com. (search my name, zandile blay, on both sites) to check out my reporting. i learned so much about the london fashion scene and myself as a reporter. i've been attending fashion weeks' for the last four years, but this was one of the most special because of all the lessons. i look forward to doing a double header this coming fall by covering new york and london so make sure you come back for amazing pics. xx, your faithful fashion blogger.

THE SHOW WHERE LEGENDS ARE LAUNCHED

hampus and georgy taking a break from designing in the saint martins' studio. their fabulous pattern cutter, eugene, is in the background.

london - is that title a bit dramatic? i can't help it. the central saint martins graduate show is highly anticipated because through the years some of fashion's major stars have graduated from the school. as i'v mentioned before john galliano, alexander mcqueen, stella mcartney and phoebe philo are just a few of the haute names who have graduated from saint martins. this years crop of graduates have what it takes to follow in their footsteps, especially hampus bernhoff and georgy baratashvili, above. i have spent the past four months following them around to get a glimpse of how their collection has come together.

hampus, eugene, and georgy looking over sketches.

i compiled our interaction and pictures into a web project called the next haute shit. the project will debut online this evening - to coincide with the fashion show at 7 pm today. log on to www.thenexthauteshit.com at 7 (London Time) to check it out. bernhoff will be part of the graduate collection show this evening and i will post pics from it over the weekend as well. stay tuned.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY BLAYNISTAS!

me and suzy menkes, legendary fashion writer. she'd lost her voice but was still kind enough to take a photo with me. don't you love our matching knotted scarves?

the calm before the storm. seats at the vauxhall fashion scout show are emptied and the catwalk is being cleared for the next show...

valentina, my classmate, and i, outside the gareth pugh show. we've ended up as fashion week buddies, attending nearly every show together.

i look slightly chup in this photo, no? either way that's me posing by the catwalk at the gareth pugh show. his collection was nothing short of perfection. just pure brilliance. loved it!

brick lane is famous for it's many indian restaurants. yesterday it was famous for the gareth pugh show. i took this shot of the front of the warehouse like building where he showed his collection. there were something like 300 folks crowded outside.

worldwide - so cuties! this is our second valentines day together and i just want to let you readers know - especially my faithful ones who log on day after day to hear what i have to say - how much i heart you! i don't just love yall because you read my blog, but because we connect when it comes to a genuine love for fashion. even better we don't just care about the next hot coat or the best shoes of the season, but we thrill at the more cerebral and cultural aspects of fashion like how careers are made, (what people are paid) and what economies are being impacted by the growing luxury markets. from the ostentatious to the obscure we love it all! thanks for all your love and support and let's keep this relationship going strong for years to come. XO,zb (p.s listen, if you want you can send me chocolate or cash in honor of this lovely day. i won't stop you.)

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS: I'M SORT OF A BIG DEAL

me and the legendary diane pernet. of course, i had no idea who she was, but i sorted myself out by the end of our interview.

london - i'm such a loser! you know i've always wanted to say that. in anycase, i'm not talking about myself (though i will be one day.) i am talking about the diva next to me. her name is diane pernet and whether she knows it or not, she's one of the myriad reasons i decided to move to london and study fashion. i had no idea who she was and it wasn't until ten minutes before i met her that i got a clue. she is a legend in the global fashion industry. her career has taken her from new york to london to paris and she's contributed to everyone from elle.com to vogue paris. global, my dear reader, is the operative word. had i stayed in lovely new york and gone along as i always had i would have never known that such people, such careers, such paths, (such outfits) existed. and perhaps knowing them isn't the mark of a life well lived. but when your job is fashion it's the mark of a job well done. and for now that's my aim.....in any case, fashion week continues!

update: my interview with diane pernet has already posted. i am covering london fashion week for paper magazine. log on to www.papermag.com/blogs to see my interview with diane and others...

$WAROVSKI CLEARLY HAS CASH TO BURN

the boy wonder of british fashion: christopher kane poses with a model in one of his looks. (telegraph.co.uk)

london - business in the fake crystal industry must be brisk. how else does one explain swarovski, pioneers of man-made crystals, sponsoring fourteen shows during london fashion week. to their credit, it's not just any shows either. instead, the swarovski name will be proudly stamped on some of the most anticipated shows during the week including: gareth pugh,christopher kane, giles deacon, sinha-stanic, erdem, richard nicoll, marios schwab and louise goldin.

a look from the runways of a recent louis goldin show. (top2bottoms.com)

to top this off, all swarovski sponsored shows will be televised online at swarovskisparkles.tv. talk about brand extention and brilliant marketing. kudos to whoever is heading these initiatives.

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON'S REALLY GOOD SHOW

prince being princely on front row at matthew williamson after his performance.

london---so really, it wasn't just the surprise performance by music icon prince that had editors and stylenista's going crazy over matthew williamson's showing yesterday in london: it was the clothes. review after review i've read has been nothing but positive. and after checking out the pieces myself on style.com, i have to agree. below are my favorites! (all pictures courtesy of style.com)

the cut, the color, the accessories - it's all fantastic.

he certainly didn't create the wide leg pant trend, but williamson masters it beautifully.

don't you see me in this piece, strolling on the island of ibiza with a 36 inch spanish wavy weave, some plum lip gloss and a smile? no? i do!

this coat = everything!

refreshing. can't say i've seen anything like this on new york or london runways. i'm very into it.

FYI - HOW THE PRO'S REVIEWED C.KANE & L. BARTLEY

wgsn, is "the worlds leading provider of online intelligence for the style industry," so i thought their review of luella bartley and christopher kane should be of some importance. below is a word for word copy of how the reviewed the two shows i reviewed yesterday. read, compare, enjoy!

international press is still talking about this collection and the two signature looks above symbolize why. (source: style.com)

LUELLA: The ballroom at London's auspicious Claridge's hotel was rocking, as rock band Sister heralded Luella Bartley's return to the London schedule. And a triumphant return it was, as the designer presented her spring/summer collection and celebrated the opening of her first London store on Brook Street. Citing comic books as her influence for the season, the designer told WGSN backstage: "It's about this weird geeky girl, but really sexy and feminine. I just wanted it to have that kooky weirdness. It was very much Thora Birch in Ghost World. There were very pretty flower prints but done in poppy, cartoony colours with all the plastic, sequins and dip-dyes to create quite an individual feeling." The signature girly rock vibe was out in spades, tempered by geeky glasses and butter-wouldn't-melt ruffled dresses in ditsy micro-florals, sometimes featuring those ombréd dip-dye hems or bands of bright sequins. The collection's cartoon-inspired looks came through as Batman motifs woven into a jacquard on a boxy jacket and tailored pantsuit. Standout numbers included the layered crisp accordion pleat dresses with punky zips running down the back, a sharp silver pantsuit and signature blazers teamed with skinny jodhpurs. And as for the season's must-have bags, watch for big, shiny, zipped patent totes, clear plastic Kelly-style bags and covetable mini snakeskin satchels. above are signature ruffled looks critics, and wgsn, loved. (source: style.com) CHRISTOPHER KANE: Christopher Kane's meteoric rise to become the hottest ticket on the London schedule drew a huge expectant audience to his spring/summer showing where, despite the theft of half his collection last week, the designer proved he is one the most important talents to come out of London in recent years. The collection could not have been more different from his acclaimed medieval-inspired autumn/winter showing, as he loosened up his signature silhouettes into light airy feminine layers. Despite citing Stephen King horror stories as an influence, the new mood had a soft romance in the dropping hemlines and tiers of billowy chiffon ruffles, which came in powdered shades of primrose, blush and faux-nude tints. There was an almost Edwardian influence in the languid bustle-backs or the fishtail hemlines of butter-soft leather ra-ra skirts. Pattern came through in the childlike Swarovski geometrics trimming cropped cashmere knits, or in the snakeskin prints, which came as zip-trimmed chiffon biker jackets and as leather trims etching wispy frills.