nina burrell

As millennials, we are constantly connected. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge advocate for social media and there is no denying its instrumental role in creating careers for so many of Generation Z. But I do wonder at which point it will all get too much. More often than not, I find myself somehow entrapped within my cousins’ best friends’ mums’ holiday photos from 2009 after a casual scroll through Instagram. It makes me wonder if we are actually just wandering within a vacuum of meaningless con

I have always been baffled and bewildered by the hierarchy of the fashion elite. Who are these exquisitely put-together beings that exist within their own exclusive bubble? They appear at every front row perfectly preened, ready to cast their eyes upon the hottest designer’s new collection. For quite some time now, the sad reality has been that whoever adorns your FROW affects the amount of publicity your show will obtain. And an endorsement from one of fashion’s aristocracy can lead to wondrous amounts of press. The “space” between a fashion presentation and its consumers has now become one of the most important issues for designers. Are we starting to look behind the glossy façade of the front row and beginning to feel more at home in an increasingly digitalised age?

Most hazy Sundays are spent peacefully whiling the day away whilst anticipating and planning for the upcoming week. Last Sunday at London Fashion Week, however, was spent meandering through different interpretations of femininity and power. Roberta Einer, Belstaff and APUJAN all intricately explored the different attributes ‘strong women’ can possess, and how “power” can be defined in a variety of ways.

Irene Kostas spoke with our Fashion Contributor, Nina Burrell on her latest fashion film directed by Jesse Auersalo “Damask Roses in Space”. As the Founder and Designer of Onar has contributed this latest project to Jan Švankmajer – we knew this would be good. Nina Burrell: The movements within the video seem to be quite spiritual; is spirituality important to your brand?   Irene Kostas: I do have a holistic approach to life. In my brand, spirituality means respect and modesty, along with tr

If you were to cast your mind towards the “future of fashion”, imagery of garish silver lamé astronaut suits and glow in the dark LED gowns would most probably come to mind. However, with the final frontier seemingly in sight, and commercial space travel set to take flight in early 2018, the discussion surrounding the potential technological advances in fashion design is becoming more and more prevalent every day. In recent years we have seen countless couture designers take advantage of technol

The grandeur of a British gent is a style aesthetic that has been altered and reproduced by countless designers over the years, but Velsvoir’s current Spring/Summer collection added an elusive twist to classic, refined tailoring. Velsvoir’s unique capability to understand exactly what their consumer wants and needs has allowed them to progress into an innovative design house that combines sartorial elegance with the freshness the modern male intensely desires. The location for Velsvoir’s SS/17

Inspired by the late Michael “Dandy Kim” Caborn-Waterfield, Richard James’ SS/17 collection transports us to a sun-bleached late ‘50s Cuban resort, with iced pastels bringing the eclectic Savile Row tailoring into a new era. Double breasted jackets in a lightweight linen bring about an image of baby pink Cadillacs and palm trees-lined walkways, allowing the brand to explore a wider cultural relevance. Caborn-Waterfield’s eponymous nickname, “Dandy Kim”, inspired by his extensive collection of e

Matthew Miller is a designer who prides himself upon his philosophy that projects contemporary fashion as a product, just like ceramics or furniture, which allows him to appear more as an artist who approaches his craft with complete care and commitment. Miller’s SS/17 show, “TEMPEST”, was created in order to explore the solitary abundance of cloud gazing, featuring bleached denim that was used to personify the backdrop of ivory clouds against a blue sky. Miller chose to use a specific fabric a

Since its creation in 2009, Pretty Green has managed to develop into an iconic fashion brand that combines influences from both British street culture and the alternative music scene. In doing this, it has managed to create a consistent aesthetic that successfully relates to different generations with ease. The current SS/17 collection, “Black Label”, leans more towards the psychedelic aspects of the late 60s, with the brand’s signature paisley print being recoloured to match the muted seasonal

Set in a now disused section of Temple underground station, Blood Brother’s debut London Collections Men presentation, “Homesick”, set to explore the well-known narrative of the traditional Great British holiday. By providing a relaxed twist on traditional tailoring, the brand embarked on trying to create a character that epitomises the young professional, racing to vacate the office after a long week. The juxtaposition created between formal and leisure wear creates for an interesting design r

Katie Eary delves into unknown depths in her current Spring/ Summer collection, with reflective silhouettes and star printed silks allowing for a shimmering spectacle but not without foreboding society’s deeper issues. Bold graphics printed in coral and aquamarine make way for a playful beginning, but the interruption of high-vis swimwear reflects not only the iridescence of an underwater environment but also the “sparkling barrier separating politicians from the unwashed public”. An illustrativ

Tourne De Transmission’s SS/17 LCM presentation embarked on attempting to deliver a cultural juxtaposition, concluding in a global mismatch of eastern clothing customs and silhouettes with more commercial, mainstream creative media. Creative Director Graeme Gaughan revealed that the whole collection derived from a discussion with New York-based contemporary artist Chris Dorland, centering around both of their global influences. It culminated with the use of deconstructed glamorised billboard med

Ximon Lee has been sending shockwaves through the contemporary menswear market since he graduated from Parson’s School of Design in 2014. With a plethora of accolades already under his belt, including being the first menswear designer to win the H&M Design Award in 2015, Ximon Lee embarked on his second season with meticulous care, focusing on the concept of fragile masculinity. The designer used his current collection, presented by GQ China, to further explore the meaning of masculinity in 201

Raimond Berthold’s SS/17 presentation carefully and consistently developed the use of volume in order to add a more formal twist to classic summer garments. The whole show was developed simply from the discovery of an archival French army cavalry coat that was then draped around a model, consequently generating angular silhouettes and sharp asymmetrical folds. Berthold then developed this idea even more, looking into how by controlling the volume of a garment you can successfully evolve a piece

Drifting into the Thomas Pink SS/17 presentation at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts was like accidentally stumbling into a surrealist dream. The array of male models was displayed almost like an art installation, with some being suspended on vintage ivory garden chairs. If we’re being completely honest, it is highly difficult to present classic men’s tailoring in a different way each season, but the brand’s use of a quirky and more playful narrative this season allowed for the classic, s

Situated right next door to his Covent Garden flagship store, Nigel Cabourn’s SS/17 presentation, “The Desert Rats”, builds references straight from the British WWII Field Army of the same name. However, the collection was far from nostalgia filled; drawing on elements from the industrial past does not mean the designer shied away from incorporating innovative silhouettes and ingenious textures. Cabourn has always referenced the military in order to create utilitarian stylings, developing the ty

Inspired by the days when rave culture ruled the world, the House of Holland Menswear presentation was a rampant mix of pattern, colour and sound, used to passionately reimagine the heart of 1990s youth culture. Upon entrance to the presentation, visitors were met by pounding trance music accompanied by video imagery taken directly from satirical flyer artwork and archive photography from the notorious Manchester club, the Hacienda, that Holland himself revealed he was, “devastated he missed out

Set to the nautical, romanticised background of the North East coastline, Barbour’s SS/17 presentation at London Collections: Men provided a youthful take on the brand’s northern heritage that they reference so frequently in their showcases. The whole essence of Barbour lies within expanding typical British heritage clothing in order to produce garments that are both practical and polished. The SS/17 played homage to the Northern seaside town of South Shields, where the brand is still based, re

If you were to tell anyone this time 5 years ago that the most exciting fashion brand in 2016 would consist of ludicrously oversized sweatshirts emblazoned with imagery more likely to be associated with your quickie “Goth” phase you went through aged 13, and that...

With the state of California recently following in France’s footsteps by taking action on the culture of “too skinny” models working within the fashion industry, I started to look into how fashion creates social, political and ethical debates in wider popular culture. Should this move by California be seen as a positive step towards the industry promoting a healthier body image? Or has our obsession with political correctness led to us policing grown women’s bodies? Further research prompted me