Miranda Kerr becomes the latest face of H&M

Considering H&M are launching their first Australian store later this year it's hardly surprising that the brand have chosen the countries hottest supermodel to front their SS14 campaign. 

Joining the likes of Gisele, Vanessa Paradis and Amber Valette the former Victoria's Secret model announced via social media site Instagram that she will be the face of this years summer launch, a campaign that last year had superstar Beyoncé fronting it. 

The latest campaign is set to coincide with the retailers Australian debut which will see one of their largest stores in the world open in Melbourne. The first campaign images are expected to be launched in March. 

LFW: Burberry Prorsum

Fashion doesn't get much more British than Burberry, apt then, that the theme of the SS14 Burberry Prorsum collection was 'English Rose'.  A much more relaxed offering than normal, the collection began with a range of pencil skirt/shirt combos in pastel shades of pink, lilac, blue and green and in laser cut detail.  The whole mood of the show was, to begin with, calm and understated, with only slight hints of high end fashion visible in the form of the high splits in front of skirt and the obvious need to leave the lining of garments on the atelier floor.  Models wore cashmere sweaters in shades of grey and white before we were introduced to this years equivalent of the hearts - big polka dots.  Let us not forget the iconic trench, this season worn loose and oversized.

All very un-Burberry as compared to the past few seasons, that is until the final segment of the show where the garments came out adorned by sparkly brooches - dresses were held up by one strap of them, skirts were all but made from them and even Cara's rain coat was made entirely unsuitable for its main purpose by them.  Well, they do say save the best till last.

See the gallery on our Facebook page.

LFW: Christopher Kane

 

'If I do flowers, I don't want them to be like everyone else's'  Christopher Kane said backstage at his SS14 collection today entitled 'The anatomy of a flower'.  Instead of floral prints or simple pastel shades Kane instead dress inspiration from the kind of botanical plant drawings one finds in a biology lab, something evident in the petal cut out details on many of his dresses.

Well known for his avante garde choices when designing, this collection, Kane managed to retain originality and, although we saw white, there was no hint of the monochrome palette or 70's theme we have seen over so many catwalks this past two weeks.  There were pleats aplenty and silk trims were added to sheer skirts (my favourite particular look was this ballerina inspired dress - above) as well as basic sweaters teamed with full length ballerina skirts - who would have thought that would be such a winning combination.

View the gallery on our Facebook Page.

LFW: Erdem

 

Erdem, a designer whose name has become synonymous with ladylike frocks and pretty floral prints shook it up at his Spring Summer 2014 show earlier today with a completely monochrome offering. Gliding down the runway to the tune of a grand piano models donned a selection of garments edgier than we have come to expect from the Canadian born designer which, although underwhelming to begin with, soon reminded us exactly what it is we love about the brand.

The collection featured a range of sheath dresses with feather trims, sheer separates, constructed dresses and my personal favourite of a midlength shirt dress finished with a black vest, we were even treated to ladylike biker jackets - who knew there was such a thing!

See the collection on our Facebook page.

LFW: Temperley London

Theme:  Alice Temperley stated backstage that the show was 'a tropical mood in a Mediterranean environment'. 

Palette:50 shades of pink, silky colours accented by touches or leopard print.

Beauty:  Hair was pulled back from the face without making it look too harsh, keeping all focus on the clothes.

Key Look:  It is truly hard to pin down just one look from this collection but no13 was a particular favourite.  Combining pink, applique flowers and a silk trim the dress was something of dreams.

Review: There wasn't actually much tropical or Mediterranean about this show but that didn't stop it from being anything short of amazing.  The show began with a '50 shades of pink' theme of volumous proportions before transitioning into a parade of dresses fit for a princess.  Each dress appeared pure in nature and the key was in the detailing which included chiffon flowers sewn onto dresses and coats alike, ribbons stitched to the waist and even leopard print belts.  I'm not fan of leopard print, I'll go as far to say I think it is one of the tackiest prints going, but something about the way it sits on these garments makes me rethink my whole outlook.  I sincerely look forward to seeing this collection on some of our best and brightest (and hopefully myself).

See the collection on our Facebook page.

LFW: L'Wren Scott

Theme:  The Momoyama period of 16th Century Japan

Palette:  Oriental colours - red, blue, black, white and purple.

Accessories:  Bow waisted belts and oriental umbrellas.

Beauty:  Models donned short black bobs and had pale, clear complexions in keeping with the theme.

Key Look:  Look 4, a full length white dress finished with a red waist belt was the epitome of the whole collection.

Review:  A collection clearly designed with herself in mind, L'Wren Scott's latest offering was nothing short of glamorous.  A cinched waist was the defining part of every look and the palette was perfect for creating the oriental theme she was going for.  Japanese prints were featured on kimonos and pencil skirts and beautiful dresses were finished with obi belts. Each look was as pristine and polished as we have come to expect from Mrs Mick Jagger.

View the collection on our Facebook page.

LFW: Mulberry

Theme:  With a layout consisting of astro turf and columns lain with daisies, Madness' 'Our House' playing throughout the show and Winston Churchills voiceover at the start Mulberry are still proving they are key players in the British fashion industry.

Palette:  Beginning with grey and white, runway soon introduced some of SS14's much loves 70's prints in bright orange.

Accessories: Adding twists to their classic bags we saw the 'Willow' with flower detailing and 'Alexa' in bright orange.  70's style chunky heels were worn in multiple colours, most memorably the orange floral printed heels.

Key Look:  Look 4 was a personal favourite, not only for the cutest accessory known to man but the simplicity of the outfit.  Both the jacket and dress were stunning on their own but together a new dimension was created and a power outfit was worn.

Review:  A bittersweet show for the British brand today as it marks the last collection of creative director Emma Hill, who officially steps down from her role tomorrow, the women who made the brand the worldwide phenomena it has become the past 5 years.  The collection retained many of the brands famous signatures with the co ordination of pieces taking precedence.

Silk pyjama suits were shown in multiple forms, there were cullotes, jacquard jackets, house coats and even a leather boob tube.  Critiques have already dismissed the collection for lacking the usual Mulberry 'must have or die quality', something which I feel is no bad thing (with the exception of the garish orange 70's print which I would rather just ignore).  Whilst it girls may not be clamouring over themselves for this collection, a rest of us might actually get a look in to by a true piece of iconic British fashion.

See the gallery on our Facebook Page.

LFW: Preen by Thornton Bregazzi

Theme: According to designers Thornton and Bregazzi the show was heavily influenced by Miami and the east coast 'because we've never been there'.

Palette:  As with pretty much every other designer we have seen so far this month there were a lot of bright whites with bright abstract prints.

Beauty:  Straight side swept hair.

Key Look:  Look 3 was my personal favourite, whilst minimal compared to the rest, the cape attached to the dress gave it that extra something.

Review:  Whilst not the most exciting of all collections, it was the simpler pieces that saved this show.  The silk jackets were a complete waste of effort, the kind of trend that high streets will imitate only to find these garments on the sale rails come the seasons end.  The architectural lines of the skirt were reminiscent of some kind of Tinkerbell cuts and the pastel colours only added to the Neverland fairy vibe.  The monochrome pieces, whilst overdone this season, were Preens saving grace.  All wearable and simply yet elegant they are sure to be a hit with the timeless dresser and those who favour brands such as Calvin Klein.

See the key looks on our Facebook Page.

NYFW: Marc Jacobs

Theme:  A post apocalyptic beach, complete with the Jaws theme song playing in the background.

Palette:  Dark and ominous.

Beauty:  Models donned short, straw like blonde bobs.

Key Look:

Review:  The mood inside echoed that of the streets of New York.  Marc Jacobs is nothing if not an artist, a visionary if you will and his latest catwalk offering was no exception.  Models stormed the runway in an array of garments, from matador jackets to Victorian style dresses.  Can you see your average fashionista wearing it?  No, but that's not the point of a Marc Jacobs show, the clothes were luxurious in their own (dark and dramatic way) and, reworked, we're sure we'll see certain starlets attempting to make them their own.  Side note - the one and only Cara Delevingne finally made a fashion week runway appearance.

See selected images from the show on our Facebook page.

NYFW: Calvin Klein

Theme:  Minimalism - this is Calvin Klein, did you really expect anything else?

Palette: Off white, black and slights of coral.

Beauty:  Natural beauty of course.  Hair fell simply as if it had been towel dried

Key Look:  Look 29 (left)  If we must stick to black and white then a black dress will have to do, this ones nice, as black dresses go.

Review:  A bit predictable.  With Francisco Costa celebrating his tenth year as the brands creative director we might of liked to see him shake things up a little, but then what is Calvin Klein if not a brand that you can rely on for consistency year in, year out.  This year the silhouette was kept hidden and garments were boxy and un defining yet still constructed.  Clear panels appeared on a number of garments and towards the end of the show we got treated to a bit of fringing.  The most exciting part?  We got a flash of coral, yes that's right, a whole flash!

See the key looks on our Facebook page.

NYFW: Ralph Lauren

Theme:  The evolution of a school girl with a perfect nod to the 60's.

Palette: Began with black and white, introduced monochrome checks before flowing effortlessly into jade green, yellow, scarlet and blue.

Acc:  Knee high socks, glasses, Mary Jane shoes and tie's a plenty.

Beauty:  Minimal make up, soft middle partings with straight hair.

Key Look:  Look 51 (left) featuring a gorgeous black asymmetric dress that has a place in every womens wardrobe.

Review:  Ralph Lauren manage to strike a perfect balance between the 1960's and 2014 with swinging hemlines aplenty.  The show opened with a mature schoolgirl theme in a monochrome palette before being punctuated by bright summer hues of green, yellow, scarlet and blue.  There was a perfect mix of masculine and feminine with a sharp all white suit hitting the catwalk one second and gorgeous bright dresses the next.  Shift dresses had panels on the sides and one amazing dress was even finished with a full length cape.  The best part of the show?  Then man himself  giving us a wave in an outfit that matched that of the show before him.

See the full collection on our Facebook page.

NYFW: Rebecca Minkoff

Theme:  A nod to Latino women featuring a mix of floral prints, laser cut lace and sportswear.

Palette: Accents of white as well as tropical hues of orange and yellow.

Beauty:  Fresh faced models, brown smoky eyes and braids pinned roughly to the top of the head.

Accessories:  Anything went - jewellery featured tribal necklaces and thick cuffs, shoes were laced to the shins and bags were a mix of duffle bags, snakeskin clutches and oversized totes.

Key Look:  The yellow laser cut pencil skirt was by far the best piece.

Review:  A bit heavy for my taste, the shows main theme seemed to be 'anything goes'.  The latino inspiration was evident in the 'lets go mexico' look emblazoned across the tee of look 3 as well as the tropical hues, floral embroidery and jewellery featured.  The black mesh skirt seemed to me to be the only wearable piece for mere mortals although the likes of Anna Dello Rosso would definitely disagree.

See the gallery on our Facebook page.

NYFW: Nicholas K

Theme:  Native America

Palette:  Natural earthy colours of browns, khaki and beige

Accessories:  Head scarves, feathered head dresses and heavy cuffs.

Beauty:  Wet look hair and earthy complexions

Review:  Considering Swedish retailer H&M recently came under fire for their use of a native indian headdress amidst claims it was offensive to the demographic in question the show was a bold move for the brand.  Utility jackets and the colours were nothing we haven't seen before and there was nothing that particularly stood out about the show barring the unisex models.

NYFW: BCBG Max Azria

Theme:  When asked who was the BCBG woman backstage, Azria answered 'She's a woman of 2014 who's in love with the world -she's modern'.  The collection hinted at 70's styled tailoring with feminine cuts and relaxed shapes.

Palette:  Began neutral with bright whites, muted blues and dusty pinks only to be followed with busy prints in darker shades before finishing with monochrome looks.

Accessories:  Box bags both clutch and worn on shoulder, wedged sandals.

Beauty: Barely there make up, softly tousled waves.

Key Look:  The shows final look of a sheer sequinned gown.



Review:  Whilst the details indicated design duo Max and Lubov Azria looked to menswear as inspiration behind their most recent fashion week venture, the collection featured twists traditional tailoring, with sheer inserts, soft draping and small but brightly coloured prints.  Core summer staples were reworked and in a contrast to the bright but neutral hues featured at the start of the show the final looks featured heavy prints not dissimilar to paint splatter.

View our favourite looks from the show on our Facebook page.