Headstrong in Headgear at Masha Ma

Masha Ma has this sensibility with fabric unlike any other designer I have yet to witness with my young (ahem...) fashion eyes. The most clear cut metaphor I can find for her work is when women spend 1 hour on their make-up to produce a "natural look". Her designs are so considered, so deliberate and so complicated in their pattern and construction and yet so understated. You see the pieces on the body and they are sleek and minimalistic.

The garments perplex me. They are so stunningly beautiful and calm but every season I find myself straining further out of my seat to get closer to the garments to see how on earth Masha Ma made them! Maybe this says something about the Masha Ma woman. That she is unfussy and tied together and you will never really get to see how the threads tie or what really makes her tick, as she'll only tell you what she thinks you need to know. 

  

Which of course leaves you with an insatiable thirst for more....

This season had a sporty feel mixed in with her layered and loosely folded jackets and dresses. White, navy, duck egg and greys. Hand beading, large digital prints, open backs and striking white halterneck dresses.

                      

I would really love to see her flat patterns and watch her piece together one of her complicated garments from start to finish, but for now I am happy to just watch and wonder and wait on the edge of my seat to see what she delectable delights she comes out with next season.

Masha Ma's (De)Con Woman

After Masha Ma's debut collection last season, which was Mel's fave we were very excited to see her follow up collection called "DeCon" at Vauxhall Fashion Scout.

I was blown away once again by Masha Ma's crazy cutting and ability to create luxurious folds around the female form. Zips could be seen in places making me wonder if the folds can open or be moved/removed? Very intriguing! Architecture was once again referenced, playing with hard and soft (last season we mentioned light drapes blowing out of a window of a concrete building) but this time it is the heavy drapes inside the closed window, though she still used light fabrics like satin, silk and organza to keep things soft. 

One element to the collection I really enjoyed were tops and jackets that almost looked as though they were being worn backwards, though they were constructed to fit perfectly; as well as a black dress with a split seam up the centre back that gaped open (stiffly) to shift as the wearer moved and showed what was underneath. The oversized detached collars were also spectacular because you could wear them with anything?!

Pastels like dusty pink and light grey featured once again though red tops and red patent leather boots as well as some black pieces featured which was a pleasant surprise as it gave option to those who are quiet dominants... Something we can really see in the Masha Ma woman - when we break her down and (DeCon)struct her. She is strong, experimental, quietly subtle but definitely one to watch....

Links: www.mashama.co.uk

Ice Coooooold - Alright alright alright alright now ladies! Masha Ma

When you live in a big city you are always looking down; trying to find directions on your iphone, weaving through the crowds of the thousands of people that share the pavement or trying not get your high heels stuck in a sewage grate. It is ever so rare that you look up - look to the tops of buildings, look to the sky. Picture it, the noises of the street still surround you but the world goes a bit quiet. You have a skyscaper ahead of you, architecturally chic with strong lines and halfway up, a window is open. The sun glints off of the glass and steel and the colours are ice (white, silver, blue and blush), the colours of day feeding into night as a breeze hits your face. Sheer cotton drapery falls out from the open window and blows lightly in the breeze.

This moment to me was CSM graduate, Masha Ma's debut show for S/S 2011.

                 

The Masha Ma woman is futuristic and individual yet feminine as she layers structured jackets with finely draped cottons. Though this collection focus's on "The Final Look", the individual components are extremely versatile and can be worn with other wardrobe bits - a definite draw for us at Pandora's! The pieces to this collection are complicated in their construction but speak of simple and unfussy beauty. Capes come in several stunning forms, both structured and draped making me think of city superhero's. Though not in the sense of saving grannies from burning buildings but rather - managing not to spill her Starbucks down her Icy White outfit whilst getting her heel caught in a sewage grate because she is trying to look at drapes falling from an open window... ! That is a Superhero!

I have had to borrow photo's of our two favourite pieces from the collection from photographer Christopher Dadey as we were unable to get a photo from where we were sitting. I love the structured cape jacket of the first look as it creates such an interesting silhouette and the sheer extension of the mini skirt as it is sexy but veiled like the wearer is keeping something back. The skirt with cape style back from the second look is absolutely gorgeous and extremely flattering, perfect for marching up the escalator at the tube station without pervy Joe Bloggs trying to sneek a peek! I can see it teamed with so many tops - a S/S 2011 staple for sure!!!

               

The show was absolutely rammed with people dying to see Masha's debut collection, and she certainly didn't disappoint. Roll on summer!

Links: http://www.mashama.co.uk/

http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/8441/1/masha-ma-ss11

http://www.christopherdadey.com/lfwss11/masha_ma/masha_ma_ss11.htm