Jena.Theo's Wild Woman

Jena.Theo opened On|Off's presence at Mercer Studios this season, and with them they brought the clothes and the models all designed to fit the definition of "Fierce".

Now, Mercer Studios, while not being a particularly spacious venue, more than gave back to it's guests in seductive atmosphere! 

Caught out of the corners of Pandora's Thoughts eye's were the likes of Matthew Zorpas in a full on gold suit and fashion photographer Anders Brogaard. I had heard from Amelia's Magazine later that the lovely Hilary Alexander was also there furiously taking notes, but honestly the place was too crowded for us to catch a glimpse of her until Jordanna ended up sat behind her 30 minutes later at Prophetik's show!

Blue tinged lighting and a rave-like screen set the tone and the crowd on edge, while the mist in the room seemed to creep in from a nearby secluded forest (does anyone know a place like that in London?), the same place I'm sure they found the unreal creatures they sent floating down the runway, each one like a stunning harpy. 

It has been said that Jena.Theo's clothes are wearable, and it is totally true. They perfectly combine rough but comfy looking wools with soft cottons and silks, which to me just oozes the feeling of winter out of it's very stitching. It also tells a subtle romantic tale of the haunted wilderness on the edge of a dark pulsating city, as the gentle, enticing fabrics strike a harder note in blacks, greys and whites. Stark colours, worked well in their favour and was a nice juxtaposition to the rainbow colours back at the BFC with Paul Costelloe.

Without doubt, ours, and I think many others, favourite piece of the show was "the coat". Now if you happened to be at Mercer Studio's on this day at 11am, then you will know the coat I am talking about as my ears still ring from all of the camera's snapping. For those of you who weren't able to see it first hand, Jordanna describes it as not a piece of clothing, but an act. It is an act many of us perform on the darkest coldest days of winter, usually on a Sunday morning. It is the act of waking and wrapping yourself in your duvet still warm with body heat to protect yourself from the cold. Except of course in the case of this Jena.Theo number, far more structured and sexy (and without the JBF hair and morning breath!) The act we speak of was this coat:

Each pair of shoes that took to the catwalk, was the base to a look which emanated fierceness for us, and the expression was truly reflected in the clothes. These draped and flowing garments speak of a different time, and a different woman; Jena.Theo's Valkyrie woman, one that I believe Pandora's Thoughts left Mercer Studios wishing we were!

Links: Jena.Theo

Prophetik - Artist Wonderment and Family Heirlooms

Something poignant occurred while waiting in line for the Prophetik show on Friday. An elderly homeless gentleman was pushing a cart (containing his home basically) along the pavement past the Vauxhall venue. He was wheeling past us and was brought to a halt by a group blocking his way. The man had to wait several minutes while bloggers and photographers were trying to photograph one person dripping with labels and oozing style and another dressed in head to toe sequins and PVC, they hadn’t noticed him pull up next to them. If the situation hadn’t turned my stomach as it did I would have taken a photo, just to show you how demented the scene really looked (has anyone read the book Tomas??) 

It made me think - why on earth are we celebrating one person's overt use of plastic and double sided tape and anothers ability to kit themselves out in Balenciaga and Bottega Vanetta, while this man has one pair of pants and no where to live? Sometimes a little perspective is a good thing and although I don’t think we need to feel guilty about celebrating good design and loving a bit of boundary pushing imagery, sometimes we need to be able to look past the rims of our (albeit gorgeous) Tom Ford sunglasses and see that though it is fashion week, the world still turns and it isn’t glamourous for everybody. Maybe fashion week is a good time to celebrate the trade but also to make a little difference too, and that’s what I love about Jeff Garner and his ethical lifestyle brand Prophetik.

We had run straight from Jena.Theo so didn’t have the opportunity to fight for a coveted spot worthy of good photo’s so we settled for a pew behind the fiesty and fab fashion editor Hilary Alexander in a feathered ruff.




Hilary Alexander looking on


Prophetik shows always top my list of favourites not only because I believe in the mission of the brand and love the clothes but because they always put on an amazing show... The lights dimmed and the most beautiful song began to play. Can someone please tell me what it was?!(quite slow, man singing?? I couldn't take pictures and Shazam at the same time..) And then out of nowhere, fierce and highly acclaimed violinist Analiza Ching dove onto the catwalk and thrashed out an amazing performance before Benjamin Ellin and his orchestra began to rumble and the models emerged. 

    

Artist Wonderment was this years theme and was inspired by the court of Louise XV, when art become frivolous and diseased of romantic snobbery. The silhouettes were delicious and elegant and I will direct you to Vogue's photo's so you can fully see the ostentatious beauty head on. The show was styled by Rebekah Roy who did a superb job of capturing the mood and telling the story. The ethereal hair had me tugging at my own lacklustre locks, willing them to grow so I could mimic the fantastical women (and men actually) before me. The accessories were a collaboration between Prophetik and Dotted Loop and the wicked vegetable tanned leather shoes were co-designed by Jeff Garner and Rafi of L.A. based sustainable shoe label CYDWOQ. 

       

The artists palette contained all natural and plant based colours of white, black, chainmail, plum, violet, deep scarlet and burgundy and the garments were composed of lush eco friendly ripped silks, organic velour, hemp and a new fabric of cactus silk. A 150 year old quilt handed down by Garners gran Lola and a bedspread he slept under as a child were also used to make up the rich tapestry of the collection. (Yes seriously... Where can I buy??)

The finale piece was a breathtaking white floor length gown of silk and silk organza adorned with hand-sewn ostrich feathers (naturally shed and then collected). I have phoned and harassed the boyfriends of all of my unmarried friends in hopes that someone I know can float down the aisle in this dress...

                             

We loved this show, we loved this collection and we love Jeff Garner, who when he is not designing spends his time surfing and writing poetry. Awesome - Nuff said.

 

Links: http://www.prophetik.com/

Prophetik Opens London Fashion Week

And so begins our journey through LFW this season – and what a brilliant start!

Fans, Safia Minney of People Tree and shoe guru Jimmy Choo in attendance, mere mortals like me were stuck near the back of the Prophetik (Tennessee born eco-brand) show, but I saw a golden opportunity for a front row seat and jumped for it! Lens caps and goodie bag fillings went flying hitting those around me – “I’ll get those later!” I thought and climbed over a couple of rows of people to take my new front row seat – right behind a flourishing orange tree it turned out..... No wonder it was free! Seat thieves can’t be choosey so I began to take photos of the tree as if that is what I hired by Prophetik to do “I am designated orange tree photographer for LFW” I said to those around me.

Then the show began and as you can see, the view wasn’t so bad after all...  The London Tafahum Orchestra began to play, seemingly led by the backside of a hooded lady all in white accompanied by beardy banjo players The Hogslops busting out some deep South blue grass. The models began to emerge and float dreamily down the catwalk made of real grass and all of a sudden I was sitting on a horse, (tied to an orange tree...) in a garden in Tennessee at midnight watching an explorer meet his muse...





 

Creams, peaches, dark orange and maroon. Navy, faded denim blue, teal and minty green. Hints of black, white, plum and trims of suedy brown thrown in for good measure made up the charming colour palette of the collection. Dip dyed with plant based dyes and made with entirely sustainable fabrics, Prophetiks founder and designer Jeff Garner put on a lovely showing of flowy dresses of varied yet pleasant silhouettes, and waistcoats, bloomers and kerchiefs for the gents. Exposed zips and antique buttons dotted throughout the collection were a fine touch. Elisalex de Castro Peake of Nina Dolcetti designed the boots for the show.

The finale was a beautiful shiny blue ball gown with a cage crinoline of sorts (where can you buy sustainable crinolines these days??) underneath to give it its billowing shape, this worked marvelously with the silky fabric which flowed beautifully.

I loved this show, the eco wonderness of it, the healthy looking and smiley models, the music, the setting and most of all, the covetable clothing. Jeff Garner and the team at Prophetik will be a tough act to follow for the remaining designers this fashion week.

Warning... No grass was hurt during the making of this fashion show. It was replanted after the show!!!

Links: http://www.prophetik.com/

http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/ninadolcetti