THE ROOM 406

Eunice's Lust List

2011-06-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

Eunice Jera Lee, Wonderland Magazine online editor, freelance stylist and, naturally, Central Saint Martins graduate, shares her Lust List, filled with everything she craves from the past, present and Fall 2011.

The Look

Anne Demeulemeester's Fall/Winter 2011 gothic-tinged leather

The Kicks

JW Anderson's techno embellished fall/winter 2011 boots

The Great Escape

Videgard Sweden Tham and Hansson's Mirrored Tree House

The Interior Accessory

Fernando Nunes and Sammy Aitili's Carioca Chaise

The B.F.F.

A French Bulldog named, what else, but Napoleon

The Blast from the Past

Back issues of The Face

The Perfect Picture

"Susie Smoking" from Yohji Yamamoto's autumn/winter 1988 campaign by Nick Knight. According to Eunice, this is the image that led her to a life of style. -KKZ

Momo Wang——Craftsmanship for Happiness(2)

2011-06-16T05:59:00.000-07:00

Byebye, Central Saint Martin's

Y:What's the most impressive thing happened during your three years at CSM?

M: I didn't take the foundation course, so I was less competitive than my classmates. During the first year I couldn't to anything. I didn't know how to use the library to do research, and my sketchbook just looked like a disaster. So I failed with first two projects. Teachers in CSM are very strict. The only respond you could get when you explained to them was 'Who cares.' So I was very depressed by that time, even thought that maybe I should just quite and go home. But I didn't give up eventually. During the summer vocation I stayed in London, gave myself a plan for reading and study. I came to the library everyday, drew a sketch everyday and study about other people's work, preparing for the project of the next term.
Then the first project of the next term was the shirt project. I already got an idea when others didn't know what was going on. It's like the early bird catches the worm. The project went on smoothly from the very begining. Teachers and classmates all witnessed my changing. I started to feel involved and learned a lot with my classmates. And by the end of the project I was the second runner in my class. My tutor gave me lots of encouragement and positive feedback, which made me much confident than ever. After my graduation show I stayed to say thank you to all my tutors. When I told the tutor of the shirt project about it he was very surprised. 'Oh, really! Did that help? Thanks for telling me. It's good to know.' Yes, if you didn't tell someone, then he would never know how thankful you felt about him and the truth that how important a simple encouragement could change a person's life.

Y: That's so touching. What's your next plan after the collection?

M: Many people said to me that I got a fame. But I don't think so. I'm not an ambitious person. I never thought about owning a brand or wining big awards. The collection was finished by me and my mother on our dinner table. I don't have any intership experienment. If you sent me to some big companies and ask me to do some collections, or research on the trends and markets, it's impossible for me. I still have lots to learn and to practise. And that's why people think my collection is fresh. I want to keep the freshness so I'm a bit reluctant to get into the industry so early.

Y: Then what do you want to do next?

M: I want to go back to China. I want to go to some remote areas to learn the folk art and craftsmanship of the minority ethnic in China. We have 56 different races in China and they all have their special craftsmanship, some of which are going to disapear from the world if nobody is going to carry on. I want to learn it, recreate it with my fashion and introduce it to more people. It's a long-term plan, 5 years at least. But I'm not in a rush. I'd like to confirm every step and make sure that I'm doing what I really want to do.

Y: Is your family supportive to your next plan?

M: Yes, of course. You see my mom is helping me with my work in London. And my dad is a ceramics artist. Those porcelain on my final collection was made by him. In the future I want to do some fashion-related fine art stuff, like some installation about fashion. And my dad said he could help me with the material and space. He's a mature and traditional artist, and he's also my teacher and my inspiration.

Y: That's great! By the end I want to ask a question that I'm always curious about. When did you strongly feel that you want to do fashion for the rest of your life?

M: Well, that's before I was born I guess. It's destiny. My mom wrote a letter to her twins sister when she was pregnant, saying that 'If it's a he, I want him to be an architect. If it's a she, I want her to be a fashion designer.' My mom likes to make clothes. She made my clothes from my childhood to highschool. My hometown is not a big city. People don't know what is fashion. I have the sense of fashion, and I read magazines on the internet. My dressing were always critisized by the teacher. But all my friends liked my style and they also thought I should be a fashion designer. Even though, my parents still wanted me to take the normal education. They sent me to high school and then I went to study arts history in college. But I always have the idea that I want to make clothes.
In college I got freedom in time and finance. I rent a very small basement near school and bought a 500-yuan (about 50 pounds) sewing machine. That's how I started. At first I made some shopping bags for my friends. They liked them very much. Then I began to make t-shirts, then trousers, one by one. They were just some pieces of cloth, but I just enjoyed making them and seeing people wearing them. My clothes is not the 'cool' stuff. But people wearing them are really feeling happy and satisfied. And that's my happiness as well.

Momo Wang——Craftsmanship for Happiness（1）

2011-06-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2011, the Chinese designer Momo Wang walked on the runway of the graduation show of Central Saint Martin's College. Compared to other tall and slim models, her 'mini' models with balloons in their hands looked so happy and so different. The young girl, who came from a small town in the north-east China, got the second runner-up award and soon became the most eye-catching designer in her country. Many people said she's going to be BIG and have her own label. But Momo said: I'm nothing but a craftsman. Like other boys and girls who love handmaking, she's still the simple Momo, who just likes making lovely stuff and gets a great sense of achiements by seeing people wearing her clothes.
We had our interview at CSM CharingX. The building has been sold to the bookstore next to it. Next term everything's going to be changed and all the students and teachers are moving to the new building at King's Cross. Sitting in the Room 406, we started our talk from the school that has witnessed the history of London fashion.
(Y:Yoanna, M:Momo)

The Happy Ending

Y: Let's start with the question that many people who have seen your final collection would be interested in. You are a fashion prints student. But why there's so many knitwear in the collection?

M:I've tried almost all the techniques in prints during the first and second year of my study. As a fashion designer I think I must cover as many aspects as possible. So I was thinking maybe I should give myself some challenges in my final collection, to combine prints with knitting, and to be more competitive than other students. I have many friends who study knitting and I've leant a lot from them. I learned knitting and crochet by myself. So in the final collection you can see many prints that are presented by knitting. It's a comprehensive present of my ability.

Y: Have you ever done any internship as the other students?

M:No. Generally speaking, we can take one or two years off to do some internship. But as soon as I realised that the building was going to 'disapear', I decided that I would graduate in 2011 and be the last year of students graduated from CSM at Charing X. I'm very emotional. I won't feel like I'm not ready. If it's the time then I must do the thing.
Y: Your collection is very, very different from the other students' work. Where did you get the inspiration? What made you to produce such a happy and fresh collection?
M: It's very ramdom actually. Last summer I was help one of my senior with her final collection. She made me realise that if I took one year off then when I was back there's going to be nothing in this building. Everybody was talking about our moving to King's Cross, but nobody had ever seen the building in such a mess and things were changing in the next year. So the building and our prints room on the second floor are where my inspiration come. I want to build a connection between my final collection and my memory here at CSM.
Y: So is it the feeling of a happy ending you want to develop in the final collection?

M:Yes, a happy ending. You've seen the balloons. The idea is very simple: I wish the balloons could fly and bring the building at Charing X to King's Cross. Don't abandon it. Don't build a new one. Just take the old one with its story and fly to King's Cross together. Our school is located in the very central of London, which is a very expensive area. We understand it and we know there's nothing we can do with it. But it's sad to see the building with so many stories and memories of those designers disapeared and became a bookstore. So I wish the balloons could take our school to King's Cross with us, happily.

You see the first look. I picked the samples of the worsk of all the prints students from the 1930s to now, and sewed them on the skirt, like a bird's feather. The little girl is the building. She flies away with the memory in the building and in our prints room. When I'm old and look back to the collection, everything is still fresh and specific. I'm not very good at taking inspiration from abstract stuff. I love the natural and original thing. Many designers may focus more in contemporary art, but I love to go to the zoo, to the parks. My inspirations are all from my real life, and I realize them by hand.

Y: What's it look like at the very begining? Is there any important change in the final collection?
M:Yes, I can show you my sketch book. It's very different with the result. At the begining I made many specific prints, like brushes and paint cans. But then I found them too weak to support a whole collection. So I gave up a lot of them. I posted a Weibo (the Chinese Twitter) at that time, saying that: Momo Wang, this is not your last collection, but the first collection in your life! Many ideas can be realized in the future, but by then I had to decide on what to keep and what to give up. To focus on one concept and concentrate the 5 looks together and give a powerful feeling to people. That's the problems that every designer will face with.

There are many things that can support my collection in our prints room. My 30 classmates come from 18 different countries. Sometimes they just came to the studio in their own costume. Everybody can bring some inspiration to each other. So I take some elements from folk art, Russian culture and African totem into my collection.

Family, Teacher & Friends

Y: I met your mother at the day of your line-up. Did she and your family help you with the collection?
M:I went back to China and spent 10 days at home during the final, because there's too much handmaking and I couldn't finish it by myself. You know women like our mothers and aunts, they all know how to do knitting. So I told them what color and pattern I want, and they just helped me with the knitting. Sometimes my grandpa would come and check our process. My whole family was involved in my collection. So when I showed them the pictures of me getting the price, they were very surprised and said: We are on the international stage! I come from Jinzhou, a very small town in the north-east of China, where nobody barely knows anything about fashion. So when I asked them to help me they were very confused about what we were making. Does it look good? Can people really wear it? But they would listen to me explaining about it and later they started to accept this kind of edgy stuff and even changed their dressing style. I'm very happy to see that my whole family has become fashionable because of me.

Y: What's your relation with the tutors? What suggestion they'd given you?

M: My tutors like my personal style very much. So they told me not to do looks that fitted the average model. They wanted me to produce a collection like 5 looks of myself. To make the clothes that I want to wear. My difference with other designers is that I'm not professional. I mean, I've never done any internship, so I won't consider too much about trends and the market. I just search my own closet and make things that I like. And as for the propotion, my clothes is very different as well. Because I'm tiny and my models are tiny, my looks are all short at the top but long at the bottom. So my models all looks good in propotion, just like those 'giant' models.

Y: Well for the models, are they your friends? You seem to work very closely together.

M: Yes, some are my friends and some of them are my friends' friend. My tutor also introduced me some models and we even had a casting. We've become very close friends after the final show. It's a very unique experience for all of us. They are very happy because they are all tiny people, who've never thought they could be models one day, and even walked on the runway for such a serious show.

Bye bye Room406

2011-06-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

So our classroom on the 4th floor of CharingX is going to be closed in the next 2 weeks. Next term we are all moving to King's Cross, where a modern building of CSM is under construction now. It's sad to say goodbye to this old messy building. Some people say there's inspiration everywhere at CharingX. You may have used the sewing machine, which Alexander McQueen used to work with. Even in the toilet you can see student writing on the wall says something like: Stella McCartney used to wee here, I saw her! Eventhough the building is shabby and badly organized, we still love it, because it has a history of the London style.

If you can't open the door with the password, use your feet. Sue does that all the time.

And for our Room406, if you have come here you'll understand why the MA Fashion Journalism pathway accepts only 7-9 students each year. The size of the room can only afford these people. Thank god we have our own print machine, even though it's slow like an old grandpa, and sometimes refuses to cooperate. The room is chilly in winter, the door always opens with a creak, but it's our own room, and we love it.

by Yoanna Liu

Louis Vuitton Exhibition at the Nathional Museum of China

2011-06-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

A Chinese celebrity is looking at the trunk of Louis Vuitton at the opening ceromory.

The best known luxury brand Louis Vuitton is holding an exclusive exhibition that will last for three months at the National Museum of China in Beijing. The 200 items on display, which range from the famous trunks to the fashionable leather bags, show the brand's spirit of art and innovation, and its long history back from 1854.

However, to the Chinese, there is not only curiousity but also confusion floating in the exhibition hall. As a serious national museum, is it too commercial to have such a huge space displaying luxury goods? On the internet, some people says they can't wait to see it, but some says the museum is losing its honor as a national historical and academical organization. People from outside and inside the fashion industry also give their point of view.

The National Museum of China, a Soviet architecture located to the east of Tianmen Square, the political symbol of China

Bedi, the chief editor of FashionTrendDigest.com, the leading consulting fashion website in China, thought that the reason for luxury brands holding exhibitions at historical places was that they do have a history that they are eager to show. 'The consumers need to be taught with the sophisticated part of the brands, instead of the glory of money.' The famous fashion blogger 'Dancing Catwalk' also said that people were too sensitive to the word 'luxury'. 'Many important museums in Europe also hold some retrospective exhibitions for luxury brands. As long as it shows the creativity and bright side of human history, there's nothing to do with who's staining whose hornor.'

Lvsheng Chen, the vice manager of the National Museum of China said he could totally understand how people felt about holding an exhibition for a brand, since it was the second time for a national museum to do so. "The selection process was more strict than any exhibition we've held before. Our standard was to reach a balance between art and historical meaning. Louis Vuitton has a history of 150 years, and it also has a lot of fans in China. We hope the exhibition could inspire the creative industry of China." In 2009, Cartier had shown its classic jewelry and the stories behind them in the Palace Museum. The exhibition, which combined Cartier's delicate treasures with the stories of celebrities in history attracted millions of people to come and gained a big success.

Besides Chen's explaination, the leading Chinese newspaper <Economic Observer News> says the problem is not about the museum but the brand. The logo and stores of Louis Vuitton are spreading in a very sharp and rather high-key way in China. In 2010, it opened two flagship stores in Shanghai within one day, followed by a 5-month exhibition. Then in 2011, they have another exhibition in the top museum of art and history in China. It is like the brand is fiercely invading the Chinese market instead of exloring it.

The reports that consulting companies have shown in the past few years tell that Louis Vuitton has become the best accepted luxury brand in China. However, on the contrary, those 'fans', who overly worship the brand and the material life, have made Louis Vuitton a symbol of upstarts. Consumers can build a brand but they can also destroy their images as well, especially in China. Here, people used to hate being rich have just become rich. They worship fortune and success but don't know how to deal with them in the right way. At this point, an exhibition displaying commercial goods with a cultural background may be educational.

by Yoanna Liu

On the meditating seat #final

2011-06-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

Sue-Wen

On the meditating seat #4

2011-06-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

On the power of perception:

Sue-Wen

Past the meditating seat #3 to Venice

2011-06-04T05:34:00.000-07:00

We take a break from our local toilets and gondola our way to Venice, where I have just visited François Pinault's new-ish museum Punta Della Dogana to see his latest exhibition 'In Praise of Doubt'.

At times more impressive than the art itself, the Punta Dogana used to be a customs house in the 17th century so vast and overpowering I sometimes forgot I was supposed to be thinking about what a beach table ensemble with a laid out jigsaw set was meant to mean. Unfortunately I also have little empathy for postmodern art. So doubtful I was indeed.

There was a lot of intellectual melancholia and some curious things, but those that were particularly compelling was sad to say, not Jeff Koon's inflatable toy floats (the only name who was familiar to me observed that 'apart from being play things, these things also save lives' - cute, but still doubtful). Instead, Julie Mehretu's use of traditional media to represent the globalised vortex we live in and Roni Horn's brilliant manipulation of glass in 'Well and truly' made it well worth my visit.

Anyway the point is that art is long and life is short. Since the businessman and the starving artist serve each other's purpose (one wants transcendence, the other wants to make play things) then what else can I say except Mr. Pinault, will you consider giving this poor soul a chance?

Sue-Wen

Veronica B Vallenes

2011-06-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

The Norwegian designer based in Copenhagen, whose stunning simplicity and grace has made her journey to the top a smooth one, is another designer on the verge of breaking through in the international Market. Her delicate pieces create statuesque sill undress reminiscent of ancient roman sculpture. Season after season, her highly desired collections are a highlight at Copenhagen Fashion Week.View her website here.

On the meditating seat #2: What would Karl do?

2011-05-31T17:21:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when one day a mood chart is drawn and some find themselves unrepresented:

Lets take a closer look since the lines are too thin:

And finally, the last words:

... We all know the famous story of Karl slimming to fit into Dior Homme Hedi Slimane-era jeans. So of course he would approve of this one. We are after all a fashion school with doors only just wide enough for model-sizes to get through; it is the first round for qualification into the college. You're not allowed - physically, socially and mentally - if you cannot even get pass the doors. Dear oh dear.

"It will give us more profile and will make us more visible. Central St Martins will be a really major art college development and one for the 21st century," says Sir John Tusa, chairman of the University of the Arts London, of the new compound.

I suppose wider doors in King's Cross won't be an issue for debate then, unless some disagreeing individuals with power prefer to keep the college less fashionable.

Sue-Wen

Disclaimer: Exaggeration of door size may be a result of being tired from hearing a certain fashion stereotype. Most of us consume ginormous amounts (sometimes to our own frustration as good food = calming break = money =/= a journalist's wage), and the irony is that Lindsey, the slimmest of us could down a horse in one sitting. Which makes me wonder where one will find delicious things around our new home - currently all I see within King's Cross are Chinese take outs and chip shops. Dining at the Gilbert Scott will be fanciful.

Dressed Undressed

2011-05-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

On a quest to find innovative design, i spend my days and nights trolling the open seas (aka the internet) to find fresh, new talent. In a stale industry filled with monopolising luxury Goliaths, it is my belief, my calling if you will, to give the Davids a fair chance to be recognised for their skill, talent and perseverance. This week, I will tackle the boundaries that keep the little guys down and bring to light some of my favourite youngsters. My first choice is Dressed Undressed. Hailing from Tokyo, this label has defined the difference between femininity and masculinity. By combining elements of both themes, Dressed Undressed exaggerates the space between the sexes. In a way that would seem almost awkward, Designer, Takeshi mixes contrasting features of men's and women's garments. The outcome is a simple yet sturdy collection that oozes power and confidence. For more info, check out the website.

Mariel

On the meditating seat #1

2011-05-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Before machines demolish our dear old Charing Cross branch - it's so easy to come to love this grubby building - Room 406 shall pay respect to the whispering walls of toilet stalls.

Home to 70-odd years of historic art and design, retreating to the loos can seem a tad disappointing at first. Few work worth preserving to be found in there. These musing walls - mostly comical, sometimes depressive and cynical, are at other times insightful or just plain mundane (worrying for an art school, if walls could indeed speak) - are where the stars past, present and future come to get rest, in one way or another.

Goodness knows who 'Niady/Nialy M.G.' is though. Sad times for her and thousands alike whose restroom-declarations may be the only mark they are to make publically - and who would've known, will crumble into dust come the summer. Sorry folks. I suppose the likes of Christopher Kane to Phoebe Philo were too engrossed scribbling in their sketchpads than on restroom walls but you never know…

More seatings to come.

Sue-Wen

COLLABO ALERT!!!

2011-05-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

One of the peculiar things about fashion and art is often the juxtaposition of two opposing elements. The kooky mixed with the tailored, wearing your boyfriends clothes or being individualist to fit in. But the new tee shirt collaboration "Binky & Sheba PLAY" by Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo and “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening is bang on. Her other-worldly Japaneses aesthetic mixed with his wacky and amusing cartoons meld to form a range of classic tees that are perfect for the rising temperatures. And if its just a bit of dash that you want see the matching tote bags. The collection is available starting this month at Comme des Garcons Paris, New York, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Dover Street Market London. For us Londoners there is a special added bonus in making a store visit in the gallery like wall instillations inspired from Groenings' illustrations. Prices varying depending on city.

http://www.doverstreetmarket.com/dsmpaper/

By Lindsey Botts

Leader of the Band!

2011-05-23T15:31:00.000-07:00

Like scarves for winter and sunglasses for summer collecting bands, bracelets and bangles is somewhat of a spring time ritual. If you're like me you're adding one each time you visit a new place. By the seasons end they can be seen stacked mid fore-arm adding a bit of light-heated wit to a look. The best is when you can have a varied collection of high-end metal mixed in with some flea-market wovens. Even better is when you can combine the two. Forgo the cheap stall buys that tarnish and wear. In their place try Aurelie Bidermann's "Do Brasil". The fun style is a simple 18 karat gold, bronze or silver chain link intertwined with colorful threads of yarn. The french designer is known for her festive flair and as such has long been the go to designer for stylish tongue-in-cheek jewelry. Shall her €158-€228 price point be too much for the wallet check out Un Jour Mon Prince's Liberty print collection at Liberty London. Equally festive for half the price they are the answer to how to get the muti-layered look instantly. With their kaleidoscope prints and heart shaped pendents they go back to a time of pig tales and saddle shoes but ooze free-spirited summer fun. At $55 they can be bought in multiples making a day of shopping appear to be a summers worth of travel.

http://unjourmonprince.net/
http://www.aureliebidermann.com/

By Lindsey Botts

Snapshots from Indian Fashion Weeks

2011-05-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

Fashion is tough business. Peel the glamour off, take away the heady rush of showcasing to an audience of fashion editors and buyers, exclude the frivolous air kissing and unhook the pain-inducing stilettos, and what you are left with is a handful of designers holding solemn promise. They delight the senses, venture into the recesses of dressmaking and tell stories of destruction, abstraction, celebration, and seduction - that's their job, and they do it well. Presenting assortment of backstage and runway shots from Indian fashion weeks held in Mumbai and Delhi in April this year.
Shweta Shiware

Model Surelee Joseph with designer Kallol Datta

Fitting session in progress for Kallol Datta's show

Armour-inspired bracelet from Eina Ahluwalia's

Love, Respect, Protect collection

Kallol Datta asked a few tough questions about

Indian fashion's obsession with glamour, and all that's

safe and convenient in a collection titled, Hazing

Twenty five-year-old Rimzim Dadu used meshed

metallic wires interwoven to form the hypnotic

illusion of the traditional Ikat weave

Pics/Jagvir Matharoo

Pankaj & Nidhi presented a

collection inspired by 3D geometric motifs

Arjun Saluja doesn't bother with gender classification;

he'd rather have raging volume interact with

disproportionate lapels, disjointed shoulders,

piping and pleats, or leave it breathless in drapes

Anand Kabra's personal sense of dressing is as eclectic

as his chic/comfortable take on cumbersome Indian wear

Varun Bahl's designs from his all-black collection

NID graduate, Anand Bhushan juxtaposed complex

decorations on easy silhouettes, as linear shapes

were seduced by painstaking textures resembling worms,

realised by scrunching fabrics and zipper placement

Dev r Nil's menswear options combined western silhouettes

spoiled by local, Indian textiles and techniques

Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna's A-maze-ment collection

offered modern clothing choices for women -

open waistcoats teamed with wide-legged trousers,

an assembly of tough dresses separated by graphic prints,

sequins, colour blocking and laser-cut felts

Veteran designer Neeru Kumar has been championing
the cause of Indian textiles and traditional techniques
for decades. She works with craftsmen tucked away
in hamlets of West Bengal, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh

Aneeth Arora's married Indian textiles,
prominently cotton, with flattering western shapes

Ashu & Jason explored quirks of cuts and prints

Gaurav Gupta rediscovered silicon. He spent time in the mundaneness of ink dripping on paper, milk foaming in a cup of tea, pirouetting cigarette clouds, and found himself "feeling emotionally inspired" to create a collection that quietly confirmed his authority on drapes

Sabyasachi Mukherjee is one of India's formidable designers. Art, music, films and women of India inspire him. "Personalised imperfection of the human hand to make clothes that are an extension of one’s intellect,” is how the Kolkata-based designer described his collection. Pics courtesy/Sunday Mid Day

CSM Memoirs - Part 2

2011-05-16T04:31:00.000-07:00

The enfant terrible of Indian fashion Kallol Datta recalls his favourite moments as part of class of 2006, BA (Hons) Womenswear at Central Saint Martins.

After completing my design studies in Kolkata, I felt the need of studying a bit more. I stood out like a bloodied thumb at the design school in Kolkata, and my education in design seemed extremely restrictive in nature. On applying to Central Saint Martins and being accepted to their BA Womenswear degree course, the feather in the cap (or so it seemed) was the direct entry into second year.

The initial months were full of despair and wanting to head to a more generic educational setting. Nothing could ever prepare me for what studying at St. Martins would entail. I used to think, “Is it always supposed to be this difficult”? The class already had their cliques formed, and with my interpersonal skills being retarded, I obviously did not make friends at the beginning. I was defensive about my work, skipping tutorials, barely managing to submit coursework on time and more importantly, barely spending time at the campus.

Oddly enough what got me spending hours at school was the library. I was looking to kill an hour while waiting for a friend, and it got me hooked. The library (for lack of a better word) at my design school in Kolkata was barely a room with magazines and trend forecasting books (which I never took a shining to). Here at St. Martins it was that and then so much more. I’ve spent days cooped up inside, stepping out only for a loo break/ cig break/ hot cocoa break. This in turn got me conversing with students from other courses, which made me realise that I wasn’t the only one feeling the way I was. I started taking notice of my surroundings and the multiple imperfections in the building in which the school was contained, fascinated me. It wasn’t sterile or supremely chic unlike other schools. Walking through narrow, musty passageways to reach my 2nd floor studio, sitting on the stairs next to a caged elevator shaft which hadn’t been used for at least a decade (give or take), graffiti ridden toilets – surprising as it may sound; visually all of this had a calming effect on me.

This translated across my work at school. Nothing had to be perfect. All you needed was strong intent and this helped dealing with people around me who were extremely enthusiastic and inspired. It was an uphill climb from hereon (I’d like to think so), and creating my graduating collection in 2006, was something I hold close to my heart even today.

One would be very fortunate to have studied and graduated from the 107 Charing Cross outpost. The move to King’s Cross will see a whole new wave of technological advancements, containment of all courses under one roof and studio spaces reduced by 20% in size. However, I do hope that the inexplicable auras which one imbibed in (however late) at the Charing Cross building, moves onto the new school site.

Kallol Datta with classmate Yuna Yang

Kallol Datta's design at BA Graduation show

A model walks in Kallol Datta creation from his
fall/winter 2011 collection showcased at Wills
Lifestyle India Fashion Week held in April this year

In summer 2011, Central Saint Martins relocates to a new home at King's Cross. The move to this extraordinary state-of the-art space will mark a new era in arts education.

Collage of Ideas

2011-05-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

Fashion designer and blogger Jagvir Matharoo

A personal space, collage of restless spirit, postcards from various travels, interpretation of myriad moods, absence of words, pursuit of design – Jagvir Matharoo’s one-year-old blog seeks to find a co-relation between human emotions and the changing norms of fashion. He draws contradictions between old and new, chaos and calm, structure and fluidity, traditional and modern, art and fashion. “I love history, anything that has been in the sun for a while. Of course, it’s self-introspective, but my friends and their lives, and the mundaness of the ordinary also inspire me. I believe age adds magic,” he says.

Mumbai-based Matharoo works as a fashion designer for an export house that manufactures for leading European brands.

You can follow Jagvir Matharoo's work on: modejag.blogspot.com
Shweta Shiware

Explode

Nuptial

Bleu

Peccadillo

Inside

CSM Memoirs

2011-05-14T05:15:00.000-07:00

BA Fashion Print ex-student recalls her favourite memories at CSM:

Empty print room. Second floor of Charing Cross Road, walking through the blue swing doors and finding only Imogen Evans in her office. Silence and space was a rarity, and with rumours of the new print room at King's Cross being smaller, with more students per class, I imagine these will be more like gold dust.
Soho. Leaving college in the afternoon and taking a thirty-second walk to Old Compton street for an impromptu evening of debauchery.
Less health and safety, and more room for experimentation in the print room. Health and safety is important, yes, but I believe it can also hinder a print student's learning and understanding of everything she/he can accomplish in print design. Some students learnt they could flood the dye room twice in one day if they ignored the rules, and left the taps running unsupervised. I got acetic acid in my eyes on more than one occasion, but I did learn to wear goggles in my own time, when mixing chemical substances. Adding copious amounts of cobalt blue dye to your mix spells recipe for disaster — models with blue armpits don't look appealing. However, good surprises were always worth the hours spent waiting for things to dry, steam and dry again.

Leaving Charing Cross: I’m not entirely sure how I feel about CSM moving to King's Cross. Sad when I first heard but I no longer study there and after many expensive hours with my therapist, I have managed to get over the initial shock.

Some say it’s the students that make the college. Some say it’s the tutors. I haven’t heard anyone say it’s the building itself, but certainly the area in which it is situated helps inspire its frequenters. As an ex-student, you know it’s an amalgamation of all three — students, tutors, location. Assuming they’re not getting rid of the staff and CSM intends on accepting new students for the following 50 years, 2 out of 3 aren’t changing.

King's Cross isn’t Soho, but it is in central London and a hell of a lot closer to Paris.

Good Times: Print tutor David Kappo with the legendary Nathalie Gibson at the BA Fashion after-show party

Colour-drenched memories:
BA print room located on second floor, CSM

In summer 2011, Central Saint Martins relocates to a new home at King's Cross. The move to this extraordinary state-of the-art space will mark a new era in arts education.

Piercing Fashion

2011-05-14T03:06:00.000-07:00

Here’s another instance to how fashion can be breathtakingly beautiful or blisteringly bizarre. Sunday Mid Day, weekend edition of India’s leading tabloid Mid Day, published a story on a new craze called Corset Piercing in UK.

Yes, it’s as painful as it sounds. Laura Hunt offers corset piercing at her Tattoo and Piercing Studio based in Southampton called Dragstrip. She charges £5 per hoop.

But the 25 year-old insists, “It isn't dangerous”. She points out that corset piercing is becoming more popular since everyone wants to be different. It involves sticking hoops into the skin by hand and threading them with ribbon to give it a corset effect. No points for guessing which popstar first embraced this verging-on-masochistic trend – Lady Gaga sported flesh-coloured horns on her face during a television interview in February this year.

Laura Hunt at her studio in Britain with an example of her work,  a corset piercing on a client's back.

Corset piercing craze sees  a ribbon 'sewn' onto backs, ribs and throats. Pic courtesy/ Sunday Mid Day

Shweta Shiware

Denim Day @ Room 406

2011-05-14T02:59:00.000-07:00

A class about denim required a dress code. Our homework for 5 pm lecture on Wednesday: “Think about: what’s your favourite denim brand - and why? Why are denim jeans so successful? And don’t forget the STRICT dress code.” Here’s a look at what the 2010 batch of MA Fashion Journalism students and tutor Roger Tredre wore, while discussing a garment synonymous with youth and rebellion.

Charlie Byrne

Primark’s finest cowboy shirt teamed

with a chic velvet skirt Topshop

Coline Bach

Acid-washed, 90-inspired dress from H&M that could

have walked straight out of Madonna’s music video

Katharine Zarrella

Aimee G asymmetrical skirt teamed with Helmut Lang tank top, Prada leather jacket and Hermes scarf.

The Paul Harnden hat adds an element of fun

Lindsey Botts
Confession time: He only shops at women’s section for his jeans. Ksubi slim-fit, weathered jeans with a polo shirt

Mariel Reed
Stretch, black jeans from Urban Outfitters

Shweta Shiware

A deconstructed Kallol Datta star dress

and jeggings from Mango

Sue-Wen Quek

Frayed dress by Mart Marques and Paulo Almeida

teamed with sturdy biker’s jacket

Yoanna Liu

A string of pearls and Topshop white shirt

partnered with boyfriend’s shirt and jeans from Zara

Roger Tredre
Regular fit Uniqlo jeans

Shweta Shiware

Postcard from Florence

2011-05-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

Indian jewellery designer Eina Ahluwalia

One week has passed by in a wink. I’ve gone from getting lost to discovering shortcuts, from knowing exactly two people in the city to having a hectic social diary, from shock to a meditative state at my jewellery bench at school.

I decided to take a much-needed break and moved to Florence for an intensive two-month training at Alchimia Contemporary Jewellery School. After eight years of designing contemporary jewellery in India, I was beginning to feel limited in my design vocabulary as I was confined to playing with the traditional skills of the craftspeople I worked with. I needed a new language because I had so much more to say. I also needed to hone my bench skills for a smooth flow between my thoughts and my hands, without the loss in translation with the craftsman in the middle.

The other reason I’m here is to build a better context to my work. I work with conceptual art jewellery, something that is a niche in the world market, and non-existent in India. It is jewellery where the concept or the message is primary to the material and technique, and usually viewed and valued as art. It is personal and strongly individualistic, and worn more as a statement rather than ornamentation. At Alchimia, artistic direction is parallel to the technical training, and it is great to be in an environment where I am implicitly understood, and spend time with people who speak my language.

The great part about Alchimia is that the students, whether they are here for short-term courses or three-year graduate programme – all belong to one big seamless space. Watching the process, material, experimentation and evolution of other students is a lesson in itself. Ideas are sparked off, questions asked, notes exchanged, and growth happens.

Just after first few days into the course, I realised that working on each piece with my own hands is a painstaking, creative process; it requires patience, precision, a calm spirit and a quiet soul. And mistakes, in fact, open up new possibilities. The process is exciting, and I can’t wait to play with new and unexpected materials. Even though I am just a week into my two-month training, I am already thinking of exciting ways to integrate new techniques, materials and lessons with the traditional skills to create unexpected, surprising pieces. I also can’t wait to get back to India and set up my own bench, playing with my hands, thoughts, feelings, and turning them into jewellery.

Jewellery designer Eina Ahluwalia’s work in silver is evocative and provocative, and initiates a dialogue between the jewellery, the wearer and the viewer. Through her brand, Breathing Space she conceptualises, researches and executes her jewellery pieces outside the limits of conventions, tradition or techniques. Her last collection showcased at Lakme Fashion Week was titled, Love, Respect, Protect, and took a stand against domestic violence.

Alchimia Contemporary Jewellery School in Florence

One of student's work at Alchimia Contemporary

Jewellery School in Florence

Eina Ahluwalia at Alchimia workshop

Bracelet inspired by the fretwork on the walls of Turkish architecture during the Byzantine period

Love, Respect, Protect earrings from Eina Ahluwalia's Fall/Winter 2011 collection. She took a stand against domestic violence through her bold jewellery pieces

Neckpiece from Containment Collection, based on the perfect relationship where one feels accepted, understood and loved, i.e. contained in the other person with all one’s complexities

Showstudio unearths Plato's Atlantis

2011-05-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Following last week's unveiling of Savage Beauty, the exhibition which is celebrating the life and work of Lee Alexander McQueen at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, Room 406 have reflected heavily on McQueen and his influence on fashion. Whether it be stroking the sexy book crafted by curator Andrew Bolton to accompany the exhibition, or simply leafing through well loved biographies and online images, much awe struck sighing has gone on. A particular favourite of ours is the film which accompanied McQueen's last collection, directed by the designer himself, Nick Knight and Ruth Hogben. SHOWstudio.com have now kindly released the film, Plato's Atlantis, for the first time since its original presentation in Paris. We're sure you will be as enchanted as we were.

Charlie Byrne

Chloé welcomes Clare

2011-05-09T03:59:00.000-07:00

Clare Waight Keller, new creative director at Chloe

French brand Chloé, which has enjoyed prolific success under the leadership of creative director Hannah MacGibbon in recent years, has now passed the torch to former Pringle designer Clare Waight Keller.

Waight Keller became creative director at Pringle of Scotland in 2005 after being a senior women's wear designer for Gucci under Tom Ford, and working alongside Francisco Costa and Christopher Bailey. She has also designed for Ralph Lauren's Purple Label menswear and Calvin Klein.

"I am thrilled to be joining one of the most prestigious design houses in Paris," Waight Keller told Vogue.com. "Chloé is a brand that conveys a beautiful sense of effortless femininity and vivacious sophistication that I look forward to continuing into the next era," she added. The designer had taken a sabbatical to focus on family and friends, but will start her new role on June 1st.

Charlie Byrne

Thieves spot an investment

2011-05-09T02:58:00.000-07:00

Following the unfortunate raid on handbag designer Anya Hindmarch’s Bond Street boutique last week, much attention has been drawn to the all British brand. It is believed that Hindmarch was targeted because many guests at the royal wedding were seen carrying her designs, including the Duchess of Kent, Serena Armstrong-Jones, Lady Helen Taylor and Julia Ogilvy. This is the ninth time that Anya Hindmarch has been targeted in smash and grab raids, and it seems that thieves and customers alike just can’t get enough of her bags- but what makes an Anya Hindmarch design the investment piece you can’t live without?

Hindmarch’s bespoke Ebury bag is the brand’s star attraction, which was launched in 2003 to mark their tenth anniversary of retail, but remains a strong contender in every list of ‘investment pieces’ today. The style now exists beyond trends, and yet with the option of personal inscription in the handwriting of a loved one, each bag is a new creation in itself. “They are not of a season, they are of a moment of your life that will last and be part of a story for generations,” says Hindmarch.

Available in various colours and skins, but without the heavy hardware seen on trend driven styles of late, the bag epitomises paired down, classic elegance. The Ebury manages to tread the right side of smart but not too stuffy for the office, while containing a secret gilt message from a friend or lover- the only glint of flashy detail to be found. As many women see their handbag as an extension of themselves, a sort of familiar friend that is carted around as a companion to their daily life, this personal touch seems to set the Ebury apart from the heartless ‘It bag’ styles it competes with. Hindmarch seems to have realised the lucrative potential of this bespoke service, and now boasts a range of clutch bags, purses and travel accessories that can be personalised. The service comes at a considerable price tag, but most buyers are far more concerned with the pressure involved in such a purchase- handwriting practice has never seemed so crucial.

Charlie Byrne

Trend of the week: wild orchid accessories

2011-05-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Avid readers of Harper's Bazaar UK are enjoying a heady, sun kissed shoot that features this summer's sultry bordello inspired style in their June issue. Following a 'Wild Orchid' theme, the story showcases the most exotic looks from the Spring/Summer 11 runways, and proves all the difference a well placed accessory can make. But if, like most of us, you don't have the pennies to shop straight from the shoot, then have a look at the treasure trove of exotic little extras that we have found on the highstreet.

Hologram scale clutch bag, £30, Topshop. Purple agate ring, £10, Dorothy Perkins. Tassel earrings, £15, Asos. Red stone drop earrings, £12.50, Topshop. Hibiscus hairclip, £10, Dorothy Perkins. Metal cuff, £15, Miss Selfridge. Coral stone ring, £12.50, Topshop. Orchid pair hairclips, £6, Accessorize. Stacked bangles, £25, Asos. Coral hibiscus hairclip, £10, Dorothy Perkins. Lucious rope sandals, £80, Topshop. Obi belt, £15, Asos. Agate Cuff, £25, Collection at John Lewis.

Charlie Byrne

Lagerfeld's lady loving

2011-05-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

Fans of french fashion house Chanel were warned this morning that they may be shocked by the content of the brand's Cruise collection feature film.

The Tale of a Fairy is a 30 minute spectacle which features model Freja Beha Erichsen not only topless, but seducing Anna Mouglalis, an ambassador of Chanel. The film will not be shown until the presentation of the Cruise collection on May 10th, but Lagerfeld has given us a sneek peek on Chanel's news channel. "It is a movie about an ill-advised use of money which begins with violence and ends with feeling," the Creative Director told Vogue.com.

Erichsen plays a beguiling fairy, and stars alongside model Kristen McMenamy, Chanel muse Lady Amanda Harlech and Baptiste Giabiconi, Buying Director for The Shop at Bluebird. The trailer doesn't give too much away about what we can expect from the Cruise collection but places an emphasis on accessories, showing signature strings of pearls and oversized sunglasses. The full film will be released on Chanel.com at 9pm on May 10th.

Charlie Byrne

Mad Hatters

2011-05-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

It was always going to be a tough contest to upstage Kate Middleton on her wedding day, but Princess Beatrice has attracted more than her fair share of headlines since attending the Royal Wedding, and now has a new facebook group to her name.

'Princess Beatrice's Hat' currently has almost 5000 nods of approval on the social networking site, which pays mock homage to the the nude, cameo creation with face framing bows that the Princess chose to wear to the wedding of the year. Members have been particularly imaginative in uploading pictures of possible sources of inspiration for the hat's designer, Phillip Treacy.

The milliner to the rich and famous defended his design, believing it to be an appropriately modern interpretation of wedding attire for a young Princess. "My inspiration was beauty and elegance- it’s a 21st century wedding. I've known them for a long time and I wanted them to look gorgeous and beautiful. I thought they looked gorgeous and beautiful. But no one is crying if anyone didn’t," said Treacy.

Unfortunately for Princess Beatrice, most didn't.

But should she need some reassurance, it could have been worse. Millinery is notoriously hit and miss, and even the leading designers have their off days- so we have chosen a selection of even worse designs to cheer up our aspiring fashionista. Perhaps by the time 'the other Kate' ties the knot, Beatrice will have sorted out her fashion faux-pas.

Piers Atkinson's floral beard

London milliner Tracy Rose wearing an equally exotic ribbon themed design

A Stephen Jones creation which seems to be inspired by the wedding night

Charlie Byrne

Season of the Murse

2011-02-14T03:32:00.000-08:00

The modern man has truly evolved. No longer brawny, the modern gentleman bends gender rules. He has accepted woman as his equal and therefore has embraced effeminacy. An article in the LA Times explores the "murse" phenomena in China. Photo courtesy of LA Times.

H&M Nails New Camel for Spring

2011-01-25T14:58:00.000-08:00

In the wake of the beige (sorry, neutral) phenomenon of Autumn/Winter 2010, my wardrobe resembled a Farrow & Ball colour chart. I could have carpeted a desert with clothes in tones of twine, mocha, nude, string, biscuit and sand; however, I had no clue how to work them into my Spring/Summer wardrobe.

But just as I was beginning to rue the day Phoebe Philo ever picked up a pen, I noticed that some designers have revamped their camel for spring, taking inspiration, ironically, from watery hues. Peter Pilotto chose a rich Wedgewood blue to update the pale shortbread shades we saw last season, while at Fendi and Diane von Furstenburg, zingy aqua highlights were combined with stronger tones of corn and chocolate. Neutral knitwear, as seen at 3.1 Phillip Lim, suddenly felt fresh when combined with bluebell leather and chiffon in shades of sky.

But all this blue was giving me the blues. I was so certain that these delicate tones weren't going to trickle down onto the high street, given how the trends for brights, prints and jaw-dropping neon have been so prolific, and that I would be left with a dusty heap of clothes in shades of dust. That was until a multicoloured, multi-fabric, multitasking cardigan winged its way to the fashion cupboard at The Sunday Times Style magazine.

True to its quick-fix fashion ethos, H&M solved the camel conundrum by whipping up a wearable basic that takes inspiration from the ready-to-wear collections. A staple cardigan in a bold peanut shade, this knitwear gem has a completely sheer back in a colour reminiscent of aqua sherbet flying saucers. With its long, straight sleeves, boxy cut and square pockets, the front of the cardigan is far from feminine. But do a twirl and voilà. Ladylike charm abounds. The drop-pocket detail heightens the modern, serious design feel while the candy floss shade at the rear keeps the garment firmly within the spring colour palette. I particularly love the black buttons, which add another unexpected element to the design. While H&M's color combo was spot-on, most brands seem to have avoided combining neutral shades with black for fear of seeming monochrome and boring. Clearly, they haven't considered throwing in a whoosh of aqua to mix things up.

It seems that H&M has managed to create both an on-trend piece and a wardrobe classic all in one skimpy little cardigan. And it only retails for £24.99. So, as a clothes magpie, surely it's difficult to criticise the fast fashion producers? My jury is still out.

--Charlie Byrne

LOOK OF THE WEEK: Modern Aristocracy

2011-01-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

This dapper man could well join the super stylish gents that gathered in Milan during the menswear shows. But no! He's just hanging about outside our beloved college.

Beijing's Answer to the Dover Street Market

2011-01-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

The I.T. Beijing Market

Last spring, when I passed by Sanlitun Village, a new shopping area in East Beijing, I saw that a lot of big-name designers, like Balmain, Balenciaga, Lanvin, Bape and Comme des Garçons, were building stores. This Christmas, when I went back to Beijing for holiday, Balenciaga had opened, its racks fully stocked with the A/W10 collection. Next to the new boutique stood a 4-floor-store called “I.T. Beijing Market.” Looking at the familiar logo of the store, I wondered if it was related to London's Dover Street Market.

The I.T. Beijing Market celebrated its grand opening on December 23rd. Many of the opening party’s guests wanted to call it “The Beijing Dover Street Market.” According to one of the store's employees, I.T. Beijing Market is based on the long-term relationship between Rei Kawakubo and Hong Kong retailer, I.T. Just like Dover Street Market, the I.T. store works with Rei Kawakubo to stock Comme des Garçons and many other edgy brands. The two markets share the same concept, which is to offer a platform for communication between fashion designs from around the world. I.T. Beijing Market will bring in foreign fashion designers’ work and introduce it to China.

Rei Kawakubo at I.T. Beijing Market's opening party. Images courtesy of Vogue.com

I am surprised by how fast the Chinese fashion industry is growing. Five years ago, the luxury brands were limited to just a handful of mysterious stores hiding in very expensive hotels and a high-end building called “The China World Trade Center”. Now, you can see luxury stores in all of China's major shopping areas. Two years ago, Comme des Garçons was a name known only by young people who were interested in Japanese street or pop culture. Now, the brand has a four-floor store in Beijing’s most important fashion center. Furthermore, three years ago, the Chinese design aesthetic consisted of boring Qipao collars and traditional prints (just like the Louis Vuitton SS11, which is clearly inspired by Chinese costumes but not welcomed by the Chinese people). Today, with more and more young Chinese designers attending Central Saint Martins and, after graduating, returning to China, the Chinese aesthetic is becoming increasingly modern, combining world trends with more traditional Chinese designs.

So, to all the fashionistas out there, welcome to China! I hope you feel at home. --Yoanna Liu

A Glimpse at I.T. Beijing's Brand List:

Alaia, Alexander McQueen, Ann Demeulemeester, Commuun, Dior Homme, Gareth Pugh, Hussein Chalayan, Kitsune, Maison Martin Margiela, MM6, Peachoo+Krejberg, Raf Simons, Rick Owens, Thom Browne, Undercover, Visvim, Yves Saint Laurent, Comme des Garçons, Celine, Chloé, Givenchy, Jil Sander, Marc Jacobs

Bon Week-End, Paris!

2011-01-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

My favorite thing about Paris is the beauty found in every detail. A weekend trip allotted the perfect amount of time to explore the city and discover the intricacies that give Paris its reputation for beauty and luxury. In a city that can either make or break you, it’s easy to get caught up in the glamour and rich culture. We must not forget the everyday importance of noticing the little things that keep the city aesthetically incredible. --Mariel Reed

Images by Mariel Reed

Coming Attractions

2011-01-17T03:59:00.000-08:00

From left to right: A look from Prada's FW11 menswear collection; A look from Missoni's FW11 menswear collection. Images courtesy of Style.com

And they’re off! The men's FW11 shows have officially begun in Milan and will soon move on to Paris. With a schedule that's shorter and tighter than that of the women’s collections, the wait for the most anticipated shows is nonexistent; thus, we’ve already seen what powerhouses like Prada, Burberry Prorsum, Jil Sander, Dolce & Gabbana and Missoni will offer next fall. Now, there is no crystal ball for fashion but the menswear shows can give us a sneak-peek at what's in store for the girls. Time and history have proven that trends shown in January are often a prelude to what we’ll see in the women’s shows that take place in February and March. This is especially true with designers like Miuccia Prada or Burberry Prorsum's Christopher Bailey. Remember the double-breasted jackets and slim trousers constructed of sleek matte grey nylon from Prada’s men's SS10? A few weeks later, that same slate color and fabrication appeared in the women's show, except this time, it was duchess satin and appeared on jackets, vests and Bermuda shorts. Or how about that biker shearling from Burberry Prorsum's FW10 collection? It too was first seen strutting down the menswear runway.

The menswear looks from Burberry Prorsum's FW10 collection translated seamlessly into the women's fall styles. Images courtesy of Style.com

So what could this fall/winter season have in store for women? Maybe we’ll see mega lumberjack plaids from Bailey. Or perhaps we’ll get rich autumnal tones like burnt orange and rust, or evening wear in iridescent greens and silvers with inverted triangles and oversized proportions from Prada. Will there be less color and more solid greys, browns and khakis at Missoni? Deep juicy tones and tailored silhouettes at Bottega Veneta? Menswear trends may not change as frequently as women’s styles but they sure can be great indicators of what's to come. I guess we'll have to wait until February to see. Keep your eyes on the boys and place your bets accurately and you could be the next soothsayer of fashion.
--Lindsey Botts

HELLO WORLD

2011-01-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

Finally, I'm born.