London Fashion Weeking: Day 3: Topshop Unique

In a strange way, its way more fun having no ticket to a show than actually having one. You feel a bit like common trash standing outside awkwardly waiting for someone interesting to come out, but it's totally exhilarating because you don't know who exactly is in there and once you’re in, you sort of feel approved.

 Two seasons ago, during the SS10 shows, my good friend Tushara and I blagged our way into the Julien Macdonald show here in London. In my post about the show I made it seem as though i was formally invited, but i totally wasn't. 


We told the PR we were with a renowned English newspaper and gave each other fake tacky names, like 'Sonal Shah' and 'Janae Bakken' (cast and crew member's of Scrubs, of course, as Tushy’s obsessed) We thought we had no chance and did it for a laugh, but to our surprise she pointed to the entrance and said 'get in there!' and went on to reject every other person in the queue.  


I’ve always hoped my first show to be Jil Sander or Prada, but I’ve grown quite fond of satin coats and snakeskin evening gowns since then. It felt exhilarating witnessing this excessively extravagant world in person; YouTube videos don't really do it any justice. 


We spied over the tall glasses of champagne carried out by charming, young men amidst “Forbidden Colours” playing in the background, and pushed our way to the front of the standing pit, and lo and behold Constance Jablonski is walking out in a sheer bikini. We felt a bit cheap and twatty with our air of self-importance, but once you’re in, you totally feel a part of the whole fashion pack. Read about the show here.

This SS11 season I decided to go outside a few shows and try to get into a few others with Tushy. Topshop Unique always has a good newbie cast with a few Prada regulars. Surprisingly the show isn’t cast by Russell Marsh, but by Sarah Murray and Jess Hallet of Darling Productions, casting extraordinaire of Louis Vuitton, Sonia Rykiel, and Alexander McQueen among others. You always a spot a new girl at the Topshop show, and by the end of fashion week, she's appeared at Prada and Balenciaga and everyone knows her name. 

Sadly, our last season efforts proved that it‘s really quite pointless trying to get into Topshop Unique. Though it's not one of the biggest names out there, if you don't have a ticket then the PR won't even look at you let alone bother to listen to a swarm of lies, the PRs are surprisingly very organised with their lists and ticket allocations unlike some of the bigger  brands. 


It was really frustrating because they changed the venue from Luxborough Street to Waterloo Station. I had to follow a bunch of Russian women who looked a part of fashion week throughout my entire journey. I noticed this season that there were so many Russians outside the shows.  I always find that during fashion week, everywhere you go, there's fashion industry people wherever you go with the BBC accreditation card around their necks. You often find yourself just following someone who looks remotely fashion-y just to find a show.

 There weren't that many people standing outside, except for a few photographers and a hoard of drivers standing around smoking and waiting. I decided to talk to some of the drivers and ask them who they were driving. I didn't really care for Amber Le Bon's driver, so i asked some of the other model drivers instead. 


I came across one guy who seemed exhausted and totally out of it. He was a bit sceptical about me asking him who he was driving but eventually he gave in. I honestly could never understand what he ever said because he spoke so fast and had such a thick accent. So eventually he told me he was driving: 'Abblifghdj' There wasn’t really much point asking him to repeat what he said. I just assumed he meant 'Abbey Lee Kershaw,' so I told him that i was a big fan and that I’d love to have a picture with her. He told me that he'd been driving her for four hours and that she was the loveliest person he’d ever worked with. He also said that he'd be driving his car right out at the front to pick her up quicker so i should wait by there to get a good picture.

I waited around at the front, and by the end of the show I spotted Nicola Roberts, of UK hit band Girls Aloud.  We usually spot her at every London Fashion Week show; no one really cares for her picture as much because she’s literally everywhere. 

Also, Julia Roitfeld, of the Tom Ford advertising campaign fame and that hilariously awful Jil Sander perfume ad  came out, you feel she’s the only person worth photographing, surprisingly no one cared about her, but I couldn’t stop staring at how beautiful she was: bright green eyes and all legs. Amber Rose comes out and everyone is flooding for her picture, I think they were all expecting Kanye to come out. But still no sign of Abbey Lee!  I was surprised when Amber Rose looked towards me, spread her hips wide and put her hands on her hips for my camera, I then realised she was expecting me to take a picture. She then got into that man’s car, he waved bye to me and drove off. So it turned out he was driving Amber Rose and not Abbey Lee. How do you mix the two names up?

Still no sign of models, with all the new girls of the season, I didn’t think I’d be able to recognise many. I notice big fluffy hair a la Louis Vuitton ss10 and I spot Julia Nobis looking unhappy in an afro and garish red lips, she doesn’t look like she wants to be photographed but I thought I’d ask her anyway, I haven’t been waiting around for nothing. She is one of the girls of the season, from appearing at Marc Jacobs to opening Proenza Schouler. She has this awkward and mysterious beauty about her that I really like.

 Then there’s a small crowd around Dree Hemmingway.  In pictures she looks mean and unapproachable and in videos she talks about all the clothes she wears, but she seems really sweet. I approach her and ask for a picture, she looks down at my small stature and asks me my name and how she would be happy for me to take a picture of her. I haven’t said much and she grabs me and hugs me and tells me I’m the sweetest thing ever. I don’t know if its for the camera that’s watching over or the people surrounding, but I figure she’s quite lovely, though I feel a bit patronised.  

I recognise Austrian Ilvie Wittek, who appeared in shows Prada and Louis Vuitton last season standing alone. She reminds me of Hannah Holman in every way, peaches and cream complexion and pale blonde hair. She has this quiet stature and shyness that’s really endearing.

 Then Constance Jablonski comes rushing out eating a bar of chocolate walking along with Dorothea-Barth-Jorgensen. I never got Dorothea’s appeal until I saw her in person, she has this ethereal quality about her in person, she’s impossibly thin but there’s a gracefulness in her fragility and movement that really stands out. Constance on the other hand is strikingly beautiful in person, her eyes are a pale blue in contrast to her warm tan skin and she has this expensive bone structure. In her heavy French drawl she deals with everyone approaching her with unpretentiousness and modesty. You would have thought it would have all gone to her head by now.

A Couple of Questions for...Jacob Coupe

Monarchy or Presidency?

Presidency/Priministary because they actually help or atleast try to solve problems and not just run around chasing foxes.

Babies or Dogs? 

Dogs for when im young, Babies for when im ready.

Sisqo or Dizzee Rascal? 

Dizze rascal, Sisqo was/is just fast food music, Dizze is abit more filling.

Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay? 

Jamie Oliver when he had his old tv show, The Naked Chef and was in his flat, these days Gordon Ramsey.

London or NY?

London....just England generally, because Englands such a small country anywhere you go you feel kind of at home, iv come to realise too, English people are actually amazingly nice compared.

Whats the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?

Like totally get caught without my foundation and concealer on, i.just.dropped.dead. 

Prada SS10 Soundtrack

Classicism and modernity went hand in hand in Miuccia Prada's collection of a 'crystalised beach'. The collection had a very fantastical and artifical looking element to it all; the glossy red mouths, chandeliers swaying, plastic-like shoes and the projection of Italian interiors on the hi-tech fantasy set.

Jackets and shorts were robotic and futuristic in classic Balenciaga shapes of predominant silver tones , while the photographic prints of the tourist resort beach on the clothing represented the technological aspect to rhe collection.

Without a doubt, the Prada runway show soundracks are always one of the best of the season. I've had this one blaring on my iPod non stop for months. My sisters says it sounds like a train crash, but i think it sounds pretty damn fierce.It starts off brash and agressive with the  occasional lulls of Brenda's harmonic melancholic voice whereas the instrumental piece gives a mood of serenity.


 Runway soundtracks in general are another massive interest of mine aside from the clothing, there is such a massive level of thought that goes behind the musical aspect of a show. It's often unnoticed how relevant a single lyric or chord resonates with a collection. Imagine if Sanchez chose to play Metallica? We'd probably see the clothing in a completely different light. I think it's absolutely genius.

Lil Mama raps about making herself look attractive ,which contributes to the artifical element of the collection, while Brenda Lee pines about loneliness and insecurity. The 50's and 60's is an era that Miuccia commonly cites in her designs. Whilst, The powerfully cinematic piece by Mantovani of Inland Empire gave us the sense of past and classicism aspect to the collection.

It feels almost like a conversation or even a blaring argument between the two women Lil Mama and Brenda Lee. Rather a conversation between classicism and modernity, or perhaps even a powerplay between two women of optimism and uncertainty.

Tracklist

"Lip Gloss" by Lil Mama

"All Alone Am I" by Brenda Lee

"Colours Of My Life" by Mantovani

Download here

SPOTTED: Will Eustace at Trafalgar Square

This picture was taken absolutely ages ago, during the FW10 mens shows in London, but I figured that if I was to make a new post after light years then it should be a good one. Who doesn't love Will Eustace? He's a breath of fresh air among the Scandinavians on the Prada and Jil Sander runways.

 He was really lovely and very sweet, especially when I told him I loved his CK campaign.

RIP Lee McQueen

I was absolutely devastated to hear about the sudden death of Lee Alexander McQueen. I found out as soon as I came from school that day, I switched on the television and  I saw the news reporter talking about past McQueen shows and then I saw footage of  a body being dragged out of a house and they said that it was him.

His shows have always had such an emotional impact on me. They always felt like a history lesson, in the best way. Who else could have expressed the Theory Of Evolution in a much more fascinating way? I remember when I was ten years old and I was becoming more and more interested in fashion, his shows were one of my first to discover. I loved how his shows were so dramatic and spectacular, each season so iconic. You could see the meticulous attention to detail in each of shows and collections: the choice of music, the movement of the clothing on the model, the setting, whether the fabric was interfacing or not. The passion for all of this was and still is so inspiring to me. I always thought that maybe one day I could attend one of his shows.

One of my  favourite McQueen collection was the SS 2009 womens collection inspired by the Natural World. I would come home every day after school and watch that three minute clip of it on YouTube about 20 times again and again. 'A Guy Called Gerald' never got boring, and neither did his underlying message behind that show. I found his vision of this particular woman so beautiful and seemingly demure. As well as being a collection of  incredible workmanship the whole collection represented a psychological and important message to us all today. 

  I watch one of his shows, and I feel that if such beauty can exist then maybe the world isn't such a bad place after all?

Interview with Jacob Coupe

After much correspondence, the super sweet Jacob Coupe let me ask him about his experience walking for Prada, while on hectic castings for the shows in Paris.

"I loved doing the Prada show this year, i feel that so far it has been the highlight of my career in terms of the fun and enjoyment i got out of it, and the people i met.

I was with the Prada team for around 5 days straight doing the fittings and working with Miuccia was amazing, it was clear to see how she has lasted so long in the industry with the amount of detail and attention she gives to everything she does.

I was with 3 other models for the whole time - George Barnett, Adrien Sahores and Nicolas Ripoll.
We got looked after amazingly and stayed in a hotel right round the corner from the Prada, was such a fun week filled with laughs and pranks. I cant wait to do it all again."


Before the show, did you know of the impact it would have on your career?
I had no idea! It’s a funny story, at the start of the week Nicolas and George made a bet about who would open the show, me or Adrien, and when we found out it was me it was only when Nicolas told me how much of a big deal it is, that it sank in.

What did you think of the fashion industry before you became a model and how does it compare to how it really is?
Before i was a model i never really had an interest in the industry, i never knew anything about it apart from Zoolander haha, and Zoolander and the industry defiantly have their similarities!

Could you ever see yourself doing something like prada or becoming a model before?
10 months ago i would have ever have thought i would be doing this today, its insane what has happened, but no like i said before i have never really had an interest in fashion or modelling, it all happened by chance really! I remember going to see Russell Marsh for the first time and to say it progressed into me doing what i have, is crazy.

How did you feel about the clothes and the setting and music. did you see the preparation for the setting and music. what did you think of it?
I really liked the colours of the clothes, the greys and blacks. I always find my self wearing them on different shoots too! as for the set we never really saw it getting built but when we had our rehearsal we got a chance to stand around and have a good look at everything and it was so good, all the details that went into it, you could stand in the show room for an hour and still not have spotted everything that was there.

"A Couple Of Questions for..." Jacob Coupe soon!

Interview with Tyler Riggs

I took this interview with Tyler ages ago, back when he was doing the SS09 shows and it's just amazing to see how much his career has progressed from there and how much control he has over his career now. This SS10, he skipped the entire show season yet he has still managed to be in demand with print work and he was even offered two exclusives by two major French brands last season, although he decided to turn them down because the acting school he's at is 'serious.' He shows great range and versatility as a model, enabling him to work for youthful and edgier brands like Diesel but also classic and quiet looks for Louis Vuitton and GQ magazine editorials. The skinny punk rocker look gets old after some time and his agents are trying to promote the latter look much more. The amount of options and rejection is immense, to name a few, Tyler is put on option for the highly anticipated Prada menswear show every season yet he's never once walked the show. The fact that he's even on option 'means absolutely nothing' to him. And he's been on option for some of the biggest campaigns, including last winter’s Gucci FW09 advertising campaign. He manages to stay down-to-earth and unaffected throughout his career and to put it quite simply; he's really not a twat.

What's the story behind your tattoo?
I am a big fan of Salvador Dali so I decided to tattoo my favorite painting of his smack dab on my left shoulder. The painting is called the Temptation of Saint Anthony. I fell in love with him at an early age since there is a rather large collection of his works in St. Petersburg, FL ( which is near my home town ) The real story behind the painting is St. Anthony is trying to resist sin. Each animal and object sort of represents the seven deadly sins. I guess it's a reminder to stay grounded. I love Dali. I grew up near St Pete Florida and they have a huge Dali museum there.

If you hadn't come into modelling, what would you have been doing?
I was touring around with bands in the states. I was also in a hardcore band called "Hot Gates". I have been writing a lot of music lately, however, I aspire to start some kind of acting career soon.

How does it feel to be on the runway? Do you get nervous?
I have played shows in a band and done a bunch of plays in highschool, so being in front of a crowd wasnt that bad. I was a bit nervous when i started the Neil Barret show, I was afraid to walk out first and mess the whole show up. ha

How does it feel seeing yourself on billboards, magazines and such?
It's kind of funny. I felt like it was going to be this big deal, but none of my friends seem to be too impressed so it's lost it's shiny newness.

Are you part of Vegas Porn Conventions or what?

Hahaha, I think you are referring to the well endowed Tyler Riggz ( gay porn star ) that is not me. haha, everyone always asks about that.

What's your favourite YouTube video?

Lightning bolt. it's a video of kids LARPING

What's the worst thing that has happened to you at a show?

I forgot to stop at a show one time and after I turned I walked back and posed. I kinda shrugged my shoulders and everyone laughed.

What's the most disgusting food you've ever eaten?

I hate spinach, I try to like it but I just hate it

Has acting always been an interest?

I actually wanted to be an actor since I was a little kid. I have done plays and stuff like that but nothing serious. I am starting acting classes next month. I have met a few people that are interested in doing short films so I guess thats where I am going to try and start.

What did you initially think of the fashion industry and how does that compare to how it really is?

Everyone made it seem like you are easily going to make tons and tons of cash, but you really don't, and if you do it usually doesn't come easy.

What was your experience working with Steven Meisel?

It was pretty cool. He didn't really talk to me much at all. I'm pretty sure that dude hates me because I didn't really give a shit about him being this big time photographer.

If someone told you 5 years ago that you would become a model and do all these shows and campaigns, what would you have said?
No way, I am going to be in the sickest, heaviest most freakin' brutal hardcore band ever and I am going to live in a van and eat Wendys everyday.

A Couple Of Questions for...Tyler Riggs

Tap water or Bottled water?

Tap water. Bottled water is an economic conspiracy, it's the same thing that comes out of the sink and isn't any healthier.

Private Chaufeur or Public Transportation?

Public transportation

A: because you can people watch

B: because it's cheaper and who the heck do you think I am? Rachel Clark?

Mcdonalds or KFC?

It depends, all Mcdonalds have sweet tea and southern chicken. I love KFC, but I would only pick it if i was in the South,where I can get some sweet sweat with my chicken.

Babies or dogs?

Dogs, they are easier and they won't grow up to hate you.

Toilets or behind park bushes?

Bushes are fun as long as a cop doesnt catch you and try and arrest you.