Suno - SS11 at New York Fashion Week

I've just spent an hour or so outfit building for Autumn Winter - can't wait to start layering all those lovely textures together - long floor sweeping silk skirts with chunky knits, metallic jacquards with - I'm not sure what yet.  Delicate vintage lace with my 1980's shearling flying jacket.

Then I see Suno's Spring Summer '11 collection, which makes me yearn to wear light fabrics, fresh colours, bare legs with those amazing printed wedge sandals.

Suno - Spring Summer 2011 Collection
All collection images via Style.com

Suno garments are artisanally produced in small workshops in Kenya.

Little Green Story at London Fashion Week

I came across Little Green Story at London Fashion Week. This Swedish brand creates organic t-shirts with illustrations inspired by emotions and moments in life. Helena Akesson the designer behind the label told me that she wants to work towards eco-friendly and ethical fashion that is both simplistic and trendy. As she explained: comfortable with a rock and roll edge. Minimal yet directional.

Helena designs Little Green Story for independent, trend aware urban women with an environmentally conscious mind. Her aim is to expand the collection for next season to offer a complete concept. I will keeping an eye out for future stories.

Little Green Story

Vintage grunge from Richard Chai Love

Richard Chai Love - AW10 Collection

The nineties are now vintage according to a pink neon sign in Selfridges window. I smiled at the tongue-in-cheek humour of the statement until it dawned on me that perhaps the Nineties really is being classed as vintage. How? How can a decade - that I remember so clearly - now be vintage?

I had a stall on Portobello Market in the Nineties. The era of grunge. I'd swan around the market wearing scuffed 1970's retro trainers, full length slinky skirts with a 1930's bias cut and loose knit, moth eaten sweaters. All worn with a thrown together - yet carefully styled - nonchalance.

Now it's back on the catwalk. Richard Chai's Love collection shown in New York this week has all the hallmarks of Nineties grunge. Fortunately, Richard Chai's collection is not a retrospective of the era - he has revived grunge with a modern edge.

His collection reminds me why I enjoyed Nineties fashion so much: The layers. Layering different textures, layering garments that are not usually worn together, mixing proportions.

It's time to mix up those layers. To be individual.

Suno New York leads the SS10 fashion tribe

Prada Resort 2010 & Dries van Noten SS2010

I don't know about you but I can't wait for summer to arrive. Ever since those amazing tribal influenced prints came down the SS10 catwalks - back in September - I've been longing to transform my wardrobe with an energising shot of vibrant African print. A flash here. A flash there. All mixed in to revive my summer basics. Oooh! I'm getting quite excited about it now.

Even more exciting is that Suno New York - a label designed in New York and produced in Kenya - is now available in the UK. The label was set up by Max Osterweis as a means to employ local Kenyan talent and showcase some of Kenya's artistry, which could potentially affect positive and lasting social and economic change.

The collections - produced in small, fair trade workshops - incorporate traditional Kenyan kanga prints into modern, eclectic styles with a fashion edge. The collections are testament to the talent behind the label - Kenyan and New Yorker.

Suno New York SS2010

Suno New York SS2010

Suno New York SS2010

Inspiration - Winter 2010

I know. I know. What do I mean? -Winter 2010!! We've hardly had a hint of Spring 2010 I hear you cry. And there I was - only two weeks ago - spouting off my resolution for slowing down fashion. How can I possibly be slowing down when I'm practically leap-frogging the SS10 season to find myself falling head-over-heels for looks that have barely left the 'Pre-Fall 2010' catwalks. I simply couldn't resist.

Preen Pre-Fall 2010

This has to be my number 1 collection. That hard-edged, Forties glamour. Strong yet sensual. Don't mess with me attitude. I just love it! These outfits look even more amazing set against those distressed plaster walls and bare floor-boards. (Reminds me of my local pub). I could happily take each of these outfits to wear as they are, which could cause a bit of stir down at my local.

Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2010

Amazing bold colour. Futuristic tropical floral prints. Ingenious draping effects. All brought together with creative genius to produce a collection with impact. Although, I'll probably give the bright yellow leggings a miss.

Missoni Pre-Fall 2010

I've mentioned before that I don't really do knitwear. This collection could be the one to convert me. I just love the layers of textures and colours that have been wrapped and draped to create each outfit. What's even more appealing is that each item can be wrapped and draped in more than one way to create different looks from one outfit. Multi-functional dressing at it's most creative.

Giles Pre-Fall 2010

Another of my favourites. Why? -Because of the creative direction - shown in an old porcelain factory. The styling - vivid coloured wigs and tool accessories. And, because it's Giles - one of my favourite British designers. Never afraid to take risks. I have to say I'm not loving the Laboutins. I just don't understand what all the fuss is. But I am loving the paper-clip prints. Stunning with a quirky edge on that floor length dress.

Slowing down in 2010

Image from i-D issue 303

T.Shirt by Stella McCartney

After a spate of inactivity on this blog I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I have to admit I am off to a bit of a slow start as we enter the new decade. In fact, slowing down is my fashion motivation for 2010. Slow fashion is the way forward. The zeitgeist. On trend. If you haven’t already started taking things at a slower pace, can I suggest you choose fashionably slowing down as your resolution for the new decade.

Don’t get me wrong. I love clothes. I love fashion. However, consumers have been living in a fast fashion frenzy for far too long. Lured by brands selling cheaply made, low quality cat-walk replicas to be cast aside after a couple of months to make way for the latest as-worn-by styles. Quantity has become more important than quality. Individuality is losing out all together.

I agree with Gill Linton’s ‘Stop Buying New Crap’ manifesto in her Fashion for Losers article. The manifesto states: “Buy timeless: one of a kind quality vintage…the well made, timeless or on-trend pieces that are easy to mix with contemporary looks and don’t cost vintage couture or contemporary Balmain prices…” What’s more, you'll be creating your own personal style.

Vivienne Westwood wants to see the end of "indiscriminate consumption" saying "If you have to choose something, save up and choose well."

OK rant over. Here’s to a slower paced fashion decade filled with individuality.

Peaceful Pom Poms

Pom Pom Knitwear by Ashish

POP. Issue 21.

Remember the fun you had as a child making pom poms? Well it's time to get creative again with strands of wool and cardboard discs made from empty cereal boxes. Pom poms are a key fashion look for AW09. So, what better way to lift the recession blues than with these colourful, fun accessories. Take inspiration from current designer collections to update your outfits with the innocent pom pom.

If pom poms aren't the look you're going for this season - and let's face it they're not the easiest accessory to get away with - you can send your fluffy creations to Pom Pom International.

Pom Pom International was founded by the writer and broadcaster Amy Lame to promote peace across the world. All pom poms will eventually be sewn together to make the biggest pom pom in the world as an innocent, non-political gesture of peace and reconciliation.

Pom pom making kits and full details are available on their website.

Pom pom headband by Benoit Missolin

Pom pom trims at John Galliano AW09

Style.com

Re-Design Knitwear

Paul Smith always inspires me. I love his use of print, colour and quirky detail. His SS2010 catwalk collection at London Fashion Week didn't fail to please me. Take inspiration from his cleverly constructed knits. Re-design your knitwear from last season to make it bang on trend again. A sustainable solution to up-dating your wardrobe.

Paul Smith SS2010. Style.com

Take your "must-have" cardigan from last season.

Remove one front panel. Cut back panel in half to mirror shape of front.

Remove the remaining sleeve - leaving a portion to create an extended shoulder line.

Make a tie fastening from the sleeve.

Thread one tie through front button hole. Attach other tie to back panel.

Fasten at the side.

Paul Smith SS2010. Style.com

Take a looser fitting fine knit jumper or jersey top.

Take a contrast colour, printed or striped strip of fabric or jersey.

(This could be vintage or something cut from a discarded skirt/dress/shirt)

Wrap across the bust - twisting it in the centre. Fasten at the back.

You have now created a bustier effect top - seen on so many of SS2010 catwalks.

DVF Gets Crafty

Diane Von Furstenburg SS10

Style.com

I couldn't help noticing the brightly coloured cuffs used to accessorize every outfit at Diane von Furstenburg's SS10 show at New York Fashion Week on Sunday. Models wore them piled high in a variety of vibrant clashing colours.

They remind me of the cuffs from Artisan Life, which are hand-crafted in Colombia from natural fibre. (See my August post - Statement Handbags with a Conscience).

Visit Artisan Life for yours and be one step ahead of the fashion pack for SS10. Remember to pile 'em high. Be on trend with a conscience.

Iraka Palm Cuffs

Image copyright Artisan Life

A Fine Collection

Image by permission of FIN. All images copyright of FIN.

New York. London. Paris. Milan. Copenhagen. If Denmark isn't on your fashion radar then it's time it was. Copenhagen Fashion Week was earlier this month showing collections from established Danish labels Marlene Birger, Rutzco and Bruns Bazaar, as well as those from new designers. This was the first time FIN, a Norwegian label, showed in Copenhagen.

FIN (Norwegian for Fine) create elegant, stylish clothes with a modern edge. Their collection for SS10 includes the key looks for the season: soft silhouettes, relaxed tailoring, draping and muted colours. The essential items are there: a feminine jumpsuit, loose oversized cardi, cotton parka, draped skirts and dresses. A desirable collection of wearable pieces.

Image by permission of FIN. All images copyright of FIN.

FIN is where design and awareness are combined into fashion.

FIN design with a wonderful eye for detail and interpretation of trends.

FIN create with luxurious sustainable textiles such as organic cotton, organic bamboo, hand spun wild silk, organic alpaca and milk fabric. Milk fabric? Yes, that's what I thought. It's the new sustainable FIN fabric for SS10. Produced from surplus milk proteins to create a fabric with a super soft, luxurious texture.

FIN produce with a fair trade principle ensuring that all who work with them are concerned about wages, working hours and human rights.

FIN is about fashion. They want customers to appreciate the clothes for the design then to discover the ethics as an added value.

It's an inspiring value. One that I hope all fashion labels will work towards.

If like me you can't wait until Spring 2010 for FIN's new collection then check out the AW09 collection:

Image by permission of FIN. All images copyright of FIN.