A (London Fashion) Week diary, by, erm, a mouse and David Longshaw.
Where does inspiration begin and end, where does the product stop and start, with David Longshaw we arent quite sure. A peak at his website doesn’t make it any clearer really. Illustrating, designing, making mini stuffed characters, designing for them or through them or with them, it all seems a fluid stream of consciousness. This season to take it a step further the illustrations are on the garments, the garments are of course in the illustrations, the illustrations are worn by the characters created, confused, well leaving behind notions of standard practice is a help. Longshaw has at essence a well trained understanding of design and fashion which makes it all the more enjoyable to allow the rest wash over over.
A (London Fashion) Week in the life of a very fashionable mouse (Maude) – oh, and David Longshaw.
London Fashion Week has been and gone but one memory persists, London Fashion Week’s ‘The Daily’ newspaper saying that David Longshaw is FINALLY coming out of my shadow. Well I don’t know about that, I mean does he have a magazine named after him (MAUDEZINE)? Is he made out of 100%cashmere (the finest available at the current time)? Has he been on the front pages of the LFW ‘Daily,” been on Vogue.com or in edgy magazines like ‘The End’? I don’t think so!
David Longshaw S/S 11
Thursday – Set up at Somerset House, months of not sleeping to create the collection comes together.Yesterday, Vogue.com and The Daily Telegraph had previews of David’s S/S collection. LFW opening party hosted by very dapper Harold Tilman, (Chairman of the BFC- and Jaeger and Aquascutumn….. and the amusing Ed Vasey MP (Minister for Culture and all sorts of other stuff). Champagne and some cheeky little canapes ( a mini burger- Mildred (the peculiar penguin and agony aunt at Maudezine) nearly pissed herself with excitement as she loves anything mini).
Friday- British Fashion Council/ELLE Talent Launch Pad opening. Champagne reception with Lorraine Candy (Editor-in-Chief ELLE) and Caroline Rush (CEO, BFC) .Get to finally meet youngbritishdesigners.com in person. Their enthusiasm for what’s new and cutting edge is infectious.
Saturday – Milliner Katherine Lee, (who collaborates with David) and Penny Lee come to visit. Said they’d come to see David, I think we all know who they’re really here to see, (ME !!).
Sunday – Seemed to be the unofficial international buyers day as orders were placed and buyers came for a first look before arranging to meet again during Paris Fashion Week, where David will exhibit with Vauxhall Fashion Scout.
Monday – Knit designer, Lily Hibbert (who worked on David’s last two collections) comes for the day, (she took my seat the bitch!) I wasn’t standing for any of it, so took team Maudezine off with me to have a look around NEWGEN and see if there were anymore champagne parties going on. LFW ’The Daily’ write about David winning the BFC/ELLE award, with quotes from Lorraine Candy about what she loves about his work. Vogue Italia review David’s new collection (Vogue.it) Vogue Russia, Turkey and British Vogue editors all come around. British Vogue ask to borrow a piece for a shoot with Erin O’Connor the next morning.
Tuesday- Last Day -Drop off piece at Vogue House then driven in the Maude mobile to Somerset House where David is waiting for us. Pack up at 6pm and go over to Vauxhall Fashion Scout to see Kristy Ward’s collection (she collaborates with David on his jewellery) before close, then off to the most bizarre end of fashion week party- men with their tops off with a make up academy’s logo decorating their chests and some strange, slutty angel outfitted girls on the door handing out canapes and free champagne. Doris, already pissed before we got there (from the gin in her hip flask), nearly drowned in her 67th glass of the bubbly stuff. But for Percy ( a Maudezine intern) passing by and fishing her out, it could have all gone horribly wrong.
The Maudezine team