Dedicated Follower of Fashion

Behind the Scenes of My BCBG Max Azria Cinderella Moment

You saw what I wore to the Snowball here, but how did that happen? Friends in high places? Well, yes actually. My bezzie mate, Mr Cuit, has started to work at BCBG Max Azria! Nice one!

The gorgeous dress I wore was actually pinched from the store thanks to my girth (size 10's don't fare too well in sample closets) but the other ladies who accompanied me from Two Point Oh! LA got to wear pieces from the Resort collection that hasn't even been released yet! Amazing.

Below are a few peeks from behind the scenes ;)

How stunning are these yellow dresses?

Jenny Wu and Rachael La Roche

Bethany, Peter and Baby Kylie.

Kelly Lee

Kelsi x

Los Angeles Fashion Council! LONDON CALLING!!!

 

Sooo, what I've been slaving over all Thanksgiving, is getting our first project as the Los Angeles Fashion Council off the ground! And it's super exciting! Inspired by the London Show Room visit to Los Angeles we've decided to give them the same treat - and send our most talented designers to London - simply to show off! (and hopefully make some sales for the designers too!)

Obviously funding this is not going to easy, especially given the lack of support from local and national agencies that are supposed to support this kind of thing (the London Show Rooms were sponsored in part by the Mayor of London and the European Union...we can only dream) so we're looking to the folks that love Los Angeles, and the fashion it produces, to help out.

We've started a Kickstarter fund to raise our funds - and we have $10,000 to raise before January 10th! Help?? Anyone can donate any amount to the cause - and donations greater than $25 receive rewards from limited edition sketches, reclaimed cashmere scarves by Mila Hermanovski, an Alana Hale dress, Bryan Hearns jewelry, new designs from Curly V and much more. The full list of reward levels and rewards can be seen on the Kickstarter page.

The plan of course is to send five designers to London, four have been pre-selected; Mila Hermanovski, Bryan Hearns, Alana Hale and Curly V - the last spot will be filled through a Facebook contest launching today. The ten designers with the most votes will be judged by a panel of esteemed members of the Los Angeles fashion industry and one will be selected to join us in London.

Designers can submit their work for the contest on our Facebook application and you can vote your favourite through January 10th.

If you'd like to spread the word for us - I've put together a whole bunch of badges for you to share on your own sites - you can gather them here.

Let's make it abundantly clear that style starts in Los Angeles - and that we're not all flip-flop footed, Ed Hardy wearing, fashion nobodies ;)

Kelsi xx

The British Fashion Council Presents: LONDON SHOW ROOMS - Los Angeles

From left to right: E.Tautz, Model, Marios Schwab, Model, Erdem, Model, Model, Nicholas Kirkwood, Mary Katrantzou, Model, Model, Jonathan Saunders, Peter Pilotto, Model, Model, Roksanda Ilincic, Richard Nicoll, Model, Model, Todd Lynn, Model!

This was one of the most exciting moments in my little fashion career.

In fact it was so very overwhelming I actually had to distance myself from it for about, ooh, three weeks so that this little moment in my life didn't translate to an utterly garbled article. Of course now that I'm remembering the enormity of the occasion, all hopes of a cohesive non garbling article have gone out the window.

I'm officially a British fashion fan girl. I mean I always have been (being British and all) but I didn't realise quite how much until I saw the collections in person, and met their wonderful creators. The best way I can describe my visit (and subsequent visits) to the British Fashion Council's London Show Rooms was that moment when you see a renowned piece of art for the first time, for instance Monet's Water Lillies or Van Gogh's Sunflowers. Pieces of work so iconic that they're instantly recognisable. Having literally poured over the images from London Fashion Week and knowing the work of these designers so well, each collection was instantly recognisable and quite breathtaking. Yes, as breathtaking as world renowned art that's hundreds of years old.

You may recognise the picture above from all the press coverage thus far. It's actually my picture - the photographer went home for the day and I was the only one left in the building with a professional camera. So this picture appeared in a lot of the press outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, it's my own little iconic moment that belongs to me ;)

Sooo. Now for the actual design/designers.....

Mary Katrantzou

Mary Katrantzou was not only one my favourites from London Fashion Week, but one of my favourites in person - so sweet and so humble and so unbelievable talented. Up close her prints are insane - I don't believe anyone designing today (or perhaps in days gone by) work with prints like Mary does. Between the vibrancy and the placement and the patterns themselves each piece is a work of art.

Without gushing too much, I think Mary Katrantzou is one of the most, if not the most, talented young designers in the world today. I can't wait to see more when I go to London in February (especially since I have an invitation from Mary to visit the studio...!)

I said it a month or so ago after seeing the photos of the collections - and I mean it even more now - wearing a Mary Katrantzou - is on the bucket list (and thanks to her upcoming collection with Topshop - marginally possible....saving now!!)

Jonathan Saunders

Another one of my favourites from London Fashion Week showing at the London Show Rooms, was Jonathan Saunders. The boy is hilarious. When I asked if he was enjoying Los Angeles, he responded "What's not to like, I've been drunk since I got here"

Charming, hilarious and looking for love or just a svelte homosexual (gentlemen?) Jonathan Saunders creates simply gorgeous clothing. There wasn't a piece I wouldn't wear to death - prints, brocade, feminine silhouettes and a pastel palette that's sweet but not sickly.

Love.

Erdem

If you've read this blog awhile, then you know how much I love Erdem. His collections have hit the my top ten every season for as long as I've been writing this blog. Meeting him was the most stammer inducing experience, but like the other designers he was humble and excessively likeable. And he loved my fingernails, describing them as "Aztec Surfer Inspired" - spot on!

His collection was everything you would expect up close, delicate and so very pretty. I told him that he designs with me in mind, even if he wasn't aware of that...

Roksanda Ilincic

Roksanda Ilincic was another designer from my top ten at London Fashion Week - but I don't think I truly appreciated her work until I saw it in person. The colour is intensely vibrant and the play on volume and oversize elements (from print to bell sleeves) is uniquely whimsical. I loved the styling on the catwalk (with the beanie hats) - high fashion grunge, without a literal grunge element at all.

Nicholas Kirkwood

Nicholas Kirkwood shhhooooooeeeesss. Yes. Shhhooooooeeeesss. How luscious are these cordwainery creations? Elegant and whimsical and ohhh so colourful. It's all about the detail, the heel on the slipper loafer with the neon lace overlay creates a shoe that is positively dreamy.

The selection and creativity was quite overwhelming and Nicholas was again, humble and charming. (it's clearly a British design thing...)

The Best of the Rest

Stunning prints from Peter Pilotto

Marios Schwab

Louise Gray

True That.

Till February London....

Kelsi x

W29 Showroom Preview: Iosselliani, Michael Spirito, Emm Kuo.

Michael Spirito

A few weeks ago, amidst all the chaos of fashion week and the British Fashion Council, I received an invitation to preview one of my favourite jewelry lines of all time - Iosselliani. Alongside Iosselliani were two 'new to me' labels Michael Spirito and Emm Kuo. All three labels are housed at the W29 Showroom in New York.

The three lines complimented each other beautifully. Iosselliani showed their classic multi strand/cluster pieces, updated with organic materials, colourful rocks and miniature skulls. I adore the eclectic styling of the Iosselliani collections and the bohemian update combined with sheer vibrancy of the collection serves it well.

There isn't a piece I wouldn't dream of owning, nay, wearing, and it was so fun to get to play with the collections up close and personal as opposed to gazing at the longingly through the glass case at Barneys.

The work of Michael Spirito strikes this wonderful balance between delicate and ferocious. Delicate metal work, and pavé diamonds are juxtaposed with skulls, snakes and bones. It's a beautiful collection.

The balance is particularly striking with the ribcage necklace, it's really quite breathtaking, and I enjoy the symbolism of a ribcage, something designed to protect the organs that keep us alive, being treated so preciously.

I adore these little bags from Emm Kuo - perfectly sized mini satchels in the softest leathers and prettiest colours. Whilst the vegetarian in me forgives leather goods as a transgression (however hypocritical that may be), I find exotic leathers a little harder to swallow. That said, no one can deny the pure beauty of the green purse, made from Stingray - beautiful colours and textures.

Kelsi Smith.

 

Walmart Holiday Fitting Room and Me Chatting and Saying Pop A Lot.

A month or so ago myself and my lovely bloggy friends Bethany Struble and Tiara Henry waltzed off to a Hollywood studio to film some style videos for the Walmart Holiday Fitting Room.

You can check out all the fun we had on their website here. We had a blast, and I was surprised at how much stuff I wanted, nay, needed, to co-opt into my own wardrobe immediately (in fact I put dibs on a lot of it).

My focus was on winter warmth with tons of style, silhouettes, faux fur trimmed boots and lots of colour (pops...I apparently said it a lot...lol!)

The video above is a little sneak peek from myself, Tiara and Bethany - but you can see the full style videos by visiting The Walmart Holiday Fitting Room page here (and you can shop too!)

Enjoy.

Kelsi xx