Roving Reporter . . . Let's Talk To . . . Afshin Feiz

Fash Pack may not have ever started without Afshin Feiz. I know this sounds mad, but it was this man alone that inspired such conversation between myself and fellow fashion devotees that I suddenly felt the need for a fashion forum where I could champion ALL the things I love about this industry. Top of my list is definitely this Parisian!
Afshin is probably my top designer for S/S 09, which says a lot as I usually hate the summer season (in general). He romanced the crowd with his floaty, ruffled, applique dresses, giving an edgy vibe with chunky silver chains!
So we were lucky enough that he agreed to have a chat!


Fash-Pack (F-P): When did you start designing?
Afshin Feiz (AF): I have been designing in one way or another as far back as I can remember but I started my own brand in 5 years ago in 2004.

F-P: What other designer would you love to spend a whole day with?
AF: Without hesitation either Tom Ford or Stella MaCartney

F-P: What are your influences for this season?
AF: I was influenced by Buddha’s silent sermon and the idea of appreciating simple things for their beauty without overanalyzing them.

F-P: What's your favourite piece from this collection, and why? Who do you see wearing it?
AF: I have so many favourites from this collection its hard to choose. One of my favourites is the pale yellow fitted dress with mini ruffles, appliqued chains and a cutout on the back shoulder. I see Kate Bosworth wearing it.

F-P: What differences do you notice between showing here and in New York?
AF: New York has caught up in certain levels as far as creativity is concerned with London with its amazing designers such as Rodarte but London still has the most creative and interesting designers in the world. I feel less restrained showing in London, there are less rules than in New York.

F-P: How'd you end up with all your music industry connections?
AF: Thats a difficult question, I don’t really know, some people l met through friends, others are people who approached me because they liked my work.

F-P: Are you planning any upcoming shows? Do you plan to be back on the runway for next fashion week?
AF: Not for the moment, I think that with the recession and the state of certain things in fashion at the moment, I am going to present my collections in a more intimate setting for a while and maybe even outside of the regular fashion calendar.

F-P: What's something you wish you knew earlier that might help designers just getting started?
AF: The most important part of your business is the commercial side. Without sales, you have no money and without money you don’t have a business. Press and shows etc are all nice but at the end of the day you have to really invest in the commercial aspects of things. Get a good commercial director.

AFSHIN FEIZ WE LOVE YOU AT FASH-PACK! XXX

www.afshinfeiz.com

Roving Reporter : Boy by Band of Outsiders

Now, I have been reading about Scott Sternberg, the designer behind BbBoO (see what I did there?). Whether it was Vogue or Dazed it doesn't really matter, as this offering from this relatively new and small label was definitely hot.

Inspired by Parisian students (oh so chic) this collection was super cool. The French do simple, straightforward and sophisticated, and this was translated well here for an American market.

Cute striped jumper dresses, relaxed jersey, peg-leg trousers and baker-boy hats were staples for the collection. I love the shoes: open-toe, baseball boot-style heels. Bizarre but fabulous (cue copies in Topshop).

There was a slight American Apparel feel to the basics, such as a cute striped pencil skirt and paneled shift dresses. There were also a couple of great coats for fall. A great beige mac (three-quarter sleeve, so you can wear your elbow-high DVF gloves) and a short wool trench. Loved the schoolgirl-style ribbed tights too!

The colour palette of beige, grey, navy and maroon, accented with splashes of white and yellow, definitely had the school-uniform feel.

All together a strong and commercial collection that I can see being championed by the cool kids in New York - and possibly around the globe.

Rate or Slate: Couture Week Front Row

We've talked couture, we've talked trends, now we talk audience. Should these well known fashionistas be treated with five extra goodie bags, or should the PR have "missed their names" on the list?


Here we find Mr West, Mr West (aka Kanye). Catherine Deneuve is giving him the, "Uh uh, grrrl" face, but perhaps you think the velvet blazer and pocketsquare go smashingly with distressed denim?


Ah, a fashion-week classic, Miss Anna Piaggi. The red, white and blue in her stars and stripes find their matches in blush, fur and hair. What say you?


Technically this is Rate or Slate and you may speak your peace, but please understand that Carine Roitfeld does no wrong. Ever.

Roving Reporter: Valentino, Post-Facchinetti

Mr Garavani stepped down. Alessandra Facchinetti stepped up and then was tossed right back down.

When former Valentino accessory designers Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri took over as head of the fashion line this season, they must have known it would be make or break. But after the lights came up for their show at the Sorbonne, many an editor decided they didn't do enough.

That's not to say Piccioli and Chiuri lacked strength or trampled lineage. This cream-coloured skirt suit with a Valentino rose at the neck and the gorgeously texturised three-quarter sleeve trench are hardly scoff-worthy. Still, the house has done it before, and couture week is supposed to bring surprises.



Exercises in tiers also turned out well, as seen in a beige pleated skirt and a mauve-satin one-shouldered evening dress perfect for the red carpet.



Yet again we see the bow-as-closure trend, with a smart bolero capping a slinky earth-tone number. I'd like to see it dressed up with a bolder lip and some rich-looking bangles.


The designers went for some sparkle to perk up their collection. Notice Exhibit A, a feathery mini-dress that could transition to the world of professional Latin dancing, and Exhibit B, an awards-season gown that would be gorgeous on someone like Jessica Alba.




The best dress of the day, in my opinion, was this high-necked, high-slit stunner. In classic Valentino red, it would pop in a spread for any high-fashion glossy.


Piccioli and Chiuri should receive praise for turning out a solid collection at a line that's been through its share of bumps, but the industry will continue to scrutinise them until the brand stabilises.

Until then, here's another question for the fashion crowd: Why, not long after race became a talking point with the all-black Italian Vogue issue, was Chanel Iman the only non-white model at the show?


And it's not just at Valentino. Maybe I'm looking to find fault, but the runways don't seem so diverse to me.

Roving Reporter: Jean Paul Gaultier

Money seems to be fresh on everyone's mind these days, and Jean Paul Gaultier is no different. The swoops, slashes, lines and dashes you'll see below are all his take on the intricate inking of cash.

Blending sweet antique lace with futuristic black-mesh sleeves and a bit of textile calligraphy on an A-line skirt, Gaultier finds a good balance of hard and soft. Anyone else feeling some sailor or stewardess action?


Nothing soft about Sessilee Lopez here. One of my style rules is to ask 'WWKLD?' - What Would Kate Lanphear do? I think she'd approve of the strong-shouldered blazer and ankle-trouser duo. The black gloves feel so matter-of-fact, yet so, so hot. Must get a pair or five.


Once again, Gaultier keeps the waist of his trousers up, up, up. Note that the tailoring isn't as skin-tight as some (brave) fashion-lovers tried to go two years ago. Think crisp '40s dame now.


Yet another high waist, but I don't have to keep reminding you of that. The billowy sleeves on this Spanish-chic blouse reminds me of the whirling and twirling embellishments on paper money. I'm loving the cape effect. We've seen this before at Armani Prive, so do we have a budding trend here?


Asymmetry? Check. Sheer? Check. Devastatingly gorgeous? Check! Jourdan Dunn's come a long way from the Hammersmith Primark where she was discovered.


We're heading into the part of Gaultier's collection that really moved. I'm picturing a handful of cash in Chanel Iman's hand, which would probably all be needed to buy this super-luxe mini. Gaultier only played with colour a few times in the show: a touch of yellow-green here, and a few hints of red now and then.


The panelling work from the Gaultier studio makes me swoon. How exactly does a designer channel Agent Provocateur and a mid-century Barbie at the same time?


Like Jourdan's dress before it, this dress flies. I can almost feel the layers and layers of chiffon fluttering off the screen.


Gaultier's shows was one of my favourites for the week, and after checking this dress out I hope I don't have to tell you why. Just in case, here's what won me over, from the bottom up: calligraphy-print hem detailing, billows, slits, gloves I want to take to a rock opera, a bow collar and a hat that this generation's grandchildren would kill for in a vintage shop. And it doesn't hurt that Karlie Kloss channels Scarlett O'Hara to a tee.


If someone would have stuck this on Jennifer Connelly and called it Balenciaga, I would have been fooled. As it stands, this looks better than real paper money and has structuring only a Gaultier or a Ghesquiere or a McQueen could make properly.


I wish this dress had been around when my bank once tried to find the person who ripped off my bank card. I would have worn it on a quest for justice. On a more serious note, Gaultier again builds on his sense of movement with this gothic number. And are all these double bangles a new trend, or are designers forcing themselves out of a recession by trying to get us to buy times two?


We all know Gaultier can make a corset, but whoa mama. We have the garter, the headpiece, the rocker gloves, a cape so light it could float away and a train that makes me wonder why I ever kept my skirts from dragging on the ground. I expect to see this in a photo shoot, stat.


Again comes the corsetry for this weightless sexy-bride look. Most grooms would want a private (and quick) ceremony with a slit that high.

Roving Reporter: Christian Lacroix

Christmas has already passed, but Mom, if you're paying attention, take notes please. I. Want. This.


Like the rest of the Lacroix show at haute couture week, this gown has a bit of everything going on: bows, messy pleating, mega-metallics, one-shoulder asymmetry. That's before considering the earrings and hairdo. Never have I found a piece of clothing so appealing that looked like a candy wrapper.

The Lacroix show went in all directions, from military dandy to frou-frou flower princess to Russian doll - and it worked. If we're to listen to Mr Christian, we can go back to being children playing dress-up, with every colour pulled in and every piece of jewellery put on.


Let's check out the shoes: coral-embellished pointy-toes, adequately organic to suit the white tights on display.


I call this look the 'Nutcracker Meets Sugar Plum Fairy'. Way to work it, Chanel Iman.


And now we go Russian ballerina, heading home from the ballet. Loving the capelet-topped skirt, complete with petticoat. I picture Patricia Field swooning. Hopefully someone's got an eye out for the Sex and the City sequel...


Lacroix repeatedly mish-mashed black, navy and cobalt blue. This is one of my favourite looks; the tiers of the skirt lead the eye down to the crisp white tights and shoes. I'm thinking gothic antique babydoll.


As quickly as Lacroix went dark, he lightened up with clean, pure lace. How good would this look with a serious red lip?


Moving to embroidery, flower appliques, and tulip-like bubble skirts. The dress maintains its elegance through a well crafted, close-fitting bodice, overpowering the crayon box of colours.


This dress reminds me of a dusky shade of watermelon. I do wish the draping left the waistline a little clearer, because the flutter sleeve and hip accent are gorgeous.


Another look I can picture on Carrie Bradshaw. Businessy bolero with peak collars, a touch of spring floral, the trendy waist belt and an irridescent-ballgown bottom.


Following last season's sheer movement, Lacroix veers back to babydoll with a Rodarte-style sense of the ethereal.


And for the final look, we get a combination of marital and royal. The tiered skirt and super-tall tiara set off the metallics perfectly.

I could see plenty of these looks out and about in London. Thoughts?

Fashion Finds . . . Roger Vivier Shoes

With some people struggling to pay their rent, it's good to know that in fashion we have our priorities sorted! For haute-couture week, French cobbler Bruno Frisoni brings you a £30,000 pair of heels by Roger Vivier. Now I have to admit, though totally not my style, they are stunning.

Just looking at all the detail and craftsmanship is making my eyes pop out. Please note the following details: 24 ct gold-coated mesh, semi-precious stones, jet-satin ribbons, silk chiffon, diamanté and crocodile skin fashioned into dainty rosettes.

The "Dovima", as the shoe is affectionately named, has an 11-cm spike heel with a confection of gilded silk mesh and jewels. It is embellished with a pair of rose-pink-dyed taxidermy birds, with gold and crystal heads. I know, unbelievable stuff!

But with a £30,000 price tag, and a three-month wait from when ordered, are these gems works of art, or are Vivier and Bruno Frisoni just plain cuckoo!

Roving Reporter: Armani Prive (!)

Sigh…the snowy mess in London (along with the disproportionate amount of moaning about it) has me wishing I could find somewhere to hop on a plane, grab the girls (Cate Blanchett and a sans-Tommy Katie Holmes) and do a bit of shopping. Naturally, we’d be choosing from the latest Armani Prive haute couture collection – so let’s dissect, shall we?


Well, hello! Pagoda-peak shoulders and down-to-there jackets (closed with pleated bows like this one or frog clasps and tassels) teamed with double-slit skirts that hit high on the calf. The show screamed 1930s plus China plus grunge-lady-spacebot.


Tough and futuristic hair and makeup looked perfectly ladylike when clashed with trumpet skirts and major pearls. The asymmetrical closure on the jacket would only emphasise a girl's sashay down the city streets.


Loving the organic feel of this top, plus the metallic embellishment. This season, Armani Prive played around with tons of cut-outs and unexpected sculpturing to a brilliant end.


Cate, this is where you come in. Care for this skirt set with a three-quarter sleeve top? The contours say Balenciaga, but the gold is all Armani. He also experimented with gunmetal grey, cream, aqua and lavender.


After seeing '40s glamour for the past year, it's nice to get a modified (but still very old-Hollywood siren) silhouette. The neckline of the dress, like so many in the collection, suggests just enough - and the skirt is sexy without even a flash of knee. Wouldn't you love to see how a little hip-gliding walk could reflect light?


Shoulders still strong, but the emphasis is back to the hip with this rich-violet number. And check out that fringe! Katie, I haven't forgotten you - I expect you to wear this on a night out soon.

Now I geek out. Armani Prive always comes out with some of my favourite Oscar dresses, and this one's a perfect contender. Bang on trend with the asymmetry, plus the rich red stands in defiance of the ho-hum mood everyone seems to be in because of the banking blahs. Cate and Kate, I will let you fight over this or hand it out to some lucky lady (ahem, Eva Longoria) as you see fit.


But yet there's more. Keeping with the feel of the Orient, this cleverly constructed metallic and black set says Eastern Flower to me.


Not forgetting a single detail, Armani adds the vase! I'd love to see the internal construction of this number. And it's not just any designer who can go this conceptual, which such a theme-y print, and not overdo it.


Shall we take a trip to Shanghai? Standard strapless goes fashion-forward with exposed ankles and the least-springy floral I've ever seen. Just another example of Armani blending hard and sweet.


These last two leave me undecided when it comes to choosing my favourite Oscar look from the collection. Could it be the reverse one-shoulder brocade, complete with a peekaboo skirt, which I'd love to see on Cate?


Or the strapless platinum sheath that would suit Miss Katie perfectly? Once again, the details (down to the thick Eastern-goth bangles) point straight to the hip.

What do you think of our man Giorgio's couture collection? And if you could take a walk down the red carpet, which gown would you model for the paparazzi?