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Tali Shuvalov - Emerging Talent

As often as a new car emerges from the production line, as does a young hopeful fashion designer. Bright eyed and allured to the chiffon and Chanel of the glamorous world of fashion, rarely does the caterpillar take flight.

Except for a few...

Tali Shuvalov’s first collection from her final year at the University of Technology (Sydney) has already received local and international media attention and has fashion pedigrees’ taking note.

The collection is a celebration of the modern, powerful female. Geometric patterns and linear outlines are the basis for the structured, form fitting pieces. The notable pieces in the collection are the carefully tailored jackets, often with a subtle shoulder, with bold black lines separating the charcoal, gold, grey and white colour pallet. The deep electric blue which so often appears in some of the jackets is a welcome addition in the garments muted tones.

Texturally, the range is alluring. Velvets comfortably sit alongside hand knit woollens and nylons. In its various forms, the textiles create a substance and softness to the sharp pieces.

Shuvalov’s collection is for the urban warrior. This female is pioneering and self-assured. She has produced a range with a mature design attitude which can be likened to the young Australian talent to emerge from this year’s RAFW, Christopher Eber.

A name sure to become part of the Australian fashion DNA, this is a Generation Next designer who has most certainly found their wings.

UPDATE: Tali is currently studying in Parson’s College of Fashion Design in New York City

Christine Centenera

For me, Christine Centenera is someone whose cupboard I desperately need to raid. I would gladly trade everything in my wardrobe for hers. Yes. Everything.

Fashion Editor of Australia’s Harpers Bazaar, Christine Centenera epitomises urban chic. Something about her style is insanely effortless as she often pairs something edgy and youthful, like Ksubi denim shorts with a high-fashion tailored Balmain jacket. Her self-proclaimed love for “anything with studs” means she’s cool in the downtown, contemporary way but then ingeniously works in straight-off-the-runway, uptown chic.

Her style apparently doesn’t only speak to me as she has been snapped internationally by fashion gurus The Satorialist, Tommy Ton of Jak & Jill and Garence Dore.

Not afraid of colour or to be bold, Christine works with home-grown and international labels. She is a big advocate for upcoming designer Dion Lee as well as local talent Josh Goot (who she happens to be dating).

She has a daring, yet confident sense of style which fashionista’s could only hope to emulate. Did I mention that she also DJ’s? Yep. The envy sets in just about now.

UPDATE: Check out Centenera on JAK&JIL Favourite Things. Some pictures from the shoot below.

Christopher Kane - 2010 RTW Collection

Christopher Kane further cemented himself amongst the best this year as he presented his 2010 Ready to Wear Collection at London Fashion week. The collection drew inspiration from super girly and feminine influences with a sultry, sexy undertone.

Several notable trends and themes were apparent as the looks were paraded down the catwalk. Kane linked a combination of 40’s style dresses, preppy high neck jumpers, corseted bustiers and capped sleeved tops with frill necks through a gingham print. Pastels in light blues, baby pink, deep brown and a soft purple dominated the pallet and created a new signature style for Kane and proved that you can never have too much of a good thing.

The checks were layered in soft, sheer chiffon with cut outs in the waist and neckline adding some sultriness to otherwise conservative 40’s style dresses. A-line skirts and dresses were scissor cut, creating the perfect amount of exposure as the women sashayed down the catwalk. Corset detailing and bra panelling continued the underwear as outwear trend. Although predominantly dresses, some separates including cardigans, skirts and cut out tops meant that Kanes’ collection will be seen on the streets all over.

The dresses and tops with embellished floral detailing, made with white and silver sequins were the standouts of the collection. The pieces kept in line with the soft colour pallet of the show and were utterly beautiful in both detail and construction. The florals were often juxtaposed against the check and fused to create the perfect evening gown. Scissor slits were filled with soft tulle which peeped out in perfect proportions, particularly beautiful was the baby blue dress with white floral detailing and apricot tulle worn by Freja Beha Erichsen.

While at times repetitive, the tuxedo suit and black floral evening dress were a welcome change amongst the pastels.

Kane on his inspiration: “I saw a documentary about the Jonestown mass suicides in Guyana in 1978, so I started thinking about religious cultism.” This would explain the Children of the Corn like influence. “I was also looking a lot of Nancy Reagan on the White House lawn” and there explains the softer, sweeter themes.

Influenced by cults, the young London based designer is successfully creating one himself with his expert tailoring and thorough understanding of what the women wants.

Warm and Fuzzy

Us Sydneysiders have been enveloped in the gloom that is winter. In a city renowned for the beach, babes and beer, we can only sit tight until we escape this London-esque weather. While our electricity bills suffer this season, fashion does not.

The shearling trend is not only practical but it’s a glamorous and sophisticated way to cover up this winter. Seen everywhere on the international fall collections this year, shearling was subtle in a trim of a jacket or all over for a variation on the fur look.

Christopher Bailey of Burberry truly drove this year’s movement (who better than a Brit to tell us how to keep warm), which filtered through the ranks to Rag & Bone, Acne and Top Shop. Partnered against soft leathers and feminine lace, shearling was the connective thread in the collection. Teamed in trenches, pea coats and bomber style jackets, the white lamb wool looks stunning against the rouched Grecian inspired emerald green dresses, creams and rich brown lace. A definite military influence was entwined through the jackets, trenches and the shoes of the collection, suggesting that this trend is here to stay.

The leather cuffed aviator jackets with shearling trim were once known for their practicality from the elements in the 30’s. Now, they are a hot fashion item, the style is a ‘modern classic’ and works well with a flirty formal dress or even distressed denim.

Far from being sheepish, this trend is emerging in different and more contemporary guises. Hermes cleverly trimmed their famous birkin bag with the wool, which looked sophisticated against the light caramel. Muccia Prada put an edge on her highly effeminate designs with a shearling collar whilst Burberry did a high-fashion, dare- I-say version of an ugg boot, complete with strappy buckles and a stiletto heel. Celine, although less subtle, was equally stylish with their all over shearling pea coats.

A less controversial way to keep warm this winter, shearling is the becoming the fur de jour.

Nicholas Kirkwood

They say you should always judge a person by their shoes. A red leather sole or the simple letters CC can often speak volumes in the eyes of the beholder. Chic. Refined. Stylish.

Nicholas Kirkwood is quickly climbing the ranks as a world’s best with his easily identifiable slanted platform heel. His designs are heart-achingly beautiful. The kind where you’ll walk past the window of the shop where they sit at the sill, again and again just to imagine what you’d pair them with should you every get them. Leather pants? Or even that A-Line cream skirt with a navy blazer? And while the hard edged designs couldn’t work with every outfit, it’s certainly worth trying.

His creations are visually stunning. Some eccentric with electric blue and snakeskin, and other black satin variations are slightly more subdued. His designs are aggressive yet feminine. He has become renowned for various textures, prints and colours which are cleverly entwined into laser cut leathers, some with buckles and others lace ups – all superb. He uses rubber, shaved sting ray, mirror, satin and hand printed suede in his efforts to produce inimitable, sought-after accessories. This in stark contrast to his debut collection which was characterised by simple, clean lines and classic shapes.

This young British cobbler was trained at Central St. Martins and then continued his schooling at the prestigious Cordwainers before dropping out to work with designer Phillip Treacy. Following his collaboration with the LA based design duo Rodarte, Kirkwood produced his first S/S collection in 2005 which was met with international acclaim, including the prestigious award for ‘Emerging Talent from Conde Nast.

In a world where everything is replicable and fakes are becoming harder and harder to detect, it’s the skill found in the architectural form of each shoe, combined with the luxury of exquisite and unique materials that makes Kirkwood’s pieces a true work of art.

Lara Stone

There is something incredibly seductive about Lara Stone. Her dark eyes sit so beautifully against her pale skin and yellow blonde hair. It’s hard to imagine that she was rejected from her first round of castings in the model circuit in New York circa 2002. The Dutch beauty has a strong editorial presence whilst retaining an air of sensual mystique.

Likened to the curvaceous siren Brigette Bardot, Lara turns her back on the waif aesthetic and stands for a woman with boobs and a butt. A pronounced gap, a luscious pout and bleached eyebrows (does anyone see a little Georgina Jagger in her too?) makes her simultaneously both a contemporary and classic beauty. Her old world disposition was emulated in the latest Louis Vuitton show where her curves reined against the less busty models. Yet she shines in the Calvin Klein's campaign where she screams contemporary cool in an almost androgynous allure.

Unlike any models we have seen on the radar for a while, Lara has fashion houses lusting. Models.com has crowned her #1 for several months of 2010, and with good reason.