McQueen World!

Thee artistic, exuberant, barrier-breaking artist that is Alexander McQueen's legacy has been immortalised.....however only for a few months!!! *Sobs into my pillow*

Literally known as one the best minds ever to come from Britain has recently had a whole exhibition created to show off his masterpieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute in New York City, named "Savage Beauty." The almost shrine-like place will show approximately 100 garments covering his 19 year reign as Britain's top designer. The exhibition even starts off with his creation from his postgraduate year at Central Saint Martins 1992 and like a journey goes all the way up to his runway pieces, shown in Paris less than a month after his suicide in 2010.

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,” is a line taken from Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Nights Dream" and also a tattoo on the famous designer's right arm. Definitely a tattoo best suited for McQueen because just like his creations emits a sense of romanticism and sends you into deep thought.

After i saw just ONE of his creations in my shop window at work, i was ready to hand in my holiday request form and jump on the 1st plain to New York, ASNAP (yes asnap!). The exhibition is divided into many galleries, all just as amazing as each other.

"The Romantic Mind"-The 1st gallery is made out of concrete and reflects the rawness feel of the garments in this gallery. This room is inspired by his first atelier in Hoxton Square and where he established his fashion house.

"Romantic Gothic and Cabinet of Curiosities"-Shows a twist and darker side to Victorianism. It is inspired by the cult of death and all things, mysterious, dark such as Vampires, antiheroes, byronic heroes and highwaymen.

"Romantic Nationalism"-This gallery, shows his love for all things British and his strong pride he has for his scottish heritage.......It's showdown for the Scotts and the Brits.

"Romantic Exoticism"-The creations in this room take inspiration from other cultures and countries such as Japan and China. His love for embroidery and the fact that both of those countries excelled in this area (along with India) was the reason why they became a source for inspiration and also muse-like during the creation of this season.

"Romantic Primitivism"-The gallery is suppose to convey the image of a sunken ship. The collection featured in this room is called "Irere" and tells a story about a shipwreck at sea. There's even a video suspended above the gallery which is used a backdrop for McQueen's collection.

"Romantic Naturalism"-A portion of this gallery is actually a drawing that has been blown up and used as the gallery's wallpaper. This room also shows some of his most famous and innovative creations such as the well known "Armadillo Shoes" worn by many celebrities such as Lady GaGa.

Looking at pictures of the exhibition still leaves me speechless and utterly sad to know that Britain's best designer (in my eyes) is gone, but of course never forgotten. Right now I wish I either had infinite funds or, lived in the 'Big Apple' just so i could see all the rooms, and all the garments for myself!....Well at least i'll always have the beautiful designs shown in the Harvey Nichols shop windows to stare at whenever I enter or exit the building :-)

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Jessie's Flash Trash

"Forget about the price taaaaag!" well known phrase for the booming UK artist Jessie J, whos style and dress-sense is just as unique and appealing as her voice. if you are looking to get your hands on some of her eye catching gear then look no further then "My Flash Trash." The up and coming jewellery brand indeed have some very creative pieces at a very reasonable price.

Some may think some of the items could be considered as over-priced, but i'd "ditto," "repeat" and "re-tweet" jessie when she says forget about the price tag, because i have always said, you got to pay the extra price for one of a kind designs. The brand do have some creations that you wouldn't find in any other jewellers or have to travel far and wide....and probably abroad for something similar.

Amber Atherton started off the hand made jewellery brand in February 2009 and was even used in London Fashion Week this year for Issa's Catwalk and the company consist of 30 designers around the world. The new line for the Issa catwalk was animal inspired woman's wear with bold prints which was wrapped up and frosted with gold, bold diamond shaped jewellery, curtesy of 'My Flash Trash'

Check out the slideshow below for the pieces Jessie sports in her "Price Tag" video at various performances.....

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It's Official!...Bye Bye Galliano

Earlier today it was announced that after 15 years of working for Christian Dior's and being its head designer, John Galliano has indeed gone from being suspended to being fired.

This shocking outcome is due to a 2010 video of Galliano saying he "loved Hitler" and other antisemitic remarks surfaced on Monday. "People like you would be dead" Galliano drunkenly (i assume) slurred to a couple on the opposite table.....who were actually Italian and French. Wow, talk about *Awkward Moment* for the couple aye!

The Sun said that Mr Galliano actually had a problem with the couple because they were ugly.....well we all have out pet-peeves, but it's not exactly the type of behaviour a huge fashion head should be displaying at all. The incident took place in Paris' La Perie restaurant whereby it looks like he drank one too many and become very insulting, also saying anti-asian comments to a woman & man and threatening to kill the man. Galliano has spent the last few days denying the claims.....however i am not sure as to why seeing as the video is rather clear and incriminating.

The company released this statement today: "In light of the deeply offensive statements and conduct by John Galliano [in that video], Christian Dior has commenced termination procedures against him." The question on my mind and many other Fashion-Followers is.....What's going to happen in regards to Friday's Dior show for Paris Fashion Week????? Well they have also announced that the show will go on, but are unsure whether or not John Galliano will be allowed to attend. Chief Executive Sidney Toledano said: "We unequivocally condemn the statements made by John Galliano which are in total contradiction to the longstanding core values of Christian Dior."

What am I also wondering now?..........Will Dior's profits sky-rocket over the next few seasons, due to people wanting to purchase the last few designs Galliano created for the company?? Hhhhmmm....

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"Oh Na Na" Rih Rih took it there!

OK....I apologise for my lateness (the J.O.B prevented me from doing this entry till quitting hours) but my time line on twitter was once againrefreshing overtime early hours this morning, due to the twitter argument between Ciara and Rihanna.

The quick feud started because Ciara had stated that the Bajan Pop Princess was no longer as nice as she used to be, on E TV's "Fashion Police." However the feud was quickly ended by Rihanna who apologised first, but the funniest part of the whole thing was watching other celebrities get involved (Monica beingone of them, tweeting "@Ciara call me ASAP.....") and adding in their two pence.........

Take a look at what Katt Williams had to say about it all......

More??....

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W.O.W...Now that was all....errrmm interesting and.. entertaining lol. For once i'm actually stuck for words!!!!

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Smells that make you wana Rejoice!

So the number 1 spot for my first perfumery entry has to go to the "by Kilian" range. Consisting of 9 unique but all equally olfactory appealing fragrances, this line is definitely ground-breaking as far as the world of perfumery goes.

The french perfumer who comes from a long line of cognac-makers has definitely added the art of brandy making and turned me into a perfumaholic! Also being the grandson of the founder of the LVMH group he decided to carry on with the family tradition and go into the world of luxury goods.......and thank god he did, otherwise we would not be blessed with the heavenly smells this scent connoisseur creates. After smelling just one of his nine perfumes there is no doubt as to why he has worked with major fashion houses such as 'Giorgio Armani,' 'Paco Rabanne,' 'Alexander Mcqueen,' and 'Christian Dior.'

As a buyer of kilian's unisex 'Invitation:Prelude To Love' i do have to say this scent makes me want to constantly sit there and sniff, sniff, sniff, myself all day. If i didn't come across looking rather strange and just plain "Loco" to passers-by i probably would, because it's a smell that i can truly say is a treat for the skin and an orgasim for the nose! It is describes "as a splash of crimson blossoms across the cheeks and hearts beat wildly, a refined yet bold bouquet of the noblest citrus soothes and refreshes mounting sensations of exhilaration."

The "by Kilian" range does only reside mainly in france and 'Harvey Nichols' department store in the UK, so if you are not a constant roamer of Knightsbridge, i suggest you become one. However the price point is probably what will turn most people away. With a 50ml bottle averaging out to about £140 there is no wonder as to why many peoples ears have not been treated to the Kilian tale.......and such fairytale items all 9 fragrances are. Do not let the price put you off otherwise you'll be missing out the best thing you'll ever apply to your skin.......Trust my Testimony ;-)

P.S The black quilted casing with lock and key (good for any "swagga jackers" that reside in your home) the fragrances come in are to die for and just another little bonus you get from the one expensive purchase you'll never regret.

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New Age Queen Vs Godmother of Rap

Ok so I felt that I HAD to address the Barbie Vs Blanco Fiasco seeing as many blogs are discussing the topic, but making it extremely clear as to which rapper they've chosen to pull out the Pom-Poms and cheer for and which rapper's face they've chosen to use as a dartboard.

Now to anyone that knows me 'Personally' knows who it is that has my heart, but nevertheless BOTH females are indeed on my iPod. Therefore each lady possesses many qualities for people to just appreciate both.

So Lets breakdown Mrs Minaj....

As she says in her Next upcoming single (Fly-ft Rihanna) "I Represent an Entire Generation." Now i couldn't agree more with this statement. Nicki Minaj is definitely the "New Skool" and her theatrical persona(s), colourful styling and creative lyrics are what make her appealing today. I believe "OTT" is exactly the USP (Unique Selling Point) that make most artists successful and current. For example Would Lady Gaga be the number 1 follower on twitter if she wasn't so...Well....Out There? Would Beyonce' be seen as R&B's Queen without her immensely huge stage presence and domination? And would Rih Rih-Fenty be known as R&B/Pop's Sexy Seductress, without her sassy, tasteful and just plain HOT fashion sense (all hale her stylists). Nicki Minaj hasindeed followed the recipe of creating a memorable and current artist by doing all the above and even adding in her ingredient by creating 2,3 (i've lost count) personas. I think Mrs Minaj helps commercialise hip-hop and has definitely taken it to different levels, making it more appealing to a wider crowd (which hasn't really been done since Missy Elliot's-"Get Ur Freak On" days). She's crazy, exciting and fun to watch....

However to say that she is "New" is where one of the issues of the feud gets brought up. I think it's safe to say that Nicki Minaj has clearly taken inspiration from her predecessors and put her own spinon it. Now no need for all the Kim fans to start bringing out the torch and pitchfork's and set her alight because there is absolutely nothing wrong in people taking ideas from their elders. E.g. Beyonce'-Diana Ross/Tina Turner, Gaga-Madonna/Grace Jones and Ne-Yo-Michael Jackson. Yeah Nicki's whole "Barbie" theme was originally done by Lil Kim first but it doesn't change the fact that she has popularised it more and lets face it, does it both comically and professionally well. Hats and colourful wigs off to her!

Now lets put Kimberly Jones under the microscope.......

Lil Kim is truly The Godmother and 1st Queen of female Rap! That goes without a doubt. However a lot of people have recently been taking shots at the Old Skool rapper due to her Black Friday Mixtape and video. The mixtape shows Kimmy Blanco laying down on a blacked out version of Nicki's Pink Friday album cover scene, whilst her decapitated body lays in the background covered in blood and Lil Kim looking all cool calm and collected with a blood-stained samurai sword (now that's something i thought would never be possible to actually convey nor a line i'd thought i ever write!). Now my Facebook and Twitter have gone insane because of the creative mixtape cover and video but hey, as Lil Kim says in her new leaked song taken off the mixtape (Clap Clap-ft IRS) "Kimmy bout to show ya'll the art of hustling."

Lil Kim is definitely a true hustler at heart, what better way to create a buzz around her name again, then have "beef' with the new rap sensation. People need to remember ALL press is GOOD press. Quite frankly this feud between the two is actually a blessing in disguise and a clever marketing technique. Kim now has both her supporters and haters spreading her name, regaining her old fans and lets face it, gaining new fans (which are probably all the hip-hop heads that don't like Mrs Minaj). She's also stayed true to her real "greezy," street background and surely has not lost herself or abandoned her total Lil Kim image. Lil Kim is also an artist who has had enough of not getting the props she deserves, who actually HAS been hard done by and been targeted at many times as well (I'm reffering to Nicki Minaj having songs in her underground days that in not so many words diss all the rap chicks that came before her). So to be honest people may think her mixtape cover or even the newly released Black Friday video is just going too far, but it's just simply her creative way of standing up for herself and speaking up.

I've thoroughly enjoyed watching people band up in teams of Barbies and Blancos, having twitter wars and many many, fan videos 'bigging up' their chosen leader. Nothing wrong with a good old fashion cat-fight I say ;-P

I for one enjoy the sounds of both Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim......but i got to be honest there is one for me that will always be number 1 in my eyes. Why not see which i've chosen by looking/clicking no further then below....

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"No I.D".....Must Enter!...Harajuku's Next Finest

Yes I'm still on the "Harajuku Hype" readers. This entry is about another store in Japan that sent me into a trance.

The Shop named "No I.D" consists of very interesting garments created from a modern punk style. The whole brand has essences of punk by using a lot of leather, studs and an extreme use of the colour black. However the store has successfully taken it into the 21st century by adding colour, fusing it with more causal pieces (such as t-shirts and casual shirts) and just overall re-vamping the look making it more wearable by many people. Once again ladies this is a men's only brand! Boo hoo hoo :-( The store has also kept some of the traditional punk garments such as Black leather studded boots and belts, but dropped some of its also well known partners......e.g leather trousers.....Thank God! Because leather trousers + heat = Not a good look!

The light denim jacket with white paint splatters and the casual crinkled checked shirt win "Items of the store." Both garments can easily be worn with most people's wardrobes and definitely add a lot to an outfit. I must say this store does indeed remind me of the famous "Unconditional" and " All Saints" brand, with their scoop necked tops and shirts accentuated with quiffs.

Again this is another store that you won't want to miss and thank the fashion gods, that you stumbled across it.

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