Proctor & Cruz Designs

One new change womenswear Fashion Show in association with Grazia

2011-11-01T00:00:00.000+00:00

This week we had a great opportunity to attend a Fashion show on a stunning Roof Terrace that featured key trends from brands such as Banana Republic, Guess, H&M, Hobbs, Hugo Boss, Karren Millen, Phase Eight, L.K. Bennett and Reiss.

Here are some of our favorite outfits, we hope you enjoy it and get inspired just like we did :)

Faux Fur is warm for winter and right on trend

Girly and fun

leather skirt are seen every where, from high street to designer

Snake print is another hot trend

Simple and effective, great for both work and play

A touch of lace

Beautiful knee length animal print jersey dress

Classy and feminine

a stunning piece, floor length gown to see you through the festive season

sexy and and feminine, and look at those shoes!

the bright colour is amazing in this gown

gorgeous floor lengths gown

Lace is a great trend, we love this dress!

we love this Fur jacket!

essential trends, fur and lace!

what a simple yet gorgeous dress! the embroidery makes it a unique item!

snake print again,

Military floor length coat is an investment and looks so great on!

this jacket is amazing!

What a great neck line!

we love lace, and this little black vintage inspired black dress is great for day or night!

love the full lace sleeves!

Fringing is a wonderful trend, and looks great on this maxi dress, real show stopper!

Velvet is back, and looks beautiful in purple

we love this dress so flattering on the body

what a stunning detail on the back of this mini dress

gorgeous colour!

love the little mesh details

we so so want this dress, sexy and classy perfect new LBD

we love the mix of two different black fabrics!

a fresh colourful print to add a bit of character to your winter outfit

and that's where the event took place :)

We hope you got inspired, tell us what's your favorite picture and trend is at the moment. Kisses P&C

DIY safety pin fashion

2011-10-21T21:35:00.001+01:00

Safety pins are the ultimate symbol of fashion and function. Who can’t remember using a safety pin to either fix a wardrobe malfunction or make something? Safety pins are such an easy way of making your own jewelry or spicing up your wardrobe. Whatever their use, safety pins are in fashion

Safety pins can be very punk. It brings a bit of edginess to an outfit

Clockwise from top left: a Balmain jacket, necklace by Tom Binns, Vena Cava Spring 2010, photo from Dazed and Confused, Gianni Versace on the runway with Christy Turlington in another one of his sexy safety pin creations.

So here we have a bracelet made by us from safety pins. We have a few more made from other colours and different sized beads. What do you all think? x

I spy with my little Fashion eye.. some Pencil Skirts

2011-10-18T21:08:00.002+01:00

A pencil skirt is quite versatile and with the right accessories and coordination, you can easily transform it from a typical, basic librarian look into something more chic and sleek!

You can dress it up for work or parties, or dress it down for casual everyday wear. Just put on your sophisticated blouse at daytime or a slouchy tee and you're good to go to the movies later that evening! You can also wear it with a basic tank top and a long cardigan for a cool and casual look.

Here is our creation, a high waisted pencil skirt made out of wool and leather, with pleat details at the front, we hope you enjoy it :)

Ready for winter: pencil skirt worn with a slouchy cropped jumper

the close up on the pleat detail

The front view, we love mixing textures like wool and leather together!

In 1940, Christian Dior created the first pencil skirt, a shortened adaptation inspired by the provocative shape of the 1910 hobble skirt.
After the shapeless gowns of the flapper era, and decades of covered legs and ankles, women immediately embraced the curvy shape of the classic pencil skirt.
The earliest pencil skirts were part of a woman’s suit ensemble, worn with a jacket or tunic.
Eventually, the pencil skirt was worn with fitted blouses and soft sweaters, accentuating the female form with nipped in waists and round curvy hips. Corsets, once abandoned, re-gained popularity to enhance the pencil skirt shape.

Marilyn Monroe was a great example of how to make a pencil skirt classy and sexy at the same time

Victoria Beckham collection of elegant and classy pencils skirts and dresses

Victoria B is a modern example of how to wear a pencil skirt!

Lady Gaga and Kate Hudson both sporting sexy leather pencil skirts

Short pencil skirts are perfect for a more fun evening look

Angelina Jolie and Beyonce. Both looking great in their pencil skirts.

So what are you waiting for?? Get out your pencil skirt this autumn winter as it is the perfect way to bring a bit of class to your wardrobe!

I spy with my little Fashion eye.. some Cape Coats

2011-10-06T23:35:00.000+01:00

The Cape Coat is officially the biggest winter cover-up of 2011 and here is one we have created especially for Autumn/Winter collection, it's made from wool and features hand embroidery and print details on the Cape. We hope you enjoy our Coat and get inspired to wear or create one too :) P&C xxx

Cape coat by ICRUZ. Featuring a wide double breasted front, hand embroidered cape and Mandarin collar.

The coat can be worn both with casual shorts or with pencil skirts, depending on the mood and occasion.(tights are advisable if worn with shorts or short skirts)

A front view of the jacket, with hand embroidery and original print detail.

A back view of the coat featuring a cape, worn here with a red pencil skirt

A page from the sketchbook, with research and inspiration on Capes. Some of the Designers who used Capes and inspired us are: Kinder Aggugine, Haiden Ackerman and Lanvin.

Cape research with original drawings of cape coats

Color pallet experimentation for the Collection

Hand embroidery sample with the technique used on the Cape Coat


Initial research and experimentation on burning material and plastic to achieve an interesting texture on wool. Also used on the final coat :)

And here are some clippings of A-Listers showing how best to rock the Trend; Victoria Beckham wears a classic Giambattista Valli cape, Rachel Bilson, Sienna Miller and Kim Kardashian are all rocking this seasons trend as well.
T.V personality Amanda Holden gets into the christmas spirit with a red cape and Myleene Klass goes for the school-girl chic look with knee high socks and a preppy hairstyle, while Leighton Meester jazzes up the gossip girl set with a green cape and bright accessories.

Africa in a bag!

2011-10-04T14:10:00.000+01:00

African prints have always been popular in the fashion world and is rising and rising. The colours have inspired so many collections on the runway. These prints are beautifully eye catching and will definitely make you stand out from the crowd!

So here we have a bag made by P&C inspired by the bold pattern and bright colours of African culture.

Beading made by putting beads onto safety pins. Keep posted as we will be creating more pieces using this technique.

Gwen Stefani's collection L.A.M.B 2011

A collection of many different ways to wear African print

Juanjo Oliva Spring 2010 collection

Solange in Boxing Kitten

Many celebs such as Gwen Stefani have been spotted in African chic

Beyonce mixing African prints together

Rihanna in a black and white cute playsuit

So, do you have any African prints in your wardrobe? We are loving the African prints this year!!!

P&C x

I spy with my little Fashion eye... Military

2011-09-30T22:30:00.000+01:00

The Military trend is not going anywhere this season! It is a trend to love. The colours of camouflage, army green, khaki, dark brown and navy blue are taking over the fashion world this winter. Some hot items to style up your wardrobe this winter include military jackets, tall faded boots, faux fur lined collars, brass buttons, leather leggings and bold shoulders. Although quite harsh and masculine sounding when paired together with something soft or a sparkly bracelet they make quite an eye-catching ensemble.

Burberry has a military-trimmed winter collection. The coats, In green and beige, with the court for years is emerging as a classic wardrobe.

The perfect military look! Black military jacket with brass buttons all the way down the front paired with red tight leather trousers and simple black boots

Celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Katie Holmes and Beyonce are just a few of the celebs that are working this look.

Victoria Beckham with a grey military style jacket and hat looking very chic

Rihanna sporting a denim military jacket

Diana, Princess of Wales chose a white military jacket with gold frogging for the Sandhurst Military Academy Passing Out Parade in April 1987

Although this look may seem a tad over budget we have been on a scouting mission to bring you the high street way to do military.

Some key items for your wardrobe!

Simple yet effective khaki skinny trousers

River Island military jacket, £34.99

Now, let's see how long this war on fashion will last!

The final day At London Fashion Weekend

2011-09-26T17:48:00.001+01:00

We had an amazing time at the Vintage Fashion Weekend, all the wonderful, exciting people we met and beautiful outfits we saw, we can NOT wait till the next year :D! So here is the last little bit, please enjoy and comment :) All our love, P&C x

Beautiful colours

I am watching you.... through my mini magnifying glass

The flower detail is a hair band! how cool!

The gold shoes really do bring the whole outfit together

Fashion with funky lighting. A bit gothic?

another beautifully printed caftan

Elegant with print

Fantastic colours!

So stylish! We love her hair

Vintage florals

Very classy in a pleated skirt

Two friends enjoying vintage fashion

Rails of vintage love

We all love Leopard prints

Fay with LFW goodie bag

More leopard prints! they are definitely in style

Polka dots and pleats... two of our favourite things!

Every person has their unique take on fashion and these pair are doing it brilliantly! How funky do they look!?

London Fashion Weekend - Day 2 and 3

2011-09-24T21:00:00.000+01:00

So two more days has gone at the most exciting fashion event in London, and here are some more of our carefully hand picked pictures from the Vintage London Fashion Weekend for you, we hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed taking them :) Please comment and let us know your favorites, Love, P&C :) x

Foxy lady

Leopard print wedged boots!

So simple yet beautiful!

love the shape of those shoes!

A Liverpudlian charity shop vintage find, what a show stopper! its fully embroidered too!!


Fay, Fashion photography and promotion student wearing a beautiful vintage blazer

What a stunning caftan, its traditional Afghan menswear costume!

And here is hand embroidered detail!

We LOVE this jacket

Check out the sleeve detail

And the back!

A beautiful embroidered blouse from "beyond vintage"

How fun are those outfit matching lips?! and we love the brown vintage bag too!

Happily in love with vintage <3

The Founder, Stefanie Braun :)

Wow looking very funky!

that fringed skirt is amazing!

Beautiful flower patterns topped off with a simple fur shawl

Loving the hat!

A collector and seller of beautiful vintage knitwear (qualityknitwear.com)

paper eyelashes, aren't they kool!

lovely legs ;)

The perfect pair of trousers to lengthen your legs

Look at those tights! They are amazing!

Fur collars are back in fashion!

Great combination of patterns!

Beautiful in pastels with hot metallic heels

First day at Vintage London Fashion Weekend

2011-09-22T23:38:00.001+01:00

We had our first exciting day at Vintage LFW, please check out our favorite pictures from the day and let you know what you think :) Hope you enjoy and please come and check out our blog tomorrow for more updates :) Love P&C

Taking pictures in Fraubraun mobile studio

A bit of vintage Fur :) Raaaawr!

A stunning floral dress from Fraubraun's collection

13! Beautiful evening dresses

Burlesque dancer in a little lace

... and pose.... kisses.....

Model at work

a bit of 80s glamour

Getting ready for the photo shoot

A new piece from Fraubraun's collection

Gorgeous lace dress and one of our favourites!

The Gothic look is back!

We love fashion!

Check out those shoes!! Funky!

Busy admiring the collection

Trying on in the mirror

Smile for the camera!

Look its a bag for life with a heart on it! Cute!

Browsing through time

The staircase filled with posters inside the building

We want one, or two or three of those PLEASE

So there you go that was our first day at London Fashion week. It was so much fun, worth every second. Are any of you coming to London Fashion week???

I spy with my little Fashion eye.. something Lace

2011-09-22T00:52:00.001+01:00

This autumn fashion is embracing it's dark side and championing all things Gothic, and the key item for this look is lace. Almost all the world's leading designers have laces in their autumn-winter collections - from the most expensive ones such as Alexander McQueen, to the 'low budget' brands such as Zara or Mango.

Lace, especially black, this winter is coming on dresses, skirts, tights, shoes and, of course, underwear. Here are a few trendy proposals that can serve as an inspiration. Mix and match your textures by wearing lace, leather and knits together to create a desired look.

look smart and stylish in this black long sleeve sheer blouse with lace insert detail.

By River Island £30.00

From BANK brand exclusive Ribbon is this women's elegant skirt featuring a full black lining with a lace overlay plus an elasticated waistband to complete. £30

Do you love the Sioux Lace sunglasses that have been spotted on superstars like Lady Gaga and Rihanna? They are now being sold in spec savers as prescription sunglasses!

Lace is now not only for garments and table cloths but now we are all wearing as a form of nail art!


Lace mini dress, featuring a scalloped v-neckline, long sleeves, structured full skirt and fitted waist with a sheer floral lace overlay. by Asos £45


Silk kimono by Shell Belle Couture. Featuring, a v-neckline, pleat detailing, lace short sleeves, with an eyelash trim edge, fabric tie belt to high waist, maxi length cut, and a split to reverse, in a sheer dobby woven finish. £194 We are loving lace at the moment. Do you have any lace pieces that you love? x

I spy with my little Fashion eye.. Something stripey

2011-09-21T13:42:00.000+01:00

If you are looking for knitted stripes this winter then the Tsumori Chisato Autumn / Winter 2011 -12 collection is perfect!

London Fashion Week is here!!

2011-09-19T15:30:00.000+01:00

London Fashion week has officially started and Vintage BY HEMINGWAY are curating THE FIRST EVER VINTAGE SECTION at Vodaphone London Fashion Weekend (22- 25 SEPTEMBER) Featuring very best vintage clothing and accessories carefully edited by hand selected deleares such as: Blackdot World Archive, Victory Vintage and Fraubraun.

At the event we will be working at the luxury online vintage boutique with an unusual photostudio concept "Fraubran", we will bring you all the juicy gossip, the best dressed list and everything else you would want to know BUT it would be lovely to see you there, so please come and join us at the most exciting event of the year :)
To get your juices flowing please check out our coverage of Southbank Vintage Festival! x

Stefanie Braun the founder of the online luxury boutique "Fraubaraun"

Mother and daughter taking self portraits at Fraubraun studio

OOH so Pretty in light PINK

Beautiful people.

Meow

"Lets get physical"

Effortless beauty.

elegance ....

shoe <3

art deco

Happy people

we love hats

The original Frau Braun

'ello movie star

Bags for life: Blue Buttoned Heart

2011-09-18T15:20:00.001+01:00

So here is bag number two of the project

Made from calico with different coloured and shaped buttons. Only 3 more to go....

Work in progress....

The final heart <3

The final product

So what do you think I should do for the next one going with the button theme.....?

I spy with my little Fashion eye... black and white polka dots...

2011-09-17T00:30:00.001+01:00

The Autumn/ Winter 2011-2012 season is bringing back some surprising elements into fashion so check out the hottest trend: polka dots! They are one of those trends that seem to repeatedly make a come back to the fashion world. Polka dots were seen on the runway styled by designers such as Jeremy Laing, Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs.

Freida in Stella McCartney Fall RTW 2011- Stella McCartney made fun spot shapes the focal point of her autumn/winter 2011 collection. Textured circles worked over sheer fabric

We Found a similar dress to the Stella McCartney dress above at Asos for £40. ASOS PETITE One Sleeve Dress with Spot Mesh'Featuring a contrast spot mesh insert, round neckline, one long sleeve, cut out to side and hem, with a mesh overlay, and a key hole fastening to reverse, in a mini cut length.

Celebrities spotted wearing polka dots!

Spots on the runway...

I spy with my little Fashion eye.. Animal Instinct

2011-09-16T23:25:00.000+01:00

Animal prints seem to never go out of style and the loud and proud print has been given a new lease of life on the runway, using luxury fabrics, intricate patterns, new colours are manipulated on everything from coats to leggings, shoes to piping detail. It wasn’t just the usual, more eccentric designers such as Betsy Johnson and Vivienne Westwood showcasing this print – Gucci , Oscar De La Renta and even Victoria Beckham decked their models out in variations of animal prints. Here are some of our favorite pieces that we would love to have in our wardrobes :)

Dolce &Gabbana "Animaller" campaign, starring Naomi Campbell.

Gucci A/W 2011

Celebrities wearing leopard prints.

Street Style.

£370Yves Saint Laurent's silk-muslin leopard-print scarf is a seriously chic winter accessory. Wear it to add a dramatic edge to a neutral coat and elegant peep-toe pumps. £370

Animal print side tuck blouse with short sleeves and gold button front fastening. by Top Shop £36

Liven up your mood and outfit with these sophisticated wedges. Ponyhair upper. Leather sock. By Office £70

Bracelet watch by Guess . Featuring, a rectangular design, contrast wide tortoiseshell effect bezel, logo embossed rectangular face, sun burst style line indices, three hand analogue movement, texture edged crown, with a double gold-tone metal bracelet strap, and a deployment clasp fastening £125

have fun with your autumn winter wardrobe with this brown leopard print faux fur hooded scarf with ears.

By River Island £32.00

Brown leopard print zip side leggings.

£22.00

Bags for life: Paws in your bag

2011-09-15T16:28:00.000+01:00

The second bag in the bags4life kitty addition is made out of multicolored denim, with original vintage fabrics for the applique.

The finished product :)

Side view of the multicolored bag

The applique was hand stitched and the whiskers embroidered.

I spy with my little Fashion eye.......60s Minimalism

2011-09-15T03:25:00.000+01:00


Outfit inpiration; Victoria Beckham

With an emphasis on clean, no fuss shapes and punchy block colours, the 60s sees seasonal staples updated with playful details and high shine finishes. Effortlessly polished and bold for a new sophistication for those who are fans of a simpler and more versatile look! Check out a few interesting variations of this trend we found on the high-street.

Pink zip detail shift dress by Dorothy Perkins £35
inject some colour into your smart look with this pink zip detail shift dress with back zip fastening.


Mustard Closet Crepe Pocket Dress £42 Sleeveless crepe dress by Closet. Featuring side pockets, tuck to skirt, exposed zip fastening to the back and a round neckline.

Orange May Ponte contrast dress with belt by Fashion Union £30.00

Sleeveless dress featuring a flared skirt, contrast trim, waist buckle belt and round neckline

Green Closet Full Skirt dress £42.00

Sleeveless full skirted flare dress with exposed center back zip fastening.

Whistles Natalie 60s Shift Dress with collar £135

Featuring a crew neckline with a cut-away collar, darts to the soft, soft A-line shape with side welt pockets and an exposed zip closure to reverse.

Buttoned bags 4 life.

2011-09-14T15:52:00.000+01:00

Bag numero one 'Blue buttoned bliss'

A simple calico bag decorated with stitched on small buttons and melted bottle tops

I spy with my little Fashion eye.. something Sparkly

2011-09-14T05:02:00.000+01:00


Carrying this Anya Hindmarch Marano Glitter Clutch would tell that you are set for an evening party since it shows high-shine effect that could bring brightness to all your party season looks. This piece is truly brilliant and it chooses no season at all, making it a worthy investment piece. $425

METALLIC DRESS by Zara

£119.00


MIU MIU A/W 11' Sparkly Sneakers The label is launching the sneaker collection later this month, in stores and online. Glitter, lamé, velvet, patent leather, studs and crystal sneakers which come in blush, silver, gold, and black and cost from $450 to $585. Jenny Packham - A deep V-neck nude jumpsuit dripping in silver beading screamed Blake Lively; a pewter cocktail dress with a cage of gunmetal beading had an edge; and light pink tulle gowns with rain showers of silver beading felt Oscar-worthy.

I spy with my little Fashion eye... Yellow trend

2011-09-14T03:09:00.000+01:00

Mustard "Corso Cosmo"heels from Kurt Geiger's latest Fashionista Collection. With Swarovski crystal encrusted heels. They have been seen on the carpet by Olivia Palermo and Rebecca Ferguson.


Midi skirt, featuring a high paper-bag waist with plaited leather look belt, box pleats, an A-line shape, a midi length, and a concealed zip fastening to reverse by ASOS. £45


Kate Moss for TopShop. Yellow spot PussyBow short sleeve blouse. £36

Add a pop of colour to complete your look with this stylish yellow briefcase bag by River Island

£35

Mustard Closet Crepe Pocket Dress
Sleeveless crepe dress by Closet. Featuring side pockets, exposed zip fastening to the back and a round neckline. £42

Bags for life project

2011-09-12T17:49:00.000+01:00

Every two weeks or so "Proctor&Cruz" will create a project, be it a garment or interior object. We will research, develop and create it and document the progress on our blog.

The first project will consist of creating original one off "bags4life". We each will make a range of 5 to start with, and also try and sell them to the independent retailers, so wish us luck and we will keep you updated on how we get on :)

First finished bag made out of soft denim, and the cat applique are original vintage fabrics.

Working progress.

Inspiration, a vintage cat figurine.

Industry experience at "Westcott- design"

2011-09-11T14:51:00.000+01:00

For fashion students, work experience is one of the most important things. In order to grow and develop, learn new skills and build contacts. For 6 months we did work placement at "Westcott designs" (www.westcott-design.com)that specialises in digital and screen print, hand and Cad CAM embroidery. We have acquired a lot of new skills such as time management, how to work in a team and independently. Our main duties were assisting the designers with every day run of the studio, helping research new trends, making mood and colour boards, creating designs by hand and digital print.
It was a wonderful experience, and taught us so much, we would advice any fashion student or a person who is interested in fashion and textiles to go and do work placements, not only will it look good on your CV but it will show you what a creative environment is about.

You can find work placements in variety of ways, by contacting studios independently or searching online. A few good sites we have used in the past are
* http://www.arts.ac.uk/careers/
* www.creative-opportunities.co.uk
* http://www.milkround.com
* http://www.gumtree.com/*

Scraps from the samples... All the samples were very vibrant and beautifully patterned!

Our workspace where we spent most of the 6 months at!

We got the opportunity to create some of our own samples to be sold at premire vision. We were given the breif, printing with lace to make a patchwork design. In total we made 10 samples, this is just one of them.

The designers at Westcott were extremely friendly and welcoming. Whenever someone had a birthday they would all club together to create an extravagant lunch. Each person would bring something to add to the table.

Working at Westcott really opened our eyes to the textile industry and we ended up leaving with some brilliant contacts and friends for life...... :)

A New Beginning

2011-09-10T13:05:00.000+01:00

Welcome to our new blog! We are both graduates from London College of Fashion looking to share our passion for fashion with the world.