Anastasia and Duck

E1.4 Hilma af Klint

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Sat, 03 May 2014 11:29:00 +0000

Hilma af Klint was the first purely abstract painter the world has known but, as we see so often throughout history, she was overlooked by the establishment by virtue of being a woman. Most people think of Kandinsky as the father of modern abstract art but Klint, working as part of “the Five” was generating purely abstract creations several years before him. Even in 1970, the Stockholm Moderna Museet declined a donation of her life's work. Thankfully, in the 21st century, she is finally being celebrated; the Louisiana Museum of Contemporary Art in Copenhagen currently has an extensive exhibition. I came to Klint through the use of her figurative painting, The Swan, on this sweatshirt (above) by Acne – the perfect fusion of art and fashion. Not sure if I should wear it, or hang it on my wall.

Dr Duck

T1.4 Iceland (ii)

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 11:52:00 +0000

The major advantage to holidaying with my parents is the chance to explore countries off the beaten path. My mother loves to drive and so we've spent many a summer touring the US, Australia, and the majority of the European continent, with me navigating from the back of the car. Usually we plan a rough route and book hotels along the way, but day-to-day I direct us to sites to visit by reading my various guide books on the go. This way we always get to see the sides of a country not often visited by tourists.

The majority of the settlements in Iceland have always been small and remote – in fact Reykjavík, the capital, was essentially a village until the 20th century – and it was these small townships and the surrounding countryside we wanted to discover. We started our trip around the iconic Þjóðvegur at Borgarnes, a small town north of Reykjavík. Here a museum explains the complex history of the early settlement of the island, as well as the equally fascinating and appropriately gruesome story of the Egil's Saga. Egill Skallagrímsson lived here and the surrounding area features monuments to the various episodes of the saga; one striking memorial commemorates the murder of Þorgerð brák in the nearby fjörður. The museum also offers a restaurant with a delicious and typically Scandinavian cold buffet table for guests. It is here that I had my first sip of the delicious Egils Malt Extrakt. Driving further north, we also checked out Reykholt, where Snorri Sturluson composed the Prose Edda. His original stone thermal bath is still visible, potentially the oldest remaining structure in Iceland. This is where, in 1241, Snorri was bludgeoned to death by Gissur Þorvaldsson and the Norwegian King Hákon's men.

Much further north, near our next hotel stop at Varmahlíð, we happened upon the turf houses of Glaumbær. We hadn't planned to see this historical site but later found it referenced in almost every museum we visited, so we're glad we did make it! Although inhabited well into the 20th century, it was the oldest inhabitants of the farm that were the most interesting. Gudridur and Þorfinnur, who lived here in the 11th century, had travelled west to Greenland and then on to what the Vikings called Vinland; their son, Snorri, was the first European to be born on North American soil.

Eventually we reached Akureyri, Iceland's second 'city', and home to a sister church to Reykjavík's Hallgrímskirkja: the Akureyrarkirkja by Guðjón Samúelsson. The church sits high above the township, rising as dramatically as the mountains surrounding the Eyjafjörður. And from here we climbed out of the valley and beyond to the volcanic expanses of Mývatn...

Dr Duck

T1.3 Iceland (i)

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 13:25:00 +0000

Well, I just returned from one of the most exciting trips of my life – a week spent in Iceland. For seven days we drove around Þjóðvegur 1 (also called the 'ring road'), Iceland's main circular artery, exploring every inch of the inhabited coastal regions. We experienced nature at its fullest force (more on that later) and relished in the strangely Scandinavian culture.

Iceland is an odd country, a historical fluke. The sparse population is descended directly from the early Viking settlers (and their Celtic brides) who came from Norway, Scotland and Ireland, to find more space and escape the rule of the Norwegian King. Because of expert documentation and the Icelanders' famous sagas, they have preserved their family trees going right back to the settlement period in the 9th century. Iceland is almost unique in recording its history in such detail. Iceland is also unique in having preserved its language and culture for so long. Modern Icelandic is incredibly similar to Old West Norse, the original settler language, and the population's relative isolation and small size has meant their traditional ways of life have barely changed over the centuries.

My first few days in Iceland focused on the capital, Reykjavík, and the surrounding historical region known as The Golden Circle. We explored the stunning new Harpa concert hall (and ate at its restaurant, Kolabrautin), best seen by night. We learnt about Iceland's history at the National Museum and took in the austere yet calming Hallgrímskirkja designed by Guðjón Samuel. At Þingvellir we found where the original settlers created the world's first democratic parliament – the Alþingi – and then carried on to see the original Geysir (from which all other geysers derive their names) and the impressive Gullfoss waterfalls. It was the perfect start to our trip and gave us the relevant historical and cultural information required to understand what we were about to experience in the more remote regions of the country. Which will be coming up in my next few blog posts...

Dr Duck

D1.7 Charging Ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 09:05:00 +0000

Silver and leather bracelet by Stephen Einhorn, notes model's own

I feel like time is slipping through my fingers right now, as I move from one career and into a new one, from one city to another. In the next four weeks I'm focusing hard on finishing a key paper from my research, catching up on high school electronics for my new job, and moving into my mews apartment in Edinburgh's city centre. Somehow I'm also going to fit in a week exploring Iceland with my family, and a luxury birthday spa weekend at the Aman in London with Charlie and Anna. I'm spending a lot of time sprawled across the dining room table with my notes right now, so I'm kind of living in my comfy pyjamas or gym kit. But that's no reason not to accessorise with jewellery, to keep my spirits high. My wrist is definitely enjoying the chic simplicity of this leather and silver bracelet by London-based artisan jeweller, Stephen Einhorn. Simply serendipitous that he's also launched a new campaign and video around the making of his Flame Ring today. And with a surname that means unicorn in German, what's not to love?

Dr Duck

D1.6 Paris - or avoiding fashion week

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 18:02:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I packed up a case of my chicest items (read: H2T outfits emergency-purchased and express-delivered from TheCorner) and headed across to Paris to visit during fashion week. I took an apartment on the Rue St Honoré, across the street from the Rue Cambon Chanel HQ and just a stone's throw away from Charlie May's studio showroom. This is, I think, my fifth visit to Paris during the shows, but the first one where I avoided the fashion circus as much as humanly possible. I only stopped by Charlie's showroom in the evening for glasses of wine watching the sunset on the balcony with Charlie, India Rose, Andrew Blyszak and Clym Evernden, and paid a visit to Anna's Completed Works showroom in the Marais to see her latest display. The rest of the time I ate (at Frenchie and Le Dauphin), I drank (at Monsieur Bleu in the Palais de Tokyo), I shopped (for the perfect shearling at Sandro), I danced (with Charlie at Silencio). Staying so central was the best decision I've made in all my visits - Airbnb officially rocks when compared to overpriced Parisian hotels - and the ability to self-cater meant I could still enjoy my organic Greek yoghurt for breakfast. Avoiding the fashion hoo-ha was my second best decision, although I did accidentally gate-crash the Galliano show at the Palais de Tokyo. I'm starting a new career next month, moving to a new city, and separating myself from the fashion lifestyle is becoming more than necessary. I want to return to that joy of design, the pleasure in finding the perfect item to wear or in discovering a new designer, which the fast-paced fashion industry is destroying for me. I just want to stroll around the Palais Royal, take in Dries Van Noten's all-encompassing exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and then revel in a slice of speculoos cheesecake before my flight home.

Dr Duck

D1.5 Vin and Omi

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 17:30:00 +0000

It's very hard to define fashion. Some people praise it as art, others deride it as mere frivolity. Maybe it can be both, or something in between. Few designers, however, manage to straddle those polar extremes to create works which are at once shocking, thought-provoking and incredibly commercial. Vin and Omi are two such artists.

It's hard to find a lot of information about the pair online, but from a short meeting with Omi in the May Fair hotel after their show, I know this much. Vin and Omi were some of the earliest recipients of the NESTA (National Endowment for Science and Technology Award) fashion award, along with Alistair Carr (of Balenciaga, Pringle and McQ fame). Reading the lists of early funding prize winners (including other prestigious competitions such as NEWGEN), it's noticeable how few of the brands have gone on to become household names around the world. And the same is true of Vin and Omi – but that is not to say that they haven't been successful.

They have, in fact, been incredibly successful in many fields. They focused on fabric development and now are based in the Cotswolds where various farmyard outhouses allow them to experiment with myriad and messy new techniques. Their work with latex is particularly strong, and has led to collaborations with brands from Felder Felder through to Louis Vuitton. They have studios in the US from which they art-direct the careers of celebrities such as Christina Aguilera (they were responsible for her skin-tight, blonde-bombshell looks of the mid Noughties), produce video collections for Lady Gaga and work on public art installations. They have designed one-off pieces for many a star, including a specially commissioned dress for Michelle Obama later deconstructed by security due to Vin and Omi's penchant for hiding secret messages in their garments. Their success in all these fields is due to a) their talent, but also b) their willingness to let others shine. Vin and Omi do not micromanage their success stories — they let all their collaborators work independently, safe in the knowledge that talented people will show up with the goods.

This season Vin and Omi decided to return to London, where their 'fashion' careers began, to put on a show of two parts. The womenswear collection consisted of specially distressed printed silks and latex pieces, designed as couture items and not intended as ready-to-wear. The line of t-shirts and hoodies sported by the hunks of the show, however, are ready for commercial release. At first glance, these pieces seem to derive quite superficially from the recent Célfie hype. In fact the joke is much more personal. Just weeks before the show, Vin was undergoing brain surgery. The t-shirts feature scans taken at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford of Vin's brain bleed, quickly snapped by Omi on his iPhone. I'm not sure if I can think of a greater fusion of art and fashion commercialism.

I met Vin and Omi through Twitter, as did Jen. And at the show I recognised quite a few of the Twiteratti (Caroline looking particularly fierce front row). It's amazing how the internet brings us weirdos all together, and it is quite incredible the breadth of contacts and friendships I've forged down the fibre-optic cable. I'd just like to take this chance to thank V+O again for inviting me to see your first show in years, and I look forward to favouriting your tweets for years to come.

Dr Duck

D1.4 Charlie May

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:57:00 +0000

Phew, that's London Fashion Week over for another season and, to be honest, I'm not that sad to see the back of it. Attending all the shows can be chic and fabulous at times, but mostly it's just tiring and not particularly satisfying. It's rare you feel that buzz that reminds you why you fell in love with fashion in the first place. Now going to London, for me, is all about catching up with my best friends from around the world. Luckily, on Saturday, I got to combine the best of both worlds at my breb Charlie May's AWESOME show in the iconic OXO Tower. No Bisto-themed collection, this season Charlie kept things minimal and sporty-chic, with a greater focus on wearability and commercial appeal. These are pieces she, and the girls we hang out with, would wear. There are pieces even I'd be able to wear if she can scale them up to fit my man shoulders (got my eye on that cushioned mesh bomber jacket). I stopped by the studio the day before for model casting and got to watch her stylist, Nobuko Tannawa, at work. Go-sees are exactly as they appear on ANTM, except there the designer's best friend is rarely sipping red wine in the background. Ah, life.

Dr Duck

D1.3 New Silhouette

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 12:12:00 +0000

Floral shirt (underneath) and printed t-shirt, both Raf Simons

All in a tizz over preparations for my fly-by fashion weekend in London starting tomorrow. I've been finishing up some pieces of work (and completing a few other job applications while I'm at it), all the while trying to cram in as much cardio as my problematic thyroid will allow. At least I know exactly what I'll be wearing as I slide out of my UberLUX (we're pronouncing it luxe, by the way), push past the throngs of streetstyle-papping scum and force my way into a potential ALT lift situation on my way up to Charlie show's at the top of the iconic OXO tower. People frown upon wearing total runway looks but I say: SCREW YOU. I'd only be wearing more Raf if the seasonal drop had come in time. Still, there's always Paris.

Florals for Spring? Give me a break, OK, it's my new silhouette.

Dr Duck

E1.3 Face-Off

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 15:24:00 +0000

OK can we talk about the amazingness of this twinset from Christopher Kane's SS14 collection? I'm basically obsessed with twinsets at the moment (what I'm calling playing matchy-matchy with tops and bottoms) and the stark black-and-white combination here is exactly what I need to be wearing on Charlie May's front row at the Oxo Tower next week. I am so close to emptying my PayPal account into TheCorner right now.

While we're on the subject of Christopher, can we also have a round of applause for his AW menswear collection which will feature blown-up prints of molecular structures. I've wanted to do this myself for ages but he's beaten me to it. Still, I think a t-shirt with some visualisations from my calculation of non-collinear magnetism in iron might be chic? We'll see.

Dr Duck

E1.2 Sandro

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 10:47:00 +0000

January's nearly over so I can't believe lots of stores are still stuck in winter sale mode – I need those SS14 collections to drop now! Dreaming of springtime prints, new-season cuts and daring to bare my legs again. I'm thinking this year I'll be investing in Christopher Kane, Raf Simons and Dries Van Noten, particulièrement. But it seems like the first stores to be stocking up for the new year are on the high street, and I'm especially impressed by Sandro's menswear offering. Sure, they lean heavily on what designers are doing on the runway, but they do those 'inspired by' pieces with style and luxury fabrics. It's become sort of like a French Joseph, providing chic basics in black and white, punctuated with the odd colourful MUST HAVE. The piece I must-be-having? That perfect pull telepathic.

Just one problem: they don't deliver to the UK. I'll be hitting up those London stores hard during fashion week.

Dr Duck

L1.2 Dubble Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 14:02:00 +0000

Recently I've been experimenting with the new iPhone photography app Dubble. The iTunes store is chock-a-block with apps from those capable of high level photo manipulation to those for the simple addition of cats. What makes Dubble different is that it superimposes two different images, adds a touch of creative magic, and produces some genuinely beautiful results like those shown here. The downside is that, at the moment, you upload one photo and the app creates a Dubble using another randomly selected from its users. So a lot of the time the results look a bit...crap. Perseverance is key here. Rumour on the grapevine is, however, that future updates will allow you to choose specifically which two images get mixed together. Which would be a significant step forward and would move Dubble from the 'fun game for an afternoon' category to a seriously useful artistic tool.

Dr Duck

E1.1 Look 20

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 11:20:00 +0000

Images and video by Style.com, Sonny Vandevelde, NowFashion and Third Looks.

Sometimes a designer proposes a collection which is, for you, precisely perfect. Black looks punctuated with bold bursts of colour and sparkle. This is exactly how I wish to dress this year. Look 20 is just right. From the shoes, up through the socks, the shorts, the embroidered black t-shirt over a colourful shirt. With this collection Raf Simons has achieved that which could only be surpassed by his Sterling Ruby collaboration last night. Please sir, when will SS14 drop?

Dr Duck

L1.1 Quick and easy photo editing with GIMP

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 13:25:00 +0000

Most people who have personal blogs (be they fashion, food or other) didn't start out with the technical knowledge required to build the sites they now possess. Most of us have had to pick up useful skills along the way, including web design (HMTL, CSS, even basic template management), managing social media and photography. Some of this knowledge we acquire from the wonder that is Google (or Bing, if you're that way inclined), but a lot of it is gained from our new-found online friends. Almost all that I know about photography I've gleaned from other bloggers, from manipulating depth-of-field to getting the lighting just right. But for editing my photos I've been a bit stuck because I don't have Photoshop, the go-to package every fashion blogger seems to possess. I choose to use a Linux computer set up for work purposes – it's just so much more useful when you write/run computer code and scripts all day – and I couldn't run Photoshop on it. I also didn't want to pay the price...

Unfortunately, almost all the guides to photo editing I found from other bloggers referred to Photoshop. I had to search around myself for an open-sourced alternative and came across GIMP. Not only does it have one of the best software names I can imagine (coming a close second to my imaginary The VAG), it is free to download, it runs on various platforms and it can do everything Photoshop can do. In fact, Photoshop has acquired several features that started out as GIMP plugins originally.

In any case, I've worked hard to learn how to use GIMP to edit photos just the way I like, and I feel now my post-processing skills are catching up with the quality of my camera and lenses. So I thought it only made sense to share some of my knowledge here, for those of you who also don't want to use Photoshop. I've put together a short explanation of my 'basic' photo editing process. There is nothing complicated going on here – I'm not delving into Layers or Curves or anything scary like that in this guide – just the fundamental tweaks I find can take an image from blah to brilliant (Shini, Kit – look away now). Hopefully someone out there might find it useful too.

In order to demonstrate the basic steps I take, I've selected a raw image from my last blog post (above left). Here we have what I think is an orchid I snapped in Glasgow's botanic gardens (do correct me if I'm wrong). There is a pleasing contrast between the 'petals' in the foreground and the nicely blurred background. The 50mm lens does give good bokeh. The following few steps will explain how to make the flower pop even more as in the image which eventually made it onto the blog (above right).

1. CROP: Assuming you have downloaded and installed GIMP, we proceed by opening the image in the software (File → Open). I usually start by cropping the picture to remove any unwanted areas around the outside and better frame the subject. We use the cropping tool (looks like a stanley knife in the toolbox on the left hand side of the image). It's better to crop your picture before scaling down so as not to lose much resolution in the final image. Remember to fix the aspect ratio of the cropping tool, otherwise your photos will all end up with different shapes.

2. SCALE: Next I scale the image to a size I want to use online. This makes it faster to upload and allows your page to load more quickly for your readers. Do not use the original image size... Images on this blog are 800 pixels in width but I tend to scale to around 1500, so that a bigger version can be seen when clicking on them. The scaling tool can be found by clicking Image → Scale Image. Make sure the lock and chain are connected so the height scales in proportion to the setting for the width.

3. WHITE BALANCE: At this point I tend to use an automated program to correct the white balance in the image. There are all sorts of complicated ways to do this manually, and with more control, but 90% of the time this works perfectly. Go to Colours → Auto → White Balance. If the initial lighting was poor (as in this example), this will make a significant difference to both the balance of light and dark, and the vibrancy of the colours. Be careful, however, if people are present in the image. Sometimes it can give the skin an unnatural hue. You may need to play around with this is the case.

4. CONTRAST: The picture looks better immediately, but we can further manipulate the contrast between elements by setting the Brightness and Contrast levels manually (Colours → Brightness-Contrast). Play around with these two values to brighten areas of whiteness and add depth to the shadowy areas. I usually want to increase both values to get a more distinctive look.

5: SATURATION: After the contrast, the last stage is to tweak the saturation of the colours. This is when your photo really comes alive. There are automatic programs within GIMP to adjust the saturation but the effect tends to be very unnatural – better to do this one by hand. Open the Adjust Hue tool kit by going to Colours → Hue-Saturation. When the tool first opens it is set up to control the Master channel; this means moving any of the sliders will affect all the colours in the image. We want to change each one individually. Try selecting the blue colour first. The saturation is increased by moving the 'Saturation' slider to the right. Any areas that contain blue elements will become bluer. Easy. Now try this with all the other colours – play around until you get the balance you want. I often find myself wearing achromatic outfits in my pictures, so I like to enhance the colours around me a lot so the pictures don't become too boring. If there are plants in the photograph I often push the green and yellow values to very high saturations to give a tropical, lush feel. In this particular image I found saturating the red channel really gave more definition to the orchid petals. For reference, the settings I used were

Green: 70, Yellow: 42, Red: 70, Blue: 15

I left Magenta and Cyan alone. Normally I don't have to touch the Hue or Lightness sliders.

6. ENJOY: So, there we have it – the before and after images. As I said, there are a million more complicated techniques you could use within GIMP and they all have their applications, but I find this basic set-up to be the fastest way to get blog-ready photographs without resorting to costly software.

Duck

D1.1 Botanica

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 09:55:00 +0000

Bird of paradise

Coat by Costume National, jeans by 7 For All Mankind

Mother Duck

Kibble Palace

When there's frost on the ground and the weather necessitates the wearing of thermals beneath one's jeans, it's time for a trip to the tropical rooms of Glasgow's botanic gardens. Under the glass dome of the historic Kibble Palace you can sweat it out amongst the colourful birds of paradise and towering tree ferns. Everything is close enough to touch, except for a collection of rare orchids shielded behind glass. And when things get really tough, it's time to visit the succulents...

Dr Duck

A1.1 Bloggers, PRs and Fashion Week

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:01:00 +0000

I'm not one to shy away from 'controversial' topics and today is no different. Although I had thought that we'd put the whole blogger debate to bed years ago, apparently I was wrong. Recently, IMG announced that it was going to have to tackle the media circus that has grown up around New York Fashion Week. Then, on the Business Of Fashion, a blogger responded to the criticism we've received. These articles have been flaring up ever since the rise of the fashion blogger began; one accusing young upstarts of tarnishing the luxurious exclusivity of fashion week, the other vehemently defending their right to exist and the supposed 'democratisation' of fashion they embody. But I don't want to concern myself with this dogged Bloggers v. Editors debate. I don't care if a twelve-year-old in a Dior bow blocked your view of the runway, or if a brand won't take you seriously despite how hard you worked on your Wordpress template. Grow up. To anyone who has even a passing acquaintance with the fashion industry, it is clear that success is not often born of hard work. It's very often about image, contacts, money and luck. And it's the first of these factors I take umbrage with when it comes to fashion week: the maintenance of image.

Despite the CFDA's (in the US) and BFC's (in the UK) delusions of grandeur, they have very little say over what happens at fashion week, and their bold public statements ring hollow. The power to invite or block a guest comes from the public relations staff employed by each designer. Now these may be in-house or, more commonly, working at an external company, but it is the PRs who are in control of the situation. And in my opinion, they aren't doing their jobs properly.

I have been messing around with this blogging malarkey for almost five years and over that time I have become close friends with bloggers, 'print' journalists and, most importantly, designers. I have attended shows in London and Paris, from the off-schedule shows of young creatives to the giant runways of massive international brands. I believe, therefore, that I can see the debate from both sides. Nowadays, however, I'm not so keen to attend fashion week except to see the few designers I continue to support – which means I also feel like I have nothing to lose.

In the midst of the to-ing and fro-ing between bloggers and editors, bloggers and fashion councils, bloggers and just about everybody, the people who are being forgotten are the designers. The reason fashion week exists is to promote their seasonal collections to buyers and press and public. It is to create an idea, a feeling, a branding that will push their sales over the coming months and grow their business. Much of fashion is image. It is the PR's task to manage and maintain that image, and in many cases this isn't working.

I am tired of flicking onto blogs and seeing blurry runway photographs (seriously, you can't use the autofocus on your camera?) with little to no commentary. Or PRs retweeting thanks from desperate 'personalities' with followers bought online from India. The staff running each show need to look much more carefully at precisely whom they are inviting. Let me be very clear about this: bloggers are not all the same.

Now there are different criteria one might use to judge a blogger on: hits, following, readership, influence, style and quality. These are all valid criteria depending on the brand you are representing. Pick a couple.

There are simple tricks to gauge someone's influence such as checking rough statistics on Alexa, surveying the blogger's Bloglovin, Facebook and Twitter (as well as Pose, Pinterest, Tumblr...) pages, or counting the numbers of comments a post receives. It's not difficult – the rest of us on the internet do it almost subconsciously every day when deciding who might be worthwhile to follow. Having a lot of traffic or a large number of readers might be just what your brand wants.

However, other designers, particularly those that fill sartorial niches (or have a distinctly high-end attitude to branding) might be more concerned about the quality of the images or text produced. Can the blogger actually write? Are they a gifted photographer or illustrator? For these kinds of brands you need to be a bit more savvy and match the style of the site to the designer. But surely you can do that – it is, after all, your job.

And there is no reason for this to be excruciatingly time-consuming. It only takes a minute to tell if someone is going to cheapen your brand image. You could also work on this all year, rather than in the few weeks running up to a show. You could compile a list of bloggers you would like to work with, divided into what kinds of brands they would suit. You could speak to bloggers you already know and ask for their advice. We're usually more than happy to suggest people who might deserve a little bit of exposure.

The world has moved on and I feel PR executives need to catch up. Then we might have less of a circus at fashion week, and designers might receive the service they deserve.

Dr Duck

T1.2 St Andrews

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 16:41:00 +0000

Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting St Andrews on Scotland's eastern coast. We decided to book into Rufflets, a chic boutique hotel on the outskirts of the town, to make it our base for further explorations into the nearby area. My room in the big, old house was super cosy, from the teddy on my bed to the powerful central heating that fought off the worst of the Scottish winter. In the town itself we visited the ruined castle and cathedral, where the Protestant Reformation really began in Scotland. We also dined in Rocca, looking out onto the famous Old Course golf links, enjoying the artfully presented, modern fare in such a historic setting.

Wearing scarf Saint Laurent Paris, coat Neil Barrett, gloves Maison Martin Margiela, jumper Jigsaw Menswear

Beetroot with goats cheese and onion ash

Dessert of mango and passion fruit variations

Dr Duck

Pervert Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 09:03:00 +0000

I'm sure we've all seen the Givenchy Pre-Fall 2013 collection before but I feel like revisiting it given that it's already in our favourite online stores right now (along with actual Autumn/Winter and sale remainders of Spring/Summer – I'm so confused about what comes in when, but that's another story). My love for Riccardo Tisci waxes and wanes with every season, but this veritable parade of leather-clad perverts does it for me. Somehow I'm feeling plaid again. Hedi's Saint Laurent take looks too traditional to justify the crazy price tag but the Givenchy biker-cum-lumberjack look strikes just the right chord (as does Miharayasuhiro's hybrid tartan shirt|shorts for Spring/Summer 2014). Maybe it's just hunky Jared Buckhiester and his sexy handlebar moustache rocking my world. In any case, pervy is looking pretty damn cool right now...

Duck

Pool Party

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 08:48:00 +0000

Just back from a flying visit to Ibiza with Charlie May and Tia Maria. It was my first visit to the island and probably my last. It was great to get away to some warmth and sunshine, and sharing a double bed with my breb Charlie is always a pleasure. But I don't think the party isle is for me... Every possible chic location – from abandoned tropical beach huts at Benirrás beach to the exclusive party resort of Blue Marlin – is pretty much ruined by loud English and German people wearing way too many colours. It was a continuous search to find any kind of quiet space. Then you only had to pop your head over a bush and the infamous Pacha cherries would smack you in the face.

I think this instagram I took says it all. You can't sit with us.

Duck

LCM | Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:33:00 +0000

Shall we talk about LCM (or LC:M in its ridiculously unhashtaggable official format)? You may have guessed from the Style.com assortment of photos below that I'm not in London this season. Ostensibly that's because I'm highly focused on job applications right now, but in reality I just couldn't face the pocket squares or the front-row ubiquity of David Gandy and Dermot O'Leary.

Is it just me, or do the London collections seem a bit staid? I think perhaps I'm just getting a bit jaded. Maybe it's because the mainstream press are pushing menswear so fucking hard right now, but I just can't see digitally printed suits and oh my God seriously another bow-tie as forward-thinking anymore. The total market saturation means I barely see any difference between a lot of the designers in London, Paris, Milan, NYC, and so I'm resorting to what should be the true test of a commercial collection: Would I buy it? If I would be willing to spend the ridiculous sums designers ask for nowadays then for me, it's been a successful collection. If I don't want to own it, I don't care. So let's get started with my four stand-out collections of the 'week'.

Richard Nicoll. Yes, please! Sexy, commercial, not too fitted. We have seen a lot of these styles before, but everything just worked so well together this season. The leather shorts look cooler than Wangs/Givenchy, the printed bomber/shorts combo brighter and more luxe than Qasimi. The simple leather jacket over the painted sweatshirt. In my head this is what every cool kid with the kroner to blow in Stockholm is wearing right now. I want to be this guy...

J W Anderson. I haven't been a fan of late since his killer earlier collections but somehow this feels like a turning point for the designer. Last season went too far for me – sure I love a concept but I also want to see something a store could sell to me and frilly womenswear just wasn't doing it. These black belted tunic tops layered over swooshing trousers, however, seem to strike the perfect balance between frock and Rick Owens-esque gentlemanly eveningwear. I like a lot.

Lee Roach. Yup, he's done the seat-belt jacket hybrid before but I still like it. And these look a little bit slicker than the ones currently for sale on TheCorner. Especially the belted black top which would easily slip into an interchangeable JW/Lee wardrobe. Is asymmetric panelling a 'trend'?

CRAIG GREEN. He took what he did last season and ramped up the volume, injecting the textural, layered looks with acid colours and even more crazy details. Oversized street furniture is just the perfect finishing touch. I feel like Craig is the best thing coming out of London right now, truly original, and by far the king of the MAN crop.

Talking of the MAN show, I also fancied the crowns at Bobby Abley (if not the prints or teddy bears) and the dusty pinks and greys from Alan Taylor.

Three other looks that caught my attention. First an all-white layering affair from Agi & Sam, the best closing look from their show and an indication that maybe things could be moving in a chicer direction? A polka-dot plastic shirt by Jonathan Saunders, a designer whose collections while vividly colourful seem strangely uninspiring to me. Oh, and the return of the cargo pant at Rag & Bone? I don't really get the point of this brand or why they're showing in London but I'm all for extra pockets on trousers, thank you.

Closing remark: still don't understand designers who aren't down for their own design aesthetic, particularly women designing womenswear/men designing menswear. Like Lee Roach clearly designs for himself, but JW appearing in a suburban Dad ensemble of stonewashed jeans and shiny dress shoes always makes me question his motivations. I guess I don't see fashion as art but as commercial design and I want to feel like I'm buying into a whole package... I know, I know, Lee McQueen; but then the womenswear there always seemed stronger to me than the men's offering, despite his tailoring background.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on London.

Duck

Hello Lover

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:34:00 +0000

Sometimes it's not until the season is nearly over that a collection really leaves its impact on my consciousness. But, more and more, I'm finding slow-burners are the ones which give me the greatest feeling of satisfaction. Enter Comme des Garçons SS13 Poor King collection. Just what I need right now.

Duck

Photos from Style.com

Comme des Garçons Blue

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 12:12:00 +0000

When you get a last-minute call from Comme des Garçons, you don't decline. Always remember that advice, because they just treated me to one of the best 24-hour experiences I've ever had, and all in the name of celebrating the world-wide launch of their new perfume line: Comme des Garçons Blue.

It started with a breakfast flight to Berlin and a short Mercedes drive from the airport to the brand-spanking new Das Stue hotel, housed in the former Danish embassy right on top of the Tiergarten and Berlin zoo. My room looked straight into an enclosure of ostriches and impala. I had the afternoon to myself, so I went for a run around the Tiergarten in the blazing sun before ice cream and beers with my friend David in the Englischer Garten. Then it was a quick change into my Giuseppe Virgone outfit and we were off to the Comme des Garçons Black store in Mitte.

The Blue line contains three specific fragrances: Santal, the freshest of the trio; Cedrat, possibly the most classic and commercial; and Encens, my favourite. Encens, as the name might suggest, has the heavy churchy incense undertones that you get from other Comme perfumes such as Kyoto or Avignon, but in a lighter, cooler blend. Incense for sunny summer days.

The CdG store had been given a makeover for the launch and was decorated with blue-themed artwork and copper sulphate creations (ahhh, memories of sunny days spent staring out of the window during high school chemistry labs, my 'crystals' turning out more a beaker of mush than sparkly rock formations). Everything was designed to match the very now dip-dyed bottles which look like the essence of Spring Breakers refined into chic minimalism.

How does one top an afternoon like that? Well, how about dinner at hip new eatery Richard with 100 of your closest friends, including REM front man Michael Stipe. The first two courses were light and flavoursome (for me, a caramelised goat's cheese salad with blood orange dressing followed by green and white asparagus risotto) but it was the incredible rhubarb and strawberry dessert which blew my socks off. And then into the Berlin night for cocktails and more (...) at Möbel Olfe (don't be fooled by the drab website, this place is FUN). 24 hours of crazy, chic, summer bliss.

Sorry but I also couldn't help mentioning this here! I got back home just in time to see Leah's performance on The Voice last night and wow can that girl sing. It's no wonder the song's already number 9 in the UK charts less than 24 hours after performing it in the competition. So fresh and, given her outfit, so Comme as well? I think so.

Ah, back to reality...

Duck

Antwerp Diaries

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:27:00 +0000

Well, I get to everything eventually. I may be off to Berlin this week, and Scandinavia seems like months ago (OK so it was last week), but now I'm finally getting around to posting these snaps from our shopping trip to Antwerp. A few of my favourite things in the city which I think you should check out if you ever happen to pop by.

Places to Stay

Hotel Les Nuits – relax in luxurious suites with marble bathrooms, enjoy a sumptuous breakfast in bed, take a glass of champagne into the rooftop spa or just sit back with a glass of wine of the evening on the sunny terrace. Total chic bliss and just a few steps from the major shopping areas of Antwerp.

Sleeping Around – converted shipping containers right by the harbour (slightly difficult to find but worth the trek) big enough for two, but only if you don't mind getting rather intimate. Have a gourmet breakfast looking out across the water and enjoy the sounds and sights of the trade ships at night as you stumble back from the nearby warehouse clubs...

Places to Eat

Lux – at the marina, just a short stroll from Sleeping Around. Like the name suggests, this place is seriously luxurious. I recommend wearing something daring and sleeveless to shake up the standard business-man clientèle. I also recommend the desserts which were out of this world.

Hippodroom – chic and chichi, right around the corner from Ann Demeulemeester's flagship store, this cosy resto has a menu brimming with Michelin-worthy modern delights. Every mouthful was packed with flavour, current updates on Belgian and French cuisine.

Places to Drink

We found lots of bars and cafés to sit out around the square bounded by Waalsekai and Vlaamsekai. Perfect for taking the air in the summer months. A lot of chic binge-drinkers were also spotted in the bars across from the Museum of Fine Arts up on Leopold de Waelplaats. And if you fancy a couple of glasses of quadrupel (i.e. you have the rest of the day to remain plastered), I highly recommend the cathedral bar decorated with all manner of holy figurines – Het Elfde Gebod.

Duck

Raf Simons | Mr Porter

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 14:34:00 +0000

The word collaboration fills a Duck's heart with fear. A fear of poor quality knock-offs, botched dissections of past collections, itchy fabrics. But Mr Porter seems to be reinventing the fashion trend for collaboration by inviting designers to produce capsule collections for the site, which fit in with their current season offerings both in terms of design and in quality. Last fashion week this led to the excellent lines by Richard Nicoll and Matthew Miller (I notice a few pieces are still available), this time around it gives us Raf Simons for Mr Porter. This time of year online shopping gets a bit stale – can we really be expected to pay full price now for the Givenchy t-shirt we've already been staring at for months, when sales are just around the corner? – but collaborations like this give us something to lust over once again. Bright colours and floral prints which not only fit into the general theme of Raf's SS 2013 mainline collection, but also hark back to my all-time favourite floral from his Jil Sander SS 2011 offering. The chain-bedecked brogues from last season have also been given a new lease of life. Exactly what I want to be wearing when I go to Berlin on Thursday for a very special trip...

Duck

Copenhagen | Malmö Diaries

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Apologies for the blogging hiatus – I'm currently prepping for my DPhil viva coming up next week (and which I've just discovered in German is threateningly termed das Rigorosum). Just enough time to upload my photos from Copenhagen and Malmö from the weekend. Basically: EUROVISION EUROVISION EUROVISION. But before that we managed to sneak in a sweaty walk round the botanic gardens, a dinner at Mother in Vesterbro, and a tour of Christiania and the temporary sandcastle exhibition (props to the creators of the sandstorm Stephen Hawking). And then sparkle, glitz and glamour... Ah, poor Bonnie :'(

Next year in Copenhagen!

Duck

Stockholm Diaries

noreply@blogger.com (Duck) — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:56:00 +0000

I just spent the past two days in Stockholm, one of my favourite cities in the world. I slept on a yacht and spent the time hanging out with my friend Lisa. We went to see the new ABBA museum, shopped the Acne Archive and partied it up Södermalm style with a warehouse rave featuring The Knife. So sunny and beautiful, I was so sad to leave. Still, I'm in Copenhagen now with my family, ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest I'll be seeing in Malmö tomorrow night. Go Bonnie Tyler!