Cloaks!

I really, really want a cloak this winter. So far the ones I've seen either aren't flared enough, don't have a hood, or are a disappointingly coarse fabric. As usual, the perfect item is available in New York, at an unspecified cost and no overseas shipping. Luckily my personal shopping connections have started to creep over the Atlantic, which means that as long as this gorgeous number isn't astronomically overpriced it might be mine by Christmas.

See Lindsey Thornburg's website for swathes of information, more lengths than one could ever ask for (full-, mid-, mini-, druid!) and an array of colour combinations. For all your cloaking needs.

Daily Style

Credit: Facehunter

More attractive autumn colours. I think I know somebody who is getting maroon socks for his birthday...

Brigitte Sire

If I had to choose the one thing that I most like about Brigitte Sire's photography, it would be the sense of calm that comes with the blank backdrops and muffled colour scheme.

Anatomie

As with so many other inspiring ideas, I think I first stumbled across Anatomie on Style Bubble. The website is in French, but essentially they make tiny, intricate miniatures of body parts. This sounds like a creepy idea, but the intricately formed models are adorable! (That said, my mum was quite horrified when I showed her...)

Annabel Mehran

I love the reflections of quiet and moody solitude portrayed in Annabel Mehran's photography. I recognise in her images the same sense of blurred and faded nostalgia that I admire in Stacey Mark (my thoughts here.)  Layers of chiffon, silk and lace are used by each artist in a similarly contradictory way; both veiling the lonely, moody girls and provocatively accentuating what is barely covered by the sheer wisps of fabric.

Daily Style

Found: Facehunter

I love her shoes, ruffled hair and saggy cardigan the most.

LFW: Roksanda Ilincic

Theme: Architecture in Helsinki - Like It Or Not (El Guincho Remix)

As much as I pretend to have good intentions towards brightening up into sugary sweetness for spring, in my heart I am still a moody, pouting wannabe princess. I can imagine Roksanda Ilincic's dresses as perfect for stroppily flopping onto my bed or unappreciatively stomping in and out of glamourous parties with my hair in my face.

LFW: Topshop Unique & Louise Goldin

Theme: Ting Tings - That's Not My Name

One of my favourite collections so far and something I can actually afford, who knew!? Now all I need to do is put a shopping date in my diary and make sure I don't leave work before I can stick all of this on my discount card. (If not all of it, at the very very least the washed out denim and amazing black dress will be mine.) I can even get behind the chavvy headscarf and hoop earrings. I've realised lately that I am going to have a serious problem and probably end up staying at Topshop forever due to the fact that it is too traumatic to even think about the day I have to give my card back. I've already maxed it out twice and I've only had it since the beginning of the month. Eek indeed.

Speaking of Topshop, by which I mean designers who have collaborated with, Louise Goldin also put some very compelling pieces of pastel on show this week:

Image credit: style.com

I hope some of her style can trickle down to the minimum wagers like me with another diffusion line in the near future.

LFW: Christopher Kane

Theme: Kylie Minogue - 2 Hearts

Eeeeeek!!

Image credit: style.com

I don't think there is anyone left that might be reading this blog who doesn't know Christopher Kane. With the number of awards, accreditations and praise he has received it is hard to believe he graduated from St. Martins only TWO years ago. (Aside from which he designed the costumes for Kylie's 2 Hearts video, which can be seen here, and is the reason for my song choice.)

For the new season he has moved away from fluorescently restrictive bandage dresses (SS '07) and experiments with denim and snakeskin (SS '08). It's easy to see that Kane's ethos is to symbiotically combine expertly precise technical ability with unexpected fabric and patterning to create something unique. In this way continuity can be seen in his collections, despite their diversity.

LFW: Charles Anastase

Theme: Mystery Jets - Flakes (click to download)

Charles Anastase first found acclaim as an illustrator, then graduated from photographic stylist to designer with the help of a grant from the French Ministry of Culture. Previous collections have been inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the Great Depression and his cat. After showing in Paris for the last 3 years he has come to London, which I don't find too surprising after seeing his misshapenly engaging frills, flounces and layers. Having fully embraced dark monochrome for winter, I'm already looking forward to brightening up to beige, peach and putty this spring.

Anastase's window display at Dover Street Market, 2006 (found here)

"My inspiration comes from fairy tales, psychoanalysis and art. It is a quest for beauty."

Image credit: style.com

Stacey Mark

Theme: She and Him (ft. Zooey Deschanel) - Sentimental Heart

Stacey Mark takes sultry, moody photographs of beautiful women (the first images are of Sarah-Sophie Flicker, a trapeze artist and film maker). Like so many of my favourite things she is based in New York, as the Photo Director of Nylon magazine. I can see myself in her portraits lounging appealingly in wisps of peach silk and chiffon, if only tracksuit bottoms and oversized jersey weren't so comfortable.