Josefina Lar

Like many things I am drawn to, there is something deliberately ugly and slightly grotesque about Josefina Lar's work, which permeates the colours, textiles and shapes of the clothes (not to mention the spooky models). I think this is a brave way to push design boundaries, and I can see some of the clinical precision that characterizes a lot of Swedish style, as integrated with a uniquely London eccentricity (Lar trained with Preen, as well as my future employer(!) Luella.)

Zadig et Voltaire

Zadig et Voltaire make grungy streetwear clothes in luxe, tactile fabrics. Heavy on leather, studs and rivets, they also have dedicated cashmere lines and their super thin cotton t-shirts are made to be layered. If I were an off-duty French actress I'd take all of it.

Patrick Stephan

Patrick Stephan grew up off the coast of Brittany and trained with John Galliano, Mister Pearl and Thierry Mugler before moving to Japan to develop his own brand, exploring fashion through principles of architecture and androgyny. It interests me that through the use of chiffon, knitwear and sooty charcoal accents, clothes which might have been harsh and unforgiving instead convey sparse modernity.

Daily Style: Opposites

 

(Sartorialist)

(Facehunter)

Beautiful tailoring vs deconstructed layers.

I can never decide which is more me; there is a fine balance between flattering to the figure (which requires some concept of fit) and comfortable (oversized and stretchy). Too structured and I usually end up with bruises, blisters and a shortness of breath. I once insisted on wearing a new pair of Chloe platforms to lunch and they were so heavy I fell on my ankle and almost brought down a wall of pickle. However, too baggy and layered can easily sink into slobbishness.

Book By Its Cover

Book By Its Cover is a blog run by Julia Rothman, a Brooklyn-based illustrator and pattern designer. The website shares all the lovely books she has found and collected over the years, with genres spanning comics, fine art-, handmade- and children's-. Other places of interest are her personal website, and that of her design company.

'Souvlaki Circus'

'Some Deathly Spirits I Have Known'