Wednesday, 13 October 2010
The hills are alive.....with a sound of 'does this come in my size?'
Beyond the Valley
Who else finds the Oxford Circus experience a less than bleak one?
Who else is tired of the same mundane high street shop names being repeated 3 times sporadically inbetween Belgium Waffle shops and Carphone warehouses?....I mean does the world need another TopShop, H&M and dare i say PRIMARK!
Had your fill of high-street goodness at Oxford Circus? Want something cool and edgy to add to your ensemble? Then run, don’t walk, to Beyond the Valley, just a hop, skip and a jump away over on Newburgh Street, just behind Carnaby Street.
Who else is tired of the same mundane high street shop names being repeated 3 times sporadically inbetween Belgium Waffle shops and Carphone warehouses?....I mean does the world need another TopShop, H&M and dare i say PRIMARK!
Had your fill of high-street goodness at Oxford Circus? Want something cool and edgy to add to your ensemble? Then run, don’t walk, to Beyond the Valley, just a hop, skip and a jump away over on Newburgh Street, just behind Carnaby Street.
I first came into the 'know' with this shop by mere chance , after stopping a chap who evidently had unique style . He literally oozed 'cool' and 'individuality'.
When asked to explain his ensemble which consisted of a lion head hat (with actual ears and eyes and tiger mane almost like the lion king poster), an Icelandic funky knitwear jumper and gold rubber brogues....he simply uttered 'Beyond the Valley' and catwalked at speed away whilst i watched his outfit in awe lol.
In retrospect i should have taken a photo...but since i didnt this is the best way to envision it!
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| (The hat was like this ) |
Beyond The Valley is a London shopping highlight, with an energetic fusion of fashion, homewares, accessories, jewellery, books, zines and art. With a gallery space in one of the front rooms, the store holds regular exhibitions that showcase the work of young and upcoming designers and artists. In fact, the owners of Beyond the Valley are all Central St Martins graduates themselves, so they’re in a good position to foster and nurture new talent.
5 years since its launch, Beyond the Valley concept store has a reputation for being innovative and being a fantastic showcase for avant garde designers to springboard into reputable careers within the industry. The store .its label and its customers all emody diversity and an alternative fashion scene. It is obvious the creators are fully aware of trends, yet are not simply following what 'vogue' is telling them to...they create what interests them.The creative Directors are Kate Bonhôte and Kristjana S Williams and as a design team they are very well known for collaborations with new talented artists, keeping the range diverse and ambitious. Which certainly has paid off having been voted one of the top 100 UK Coolbrands for 2007/08/09/10. Alongside them in this years listings are well-respected brands such as Vivienne Westwood, Aveda, Nokia and Aston Martin.
Mundi Designs, as well as other indie labels including Makin Jan Mar, Starstyling, Vita Vass, Celia Sorenson and Alexandra Groover. Beyond the Valley regulars Yuko Yoshitake and Australian label Life with Bird are a welcome inclusion to the range, as well as their own house label which combines edgy and affordability, with prices starting at £35.
Stockists include Asos.com, Farfetch.com, with the whole collection available in-store.
products
(full range including concessions can be found on the Beyond Valley website) tp://www.beyondthevalleystore.com/home.aspx
Beyond the Valley accesories popped up in Mary Katrantzou Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear!
The chandelier necklace amongst many other pieces from Beyond Retro supported her recent 'Interior design' inspired garments during London Fashion Week.
Having over 50 new designers at any given time Beyond the Valley provides a regularly changing showcase of fashion, jewellery, illustration, wallpaper,design products and accessories.
This season Beyond the Valley continues its fascination with nature and opposites with Cosmic Tropicalia; a collection rich with signature pieces. Embroidered cowboy shirts mixed with oversized tops and bold graphic ‘Knitted Animal’ cotton knits.
Silk and chiffon are the backdrop for fantasy landscape prints such as ‘Tropical Cannibalism’ and ‘Ink Forest’. Colours are strong and plentiful, enhanced with exclusive English tweeds, denims and Italian trims. National dress from India and Eastern Europe inspired the shapes, allowing folklore silhouettes & a hint of the 70s. Whilst an opposing structural element mused on a Texan Housewife has the final say.
There are some definate must haves and next seasons trends appearing in the collection......have a butchers
Coloured Knits with fun prints are in Next season Giles Deacon ss2011 show was full of it(see bottom left) and this trend is also adopted in Beyond the Valleys Knit (see bottom right).
Must Have for next season?....I think so :)
Must Have for next season?....I think so :)
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Print has definately been a key trend for next season judging on the Collection shows earlier this month. Mary Katrantzou (Above right) is definately instigating this clashing maxamalist print trend....and this is also adopted in Beyond the Valley in this digital print shit(above right)Multi-coloured silk shirt from Beyond the Valley featuring an all over flamingo and sea digital print with stand up collar and concealed zip fastening to the front. The shrit has a a black thin cord running from the shoulder to the sleeve with elasticated detail to the cuff and hem. Digital Print shirt £ 180.00: |
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| Beyond the valley above using digitalized Houndstooth print similar to next seasons Gareth Pugh (below). Balenciaga and Balmain also have used this print in there collection! Digital print top: Black and white silk dress from Beyond the Valley featuring an all over digital print with tiger face detail. The top has short sleeves with a loose bow detail at the neck. |
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| Zoom in of Next seasons must have print! |
The use of traditonal Mascluine fabrics are coming back having been seen in Brioni, Celine and also Stella McCartney. My favourite piece of on trend menswear was this Tweed blazor with an on trend 'missoni'esque zig zag print
Tweed blazer
£ 345.00Rust colour wool tweed blazer from Braille featuring a contrasting green zig zag trim around the middle. The blazer has a single button fastening, two front jetted pockets and a chest pocket.
LOL out and about.....ARCHIVE footage
I miss my thinner days when i would frequently roll into some alternative bar/club on dalston high road wearing such odd things as the jump suit above ...purchased from a boutique in soho!! ...and yes it is by Walter van Birendonck
random girl doin flamenco in 'gutter slut ' lol.....all in a day
Central saint martins BA press show! woot wooot
Graduation collection, run through and backstage pics.
Closed the Central Saint Martins BA press show.I like it some of it looks a lot like clothes from the Triadic Ballet.
Craig has been doing the knitwear for Gareth Pugh and this was his first "solo show
www.myspace.com/craigknit
McQueen protégé Burton wows Paris with pagan chic
Sarah Burton, the former assistant to Alexander McQueen, enjoyed a rapturous reception at Paris Fashion Week yesterday for her first collection as the new creative director of the Alexander McQueen label.
The British label's spring/summer 2011 collection struck a pagan chord, with outfits recalling the 1970s film The Wicker Man. One dress combined a bodice made of ears of wheat with a skirt made of pheasant feathers. Another printed dress was adorned with a horse hair collar.
The British label's spring/summer 2011 collection struck a pagan chord, with outfits recalling the 1970s film The Wicker Man. One dress combined a bodice made of ears of wheat with a skirt made of pheasant feathers. Another printed dress was adorned with a horse hair collar.
Burton's theme went even more prelapsarian with a dress consisting of fake butterflies, which appeared to be taking off around the model's neckline. Another outfit saw golden plants sewn onto skin coloured material which appeared to grow on the model's body. The skirt of this dress was rounded at the hips a nod to McQueen and the model's hair was braided in the style of wicker.
Fashion editors were impressed by Burton's success in building a collection that was true to the spirit of McQueen, keeping the dramatic silhouettes for which he was famous, but introducing a more feminine, romantic mood.
Burton, 35, was born in Manchester and, like McQueen, attended Central Saint Martins in London. She had worked for McQueen for 13 years when he committed suicide in February and was made creative director of the Gucci-owned Alexander McQueen label only in May this year.
When Ink goes wrong.....but looks right!
Rushing about trying to do an illustration and then out pops this
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