From the archives

I'm sorting out my laptop today and came across this shot from fashion week in September. Menswear can be a little more commercial on the street but fashion week is a different kettle of fish. This fella has achieved the perfect mix of simple pieces, interesting silhouettes and unique accessories to create a very interesting look.

Bravo!

Givenchy AW12 Menswear Show

Menswear fashion week has shown some sheer brilliance. Friday saw the Givenchy show take place and while I might have something nice to say about the collection, I have to be brutally honest about those nose rings.

Riccardo Tisci's collection for the Parisian fashion house was inspired by his childhood obsessions; the American flag and the Minotaur. It's really unfortunate to the collection that the Minotaur was an obsession of his, as I'm really not digging these nose rings. I am usually someone who enjoys a bit of oddity, a grungy element and I LOVE a touch of statement jewellery but the only thing I think of when viewing these nose rings is WTF?!

Image via bloggar.afton

Harsh I know, but if you can't be honest on your blog, where can you be honest hey?

Moving on to the collection. Minus the nose rings, I enjoyed Givenchy's AW12 offerings. Sharp and contemporary tailoring, leather panelling and elements of stars and stripes in red, blue and white all featured. Embellishment in the same and contrasting colours to the fabrics added an interesting element, the dress coats were my favourite pieces and I do love a bit of head-to-toe black. WIN.

What did you think of the collection and the nose rings?

Mid-week Moodboard

I have a menswear shoot coming up for a musician, I LOVE stepping out of fashion once in a while, the music projects I have done in the past have always been so much fun. Don't get me wrong, fashion is my main game but I love the way you really get into the brief with music, you have to really 'get' what the artist is all about. I have been given some room to push the boundaries a bit whilst maintaining true to the artist, here's my first bit of inspiration for you...

Images taken from various sources including my favourite menswear blog: Individualism. If I have used one of your images on here please let me know and I will credit you.

The LCF BA Runway Show...

Last week I hot-footed it from the studio I was shooting at to Paddington at top speed and thank god I did. After a little melt down as the cabbie didn't know where he was going and a quick change from plimsolls to mega-wedges I arrived at the venue of the London College of Fashion's BA show.

The collections were outstanding, I was thoroughly impressed with each and every one. Strong technical ability mixed with out-of-the-box design skills made for a show which was far more than a graduate presentation. These are the people that will be dressing us in the future.

I took around 200 shots so I won't share them all but here are a few favourites...

From right: Nano Aoshima, Charlotte Barry, Ya-Chiao Sung, Kana Tojo, Yingzhi Luo, The finale, Yeashin Kim, Wun Wun Nova Chiu.

Congratulations to the winners:

Innovative use of fabrics award: Steen Riis

Best use of trimmings award: Charlotte Barry

Collection of the year: Wun Wun Nova Chiu

Images taken by myself, Catherine Fuller. All rights reserved.

The CAT Footwear AW Launch...

What: CAT Footwear AW Launch

Where: The Boundary, Shoreditch

Ate: Fruit salad and OJ (it was breakfast time)

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the CAT Footwear AW press day which incorporated the launch of the hugely anticipated launch of the Martine Rose and CAT collection.

Menswear designer, Martine Rose has used CAT boots in her last few collections which were shown on the catwalk at London Fashion Week. Staying true to the original shape of the infamous 'Colorado boot' Rose has added her personal and signature touch to the boots with utilitarian style buckles as well as using different fabrics and colourways. The boots are super-cool and take me straight back to year nine when I had my own pair of black Colorados. The collection hits stores in September and there will be a limited amount made, so be safe in the knowledge that if you make the right choice by purchasing these bad boys, you will be one of a small and perfectly dressed bunch.

The rest of the collection is pretty darn great too. Look no further for your AW run-arounds, CAT has all your needs covered.

Big thank you to CAT and Chase PR.

London Street Style...

I have been out and about over the past few weeks snapping the unsuspecting trendies of our fair city once again.

The look of the week award goes to...

I love all the little details that create this look. The bold colour blocking, the cuffed trousers and sleeves and the preppy mix of classic tailoring and contemporary pieces.

 Bravo Mr.

What A Fantastic Man...

My blog is not usually a swoon-fest but I had to make an exception for this little wonder of an editorial.

When doing some research for a shoot last month I bought the March issue of my favourite men's fashion magazine, Fantastic Man and stumbled across this shoot.

It's pretty darn great. I love the dapper-chap styling mixed with his sleeve tattoos and stubble. A timeless editorial with modern and interesting undertones to mix things up and keep it fresh.

Excellent work.

Designer Watch: Baartmans and Siegel...

I have been one lucky lady...not only did I get the chance to work with design duo Baartmans and Siegel on their shoot for Harrods.com but I have also been lucky enough to meet them at their east London studio to find out a little more about the pair.

Fashion East Campaign

Before I get to the interview here is a little background info...

Baartmans and Siegel is made up of uni friends; Wouter Baartmans and Amber Siegel, who originally met at London College of Fashion. They teamed up to show at LCF's graduate show and their SS11 collection has been picked up by Harrods as part of their New Designers initiative to showcase and sell new designers online and instore.

Coco: When/how did you meet?

Wouter & Amber: We met at the London College of Fashion and also worked together at Viktor and Rolf. We worked solo but always worked together on brainstorming and eventually collaborated on a collection which was shown at LCF's graduate show and has now been picked up by Harrods.

AW11 collection

C: What inspires you most?

W&A: Conceptual design, pop-culture, art, fabrics, silhouettes and atmosphere.

C: What's the inspiration behind the AW11 collection?

W&A: Observing the 80s (the generation they grew up in) and specifically the film Bladerunner. The typography, construction and environment of the film. The costume department looked to the 40s 'dapper-man' for inspiration whilst mixing dynamic performance into the looks.

W: The looks were futuristic for the time but still had 80s elements and had a great mix of protection, masculinity and bravado combined with the softer elements of a modern environment.

A: Wouter is an 80s obsessive so it was always something we would base a collection on, now we've ticked it off the list!

Pieces from the AW11 collection

C: Where can we buy the collection?

W&A: At present at Harrods (instore and online), the SS11 collection is out now and the AW11 collection is also at Harrods from late June. Other stockists are currently being confirmed so keep your eyes peeled!

C: What's your favourite thing about London?

W: It's so accessible, so many research opportunities with a great mix of old and new within our industry.

A: I love the little pockets and villages within London, the different communities within a huge collective.

C: Tell me something unique about the brand...

W&A: All products are produced in the UK. Our knitted jumpers are hand knitted by a lovely elderly lady in South London, it takes her two weeks to knit each jumper. Our suits are always in un-traditional fabrics and we use the same cuts and silhoutettes each season but strive to refine each suit from the last.

C: What's on your iPod at the moment?

W: Fleetwood Mac and Elwood King

A: The Labyrinth soundtrack

C: What's your guilty pleasure?

W: Miami Vice

A: Trash Americana, I run off to the states whenever possible.

C: What's next for the brand?

W&A: Next season will see us explore adornment techniques, jewellery and accessories which could be our way to enter the womenswear market. We are collaborating with Grenson to produce our footwear (brogues for SS and loafers for AW) and our site will be moving into the e-commerce world shortly.

Baartmans and Siegel also showed this LFW at Fashion East on menswear day.

I simply love this pair. Down-to-earth, super-talented and down right lovely. It was an honour to get to see their AW11 collection in person within the four walls where it was designed.

Check out their site here.

Buy on Harrods here.