Stacy's Style List

What I'm loving now...

Joseph, Fall 2011

I've been a long time fan of the London based label, Joseph and its cozy cashmeres and its fine gauge knits.  Pure chic!  Joseph doesn't try for trendy, they're only concerned with smart design and innovative techniques for their luxury knitwear.

All photos: Courtesy of Joseph for Style.com

UK is OK

Jonathan Saunders Fall 2010 Collection - London Fashion Week

He is the King of Color Block and the Prince of Print. Scottish born designer, Jonathan Saunders, studied textile printing in Glasgow and went on to earn his MA at London’s Central Saint Martin's. He was honored with the Lancome Colour Award in 2002 (upon graduating), the Fashion Enterprise Award in ’06 and was named the Designer of the Year 2007 by Elle Style Awards.

Jonathan Saunders Fall 2009

Jonathan Saunders - Spring 2009 (left), Fall 2007 (right)

When Topshop opened in SoHo last April, I heard that Saunders had collaborated with them and I battled the crowds to snag an item or two. Sadly, I didn’t purchase anything. The product for Topshop was a far cry from the real deal that I saw in Harrods. It certainly wasn’t Saunders' fault -- the price points and quality of Topshop were to blame. I have yet to see any of his merchandise for Target because I don’t want to be disappointed again. Hey, at least I don’t repeat the same mistakes twice!

Jonathan Saunders - Spring 2008 (left), Fall 2008 (right)

I’ve been following the talented designer since his Spring 2005 collection caught my eye. Suanders has showed mainly in London, but crossed the Atlantic to show in New York for Spring and Fall 2009. I was excited to see him this season, but when I couldn’t find him anywhere on the calendar I got in touch with his “people” and they let me know that Saunders would be back in London for Fall 2010. Oh well. The good news is that the collection will be heading over to the U.S. in April along with some other British labels. I’m looking forward to seeing it in person at that time.

Jonathan Saunders - Spring 2005

Saunders is also the Creative Director for the Italian label Pollini – taking over in 2008 for Rifat Ozbek (I loved him in the Eighties!). Pollini’s Fall 2010 line will be shown in Milan during Fashion Week which just got underway today.

Photo Credits: Firstivew (Style.com)

Aqua--what??

Aquascutum - Fall 2010 (London)

Photos: Firstview (Style.com)

Aquascutum, which is Latin for ‘watershield,’ is a UK based clothing company established in 1851 by a men’s tailor named John Emary. The luxury manufacturer produced the first waterproof wool and started making trench coats for soldiers in both world wars. By the late 1800’s, Aquascutum had established a royal clientele and they opened their first womenswear department in 1900.

Aquascutum - Fall 2010 (London)

Photos: Firstview (Style.com)

I’ve always considered this label to be traditional, stuffy and uptight, but in recent years, it’s been growing on me. After reviewing the Fall 2010 Collection that showed at London Fashion Week on Sunday, I’m starting to love it. Designer Michael Herz featured long columnar dresses with cool belted jackets, vests and capes that sometimes revealed crisp white shirts underneath. There were a few pieces that still looked dowdy and frumpy, but overall I would definitely be happy to wear these clothes!

Aquascutum - Fall 2010 (London)

Photos: Firstview (Style.com)

London Calling!

Because I can’t be at London Fashion Week (so bummed!), I thought it might be fun to pay homage to a few of the early British designers who helped to establish London as a wildly creative fashion mecca!


Pam Hogg got her Masters of Art at the Royal College of Art in London. Later, she pushed her way into the London fashion and music scenes with her outrageous creations. Kylie Minogue and Siouxsie Sioux are loyal fans and have worn Pam’s cat suits on tour and in music videos. Hogg still has a very successful shop in London’s Soho.

Zandra Rhodes has designed for a range of famous clients including Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury. She studied printed textile design at the Royal College of Art in London. Her early textile fashion designs were considered extravagant by the traditional British manufacturers. In 2001, the San Diego Opera commissioned her to design the costumes for the opera, The Magic Flute. Rhodes is the founder of the Fashion and Textile Museum in London which was opened in May 2003.

Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, the manager of the The Sex Pistols , lived together and had a son. In 1971, Malcolm decided to open a shop - Let It Rock (also known as Sex, Too Fast To Live Too Young To Die, Seditionaries) where Westwood began to sell her brazen designs. Today, Westwood still owns this shop, which is now known as World's End. Her son Joseph (with McLaren), is the founder of lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.  Dame Vivienne Westwood is currently married to her former fashion student, Austrian-born Andreas Kronthaler. You go girl!!!

London Remembers McQueen

London Fashion Week started off with a tribute to the late British designer, Alexander McQueen who committed suicide last week shortly after the death of his mother. British coroners confirmed this week that McQueen had hanged himself. McQueen is being honored during London Fashion Week with a wall of remembrance set up in the same tent in which the shows are being held. Hundreds of messages were posted and after fashion week is over, the notes will be collected in a book and given to McQueen's family. A minute of silence was also observed before the first show commenced.

PPR chairman, Francois-Henri Pinault confirmed that the McQueen label will carry on. His final collection will be finished by his assistants and is expected to be shown early next month in Paris.