Behind the Seams with Silken Favours (for Donna Ida)

A blog post I wrote for www.donnaida.com

 

In a NYC style studio/apartment in the heart of Hackney (on a swelteringly hot day) we bought our favourite combination of denim and silk to life with a visit to see Vicki Murdoch, the founder and creative brain behind Silken Favours. 

What’s the background of Silken Favours? 

I started in 2010. It came about for my love of giving gifts. I used to always make people CDs and decided to make a bespoke scarf range. They would all be individually boxed and you would open it up and inside would be all of your favourite things on a silk scarf! Bunnies, kittens…I’ve even made some with shields and fetuses. I wanted to evoke emotion and make people cry when they receive it. That was my dream behind it. 

Once I had the idea I went to the Liberty open day for designers with my bespoke range. They said bespoke wouldn’t work for them but if I went back with an actual range they would be interested. My first collection was a heart collection; inspired by everything you would love and the classic heart shape. My aim was for everybody to find something within the collection that they would adore. I don’t tend to follow trends. My pieces are something you can treasure forever. 

If you weren’t doing this what would you be doing? 

 I used to model from 16-25. That was fun but it had its shelf life. If there was something else I could do…I’d like to be a film director. Or write scores for films. My studio friend Ross is a director and he has a nice life.  

What’s new for Autumn/Winter 2013? 

 I’m working on some exclusive prints but everything is animal and nature based. Anything fun and psychedelic is what I like drawing the most. I hand draw everything, add watercolours and then scan it in to the computer to enhance on Photoshop and Illustrator. Not a slow process! 

Do you ever try and sneak something cheeky into your prints? 

 I have thought about taking that angle for my bespoke range but I’m not sure it’s sellable…for now.

Favourite print you like to draw? 

Cats. I’m obsessed (pulls out cat cushions). 

My new favourite things at the moment are my cowboy shirts. They’re super fun.

Style icon that embodies the character of the brand?

I’m obsessed with Joni Mitchell. I’m not sure she embodies the brand but I used to think we were the same person because both of us had a burst appendix when we were three years old. 

What are your most favourite pair of jeans? Levi’s. My sister used to work in Levi’s in Aberdeen (we’re from Scotland) so I was top to toe Levi’s during my teens. 

Three facts to know about Silken Favours:
 1. Inspired by macaroon colours.
 2. Printed and made in the UK.
 3. Vicki also creates cushions (in the formation of unicorns and flying pigs)

      

Photos by @KGorbunova.

Suki Waterwho?

Suki Waterwho? Oh! Suki Waterhouse. Forgive me for thinking she was the love child of a leggy blonde and a rockstar. Apparently she's the child of a brain surgeon, but more importantly she's the girlfriend of super hunk Bradley Cooper (who, by the way, wore horrible sunglasses to Wimbledon on Sunday).

Model, Actress, could be mistaken for a Delevingne. I'm so glad my flatmate asked me who she was (thank Gucci for google) I can report the lover of the man who is in pretty much every girl's top 5 seems very likeable. Hey, with tweets like "Hi from the bog" who wouldn't like her??

Suki Selfie

Typical Tweet (@SukiWaterhouse)

Celeb Mates (and said horrible sunglasses - come on Bradders!)

WHITE NOISE

Just noise. WHITE noise. Not for the mess prone. Or should that be red wine prone? Tough trend to tackle is an all white ensemble. Or is it? Could the purest shade of them all actually be the kindest? To Miranda Kerr, yes of course. But try and convince my wardrobe full of black that there is a new hero shade in town and I don't think it will believe you...

All white love?

Send me your favourite white looks x

Top 10 Fashion Moments of 2012...

From the bizarre to the flawless and everything in between, here are my top ten fashion moments of 2012...

Alexander Wang's niece, Alia, was probably the youngest fashion hit of 2012. New York's best dressed without a doubt. And OBVIOUSLY she picks her own outfits..........

Kristen Stewart's home-wrecker glow appears to have done her wonders. All jokes aside stroppy Stewart has topped best dressed lists everywhere by wearing straight-off-the-runway Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga and Marc Jacobs. 

Model of the year. It's comments like 'I ate a McDonalds before I walked the Victoria's Secret show' that make you want to smack a model oops upside their head...but there's something so likeable about Cara Delevingne!  

Yves-less Saint Laurent. Hedi Silmane certainly shook up fashion fans this year by dropping the Yves from Yves Saint Laurent. Now known as 'Saint Laurent Paris' fashion bloggers everywhere were in shock with some even comparing the name change to the Opal Fruits/Starburst debacle. 

Angelina's Leg. The one we love to hate, Angelina Jolie, fuelled the fire with a very odd Oscar 2012 stance. Could it get any further from her body?!

The Sha-may-zing Sherzy. Nicole Sherzinger's captured the nation with flawless Saturday night style every week. Not to mention her made up words and perhaps overusing the term 'balls'.

Speaking of balls, Beckham made the headlines (for something other than his social life) when he became the first male to cover Elle UK solo. And what a cover it was too...

What's new pussy-kat? Lagerfeld's feline friend Choupette makes my top 10 with tongue in cheek tweets such as "A human male's interest in football is as bewildering as Crocs or Kitten heels" #Genius.

 A Burberry Wedding. Christopher Bailey announced his engagement to Etonian actor, Simon Woods. Who also happens to be a Bond girl's ex-boyfriend. Only the best for Bailey!

 

Where would any Top 10 of 2012 list be without a mention of the Olympics? We had Gandy, Moss, Campbell et all strutting their stuff at the closing ceremony. Some criticised, I made whimpers of excitement and nothing else!

I hope you all have had an incredible 2012! What are your top fashion moments of 2012?

Thanks for reading.

Amelia xoxo

Has Miranda Kerr hired a stylist?

There's no denying Miranda Kerr is one of the world's top models of today but until recent she's never cropped up on my list of people who's wardrobe I'd want. You know the score...Olsen Twins, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung, Tulisa (JOKE!).

Anyway, could it be this long-legged, dimpled beauty is in possession of a s-t-y-l-i-s-t? Or have I been ignorantly missing out on a series of enviable outfits (especially in the footwear department, great shoes Kerr, great shoes!).

What do you think? Stylist or no stylist?

Amelia xo

Shine Bright Like Burberry SS13...

When I was small I had a purple metallic bike. I indubitably earned the nick name 'wrapping paper bike' from the boy next door. Little did Paul from Aldworth Drive know how totally Spring/Summer 2013 I was (take that, bastard)!

Burberry's SS13 collection takes coloured metallics to another level. In fact you'd be forgiven for mistaking it with a box of Quality Streets. Toffee pennies, strawberry creams...the green triangle one. I'm thinking Christopher Bailey had a subconscious inspiration from a box of chocs. Hasn't he just got engaged...? Celebrations a plenty!

 

Now THIS is how to do sweet-spiration. Take note Cheryl 'Liquorice Allsort' Cole...cough cough.

My musings on Harry Styles...

I'm somewhat fascinated by the goings on of One Direction. I don't know where this came from - I have morals...I have a life...I have good taste in music. But there's just something about 'em. Especially that curly haired one...yeahhhh you know the one. Harry. Thinks he's a little bit oooh little bit ahhhh.

Anyway, he must own some sort of human cat nip equivalent because cougars are sniffing him out left, right and centre. His latest linking is the delightful Cara Delevingne. Burberry model. Doe eyed. Beautifully blonde. Would snap in ten places if you tapped her on the shoulder. I also heard a little rumour of goings on between Hazza and a certain country singer from the U S of A.....intrigued?

So I was going to be completely hilarious and morph Harry Styles' face with all of his lovers and see which babes made the best looking baby. Obviously that's just asking for One Direction fans to death threat you (and is a little bit creepy) so here we are...cute couple, non?