FASHION ACCESS March 31 - April 2 - Pre-Registration Opens!

FASHION ACCESS to take place in Hong Kong March 31 - April 2, 2014, is the go-to international fashion trade fair that showcases a comprehensive range of mid-to-high-end products, from footwear to bags, fashion accessories, branded fashion collections, lifestyle, travel ware, apparel and sustainable products.
To be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, FASHION ACCESS is a must-see event for international trade visitors including department stores, private labels, fashion brands, retailers, boutique buyers, wholesalers, sourcing agents, buying offices and distributors.

For Pre-Registration - Click here for details.
If you're a buyer or sourcing director or agent, and interested in the Hosted Buyers' Programme, get in touch by e-mail:- myfashionconnect@gmail.com

Emma J Shipley launches new scarfs and a debut jewellery collection with Atelier Swarovski

A talented designer is one who can transfer one’s unique skill from one medium to another while maintaining her signature style.  

That's why it was exciting to view award-winning British designer Emma J Shipley's new AW14 POLAR scarf collection during London Fashion Week, when she also showcased her new exclusive collaboration with Atelier Swarovski, displaying her unique designs on scarves and jewellery based on the snow leopard.

Animals feature prominently in Emma's work.  Known for her creative illustrations she beautifully transfers onto scarves, Emma’s new POLAR collection was inspired by the expeditions of great British explorers like Scott, Shackleton and Parry.  All the designs are from Emma’s original pencil drawings created in her studio in Hackney, north London.   The theme is like a wonderland of the arctic landscape, one showing penguins surrounding an explorer’s hot air balloon while arctic foxes take on Odin’s mythical characteristics; another shows striped polar bears surveying the landscape while the Aurora flickers overhead.  The colour palette reflects the cold scenery that the images depict, in blues with an icy tinge, in shades of indigo to teal and turquoise, purples, magenta and cool pinks, contrasting with black and white, mixing in tones of mythical gold and silver.

The luxury scarf collection features a variety of sizes, from the classic squares to oversize squares;  primarily in silk, or in modal blended with cashmere or in silk and cashmere blends, all printed in Como, Italy.

Now for her new exclusive collaboration with Atelier Swarovski, for the brand's Autumn/Winter 2014 collection, Emma features the beautiful snow leopard, one of the most endangered big cats, onto a collection of silk and cashmere blend scarves, in a quietly sophisticated palette.

The collection also includes striking bold jewellery pieces - bold rings, cuff bracelets, and scarf accessories, all in the form of a stylised leopard.

The jewellery pieces, taking inspiration from the elegance, beauty and power of the snow leopard, are encrusted with geometric crystals expressing the unique irregular pattern of the leopard's spots.

In addition to Emma, Atelier Swarovski's collaborations this season include avant-garde fashion house Viktor & Rolf, fine jewellery Irene Neuwirth.

A Royal College of Art graduate, and a Texprint Alumna (2011), Emma J. Shipley won the Emerging Brand Awards at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards in 2013, and has exhibited in many important international trade shows including London Fashion Week, Fashion Scout and Scoop London, and have done collaborations with retail brands such as Anthropologie, Osborne & Little, shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood and has sold her scarves at Liberty, Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols and Wolf & Badger. 

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Magpie cushions bring that spring garden feel indoors.

With flora and fauna being such a major fashion trend this spring for prints, Magpie's cushions bring that spring-like freshness and optimistic mood indoors.

The Birdy range by Magpie features a 1950’s vibe, such as the cushion above that features a Wagtail.  The fabric is 100% cotton and the filling is polyester.

The Robin cushion shown below features a mid-century style Robin with her eggs on the front and a nest on the back.  The muted colours evoke a taste of nostalgia.

Other subjects in the award-winning Birdy range includes a Thrush and a Blue Tit.  The designs are based on childhood memories of bird spotting and  are featured in a wide range of home products; in addition to cushions there are porcelain ware, aprons, purses, ipad and iphone cases.  

Click here to see the full Birdy range.

Based in London,  the Magpie brand was started by designer Nicky Sloan and features the work of a number of collaborating designers.  The ranges have a distinctly British edge, and feature nostalgic subjects such as childhood trips to the seaside, tea time with the grandparents, camping trips to the woods and an unwavering love for the flora and fauna found within the British Isles.

Naturally the designers share a love of nature which extends to their methods of manufacture, as the products they make is suitable for Vegans, and are cruelty free without compromising on their design.  Accordingly, the ceramics are all made from Porcelain which uses a mixture of 3 clays, kaolin, quartz, and feldspar.   They do not use Bone China and their bags and purses are made from animal friendly cotton, pleather and polypropylene.   All our cards and notebooks are made from 100% recycled paper.

Optimistic Sunny colours for Spring!

New fabrics in sunny brights for SS-2015 on display for the global textile industry
at the Premiere Vision Pluriel trade fair in Paris this week.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

In Paris this week, at the Premiere Vision international trade fair for clothing textiles and accessories where the global fashion industry go to each season to catch the latest must-know trends and developments, bright colours were presented as the key colours for Spring Summer 2015, especially yellows and greens in all hues and shades in the spectrum.  More on PV and its associated concurrent trade shows next week.



Back in London, we don't have to wait till next year to enjoy the optimistic colours while facing up to the dismal weather.

Danish brand Ilse Jacobsen have launched their new rain boots made in natural rubber in a selection of bright colours to add a dose of sunshine to our rainwear wardrobe.  They are available in three leg lengths - Knee-high, calf and ankle.



The handmade boots are well constructed and designed with intricate details such as a lining made of cotton viscose fleece to provide comfort, and performance-enhancing details to help combat the elements.  The natural rubber used for these boots are sourced from single-estate Malaysian rubber trees.  They have heat-insulated soles made of lightweight EVA.

Meanwhile at the National Gallery in London, two of Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh's celebrated Sunflowers oil-paintings are currently on show until April 27, providing much-needed optimistic boost for our spiritual enhancement.

A selection of merchandise at the London National Gallery to coincide with the Van Gogh Sunflowers exhibition.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Muubaa leather brand launch new shopping app.

British premium leather fashion brand Muubaa have launched their brand new mobile shopping app, just in time for their latest Spring 2014 collection now available on their website.
Check it out.
Note the bright fluorescent-coloured leather jackets very much on trend, as seen in image above.



And as seen on catwalk presentations for the season, pair jackets with a selection of shorts to replace jeans or skirts for a sports-luxe update - like the pedal-pusher seen here in crocodile-skin effect, or shorts shown below in ultra soft leather or textured effect.

People watching at London Fashion Week - what are they wearing?

Sure it has been raining cats and dogs.

And when it's not raining - the fashion pundits are out and about, to see and be seen.  Here a selection of pictures by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

 Great for people watching.

Click HERE to see more.

It's London Fashion Week time. Guides in stylish ponchos give directions.

Yes, it's London Fashion Week time and the capital has been inundated with a lot of rain.  I mean lots of the wet stuff.
At the Somerset House - the main venue for the designers' showrooms - special guides are kitted out in weather-proofed ponchos - perfect for the weather - come rain or shine.

They are the American Express know-it-all warriors - stationed at the Concierge Hub, they provide answers to any questions one may have - from catwalk show times to venues and directions. The capes they wear are by British designer Christopher Raeburn, whose inspiration for the Autumn/Winter 2014 season comes from the Arctic, using British fabrics such as the tartan Hainsworth wool above.
Inside the building, designer Kate Sheridan shows she has a couple of weather ponchos to boost too.

Here Kate shows one in made in water-resistant British waxed cotton with Liberty print lining.

Another features a tartan waxed cotton with cotton moleskin lining.
Photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.