AN ALTERNATIVE IDEA…

Posted on May 18, 2013 by vikkilondon

Dear all,

I have been away from the blogging scene for quite a while now because of a very exciting project that I have undertaken which is taking up a fair bit of my time.

At uni this term I am doing a ‘fashion consultancy’ unit which means that we become fashion consultants for a brand for around 3 months. Always up for a challenge, myself and my awesome partner in crime Aoife, decided to steer away from the norm (many students work with major high street names such as John Lewis, HOF, Dorothy Perkins etc), and work with a company that would really benefit from the project and had what we called ‘heart’…this is when we came across ‘The Alternative Limb Project’. (Massive thanks to my lovely friend Fran who originally told me about T.A.L.P!)

‘The Alternative Limb Project’ is a unique brand set up by the amazing Sophie de Oliveira Barata. As you will notice from the images below, she is one talented lady! She makes bespoke alternative limbs for amputees reflecting the wearer’s imagination, personality and interests. From a leg covered in sparkle, to an arm with a secret compartment in it, the possibilities are endless! When we first visited Sophie’s studio we were blown away by her work, and I think you’ll agree, it’s pretty amazing!!

The performer Viktoria Modesta (seen above with the speaker leg and on the red carpet) is a regular client of The Alternative Limb Project and wore a dazzling crystallised leg sponsored by Swarovski in the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympics!! (below)

I could talk for England about ‘The Alternative Limb Project’ and how amazing it is, but to prevent this post being solely writing why don’t you check out the webpage here or this really great article on CNN.

As part of our project we are researching into the markets that may be interested in The Alternative Limb Project, and with myself being a volunteer and strong supporter of Help for Heroes, we are doing a lot of research into getting wounded servicemen interested and involved.

At this point I ask you to consider if you know of anyone who is an amputee? If you do, please pass on this post!! Re-tweet, share on facebook, email it – whatever you want to do! We want as many people to know about The Alternative Limb Project as possible! If you are an amputee and you’re reading this, whatever your thoughts, whether you like the idea of an alternative limb or not, please click HERE to take a short survey and tell us your thoughts!!

Thanks for reading and I shall blog again soon to let you know how the project is going. If you want to know more or want to message me, I have added a contact form to the bottom of this post. Would love to hear what you think! Have a great weekend x

VIKKILONDON ON PSYCHE…

Posted on March 22, 2013 by vikkilondon

London is known by many as THE fashion capital however there are so many unique fashion-y gems dotted all over the country, and I have just discovered one more…

Screen shot 2013-03-22 at 20.06.15

Psyche is a multi-award winning designer lifestyle store in the heart of Middlesbrough. Home to a variety of awesome brands from Barbour, Michael Kors and Paul Smith to Ugg and French Connection, their offer of premium fashion provides something for everyone! (Note: they do kids-wear and menswear too!)

With their mission “to create the ultimate retail theatre” and the store personifying their creative and unique handwriting, shopping at Psyche is described by many as an unforgettable shopping experience.

Ever since it was established in 1982 (- HOW did I not know about it before now?!) Psyche has received great recognition from the industry’s big dogs, including Vogue and The Times; and looking at these photos of it’s awesome interior, I’m not surprised.

I’m sure my boyfriend would have a ball in this menswear area (above), and I’d happily snuggle up in that black leather chair in the corner and watch him have his very own ‘Pretty Woman’ moment! haha!

Sorry I couldn’t resist adding a Pretty Woman clip to this post!

For those of you thinking, this sounds awesome but I don’t live up north – fear not! Psyche is way more than simply a store, they have a fab website too that rivals the best in online fashion retailing including FREE DELIVERY and returns for UK orders!! AMAZING! Check out the website here and get psyched about Psyche! x

VIKKILONDON ON THE OSCARS…

Posted on February 26, 2013 by vikkilondon

WOWIES I was impressed by the Oscar’s red carpet this year. I don’t know about you but I definitely thought there were a lot more hits than misses this year. With an ‘old-school’ Hollywood Glamour theme to the whole event, all of the celebs seem to embrace sophistication and glamour in their outfit choices and I LOVED it.

So I was back on BBC Radio Solent yesterday with the lovely Katie Martin, where we discussed the red carpet fashions at the Oscars, as well as some sneaky info on my goings on during fashion week.

Remember you can listen again to that interview here for the next 6 days on BBC iPlayer, so check it out if you’re interested (go to 1hr 17mins into the show). For those that are not in the UK, or fancy just browsing through some photos of beautiful gowns I have composed a summary Oscars post for your viewing pleasure…

COLOUR OF THE CARPET: NUDES AND PALESThere was a massive trend in colour for the Oscar’s red carpet with nudes and pale palettes being the colour of choice for everyone from Jessica Chastain to Anne Hathaway. Many magazines have reported today there being almost a bridal feel to many of the dresses, which I can definitely see. My personal favourite from this trend, but also from the whole of the red carpet for the Oscars 2013 is the beautiful (Oscar Award Winning!! Congrats!) Jennifer Lawrence in her stunning Dior Couture.

Yes she did trip up the stairs when collecting her Oscar but like I said on the radio yesterday, that doesn’t matter now, all we want to talk about is the dress!! You may remember in my Golden Globes review Jennifer Lawrence wore a very similar design, again Dior Couture, but in red. She has found a style that suits, and is definitely making a name for herself not only in the film industry, but the fashion industry too! Keep your eyes peeled as I’m sure she will be on the front of our magazines in the not too distant future!

MIDNIGHT BLUES:

Another colour choice for many on the red carpet was shades of midnight blue. It was also the colour of choice for actress Helen Hunt. I’m sure you have heard by now she wore a dress from H&M’s conscious collection!! This isn’t the first time H&M have appeared on the red carpet, as they have also been worn by the likes of Amanda Seyfried and Michelle Williams for previous award ceremonies. May I also just highlight this isn’t just any off the shelf frock, it is still custom made! I’m afraid you can’t pop down to your local H&M right now and purchase yourself a copy; but perhaps this is a hint that one day soon H&M may release a range of evening dresses inspired by the red carpet? We shall wait and see!! Anyway, going back to Helen Hunt…choosing an eco-dress from a high street brand is all well and good, but she obviously didn’t make this choice based on saving money or showing she is a down-to-earth celeb as the star revealed she was also wearing $700,000 worth of jewellery! WOWZAS!! So I guess this was all about attracting some attention? I think so. Lets be honest, it’s been a while since Helen Hunt was on our screens, so I guess she wanted to make a statement and say ‘HELLO! Remember me?!’ Don’t worry Helen, we remember you…how could we forget you!! After all, ‘What Women Want’ is an AWESOME film!!!!

I also mentioned on the airwaves the amazing Adele. When I watched all the red carpet interviews Adele was honest and open about how when choosing her dress for the red carpet all she wants is something that will suit her shape but most of all is comfortable; and I think you’ll agree it definitely pays off. If you haven’t seen her skyfall performance yet, check it out on YouTube, it’s beautiful and I guarantee you’ll get goosebumps!

So lets face it, Oscar’s night is all about the ladies and the frocks, but I thought I’d end this post with a photo of the dashing, hunky, gorgeous (…the list is endless) Eddie Redmayne! *queue fainting women everywhere* Enjoy x

LONDON FASHION WEEK…

Posted on February 22, 2013 by vikkilondon

Hey everyone, I’m sure a few of you have been wondering why I haven’t yet commented on London Fashion Week?! Well it’s because this fashion week I wasn’t simply attending shows/watching live streams or hanging around celeb spotting, I was actually working on an amazing TV project that is now LIVE on Grazia!!

If you’re an avid fashion blog follower you may have come across the wonderfully talented Abi from www.abimarvel.com; well Abi is the creator and founder of a little something (massive understatement) called ‘The Apartment’. The Apartment is a creative hub for fashion bloggers to chill, catch up, and blog from during London Fashion Week. So this season at London Fashion Week, I was the Assistant Producer of a small mini-series on The Apartment, documenting what the bloggers get up to during one of their most manic week’s of the year!

We documented their thoughts on the shows they went to see, their crazy antics and hilarious personalities within The Apartment and basically just gave you a sneak peek into what actually goes on! I suppose I can’t really explain much more, you’ll just have to watch it for yourself!! I’m sure you will see some faces you recognise, such as Ella from Coco’s Tea Party or a glimpse of Sandra from 5inchandup, so check out the two episodes below and let me know what you think!!!

Episode 1:

Episode 2:

I had the most fun EVER working on this TV project and I’m so proud of the final outcome! Thank you to the amazing TV team Monica, Tom and Emily who made me cry with laughter every single day, they were the most amazing team to work with and they made it the best LFW that I’ve ever been part of!! Also a massive thank you to Abi for starting the whole thing, I met so many lovely people over the course of the week, and it was an honour to be working for such an awesome project. Hopefully see y’all next season!! x

Emily and I representing Team TV in The Apartment’s very own photobooth!!

p.s. shout out to Ngoni from www.iamnrc.com who is a super amazing blogger who made me giggle from the word go. Hopefully one day ‘The Ngoni Show’ will become a reality as she is awesome (and hilarious) on camera!! haha x

MIRANDA KERR…

Posted on February 14, 2013 by vikkilondon

I have had a style crush on Miranda Kerr for quite some time now. So as I sit here in a rather boring Uni lecture, I thought it would be more productive to inspire you all, my lovely followers, as you all compose your LFW outfits, by compiling a quick blog post of some of my favourite Kerr street style looks. Let me know what you think! x

WHAT I WORE…

Posted on February 13, 2013 by vikkilondon

So I was just telling someone today how I’m not really a personal style blogger, more of a bit-of-everything kind of gal. However I couldn’t help sharing this outfit with you that I wore today. Ever since I bought this skirt from Urban Outfitters I have wanted to wear it every day (I have resisted though and managed to simply wear it every other day!) it’s such an easy piece to wear and an awesome print (completely on trend for this summer’s monochrome trend which is MASSIVE already!) Let me know what you think- and I may post a few more ‘what I wore’ pics as London Fashion Week approaches!! x

(Necklace – Topshop; Jumper – H&M; Skirt – Urban Outfitters)

MONDAY I’M IN LOVE

Posted on February 7, 2013 by vikkilondon

Love is in the air at the moment as Valentines Day approaches. I know it isn’t enjoyable for everyone (yes, I will be one of those sat alone with Bridget Jones, a ton of chocolate and a bottle of wine as my boyfriend is away training with the Army) BUT there is no reason why you can’t treat yourself on Valentines day, show yourself a little love and buy something gorgeous from the amazingly cute brand ‘MONDAY I’M IN LOVE’.

Set up by the amazingly multi-talented Kylie Malcolm, MONDAY I’M IN LOVE is taking ASOS Marketplace by storm. As soon as I heard that Kylie was releasing some special pieces ready for Valentines day I emailed her to find out more, and ended up falling even more in love with the brand!

Ok, firstly I’m in love with the name of your brand MONDAY I’M IN LOVE, but where did it come from? Were you inspired by the Cure song??
I listened to the Cure a lot and they have always been a big influence on me. My flatmate Tom, with whom I lived with for quite a while is Robert Smith from The Cure’s nephew. Whilst I lived with Tom it was a really important time in my life and of course the Cure provided the backing music to that period. Music has always been key part in my life, and the darker side of The Cure appealed to me. Also at that time I met my husband who came to my door after work on a Monday and I think I fell in love with him right then and there. So the song Friday I’m in Love has a huge meaning for me, but Monday was my day. The brand, I feel, reflects me and all my influences.

Wow! That just melted my heart!! What a lovely story! All of your garments and accessories have a vintage kind of look, is there a certain time in fashion that really inspires your collections?
Its hard to choose a specific era, I like beautiful garments from all times. I feel that there are so many different things from each that I like and each influence the brand’s style. If I choose to make a skirt that takes you back to the 60′s, or Victorian lace that gets given a new lease of life by being put with more modern fabrics, I am always trying to bring out my take on what is fashion.

So tell me about your valentines day pieces – what can we expect to see on the online shop?
The iconic heart of MONDAY I’M IN LOVE is the main focus. We’re working on tops, skirts, purses and bags with strong bright prints focusing on our brand.

(Photos from the latest MONDAY I’M IN LOVE Valentines photo shoot)

MONDAY I’M IN LOVE was launched in 2012 and already you’re selling on ASOS marketplace! What’s next for this fast growing brand?
I know?! This year has been quite a roller-coaster, the studio has had a constant creative buzz. This year we are hoping to get a new collection out each season and build the brand lmore. ASOS is a fabulous platform to build a successful label and we are delighted to be working with them. Obviously I am excited to broaden our retail options but no matter what, we want to stay true to the spirit of MONDAY I’M IN LOVE, so quality rather than quantity must always come first.

Anything else we should know about MONDAY I’M IN LOVE?
MONDAY I’M IN LOVE is a new UK brand and I am trying to build a reputation for individual fashion. There are some things that really matter to me – I want people to look good and feel great but I really do want to keep things fun (or at least not too serious). Fashion should be enjoyed, not worshipped. Also, at this time of globalisation, and despite being on ASOS, I don’t want to loose that local feel. When I grew up, the local shop was familiar and honest, we knew that it was part of our local economy and brought goods from near by. We want to try to hold on to some of that local feel, certainly starting with honesty but also supporting our local economies.

A MASSIVE thank you to Kylie for chatting to me about her gorgeous garments!! Keep your eyes peeled for the February edition of Company magazine which has a style guide for the ASOS Marketplace and features MONDAY I’M IN LOVE. PLUS I have a bit of a vikkilondon EXCLUSIVE: Kylie is working on bringing out lots more gorgeous accessories as well as working on 3 NEW LINES: a vintage, contemporary and a men’s line. WOWIES what a busy lady!! Can’t wait to see more! Check out her website here and treat yourself this Valentines!!

much love x

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