The highlight at London Fashion Week was
Last week was London Fashion Week, a five day mega-stint of parties, dinners, presentations and, most importantly, shows.
As a London College of Fashion degree graduate and self confessed style junkie, I like to get to see as many of the shows. This season I caught what my friends were up to (Sienna Miller's Twenty8Twelve, Charlie Le Mindu, Johnny Blue Eyes and PPQ), plus some old favourites (Bora Aksu, Julien MacDonald) and the fresh new talent at the On-Off presents show, which is off schedule and now held at the Science Museum. It's sponsored by oli.co.uk, and I recently picked up a couple of rather hot jackets there which I'm looking forward to hitting the town in. Now you know one of my online shopping secrets. Go bookmark it!
I hit the show with Jaime Winstone and a couple of our mates. Front row rubber-necking is a favourite pastime of the media types as well as the public - me and JW couldn't believe it when Heidi from the Sugababes rocked up in an outfit matching my purple leather jacket perfectly. The cheek!
Four new designers were showcased - Celellia Mary Robson, q.e.d, Rozalb De Mura and my favourite of the selection (in fact my favourite new designer and clothing crush) Rachel Friere.
Liverpudlian by origin, London-based
designer Rachel started her career in fashion at the prestigious Central
Saint Martins College of Art & Design following a stint in New York
City. Rachel produces fine art conceptual imagery and imaginative bespoke
pieces and has made a name for herself as an accomplished costume designer. She previously worked as a costumiere and wardrobe assistant
on various large scale projects, including the Royal Shakespeare
Company and the Roundhouse Theatre. Her work has been in publications
such as Dazed and Confused and Another Magazine and Art Business Today
and she counts Pete Burns
amongst her clients. I'm hoping she might make something for me one day! Check it out >>>>>>>
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( 2.9 / 190 )In order to support Comic Relief, I was asked to model some of Eddie, Patsy and Bubble's classic outfits from Absolutely Fabulous which will then be auctioned off for the chairty. How could I refuse?! The show was more religion than habit for me growing up as a young lass (??!!) and I guess I turned into a cross (dresser) between Eddie and Patsy, in more ways than one.
Anyhow, here is the photo evidence. The clothes will be part of the very special Red Nose Auction on
www.marketplace09.com. A whole host of celebrities including Jonathan
Ross, Ruby Wax, Paul O’Grady and Davina McCall have already donated a
number of one-off items and bidding is hotting up as we speak! I will certainly be bidding - I'll fight ya for them!
This Friday, Circus is holding a very special club night at Circus on Friday 6 March
- Circus goes Ab Fab in support of Comic Relief. The night will pay
tribute to Absolutely Fabulous via very special guest DJ's, a specially
prepared show by Scottee plus a donation from each ticket sale going to
Comic Relief.
DJ's on the night will be Kris di Angelis, Malcolm
Pate, Scottee and Jodie Harsh plus VERY special guests who shall remain
a secret until the last minute, but promise to be absolutely fabulous,
sweetie!
Alexis Knox is on the door, Titus Groan and Daniel
Sallstrom are hosting, Scottee is causing trouble and our favourite
fash mag slag Jodie Harsh is going to guzzle champagne and wear head to
toe Lacroix. The whole night is being filmed as a special segment for
BBC's Red Nose Day TV show so dress the fuck up - you're going to be on
the telly!
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( 3 / 185 )Jodie Harsh on London
From Gay.com
What are some of the things you love most about London?
Like New York, London has a huge diversity of village-like pockets spread across the city, each with its own personality. I love the abundance of creativity, the melting pot of cultures and tastes, the random nights out, the chance meetings, the glorious royal parks, the bagel shop on Brick Lane, the hang-over cooked breakfasts at Balans…
What are some of your least favorite things about London?
It's a massive place, and if you're travelling from one borough to another at night, taxis can be quite expensive. We have an amazing public transport system, but that's sadly not really an option for me. Can you imagine if I had to run for the bus in these heels?
What gym do you like most in London? Why?
My members club Shoreditch House has a small gym which I use occasionally, but yoga is my workout of choice and I attend classes at Triyoga in Primrose Hill, the neighborhood of yummy mummies, four wheel drives, and over-priced boutiques. There's a great gym in Soho called Third Space which is popular with the A-gays. Rupert Everett uses the pool there and my friend once saw the celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's penis there in the locker room.
What are some great restaurants for a night out with gay friends in London?
The essential place for any discerning homosexual to check out while staying in London is Balans on Old Compton Street in Soho, the original gay-borhood. They do a great burger, the waiters are cute and it's packed anytime you visit. It's open 24-hours so it's great for a post-club breakfast, and I hear they sneakily serve liquor in coffee cups after-hours. Allegedly.
What are some great restaurants for a romantic gay date in London? What about these restaurants appeals to you?
Hakkasan is fabulous -- dimly lit and sexy. They do a great lychee martini and their food is divine. It's very Samantha Jones. The Rivington in Shoreditch serves mouth-watering oysters and steaks. I just don't date enough people to get to eat in these places as often as I'd like.
What are your favorite gay bars and/or dance clubs in London? What do you like about them?
Anything I spin music at, clearly! There are three main gay neighborhoods in London town: Soho, which is mainly bars, coffee shops and cute boutiques, not dissimilar to West Hollywood or Chelsea, NYC. The Shadow Lounge reigns supreme here -- a luxe basement cocktail bar and dance club where the boys are cute and the daddies are rich! The alternative gay will much prefer East London's Shoreditch and Hoxton area -- plenty of hipster hangouts like Trailer Trash, The George and Dragon and The Joiners Arms. Jeans are skinny and the beer is cheap in this 'hood. Finally, there are larger dance clubs south of the River Thames in Vauxhall, popular with gym bunnies, bears and those who like their music housey and their highs chemical.
What are your favorite gay parties or events in London, if any? What is the crowd or scene like at those places?
There's a massive gay pride in London every summer with a parade and multitudinous after parties around the city. But then, I guess every major city has a Pride. It's always a fantastic atmosphere and I've met some great friends on the marches. If you visit the UK in the summer, there are hundreds of festivals around the country with huge artists headlining and dance tents. Camping at these weekend-long parties is half the fun! Glastonbury and Lovebox usually have a tent called Downlow which is packed with trannies and cabaret performers and everyone who enters has to wear a fake moustache.
Where is the best public place for a gay person to make out in?
Certainly not in crime-ridden areas like Brixton. What kind of question is this anyway?
What is the gay community like in London? Do you consider yourself to be part of any particular "scene"?
It is so diverse, partly because the city is so colossal. There is a scene for everyone here, whether you're into chavs, drag, cabaret, indie music, or getting urinated on. I am into none of the above, by the way. I find the gays in London to be quite cliquey; people tend to stick to their own scenes. The lesbian scene is small but perfectly formed, but lady-lovers tend to hate me. I think it's the gender insecurity thing.
Are you involved with any LGBT community organizations in London? Which ones? What do you like about those groups?
I'm not really. I'm such a bad gay. I do give money to the Terrance Higgins Trust which is a fantastic LGBT charity. One day I'll open a drag school, would that count?
What do you think of the annual LGBT pride celebration in London? Do you usually attend? What are the highlights for you? What do you like least about it?
When it doesn't rain on our parade it's high camp and loads of silly fun with a serious underlying message. I used to walk in the parade but I can't take the blisters anymore, so I tend to find a float to sit on nowadays.
Do you have a particular fashion style? Where do you shop for clothes?
I'm certainly a quirky dresser. I like the boutique Kokon to Zai in Soho for colorful oddities, Unconditional Plus in Covent Garden for smarter attire and the Hoxton Boutique near Old Street for jewelry. Selfridges and Harrods are essential destinations for retail addicts but I tend to find huge department stores a bit daunting. Prowler in Soho is good for gay stuff -- clothes, books, poppers and porn! And Topman on Oxford Circus is the biggest and best place for the latest in affordable fashions that look hot on the dance floor.
Where do you go for other forms of entertainment -- live theater, concerts, movies, art exhibits? Are there any local gay performance groups, bands, or artists that you're a fan of?
Bistroteque is a fantastic venue in Bethnal Green which is both a restaurant and a cabaret lounge, mainly utilized by offbeat gay artists. "The Texas Chainsaw Mascara" is one of the alternative queer performances I attended there recently. There are countless cinemas across the capital but, let's face it, if you're only visiting the city for a few days you don't want to be sat in a dark room facing a screen for long. The Tate Modern tends to put on a fantastic array of exhibitions and the White Cube gallery on Hoxton Square is the ultimate place to check out what's going on in the young Brit art scene.
If you had gay friends visiting from out of town for the first time, what are some "musts" that you'd recommend they see or do?
Experience the usual tourist attractions such as the London Eye and the London Dungeon as they are top notch and also quite fun, but try to get off the beaten track as well. Visit the very gay-friendly town of Brighton -- it's only an hour outside of London by train.
What city (or cities) in America would you most like to visit next, and why? Are there any specific spots there (theaters, nightclubs, historic sites, etc.) that you'd really like to see?
I have never visited L.A, and I'm sure I'll get there at some point in the next year or so. I want to get coffee on Melrose and act like I'm in an episode of "The Hills." I hope that sounds shallow. I lived in New York for a while and I have many friends there, but London is winning it for me in the cool stakes at the moment. I've got the coolest city in the world at my doorstep.
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( 2.9 / 188 )On Friday I launched my club night Circus in The Last Days of Decadence, a gorgeous venue on Shoreditch High Street. The club had been flourishing in Soho for almost three years, but my motto in life is 'if it ain't broke, fix it anyway', and I'm certainly not one to shy away from change. I decided to up sticks and pitch the tent on the opposite side of town, and boy did the crowed follow.
ed it. Here's some shots from the night. I hope to see you soon - we're there every Friday from 9.30 - 2.30. Remember to dress up!
Oh, by the way, no snakes were harmed. Apart from the ones on my feet. And Prada did them.
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