British fashion

Agent Provocateur Unveils Feisty Fall Collection [video]

Luxe British lingerie designer Agent Provocateur has unveiled its "lavish and luxurious" collections for fall, designed to inspire desire. Some pieces like the "Maddy" model above are interlaced with eye-catching fuchsia silk while others are finished in a leopard print. Several designs are inspired by the 1950s while others evoke the glamor of 1930s Hollywood. The promotional campaign for the collections has a voyeuristic theme and features several steamy "homemade" stag film-type video clips. In fact, they were shot by music video director Johan Renck, the man behind Kylie's "Love At First Sight" and Beyoncé's "Me, Myself And I", British GQ reports. Nightdresses, slips, corsets, kimonos, garter belts and even a barely-there "playsuit" comprise the rest of the eye-popping offerings. Check out one of the racy video clips after the jump.

Tags: Agent Provocateur, British fashion, lingerie, sex, silk

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The Classicist: Grahame Fowler Brings Authentic British Style to NYC

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style, The Classicist

Designer Grahame Fowler has opened a cool new boutique in New York's West Village, bringing British style with an original, eclectic twist to the Big Apple. He's not one of your twentysomething hipster types, but rather a seasoned multi-disciplinary creative whiz incorporating colorful experiences abroad and a healthy dose of the '60s Mod sensibility from his youth in the UK into an array of stylish designs. The small, crowded West 10th Street store, or "creative lab and retail space" as Fowler calls it, features a wealth of clothing and accessories ranging from outerwear, suits, sweaters, shirts, ties, scarves, belts and boots to chess sets, vintage Rolex watches and restored Vespa scooters. Many items display a British military and nautical influence as well, emphasized by Fowler's anchor logo adapted from his father's naval tattoo and liberal use of the Union Jack.

Barney's Creative Director Simon Doonan has become a big fan. "On the total indie front I'm loving Grahame Fowler, this incredibly hip, gorgeous microstore next to the fire station on 10th street," he declared recently. "He has the best shirts, and he's an English dude with a great mod sensibility - and I'm stuck in 1966, so I can relate." All of Fowler's unique, handmade, pieces are sourced and crafted in New York. His tailored items are characterized by relaxed silhouettes, fine fabrics and the luxury of comfort. His attention to detail is apparent in button holes varying in size and color, pastel hued elbow pads on crisp white button downs, and hidden straps inside jackets designed to hold one's newspaper. He also offers select women's pieces such as button down shirts crafted from vintage fabrics with cotton poplin details.

Gallery: Grahame Fowler

Tags: British fashion, BritishFashion, Grahame Fowler, GrahameFowler, New York, NewYork, Simon Doonan, SimonDoonan, UK

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Alexander McQueen Ostrich Leather Skull Wallet

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

Bad boy British designer Alexander McQueen has come out with one of the most exclusive men's accessories he's ever produced, an exotic ostrich leather wallet with an embossed skull. Priced at about $500, the piece is finished in genuine brown ostrich skin with protective metal edging and a black leather interior. Inside are four credit card slots, a coin compartment and two banknote pockets. Ostrich leather is highly prized for its soft finish and recognizable pattern of quill sockets. McQueen, who often uses skulls in his designs, also offers the motif on shirts, sweaters, scarves, cufflinks, belts and rings, a macabre trend which New York magazine notes is on the rise.

Tags: Alexander McQueen, AlexanderMcqueen, British fashion, BritishFashion, exotic leather, ExoticLeather, ostrich, skull, UK

Anya Hindmarch to Design Collection for Barbour

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

UK accessories designer Anya Hindmarch, whose celebrity followers include Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Madonna, Claudia Schiffer and Reese Witherspoon, is designing a new collection of jackets for classic British outerwear company Barbour. "It was fascinating working in the archives, seeing the Barbour stories behind some of the coats from explorers, military men and heroines," Hindmarch tells Vogue UK. "We have respected the original design but played with the cut, fit and the details. It has been fun to add a little Anya Hindmarch style to such an iconic British brand." The capsule collection of four pieces will be available this autumn from the designer's standalone stores as well as selected Barbour retailers worldwide. Barbour, which was founded in 1894, holds Royal Warrants from HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and HRH The Prince of Wales.

Tags: Anya Hindmarch, AnyaHindmarch, Barbour, British fashion, BritishFashion, UK

Paul Smith Limited Edition Evian Bottle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Design

Evian Natural Spring Water has partnered with brilliant British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith on a new limited edition bottle (above). The bottle is adorned in vibrant colors with a festive theme and a nod to Smith's signature stripes. It's also designed to echo Evian's latest youth-oriented ad campaign, "Live Young". Smith's design is the third in a series of designer bottles commissioned by the classic spring water from the French Alps, following one by Christian Lacroix in 2008 and last year's model by Jean Paul Gaultier. Smith's bottle comes with five different collectible caps. "Youth is not just a question of age, it's also a question of attitude," Smith notes. The bottles are available for pre-sale now on www.ShopEvian.com, and will make their way to fine dining establishments and gourmet retailers nationwide beginning in November.

Tags: bottled water, BottledWater, British fashion, BritishFashion, Evian, French Alps, FrenchAlps, Paul Smith, PaulSmith, spring water, SpringWater

Paul Smith Debuts Exclusive Collection for Barneys

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Brilliant British designer Sir Paul Smith (right) is teaming up with Barneys New York to launch an exclusive new limited edition menswear collection. Titled simply "Exclusive", the line of suiting, separates and shirting was designed with the urbane Barneys New York customer in mind and will only be available at Barneys flagships.

Manufactured in Italy using Italian and British cloths, Paul Smith Exclusive has a modern, tailored silhouette, "finished with the design twists and styling details that have become synonymous with the Paul Smith brand," such as colorful linings.

Suits feature subtle stripes and Prince of Wales checks on gray and navy grounds, while shirting is bright with striped and checked designs on white bases. Velvet evening jackets and weekend sport coats complete the exclusive and extremely natty collection. Smith also just opened a new store in San Francisco.

Tags: Barneys, Barneys New York, BarneysNewYork, British fashion, BritishFashion, Italy, Paul Smith, PaulSmith, suits

Fred Perry 100th Anniversary Polos

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Sports, Men's Style

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of dashing British tennis champ Fred Perry, and to celebrate the classic clothing brand that bears his name is coming out with an exclusive new collection of limited edition polo shirts. The polos feature an enlarged version of Fred Perry's iconic 16-leaf laurel symbol with centenary embroidery underneath, in vintage-inspired colors.

Launched at Wimbledon in 1952, the Fred Perry polo shirt was an immediate success. The new collection debuts on May 15th and will be available at the Fred Perry Soho store in New York, Neiman Marcus in Dallas, and Citizen Clothing in San Francisco among others for $95. Perry was the World No. 1 player for five years and was the last Englishman to win the Wimbledon, US Open, French Open and Australian Open Men's Singles titles.

Tags: British fashion, BritishFashion, Fred Perry, FredPerry, tennis, UK, Wimbledon

Agent Provocateur's New Bridal Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Luxe British lingerie line Agent Provocateur continues its sexy take on mythological themes with its latest collection of bridal lingerie for spring / summer. Titled "The Brides of Ulysses," the campaign features the brand's usual racy vignettes, showcasing a collection of "sumptuous white and cream designs in luxurious lace, alluring sheer tulle and sexy silk." Pictured above is the Kate corset in a "gorgeous wedding white detailed with intricate floral embroidery on the front and a traditional lace-up back." The Brides campaign also features a cameo by British model Karen Elson, wife of rock star Jack White of the White Stripes.

Tags: ad campaign, AdCampaign, agent provocateur, AgentProvocateur, bridal, British fashion, BritishFashion, Jack White, JackWhite, Karen Elson, KarenElson, lingerie, supermodel, wedding, White Stripes, WhiteStripes

The Classicist: Barbour Goes "Britprep"

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style, The Classicist

Last month we told you about the super-cool new collaboration between Japanese designer Tokihito Yoshida (aka To Ki To) and famed British clothing company J. Barbour & Sons, known for their iconic waxed jackets. For spring / summer, Barbour, which was founded in 1894 and holds Royal Warrants from HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and HRH The Prince of Wales, is further expanding on tradition in the form of a new "Britprep" collection. They hope to evolve as a lifestyle brand appealing to a wider customer base with the development of more contemporary products focused on rugged tailoring and fit.

With the collection Barbour "brings authenticity to a look that defines the lifestyle of a British summer." Layers for men and women are "worn with character and wit to create an individual style." As befits a company with such a rich history, Barbour's heritage, which continues to inspire these new designs and developments, lies at the heart of the new collection. So what exactly is "Britprep"? According to Barbour, the look is not quite as clean and crisp as American Preppy. Simple, stylish, and contemporary, the collection "pays particular attention to fashion, color and tradition capturing the essence of 'Britishness.'"

Barbour has never really gone in for logos, but with the Britprep collection (above) they're employing a new crest. Unlike designers who invent crests, it's an authentic bit of heraldry deriving from the original Barbour family coat of arms originating in Galloway, Scotland. It is seen in a few variations throughout the entire collection, from subtle prints on inside jacket linings to the bold emphasis directly on the chest of polos, rugby shirts, a blazer, and even a version of Barbour's classic quilted Liddesdale jacket (pictured above left and in the gallery).

Gallery: Barbour Goes 'Britprep'

Tags: Barbour, British fashion, BritishFashion, preppy, Queen of England, QueenOfEngland, Royal Warrant, RoyalWarrant, Scotland, UK

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Pamela Anderson to Star in Westwood Fashion Show

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Former Baywatch bombshell Pamela Anderson will star in famed fashion designer Vivienne Westwood's runway show in Paris on Friday, Vogue UK reports.

Anderson, who was photographed for the British designer's sexy new Spring / Summer 2009 ad campaign (right) by Juergen Teller in Miami, has become Westwood's new muse.

At the recent New York Fashion Week, Anderson appeared on the runway in a gold swimsuit for avant-garde label Richie Rich.

Westwood, who's credited with bringing punk and New Wave fashions into the mainstream, formed an early alliance with Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols. She often incorporates the Union Jack into her designs.

Tags: Ad campaign, AdCampaign, British fashion, BritishFashion, Celebrity, Fashion show, FashionShow, Juergen Teller, JuergenTeller, Pamela Anderson, PamelaAnderson, Paris, Vivienne Westwood, VivienneWestwood

Bamford Custom Ferrari-Inspired Rolex Daytona

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Last spring we told you about a super-cool custom Rolex Daytona from London-based Bamford & Sons. Now the bastion of top-drawer British style has come out with a new version of the classic sports watch, designed as an homage to vintage Ferraris with a red dial.

The new Daytona (right) is treated with a military grade, scratch proof PVD coating over the stainless steel case and bracelet, though it is not flat black like the previous Bamford model. Only 25 examples of the Ferrari red watch are being produced at a price of $23,000 each, available by special order from Bamford's London flagship in Sloane Square.

In addition to its special limited edition pieces, Bamford is now offering customers a bespoke dial color matching and customization service on classic Rolex models such as the Submariner, GMT, Explorer II, Sea Dweller and Milgauss.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Bamford & Sons Rolexes

Source

Tags: Bamford, Bamford Sons, BamfordSons, British fashion, BritishFashion, Ferrari, London, Rolex, Rolex Daytona, RolexDaytona

Helena Christensen Stars in New Agent Provocateur Ads

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Supermodel Helena Christensen is the newest face (and body) of hip British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur. The Danish siren stars as a sexy pirate in Agent Provocateur's latest ad campaign (above), the story line of which involves her seducing the captain of a ship she's attempting to plunder. The Pirate-inspired lingerie also features in a video clip containing cryptic clues, along with pix of AP's other new line, Witches. As we reported in August, Agent Provocateur has big plans for expansion. See the gallery for more.

Gallery: Helena / Agent Provocateur

Tags: British fashion, BritishFashion, Helena Christensen, HelenaChristensen, Lingerie, Supermodels

LVMH Exploring Acquisition of Bamford

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Bastion of top-drawer British style Bamford & Sons is looking for an investor, and luxury goods behemoth LVMH, owner of Louis Vuitton, might buy in. "We've come to the end of phase one, and we need a partner with more expertise in other markets," Lady Carole Bamford, who founded the brand in 2004, tells the Financial Times. She has engaged the Blackstone Group to help the firm, which has experienced 50-55 per cent growth per year for the past two years, field investment offers.

LVMH and rival luxury conglomerate Richemont are in the running, the paper reports. We have previously written about Bamford's custom $30,000 black PVD Rolex Daytona and its fall line of cashmere shooting jackets and such made from sustainable materials. They currently have men's, women's, accessories and bath & body collections, carried at their own retail stores (above) and the likes of Barneys. Bamford bills itself as "the first mainstream luxury brand to make an identity out of its organic stance."

Gallery: Bamford & Sons

Tags: Bamford, Bamford Sons, BamfordSons, Blackstone Group, BlackstoneGroup, British fashion, BritishFashion, Carole Bamford, CaroleBamford, LVMH, Richemont, Rolex

Luxe Lingerie Brand Agent Provocateur Set to Expand

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Luxe British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur, known for its sexy ad campaigns featuring Kate Moss (right), is expanding rapidly following its $120 million acquisition by a private equity firm last year.

The label, designed by Vivienne Westwood's son Joe Corre, already has 40 boutiques worldwide including eight in the U.S., with new locations planned for Boston and Chicago this fall, in addition to others around the globe.

"I just opened a boutique in Bahrain [in July], as well as Geneva and Puerto Barres in Spain," Corre tells WWD. "There also are more openings [planned] in Madrid, St. Petersburg and Germany." The brand, which was founded in 1996, plans to unveil its latest round of racy adverts next month.

Gallery: Agent Provocateur

Tags: agent provocateur, AgentProvocateur, British fashion, BritishFashion, Chicago, Joe Corre, JoeCorre, Kate Moss, KateMoss, Lingerie, vivienne westwood, VivienneWestwood

Burberry Revenues Soar 26%

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Brit fashion brand Burberry has announced that first-quarter revenues have risen by 26 per cent, continuing the upswing we reported on earlier this year. The growth is due to increased business in emerging markets and strong performance in North America, the Times of London reports. The uncertain economy has proved challenging to some luxury brands.

The company, founded in 1856, recently opened new stores have in Cannes, Budapest, Italy, Korea and Spain, and has launched a cool new ad campaign. "Our brand momentum is strong, driven by product innovation and a focused management team," Burberry chief executive Angela Ahrendts told the paper. "This momentum, together with the diversity and balance we have across products, channels and regions, underpins our confidence for the future."

Gallery: The World of Burberry