SNAP Fashion

Top 3 weddings of 2011: Moss vs Middleton vs Neon

For us, there were three massive wedding events of 2011 and we watched two of them on TV!

Along with the rest of Britain (and the fashion world) we were glued to The Royal Wedding and of course Kate Middleton’s incredible Alexander McQueen couture gown, created by the genius of Sarah Burton.

Then of course there was Kate Moss who wore a delicate vintage-inspired dress by John Galliano – despite his dismissal from Dior after 15 years.

And finally who can forget the marvel of My Big Fat Gyspy Wedding. There is no doubt that the neon-tastic nuptials will inspire many a hen-do and many the odd wedding outside the gypsy community.

Which was your favourite wedding of 2011?

Dress of the year?

Neon dream?

Kate Moss' boho Galliano dress

The McQ puffball dress that celebs love

We love everything McQueen, especially the couture, but the off-the-peg McQ diffusion range is causing quite a celebrity stir too – in particular the £465 Tartan puffball dress.

But who wore it best? Rihanna, Emma Watson, Katherine Jenkins, Cheryl Cole or Chloe Moretz?

Rihanna wears McQ on Xfactor with chunky customised brothel creeper shoes

Cheryl keeps it cute

Chloe Moretz

Katherine Jenkins teams her frock with black tights

My fav look - Emma Watson + McQ + leather jacket = win

Sarah Burton reveals McQueen’s crafty secrets

Oh wow- we just stumbled across this incredible video interview with Sarah Burton, creative director at Alexander McQueen and it’s mind-blowing!

We know that McQueen was and Sarah is a fashion genius but here she lifts the lid on how some of the label’s incredible SS12 couture creations are put together and it’s clear why each design is pretty much priceless. This just makes me love McQueen a tiny bit more. Prepare to be in awe…

Fashion’s obsession with arty optical illusions

Optical Illusions are having (another) fashion moment. Stella McCartney’s ‘Illusion’ dress has been a huge hit with celebrities and spawned a hundred high street copy-cat designs, that enhance women’s curves in the most flattering way.

Penelope Cruz wears McCartney Illusion in a more unusual blue

Reminds us of...

Curve-friendly

Alexander McQueen has previously played with optical illusion dresses back in 2009, producing the hypnotic moiré-print dress. Herve Leger also went optical trickery crazy at around the same time with a super flattering banded body-con dress (of course).

I LOVE this McQueen dress on Victoria Beckham - genius.

Get waisted with Herve Leger's banded dress

Now it seems that beauty is getting in on the Op-Art action. This Optical Bronzer by Mac includes blush too and promises a super flattering shade for most skin tones…and it’s pretty! We’re keen to give it a go for £34.95, especially as it reminds us of super Brit artist Bridget Riley’s work which is a tad pricier.

Was Bridget Riley Mac's inspiration?

I always feel guilty about using such beautiful cosmetics!

If Mac could re-create this Riley for us as another blush that would be great, thanks x

Do you want to see more of this Op Art trend in beauty and on the catwalk or is it just us?

PFW: Alexander McQueen too extreme for a princess?

We loved Kate Middleton’s wedding dress but were still glad to see an edgy collection from Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.

I’ve always been fascinated by the design house’s obsession with the less obvious side of beauty and exploration of darkness, whilst still producing exquisitely crafted feminine fashion.

So this ‘extreme beauty collection,’ which a press release described as: “a collection about excess – an exploration of ideals of beauty at their most extreme,” had me hooked.

In a completely different way to Thierry Mugler, McQueen has also updated the fetish trend for Spring 2012 with corsets, lace-up boots, hoods and shards of black plastic making up masks, but also with a lot of softness in the form of floaty dresses and an abundance of lace.

Whilst some catwalk shows give the audience a flavour of what we’ll be seeing on the red-carpet or a hint of lust-have shoes
and handbags, McQueen gave us a concept and proof that the fascinatingly contradictory qualities of a quintessentially McQueen collection are still very much alive under Burton. For me, this is less shopping inspiration and more art.

Just wow!

McQueen turns to the dark side

Extreme beauty- this piece says it all!

Feminine floatiness contrasts with the metallic strapping

NYFW Day Three: Symmetrical prints

Symmetrical prints are nothing new (think Alexander McQueen’s stunning Plato’s Atlantis collection a couple of years ago) but thereare some seriously pretty examples on the runway, all with a fresh take on the theme.

Prabel Gurung’s naughty collection incorporated seductive purple florals, silky fabrics and slices of sheer netting showing tantalising glimpses of hips and thighs, or bodycon numbers with provocative slashes. According to Vogue, Gurung worked with Zana Bayne (who’s created clothes for Lady Gaga) to add fetish-inspired stilettos and harnesses to the collection.

Florals get naughty

Simple slashes + sheer detail = 1 sexy dress

Elaborate detail preserves modesty

Pics from LelaLondon.

Jill Stewart’s beautifully simple collection was, in contrast, about colour and simple pattern. Vibrant tangerine was mixed with peach as well as several bright smoothie colours- lemon yellow and mint mixed with pale apricot. There was something tropical about the collection in colour as well as pattern, which reminded us a little of pineapples. (Maybe we’re still just a little obsessed after FNO?)

Just peachy!

Alexander Wang had a very different approach to symmetrical style with masculine bomber jackets made out of sporty mesh and bright polo shirts, parachute shapes with plenty of drawstrings in muted colours and botanical prints. Then there were plenty of bright chevron detailed pieces on close-fitting jackets and leggings.

Chevrons again!

Sporty and simple - a signature look

Print perfection

Toronto Film Festival: Best Dressed

The stars were out in force to promote their various films at the Toronto Film Festival, with several of our favourite actresses rocking a more casual red carpet look. Who’s best dressed?

Pretty in pink Emily Blunt (love the bow!)

She also rocked a daring black jumpsuit...we think it looks great from the back but the front gaped just a little.

Emily pics from The DM.

Megan Fox's predictable red dress gets lease of life from dotty shoes.

Leighton Meester looks super elegant in McQueen ensemble

Kirsten Dunst keeps it casual in Prada shirt and relaxed Chanel maxi. J'adore.

Rachel Weisz's pretty printed dress

Freida Pinto dazzles in Valentino with subtle sparkles

Pics from Marie Claire.

Just peachy: Kiera Knightley in a backless Elie Saab A/W 11 Haute Couture collection dress

Pic from Coco’s Tea Party.

FNO: The uber blog (aka what Snap Fashion did)

As everyone knows it was Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) last night and we went cruising posh boutiques around Bond Street to bring you a flavour of the event – I say flavour as we tasted a lot of cocktails (not downed…we were cunning).

Here’s a bit of a photographic summary of our wanderings, although this does not include the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs,’ shoe pains and excitement of spotting Bill Nighy.

McQueen queue got a lot more frantic as people waited to get their 'key'. Alas we didn't win the gypsy bag but will keep the key forever anyway!

Keys!

Neon sweeties in DKNY to match their super cute collection

Anya Hindmarch had a great competition where you posed with a bag and had a picture taken – most creative got to keep it! We fell a tiny bit in love with a glittery clutch.

The beautiful bag in question!

Sweet mini cupcakes @ The Sunglasses Hut, just in time for Diana Vickers' DJ set

How many men can you fit in a Dior taxi?

Louis Vuitton rocks its own fetish trend with balloon dogs. Do not try this at home.

Our fashionable freebies!

What were your FNO highlights? x