Tuesday 26 February 2013

#ESPnews Upcoming Events: Be On The Scene March Talent Showcase, The Coronet, 23 March





Mark Twain once quoted, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream & Discover." On March 23rd 2013, Be On the Scene Will be doing just that.

For the first time in London, we will be hosting a one of a kind Event combining a mix of Entertainment Industries. Taking place at the Coronet Theatre, a venue that needs no introduction. We will be showcasing multiple acts including, music, fashion, dance and much, much more.

Since its creation, Be On The Scene has promoted some of the greatest upcoming performances and shows from its community, and this year's first event will be no different. We are putting art back into Events by introducing some of the best upcoming talent on the London scene.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to witness fashion, music and art all in unison, under one roof, with our eclectic mix of performers such as Soloist Tom Price-Stephens & Fashion Designer Milina Imrichova, whose beautiful collections will be gracing our catwalk.

We will open our doors at 7:30pm with our acts finishing around midnight, but in true Be On The Scene style, we will have our DJ on the decks, mixing up the beats to carry you through to 4:00 in the morning. The Coronet is within 5 Minutes tube Distance from Waterloo and London Bridge underground as well as a number of major bus routes that stop right outside.

Our Gold and Silver Members can enter for free but must register online before March 1st.

Tickets are available online at £12 and at the door for £15.

Connect with the Be On The Scene Team via their Social Media Catalogue:


*See you there!
ES ;)

#ESPnews Upcoming Event: 'Love Life, Love Music' Talent Showcase, Croydon, 28th February



Actor and MC, Asher D headlines this South London talent showcase put on by youth entertainment agency, Kreativ Monstarz; with a host of other talented artists making the bill at Croydon Conference Centre this Thursday night...
Keep a special eye out for my personal favourite female UK Vocalist, Sherii Ven Dyer. For a taster of what to expect, check  her out supporting US Neo Soul Star Calvin Richardson last September...




Doors open at 6PM, with the show slated to start 30 minutes later, and run til 9PM.

Tickets are £5 in advance or motd.


Enjoy!
ES ;)

Monday 25 February 2013

#ESPspotlight Review: LULU LIU CATWALK SHOW, LONDON FASHION WEEK SPECIAL - PART THREE


You could say that the event that I'm featuring in the third and final instalment in the #ESPspotlight London Fashion Week Series was my own personal equivalent of the Olympics Closing Ceremony. Who needs fireworks when you've got a million flashbulbs going off around you?!






Ok fine. A 'million' may be a slight exaggeration - the memory does tend to magnify when it replays in the Hollywood-esque 'movie' in your mind; but when Chinese-British designer Lulu Liu débuted her AW13 Collection at the jawdroppingly magnificent Freemasons Hall this Tuesday; please believe me when I tell you that it was a one of a kind experience. Let the recount begin...





Starting at the very beginning in a Maria Von Trappe type of way, I joined forces with the one and only Rebecca Need-Menear, who was just as excited as Yours Truly to shoot her first catwalk show at London Fashion Week. Now because she doubles as a Rock Star chick with Indie band Anavae, I won't pretend she didn't maintain way more self-contained composure than me. You're reading the hyperactivity on this page, can you imagine what the poor thing had to endure in person?

Making our way to the opulent Freemasons Hall, I was once again taken aback by the friendliness of the Felicities PR team, who immediately remembered me and the gorgeous headpiece I was sporting in my Brand Ambassador role at last Sunday's show. The personal touch is always a stone winner with me, and set a welcome tone for the rest of the show.

The venue itself was a marble testament to the true beauty of structural architecture - something I would soon learn was connected to the type of design construct that we were about to see - more about that shortly...As we reached the open gallery area of the catwalk space, we only had a few seconds to take in the beauty of our surroundings before it was time to get set up and ready. Taking our places alongside other invited press, Caryn Franklin's advice in Part One of this series flitted through my mind as I looked at the rows of seats. Though fully aware that not a one had my name on it, the newbie in me was stuck for a moment as I tried to figure out if I was supposed to sit well, anywhere...or  join Rebecca with the photog line at the front? My green outline felt practically neon...

The Catwalk Space, Freemasons Hall...

Opting for the less embarrassing latter, I parked myself down and took a millisecond to just STOP and drink in my surroundings. Your first catwalk show is not a moment that you will ever get to repeat, so I wanted to make sure that after the blur of trying to capture everything that I saw, in 50 years from now, more than the memories would be golden... The soft lights bathing the entire room in a rich glow, the hushed tones of those in attendance, over midtempo, but still throbbing music that - as Ms Franklin forewarned - had it's own heartbeat that ruled the moment...The sheer electricity in the air that made you hold your breath in anticipation of what was about to come - that is something that I will never forget.

The lights dimmed and a hush fell, my sentimental millisecond was over and 'The Blur' began...As the first model entered, my breath was immediately stolen by the caramel swirl sauntering toward us. As variations mixing cream and chocolate in unusual shapes, topped off by large ruffles and subtle pleats followed, it slowly dawned that we were being taken on a visual journey with just as many twists. The introduction of reds, then blacks, then prints, was done in such a subtle way that you would be completely forgiven for losing track of the speed with which the show was swiftly moving.

For the first time, I truly understood the meaning of the term 'fluid' when applied to a solid thing, with this collection. The smoothness of the transitions weren't just restricted to colours; suedes, satins and leathers made for a striking segue into furs. The continuity of the original foundation palette through the stronger colour blocks and material changes kept a thread of precision from start to finish, that tied a ruffled bow around this entire body of work.

The final parade was like a stream of drama that you could not help but be swept away by. What in theory, may have seemed safe from the restricted number of colours, was actually quite the opposite; so much was done with a select number of colours and different cuts of one printed pattern. Absolutely mesmerising.

One of my favourite moments of the show had to be the shyest designer I've ever seen, nipping out for the quickest praise imaginable - Lulu Liu was a literal mirage, who vanished before we had the chance to see, or salute her for her amazing works, so I will take this opportunity to say:

Congratulations, Ms Liu, on an awe-inspiring collection!


It was probably just as well the show was over so quickly, since it wasn't until the lights went up that I realised I was still holding that same breath since they went down! Just a quick moment to thank Alison Lowe for the invitations to both shows, and say Hello to the lovely Alison Lewy of fashion industry mentoring, networking and business funding organisation Fashion Angel; before it was time to head out and continue riding that potent catwalk energy right to the very words I'm sharing with you five days later...

That, my friends, is what I call 'One Hell of a Show'...

To see Lulu Liu's AW13 collection in full, visit the stunning photo album by Rebecca Need-Menear on the EricaSharlette Promotions Ltd. Facebook Page...

Then connect with Lulu Liu via her Social Media Catalogue:


Connect with Felicities PR via their Social Media Catalogue:


And absolutely do not forget to connect with Rebecca Need-Menear via hers!



I'm off to watch The Oscars now and continue the fashion buzz for as long as it will intoxicate me; but leave your thoughts and comments on this round up and the entire series in the box below - I want to hear your feedback!

Until next time - enjoy the show!
ES ;)

Sunday 24 February 2013

A&E's Adventures & Events: BRENT MEDIA CENTRE'S YOUTH TALKS LIVE (Event Review, 31 January)



Anna & Emma make a rare return to the blog to tell you about Brent Media Centre's Youth Talks Live event, that took place at the end of last month.

Please take the time to read about the discussion which asked the very serious questionWhy Do Young People Join Gangs? As well as address the many related issues that we as a society, need to be focusing more on, if we hope to successfully tackle in the near future.

With thanks to Robin McGlashan of Nu Start for extending the invitation to attend.

(l-r) Councillor Alison Hopkins, Host Barry Gee and Councillor Michael Pavey
ES

Saturday 23 February 2013

#ESPspotlight Review: 'Felicities Presents...' Showcase - LONDON FASHION WEEK SPECIAL, PART TWO


We all know the saying; 'you never forget your first'.

It proved undeniably true last Sunday as I attended my very first London Fashion Week. Invited by prestigious Fashion, Music and Creative PR agency, Felicities; this lucky little wannabe fashion bunny got to enjoy the works of some truly talented artists presenting at our Capital's first major showing of 2013.


First off, I have to say that it's very rare to come across such a friendly and welcoming bunch of people! My lovely photog Allie Suwanrumpha and I were made to feel right at home from the very beginning. Even more remarkable, was how genuinely interested they were to hear our take on the works presented throughout the night. The authentic engagement with guests by the promotional company - separate to the Artistes on show - is something I've yet to experience in 14 years of event management. Thumbs were already up before I entered the grandeur of Somerset House.

The bitter, bitter (read downright evil) cold coming off the Thames on Sunday evening was forgotten as soon as I entered the beautiful foyer. Fascinated by the bold daring of true 'Fashionistas' - I've since learned this has become one of those terms, like 'Diva', that has earned a negative connotation, completely separate to it's original definition. What I saw on display was the visual meaning in it's purest form; Visionaries with the courage to go beyond the realm of normal understanding with vivacity and ingenuity.

Back to the show and the jawdropping feats of design in the magnificent Naval Staircase forewarned that we were in for something spectacular - and that was just from the decor. There was an unmistakable electricity in the air as we ascended to the Portico Room; passing one of a kind pieces adorning the oval stairway, works of art were literally suspended in space and time, making you want to hush as you spoke, and that was really only if you absolutely felt the need to speak at all...

The Nelson Stair in Somerset House's West Wing. Lushness at it's ACTUAL finest...

Short film collections from each of the four designers showing kicked things of; looped in two seated corners throughout the night, so guests had the choice of browsing the collection rails hanging in the front and meeting the designers first, or watching their creations in the modern daystorybook settings they visualised on screen...




Expecting catwalks and lots of flashing cameras, I was only half-right as the show got underway. Clearly a popular group; the crowd doubled in the time it took me to cross the gallery and make a beeline for the screens. I did my best to ignore the rich, sumptuous shapes I had to pass en route...those models were a sight to behold and boy did they know how to work a creation! Reminded of my talk with the one and only Caryn Franklin MBE last week, it dawned on me at that moment that I had forgotten the basic, most fundamental part of any Fashion Week. First and foremost, it's about presenting new art - which is why the 'live art' treatment, where you literally felt as though living, breathing pieces, had been taken down from the gallery walls for the sole purpose of captivating you was so fitting - and such a big hit with Yours Truly. Think 'Night at the Museum' without a statue in sight; more beautiful people leading you astray, less animals and guns at the OK Corral...

From Veronica Basharatyan's AW13 'Broken Angel' collection
The video for BasharatyanV's Broken Angel collection was first. Shot against a backdrop of raw elements; the simple, wispy lines and occasionally stark colours were a mesh of two ideals in my untrained interpretation. The more I looked at the film and live examples, the more I saw the Russian Royal Family in a Dostoyevksyian twist, from this Vogue International and Harpers Bazaar favourite. Hey, some 8-year-olds liked a little Russian Lit alongside their Enid Blyton and Virginia Andrews, thank you very much - how do you think I got so wordy? Rich and regal in textural choicecolours and jewelled embellishments, there really wasn't much to find fault with on the entire rail. I'm definitely a fan.

As I watched designer Nicole Woods' film for her I love ladybirds collection, I felt that you could sum up her entire body of work in two simple words that carry a lot of weight in their connotation: 'Quintessentially English'. I loved the Summer Country House backdrop for the story that unfolded. A fierce lover of butterflies myself, I loved the natural inclusion of the only other kind of 'Earthy wildlife' that doesn't make me leap on furniture in screaming fits accompanied by the occasional anxiety attack (bug-size dependent). There was a feeling of 'eternal youth' throughout, but (thankfully) not in a creepyDeath Becomes Her kind of way. The film told the beautifully heartfelt story of teens whiling away a Summer afternoon in the family flower garden. When I spoke with Nicole briefly afterwards (who also just happens to be one of the loveliest, most warm people you can hope to meet); I learned that the entire, mostly floral collection was a tribute to her favourite childhood memories with a particular family member, that I will hopefully be telling you more about in the coming weeks (wink, wink)...

The overwhelming message in NeobotanicFashion's Neon collection was shapes. You had to love the way that founder and designer Olga Ankudinova played with the simplest of lines versus concave symmetry.




Blending a subtle sense of Sixties fashion with unusual prints on eyepopping colours; NeobotanicFashion took a design risk in some cases that purely in my opinion, would be hard to translate to everyday wear. In others however, the 'walking art' that were the beautiful models demonstrating in the live setting, you couldn't help but be taken with Ankudinova's brave creativity.


One of the MANY works of art by designer Vita Gottlieb
It would be utterly impossible not to guess my favourite collection of the night. Mainly because I think I dribbled on some of it. Sorry about that Vita - I know a great dry cleaners if it helps...From the dramatic film short for Without Doubt - depicting battling banshees tortured by a mischievous 'Id' / Devil's Advocate character, taunting the pair with Mr. Rochester (post Thornfield fire-inspired) Freudian slips...to the lush level of design that left decadence in the dust - the only critique my unworthy eye could offer, was that I don't know how anyone of a standard dress size - the real kind, not the 'Fashion Week norm', could possibly fit into the absolutely devastating designs without ruining the symmetry. Just thinking back to holding the pieces in my hands sends me right back to Dribbleville. Blacks, golds, oranges, greens, sequins, patterns, SHINE. Vita Gottlieb, I adore your creativity and your boots on the night, that almost upstaged your own collection...Almost.

Alas, the throng of fashion fans petered out and after some networking with amazing talents left in the room, it was time to either vacate the building of my own free will, or be forcibly removed (from Vita's rail) by Security...

Each of these talented artists can be found on the Felicities website - the home of them all. The one thing I am qualified to advise you on is to go and bathe yourself in the goodness of their offerings immediately - I believe you deserve it.

You can also follow the works of Felicities PR via their Social Media Catalogue:


For visuals from the show, please take yourself over to the ESP Facebook Page and feast on the sumptuous works of the supremely talented Allie Suwanrumpha - this lady and her camera are a force to be reckoned with! Visit her website directly for more examples of her work and to contact for bookings.

The 'Arrows' Headpiece by Culietta faced my  first 'B.A.R.T'
(Brand Ambassador Road Test) at this event...



Want to know more about the 'Arrows' Headpiece I'm sporting in the pictures from the event? Then read my first Review as Brand Ambassador for e-commerce boutique, My Flash Trash! The stunning piece caught the eye of a number of designers and members of the Felicities team on the night - take a closer look at what caught their fancy...





Come back tomorrow for the third and final part of my London Fashion Week Series; never did I feel closer to a 'Tyra Top Model Moment' than at my very first Catwalk show...

Nitey-Nite!
ES ;)


Thursday 21 February 2013

#ESPspotlight Review for My Flash Trash: The 'Arrows' Headpiece by Culietta


The 'Arrows' Headpiece by jewellery designers Culietta is a vintage beauty that doesn't fail to attract all the right attention.

The 'Arrows' Headpiece by Culietta is available from MyFlashTrash.com now...
A beautiful piece of silver architecture - I call it that because simple folk like myself will need to consult the picture on the My Flash Trash website for guidance on how it actually works, as well as have quite a few clips and grips handy - it's design is absolutely gorgeous. If like me, you've never worn a headpiece before, then you will tend to worry about the thinner rope strand at the back of the piece and be quite fearful of damage when fitting it; but with a thicker rope framework on the sides to support the comfortingly heavy centrepiece, you can't forget it's there, since you can feel it snuggled comfily atop your noggin, giving new meaning to the 'crowning glory' turn of phrase.




Follow me on Instagram for more Fashion Visuals...


My first MFT 'B.A.R.T' (Brand Ambassador Road Test) called for an event befitting the grandiose piece and so where better to show it off than the 'Felicities Presents...' Showcase that I was invited to review at London Fashion Week? Not only were several members of the prestigious Fashion PR team quite taken with 'Arrows'; but  it caught the eye of three designers showing at the event as well!



That to me, cements a definite Seal of Approval; what better endorsement do you need for adding this silver string to your fashion bow?

The silver 'Arrows' headpiece is priced at £70 and is available now from the MyFlashTrash website.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for that earlier mentioned event review - the 'Felicities Presents...' Showcase is the second in my 3-Part Series covering London Fashion Week!

Do you have feedback on the 'Arrows' headpiece or my take on it? Share your opinions in the comments box below - I want to hear from you!

Until tomorrow!
ES ;)

Saturday 16 February 2013

CARYN FRANKLIN MBE in the #ESPspotlight LONDON FASHION WEEK SPECIAL - PART ONE!


As childhood dreams go, it's very rare that we ever get to meet the icons that shape our earliest thoughts and ideas, much less greet them in the capacity that left a mark on you in the first place. When I interviewed The Clothes Show Live Show Producer, Marayam Hamizadeh last December; I touched on how much of an inspiration a particular British Fashion ICON had been for me, for as long as I could remember. When I was invited to cover two events at London Fashion Week a few weeks ago, I first asked a really rather talented Japanese Executive Creative Director of a few worldwide Fashion Shows for his advice on what to expect from a major fashion event (you could say he's had a bit of practice); but there was really only one person that could truly give me the best inside scoop.

Ms. Caryn Franklin MBE was kind enough to provide the best birthday pressie a girl could ask for this Monday gone, by sitting down for a 1:1 with a lifelong fan...










Welcome Ms Franklin! I cannot stress enough how honoured I am to have you grace my blog, especially during one of your biggest weeks of the year, so a massive Thank You for your time.

1. As a little girl, come early Sunday evening, there was only ever one place that you would find me: sat on the floor, as close as I could get to my Gran's TV, watching The Clothes Show and waiting for you to tell me about new fashions I had never heard of, was too young to understand, but desperately wanted to try someday. In short, you were my first fashion icon – but who was yours and how did they inspire you?

Fashion Empress and Teacher of all things wonderful,
Caryn Franklin, MBE



That's a really good question! My very first when I was a little girl would have been my Mother, of course she will. She was a very beautiful woman, hopefully all little girls look up to their Mums; she used to go to the hairdressers on special Fridays when she was going out - this is in the 70s - and come back with flowers in her hair; I just thought it was the most magical thing ever. She was like my own personal Fairy Queen.





Maryam Hamizadeh, Show Producer for The Clothes Show Live also graced the blog a few months ago and talked about the importance of education and on the job training in successfully delivering within your role.

2. You earned your BA(Hons) in Graphic Design, but have done so much more than I imagine the course to have covered – as a lecturer yourself, so heavily involved in education, where would you say the most valuable part of your training has come from?

You cannot pinpoint the most valuable part of training. Anybody in practice is learning all the time - I'm still learning. I've been learning for 30 years and I will continue learning. Anybody that I come into touch with has stuff to teach me; not just about the job, but about being a human being and that's part of the fun really, of being involved in the creative world. You're never engaging with a set formula - well you shouldn't be. You are always open to new, exciting ways of doing things, of seeing things, of feeling things, of experiencing things and of communicating things.

3. I can’t think of too many people – women especially, who had the foresight to become their own brand before online marketing really existed. What were you seeing within the Entertainment Industry at the time that made you decide to create your ‘How To Look Good’ website, now celebrating its first decade?

Ms Franklin's 'Ageless Style' ebook is available
from the 'How To Look Good' website

'How To Look Good' was really just a response to ordinary women coming up to me in the street and asking questions about their bodies. They might say: "where can I get shoes in a wider fit?" or "Where can I get a bra that will give me a JJ cup size, but I've got a very narrow back?" "Where can I get longer lengths for trousers?" For awhile, I would try to hold it all in my head and then it got too much. 'How To Look Good' was really just a place to put it all; so when people ask me questions now I can say: "Listen, I've done an e-book on that - you can go and download it for free". So that I feel I can give people the answers that they want and they can look into it in their own time.




4. Your dedication to education and raising awareness in the Fashion Industry earned you a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Honours List. Firstly Congratulations (well deserved)! Second, what inspired you to take the brave step of co-forming All Walks Beyond The Catwalk?

Ms. Franklin's official title on Her Majesty's 2013 Honours List
Thank you. I've always been a very vocal communicator. I recognised the power that Fashion has to be an amazing carrier of message to women about their bodies. When we first began Fashion Targets Breast Cancer nearly seventeen years ago, working directly with Ralph Lauren and Breakthrough Breast Cancer, also I had an incredible platform with the BBC - I was able to promote the work that we were doing with 'Fashion Targets' and I saw this enormous take up from women who felt that the Fashion Industry was bringing them important information; but it wasn't about hemlines, it wasn't about trends, it was about health. We normalised talking about breast health and breast care; we normalised talking about early presentation saves lives and through all the work that we did, we helped build and maintain Britain's first dedicated Breast Cancer Research Centre.

So that was an incredible learning curve for me, to see just how powerful fashion is when it is carrying messages to women about their bodies. With 'All Walks'; I really wanted to harness that power. I've been very vocal for a long time about what I see as unachievable body ideals that are constantly promoted - especially to young women. In the last 5 years, we've had a huge digital revolution which has meant that imagery has changed. The way it's recorded has changed; it requires post-production work now that means with no boundaries, there's an enormous amount of post-production work that is confusing people when they engage with it. They don't realise just how much change takes place. And this is part of the deluge of information that they're getting. But also now, young women see so much digital information which reaches them either via their phone, via their screens, as well as all the usual advertising hard copy, billboards, landscape advertising copy.


allwalks.org (Photo courtesy of taliarose.wordpress.com)
I really began to feel that women were under siege and increasingly, young men. And from the conversations I was having, all the time about it, I recognised that someone from our industry needed to say, we don't all feel that this is the way forward. We don't want people who engage with fashion to feel undermined, we want them to feel empowered. And so that's what 'All Walks' is about; Erin O'Connor, Deborah Bourne and I were talking about this and we'd also be talking with Susan Ringwood, Chief Executive of 'b-eat', which is the UK's biggest eating disorder charity and we wanted to make our very first campaign a positive promotion of what fashion could be, which is really, quite simply, a broader range of bodies, of sizes, skintones...it really isn't rocket science, it was that simple. We finished working with Susan Ringwood after that first campaign, but Erin, Deborah and I realised that we'd opened the floodgates. The responses that we got were so strong that we knew we needed to improve what we were doing and to go on and develop it and make it more effective

So what we would say we do now, is engage with the practitioners of tomorrow, in Universities and Colleges to help them understand the power they have to change the fashion landscape.

5. What’s next on the ‘All Walks’ campaign agenda and how can ordinary people like myself get involved?

'Diversity NOW!' (Photo courtesy of benbarry.com)
Next for us on the agenda is seeing the results of our college competition called 'Diversity Now' which we'll be announcing at Graduate Fashion Week, where we've asked the next generation of creatives at art college to show us what their meaning of diversity is, so that we can promote that from our platform. We see, really that our initiative, which involves creating the diversity network in Edinburgh, lobbying in Parliament, creating far-reaching initiatives that speak to people - that is something that's ongoing. It's all voluntary, what we do so when we can get Sponsorship for the next campaign, we will then begin another big visual at London Fashion Week

How women can get involved right now, to decide to celebrate who they are and not to engage with anything that is undermining their confidence. To recognise that the more you see of an unachievable image, the more you normalise it in your head, the more it becomes an ideal which has the potential to destabilise you. For us, we feel that operating from the heart, creating fashion communications that does celebrate the power of clothes, the beauty of design, the excitement of fashion, but also offers a celebration of who we are is something that needs to be addressed by us, the Industry and by you, the Consumer - that's an important part of our work.

The doors of Somerset House opened for the Day One of London Fashion Week AW13 today. I’ll be venturing down to cover a few shows but this is my very first outing so I'm a bit daunted! If The Clothes Show Live is your second home, this is surely your third!

6. Do you remember your very first show? What were you most nervous about, did you make any mistakes?

My very first shows were as Fashion Editor of i-D magazine so that was many, many years ago - it was over 25 years ago! Memory, memory, memory - a trip down memory lane...! I was really excited at the energy that I had felt. When you're standing in - we call them 'The Tents', whether they're in a tent or not - but when you're standing in there and the music belts out and the bright lights...There's a rhythm to a catwalk show that grabs you by the heartbeat. There's a lot of adrenalin and a lot of excitement. I can still remember that and I can remember being so excited by seeing people who I thought - this person's going to go all the way...

Seeing Alexander McQueen's first show a few years later and demanding that we covered him on The Clothes Show. Demanding! Stamping my feet, even though my series producer didn't want to, because he wasn't a 'fashion person' and he didn't recognise the energy


Photo courtesy of fashionfoiegras.com

7. What advice would you have given your less experienced self?


All Walk 'Every Body Counts' campaign page
(Photo courtesy of allwalks.org)

I think it's easy to feel, when you're brand new to anything, that you are somehow insignificant because you're not in the front row and because you don't have a big powerful publication; but I would say that every individual in the building is as significant as the most accomplished, most recognisable figures - simply because your opinion counts.


Every Body Counts - that's the name of one of our campaigns, but it's true. Everybody's entitled to an opinion and you have to start somewhere. So, one day you might be at the beginning of your career, but fast forward 20 years and you will be in charge of a team, you will be broadcasting your ideas to a much bigger community and if you are politicised and you are knowledgeable about all of the issues and you're still able to connect from your heart to the pure creativity, pure excitement and the pure privilege of working in an industry like this, then it will serve you well and you will serve it well

From Top Model, to Project Runway - there’s a wealth of advice and guidance out there for budding models, designers and artists, but nothing for us Writers looking to follow in your footsteps.

8. Would you be kind enough to give us some top tips on how to make sure we get the best out of the shows, the key ideals we should keep in mind and also the common mistakes we should avoid at all costs?

Well first of all, I would say the trends and the shows are a portion of Fashion; so for any Writer, I would say it's important to be open to all the components that make up the Fashion Industry. Everybody prioritises Fashion Weeks and high-end designer creativity as the only thing that's happening, but it isn't. It is a huge industry and that's definitely the embodiment of glamour. But for me, as a Commentator - and maybe Writers also have the power to think about themselves as Commentators and as Reformers - if you have an opinion, you need to be engaged with the industry, you can't just observe it. 

Suzy Menkes (photo courtesy of ffw.com.br)
So my best tip for anybody who's writing, is that your opinion counts. If you feel something and you feel it strongly and you want to document it, then that's the best place to operate from. Quite often, viewing the trends and recording the trends, doesn't always engage people from the heart; it becomes quite a mechanical, formulaic way of viewing fashion. Some of the 'fashion speak' that I read, where I think to myself, "are you listening to yourself?!" It certainly concerns me that there's not enough thinking going on in assessment of fashion industry behaviour. So good Writers - if you're just starting out, aligning yourself with people whose opinions you value and whose writing you believe in...in our industry, Suzy Menkes has always provided a very methodical, pragmatic and knowledgeable account of the industry as a bigger, wider force than just catwalk trends. She is a prolific writer.

I particularly like it when outsiders come into our industry and write about it. And also I particularly like it when I feel people have opinions about image that don't rely on them wanting the fashion industry to approve of them. So I read people like Susie Orbach, whose book 'Bodies' I think is highly influential. That's the key thing. As somebody operating within the fashion industry you've got to work out your position. How much will you be engaging with the industry in a formulaic way, because it wants you to operate within a formula to earn money and how much will you be developing your own opinions, your own authenticity and honouring your own integrity? Because in every industry, these are the challenges

You've been instrumental in delivering education, changing legislation and bringing awareness to the issues surrounding diversity and health in fashion;

9. Where would you like to see ‘fashion-thinking’ progress most in the next 10 years?

I would like to see the industry policing itself with an understanding of its power. And with the celebration of that power comes recognition of responsibility and of desire to operate in an authentic way, with integrity. The challenges that I see now, may not be the challenges in years to come, it may be a completely different thing that we need to be looking at; but what I do understand, is that the psychological impact of depending on one unachievable body ideal, needs to be better explored by our industry and better understood by our industry, in order that it can operate with a more loving and a more empowering approach for its consumers.

10. Is there any chance we could get you to do another TV stint, in the style of the shows mentioned earlier, aimed at aspiring writers and presenters?


(Photo courtesy of Kingston University Website)


That always, in the past, has depended on us finding a broadcaster! But I know now, that with digital platforms and YouTube, it's an exciting space where we can all be our own broadcasters so, I'll just have to add that to my list of things 'To-Do'...



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I cannot thank Ms. Franklin enough for the absolute honour of granting an interview. Those 20 minutes were a true 'bucket list' moment and her personal praise and recognition of my work so far will stay with me to the end of my days!


Connect with Ms. Franklin, How To Look Good and All Walks Beyond The Catwalk via their respective Social Media Catalogues:



All Walks Beyond The Catwalk on Twitter / Facebook / Website

How To Look Good on Twitter / Facebook / Website / YouTube

How was your Day One, LFW Pilgrims? Thoughts, feedback and summations are welcomed in the suggestion box below. For now, I'm heeding the gold dust advice of an absolute LEGEND and getting my prep work in for my first event this Sunday!

Don't miss Parts Two and Three in this London Fashion Week series over the coming weeks - Reviews of the 'Felicities Presents...Emerging Designers' Showcase and the Lulu Liu Catwalk Show! Do you have any pointers? I want to hear from you!

See you next time!
ES ;)

Dedicated to my earliest and everlasting inspiriation - Thank you Mum for everything xxx