FASHION AT CHRISTIES

FASHION

image courtesy of Christie's

Today I went to my very first preview to an auction and WOW. What a one to start with.

The theme was a collection of fashion items of exquisite quality, some were of historical importance while others, fine pieces of couture from the finest designers of the 20^th Century, all up for sale by world renowned auctioneers Christie’s of London. 

Original statement pieces from Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Azzedine Alaia and Balenciaga. 

Stunning statement pieces were on show like the iconic Mondrian dress 
from Yves Saint Laurent.

I wish I were loaded so I could have put in a bit and hopefully have walked with something to add to my already overflowing collection. Sadly I’ just a being of humble means and I don’t even play the lottery, I never remember to. If Christies could be so kind as to gift me one of these fine items for a shoot one day I would be so happy. As happy as I was to have cast my eyes upon these amazing items. You may smoke or even drink, but I choose to collect vintage items if fashionable excellence and iconic beauty. Though I did add to the collection this weekend, a 1940s dress with an unusual drop waist, inspired by earlier late 20s style and a pair of 1930s peep toe shoes in the most vivid shade of purple suede with snake skin detail, I came away from Christies with nothing other than a smile.

For that I shall not complain as the smile was well earned and worth more than I could ever afford.

The items I added to my collection came from the lovely Rebecca Denholm of The Pocket Library, formally of the Cats’ Meow. She has an amazing collection of dresses and shoes.

A wonder around the interior of the Kensington Town Hall which hosted famed Vintage Fashion Fair FROCK ME added more of a smile and contentment.

I can highly recommend this particular event on the vintage fashion calendar as one of the finest.

The lovely Pat Frost Director of Fashion and Textiles at Christie’s and her team were on hand to help with my enquiries, assisting the photographer from Getty Images and were so kind to me.

Oh. 

What’s this got to do with street fashion I hear one or two of you saying?

Well many moons ago back in the 1940s or back to 1912, the oldest of the images here, women once walked the streets of London, Paris or New York dressed in their finest. 
These items mentioned would have been those very same items of fine clothing those women would have worn. Back in 1910 to the late 1920s, even the most stylish and westernised Japanese women form the upper echelons of society, would have been spotted in something like the pink Paquin Summer 1912 Opera coat that personally would call a dress, with its drop waist, exquisite beading and heavy tassels or the black silk beaded cocktail gown with its pretty pastel coloured bugle beads. 

 

If I were around back in those glorious days of decadence, 

I assure you I would be pounding the sidewalks and streets, keen to bring you images of those with style, especially the Japanese women with their exceptional sense of style elegance and beauty.

                           Here are some of the Lots up for auction  The E catalogue

A heavily embellished dress by Christobal Balenciaga

Unusual for Balenciaga. Not quite you'd expect in style
but in the detail lavished all done by hand, It's no wonder
Dior called Balenciaga the greatest couturier of them all.

A classic Ossie Clark chiffon Maxi dress.

(Left) A Rhodoid disc dress by Paco Rabanne late 1969 with his signature chain link system and handkerchief cuffs. (Centre) An original Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian dress.
(Right) A paisley patterned, gold lame, brocade ensemble by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior from 1963 as part of the Billy Boy vintage fashion collection up for auction at London's Christie's on December 1st 2011

Classic Paco Rabanne

TOKYO STYLE 2011 PART 6

Emichee

This is Japanese fashion model Suzuki Emi also known as Emichee.

Seen here as she poses for a picture in Shibuya while promoting 

her new photo book S’eee at the Shibuya Parco, Spain Zuka Square.

Apparently there is some controversy around her but you'll have 

to find that out for yourselves if you're not familiar with her.

On a stroll through the streets of Shibuya one sunny day, 

and took these pictures of her. I spotted the model fresh back 

from a long hiatus, which she explained a little about as well 

as her own opinion of her book. She even gave it an honest rating. 

 

TOKYO STYLE 2011 PART 5

Three. Is the magic number they say so by the power of three,

we introduce you to Yumi (left) Mina (centre) and Miho (right). 

We spotted these three happy and playful souls in Harajuku.

Hope they make your day a little brighter. They certainly made mine.

TOKYO STYLE 2011 PART 4

Wandering around on the streets of Harajuku I stumbled upon a cute girl.

Komamiki was her name. Dressed in in fun and playful colours.

Turns out she was one of the staff from that amazing shop called 

6% DokiDoki

A kaleidoscopic sense of colour is what you get when you climb 

the steps and enter the shop. The staff that work there all have a

distinctive style. Some are well known style icons themselves, frequently 

appearing in the multitude of street fashion or street snap magazines

available on the shelves to the fans of the genre, which in Tokyo's 

Harajuku district is just about most people.

The girls at 6% DokiDoki all dress in a style you're drawn to. 

Especially if you're a young Japanese teenager hungry for self expression 

and keen to be viewed as fashionable in Tokyo's most fashionable area.

Some of the girls took part in a World tour earlier last year in London called 

the Harajuku Kawaii Experience

They came to the Japan Art Festival and I was fortunate to

be able to take some very special pictures of the girls in all their 

colourfully visual glory. It was a treat to see Komamiki and I hope I get 

the opportunity to do a photo shoot with the girls in Tokyo sometime.

TOKYO STYLE 2011 PART 3

Fashion tends to focus on the fairer of the sexes. The women and the girls 

because the industry in set in stone and has been in place since the dawn of time.

Women have always had that winning combination of style, elegance and throw 

in that special ingredient, their beauty it's no wonder there's a leaning towards women

in the world of fashion. 

But for some I hear you say that's not right or that's not fair.

Those that know me know I will always sing the some of praise for the greatest
 most special in all the known kingdoms, "Women". But today the guys get a mention.

They may not be as beautiful as women or girls, unless those of you girls into Anime 

and Manga and in particular the Shojo variety where the men are depicted 

so stylistically beautiful, and no one can deny how beautiful guys do look in 

shojo creations. 

Today it's the guys chance to shine on your screen here at JSTREETSTYLE. 

There are some real characters out there and I was fortunate to bump into a few. 

Some of those I'll share with you now.

Enjoy.

"Prime Suspects"

In their bright primary colours these three teenager guys hit the streets 

of Harajuku in search of things to buy. As some of you already know, 

dressing alike is very popular in Japan. Girls naturally do it in their 

teen years but also young couples too and newly weds but occasionally

 the keitai will be used to contact you mate and confirm "that sounds like 

a cool idea, I'll wear the same as you" and here I believe it works well.

What do you think? 

"Dude! You just got Punked"

This young guy is clearly dressed in punk style. Smartly done too.

As mentioned men in Japan have a certain sense of style about them.

It may not be on the same level as women but it's pretty good we think.

Her wears a smart hat by B.C.B and a cool leather tool belt. 

Hands up how many of you girls out there just leaned a bit 

closer to your screen? He is indeed a handsome devil.

A dapper gent dressed in an ever so smart manner.

More beef cake with your tea Miss?

"Boys will be boys"

"Up in the heavens"

I kept spotting this guy gliding off to somewhere and I was lucky 

once off to catch him ans ask him for a picture. He was so tall but his style 

WOW, let's just say this was the least stylish I saw him and yet he 

still dresses so smart. He wears trousers by Gareth Pugh. 

His silver jacket is from Japanese brand Banal Chic Bazaar

He works in Harajuku close to the h.Nauto shop.

If any of you out there know who he is and where he works please 

do get in touch with me. I'd love to learn more and have a chance 

to share more of his style with everyone. 

"A monochrome delight in the Harajuku twilight"

More from the lads at a later date. Hope you all enjoyed this post.

TOKYO STYLE 2011 PART 2

I went to Tokyo just fir a while. To play on the streets. To see the amazing style.

It's like a rive flowing through the streets. Some vastly apparent, other streets 

a less obvious more subtle concentration but a more intense showing or 

offering of that style or a totally different offering of style altogether. 

Style especially street style, is very geographic in Tokyo. Each district 

with its own unique offering and take on presentation and packaging.

From Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Ginza, Shimokitazowa and the others.

Like a giant department store. As you travel through you see many differing things

each and every one full of visual excitement but is it your particular style?

You travel to the department or floor that gives you what you want or seek.

That is unless like myself, it's not the end goal of finding what you like or want 

but the very experience of the journey and what you encounter along the way. 

It's the people you meet along that journey I enjoy.

Whatever their style from the extreme to the most subtle, the Gothic and 

the Lolita, the Visual Kei or Punk to the more gentle young teenage girls 

freshly initiated into the big wide world discovering her very own sense 

of style where it may be as soft and as delicate as she it showing off 

her first exposure to make yo or eyelashes and the multiple layering 

techniques of tops and t-shirts and skirts. It's ALL of interest to me.

So please join us here at JSTREETSTYLE on this journey through the 

streets of Tokyo. I wish I could share all the sights and sounds with you all 

but for now, please enjoy the images and the experience you have here.

Pat Lyttle 

Tomohiro poses for a picture on Takeshita Street in Harajuku in Tokyo.

He shows us his sense of style. Notice the subtleties like his watch.

In Harajuku, large watches are very cool among teenagers especially 

among girls. The larger the face the more cool and desirable to have.

A firm footing in black

"The Gentle Approach"

Imemia Iri from Chuguku poses for a picture on Omotosando in Harajuku, 

Tokyo wearing a jumper and skirt from Lisa Lisa with it's softer more 

diffused take on the Shibuya and Lolita style. She wears cute lace top 

socks and shoes from Lolita mega brand Baby, The Stars Shine Bright. 

This brand specializes in Sweet Lolita, a more softer look at the 

Lolita style that shot to fame outside of Japan in the western world 

after featuring hugely in the 2004 Japanese movie Kamikaze Girls or 

Shimotsuma Monogatari, its original Japanese title with Anna Tsuchiya

and Kyoko Fukada. Kyoko's character in the movie lived up north in 

the quiet valley town of Sendai. After the movies success, Sendai became 

a huge Mecca for Gothic Lolita and is often affectionately refereed to as

Lolia Central. Baby, as the brand is known among Japanese teenagers 

has a huge international following now. 

When you enter their shops you'll understand its appeal.

 Its all about the details and the subtleties

 

Painted nails in Lolita style. Tea party celebrations.

Dripping chocolate and cute strawberry cup cakes with cherries

Chocolate coloured shoes from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright.

"A step up from the rest"

A teenage girl poses for a picture in Harajuku. She wears 

rocker shoes, a colourful skirt with under layer. The Japanese 

love affair with pretty socks expressed to perfection here with 

her stripy over knee hold up socks with lace tops.

I love her royal blue jacket and her retro headphones.

Baby. "Detail Extraordinaire"

More of the amazing work that goes into a dress or One piece as 

its referred to in Japan from Baby. pleasing colour pallets and the 

lacework of their brand logo embedded with lace hearts is perfection.

A key to unlock such beauty, simply inspired. 

Really nailing those details.

TOKYO STYLE 2011 PART 1

Tokyo was wonderful in October. It's been very good weather recently 

so 25C was the norm most days and it was a pleasure to be out and about.

Here are a few of the images shot.

This is Musician Yuki Kokufuda (Yuqi) posing for a picture on Takeshita Street

in Harajuku, Tokyo wearing a vintage T-shirt, vintage Adidas jacket, 

leggings and her shoes by Melissa. This cute, tiny and colourfully dressed

little lady packs a big punch with her voice. She was lovely to talk with 

and I really hope we get to see more of her here on Jstreetstyle. 

She's fur real 

Tomaki and Toma pose for a picture on a hot sunny day on 

Takeshita Street in Harajuku, Tokyo. The two funsters had just 

finished shopping at Harajuku Chicago, the used clothing store.

It's hard work looking this cute and cool. Especially when its hot.

You'll be see a few more images of little cute and fluffy ones. 

If you need to be reborn if you believe in that sort of thing, then we highly recommend 

you come back as a cute dog and live in Japan.

In Tokyo and Osaka it truly is a dogs life with a dost of shops selling the 

most amazing designer pooch wear. Not only do you end up looking 

stylish and cute but transportation is first class. 

No we're not talking the Yamanote Sen or the Shinkansen but purpose built 

buggies solely for the transportation of little ones. Walking is not the done thing, 

So yesteryear and old school. More from our fluffy friends later.

JAPANESE STREET STYLE

One of my many upcoming projects 

Japanese Street Style

Some of you may have been wondering  where on Earth have I been.

In answer to your question, I've been in sunny Tokyo relaxing.

Well trying to. As you all know, mine is a busy life with many things 

happening and going on at any one time. 

One of the projects I've been working on for a while now I can now share

with you all. A shiny new book on street fashion in Japan.

Written by myself and sharing with you all some of my images.

To be published by the nice people at A&C Black in January 2012.

Aside from working on this project, I've doing several others. 

More about those later.

Japan was lovely. My dear friend Azusa and her husband were most kind 

in their hospitality. Azusa use to model for me many moons ago when 

she lived in London. As many of you know, Japan is dear to my heart.

I always spend part of my life there for a multitude of reasons all good.

The weather was good. If one could call Tokyo a place to relax, somehow 

I actually managed to do so, which was the prime objective of my visit.

Especially after a very busy fashion week season that seamed to go on 

for ages with its ever increasing reach. Used to be there was just one 

single fashion week on at any one time. Now and for the last few years 

there are several on per week and my poor humble eyes can only handle 

so much before not only my eyesight goes on vacation but possibly my 

mind too and I really don't want that to happen. I am only human.

I stayed in the highly talked about area of Kichijoji near to the park  

and a short walk from the Studio Ghibli museum. 

I took many more new images, many of which you'll be seeing very soon.

Sorry to keep some of you waiting but as you all know there are many 

projects I am working on that need my attention and help for others.

I met some amazing people and made new friends.  

I have more news also in that my website will finally  and long overdue 

get the make over it has been crying out for. It wont be a radical change 

but you will be able to see new imagery in all sections and there will 

be a few new ones too. Though JSTREETSTYLE is primarily all street 

style fashion you all know I shoot many other things relating to fashion  

and Japanese culture and I thought it would be good to finally incorporate

some of them. So there will be some new pages there. 

Fresh and new image for Jstreetstyle the blog will be here this weekend.

You'll be able to tweet and facebook, get in touch and much more I hope.

So see you all soon