Today was the unveiling of the latest piece of art by the Nordic artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset AKA Elmgreen and Dragset. Widely known for their fake Prada shop in the middle of the desert, Prada Marfa E&D were commissioned a piece to occupy the Fourth Plinth in the north-west corner of Trafalgar Square, here in London!

Baptised as 'Powerless Structures', Fig 101 Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset presented us a monumental bronze equestrian statue more than 4m high. Executed in a realistic figurative style... Yet unlike the permanent equestrian statues nearby (Francis Chantrey’s bronze of George IV; Hubert Le Sueur’s over-inflated Charles I at the top of Whitehall), 'Powerless Structures' isn’t a portrait of a monarch, or even a greybeard general or statesman, but a young boy riding a rocking horse.

Christopher Kane is known for his rebellious attitude towards fashion -
his designs are most definitely not for the faint-hearted and he proves so with
his newest A/W '12 collection. Imagine if Beetlejuice was in fact a woman and
rather than antagonising everyone was actually more interested in fashion-
such a character would seem to be Mr. Kane's perfect target market. The new
collection has an obvious element of sinister and morbid fascination with all
things dark and horroresque connotations - the red used reminded Kane of a vial
of blood, the moire of the inside of a coffin. 

The collection includes floral prints but you will not find any sweet, innocent-looking daisies here, the opulent, shaded florals are more reminiscent of Baudelaire's 'The Flowers of Evil'. The collection, full of sleek silhouettes captures the dandyesque elegance, with the youthful rebellion mixed with a healthy dose of teenage angst, making it perhaps despite its inspirations, very versatile. Kane knows perfectly well how to create an eye catching collection and for A/W '12 we might just channel our inner Marla Singers, from Palahniuk's Fight Club and invest in some moire which looks just like the inside of a coffin (although we might draw the line at gate-crashing various support group meetings...)

Words by Monika Zgoda

Catherine Baba is prey to every fashion blog and tumblr out there. Her style is eccentric - a cross between 1930s Hollywood glamour and Studo 54 lame. You might have seen a photograph of her in towering heels cycling through Paris, or dancing away in Cannes, or even draped in fur at the height of summer. Catherine Baba personifies the eccentricities and opulence so beloved by the fashion industry. With immaculate taste, and grooming, Baba has carved a place for herself as - so-called by Diane Pernet, no less -  the most ‘stylish woman in Paris’. Yet, Ms Baba is very mysterious and rarely does interviews.

"so-called by Diane Pernet, no less -  the most ‘stylish woman in Paris’"

‘Fashion is the epitome of expressionalisation!’ touts Ms Baba. Quite like her personal style, the Australian-born, Paris-residing fashion maven’s conversations are dotted with peculiarities. Like the making up of words (‘expressionalisation’) and the odd exclamation of ‘j’adore’. Only with the talent and panache of Ms Baba, can you get away with this sort of thing. It is curious, how much of this is affected, how much of this is just a façade?  But, there is something quite believable about Ms Baba.

"J’Adore Darliiiiing, J’Adore"

Since moving to Paris over 15 years ago, Ms Baba has worked for Givenchy, Balmain, Chanel and Ungaro. ‘I was asked [to style] by editors & photographers, I resisted a lot, it was never my initial direction!’ said Ms Baba. Now her work graces the pages of Vanity Fair, Stiletto, Dazed & Confused and she is a regular contributor to French Vogue. Continuing, she remarked: ‘with styling all jobs are a different adventure, but ultimately it stems down to a fabulous team.’

It would be a mistake to merely label Ms Baba a stylist, she is more than that. She curates looks. Previously working a stylist, she also lent a hand to consultancy and costume direction. Designing the costumes for Irina Inesco’s ‘My Little Princess’, Ms Baba explains, ‘fashion and film are two completely different vehicles in aestheticism; I close no doors.’

Whose style does she admire? ‘Anyone that expresses a personal vocabulary,’ was the retort. Notorious for her own ‘personal vocabulary’, Ms Baba j’adore’s fur – mind, only if it’s vintage- turbans and the word ‘Darrrliiiing’.

Whereas many in the industry, the world even, pretend to be younger, Ms Baba has prematurely aged herself. Shocking really. Her Myspace page suggests she is 75, but in fact, this just denotes the year Ms Baba wishes she had been born: 1936. Fully curating a ‘look’ for herself, both in age and style, Ms Baba is inspired by: ‘life…past, present and future.’ Playing with tropes of the 1920s and 1930s, her work mixes the feel of the 30s with contemporary clothing. Although, I have heard her vintage collection is something to lust after. ‘I have so many favourites, Yves Saint Laurent Couture pieces...'

Offering final recommendations, Ms Baba suggests that if you happen to be in Paris or New York, that you just must check out her favourite spots: Indochine and The Strand in New York, and Mathis, Galgnani and Puce Clignancourt in Paris. I’m sure we’ll J’adore them!

Words by Lucy Morris

Illustration: David Bray

Images courtesy of http://ilikeiwishiheart.blogspot.com, http://jak&jil.com, http://unnouveauideal.typepad.com, http://hanneli.com

The Fashion East trio of designers certainly contrasted three different trends for Autumn/Winter 2012.

Maarten van der Horst

First down the runway was Maarten van der Horst, combining sharp tailoring, outerwear as underwear and floral prints; the designer had the critics approval for his second season running.

Think Saville Row worthy tailoring combined with Bridget Jones style knickers and plenty of floral prints. The lightness of the collection had a slight Spring/Summer feel, with pastel colours and prints. Exquisite silk prints appeared on boyfriend blazers and smart collars, there was a masculine feel verging on androgyny.

Marques'Almedia

Design duo Marts Marques and Paulo Almeida for Marques’Almeida also made a statement this season, with grunge aesthetics playing a major part in their collection this season. Garments were black and yellow, ripped and oversized; shorts were trimmed, frayed and denim was distressed.

James Long

The final collection by James Long was slightly more playful in comparison to the previous two. Quilted leather was paired with intarsia knits and bold velvet pieces. The show was closed with a pink glittery skirt- very dreamy. 

London College of Fashion graduate, Joseph Turvey made one big hell of a bang this AW. What with his fresh beats, Beyonce’s 'Who Run The World (Girls)' blaring out to the walk of his models and the colourful hues he brought to the show, bringing neon, pink, orange and yellow to the forefront of stylish colours to take note of come September. 

Caps in electric blue and magenta were paraded around along with cool white back packs and t-shirts with a young boy’s slightly sullen face printed on the front and gingham shirts, shorts and trousers. 

Bright trench coats, lightweight jackets and see-through crew neck long and short -sleeved shirts also featured within the vivid collection, although what stole the show was the final look. 

A model decked out in the big pink. Head to toe in blushing lace, from the snapback cap to the t-shirt and jacket right down to the shorts. It really was a sight to behold and got the whole audience chattering excitedly, frantically snapping away with their Canons, typing furiously on their Blackberries, twittering with speedy fingers and standing up to get a good glimpse with their iPads hovering over fellow LFW onlookers. 

Joseph Turvey looks set to be big; a rare talent with a vibrant vision he made sure that he demonstrated why he deserved to be chosen as one of the Ones To Watch Menswear designers. 

After the show IDOL caught up with Joseph Turvey for a quick chat.

Read our Q&A here

Words by Avneet Takhar

Images via ameliasmagazine.com

Frank Philips certainly put the London into LFW, with her fabulously raw British collection. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing men dress like a slightly more urban version of Colin Firth and here was a show that encompassed just that. 

The English gentleman was truly represented by the chiselled, pale models, clad in double-breasted jackets, stiff collared quality white, burgundy and navy shirts, oversized woollen jumpers and slick tailored trousers. Plummy and pruned, Philips even added braces and dishevelled hair to the whole English affair. 

Now all you need to do is to fix up a brew and some scones with clotted cream and invite your terribly eccentric friends over for a luncheon, whilst in TBF attire of course. 

To Be Frank presented the best of British. So Burberry, do be ever so kind to watch out, Eddie Redmayne may get snagged to model for Philips come next AW. 

After the show IDOL caught up with Frank Philips of To Be Frank England for a quick chat.

Read our Q&A here

Words by Avneet Takhar

Images via ameliasmagazine.com

Held in the extravagant Goldsmiths Hall, anyone joining the seated or standing at the Clements Ribeiro show was surely going to be in for a treat.  For a venue lined with gilded mirrors and boasting an ornate gold ceiling, the collections shown inside it needed to have a very special something.

Thankfully, Ribeiro's collection can be summed up in a few words- sophisticated, feminine and modern.  The show opened with vibrant folkish prints over the return of the leather midi skirt; the midi stayed with us throughout the collection in a selection of fabrics and textures.  The collection was packed full of bohemian Slavic influences, but with a modern and fashion forward attitude. Super bright fuchsia pinks and bright mint punctuated the folk themed patterns, in the strong and solid quantities once adored by followers of the label.

In a clear movement from old style Clements Ribeiro, perhaps you could leave the collection feeling a little disappointed in the transition. Despite this, the 'un-corporate' aesthetic that Clements has stated to be the new direction, is clearly a work in progress, and we must expect great things to continue to emerge from this fashion house.

Written by Eleanor Doughty

Images via style.com

As ever, Meadham Kirchhoff left us with a lot to take in during their show.  Models threw glitter in the air, the runway was decked with coloured lights and the Meadham Kirchhoff jammed into the front rows, displaying the success the duo have already had.

Colours run amock, vibrant yellows to exciting checks and clashing stripes all added to the expectantly bright show from the dynamic duo.  Beyond the showiest pieces, the collection oozed an accessibility that opened the doors of the Meadham Kirchhoff party to everyone, perhaps the most impressive element of the whole show.  Less is more will never be uttered in reference to the party central design house's ethos- striped tights and sequinned platforms brought brash and bold right back into the fashion consciousness.

Any piece of this child's play proof collection, will shine from the closets of many come the Autumn, brightening amongst other autumnal shades and gothic undertones seen on other catwalks across the season.

Words by Eleanor Doughty

Images via style.com

Photography by Amina Nolan