DOLCE & GABBANA S/S 15

Season after season, Dolce and Gabbana have used themes and inspiration from Sicily. It makes sense after learning the designer duo are from Italy and are very, very proud of their heritage. Only this time, the clothes includes Spanish influences. The show featured red - and lots of it. Outfits inspired by madators and their bullfighting uniforms, the collection boasts heavy red brocade jackets, teamed with 3/4 length trousers and finished with fur lined slippers. Classic suits marked the finale of the show, in various tones, before a bloodbath of red, finally closed the show.

Personally, I liked the collection, however there were some looks that didn't make the cut. I can see a lot of the same shapes and silhouettes from last seasons show - look #3, came from the same Medival collection last Fall with the generously large 3/4 top, tightly tailored pants and slippers and the same, tired, satin suits. Recolouring is great, it gives the consumer choices, but as a collection with 77 looks, it's clearly used for fillers. However, the grande finale did sway me. And #2, 5 and 6 look great. They bring a fresh concept to the show, which suprisngly look wearable. All in all, a good collection, showing another side of Sicillian themes. But does Dolce and Gabbana's collections have a shelf-life?

CORNELIANI S/S 15

After last seasons' darker and sombre collection, Sergio Corneliani presented a lighter show for Spring 2015. The show focuses on the modern man, who still clings onto his heritage. Corneliani presented models in classic white pants, with a contemporary and urban twist, for example adding grey rain-coat. This collection is for the busy, city man - who works hard whilst balances his style. The show uses light and cool materials, to ensure the wearer is comfortable and cooled down in the bright summer of 2015.

I really like this collection, I thought his last one was amazing and it just keeps getting better. The clothes are very stylish and super wearable. I can easily picture Simone Marchetti wearing one of these looks, on his way to a fashion show. Although the collection may not be easily worn in New York or London, Corneliani has made this for his hometown, of Milan.

BURBERRY PRORSUM S/S 15

Bruce Chatwin was an English novelist and travel writer who died in Nice, France at the age of only 48. For Burberry's Spring 2015 collection, Christopher Bailey said "He was completely British, but he struggled to stay in one place.", Chatwin became the muse for Bailey this season, as the clothes had heavy emphasis on luxury travel wear. The denim jackets, the suedes and the big floppy hats are the perfect accompaniment for travelling. Written across jackets, scarves and bags read "Adventure!" and "Exploration!", adding a humorous and modern flair to the collection.

The models carried notebooks and large weekend bags to reference the travelling aspect and the functionality of the collection - not only does the collection boast luxury and wealth, but also usefulness and function. The colours from the show featured weathered tones, faded greens and rich browns, all of which show the influence of Bruce Chatwin. This collection is not only for the man who travels, but for the man who is aware of his style and his appearance - making it perfect for any man.

TOPMAN DESIGN S/S 15

For this seasons' collection, you can really see where Topman Design team drew their influences - Jimi Hendrix's nonchalant style during the 1960s, with tight but flare pants, teamed with a floral shirt and a suede jacket. Liam Gallagher's care-free parka and messy hair combo also made an appearance in the collection. The look screams 'Don't mess with me!' and adds a masculine punch. However, Robert Plant's infamous mini kimono shirt added a touch of flamboyancy. Back in the day, Robert Plant wore his blouse with flair denim jeans and also messy hair.

I think it's easy to dismiss this collection as messy and outdated, but after seeing the influences of British rock stars (and one American), the collection is clearly about history and the modern remake. Surprisingly, the bottom row of looks (above) are my favourite. I like the colours and the shapes of it all. Whilst some looks might appear too flamboyant or camp, the messy hair and the nonchalant attitude of the male models makes it very masculine and very strong.

SPRING/SUMMER 14 TRENDS

Hello everyone, how are you all doing? I hope you are all well and happy. Just a quick update, I'm now an assistant to a freelance stylist, who calls me in when she needs me. I met her before at a launch party in London and I emailed her a few weeks ago. And now, I'm officially her assistant! If you want, check out Jennie Kwon's website here. Also, if you're interested in the details on how I got the job and any other of my previous internships, feel free to email me (check out my contact section).

Moving on, this post will focus on the spring 2014 trends. I've done these posts since last fall and will continue it for quite a while. I like to keep things short and snappy, so you get the key trends for this summer.The first is international prints - for this season, many designers took inspiration from different cultures and their prints. With particular focus on African prints, brands such as Givenchy, The Row and Alexander McQueen have adopted the traditional prints and modernised them, in the form of cuts, materials and styling to keep the concept fresh and current.

(From left to right) Givenchy, Dries Van Noten and Donna Karen.

The next is a sexualised and newer version of the Oxford shirt. The traditional menswear item has lent itself to all metamorphosis in the past and has now landed on sex-appeal. Alexander Wang showed VS model, Behati Prinsloo wearing a bare shirt with boyish shorts and heels, Wes Gordon showed his woman in a simple shirt, tucked into a lace skirt - creating an effortless silhouette, with Altuzarra following in the same footsteps. The concept is to work the other pieces around the shirt, allowing it to be the main focus. Keep the other items silent, whilst the simple shirt speaks volumes.

Altuzarra, Alexander Wang and Wes Gordon

ARTPOP - a marriage of two cultures. The term being first coined by Lady Gaga, for the title of her fourth album. ARTPOP has been emerging in fashion as the latest trend. First Lagerfeld and his Jeff Koons inspired set and the strokes of paint in his final looks. Prada and her political street murals, printed all across the items from her show. And Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, who referenced historically important artists such as Picasso and his abstract paintings. 

Chanel, Celine and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac

Metallics! Metallics! Metallics! After being huge a couple of seasons ago, the trends has remerged to show its softer side. The key to this trend is to wear the shiny fabric, on soft materials, such as silks. Lanvin's shiny suits are a great example. Styled on Saskia de Brauw, she wore an entire metallic look to make a strong statement. Looking for a more conventional look? Reed Krakoff and DVF show more wearable items, such as simple dresses whilst keeping a metallic shine.

Lanvin, DVF and Reed Krakoff

Sports is back, and by the looks of it, it looks like it'll be here for quite some time. Gucci and Marc Jacobs presented a young and sporty girl. Sporty influences, such as the mesh netting basketball players wear or the shiny flair of 90s tracksuits have all made their way into fashion again. Try to keep the look casual, adding some 'je nais se quoi' makes it even more sporty and functional. Finish the look with trainers for a 'on-the-go' polish.

Gucci, Sacai and Marc by Marc Jacobs

And that concludes this seasons trends, I hope you've enjoyed reading the post with the accompanying images. I have my exams very soon and should focus on them, so wish me luck and I'll see you all, very soon.

Which one is your favourite? And how will you rock it?

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Photo Credit: Style.com