Forever Fashion: Jean-Pierre Braganza at London Fashion Week

Just 8 days after the death of Lee McQueen, London Fashion Week is upon us. La Luminata were lucky enough to attend the opening night show of Jean-Pierre Braganza, who has designed dresses for the likes of Cheryl Cole.

Fashion designers, models and celebs were out in force to catch a glimpse of Jean-Pierre’s ‘Cylonatron’ collection inspired by geometric symmetry, the utilitarian lines of Bauhaus and the curves of a woman’s body. Keen to preview the looks for A/W 10-11 were the stunning supermodel Erin O’Connor and socialites Pixie Geldof and Jaime Winstone.

In a unique collaboration with Rives Paper Collection, Jean-Pierre has challenged the use of materials with his new collection by using FSC certified paper to create sculpted corsets and cuff styled bracelets accessorising his architectural pieces.  “I have always pushed the boundaries and explored ways of working with alternative materials, and the new Rives Collection presented an interesting challenge in sculpting fashion pieces from paper which complement elements of my new collection.”

The show opened with Jean-Pierre’s signature look; the futuristic black dress. A mix of contrasting materials and cut-outs create sharp linear silhouettes. Punches of rich burgundy then appeared in the form of strong power dresses with accentuated shoulders (a trend that seems to be here to stay) and oversized knitted cardigans. The rock chick look made a brief appearance before morphing into a series of psychedelic dresses inspired by science fiction. Molten metal and cybernetic organic patterns fused with a mix of greys, ink blues, purples and dashes of orange. Accessorised with the engineered paper corsets and cuffs, sculpted hair and killer heels.

Jean-Pierre’s bold use of colour, intelligent use of contrasting materials and immaculate attention to detail has resulted in an inspiring, strong and yet wearable collection. I admire Jean-Pierre’s ambition to push the boundaries of material while creating a collection that would flatter the figures of everyday women.

Let’s hope we see more of Jean-Pierre’s work in the future!

Carly Gordon

Photographs from Everynight Images and londonfashionweek.co.uk

Lifestyle & Home: True Taste Welsh Food Market

The True Taste Welsh Food Market returns for its second year next week with 24 award-winning producers, double the number of stalls compared to last years event. The market is an opportunity to sample and buy the best of Welsh food; from fresh fruit and vegetables, smoked meats, pâtés, artisan chesses, hot waffles and more…

Amongst this years stalls is the Knobbly Carrot Organic Food Company, selling hearty winter soups, tasty sauces, salads and sandwich fillings. (Pictured above)

The market is held in Golden Square, London, on Friday 26th of February between 11am and 7pm. An essential date for the diary of any food lover!

Carly Gordon

Updates: Dance Inspired Photoshoot

Check out the dance-inspired photoshoot that myself and Miss Aniela put together before Christmas 2009 with two gorgeous new up and coming models Yvette and Sam at the Hotel Pelirocco. I was lucky enough to scout Sam myself at her place of work, she has such a great mixture of classic and contemporary and Yvette is just so elegant and beautiful. I am also officially launching the La Luminata magazine in early March, so if you fancy coming along, drop us a line: info@laluminata.co.uk

Photographer: Miss Aniela. Styling: La Luminata. Make-Up: Ania Gastol. Hair: Kazuhiro Takabatake. Lighting assistance: Juliet Greig. Models: Yvette Asiedu and Sam Podmore. Shot in the Hotel Pelirocco, Brighton.

The clothing is a mixture of Vintage from my own collection, Vintage Mary Quant and Dancewear from Stretchwear.

Health & Beauty: A LUSH TREAT FOR YOUR LIPS

Cold weather can be tough on your skin and your soul, so anything that is exfoliating, and also a bit fun, is a very good thing. My lips are prone to getting chapped in the cold and the wind, so I was very happy to try out the new Sweet Lips and Bubblegum lip scrubs from Lush.

I found the Sweet Lips scrub delicious, the chocolate and vanilla flavours are moreish, and the feeling of the sugar on my lips was very satisfying. Afterwards my lips felt smooth and refreshed, and the after-taste is lovely and uplifting. I didn't get on quite so well with the Bubblegum flavour, but I still enjoyed the rough texture of the sugar and how smooth and soft my lips felt afterwards.

I like Lush's philosophy.  Their cosmetics and toiletries are made from fresh, organic, high quality ingredients. Lush are firmly against animal testing, and have an ethical and a sustainable approach to their business. They also manage to continually come up with funky, original ideas for products, which they sell for a reasonable price. Pampering and peace of mind – a winning combination!

Sophy Colbert

Health & Beauty: BNATURAL ORGANIC SKINCARE – NATURAL AND AFFORDABLE

Tesco's bnatural organic range of skincare has been given Soil Association accreditation, which means at least 95% of the ingredients are certified organic. I tried out some of the items from their range: organic eye cream, organic replenishing day cream, and organic soothing night cream.

The eye cream feels very light and is very faintly scented. It settles onto the skin nicely and is quickly absorbed. The day cream is also very light with a silky texture, and a gentle lavender scent. It contains pomegranate oil, and cocoa and shea butter, which make it very smooth to apply and leaves skin feeling soft. The night cream is more substantial, but not too heavy, and also has a mild scent of lavender, which is particularly pleasant at bedtime.

Tesco is synonymous with value for money, and the bnatural organic range is no exception, with many items under ten pounds - great value for organic skincare. I think this range would suit someone with fairly undemanding skincare needs. If you have sensitive or ageing skin, then it might not be for you. However, its great to see a big supermarket going in this direction, and making organic products a realistic and affordable choice.

Sophy Colbert

People & Planet: WWOOFing around the world

Whilst flicking through a Lonely Planet guide over summer I came across something that I'd never heard of before: WWOOFing.

This odd sounding acronym stands for ‘World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms’. This is a programme which spans every continent of the globe and celebrates not only Organic Farming but also preserving traditional farming and production methods. Fancy the opportunity to learn how to make cheese and cider whilst meeting new people and experiencing new culture?

Strangely, within an hour of reading this I met an actual ‘WWOOFer’, as they are humorously called, who had just been working on an organic rice farm in Northern Japan. She said the experience was absolutely amazing and would recommend it to everyone.

Ever eager to travel and do a little learning and good work along the way I’ve signed up. France will be my first stop!

Poppy Sakulku

Lifestyle & Home: Parna linen and textiles

This lovely website specialises in hand embroidered antique and reclaimed linen at affordable prices. Stocking everything from cushion covers to wall hangings, each item has been beautifully crafted and will add a lovely personal touch to your home.

The founder Kath Griffiths makes use of the traditional production methods from central and Eastern Europe, working closely with women who have practiced their craft for years. Using hemps and linens that have either been reclaimed or produced with age- old spinning and weaving techniques she creates unique pieces of great design and quality. Products are made to last and most items are machine washable for practicality, making them convenient for everyday use.

Already loved by Marie Claire and Easy Living, Parna also offers a bespoke service of individually embroidered cushions that can be personalised with names and motifs of your choice.

Sign up to their newsletter to receive 10 % off.

Poppy Sakulku