Wonderland Magazine

Brand Buzz: Dom Pérignon x Stephen Webster

adam — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:13:49 +0000

Champagne meets British jewellery royalty – how’s that for luxury?

Collaborations are ten-a-penny in the fashion world – from high street brands to heritage labels, everyone knows the power of a good crossover. It’s two for the price of one! Enter the new collection from Dom Pérignon Rose and Stephen Webster, a luxury collaboration if we ever saw one.

The Dom Pérignon Rosé 2002 Vintage is called the Dark Jewel of Dom Pérignon due to its rich amber colouring, which glint with hints of amber and copper. Legendary British jeweller and Garrard creative director, Stephen Webster, was tapped to create a limited edition collection based on the deep, dark depths of the rosé. The result? A numbered collection of black sapphire encrusted cufflinks and pendants, given free with each purchase.

And for those of you still on a spring detox and keeping off the booze, you can purchase a long finger ring or drop earrings set with white and black diamonds as standalone pieces, minus the tipple. Although we struggle to see why. After all, its Dom Pérignon…

New Noise: Jagwar Ma

adam — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:30:29 +0000

Handpicked by the xx as tour buddies and hailed for their baggy, Madchester sound, Jagwar Ma are riding a fierce wave of critical buzz.

The boys of Jagwar Ma may have missed out on the 60s and the 90s (by their estimate, they were about ten when the latter decade happened – ah, youth) but that just means they’re taking the sounds of those eras and putting their own spin on it. Imagine Brian Wilson taking pills at Stone Roses gig and you’re somewhere near – and best of all, they don’t even come from California or Manchester. Nope, they’re from Australia. Life can still surprise you, eh? We speak to Gab and Jack ahead of the band’s XOYO show tonight.

So, how did you meet?

Gab: We used to play in different bands, Jonno and I are the founding members and we recorded most of the album, just the two of us but then we wanted a bass player for the live shows and that’s when we met Jack. And then Jonno has been a little bit sick so Gus has been standing in for him.

What’s happened?

Gab: He got some illness.

Why do you think this band has worked better than previous efforts?

Gab: I don’t know, I still wonder what’s going to happen in the future. The only reason that I can think of is that there are less members and it’s just easier.

Where you like Polyphonic Spree before?

Gab: Haha, I suppose we are getting more experience under our belts. We are still friends with the people we played with before.

Jack: We just swapped roles.

And how did you pick this name?

Gab: It started with Jonno, he put out a remix with Gus under the name Jaguar Paw (meow!), that worked for a bit and then we put out ‘Come Save Me’ on youtube and then we played around with the name. We liked the look of the w, it sounded a bit totemic.

How had you come to this sound?

Gus: A naked picture of me!

Gab: Haha, Bladerunner style cityscapes and Northen Soul, Phil Spector. We also took alot of inspiration from Australian bands like the Avalanches, Frontier Psychiatrist was such a rich tapestry – we were taking thing from the past.

Jack: We like to sample.

Gab: I really like the old Disney stuff but you’ll never get the licensing for that, also 8bit computer games. I remember reading an interview with the girl from Chairlift and she was saying that her inspiration was more from modern technology rather than the 80s.

Where did you record this album?

Gab: Some of it in Sydney and then we flew to France, a friend of ours has a farm and a make shift studio, it wasn’t much bigger than this room with a pretty similar level of equipment. Jonno bought two channels from a desk, a Neve counsel and we ran everything through that. We brought an 808, a laptop and a mic.

How long did the process take?

Gab: We sort of write as we produce, I play a lot, I do the physical, the playing of the piano, the vocals and some of the bass while Jonno will produce the beats. So he has two caps – one minute he’s the band and the next he’s producing the band. So we don’t have demos and masters, it has annihilated demoitis, which is good as often the demos are better than the final thing.

Jack: You capture what’s happening then and there, the energy. And if you don’t have the right producers, they take away all the warmth and it isn’t the same, you lose the primal instinct.

Career highlights?

Gab: Today we got a call from Adidas and they wanted to give us a bunch of shit. On top of that, Noel Gallagher was talking about us earlier, I was sort of kicking myself.

Jagwar Ma play XOYO tonight. Their debut album, Howlin’, is out now. jagwarma.tumblr.com

Words: Kim Wilson

London Collections: Burberry Menswear SS14

adam — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:06:23 +0000

Burberry makes its London comeback with Christopher Bailey’s new, relaxed take on English style.

Christopher Bailey returned to London in that most quintessentially English of settings: the garden party. Or at least, a garden party marquee in Kensington Gardens. The inspirations, too, were quintessentially English: the vivid, zingy colours by way of David Hockney and the clothes – a looser, boho take on British preppiness – courtesy of Alan Bennett.

David Gandy, Tinie Tempah, Douglas Booth and Hugh Dancy eyed up the offering from the front row – you can imagine that this collection is the kind of thing you’d see them wear, and wear, and wear. Bailey’s was a relaxed, slouchier approach than previous seasons – not so much the cosmopolitan trench-clad Londoner as the English schoolboy gone on a trip to the seaside, though obviously clad in luxurious cashmere, silk and linen.

There were weatherproof cagoules, sou’westers (peaked sailing hats) and soft leather swim bags and duffles slung casually across the models’ shoulders. Gingham, florals and two-toned boaters all provided requisite pops of colour, with the chunky, rectangular sunglasses adding an extra touch (in true Burberry 2.0 style, the latter was available to order from the Burberry website after the show). All in all, a graceful return to the London stage.

MORE LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN COVERAGE
Topman Design colelction review
Backstage at Astrid Andersen
Backstage at MAN: Bobby Abley, Alan Taylor and Craig Green
Backstage at Lee Roach
Backstage at Richard Nicoll
Lou Dalton collection review
Backstage at Agi & Sam
JW Anderson collection review
Backstage at Katie Eary
Backstage at Sibling
Fashion East showcase review: Kit Neale, Joseph Turvey, Liam Hodges, Marques’ Almeida and Tom Ryling
Backstage at Christopher Shannon

Words: Zing Tsjeng (Follow Zing on Twitter @misszing)
Images: Hatnim Lee

London Collections: Backstage at Christopher Shannon SS14

adam — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:25:07 +0000

Christopher Shannon explores his teenage clubbing memories of Liverpool, with surprising – and surprisingly pleasing – results.

Christopher Shannon went old school 90s fabulous with a club classics-inspired collection that we can’t wait to wear next spring. PVC rainbow plastic shorts, glitter hair and a palette of pink, acid green, yellow and orange were the mainstays, and the retro-inspired collaboration with Liberty saw floral boxers get tucked into shirts and matching shorts.

But the devil was certainly in the detail with this collection. After all, why rely on your outfit to do the talking when your hair can too? Models literally shone in sparkly shades of red, lilac, turquoise and blue hairspray, and each and every guest was gifted with their own DIY hair kit by Fudge on their seat.

On the whole, the outlook for the SS14 Christopher Shannon man is acid sportswear. Sorry, Christopher, we know the look is totally up north but we’re nicking this for London, too.

Words: Sophie Haslett (Follow Sophie on Twitter @SophieHasletXX)
Images: Hatnim Lee

London Collections: Fashion East SS14

adam — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:27:35 +0000

We gawp at the Fashion East talent assembled for spring/summer 2014, including Kit Neale, Joseph Turvey, Liam Hodges, Marques’ Almeida and Tom Ryling.

British fashion would be a far duller place without its fairy godmother, Lulu Kennedy. Under her tenure, Fashion East has grown into the undisputed place to spot emerging talent – and this year proved no different. In particular, Kit Neale (above) and Joseph Turvey build on their reputations following their AW13 presentations while RCA grad Liam Hodges (only three weeks fresh from graduation) makes a splashy debut.

KIT NEALE SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Neale’s planted his installations everywhere from garden allotments to greasy spoon cafes – but this season, he went for a more minimal approach: models perched on white blocks that spelled out ‘KIT NEALE’. Make no mistake about it, though, Neale’s still one of the most colourful young designers on the Fashion East roster (the collection’s called ‘Whammy!’ for a reason): his Peckham Riviera print, as seen on trousers and jackets, is a delightful take on children’s traffic rugs, while his more abstract patterns are no less lively and bamboozling. And let us know where the queue starts for that Perfectly Fried Chicken jumper, okay?

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JOSEPH TURVEY SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Turvey returns for his second Fashion East presentation, this time drawing inspiration from NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley and her family of speed fanatics (racing pioneer Tim Flock being one of them). The need for speed is writ large in big, scream-if-you-wanna-go-faster strips of block colour, but occasionally shows in the most charmingly unexpected details. Look out for Tim Flock’s pet monkey, Jocko Flocko, making an illustrated appearance on the side of a quilted gilet. With tailored joggers, quilted jackets and a subtle use of mesh cut-outs and floral print, it’s a sophisticated, soft take on Turvey’s signature sportswear.

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LIAM HODGES SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Morris dancers are perhaps the least cool of any British subculture ever, and recent RCA graduate Liam Hodges still manages to make them look sexy and dangerous. The models in his ‘Morris Nomads’ collection, shod in Nike slip-ons, looked like Amish boys gone wrong – all black, white and squat party chic. Featuring leather waistcoats distressed to resemble black denim and the now-ubiquitous basketball short, it’s a tough, masculine capsule collection that’s not afraid of graphic and bold silhouettes. When asked if he could imagine “boys” wearing this, one model replied, “Actually, we’re more like lads.” Sounds about right to us. We’ll be keeping an eye on Hodges.

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MARQUES’ ALMEIDA SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Boy, Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida have come a long way since NEWGEN. Yesterday, they debuted their first-ever men’s collection, created in collaboration with Opening Ceremony. Denim in the deepest blues and indigos was the order of the day, with raw hems and a loose, grunge-y silhouette. But the standout piece was unquestionably the hide biker jacket with contrast sleeves, which was ever-so-slightly iridescent under light: expect this one to fly off the OC shelves.

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TOM RYLING SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Next to Liam Hodges’ scruffy band of brothers, Tom Ryling’s models looked more like a boy band: all scrubbed faces, cheekbones and clean lines. Inspired by childhood holidays on the English seaside, Ryling provided an interesting, considered take on classic pieces: painted denim re-purposed from his adolescent archive, attractive jumpers in a burlap texture.

Words: Zing Tsjeng (Follow Zing on Twitter @misszing)
Images: Hatnim Lee

London Collections: Sibling SS14

adam — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:25:13 +0000

The models were all smiles at yesterday’s Sibling spring/summer show – and they had good reason to be, too.

It was hardly a surprise the models were smirking at the Sibling catwalk show this morning at Victoria House. We would too if we had the luxury of rocking Joe Bates, Cozette McCreery and Sid Bryan’s psychedelic sequins, graphic lines and leopard print. Fifties pin-ups and imagery from the civil rights movement adorned the all-American West Side Story-inspired collection, and rockabilly denim, baseball jackets and matching quiffs injected fun and character into the morning’s proceedings.

The collection worked around the idea of masculine youth, change and conflict, according to the trio of designers before the show. Their love of colour and intarsia stitching remained strong, and naturally there was plenty of big cat print for us to pore over. The collection for next season was bold, it was playful and it might not be for everyone (ahem, David Gandy), but we loved it and wished all models would smile a little more when they stalk the catwalks. The trio got some serious love from the crowd, too. And IRL that’s what matters.

Words: Sophie Haslett (Follow Sophie on Twitter @SophieHaslettXX)
Images: Mark Rabadan

London Collections: Katie Eary SS14

adam — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:53:11 +0000

Katie Eary’s ‘flamingo massacre’ collection was a highlight of the Monday LC:M shows. And we want a leopard print skateboard.

What’s the must have accessory for SS14? Katie Eary’s pink and black leopard print skateboards. To be worn with the young starlet’s crazy cool ‘flamingo massacre’ collection if you dare. Today’s offering from Eary was perhaps her best yet. Last season’s fuchsias and purples morphed into red and pink clashing hues, and male and female models sashayed down the catwalk in flamingo and leopard print, swimwear and highlighter-bright Nikes.

The show was certainly a favourite among the LC:M crowds. Reggie Yates, the ubiquitous David Gandy and Tinie Tempah looked dapper on the front row, while bloggers, photographers and journalists stood and craned their necks to get a glimpse (or a Vine) of the unisex spring/summer action.

The biggest cheer of the day, however, was reserved for Ms Eary herself, who dashed out and sprinted down the runway at the close of the show, all dip-dyed pink hair and fizzing energy. This is a woman at the height of her powers. She plays the menswear scene at their own game and nails it every time. Total girl crush.

Words: Sophie Haslett (Follow Sophie on Twitter @SophieHaslettXX)
Images: Hatnim Lee

Brand Buzz: Style Me If You Can Competition by Warehouse

adam — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:20:38 +0000

This week in Brand Buzz, Warehouse calls on all aspiring stylists with this new, interactive AW13 campaign competition.

For its AW13 campaign, British high street label Warehouse takes the Clueless “I don’t rely on mirrors” approach ( for the, like, so Nineties trends) with a new, interactive styling tool.

Dubbed “Style Me If You Can,” the Warehouse campaign allows the participants to choose the area and occasion they deem stylish, then style the model for that occasion. Each self-made stylist will then create a mood board of their creations that will be shared within the Warehouse website’s customised social media outlets.

Besides finding the perfect romper for alternative book-cum-coffee shop browsing in Daltson, the Warehouse Style Me If You Can campaign offers the chance for novice stylists to win an impressive prize. Chosen by the Warehouse team, the nine best outfits will be featured in both a film and print campaign, accredited to each stylist. Additionally, the stylists will win an “i-escape” trip for two to a chosen fashion capital: New York, Milan or Paris.

The competition ends this Friday, with the films of the winning stylists appearing in August. So what are you waiting for? Start styling!

The Warehouse Style Me If You Can Competition ends Friday June 21st.

Words: Elise Marraro (follow Elise on Twitter: PardonMe_Lissie)

London Collections: JW Anderson SS14

adam — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:14:54 +0000

Precise, meticulous and mainly monochrome. The buzzwords for this – and most – JW Anderson shows.

Bleary eyed and clad in sunglasses, we sensed just a few hangovers as we took our seats at the hotly-anticipated 9am JW Anderson show this morning. After last season’s gender-bending skorts it was always going to take something special to surprise and delight the crowds. But something special we were granted, by way of printed, lacy halterneck tops in red, yellow and blue: Anderson was ‘glorifying the awkward self,’ as he explained so perfectly in his show notes. We agree that’s all well and good, and actually sort of lovely, but I’m not too sure all awkward selves so readily sport crop tops…

The basis of the show was post-apocalyptic leather and cut-up knitwear, and what’s a JW show without a distressed knit or three? He experimented with varying dimensions and shapes for spring/summer, debuting each look with black wide-legged trousers. There were plenty of interesting details on the outfits, too. Oversized pockets, panelling and giant dots on the tops meant there was always plenty to look at besides black trousers. Another lesson from the beating heart of the new young London generation of menswear designers. Jonathan knows how to make us reach for our wallets.

MORE LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN COVERAGE
Topman Design collection review
Backstage at Astrid Andersen
Backstage at MAN: Bobby Abley, Alan Taylor and Craig Green
Backstage at Lee Roach
Backstage at Richard Nicoll
Lou Dalton collection review
Backstage at Agi & Sam

Words: Sophie Haslett (Follow Sophie on Twitter @SophieHaslettXX)

London Collections: Backstage at Agi & Sam SS14

adam — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:18:11 +0000

Agi & Sam returned to LC:M fresh off the back of the owl-themed collaboration with Topman, in a show that’s just as fabulously inventive.

MAN veterans Agi & Sam provided a master class in prints and colour blocking, in a show that got everyone chatting for all the right reasons (digital print! Colour! Pleating!) at the close of play at London Collections on Sunday. The pair riffed on the idea of an old man looking out of his window and marvelling at the way kids dress on the bus and train, and this manifested as a bus-bench print (in the heart of the ridiculous the sublime and all that).

Special mention has to go to the Morse code print suits. In the same way that last season was all about owl print, SS14 was pure Aztec, bold and bright brilliance for Agi & Sam. Sportswear, as seen earlier in the day, at, er, just about everywhere was also a definite influence, proving that the kids can do the big trends as well as the seasoned designers. An honorary shout out for the pair wearing the brand’s recent Topman collaboration and a pair of giant owl masks, too. Drawing influence from Craig Green’s cardboard sculptures, perhaps?

Words: Sophie Haslett (Follow Sophie on Twitter @SophieHaslettXX)
Images: Tom Gildon