Ladies and Gentlemen, meet lovely Shoedesigner JoAnne Stoker and her amazing shoes.
In 2009 Joanne graduated from the prestigious Cordwainers College, London College of Fashion.
She debuted her MA collection at the Mall Gallery and Broadwick Street, after being shortlisted for many major design competitions including ITS International, Italy sponsored by YKK, First Into Fashion headed by Jimmy Choo and Melanie Rickey Editor of Grazia Magazine and Footwear Friends Design Award. With great success in these design competitions Joanne was then given the opportunity to start her own shoe label with mentoring from Jimmy Choo the Master himself.
The London based shoe designer then went on to showcase her designs at her glam pop-up shop in Cannaught Village W2, next to the Jimmy Choo Couture for six months, while preparing to launch her collection during London Fashion Week 2010.
The F/W 11/12 "Empire States" Collection
The collection is inspired by the angular elegance of classic Art Deco, pushing the boundries of avantgarde sculpture in footwear.
Influenced by complex Art Deco architecture, Joanne has uniquely handcrafted Plexiglas heels to replicate masterpieces from the New York skyline. Fascinated with the ornate interiors of such buildings, she has taken inspiration from the marble and precious stones used in graphic floor patterns, furnishings and stained glass windows to embellish the collection and to inlay the gravity-defying wedges with contrasting precious stones of malachite and amber.
Picture source: my own pictures
My favourites from her Summer 2011 Collection
Picture Source
Which are your favourite Joanne Stoker shoes?
French designer Nicole Farhi showed her autumn/winter 11/12 collection at the Royal Opera House in London, the most elegant & beautiful show location I`ve been to so far.
A white runway was set up, contrasting the black seats. The editors of Vogue Japan, India, Turkey, Harper`s Bazaar and the Daily Telegraph were seated in the four front rows.
Anna Wintour (who brought brought her bodyguard) also sat front row wearing a green Prada skirt with banana-print.
The collection is graphic and sharp, contrasting structured masculine shapes with voluminous silouettes.
Innovative techniques in fabrication are explored through laminated boiled wool, bonded herringbone, fused cable knitwear, structured gabardine and pressed melton.
Proportions are extreme and architectural; mannish trousers are cinced with high cummerbunds, structured A-line skirts stand away from the body, and wide kimono sleeves on a strictly tailored coat contrast with pencil-slim trousers.
For the evening, column dresses are crafted from chainmail yarns, layered over crinkle bias-cut lame. Billowing high-waist maxi pleated skirts in crimson and midnight, add drama to the eveningwear.
The colour palette is a study of controlled black, navy and oxblood, punctuated with reflective red, ecru and white as accent colours.
Calfskin sandals and lace-up peep-toe boots with needle-thin metallic heels, and hand-crafted metal jewellery, accessorise the collection.
Nicole Farhi`s collection has a refreshing clarity: transparent tenderness, pure white, strong black and dramatic red speak for themselves without prints. Masculine silhouettes paired with flowing femine shapes are realized in sophisticated materials. I really like this strong, elegant and puristic collection!
Very cool streetstyle outside the show
Nicole Farhi Model in her own clothes after the show
Picture source: My own pictures
How do you like the show and the collection?