High Street vs Boutique Store

A few years ago we sadly lost Woolworths and soon many high-street favourites started collapsing with the on-going recession including the most recent and tragic one of them all HMV, who have announced they're calling in administrators. It's not only the heartbreak that comes with the disappearance of shops whom most probably have fond memories of, scarily bit by bit our high-street's future is starting to look more like a poundland and betting shop only zone – it’s tragic to say the least. But why is it that these huge branches are going bust?

First the high-street saw an extreme change as its local businesses like butchers and corner shops began to suffer through the build-up of big shopping centres and chain supermarkets. Yet somehow local business is booming whilst the big dogs are collapsing all over the country. But why is it that local business is doing so much better compared to chains that have been around for years?

Though super chains like HMV and Woolies probably conjure up a lot of memories for many generations, those generations including people born well before the naughties anyway, they're obviously not what they used to be anymore. It would feel wrong to say that it is completely down to the recession, especially in the case of HMV. These chains seem to be stuck in their ways whilst the world around them moves on, especially through technology. Yet smaller businesses are popping up all over the high-street, and though some don't quite manage to keep going for very long, for many their new company is a success.         

Small boutique fashion shops for example, take it upon themselves to make new and obscure brands available to people. Though for some people it may be easy to simply find these brands online, for the locals that don't tend travel much further than a few blocks, the local shops bring them everything they need from necessities to fashionable and in trend clothing.

Furthermore the majority of small businesses have that extra element of familiarity and customer loyalty which makes a shopping experience much more endearing than a trip to a chain store where the part time employee would rather be everywhere else than to be serving you at that moment in time. They seem to care about their customers and strive to meet your every need. This may be because smaller stores have to try much harder to keep their business going, but somehow it feels as though big businesses might not have it so easy anymore and could possible learn a thing or two. Maybe it’s once again the time for small, local shops to take over the high-street and though the constant loss of big, memorable chains is often quite sad, there are new memories to be made.

A perfect example of a sustainable smaller store is this beautiful little shop in Hungerford that sells summer wear all year round including some fabulous bikinis. Check it out - www.lielow.co.uk

Peter Pilotto

Although it was only last week when London was overwhelmed by the always much anticipated Fashion Week, the fashion world is still in awe. It seems almost cruel to make events as great as these a mere 5 days long, but the amount of shows crammed into such a short space of time is what makes the entire spectacle what it is- one of the best weeks in the year. As to be expected there are simply too many shows worthy of a mention when thinking of the highlights, Burberry didn’t fail to impress with doing what they do best- class, Simone Rocha’s nostalgic show was deferential as much as it was a stunning ingenious collection and Rhianna’s one hour delay may not have been in her attendees’ best interest but it would have been a nice conciliation that the limelight was returned to the much more deserving Thomas Tait that evening. As always London Fashion Week will have the critics and fashion devotees in discussion for days to come before Milan kicks it all off again.

However there was a brand that stood out momentously on the fourth morning of the event as it clashed with Sophia Webster’s eccentric and fantastical collection launch. Peter Pilotto’s and Christopher de Vos’ AW’13 Ready-to Wear collection was truly incredible. Peter Pilotto is a half-Italian, half-Austrian designer who partnered up with a former fellow student at the Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts, de Vos, and what a truly brilliant decision that was

The pair came up with a bold colourful Ready-to-Wear collection fuelled by Spanish influences particularly those of Spanish renaissance artists. By adding brush stroke-like embroidery to bright coloured bolero toreador-style jackets they achieved elegance as well as pure skilful creations, firmly establishing their status as two of the most exciting fashion talents London has seen this week. Whilst achieving designs that expressed originality above all else they touched upon current much appreciated trends such as pencil as well as peplum skirts with large slits and slashes through the centre and masculine structures to overcoats, sleeves  and mannish trousers yet keeping an air of elegance to each garment through intricate patterns and beautiful use of material

The entire collection was well structured, accomplished and had an element of continuity giving the entire show the recognition of an art piece much like the ones the pair primarily wanted to pay homage to.

You can find a range of Peter Pilotto styles at http://www.fluidity-f2.com

HIGH

Ever find that when you’re desperate for a new outfit it becomes near enough impossible to find exactly what you’re looking for? Covering the entire high street, raiding every one of your favourite shops and still failing to find something to your taste or in your size can be incredibly frustrating; shopping must never be frustrating.  No woman should ever experience going home empty handed when retail therapy was the original intention. Though we can immediately blame the stores for their poor stock maybe we’re limiting ourselves with only a handful of shops we’re actually willing to spend our money in. We’re all guilty of favouring only the high-street brands and rarely straying too far out of that comfort zone. You could put it down to loyalty but maybe we should try being a little braver.  

There are so many brands out there of a similar quality and style to your favourite high-street brand, though more obscure and thus slightly more difficult to discover finding unique brands can be incredibly rewarding. Predominantly your shopping options become instantly more diverse but you’ll also have a wardrobe of items that for once the entire female population doesn’t also own. You’ll be promptly regarded as one of those ahead-of-the-trends type and let’s face it which woman doesn’t strive for that position in her friendship circle?

HIGH is one of those brands. With ‘Design, Quality and Utility’ as their core brands values they’re a contemporary clothing brand that’s far from anything you’ll find on the high-street. Though this may ring alarm bells as it sounds like a brand that requires us to step out of that comfort zone, it would be well worth your while to do so. HIGH explores the core of contemporary clothing by merging formal and casual dressing together to create couture-like yet functional garments for everyday use.

Taking a closer look at their SS’13 collection they ingeniously touch on the current trend of masculine tailoring blended with feminine elegance. Jackets have tailored collars and waists though being finished off with puffed shoulders and feminine frills gives them the elegance of a couture brand whilst trousers are structured at first glance yet finished off with a lace trim so they are elegant as much as they are boyish. HIGH may not be to everyone’s taste, then again what brand is nowadays, but their collections have a huge range of beautiful garments that give the edge of couture clothing while also providing everyday essentials. Even for those happy with their selection of high-street brands there is no harm in checking a new brand out, you never know what you might discover.

To find out more about HIGH or browse some of their styles visit Fluidity-F2.com

Limited Availability

Mediterranean or Caribbean? All inclusive spa resort or a quiet private self-catered villa? When it comes to planning a holiday nowadays it can take weeks if not months to browse all the options available to us – we're literally spoilt for choice. Of course each has their own budget but we all take the time and effort to search every holiday-maker website, going from destinations in Europe to ones as far as Asia in order to ensure perfection. It has to be perfect, because it has to be the complete opposite to your home destination and unless you live in a beachside villa in the Bahamas it takes time to achieve that kind of perfection. Would all that blood, sweat and tears be worth it if we turn up on that white stretch of beach paralleling those turquoise waters in a high-street brand bikini? With a perfect holiday must come the perfect beachwear and just as much time should be spent finding those unique bits for the ultimate holiday wardrobe.

The only way one can achieve a truly unique wardrobe is discovering new and exclusive brands before anyone else does. So when you step foot on that beach you can feel just as chic as the resort itself. The amount of magnificent beachwear specialists that remain undiscovered in the UK is truly baffling and we're obliged to bring them into the spotlight.

There are many brands originating in Australia such as Andy and Molly who specialize in bohemian accessories perfect for those with an already hippie-style wardrobe in need of some refreshing, elegant touches and contrastingly Vix Clothing whose sassy designer swimwear range contains beautifully printed bikinis every girl absolutely must have at the top of their holiday list. The French also know a thing or two about swimwear with brands such as Pain De Sucre who pride themselves on their unique bikinis and one-pieces in 'daring and unexpected combinations' that complement the natural curves of women – what more could we possibly want?

Though after spending weeks collecting the finest pieces of beachwear for ourselves, its essential our partners get on board with the new image. However daunting this may seem, fear not since there is the ingenious concept of Love Brand. A men’s swimwear specialist whose 'state-of-the-art' trunks raise money for endangered Asian Elephants with 5% of the gross profit of Love Brand trunks going to an Elephant Family every year. Thus whilst you and your partner are looking fabulous on the beach you can feel good about it too – and this way it's probably easier to convince him to throw away those hideous trunks he bought in the Gap sale 3 years ago.

Now don't even consider returning to the high street to finalise your holiday wardrobe, head to your local boutique shops which will undoubtedly be stocked up on unique brands like these. Who knows maybe you'll even discover some of your own?

 Check out boutique fashion and beach wear store LieLow for all year round summer wear.

Piazza Sempione 20th Anniversary

Piazza Sempione could almost be described as the working woman's essential wardrobe. They're elegant yet structured blazers and trouser combinations are nothing less than easy-to-wear key pieces for women, who demand comfort as well as class. Their Spring/Summer 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection continued this mantra, giving the catwalk masculine pieces with feminine twists like paisley patterns and blazers with co-ord A-line skirts. Whilst masculine vs. feminine is what a lot of the SS '13 collections are all about, brands like Gucci and Dior producing stunning elegant suits and dresses yet in colours and patterns so bright and bold they fail to have that day-to-day wearability Piazza Sempione's collections never fail to offer.

So when a brand like this turns 20 there's a lot to celebrate and what better way to do it than to create a one-off anniversary collection with the help of a new designer. Piazza Sempione's head did exactly that and invited design duo Aquilano.Rimondi; made up of Italian designers Tommaso Aquilano and Robert Rimondi to create a stunning collection, so stunning he has asked them to stick around. The design duo took what was already a statement for Piazza Sempione, shirts and trousers, giving them a more romantic and creative touch by turning the shirt into a dress, or printing the most elegant floral patterns onto blouses and wide-legged trousers making them appear almost as a jumpsuit and classic tulip skirts. Although the duo maintained what Piazza Sempione is already known for, they gave each garment a twist without making the patterns and shapes of the collection so bold it lost its wearability. The effortless materials, wide-legged trousers matched with co-ord blouses and long pleated skirts (touching one of this season's most adored trends) portrayed nothing but comfort and appeared nowhere as near as technical as the garments truly were. Every garment looked fluid and chic as it made its way down the run-way and by no means too chic for the brand's ever-growing and current client base. No wonder they want Aquilano.Rimondi to stay for good.

And why wouldn't they? The pair in total produced three collections for the Milan Fashion week, including their own SS '13 collection and one for Fay the outerwear label by Tod's, and consequently left quite the impression. The anniversary presentation was such a triumph they couldn't possibly decline an offer to continue this success.

With every collection, Piazza Sempione has always stayed true to its original statement and through maintaining its appeal to the working woman and now with Aquilano and Rimondi on their team they're certain to be around till the next anniversary. If it's anything as ingenious as this collection it’s definitely going to be worth the wait.

Piazza Sempione has limited availability in the UK but is stocked at designer fashion store Fluidity-F2.com