Breakfast with Viv Scott-Mumby

I guess globally it make sense to hold New York Fashion week first, then cross the Atlantic, for London, Paris and Italy in that order. I’m sure that’s why it happens so all the models,fashion buyers and editors can co-ordinate their flights and time schedules.

But I always think of it as the big build up! American designers are never as adventurous as the European sector. Talented yes but no as innovative as the British or Italians. Marc Jacobs may be an exception, but he too spends a lot of his time these days in Europe.

Its not a criticism at all, Donna Karen and Vera Wang, consistently design beautiful clothes, which would make any women look good. I thought both of their runway shows were wonderful last week. Both used a color palette of warm earth tones and Vera Wang played heavily on crystalline necklines and necklaces.

Marc Jacobs stood out too, his silhouettes were perfect, but some of his miss mash of fabrics were a bit hard to digest, but there was lots of inspiration to keep the high street stores happy!

London comes next, always exciting and the unexpected. Looking forward to seeing what Christopher Kane, Luella, Emma Cook and Temperley, are going to come up with.

I think Victoria looks fantastic with her new pixie cut. It really sorts her face and totally brings it alive and makes her look very attractive. Even her eye makeup is perfection for that look.

I was wondering when she was going to change her hair. She had kept the ‘pob’ style just a bit too long, especially as everyone was copying it, even her close friends. But have no fear the pixie look is here! Read the rest of this entry »

This is music to my ears, being a Brit designer in America, I still long for London fashion. Most of my career I have designed for companies in London that supplied Top Shop and similar types of stores.

I’ve lived in the States for 4 years and really miss the fast pace of London high street stores. They can turn round within 6 weeks, catching on to the latest trends and getting them out really quickly whilst the look is still hot.  Top Shop does this so well, it has many suppliers that work with them to make it happen. They don’t work ridgedly to set production schedules, where it can take up to 4 months to produce a garment. Yes that does happen for none fashion garments, but not the latest trends. Read the rest of this entry »

Well the answer is yes! But not to you the consumer, you are still getting a great deal. Just think about it, you can still buy a t-shirt, a pair of jeans or a dress and none of them have really changed in price over the last 20 years!

So how can this be, with the cost of living rising all the time, the dollar being weak against the rest of the world? Is the Apparel business making any profit? Read the rest of this entry »