Trends: Have a striking summer!

We've all most likely started to make the transition in our wardrobes to a little more suitable for Summer. The jumpers & knits are put away to make way for short sleeved tops and floral dresses! But what styles, colours and shapes dominated London Fashion Week for Spring 2015? We've put together an easy guide to being bang on trend this season:

Stripes: Either horizontal, vertical or completely mismatched, this year you couldn't turn your head without being met with stripy garments or accessories. From a nautical feel at Preen to a more sleek & sporty look at Topshop Unique. And even Jonathan Saunders added a subtle nod to the stripe combined with print and contrasting textures.

Flats: If you don't fancy walking around in towering heels this summer, you're in luck. Flats were a big hit with designers far and wide, showing us that they can be dressed up or down for every occasion. Gothic-inspired with fur trim, colour blocked sandals and laced up pumps - the shoe game is extra strong this season, you'll be spoilt for choice!

Vibrance: The happiest of summer wardobes are those with a pop of colour! London Fashion week favorite Matthew Williamson included busy tropical prints on both dresses and top and bottom combos, while Roksanda went for asymmetrical, abstract style blocked pinks and blues. And who can't love Burberry's passionate watercolour-inspired prints with a touche of tulle?

The best of British designers offer us all we could ever want for this Spring and Summer. There's surely no print, size, shape or length missing from the diverse and inspiring collections - so whatever you choose to take from it, you'll undoubtedly leave a mark!

What will you be wearing this season? 

London Fashion Week Round Up

As the fashion elite, brands and designers descended on London this week,  we pick out the best trends of London Fashion Week AW14 as it draws to a close. With bold colours, statement prints as well as interesting shapes and textures, autumn winter will definitely not be boring! 

An Ellie Ellie favourite was Anya Hindmarch, who wowed with her energetic and bold handbags and clutch bags, featuring your normal household items and everyday breakfast cereal. 

To find out more about London Fashion Week and Anya Hindmarch's collection visit the website! 

SS13 trends: Are you a minimalist or a maximalist?

Spring Summer '13 was divided right across the board in terms of cut and texture.

The minimalism movement of the last few years has very much been fronted by big names such as Jil Sander, APC and Celine.

This summer, Jil Sander's cocoon coat of Autumn Winter '12/13 instantly became a cult classic - the minimal approach makes it a bold statement, and painfully chic. This theme continued into the Jil Sanders SS collection - the burgundy, white and black pieces in a classic cut and simple texture a prime example of timeless style.

Above: Jil Sander AW12/13 cocoon coat

Above: Jil Sander SS13 runway collection - burgundy, white and black cotton

Celine in particular has always been known for minimalism - not just texture but also with colour palettes. This is offset by cut - usually big, bold and modern, but still very sleek. The Celine SS collection was no different, with smooth silk and supple leather, it was very much leading the way for the minimalist texture trend. The beautiful grab bags are undoubtedly going to be the next 'it' bag.

Above: Celine SS13 runway collection - silk and leather

Above: Celine SS13 simplistic leather grab bags

In the opposing team (for maximalist shapes and textures) was Chanel, Alexander McQueen and Givenchy.

Alexander McQueen took texture to the extreme. McQueen has always been a fan of shock tactics, and this collection displayed that.  Big texture was so prominent, it almost felt the whole collection was based around it. Huge 3D florals and ruffles engulfed the models, and harsh beekeeper-esque visors toughened up the cascades of chiffon.

Above: McQueen SS13 runway collection - 3D florals and beekeeper masks

Chanel's take on texture was more wearable - dainty beading, pearls, glitter and chiffon petals took the trend into super-girly territory. Delicate yet bold, Chanel's looks varied from tough and gothic, to sweet and pastels, making the collection a beautiful, eclectic mix of genres. However, the maximalist texture remained throughout, keeping a sense of fluidity with each new piece.

Above: Chanel SS13 runway collection - mesh, pearl polka dots, floral embellishment, glitter & chiffon petals

Article by Mary Platts

JAYNE PIERSON INSPIRED NAIL ART!

Hello everybody!


As we promised here is our JP inspired nail art. Jayne's Spring/Summer '13 collection was both modern and tribal, with blues, beiges and whites, so we've tried to incorporate that as much as possible!

The 'feature' nail (The black and white striped one) was based on the nail art used on the models showcasing the collection.

(Above JP's nail art)

 We used blue and gold to do the middle of the leopard print on the other nails, as we felt those colours complimented Jayne's clothes, which you can see here.

Above is the selection of nail varnishes we used (along with an Ellie Ellie Vintage Letter Tile Ring!)

The leopard print effect was done using a curby grip, pulled open so the rounded end can be used as a dotting tool. 

After applying the base colour, do random multi sized dots (with your blue, gold, or colour of choice) over the nail leaving plenty of space in between. 

You then use the other rounded end of your  hair grip to do black 'c' or full circle shapes around the dots. Don't worry if the 'c's or circles don't look perfect - a leopards spots are far from it!

After letting it dry, apply a top coat.. and voila! Leopard nails!

The stripes were achieved by using good old fashioned masking tape.

First, wait until your base coat is dry. Then cut thin strips from the masking tape, making sure they are long enough to go over the entire nail and onto your skin (you will need these excess 'tabs' to pull the tape when finished).

Place the masking tape strips onto the nail in the pattern you desire. Paint over the masking tape (we have used black, but any colour will work!), making sure the gaps between each strip are fully covered.

Once this layer of varnish is dry, pull the strips away slowly. Use a curby grip to fill any gaps, or remove any smudges (you can do this by dipping the rounded head of the curby grip in nail varnish remover and wiping over the smudge).

Paint over with a clear topcoat, and you're done!

Hope you liked are first nail art post - there will be more to come! 

Ellie Ellie sponsors Jayne Pierson at LFW!

This year at London Fashion Week, Ellie Ellie had the honour of sponsoring the talented Welsh designer Jayne Pierson.

 Pierson's 7th collection was showcased at an invite-only film for the Spring Summer '13 season. The collection, inspired by Huxley's iconic novel 'A Brave New World', was an eclectic mix of primal details presented within her futuristic designs. The strong silhouettes and varied textures made this collection one of the most striking at LFW, in our humble opinion..

 The Ellie Ellie team especially loved the futuristic nail art that accompanied the clothes - definitely a look we will be DIY-ing!

Ellie Ellie's Up-cycled Notebook and pencil was included in Jayne's gorgeous goodie bag, below. 

We are proud to be part of something so fab!

Ellie Ellie at London Fashion Week PREVIEW

A sneak peak of an upcoming blog post!