Trick or Treat! Halloween fashion inspiration

I think by now we all know how much I love Halloween; horror films, pumpkin carving, ridiculously over the top makeup... it's my kind of holiday. However, if your idea of fun doesn't include trawling eBay to put together a DIY costume, or purchasing half a gallon of fake blood, then here is a high-end Halloween fashion fix especially for you.

What happens when one of the most creative fashion photographers of all time joins forces with the king of the macabre? Magic, that's what. The beautiful dark kind of magic that is perfect for this time of year. I'm taking a look back at a 2009 collaboration for US Harper's Bazaar by two of my favourite people – Tim Walker and Tim Burton.

From Gucci, Gaultier and Givenchy, to custom Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen, and even a Rodarte-clad Edward Scissor Hands, the results were beautiful. This is Tim Burton's vision, wrapped in couture and brought to life by the incredible props that are synonymous with Tim Walker's work.

If you are in need of further inspiration, I have put together a selection of high-end Halloween accessories. Even if you aren't one for costumes, you can't tell me those Charlotte Olympia shoes wouldn't brighten up a day at the office! That being said, I am leaving my McQueen safely at home on Saturday night and have put together my costume for under £5. I'm afraid I have learned this lesson the hard way – mixing drinks can be trouble, but mixing alcohol with couture is much worse.


Clockwise from left:
• Spiderweb body by Victoria's Secret
• Harness skull ring £235 by Alexander McQueen
• Lace skull box clutch £1395 by Alexander McQueen
• Kitty flats £365 by Charlotte Olympia
• Victorian jewelled skull ring £265 by Alexander McQueen
• Claw-print zipped pouch £80 by Undercover

You can read more of my ramblings on Tim Walker and why his work is so special here.
All Tim Burton images via Harper's Bazaar © Tim Walker

Fashion favourites – August 2015

Summer doesn't have to mean florals and pastels and, conversely, tweed doesn't have to be reserved for winter. In fact with London's temperamental weather, clothes that work all year round are a pretty good option. So, with that in mind, here are some of the latest pieces to hit Net-A-Porter and set my heart racing...

• Printed cotton jersey top, £150 Balmain
• Plaid boucle-tweed mini skirt, £635 Miu Miu
• 18-karat gold diamond ring, £3,450 Shaun Leane
• Leather shoulder bag, £945 Alexander McQueen
• Leather belt, £290 Gucci
• Suede and mesh sandals, £585 Aquazzura
• Safety pin 10-karat gold earring, £120 each Iam by Ileana Makri

All items available from www.net-a-porter.com

Alexander McQueen: special edition scarves

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty broke the record for the most-ever advance sales for a V&A exhibition. It is bigger than its predecessor at Now York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and has been hailed as a must-see for lovers of fashion. I'm curious to go, now that the initial hype as died down, because although it is aesthetically impressive by all accounts, some questions have been raised about the lack of context that the curation provides. I'm reserving judgement until I have seen it for myself, however I'm fairly sure it will enchant me in the same way as the Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore exhibition at Somerset House.

In the meantime I wanted to share a couple of things that have been created as a direct result of this exhibition's magnitude. Firstly, Alexander McQueen's special edition scarves. The iconic McQueen scarf has been reinvented for this collection and each one displays an iconic piece of the designer's work. When laid flat the items are seen in all their original glory but worn as a scarf, the colours and patterns transform into something completely unique.

The Widows of Culloden scarf references McQueen's AW06 show inspired by his Scottish roots, and the It's Only a Game scarf references his SS05 show inspired by the 1975 film Picnic At Hanging Rock.

'Widows of Culloden' and 'It's Only A Game' scarves

From fashion to food, here's an entirely different way to celebrate some of McQueen's most iconic pieces. You might recall my trip to the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge to sample their fashion-inspired afternoon tea, where the exquisite desserts each reflect an item from the current season's catwalk. Well Prêt-à-Portea is celebrating Savage Beauty in its own delicious way – with a biscuit creation of the iconic armadillo heels and a stunning version of the butterfly hat created by Philip Treacy for the SS08 McQueen collection, made of chocolate mousse covered in sugar butterflies.

The Caramel Rooms at the Berkeley Hotel

And as if that wasn't enough McQueen for one day (is there such a thing?!), you can also purchase the book to accompany the exhibition. I think this will be my downfall, I really struggle to resist fashion coffee-table books....

www.the-berkeley.co.uk
www.alexandermcqueen.com
www.vam.ac.uk

Top 5 Halloween treats!

Inspired by the Charlotte Olympia Halloween collection that I featured last week, I thought I'd put together a Halloween themed Top 5 featuring her beautiful bat print shoes. If you aren't one for a ridiculous head-to-toe Halloween costume (don't knock it 'til you've tried it...), you can still get into the festive spirit with some fabulous spider web lashes by Paperself or this stunning orange take on the classic Alexander McQueen skull scarf.

MAC even have a Halloween makeup collection by legendary special effects artist Rick Baker, featuring items such as this acrylic paint that lasts for 12 hours. Perfect for so many Halloween looks!

1. Alexander McQueen skull print scarf, £165 www.net-a-porter.com
2. Paperself small spider lashes, £10 www.paperselfstore.com
3. Charlotte Olympia desiree bat-print suede pumps, £545 www.net-a-porter.com
4. Chanel Ombre Essentielle soft touch eyeshadow in Black Star, £23 www.boots.com
5. Mac Acrylic Paint in basic red, £16 www.maccosmetics.co.uk

Bride makeup look by Rick Baker for MAC