Hi everyone,
I apologise for only getting around to creating this blog post now but it took me a lot longer than anticipated to put everything together - the perfectionist in me wanted to make sure I had everything spot on before it went live. So, with that being said, this is hands down my favourite post to date - Milan and London Fashion Week!
I loved putting this together as I was able to re-live the memories over again. Snapchat and insta-stories are great but blog posts will always be my no.1 as you can document everything for as long as you want. I will detail everything from all the shows I was invited to, our air b&b, what I wore, where we partied and any other scandal we got up to!
London Fashion Week is something I always look forward to and last year was the first year I was invited as a blogger. I interned backstage with a few designers the year before and really enjoyed that side of things but my main goal was always to attend as a guest so with a little determination and hard work, you get there 😉
As it takes up a lot of time (and money) to attend the event, I always have to make the decision if what I am invited to will be worth it. One day as I was sitting writing a blog post, an e-mail came in from the Paul Costelloe team and it was an invite to his presentation at LFW. I sat and stared at the screen and couldn't believe what I was reading! To say I was over the moon would be an understatement as I had always wanted to attend for the past 2 years. The invite came in approx a week before it was due to take place and we already had everything set in place for Milan Fashion Week so I had to ask myself if I could physically and financially do both. I thought about it for I'd say, 30 seconds and decided that I wasn't going to let the opportunity slip. Sometimes you just have to say yes and figure out a solution later!
When I tell people about what I put myself through, they look at me and I know they are thinking "That girl is bonkers" 😅 It's better than being boring I say haha! So, I was presenting a fashion slot at a workshop on the Sunday evening and after that had to go straight home, sleep for a hour or two and then catch my bus at 1.45am for my 6.20am flight to London - the show was at 9.30am so I was definitely pushing it time wise but I had to keep telling myself it would be fine.
Long story short, I made it just on time and it was 100% worth all of the stress! The event was taking place in the Hilton in Convent Garden and the setting was just incredible - I could imagine a wedding there would be amazing. As I showed my invite and walked in, I had a major pinch me moment and genuinely couldn't believe I was there.
The place was filled with models, press, bloggers and of course Paul himself who was dancing with all his models and looked to be having a great time! I love Paul as a designer and think his pieces are very timeless, wearable and elegant. You can see some of my favourites pictured below including the style that I captured.
I wanted to opt for a colour block look and bought this top and trousers from the Savida collection at Dunnes Stores. After this, I had some time to spare before my last show so I did what I love most when I am in London - exploring. After the last show at Freemason's Hall, it was time to dash back to Dublin airport to catch my flight to Milan the following morning. I think it was approx 40 hours I was awake by the time I got back into Dublin again and even though it was only another 3 hours before I was up again, I cherished those 3 hours sleep like no tomorrow! Now you know why people look at me funny when I tell them that story haha 😅
If any of you were following me last year, you might remember that I was flying over and back to the London School of Styling to train as a Fashion Stylist. Through the school, we were given the opportunity to apply for accreditation to attend Chanel Joan Elkayam's red carpet show. To be invited to London is one thing and Milan is another level up from that again so I said I would give it my best shot and take it from there. Thankfully they approved after checking out my social pages and website so it looked like we were off to Milan too! Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, I also received an invite to 2 other designer shows so it's safe to say I was very excited about the trip!
We decided to make a little holiday out of it as Milan is a city I have always wanted to visit and it worked out well as the shows were all on the same day. A little tip when you arrive into the airport is to definitely get the bus into the city instead of a taxi - it worked out at only €5 each return! When we arrived, tired would be an understatement so we checked into our air b&b, picked up a few bits in the grocery store, had a nap and then started to get ready for our night out. We went to a late night bar called Loolapaloosa and it was brilliant! Definitely recommend if you like good music, a bar like atmosphere and reasonably priced drinks. I wore a skirt from Mc Elhinney's and a denim shirt from the men's section in Penney's. My tan was B-perfect cosmetics - one of my favourites.
Wednesday was spent being a total tourist! We didn't have a plan or set schedule and decided to just wander the city - one of my favourite things to do when I am somewhere I have not been before.
I wore a blazer from Mc Elhinneys and jeans/shirt from Penney's. I thought it would be a great idea to break in my shoes from River Island that day - well, the pain was something else! They were fine come the end of the day as we had done so much walking but my goodness, never again will I make that mistake!
The open bus tour is a great way to see the city and you can get your tickets in almost every tourist shop. Milan is such a beautiful city and so calm in comparison to London.
The buildings and architecture are simply stunning and everywhere we looked, there was something even more mesmerising than the last.
I lived in Madrid for a year and always said that it was the most stunning city I have been to - I'm afraid Milan has topped it! If you're looking for somewhere to head on a city break, definitely put it on your list!
Thursday was show day and it's safe to say I was SO excited! A little nervous all the same as I didn't know what to expect.
My suit was from Penney's and I had bought it at Christmas time knowing that I could wear it to the event.
As I am sure you have all noticed by this stage, I am suit obsessed and thought that if I could wear it anywhere with a guarantee that no one else would be wearing the same thing, it would be Milan!
My shirt was Ben De Lisi's collection for Principles at Debenhams. It was a pretty jam packed day and the 3 designer shows were Carlos Gil, Pedro Pedro and Chanel Joan Elkayam.
If there was ever a designer that I now LOVE, it is Carlos Gil! I will admit that when you attend Fashion Weeks, there are collections on the runway that make it very difficult to imagine how the every day woman would wear it. The minute his first model hit the catwalk I wanted every single piece. The combination of colour, patterns and fit of the garments was incredible and if you enjoy colour like myself, you will also be a fan of his work. I think my favourite would have to be the blue 2 piece suit - such a striking colour, really funky and something you would get lots of wear out of. I have included some images below.
In love with this coat!
IMAGE CREDITS - NOW FASHION
As this was the first show of the day, I did an instagram live so that I could sit back and take it all in. When you are snap chatting and trying to post on various platforms at the one time, it is very easy to get lost in what you are doing and not live in the moment as such.
Pedro Pedro is another designer that incorporated a lot of colour into his SS18 collections as you will see below. I felt there was a hint of a futuristic theme to his work and of course when there is contrasting shades, I am automatically drawn to it!
IMAGE CREDITS - VOGUE
After this show, we had a prosecco reception with nibbles and it was so nice to have a breather as the days are always so hectic and rushed.
I was very excited to be sitting front row for our final show. Chanel Joan Elkayam is definitely one to watch and I really enjoyed watching her collection. Chanel is currently a Womenswear BA student at Central Saint Martins.
Simplistic, elegant, feminine and structured would be how I describe her collection. I loved the fact she had models of all different heights, looks, skin colour and the catwalk music fitted in perfectly with the overall theme of her looks.
The 20 year old became the youngest fashion designer to showcase at Paris Fashion Week (at 18 years old), New York and London Fashion Week (at 19 years old) and so she has now completed her big 4 fashion weeks within the first 4 years of her career. What an achievement!
She has also been awarded the International Designer of the year award 2016 (NYFA), Young Designer of the year award UK 2015 and The John Carters award.
I had the honour of meeting Chanel after the show and she was so lovely. At only 20, she has achieved so much at such an early stage of her life . Having now shown her collections at London, Milan, New York and Paris Fashion Week, I'm looking forward to following her career in design and know that she is a superstar in the making.
It was an incredible day with memories that will last a lifetime.
As you can imagine, there was lots of style to see at the shows and what I love is seeing the individuality. Outfits you never would have thought on putting together and other pieces that are so creative. I definitely don't think I would get away with wearing some of them down Letterkenny street haha but the one thing every single person has in common is confidence in what they are wearing and from that, they look amazing as a result!
It was a quick dash back to our air b&b after the shows to get freshened up for our last night in Milan. We had a feeling it was going to be a good one and our senses were definitely correct! The nightclubs are open until 5am or thereabouts so if you are a party lover, then you will definitely enjoy that scene. We went to a club called Volt and it was INSANE! €20 entry and you also get a free drink with that too - their portions are very generous so it is worth it. I wore a blazer dress from New Look and heels from Penney's - thank you for all the love on this look 😊
Don't ask me how, but I managed to get us into the VIP DJ area with people that were in it from L.A. I've realised that I'm definitely a chancer haha so I simply asked if there was any chance we could get into the area - he said "Where are you from?" I said "Ireland" (obviously) and that sold the deal! Irish charm always works! 😋
I have to give props to Brianna for finding our air b&b as it was the most quirky, urban apartment in a perfect location.
It was only a 2 minute walk to everything we needed - the tram, supermarket, pharmacy, electrical store (for buying our adaptors that we forgot) and taxi's were able to stop right outside our door.
Although we did not meet our host Stefano, he was extremely helpful and efficient with any queries we had.
It was the perfect size for the few days we were there, in a very safe, quiet, beautiful area, we had a bathroom each, it was very cosy, clean and we really couldn't have asked for any better!
The attention to detail was incredible and I loved the mixture of modern and earthy elements.
It ended up feeling like home and I think that is always a good sign - if we were to go back, I would have no problem staying here again and I know that Brianna said the same.
If you want to check it out further, you can do so here - https://tinyurl.com/y9wa7zml
I was delighted to collaborate with DV8 for one of my outfits and I went with this checked suit - surprise surprise! I think you all know I love a 2 piece at this stage. I wore it for our last day and thought it would be uncomfortable for travelling but it was perfect! I will definitely get use out of them as separates and if any of you need a new suit for work wear, it would also be ideal.
All in all, it was an incredible trip and I would highly recommend Milan as a destination if you are planning a break away. I hope you enjoyed this blog and of course if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to get in touch.
Until next time,
Emma
x
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