Veronique Leroy Paris Fashion Week Fall 2014

I'm officially ready for winter again, I have already become bored of summer clothes and the promise of the 2014 fall trends is calling me. One of my favourite shows seen at PFW, perhaps because of all the ones I have seen it is the most my style, with high necks and big coats, was Veronique Leroy's collection. It fits my approach to winter perfectly, as I tend to favor big billowing boyfriend coats, turtlenecks and tailored trousers because of course you can never really go wrong with the 'drowning in layers' look. 

The classy, parisian style was exactly what was to be expected from designer Veronique Leroy as past collections have always avoided the 'girly' approach while maintaining a distinct feminine edge. Colour was introduced through tweeds and thick fabrics, while layers varied in opacity and texture, offering a variety of possibilities for winter dressing. 

There is a contrast between geometric patterns, metallic sculptural belts and floaty cuts that gives the collection more of an edge than the more conventional fall collections. Meanwhile bursts of coral combined with classic tweed and jacquard on jackets introduce further juxtapositions that make the clothes stand out from others at Paris Fashion Week.

Clothes for the colder months will always be better than summer, as there is more to wear and therefore more to shop for. I myself have a coat problem, last winter alone I bought 4 which apparently is not normal, so that may be why I look forward to bundling up. Either way it's clear there is a lot to look forward to later in the year.

Megan Rose.

Matisse Cut Outs - Day Trip to the Tate Modern

Well exams are finally over and I can begin posting again, apologies for the huge absence of any updates. I used my new freedom to go to the Matisse Cut Out Exhibition which I've been desperate to see since it first came out. So me and Mumma VP spent the day along the South Bank shopping and visiting the Tate Modern, of course working our way upwards from the bottom (a visit to the cafe is a necessity at any of the Tate museums) beginning by sharing a caesar salad and drinking fresh orange juice for much needed post-exam energy. 

The beautifully curated selection of Matisse collages flows steadily from room to room as the colourful compositions increase in scale but remain consistently intense. The walls are bursting with dancing figures, birds taking flight and blossoming flowers, so bold and overwhelming each room blows you away. The fact that these are crafted delicately from paper, scissors and pins adds to the extraordinary nature of the art, as does the reduced circumstances in which Matisse made them, as he was confined to a wheelchair by 1941 and thus unable to use an easel. Refusing to accept these limitations, Matisse began what has been considered his "second life" in collage, using blocks of colours to discover a new style of form and composition that developed and expanded over the last 13 years of his life. The increasing ambition of his art in this period is demonstrated as he works in the exhibition become more daring and of a larger scale. 

Sincere apologies for the appalling quality of my phone photos.

The delicate balance of colours is what makes these artworks so impressive while the juxtaposition of the shapes demonstrate how carefully judged and calculated these pieces are. This consideration of each piece of paper he placed within each composition is what allows the stars to shine out and the figures to burst from their frames despite their 2D format. 

The work I was looking forward to see the most was Matisse's Blue Nudes, collages I have loved since we had to make our own in year three (mine was a spectacular failure feautring what I can only assume are extra limbs) so seeing them in real life was the main reason I went to the exhibition. They really are incredible works of art, with carefully constructed forms. They were definitely the highlight for me.

Megan Rose.