VINTAGE Festival, Southbank Centre

Vintage clothes and accessories have always excited me... it is something about their history and heritage, the distinctive beauty as just a visual object, but mostly it is the uniqueness of the item that lures me. There is normally only one, and so owning that singular piece makes you feel very special. I always used to wait till family holidays in the South of France to find and buy vintage treasures - the flea markets there were much richer in stock, and priced more reasonably that London rip offs. Recently though, all vintage is expensive, as the phenomenon for used and old items gains massive popularity and consequently the prices soar. Surely it doesn’t make sense to buy an old designer handbag for more than a brand new one costs?

Bearing in mind this popularity for all things retro it is surprising that a vintage festival had not been done long before 2011. Most music festivals have the odd stall bargaining off a few out of shape cotton dresses... but never has vintage been the focus, until now thanks to Southbank Centre’s VINTAGE Festival - the exciting vision of Wayne Hemingway and his wife Geraldine.

The event took place over three days and showcased an eccentric variety of fashion, music, performances and activities. There was particular care taken to ensure every important fashion era was represented. Located in the Royal Festival Hall and flooding onto the Southbank this event was quite a visual spectacle. Typically just as an indoors festival arrives the English weather brightens up.

I particularly loved the Vintage Marketplace, an area of the event that was open to the non-ticket holding public. Rows and rows of stalls glittered with clothes, jewellery, sunglasses, shoes, hand bags, even furniture, all either vintage or reworked retro inspired. It was a heavenly playground for me to look round, I happily could have stayed here all evening. Once I had a few (too many) purchases in my hands my friends dragged me away to see the other attractions. In case you were wondering I bought: a bright pink pair of plastic TART sunglasses, (dead stock so beautifully made and perfectly in tact), a 60’s union jack print shift dress (so I could pretend to be a Spice Girl at home), a wonderfully wacky Versace mini yellow waistcoat, and finally, a not-so-practical neon pink 60’s hat, a bit worn but so unique and pretty I couldn’t resist it!

Inside was a sight to behold, vintage queens were out displaying their wildest outfits, with mad and massive hairstyles and striking accessories adorning their bodies. Each of the many floors was crammed with appropriately decorated stalls and activity areas where guests could take part in the party. Make-up and hair stylists were transforming 21st Century girls into vintage goddesses in the vintage makeover section, I was tempted to have a go, but the queue was neverending.

The musical REVUE was taking place in the main auditorium, each night a different genre of vintage music was being played. I went on Friday, which was allocated to Electric Phuture, an interesting performance, though not my favourite kind of music. Saturday was dedicated to Soul, and Sunday named as a Hit Parade – celebrating British hits from the past seven decades.

It was wonderful to see such a diverse range of guests at VINTAGE, all so passionate about the theme: the older folk enjoying the dancing lessons and kitsch tea rooms, while teens could dress up and dance away beneath the disco ball upstairs. This festival was more imaginative and nostalgic than I ever thought it could be... You did have to be a dedicated vintage lover to attend though, as ticket prices don’t come cheap costing £60 per day.

Brighton Fashion Graduates Show 2011

It’s one thing knowing what you ‘want to be when you grow up’ at the age of five, but eighteen, not so easy. Schooling finishes in a flurry, and suddenly it is time to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life... time to get on the never ending career ladder... the whole thing is terrifying, and of my school friends only two were really ready to embark on adult life and get started on their careers. One of these ambitious friends is Elena Crehan, a creative creature with fiery orange hair and a vitality for life that never ceases to astound me. Having just finished her fashion degree at Brighton, I was invited along to the graduate show to see the final collections and creations.

The show took place in a kooky venue in Angel, called Candid Arts. My friend and I instantly felt painfully out of place, surrounded by hip fashion students wearing outfits that in some cases barely resembled clothes, but instead a drape of material arranged effectively around their body. Our El was barely to be seen, darting all over the place organising the hoards of guests, models and press people. On entering we were greeted with a tall glass of Pimms, and then took our places in the buzzing press area, neighbours of the frantic photographers. Our position meant we were on the receiving end of the model’s piercing stares and glaring poses.

After a brief welcome and introduction the music pumped and the models began striding confidently towards us. Eighteen students were exhibiting, each with about six different looks – so about 108 entrances in 108 unique outfits. Each student’s collection seemed to have a theme, a certain thought that united each of the garments into a team. Along with the clothes many of the models were adorned with fabulous stick on eyebrows and eyelashes, accentuating an androgynous or quirky look.

I was instantly amazed by the sheer quantity each designer had produced, and the incredible attention to detail - obviously each garment had taken a painstaking amount of time to construct. For me, as a keen fashionista, but by no means an expert, I was fascinated and impressed with everyone’s work. Not one collection disappointed. There were a few pieces that I particularly liked, either for the reason that the clothing was so beautiful, an artwork in itself, or because I thought to myself ‘I would really like to wear that.’

First up was Sophia Messina who presented an interesting men’s collection. Experimenting with materials each model came out with unusual straw platform shoes. Rachel Brooks utilised the girl’s slim line figures with slinky long trousers and a fabulously droopy hat, that I would love to borrow for holidays in the sun. I adored Lucy Fisher’s passionately red series, tent-like sporty hooded jackets paired with bright white chunky trainers. Adele Ahrens showed off a very wearable collection of bright floaty tops and a stunning full length gown. John Holt’s gold jumper caused quite a stir, a fluffy sparkling top that he modelled himself on the catwalk!

Eventually it was time for El’s showcase, an arresting collection of texture crazed garments, cleverly named ‘Do You Think Shesaurus?!’ In describing her spring/summer capsule collection El said: “The hand worked Stegasaur pleating technique has been used obsessively throughout to create a geometric silhouette while remaining true to original research in Mexican dolls, corn dolly’s and the proportions of children’s wear as well remaining fresh and above all things fun!”

I particularly loved the potato printed legwear - black Miro-esque shapes mark the white material to create an intricate and funky pattern. All of it was breathtaking and could easily be mistaken for the work of a fully established designer.

I was sad when it was all over, the swarm of models and designers all clapping their way round the catwalk circuit, displaying for one last time the magical designs that had fully occupied these talented graduates for so long. I left knowing there were certainly a few names to watch from the Brighton class of 2011.