News
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND! June 14 2013
VISIT
THE WHITEPEPPER favourite StolenSpace gallery on Brick Lane is relocating to a new location, with the work of world-renowned street artist D*Face (a.k.a Dean Stockton) the last exhibition in the current space. Get down there quick to see a unique display of his phenomenal work over the last 7 years.DRINK
EAT
SHOP
DENIM: THE UPDATE June 11 2013
OUR LOVE OF DENIM
Lorna Armstrong declared in this week's Telegraph magazine that "Denim is everywhere," with denim being worn by every fashion-conscious woman she had recently interviewed, not to mention a new day-to-day appearance in the office (shock horror!). But it's true. Denim was cool long-before Kate Moss in that Calvin Klein ad; a sartorial necessity way back in the days of double-denimed James Dean and immortalised as the epitome of chic when Marilyn Monroe wore the classic white shirt and blue denim jean combo.
Our love affair with denim has continued through the years, with poster girls Alexa Chung and Kate Moss championing new and exciting ways to wear denim through the 90's, and from catwalk to high street denim is continuing to play a vital role. With Vogue UK's 'Denim Special' this April, and Selfridge's announcing the opening of "The Denim Studio" last week, the largest denim department in the world (11,000 pairs of jeans!), it's clear that denim is going nowhere fast.
THE NEW DENIM
Varsity-shape jackets have crept onto the catwalk and street-style scene over the past couple of seasons, with the bomber jacket fast replacing the classic denim jacket shape. Our bomber is a cool oversized fit, and the perfect addition to Summer evenings.
Shop our denim collection: denim² and see the lookbook only at thewhitepepper.com
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND June 07 2013
VISIT
To coincide with the new Jessica Chastain horror movie, ‘Mama’, Camden’s Holiday Inn will be transforming one of their rooms into a frightful scene taken straight from the film. ‘Think impromptu blackouts, mysterious phone calls and shock-infused appearances making the whole thing pretty disturbing and perfect for horror fans.’ Register for your stay here
EAT
All of us at THE WHITEPEPPER have such a sweet tooth, (cue chocolate) so we’re branching out this weekend and to try Greedy Goat ice cream! Made using goast's milk, it's said to be a healthier but delicious option. Visit them this weekend at Hoxton Hotel, info here
DRINK
Hoorah! Another local on Broadway Market for us to sink some after work drinks is Stories. Owned by the same group who run the Book Club and Queen of Hoxton, it’s guaranteed to serve us well. We have good word they serve cocktails on tap and plenty of craft beers from around the area. http://www.storiesonbroadway.com/
SHOP
One of our all time favourite vintage stores around London; we’re heading to Beyond Retro Dalston to stock up on summer wardrobe favourites. AND next Thursday they’re playing host to Biba’s own Barbara Hulanicki who will be book signing! Read all about it right here
THE WHITEPEPPER SUMMER 13 May 20 2013
Our Summer 13 collection has landed! Here's a little insight into the inspiration behind the brand new collection, plus the team tell us about their fave pieces!
INSPIRATION
THE COLLECTION
Summer 13 is the largest collection from THE WHITEPEPPER to date: a 37-piece line of cool dresses, cute twin-sets and pretty separates! This season sees the introduction of several brand new styles, based around the classic WHITEPEPPER oversized silhouette Our sailor dress (available in two lengths) is the perfect go-to piece for Summer, whilst the drop waist shift dress is perfect for sunny days, and evenings are covered by our new sheer shift dress, available in two colours!
Encouraged by popular demand, we also updated the classic WHITEPEPPER Angel dress for Summer; making it sleeveless and perfect for the beach, whilst also including the dress in it's original "Angel" form, this time in clean cotton, in monochrome and denim shades which are perfect for year-long styling!
THE WHITEPEPPER FAVOURITE'S!
Yeon, Creative Director
Maria, Graphic Design Intern
Koey, Design Assistant
Lauren, Customer Relations Assistant
Katy, PR & Marketing Manager
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND May 17 2013
Our Summer collection is live! Looking for some East London hotspots to show off your new purchases Look no further: THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND is here!VISIT
EAT
DRINK
SHOP
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND May 10 2013
Happy Friday Everyone! Apparently the weather is set to be awful in London this weekend, but we are determined to not let that spoil our plans! See what we've got planned with THE WHITEPEPPER weekend!
VISIT
EAT
DRINK
SHOP
If you're bored of the usual East London 'fast fashion' vintage stores and markets, step back in time this Sunday with something a little different. The Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair are celebrating their 4th anniversary this Sunday with an all day fashion fair in The Old Finsbury Town Hall, including live acts, on site alterations and even retro style manicures! The standard and quality of items at Clerkenwell is always extremely high, and whilst this is often matched by high prices, it's a fantastic place to source inspiration, or just wander around enjoying the scenery! Find out more here.
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND May 03 2013
WOW, we had a busy busy week here at THE WHITEPEPPER! We're very much looking forward to this long bank holiday weekend, here's a couple of ideas of where we're thinking of visiting, eating, drinking and shopping!VISIT
Spoiled for choice with Sunday markets in East London, THE WHITEPEPPER often strolls from market-to-market finishing with Goldsmith Row. Quite small in size, it’s a market that some locals still aren’t even aware of. Only selling books, the market offers both new and second hand titles with a heavy focus on art and design subjects. Known for selling rare and hard to find books, we are often there for too long trying to flip through them all. Stroll past and take a look!
EAT
SHOP
THE WHITEPEPPER can’t get enough of vintage, and luckily East London is thriving with little pockets of second-hand goodies. It can be hard to filter out the good from the bad, but Blitz definitely falls into the first category. Situated just off Brick Lane, it’s easy to miss on a busy Sunday with the market running but we prefer it because it means less competition for us! Everything is appropriately categorized and easy to find. Keep an eye out for the section devoted to Levi’s jeans, which is one of THE WHITEPEPPER’S favourites. Boyfriends or tired friends tagging along? Send them to the Blitz café where they can rejuvenate with a coffee and peruse through their impressive reading material available for purchase. Spanning over two floors, we never leave our vintage weakness unfulfilled. For more inspiration, visit the Blitz Blitz website!
DRINK
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND April 26 2013
VISIT & SHOP!
The event we’ve all been waiting for is here! THE WHITEPEPPER are opening our doors for you all to try on, style up and buy from our studio. From 1-5pm on Saturday, you’ll be able to visit us at the studio and shop for all your favourite styles from THE WHITEPEPPER. We don’t have to remind you that you get 10% off your purchase, in-studio treats, and the obvious advantage of taking your goodies home straight away! Our studio has never looked better, and we think you’re going to love our new set up. And when it concerns THE WHITEPEPPER, there are always sweet treats involved. So come and say hello! We’ll see you all tomorrow.
Find out more about the event on THE WHITEPEPPER facebook page!
DRINK
Platform café has become our little safe haven within the Netil House studios. During the day we pop upstairs for a coffee or a fresh smoothie, but after studio hours we often head up to Platform for a well deserved drink of the stronger variety. An open warehouse space with spanning windows, you get to take in a panoramic view of East London (a view that THE WHITEPEPPER sometimes take for granted). Decked out in vintage furniture with fresh flowers dotted around, its little touches like these that make the Platform café so inviting to us on a Friday night. It feels like we’re drinking in a friend’s living room! Platform is one of East London’s best kept secrets, but because we’re so excited about THE WHITEPEPPER open doors this Saturday, we want you to take in everything Netil House has to offer. Open until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights, head over after visiting us. See you there!
EAT
Some might say London is over-saturated with pizzerias and Italian restaurants, but THE WHITEPEPPER finds that hard to agree with when it’s so delicious! The team here look no further than Bella Vita on Broadway Market and luckily for us it’s just around the corner, so we plan on heading down there after our open doors event! If you want genuine Italian food (and lots of it), Bella Vita is your place. Not surprisingly their speciality lies in pizza and pasta, but the choices are endless and there is always something for all of us. It’s safe to say you won’t be disappointed with any of their pizzas, but if you’re feeling indecisive THE WHITEPEPPER recommends the ‘Cosa Nostra’, which is a mix of Mozzarella, tomato, salami & anchovies. If its pasta you’re craving, go for the ‘Tagliatella Anna’, a fresh mix of courgettes, aubergines, cherry tomato, garlic and white wine. We won’t confuse you with the mention of their tasty antipasti and salads, you’ll just have to go and try for yourself! Salivate over their full menu here!
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND April 19 2013
VISIT
Located on Stoke Newington High Street, Abney Park Cemetery can be hard to miss if you're not familiar with the area. With another sunny weekend forecast, here at THE WHITEPEPPER we're planning to take advantage and wander through the cemetery for a budget-friendly day. Deceivingly large, we can stroll through it for hours and on a sunny day you’ll see lots of people with the same idea. Unlike most cemeteries, Abney Park doesn’t have the eeriness to it largely due to the lush green overgrown trees and the constant passersbys. We here at THE WHITEPEPPER prefer to think of it as a nice walk in the park. And it is! Directions and more listed on the official website.
EAT
The team here at THE WHITEPEPPER agree that there is no better way to start the weekend than with a good, hearty breakfast. This week, we’re heading over to the Counter Café in Hackney Wick to enjoy the most important meal of the day. It wouldn’t be our kind of café if there wasn’t a BIG breakfast option (Vegetarian also available) but if you want to start the weekend on a lighter note, go for the poached eggs on crispy potato cakes with salmon. You won’t regret it! Smack bang in the middle of an industrial area, the Counter Café can be tricky to find but it is well worth it when you do! Located in the Stour Space Art Gallery split over two floors, its floor-to-ceiling windows allow for a beautiful view overlooking the River Lea and the Olympic Stadium. If luck is on our side and it’s a sunny Spring day, we’re going to eat our breakfast on the balcony to take in as much of East London as we can. Take a closer look at the Counter Café here!
SHOP
DRINK
As we wind up the day, THE WHITEPEPPER will probably head back to Hackney Wick to enjoy a well earned drink at the Crate Brewery. If you’re a beer nerd like some of us at THE WHITEPEPPER are, this craft brewery is the place for you. The converted industrial interior is unique to the brewery, and it’s hard not to marvel at the beautifully decorated wide open space - we even shot a Summer collection outside here before! Beers are brewed on site, (we highly recommend their Golden Ale which is a favourite stocked in good pubs around East London), and there's amazing stone-baked pizza too. For the second time over the weekend, we get to take in the views of the canal, as Crate Brewery’s outdoor area overlooks the River Lea, and if we get our way we’ll be drinking our beers in the sun!. Find out what Crate Brewery is all about here.
AUSTRALIAN FASHION WEEK! April 18 2013
You may not have realised it was Australian fashion week earlier this month. Compared to London, New York, Paris and Milan, Sydney's fashion week may seem small in comparison, but here at THE WHITEPEPPER it's definitely something to look forward to. We love Australian fashion week for the exact reason it has in the past received press criticism; the mix of emerging young designers with more established names. Here's our round-up of what we loved!
ROMANCE WAS BORN
At THE WHITEPEPPER we've long been fans of now almost cult Australian brand Romance Was Born, especially loving their Marvel Comics supported SS12 collection "Berserkergang." This season designers Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales transformed the catwalk into a fantasy woodland world, with a colour pallete of sherbert pink, orange and yellow, played out in psychedelic graphic prints and innovative silhouettes. THE WHITEPEPPER loved the rainbow wigs and antennas!
KYM ELLORY
VANISHING ELEPHANT: GET THE LOOK
THE WHITEPEPPER Polka Dot Bag £38.00
MANNING CARTELL: GET THE LOOK
The designers behind Manning Cartell (three sisters!), described the aesthetic behind their SS13-14 runway collection as 'modern romance, tough but still beautiful.' Formed in Sydney back in 2005, the brand has always played on masculine and feminine tailoring since first showing at Australian fashion week 5 years ago.
Here at THE WHITEPEPPER we loved the use of head-to-toe white, and our absolute favourite piece was the structured crop jacket. Get the look with our Cropped Pocket jacket in white lightweight denim!
THE WHITEPEPPER Cropped Pocket Jacket £55.00
Shop everything you need for Autumn in Australia now at www.thewhitepepper.com
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND April 12 2013
Little round up of what we've got planned for the weekend here at THE WHITEPEPPER!
VISIT
As the weather slowly warms up, the team here at THE WHITEPEPPER are determined to make the most of the sunshine. With a top of 15 degrees this Saturday, we’re going to head over to the Stoke Newington carboot sale in Dalston, on Princess May road. We've found some unbelievable bargains there in the past, which makes us think actually perhaps we should have kept this one on the quiet... Oh well! The carboot sale opens Saturday and Sunday in the grounds of the Princess May Primary School - get there when it opens at 9am to grab the best stuff (warning: the entrance fee is £3), or amble down there a little later and pay just 50p.
EAT
JUST down the road from the Stoke Newington carboot sale, the sister venue of Dalston Superstore, Voodoo Ray’s is Dalston’s newest hangout. Primarily a late night restaurant and bar, Voodoo Ray’s is now open from midday on Saturdays! Specializing in pizza by the slice (bigger than your head), a couple of THE WHITEPEPPER favourites are the Giorgio Moroder (a mix of sunblush tomatoes, courgette and goats cheese) and the Meat is On (pancetta, ham, minced steak, pepperoni and mozzarella). For those who are vegan, you also have a delicious slice on offer made with red cabbage, beetroot, radish and pumpkin seeds. Once we’ve filled up on a slice, we’re going to try their infamous frozen margaritas. What we love most about Voodoo Ray’s is that we can return at 2am after a night of dancing, and have another slice!
SHOP
After successfully filling up on pizza, we’ll wander down to Shoreditch High Street for some afternoon spending. A particular favourite shop of ours is Maiden, offering a variety of homewares and gifts. Unlike any other knick-knack store you will come across, Maiden’s products are of modern design but often have an underlying humorous touch. Ranging from books to aprons, you won’t be able to leave the store empty-handed. They even stock our favourite office bunny lamp! If buying a gift is on your agenda this weekend, look no further than here. For a look at their products, check out the website!
DRINK
Ruby’s is a hidden gem in the midst of Kingsland Road. If you’re not after a heavy night of clubbing but still want to go out and enjoy yourself, head over to Ruby’s Cocktail Bar. The bar has seven set classic cocktails, and seven seasonal ones. We’re particularly looking forward to trying the Blackberry Mojito, which comes served in adorable 1940s milk bottles. If you don’t want to start with a cocktail, go for the Brooklyn Lager which will sit nicely with a belly full of NYC-style pizza. Adorned with vintage furnishings, the atmosphere in Ruby’s alone is enough to unwind and enjoy the surroundings. Find out more at here!
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND April 04 2013
Sometimes four day weeks can really drag, especially when it's freezing cold and snowing. In APRIL!? Here at THE WHITEPEPPER we're determined to not let the grim weather spoil our weekend plans, so here's what we're planning to do! (Note: All activities involve staying indoors!)
VISIT
EAT
SHOP
DRINK
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND: CITY BREAK EDITION! March 28 2013
So Easter weekend is almost here, and with this glorious 4 day weekend we know some of you might be popping off for weekends away from chilly London! Here's a guide to where we love to eat, drink, visit and shop in some of THE WHITEPEPPER's favourite cities!
NEW YORK
PARIS
BERLIN
AMSTERDAM
CITY BREAK STYLING!
ALL ABOUT ANDROGYNY March 27 2013
BOYS VS GIRLS?
It's nothing new to say that gender boundaries in fashion are blurring. But recently the 'Tomboy Trend' is going a little further - what's changed?
This year is proving a great year for mens fashion. Research suggests menswear is growing at a rate of 14%, compared to only 8% for womenswear, as echoed by high street chains such as Topshop, who recently launched their Premium Suiting collection, further expanding the Topman brand. The world seems to have sat up and taken notice of menswear, with fresh talks of New York hosting a menswear fashion week from 2014, alongside those of Milan, New York and London. Even months after the success of this years Menswear: Collections in London, you need only glance at this weeks 'Menswear specials' in the Sunday Times Style or Evening Standard Duluxe magazines to see that fashion for the boys is still a hot topic.
And menswear is creeping more and more into women's fashion; this time not only on the runways. Emerging brands such as WildFang, "The home of Tomboy Fashion + Culture" work around a unisex aesthetic, claiming that androgyny and tomboy are much more than styles, they're attitudes. Certainly the rise of androgyny and tomboy trends is evident in recent advertising (think Lara Stone for Calvin Klein) and editorial content, alongside the wealth of Tumblr blogs and Pinterest inspiration boards all about androgyny. Trendhunter's "100 Tomboy Fashion Finds" praises new trends for 'layered tomboy lookbooks' and chic masculine photo shoots, and recently gender boundaries have been pushed even further in the land of modelling, with models such as Andrej Pejic modelling both men and womenswear, Still not convinced things are changing? Then look to Casey Legler, the woman signed exclusively as a male model.
Press/Advertising playing on the masculinity trend from Wildfang, Calvin Klein, Toshop, Tomboy and "Male" model Casey Legler.
WORKING THE MASCULINE TREND
Get the look with THE WHITEPEPPER:
UNISEX: THE WHITEPEPPER WAY
Vintage Brown Leather Jacket £150.00 (Note! Slightly different jackets, same styling idea!)
Shop everything you need for the androgynous trend NOW at www.thewhitepepper.com
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND March 21 2013
Welcome to week three in THE WHITEPEPPER weekends series! Here at THE WHITEPEPPER we've been busy with website improvements (check out our new 'Stylist Picks' section and easy to use sort functions!), and getting our all important Summer collection ready. We have, as always, made some fun plans for our weekend off. Here are our top 4 things to do around London this weekend!
VISIT
The ‘Lichtenstein: A Retrospective’ exhibition at the Tate Modern is a must. The exhibition includes 125 pieces from the great pop-artist such ‘Whaam!’ and ‘Drowning girl’ as well as pieces from private collections and unknown works that reference the artists' great influences, Matisse and Picasso. As part of the exhibition the Tate is also showing "Three Landscapes," a series of 3 films by Roy Lichtenstein, that we definitely recommend seeing! Book tickets here now!
EAT
This Sunday THE WHITEPEPPER were thinking of heading to The Florist Arms for a pizza and pint. Tucked away off Globe road near to Bethnal Green, The Florist Arms has a friendly and homely atmosphere, serving authentic stone baked pizza, salads and oven baked dishes made from scratch using high quality ingredients. Our favourites are the piripiri prawns and Quattro Stagioni pizza - great for nursing a hangover! The Florist also does great cocktails if you fancy a Sunday afternoon treat. More info here!
SHOP
Continuing our mini guide to the best shopping haunts in East London, another great place not to be missed is Bricklane’s vintage market. In the Truman brewery some of the best vintage sellers and collectors have stalls selling pieces from various eras and styles. Open on Saturday and Sunday it’s a great place to grab one-off pieces and remade items. Opening hours and directions here!
DRINK
THE WHITEPEPPER often head over to Birthdays in Dalston on the weekend. Located on Stoke Newington high street, Birthdays is a lively bar and often has bands or Dj’s playing in the basement. On Saturday night it’s ‘Snap, crackle and pop’ a night that has had previous guests such as O Children, These new puritans and THE WHITEPEPPER favourite Julio Bashmore. If you haven't already been to Birthdays, why not head there this Saturday when Grass House (on THE WHITEPEPPER playlist!) are playing! Check out Grass House and the event on the Birthdays website.
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND March 15 2013
Here at THE WHITEPEPPER we've made some plans for our weekend, which we plan to spend rummaging through vintage shops for pieces to wear with our new ‘Secret Garden’ dresses! Again this week THE WHITEPEPPER has chosen 4 places for you to visit, eat, shop and drink at around East London. Enjoy!
VISIT
A more indoorsy trip than last weeks art tour THE WHITEPEPPER are planning to visit The Whitechapel Galley. The gallery is famous for exhibiting some of the world's most respected artists such as Lucian Freud, Damian Hirst, Anish Kapoor and Sarah Lucas. We can’t wait to see exhibitions ‘Collection sandretto re rebaudengo: a love meal’ and ‘Black eyes and lemonade – Curating popular art”. Admission is free for both exhibitions, so no excuse not to go! See the gallery's homepage for more info.
EAT
After eating a lot of soup in the office this week we are excited to visit Meatmission this Friday! Owned by Meatliquor, Meatmission offers some of the best burgers in East London. The restaurant is dark and full of character with stained glasses and lots of red leather. THE WHITEPEPPER thinks the food is pretty incredible; WHITEPEPPER Katy recommends her favourites the cheese burger and chilli cheese fries! We do recommend booking, as the restaurant gets busy on weekends, to find out how visit www.meatmissions.com!
SHOP
One of our favourite stops for vintage clothing (other than THE WHITEPEPPER rails!) is our local vintage store Frockney Rebel. Located at 242 Cambridge heath road it’s in the heart of East London. With a great selection of accessories and summer dresses it’s a WHITEPEPPER favourite! Pop in or see what's happening on the Frockney Rebel blog!
DRINK
This weekend THE WHITEPEPPER also plan to pop into Moroccan themed bar Casa Blue for some well deserved drinks! Located at the north end of Bricklane Casa Blue is a cosy and relaxed bar that does great cocktails including the famous ‘Bunny with a gun! Cocktails are available by the glass or in fish bowls, and with the bar open until late why not?!
WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT TUMBLR!? March 13 2013
TUMBLR: A FASHION INSPIRATION BOARD
THE WHITEPEPPER TUMBLR
We love Tumblr as it's great for us to see which items, models or styling are most popular with our fans, and the hype which has been created around some of our pictures has even led to us redesigning certain pieces for our new collections. This was the case with our pink high waist overalls; after being so popular on Tumblr (with over 6000 reblogs!), we remade them in a similar style, this time Mint Green for our Autumn/Winter collection.
THE WHITEPEPPER WEEKEND March 07 2013
Here at THE WHITEPEPPER we are crossing our fingers for some sunshine this weekend! We have picked 4 of our favourite things to do around East London for you to do this weekend from art tours to classic pubs plus a little something for mother’s day
.
VISIT
First on our list of things to do is book a place on Alternative London Walking Tour, http://www.alternativeldn.co.uk/. The tour is a 2-hour long walk that starts in Spitialfields taking you through Bricklane, Shoreditch and Old Street looking at some of the ever-changing street art that adorns the bricks of east London. The tour also looks at some of the historical and cultural events that have shaped the area. The tour is a ‘pay-what-you-like-basis’ but with great art and cute tour guides it’s a WHITEPEPPER must!
EAT
After the Alternative London Walking Tour we like to stop of at one of the great cafes around. The Gallery Café just off Old ford road, Cambridge Heath is one of our picks. With an outside area and glass conservatory inside that overlooks gardens it’s perfect for gloomy days too! The Gallery Cafe serves great coffee and even better vegan food, which we love. Our favourites are the falafel wraps, peanut cookies and vanilla lattes all made using organic and local produce. You can also catch great bands playing here or creative workshops check out http://thegallerycafe.wordpress.com/ for more.
SHOP
On Sundays we recommended Columbia road flower market. As you might of guessed the street is full of flower stalls selling everything from lemon trees to bunches of tulips, a perfect place to take your mum as it’s Mothers Day! The street has a great atmosphere with east-end sellers and musicians often playing in the street. Columbia road also has some great pubs, vintage stalls and home wear boutiques so we advise you make a day of it. http://www.columbiaroad.info/
DRINK
Our last stop of the weekend is to grab a pint in The Pride of Spitialfields, http://www.timeout.com/london/bars-and-pubs/pride-of-spitalfields. Located just off Bricklane the Pride is one of East-London’s last cosy pubs complete with grumpy fat cat and free bar snacks of roast potatoes and sausages. The Pride of Spitialfields has cheap prices and an unpretentious and homely atmosphere, which is why it’s one of Time-Out London and THE WHITEPEPPER’s top pubs!
PARIS FASHION WEEK 2013 March 06 2013
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT PARIS
Paris fashion week is always a little bit special. Here in THE WHITEPEPPER office we all have our own favourite styles and shows to look forward to, and whether it be Comme des Garcons, APC, Maison Martin Margiela, Chanel, Acne or Givenchy, they all happen in the nine glorious days that are Paris Fashion Week.
Paris as a city may be steeped in tradition, but the shows are always anything but; who could forget Louis Vuitton's escalator set for SS13 or Karl Largerfeld's Chanel carrousel back in 2008. This year was no different, with Kenzo taking over the beautiful, abandonded Art Deco department store La Samaritaine, H&M creating a luxurious house including lounge, dining and wacky child's playrooms for the brand's first catwalk collection since 2005, and Mr Largerfeld again transforming the Grand Palais, this time suspending a 50ft high revolving globe as decoration for Chanel AW13.
Here's a little of what THE WHITEPEPPER loved so far at Paris Fashion Week...
MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA
ALWAYS a show that gets THE WHITEPEPPER excited, this time our favourite piece was undoubtedly the long transparent coat. Styling-wise, we loved the longer length sleeves, layering, and use of textures, but we were a little disappointed at the absence of the usually slightly outrageous bags, replaced instead by sleek simple clutches. Still, we loved the hidden detail in Margiela's AW13 collection; from the neat belt hooks on the back of every top garment to keep the models' long hair in place, or the cut up and reassembled dresses displaying the french word 'DEFILE,' translated as fashion show, or parade. Was the designer trying to make a point? But that's Maison Martin Margiela, always thought provoking.
Images courtesy of Vogue.com
COMME DES GARCONS
Our creative director can never wait to see what Rei Kawakubo has to offer, and this collection, termed "The infinity of tailoring" was no disappointment. Her favourite aspects from the Autumn/Winter collection were the use of bow and ribbon detail, and the high, puritan style collars, something we're definitely thinking about for THE WHITEPEPPER AW13.
Images courtesy of Vogue.com
DRAMATIC COLLARS: THE WHITEPEPPER EDIT
The Whiteppper Big Collar Dress in Denim, £60.00
TREND WATCH: CHECK
Heidi Slimane's appointment as creative director of Yves Saint Laurent was the cause of much controversy last year, followed by further criticism for the designer as he renamed the brand 'Saint Laurent Paris.' If Slimane is intent on stamping his influence all over YSL then he certainly did so with this collection, which seemed to be directed towards a much younger, trend-led customer than that of YSL under Stefano Pilati. The YSL collection hinted at grunge, featuring red tartan checks that could also be seen at Celine, with the unstoppable force that is Phoebe Philo reworking the traditional iconic check launderette bag into oversized coats. Similar tones of check to those at Celine also featured at Stella McCartney, whilst at Junya Watanabe checks were bolder and teamed with vibrant leathers.
CHECK: THE WHITEPEPPER EDIT
TREND WATCH: MONOCHROME
Monochrome was dominant at Paris Fashion week, punctuated in collections such as Dior with heavy bold colours, other designers, notably Parisian label Devastee proving that black and white alone could be striking enough. We absolutely loved the crossword, cartoon and character prints in the Devastee collection, playful yet smart, working brilliantly with the oversized styling. THE WHITEPEPPER'S other favourite monochrome looks came in the form of beautiful bows (bows again!) at Victor & Rolf, or as classic separates by Chloe and Alexander Wang in his first collection for Balenciaga. Gold stars also go to the perfect tailoring at Rick Owens and to Issey Miyakes beautiful monochrome coat.
MONOCHROME: THE WHITEPEPPER EDIT
FASHION WEEK 2013: IT'S ALL ABOUT LONDON! February 22 2013
LONDON IS BACK!
This year Fashion Week was all about London. Tom Ford chose the capital as the venue for his first main catwalk show since leaving Gucci in 2005, and fellow American L'Wren Scott too shunned New York to show her debut collection at a grand hall off Parliament square. Visitor numbers to London Fashion Week were the highest yet, and PPR's recent acquisition of East-London based Christopher Kane cemented London as the powerful place to be this year.
Here's THE WHITEPEPPER round-up of what we loved at this years London Fashion Week, plus we took to the streets to ask those wearing our favourite Street Style looks just what it is that makes London so great..
ECCENTRIC LONDON: CUTTING-EDGE CREATIVITY
British Fashion Council chief Caroline Rush this year praised London's selection of incredible diverse talent, energy and enthusiasm, and eccentric English energy was evident all over this years catwalks.
We at THE WHITEPEPPER loved the innovative, fresh and unique ideas seen at London Fashion Week this year; Mulberry marching a poodle down the catwalk, the Rule, Britannia! soundtrack finale, or more notably the train set made of 50,000 dominoes at Anya Hindmarch's show, which tumbled to reveal her 2013 Autumn/Winter bag collection.
Images courtesy of Vogue.com
We were also blown away by eccentric styling at Sophia Webster's show, perfectly named "I'm a Rainbow Too." We especially loved the cute detailing and use of polka dot, a WHITEPEPPER favourite!
ECCENTRIC LONDON: THE WHITEPEPPER EDIT
Long Chiffon Polka Dot Dress £60.00 / Vintage Turquoise Polka Dot Dress £48.00
FAVOURITE TREND: SHEER PANELLING
Sheer layering was seen all over the catwalk, from Burberry, Felder Felder, and our favourite Marques Almeida, but what we loved even more was the use of sheer panelling, champoined by Take Naka and Erdem.
Images courtesy of Vogue.com
Erdem in particular was a surprise, using all-black pieces for the first time alongside the signature floral Erdem prints which were this time covered in sheer black tulle, creating beautiful Winter shapes.
SHEER PANELLING: THE WHITEPEPPER EDIT
Unique Navy Sheer Panel Dress £59.00
LONDON FASHION WEEK: STREET STYLE
We were out and about shooting the best of London Fashion Week Street Style, asking everyone:
"WHATS SO GREAT ABOUT LONDON FASHION WEEK?"
Tarik, Photographer: "London People are the most fun!
Mollie, Blogger: "There is the best atmosphere in London. Everyone is so enthusiastic!"
Iris & Dayshort, Students: "Erdem & Burberry!"
Brian, Vogue Taiwan: "Since I'm working, London Fashion Week is one big learning experience!"
Jimmy King, Blogger:"I love seeing new talent and fresh ideas in London"
Sarah, XXY Magazine: Blogger: "You meet amazing, inspiring people in London!"
London Fashion Week Is Coming! February 14 2013
Here at THE WHITEPEPPER we can't wait for that special time of year where the fashion pack descends on London for one week of shows, parties, and new collections!
Something which had everyone talking in the lead up to Fashion Week was this year's new trend of low-end labels showcasing collections alongside luxury fashion houses. Following in the 2011 footsteps of Topshop; Whistles and River Island will this year show their Autumn / Winter collections on London catwalks, and Musée Rodin will be home to high-street giant H&M's first ever catwalk show later this year in Paris.
This topic has divided editors, magazines and bloggers alike, but here at THE WHITEPEPPER we can't help feel that whilst every designer has their place, any platform for accessible design to be shown is never a bad thing.
New York fashion week was a ringleader for this trend, with American high-street brand J.Crew successfully demonstrating how well received a high-street label can be on the catwalk. Whilst we start planning which London shows we're most excited for, here's a little round up of THE WHITEPEPPER'S New York Fashion Week Favourites:
Our New York Fashion Week Highlights
Band Of Outsiders
Creative director Scott Sternberg was inspired by the 40's era for the Band of Outsiders Autumn/Winter collection, which we thought was both wearable and elegant. Our favourite pieces were the black and pastel blue shirt dresses, teamed with THE WHITEPEPPER shoe favourite - brogues!
Images courtesy of Vogue.com
We especially loved the pastel blue and black contrasts, and oversized styling of the shirt dresses, echoed in our recent Spring Collection
From left: Shirt Style Long Chiffon Dress Black £60.00 / Oversized Shirt Dress Denim £70.00 / Oversized Shirt Dress Black £70.00
Karen Walker
As if we didn't already love Karen Walker's SS13 collection, of washed denim, polka dots and pretty prints enough, her AW13 collection 'New Rose,' continues the tendency towards modern tailoring and oversized styling that we at THE WHITEPEPPER love so much.
Images courtesy of Vogue.com
We love the use of grey pastel pink on oversized silhouettes, like that of our grey angel dress, from our Spring collection.
London Calling!
Whilst we love to see what each and every designer has to show, there are certain collections in particular we just can't wait for, here's our London Fashion Week Show Schedule Edit, featuring the designers we can't wait to see:
| Designer | Date / Time |
| PPQ | Friday 15th, 17.00 |
| Moschino Cheap & Chic | Saturday 16th, 17.00 |
| House of Holland (can't wait for the new prints!) | Saturday 16th, 19.00 |
| Mark Fast | Sunday 17th, 15.30 |
| Christopher Kane (for the textures!) | Monday 18th, 12.00 |
| Giles | Monday 18th, 18.00 |
| J.W.Anderson | Monday 18th, 20.00 |
| Ashish | Tuesday 19th, 14.00 |
And after all this, we can start getting excited for Paris! (Comme des Garcons!!)
Shop THE WHITEPEPPER for your London Fashion Week looks here now! Enjoy!
THE WHITEPEPPER FOR ASOS.COM January 31 2013
We’re very proud to announce that this week our exclusive collection for ASOS.COM launched!
To celebrate the launch, we shot some of the ASOS.COM collection alongside some of our own pieces, all of which are available now on THEWHITEPEPPER.COM
Shirt Style Chiffon Minidress Gingham Check £60.00
Shirt Style Chiffon Minidress in Pink £65.00
Shop the new collection here
And see the exclusive collection for ASOS.COM here!
Halloween Lookbook - Superheroes!! October 15 2012
Summers officially over on the 28th October, with Halloween on the horizon. Are you ready for Halloween? WE ARE!!
If your bored of the same old Halloween fancy dress costumes and want to step up your fashion game; Look no further!!
At THE WHITEPEPPER were doing Superheroes for Halloween, so you can be whoever you want! No limits!
Unbalance Mini Skirt - www.thewhitepepper.com/collections/new-in/products/unbalance-mini-skirt
Unique Horns Beanie - www.thewhitepepper.com/collections/new-in/products/unique-horns-beanie
Mixed Black and White Jumper - www.thewhitepepper.com/collections/new-in/products/mixed-black-and-white-jumper
Vintage Crop Denim Jacket - www.thewhitepepper.com/collections/new-in/products/vintage-crop-denim-jacket-1
White Dot Angel Mini Dress - www.thewhitepepper.com/collections/new-in/products/white-dot-angel-mini-dress
AS SUMMER ENDS AUTUMN ARRIVES!! October 11 2012
Autumn Arrives!! A perfect excuse to shop our key pieces for your wardrobe needs. Its about that time; What do you think?
We all need some chunky knitwear to get us through them cold days. This autumn all about chunky knitwear, patterns, oversized style and layering textures. All these styles are at THE WHITEPEPPER, perfect unique pieces to style throughout the seasons - happy shopping!!
Shop Women's Knitwear: www.thewhitepepper.com/collections/knitwear
Beehive knitted Brown Jumper
Twist Knitted Button Cardigan - Also available in burgundy
Sleeveless Cable Grey Jumper
Ivory Simple knitted Jumper - Also available in Mint
We can't forget your shoe game! Must haves for Autumn from THE WHITEPEPPER
