IN HER SHOES: ZENDAYA BREAKS DOWN HER DESIGN PROCESS

Zendaya Coleman, author, actress and recording artist, has been making a serious imprint on the red carpet with her unique style. From Michael Kors plaid skirt sets to Vivienne Westwood jumpsuits and custom Fausto Puglisi, she manages to hit the mark every time in a youthful, fun and fresh way — and the fashion world has taken notice.
Publications from Teen Vogue to WWD regularly rank her as one of the top 10 red-carpet influencers, and now she is taking that prowess to her first fashion foray — a shoe collection. Designing the line with Law Roach, her stylist, the first shoes will hit stores in spring 2016 and will bear her nickname, Daya. She’s been holding the designs close to her vest but if you are lucky enough to score an invite to her reveal event at FFANY or FNPlatform (the two footwear trade shows in August), you’ll get to see them up close.
For now, she sat down to talk with us a little about her first pair of Louboutin’s, why shoes are so amazing and how recording her music in socks is best.
What are your favorite pair of shoes of all time?
I would say the "So Kate" Louboutins, patent leather black, because me and Law, we are just so impressed with them, and they work with everything. They look good with anything, and plus my foot has molded to them now, so they’re not uncomfortable anymore. They’re actually the most comfortable shoes I own. I wear them everywhere — like literally everywhere — to the point where I had to get the heel fixed, because it was destroyed, because I wore them so much. We definitely have our own version of that go-to shoe [in the line].
What shoes did you wear on Dancing With the Stars?
I wore dance shoes usually. They’re just nude. They’re not the cutest shoes in the world, but they’re made for ballroom dancers. A couple of times, I got to wear Chucks, because I was cute and adorable, and they allowed me to do that, because I was 16. They were white, and then they bedazzled them. They bedazzle everything over there.
Why did you want to do a shoe line?
I love shoes, so there’s that. Honestly, I was really inspired kind of by my family. I have a lot of sisters and nieces, and one of my nieces is in college right now. I have a sister who is a dancer. These are women that are either just now starting to get a job, or kind of come into their own and become what they’re supposed to become. At that time, you don’t have a lot of money to pay for the shoes that you see on all your favorite celebrities — the shoes that you really, really want — it’s just unreasonable. So it’s about still having quality, and not losing the quality of the shoes, but making something that that girl can still feel cute in, and not feel like she has a knock-off.
Why are shoes so special to you?
Because they’re amazing. I’m a girl. I feel like I went through a phase where, when my feet finally started growing, and my body continues to change. But my feet have completely stopped, and now I can just have a collection of shoes. It’s like you document your life through shoes. Clothes kind of come and go, but shoes stay. They kind of say where you were, what you did and what was happening.
What inspires you when you design your shoe line?
I think what inspires us is our personal taste. What would we like? I’m not going to make any shoes that I’m not going to feel comfortable going out in. I’m not going to do it. We’re really obsessed with every detail of every shoe and everything that goes into it, even down to like the strap or the color of the metallic on the clasp — all kinds of stuff. Me and Law have now become really attentive to people’s shoes when we’re outside. We’re walking, and we’ll just stop people for their shoes. We notice "I’m seeing a lot of wedges," or "I’m seeing a lot of this, I’m seeing a lot of that." We just kind of collect our data, and that’s it.
What can we expect to see in your line?
We kind of wanted to touch a little bit of everything. We have a lot of nudes. I feel like almost every shoe we have comes in a nude, because I feel like that is so important, I think, especially for the working woman, you can’t go wrong with nude. It works, every time. Know what I mean?
What’s your favorite shoe in the collection, so far?
Oh, that’s tough. I personally am obsessed with some of the flat-type options that we have, the platform — and there’s slip-ons because they’re comfortable, but they’re so freaking cute.
What shoes do you like to wear when you record music?
I like no shoes. I usually do it in my socks. I’m usually looking a hot mess! Usually, they’re like cozy socks with some kind of pattern on them; something cool like that, or mismatched. Honestly, whatever I can get out of my drawer that day will go on my feet.
What size shoe are you?
I’m a 9.
What kind of shoes do you like to see on guys?
Honestly, it doesn’t matter. I think for me, it’s really about the outfit as a whole. I’m definitely a sneaker person, but I also love seeing a good dress shoe.
What’s your favorite part of designing your shoe collection?
Honestly, that we can be creative and just have fun. It’s really fun to be a part of. It’s like free choice school project, you can do it about whatever you want. And it gets to be about shoes. They’re my favorite thing, ever.

Beautiful Wedding Decor Also Needs to Actually Work for the Event

I'm a wedding planner and I have to admit that when I scroll through Instagram or troll Pinterest, I'm always seeing amazing décor that makes me shiver. Lighting I could never recreate in some of the more remote destinations where I plan makes me jealous. Tents you can only rent in more densely-populated areas that have crazy chandeliers make me swoon. Even though I do this for a living, I'm easily impressed by beautiful wedding décor.
With that said, I'm not an advocate of stupid wedding décor.
Let me give you a very good example. Just the other day I saw an absolutely, positively gorgeous table runner made entirely of live flowers featured on an Instagram account I follow of another wedding vendor. It was so pretty that I wanted to recreate it so I looked closer. And closer.
For anybody who is paying attention to the picture, the table runner is INCREDIBLE but it's so damned big that I could barely see the place settings. Time to zoom in. Alrighty now, you cannot see the place settings because it's a fully "staged" picture (as in, not a real wedding) and there's not enough room on the table for dinner plates, place settings, wine glasses, etc. God forbid you're using placecards! That table runner of flowers was fully two-thirds the width of the entire table.
So I messaged the vendor who posted the picture and said "I don't get it. Where do the plates go?"
Their response - I swear to God - was this: "We love ideas that are dramatic and different. Maybe not for everyone, but we would totally take a little less space for place settings to create a showstopper like this!"
Yep, that's a showstopper alright. As in, the perfectly-executed wedding will come to a grinding halt when the guests try to get seated for dinner and have zero space in front of them to put down their drinks. And can you even imagine what a disaster the service will be? OMG. Clearly this vendor isn't the wedding planner or the caterer or they would understand why a giant floral table runner is an absolutely RIDICULOUS idea unless the table is wide enough to hold both the runner and the place settings!!!
I probably look at it from a different perspective because, while I do the flowers for most of my destination weddings because there isn't another florist to be had, I don't sell my clients ridiculously expensive arrangements that don't fit their tables just so I can make an extra buck.
Gorgeous floral displays, centerpieces and other décor can be the highlight of your wedding event, but you want to try to avoid the totally impractical. I get requests for "Italian lights" all the time - those are the strands of lights with bare bulbs hanging off of them that you see featured so frequently in garden wedding pictures. We have them and we put them up in tents all the time, but you can't use them when you're trying to light concrete columns at a venue.
Many private homes, villas and historic buildings were not designed to be wedding venues and when you're decorating, you have to find a way to hang things (safely) that doesn't compromise the actual structure. You cannot drill into walls to put in hooks. You have to work with what's available. If you're trying to light concrete or stone columns on a porch, you can't use "Italian lights" or anything else that's meant to dangle. You're stuck with using "fairy lights" (Christmas lights on white electrical cords) or rope LED lights. You can also have uplighting done from the base of the columns if it won't create a trip hazard for your guests, and if it will give off enough light to actually let people see where they're going and what they're eating.
Pinterest has become an amazing channel to market my own services, and Instagram is a hoot because you see the good, bad, and the truly ugly from other weddings all posted by wedding guests. But what's important for brides and grooms to realize is that not everything that looks pretty is functional. Much of it is not affordable. And a good bit of it (unless you're only looking at pictures on my social media pages) was created solely for a professionally-staged shoot and was never intended to actually work at a wedding. Most of what you see in glossy bridal magazines could never be executed the same way at a wedding actually attended by real people.
Massive, top-heavy centerpieces on your dinner tables, dripping crystals in the faces of your guests, may be the look you really want, but what will happen when your guests get frustrated because they can't see each other through the bling and try to move them a little? They flip ass-over-teakettle almost every time. I've seen it happen as both a planner and a wedding guest. And don't pretend guests are too well-mannered to move centerpieces. They do, and they will. After six cocktails, it's all about keeping themselves happy. To hell with what the bride and groom wanted to see in their wedding pictures.
I know some couples are all about "go big or go home," but at the same time, not everything that is big and fancy is actually practical and reasonable for your wedding and your venue. Sometimes you have to adjust your expectations in order to actually execute a flawlessly beautiful wedding. I have never heard a wedding guest complain that there wasn't enough table décor. But I have listened to many people bitch and moan about how tightly packed it all was. Cuz let's not pretend the bride and groom are going to spend money on two more tables and associated arrangements to compensate for the space being lost to the décor. They're still going to jam in 10 guests at a table meant for that many, even if the space the centerpiece takes up is akin to having a dead body in the center of the table.
Be smart. Look at wedding pictures you like and then modify them to fit your taste, style and the scale of your wedding venue. If you're working with a planner or vendors who say something can't be done, listen to them. If you do it, they make money so they have no motive to lie to you about this. They're trying to prevent the inevitable problems that will ensue if they give you EXACTLY what you're asking for.
You don't have to "keep it simple," but you do need to keep it REAL when you plan your wedding décor. Otherwise, people are more likely to remember that they struggled around your flowers than how beautiful they were in the grand scheme of things. And you'll spend a lot of money for something your guests will not enjoy.

Staying stylish during holy month

To observe Ramadhan, many women tend to dress more appropriately by covering most parts of their bodies. The beauty of this is that you can still be stylish. One thing is for sure, the clothing should not be too tight or transparent.
Throughout this month, many stores and shopping venues, including Ramadhan-themed bazaars, are offering great bargains.
This is a good time to shop for clothes or accessories as they are likely to be priced much lower than normal.
Not only women, but men and kids alike also want to dress differently while observing the holy month, and especially at Idul Fitri.
To observe Ramadhan, there are some fashion choices that can be applied and that help protect your skin and prevent dehydration at the same time. What are they?
Women’s Ramadhan fashion
The number one choice is gamis (long, shirt-like dress) or a kaftan-like dress. Both dresses are mainly worn by Muslims in the Middle East, but they are also worn in many other countries. The kaftan can be likened to a robe or a tunic.
In the world of entertainment, many local celebrities and ustadzah (woman teachers) wear gamis and kaftans. Their fashion style often becomes a source of inspiration.
To better convince you that this kind of dress never goes out of style, even international celebrities like Rihanna, Jenifer Lopez and the Kardashians are occasionally spotted wearing kaftans.
When looking for gamis, ask for one that is suitable for this occasion that is gamis syar’i. This type of dress is designed according to sharia dress code. Compared to a kaftan, a gamis can usually be worn daily as the long sleeves are not as loose as those of a kaftan and the lower half, which is loose, is comfortable to walk in.
Although only a couple of weeks of the fasting month remain, these types of dresses also protect your skin against the sun. Inspired from the Middle East, you will understand the benefit of the longer dress when the weather is hot.
If you wear a hijab, you can accessorize it with a brooch or some other ornament. If not, you can mix and match the dress with kerudung (cape) or chiffon-based pashmina-styled scarf or shawl.
Loafers or sandals best suit a long dress. Don’t ever think of wearing wedges or heels, since they just make it difficult to walk.
JP/ P.J.Leo
Men’s Ramadhan fashion
For men, wearing a baju koko (long-sleeve collarless shirt) seems to be fashionable. But for daily routine, the choice of baju koko is often out of context.
Nowadays, there are many styles of baju koko, such as those tailored in ethnic inspired patterns.
For a more stylish model, get one with an asymmetrical design with various colors. And while most baju koko are long-sleeved, more casual types are also available. But for couples or family members, sarimbit (matching batik wear for couples) is also trendy. Wearing sarimbit is often synonymous with showcasing a family’s or couple’s harmony. Sarimbit are suitable for gatherings or parties.
For shoes, avoid wearing boots or sneakers as they would be troublesome for praying. Formal shoes or the slip-on kind are appropriate, and comfortable.
Children’s Ramadhan fashion
Without a doubt, kids are eager to wear new and nice clothes, especially at Idul Fitri. And this month is the best time for them to wear different clothes.
Just like men and women, the choice in clothing for this month should be similar for kids. But remember, don’t get them anything too complicated to wear. The most important thing to remember is that the fabric should be comfortable.
Do not be fooled by low prices or bright colors, since sometimes the materials used are not suitable for children.
Their daily activities will be conducted mostly at home, at a relative’s place or at a mosque for tarawih (extra prayer service during Ramadhan). So, a pair of new sandals and sarong are great gifts for the fasting month.

International fashion & style; Valentino .. resort 2016

Here is a list of what came to mind after seeing this expansive collection that reeks of hubris, excess, money, ethnicity and well, a lot of subpar looking clothes, no matter the price, the quality or the brand. We have every kind of Indian known to man, we have every part of the east… from middle to far to near, enough folkloric florals to fill a flower district and then there were those hideous patchworks which reminded me of cheap mistakes from times gone by.
What was shown today, IMHO, is at least 3 collections all clumped up to be shown as one bloated repetitive collection that reminds us who has this look covered more than anyone and with more craftsmanship than anyone. One would think that with all that was shown … the standout piece would have been something other than a full length camo anorak/field jacket with an embroidered fire breathing dragon on the back. A collection of this enormity is ennui inducing on so many levels but what MUST be kept in mind that this is a collection that requires dissection. There are so many “parts” to the puzzle but the real gems are to be extracted from the total looks that were presented.
One would think that a brand with this kind of power would refrain and not succumb to the trite and silly styling which included bad shoes, “Frida” hair, hippie earrings and braids; such gimmicks are like pandering which is beneath the brand’s reputation. You would think that Maria Grazia Chiuri andPierpaolo Piccioli might have exercised a bit of restraint pertaining to the powers of editing. Yes, editorially speaking, these clothes are an open and shut case of extravagance but one realizes that these clothes are far beyond the reach of more than 99% of the population which in a way renders them “useless” unless of course they are loaned, given or appear on a printed page, to say that the clothes for the most part are prohibitively expensive is like saying a Maserati is just a good family car. This all reminds me of “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!”
Anyone who reads me knows that the brand in its current over embroidered, over embellished, overly prissy but impeccably made incarnation evades me for the most part. Where are the spectacularly beautiful day and evening clothes that women of a fashion aristocracy can wear to suit their needs? Which also brings up where are the exquisitely tailored suits of times gone by?

Real Housewives of New York Week 6 Recap

This is a rough episode for me to blog because one can’t keep it real without commenting on the sloppiness of Sonja Morgan. It is tough because I like Sonja. In the interest of full disclosure, I know Ms. Morgan. I have met her, been in her home, worked on a project with her, and know her to be a smart, funny, and lovely woman.
I wish people could see Sonja at home with her child, or talking about the pain of her divorce. I wish people understaod how successful she was before she married into the Morgan dynasty, and what she gave up during her marriage. I wish they could know the truth about her life as a single parent co-parenting with a man of power.
Sonja has a tragic yet inspiring story. She is more than what we see on this show and the truth is this show is not doing Sonja any favors. Sonja isn't doing Sonja any favors. I hope Sonja will share her true story one day because it is fascinating. I hope she gets out of her own way and knows she has my love and respect.
I write about reality TV with humor and truth. I am occasionally harsh, always honest, and at the end of the day a fan. I'm not paid to blow smoke up anyone’s ass. I have a job to do and the reason this blog is loved and hated is because I write without worrying what people will think. This was hard to write but not hard to keep it real.
The entire group is going to Atlantic City to celebrate Ramona’s birthday. I am pouring a cocktail and the show hasn't even started. Heather, Kristen, and Dorinda are at Sonja’s house to take a limo to Atlantic City. It is cold and raining but Sonja has asked an intern to instruct the women to wait outside rather than in her home.
Heather loses her shit and decides to talk about Sonja being a drunk she has rescued. Heather is a bitch, which is interesting since she calls out everyone else for being bitchy. I get she is offended and I would be too, but dumping on Sonja is not necessary and makes Heather look bad because we know Sonja is sloppy without Heather.
Ramona appears saying she used the bathroom so something is not kosher. This is bad editing to make Sonja look bad and it is unfair. The limo finally arrives from around the corner where the producers have had it waiting, and the ladies get in the car and wait for Sonja. LuAnn and Carol are meeting them there, but Bethenny joins them.
Bethenny is late and apologetic, but Heather is pissed. Heather is being a twat. This is not her first trip with these women, or her first ride on the production train, so she needs to shut up. Sonja says she is running late because her sister in unable to fly from Nashville to watch her daughter. I call bullshit. Her sister wasn't coming.
Why would her sister call the day she was to be there to say she isn't coming? That makes no sense. Sonja’s story is silly and even if it were true, there's no reason she couldn't figure it out with the women in her house. Let them in, put the kettle on, take care of your shit, and move on. It wasn't nice to leave them out in the cold.
Sonja gets in the car like she's done nothing wrong and tells Heather they need to be speaking to travel together. Heather wants an apology and Sonja wants to move on and give Ramona a nice birthday. Bethenny is holier than thou but very funny as she pours herself some Skinnygirl ass juice. Dear Lord, that shit tastes bad.
Heather is yelling at Sonja, telling her they're not friends. Sonja ignores her by looking at her phone, then Ramona loses it and tells everyone to shut up because it is her birthday and she needs to relax. She acknowledges Bethenny is under stress, which is hilarious, then Sonja jumps on the stress bandwagon with them.
Kristen is not sure what stress Sonja is talking about and I again wonder why Kristen is on the show. Bethenny tries to end the madness telling Sonja to apologize. She does, sort of. Heather doesn’t hear her and Bethenny states she is growing tired, to which Sonja responds she growing more tired. Sonja has perfect comedic timing.
Bethenny and Sonja are talking and Sonja is goes on and on about Dubai or some other bullshit and it is hard to believe her level of delusion. Bethenny is trying to help Sonja but it isn’t working. Bethenny has to pee and tells the driver to pull over on the side of the road. Really? Not one gas station on the way to Atlantic City?
Bethenny is looking for hand wipes and Dorinda tells her the wipes will hurt her vagina. Ugh. Bethenny pees outside and it isn't cute. It is actually her MO and wasn’t cute years ago either. Ramona tries to pee but has performance anxiety and can’t do it. This is just sad. That Bethenny is resorting to this type of TV is pathetic.
They finally arrive and Ramona is overly excited. Ramona, Sonja, and Dorinda share a suite. Bethenny has her own, Heather, Carole, and LuAnn are in the another suite, putting Kristine in the other single. Poor Kristen. Even the ladies don’t see the need for her. The girls relax while Heather floods her bathroom with water.
Heather is complaining about Sonja to Carole and LuAnn while Sonja is gassy with Dorinda and Ramona. Oy vey. We're 20 minutes in and I’m done. Everyone is getting ready to go out, Bethenny is pouring herself another Skinnygirl ass juice. Kristen brought two mismatched shoes and calls it fashion. Bless her.
Heather is an hour late and Bethenny calls her out. Heather denies being late and it is hilarious. Heather is an idiot and this night is not going to end well. They order booze and dinner is on. These women are mean to each other and it is sad they keep coming back for more. Fame whores crave public humiliation.
Kristen is wearing two different color shoes, Carole is wearing ears, and nobody appears to be wearing a bra. These women look fabulous, but at their ages a little inappropriate. Bethenny is wondering why everything has to be so hard in the group and I wonder the same thing. These women do not like each other.
Sonja tells Bethenny she was in PR all her life and Bethenny shuts her down. Bethenny is harsh, which I love, but she likes the sound of her own voice too much and goes on too long. She is being mean to Sonja, which Sonja needs, but certainly not at dinner and certainly not after Bethenny just said how mean everyone is.
Bethenny is yelling at Sonja to take a Xanax and everyone is listening to her. Sonja starts crying, Ramona tries to make things better for Sonja but it is too late. Sonja is clearly tipsy, Bethenny has really bad timing, LuAnn jumps in like the bitch she is, and it is sad that everyone gangs up on Sonja then claims to feel bad.
Ramona says she misses wearing her ring and LuAnn says Ramona is nicer without Mario. LuAnn is spiteful and Dorinda is lovely. Sonja and Ramona play Blackjack and Ramona says they should join their friends, but Sonja wants them to stay on their own. It is sad. Sonja is harmless and deserves more from these morons.
Sonja and Ramona go dancing, then the girls join. Carole looks ridiculous and Sonja is full on drunk flashing her vag on stage. Oy vey. Sonja is talking about being in PR again and Bethenny tells her she can’t listen to her rhetoric anymore and gets up and walks away from her. Sonja is on an island alone with these girls.
Everyone has bailed on Sonja so Dorinda is going to get her to bed. Sonja is talking rubbish and trashed. Sonja feels rejected by everyone and tells Dorinda everyone is mean to her. She then shares she parties with Madonna and JFK Jr.. Dear Lord. Dorinda reminds Sonja John John is dead and walks away from her.
Sonja needs new friends. Dorinda tells Sonja money speaks and wealth whispers. Amen. Cut to breakfast and Sonja breezes in fresh as a daisy and everyone is amazed by her continuing delusions. Sonja goes to Bethenny to apologize for the night before and Bethenny decides to have a heart to heart with her.
Sonja says she misses her husband and family life. She's been divorced for years and while I understand how hard it is, enough. She is a broken record and if she thinks for one minute being drunk and sloppy has anything to do with barometric pressure she needs more than therapy. Bethenny crosses a line in 3…2…1.
Bethenny tells Sonja she needs to stop mixing alcohol and prescription drugs. Sonja says she is taking vitamins and there may be a bad reaction. Bethenny is not a therapist and more importantly, if Bethenny really cared about Sonja, she wouldn't have this conversation on camera. This is now the Bethenny show.
Back to the girls, Heather says she could not care less about Sonja, but she is still talking about her. Kristen says Sonja’s tears are fake, but Luann says they’re not. No tears, no crying, but there were tears. Back to Sonja, she tells Bethenny she is choosing to not be in a relationship until her bankruptcy is over.
I call bullshit. We have watched her chase a relationship for years so this makes no sense. Sonja lives in a fantasyland brought on by stress, delusion, and depression. She'll be fine but only if she separates herself from these gutter pigs, and stops drinking. Bethenny tells Sonja she needs a therapist.
Sonja is not hearing anything Bethenny says. Not one word. Nobody will ever help Sonja until she helps herself. I believe in her and hope her day of freedom comes soon. Next week we’ll watch more Bethenny than is needed. Her shows were cancelled for a reason so Bravo needs to let her go and keep it real.

Northumbria University Graduate Fashion Week kicks off with style at the Baltic

Trendsetting Newcastle students proved they have what it takes to cut it in the fashion world when they showed off their cutting-edge creations at a catwalk show at Baltic.
With a packed room looking on, Northumbria University’s annual fashion show made its dramatic debut on Wednesday night with 58 graduates unveiling their end-of-year collections.
Gateshead’s contemporary art gallery proved a fitting backdrop to a dazzling array of eye-catching style from glamorous dresses and tops to striking menswear and jumpsuits.
Imagination was the hallmark of the night with the likes of The Gentleman Crook collection, inspired by 1940s America, by Billie Toole from Whitley Bay.
Then there was final year student Victoria Barwood’s high-drama collection inspired by the films of Italian director Federico Fellini and Annie McKie’s men’s outer-wear made from a £20 scout tent bought on eBay. Both have been selected to feature in a special online spring edition of Vogue.
“I think it’s the first time that’s happened,” said Kristen Pickering, lecturer and programme leader for fashion for the past nine years.
The grand affair, which included a champagne reception in the River Terrace for guests who included industry professionals, media and family and friends, marks the 60th year of Northumbria’s BA Hons fashion course show.
It has built up an impressive reputation in the fashion industry with former graduates going on to work for such labels as Ralph Lauren and Alexander McQueen.
A panel of judges were in place to pick out which collections to showcase on May 31 at London Fashion Week where the university’s students have won more 40 awards in the past five years, including new designer of the year, the fashion innovation award and, for three years’ running, the ethical award.
“We’ve never done a show where the industry did not come back to interview students afterwards,” said Kristen who added the Newcastle show is a chance for local companies like Barbour to see what’s on offer first.
“The judges are looking for collections that are going to have good presence on the catwalk: catwalk impact, balance and colour and sense of style.”
So with votes at stake, there were nerves as well as excitement before the models hit the catwalk in the level one gallery space.
Earlier in the day, local pupils and students were invited to an afternoon showing as a kind of dress rehearsal for the main event and this was the first chance students had to see their complete collections modelled.
Claire Fortune, 22, from Newcastle, said: “I’ve seen it in fittings but seeing it complete was different. I felt my heart race!
“It was amazing to see it but I’m a bit of a perfectionist so I am always thinking I want to do more to it, or I should have done this or that!”
Her collection is inspired by thirties patterns and by Greek marble sculptures she saw at the V&A and British Museum during a holiday trip to London.
She said: “You think of marble as being white but there are colour veins in it so my collection is all purple and pinks with blue in there as well.”
“Every time I do a collection I’m drawn back to something historical,” added Claire whose family and boyfriend were joining the audience. “They’ll be brutally honest!”
Victoria Barwood was “very nervous but very excited” about unveiling her collection which includes jumpsuits and dresses featuring lots of black and billowing lines inspired by quirky Fellini films and the circus.
The 28-year-old from Majorca, whose parents now live in Rothbury, has loved her course and said: “My mum is a Geordie and I have always considered Newcastle my second home. I love it here.
“I spent the last four summers in Italy working on a boat and came across Federico Fellini films which I fell in love with and I had the idea to do something in my collection.
“I’m inspired by quirky arty films and his films are always really edgy. I’ve used his Catholic influences and his memories of travelling circuses.”
Designer Victoria Barwood
There’s one stand-out orange dress in her collection among lots of black. “I wanted to represent the circus theme in a big way.”
She added: “You’re so busy with the collection that you never look at it. I feel like tonight I can, and that I can be proud of what I have done - although it could go either way!”
She would love to travel and learn from other designers and to ultimately set up her own label.
And the show, whose invited guests included Barbour, Topshop, Dr Marten’s and Newcastle-born world-class photographer Chris Moore, promises a perfect springboard.
Known as the Catwalk King, Chris, who is still working at the age of 81 and whose 60-year career in the industry has seen him work in the fashion capitals of Milan and New York shooting the likes of Dior, is just as keen to focus on the latest showcase designs from his home city and he always photographs the annual students’ show on its transfer to London for Graduate Fashion Week.
Baltic’s catwalk is back in action on Thursday when a second night of high fashion comes courtesy of NE1’s Fashion Futures event.

Wedding: Lindsey Long Wannamaker & Patrick McKissack Westbury

Lindsey Long Wannamaker and Patrick McKissack Westbury, both of Columbia, South Carolina, were married on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at St. Paul United Methodist Church in St. Matthews, South Carolina. The bride was given in marriage by her father. The Reverend Suzanne Walker and the Reverend Dr. Justin Gilreath, cousin of the groom, performed the six o'clock ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kendall Whitfield Wannamaker of St. Matthews. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. John Calhoun Parler, Jr. and the late Mr. Parler of Elloree, South Carolina, and Mrs. Joseph Long Wannamaker and the late Mr. Wannamaker of St. Matthews. Lindsey graduated from Orangeburg Preparatory School in 2005 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Newberry College in 2009. Currently, she is employed by AFLAC Insurance in Columbia.
The groom is the son of Mrs. Gilreath Westbury of St. Matthews and Mr. and Mrs. James Kenneth Westbury, Jr. of Ft. Motte, South Carolina. He is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Frank Gilreath, Sr. of Travelers Rest, South Carolina and Mrs. James Kenneth Westbury, Sr. of Lexington (formerly of St. Matthews) and the late Mr. Westbury. Patrick is a 1999 graduate of Calhoun County High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Clemson University in 2002. He is currently employed with C. F. Evans and Company in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
Mary Win Hipp King, cousin of the bride, served as the bride's matron of honor. Bridesmaids were Elizabeth Mahon Brown, Katherine Ann Edwards, Henley Westbury Ellis, Mollyrose Milewski, Ainsley Reid Porter, and Mary Margaret Weeks Westbury. Flower girls were Bella Grace King and Lila Win Hipp, cousins of the bride.
The groom's brother, Kenneth Lawrence Westbury, served as the groom's best man. Groomsmen were Adrian Ross Ashley, Jr., Robert Paul Edwards, Alden Kyle Pugh, John Michael Stevens, and Kendall Whitfield Wannamaker, Jr.
Program attendants were Rachel Deanne Funchess, Charlotte Sheridan McCoy, and Sandra Caroline McCoy, cousins of the bride.
A reception followed the ceremony at The Orangeburg Country Club where guests were welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Keitt Hane Fair and Mr. and Mrs. James Howard Shirer, Jr., friends of the bride's family.
After a wedding trip to St. Lucia, the couple will reside in Columbia.