Whistles Liverpool 1 launch party pics.

(click to enlarge)

The Liverpool Fashion Glitterati were out in force last night for the official opening of the Liverpool 1's Whistles store.

Thanks to Jane Shepherdson the former Topshop director of 15 years buying a 20% stake in the company 18 months ago, the brand has now lost its 'yummy mummy' reputation and has gained it self the notoriety of a more sophisticated clientele with its cleaner silhouettes.

Benna-Benna Jewellery. Kirsty Doyle-Met Quarter and Jane Shepherson-Whistles Chief executive.

Abi Harding-Zutons and Candi Payne.

Fellow Liverpool Fashion Bloggers Lauren McBride and Alex Folly.

Lauren and Sam from My Fashion Junki LTD (They are a forthcoming web based company that will have an amazing shoot and introduction on here and in my fashion column for Select magazine within the next few weeks. On the right Gemma from Mercy Design. (thanks for getting me this gig gem. x)

I caught this girl snapping her self with a Whistles coat on, I wonder if she bought it.

And now for some stylish people I found at the event.....

 To visit the Whistles Website Click here.

Matt x

Street style/Industry style. (fashion designer John Maines.)

If you saw the designer focus post i did last week (click here) then you will have seen the tartan shorts and grey zip detail t-shirt deigned by this fellow. Well, caught unawares when he came to pick up his garments, I thought I'd snap this massively trendy lad even though he was still wet from the rain. Sorry John!

Boots: £60-River Island.

Ox Blood Jeans: £15-H&M.

 Mini Trench Jacket: £65-Topman.

Cardigan: £20-H&M.

Gloves: £8-Topman.

Met Quarter Fashion Show and costumer evening. This Thursday 6-9.

Just been passed this one by Pulse Models, who are putting on the show and supplying the models.

Met Quarter shows are probably one of the most professional ones in Liverpool so i'm prety sure I'l be there for a good nose. Matt. x

Click to enlarge.

Hope & Winkle. Liverpool's Bespoke Vintage Jewellery Designer. (Press Launch Photo-shoot)

Welcome to Liverpool's Vintage Jewellery Designer Hope & Winkle. Helen Hope, one of JMU's Class of 2006's seemingly endless success stories has returned from London after a 2 year stint designing clothes for a top supermarket chain.

 While in LJMU Helen gained a prestigious Textprint Design Innovation Award, enabling her to show her collections in Paris with a handful of other young talent from across the UK. While in Paris large design labels like Custo and Barcelona wanted to buy the copyright to her designs which Helen Say's felt like such a huge success.

Photos Matt Ford, MUA Hannah Ellen, Model Jess Barker.(click Images to enlarge) Hope & Winkle's Design ethos is, 'Distinctly British.'

''Every Piece tells a story, revamping heirloom vintage trinkets with forward thinking vision. The brand is eccentric, yet classic making her designs a true delight to wear''

Helen explains the Hope & winkle 'aims to take make do and mend to a new and innovative heights' 'I am inspired by all things English Heritage, 1940's, and the elite aristocracy but i like to incorporate tongue and cheek elements too.'

Hope & Winkle, (the latter name is derived from Wincle, the Cheshire hamlet from where Helen’s forbearers left for Liverpool 150 years ago) Helen chose the name as she wanted something that encapsulated an old English feel. She describes her collections simply by saying ‘Each design is intended to stimulate the imagination. By gathering whimsical treasures I can then create off-beat heritage inspired heirlooms. There is definitely something to suit every person’s mood.

The new store based on the ground floor of Petticoat lane just off Bold Street will be no exception when it comes to creativity utilising Second World War leather suitcases, custom made into display cabinets, taxidermy domes and other distinguished antique gems. The shop will be an extension of the products, creating a mood reminiscent of a time gone by.

Join Hope & winkles Facebook Page Here. 
The price range for is £3.50 to £150, but from browsing in the shop the average price is around £15-£40. 


P.s. I've been busy blagging freebies again to give away on the blog. I'm just off to choose it now. Keep your eye out for an exclusive Hope & winkle giveaway later this week. 


Matt. x

Boobytrapp Corsets website launch party info. Plus exclusive £150 corset giveaway to my readers.

After a much anticipated wait, Lorrain (as pictured) the delectable corsetere, is finally about to launch her website.

 Boobytrapp corsets has been the national corset obsessives best kept secret for nearly 5 years, with niche marketing and word of mouth the company has been comissioned to make corsets for burlesque performers such as Miss Cherry Pop, Darlings Divine and is the official supplier to Kitty Bang Bang who has recently performed at Las Vagas and the playboy mansion.  Boobytrapp also make elaborate corseted wedding dresses for many brides.

Now with her best selling peices, a vast selection of corsets ranging from, ''play it safe'', cotton classics, ''look at me'', matalic petral blue numbers, to Risqué', silk vintage tattoo printed corsets.

The launch of the website will be celebrated with a grand party at Liverpool's Circo bar on the albert docks on Sat 28th November. The tight lipped designer is keeping the entertainment a suprize at the moment but the evening is promised to be a decadent exhibition of burlesque performance, excess and grandeur.

Photo Matt Ford. Hair & Make-up Makeup Hannah Ellen. 

If you fancy getting your hands on one of Boobytrapps corsets worth upto £150 (or £150 off any corset) all you have to do is email matthewrichardford@hotmail.com with the words ''Firecracker-corset competition.''(and your contact details) I'll pick the winner at random on the 10th december.

This is a free event and though it has an amazing guest list you don't need tickets to come. So hopefully I'll see you there. xx

www.boobytrappcorsets.com will go live on the 28th of Nov.

You can go to her facebook page for more info here...Click me!

Topman CTRL gig tickets + t-shirt, exclusive giveaway on Firecracker fashion blog...

Hello blog readers, the Topman press office have been kind enough to give me 2 tickets to the Topman CTRL gig at Korova on the 19th November to give away plus an exclusively designed T-shirt by the headliner act Passion Pit. 

All you have to do is email me saying 'I want the tickets!' to matthewrichardford@hotmail.com (don't worry i'm not gonna start emailing you any junk) you've got until Monday the 16th to enter.

Topman CTRL is a monthly ongoing series of live gigs playing across the country, each month Topman will pick a band to come up with their dream playlist of new/up and coming bands to play along side them. This month it will be Boston band Passion Pit, their Playlist of bands will include Newcastle's Little Comets, Plus the Editors support group Airship. Local band Bicycle Thieves will also be there.

Good Luck and see you there,
Matt.

To watch Passion Pits amazing video click here.

Liverpool fashion designer focus- John Maines.

Up and coming fashion designer John Maines graduated from JMU only last year. Already John's label 'Whatever' and designs from his degree collection are on sale in the newly youthfully rebranded Lewis's on Renshaw Street.

He has also began working his way up the merchandising ladder in Topshop and has plans to move to the flagship Liverpool store as soon as possible. With styling under his belt as well, John likes to put his fingers in a many creative pies as he can. "Designing is just one of his loved art forms.''

Photo: Matt Ford, Invisible man: Lee Edward Finnigan.

After a good chat with  John in the F.A.B. concession store. (see this link for more info on F.A.B.) He told us about how military styling heavily influences some of his designs (not shown) as well as describing his style as a modern take on punk. His ethos is to slightly feminise mens clothing giving the designs wider scope for creativity.

You can see in the images that his fashion hero is Vivian Westwood, the young designer is also influenced by Patricia Field , the brains behind the styling in devil wears Prada, sex in the city, ugly Betty and confessions of a shopaholic.

Click here to go to Johns Facebook page)

Liverpool's next top model signs with Pulse agency.

Model: Jodie.

Photo: Matt Ford.

MUA: Hanna Ellen.

Liverpool's hot new thing Jodie Aloupis, shown here in her debut fashion shoot for Kirsty Doyles aut/win 09 collection has now nailed her first modelling contract with Pulse Agency based in Liverpool.

Jodie, only 17 has only been with pulse for 1 month and has already been selected for many of this seasons catwalk shows across liverpool. I also hear she is on the way to a casting for a national skin care company as we speak.

Pulse Agency has been established for 6 years, covering everything from fashion models, commercial and T.V. extras and promotional staff. I've even used them my self for dozens of fashion spreads and advertising campaigns, including a couple of billboards.

If your looking to get into modelling take a look their website, www.pulseagency.co.uk

or join them on facebook.

Firecracker fashion blog update and forthcoming shoots.

Hi Readers,

Its been a busy week (and a half) and i've not had the chance to post many blogs.

However if you enjoy reading my blog then here's a few things in the pipe line that will be posted in the next month.

Firstly I've been working with a fantastic new web based clothes swap shop called 'My Fashion Junkie ltd.'
Their website, which will be ready in time for christmas will sell vintage pieces, up and coming designers collections as well as being a swap shop.
The photo shoot for the advertising campaign will be on its own post on here shortly. (Its definitely one to look out for!)

Secondly this week the team and I have been busy shooting Hooka Hairdressers new website images.
The shoot is a black and white collection of edgy portraits highlighting Hooka's services on male and female hair and body.
(keep you eye out for this one too.)

I'm also Shooting Gossip magazines new fashion page this coming Monday and have a past winner of Mix Mag's Up and coming DJ of the year shoot the week after.

Finally I confirmed today that i will be the official photographer for the Juice fm style Awards (click here to vote) at the Hilton Hotel on the 5th of December and the official photographer for the Livercool Awards (click here to vote) at the Crowne Plaza on the 19th of November.
I'm looking forward to a week of mentions on Juice Fm, so hope your a listener!

Matt.

P.s. After adding blog counter nearly 2 weeks ago I've had 1700 visits so thanks for reading.

x