July 09. Liverpool fashion scene update.

Dear Readers,

Liverpool has been busy again this month with fashion shows at Calderstones, featuring Harvey Nichols and the Lola Loves Launch Party show at Cavern Walks. Plus forth coming shows, Jax model agency fashion weekend at St Georges hall and the Fredric and Madison show this Saturday (25th July) at a secret yet to be disclosed location.

(find out where by adding them on facebook. it will be reviled tonight http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=759845452&__a=1#/fredrick.maddison?ref=ts&__a=1)

Model Agencies seem to be popping up all over the place at the moment, Jax Models being just one of them. So if you want to get into modeling make sure you shop around before you sign your life away. As a rule of thumb if it smells fishy then chances are it is.

Unfortunately is been a quiet month for me on the fashion front as I've been away in Ibiza, living it large and all that jazz. However i did manage to keep myself busy shooting Sara Hans latest Trashed Couture collection for her new online look book. Going live soon.

(for a preview of the collection... http://firecrackerfashion.blogspot.com/2009/07/trashed-couture-by-sara-li-chou-han.html

Fortune favours the brave and that's what you will have to be to wear these creations.
Her concept is to take old denim pieces are recreate them into wonderful one off pieces that reinvent your idea of the deconstructionist.
But don't worry for the more average wall flower, Trashed Couture also creates more simple pieces including denim mini skirts and shorts as well as pencil skirts and funky denim bangles.
Sara's clothes are also available at Fredrick and Madison. 14 Colquitt St.

If you haven't already heard of Frederic and Maddison, they are 2 Fresh young Liverpool designers that have been established for barely a year. They inform me they are proud to have celebrity endorsements from Atomic Kittens, Natasha Hamilton and glamour model Amanda Harrington. All i can say is their designs are far from mundane so check out their facebook. (see link above)

Stylist and textiles designer Natalie Love Diggle, who I collaborated on for her disco-tec-trashed shoot back in March..
(see link..http://firecrackerfashion.blogspot.com/2009/06/disco-tec-trashed-couture-by-natalie.html
..have got together again for the next fashion shoot destined to grace the pages of F.A.B. mag issue 4, due out in Autumn.
The winner of the 'Rockin Miss Asia', Kayleigh Winters and up and coming male model, unassuming Thomas Williams, featured in the edgy fashion shoot (unfortunately the pics will have to wait until the magazine published)

However since the shoot Natalie Love Diggle has been accepted onto an internship working directly with Julian McDonald.

Finally the latest news on Kirsty Doyle, Liverpool's own fashion Ambassador. During shooting her for my Industry Style Portraits, she has informed me that she is on the way to the met quarter to finalise the details of her own forthcoming boutique shop due to open its doors on the 25th of August. Kirsty goes international! I also hear she is now stocked in L.A. Not bad for such a young designer.

Kirsty's clothes are available to buy from www.my-wardrobe.com and http://www.kirsty-doyle.com/

Matt x

June 09. Liverpool fashion scene update.

Hello Readers,

More news on this year’s fashion graduate Talent. Textiles designer Natalie Love Diggle captured her 'Disco-tech-trash couture' themed collection with a high energy shoot in Nation, the original home of Cream.

If you like clubbing you will love this shoot.

(Click here to see pics http://firecrackerfashion.blogspot.com/2009/06/disco-tec-trashed-couture-by-natalie.html)

For a student the ambition and scale of the shoot was amazing. The words 'can't do that' simply mean nothing to this girl. I hope to see a lot more and work with Natalie again in the future, so watch this space! We already have something in the pipe line.


If you’re into Scouse fashion then you should have heard of Lola Loves by now. Designer Debbie Bogg has been running her own boutique in Williamson Square for a few years now.
With an ever increasing number of seamstresses and a loyal client base that goes back nearly a decade she is now ready to open a flagship boutique in Liverpool’s luxury Cavern Walks shopping centre.

The shop opens on Tuesday the 15th June. Her official Launch party is the following Thursday. (see facebook for more details, http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=646740727&v=info&viewas=740985423#/event.php?eid=83964184627&ref=ts)

To celebrate the Launch of the new Boutique and to welcome in the new season Debbie has been hard at work designing a massive new collection. We shot the highlights of the collection for window displays and press coverage in a 'outdoor-indoor' themed studio fashion story.

Debbie’s collection consists of silks, satins and sheer with the occasional use of fabrics cut like petals, her colour scheme is pastels, peaches and the occasional acid bright. Cutting back on the massive bows and over the top frills of past collections, S/S 09 seems to bring in a more rounded and grown up feel, yet still ultimately remaining girly.(Click this link to see pics http://firecrackerfashion.blogspot.com/2009/06/lola-loves-launch-pics.html)
Lola loves runs a made to measure policy so book a visit to her consultation room as soon as she opens.

For those who like the darker side of fashion, I also have shot a surreal and fabulously disturbing cover of issue 3 of Fashion and Business magazine. Out later this week. The image is of a model with digitally enhanced arms that represent dolls limbs. I can't wait for this one.The Image is part of an on going collection called the Doll project. (click here to see the first image from the collection http://firecrackerfashion.blogspot.com/2009/06/barbie-see-liverpool-fashion-scene.html


Thanks for reading.

Matt x


P.S. Keep your eye out for my 2 Coronation Street cast, high street fashion stories in the next few Love It magazines. Available at all good newsagents. wink wink.

Disco-tec-trashed Couture. by Natalie Love Diggle. (Higlights from shoot) See Liverpool fashion scene update. June 09