Blog | BENGT FASHION

1:17 pm

THE STYLE CRUSADER VISIT

13 May 2012

The world is a small place, as we found out last Friday morning when meeting Jen from The Style Crusader blog who came to visit us together with our new designer Charlie May. They got to know each other at a bloggers event a few years ago where they also met another BENGT regular Sandra from 5 Inch and Up. They all have been good friends ever since. We took them to Violets, a small bakery just around the corner from the BENGT studio, for some seriously good cupcakes and macaroons. Whilst sipping our tea and eating cakes we showed them the BENGT collection and chatted away about living abroad, pursuing your passion and fashion weeks. Time flies when you’re having fun and before we knew it they had to leave for a meeting in Bond Street. We just about managed to get a quick photograph in of their favorite BENGT piece before they went on their way.

Jen from The Style Crusader picked the Louise Amstrup print pleated dress.

Charlie May choose the MOXHAM Kryos clutch as her favorite.

1:03 pm

BENGT IN TIME OUT

4 May 2012

Super excited by the fab BENGT write up in this issue of Time Out’s shopping section, where BENGT is hailed as the to-go-to for emerging fashion (which you devoted BENGT followers obviously already knew…). Louise Amstrup and Dominique Kral are also get big thumbs up for their distinctive and forward thinking style. So spread the word, it is official.

2:10 pm

E.A.BURNS Formation Fighters

29 April 2012

One of this season’s latest additions to the BENGT rooster is the colourful and fabulous jewelry of E.A.Burns. Not only are the styles bang on trend with a colour palette of zingy neons and studded collar tippings, they are also made out of reclaimed leather making for a sustainable statement as well. Watch their eye-popping 3d-jewelry battle it out in this playful stop frame animation by Michelle Tylicki.

Shop E.A.Burns now.

5:11 pm

SNEAK PREVIEW: CHARLIE MAY AW COLLECTION

13 April 2012

In a weeks time we’ll be shooting both Charlie May’s autumn/winter and her spring/summer collection with which she will be launching with BENGT in early May. Here are some lookbook pictures of her autumn/winter collection to wet your appetite. We do have to wait until early September for this. Patience is a virtue is all we can say. We’ll be updating some behind the scenes photos of the shoot with Charlie in the next couple of weeks. Watch this space!

10:19 am

NEW YORK INSPIRATION

11 April 2012

On a recent trip to New York we visited a source of inspiration of one of our favourite designers Louise Amstrup; the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Hot summer afternoons of 1970s New York play the backdrop to her spring/summer ’12 collection paying homage to both city and the strong, playful woman who live there. Although when we were there it was far from hot, but we tried to imagine it none the less with a hot drink in our hands to warm up.

We’re wearing the Louise Amstrup Brooklyn Bridge shirt with a Max Mara blazer, Imogen Belfield gold nugget necklaces, Danielle Foster Alex bag, Kurt Geiger sunglasses, Zara jeans and b store shoes.

A young Jodie Foster in the 1976 film the Taxi Driver takes the role of the poster girl for Amstrup’s new protagonist: a cool but light hearted woman whose childlike strength of mind is reflected in her wardrobe.

Drawing on the the summery New York feel, a palette of sun bleached colours dominate the collection: warm bright orange, sandy peach, powder lilac and cold white contrast punches of navy. The weather can’t get warmer quick enough so that we can wear her pieces and dream of New York.

3:10 pm

COMING SOON: E.A.BURNS

9 April 2012

We spotted E.A.Burns back in 2010 on a small stall on Broadway Market, East London but the brand has moved upwards and onwards since and we’re very excited to finally introduce it here at BENGT. We met Lizzy, the designer behind the label, a few weeks back to make our buying decisions and we had a tough time doing so. There were so many amazing and affordable pieces in several colour ways that we were quite literally spoiled for choice.

The jewellery is designed in a theme and variation style, pushing a technique as far as it will go with inspiration ranging from science fiction, architecture and dinosaurs to relgious iconography. Bold but wearable, E.A.Burns accessories update and transform outfits.

The creative, sustainable and cool pieces are made in London from reclaimed leather and are very affordable. Prices ranging from £20 for a basic necklace, £52 for one of the spike necklaces and at the top end £127 for a statement piece. One of our favourites are the collar tips starting at £26 for two. They will be available here at BENGT later this month. Watch this space!

2:31 pm

BENGT ADORE… ELLA DROR

6 April 2012

BENGT slipped down to the Swarowski showrooms in central London for a mid week do in the shape of fashion pr agency Ella Dror’s AW12 press day. Ella’s roster of designers are not for the fainthearted with names like Charlie le Mindu, Kitty Joseph and not mention Fred Butler. So needless to say we were met with a pre-easter extravaganza in a rainbow of colours and playful props, enough to make Alice in Wonderland happy.

The first set of rails that caught our attention were the mesmerizing prints from RCA MA Textile graduate Kitty Joseph. Her experience gained from work as a color consultant for countless international fashion brands and color trend analysis for leading trend prediction agencies becomes visible in the patterns with a futuristic marbled quality that feel both dreamlike and otherworldly. Finishing off the looks with clear chunky perspex accessories filled with coloured glitter took a fun and kooky spin on a beautifully dark collection.

Images from Kitty Joseph AW12 lookbook

Next out were the wonderfully bonkers headpieces from Piers Atkinson. Known for their wit, unexpected materials and themes and Piers’ own signature storytelling and tongue-in-cheek humor we could not help but smile and reconnect with cuddly childhood memories.

After a quick stop at the bar we hurried over to Fred Butler‘s installation. A background in fashion and many years of experience in prop making and set design working with the industry top names (Nichola Formichetti, Lucinda Chambers and Patti Wilson to name a few), Butlers style is highly creative, imaginative and iconic in its own right. Always with a healthy dollop of humour of course. This season her bespoke collection saw skimpy knits layered with thick candy coloured plaits and head pieces, origami sculpted ‘tops’ and knit covered heels. Sounds weird we know but looked good and felt even better….

French born hair-dresser extraordinaire Charlie le Mindu has risen to prominence with his signature Haute Coiffure style and avant-garde approach to the mix of hair and fashion. To point out that Lady Gaga, Peaches, MGMT and VV Brown are amongst his fans is hardly a surprise.

We also could not help but notice these reach-for-the-sky platform wedges as we were about to leave (but failed to pick up the designer). So all in all a joyful and colourful evening. Big kiss to Ella Dror, we can’t wait for the next one!

9:56 pm

SIX HAS SPRUNG

27 March 2012

A fresh new issue of ethical fashion magazine SIX has just hit the news stands. A magazine that celebrates the designers, individuals and independent brands who are creating a more sustainable future for the fashion industry makes for a long list of BENGT designers making headlines.

Not surprisingly we find Louise Amstrup’s directional SS12 collection at the top of the fashion radar. The softness of the silk dresses is offset and made tough by the photographic collage prints inspired by New York and Scorsese’s cult film Taxi Driver. And speaking of prints, BENGT spring newcomer Malene Oddershede Bach‘s vibrant turqouise Cora dress equally makes a bold statement, marrying effortless flattering shapes with memorable and individual prints.

Emesha and their timeless tailored pieces is also no stranger to ethical fashion, championing not only to bring ‘slow’ fashion to the mainstream but fair wages in production factories. Finding your perfectly cut suit or shirt has never been as rewarding – both for your wardrobe and for your peace of mind.

For her quirky statement jewellery Kirsty Ward also gets a big heads up from the SIX fashion team. Ward’s eclectic yet beautiful pieces often constructed from coloured metal rings and rivets have become synonymous with her neo-tribal aesthetics and will not leave you unnoticed.

Moxham also never ceases to impress. Unexpectedly layered together, the nude Anubis and Flex necklaces as well as the Taba bracelet are given a sporty edge in this fashion feature lensed by up-and-coming photographer Martin Zahringer.

We already know that Imogen Belfield‘s jewellery is out of this world with hardwearing handmade designs that are both experimental and unique. Yet many of these appear like meteoric clusters from outer space, they at the same time somehow manage to be utterly romantic and incredibly stylish. This is one rising star, we can’t wait to see more from.

Last but not least Topi Tijani adds a bit of light hearted fun to the ethical fashion scene. With retro geometric patterns in poppy bright colours, Tijani’s sense of aesthetics blows a new joyful lease of life to the world of structured bags.

10:47 am

MOXHAM’S SPRING HAS ARRIVED

25 March 2012

All winter we have been obsessing over MOXHAM’s beautifully constructed accessories and now with the first glimpse of spring and with her iconic pieces freshly updated in a range of eye-popping colours there is no reason to stop. The Anubis and Amulet necklace have cleverly been reinvented in a gorgeous sunshine yellow. Also in yellow and candy pink the chunky Taba bracelet has found its new fun-loving alter egos and finished off with the MOXHAM clutch is any girl’s new spring obsession.

See the full story in the BENGT editorials…

11:07 am

CHARLIE MAY AT BENGT

23 March 2012

We are delighted to announce that BENGT is to be the debut stockist for the multi talented Charlie May aka London fashion blogger Girl a la mode. In 2008, alongside studying her degree in Fashion Design, Charlie started her blog Girl a la Mode which was soon established as one of the UKs top fashion blogs being featured in magazines such as Elle, Company, Grazia Italia. Still a student she also managed to find the time to work for Louise Goldin and then joined Thomas Tait for 2 seasons until she decided to pursue her own label. Charlie May was launched in SS12 and carries her signature style of minimalist and androgynous pieces using contrasting light silk fabrics with crisp cottons, tough leather, soft suede and features recurring ties and buckles. For all you girls who can’t wait to get your hands on the collection BENGT will selling her SS12 collection as of May and AW12 as of September. Make sure to look out for it!