Surrealism
‘Clustered twigs twined in harmonious accord,White walls attatched in minimalist approval,Conjoined lovebirds chirping in lustless love, Fiery sunrises swimming in unattainable elation,Soured grapes drifting in heady wine, Fragmented desire pulsating in LED lights’
Founded in Glasgow in 1849 House of Fraser is one of the oldest department stores in the UK and with 150 years of experience it is easy to see why they are the most trusted department store among consumers. The third biggest department store after Debenhams and John Lewis, the giant retailer stocks clothing, toys and homeware appealing to a wide range of audiences. Owned by Sanpower (89%) and Mike Ashley (11%) House of Fraser still remains relevant to modern culture and continues to cater to all our consumerist needs.
After surviving several planned mergers and disbandments House of Fraser brought out subsidaries otherwise known as ‘sub-retailers’ that would be let out and sold under their management and saw a huge surge of profits and by 2007 when they launched their online website 11% of their earnings were made online. Proving that their status as a ‘traditional’ retailer did not mean they could not interpret modern fashion they created ranges that targeted all audiences and ‘Therapy’ is a mature range inspired by simple elegance. Tailored to the working woman each individual piece is refined with a hint of natural imagery. Tops are emblazoned with florals while dresses stick to bold colours in a basic silhouette making it both ‘work’ and ‘party’ ready.
Ideal for those on the go Therapy’s no-fuss approach to fashion is a vast change to ‘catwalk’ trends, best suited to a ‘braver aesthetic’. For the average woman ‘catwalk trends’ are inexplicably un-realistic. On average 75% of the population are mothers or in full time work and subsequently crave fashion that is on trend but a realistic fit in the environment that they work or live in. Fashion is a huge part of lifestyle costs and the ‘mother’ or ‘jobee’ wants clothing that is affordable but at the same time made from high quality fabrics.
My Review
House of Fraser sent me a floral two tone shirt in a sample size 10 originally priced at £25 on the site but is now on sale for £12.50. The botanical shell top features a botanical floral design with a scoop neck and dainty cap sleeves and its 90’s fit still remain popular today. The 90’s began to move away from the ‘disco-trash’ aesthetic of the 80’s and became more minimalist to blend into the new ‘urban’ society where shoulder pads where frowned upon and spaghetti straps and cap sleeves were in. The 90’s allure influenced much of the 21st century until the late 2010’s and it was an era that I wanted to emulate in todays shoot.
Creating a modern 90’s look I borrowed the casual luxe aesthetic that was coveted mid decade. Leather and imitations of leather were paired with simple tees to create a rock-chick look that was synonomous with the image of 90’s pop band sensation The Spice Girls and many under 25’s paired halternecks with ra-ra or mini skirts with leather jackets to appear more ‘mature’. Softer fabrics like cashmere were also popular and worn in a multitude of ‘bright’ but wearable colours. Combining the 90’s love of contrasting fabrics and new minimalist silhouette my look is modern yet can be traced back to the 90’s and even a hint of the 70’s through the peach tasselled heels with perforated cut-out details.
The botanical tee features two predominant colours- pastel blue and white with minute floral detail that makes up one of the most ubiquitous motiffs in fashion. Originating in Ottoman Empires, floral prints were seen as decadent and in the wake of the Industrial Revolution, textile production, particularly floral fabrics, had grown exponentially. Now florals remain catwalks most relied on ‘print’ and continues to proliferate income faster than any other motif. Therapy’s savviness enabled them to curate florals in a more ‘wearable’ context, drawing away from the ultra-feminine dresses that are favoured by florals and instead created a casual look that can be dressed up or down.
I curated a ‘workwear’ look by tucking the 90’s tee into the leather trousers and adding a pale blue duster, matching colour block bag and blush heeled sandals with out details to add edge to the work-appropriate look. The duster coat is refined but its original purpose was far more functional, used to keep dirt off Texan rangers uniform and by the late 19th century it became aesthetically popular. The idea of a ‘functional’ duster is shown here through the use of a satchel to keep all your work essentials in one place while its colourblocked design makes it instantly modern. To modernize the predominantly 90’s based look I slicked back my hair to look sleek and sharp against the colourful backgrounds featured in the shoot.By contrasting the ultra-feminine botanical shirt against the biker chic leather trousers the look creates a binary opposition between ‘harsh’ and soft ‘textures’ whilst combining 90’s aethetic with modern cool.
Much Love Springbots xox
Coat: Rock and Roll Maven
Top:Therapy by House of Fraser
Trousers: Topshop
Heels: Missguided
Bag: Missguided
I do love House of Fraser. I bought quite a few of my daughters dresses and some clothing gifts for friends from there last year. They always have great quality clothing. I must take a look in there for some summer clothes for me.