Exploring Reykjavik's Kolaportid Flea Market

I returned from a trip to Reykjavik a week ago, but I'm still in a bit of an Icelandic bubble, to be honest. The city blew me away with its colourful buildings, quirky bars and super-friendly people - these guys would probably give you a kidney if you asked nicely enough. There were also some fantastic shops, but the one thing that stopped me splurging too much was the price.

 A peek into the bustling hub of Kolaportid.

This way to menswear, sir.

Without any sort of Topshop/Primark/New Look equivalents dotted along the main streets of Laugavegur and Hverfisgata, I was instead faced with some difficult decisions. Should I spend £120 on an Icelandic woolen jumper or £150 on a butterfly-print scarf from the posh department store, Atmo? Somehow I couldn't quite do it. I knew there would be a cheaper alternative somewhere, and lo and behold I found it at the Kolaportid flea market, which is held every weekend in a warehouse between the Old Harbour and the Harpa Concert Hall. It's free to wander around, but make sure you bring some money, as you're likely to be parting with some cash along the way.

Trolls and Victorian dolls vie for attention.

Want a cover for your mobile or a copy of a Tintin DVD? Sorted.

The stalls in the main market area contained everything from toys and books to clothing. As with most UK flea markets, there was an army surplus area, where you could pick up cheap bags, badges and jackets that were ripe for being customised.

 Raise your leg if you like a bargain.

Take your pick from the books on offer.

Meanwhile, the rest of the warehouse was dedicated to food, though much of it wasn't very vegetarian-friendly. Luckily my friend and I don't get too squeamish and don't mind meat, but if you're not partial to it then I'd skip this bit. We saw a pig's head just casually plonked on top of someone's stall, whilst some squirm-inducing entrails sat below it. We then headed round to the fish area, hoping to see some hakarl (putrefied shark meat, supposedly an Icelandic delicacy), but they were fresh out of it, so we skipped to the confectionery department, where there was some kind of treat called an Olsen-Olsen - perhaps the candy equivalent of the Olsen twins?

 Wake up and smell the fish.

Spot the Olsen twins in the centre.

My best bargain was a book on palmistry, which cost me about £1 and is probably going to involve some painstaking translation work with the help of Google, but I reckon it'll be worth it.

This translates, quite sweetly, as 'Promise Readings'.

If you want to visit the market then you'll find it at Tryggvagotu 19 in 101 Reykjavik, open from 11am-5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Why I'm unruffled by the Spring/Summer 2013 ruffle trend

Normally on this blog I do tend to focus on the things I love about fashion; the things that make me want to go out and shop, or at least try and customise something in tribute to what I've seen and can't get out of my head. Well, this time I definitely won't be jumping on the bandwagon, because Spring/Summer 2013's ruffles won't be making their way into my wardrobe any time soon. Here's why I object to the thrill of frills.

What Works On The Catwalk Doesn't Always Translate To Real Life

I think this is a firm case of something looking expressive and dramatic on the catwalk, but then seeming more like a retro prom queen disaster when you see it on the woman next to you on the street. 

Obviously if you're a bit of an exhibitionist then you will quite happily get in a right flap about ruffles and you'll love the extra attention that they bring, but there's an element of overblown excitement and fuss about the whole ensemble which just doesn't work for everyday life, even if you filter it down to the high street and imagine spending £30 on a cheap version of the dress below.

[Image via Vogue.com]. Balenciaga's dramatic movement failed to move me. Sorry, Nicholas Ghesquiere.

I think the question is: in what situation would this Balenciaga ruffled dress be appropriate and attractive to other people? At a cocktail party, you'd seem very high maintenance and you'd probably have got through multiple lonely marriages with only small yappy dogs for company and the occasional use of a yacht in St. Tropez. 

In a club, you'd be the one wearing too much make-up, talking too loudly and trying to look girly; you'd then spend most of the night trying to fend off jokes from men asking if you're dressed for flamenco dancing or why you're so bloody keen to bring back the 80s.  

Maybe if you're Carrie Bradshaw or Miroslava Duma then you could work this look, but us mere mortals don't always want to be that theatrical.

I Don't Want To Resemble A Valance

Valances on beds and curtains are one of those unnecessary details that just create too much fuss and make you look a bit like a cat lady in waiting. Sadly, some of these poor embarrassing homeware trimmings have made their way into Zac Posen's S/S13 offering, suggesting that us mere mortals may soon be asked to resemble our posh relatives' spare bedrooms. If, like me, you're not keen on channeling this look, say no to the ruffles and stay minimalist.

[Image via Vogue.com]. Zac Posen gets ruffled up.

Peplum, Maybe. Ruffles, No. My Curves Can't Cope

I'm proud of having curves, yes, but when trends like this come along then it can seem like overkill for someone like me - whose ribs are quite hard to find and whose hips are definitely anything but boyish - to join in and let those curves be amplified to excess. I don't need to emphasise those areas with extra fabric, but what I'd rather do is try and find my waist, to add a little balance, or try and play down my chest, rather than break out a frilly cleavage. 

Whilst the ever-popular peplum skims over the stomach and kicks out slightly at the hips in a fluid line, the ruffled blouse explodes like a five-year-old after too many party snacks and fizzy drinks. It's unsubtle and messy. Of course, if you are curvier and you want to wear frills, then I'm not saying you can't pull them off and look great, but I just find that they're counter-productive for me, and they leave me feeling like a meringue, when I'd rather eat one. 

If you're one of the brave (and probably slim) minority of women looking to rock a ruffle this season, good luck to you. I'll be watching, bemused, from the sidelines, and sitting this one out.

Dante Does Istanbul: Dilara Findikoglu Creates Her Own Wonderland

Today I've been talking Turkey, with a visit to Istanbul INN London, a promotional event to raise awareness of the city's cultural output, from food and drink to architecture and art. But the section that was strongest was definitely the fashion, where hot new designers showed that Istanbul deserves to be noticed on the international scene.

[Images taken at Victoria House, London].

A real mixture of fabrics, with a sports luxe feel, clashed with historical prints.

Inspired by Dante's Inferno, Turkish designer Dilara Findikoglu has created a totally unique and unforgettable collection which reminded me slightly of Mary Katrantzou (in her use of intense prints) and Alexander McQueen (in the careful attention to corporeality and also in using antique religious drawings as a basis). 

 There's something for every type of dresser - from the daring harness wearer to the shift dress lover.

And I still can't get enough of those prints...

The collection is known as 'Dante's Islamic Inferno', due to the repeated references to Islamic architecture, such as beautiful glass or tile patterns, but also lettering in the prints. Other recurring motifs are as diverse as skulls, interlocking hands and palm trees, as well as the occasional anatomical heart and a miniature Medusa painting. 

 You just know this collection would look amazing dressed up or down. Or just styled in a photo shoot in an abandoned warehouse.

Dilara studied fashion at Central St. Martins College in London and has also been a stylist and fashion editor for several magazines, so she's got a strong creative background, but she's also incredibly young (yep, just to make you feel like an underachiever!). Aside from Dante Aligheri, she says that she's inspired by 'parapsychology', 'Katie Shillingford' (of Dazed & Confused - one of my hair icons!) and 'flowers'.

The exhibition space was set up in this sort of homely-cum-creepy atmosphere, with armchairs and books but with clothes strung up like pieces of meat. I loved the contrasts.

My only gripe? I CAN'T FIND WHERE TO BUY THIS AMAZING STUFF. Seriously, I'm being tortured here. If you want to see more of Dilara's work, check out her Cargo Collective account, but otherwise you'll have to hold tight and wait for it to go on sale somewhere soon. I'm crossing my fingers for a pop-up shop...

Bath in Fashion Festival: Style in the City

This month sees one of Britain's key fashion cities celebrating its style connections with the Bath in Fashion festival. From 13th-21st April there will be a packed schedule of events and exhibitions to help you indulge your inner fashionista, whether you're into the stunning photography of Norman Parkinson or the modern super stylist Rebekah Roy. Here are some of the highlights:

Mouvements de Femmes: Roland Mouret in conversation with Susanna Frankel (Grazia's Fashion Director) - Monday 15th April, The Octagon at Milsom Place

He's known for iconic dresses such as the Galaxy, seen on A-listers and widely copied by the high street, but you'll see him in a new light here, as the curator of Norman Parkinson's photography exhibition. Obviously someone who appreciates the female form, Mouret will be grilled by the brilliant Susanna Frankel, so expect some juicy soundbites. Tickets cost £20 from Visit Bath.

 Downton's timeless painted illustrations are worth seeing. [Image via daviddownton.com]

David Downton's Illustration Masterclass with model Jade Parfitt - Saturday 20th April, The Grange Suite in the Bath Spa Hotel

I was lucky enough to hear Downton speak at the London College of Fashion a few years ago, where I sat in the audience taking copious notes and lapping up every word - I'm utterly in awe of his work and even used him as inspiration for my AS-Level Art project, back in the day. You'll know a Downton illustration for its expressive and fluid lines, celebrity subjects such as Dita Von Teese and its minimalist finish; he's also the fashion illustrator in residence at Claridges and creates unforgettable couture and catwalk imagery. Tickets have sold out for this event, so if you've managed to score one then I'm incredibly jealous.

BathVA's Vintage Fashion Fair Special - Sunday 21st April, Green Park Station

In a place with so much history, it's only right that vintage style gets a look-in here. Get your hair fixed up like a true retro lady (Marcel wave? Victory rolls? Yes, please) and browse over 50 stalls selling the very best local finds. There's even a dance troupe to entertain you as you shop - what more could you want, except a man in a classic car? Yep, they'll have them too. Entry is free and it runs from 9:30am to 4:00pm, so there's plenty of time to track down a bargain, but you may want to get there early for the best selection (of vintage, not men in cars). 

Aside from these picks, there will be plenty of exhibitions at the Holburne Museum, including 50 Fabulous Frocks and an installation by artist Julie Verhoeven, or you can pop to the famous Fashion Museum to see the Dress of the Year 2012. In between all of this, you might want to explore the Roman Baths or take a boat trip down the river, as I've done when I've visited over the years.

With talks, art displays and pop-up shops to check out, there really is something for everyone on the festival schedule. Well done to Visit Bath for an incredible line-up - I just wish I could be there myself!

Lakme Fashion Week S/S 2013: Why Aarti Vijay Gupta's Map Print Is Bang On Trend

When I saw the catwalk images from Aarti Vijay Gupta's Spring/Summer 2013 collection at India's Lakme Fashion Week, my heart skipped a beat. Not just because I'm a massive fan of her work, for its use of conceptual prints, but because I saw maps and stamps. 

For the designer it was the start of 'I Love India', a clutch of pieces that included references to Mahatma Gandhi, Indian tigers and a coal train. For me, sitting in rainy old England, it was the chance to step into another country and to get a glimpse of it from AVG's perspective. 

 The print looks beautiful on a sari.

[Catwalk images via Lakme Fashion Week].

If there's one trend that's been simmering on the surface of this season, it's a print that relates to travel - from Mary Katrantzou's S/S13 stamp and coin inspired designs and her collaboration with Current Elliott, to Christopher Raeburn's map dress and Topshop's map-emblazoned bikini, swimsuit and scarf that are currently flying off the shelves at a store near you.

Mary Katrantzou for Current Elliott [Image via fashion-law.org].

Christopher Raeburn dress, S/S13 [Image via christopherraeburn.co.uk].

Topshop's traveller trend is in full swing [Images via topshop.com].

Whereas 2012 in commercial fashion was all about patriotic UK flags, with the Union Jack getting a boost from the Jubilee and the Olympics, 2013 is about where you're going, as well as where you're from. That's why cartography has become a recurring inspiration for clothing and accessories, along with travel-inspired jewellery such as beaded glass and thread bracelets.

 Whatever the colour palette, the maps still look edgy and crisp.

It's all about heritage prints and more stamps than you can shake a stick at.

Nice to see AVG's trademark glasses making an appearance again, too.

More than anything, this collection reminds me why I want to visit India; to get out my passport and explore a little more of that world map, but also to see the place that inspires great designers such as Aarti Vijay Gupta. I will be upholding the traveller trend as much as possible this year!

Visual Merchandising in Rome: Shop Window Lust

After last week's Roman Holiday adventure (in which I did not resemble Audrey Hepburn or smash a guitar over a spy's head on the River Tiber, but I did have lots of gelato), it's time to reflect. Naturally I had my VM brain on when I visited the city, as it's so well known for shopping and I'm such a shop window whore, so I've come up with an overview of the best fashion snapshots that I took.

These were mainly in the Via Del Corso and Via Condotti and the surrounding streets. The area is a mecca for anyone with money to burn and it's also a great place just to gaze at quirky displays. Enjoy!

 Where else to start, but with Valentino?

The atelier that is surely most synonymous with Rome, Valentino remains as chic as ever, despite the man himself no longer running the show. We're still seeing feminine silhouettes and great craftsmanship, with designs that you know would be investment pieces.

 It's all about the Rockstuds.

Just as Valentino has previously taken camouflage print and removed it from an army setting (he used it as the basis for a ballgown), his brand continues to push the envelope. Here we see the faddish low fashion trend of studs, which was corrupted from its punk origins and became the embellishment of your average housewife's t-shirt, being used as a high fashion material.

 Mannequins in catwalk formation.

 A rainy view of MaxMara.

 Dolce & Gabbana go for deckchair stripes in an oversized doll's box.

 Louis Vuitton goes old skool with a typewriter, a parquet floor and a flurry of paper.

 Really simple visuals, but these stacks of paper work well as pedestal columns for menswear.

 Just off the Campo De' Fiori, I found this lurid but fun shoe shop. Love the brogues.

 The hipster contents of Nora P in the Monti district.

Want real shabby chic and artisan cool in Rome? Then you have to head to Monti. My Vespa tour guide, Annie, described it as Italy's answer to Nolita in New York. It's quirky and fun, full of tiny restaurants serving authentic local food, alongside vintage stores and bars. Nora P was a homeware shop that we came across in the area, boasting weird and wonderful furniture and accessories.

 Chanel's black and white photo montage got me snap-happy.

 The other branch of Vuitton is the flagship store and it has a cool back-story.

This used to be Rome's first cinema, so the team at Louis Vuitton decided to use its original features as a starting point for the building's re-design. You'll find a board outside listing screenings of fashion films.

Spot the cinema screen at the back.

Okay, so you can't smell the heady mix of popcorn and hormones that your average cinema reeks of, but instead you get cool promotional videos and something a little bit different. Kudos to LVMH for keeping an authentic slice of Rome, rather than glossing over it. This proves it really is the Eternal City, with more reinventions than Madonna.

As for the actual shopping that I could afford, I was more high street than high chic, but I did manage to bring back some seriously good chocolate and a leather-bound notebook. Maybe next time I go, I'll be doing more than window shop in the stores along the Via Condotti... well, a girl can dream!

Five Stylish Reasons Why I'm Visiting Rome

Tomorrow I will be browsing the streets of Rome, preparing for a vintage Vespa trip (woop!) and tracking down the very best gelato that money can buy. However, the city is often overlooked in favour of Milan when it comes to fashion, but Romans certainly know how to dress and how to shop. This is why I couldn't wait to drop in on them...

[Image via Tumblr]. Delfina Delettrez is one of Rome's hottest designers.

1.  I want to check out up-and-coming Italian brands, such as jewellery designer Delfina Delettrez, whose skeleton hand belt is one of the coolest anatomical pieces I've ever seen. She's also part of the Fendi family, so clearly talent runs in the blood. 

2. Up-and-coming districts like San Lorenzo, home to uni students and street art, are worth visiting for style inspiration. I'll be looking out for sharply dressed young Italians and hot vintage shops - apparently Via Dei Volschi is the place to hit.

3. There's a brilliant flea market culture here that means you're never far away from second hand goods. Most of them take place on a Sunday, which I'll unfortunately miss, but one low-key event runs all week behind a church. I'll be popping by to see if I can pick up some bargains.

4. You can't ignore the impact of the great Valentino Garavani on Rome. The man who made the city his catwalk (and held a party at the Colosseum and a retrospective at the Ara Pacis) still leaves his mark here, with his studio continuing to produce eye-catching couture under the watchful eye of two successors, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli. They've brought us the rockstud shoes, which I love. 

5. The Trevi Fountain, one of the most famous sights, is being rescued and restored by Fendi, with Karl Lagerfeld at the helm. I'm expecting the statues to be clutching Fendi Baguette bags in no time at all. 

Besides all of this, I'll be visiting the shopping malls, boutiques and street sellers scattered around the streets and will be keeping my eyes peeled for Roman street style. It's also more than likely I'll be doing a Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love and needing to track down bigger jeans that can accommodate my love of Italian food...

Anyway, I'll be back at the weekend, with a fresh copy of Vogue Italia and loads of photos. Stay tuned.