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In an era where endless scrolling has become my form of daily exercise and checking likes is my only interaction with solving a maths problem- I’m not alone when sharing that social media becomes a rabbit hole for self comparisons and body envy. Yet in the wake of this, there has been an increasing rise in inspirational posts from models and celebrities alike sharing the reality of their lives beyond the glamour of the red carpet. So I want to share with you my top 5 inspiring women who embrace individuality, are unapologetically confident and show off how their imperfections are perfect.

Winnie Harlow

With only 2% of the population worldwide affected with vitiligo, the 24 year old model and spokes person on the skin condition is redefining beauty standards. Having suffered from bullying throughout her life, due to the appearance of her skin, Winnie has bounced back from haters by stating it’s her own self-belief she finds most empowering and not the uniqueness of her skin. From numerous campaigns with Diesel, to being blessed with her Victoria’s Secret wings, Winnie shows time and time again that confidence comes from within and how to utilise your individuality as your super-power.

Jameela Jamil

If there was ever to be a a gold medal for best use of social media, Jameela would have them all! Actress, presenter and activist, Jameela Jamil has launched @i_weigh, a brand new social platform that encourages its followers to value your worth internally, instead of externally. Not only is this an amazing mental exercise but an important reminder “To feel valuable and see how amazing we are, and look beyond the flesh on our bones.” Both @i_weigh and her personal account are an amazing follow for a confidence boost, relatability and a laugh, trust me. 

Chrissy Teigen

Queen of twitter and Mother of two, Chrissy Teigen’s honesty has proven a recipe for success amongst her fans as she navigates through motherhood and a full-time career. Both fiercely unapologetic and witty, Teigen’s sense of humour and transparency online from her breast feeding posts to showing off her stretch marks, are fantastically real and inspiring. Proving once again, confidence is a true form of beauty.

Halima Aden

As the world’s first hijabi wearing model, Halima Aden is crushing it when it comes to redefining beauty standards and is therefore, a true modern icon. Halima has established herself as a fantastic role model, in particular for Muslim women, as she advocates for modest fashion and conforms to her own ideas and standards of beauty, instead of what the Western modelling industry wanted her to abide by. Yet, what Halima’s status has really taught myself, women and girls around the world is to not conform to other people’s standards. Most importantly, follow what you believe in. 

Tulle and feathers and pastels- Oh my! Once again Couture Week leaves us dazzled by craftsmanship and elegance, yet it was the refreshing colour palettes that steer way from traditional autumnal tones that inspired us most this season. The term ‘Couture’ itself breathes an exotic air that knowingly transports us to a realm of fantasy, however what exactly does it mean to establish a Couture collection? 

In 1868 the Fédération Française de la Couture founded the origin of ‘Haute Couture’, later be legally registered as the origin in 1945, is the acting headquarters for this breed of French fashion. 

As a legally protected term, fashion houses are therefore approved annually by the organisation which determines if a house can be Haute or not. The then chosen “Happy few” coined said by president of fashion at Chanel, Bruno Pavlovsky, must play by the rules to maintain the archaic title. This includes hosting a Parisian workroom with a minimum of 20 employees, as well as this each fashion house must produce a minimum of 25 outfits per season, which occurs in January and July. 

A brief insight into the long history of Haute Couture can only deepen our appreciation of this presentation of Parisian artisan that graced us once again earlier this July. From the extraordinary elegance from Ralph & Russo, to the boldly beautiful tones and textures from Valentino, here is our round up of the best collections at Autumn/Winter Couture Week 2019.

Valentino

Creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, continued to reach new heights in his latest display of Couture, embellishing his gowns with feathers, pom poms and luxurious yarns. A spectacle of rich colour and desirable textures ensured “That every single look was different”, stated Piccioli in a preview of the show, allowing him to expand on his continuous study that Haute Couture is a metaphor for human diversity. His Haute Couture philosophy has quickly allowed the designer to develop a memorable aesthetic which is maturing as a timeless signature with every collection. A particular favourite is the dazzling yellow dress, complete with a fantastic layered yarn trim- transforming the spirit of a summertime dress into an elevated autumnal gown.

Fendi

As this collection payed homage to Roman mosaics and ancient marble flooring, it was through the late creative director, Karl Lagerfelds, spectacular eye and love for Rome that inspired the A/W 2019 show. As 54 looks graced the catwalk, one for each year Lagerfeld served at the house, Silvia Venturini Fendi noted the collection came full circle when a book gifted to her by Lagerfeld played crucial a part in inspiring her visual narrative. Geometrical shapes and patterns were woven throughout the collection appearing amongst glamorous tailoring which smoothly translated into spectacular evening wear as the collection concluded on show stopping ballgowns. 

Ralph & Russo

Tulle, chiffon, organza and feathers are just a few of the reasons why we are left breathless at the craftsmanship presented at Ralph and Russo this season. Directly inspired by the Art Deco movement, their iconic fantasy gowns were fascinatingly confronted by masculine counterparts which created a new dynamic for the brands aesthetic. Whilst the collection may not end with a show stopper or an elaborate bridal gown, I personally find it’s because a little piece of spectacular is stitched into every article of clothing- needless to say we cannot be spoilt any further!

Givenchy

Creative director for Givenchy, Clare Waight Keller, explained after the show “It’s the idea of this beautiful, lost chateau where an anarchic spirit comes through”, which was perfectly translated through her ateliers process that went “From clinical laboratory to the playground of a mad scientist” said Vogue. This eccentric and electric narrative was evident through silhouette, from skirts shaped like lampshades to embellishments resembling interior decoration. An erratic yet successful storyline for Couture definitely landed Givenchy as one of the most memorable this season.

Schiaparelli

Daniel Roseburry presented to us this season his debut show for the Schiaparelli fashion house. Having come from Thom Browne we already had an inkling there would be a flare for theatrics and tailoring. Roseberry commenced the show by seating himself both at a sketching table and in the centre spotlight. All surrealist origins considered, if there was ever a place where Haute Couture and art were to be at harmony it’s at this fashion house. As expected, reconstructed tailoring was warmly welcomed on the catwalk, as well as the theme for deconstruction which was embodied through silhouette and unique embellishment. Bold colours juxtaposed the often more ‘edgy’ and dark aspects of the collection, leaving me reminiscent of flamboyant, tropical birds. Whilst it appeared Roseberry spliced together two different collections, it’s through this madness that the designer invites you to see the nativity of an artists mind- instilled in us from the beginning when the designer took to his desk, pen and paper in hand, almost in a child-like manner.  

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When you think of women’s workwear, it’s obvious to immediately think of classic pieces such as a suit or a dress. However, that has not always been the case! We have come very far in terms of what women are able to wear during work and daily life, to the point where we can have such a diverse wardrobe of garments right at their finger tips! In the Mellaris office we have been talking about the history of women’s workwear as well as how the trouser, which was once seen as something that only men could wear, has become a staple in everyone’s wardrobe.

During WWII, as men went off to fight, women became the forefront of manual labour. As new job opportunities grew, such as working in weapon factories, so did the demand for new uniforms tailored to the needs of a new customer - the woman. The traditional wear for a woman, including dresses and skirts, was no longer appropriate for manual activities and so their new found wardrobe included pants.  Women during the war were able to wear overalls or separates and women working in the office were able to wear the utility suit (victory suit in the US.) It also became the fashion where women were also able to ‘dress-up’ their suits if they were going out to dinner or to the theatre.

The Chanel Suit:

One of the most iconic designer of all time was considerably inspired by men’s clothing and therefore championed a more androgynous look was, Gabrielle Chanel. The notable Chanel suit was crafted in 1925, allowing more movement the suit catered to ‘daring’ women who no longer wishes to be constrained by the traditional garments of the time and so suited their more active and lavish lifestyles. Even though women weren’t necessarily wearing this particular suit to work, it was still vastly different from the attire that had been so popular before and starting point for masculine/tailoring inspired garments becoming fashionable for women.

Women like Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn and Josephine Baker were some of the most well-known women who were wearing trousers as a bold statement. Suits for women was so different for its time that these stars were often viewed as daring and shocking for favouring such attire. Marlene Dietrick, in particular, was infamous for her masculine style and noted now completely ahead of her time for appreciating the iconic power a woman in a suit possesses.

'Le Smoking'

In 1966, the designer Yves Saint Laurent created the ‘Le Smoking’ look; a tuxedo that is typically associated with masculinity. The striking affect of the ‘Le Smoking' tuxedo style continues to have a timeless impact on fashion designers, as even today collections still pull reference from it. Although, originally the suit was not a hit, it became more popular during the 70’s when power dressing evolved into a trendy staple look.

Power Dressing:

During the 1970/80’s, women began wearing trousers as a not only a fashion statement but a statement for equality.  As power dressing became the ‘it’ look of the time, as more and more women were entering working environments, suits and pant suits really became a staple within every woman’s wardrobe. The suits that were available for women were designed to incorporate masculine elements to them, such as a boxy fit and shoulder pads to mimic the male silhouette, allowed women to enhance their assertiveness and authority in the work place and enabled men to accept them as equals. This trend was particularly fed to the masses through media outlets and in particular on TV shows like Dallas and Dynasty.

In today’s society, it’s more likely you’ll see the working woman choosing to wear what she wants! As the modern woman’s style continues to grow and welcome our individuality, the new dress code equals confidence. We’re all out here dressing for ourselves, whether that means comfort shoe Wednesday’s or wearing your brand new self-confidence boosting blazer, we love that we are all doing our own thing!

Congratulations to @georgina_rose_xo for winning Miss Essex 2019 👑

Thankyou to @missessexgb for our invitation to the event and dressing @kirstytarabolt and judges in our dresses 👗

At Mellaris our weekly blog acts as a juicy insight into our thoughts, discussions and in-office gossips. From couture week to celebrities, we love talking about all things fashion related and communicating it back to you! As ‘caring is the new cool’ increasingly becomes the outlook for the year, just last week we were brainstorming how Mellaris could improve their sustainability within the near future. Donating to SmartWorks is one of our additional ventures that not only supports and uplifts our brand ethos of empowering women but it additionally reduces our stock waste too. SmartWorks is a charitable organisation that pairs up with fashion brands and relies on their kind donations which aids unemployed women who are in need of practical means to be successful during interview processes. Those who also work closely with SmartWorks includes Harvey Nichols and most recently HRH the Duchess of Sussex, of which she promoted the charity within her guest-edited September issue for British Vogue. So whilst we look forward to working with SmartWorks again, we began discussing new ways in which we could introduce a stronger eco-friendly ethos into Mellaris’ core values. And so we asked each other, would you rent your wardrobe?

Sustainability is so multifaceted and therefore micro-trends are appearing within the eco-movement that are inspiring consumers in multiple ways to become more green. ‘Reuse’ and ‘second-hand’ seem to be the key words of the moment that are captivating consumers right now. From our shopping bags, to rising popularity of vintage stores, uploading our unwanted clothing online and donating to charity, are a few of the baby-steps that are beginning to normalise eco-friendly efforts currently within our society. So, merely one week after our chat fashion pioneers, Business of Fashion, posed a question to their 1.3M followers on Instagram- Would you rent your wardrobe? As a brand this made us so happy to know that we are discussing relevant, on-trend topics and strategies which are evoking a spectacular discussion amongst customers. Whilst the joys of fast fashion include constant creative output, inspiration and content it is simultaneously affecting so many aspects of our eco system, including water pollution, textile waste, increasing consumption and therefore unethical production. These serve as a multitude of reasons why the industry needs to hit ‘refresh’ and perhaps garment renting will become one of the keys ways to encourage slow fashion habits. Currently, the average British woman hoards £285 of clothes they will never wear, making for £30 billion of unworn clothes. Americans are buying twice as many items of clothing as they did just twenty years ago. Whilst the fashion industry is fuelling this through the increasing amount of fashion shows and capsule collections, of which high-street retailers attempt to keep up with, it is also the industry which needs to responsibly put a stop to this. BOF discussed Rent the Runway retailer within their post who popularised garment renting since 2008. Now, as a $1 billion valued company, the concept has hit mainstream within the last decade as the likes of Urban Outfitters are also adopting a renting scheme. Comments on the post swayed from positive “Absolutely’s" with certain customers keen to maintain the excitement of constantly refreshing their wardrobes whilst doing so sustainably and meanwhile, other consumers felt it wasn’t appropriate for their lifestyles. Yet, one key idea prevailed from the comment section, unveiling a specific interest in renting avant-garde pieces or a perhaps garment for a specific special occasion. When buying dresses for weddings, events or Christmas parties I find myself always justifying this more expensive purchase with classic lines such as “This can be dressed down, right?” Or “I could totally pull off this gown on holiday” and more often than not it ends up and the end of the wardrobe you rarely venture back to. Renting would be a perfect solution to this surely? 

A great way to self-educate regarding sustainability within fashion is to follow innovators such as Fashion Revolution! This marvellous organisation utilises their knowledge and experience to bring together designers, educators, students, brands, makers and fashion lovers to unite a creative community to believe and invest in an industry that values their people, environment, creativity and profit equally. Their website is a spectacular educational and inspiring platform that has free downloadable reports, offering in-depth knowledge and insight into how the fashion industry is affecting the environment. Whether you’re a curious fashion lover, student or passionate activist, Fashion Revolution is an engaging space to delve yourself into. With their core mission to “Unite people and organisation to work together towards radically changing the way our clothes are sourced, produced and consumer, so that our clothing is made in a safe, clean and fair way” they are a fantastic organisation to get involved with whether it be via donation or attending an event.

BOF had an overwhelming response to their post asking, “Would you rent your wardrobe”? So similarly we’d love to hear from our customers and readers regarding your ideas and opinions. Who knows, you just might be our next source of inspiration! As a brand that offers styles with occasions in mind, such as weddings and parties, we’d appreciate if you’d share whether you’d like to rent a garment for one-off special occasions or prefer to buy to keep? Perhaps if you’re in a very sharing mood you could even tell us what particular conditions would persuade you into trying retail renting. We always love hearing from you and can’t wait to meet you in the comment section below, see you there!