It should be universally unanimous that these lookbook images are some of the best that Topshop have ever done for their designer collaborations and fittingly in this instance, they feature the designer herself modelling the collection. It can only be Louise Gray and her first clothing and make-up collection for Topshop, which lands in stores (FYI - many of the international stores have bought the collection in) and online today. No model could have really brought this sequinned collection to life in the way that Louise has done. If most designers favour the annonymous and inconspicuous look, then Louise is the opposite of that, embodying and believing in her designs through her own personal style, convincing us all that we need sequins, clashing colours and prints in our lives, and to keep piling more on if possible. My own style is possibly a poor man's Louise Gray - not daring or extreme enough but sufficiently colourful and print-laden to absorb Gray's designs, hence why I have quite a few of her mainline pieces. Suffice to say, her collection for Topshop is so bang up my style alley, that should any of the pieces fall randomly into any given pile of my own clothing, a somewhat coherent outfit is sure to emerge. Actually, that's pretty much what happened when I took these pictures. It's my new wanky dress-up concept - chuck a piece of clothing in a random direction at my wardrobe and see where it lands to determine the outfit. In the process, I also got stuck into metallic origami paper and Pritt Stick to frame these pictures, matching up with the multitude of coloured sequins that Gray raided for her collection for Topshop.
Louise Gray for Topshop sequinned t-shirt, vintage satin pyjama shirt, vintage slip skirt, sheer skirt underneath, Venessa Arizaga necklace, Feminine Masculine shoes
Louise Gray for Topshop starry-eyed sequin sleeveless tunic, Louise Gray tweed jacket, vintage Todd Oldham shirt, vintage satin pyjama bottoms, My Six London shoes
Louise Gray for Topshop sequinned polka dot jacket, Mary Katrantzou knit dress, Marni skirt, John Rocha culottes underneath, Balenciaga shoes
Last night saw a mini launch of the collection in Topshop Oxford Circus' EDIT section which has been suitably Gray-ified, with graffiti in the changing rooms, signature Louise Gray-esque styling on the mannequins and plenty of the collaboration available in both clothing and make-up form.
I didn't get to check out the make-up range fully but it includes lipstick, eye-colours, nail polish and mascara as well as a few accessories like brushes and lipstick holders, inspired by the make-up that Louise herself uses. If you've seen some of the pictures of Louise's make-up tee pee at Port Eliot festival (last year and this year), you'll know how easy and tempting it is to go mad with painterly eye-dabbing with a few pots of colour and a cotton bud (Q-tip to Statesiders). The lipstick and the glitter nails will be the perfectly imperfect finishing touches.
