YSL Electric Chic Autumn Collection.

With September hot on our heels, its time to look ahead at what’s hot for Autumn/ Winter 2013. Electric Chic by YSL hit the high street at the beginning of August kindly giving us plenty of time to get stocked up for the winter! Taking its inspiration from city life, the collection is infused with metallic’s, bright’s and dull hues of grey. 

This stunning Autumn collection makes all us English Rose girls wish we had Pocahontas locks and beautifully bronzed skin. The dark, fruity lip colours, the warm grey polish and the metallic eye palette will empower your look.

Bang on trend, this mythical collection will make lips pop, eyes glitter and gleam and nails appear like talons. Just in time for Halloween, why not go the whole hog and create an outrageous, catwalk inspired look to really get those Dracula’s interested!

The two lipsticks in this collection are breathtaking, giving a silky, cream finish; the colours are rich, full bodied and smell exactly like the fruits they resemble.

  

No 50 in Nocturnal Plum is a gorgeous, gloomy plum with a moisturized sheen. Rich and dark, this bold, dark lip look is bang on trend for A/W this year. The colour in No 51, Vibrant Vermillion is a vibrant tomato red. A stunning orange red with a hint of burnished gold. If you're a blue eyed beauty, apply this colour on the lip to make your eyes pop like jewels.

The City Drive Palette in 'Classy' takes inspiration from luster rich materials throughout the city. Champagne, Marble, Concrete and Steel make a delicate yet sumptuous palette.

The lightest colour, Champagne would work perfectly for those with fair skin tones as an all over base shimmer on the eye, as well as a highlighter for cheekbones, inner corners, cupids bow and brow bone for all skin types. The dull brown next door to Champagne if perfect for creating a beautifully soft smokey eye for Autumn, which teamed with the Nocturnal Plum would look stunning.

The golden brown could be used on fairer skin tones all over the lid for a warm, spiced apple glow, or for the smokey eye lovers, this could be blended through the crease to help blend seamlessly from dark to light. Finally, the steel grey is vibrant with a fine glitter sparkling throughout. This could be pushed on top of the lighter colours or used in the inner corners to accentuate.

My final pick from this collection is this gorgeously understated nail varnish in 39 Beige Gallery. Mirroring the current interiors trend for beige, the nail colour is quietly sophisticated. This polish is highly versatile and would work well in the office, teamed with a bejewelled gown or with a smart casual blazer look to hit the shops!

Overall, Electric Chich looks set to line the handbags of many city girls around the world. Its bold bright lip colours and warm shimmering eye palette gives every girl the oppertunity to create a look tailored to their skin tone. Now, i just need to win the lottery so i can go out and buy all of these amzing products!! 

Illamasqua 'Sacred Hour' Collection.

In true style, the new ‘Sacred Hour’ Collection from Illamasqua is beautifully mythical and playfully sinister, inspired by the enchanting hours of dusk and dawn.

Enriching the current trend in beauty of mystery, magic and superstition, Illamasqua have created a collection to rival similar products now available on the counters of Dior and Chanel.

The ‘Sacred Hour’ collection is gloriously rich, exuding a sense of the super natural, most successfully in the Nail Polish’s. ‘Hemlock’ and ‘Facet’ represent dusk and dawn perfectly. Both colours include an opalescent finish adding to the magic of the polish and magnifying the luster of the pigment within. ‘Hemlock’ is a luxurious charcoal tone, scattered with shimmering flecks of bronze and gold. This polish is like painting the most beautifully clear nights sky, infused with magical star dust onto your nails. This nail polish really is mesmerizing, perfect for a romantic dinner or a winter ball.

The second colour ‘Facet’ is equally dazzling and would be perfect for a winter wonderland wedding. The pale, pearl grey, with a peony pink warmth dancing throughout creates a delightfully soft yet striking polish.

The centre piece of the collection is the ‘Perfection’ palette for the eyes. A rich quad of water resistant cream shadows which produce a shimmering finish. The colours are perfectly pigmented allowing you to blend and build to your hearts desire, whether you want a soft ethereal finish or a more dramatic look.

To adorn the cheeks, Illamasqua have included two cream blushers. ‘Sleek’ is a gorgeously delicate, apricot peach tone, great for English Rose skin types. ‘Peaked’ is a lovely, aged damson pink, evoking feelings of long summer nights spent sipping damson gin and cloudy lemonade.

The deliciously dark ‘Feather’ lashes will intensify the look and give the eyes great definition. These hand made false lashes bring to mind thoughts of the supernatural as they lengthen natural lashes beyond belief whilst looking wispy and delicate.

To complete the look, why not finish with a bold lip to contrast against the light metallic eye. Illamasqua have created a creamy textured, opaque finish lipstick in a deep, charming cerise colour named ‘Shard’. With a slight stain, this lip colour will last all night.

My New Favourite Room.

Jenky and I moved into a new house at the end of April and it feels like we have been here for ages already! As soon as we had the keys we began a mission to whip this little house into shape and we are very nearly there! The latest room to be transformed was the dining room and i LOVE it. Seeing as we both did creative degrees, we're really keen to keep on trend and style each room individually.

The dining room is quite a small room providing a through route from the kithen to the living room and therefore any ideas we had needed to allow for this contant movement in and out. We have a beautiful diding table that we acquired from my parents which i have grown up with. I love this and feel like a bit of them are here every time i sit down to eat which is lovely as they live a few hours away.

We had two chairs and two stools but wanted a few more so we could have people over to eat. So we asked around and got two lovely old wooden chairs from jenky's auntie which we swiftly sanded down and painted and they look so on trend and just stunning! Its amazing what a lick of paint can do!

We went for a zesty colour scheme too with our feature wall painted 'Luscious Lime'. It ties in with the Orla Keily wallpaper we've just put in the living room and so creates a continuity throughout the house. The curtains are beautifully transluscent giving an extra hint of colour whilst still allowing the light through from the conservatory. Now im dying to go out and buy some lovely citrus coloured vases and maybe a plant or table for in the corner! I love styling interiors, it's never ending but i love it.

High End Beauty Haul!

At the beginning of the month i had my Tonsils removed. Good riddance i say, but they didnt go without a fight! I was out for a good two weeks and i definately would have gone insane without my amazing Mum who came and stayed with us and my handsome man! Love you!!

So, when i finally felt back to normal i decided to treat myself a little bit! During the two weeks recovery, i completely neglected my skin. It was dry, rosy in places and needed a good boost. Having watched a lot of daytime tv i was interested to try the Liz Earle products, as seen on QVC! They really sold it to me and after some further research of my own i ordered a really sweet little 'try me' kit which included sample sizes of the Cleanse and Polish, Skin Boosting Tonic and Moisturiser. Even after the first use of the trio of products my skin felt and looked considerably better.

Two weeks later and im completely addicted. I have naturally dry skin and these products have rejuvinated my skin like never before. I have a new glow and my skin feels healthy and toned. I would really recommend the Liz Earle Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise trio to anyone with a similar skin type.

Seeing as i absoloutely LOVE the products, i repurchased in full size and as if i didnt love Liz enough, shes sent me another cleanse and polish and a fantastic full size complimentary Sheer Skin Tint. Im in heaven!

Alongside my new found love for all things Liz Earle, i also found a complete bargain in savers! The new St. Tropez Self Tan Milk certainly looks the part in terms of its minimalist packaging but im yet to try it to see how it looks on my skin. Im quite pale in complexion and have sensative skin and when researching with those two issues in mind, this porduct seemed to come up trumps! Cant wait to try it out!

The last two products im going to talk about are high street rather than high end but ive heard good things about Sleek products from youtube sensations Pixiewoo, Tanya Burr and Zoella so i decided to see for myself. 

When i went into superdrug, i was only looking for the contour kit, but i came out with a blusher aswell! Oops... The contour kit really is amazing. I love to excentuate my cheekbones and have been doing so with the Sugarbomb blusher from Benenfit which has some lovely bronze undertones perfect for the summer. With winter coming up though i wanted something without too much shimmer that would look natural and light. I could have used Hoola by Benefit but i find this too dark on my fair complexion so this contour kit in 'light' was the perfect choice. The contour itself is very similar to Laguna from Nars and is really lovely to blend. The highlighter is great too as it has an irredescent property which illuminates the skin without being too noticeable. This product is a revelation to me and was under £10. 

The blusher is beautifully pigmented which is fantastic- theres nothing worse than a wishy washy blusher, however you do need to be careful with how much you apply. I bought 'Pomegranate 923' which is a lovely plummy cerise colour. In hindsight, a coral tone would have suited my skin tone better but each blusher is under £4 so i can afford to experiement!

Ive got my eye on a few things which i want to try next:

1. More Sleek blushers - their palette in Lace looks lovely and their eye palettes.

2. Real techniques Expert Face Brush. Ive got a few of the other brushes by Sm Chapman and ive heard great things about this brush.

3. i-White - Teeth Whitening Strips. These have had great reviews on youtube and i would love a safe, reliable kit to lighten my teeth slightly. NOT Rylan style!

Malham Show 2013

I havent blogged for an absoloute age but i couldnt resist writing about Malham Show. I have been to agricultural shows since i was in a pushchair and i absoloutely love them! The great outdoors, crafts, local providers, young farmers and the livestock judging is fascinating. This year, instead of being a spectator, i took part and entered three categories. 1 A Handmade Object, 2 A Cuchion Cover and 3 Hand made Wedding Favour. I spent three days crafting and produced three pieces i am so pleased with. Getting back into sewing and being creative in general had spurred me on to keep it up!!

I have since given the cushion cover i made to my Mum as it was handstitched with 'Malham' on the front (not much use to me as i live in Beverley!) I'll have to get a photo of that soon! But here is my handmade piece- im going to make lots more and make a wall hanging arrangement or bunting!

This hand made piece was purely for the show, sadly it didnt win any prizes but i love it and i want to continue to make things for our new home! I love the colour combination, the pom poms and the hand stitching.

New Designers 2012

Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design, Class of 2012.

After a chaotic yet productive week down in London at New Designers, i am back up in sunny Yorkshire having a bit of a breather! I met so many wonderful people and gained a few really fantastic oppertunities. One lead inparticular would be perfect if the placement goes well. Fingers crossed i will impress them and have the pleasure of working for such a great brand.

This week has taught me alot about the industry, in particular the importance of networking. Often its not what you know but who you know and therefore its important to talk to everyone!

Cao for now!

Arts Thread!

So as of today my graduate portfolio is officially live on the creative network, Arts Thread. I have uploaded manily imagery of my Final Major Project as well as one page of imagery showing pieces from my last project which also centered round a botanical theme. This is another valuable way of getting my work seen by important people!! Have a look!!!

Daisy Waite Arts Thread

Final Show Progress

I have spent the last few days deciding which designs i am going to make into drops for my final show in June. I have selected two main designs, one of which i have already printed aswell as a third which i really like but not quite sure whether or not its too simple. For the remainder of this week i have been tweaking a previous design to make it sit better with the other drops. I have enjoyed this designing for purpose and i am pleased with how the design is coming along.

All imagery is Copyright Daisy Waite, 2012.

Botanical Beauties!

This botanical inspired collection by Stella MaCartney is absolutely stunning. Referencing classical prints and paintings, Stella's deigns are beautifully composed and the colours within them are gorgeous. If i had a spare penny or two i would LOVE one of these lovely dresses, or a bag...!

As you may have already guessed, i am a big lover of all things British. There's something about British design which is endearing, classical and desirable. Both Barbour and Jack Will's pride themselves on being 'fabulously British'. It is brilliant to see another great british design company collaborating with both. Liberties of London have worked closely with both brands to add a touch of print to the original products. The addition of a liberty to print would improve anything!! Absolutely gorgeous... and again, if i had some spare pennies..!

Another British brand, Ted Baker have also jumped on the botanical print bandwagon this season introducing their 'Rose Bug' print which i adore. The colours are divine and hidden bugs and bees create a wheres wally effect which i love!

This print has been used to adorn a lot of different garments and accessories! Ted Baker are obviously aware of the beauty of this print... they have put it on every type of garment they sell!! I have my eye on the swimsuit but at a tasty £69, i might just have to keep dreaming!!

Beautifully Botanical, Interior Wallpapers.

These designs are intended as large scale interior wall coverings to adorn walls throughout the home. Used individually as feature panels or in repeat to cover a wall, the delicate textures and crisp form decorate the walls beautifully.

All imagery Copyright Daisy Waite 2012.

New Designs for New Designers!!

Having been selected for New Designers i have found a new lease of confidence whilst designing. I feel a lot more confident in my over all authority as a designer to both make important decisions and trust my own judgements! With this new found motivation, i have created a small group of designs i am really pleased with, some which may potentially feature in my final show! All of these designs below are made up entirely of my original prints. These were created using hand picked flora and fauna, composed botanically onto an inked plate and pressed to create the imprint. I am so pleased i have been able to use a 'by hand' process in my FMP as i personally really value hand crafted design of any medium. I have taken the original prints further using photoshop, making as little alterations to the original as possible to create beautifully crisp and intricate wall coverings. Here are a few examples of my favourite pieces.

Original Pressed Print with natural colours.

Designs above and below are also from

original prints which have been inverted

using Photoshop.

All imagery is copyright Daisy Waite 2012.

I am most pleased with the inverted pieces as they are a really innovative and unusual take on the way classical/ traditional botanical printing would usually be executed. This regeneration of botanical printing is something i am really pleased with and both of these prints are highly likely to be used as drops in my final show and at New Designers!

New Designer.

So today, New Designers selection was revealed and i was one of the lucky twenty chosen to exhibit! I am really really pleased. It will be the perfect way to round off my wonderful four years at Leeds College of Art and i feel privileged to be exhibiting my work alongside other great new designers!! I will be exhibiting during the first week, Part One from the 27th to the 30th of June this summer.

Cream of the Crop!

Having foraged and collected a wide variety of specimens to print with on wednesday, i printed a number of pieces yesetrday which i am really pleased with. Here are a few quick shots of my favourite pieces. They'e not quite dry yet so unfortunately, i haven't been able to scan them in.. I am really looking forward to designing with them.

All imagery is Copyright Daisy Waite, 2012.

I love the crisp line and form achieved when printing with real flora and fauna in the press. The natural colours which seep into the paper due to the pressure of printing are beautigul and add that extra bit of life to the prints. When i get into designing with these, i wont be manipulating them very much at all. I want to keep the repeats as simple as possible so the prints can be seen in all their glory.

I also played around with creating a few textures which could possibly used for backgrounds or extra fill in certain areas. I really like the marks that were made as a surface textuer on their own and can see them working well with just a few simple specimens printed ontop perhaps in a ditsy floral style.





Botanical Printing...

Having decided i am going to use my prints within my designs for my main collection, i headed back down to the print room to generate some more imagery to work with! This time i wanted to work on a larger scale, putting more effort into the quality of the print so that less effort is needed when designing. I used a wide variety of flora and fauna freshly picked yesterday and kept in mind botanical documentation and composition all the time. Here's a sneak peak at how i got on!

Fauna arranged carefully on the print plate.

Lovely variety of elements within each print.

Print plate after first pressing, ready for a second!

Hopefully my prints will dry crisp and detailled allowing me to use them for my wallpaper collection. I am especially pleased with two i printed today. Their composition, vairety of scale and colour all work beautifully. Hopefully i can create beautiful wallpapers from this batch!

Lovely Research.

I always continue to research throughout my project to make sure i am constantly inspired and subconsciously picking up new ideas and themes. Here are a few of my favourite images from researching the web today, in keeping with my botanical theme.

Indiana Fake Flowers

Stella McCartney

Gucci S/S 2012 Scarf