Stylish answers - by model Katerina Smutok

opening Corrie Nielsen

My stylish readers, I have a new regular feature for you (yes another one) and this you can expect every Friday, giving you something interesting/insightful to read just before or over the weekend. By working in fashion industry I have met many incredible people and here I'll be bringing you their knowledge of the industry and their particular field. There will be different areas every week.
Starting off with a Russian born model Katerina Smutok, whom I met couple of years ago, whilst working backstage at Ascot, where we put on a daily fashion show for the people in the Royal enclosure part. Katerina has had her first experience of London Fashion Week this season and has working with Karl Lagerfeld on her portfolio. Read all about it here.

1.) I spotted you at quite a lot of shows during London Fashion Week, including Corrie Nielsen and Jasper Garvida. What others did you walk and what was your favourite and why?
That was my first fashion week in London and it started quite well. My first show was for Corrie Nielsen and it was an honor to open it. I did other shows as well like Central St.Martins show full of young creative designers, Dans la Vie, Francesca Marotta, Ji Cheng, Prose, Dion Lee and also Jasper Garvida. I won't hide that the favourite was for Corrie: beautiful looks, make-up, great organisation and feedbacks after the show.

2.) What other fashion weeks did you work at recently?
I always do Berlin Fashion Week and work for the best designers there like Michalsky, Streness, Unrath und Strano, Lala Berlin, Kaviar Gauche, Dimitri, Marcel Ostertag, C'est Tout and many others.

3.) What has been your best modelling job/career highlight?
I think it was Chanel Haute Couture in Paris. But the most impressive was again with Karl Lagerfeld on Fendi show held at Great Wall in Beijing, China. That was massive!

4.) How did you start as a model/ what do you enjoy about the job?
I was born a model. My mother is a designer in Russia and she always dreamt about long-legged daughter with blonde curly hair... Well, long legs I have, blonde curls has my brother))) The best part of my job is... Meeting new people, I enjoy the company of creative people; I love traveling, learning about new cultures and customs; and I love every moment when I walk out on the catwalk - the preparation, rehearsals and dressing for only 20sec of fame!

5.) You must travel a lot, what is your favourite country/city?
London is my favourite with Berlin close second. And the 3rd is Moscow - I still believe it's the most impressive and grand city.

6. How do you keep in shape/look after yourself?
I can't start a day without nice breakfast, I always have lunch and light dinner. I'm a model, but I do eat! I have to walk a lot on castings and sometimes during fashion week you have to see about 20 different clients in opposite sides of the city, so I need proper food to give me energy to make all these appointments. Plus I take classes at Central school of Ballet and I do yoga at home when I have time.

7. What are your dreams/goals?
I'm sure I won't leave fashion when I finish modeling. I was thinking about opening a shop and have actually started working on it already.

8. What's next for you? Any exciting campaigns you can share?
This month I am planning to go to New York to meet my new agency Muse. I am very exited as it is a new market for me. So please wish me luck ;)

We'll cross our fingers for you! Thank you for the stylish answers and let us know how you get on.

Have a stylish day.

at Jasper Garvida

Jasper Garvida SS 12

After winning Project Runway, Jasper Garvida founded his namesake label in August 2008. Since then he's got himself an extensive celebrity following. I was fortunate enough to attend his last two shows at London Fashion Week and they were quite spectacular. And last week I finally got a chance to see his clothes up close at a press day and can tell you, they feel as great as they look.
The SS 12 collection is full of contradictions: light and shade, day and night, hard and soft. The colour palette is kept simple - black and white are the two main colours alongside metallic silver and gold. The silhouettes are strong, but soft fabric keep it very feminine. It is also full of prints and embellishment, yet remains clean and striking without being too much. I love how it's romantic but very modern thanks to all the detailing. Sequins as you have never seen them before. I absolutely adore it and believe that you will too.
Have a stylish day.

London Fashion Week

It's my last day here today as I'm busy elsewhere for the following two days. I've had such a wonderful time and met some incredibly talented and interesting people, I'm sad to be leaving soon. Here are my highlights of the three days I spent here and from tomorrow you can expect articles about all the designers I met and all the designs I fell in love in. There is a lot of talent around and I wish the the success they deserve. I expect to hear about them a lot soon. Also I'm gonna be looking at all the shows we've seen over the course of the exhibition and pick my favourites.
Have a stylish day.

Arriving to Somerset House

 the champagne

the cupcakes

Holly Fulton dress

Holly Fulton exhibit

scarf instalation

DJs at music room, serving more free champagne

hat display

finale at Jasper Garvida

London Fashion Week day 2

So it's the day too here at Somerset House. Loads of designers already presented their AW 11 collections and amongs today ones were big names like Jaeger, Henry Holland and Jonathan Saunders (more about him later).  Apart from being here I went round London today, because I had to do some stuff and I took some pictures that I want to show you. So I've got loads of exciting posts coming up in the next few days, don't forget to check regularly.
Today I want to show you pictures from yesterday's show I attended by Jasper Garvida and also share gossip from last night's Vauxhall Fashion Scout's 10th year anniversary party, both held at the Freemason's Hall in London.
Jasper Garvida has been on the fashion scene since November 2008 and has produced four ready-to-wear collections, all highly acclaimed. Its luxury womenswear is one to watch. What better way to describe the collection than in his own words:
Inspired by the novel ‘Soie’ by Alessandro Baricco – a romantic tale of a European man who becomes enchanted by the east – the collection focuses on contrasts, and the beauty that can be formed when two different worlds intertwine. With elements of 19th century design combined with an oriental silhouette, the collection incorporates strong streamlined tailoring and soft draping with demure skirt lengths that have been given a sexy edge in the form of daring slits and peek-a-boo cut-outs to reveal flashes sensuality.

The slick tailoring, armour-like-hand-embellishment and textured pieces are combined with beautiful, softly draped silk jersey and, lace pieces that depict the journey of two opposite worlds meeting, to create balance, harmony, grace and elegance – all of which serves to add an intriguing romantic undertone to the collection.

Jasper Garvida is one of the many designers showcased by Vauxhall Fashion Scout, who help promote new emerging designers to wider range of audience. They have helped exciting talent like David Koma, William Tempest, Felder Felder to name just a few. I was excited to be invited to their party celebrating ten years of being leading platform for design innovation. The free bar full of great cocktails, they had amazing home made sushi and cakes, the music was just right and the crowd interesting. I had a great night and have a few pics to share. Hope you'll enjoy them all.
Have a stylish day.

the cakes :)

my day look

to make my outfit dresssier, I changed my top, necklace and shoes
skirt is by Herve Leger