The book of fashion week: Luella's Guide To Style Español

We started a new weekly section that will recommend a book of fashion. Fashion addicts consume not only clothes in large quantities, but a whole universe full of films, books and exhibitions, we can not lose sight.

The British feel is something I look for in our outfits, and rarely get. To get closer to the unique English style casual, cool and reminiscent pop, nothing better than reading the excellent English Style Guide Luella, a bible to us about the secret of success of girls like Alexa Chung , Kate Moss and Charlotte Olympia .

Luella Bartley

For those not familiar with Luella Bartley, was an English designer whose brand it won among girls London between 1999 and 2009. Trained at the Central St. Martins where she majored in fashion journalism, for many years formed a vital part of the "troupe" of Vogue until his departure in 1999 to create its own line.

Perhaps the failure of his firm was to pay much attention to that girl cool, trendy and friend of stylistic combinations impossible: the trench of flowers with the point of the vinyl villain, a pleated skirt too short, booties governess with a defiant edge , long, disheveled hair .... just too shot in low cost stores, and its signing of the first to fall with the economic crisis.

Guide to English style

Since then, Luella lives in Cornwall, surrounded by her three children and her husband, fashion photographer David Sims. She could settle for a quiet family life, but his love of writing inspired a year after closing to publish its vision of the style that many girls look for and few achieve. The book is written in English but the reading is easy and fun.

In some 350 pages illustrated with photographs and drawings, Luella analyzes the style of its icons (from Margaret Thatcher to Lily Allen), local urban tribes (punks, mods, hipsters, ...) and shredded clothing most characteristic British way of life including coats, hats and distinctive Scottish tartan. Some of his most striking statements of style are:

The British style is a unique combination of heritage, traditions and aristocratic revolt of the masses. "

The school uniform, so common in England, strongly influences the style of the British: we rebel against uniformity and conformity.

Too much money can kill creativity (...). You will not find your own style in the halls of Harvey Nichols until you have made learning flea markets, channels of fast fashion and vintage shops, experiencing, transforming the right clothes and make mistakes.