bisou-bisouTadpole: Kanye West and Beyonce's House of Dereon

Both Kanye West and Beyonce are phenomenal musical artists who have decided to launch fashion ranges. Beyonce's House of Dereon has been round for a while in the US but she launched it in the UK in Selfridges during London Fashion Week (I somehow acquired a ticket but went to Dominic Jones and Fashion Fringe instead). Unfortunately it was a fashion fail. My mum and I commented that one could get something very similar at RISKY for a tenth of the price. There was no innovation, no unique selling point (apart from having Beyonce's name on it), and you couldn't even say you're dressing like Beyonce as she clearly doesn't wear this. The pieces had that rude-girl/ hip hop vibe that works in the US but not here as we are more creative and individual in our dressing than that. Regardless it will sell because it is Beyonce but I won't be getting any of it.

Kanye West showed his debut collection at Paris Fashion Week this week to the kind of fanfare usually reserved for Dior or Chanel. With Carine, the Olsens and other influential fashionistas front row, his show failed to live up to the hype. Don't get me wrong- the production, the models, everything else was perfect but the clothes let it all down. This designing lark isn't that easy even if you're shadowing Central Saint Martin's students. I did like certain ideas- the furry backpacks were cool, there were some cool trousers and I loved the white layered looks. But it borrowed heavily from past Balmain collections with a dash of Celine and Herve Ledger and lacked a unique design language. Again nothing really innovative or exceptional was delivered and Kanye West must be scratching his head trying to figure out how the Olsens and Victoria Beckham are succeeding when you could put their acclaimed clothing lines in the same category.