Friday 29 July 2011

Gems in my Mama's closet - Guest writer Chaka, Ecommerce Userbility and Production

Our guest writer Chaka - Online Userbility and Production.
During one of my seasonal rummages through my mum's 'old clothes closet' I came across this amazing vintage pink twin set from Topshop! Complete with the old style TS label from the late 80's i was in LOVE! 

My mama's vintage Topshop jacket from the 80s

Topshop's vintage label!
Thinking that it may be a bit of an overkill to rock into work wearing the WHOLE outfit, I teamed the jacket (minus the massive shoulder pads!) with a black vest top, black skinnys and plaited wedged sandles, as i was going out that eveining it was PERFECT!

I love this jacket because it is so typically 80's, yet lends itself completely to the trends of today. I also love the fact that it is totally unique.

I highly recommend taking the time to look for gems in your Mama's closet, you can find some fantastic items that just keep coming back into fashion. Some other great finds I have salvaged include this cute white summer dress, and this colour crazy scarf.


I can't wait to wear this cute little number on holiday!
Mum's amazing floral scarf - bang on trend this season!

No doubt I'll be back there for Autumn!

Nica HQ goes Vintage crazy!


Vintage 2011 at London’s Southbank is finally here! This amazing vintage festival kicks off in style today and here at Nica HQ we couldn’t be more excited! We love taking style tips from the past, whether it’s tea in pretty crockery, classic red lippy, classic fashion or stylish accessories! Southbank will visit various eras from the 20s to the 80s for their celebration of all things vintage, and with fashion shows, dancing, clubs and food there’s something for everyone! In light of our excitement, here at Nica HQ us girls have decided to raid our wardrobes and dig out our finest vintage pieces to show you. Be sure to come back daily to see each of our best vintage finds!


Share your vintage stories with us! Post pictures of your favourite vintage items on our Facebook page. If you’re going to Vintage 2011 at Southbank, be sure to tell us your favourite bits of the festival!

Thursday 14 July 2011

The Secret Garden - Behind the scenes of the Nica AW11 photoshoot


Transport yourself away to a vintage inspired secret garden....

Way back in chilly January the Nica team wrapped up and packed up our favourite bags from our brand new Autumn/Winter 2011 collection, and jumped in a cab from Nica HQ across town to trendy Shoreditch for our AW11 photo shoot. The shoot was held at MC Motors, an amazing warehouse that oozes character and natural charm – the perfect backdrop for our new collection! Wonderful textured walls, different types of flooring and loads of beautiful rustic and retro pieces gives the location a real ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ feeling, which was just perfect for our story.


Unpacking our favourites from AW11 - including the Sinead satchel, the Katya bowling bag, the Nele acrossbody and the Celia portfolio.

The Nele shoulder bag in Taupe sits perfectly with the vintage props of our location

Meeting us on location was our wonderful team of makeup artists, hair stylists, stylists, prop managers, stunning model Denise and of course our fabulous photographer, Mr Theo Cohen. Buzzing with excitement, we got down to business and started preparing the location ready for shooting to begin.

The theme for the shoot was 40’s classic with a strong romantic feel. We wanted to bring the outside in to create an ‘oldie worldie’ feel and, as usual, eccentricity and quirkiness was a key look for us. We challenged our prop managers to create an indoor ‘Nica Secret Garden’ where we had a backdrop of stunning greenery and beautiful, vibrant roses. Unphased, the team set to work to create our garden, and the finished product was spectacular. We had successfully turned an East London warehouse into a magical secret garden that oozed charm and character! Denise was styled in a selection of amazing vintage clothes from the 1940s that perfectly complimented the structured, vintage feel of the bags. With hair and makeup completed, and Denise looking like a true 1940s siren, the shoot began.


Our photographer, Theo and Nica's brand manager, Sinead create the perfect indoor secret garden
 
Spot the sofa!

Our beautiful model Denise perfectly captured the vintage 40s siren look

The amazing vintage inspired wardrobe - the stylists had it under lock and key unfortunately!

We've got the shot!

Imagine if we could use this to transport ourselves back to the 40s...


Unlike most Nica shoots, the day went without a single hiccup – there were no prop disasters (we managed to avoid lugging a giant canoe around this time...) and every shot came out perfectly. As you can see, it was an amazing shoot that perfectly captures the charm and essence of our latest collection. We couldn’t be happier – the pictures perfectly tell our story for this season’s collection.


Nica takes in the surroundings

So, get carried away in a world of 1940s glamour, romance and eccentricity and let us know your favourite shot!

The Elettra Large Crossbody in Red

The Nele Small Shoulder in Blush

The Celia Portfolio in Dark Taupe

The Katya Tote in Burgundy

The Sinead Satchel in Camel
The Celia Crossbody in Navy

Tuesday 12 July 2011

Introducing the AW11 Collection...

Be inspired by the upcoming trends for Autumn/Winter 11...

Although the sun seems to be shining, it’s that time of year again when the fashion world goes crazy for the launch of the latest autumn/winter collections. With the launch of the Nica AW11 collection just around the corner, we thought we would treat you to some exclusive insider knowledge about the inspiration behind the collection, and all the key trends you can rock by wearing it!

Doing what she does best, Nica has created a collection that is full of charm and vintage romance with unique shapes, the reintroduction of Nica charms and quirky flourishes. Nostalgia for bygone eras was a big theme for Nica, particularly the 1940s teamed with a subtle 1970s influence, shown through strong, structured vintage shapes such as the saddlebag, the bowler bag, the briefcase and a retro flight bag.

A rustic autumnal colour palette of deep reds, burgundy, amber and jade sit perfectly next to pale neutrals and vintage beige and navy, to create a real sense of bohemian eccentricity and romantic beauty. Fun new patterns and graphics highlight a strong art deco influence, drawing on Nica’s love for graphic design.

This new A/W collection sees the Nica range transcend towards a more sophisticated feel, with an air of vintage elegance. Engross yourself in the grace of past years, yet flourish in the modern world thanks to the playful Nica details that encompass the brand so well.