Hayden Williams

First of all, let me assure you that this is not intended to be an up-and-coming post. Hayden Williams has well and truly arrived.

Even if you haven't heard his name (where have you been?), you're bound to recognise Williams' highly stylised illustrations. Despite receiving criticism for the unrealistic body shapes portrayed in his works, the artist has defended himself, as he explained to me in an email:

'My work is meant to be exaggerated/stylised and not a realistic representation of women. More of a fantasy that women can escape to and get inspired by the glamour and fashions in the visuals.'

Williams' jaw-jutting, wide-eyed, legs-for-days ladies have become immensely popular with his A-list muses, such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Beyoncé. Both women posted his sketches of themselves on their instagram accounts, catapulting his recognition even further into the celebrity stratosphere.

Personally I have always been a huge lover of fashion illustrations and spent a lot of my younger teens trying to imitate Manolo Blahnik's illustrated campaigns. I think that it is really fantastic that such a talented illustrator has come to the fore of the fashion world and I can't wait to see his work translate into a fashion line; something he is planning to establish in the future.

Here are a selection of my favourite illustrations, though his entire portfolio is dazzling.

And my personal favourite...

Oh to be successful enough to warrant a sketch of my own!

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Best Fashion Moments of 2013 | Part 2: April-June

Moving fully into 2013's Spring/Summer trends, here we have part two of the year's Best Fashion Moments. Part 1 saw an awful lot red carpet looks, and it seems in contrast to that that April brought the birth of fabulous street style! I'm already noticing a consistent colour palette in my own tastes across the year; blacks, whites and neutral beiges, as well as the odd splash of red and blue have dominated the first half of this year's best dressed. It will be interesting to see if this theme continues throughout the year!

Olga Kurylenko - Elie Saab | Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Laura Bailey | Olga Kurylenko - Burberry

Alexa Chung - Chanel | Sigrid Agren - Chanel

Isla Fisher - Dolce & Gabbana | Karlie Kloss - Louis Vuitton

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley - Dior | Cheryl Cole - Zuhair Murad

Mirands Kerr | Florence Welch 

Emma Stone - Michael Kors trousers | Isla Fisher

Alessandra Ambrosio | Jessica Sozhr - Haute Hippie

Olivia Palermo - Roberto Cavalli |  | Miranda Kerr

Olivia Palermo | Alexa Chung - Christopher Kane

Karlie Kloss - Jason Wu | Rosie Huntington-Whiteley - Emilio Pucci

Kate Bosworth - Miu Miu | Miranda Kerr - Isabel Marant shorts

(All photographs have been taken from the internet and belong to their rightful owners)

I'm also discovering through doing this series that I have some serious style icons that I never realised inspired me before. Women like Miranda and Rosie are obvious calls (have they ever put a sartorial toe out of line?), but see if you can spot some more consistent appearances as the series goes on! Let me know in the comments below who your ultimate style icon is and if they have been featured in the first half of my Best Fashion Moments of 2013 so far.

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"The Return" by Karl Lagerfeld

There is nothing not to adore about this. The costuming is impeccable and the performances beautiful.

Chanel has had a seriously tremendous week.

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Chanel in Dallas

It is safe to say that Karl Lagerfeld has done it again. Show stopping tweed and over-tassled cardigans that Marant would be jealous of, the Chanel Ready-To-Wear Pre Show has landed. And there is no question as to why the collection was presented in Dallas.

An overtly Western feel has evidently infiltrated Chanel HQ, and we sure should be glad of it. The Métiers d'Art show presents an evolution from this year's revival of the skirt; this time coming in all shapes, but one definitive length. Say goodbye to your legs next autumn, because anything above calf-length has become a sartorial sin.

Lagerfeld has inserted accessories and embellishment wherever possible, with a particular interest in the neck; across the collection there are more looks with a neck bow or brooch than without. The collar trend also lives on, and a sigh of relief from Brits everywhere sees layering as officially on-trend. The show also sees a resurgence in all-black, denim, and in keeping with the theme, white dresses; think Little House on the Prairie chic.

Temptation to include every look from the show has been resisted, so here are a select few of my favourite looks.

All photographs belong to Vogue.co.uk

It is also plain to see how Chanel's Ready-To-Wear collection will translate to the high street. There are such a myriad of accessories to be imitated and a direct focus on certain fabrics and colours in this collection that it won't be hard for those with a far lower budget to inhabit the Wild West next year. Karl, we thank you.

Update 12/12/13: Chanel have since posted the full show on their YouTube channel, enjoy the collection in all of its glory here!

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