chanel a/w 12-13

In case I have not made this clear, Chanel is my kryptonite.

The French fashion house took a turn for the dark side for Autumn/Winter 2012-13 with Karl Lagerfeld delving into his darkest material yet. The set itself set the tone with the overbearing stalagmites and crystals as a complete antithesis of last seasons’ white and bright underwater extravaganza. As always the classic Coco elements were heavily featured but this time around the tweed skirt suits were loose fitting as opposed to cinched in and were layered over trousers for a masculine edge. More twists on the classics meant that looks were even more elaborate with feathers, appliqué and embellishments in jewel tones adorned to the extreme but with an unsurprisingly luxurious and understated effect. The styling was impeccable as always. The girls themselves were crystallised with glittering eyebrows which were offset by their slick ponytails and barely there make up. Each look was better than the one before with British Vogue’s fashion director Lucinda Chambers going as far to say, “it was one of my favourite Chanel shows for years”. The clothes were truly breathtaking. The baggy silhouette was given feminine touches with the aforementioned embellishments but also through Karl’s use of fabrics laced with glitter and unsuspecting pops of sheer and velvet. By Autumn/Winter standards this was also a relatively colourful collection, utilising beetle green and deepest amethyst in not only the clothes but the accessories as well. My most coveted accessory has to be the shoes; a cut out hybrid between pumps and booties with Perspex heels came in a variety of rich shades and have my name all over them, in particular the black leather and glittery black tweed pair with a clear heel which are so far my most coveted item for next season.

Karl Lagerfeld's very own brand of dark magic; beautiful and dangerous.

For more images go to Vogue.

marni for h&m

H&M has hopped from one Italian institution to another by enlisting Marni to create a new capsule collection following the commercial, although perhaps not creative, success of Versace last year. The Marni for H&M collection actually looks like something to be proud of, and something that many a fashionista will be coveting. I myself was taken back by the effortlessly cool dresses and tunics that the collection is offering up for the Spring Summer seasons and was even more shocked to see that, despite its low price point, the clothes and even the accessories don't look cheap (although the proof will be revealed in the changing rooms I'm sure). I am always surprised that designers of such high calibre still want to create lines for H&M considering the sacrifices they have to make in the quality of the clothing they produce; but then again I'm sure they are happy to make such sacrifices when they reap the rewards of the massive profits they make selling at a high street level and the profits they make from encouraging people to buy into the brand whilst generating an upsell from those who take their obsession further by actually going on to purchase Marni at full price. They are fully aware that us schmucks will seize at any oppertunity to buy into a designer brand so I am glad that H&M have finally produced a line that actually looks like it has some thought and style behind it, at least now the masses can buy into a product not only for the label but also for the creativity behind it. I was starting to get a bit sick of poorly designed and poorly realised collections being snapped up despite the fact that, in all honesty, they were pretty shit. It seems as though Marni have chosen not to sell themselves out by creating a half arsed collection and as a result I want nearly every item they have produced. Come 9am on March 8th I am sure that I will be sat in my lecture desperately tapping away on my laptop, not making notes like a good little student but being one of the thousands of desperate people that will crash the H&M website.

comebacks

Does anyone have £850 they would care to donate to my cause? My cause being the desperate longing for beautiful shoes. Probably not the best thing to put your money towards really- if anything that £850 should go towards my treatment for retail addiction.

Chloe have brought back THE boots- you know the ones, black booties with gold studs and buckles galore. Of course you know the ones, these were the boots that half the front row were wearing a few seasons back for Christ's sake. Well they are back people and my feet are crying out for them.

The only trouble is, as mentioned before, they are a whopping £850. That's about £800 more than I can afford to spend on shoes due to my current financial state. 

For me these are the perfect boot. They have summer and winter potential which is perfect considering England is in a constant state of transitional weather. They would be perfect with a floral dress in the hotter months but equally as show stopping with black jeans and a killer jumper once the snow hits the ground/the rain starts pouring. Basically, I need them. My only hope is that I meet a kind benefactor/drug my Mum and take her credit card/Office or Topshop provide me with a cheap copycat.

It's times like these I despise my Dad for telling my bank to never give me a credit card of my own.

images courtesy of net-a-porter

jean paul gaultier couture

What would Winehouse do? That seemed to be the question Jean Paul Gaultier asked himself when creating his spring/summer couture collection. The hair, the eyeliner and the clothes were all very much an ode to the memory of Amy Winehouse, cigarettes and all. The sporty shapes of addidas and Fred Perry that were championed by the late singer took a turn for high glamour when they were combined with classic Gaultier corsetry and styling and recreated in leather and sequins and paired with luxurious lace and vibrant prints. Colours were bold and clashing and this was carried through into the models beehives which varied in hue and hight. The show closed with an incredible display of models, in what appeared to the under garments of the outifts they had already worn, wearing heavy veils which made for a spectacular finale. For me the Gaultier show is always a wonderful event, he has an incredible imagination which he allows to run wild and in doing so he creates not only wonderful fashion and fabulous couture but also a wonderful performance.

My favourite looks...

images courtesy of Vogue

giorgio armani prive couture

Avatar came to life on the runway at Armani today. Green of all shades was the colour of the show with vibrant hues featuring heavily in nearly every look. The reptillian theme was reinforced with graphic lizard and snake prints topped off with sequin embelishment on jackets and then paired with pale green, lilac and champagne silk trousers. The plush fabrics reacted to the colours and prints with mesmerising effect and reminded me of the oil like iridescense of Chanel peridot nail polish which was the nail colour to wear last autumn. It was a show with a very strong image and all the looks were polished within an inch of their lives; super structured, super syled and super chic. The evening wear, and majority of the more day time looks, had the perfect ammount of flair and fantasy necessary for Couture fashion week and the finale gowns might as well have had 'Oscars' written all over them as at least one or two little green dresses are bound to scuttle their way on to the red carpet. Very impressed.

My favourite looks...

images courtesy of Vogue

chanel couture

Karl Lagerfeld took the runway up, up and away hosting the spring/summer Chanel couture show in a purpose built Chanel jumbo jet. The skyline theme continued in the gravity defying hair and the sky blues, greys, black and white that carried through the collection. The sihouette and styling was simple, something that is definitely a recurring theme in most of the big shows so far, but Chanel utilsed embelishments and ornate fabrics to add the key element of fantasy to the already luxurious clothes. It would have been easy for the grand scale production of the show to overwhelm or out do the collection but the clothes more than held their own. Adorable drop waisted pockets added a feminine touch to the boxy suits, coats and dresses; and heavy sequins and beading embelishment made for spectacular evening wear. Perfection as always from my favourite fashion house. I am ready for take off.

My favourite looks...

images courtesy of Vogue


Oh and you know I love a good catwalk video...

it's about to drop...

Karl is coming people. At some point today Karl Lagerfeld is going to press a button in Paris and the collection for net-a-porter will hit the virtual shelves and no doubt sell out in minutes, if not seconds.

Keep you eye on twitter and facebook to find out when the collection will be released!

dior couture

Wearable isn't the first word that pops into my head when you think of Haute Couture, yet for some reason Bill Gaytten presented a couture collection that looked more like ready to wear. With that said, all of the more extravagent look,s and a lot of the more wearable looks, were breathtaking. Truly beautiful, if slightly too modest. The show featured stunning fifties silhouttes in pale greys, monochrome and the occasionaly burst of bright red and houndstooth print and transitioned from modest fiftes glamour to pumped up fantasy with six show stopping gowns closing the show. Sheer fabrics gave the full skirts a light and airy feel throughout the collection and billowing sleeves echoed the billowing hem lines. Much improved from last seasons effort by Gaytten and although there were some pieces that definitely gave a ready to wear vibe overall I think the aim was to create couture that was really an investment piece that would transcend the trends.The collection still lacks the spectacular, spectacualr that made me fall in love with the creations of  John Galliano but the collection is still something to be proud of.

My favourite looks...

images courtesy of Vogue

versace couture

After an eight year absence Donatella Versace returned to the Couture shows in Paris today. It was a small show of only fifteen evening wear looks that were paraded in a static presentation set on a spectacular molten gold staircase. It was a show that was typically Versace and utilised a colour pallete of yellow, green, orange lilac and champagne in variations of pastels and neons to give the sultry and sequined looks some Spring/Summer punch. The sihouettes again were typical of Versace styling- corseted, plunging and womanly with sex appeal to spare. It was all in all a very typical Versace show. Perhaps Donatella was playing it safe for her return to the runway? I have to say although I am slightly disappointed that were didn't see a more heightened and pumped of version of Versace, which is what is to be expected from the couture shows, it was not a disappointing collection. I am sure that nearly all of these looks will be making appearances on the red carpet in the run up to awards season as they are so super sexy yet super feminine that they would look incredible on any starlet. A nice return from Versace but hopefully next season we will get a peek at Versace collection...and then some.

My favourite looks...

images courtesy of Vogue

cravings

The Spring/Summer essentials I am craving for my wardrobe...

Balmain coated boucle biker jacket £3940, Lanvin frayed tweed dress £1330, Proenza Schouler raw silk shirt dress £1180, Missoni crotchet knit playsuit £355, Lanvin bubble skirt silk dress £2395, Etoile Isabel Marant printed cotton jumpsuit £230.

All images via net-a-porter

haute off the runway

Monday brings the return of Couture fashion week in Paris. This is my favourite of all the fashion weeks, the romance, beauty and pure creativity of the couture shows is so inspirational and it is so refreshing to see all the hard work that these already well established designers put in year after year to showcase their talent. Every show sees each couture fashion house out do themselves to bring beauty and perfection to new heights. This year is even more special as it marks the return of the house of Versace to the couture shows after an eight year hiatus.

Of course I will be waiting on Tuesday with baited breath for the photos of the Chanel show like the addict I am!

Stay tuned, I will provide photos of my favourite looks as they hit the runway.

bombay mix

It was a sumptuous collaboration of Indian luxury and understated Parisian style when Karl Lagerfeld showed the Chanel Pre Fall/Winter 2012-13 collection yesterday at the Grand Palais. Fit for and Indian Princess the show was full of luxurious fabrics and intracate jewelled headpieces that seemed as though they had been created for the Maharaja and Courtesan in the film Moulin Rouge- another excellent example of France meets India. It is clear in the clothing that the inspiration was mostly taken from Indian menswear which is unsurprising seeing as Coco Chanel made a name for herself bringing the comfort and ease of menswear tailoring to the female market. My personal favourite is a champagne silk tunic and trouser combination finished off with a heavily embellished necklace and headpiece. Although the Indian reference was heavy throughout, Chanel executed the perfect balance- and I would expect nothing less. All the classic Chanel elements were still included; the pearls, heavy golden chains, tweed and camellia flowers all found their rightful place among the vibrant Indian styles and yet were not lost in them, despite their beautiful subtlty. The entire collection has rustled up so much excitement for the Fall/Winter shows next year and has left me with no doubt that once I win the lottery I am buying the entire Chanel archive.

Take me to the Taj Mahal, or at least the nearest Chanel.

balmain's new beau

So, I was aware that the wonderful Christophe Decarnin had been replaced at Balmain after he departed after five years with the label allegedly because of toubles with depression. What I was not aware of was the fact that his replacement Olivier Rousteing, who became creative director in April, is absoloutley gorgeous!

I was reading Elle magazine this morning and there was a small feature on designers to watch and I was left breathless by this stunning black man in a black and white portrait penetrating my soul with his beautiful eyes. Check him out girls and boys he is gay obviously, no man that hot is ever straight.

So not only is he really, really, ridiculously good looking (Zoolander flashback) but, as was seen at the SS12 shows in Paris, he is also extremely talented and has succeeded in continuing the asthetic that makes Balmain such a popular brand. He kept the rock and roll edge yet still staying true to the Balmain girl, super rich and super sexy. I think Balmain may just be the sexiest brand out there both on and off the runway! Olivier is the main man.

Balmain SS12

images courtesy of Vogue.

where my party people at?

So, I realise I have been pretty useless at posting recently. This is partly due to Christmas temp duties in an attempt to replenish my constantly diminishing bank account and partly due to my time being dedicated to watching the likes of Gossip Girl, 90210 and...Living with the Amish (I'm not living with the amish and hating electricity free life, it is a show on Channel 4).

To make up for my poor efforts here is an extra big post on, yep you guessed it, the Christmas Party conundrum.

So the Christmas season has approached and that not only brings the welcome return of the christmas jumper (as discussed in an earlier post) but it also bring numerous events. Work parties...christmas dinner and drinks with friends...hell, any excuse for a party. But of course this brings the issue of party dressing for christmas without busting out a Mrs Claus type ensemble, being festive but not over-doing the 'sexy santa' theme. So, here are some of my picks for christmas beauty, christmas on a 'budget' and christmas off a budget. I tend not to stick to trends too much, after all they are only trends and as with all fashion they do change faster than the wind, so these are just some of my christmas season favourites...

Christmas beauty allows for a lot of leg room, tis the season to go overboard! Glitter becomes acceptable for evenings that don't involve dancing in a strobe lit room and is actually one of my favourite make up tips for the festive period. You can go full on gold leaf as was seen at Fendi or just go for subtle embelishment seen at Chanel and MAC have actually released a limited edition Christmas range called 'Glitter and Ice'. If glitter on the face really isn't your thing then OPI (as well as nearly every other nail brand) have released a fabulous christmas collection inspired by The Muppets, they come in a variety of colours but my favourites are the festive glitter red and glitter green as well as the multi coloured sparkle polish. Hair is another area to embelish if youwant to keep make up simple, jewellery can be worn in the hair, for example a chunky ring in the place of a hairband or a broch pinned on a chingnon. This season try switching a typical christmas red lipstick and go for a variation of the festive shade, I like a hot pink, blue red of orange red to switch it up and NARS as well as MAC have such a variety of colours you will be spoilt for choice. In my opinion hair can't really be dictated by trends as it can be so personal but at the moment I am loving any form of braid as well as really chic and undone ponytails, I will be pairing my pony with a massive silver sequin headband come christmas day.
images courtesy of Vogue, Mac and Nars

These are the party options that high street favourite Topshop have to offer. I especially love the yellow and purple beaded clutch bag to spice up a LBD. The silver shoes are a near exact copy of some Alexander Wang shoes that I had my eye on and the spiked head band is a nice alternative to a golden tinsel headband that I sported two years ago.
From top left: Satin lace tee £36, gold leather purse £16, Premium beaded clutch £35, Limited edition emerald silk strappy maxi £175, Lillie cherry trim sandals £65, Limited edition leather flippy waist dress £175, Planet flared heel platform moccasins £95, smudge animal print dress £60, mesh bib collar necklace £15, Lush metallic faux sankeskin platforms £65, spike cluster headband £25, Premium mteallic pleat skirt £90.

On the higher end of the scale net-a-porter have some spectacular options for any party. I love the golden Gucci skirt with a cosy knit for a casual christmas dinner and the red Valentino clutch with a bow is so Christmassy without being too much of a gimmick and the Mochino tuxedo jumpsuit is an adorable alternative to a dress.
From top left: Rachel Gilbert silk chiffon dress £695, Christopher Kane gel and PVC clutch £385, Valentino satin bag £520, Michael Kors leather and jersey gown £2400, Christian Louboutin metallic and patent leather pumps £425, Emilio Pucci crystal and velvet dress £5125, Miu Miu glitter and suede boots £555, Moschino Cheap and Chic tuxedo jumpsuit £815, Versace enamel bracelet £1515, Charlotte Olympia suede and satin boots £810, Dannijo crystal necklace £590, Gucci metallic leather skirt £1080.


It is less than a month until Christmas Day people! Be prepared to pop out the advent calendar.

v is for versace

The Versace for H&M collaboration is unveiled in selected UK stores tomorrow morning and Donatella herself will be making an appearance at the London flagship store get your tents at the ready, I'm betting there will be a queue halfway down Oxford Street. The collection has been much hyped but is it actually the best collection H&M has seen from a designer? Sadly, no.

I appreciate the throwback to what made Versace famous way back when Gianni was at the helm, the garish prints and true Italian luxury that translate so well on the red carpet and runway. This however does not translate well when combined with the fact that, even without the massive budget cuts necessary for a designer to translate to high street, the fabric choices from H&M in general aren't the best quality and seeing palm trees splashed across nylon doesn't exactly scream expensive or stylish. There are a few gems hidden away in the collection yet sadly, from what I have seen and heard, Donatella actually cut quite a lot of the best looks from the final edit. Despite this I have no doubt that all those who love a good collaboration and want a slice of Versace for a slice of the price will be queuing in their thousands all over the country tomorrow morning. Elbows and palm trees at the ready.


the best looks from the collection...

and the worst...

for a complete look at the collection visit vogue.co.uk

see choo later

Tamara Mellon has resigned as cheif creative officer of Jimmy Choo. The co-founder of the luxury shoe brand has resigned from the company after 15 years and, more importantly, after selling the company 5 months ago for £525million (now that's alot of Choo's).

She has taken the company from being a small business to a now globally recognised name and coveted brand. She can walk away from Jimmy Choo not only with her head held high and a pocket full of cash, but also with an enviable shoe closet. Lucky lady.

girls on film

This music video is all about the video and nothing about the music even though I do quite like the song. Duran Duran's new video features the SUPERS, I'm talking Naomi, Eva, Helena, Yasmin and Cindy! The video was directed by Jonas Akerland from the Lady GaGa music video hall of fame and was styled by none other than Dolce & Gabbana and although it is nine minutes long the video is spectacular if only for the number of beautiful women that feature. The eternally beautiful and stunningly ageless models take on the roles of the members of Duran Duran and offer up a music video truly...well...super.

the teddy bear's makeover

Even though Pudsey bear has been rocking the white and red spotty eye patch for all these years, even the most famous bear in the country needs a make over once in a while. The iconic bear has been made over by British designers as Children in Need approaches in ten days.

Liberty, House of Holland, Giles, Mulberry, Erdem and PPQ bears.

Which bear is your favourite?

foxy lady

On Thursday night the Mulberry store in Spiningfields in Manchester hosted an event with Stylist magazine and I was one of the lucky few who got to tag along. The event was celebrating Stylist's 100th issue and 40 years of Mulberry and was showcasing the new collection. Some very dashing male models were walking around the store offering up some very lovely looking nibbles (sadly none of which I could eat as I am a vegetarian with a nut allergy) and also keeping the many shoppers fueled with some incredible drinks provided by Hoxton Gin. I got pretty tipsy to be honest, my beverage of choice was the coconut and grapefruit gin with cranberry juice and I think it has to be one of the nicest drinks I have had in a while which is a feat in itself considering I despise gin. Yasmin was there DJing as well as performing a live set and the ladies of stylist were walking around offering style advice. Tucked away in a corner two ladies were close to suffocation because of the number of people crowding around them, after closer inspection I realised they were doing free manicures using nail foils so I dove hands first into the growing queue. Mulberry were also giving away the new Elvina bag, a beautiful soft leather hobo in tan with a metal panel on the handle. Sadly, neither I or my friend Mica heard our name get called and instead a woman named Harriet claimed the prize only to ask if she could exchange it for a bag she actually wanted ungrateful cow. Despite the fact I didn't go home with the bag it was still a fabulous night and the golden balloon, fox mask and goody bag that I got to take home with me definitely softened the blow.

wardrobe of horrors

halloween wishlist...

Getting in the spooky spirit...
Zadig & Voltaire leather shorts £360, Alexander McQueen skull brass box clutch £1,725, Marchesa velevt maxi skirt £1,750, Burberry London lether sleeved trench coat £1,195, Ksubi baddies t-shirt £65, Christian Louboutin ciociara leather ankle boots £695.
net-a-porter