The British Designers Collective at Bicester Village

Some days, because of what I do for a living I can easily forget that I’m working… and Wednesday was one of those days. I was at Bicester Village for the press launch of their 2^nd pop-up boutique called the British Designers Collective, in association with the British Fashion Council (the doors opened to the general public yesterday)… I was there to chat to the designers, magazine editors, fashion bloggers… et al and it was fabulous! The store was officially opened by British actress Thandie Newton, who is a key supporter of UK designers and a known ambassador of British fashion – she looked so fab in her Marios Schwab dress and was incredibly down to earth and lovely.

So what is the British Designers Collective (BDC)? Well, it’s a unique collaboration between Value Retail (who own Bicester Village) and the British Fashion Council (www.britishfashioncouncil.com) – the idea is to showcase emerging designers all under one roof, introducing them to a wider audience in a fabulous environment, with fantastic reductions (up to 60% off!). What more could you want??

This year the BDC is boasting some of the most exciting names in British fashion, including Jonathan Saunders, Holly Fulton, Felder Felder, Preen and Marios Schwab. There is something for everyone… from everyday knitwear by Goat to show-stopping dresses from Felicity Brown. For a full list of brands see below… or have a look at Bicester Village’s website www.bicestervillage.com.

Now this is the important bit… in order to see this wonderful store for yourselves you need to get down to the village quickly, as the British Designers Collective only runs for six weeks until mid-May. Clothing aside, you’re in for a visual spectacular as the store has been specifically designed for the occasion and this year, colour is key! There’s a neon-pink telephone box outside and the interior decor has to be seen to be believed… it just adds to the whole shopping experience – with neon of course being hugely on trend for S/S 11!

Here are some of my favourite items in-store and photos from the event… maybe some of these hugely sought-after names/pieces will end up in your own wardrobe??

Thandie Newton outside the neon telephone box and BDC

Identical twin sisters Annette and Daniela Felder

Holly Fulton outside the BDC

Everyone listening to Thandie Newton speak at the launch

Inside the store

Amazing dress from Preen, was £715 now £429

Killer heels from Lara Bohinc

Can I have all 4?? Holly Fulton clutch bags from £225. I love them!

Holly Fulton printed dress was £595 now £397 (Holly is clearly a new fave of mine...)

The piece that stole the show - every blogger and editor tried it on or photographed it - A bright orange sheep-skin by Osman, was £1900 now £1095

 

The brand list: Georgina Goodman, Preen Line by Thornton Bregazzi, Goat, Felder Felder, Emma Cook, Felicity Brown, Holly Fulton, Fiona Paxton, Marios Schwab, Lara Bohinc, Mawi, Osman, Jean-Pierre Braganza, Lilly and Lionel, Jane Carr, Jonathan Saunders, Markus Lupfer, From Somewhere, Todd Lynn, Richard Nicholl and Elvis & Kresse!

Visit www.bicestervillage.com for more info on all the designers.

Ideal Home Show and S/S 11 Q&A session

I had a really great afternoon yesterday (and last Tuesday) at the Ideal Home Show. I was speaking on a panel of “experts” about fashion and style – what we should be wearing for the new season and essential items for every woman’s wardrobe etc (http://www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/cws-fashion-style/). I had some initial pre-session nerves but as soon as I got the microphone in my hand you couldn’t shut me up and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Also on the panel with me yesterday were Clare Watson from “Miss-Dress” and her colleague Bianca Smit from “Who is the Fairest” – I hope we gave some good advice!

After the show... Bianca from Who is the Fairest, myself and Clare from Miss-Dress!

Here are some of my answers to the questions we were asked…

Q: What should we be wearing for S/S 11?

A: Bright colours are key! The easiest way to introduce them is by adding a really colourful scarf or handbag to your outfit. Bright shoes are another easy way to bring some life to an otherwise simple look. But you must wear them with confidence! (Something to note – people often think they can’t wear brights and suit paler, softer colours instead… Now obviously it depends on the shade, but as an example I look far better in hot pink than I do in baby pink, which seriously washes me out! Before perchasing just try a colour against your skin, hold it by your face and see if you look healthy or drained!)

Me sporting my new bright pink patent Ted Baker shoes from Bicester Village (£40) and River Island Scarf (£14.99)

Q: What items should every woman have in her wardrobe?

A: A great fitting pair of jeans (easier said than done I hear you say! On a budget try TopShop, French Connection or GAP; for the new “It” jeans buy Adriano Goldschmied and for a more classic/higher-rise pair invest in some ”Not Your Daughters Jeans”), a decent leather handbag (that doesn’t look like you’ve had it for 10 years and isn’t too small, like something a child could use! The likes of Oasis, Warehouse and Topshop have great leather handbags these days, for the next level up try Russel&Bromley or go for broke and head to Mulberry, Miu Miu or Prada!! Why not – it’s an investment piece!!), a simply cut day dress that can be dressed up for evening (try COS, Zara, Reiss or DVF) and a tailored jacket to sharpen up dresses, jeans etc (my favourite at the moment is from Topshop for £55).

Q: What are some of the easiest trends to wear this season?

A: Apart from Brights, I would say that florals are an easy way to update for S/S. There are floral print tops, dresses and skirts everywhere but if you’re feeling cautious start out with a floral bag like the one below. Again, a quick word of warning about florals: unless you’re über trendy and an Alexa Chung look-a-like don’t think you can raid the loft and pull out a Laura Ashley “special” that you’ve been saving for the past 20years. The floral look this time around is quite, quite different!).

Easy floral update... Bag from Accessorize £30

P.S. I came across a fantastic company at the Ideal Home Show called www.littlelou.com… they make the most incredible “Jewelabra’s”… when they send me some images I’ll put them up!

P.P.S. Website info for all of the above…  Accessorize (www.accessorize.com), Adriano Goldschmied (www.agjeans.com), Bicester Village (www.bicestervillage.com) COS (www.cosstores.com),  DVF (www.dvf.com), Miu Miu (www.miumiu.com), Mulberry (www.mulberry.com), Not Your Daughters Jeans (www.nydj.eu/en/home), Oasis (www.oasis-stores.com) Prada (www.prada.com), Reiss (www.reissonline.com), River Island (www.riverisland.com), Topshop (www.topshop.com), Warehouse (www.warehouse.co.uk) and ZARA (www.zara.com).  

The Ideal Home Show at Earls Court, London

 

Pure and Scoop International A/W11

This Friday may have been the first day of London Fashion Week but last weekend was the real start of London’s fashion whirl, beginning with PURE and a new exhibition Scoop International. PURE, located at Olympia, is a well-established trade fair for brands to show their collections to department store and independent fashion buyers, bloggers, stylists etc. For the first time the show was split between Olympia and Earls Court, the latter being where PURE Spirit was being held, which had younger brands and menswear. PURE is a very commercial show with brands such as Inwear, Jackpot and Sticky Fingers. I really loved the Darling stand and especially liked the below cream dress (www.darlingclothes.com).

I love the 3/4 sleeves and jewelled neckline

These fabulous plates were on the outside of the stand... so pretty!

Do I spy a fondant fancy??

Also, I was introduced to a feminine and very well priced brand called Valour & Valkyrie (www.valourandvalkyrie.com) by Gemma Wiseman, owner of this years Drapers Independent Store of the Year (they have 2 stunning stores, one in Stowe-on-the-Wold and the other in Cheltenham, www.shopfoundation.com). Described as ”stylish, easy to wear pieces with distinct detailing and a dash of ready to wear glamour, the range is inspired by ethereal illustrations from the turn of the century, classic black and white films and the craft in creating a garment”. The collection isn’t very big but there were some very lovely pieces with equally lovely price points. And with blouses retailing at £55 and dresses from £60, what’s not to love?

My favourite pieces were the Marje Blouse (£54.99) and Valenti dress (£69.99)…

Marje Blouse from Valour & Valkyrie

Valenti dress by Valour & Valkyrie

After dashing around the rest of PURE and bumping into my friend Katie from Threadmaker (www.threadmaker.co.uk) and more buyers than usual (a sign that people are keeping their eyes open more than ever for “something new” even though times are tough in the retail trade) I had to rush off to a new exhibition for A/W 11 Scoop International which was being held at the fabulous Saatchi Gallery on The Kings Road in Chelsea. It was raining which meant that getting there was a nightmare as there wasn’t a taxi to be seen anywhere. I did manage to locate one after a mile walk in the drizzle which meant I arrived at Scoop looking somewhat less than polished, hair slightly frizzy and pretty much make-up-less!

Scoop is “where fashion meets art, showing fashion and lifestyle brands in a cutting edge and contemporary space…focusing on premium designer and contemporary collections, accessories, emerging designer brands.” There were well known collections such as Sara Berman, Ella Luna and Margit Brandt and many others I’d never heard of. I’m very interested to see what brands come on board for next season because there is definitely a gap in the market for a more contemporary and designer exhibition in the UK… so watch this space.

One brand that really caught my eye was a Paris-based jewellery collection called GiRandOleS (www.girandoles.com). Created by friends Isabelle and Louise, these hand-made pieces are works of art. The pair pick up bric-a-brac from local flea markets, mixing these items with real pearls and charms – the result being incredibly personalized and unusual pieces. The ladies were so nice and even though their English wasn’t great, you could tell that they loved what they did and that every bracelet and necklace told a story…

Probably one of my favourites... a plastic gnome, an Eiffel Tower, buttons and a brooch - what more could you want on a necklace??

P.S. I bought the new “It” nail varnish from Chanel called Black Pearl this week… if I’m being honest it’s not quite the colour I thought it was going to be (ok… so I didn’t try it before I bought it – but it’s Chanel, it has to be fabulous!!). But I assumed from the name it was going to be Blacky-grey ish, but it’s got a definte greeny almost mouldy hue to it (have I put you off yet – someone did compliment me on it yesterday so it can’t be that bad!). If you ask me if should be called gun metal or graphite or something… Anyway, I’m sure I’ll love it when I find out it’s sold out all over the country like the last must-have colour did!!

Fashion Press Week S/S 11

Last week I attended Fashion Press Week and it was fantastic (www.fashionpressweek.com). I was there for work but it didn’t really feel like it… there were cupcakes, mini make-up sessions and blow dries – and it was all located in the stunning Saatchi Gallery on the Kings Road. What more could one want on a dull November afternoon? The idea behind FPW is to give editors and industry people like me a relaxed setting to view brands such as Pandora, Mikey and Superdry under one roof, so as not to have to trail all over London to view individual collections (the collections were mostly for next S/S11). It’s such a brilliant idea…

Anyone for a cupcake??

I spotted so many things that I loved including this Elizabeth Lau knit, mainly because I adore giant bows! Elizabeth debued at London Fashion Week in 2007 and has never looked back – her collection epitomises the quirkiness and diversity of London, the city she was born in and is simply an extension of her personality and outlook on life and love. I’m looking forward to the opening of the Elizabeth Lau pop up shop on Carnby Street on the 26th November (for 4 weeks). Until then have a look at their website – it’s so cute (like their knitwear!!)… www.elizabethlau.com

My favourite Elizabeth Lau knit... don't you love the bow?

I came across a jewellery brand that I’d never heard of called Konplott, which was founded in 1986 by the award winning designer Miranda Konstantinidou. She was born in Thessaloniki and grew up in Germany – but she now spends most of her time between the Philippines and Luxembourg. Have a look at the company’s website for further information at www.konplott.de/english/.  I thought this bracelet from her newest collection was really eye-catching and chunky yet still very feminine. Many of my customers struggle with solid bracelets as sometimes they can’t get them on, but this was like a cuff so it would fit anyone.

Stunning KONPLOTT bracelet from designer Miranda Konstantinidou

I also met the absolutely lovely Monica and Joe Wahla who are launching a fantastic on-line boutique in the New year called Monica&Joe (www.monicaandjoe.co.uk). They have a huge amount of fashion industry experience between them and came up with the idea after a trip to Paris last year. The contemporary online boutique will be showcasing some of the hottest new brands and designer collections for S/S 11. The focus is on bridge collections and designer brands offering affordable luxury to 30 plus women who want to something very different to what the high street offers. They have handpicked some of the best established (by Marlene Birger, Cacharel) and less established  labels(By Zoe, Designers Remix) from Europe and have some that are completely new to the UK. Price points range from £100 upwards for a dress to about £400. I am very excited about the launch!!

www.monicaandjoe.co.uk

 

 

London Fashion Weekend… Sept 10

As I’d totally sacked off the whole of LFW for a week in Ibiza (I’ve been plenty of times before and it was the only gap in my diary before I got hectic again - I had the best time by the way!) when my friend Kate asked if I’d escort her to the Friday night antics of London Fashion Weekend I thought it was rude to say no!

For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, LFW’end is when the official London Fashion Week exhibition and shows are over and the general public can buy tickets to get in on the action for a couple of days. Held at Somerset House in London, there are fashion shows, champagne bars, places to have your make-up done… and the designers who attended the exhibition sell their samples and old seasons stock at fantastically knocked down prices – basically it’s a fabulous giant sale! Designers included Angel Jackson, By Malene Birger and Olivia Rubin to name but a few.  For more information visit www.londonfashionweekend.co.uk.

I hadn’t been before – the thought of hoards of people all fighting over the same size 8/10 dress had always filled me with dread, but as my friend asked so nicely I thought I’d give it a go… And it wasn’t bad at all. When we arrived, I thought how suitable it was, not too busy, but with loads of things to look at and buy. However within 20 minutes, all hell was let loose. Little did we know that there had been a fashion show on when we’d arrived which was now over… and people were chomping at the bit to get shopping! Then it wasn’t so suitable – there were people literally everywhere… fighting over anything decent looking in a size 8 or 10, just as I’d thought!!

Even so, I fell in LOVE… with a dark green and black corsetted fine net over-lay Dolce & Gabbana main-line dress (which was being sold in the Designer Studio section which featured designers that didn’t show at LFW), which had been reduced from £2000 to £450 (I didn’t get it I might add – I said to myself “Walk away from the dress Fiona, you need boots and proper A/W clothes, not evening dresses”)!! Kate however, was in the mood for shopping and got some fab Matthew Williamson sunglasses for £40, after trying on some hilarious ones, as below. She also got some amazing shoes… all the Kors by Michael Kors shoes were size 4 (her size) and £30, reduced from around £300! What a bargain… how stunning are the zebra print ones??

All in all, fun was definitely had, but next time I’ll be prepared with sharpened elbows and comfy shoes! See you next year Somerset House…

Maybe not for every day Katie??

The table of Michael Kors shoes... where are the size 8's??

Kate (posing ever so slightly for the camera) wearing her newly purchased Matthew Williamson sunnies and showing off her zebra print Michael Kors shoes (and her stunning Mulberry Alexia I might add!)...

Pure August 2010

I had a great afternoon at PURE at Olympia last Sunday… PURE is a London based trade fair which is held twice a year over three days, where fashion brands show their new season’s collections to buyers, press and trade people. This August there were buyers from Canada, Japan, USA and Russia. The venue, Olympia is HUGE, so to actually look at every brand would take some doing – but the hall is split into different areas such as Young Fashion and Pure Premium, so it’s easier to be a bit more targetted and to avoid wandering aimlessly around the place. There are seminars, fashion shows and talks to give buyers an insight into the season ahead, as in fashion of course, you’re always thinking 6 months in advance… the majority of the clothes were for next Spring/Summer 2011.

I saw some really fun shoes from Iron Fist (www.ironfistclothing.com) – the stand was amazing… if you like quirky styles, take a look! Though they’re possibly not for everyone…

Black suede shoe-boots from Iron Fist

More shoes from Iron First

 The Traffic People stand was really eye-catching with a fantastic vintage Mercedes soft-top at the centre of it… The Desigual stand was amazing too with giant flowers all over it and really loud music blaring out… there was no mistaking you were definitely in the Young Fashion area!

The Traffic People stand

Flowers on the Desigual stand

 Yumi was also looking great in the Young Fashion area (www.yumidirect.co.uk) and so too was Sugarhill Boutique (www.sugarhillboutique.com) – I’m looking forward to browsing through their rails in Topshop Oxford Circus this season, as both brands have large areas on their -2 floor….

Images from the Yumi stand

More Yumi images...

And some more...

Last ones...

The Sugarhill Boutique stand

One brand that really caught my eye at PURE this season was Olivia Rubin (www.oliviarubinlondon.com), she does amazing prints and Fern Cotton is a huge fan. In fact if you look at the website loads of celebs love it… I was drawn to the fantastic colours and easy lines of her clothes, plus the prices are extremely purse-friendly. If I had a shop I’d have definitely bought it (they will be releasing their press images shortly so I’ll try and get hold of some). Olivia Rubin has also been featured in the Grazia Fashion Charts - I have a feeling that she’s got a very bright future ahead of her!

Some of the prints from the Olivia Rubin stand

London Fashion Week

This week London was the place to be… as of course London Fashion Week got underway. Everyone got on the band-wagon and nowhere more so than Topshop… there was loads going on. Not only did they have eye-catching window displays but there were scrummy cupcakes by Ella’s Bakehouse (these sweet treats are baked by a former model Lorraine Pascale and are so “on trend” they’ve been featured in Vogue!) who also gave demonstrations to perfect icing skills (www.ellasbakehouse.co.uk).  They had live DJ sets so you could bop-while-you-shopped and workshops to inspire budding fashion bloggers. There was an oh-so-cool pop-up salon from Wah Nails (where East London fashion girls in the know get their manicures – www.wah-nails.com) and you could also design your own TOMS shoes (if you’ve not heard of them, they’re an amazing company who promise that for every pair they sell, they will give a pair of shoes to a child in need, visit www.tomsshoes.com for more details)… No wonder Topshop Oxford Circus was so crazily busy when I had a look around on Saturday afternoon!

View of Topshop from Oxford Street

Something really fascinating that Topshop had on the lower ground floor was the Vintage Academe Installation And Talk. Not only were there exquisite vintage dresses on display but (founder) Clare Nicholls and curator Judith Watt  – who’s business is selling stunning fashion items from the 20^th century (www.vintageacademe.com) were on hand to tell all about the items, who designed them and why they were special – pieces included 1920s haute couture Chanel and 1980s Alaia..

Some of the pieces from Vintage Academe

But what about LFW itself?  Some of you might not know that there are really two elements which make up London Fashion Week – the exhibition and the shows. One great thing this year was that shows were streamed on-line so you didn’t have to be a fashion editor to get up-to-date front row access to the catwalks… you didn’t even have to stress about what to wear (as you could watch them in your pj’s)!! Visit www.londonfashionweek.com. LFW has been based for the past couple of seasons at Somerset House, which is an incredible building just north of the River Thames. Some shows take place in the BFC (British Fashion Council) tent or wherever the designer chooses (usually a quirky location in central London somewhere).

Obviously we all know about the fashion shows – from Betty Jackson, to PPQ, to House of Holland… Every magazine will have images of what we should be wearing next A/W from the shows – but what about the other side of LFW? The exhibition (held at Somerset House) is where designers showcase their collections, hoping that buyers who visit will buy their collections!

Somewhere for the hardened fashionistas to have a coffee – it was somewhat chilly so I decided to grab something inside!

I had a look around on Monday and saw some stunning pieces. Here are a couple of bits that caught my eye… 

Once inside the exhibition it was like a dream come true for me – as I’m a huge ballet pump fan – I nearly fainted when I saw this display – and this was only a tiny selection of what French Sole had to offer!! (www.frenchsole.com).

French Sole ballet pumps...

And I fell in love with these shoes from Kron byKronkron – which is an Icelandic brand, handmade with the best quality materials from Spain (www.kronbykronkon.com) – they retail between £350-£400 and will be available from Poste Mistress (www.office.co.uk/postemistress.com) and www.asos.com in approximately 2 weeks apparently!

Amazing shoes from Kron byKronkron

Elvis Jesus was a brand that I really liked – funky t-shirts embellished with buttons, studs and chains – check out their website www.elvisjesus.co.uk  (and how about their leggings – not for the faint hearted!).

Elvis Jesus

 

I took a picture of an amazing “Carrie” style prom dress (a mini version of the “mille feuilles” or thousand layer dress SJP wore in SATC in the episode when she fell asleep whilst waiting for Alexander Petrovski in Paris! By the way, that dress was a Versace gown which is said to have retailed for almost $80,000!!). Anyway the dress I saw was by a designer based in Cyprus called Sia Dimitriadi (www.siadimitriadi.com) but the photo didn’t come out, so check out her website – also she is showcasing her collection at Wolf and Badger in Notting Hill (www.wolfandbadger.com).

So now London Fashion Week has come to an end and the fashion glitterati have flown off to Milan for the next round of shows, don’t forget we have the London Fashion Weekend at Somerset House (www.londonfashionweeekend.com) which starts today and finishes on Sunday – where over 100 designers sell their collections at up to 75% off RRP! Definitely not to be missed…