Search Results for “london fashion week

Midweek Moodboard: Spice Girls nostalgia

Ok, we’ll say it… Sunday’s London 2012 Closing Ceremony has officially reignited our love for the Spice Girls. Which kind of breaks our hearts if we’re honest, as Victoria Beckham made it very clear that it was their last ever performance. Ever. Sad face! However, we’re still holding on to our 90s youth and are seeking midweek inspiration from the group that pretty much invented Girl Power. Some of the pieces we selected are directly influenced by Sunday night’s performance (hello Mel C’s awesome white jumpsuit!), whereas others are a little more stereotypical and iconic (Union Jack dress, anyone?) Try and see if you can work out which piece ‘belongs’ to which Spice Girl… Union Jack bodycon dress, £22.40, Motel available at House of Fraser Tracksuit top, £55, Adidas available at Zalando Pink bandeau peplum dress, £27.50, River Island Leopard print sandals, £200, Laurence Dacade available at Far Fetch Sports bra, £22, Nike Performance available at Zalando Printed playsuit, £38, Oh My Love available at Topshop Red prom dress, £60, Jones and Jones available at Topshop Keyhole white jumpsuit, £172.50, Paul Smith Black available at Jules B Pink boucle dress, £44.99, Mango available at House of Fraser Black mullet dress, £65, Rare available at Topshop

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Kate Middleton wears blue Whistles dress to London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony

As well as Posh, Ginger, Sporty, Baby and Ginger Spice and a bevy of gold-clad iconic supermodels, there was one other person we were looking forward to seeing at the London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony… and of course that was Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge looked poised, elegant, dignified and generally gorgeous, as usual, as she watched the ceremony in the prime viewing position with brother-in-law Prince Harry. Kate’s blue Whistles ‘Bella’ dress wasn’t particularly groundbreaking and it wasn’t anything we hadn’t seen before – Kate looked like same old Kate Middleton, but that’s never really going to be a bad thing, is it? Akin to her Opening Ceremony outfit, this dress was also “recycled” as she had previously worn it back in June to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert. As usual, another unflawed appearance from the Duchess. We wonder what her next official event will be…

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The Spice Girls and a host of top Brit models help close the London 2012 Olympics in style

We think it’s pretty safe to say that the London 2012 Olympics have been pretty unforgettable and will be etched in our minds for life. Danny Boyle’s Opening Ceremony was beyond outstanding, every single athlete made their country proud and just as predicted, the whole thing finished just as spectacularly as it had started. As breathtaking as the whole ceremony was, there were two main highlights for us. The first was the long-awaited performance by 90s pop legends The Spice Girls and the second of course was the intense parade of Brit supermodels led by Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. We were totally diggin’ those gold outfits, and we totally had goosebumps. We know we weren’t alone! (And in case you’re interested, Victoria Beckham was the only one of the girls to wear Giles Deacon, after all that will they/won’t they hoopla last week!) Huge congratulations to each and every athlete, and an extra big cheer for Team GB – you made us all super proud to be British! [Images] 

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Georgia May Jagger is Best Dressed of the Week in killer LBD

Although a flurry of model personalities attended the Fashion for Relief charity dinner on Thursday, hosted by super Naomi Campbell in London, dressed in black, (Karen Elson, Kate Moss, Lily Donaldson and the even hostess, to name a few), ‘Material Girl’ Georgia May Jagger was the one who stood out for us. The leggy model looked stunning in a black micro dress with cut-out detailing, opting to go for a monochrome look by pairing her LBD with white strappy sandals. The daughter of Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger, and famed for her gap-toothed smile, Georgia beamed at the cameras looking radiant as she went almost makeup free, choosing to dress up her look with glossy, tousled curls set in true off-duty model style. A super-hot LBD such as Georgia’s hardly needs anything to enhance its overspill of sexiness, and with a fine silver bracelet, Georgia sealed the style deal! Top marks for perfecting the art of effortless cool, Georgia!

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Top stories this week: Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani’s September covers are here, Beyonce and Jay Z are the world’s richest celeb couple and Fearne Cotton is pregnant!

Gaga and Gwen’s September covers don’t disappoint This week, the final batch of September issues finally revealed themselves, and Lady Gaga for American Vogue and Gwen Stefani for Harper’s Bazaar US have definitely been worth the wait. The editorial pics, which you can see above, are equally as wow-worthy! You go, girls! Beyonce and Jay Z top Forbes list Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady have been knocked off the top spot of the Forbes Richest Celebrity Couples list, as they’ve been overtaken by Beyonce and hubby Jay Z. Read more here!  Katy Perry goes back to black for GHD Miss Katy Perry returned to her signature raven locks, as she posed for GHD’s brand new black and white ad campaign images. Flawless! Read more here!  Natalie Portman and Rochelle Wiseman get married Not to each other, obviously. Natalie Portman and The Saturdays’ Rochelle Wiseman got married to their respective partners at the weekend. Read more about Natalie’s nuptials here, and see pics of Rochelle’s Vera Wang gown here! Congrats! Fearne Cotton is pregnant! More congratulations had to be dished out this week, as British DJ and presenter Fearne Cotton announced that she’s pregnant! Read more here!  Mischa Barton launches London boutique Londoners, you no longer have to solely depend on the internet to purchase Mischa Barton’s pieces, as the actress turned designer has launched a fab new boutique in Spitalfields Market! Read more here! 

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Rachel Weisz scoops Best Dressed of the Week in Christian Dior Couture

Raf Simons’ magic at the helm of Christian Dior Couture made its first outing thanks to Marion Cotillard, who donned a stunning ensemble from the designer’s debut Couture collection for the fashion house, for the London premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, last month. More recently, Jessica Biel followed suit and stunned in an ultra-feminine powder pink Dior Couture dress at the Total Recall LA premiere, earlier this week. But is was Rachel Weisz in a stunning, black strapless bustier Dior Couture Fall 2012 dress at the New York premiere for The Bourne Legacy earlier this week that had us picking up our dropped jaws from the table! Mrs Daniel Craig looked resplendent in a genius take on the perennially sexy Black Dress (although we’re going to call it the MBD or Mid Black Dress). Completing her look was a black Charlotte Olympia ‘Pandora Domino’ clutch, Christian Louboutin ‘Bow Bow’ sandals, an elegant up do and a seductively scarlet pout. We really can’t think of a more deserving (and painfully stylish) candidate for this week’s BDOTW!

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Five minutes with…Beulah London

Launched in 2011, ethical fashion label Beulah London came to surface after founders Natasha Rufus Isaacs and Lavinia Brennan spent time working in Atulya, an aftercare home in the Delhi slums. With an aim to raise awareness of human trafficking and sex trade, after witnessing the devastating effects on these practices in the region, the duo set about creating the means to provide a sustainable livelihood through their label for victims of these crimes. My Fashion Life caught up with the ladies behind Beulah London to discuss the intermixing of fashion and ethics, wardrobe staples and favourite holiday destinations. What is the ethos of Beulah London?  Natasha: To produce beautiful, timeless dresses with a conscience. Lavinia: Luxury fashion with a conscience. How did you meet?  N: Our mothers are very good friends, and we met through our church. L: Same as above! Our grannies were best friends and my dad and Nats’ uncle went to school together so we have been family friends for a long time. Do you feel enough is being done in the fashion industry to support the causes Beulah London is standing up for? N: I think people are becoming more aware of who has made their clothes, encouraged by the media exposing a few retailers. Esthetica, during London Fashion Week is a platform for ethical fashion, so yes there is definitely more of a movement towards it, which is exciting. L: I agree! What sets Beulah London apart from other ethical fashion brands? N: The product is beautifully made, with the finest silks. We are also going into embroidery for SS’13 which will set our brand apart from others. What truly sets us apart is the fact we stand against fast fashion, and support charities on the ground working with trafficked and vulnerable women. L: […]

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Midweek Moodboard: Coveting cut-out pieces

If you’ve been toning your abs in the gym a’ la Miley Cyrus but aren’t quite ready to adopt her way of dressing just yet (it essentially involves a lot of skin and not much else… not actually “dressing” at all, come to think of it) then you can do so in a more subtle way: a cut out dress! This also applies to you if you have a fab tan from your hols and you want some of your skin to poke through your clothes and shoes in a tasteful and on-trend way too. And even if you don’t want to flash the flesh and literally just want to get on board with the trend for the heck of it, then we have items for that too: try a cut out belt or cuff…  dramatic, versatile and a great value for money; you’ll be wearing them season after season! Here are a few cut out pieces that we’re totally loving right now: Sequin cut out dress, £49, Rare available at Topshop Plum cut out vest, £30, available at Miss Selfridge Tan cut out top, £7, Izabel London available at House of Fraser Pleat bodice cut out dress, £20, available at Miss Selfridge Purple swimsuit, £420, Yves Saint Laurent available at Harrods Laser cut suede sandals, £36, Dune available at House of Fraser Gold cut out cuff, £3, available at Miss Selfridge Tan waist belt, £55, Ted Baker available at House of Fraser

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Top stories this week: The first of the September issues drop, YSL logo revealed and eBay sponsors Fashion Forward

September issues start dropping The fashion glossies are gearing up for the launch of their September issues, with a few already dropping from the likes of Marie Claire UK and Elle UK. Read more here!  eBay named as new Fashion Forward sponsor E-tailer eBay has been announced as the brand new sponsor for the BFC’s Fashion Forward initiative. Read more here!  Kate Moss poses for Rag & Bone To coincide with New York’s Rag & Bone coming to London, the brand has enlisted the help of Kate Moss to pose for its first ever ad campaign. Read more here! YSL rebranding revealed Yves Saint Laurent has finally revealed the new Saint Laurent Paris logo, with it getting a mixed response from fashionistas worldwide… Read more here!  Stella McCartney launches childrenswear line Stella McCartney has yet another collection under her belt – a childrenswear one inspired by her Little Miss character Little Miss Stella. Read more here! 

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BFC names eBay as new Fashion Forward sponsor

Good old eBay – it gives us great bargains all year, but now it’s going to contribute to the fashion industry in a whole new way, as the British Fashion Council has welcomed it as a sponsor of its Fashion Forward initiative! “Fashion Forward is one of the British Fashion Council’s talent support initiatives; designed to help emerging British designers show and develop their businesses here in London,” said Caroline Rush, a spokesperson for the BFC. “eBay’s sales statistics are overwhelming and we hope they will help to bring opportunities to the designers they support.” Fashion Forward supports seven designers each year, with the current recipients including Mary Katrantzou (you can see one of her creations above), Henry Holland, James Long and Louise Gray. We can also look forward to eBay’s Save the Children Born to Shop initiative, an online charity auction which will sell one-of-a-kind designer pieces during London Fashion Week. One of the items you can get your hands on is the teal Burberry dress Samantha Cameron wore to the Royal Wedding last year, which we have to admit is kinda cool. Keep your eyes peeled for more deets when we get them! [Retail Week] 

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Kate Moss poses for Rag & Bone’s first ever ad campaign in London

And now from a young, up and coming model to one of the classics… To coincide with Rag & Bone’s first European store in London’s Sloane Street, David Neville and Marcus Wainwright have tapped our very own Kate Moss to star in the store’s first ever ad campaign, which was shot by Craig McDean. Enlisting the help of one of Britain’s finest supermodels definitely a good way to create some buzz around the new store opening – and choosing to shoot the campaign on the streets of London was genius! “It wasn’t in a studio; it was just them on a derelict London street – Kate with minimal makeup, and Craig with a handheld camera and natural light,” Marcus Wainwright said. And don’t forget, Rag & Bone will be showing at London Fashion Week for the first time ever this September, so keep your eyes peeled! [WWD] 

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Victoria’s Secret London new opening date revealed

Last week we were the bearers of bad news, as we told you that the two Victoria’s Secret London launch dates had been changed and the stores were no longer opening on July 25th and July 27th in Bond Street and Westfield Stratford respectively. However, Victoria’s Secret Angel Miranda Kerr has shed some light on the situation, and it’s actually not as bad as we think! Although the New Bond Street launch, which was originally due to open on July 25th, hasn’t been rescheduled yet, the Westfield Stratford one has actually been pushed forward by a few days! You can head up to Westfield Stratford on July 24th for the grand opening of the store, with the Bond Street one due to open “a few weeks later”. Well that’s not as bad as we initially thought it was going to be, is it? Who’s going to the opening? [Vogue] 

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Mary Katrantzou and Jonathan Saunders among designers to create T-shirt to help Londoners in Poverty

This is our second designer T-shirt for charity story this week, and we couldn’t be happier about it! Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Ilincic, Mary Katrantzou, JW Anderson, Holly Fulton, Erdem, Herself and Richard Nicoll, who are all London Fashion Week regulars, have teamed up with the Evening Standard and its ‘Dispossessed Fund’ to each design a T-shirt to help Londoners currently living in poverty. With the Olympics coming up, it’s sometimes easy to miss the bigger picture, and this collaboration is a great way to raise awareness. “It is incredibly important for me as a Londoner to be a part of a cause that assists those in need, through funding that helps aid in education, health and unemployment for those less fortunate,” said Jonathan Saunders.” The tees cost £60 each and will be available from Matches from Thursday July 19th. Which T-shirt is your fave? [Telegraph]   

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Tom Ford comes to London, Azzedine Alaia goes to Paris

Just yesterday we told you Karl Lagerfeld was coming to London to launch yet another collection in Selfridges, but he isn’t the only designer to get swept up in London 2012 fever. Tom Ford will be opening his first ever British standalone store in London’s Sloane Street (201-206 to be precise), and it will be neighbours with the likes of Gucci, Fendi and Chanel. The exact opening date has yet to be confirmed, but you can still shop his collections in Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols, as well as online, in the meantime. Also opening a new store is Azzedine Alaia – and as it will be his first in over 20 years, it’s pretty exciting stuff! His shop, however, will be in Paris, and will sit pretty on the Rue de Marignan (just off Avenue Montaigne where Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior live.) Things are always a big deal where Alaia is concerned – the designer essentially only creates new collections when he feels like it, so we assume he feels the exact same way about stores too. More deets as and when we get them, as always! [Elle]

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Spotlight on: ABO London

We’re kicking off the week by introducing you to one of our favourite new labels: ABO London. The brand is the brainchild of Kazakhstan-born Aliya Boranbayeva and Aizhan Bodanova, and came together as they wanted to fuse the rich, cultural Central Asian heritage with the modern, diverse and dynamic one of London. ABO London has an exclusive range of limited-edition, luxury silk scarves which are ethically made with high quality and eco-friendly fabrics. Each and every scarf design offers something different, with the prints being based on Aliya’s original artwork. Perhaps the best thing we love about ABO London is the fact that the scarves are made right here in the UK. We think you know by now that 2012 is an incredible year to be proud of our country, so why not translate our patriotism into our fashion? Most of the scarves are of the bright, bold and very colourful variety, so they’re not for the colour-shy. However, the ‘dark shadows’ scarf, which comes in grey and black, is a gorgeous piece to add to a chic, night-time, gothic-inspired look. The triangle scarves have to be our faves, because they are double sided – great for the indecisive among us! Head to the website to check out the lookbook and find out more about this wonderful brand.

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Top stories this week: YSL changes its name, Savage Beauty isn’t coming to London and new season ad campaigns start to drop

Yves Saint Laurent changes its name Perhaps the biggest news this week, and possibly even month, comes from the House of what was formerly known as Yves Saint Laurent. Newly appointed creative director Hedi Slimane will be changing the name of the iconic brand to ‘Saint Laurent Paris’. Read more here! Savage Beauty isn’t coming to the V&A We all thought Alexander McQueen’s retrospective Savage Beauty would eventually be heading to the V&A in London but apparently that won’t be happening now – sad face! Read more here! Kate Moss to cameo in George Michael’s new vid George Michael has apparently asked Kate Moss to make a cameo in his new single, White Light. She may have to share the screen with a zebra though… Read more here! J Crew is opening in London The Olympics will be well and truly over in 2013, but another thing you can look forward to if you’re coming to London is the opening of its first J Crew store! Read more here! Dolce and Gabbana do childrenswear Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are working on a childrenswear line – and it’s going to be an extension of their mainline Dolce and Gabbana collection, so lots of matching mother and daughter opportunities available! Read more here! Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls are the new faces of fashion Hot young models Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls have been dubbed the new faces of fashion by W Magazine. They both appear on individual and very stunning cover for the mag’s July issue. Read more here! Autumn/Winter 2012 ad campaigns drop Some hot autumn/winter 2012 ad campaigns have been dropping this week… Prada showed us its ‘video game’ inspired pictures, while Karlie Kloss got dark, moody and sultry for Jean Paul Gaultier’s campaign. Lindsey Wixson reprised her role […]

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J Crew is coming to London!

That’s right folks, your fave preppy American store J Crew is coming to British shores… and it’s heading straight for London. Wahoo! If you think your friends and family that are flocking to the Capital for the Olympics will be able to do a nice spot of J Crew shopping while they’re here though, we’re going to have to burst your bubble and tell you that it won’t be opening until next year! According to WWD, “industry sources” in London say that Millard “Mickey” Drexler, (the chairman and CEO of the brand) is meeting with real estate agents this week in a bid to find the perfect central London home for the store. We hope the location is a good’un and only a stumble away from an equally fab shop! We think it’ll be worth the wait though; do you? [Image]

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Emma Stone wows in Elie Saab for The Amazing Spider-Man London premiere

American Vogue’s most recent cover girl Emma Stone completely razzled and dazzled em at last night’s London premiere of her new film The Amazing Spider-Man in Leicester Square. We’ll be honest – we would have been happy with Emma in virtually anything. We’ve fallen head over heels for her these past few months, and our girl crush reached new, stratospheric heights when we saw her grace the cover of the fashion Bible last week. But we don’t think we’re being biased as we sit here ranting and raving about how awesome she looked last night, do you? The blonde cutie wowed the crowd in a plunging Elie Saab jumpsuit from the autumn/winter 2012 collection – and added a pop of summer-ready colour by way of an orange waist-cinching belt. The perfect amount of boldness, elegance, sexiness and sparkle for a big premiere; Hollywood newbies: take note, this is how it’s done!  

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Handbag lovin’….Limited Edition Aspinal of London Jubilee Clutch

We couldn’t think of a better way to kick start our Jubilee week celebrations than with the limited edition Jubilee clutch from Aspinal of London.   The exclusive clutch is a commemorative piece to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and the kitsch design makes this an absolute must-have! Imagine regal glamour meets Andy Warhol, thanks to the tri-coloured pop-art renditions of the queen’s head. Crafted from black Italian calf leather and boasting on-trend stud detailing and a gold, crown shaped clasp, this limited edition Jubilee clutch is definitely set to become a fashionable collectors item! With only 50 uniquely numbered designs produced, hurry up and show your appreciation for 60 years of Liz sitting on the throne by partying your Jubilee weekend away with this beauty in tow! Aspinal of London Jubilee Clutch, £595, available at Aspinal of London

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Top stories this week: Cannes kicks off with a bang, Chanel’s Cruise collection unveiled and London gets Alice Temperley flagship

Cannes kicks off with a bang You know we love a good red carpet event – any excuse to see our favourite celebs dolled up in the finest Couture. This year at the Cannes Film Festival, the likes of Eva Longoria and Diane Kruger caught our attention during the Opening Ceremony, and the best thing is… we still have another 10 glorious days to go! Read more here!  Karl Lagerfeld unveils the latest Chanel Cruise collection Just before heading to the Cannes Film Festival, the fashion elite headed to the Chateau de Versailles to see what Kaiser Karl had cooked up for the Chanel Cruise 2012-13 collection. There were Chanel face logos, multi-coloured cropped wigs and a lot more punk rock than we’re used to seeing from the French fashion House. Oh, and not a single high heel in sight! Read more here!  Alice Temperley flagship comes to London Yep, Alice Temperley is finally opening a flagship store in London, and it will sit pretty in Mayfair right next to Matthew Williamson, Stella McCartney and Diane von Furstenberg. Read more here! The Queen’s crown gets a designer make-over Harrods enlisted the help of some of the hottest designers, including Roberto Cavalli and Paul Smith, to give the Queen’s crown a make-over ahead of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Read more here!  Adele’s Vogue cover worst seller British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman admitted that Adele’s cover for the fashion Bible had one of the worst sales ever… it’s ok Adele, we still love you! Read more here! 

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My Fashion Life attends the Choo 24:7 Stylemakers launch

Last week, My Fashion Life attended a press breakfast to mark the launch of Choo 24:7 Stylemakers project. Held at the stylishly apt Arts Club on Dover Street, the private preview attracted a trendy fashion set, including a host of glossy editors and a mix of well known bloggers. The Jimmy Choo team invited fashion insiders to revel in the delight of several pairs of Choo’s, delicious French pastries and fruit skewers, and to mingle with the company’s London muse, director of Tank magazine and editor-in-chief of Because magazine, Caroline Issa. Caroline was at hand to chat about the new venture , alongside featuring in a short film she shot in collaboration with Jimmy Choo and street style photographer, Eddie Newton. (Check it out below) The Stylemakers project – launched to coincide with the brand’s new collection, Choo 24:7 – is an interactive microsite ‘that brings to life the personality of Choo 24:7, the brand’s ‘perfect shoe wardrobe’ of iconic Jimmy Choo styles.’ A photo gallery of street style images uploaded by Jimmy Choo wearers around the world, alongside curated content including archive images of celebrities, ad campaigns and Jimmy Choo events, Choo 24:7 Stylemakers celebrates Jimmy Choo across time zones, day to evening, as simply as this: wear a look that reflects your personal Jimmy Choo style, take a photo of your look and upload it to the Choo 24:7 Stylemaker gallery by logging in at http://www.choo247.com/. A selection of the best pictures will then be featured on the site, and can be filtered by time of day and city. You also have the option to share your Choo 24:7 style via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (#choo247) and the website will be split in different sections according to time zones, and whether your fashion a Jimmy Choo bag or […]

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Top stories this week: Kate Middleton gets sexy, Brad Pitt for Chanel No.5 and Schiaparelli to be relaunched!

Kate Middleton gets sexy in Roland Mouret The Duchess of Cambridge is usually so conservative with her sartorial choices, but earlier this week she  rocked up to Claridge’s wearing a sexy Roland Mouret gown with a thigh-high split and some gorgeous sparkly Jimmy Choos. Not a nude pair of tights in sight! Is that “princess-y” enough for you now Nicholas Kirkwood? Read more here!  Brad Pitt for Chanel No.5 It’s a bit unexpected, but isn’t that why we love Karl Lagerfeld and the Chanel brand? Brad Pitt was revealed as the new face of the female Chanel No.5 perfume, with the ad campaign being shot in London this week! Read more here! The Schiaparelli brand returns Almost 40 years after Elsa Schiaparelli’s death, her iconic Schiaparelli brand is set to be relaunched, although it’s currently unknown which designer will take the helm. Read more here!  Nicole Richie teams up with Macy’s We love a good designer collaboration, and this is no different. Nicole Richie is the latest designer to team up with Macy’s to create a capsule collection for the very popular Macy’s Impulse line. Read more here!  Nina Dobrev is your Met Gala best dressed According to you guys, Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev in Donna Karan Atelier was the runaway ‘best dressed’ winner from Monday night’s Met Gala, with outfits from Jessica Alba, Lea Michele and Lana Del Rey also proving popular at MFL HQ. Read more here!   Alessandra Ambrosio gives birth Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio has become a yummy mummy for the second time – giving birth to an adorable baby boy who goes by the name of Noah. Aww – congrats! Read more here! 

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Introducing print artist and fashion designer, Gemma Land

Here at My Fashion Life, we love to advocate new and exciting fashion talent. Looking to the next crop of individuals set to amass a strong fashion following is thrilling, and the fresh design ideas they reflect are a realisation that inspiration can be acquired from absolutely anywhere. Such is the case of print artist and fashion designer Gemma Land, who, after graduating with an MA in Fine Art Photography from the London College of Communication, has gone onto impress the fashion set with her individual take on scarf printing. Having already been awarded the Wolf & Badger Graduate Design Award in 2011 and the Creative Archive Award in 2010, it was the latter that helped kick start Gemma’s design career by launching her debut collection ‘Bourgeois Utopias’ at London and Paris fashion week. Her work was picked up by the industry and featured by coveted publications such as Dazed, Digital Huffington Post and Russian Vogue. For her second collection of photographic silk scarves, ‘The Strawberry Hill Collection’, Gemma took literal inspiration from Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham, South London. Emblazoned across the silk scarves in monochrome and colour print, the ‘hallucinogenic’ representation of the stark white Gothic revival dwelling brings a beautifully eerie quality to her work. Speaking exclusively to My Fashion Life about her forthcoming autumn/winter collection, Gemma revealed she would be working with wool for the first time, alongside silk. “The collection prints are inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s novel, The Fall of the House of Usher”, she added. Props to Gemma, because we can certainly picture ourselves swathed gloriously in a silken, picturesque Gothic building! And as for her next collection, we can expect some arresting and somewhat haunting imagery translated into something beautiful. The Strawberry Hill Collection is currently available to purchase online at Avenue32.com or […]

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Top stories this week: Kate Middleton makes lots of public appearances, Irina Shayk comes to London and Victoria Beckham designs a Range Rover

Kate Middleton makes a welcome return We know she hasn’t really gone anywhere, but it’s been a bit quiet on the Kate Middleton front lately and we’ve missed her. Luckily for us, she made three public appearances in the space of just two days, stepping out in gorgeous ensembles from Matthew Williamson, Rebecca Taylor and Amanda Wakeley. Each one, stunning in its own right! Read more here!

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Midweek Moodboard: Yippee for hippie!

As we’ve had positively awful weather for mid-April in London this week, you’ll forgive us for having our heads in the clouds and dreaming of sunnier climes. Luckily for us, we’ve had pictures of the Coachella Music Festival to keep us occupied (or jealous, whichever way you look at it) which has us totally obsessed with all things hippie.

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SPOTLIGHT ON: Fashion East’s James Long

The focus this week is on a designer whose womenswear offerings bring us the most eye-catching facet of spring/summer 2012 fashion in high doses: luxe embellishment. Northampton-born, London-based fashion designer James Long is otherwise what they like to call a ‘hot ticket’ for London Fashion Week. Graduating in 2007 from the prestigious Royal College of Art with an MA in Menswear and Accessories, Long has fast established his name on the London style circuit for both men and women’s fashion. Although gaining his fashion stripes in menswear after launching his first menswear and accessories collection at London Fashion Week in 2007; Long transferred his incredible skill set to womenswear with his first collection for AW11 presented through Fashion East. Long’s collections combine luxurious outerwear, leathers and knitwear with exquisite bursts of bold embellishments. His SS12 womenswear collection, the second through Fashion East, was as highly satisfying as his previous season debut. Stunning snakeskin, lamé knits, black chiffon with a striking contrast played out in the form of  heavily jewelled sequin and bead collar, cuff and shoulder detailing, all look like the perfect concoction to knock up a sure-fire friendship with a discerning fashion front row, and, to secure the much-deserved title of ‘one to watch’. Long’s womenswear provides instant satisfaction to those seeking statement cool pieces: standout, decorative and trans-seasonal, thanks to bursts of universally worshipped black chiffon and perennially cool snakeskin. For this alone he’s definitely sitting tight on our new-generation-head-turner radar. View the complete womenswear SS12 collection here. All SS12 items shown available at LN-CC.

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Top stories this week: Derek Lam leaves Tod’s, Piers Morgan calls Kate Moss “vile” and Johnny Depp will get Fashion Icon CFDA Award

CFDA Awards nominations are in! They’re here! Diane Von Furstenberg announced the nominees and honourees of the CFDA Awards 2012… Johnny Depp will be receiving a Fashion Icon award in June, while Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have gained recognition for their work for The Row after getting a Womenswear Designer of the Year nomination. Read more here!  London Design Museum honours Christian Louboutin  To honour the Christian Louboutin brand turning 20, the London Design Museum is holding a two-month exhibition in honour of the red-soled pieces of foot candy from May 1st until July 9th. Read more here! Derek Lam to leave Tod’s Yet another creative director will be leaving his position… It’s been reported that Derek Lam will be leaving Tod’s after working with the brand for six years, allegedly to focus more of his attention on his eponymous label. Read more here! Piers Morgan rips into Kate Moss Former Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan ripped into Kate Moss this week, branding her “a vile little creature” and “utterly horrific” among other things. Read more here! Jennifer Lopez covers American Vogue Jenny from the block is photographed by Mario Testino for American Vogue’s April  ‘shape issue’, wearing a stunning red dress from the Bottega Veneta spring/summer 2012 collection.  Read more here!  A mini-Saturday is born! Una Healy from The Saturdays gave birth to a little baby girl this week. She and fiancé Ben Foden decided to give their new arrival a traditional Irish name… Read more here! [Image]

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Yes, paying celebrities to attend fashion shows is a big deal, a huge one in fact.

Sitting front row at a modern day catwalk show is the equivalent of being front of the ration line in the 40s. You have a need(hunger, mouths to feed; fashion, trends) and a purpose (make good use of the ration coupon; deliver on next seasons trend) to fulfil. OK, maybe the example is extreme but the mentality is the same: If you’re in front, you’re perceived as having succeeded – the fashion house that is. Apparently, positioning certain celebrities at the front has been costing fashion houses dearly, whereby hefty fees have been handed out in exchange for about 20 minutes of their forced smile faces and super-toned bums to be parked on the front row. A move deeply condemned by French-born, London-based designer, Nicole Farhi. “It is so unprofessional. I have never paid a celebrity and I will never do it. It’s stupid”, she told Sunday Telegraph’s Stella magazine. Farhi, 65, went on to add that she was set on exposing the practice of backhand, cash-splashing seat-fixing deals so common in the fashion world, even if she risked the wrath of so many of her fellow fashion contemporaries. Even Lady Mary Chateris stuck in with a jibe, telling the Telegraph: “They pay people to be on the front row to show off the clothes where everyone can see them. That is where all of the photographs are taken.” Brave move ladies and one we welcome with open arms. It is almost precedence now, that before collection reviews even hit online fashion portals such as Style.com and Vogue.com, exactly which celebrity made an appearance (thanks to the ‘Front Row’ tab on show reviews), sat next to whom, wore what and expressed what on their faces as the first model walked out is scientifically documented. Nicki Minaj’s Technicolor wig and Eddie […]

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Paris Fashion Week: Day 4

With all those rumours flying around, it’s obvious that Bill Gaytten and his work at Christian Dior is going to be put under the microscope and analysed until it can be analysed no more. But, we’re going to continue looking at the Dior collections with an open mind, and we have to say that akin to the recent couture collection, Bill Gaytten’s autumn/winter 2012 outing was actually, quite brilliant.

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Lusting after the Bleecker Legacy Leather Weekend Tote!

As far as girl-of-the-moments go Lana Del Rey is pretty much up there at the top. A self-proclaimed ‘Gangster Nancy Sinatra’, Lana has bewitched the fash pack with her unique and edgily retro style. Everyone from Vogue to Grazia are smitten with Lara and here at MFL, we are too! We watched her style choices avidly during London Fashion Week and we have to say she was definitely one of the best dressed on the front rows. We’ve been lusting after this this super-luxe ‘Bleecker Legacy Leather Weekend Tote’ bag from Coach ever since we spotted her carrying it out and about in the capital last week. The 25 year-old clearly has an eye for classic labels and heritage brand Coach suits Lana down to a tee. We love the traditional fawn colour of the bag and its extra-roomy size. Perfect for weekends away, the Bleecker Legacy tote bag is the epitome of travelling in style! Available to purchase from Coach’s New Bond Street store the tote retails at £545. Sold!

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When My Fashion Life met Modalu

London Fashion Week is well and truly over and boy what a great week it was! I’ve been away from Fashion Week for nearly two years now and I was very glad to be back and especially happy to see familiar faces! Seeing as it was my first time at Somerset House, I totally felt like a 5ft 10inch version of Alice in Wonderland exploring a magical house in awe of everything I discovered behind each door. It was heaven! The only thing missing was Johnny Depp. Coming a close second to catching up with the shows was my new found love – my Modalú! The lovely folks at John Lewis were incredibly kind enough to send over a handbag of my choosing to accompany me to the shows and it was love at first sight! I scoured John Lewis before opting for the Modalú Pippa Large Grab Handbag in toffee as it was definitely one of the nicest leather handbags on the site. So now my Modalú and I are inseparable. Anyone that knows me can testify that I am the biggest bag lover and when I fall for a bag I am notorious for ditching every other handbag I own for at least 6 months. My name is Michele and I am a handbag whore #sadbuttrue. And how much did I love my Modalú? Let me count the ways. 1. The colour… 2. It’s easy to carry 3. It has a trillion compartments (positive as you can carry lots but negative too! I end up forgetting exactly where I’ve kept my Oyster card and my BlackBerry…..there really are that many hidden pockets) 4. It’s gorgeous And what exactly did I need to carry in my bag? Well with the cold wreaking havoc on my lips Carmex was definitely […]

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Tuesday Shoesday: Get your fashion week footwear fix!

 Traipsing between shows doesn’t have to mean a downgrade to more ‘comfortable’ footwear. Invest in these street-style snap worthy shoes to make an off-catwalk statement and see yourself stylishly through fashion week. Aligning show-hopping with shoe-swapping is entirely up to you, and with this week’s shoe-drobe you’re sure to fashionably work your way through all the major fashion weeks with some serious eye candy on your feet.     Christian Louboutin Echasse 120 Mirrored Metallic Leather Sandals, £475, available at My Theresa  Lagoon Ballet Flats with low metal heel, £30, available at ASOS    Sportmax Noel Tri-colour shoes, £418, available at Matches    Pedro Garcia Electric Castoro open toe ankle strap shoes, £240, available at My Wardrobe    Hudson Enkle buckle boots, £150, available at Topshop    Class Court Shoes, £210, available at Kurt Geiger London   Pierre Hardy Tri-colour canvas wedges, £455, available at Matches

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Alexa, Lana, Elizabeth and Michelle attend fab Mulberry dinner at London’s snazzy Savile Club

Hosting a star-studded, lavish runway show was only part of what Mulberry had in store for its famous and fabulous guests during London Fashion Week. After the applause had stopped and the doors to the Claridge’s Ballroom had closed, Ronnie Cooke Newhouse and Emma Hill had a few hours to prepare to host an intimate dinner for 80 very lucky guests.  

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Monday Musings: The things rattling our fashion brains on the hardest day of the week

This early fashion week morning at My Fashion Life HQ, Starbucks and fashion week invite holder in tow – before we dash out to today’s shows – we’re mulling over…. Doing it Lana style – Mulberry’s ‘Del Rey’ Bag A handbag named in your honour is today’s trademark of ultimate fame. You’ve bagged it (pardon the pun) if Emma Hill wants to name one of her world famous creations after you, and Lana, you’re just that. Needless to say, Alexa may be feeling a slight budge off her Mulberry throne, as the ‘Del Rey’ is the first celeb-dedicated bag post-Alexa Satchel. The ever loyal Lana sat front row at the brand’s autumn winter 2012 show, namesake bag in tow. Let’s see where this Mulberry collaboration takes Ms. Del Rey…. Brits Style The Brits are being held tomorrow and are even more exciting because it is during Fashion Week! Rihanna’s impromptu appearance at Stella McCartney’s autumn winter show gave us a taste of things to come, and we hope it isn’t just the outfit choices that surprise us at this year’s Brits. Tipped to win big is mega-voiced, bouffant-wielding, Adele and scruffy singing sensation Ed Sheeran. But being fashion people, it’s the outfits we’re really concerned with, and we can’t wait to see what Jessie J puts together this time! Remainder of London Fashion Week We can’t believe day 4 of London Fashion Week is upon us, and feel as though today all the MAJOR shows are happening all at once! The designers at the forefront ofLondon’s unique fashion aesthetic – Erdem, Christopher Kane, Peter Pilotto and Michael Van Der Ham – are taking centre stage today, and, although we’re still spellbound from their spring summer 2012 shows, we can’t wait for next season! A concoction ofLondon’s eclectic talent all in […]

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Monday Musings: The things rattling our fashion brains on the hardest day of the week!

This Monday afternoon at My Fashion Life HQ, Starbucks in tow, we’re mulling over… The remainder of NYFW We’ve had a weekend drooling over next season DKNY, Monica Lhuiller and Derek Lam, and Alexander Wang. And now we can’t wait for the rest of it! London Fashion Week kick off! The Other One: The one we’re so desperately anticipating with hopes pinned sky high. We’re too excited to even choose the shows we’re most looking forward to. The atmosphere, the street style photographers, the street style! We’re looking forward to a coffee-fuelled, sleep deprived few fashion days! Whitney Houston: A legend It’s with a heavy heart that we say this, but we’re looking forward to global tributes and memoirs that will surface to remember the legend that was Whitney Houston: a beautiful woman, an unforgettable voice. FROWCS Panic, not. It’s nothing offensive, but translates at Front Row Celeb Spotting and we’ve coined it in honour of the fact that we can’t get enough of it! So far, NYFW has witnessed Zoe Saldana FROW at Prabal Gurung; Anna Wintour at Nahm; Alexa Chung at Jason Wu; Olivia Palermo at Peter Som and Leigh Lezark at Cynthia Rowley. Hurry up LFW; we can’t wait to do it here, all over again! Harper Beckham, the bag! As Mummy Beckham tweeted a picture of the bag from her Fall 2012 collection, named in honour of her adorable 7-month old daughter, we’re wishing it were already August so we could get our hands on what will be next season’s most sought after arm candy. Back with a Vang! 90s supermodels make a comeback at NYFW We know of his undying penchant for repeatedly referencing the grungy 90s, and making us unfailingly fall in love with it every time he does. But Alexander Wang took the […]

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Top stories this week: Kate Moss poses for Mango, Sienna and Savannah leave Twenty8Twelve, the Oscar noms are out and Haute Couture Week doesn’t disappoint

Kate Moss for Mango spring/summer 2012 Kate Moss and Terry Richardson once again teamed up for the sake of Mango’s spring/summer 2012 ad campaign. Kate even stars in the TV commercial, after her ‘Great Escape’ video with Terry was such a hit. Read more here! Meryl, Rooney and Michelle up for Best Actress This week, the all-important Oscar nominations were announced, with our favourite Best Leading Actress category being extremely tough to call this year. Meryl Streep, Rooney Mara and Michelle Williams are battling it out against each other to win the coveted accolade. Read more here!  Heidi and Seal announce their split It came as quite a shock to us as they were one of the power couples of Hollywood, but this week the world learnt that Heidi Klum and Seal would be divorcing, after being married for seven years. Read more here! Savannah and Sienna Miller quit Twenty8Twelve In other relatively shocking news, Miller sisters Sienna and Savannah announced that they would be stepping down as co-creative directors of Twenty8Twelve in order to pursue other projects. Read more here! Jenny Packham comes to Debenhams Jenny Packham is designing a capsule collection for Debenhams, which is set to hit stores as early as this spring – now we can all have the chance to look and feel like a princess! Read more here! The best of Haute Couture spring/summer 2012 We don’t think it was a coincidence the Oscar nominations were out the same week as Couture Fashion Week. Our favourite shows came courtesy of Versace (Donatella’s first couture outing since January 2004), Chanel (which took place on a makeshift airplane) and Jean Paul Gaultier (who paid tribute to the late Amy Winehouse).

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