Fashion Fun

Not sure how comfortable this lipstick-heeled court shoe by Alberto Guardiani would be, but thats hardly the point of an eye-catching shoe, is it?

Stocking Fillers

It's worth staying at Le Meurice in Paris, just to take a bath with this super cute canard de bain.

Alternatively, you can buy it at the hotel's online boutique for 20€.

Equally amusing is this reindeer USB key, 9.99 € (4Go) and 11.99 € (8Go), from Maxell.

Making Up

L'Wren Scott is best known for her expert fashion styling and designing (Nicole Kidman is one of her most loyal clients), but now she has branched out and created a limited edition makeup palette with Lancôme.

It's available exclusively from Sephora.

Taxi!

How witty is this London Taxi clutch, that can also be worn as a handbag thanks to its detachable strap, from Lulu Guinness.

Love it.

£ 295, from Lulu Guinness.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

In honour of this special event, gift a loved one this fabulous Lulu Guinness Stars & Stripes snakeskin Lips clutch.

£ 395 from Lulu Guinness.

Christmas Wish List

Christmas may be a month away, but it's never too early to draw up your wish list of presents.

Personally I love this Lanvin satin leopard-print travel kit, which includes slippers and a sleep mask. A no-brainer gift.

$ 490, available from Bergdorf Goodman.

Another favourite is this Collier de Chien bracelet from Hermès, in rose gold and pavé diamonds.

Price upon request, from Hermès.

If I had a driving license, I would dream about owning this Tesla Roadster.

Price upon request, from Tesla.

Back in the real world, I would be so happy with the very cutely packaged Anna dello Russo scent.

$ 25, from Yoox.

Cover Star

Carine Roitfeld has invited Tom Ford to guest edit French Vogue's Christmas issue, as well as grace its iconic cover (albeit accompanied by a model).

I personally cannot wait to see what the issue has in store...

Time's Up?

Karl Lagerfeld, the kaiser of the fashion industry, continues to deny that his contract at Chanel will expire in 2012.


What's more, he also denies that Alber Elbaz, widely believed to be his successor, will follow him into the legendary office on rue Cambon.


“I have a contract for life so it all depends on who I would like to hand it to. At the moment I’d say Haider Ackermann,” Lagerfeld has told Numéro magazine.

Loving Lanvin

Love the promotional video for Lanvin's collaboration with H&M.

Most of all though, love the asymmetrical cocktail dresses and accessories, that look way too qualitative to be sold at H&M...but then again, masstige is the word du jour...

Eternal Flame

To celebrate its century of existence, Elizabeth Arden has created a limited edition, scented candle illustrated with sketches of its prestigious 5th Avenue address in New York.

I'm sure it smells fabulous, but I think the packaging is the best part.

Fashion At Your Fingertips

For quite possibly the most fashionable manicure in the world, commission the young London artist Georgia Rose Fairman to paint your nails.

Her Fashion Designers set includes the nail-sized likenesses of Karl Lagerfeld (my favourite), Donatella Versace and Giorgio Armani.

It's fashion at your fingertips.

Contact Georgia Rose Fairman at georgia.rose.f@googlemail.com.

Fashion With Benefits

I have to say that I wasn't overly excited by the news that Gucci were about to launch their first childrenswear line.

That was, however, before I found out that a share of the profits go to the very worthy charity Unicef.

In this behind-the-scenes video of the shooting of Jennifer Lopez for the new Gucci campaign, complete with Gucci-clad twins, find out what inspired the actress and singer to sign up her son and daughter to the brand:

On The Slopes

Chanel never never put a high-heeled foot wrong in the fashion stakes, so why would they take any other approach when decide to design sports equipment?

Check out these fiberglass, trompe-l'oeil quilted-effect mini-skis. A must if you are headed to Gstaad this winter.

Quote of The Day

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Carine Roitfeld was asked, "What would be your song?"

Her answer: "You're So Vain. I think in this business, it's a good song. It's dedicated to a lot of people."

Still love her.

Olivier Twist

Olivier Zahm, Founder of Purple, the influential avant-garde fashion magazine, isn't a fan of bloggers; indeed, in the interview below, you can find out why he "hate[s] them all".

Getting Catty

So before we know it the party season will be upon us, and nothing is more classic in makeup terms than a slick cat-eye.

MAC has always been my makeup brand of choice, so who better to teach us how to get that 60s flick?

Love To Love You Chloé

I love the soundtrack on the commercial for the new Chloé fragrance Love Chloé.

The head to toe camel on Raquel Zimmerman is pretty cool too, but then it was directed by Roman Coppola...

Chanelling Coco

Chanel is not a word, not an adjective, it is a name and trademarked brand - something the lawyers at Chanel want you to be very aware of; you may not use it in vain.

This week the super-brand took out a full page ad in WWD to inform the fashionable public:

“A note of information and entreaty to fashion editors, advertisers, copywriters and other well-intentioned mis-users of our Chanel name:
Chanel was a designer, an extraordinary woman who made a timeless contribution to fashion. Chanel is a perfume. Chanel is modern elegance in couture, ready-to-wear, accessories, watches and fine jewelry. Chanel is our registered trademark for fragrance, cosmetics, clothing, accessories and other lovely things. Although our style is justly famous, a jacket is not ‘a Chanel jacket’ unless it is ours, and somebody else’s cardigans are not ‘Chanel for now.’ And even if we are flattered by such tributes to our fame as ‘Chanel-issime,  Chanel-ed, Chanels, and Chanel-ized’, PLEASE DON’T. Our lawyers positively detest them. We take our trademark seriously.
Merci,
Chanel, Inc.”

Chanel is Chanel, and everything else is incomparable - now, by law.

Fast Fashion

Tom Ford just staged his comeback womenswear "show", at a highly secretive presentation during New York Fashion Week.

There were no invitations, no emails, just a phone call, asking the chosen editors to be at the Tom Ford boutique at a certain date and time.

Again going against the tide, he chose to showcase his collection on fashion and cultural icons, instead of high profile fashion models: Daphne Guinness, Lauren Hutton, and Beyoncé, all walked in the show.

What's more, no-one was allowed to take pictures, apart from Ford's own in-house photographer. A few, however, have leaked onto Fashionologie's website, which is frm where I bring you the headshots below - how many of the famous faces are you able to recognize pre-makeup?

Explaining the extreme levels of secrecy to WWD, Ford said: 'this fashion immediacy thing — I get [it].…I don’t get the need for this immediacy. In fact, I think it’s bad. The way the system works now, you see the clothes, within an hour or so they’re online, the world sees them. They don’t get to a store for six months. 


...The next week, young celebrity girls are wearing them on red carpets. They’re in every magazine. The customer is bored with those clothes by the time they get to the store. They’re overexposed, you’re tired of them, they’ve lost their freshness, you see somebody wearing it and you say, “Oh, that’s that jacket that was in blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." Or [a] customer doesn’t want to wear that jacket that was in blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. In addition, all of the fast-fashion companies that do a great job, by the way, knock everything off. So it’s everywhere all over the streets in three months and by the time you get it to the store, what’s the point?'.


Personally, I am in complete agreement.

The Day Before

French journalist Loïc Prigent is continuing with his fly-on-the-wall fashion documentaries, and is about to release a second season of riveting behind the scenes footage of what goes on the day before a high profile fashion show.

Personally I love Diane von Furstenberg's segment, from which you can view an excerpt below. She is seen arguing with one of her team regarding the flatter value of wearing boyfriend jackets - a trend, along with boyfriend jeans, that I personally am totally against.

I love it when the assistant tries to impress the idea that boyfriend jackets are a huge fashion statement, and Diane says: "I don't care about fashion, I care about women."

Here, Here!

Lanvin Hearts H&M

So the wait is over, finally we know with whom H&M will be collaborating for its now-traditional end of year collection.

The collection will go on sale 23rd November, but you can start preparing your shopping lists on 2nd November, when the collection will be presented for the first time.

In the meantime, enjoy this filmed interview of Alber Elbaz describing the moment he laid eyes on the first collection of samples:

Belle d'Opium

OK so I know I'm currently posting a lot of video content, but there are quite a few fabulous short fashion "films" being released right now, and they are just so more interesting than your regular 2D print ad campaign.

Point in case is the new televised ad for Yves Saint Laurent's new scent, Belle d'Opium, featuring the French actress Mélanie Thierry.

She looks absolutely gorgeous; who wouldn't buy a scent if it promised to make you as sensual as she herself appears in this film:

Gimme Miu Miu

Madonna may not always be a success in front of the film camera, but she certainly seems to know what she's doing behind it, if this behind-the-scenes Miu Miu video is anything to by.

The collaboration came about accidentally, when Madonna popped in to see her friends Mert Atlas and Marcus Pigott, while they were on-set, shooting Miu Miu's new ad campaign. She volunteered to direct the "backstage" video herself, teaching the models' some of her own dance moves, and waiving a fee.

You can see the fabulous results right here:

Guilty Pleasures

What do you think of Gucci's trailer for a short film produced to promote its new fragrance Gucci Guilty?

Check it out below:


Personally I am a bigger fan of Chanel's similar creative effort with Martin Scorsese, who directed the televised ad campaign for the brand's new menswear fragrance Bleu de Chanel:

Pour Memoire

Grace Coddington, Creative Director of American Vogue and star of The September Issue, is working on her first memoir.

One can only imagine how rich it will be in fashion history and anecdotes about the industry's high-personality designers.

A definite must-buy.

Suite Dreams

There's a brand new designer hotel in Paris, and its rooms come complete with levitating beds and baths,  fibre optic lighting in the ceilings that replicate stars, and unexpected interactive experiences.

Seven suites have been conceived by different designers, including an apparently very trippy Marie Antoinette suite.


Never has a good night's sleep been more originally set.


Le Seven Hotel Paris, 20 rue berthollet, 75005 Paris.

Gossip Girl

Spotted, strolling through the Marais, Louis-Marie de Castelbajac, son of the French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and fiancé of Dita Von Teese.

Spotted not far off, brunching on the bobo rue de Bretagne, British designer Henry Holland.

xoxo

Nars To See You

Daphne Guiness is the face of the NARS Autumn-Winter 2010/11 campaign, representing the makeup brand with a vintage Hollywood and futuristic image.

Handpicked by François Nars himself, the Couture-clad Guinness previously fronted a campaign for Swiss label Akris.

www.narscosmetics.fr

Hostess With The Mostess

I just read about this fabulous cook book in Vogue Australia, which focuses on "do-ahead dishes for the dinner-party diva", suggesting recipes that can be made well in advance of your next dinner party, thereby avoiding last-minute spills and stains on your carefully prepped outfit.

A cute way of avoiding both a culinary and wardrobe malfunction.

Meals In Heels, around 13 € on Amazon.fr.

Beauty Is In The Eye of Burberry

In the same way that a Burberry trench remains an essential, dependable item in every stylish girl's wardrobe, the British brand's first makeup range, just-launched, aims to cover the basics.

The line includes powder, foundation, bronzer, blush, mascara, eyeshadow and lipstick, each in natural colours, recalling the easy, unforced ethos that is Burberry's heritage - and attitude today.

Available at Harrods or online at www.burberry.com. 

(Champagne) Bubble Bath

L'Hôtel Prince de Galles has reinvented the bubble bath, adding to its list of room services the possibility of ordering a Bain de Champagne.

This involves 160 litres of Champagne being "run" for you, with such a bath apparently extolling toning, draining and anti-oxidant virtues.

Apparently this is the way Kate Moss and Johnny Depp used to bathe whenever they visited Paris together.

It's certainly a sparkling way to start the day!

Bain de Champagne, 6 000 €, Hôtel Prince de Galles.

The Big Teese

Dita Von Teese has collaborated with Perrier to star in a short, interactive film that is viewable on the water brand's website.

Dita is fabulously sexy and seductive in the starring role, while, as always, leaving as much as possible to the imagination.

You can view a short excerpt here:

All Booked Up

Olivier Zahm of Purple magazine is working on the first biographical book about Carine Roitfeld, slated to be published in the autumn of 2011.

It is sure to be worth the wait!

Celebrated Addresses: Paris

Want to know where Carine Roitfeld gets her colour done, who fixes Emmanuelle Alt's heels, or to whom Lindsay Lohan turns to have her hair blown out?

Then check into Celebrated Addresses regularly.

Pin Up

I love this shell hairpin, which is the perfect addition to any beach-bag of accessories.

20 €, www.bijoux-cheveux.com

La Vie En Vogue

I love American Vogue's "making of" videos, which provide behind the scenes insight into the magazine's cover shoots.

Here, you can see Marion Cotillard being prepped for her shoot with Mario Testino at La Bastide de Marie, a charming country hotel in the south of France:

Beauty Injection

Beauty and syringes used to mean one thing: an extreme way of enhancing one's looks. But not anymore, thanks to a new skincare line designed by the French doctor Olivier Courtin (son of the founder of Clarins).

The concept is one of highly personalised skincare, where customized formulas that you mix yourself, treat you skin according to their individual, evolving needs.

Using a syringe filled with the product appropriate to your skin type, you release a pre-measured dose of your chosen Emergency Booster into your day or night cream, and blend.

A very modern way of tackling contemporary skin conditions, that can vary as easily as a change of clothes.


www.myblendbeauty.com

Bar None

You might be used to drinking superior cocktails blended by the most reputed mixologists, but have you ever been served a cocktail designed by Bruce Willis?

If not, head to the Bar Hemingway the Ritz in Paris, where you can order a one-off cocktail mixed up by the Hollywood star especially for Coco Chanel's favourite hotel.

Named "My Sobieski by Bruce Willis", it will be prepared for you by the just as celebrated barman Colin Field.

Wu-Hoo!

This CREATE cameara, designed by Jason Wu, is perfect for popping into your handbag and photographing your adventures about town.

240 €, at Colette.

Bag It Up

Finally, one will be able to amuse oneself while taking out the trash...as long as your bins are lined with these cheeky goldfish bowl-print garbage bags.

£10 from suckuk.com.

Gucci Gucci Coo

Gucci are launching their first childrenswear line this Autumn, marketed at babies up to 24 months old, and children up to the age of 8.

The only toddlers I could actually imagine wearing Gucci footwear, scarves, ties, belts, jewellery and sunglasses, would be the fictional offspring of Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big in the no doubt forthcoming sequel to Sex And The City 2.

Give me Bonpoint and Baby Dior any day!

In A Louboutin World

I love the series of images produced for the launch of Christian Louboutin's Autumn-Winter 2010-11 collection, which is already viewable on his website.

The campaign is as creative and imaginative as his utterly unique shoe designs.

Bag Lady

I love this quilted leather laptop bag designed by H by Harris. It's stylish and practical, and comes in lots of different colours so that you can match it to your outfit or accessories.

Available at Dover Street Market, or online at oki-ni.com. 

Blow by Blow

This September, Christie's had planned to hold an auction in London of the late Isabella Blow's wardrobe; however, this sale has now been called off, after a private buyer, rumoured to be the Couture collector Daphne Guinness, purchased the entire inventory.

The collection includes designs by Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Manolo Blahnik and Philip Treacy (50 hats, apparently!), and will now remain whole, as per the buyers' wishes.

They are accompanied by a collection of portraits of Blow by Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, David LaChapelle, and Karl Lagerfeld.

If Guinness is indeed behind the purchase, then the historic clothes are sure to be well and appropriately looked after - Guinness was both a friend and distant relative of Isabella Blow.

So Long, Maria Luisa

Maria Luisa, so long the bastion for young and avant-garde design talent in Paris, is shutting up shop.

August will mark the last month that Maria Luisa's eponymous boutique continues to sell via a brick-and-mortar format, having opened her first clothes shop in 1988.

The future, as far as Maria Luisa sees it, is the internet, and by the end of the year she should be back in business, selling her carefully curated collections through a new e-boutique.

Mount Street Deli-cious

There's a fabulously smart new delicatessen that's just opened up on London's Mount Street, serving up signature recipes from its fashionable culinary neighbours.

Annabel's trademark chocolate cake, Harry's Bar pizza and Scotch eggs from Mark's Club are just a few of the gastronomical treats on offer, now all available in one place.

The time you save stocking your fridge at the Mount Street Deli, is time you can reallocate to a hair treatment at  Jo Hansford, or picking a new outfit at Lanvin or Azzaro, also on the same street.

Got It Nailed

How fabulous is the new Rock et Baroque varnish collection from Yves Saint Laurent? The colours are designed to be paired with clashing tips... Love it!

Back To Basics

Givenchy's Creative Director Riccardo Tisci announced today via WWD that there will be no more Haute Couture shows produced by the House.

Instead, clients and editors will be invited to view the new collection at private one-on-one appointments. What's more, the silhouettes presented have been distilled to a selection of just ten (compared to the usual 35 or 40).

By doing so, he will be cutting out the many pique-assiettes who hound fashion PRs for invitations, with the sole intention of "being seen" at such prestigious events, and who have no real interest in the beauty or construction of Haute Couture garments which have taken extremely talented seamstresses weeks if not months to make.

He's going back to basics with a whole New Look on Haute Couture.

Do You, Do You St. Tropez?

This summer Chanel will open an ephemeral boutique in St. Tropez, staying open only as long as the sun shines (until 3rd October, to be precise).

Located between the place des Lices and the terrace of the institution that is the terrace of the Sénéquier café, the boutique is situated within an XVIIIth century mansion and decorated in the Chanel colour codes of black and white, beige and red.

Blown Away

There are rumours, put forward by American Vogue's André Léon Talley, no less, that Isabella Blow's tragic but most fashionable life is soon to appear on the silver screen.

If true, one can't think of a more glamourous homage to one of fashion history's most colourful characters.

Tokidoki Karl

Karl Lagerfeld has just collaborated with Tokidoki to produce this limited edition "Mini Karl".

The doll is a Japanese-inspired take on his image, but does not include Karl's recently acquired accessory, the Legion d'Honneur, awarded to him by the French President and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

The star-shaped pendant was made by Chanel's jewellery manufacturers, as a surprise for the designer.

For once, Karl was apparently lost for words, although not President Sarkozy, who had the dernier mot: 'A world where there is an election every six months — I feel for you: Horrible, horrible, horrible.'

Gaga for MoutonCollet

For those of you who haven't yet seen Lady Gaga's latest musical installment Alejandro, let me tell you it's worth checking out, if only to get a glimpse of the fabulously customized British bobby's hat, designed by Paris jewellery duo MoutonCollet.

It is not the first time the creative pair have designed accessories for la Gaga, and this certainly won't be the only time you'll see their designs have a starring role...

www.moutoncollet.com

Re-Channeling Coco

I can hardly wait for French actress Anna Mouglalis's adaptation of Coco Chanel's character in the forthcoming Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky.


Although Kaiser Karl is apparently not pleased with the film's presentation of his predecessor at Chanel, he did allow the fashion house to contribute to the wardrobe, which goes some way to explain the stunning costumes that the trailer below allows you a sneak peak at:

Gathering No Moss

Shot by the mighty Nick Knight, Kate Moss plays up her rock chick attitude in this short film to promote her new collection for Topshop.

The feathered cape almost steals Kate Moss's show...

To Dior For

Dior's new fine jewellery collections, Rose Dior Bagatelle and Bois de Rose, feature delicate and intricate designs incorporating white and pink gold, white and pink diamonds, and pink sapphires.

Amongst my favourite pieces are the rose thorn-shaped rings.

How's a girl supposed to say no to that?

www.diorjoaillerie.com

Lip Service

The gorgeous packaging of Tom Ford's lipstick collection is enough to make it a must-buy, but the beautifying colours are just as much of an incentive to decorate your dressing table with these vintage-looking rouge à lèvres.

Try Pink Dusk, which is a very flattering peach pink.

www.tomford.com

High Tea

British Airways has brought new meaning to the British tradition of high tea.

First Class passengers are now served The Dorchester hotel's selection of crust-less sandwiches and delicious cakes, along with a large choice of internationally sourced fine teas.

For die-hard traditionalists, it's an experience worth flying high for.

Visit www.Ba.com for further information.

Bejewelled

I love this shell and gold-plated bangle, from British jewellery brand Mirabelle.

It is chic and simple and will go with all your summer outfits.

£ 45, from www.mirabellejewellery.co.uk.

Maison Moschino

Dreams really do come true at the Maison Moschino hotel in Milan, where you can choose from various creatively and eccentrically decorated rooms. 

Most fashionable of all, however, has to be the Red Dress room, whose bed is designed to look like it is part of a red carpet gown.

Snap Happy

The celebrated fashion photographer Ellen Von Unwerth has just opened an exhibition showcasing some of her career's best work, at Le Bon Marché.

It's a great way to mix in some culture to your shopping!

Karl Vision

Karl Lagerfeld has written and directed a short film featuring his current coterie of models, shot in St. Tropez.

Entitled Remember Now, it is of gorgeous fashion feast, but perhaps the most desirable accessory featured is Karl's very own Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, given to him as a Christmas present.

You can view the trailer here:

The End of An Era

Harrods, the world's most famous department store, that promised you anything you could ever possibly wish to purchase would always be procurable from within its walls, has been sold to the Qatar royal family.

The sale brings an end to Mohammed Al Fayed's eccentric and flamboyant 25-year reign over the store.

Apparently no great changes are to be made by the new owners. One certainly hopes that they will not modify Harrods' old-fashioned but fabulous views on the attire deemed worthy and appropriate for one of its customers.

Below are just a few of the fashion-conscious rules one must take into consideration - and adhere to - before shopping at the Queen's favourite store.

Harrods kindly asks all visitors to:

• Ensure all clothing is clean and presentable and that the appropriate footwear is worn whilst in the store.
• Refrain from wearing clothing which may reveal intimate parts of the body, or which portrays offensive pictures or writing.
• Refrain from wearing crash helmets in the store.
• Carry rucksacks in your hand rather than on your back or shoulder.
• Refrain from eating and drinking, except in our cafés and restaurants.

Tilda Swinton At Pomellato

Tilda Swinton seems to be picking up as many luxury goods ambassadorial roles, as she is in the entertainment industry.

She is the new face of Pomellato, having previously fronted the ad campaign for Pringle of Scotland.

What's more, she's also acted in a promotional film for Pomellato, just as she did for Pringle.

Once again, celebrities win over fashion models.

MAC Up

I love the new To The Beach range of makeup by MAC.

Intended to keep you beautiful by the seaside, it includes this gorgeous bronzer embossed with a seahorse.

Visit MAC for further details.

Style And The City

The opening of Sex And The City 2 is around the corner, and in the spirit of keeping the suspense going, here is my style countdown to the girls' most out-there costumes. I wish I had any one of these outfits the last time I was in Morocco:

 

I love this pleated and sparkly Halston dress:

 

Could Samantha's earrings be any bigger?

 

Check out Samantha's harem pants!

This vintage John Galliano for Christian Dior dress, complete with fashion newspaper print, is a classic noughties look:

 

And as for all the other fabulous outfits, you'll have to wait for the film to discover a whole new wardrobe of Patricia Field-styled looks!

"It's better to be stylish and cold than warm and frumpy"

I do love this video of Paris style blogger Garance Doré explaining how to turn her Gucci handbag into a necklace.

It also includes an interview with another blogger, who explains why "it's better to be stylish and cold than warm and frumpy."

Like her style!

Come Fly With Me

Darphin has designed an exclusive and limited edition travel cosmetics bag, that contains all you need for a weekend jet-away.

It's a one-stop beauty solution for those times that it's easier to avoid check-in and travel light.

Diving Into Fashion

How cool is this Liquid Swim Mask, available exclusively at Colette?


It's the world's only dive mask to have an integrated waterproof digital video camera, and the ability to take photographs as well. 


It's ideal for snorkeling, spearfishing, free diving, shark cage diving and shallow scuba diving...basically all the regular activities that require the skyscraper heels and designer wardrobe we know and love.


Who cares, it's fabulous!

Drawn To Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel is turning sketch artist for a forthcoming exhibition and sale at the Galerie Catherine Houard in Saint Germain.


For the first time, Rykiel will be showcasing over 200 of her drawings and notebooks.


It's just a small reminder of the French designer and author's huge talent.