Paris Fashion Week...

My ultimate favourite fashion week (yes, I have actually just admitted it).  Paris means one thing, classic designs from classic designers.  From Chanel to Chacharel, and Balenciaga, Paris Fashion Week is home to some of the leading names in the fashion industry.

Balenciaga set the tone for Thursday in Paris with a collection that had a very Miu Miu SS11 feel to it.  Looser shapes, oversized jackets and a somewhat sports luxe feel met with eclectic prints and colours and an array of textures.  Leather was used for draped skirts, knee pads on skinny trousers and trims at the bottom of skirts which made for a fantastic display of craftsmanship. Not necessarily a collection I'd wear, but a cleverly produced collection nonetheless.

From Balenciaga to Princess of Pretty, Nina Ricci. A beautiful collection in the most delicate of fabrics, sweet colours and intricate designs.  Moving from a beautiful embroidered black lace dress into chiffon draped dresses and a silk burgundy blouse worn with a sequin embellished jacket and tiered black skirt.  A 'dressing gown' esque coat in a fabulously thick cream knitted material worn with a peach high frilled neck blouse.  Iced blue suits, gathered chiffon and frilled necks moved into embellished chiffon blouses toughened up with a leather jacket and loose trousers and a beautiful tailored skirt suit with a magnificent fur hat.  It was grown up innocence created by the delicate material, shapes and ivory tights that moved into grown up glamour with the right bits nipped in at the right places.  Nina Ricci...I am truly in love.

UES Dazzle...

Gossip Girl seems to be all every fashionista can think about, especially now that every fashion house is also dying for a little bit of the oh so glam Upper East Siders. First it was Blake and Chanel, their love affair created quite a stir in the fashion world, then it was Leighton and Herbal Essenses, although nothing really came of that.  Then Leighton became the face of Vera Wang's new fragrance and was spotted Vera Wang clad, leaning over a Manhattan balcony looking every inch the Upper East Side Princess. As if that wasn't enough, now it's Leighton and Missoni.  Leighton Meester is my absolute favourite, brunettes are so much better than blondes (I could never be blonde to I have to say this). She's classy, pure with that English rose look about her - and looks absolutely fabulous in the new Missoni ad campaign...

Some girls have it all...

Finally, those Chanel & Blake Lively rumours have been confirmed.  She will be the face of the Chanel 'Mademoiselle' handbag collection. She's everyone's favourite Upper East Sider, with legs that go on forever and designers falling at their feet to be her new BFF, and who can blame them? She's the girl we all want to be, even before her Chanel endorsement. I am a little excited to see the handbag collection though, Chanel do a good handbag...

Shake up at VW...

Fashion legend Karl Lagerfield swapped swathes of quilted Chanel fabric for alloys, fog lights and tinted privacy glass to appear in the advert for the VW 'Style add on package for Golf and Polo cars.  Karl is being used as a synonym of style and class, appealing to that fashionista that will be driving those cars (not). Since when have alloys and 'privacy glass' do meant style. Stick to fashion Karl, it suits you best. You can watch the bizzare advert below...

A round up of 2010...

It's that awkward period between Christmas and New Year that is a little like no man's land. You lose track of days, morn for the Christmas that has just left us and watch as the snow begins to melt into slush (where I am anyway). So I decided to fill my day with thinking about the highlights of 2010, which was a good year for fashion.


January 2010 arrived with SJP taking on a creative role at Halston while we were thrilled over the highly anticipated SATC 2. February brought the sad passing of Lee Alexander McQueen, Versace brought the catwalk alive with a vibrant pop of colour at Milan fashion week and Burberry put their mark on the 21st century with their catwalk show coming alive in 3d.  March encouraged us to eat more and embrace curves while April was pretty quiet on the fashion front.  May entailed the release of the eagerly anticipated SATC 2 and what a shambles that was.  Carrie became annoyingly fixated on how comfortable marriage felt, bumped into Aiden in the middle of the desert and Liza Minelli sang Single Ladies.  Need I say much more? Lack lustre story lines accompanied a lack lustre wardrobe collection.  We had a new obsession at this point though. Enter Betty Draper. Mad Men fever hit and nipped in waists, full skirts and bright lipsticks trickled through high street at designer stores alike. June came with outrage from Urban Outfitters scandalous 'Eat Less' t-shirt. Had they not been watching Mad Men? Curves were back! Sunny July (for some!) brought a price hike for Chanel with prices rising by a gigantic 20%, making it even more out of my reach for now. August seen Kate and Sir Phillip Green go their separate ways and US Vogue announced it was trading midtown for downtown. September means fashion week and collections hit the runway.  Mulberry had pastels, D&G went sensual, Reem Acra used gold, VB had structure and Chloe went all grown up! October was the month where Karl Lagerfield fell victim to new style crush, Georgia May Jagger,snapping her up to be the face of Chanel Cruise SS11.  November brought hysteria and disappointment of Lanvin by H&M as mine and thousands more online attempts fail miserably as hardcore shoppers queued round blocks, up streets and roads for a slice of Lanvin. December came with a battering of snow and the announcement of a Royal Wedding here in England. with a certain Issa London dress feeling the earth move after the announcement of said engagement. Hilary Swank announced she was jumping on the actress turned designer bandwagon and miserable face Momsen was dropped by IMG.  What a busy little year 2010 has been...

Blake for Chanel?

Blake loves Chanel and it seems Karl Lagerfield loves Blake. The rumour mill is going into overdrive tonight as whispers flurry round about Blake Lively fronting the ad campaign for Chanel's Spring handbag collection.  We seen it coming didn't we.  Front row at the couture show in Paris, effortlessly elegant in Chanel at event after event and coying up to the man in black himself at the New York Chanel store reopening in New York. A mutual appreciation society it seem and a fashion team from heaven...if what we hear is true!

Chanel have declined to confirm rumours at the moment, but soon enough the Gossip Girl could join an endless roll-call of celeb ambassadors for the brand.  Watch this space...