Friday 30 July 2010

Reid Peppard's Taxidermy Accessories

Only in London could we find taxidermy and couture in the same sentence. London based designer Reid Peppard and the RP/Encore studio presented the 'PARK' collection this past week - a hybrid of accessories and London's best road kill. Mainly foxes, crows and squirrels. This LA native is a certified taxidermist and a committee member of the UK guild of Taxidermists. Now that's bloody impressive. If your slightly squeamish about the animals, Peppard has a selection of casted fine metal pieces alongside the cadavers. Exact casts of claws, hearts, tongues and more are presented in sterling silver and
gold plated silver.

I'm hopping down to meet Reid and see these pieces up close. I'm so excited. Is it weird I want to touch the mouse head cufflinks?




LL Cool J


Thursday 29 July 2010

OMG. LOL. YES!



At Urban Outfitters. £14 each.


MAGIC NUMBERS FOR DIANA VICKERS

Dress by Belle Sauvage.
Watermarks courtesy of Rexfeatures (thanks).

THEY'LL ALL BE SIZE 0 AFTER THIS

Copenhagen Fashion Week in Denmark will be breaking records next month.

Helena Christensen will be unveiling the world's longest runway - 5,000 ft runway (maybe literally - fingers crossed for a Boeing take-off as the finale) featuring over 500 Nordic brands and god knows how many models.

Strutting in stilettos for the best part of 20 minutes on a hot floodlit catwalk could be the next step in the Bikram 'sweat-for-long-enough-and-you're-bound-the-drop-the-pounds' craze.

We could be looking at other record breaking moments for 'most-mid-runway-model-collapses', 'most-wardrobe-malfunctions-per-minute' and 'biggest-synchronized-diva-fit-back-stage'. Exciting times for all.

If you're part of the styling or hair team on this show - we feel for you. At least with a front row 2 and a half miles long with a capacity for half the population of a small Eastern European nation, the show's PR team will be safe from 'DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?' eruptions runway side.

Wednesday 28 July 2010

Sketchbook Pop-Up Shop

. . . was the perfect excuse Ashley and I needed to get out of the office for half an hour, a quick catwalk strut/mince to Kingly Court and we were greeted by Science of Style Editor Sabrina Bangladesh and the rest of Sketchbooks Editorial team.

Based on 3 floors Sketchbook have created an amazing space to show you the public exactly what goes on in a live fashion shoot. Make-up, hair and styling all happening live before your very own eyes.

All shoots are going on to various magazines which will know doubt be blogged by the various Fashion Queens who have all made an appearance there.

I quote – “Express your creative desire by writing on balloons, models and even walls. Your innovation is unlimited!” So if there is something you want to get off your chest head on down to Kingly Court now. Cupcakes included!

Portia

X

THE JACQUES TOWNHOUSE

Thank you Jacques fruit Cider for the delicious launch of your townhouse last night on Fitzroy square in the heart of Fitzrovia with my good friends Poppy French and James Barnett (click their names to check out their blogs)

On entering we were given napkins that doubled as maps (perfect to wipe your fingers after a complimentary cupcake or 18... forgive us - but it's free. Waste is a crime - think of the third world) and keys to the ever important bar.

The celebs were out in force with Sophie Ellis-Bextor and her hubby DJ-ing alongside Jameela Jamil, half the cast of GMTV (and there we all were thinking they were nocturnal to make those early morning starts) and a couple of ex-girlbanders. Infact, I couldn't help thinking maybe we should have played cupid and got Keisha (of ex-sugababes fame) and Liz McClarnon (of ex-atomic kitten fame) together in the vague hope of landing the biggest duo to hit the charts since Sonny and Cher (or Gaga / Beyonce if you'd prefer) - alas twas not to be.

So we sipped Cider, celeb-spotted and all got told to leave our jobs and play with the wheel of fortune (...) by the gypsy fortune tellers while we lounged around on giant outdoor scatter cushions (my gay side got a bit excited at the thought) underneath the Forest of Dreams (just one of the amazing theme rooms created for the event by the creative team).

OK Magazine in the goodie bag? Yes please - we've got a night bus to catch.

Set design / prop styling at the event by Cordelia Weston with Creative Direction by David Carter.

What does Jen smell like?



Well it comes as no surprise that Jennifer Aniston has launched her own perfume. It has been ages since she did a movie...Portia chimes in "it was the one with the dog?!"According to DailyMail, Lolavie "roughly" means laughing at life. Err, doesn't that kind of add fuel to fire? I think we all sympathize with Jen when tabloids speculate about her every move. But I'm sure you've noticed the massive PR effort from Jen's peeps to demonstrate she's on top of her game, happier now then ever in her life. I'm not sold, are you?

I have to side with Rhiannon Harries' brilliant article in the Independent. Best line ever "What does Jennifer Aniston smell of, do you suppose? Gin and cat food? Despair?" Ouch. I just wonder why, why go down this route? This is no reflection on Jen perse, I cringe at Lovely and Sean Jean Designer Label equally.


Perhaps, I'm missing something. Who out there is a fan of Celebrity perfume, like the ones below? And do these designers smell like their signature scents, I wonder.







Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/rhiannon-harries-i-cant-quite-believe-anyone-really-wants-to-smell-like-jennifer-aniston-2031899.html

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1295876/Jennifer-Aniston-goes-girl-door-sexy-vamp-new-perfume-ads.html#ixzz0uyVyaTZW

Friday 23 July 2010

To Burqa or not to Burqa?


I’m all about free living, gay, straight, black, white, fat thin and a few transgendered beings just to shake the system up. No-one should tell you how to live your life as long as your not on some murder rampage or spying or little children . . . then you should be killed with a spoon slowly. But I really am in two minds over the Burqa debate, you have one side of the Muslim female community who want to wear their Burqa’s as their proud of their religion and what they believe in and good for them. Then there’s the other half who are forced to wear them, what kind of a life is that seeing this world we life in through a slit of fabric.

On a daily basis I see Burqa’s floating past Harvey Nichols and getting out of the back of their chauffer driven Bentleys. They don’t look like they have a care in the world and every now and then you’ll see a glimpse of next seasons Gucci stiletto poke out the bottom of their Swarovski encrusted Burqa . . .

Infact as a community (of which I am very sheltered to) these woman seem to the height of glamour as they laugh their way into Boodles occasionally raising an immaculate brow to the security to ensure they don’t let anyone else in while their shopping. I went on a trip to Morocco a couple of years ago and whilst in Marrakech it was encouraged that I wore a scarf over my head, this didn’t exactly gel well with me however through gritted teeth I covered my fabulous face so I could blend in with the crowd. Suffocating doesn’t come near it i just wanted to wear what i was comfortable in but respecting other peoples culture is of importance so not to offend.

France has banned the Burqa and Italy followed this trend and for a change England is considering joining forces with this idea. But what are we setting ourselves up for? Will we become a target for terrorist bombing or will we just put of Muslims (I am referring to those who have arrived here legitimately through visa’s and who spend vast amounts of money in this country!) from setting up home here and becoming part of our struggling economy.

I don’t necessarily think we should ban the Burqa but have rule of our own where you only wear it if you want to, I feel for these woman who are forced to wear it and perhaps that’s what should be banned rather than a countries culture. Many of the worlds finest designers have a line targeted for Muslim woman celebrating their lifestyle choices and perhaps we to should start looking at things through fresh eyes.

Portia x

Thursday 22 July 2010

Feliz Cumpleanos Oscar!

De la Renta was born Oscar Aristides Renta Fiallo in Santo Domingo, DR (Dominican Republic for you non-Americans) on July 22, '32. Whilst studying in Madrid, he became fascinated with the world of fashion. From Cristobal Balenciaga - Lanvin - Christian Dior - Elizabeth Arden and finally Jane Derby, de la Renta opened his own label in '65.


Oscar's style is elegant, colourful, classic and just fucking stunning...Here are just a few pieces that I've drooled over the past few years.

Blow wishes you a happy 78th birthday!

LL Cool J









Wednesday 21 July 2010

HAIR TREND

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Commuter Fashion Faux Pas

Traveling into London from Essex every day is an enlightening experience. As a county known for its abundance of city traders and image conscious dolly birds you’d think that the train carriages would be full to bursting with a bevy of well presented folk busting out their Gucci loafers and arse length hair extensions.

However, it appears that this doesn’t apply to weekday train journeys. By the time the 8:46 chugs into Gidea Park station I am left with some classic examples of train fashion gone wrong.

My BIGGEST bugbear is the suit wearer who believes it is completely acceptable to pair his expensive pinstripe number with the dirtiest, scruffiest, nastiest backpack he owns. To be fair I mock briefcases in equal measures (what do they put in there?  A packet of crisps? A copy of The Sun?....the mind boggles) but it is marginally more acceptable than the offensive sports/office fusion which I am spotting an increasing amount of on the Shenfield to Liverpool Street service.

I let him off a little bit as he is riding a bike! 

My other major problem is with the ladies. Ok, I get it that you walk the 20 minute journey from your house to the station every morning. I understand this would not be enjoyable in 5 inch heels but seriously, do my eyes need to be offended by the Asics running shoes you insist on wearing with your poo brown pencil skirt and matching double breasted jacket. In short, the answer is no!

My final moan is at those who wear sunglasses on the tube! The London Underground is known for well, quite frankly being underground, that means there is no sunlight that will meet your sensitive pupils. You are officially UV ray safe! Unless you are blind, have a severe case of conjunctivitis or have ‘accidently’ walked into a door there is no excuse for this behaviour. Take them off and deal with the unflattering strip lighting like the rest of us.*

Thank you and goodnight 

Lauren xxx

* Note to reader. Obviously when chronically hungover or high  sunglasses are perfectly acceptable on tubes!

Monday 19 July 2010

GOING DOWN THIS WEEK


Holiday Snaps
Unless you went on a glamorous one-nighter to St Tropez with an oil tycoon and bumped into Beyonce on the beach we really couldn't care less about seeing pics of your crappy holiday

Pasty Bods
Footballer or not - we don't want to see that much pasty white flesh. Take a leaf out of Cristiano Ronaldo's book or cover up

International Trash-Mag Slag Katie Price
Stick with the singing. We're over the rest...

GOING UP THIS WEEK


Secret Garden Party
Head to Cambridgeshire this week for the Secret Garden Party - you might run into our very own Jenny and Lauren on your travels...

Dutch Fashion
That's Dutch fashion designers now, not Dutch traditional dress - we just liked these clogs

International Pop Sensation Katie Price

SIS by Spijkers en Spijkers


Yesterday saw the end of Amsterdam Fashion Week, and what a great week it was, showcasing the best in Dutch fashion.
Spijkers en Spijkers opened AIFW with the launch of their subsidiary line SIS. The Dutch twins, known for showing in London and Milan quoted “We wanted to make something more accessible, more for daily wear.”

The collection told a story about a sailor girl who fell deeply in love with the captain, as Enya's 'Sail Away' song played in the background.







Lot's of greens, blues and ocean prints took over this accessible collection.
The Dutch fashion crowd filled the huge tent to capacity, suited and booted in black tie as the first evening took place.

Congratulations to Truus and Riet

Jenny xx