Twitter as an entity is evolving. For those of you who don't tweet, myself included, it can be a plethora of up-to-the minute news if you choose to follow the right people. Mr. Hewitt convinced me to join twitter and said it's so useful for us PR's. It's a challenge trying to scout the internet for news & ideas whilst juggling my clients. Now with the twitter application on my BB, I can just sift through people's tweets about the latest, which makes my job so much easier. That is until people just tweet bulls*%$.

I know that Twitter was created so that you could tell your "friends" you were at the local coffee shop drinking a latte....but why would you anyway? Why would followers care that you have a zit on your forehead (true story, someone did tweet this and it really annoyed me)? Tweet your engaged, tweet you just created the best tart in your life and here is where you can find the recipe, tweet the success of Aqua's launch party and the write up on Daily Mail, or that Katie Rowland will be at Treasure at International Jewellery Week from June 10th.

I feel like Twitter is changing into this work space. So if you are going to Tweet about something meaningless, can we save it for Facebook? Isn't that the purpose of "what's on your mind" anyway?

You feel me?

LJ

Aqua Launch Party!

For those of you who don’t know Aqua last night was the perfect opportunity to familiarise yourself, as this is a brand thats sticking around. 4 years ago I came across these guys in Leeds, desperate to get them in London I casually left a business card in the vain hope that one day I would get my talons on them . . . looks like some dreams do come true! Aqua is a brand that I have a lot of respect for, they design however they feel fit for whoever they feel fit for, they give face and have a great attitude towards whom and what wears them.

Since Aqua landed in London my emails have not stopped with sample requests and celebrity agents all wanting a piece of the action. Aqua’s saying of “No more North South divide” seems to be setting in as the likes of Harpers Bazaar and Grazia calling in collections.

On May 27^th Aqua decided to hold a party at their boutique on Fouberts Place, designed and installed by The Dog & Wardrobe, famous for London hot spots such as Dover Street Market ensuring the best venue in London.

Having spent the last week answering emails almost 24/7 with people RSVP-ing I knew we were in for a dramatic event but nothing prepared me for the queues, Trinny & Susannah’s in store mini make-overs, fans from Leeds, Paloma Faith and 500+ guests.

On the day of the launch their shop window was being decked out with strobe lights whilst the girls from Kasteel Cru Rose delivered crates of their beer to be served up in champagne flutes. Normally on the day of the event I can be found frantically screaming into my mobile whilst clutching 20 Marlborough Lights close to my heart in some dark corner, however today seems to be the exception.

Ryan, Laura, Julie and their girls did an insane job making the shop look as fabulous as it did and to top it off they all looked gorgeous, tanned, toned and lashed to the max!

Trinny & Susannah arrived shortly after the doors complete with camera crew, having tried on most of the shop they then turned their attention to the shop full of press and customers . . . no-one was prepared for the boob grabbing and mini make-over’s but you have to love the balls of it all.

Throughout the whole night Aqua arranged for friends of theirs to DJ including Lady Lloyd that kept everyone’s ear drums ringing till late. The final firework was the arrival of Paloma Faith who got bulbs popping left right and centre whilst she made a dash inside to take advantage of the 30% discount . . . loving her work

AQUA WE LOVE YOU

Portia xxx

www.aquabyaqua.com

Me and Mrs Jones

Rihanna getting down and dirty in Mrs Jones!!!

For those of you who don’t know, we now house the wonderful Mrs Jones at BLOW. The brainchild of Fee Doran, the AW10 collection is inspired by the weird and wonderful things she’s seen backstage at festivals and gigs during the past few decades she’s spent working within the music industry.

Having already created fashion masterpieces for Duran Duran, Madonna and Kylie (remember the white cat suit from ‘Cant Get You Out of My Head’ – yep that was Fee) we’ve had a crazy few months getting her back on the radar, setting up meetings with stylists and generally shouting her wares from the rooftops.

Being of Essex roots like myself, I love the way Fee works- she’s fun and inspiring, a tad crazy but grounded and enjoys a good party. Having now set up a studio/ show space in Farringdon, it is only a matter of time before it becomes a Mecca for creative’s in search for the ever elusive unique, ‘must have’ item.

On June 8^th she’ll be throwing open her doors, housing an array of brands including Mrs Jones (of course!), Parrillo London, Yunus & Eliza, Simply Bespoke furniture and artwork by Crazy Girl. Not to mention the unveiling of "The Drama Parlour" with hairdresser Victoria Saunders and a sneak preview of Mrs Jones’ collaborative collection with Tatty Devine.

So keep the date free, come along and get inspired.

For more information email lauren@blow.co.uk

L xxx

Haute construction, house couture

The ‘drink me’ potion in Alice in Wonderland inspired Gwen Stefani to don a country cottage for her solo debut and the pliable metals, membrane structures, lightweight glasses and plastics used in building construction are creeping onto the catwalk and into the high-street season-on-season.

From House of Holland to skyscraper Westwood heels, fashion and architecture have walked side by side through the decades, being influencing and affecting one another in the name of innovation and style.

Cavemen built their houses (read tents) and clothes (read loincloths) from the same skins, so maybe architecture and fashion really are one and the same. When it comes down to it does it really matter whether it’s coat-as-shelter or house-as-shelter - at the end of the day it’s all shelter right?

We chatted with architecture graduate turned fashion designer Omer Asim for his thoughts on house and haute couture…

Fashion and architecture – what's the biggest difference?
Fashion designers can get away with show pieces and conceptual editors can put them into use, architects' innovative ideas are generally frustrated by killjoy town planners!

Do you buy this whole ‘wearable shelter’ thing?
Who can afford a mortgage these days.

How is your work specifically influenced by architecture?
It is NOT. Birds can build the most fascinating and intricate structures, I doubt they attended 'Architecture' school.

Any favourite buildings?
I like The Lloyd's of London. It functions as some sort of insurance brokerage headquarters! It is immaculately built inside out, you can see all the service pipings and guts of the building, a bit like Lanvin's artisanal raw finishes! Richard Rogers did a great job in propelling the propaganda that insurance and finance operates on transparency ;)

Least favourite?
I didn't bother to find out who built it, or what is it.

Would you ever return to architecture?
I don't know! Right now I'm doing fashion, have no plans to desert it.

(Dress by Omer Asim; Velour, styling by Alexia Somerville, photography by Nick Kelly)

(Dress by Omer Asim; Plastic Dreams, styling by Neil Stuart photography by Daniel O'Connel)

Oh yeah, and let's not forget the king of wearable homes - the humble snail (This one's called John... apparently).

Ashx

Encage me...

The heatwave of the past week has got me loving the fact that it is now socially acceptable to walk the streets in your smalls, without being branded a mad-hatter, overly confident or maybe just a trollop. A few of my favourites include Marc Jacobs, Dior, Just Cavalli..
It's also nice to know that when you spend £300 on a La Perla set, there's no last minute guilt pangs of 'can I justify spending this much on pants that only my boyfriend will see?'



There is also such a thing as taking it a step too far...


With the weather scorching last weekend and not quite being blessed with body of Gisele nor with the balls of Amy Whinehouse, I decided to opt for the subtle sheer bra poking out of my denim playsuit and stocking House of Holland tights, for an afternoon down Brick Lane.
This got me thinking about the whole topic of body con dressing and how I'd love to be able to rock out in Herve Leger and look fabulous and how it's seemed to have evolved into something a little more special, less unflatteringly figure hugging yet still with the option of nakedness...The Cage dress.

Georgia Hardinge

J Maskrey

Only so far into the season, I've noticed how much interest a cage dress can gain. From editorial to celeb appointments, Frankie Sanford being one of them, immediately wanted to try the Georgia dress on, with it being a cage, under-wear attire optional.
Interest from the likes of Rihanna and Gaga makes me wonder how much we'll see of these stunning creations in the showroom this season.
Georgia Hardinge has also custom made one entirely covered in sequins and they can come in any colour, amazing for a music video.



The cage top, a different entity in itself, opens the doors to even more choice. If your not Rihanna or about to star in a music video, this may be more suitable..

J Maskrey's leather bondage cage top is subtly effective. Also available in crystal leopard print as above.





So with my new found love of cages engulfing my work, although I may not be able to pull off a naked version I think they are phenomenal..watch this space

Jenny xx

Fascinators are not only for Ascot!?

Interestingly enough in a country known for its hat fetish, hats are so absent day to day and seemed only reserved for events like Ascot and the occasional summer wedding. Should you be invited. Even so, I attended Mr. Hewitt’s (boyfriend) best friend’s wedding and hats and fascinators were surprisingly absent. How comes?

So I decided to do a little experiment and observation over the lovely summer weekend that just past. I decided to sport hats & fascinators and mix them into my everyday wear. Luckily I had easy access to a great selection of hats and I chose the talented milliner Nerida Fraiman. Yes, she is my client but she does colourful pillboxes, sequined berets and feathered pieces that I envision Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy Onassis or Louise Brooks wearing.

So I chose three hats and picked my outfits accordingly. On Friday, we went out to dinner on Broadway Market but started with a drink in the park. I wore bespoke Nerida Fraiman pleated leather heart shape hat, Zara printed silk jersey dress, Prada patent leather peep toes.

On Saturday we decided to picnic at London Fields. Now, non East Londoners who live in East London are known for their style. It’s quirky, right now a mix of 80’s & rockabilly, slightly trendsetting but also a race to out do each other in fashion forwardness. So I would have thought there would be some creative headwear going on, on such a hot sunny day. But no, all the girls were wearing the same hat. A Panama hat made of straw and with some coloured fabric band. Boring in comparison to their outfits and a total let down to their culture of hats. What’s up? Granted, I realized that this hat is clearly the summer trend, but come on East London. Step it up!

I wore Nerida Fraiman SS10 fuscia flower black net fascinator, St Tropez black bikini and Banana Republic cotton dress & Banana Republic gold sandals

My good friend Rania is on her way out and moving back to Austin. So for a night of drinking and dancing with the gals, I chose Nerida Fraiman AW10 black sequined beret with gold and black circle embellishment, Black Prada patent leather peep toes and Joyce Leslie LBD.

I have to say I loved the idea of wearing these little darlings on my head and am seriously considering integrating hats into my wardrobe. They drew a little bit of attention and as a girl in fashion, why not? The man at Sainsbury said my hat was brilliant. Mr. Hewitt’s flatmate loved it and said my big pink flower was great. And to my surprise I got no stares. I had the preconceived notion that people would look at me like I was either showing off or looking at me thinking “hey lady, do you see any horses racing around here?” But no, little girls in the park smiling at me but that’s cool.

LJ