Daily updates on shopping, fashion and gossip from The Sunday Times Style Magazine team. Subscribe to a feed of this blog at:
http://timesonline.typepad.com/style/rss.xml
I never thought my skin would ever get better....as a teenager, I had terrible acne. It never went away and looking back, I cannot think of a day or a week when it was good. Make-up was my only friend and I used to get through so much foundation to hide my problem. Even as a 30 year old adult, it just seemed to be getting worse and having been to literally every consultant on Harley Street, I still was not cured. Until one day, I was on a fashion shoot and my make-up artist suggested I see a lady called Jenny Harding at Dynasty Skin Clinic. Of course, ever the cynic, I thought this was going to be 'just another dermatologist' that would not work.
Well how wrong could I have been. Jenny is no ordinary dermatologist....she understands skin like nobody else and most importantly she understands the psychology behind it all too. My first facial was like no facial I had ever had before.... it was so industrial and the products are all formulated by Jenny herself. I promised to ditch all my old moisturizers, instead to start using her range of products (which also I might add are the best I have ever used and worth every penny). Without a doubt it was the best value for money facial and at only £60 for 3 hours, my skin felt super clean and soft.
Two years on, I am still using Jenny's skincare range and have a retainer facial every 4-6 weeks. I no longer have to hide behind a mask of make-up and Jenny not only helped my skin but my confidence too. Treating celebrities such as Kylie and Girl's Aloud, she gets booked up really quickly, so call her now to avoid disappointment!
http://www.dynastyclinic.net/
 On one of my many commutes to town I was working out whether I have ever stayed the night in a London hotel before. Fair enough I work in the hub every day of my life, but actually staying the night in a Central London Hotel was something alien to me. So I booked in....somewhere on the doorstep to Waterloo. The Park Plaza County Hall was my choice and indeed it has so much going for it..a great restaurant, a spa, an amazingly fun manager called Luke, lovely rooms and a handful of fabulous penthouses. I must say, once you have stayed in a penthouse suite like this, there is no turning back...it's like travelling First Class. I had the best views of the the Eye, Big Ben, the Gerkin, ...it was really fabulous. And can I suggest to opt for the penthouse...don't forget to take your camera and fill your album with the most fantastic shots of our amazing city! www.parkplaza.com
 If you want to look your best on the beach, without having to part with too much hard earned cash, then BrandAlley is just your ticket! Selling designer and mid market labels such as Guess, Cavalli, Mimi Holiday, Calvin Klein, to name but a few (well I could spend all day realing off the names), they also change their labels each week, so you shoppers will NEVER get bored. At the moment they have some really great swimwear by Karen Millen at over 60% off and guess what?...it's all current season. The credit crunch maybe hitting us, but BrandAlley promises you can still look top dog on the beach. I like this classic black swimsuit... and at only £42 I think its tres chic, well cut, and can be styled in so many different ways. Go check them out! www.brandalley.co.uk
by Sara Hassan
You need Flash Player 8 or higher to view video content with the ROO Flash Player.
Click here to download and install it.
Viktor and Rolf opened their first ever UK exhibition at the Barbican gallery last night, aptly named the House of Viktor and Rolf. The sumptuous collection showcased the iconic work of the Dutch Duo which is now highly acclaimed by fashionistas for its quirky style and humorous irony.
The exhibition included every signature piece which Viktor and Rolf have ever innovatively created. Dolls modelled the designs, varying from miniature to life-size, the miniature worked better fitting perfectly with the doll house theme and adding to the intricate and charming nature of the designs. The beautifully laid out exhibition was centred around a giant doll house on three levels. They exhibition invites you upstairs to have a closer look with life-size dolls, film and cute vintage binoculars to spy on the miniature dolls living in the doll house.
With out a doubt this collection confirms Viktor and Rolf’s impeccable eye for art as well as fashion and their unique understanding of the silhouette, cut and fabric.
Guests at the launch included Viktor and Rolf, of course, dressed in matching dapper grey patterned suits with patent high shine grey loafers, Erin O Connor, Grayson Perry (complete with his own twin miniature doll), Mischa Barton, musicians Amber and Nisha from 'the broken hearts' and the lovely Gok Wan.
The Exhibition runs from 18th June 21st September, book tickets online here.
Words and photography by Rhiannon Jones
As the first real test of the marketability of your clothes, Graduate Fashion Week is one of the key moments of any fashion student's calendar. After all, who can forget Stella McCartney's legendary graduate show, in which she outshone her classmates by enlisting Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell to model her wares?
So, we can imagine that Jessica Au, is feeling pretty hopeful about her career today after picking up the River Island Gold award for her designs. Judged by supermodel Claudia Schiffer, designer Julien Macdonald, Elle Editor-in-Chief Lorraine Candy and River Island CEO Richard Bradbury, the prize includes a cheque for £20,000 and, of course, a shed load of publicity.
Her bold prints also won her a second award for textiles. The judges heaped praise on Jessica, with designer Zandra Rhodes saying that her prints had "taste and fab scale. Jessica’s collection was dramatic and totally wearable"
Accessorise the outfit above with a French martini cocktail and a Miami pool.
Mr Germany [Joachhim Low]
Euro 2008 without England is essential viewing. No beer guts in the crowd, no men in tears and no sight of the receding hairline and florid cheeks of ex England gaffer Steve McClaren. The totty in the dugout this summer is unprecedented in its quality. Why mourn the loss of Becks, Lamps, Stevie G et al when you can salivate over Dutch manager Marco van Basten, Germany's Joachim Low and Italy's Roberto Donadoni?
The trio are all suitably on trend - van Basten's number three cut, Low's white shirt / black trews n belt combo and Donadoni's curiously attractive goatee being particular highlights. It seems as if they are all competing for victory in the sartorial stakes rather than the tournament. On Monday night, the Holland boss was dapper and victorious in suit sans tie whilst the Italian manager donned a jacket and tie in defeat. Who would have thought that Europe's finest football managers are all closet fashionistas?
 Even our nemesis, Croatia (my dark horse for the tournament), are led by the rugged, smouldering 6ft 2 Slaven Bilic (above). His don't-mess-with-me build, tattooed body and boxer's jaw mean that we can't demonise him for long. Bilic's ear-ring may be a glaring faux pas for some but I think he has the brute manliness to carry it off. Cashley Cole wearing a diamond stud in his ear, for instance, is a walking advert for the death of bling whereas Slaven's silver hoop embodies Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean swagger. And the Croat smokes too...
The elegance of Fabio Capello, the latest to acquire the poisoned chalice of the England job, looks to be the best indication of progress to come. His Zerorh glasses and penchant for Armani suits are a marked improvement on the umbrella wielding McClaren.
Tune into Holland vs France on BBC1 tonight to check out my personal favourite, Marco vB (below), prowling along the touchline...
Or enjoy gazing upon our grey locked Italian stallion from 17.00 on ITV1 this afternoon. Romania be afraid, be very afraid...
Mr Italy [Roberto Donadoni]
[Images: http://www.as.com, www.index.hr, http://afp.google.com, http://it.eurosport.yahoo.com/]
We love it when a sleb weighs in all heavy, acting all concerned about the world and imparting advice on matters they have about as much working knowledge of as they do of how to operate a petrol pump, knock up a meal, or book an airline ticket (ie. zero.) How they do make us laugh. Most recent ridiculous Celebrity intervention has to be the breaking news that J Lo, latina hot bod and bonafide, puffed up, scented candle demanding Diva of the very worst sort, deigned to drop in on the offices of Barack Obama to dispense a little advice on healthcare.
Unfortunatley, Obama was not there to receive her words of wisdom - insightful though we're sure they were. However, her spokesperson has issued a statement telling us she met with members of his staff. What expertise do you imagine she brought to the table here? What ishoos can she shed light on, pray? The tribulations of having your lipgloss applied for you? How best to demand an amount similiar to a small country's national debt for your first baby pictures? Or the difficulties of raising twins on a gazillionaire's budget in a mansion staffed by more maids than you can throw a cashmere nappy at? The whole thing is all about as authentic as her spray tan. Oh, just stick to what you know, J Lo, and go flog another perfume.
Catwalk to Closet is one of our favourite websites - a sample sale that runs 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. It's always worth a look, is great for summer dresses, and, most importantly, gives you a very hefty discount on designer garb. For any Chloe fans out there, I'd advise you to log on pronto. Until noon tomorrow, there's a further 20% off the label. So dresses that were being flogged for 900 quid can now be picked up for just over 200. Just enter the code CHLOE48 at checkout. But mitts off this one, it's mine.
www.catwalktocloset.com
Over the weekend I popped into Fred Perry to check out their latest Blank Canvas project, which has literally just hit the shops. The brand has invited a selection of cutting-edge British designers to add their own personal style to some classic Fred Perry products. Up at the moment is the trademark polo shirt, which has been radically revamped by designer duo &Son.
When I walked into the Newburgh street store my eyes were immediately drawn to an array of vibrantly coloured polo shirts, all screaming out for attention. Electric hues clash violently in designs inspired by the naval camouflage of World War One and Two. It might sound surprising but the Admiralty actually commissioned a innovative camouflage, aptly known as the ‘Dazzle’, to disturb and distort the enemy’s vision. &Son have taken this concept to the next level by introducing a brilliant colour palette for your eyes to feast on.
It would take a brave man to wear the glowing orange and fuschia number, but Fred Perry are keen to please all and there is a more muted version version for those less daring fans out there. Head down to any Fred Perry store to check out the &Son collection and be sure to keep tabs on the Blank Canvas project - next up is Anne-Sophie Back's take on Fred Perry dresses and knitwear.
www.fredperry.com
Posted by: Dana Sawdaye
There's nothing we like more on the Style blog than a good top 10, and as far as top 10s go, the Forbes Celebrity 100 is pretty much as good as it gets (mostly because it's a top 100, rather than a top 10).
Taking into account each celeb's pay, number of column inches and even the number of Google hits they get, Forbes has carefully calculated the world's most powerful celebs.
And let's face it, if you're looking to have a bit of global domination nowadays, you're more likely to find it by launching your own fragrance than running for Parliament. So here's it is:
1. Oprah Winfrey
2. Tiger Woods
3. Angelina Jolie
4. Beyonce Knowles
5. David Beckham
6. Johnny Depp
7. Jay-Z
8. The Police
9. J.K. Rowling
10. Brad Pitt
Also, have a look at the video interview with Heidi Klum (number 78) where she details the frightening number of clothes and beauty launches that she's been involved in.
You may not have heard of Issa's 'Lucky' dress but you will most probably have already seen it on the big screen. Charlotte dons a red version in SATC : The Movie and, if you haven't seen the film yet, I am simply baffled. I can only ask - 'Why not?' (Some of my friends have already been twice. What are you waiting for?...)
'Lucky' has also been a regular in the gossip mags; it is the dress to be seen in on the party circuit. Scarjo wore her black number at the Moet/Nick Knight party in London in October 2006 which cemented her position as one of the most fashion forward in tinseltown. Earlier this year, Emmanuelle Seigner strutted her stuff in a white cotton 'Lucky' at the Oscar parties and Hilary Swank wore a specially commissioned chiffon version of the dress for the promo of her film 'P.S. I love you'.
The versatility of this garment has no bounds. Both Kate Middleton, queen of the preppy look, and Alice Dellal, queen of grunge, have donned 'Lucky' too. What other dress could connect such polar opposites? It seems the sheer range of colours and materials available renders criticism redundant. I could wax lyrical about this dress all day but that would be foolish when there is a waiting list to join.
The new A/W versions of the dress will be in stores in two weeks and there is already a month long waiting list. Join the queue to snap up a £307 cotton 'Lucky' or a £323 denim version by calling Harrods on 020 7730 1234.
Don't be put off by the credit crunch, this dress will be a life long investment.
 Could Fergie's song my humps be the inspiration for True Religion new 'Gina' jeans she sang about her her humps her bumps and lovely lady lumps and how they looked great in her True Religion jeans.
The 'Gina' jeans have been made to enhance your natural curve, create a sculpted smaller bottom and thighs. Could this be True Religions answer to lipo? I would try them on and let you know if it really works but we were sent a pair with a 26" waist but who has a waist that small?
The jeans have taken the US by storm and are now the best selling True Religion style there. Celeb fans include Eva Longoria and Bar Rafaeli (Leornardo Di Caprio's girlfriend). Though I don't think they really need them.
So check them out, try them on and let us know if they really do make you bootylicious. They are exclusive to Harrods and are £185.
 I'm sure you have all been aware that grey is the new black for some time. Noughties style icons Carla Bruni, Posh and Angelina have been strutting their stuff in the colour for months after all. Grey has officially shed its drab reputation and is now synonymous with chic. The catwalks in February were full of models bedecked in our new favourite hue so it looks like the shade will be with us for sometime. As an ever adaptable species, we are even developing a penchant for men with grey hair - led by George Clooney (of course) and the summer crush of 08, Harrison Ford.
I urge you to celebrate the trend and dabble in dark grey nail varnish a la Sienna Miller, recently snapped by Elle looking super-sexy in a Nails Inc varnish called Thames. This is something of a misnomer - any Londoner would tell you that our river is more murky brown than charcoal grey - but don't let semantics get in the way of your spending. Splash out £9.50 at www.nailsinc.com to sex up your summer...
The legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent died yesterday aged 71. His initals have long been immortalised, those three simple letters forever signifying the mark of timeless classics that are recognised, loved, hunted down, worn and wanted worldwide. Throughout his colourful career, Saint Laurent confronted expectation with his clothes and shocked with his controversial ideas. A doer rather than a say-er - he was a discreet genius who let his clothes speak for themselves and rarely commented on his work in public.
Over the next few days we'll be posting up some of his biggest moments, here are some to start:
· Having been taken on by Christian Dior in 1954 at the age of only 21, he took control of the fashion house after Dior's death in 1957. At a time when no one thought it possible, he was hailed as the saviour of french fashion after his first collection, paving the way for a whole new look, for a whole new woman.
· The launch of Rive Gauche helped democratise fashion. Up until then, high fashion was about haute couture, about appointments in fashion houses. YSL gave birth to modern day ready to wear as we still know it today.
· The launch of ‘le Smoking’ – the most famous, classic tuxedo jacket for women – really was revolutionary. Immortalised by those such as Charlotte Rampling that oozed the sort of sex appeal he peddled, it looked so, so modern, and so, so chic. Never has anyone looked as cool - still today - at their wedding as Bianca Jagger did in her simple white Saint Laurent tuxe.
· The Africa collection of1968 brought ethno chic as we know it to the fore. The fringed, woven and beaded dresses that sashayed down his catwalk paved the way for the boho style we love today.
· The 1976 Ballet Russe collection with its elaborate brocades, romantic peasant skirts and gilded Cossack boots can almost be taken to be a uniform for the late 70s hippie vibe. Look to Gucci for Autumn Winter to see the very same girl.
· Although not the first to release a perfume, Saint Laurent was definitely the first to create such a grand event around one, crystallising the phenomenon of the fashion house fragrance as we know it today with the launch of the controversially named Opium, and celebrating in style with a specially commissioned chinese Junk organised to sail down the Hudson.
His Picasso collection celebrated the union between fashion and art that continues to fascinate fashion designers to this day - think of SS 08's painterly trends that dominated the catwalks at Chloe. Saint Laurent did it first.
· Saint Laurent retired in 2002 and his final collection revisited some of his best and most impressive fashion moments, highlighting the garments that we will forever remember him for. It was a sad, sad moment for fashion. As is today
Throughout the week we'll be posting up more of our favourite Saint Laurent moments. Let us know what you think are yours.
posted by: Dana Sawdaye
The Fashion in Film festival has been running since May 10th - aimed at exploring the links between fashion, cinema, crime and violence. Screenings of some of the most iconic films of the century are running across London.
To celebrate, Oasis has created this fashion film with director Jean Francois Carly and actress Anna Brewster - with slightly unsettling music and creepy appearances from a little white mouse.
Meanwhile, there's still time to catch some showings, including Follow Me Quietly and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, a full calendar is available on the website.
See some images from the films in our slide show on the Fashion page.
SJP's hat at the world premiere of the Sex and the City was a fashion moment, a subtle statement that proved the lady has style.
Now, see above, at last night's homecoming New York premiere of the film.
We're sure Matthew Broderick is a lovely husband, but he doesn't make much of an accessory, does he? There's Sarah in her stunning Nina Ricci dress and 19th century jewellery and Matthew turns up dressed as Gordon Brown.
See our slideshow of pics from the premiere on the Fashion page
It was as if they saw the economic downturn coming - the budget self-assembly clothing company Clothkits has relaunched.
The retailer, which clad countless children and families in the Seventies and Eighties, is selling patterns and fabrics for children and women created by host of fresh new designers. And the most expensive garment is selling for £46, perfect credit crunch chic.
For those of you who weren't born then, or living in another country, here's how it works. You get the catalogue, they send fabric with the pattern printed on it, you cut it to your size and then sew it together.
Our favourite part of their website is the archive, where you can peruse the original looks, try to spot some of your old outfits, and even upload your own snaps of the original designs.
Not that we're taking sides, but when we came across this picture of the Chelsea football team decked out in Giorgio Armani suits ahead of tonight's Champion's League final in Moscow, we had to have a bit of a swoon.
But most eye-catching was the quote from the designer about the outfits: "The theme of superheroes is very much at the forefront of my mind at the moment. I hope that my suits have a similar effect to the Batman cape for the Chelsea team as they head to Moscow."
Mr Armani, next time we urge you to deck them out in real fashion-forward batman capes. Please.
We like sunny-faced Myleene Klass. We like her a lot. Recently, she's taken an extra turbo-powered leap into our affections by letting the mask down on her life as a mum/celebrity and giving us a deliciously frank account of how it isn't quite so shiny as she might otherwise have allowed us to think. Mama Klass: surely a shoo-in for the next OK! mag Mum of the Year award?
But that last appearance in Cannes left us feeling odd. A pram, a baby and a killer cocktail dress on the red carpet? Cute look. Until someone tells you about the range of baby clothes she's launching today for Mothercare. And then the whole spectacle begins to look less working-mum-making-the-best-of-the-babysitter-letting-her-down and more like cynical product pushing. Which isn't a problem per se. We just think she should be honest about it.
Well, look at Lily cavorting! With hoards of men around her, Lily Allen is splashed across today's tabloid pages soaking up a bit of riviera sun and attention. But whilst most might have been poking a little peek at her, erm, organ stoppers, we can't help ogling her bikini.
From Heidi Klein, a favourite bikini shopping haunt of endless sunkissed slebs, it is pretty dam expensive - but coming from their chic separates range, practical too. Like Lily, few of us fit into the neat little one size bikinis that most shops peddle us. And normally the separates on offer are of the depressing, double D, drab sort. Not this one. Though careful you don't lose your top Lily, it's worth a few quid, that.
Top £80
Bottoms £70
020 7243 5665 - 020 7259 9418
Welcome to Style PS, with daily updates on shopping, fashion and gossip from The Sunday Times Style Magazine team
Click here to add the RSS Feed to your RSS reader, or use the buttons below to add to Bloglines, Google, My Yahoo!, or Netvibes.
If you would like to create a free account for these services, click the buttons below and follow the links.
- For older posts, take a look at the blog Archive.
|
Recent Comments