THREE IS A TREND: ALL ABOUT NANNA

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

Crunching through the substance and hot air of London Fashion Week post-event is a task almost equal to attempting to do the thing itself. Despite spending half of my time in a car (thanks Mercedes, I worship at your altar) crawling in traffic between Somerset House, Tate Modern and grand avenues behind Pall Mall I did manage see a lot before getting home to put baby Horatio to bed. And then I was able to watch live streams. Ahhh. Loved them. My favourite kitchen table shows were J.W Anderson and Simone Rocha who I will be seeing in person with their clothes this weekend in Paris, and I can't wait. With an uninspiring Milan Fashion Week just wrapped, I am still discovering layers of London Fashion Week that gave me goosebumps.

One recurring theme was that of young designers looking to their grandmothers way of dressing for inspiration.  Henry Holland named his AW13 House of Holland range 'Nana Rave' inspired by a fictional teenager from 1989 who herself gets inspired by her grandmother's wardrobe of funny patterned skirt suits, clunky shoes and tunic dresses; a sort of 60s fashion hangover viewed through the eyes of a bored teen from the 80s. How a guy born in 1983 can channel this fashion vibe in 2013 gives it (intentional) ncomedy value; his is just an idea of a perceived memory and that pretty much sums up modern fashion ideas, even the best ones.

Brazilian NewGen designer Lucas Nascimento (whom Bethan recently interviewed)  is obsessed with old women in general. "I love watching them walk down the street," he told her when she previewed his AW13 show, "what fascinates me is the proportions of the clothes, the way their skirts hit below the knee, how they colour block peculiar colours and generally the way they put their outfits together."

Simone Rocha said this of her collection for Autumn/Winter 2013. "The collection is inspired by my grandmothers: my Irish granny Margaret Gleeson and my Chinese grandmother Cecelia Rocha, my relationship with them and my relationship with clothes. It is a story of respect that is rendered in the fabrication, the consideration and understanding of cut and detail."

Her words made me think of my own Irish nanna, Janie Clynch of Lathaleere, Baltinglass, County Wicklow, a mother of seven and independent woman whose catchphrase was "Don't vex me child" said with a loving smile and a discreet whisht motion with her hands. "Out of my way. Go and play." She was never a fashion plate, but she loved a periwinkle blue cardigan and a sensible skirt, always worn with her St Christopher medal, a discreet crucifix and very often a jazzy hat and well tailored coat.  I can't help seing shades of Simone Rocha's show when I look at Nanna in this photo with my cousin Marita. Miss you Nanna.

Janie Clynch circa 1971

Simone Rocha AW13

Simone Rocha AW13

Lucas Nascimento AW13

Lucas Nascimento AW13

House of Holland  'Nana Rave'

IS IT OK TO WEAR FUR NOW?

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

I only ask because there is so much of the stuff appearing on the catwalks this Autumn. The fuzzy effect is in practically every major collection but what is so striking is the number of designers who are using real fur to express that idea.

Let me say early on that I am not necessarily pro or anti-fur. In fact, I find the whole issue profoundly confusing. I don't quite understand how anyone who eats meat can then make judgement against someone who chooses to wear fur. As recent news events show, we never truly know what meat it is that we're eating, unless you always buy from a local, trusted butchers who prepare cuts themselves. It is far too black and white to say that leather is fine because it's a by-product of the meat industry and fur is not because those animals die purely for their skin- see this Guardian piece for more clarity on that point. What is definitely true is that leather is commonplace whereas fur is laced with- depending on your viewpoint- glamour, disgust, fascination, beauty and otherworldliness.

Joseph Altuzarra AW13

Last year, I was on my own quite late at night at Waterloo station waiting for my platform to come up. I was wearing a very warm, authentically chocolate brown but nevertheless very much fake fur jacket. A man approached, lurched towards me and began to shout abuse at me for wearing fur. This made me wonder, is there so much of  difference between wearing fur that is authentic looking but ultimately fake and the real thing? Aside from cost, to the onlooker you are portraying the same message whether it's fake or not.

Marc Jacobs AW13

Back to the catwalks. A certain kind of lady, maybe best represented by Anna Wintour, has never stopped wearing fur and certain brands have never stopped using fur. The American Vogue editor has endured very public confrontations with PETA protesters but has stoically carried on wearing her pelts because that's her thing. Then Miu Miu SS13 came along; shamelessly, extravagantly offering up fur coats and stoles alongside denim pencil skirts and dust coats. Miuccia Prada was making a statement by being so blatant with fur a. By using it in her supposedly younger Miu Miu line and b. By pairing it with a casual fabric like denim. The casual/ luxe mix is a key part of this fur story. That man at Waterloo station (and his ilk) is of no concern. The most simple explanation is that designers like Prada and then everyone using fur this season- Joseph Altuzarra, Christopher Kane, Marc Jacobs- are simply answering demand. Jacobs even put a cartoonish fox face on his creations, mimicking the the unashamed way women in the 20s and 30s would wear animals with faces and tails still intact. Fur sells now- the industry has almost doubled in value since 2000 from £5.7 billion to £9.4 billion- and so that is a very good reason for designers to use it in their collections, if they can get round the ethics.

Simone Rocha AW13

Obviously some will not use fur, either because they simply prefer the look of faux, cannot afford to work with  the real thing or have their own ethical problem with animal hides. Simone Rocha's 'Respect your elders' collection was an LFW highlight, inspired by her two Grannies. She used verging on kitsch leopard fake fur to trim collars and make entire sweatshirts and coats. In a really great way, you would never mistake Simone Rocha's girl as wearing the real deal. Away from the fashion weeks, Stella McCartney has just unveiled the newest version of her Falabella bag. McCartney famously eschews leather and fur in her collections but has still managed to tap into the furry mood with the Itsy Bitsy bag, so named after two of the sheep in her very own organic flock whose fleeces have been used to makes the bags. If the horsemeat scandal has made us think twice about the origin of our food, then Stella's option is the fashion equivalent of getting conscientious; good welfare provenance assured.

The kindest way to do the tufty trend: Stella McCartney Itsy Bitsy Falabella £1,150

PORT ELIOT: A FASHION DOLL'S TEA PARTY HOSTED BY SARAH MOWER

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Rare is the festival where there is a corner so civilised that it is worthy to play host to the treasured childhood dolls of fashion's great and good. Port Eliot house is nestled at the bottom of the valley where the festival takes place and is open throughout to offer festival goers an antedote to tent and field based activities.  Thus, its Dining Room was the ideal setting for an auspicious gathering of Barbies, Sindys, Kens and traditional dolls owned and much loved by the likes of Viktor&Rolf, Simone Rocha and Lady Amanda Harlech. There are few with the cachet to persuade designers and fashion luminaries to allow their treasured possessions to go on a little trip to the country but luckily Sarah Mower, who came up with the whole idea and is the festival's fashion curator, and LOVE magazine editor Alex Fury were on hand to prise the dolls from their owners' hands for a few days of tea partying. 

It seems almost obvious that a fashion designer might begin their career making clothes for dolls. After all, our childhood toys are what we use to act out our fantasies of adulthood, giving them the lives and looks which we on some level aspire to- I remember that I would ensure all my dolls had nicely plaited hair and pretty party dresses before lining them up in neat rows in my bed to be taught by me in the role of teacher or to go on imaginary trips to the zoo (my brother's farmyard animal collection) and model in fashion shows. For an aspiring designer, the doll is an ideal canvas to begin on- take Erdem Moralioglu who was "violently jealous" of his twin Sara's Skipper Barbie, which had "a flatter chest and bigger shoulders" than the Barbie Bride Sara previously had. Erdem kidnapped Skipper Barbie whilst his sister was at Brownies and "got hold of this cheap-y blue polyester , and fashioned a circle skirt from it and put it over her head", he then got his Mum to help him make a strapless bustier- "very Spring/Summer". Whether that has anything to do with the fact that he's now a very successful fashion designer is anyone's guess.

The" cheap polyester" dress which Erdem made when he was five, and a dress
 from his AW12 collection in Barbie size.  

Many of the stories which Sarah, Alex and their team of curators (Jess Dubeck and Ben Evans) unearthed as they collected designers' dolls were far more extraordinary than them simply being childhood toys. In fact, this tea party was such an insight that I reckon the V&A would be mad not to hound Sarah and Alex until they agreed to host the same tea party, or even an expanded version, as an exhibition in the capital so that even more people could realise that the power of the doll is far more than a mere plaything. These are some of my favourite stories....

CHRISTOPHER KANE

The line-up of Chris Kane Barbies is a mini retrospective of his work to date. That's because a member of Chris's team recreates a look from each season in Barbie form as a record of the collection. They do it rather speedily too because Resort '13 already has its own outfit (far left). 

ALBER ELBAZ

It was Alber Elbaz's story which sparked Sarah's idea to host a Fashion Doll's Tea party. And it doesn't even involve dolls but a distinct lack thereof. Elbaz's family were too poor to afford toys for him and so he took the ingenious approach of dressing the figures on the family's chess board. Elbaz describes how he would "use my Father's silver cigarette paper, and use flowers and sequins, and stick hair on their heads with a piece of chewing gum". Decades later, Elbaz has an endless supply of real-life dolls in the form of Lanvin customers and models but has also created the Miss Lanvin dolls which perhaps go some way to making up for his doll-free childhood. The chess set which appeared at the tea party is one he recreated especially for Port Eliot. The process made Elbaz reflect on his chess piece dressing and he remarks in the tea party notes "It made me think: maybe the best creativity comes out of lacking resources". I think it also shows that when something is innate- like his desire to dress and design- there will always be a way around it.

JASON WU

Jason Wu's doll connection is probably the strongest of them all and he probably wouldn't be where he is today if it weren't for his love of doll dressing. He describes how "at the age of sixteen, while at boarding school in Connecticut, I decided to call the president of Integrity toys offering them my sketches, astonishingly they offered me a job designing for their fashion dolls. A year later, I was named Creative Director, then partner. Both positions I still hold today and am extremely proud of". In fact, Wu has financed his label through the money he makes designing for Integrity, meaning that without dolly fashion, he may not be doing real lady fashion now. 

SARAH BURTON AT ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

A doll version of a piece from Lee McQueen's final, posthumous collection

The dolls sent by McQueen's Sarah Burton do not have so much of a childhood resonance but represent a key stage in house's design process which began with the Plato's Atlantis collection of SS10. Each season, McQueen's famously tailored and complex shapes are engineered in doll form before being scaled up when perfect to human size. This reminded of the way that Vionnet would do all her groundwork on mini mannequins. It's not a practise unique to Burton and her team, but the dolls looked like works of art in their own right, especially as the paper dresses they have were printed with the patterns which would eventually make up the final dress. 

Lulu Kennedy's rabbits, Paul and Amanda, would be entertained by Lulu and her little brother dressed as pirates or gypsies for hours on end.

Giles Deacon sent dolls he made, dressed in miniature versions of dresses from his AW12 collection...

Simone Rocha's doll attends the tea party, complete with scars from being thrown down banisters by her loving owner.

Tallulah Harlech's Barbie with her Mother Lady Amanda's dolls

Sarah Mower at one of the first doll's parties she curated 

With such a prestigious group of dollies in attendance, this had to be a truly spectacular party. So set designer Michael Howells, who also curated the flower show at the festival and has decorated the house's chandeliers with feathers and dried flowers, scattered sweeties amid sets of doll's china to create the perfect backdrop for proceedings. The pièce de résistance was the doll's house which Sarah Mower spotted in the window of the Trinity Hospice charity shop in Kensington.

Sarah sent us this photo of (left to right) Hannah Lambert (her assistant),
Jingle-Jangle James, Meggie and designer Louise Gray beside the main table at the tea party

And Sarah couldn't get away with not inviting her very own doll. She sits, dressed in a paisley dress and knitted knickers made by Sarah's fashion loving grandmother, Maisie- the doll is named after her.  Maisie sits centre stage with Tammy Kane's (sister and business partner of Christopher) doll who is called Toni Bonnie Bella- Tammy has recently had a baby called Bonnie, perhaps named after the doll?

THE WEEK IN FASHION: MAY 14th-18th

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Happy Friday fashion lovers. Welcome to this week's news round-up...

Donna Summer working the sequins in Thank God It's Friday (image from telegraph.co.uk)

We begin with farewells to the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer who died yesterday at just 63 years old. If you want to know why Summer's dance tunes were so seminal then you could do no better than to read Alex Needham's analysis for The Guardian. Of course, music and fashion so often go hand-in-hand and Donna Summer's psychedelic eye shadow, mega watt hair do and slinky gowns revved up the glamour vibe of her disco tunes. A true game changer.

Donna Summer, off duty but disco as ever (image from dailymail.co.uk)

May I suggest you listen to this mesmerising tune while you read the rest of the news?



In happier news, the Roitfeld dynasty this week welcomed its latest member, Romy Nicole Konjic. Carine Roitfeld's daughter Julia gave birth to her first baby with Swedish model Robert Konjic. And what more stylish way to have one's birth announced than via a tweet from Mr Derek Blasberg who tweeted on Wednesday 'Congratulations to proud Momma @RestoinRJulia! (And thus, the chicest grannie ever: Carine Roitfeld!) Can't wait to meet the beautiful baby!" It was later confirmed that the former French Vogue editor's new grandchild was a girl.  Might little Romy make her modelling debut in Granny's new magazine, set to be released in the Autumn?

Julia and Romy the bump in the latest iD (image from fashionologie.com)

British fashion stamps: Norman Hartnell (image from guardian.co.uk)

Ever since e-mail, tweeting, face booking and texting became our main modes of communication, the humble letter or post card has taken on a special, sort of nostalgic feeling. Now the Royal Mail is appealing to the scribe in fashionistas everywhere with their new collection of stamps celebrating post-war British fashion. The stamps include outfits by key British designers from the past 60 years including Ossie Clark, Vivienne Westwood and the Queen's favourite Hardy Amies. The stamps have been shot by acclaimed fashion photographer Sølve Sundsbø. You can buy the full set for a bargainous £6 here.

British fashion stamps: Alexander McQueen (image from guardian.co.uk)

British fashion stamps: Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell (image from guardian.co.uk)

Congratulations to the brilliant Selfridges which was this week named the world's best department store by The Intercontinental Group of Department Stores. I feel like I'm going to be spending lots of time in Selfridges this summer as they have so many exciting celebrations in store for the Jubilee and Olympics. I went to the launch of Brittanica, an exhibition of dresses made from Vogue patterns from the early 50s with hats by Stephen Jones last week. That's on until 24th June. But there's plenty more to come... tea parties on the roof, crazy golf and a shop where you can buy everything the Queen has- her bag, her gloves, her dog (maybe?). Find out the details here.

A pic we took at the Britannica launch

When Vogue put Adele on the cover last year, there was considerable controversy about how a non-model sized person had been presented by the magazine. In fact, it seemed like there such a hoo-ha that the issue should surely have been a big seller. Well, no. Alexandra Shulman revealed in a talk this week that the Adele cover was actually one of the worst sellers ever. In fact, Shulman says she still can't tell which covers will be the most successful, despite twenty years at the helm.

An interesting new angle on the great skinny models debate this week, with a new study which suggests that if models resembled the target audience of the products they were advertising better, then consumers would  be more inclined to make a purchase. Ben Barry, who conducted the study, explained:

"My study found that women increased their purchase intentions by more than 200 percent when the models in the mock ads were their size. In the subgroup over size 6, women increased their purchase intentions by a dramatic 300 percent when they saw curvier models. Conversely, when women saw models who didn't reflect their size, they decreased their purchase intentions by 60 percent, and women over size 6 dropped their purchase intentions by 76 percent."

N.B These sizes refer to the American system so size 6 is size 10. 

Estee Lauder in 1961 (from smh.com.au)

There are plenty of family businesses started by one member and then handed from generation to generation to carry on the philosophy carved out by the founding member. One such company is Estee Lauder, now in the hands of Aerin, the granddaughter of the eponymous founder. However, Aerin has now decided to make a name for herself and is launching her own brand called simply, Aerin. She has long been involved at a high level at Estee Lauder but has now chosen to take inspiration from the brand's archives and gift it a modern twist with Aerin. She told WWD “It’s very much a lifestyle brand, which I think is very much how Estée started. It was always about lifestyle photography and an environment and a world. It’s not necessarily an age group — it’s a state of mind". Aerin will encompass not just beauty but jewellery and home products too. I'm looking forward to the book which will be published next Autumn. 

The Vogue family give us some more great covers this week. The French edition has chosen Gisele as their poster girl for the health issue which launches the health initiative agreed to by all the titles. The carefully placed sand marks clearly underlining the healthy but slim, fit and aspirational proportions of her posterior. The cover announces 'The Return of Curves".

Image from Fashionologie.com

The Italian titles focus on Africa with Ban Ki Moon gracing the cover of L'Uomo. I understand he's the UN Secretary General, and thus has a lot of influence when it comes to policies which might help African nations get out of debt cycles and corruption, but I'd like to have seen an actual African. 

Vogue Italia focuses on Africa (image from Guardian.co.uk)

Happy Birthday to Beyond Retro , the brilliant vintage empire which turns 10 this month. To celebrate, there is a series of gigs, talks and events. I'm hoping to make it to 'Flooded with little Joan Crawfords: Hollywood in London in the 1930s' at the Soho store tonight. Very generously, the Beyond Retro people are also hosting their first ever sale, and it's a goodie- 50% off everything. The sale is taking place over the weekend so make sure you get yourself down the Brick Lane store.

Simone Rocha at LFW AW12 (image from catwalking.com)

Simone Rocha was one of the highlights at February's London fashion week. So we'll be tuning in to SHOWstudio.com on Monday at 3pm to check out her interview on the site.

And finally, a King Karl video special to round off the working week.

The first is from Chanel and sees the designer talk about his Cruise collection which was shown at Versailles on Monday. Listen out for his thoughts on how Mademoiselle herself might have liked the offering....

And Cannes film festival is in full swing, but Lagerfeld's appearance in Jean Roch and Snoop Dog's new video puts our minds firmly in St Tropez. I adore Karl's role as the keeper of the gates to paradise/ St Tropez and the very retro cloudy, heavenly intro. 

LONDON FASHION WEEK AW12: SIMONE ROCHA - A STAR IS BORN?

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

Forgive me for that question mark. I am not one to take leave of my senses and start pronouncing a young designer a star on her first official outing as part of the NEWGEN programme at London Fashion Week. However judging by the concise, creative and inspiring outing from the Irish designer Simone Rocha this morning, I couldn't resist the question itself.

As as group of us bustled backstage to congratulate Simone following her show this morning, I overheard buyers from influential London store Dover Street Market saying: "That was good". "No, that wasn't just good, that was magic." I am inclined to agree. It is not easy to follow in the footsteps of a famous father, but St Martins MA graduate Simone Rocha has done just that.  In case you haven't made the connection yet, her Dad is John Rocha.

Simone Rocha's AW12 collection, shown today. (Photos: catwalking.com) 

From sweet collars, child-like shift dresses, and knitted tiaras to chunky brogues with thick wooden soles sandwiching glinting strips of neon, and oversized coats, this collection was a sweet boy/girl clash.

"It was inspired by Ireland," Simone told me post show, between being congratulated and all round mobbed by well wishers. "It started after I found images of a feral tribe from Papua New Guinea called 'New Ireland'  - thats where the densely tufted wools, wild mohair and animal print grey fabrics came from. I was also looking at 1930s photographs of Dublin's street children. The girls in tiny shrunken dresses and the boys in oversized pieces."

I love that she referenced Irish horse racing by getting the model's fringes swept to one side, and plaited through at the back. Apparently when done to a horse, this is called a "Connemara Forelock".

Above are my favourite looks. Personal order for the silver jacket, oversized coat and cream shift dress coming up!

You'll be seeing a lot more of this 25 year old in the seasons to come.

THE WEEK IN FASHION: 14th-18th NOVEMBER

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

It's a case of fashion mirroring life this week as we bring you news of births and deaths and, er, rebirths. It's been pretty dramatic actually.

Tom Ford SS12

American Vogue has just released the very first pictures of Tom Ford's SS12 collection (photographed by the multitalented Mr Ford himself). The former Gucci designer had decreed that the designs he showcased in a highly exclusive catwalk show should not be seen until now to avoid people becoming bored of them before they were available to buy. However, he suffered something of a backlash when fashion editors including The Guardian's Jess Cartner-Morley and Le Figaro's Virginie Mouzat wrote negative reviews not only of the clothes but also of that approach to showing. Sarah Mower's interview with Ford, which is posted beneath the pictures, reveals that Ford will revert to intimate showroom presentations for his next collection, emphasising the necessity to explain each look in detail. Furthermore, Ford claims that he designs in response to what his customers want, hence all the flounced mini dresses. Now that we can see for ourselves, what are your thoughst?

Tom Ford SS12

Tom Ford SS12 (All images from American Vogue)

Evelyn, her husband Leonard and Estée (from WWD)

On Sunday, the sad news arrived that Evelyn Lauder, daughter in law of Estée, had died at the age of 75 from Ovarian Cancer, having suffered Breast Cancer in the past. Evelyn not only played an instrumental role in growing Estée Lauder from a small family business into one of the world's biggest beauty companies but she also made a profound contribution to raising awareness and funds for Breast Cancer Research. In 1989, she was diagnosed with the disease and went on to spearhead the Pink Ribbon campaign which has now become a widely recognised symbol of support. The fact that Evelyn's childhood was marred by her family's escape from Nazi-occupied Europe only makes her lifetime achievements more incredible. The New York Times' obituary has some fascinating insights into Evelyn's life.

The Lauder family. Evelyn is seated, hugged by her son. Estée is in the white hat (from WWD)

In happier news, it's time to congratulate Julia Restoin Roitfeld, daughter of Carine, who's expecting her first baby. Somehow we can't imagine Carine sitting down to knit booties or change a nappy quite yet but I think we can safely say that this could be the best dressed grandchild on the planet once it arrives in May. A day out with Grandma Roitfeld could involve anything from sitting FROW at fashion week to crawling around on a Chanel shoot... Lucky babes!

Julia with boyfriend and baby daddy, Robert Konjic (image from thevoguediaries.com)

Versace Couture SS09 (images from audreysworld.blogspot.com)

 This week has, let's admit it, been rather dominated by the launch of Versace's collection for H&M. Just a couple of days before the brand went high street, it was announced that they would be swinging right back the other way in January with the re-introduction of a couture show. It's set to take place on January 23rd, the first day of the couture week. WWD points out that Versace has still been doing couture during its seven year absence from the schedule, opting to keep to more discreet appointments. I guess now that the world is buzzing with Versace frenzy, it's a good time to capitalise on keeping up the momentum. I can't imagine we'll see the queues we saw yesterday though!

Versace Couture SS09

Marc Jacobs' SS12 London press day had to be cancelled yesterday after the collection was stolen during its journey from Paris. Some have pointed the finger at counterfeiters who might be out to copy the collection.  Or could it be a sneaky ploy by Dior HQ to harangue Jacobs into becoming their Head Designer? Whoever the culprits are, one thing's for sure- they will be easily identified by their translucent flapper dresses and general 'thirties meets future' vibe. No word of a reward for information as yet...

Missing: Have you seen this Marc Jacobs SS12? (Image from www.lloyd-evans.com)

The best ad campaigns are the ones which get everyone talking; Benetton have certainly achieved that this week with their latest set of images which depict world-famous figures kissing one another. If you can see the lighter side of the world's current woes then these are very entertaining. However, the Vatican were not in a humorous mood about the image which shows the Pope in embrace with Mohammed Ahmed al-Tayeb, an Egyptian Grand Sheik. The Guardian reports that Fr Federico Lombardi said: "We must express the firmest protest for this absolutely unacceptable use of the image of the Holy Father, manipulated and exploited in a publicity campaign with commercial ends. This shows a grave lack of respect for the pope, an offence to the feelings of believers, a clear demonstration of how publicity can violate the basic rules of respect for people by attracting attention with provocation." There is a deeper message to Benetton's images though; they support Unhate which is campaigning for a world free from hate culture, what's to object to about that?

The Pope with Mohammed Ahmed al-Tayeb

Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarcozy get cosy (Images from dailymail.co.uk)

 On Sunday, the surprise news emerged that Tamara Mellon would be leaving her role at Jimmy Choo, the company she has ushered from small time cobbler to one of the world's best known accessories brands. On Sunday evening, there was an impeccably timed advert for Jimmy Choo perfume during X Factor which starred Mellon herself. A firm reminder to those in the industry that she knows exactly how to play the game. Speculation that Mellon will be launching her own name brand before too long is already mounting. The fashion world's eyes are sure to be closely watching how Jimmy Choo and Tamara Mellon get on without one another. Lisa Armstrong is sure that we should expect plenty more from Mellon...

Mellon starring in Jimmy Choo's perfume campaign (image from nytimes.com)

In case you hadn't noticed, Lady Gaga has been in the UK this week and while she's here she has been taking advantage of the opportunity to showcase designs by some of London's finest. It must have been love at first sight for Gaga and the Roksanda Ilincic dress which she was seen out and about in just an hour after it was sent to her on Wednesday! She's also worn two outfits from Osman Yousefzada's SS12 collection and a look from Simone Rocha's first standalone collection which comprised a beautiful array of trapped lace pieces. It looks like Gaga has developed her look recently after parting from her long time stylist and collaborator Laurieann Gibson earlier this month. Here at FEAL, we're loving the Gaga London look, long may it continue!

Gaga in Simone Rocha (image from graziadaily.co.uk)

In Osman (image from telegraph.co.uk)

In Roksanda Ilincic (image from telegraph.co.uk)

Sample Sale Alert! Next Friday 25th November, Mawi jewellers will be having a massive sample sale with up to 80% off usual prices. It'll be at MAWI STUDIO, 2, Nimrod Passage, London. N1 4BU from 9am to 8pm. Just in time for Christmas!

This necklace will be reduced from £810 to £300

This L'Wren Scott dress is $999 from $2145; in ££ that's about £500.... not bad. Gilt.com

Last night the FashEd had dinner with Kevin Ryan and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson the founder and co-founder of the hugely successful American flash sale site gilt.com at the Savoy. The occasion was the firm making its discounted stock available for UK and European shipping for the first time. Think of the site as TK Maxx online, but whereas TK Maxx run their shops with a less is more approach, Gilt.com is a slick package, and trying to make discounted luxury feel sexy and special.


Joining the site is free, and once a UK member you can log on every day at 5pm to gain access to 20 flash sales. What fun. Today’s bargains come from, among others, L’Wren Scott. You have to but in $$ but with the current exchange rate, this is a good thing! We would encourage you to join now at Gilt.com.