Buy it now: Summer days
News just in: summer has arrived – cue Stella beach stripes, Mary Katrantzou florals and Carven zigzags. But let’s not forget the inevitable nightly chills, hence a Kenzo sweater and Chloe boots. Plus Essie fuschia nails and Prism sunglasses to finish…
ABOVE LEFT TO RIGHT:
TOP: Stella McCartney shorts, £475; Prism sunglasses, £265; Essie nail polish, £7.99
MIDDLE: Natan shoes, £249; Mary Katrantzou jacket, £1,404; Lanvin bracelet, £359
BOTTOM: Kenzo sweater, £365; Chloe boots, £815; Carven shirt, £355
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Retail concept: introducing Milli Millu handbags
What’s the best thing about Milli Millu‘s new Belgravia handbag shop? Is it that it’s hidden up a flight of stairs off Hyde Park Corner with no chance of passing trade? Is it the expansive windows allowing for floods of afternoon light, all the better to show off the arm candy? Or is it designer Mireia Llusia-Lindh’s pefectly-proportioned handbags themselves? Continue reading
On sale today… Liberty X Dr Martens
Liberty’s Dr Martens collab goes on sale at 10am today. Read all about it here…
Diarise! Schiaparelli jewellery sale on 1stDibs
Schiaparelli fever is about to kick in big time as The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute unveils its ‘Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations‘ exhibition next month. Continue reading
Arriving tomorrow: Maarten Van Der Horst for Topshop
Paging fans of Maarten van der Horst and his shouty Hawaiian florals! Tomorrow sees the arrival of Van der Horst’s debut Topshop capsule collection and having had an early preview I can say it’s worth getting excited about. The standout pieces are the boxy blazer, shirt and shorts, all in the same lush print that’s a dead ringer for the print in his St Martin’s graduate collection.
Above: L-R: Jacket, £130; Shorts, £60; Shirt, £70
I really like the masculine cut of the shirt which can be worn buttoned up or open like a jacket. The collection arrives in store at Oxford Circus and Knightsbridge plus online, with prices from £45 for a tee shirt (not shown).
LIBERTY X NIKE SS12… another drop
Heads up: Another drop of Liberty‘s insanely popular Nike shoes is set to land first thing (10am to be precise) tomorrow. Choose from the Hyperclave, Blazer and Sky Hi Dunk (with concealed wedge platform), all smothered in Liberty floral print. My money’s on the Blazer so if you want it, get in early…
LIBERTY X NIKE BLAZER, £75, ON SALE 17TH APRIL
LIBERTY X NIKE HYPERCLAVE, £75 ON SALE 17TH APRIL
LIBERTY X NIKE SKY HI DUNK, £95, ON SALE 17TH APRIL
Beauty buy: ARK Age Maintain skincare
For some reason, I’m getting bombarded with info about anti-aging products. I don’t generally subscribe to the whole anti-aging schtick but I agreed to try out some products by ARK because it’s not a ‘promise you’ll look younger’ brand, but has more of a self-preservation ethos. So I bypassed the serums and masques and requested a face wash and lip balm. The Age Maintain Conditioning Cleanser is a wash-off cleanser that’s very satisfying to use with a nice consistency and soothing fragrance. I use this at the end of the day as I really like the smell so it serves as an incentive to take that extra make-up removal step that’s usually such a chore.
While the Plumping Lip Balm didn’t noticeably plump my lips (they’re quite plump already), I did love using it. It comes in a glass bottle and the balm is more of a light cream than a waxy balm. I used it in the morning as a base for lipstick and reapplied it later in the day. I noticed that you don’t get that constant need to reapply that you sometimes get with other balms which is good as the down side is that the bottle is not very portable. At £26 it’s expensive but you get a lot of product. (Alas, a too-cluttered washstand meant mine ended up smashed to smithereens on the bathroom floor.) Another reason I avoid all the serums etc is because I don’t want to be saddled with a beauty regime that costs a fortune. However, the ARK products aren’t badly priced considering the science behind them so I’d buy these two products again as they’re so lovely to use.
Buy it now: Pyjama dressing
Oh to lounge around in these all day…
J Crew blue cotton pyjamas in a wide size range Continue reading
Liberty X Antipodium SS12
More Liberty loveliness in the form of Antipodium’s collaboration and this fab cut-and-paste video…
Jo Malone London Blooms: Iris & Lady Moore
I’m noticing my choice of fragrance changing as I get older; it’s really weird. I never used to like powdery or rose-scented fragrances and now I’m all over them. My default Spring scents are Maison Martin Margiela Untitled and Chanel Jersey, but I’ve added Jo Malone’s new limited edited cologne to that. From the London Blooms trio, Iris & Lady Moore is a powdery fragrance that’s so clean and subtle, it’s nice to put on in the morning and just catch a gentle whiff off during the day. The bottles have been decorated with botanical drawings, a first for Jo Malone whose packaging is usually so minimalist. Talking of which, this month Jo Malone is switching up its home packaging, reversing it to a more unisex black background. A clever ploy that suggests they might be trying to capture more of the male market?
