Tag Archives: Selfridges
Beauty snippets: The Bling Ring, Jean-Louis Sebagh, Lisa Eldridge, Pinterest, YSL Baby Doll, Cosmetics A La Carte, Charlotte Tilbury, Into The Gloss, Bourjois
COSMETICS A LA CARTE COLOUR AND CULTURE EXHIBITION
This is turning out to be an exciting month for beauty. I would love to make it to the Chanel no5 exhibition in Paris but frankly, that ain’t gonna happen. More achievable is the Cosmetics A La Carte ‘Colour And Culture’ exhibition next week at 50 Redchurch Street E2. Celebrating forty years of the specialist cosmetics company (I’ve always wanted one of their custom-made foundations), the exhibition is only on for five days (22-26 May, 10-6pm) so rearrange that diary and schedule it in!
BEAUTY SECRETS OF THE BLING RING
Next month sees the release of The Bling Ring which has just premiered at Cannes. Style.com ran this great interview with the film’s lead make-up artist Roz Music, which reveals the fascinating process of researching beauty for movies. I like the story of Sofia Coppola wanting a specific shade of Chanel lipstick for one of the characters that was out of circulation (well it would be, wouldn’t it). Music had to track down the ‘Kensington’ lipstick in Paris but she should have just asked me, I have a spare right here! Watch the trailer for The Bling Ring below…
LISA ELDRIDGE’S #MYLISALOOK PINTEREST BOARD
I posted yesterday about Pinterest’s UK push but I’ve just discovered this. Lisa Eldridge has created a new Pinterest board to support Pinterest’s UK ‘Pin It Forward’ campaign and it’s absolutely genius. Eldridge invites her fans (and she has a lot) to send her pictures of their recreated looks from her beaut-orial videos which she then adds to the board Your Lisa Eldridge Looks. Now that’s what I call an ‘inspiration board’! Each pin then links to the original video, sending traffic to her Youtube channel. What a clever, creative and thoroughly engaging way to connect with your following.
Charlotte Tilbury’s House of Rock’n’Kohl comes to Selfridges
Another A-list make-up artist, Charlotte Tilbury is stirring things up at Selfridges. Selfridges is proving to be a leader in experiential retail and naturally, has spotted the ‘fashionisation’ of beauty. So next month (June 17th-23rd) it’s launching a week-long event with Tilbury where the influential makeup artist will host makeovers and panel discussions to look at beauty ‘in a broader cultural and social context’ (according to WWD). Plus, of course there will be an Eye Flick Bar from the queen of the statement eye.
Into The Gloss just ran one of their fab beauty profiles on Tilbury in which the main point that everyone jumped on was that Tilbury wears her make-up in bed. (Yes way!) “If I’m on my own, I won’t sleep in it, but my husband has never seen me without makeup,” says Tilbury. “At night, I take everything off my face and moisturise — because you have to let your skin breathe a bit — but then I put everything right back on again: a little under-eye brightener, then the eye goes back on, and maybe a little tint on the cheeks. My mother said to me, ‘You always have to keep the mystery alive…”
BOURGEOUS MAGIC NAIL POLISH REMOVER
Wow, how good is Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover? It makes doing my nails so much less of a chore. Just stick each nail into the bottle, twist left and right and done. Easy!
JEAN-LOUIS SEBAGH ON BOTOX, EXERCISE AND RUSSIANS
I’ve only just started reading System, the new magazine that celebrates fashion industry insiders and the workings of the business. For some reason I started with the interview with Pat McGrath and ‘Botox king’ Jean-Louis Sebagh. The first half is quite annoying as I keep reading stuff about people ‘needing Botox’. Please, nobody needs Botox! The second half is more interesting. Sebagh is dead against jogging as a form of exercise as he thinks it traumatises the skin by shaking out all the padding. On the subject of facial exercises he says, “the only exercise you should be doing is smiling all the time, if you can. And chewing.” Amen!
Sebagh also talks about why Russian women don’t respond to Botox. It’s quite an interesting theory. He says, “Botox is derived from the botulinum toxin which is food poisoning. During the cold war, the Russians had very few food supplies, so they used to receive expired cans of food from Europe. They used to eat out-of-date food, so they must have had a lot of food poisoning and become immune to the botulinum toxin. You can inject 10 bottles and they won’t react. Nothing!” Who knew?
I also can’t resist posting this 1990 photo of model Amanda Cazalet from System’s interview with art director Marc Ascoli. Look at that profile…
YSL BABYDOLL MASCARA
Finally, YSL has just launched its Baby Doll mascara which has had rave reviews from the bloggersphere. I’m not really a mascara obsessive, I’m quite happy with the subtle effect I get from my Clinique Naturally Glossy mascara, but I’ve given this a go and the effect is quite lovely for more dramatic coverage. Oh and the fragrance is delicious. Here’s a video YSL has released with Cara Delevingne whipping her hair and cavorting around the streets of Paris (there are high heels and skateboards involved). Ah youth…
Jo Malone London’s pop art Red Roses
What do we think of the new limited edition Jo Malone London Red Roses bottle? Created by new(ish) style editor, Charlotte Stockdale, it has a neon pink pop art-esque paint drip on the bottle which is certainly striking and a departure from your average Jo Malone London bottle design.
I’m a bit divided on this one. Much as I love Charlotte Stockdale, the classicist in me secretly prefers the traditional elegance of Jo Malone London. But I suspect the brand is keen to broaden its reach to younger (or ‘cooler’) customers and this is a good start. I will add that having seen the bottle in the flesh, it’s growing on me – the neon is a really bold contrast to the trademark JML cream and black.
What do you think?
The limited edition (only 300 bottles), hand numbered Jo Malone Red Roses cologne (£120) will be available from Selfridges from 1st April.
Menswear focus: stylish Londoners get suited and booted at Burberry, Alexander McQueen and Selfridges
I literally can’t keep up with all the menswear retail goings-on in London this autumn. Just opened in Knightsbridge is another shiny new Burberry store (above), this time focussed on menswear. Craftsmanship and technology are given equal attention, with the store itself built by British stonemasons, carpenters, cabinet makers etc and over 50 speakers and 100 screens installed to engage the customer with digital experiential content. Continue reading
It’s a Bruce Weber Christmas at Selfridges (here’s the film, now buy the tee)
The best thing about this Bruce Weber for Selfridges Christmas video isn’t the eclectic cast of animals, kids and fabulistas, or the signature jazzy soundtrack, or Weber’s magical feel-good fantasy world that makes you want to climb into the screen and stay there. No, for me it’s the fact that you (meaning I) can buy one of the Bruce Weber tees for a mere £20 at Selfridges Wonder Room with all proceeds going to Kids Company.
Yes, Christmas just came early…
Robert Clergerie Pop-Up shop at Selfridges
Sexy, flattering and highly wearable, Roland Mouret has spread his magic from frocks to footwear. Now creative director of Robert Clergerie, you can see his creations in a special Selfridges pop-up shop until 22nd October. I’m a big fan. The heels feel lighter than they look (Mouret is determined to make comfortable heels, not a small challenge) and the flat brogues are timeless beauties. Continue reading
Delvaux luxury handbags arrive at Selfridges
New in at Selfridges this month, the arrival of Belgian handbag brand, Delvaux. The oldest fine leather luxury house in the world (est 1829), Delvaux’ stealth-luxe bags slot neatly into the space between bourgeois heritage and modern minimalism. My kind of bag through and through. While there are some softer, slouchy totes in the range, Selfridges has focused on the more traditional shapes, giving some a new twist with exclusive two-tone colourways. Continue reading
Guest post: What the menswear buyers bought for AW12
It’s menswear day at London Fashion Week today, a slightly odd bit of scheduling as the men’s buying season is pretty much over by now. No worries though, menswear is getting its very own mini UK fashion week(end) from 15th -17th June, which will mean designers can maximise their chances of making the order books for SS13. Continue reading
Shaun Samson is one of Selfridges’ Bright Young Things
Woo hoo, Shaun Samson menswear, now available at Selfridges… If you’re down Oxford Street way, be sure to check out the Bright Young Things windows, showcasing the work of London’s best up-and-comer talent. To go with his collection, Shaun’s window has a Mexicana theme with rainbow coloured Piñata letters spelling out his name. Sweet!
Above pic: Matthew Zorpas/Filep Motwary
Buy it now: Kiehl’s crackers
Right, I’m officially obsessed with beauty-themed Christmas crackers. There has been a bit of a stampede for the Lancome advent calendar (I told you to be quick) but the Lancome Christmas crackers are still in stock. But look here, what about these adorable Kiehl’s lip balm crackers? Each £19 cracker contains three Kiehl’s #1 lip balms in original, coconut and vanilla flavours. Best crack on if you want one.
Buy it now: Selfridges Lancome miniatures advent calendar
Remember the super duper beauty advent calendar from Selfridges that the blogersphere went mad about at ‘Christmas in July’? Well it’s on sale now. Containing a ‘best of’ mix of miniature products including a YSL Rouge Pur Couture Mini lipstick, a 30ml Kiehl’s Crème De Corps and a 2ml Lancome Hypnôse Classic Mascara (and we all know Lancome’s mascaras are the best), these won’t stick around for long.
Buy Selfridges beauty advent calendar here
I also think these Lancome beauty crackers are a genius idea and perfect for a girly Christmas lunch. Six crackers contain Génifique 7ml, Visionnaire 7ml, Bi–Facil 30ml, L’Absolu Rouge Mini, Juicy Tube 7ml, Hypnôse Mascara Mini, a festive hat and a beauty tip – not bad for £38. (No word if Chanel will ever do something similar but one lives in hope.)
Buy Lancome beauty crackers here
