Magazines

The battle of the glossy blogs



Back when the internet first started (let’s say circa 1998* for the sake of argument), Vogue was quick off the mark with its flashy website Vogue.com. It had news, it had runway pics, it had everything. But fast forward a few years and the other glossies are catching up. In 2009 it’s all about the now, now, now and that means blogs and Twitter.

This round of fashion weeks has seen a flurry of activity in the blogosphere with a race to see which fashion glossy can be the quickest, most prolific and most irreverent with their posts.
GRAZIA has the most experience having launched its blog Graziadaily.co.uk in September. Granted, it is a site in itself and has its own (albeit tiny) team while the others are kept going by the magazine staff.
Pluses: Ten posts a day, lots of info and lots of heads-ups on future trends. Plus a Twitter as well! Most on-the-ball.
Minuses: Posts aren’t timed or dated which means it’s tricky to keep track of.

TEN MAGAZINE is lots of fun though slightly clique-y in its ‘we’re here, you’re not’ tone and self-obsessed photos of the team.

Pluses: Daily updates, behind-the-scenes peeks at fashion show fittings
Minuses: Slapdash presentation – some of the runway snaps really are crappy (I know mine aren’t much better but I’m not front row)

LOVE is the most insidery of them all and boy do we know it. Every other pic is a shot of Fran, Katie or the other one mugging for the camera with Roberto, Jeremy or Alber in a headlock. (But I like it really…)

Pluses: The Love crew are the most scene-y of all fashionistas so you get the best view of every show/party/re-see/launch.
Minuses: What happened to the comment facility? A blog without comments is a waste of time, no?

The nice thing about this leaping on the blog bandwagon is it gives a less formal insight into the world of fashion magazines. As the Brits are known for their humour, blogging lends itself particularly well to the antics of our fashion editors – yes we do play dress-up with the samples, we’d be mad not to!

*Obviously I know the internet started before then, but I mean in relevant fashion terms…

UPDATE: Link for Ten Magazine’s blog added courtesy of Helen LG!



Diesel/Christies SOUL i-D party



Lots of fun was had at last night’s SOUL i-D party to celebrate the launch of the SOUL i-D book. Everywhere I looked was a member of the i-D ‘family’, from eighties icons Caryn Franklin, Philip Sallon and Pam Hogg to Simon Foxton and his gorgeous gaggle of faithful followers.











I was mighty impressed with the PR’s tactics to ensure attendance at the bash – namely emailing not only a list of ‘confirmed celebrities’ (as is now the norm) but also a sneak peak at the menu. Now if there’s one way to drag me to an event it’s to entice me with some fancy canapes. Here you go:

CANAPE MENU
Parmesan shortbread with roasted cherry tomato, goats cheese & pesto

Black olive biscotti with aioli, tomato confit & tapenade

Fontina & prosciutto di san daniele with purple figs

Burnt mushrooms, shallots, & red wine drizzle on toasted brioche

Crab lemongrass & cilantro salad on brioche – topped with mango & red onion marmalade with beetroot cress

Beetroot cured salmon with crème fraiche & wasabi caviar on lightly toasted blinis

DESSERT
Raspberry, elderflower & champagne jelly on baby shortbread rounds (orange zest to finish)

DRINKS MENU

Champagne
De Nauroy Brut NV, France, Reims

Wine
San Rafael Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Chile, San Rafael

Libertad Red Malbec/Shiraz 2007, Argentina, Mendoza

Cocktails
Asian Tonic
Lychee Belvedere cocktail

Soft Drinks
Cucumber, lemon & ginger cooler
Strained cucumber with fresh lemon & topped with ginger beer

Rhubarb & apple
Muddled rhubarb & vanilla served tall with cloudy apple

Ty Nant still and sparkling water

Delicious!



Perfect day



10.30am: Browsing in Jensen & Ballantine

11.30am: Cupcakes, tea and gossip at Lainey PR (highlights: Saloni’s perfectly pretty dresses and Felix Rey’s cream chainmail bag – below – landing at Fenwick this week)

12.30pm: Selfridges – stocking up on Moleskines for LFW and a nostalgic dash round the Artcore rave culture exhibition

1pm: Steak and chips with mummy at Black & Blue in Wigmore Street

4pm: Stealth snapping at Topshop (Headscarves, messy beehives and check shirts ago-go, and the “Chloe” boots have arrived!) followed by some gentle teen-stalking with photographer pal Annie (below)





6pm: Mojitos and brainstorming with designer friend Mark at Alphabet 

8pm: Lula and Another magazine on the tube home

830pm: Big pile of LFW show tickets/party invites

9pm: Chicken ‘a la Mexicana’ cooked by D

1130pm: Blogging and zzzzzz