What happened when Lisa Eldridge won Audrey Hepburn’s lipstick at auction



Audrey Hepburn Cartier lipstick

“Audrey Hepburn’s lipstick holder should be owned by one person on this earth, and that is me.”

Auctions are the epitome of experiential retail. A thrilling experience, they combine drama, desire, competition, social interaction and a bit of a gambler mentality. I’ve only been to an auction once, years ago, a Christie’s sale of pop art posters and design. It was relatively tame and we ended up with a much-loved Robert Indiana LOVE poster that I *think* Tommy Roberts (of Mr Freedom and Tom Tom fame) also bid for.

If you want a sense of what it’s like to bid for something really coveted, watch Lisa Eldridge’s account of bidding for Audrey Hepburn’s Cartier lipstick holder. (more…)



On Farfetch, circularity and the business of positivity



Graduate Fashion Week 2019 Farfetch Conscious Design Hub

Heads up! There’s a trendy new buzzword in town. Forget diversity, authenticity and sustainability; ‘positivity’ neatly encapsulates all three and can be moulded at will to suit the subject. The British Fashion Council has a positive fashion initiative, there’s a great website dedicated to Positive Luxury and it’s the tagline I use on here for anything related to considered fashion or beauty.

On which note, there was a palpable positivity at London’s graduate showcase, Graduate Fashion Week (GFW) last week. Now in its 28th year, something felt different this time – it seemed buzzier, less scrappy and had the ego boost of support from industry heavyweights including LVMH and Farfetch. (more…)



Westman Atelier has arrived in the UK



Westman Atelier UK

Here she is! Westman Atelier has landed in the UK at Net-a-Porter.

The one-year-old beauty line from make-up artist Gucci Westman, Westman Atelier already has a cult following stateside for its creamy ‘beauty butter’ bronzers and rosacea-friendly foundation sticks and I think will succeed here too.

Westman’s signature look is healthy skin with a touch of natural-looking colour – the classic less-is-more look, if you will. (more…)



Birkenstocks, Tevas and other wellness-wear are the new athleisure



Birkenstock Il Pellicano

I never got on board with athleisure. Firstly, I hate formal exercise and secondly, I can’t stand leggings. Or any stretchy, clingy, overly form-fitting garb. So I let Lululemon, Sweaty Betty and their ilk pass me by. (Nike is different. Don’t ask me why.)

But there’s another health-style hybrid that’s snuck up on me and this one seems to have more appeal. It’s wellness-wear. So the stuff you wear for meditation, or hanging out apres-asanas on your yoga retreat. (more…)