14 November, 2011

SS12 trend report: My-Wardrobe

According to PR director Lauren Stevenson, the My-Wardrobe buyers have worked very hard to make sure 95% of the buy is under the £350 mark and 75% of the buy is under £250. Which is great news if you want ‘everyday luxury’ (the My-wardrobe tagline) at accessible prices. The key SS12 labels for me are Smythson (the stationery has been understandably popular so for SS12 there are bags as well), Carven (who doesn’t love Guillaume Henry’s couture-lite aesthetic?), APC (a new name for SS12), Joseph (on a roll), DVF, Anya Hindmarch and Sophie Hulme.

I had a good nose at My-Wardrobe’s SS12 highlights at their press day, where I also discovered Hermione de Paula, an ex Alexander McQueen print designer whose surreal prints in easy shapes are causing a bit of a stir.

Smythson

Printed denim by Current Elliot and J Brand’s Maverick jean – a skinny cargo pant that My-Wardrobe predicts to be a sell out

Bionda Castana shoes … the new Manolo?

Star Mela’s global-craft bags – I expect these crafty totes will be everywhere by May in some guise or other

D & G floral blouse – print on print whether matched or mismatched is summer’s mega-trend

Hermione de Paula

Preen’s ‘couture tee’. “The couture tee is a trend for all our customers to get into,” says Eleanor Robinson, womenswear designer buying manager. “It’s ageless, flatters most body shapes, and fits into the wardrobe easily”

Scarf prints – no explanation needed

Sophie Hulme’s embroidered bag – more global-craft influence

Anya Hindmarch’s city-to-beach colour-block bags and Comme Des Garcons’ playful pochettes

I also love DVF’s neutral bag with a flash of pink that can be zipped according to whether you want to show it or hide it

Disneyrollergirl 1 Comment Brands, Designers, Events, Shopping, Trends Anya Hindmarch, APC, Biona Castana, Hermione de Paula, J Brand, My-Wardrobe, online shopping, Smythson, Sophie Hulme, SS12, trends

10 November, 2011

Nail news: Eres launches nail polish for SS12 (and opens London store)

Eres is taking a tip (pun intended) from Chanel by piggy-backing on the huge trend for directional nail polish. From next March, the luxury swimwear brand will launch a limited range of three shades (yellow, pink, brown) to clash or match with its bikinis.

Matching colour cosmetics to your outfit is quite the thing at the moment (hello My-Wardrobe) and quite frankly if there’s one place this idea works perfectly, it’s got to be the beach. Clever thinking Eres, I wonder who will follow suit?

UPDATE: More Eres news, the brand has just opened its first London standalone store in (where else?) upscale Knightsbridge. Head to 24 Motcomb Street, SW1 for the best bikinis in the biz.

Disneyrollergirl 0 Comments Beauty, Brands, Design, News, Trends beauty, Chanel, Eres, fashion news, My-Wardrobe, nails, swimwear

30 October, 2011

My-Wardrobe meets Max Factor

Here’s a clever fashion-meets-beauty promotion to take advantage of. My-Wardrobe has hooked up with make-up artist Caroline Barnes and Max Factor to give away a handpicked Colour Elixir Lipstick with selected AW dresses sold between 25th October and 1st November. The special lipsticks (which were previewed by Pat McGrath at the Gucci AW11 show – remember that delicious Mulberry lip?) have been specially colour-matched by Barnes within seven season-appropriate shades.

I was sent a few samples and have been wearing Ruby Tuesday for the last week, brushing on two coats, blotting to a stain, then diluting the effect further with Blistex lip balm. You know how hard it is to get that ‘perfect red’ but this one has come pretty close so I’ll keep on using it.

What I really like though is the co-branding of this exercise. My-Wardrobe doesn’t sell make-up but this is a simple strategy to engage with beauty-lovers in a useful and novel way (plus the lipsticks are free! Who wouldn’t love that?). Earlier this year, My-Wardrobe did a similar hook-up with OPI, showing off the new summer wedges with OPI’s nail colours in an attention-grabbing editorial.

Anyway, there’s only two days left to take advantage of the offer so if you want in, pick a dress and expect a free lipstick in your package…

Disneyrollergirl 0 Comments Beauty, Brands, News, Online shopping, Retail concepts, Shopping, Trends beauty, collabs, Gucci, My-Wardrobe, OPI, Pat McGrath

6 October, 2011

Grensons for girls

Gentlemanly shoes continue to storm the international runways (hello Haider Ackermann) which means it’s a good time for Grenson to launch its first full womenswear line. Crucially, the women’s shoes take their lead from the men’s range, being only a whisker slimmer than the men’s lasts but essentially the same styles. (more…)