As I never tire of saying, I’m not the biggest online shopper. The reasons are many but in a nutshell:
*I live in London. We have Harvey Nichols, The Shop At Bluebird, Portobello Market et al
*I work in fashion, ergo I like to shop on the hop, browsing in stores on my daily beat
*I’m freelance and despite some people’s conclusions, I don’t sit at home in front of a screen all day so I’m not always in to receive parcels (more…)
According to some research I’ve been doing for a report, young Chinese luxury consumers don’t really wear home grown designers, they prefer the better known status labels like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Chanel. (more…)
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
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
I’ve been trying to get my head around House of Fraser‘s new Houseoffraser.com concept store in Aberdeen’s Union Square. Equipped with iPads, computers and a complimentary coffee bar, this ‘buy and collect’ store seems to be a half way house between conventional ‘bricks and mortar’ shopping and online shopping. (more…)
