Celebrities dying is nothing new, but word of Jane Birkin’s passing feels personal. Not because she was an icon or a diva but because she wasn’t.
Despite her obvious physical beauty and talent she always came across to me as down to earth and real. I remember ‘meeting’ her with That’s Not My Age at a Miller Harris event (Lyn Harris had created a bespoke fragrance for her and they had remained friends). Well, Alyson actually spoke to her while I hovered awkwardly. (more…)
What do we think is going to be the overriding beauty aesthetic when we look back over the 2010s? Will it be the contoured-to-the-hilt perfection of the Huda Beauty woman, or the ‘natural’ no make-up vibe of Glossier? They’ve risen in parallel but I feel the hyper-filtered, beauty shtick has reached its nadir making it the decade-defining look that we’ll remember. Which leaves the more sympathetic ‘real skin’ aesthetic to continue into the 2020s.
Certainly it’s nice to see the beauty look from Chanel SS19 putting some emphasis on shine and luminosity than the unforgiving uber-mattes that were everywhere last year. In particular, Chanel is pushing its Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick (£33), an all purpose ‘wet glow’ solid balm in a clear (‘Transparent’) or an oyster (‘Sculpting’) shade to dew-ify eyelids, lips, cheekbones and brow bones. I’m definitely up for some ‘wet glow’ lid shine. (more…)
Even thought we know Smythson for its superb diaries and notebooks (mine always get admiring looks and comments), its leather goods now account for almost 80% of the business. This month sees a new collection to mark its 130th anniversary (which was actually last year). The Smythson Bond collection takes its cues from Frank Smythson’s 1902 catalogue and revisits his travel bags, small leather goods and home accessories in beautiful graphic block colours. (more…)
Smythson is killing is with these deep dive travel features. Less about ‘where to go and what to do’, this is a much more voyeuristic snoop, akin to ‘what’s on my desk‘ or ‘what’s in my bathroom cabinet’.
This longish read with Jane Birkin is content-meets-commmerce gold. She talks about her penchant for Agnes b silk tops, men’s V-neck cashmere jerseys (of course) and every trashy magazines she can get her hands on for the plane read. (more…)
