I've said it before, and I'll say it again... being a fashion geek is a pretty important part of getting anywhere in this industry. And the very best way to increase your geekiness is to find someone with their own particular kind of geekiness and get them to share it with you. So it was that in mind on very rainy morning last week, I spent a couple of hours with designer Christian Blanken, who not only has his own label which sells at Harrods and shows at LFW, but has also worked with American design stalwarts including Michael Kors and Diane Von Furstenberg. Blanken is currently working on a book, which he's hoping to publish next year, which will be an anthology of modern sportswear. The tome, sure to become a fixure on the coffee table of many a fashion devotee, will trace the development of easy, wearable, revolutionary design from Chanel and Vionnet right up to the likes of Alexander Wang today.
Blanken in his showroom
It's a cause which has been close to Blanken's heart since he was studying a the Academy of Fine Arts in Arnem, Holland during the late 80s. "All my peers seemed to be obsessed either with the Japanese designers, like Comme des Garcons, or with that Vivienne Westwood/ Galliano look' he tells me, 'but my obsession was Halston, which is quite different'. His own aesthetic may have set him apart from the vibe of the time, but that didn't stop him getting on to the Central Saint Martin's Masters course. 'After that, Michael Kors was the guy I wanted to work with, he was the person doing what I was most interested in at the time" Blanken explains. By a stroke of luck, Kors was looking for an Italian speaking designer to work on his Kors range which would be produced in Italy. Thanks to his childhood moving countries every few years, Blanken had the linguistic credentials Kors was looking for and so he landed the job.
Great silver trousers in Christian Blanken AW12 (image from catwalking.com)
He eventually made the move to New York where it sounds like life got rather fun. He worked at J. Crew in the design room alongside Jenna Lyons, who is now the brand's very cool Creative Director. Blanken also joined Diane Von Furstenberg at a time when the brand was being 'reined back in'. Even better, he was hanging out with the likes of Terry Richardson and Chloe Sevingy, just when Marc Jacobs was marking her out as the coolest girl in New York. Despite launching his own label over there, Blanken eventually decided to return to London which he describes as 'less homogenous' than New York. Before re-opening his label here, Blanken worked with Sue Whiteley at Harvey Nichols on the store's private label collection. The two sought to create 'a really good wardrobe' which gave the HN customer 'new options'. In 2008, Blanken relaunched his own label.
Christian Blanken SS12 (from catwalking.com) You can buy online here or in Harrods
His is quite a CV. He seems to have touched base with so many of the key players in his particular nook of the industry at some point in his career that he seems ideally placed to be working with Bloomsbury publishers on the anthology. For me, the most interesting thing to come out of our conversation was the realisation that sportswear represents such a seismic change in women's lives. It reflects the new found political freedoms which were gained in the 20s and follows the course of those freedoms extending into every other aspect of our lives... work, family, relationships and lifestyles. Basically, it was radical. It seemed like Blanken really got that; he is all about fashion being 'intelligent but democratic'. It's telling that he originally wanted to be a painter but was attracted to the 'chronic output of fashion. It's not whimsical, like giving a part of you to people to put on their wall. It's about seeing people wearing what you design and using it to live. I really like that part of it'.
I don't want to ruin Christian's book for you. He is currently holing himself up at Central Saint Martin's library in every spare moment he has between commuting to and from Rome (where he works on various design projects) and working on his next own label collection. So here is a taster (in his own words) of some of the earlier designers (from 20s through to 40s/50s) he'll be covering- there are many, many more to get us to the present day. And there's still lots of thinking going on about who is the ultimate sportswear designer right now. Blanken says that "Alexander Wang is the most interesting proponent of modern sportswear coming out of New York. He ticks all the boxes' However, Europe is harder to pin down; 'I'm really interested in Raf Simons. It may be him, but he's very cerebral. Isabel Marant really hits a chord too. Her look is sexy, like how every girl wants to look'. I can't wait to see what Blanken decided when the finished work comes out next year, hopefully during LFW in September.
CHANEL
From the research file: Chanel in her own design, beside an image from the Edwardian era.
"Coco Chanel was so fresh, plus she was a great ambassador for her brand- she lived the life and was really active. She may have used the 70s to reaffirm her brand but the blueprints were all created in the 20s, like the tweeds which were inspired by her fascination with England and her relationship with the Duke of Westminster"
Chanel with the Duke of Westminster (from chanel.com)
JEAN PATOU
From the research files: Patou with his American competition winners
"I think Patou was actually a better designer than Chanel. He created this genius product- Huile de Chaldee- which was the first tanning oil. That was such a sign that things were changing. It was fashionable to be tanned, rather than pale, for the first time ever. It was also fragranced, making it even more glamorous. Patou recognised the appeal of America- he held this X Factor style contest where he picked six American girls to come to France and represent the brand"
Making tanning glamourous (image from fr.hprints.com)
VIONNET
From the research file: Vionnet's patterns, and a small image of her working on a mini mannequin
"Vionnet is really interesting- she was very studious and mathematical. Obviously, she introduced the idea of the Bias cut. And she did all her work on mini mannequins, like dolls, so she could be as exact as possible. Azzedine Alaia cites her as grand influence"
A classic Vionnet bias cut design (from vogue.co.uk)
MAINBOCHER
From the research file: Gloria Vanderbilt in Mainbocher
"Mainbocher is like the bridge between France and America. He worked at Vogue in Paris as an Editor but grew his couturier business alongside that, then took the label to New York. He would use sensible fabrics like gingham and linen and make luxe garments from them. Gloria Vanderbilt was a big fan. I think of Tom Ford as a kind of modern equivalent; he's all about discreet, simple, ultimate luxe clothing"
From the research file: Mainbocher inspired by Vionnet
CLAIRE MCCARDELL
From the research file: McCardell wearing one of her denim ballgowns
"She was really ahead of her time, not just in terms of design but also because she was such a shrewd businesswoman. Her designs were mass produced by Townley but her name was on the label at her insistence. It looked good for the brand too who knew the pull she had. She was obsessed with Vionnet and would buy pieces and pick them apart to study their construction. One of her standout designs was the monastic dress- a really simple shape which could be worn any way around"
From the research file: the 'wear it any you like' monastic dress
I’m going to confuse you horrendously now because instead of telling you about fashion weeks and what you might be wearing in six or eight months time, I’m going to talk about SS12 a.k.a what to wear and buy right now. September and February are both months which require seasonal gymnastics in the minds of fashion lovers because we're obsessed with what's coming out of the fashion weeks- see yesterday's and Monday's posts- but we're also feeling that now is the time to shop for the months ahead which means rewinding to the stuff we were getting excited about back in September. Silver is what I want to buy right now.
Silver ruffles at Sarah Burton's Alexander McQueen SS12
There’s rarely a time when metallics are distinctly unfashionable, after all they’re fun, good for evening party dresses and go with pretty much anything. But for Spring/ Summer, if you want to be in fashion then sheeny silver is the metallic to go for. In my book, silver is the nonchalant and much cooler younger sibling to revved up. full watt glam gold.
The sheen element which lots of designers gave silver for SS12 is very important. It taps into two of the season’s broader trends; Modern Sportswear and Under the Sea. The subtlety which comes from a sheen is much more in keeping with these moods. Chanel's drawstring maxi silver skirt is the ultimate case in point. The fabric and cut is techy and futuristic, while the floor skimming length conjures the modern girl's version of a mermaid's tail, especially when styled with a translucent, gilled vest.
Chanel SS12
Olivier Theyskens did a similar thing at Theory. For those of us who are not good with full on dressed down, and therefore a bit worried about embracing sportiness in our wardrobes, Theory is a good place to go because the silver in this slouchy tee takes it up a notch or two in the dressed up stakes. The silver looks amazing next to denim too.
Theyskens Theory SS12
At Givenchy, the slithers of silver flounce trims bring to mind the lights bouncing off the fins of deep sea fish.
Givenchy SS12
Andy Warhol's Silver Clouds, 1966
Giles SS12
There were hints of silver at countless SS12 shows, but the most dedicated to the cause was Giles Deacon. His set resembled walking into a roll of tin foil (in a good way!). It was apparently inspired by Andy Warhol's room of Silver Clouds. Giles used numerous silver and swan inspirations in a collection which was really quite opulent. Having said that, this dress is super simple- the shape nods to sportiness. But the more-than-sheen-silver makes it properly beautiful.
At Christopher Kane, the use of silver was more sparing but it illuminated a collection which was about 'the girls you hated at school'. The metallics transported the initial inspirations of bullies and peeling council house wallpaper into a infinitely more angelic and heavenly realm. That's the power of silver.
Christopher Kane SS12
So, what to buy in silver? To my great regret, I will be limiting my personal silver purchases to accessories. This is due to a traumatic childhood experience in which a silver dress I wore to be a star in a nativity production was confiscated because it 'drained' me. Even though I now have access to blusher, I still can't face the memories. For those of you still able to wear silver, I've mixed in a couple of brilliant silver basics.
Acne's pistol boots have become pretty ubiquitous and much copied. They are the boot to buy if you need a one item route to looking on trend. So, we were pretty thrilled to see that MyTheresa has a limited edition run of 50 silver pairs since yesterday. They're not sold out just yet, but hurry.
I bought a pair of wedges similar to these in Topshop's sale. I think they're great for taking the super sweet edge off a lot of what we'll be wearing this season.
The world of fashion is racing ahead at full throttle right now; menswear and couture are just done and February is just around the corner which means we're on countdown to the big four fashion weeks. And that all means there's plenty of fashion news to let you know about...
E.Tautz- one to watch at the menswear shows (image from sharpened lead.com)
News from the British Fashion Council: London is to have its very own mini menswear fashion week. The June dates precede the established shows in Milan and Paris. The change also makes commercial sense because it ties into the calendar for buyers. We're glad to see menswear getting its own moment in the spotlight rather than seeming like an afterthought to womenswear (until now, London Fashion Week had a men's day tagged on the end). It makes perfect sense too; London being the home of Savile Row- the ultimate menswear shopping destination.
Michelle Obama at this week's State of the Union address (image from guardian.co,uk)
At this week's State of the Union address, Michelle Obama continued her rather impressive track record on occasion appropriate dressing with a Barbara Tfank sapphire blue dress. However, one blogger on the French Elle website took the opportunity to write an article which argued that the Obamas have enabled black style to move from 'street wear' to 'chic'. Naturally, a row ensued which quite understandably accused the publication of racist leanings. Apparently, the article, which has now been taken down, was 'misinterpreted'. We would just like to point out that Michelle Obama is not the world's first chic black woman. See below, The Supremes, as a starting point.
image from www.sweetlyrics.com
LVMH announced this week that the Celine AW12 show will be scaled back due to Phoebe Philo's pregnancy- she'll be eight months gone by the time of the show on March 4th. Instead, there will probably be a presentation at the same time which is deemed a more manageable task than the full-blown runway affair. Vanessa Friedman at the FT sees this decision as emblematic of a new attitude to designers; 'the Celine move marks a conscious decision to choose the designer over possible marketing returns from the runway pictures'. In a post-Galliano age, designers might finally be recognised as human beings, as well as talented makers of profit earning collections.
Philo's Mum and Dad were at her SS12 show (image from catwalking.com)
Sienna and Savannah Miller have called it a day on their roles as Creative Directors at twenty8twelve, the label they started six years ago and which is named after Sienna's birthday. It looks like the sisters probably haven't had too much to do with the design process for some time, even though Savannah is highly qualified, having studied at Central St. Martins. Nish Soneji, the Pepe Managing Director which owns the label, told Drapers 'We never intended to be a celebrity brand and we remain confident of our DNA'. Don't expect much change at the London show in a few weeks then.
Sienna and Savannah (www.dirklinder.com)
OUTFIT OF THE WEEK: Miss Piggy in Giles at last night's premiere of the new Muppets film. Giles commented 'She's the biggest diva we've ever worked with'.
Fab! (image from graziadaily.co.uk)
We've noticed some particularly deep and meaningful (ahem, not) comments from the mouths of models this week.. SH*T MODELS SAY
Alice Dellal on Karl Lagerfeld: 'He's so nice. It was nice to be able to talk to him' Dellal on being in a Chanel shoot: 'It made me feel like a lady'
And the biggest gems from Laura Craik's satirical interview with Kate Moss. On Mango's clothes 'The cut and they’re kind of ... you know ... really well made, and the jeans are ... you know, they’re really well made and the cut, you can wear them a lot ... '
Kate Moss on the Daily Mail's obsession with her: 'I don’t know. ’Cos it’s the Daily Mail? They just get on everyone’s tits, don’t they? I don’t know'
Lady Amanda Harlech (from www.justin-teodoro.blogspot.com)
If you haven't read it already, then can we heartily recommend to you Alex Fury's interview with Lady Amanda Harlech, Creative Consultant at Chanel a.k.a Lagerfeld's right hand woman? It's a brilliant lid lifting on the real role of the 'muse' as Harlech is so often called as well as her quite extraordinary life. Particularly apt for couture week.
The Haute Couture shows are over for another season, not that it matters much for those us not buying. While we can, and do, admire the artisanship, these are collections which only a few of the super-super rich will think about it in an "I want that now" kind of way.
It's easy to feel left out, especially when most of our realities involve the very possible threat of a double dip recession. We shouldn't feel left out. The sad truth is today's Haute Couture is aimed squarely at markets in China and Russia where there is a boom-time economy and fashion is going through a wealth flaunting bling stage. So that yellow shiny long, thigh split dress will never see the light of day again in Europe. In Russia on the other hand....
It is a fact of life that designers now need to straddle all the potential markets from affordable to outrageously expensive. Karl Lagerfeld did that rather nicely this week; he began on Tuesday with his couture show, the next day he launched his affordable, online only collection- available exclusively at Net-a-Porter. Launch events were hosted in London and New York and judging by the huge queues, Karl's mega straddle paid off- they came flocking. Oh, and Chanel have also produced a nail polish in the same clear sky blue which underpinned the couture. Chanel know better than any other brand how to tickle the fancy of all their critics and fans from uppity newspaper fashion editors to young bloggers, and this is what makes it the world's best fashion brand.
Image courtesy of @jimshi809
This is how Karl celebrated, with a party at his place in Paris. Azealia Banks was performing, can you spy Karl? he is filming the whole thing with one of his many iPads. Looks like the indoor smoking ban is NOT being respected at Karl's place.
Whaaat did she say? (from derekblasberg.com)
In other couture news, Jean Paul Gaultier has offended Amy Winehouse's family by staging a 'bad taste' tribute to the singer to showcase his collection. Barber shop singers performed Winehouse tracks and models wore beehives and smoked cigarettes. Mitch Winehouse said that the show 'glamorises some of the more upsetting times of her life'. We agree that the donning of mourning veils at the end of the show was probably a step too far, but then JPG has never been one to play safe. Jean Paul was a huge fan of Amys and recently told FashEd he was devastated when she died, so the homage was done with good intentions. Perhaps just a bit too soon for the Winehouse family. What do you think?
JPG's couture tribute to Amy Winehouse (image from catwalking.com)
After an eight year absence, Versace made a return to the couture schedule, albeit in a scaled down presentation. This is another label which is doing the 'straddle', only last week Donatella's second Versace collection for H&M sold out. Watch Suzy Menkes' interview to get the lowdown on everything Versace...
A few special looks to sum up couture...
Elegant New Look references at Christian Dior by Bill Gaytten
Livening up the clothes with mohicans at Chanel (this will be big in China)
Pastel overdose at Elie Saab
Beautiful Valentino
One for the Russian crowd at Versace (all images from catwalking.com)
This week we start you off with a delightful preview of the award winning documentary about Bill Cunningham the original street style photographer; the film has its British premier on February the first. Bill is a living legend.
"Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life."
Bill Cunningham
Chanel is off to Japan! Lagerfeld and his team have planned three events as a special treat for their Easternmost fans. In March, there will a winter couture show, a pop-up shop and an exhibition entitled 'The Little Black Jacket'. The exhibition, on for seven weeks, coincides with a book of the same name which Lagerfeld is working on with Carine Roitfeld, showing celebrities and other brand favourites, in their Chanel jackets.
Chanel waves the flag for Japan
More bumper business news from across the retail spectrum this week as Burberry, ASOS and Primark all posted recession defying results. At Burberry, there was a 22% increase in sales with particular strength, unsurprisingly, across Asia. It's the brand's stalwart pieces which are performing best- coats and luggage. While it is well-acknowledged that luxury labels aren't suffering as much as might be expected from the global downturn, word on the high street has been somewhat bleaker; Peacocks was the latest store to go into administration this week. However, Primark and ASOS are proof that the fittest survive. Primark announced a 16% leap in profits for the last quarter while ASOS saw an 18% increase in its share price after profits rose 10%, thanks in the most part to its global reach.
Cara Delevingne and Eddie Redmayne in their trench macs for the SS12 campaign (image from fashiongonerogue.com)
After much wrangling amongst the organisers of the big four fashion weeks, the clash of dates which looked set to overshadow the SS13 season has been resolved. For attendees, this means that fashion month will kick off earlier than usual with the New York shows beginning on September 6th. Steven Kol, CEO at the CFDA rightfully pointed out that 'there's no value for the cities to compete'. So, there will be no choosing between Katrantzou and Gucci, or Pilotto and Versace for those who skip to all four events.
Piero Tosi with director Luchino Visconti and Dirk Bogarde on the set of Death in Venice in 1971 (image from vogue.it)
Louis Vuitton has teamed up with Rome's Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (Italian National Film School) to bring the worlds of fashion and film closer together. Over three years, there will be a number of projects to support Italian film and young filmmakers, such as workshops and scholarships. One of the first schemes to get underway will be a costume workshop focusing on 17th century design, with Italian costume designer Piero Tosi acting as a key participant. Like Tods, which is in the process of taking on responsibility to restore the Colosseum, Vuitton has taken it upon itself to contribute private money to protect another integral part of Italian culture, at a time when the public purse cannot stretch to such limits.
Hatmaking at the film school (imae from WWD.com)
On January 24th, a Prada museum will pop-up in Paris for 24 hours. Conceived by Francesco Vezzoli and the AMO Think Tank it could have the potential to create a bit of a 'moment' as its brings together films and sculptures which represent iconic women including the likes of Lady Gaga. The event will kick off with an exclusive dinner and club night before opening up to the public, who will now doubt rock up early to see the invited guests tumbling out. The three museum spaces, historic, contemporary and forgotten, will provide the backdrop for Prada and Vezzoli's message about femininity now. It may sound a bit obscure, but anything with the Mrs Prada stamp on has got to be fab. Talking of Miuccia, she got herself in hot water this week when she appeared to criticise the Met's new exhibit which will compare her with Elsa Schiaparelli. She told WWD:
“It’s too formal; they are focused on similarities, comparing feather with feather, ethnic with ethnic, but they are not taking into consideration that we are talking about two different eras, and that [Schiaparelli and I] are total opposite,” said the designer before her show on Sunday. “I told them, but they don’t care,” she said with a shrug, resigned rather than upset.
A statement was later released by Prada which claimed her comments were 'taken out of context' and that she was 'honored and proud to be taking part in the exhibition'.
Miuccia Prada on the cover of iD in April 2009, designed by Francesco Vezzoli (image from designscene.net)
After last week's quick dip into the sartorial goings-on in the US Presidential election, FEAL's world news radar turns to the Olympics where a row has broken out among the boxing community. The point of contention is whether female contenders should wear shorts or skirts. And it's not just a question of what is the best performing item, it does actually come down to the 'fashion' element. Skirts were first worn so that spectators could differentiate between the boy and girl boxers. Polish and Romanian coaches say that skirts should be worn because they create 'a more womanly impression' and are 'more elegant'. We're not sure that elegance is the first priority of any sportsperson looking to win a title so we're supporting Elizabeth Plank's petition for boxers to able to choose, just like every other girl can!
The Menswear season is in full-swing, moving to Paris yesterday after Milan earlier in the week. At Louis Vuitton, Kim Jones fused Japanese and Parisian influences; the work of illustrator Antonio Lopez was cited by the designer as a starting point. Further along, the Okujun silk spinning was used to create an ivory suit. The technique is UNESCO protected, and only 20cm of yarn can be produced in one day. The Vuitton show also mirrored a wider trend which began in womenswear to use more Asian models on catwalks.
One of the Asian models who walked at Vuitton (image from WWD.com)
Love this high shine parka/anorak, a nod to Japan on the belt (image from WWD.com)
Lanvin is launching its first eyewear collection and has made a video to underline the artisan approach it's taken to the range. Along with De Rigo, Lanvin has applied the same levels of artistry to the glasses as it would to its clothes. While the video may not have the catchiness of the dance of late 2011, it serves to remind us of the level of craft which sets designers like Lanvin apart. The question on everyone's lips, which ones has Alber ordered?
We are getting massively overexcited about Christmas here at FEAL HQ today, with plans for a Christmas jumper competition in full swing and festive songs blaring out- I've already heard Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas' approximately 15 times today. However, the world of fashion does not stop for mulled wine and mince pies just yet... Here's the week's news.
Yesterday, the winner's of the NEWGEN sponsorship for AW12 were announced. The FashEd was on the panel and is very excited about seeing the winners' shows and presentations come February. This is how the line-up looks for the ladies...
Backstage at David Koma SS12. Neon plus Maori tattoos= amazing. Image from (lloyd-evans.com)
Catwalk sponsorship:
David Koma Holly Fulton J.JS Lee J.W. Anderson Michael van der Ham Simone Rocha
Presentation sponsorship:
Christopher Raeburn Thomas Tait
Installation sponsorship:
Nasir Mazhar SISTER by SIBLING
Exhibition sponsorship:
Huishan Zhang James Long Lucas Nascimento Palmer//Harding Tim Soar Woman
Gaga in Rocha SS12 (Image from thinkboutthings.com)
Simone Rocha's SS12 collection was greeted with rapturous responses from the fashion media. In the January issue of ELLE magazine, Lady Gaga continues to showcase Rocha's designs (she was wearing a different SS12 piece in London last week). I went to J.JS Lee's presentation at the last LFW and am still thinking about her candy floss inspirations. So the Simone Rocha/ J.JS Lee back-to-back show in February will be penned in ink on our schedule. The FashEd calls the duo 'London's Young Minimalists'.
Image from style.com
While we are still obsessing about Florence in a shell and October's Under the Sea themed show in general, Mr Lagerfeld has moved on swiftly; on Tuesday he unveiled his Paris-Bombay collection for pre-fall at the Grand Palais, transformed from pearlescent sea bed to Maharajah banquet. Pre-fall and resort collections have been touted as the place to find wearable, commercial pieces but Lagerfeld's take on Indian dress poo poos on that idea. However, this DOES show a streak of genius because India is one of the biggest emerging markets for luxury retailers so appealing to them is very shrewd. The beauty which results is a pleasing addition. Sam McKnight worked on the hair for the show and told Vogue that he was inspired by 'Sadhu Holy Men and Rajastani Princesses'
Images from Sam McKnight on Vogue.com
We've been poring over Helmut Newton images all week- look out for more on our Tumblr later. So it was fitting that today we got a peek at the shots which will grace Pirelli's 2012 calendar. Ok, so it's basically lots of models with beautiful bodies, which is something in itself after news came this week that some clothes are now being advertised on digitally created bodies, yes we're talking to you H&M. Lisa Armstrong argues that these pictures are all about promoting a body perfect enough for porn. I agree- especially given that they're for Pirelli, thus blatantly targeted at blokes. But I cannot help but appreciate these images of Kate Moss (who looks divine, but has roundness where many models do not) and Saskia de Brauw. What do you think?
Saskia de Brauw (images from daily mail)
Those McQueen skullcaps seem to have captured the imagination of cover stylists for January. I know I've already mentioned Gaga in Elle but not only is she rocking Rocha but McQueen is the star of the front cover. Gaga is bedecked in the coral gown and eye mask. Meanwhile, Rooney Mara is fully skull-capped for Dazed and Confused. Quite beautiful...
January Dazed, image from www.racked.com
Gaga by Matt Irwin (from fashiongonerogue.com)
They say that economic downturns can be good for some. Given all the pre-sale discounts, you'd think that retail wasn't one of them. On the whole, I don't think it is but there's always one.... and it had to be Mulberry. The luxury accessories company reported a 62% increase in profits to £72m. We can see why too; the firm which originated in Somerset has fashion appeal. Editors and celebrities flock to the LFW show which always has an elaborate theme which is hyped weeks before when invites are sent out and they are so amazing that everyone tweets pictures of them. But Mulberry also has a more classic customer base which is attracted by its sturdily made pieces. A visit to the store could provide a tan saddle bag or purple python piece of arm candy. Somehow, the two sit very happily together. It probably helps that the Princess of Selling Clothes, Kate Cambridge/ Middleton has been spotted many times over the years with a Mulberry accessory. Most recently, setting off for Canada with a navy Polly Push Pocket. Then last week, she wore (yawn, sorry, you've probably heard it all before) Mulberry's teal tea dress to meet key members of the media at Buckingham Palace. With that seal of approval, we don't expect to see profits plummeting anytime soon.
Celebrity and witty design has proven a money spinning combination for Mulberry, illustrated here as Emma Hill, Creative Director poses with Kristen Stewart and Kate (image from elle.com)
Tippi Hedren in The Birds (image from tvrage.com)
You know by now that I find it hard to resist putting up pictures of old school movie stars once in a while. Happily, the news that Sienna Miller will play Hitchcock heroine Tippi Hedren in a new film about the director's obsession with her, is a perfect excuse for another.
Finally, if you'e ever wondered how 12 models are shot for 12 pictures for the world's most famous calendar then watch on...
