I write this from my desk, one handed, as the the other hand grips onto my umpteenth cup of tea of the day, made in a desperate attempt to keep warm. I am layered up with jumpers and scarves but it's not helping. I want to be somewhere warm, like lying on sheepskin next to a burning log fire or on a farflung beach where clothes are not necessary and the only tea needed is of the Long Island variety. So I thought it might help (optimistically perhaps) if I wrote about what I would be wearing on said beach. My hands down first choice is a We Are Handsome swimsuit. These first came to many people's attention last year when Rihanna and Diane Kruger amongst others confounded the usual expectations of celebrity beach attire- a super skimpy, frilly bikini- by choosing the label's Amazon Panther print swimsuit. It sold out rather fast after that. However, if you're still interested, Net-a-Porter have an exclusive re-stock. I love the The Amazon but there are also plenty of other fab designs; The Knight Rider shows a staggeringly handsome horse galloping off into the starry night while The Hunter shows a pensive stag. If you're not into the animals then The Carnival (with a very cool scuba zip) and The Garden might be more up your street. If you're lucky enough to be popping off for some winter sun then Start already have a few We are Handsome pieces on sale. And for those of us stuck with the layering and lying in front of log fires option, this is an optimistic future planning purchase.
From exactly one minute in, this is the best graphic visual music video I have ever seen. (Though don't fast forward or you miss Elton playing!) Directed by Hype Williams, the video is inspired by the opening and closing sequences of the French movie Enter the Void, which was released early last year. Critics accuse Kanye and Hype of a total rip-off, and while it is very close to the original, their version is an improvement in my eyes. They say creativity is all about hiding your sources, well Kanye and Hype didn't burrow into the distant past, so what do they expect? Anyway, it's of no matter. This is a thing of beauty. Rihanna is sublime.
For me, watching this on a loop is the perfect palate refresher between London and Milan fashion week. Simply cannot stop watching/listening. Kanye, Elton, Rihanna, even La Roux is in there somewhere. Enjoy.
