11.13.09
Jack Wills does Haute Couture
Pyrie Dress - Jack Wills Christmas Collection
The brand new Christmas collection launched last week and this season’s handbook is the best ever (the creative alone deserves another post at a later date).
The very first item to launch itself off the page is the Pyrie dress (above), available solely in the Check (with a very similar Kassian design also on offer in black). Strictly Limited Edition – there are only 20 of these fine pieces up for purchase – each 100% silk dress is individually hand crafted at a not inconsiderable cost of £798 a pop. In the words of older sibling brand Aubin & Wills: exclusively for the discerning.
Highly desirable and only available to those able to fit neatly into a size 10 (so not quite haute couture made-to-measure but close enough), the Pyrie is quite the statement must-have piece of the season. And if you’re balking slightly at the price, comfort yourself with the assurance that only 19 other girls in the world will own the very same.
A far cry from the Balmain sequins of my earlier post which, as the ever-growing trend expands past tipping point, are likely to have a presence at every Christmas party across the country.
JW, always looking to expand without losing desirable exclusivity, has stepped up a gear and held aloft a seasonal design that even a regular JW consumer might struggle to afford. But look at the impeccable timing: launched in the Christmas catalogue just when every little girl and boy across the land is putting together their Christmas whishlist. It might break our banks, but possibly not Santa’s/Mummy & Daddy’s.
Fear not: for those who can’t quite stretch even to the regular line, who gleefully poor over the rails at the Bicester Village outlet, take a look at what’s launching online:
Though of course, exclusively by invitation only. And there’s a HUGE waiting list. Natch.
The NFL rumour mill: The Who do Super Bowl XLIV
The unofficial word on the street today (or rather the New York Daily Post) is whispering that Brit rockers The Who will perform during halftime at this season’s Super Bowl in Miami on 7th February 2010.
The band, led by surviving members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, are all set for the big NFL season finale, according to Sports Illustrated - accompanied by a typical SI Swimsuit Tori Praver rocking The Who’s band t-shirt.
The NFL hasn’t confirmed the booking, saying only that, “When we have something to announce, we’ll announce it.”
But the choice of the renowned British rockers makes sense, since CBS uses Who songs as intros for all three of its “CSI” shows: “Who Are You” (“CSI”), “Baba O’Riley” (“CSI: NY”) and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (“CSI: Miami”).
The NFL Super Bowl, which draws TV’s biggest annual audience, is traditionally a huge showcase for A-list acts during the halftime show.
In past years, the roster of performers has included Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson (and her infamous “wardrobe malfunction“), Paul McCartney, U2, The Rolling Stones, Prince and Bruce Springsteen.
CBS officials had no comment yesterday either. Sadly, despite having the inside track on Elton John at the Wembley game earlier this year, this one as it remains an unconfirmed unofficial rumour. Chances are that the official line will be announced during the Thanksgiving broadcasts in a couple of weeks’ time, so watch this space.
Perhaps though, this is a premonition that the Who Dats (otherwise known as the New Orleans Saints) might just make it all the way to the Super Bowl. Based on their form so far, it’s more than likely (plus we love them since they came to the UK last year, and won).
Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? Well, err, maybe The Who.
11.11.09
GANT – how pastels lit up the autumn news
I pulled this out of The Times last Friday as it literally jumped off the page at me. Granted it was largely due to the gorgeous pink bag prominently placed (and the obvious focus of the composition), but on closer inspection the ad really appealed to me. And Gant is not a label I either love or know at all well.
On further research, Gant sells itself as ‘American-style clothing with a European flair’. Sounds a lot like the sort of label that I would love. Some persistence was required with their website – the main site took an age to load and the UK version that Google points you to appears to be completely defunct – but I was dead keen to find that bag.
Being Miss Americana that I am, I’m surprised this brand is no new to me. The main site is currently re-directing to a special 60-year anniversary version, which tells a very American Dream story about the formulation of the brand and its traditional heritage. That said, it has next to nothing of the product to display, so I took the call to action in the advert and visited www.GantUK.com.
But still that elusive bag escapes me. Unfortunately the only versions of the Leather Chelsea Handbag available online (for £219.00 by the way) are black and red. No pink in sight.
The reason the ad stood out so significantly to me was because it seemed so unseasonal. Look at the weather, the pastel shades, the picture perfect couple out on a summertime drive. But unseasonal though it may have been, it provided the prefect escapism from the rainy doom and gloom of the British autumnal climate (and news surrounding the ad).
Clear call to action with the site, that got me logged on… and yet no product to purchase at the end of it. They wouldn’t have made their £219 instantly, but it sure would have been added to my Boxed Up Christmas list. Shame.
11.07.09
Legally Blonde hits London – 5th December
Omigod you guys – from Broadway to the West End, it’s finally here:
The Times’ Playlist magazine had a very pink looking cover wrap this weekend, shouting loud and proud that Elle is coming to town.
I’m a huge fan of the movie – that low-budget, enormously profitable surprise smash hit of 2001, that grossed $141m worldwide and catapulted a young Reese Witherspoon firmly into the A-list (she went on to command $15m for the sequel). My girlfriends share the love of the Blonde, but arguably I am the most ardent fan amongst us.
Hence why, on our New Year break in New York the year before last, when we were searching Broadway for a show that we all wanted to see, I somehow ended up winning the battle and dragging all four of us along.
Safe to say, they may hate to admit it, but we all had a total blast.
The biggest success for me – I guess as every musical should boast – was the music (rightly so, the Original Score earned the show one of its seven Tony nominations). The soundtrack, in lyric and arrangement, perfectly captures the exuberant, confident fun and frolics of Elle as she careers through the Harvard Law application process to win back her man. From the explosive opening Omigod You Guys to the empowering So Much Better (Elle’s first victory over Warner at Harvard). The bridge of the piece (the titular Legally Blonde) comes when Elle admits defeat and decides to pack her bags back to LA - one of the only slow numbers of the show, it culminates in a powerful duet with Emmet.
The Broadway cast in action, led by Laura Bell Bundy
A fairly eclectic mix of a cast are bringing us the West End version. The naturally comedic Sheridan Smith (TV’s Gavin and Stacey, Two Pints of Lager…) takes the lead, and from the video preview on the show’s website, we’re assured she kicks ass with some very strong vocals. Boy band Blue’s Duncan James (having already proved his worth in the West End from a stint in Chicago) plays the smooth, gorgeous, arrogant object of Elle’s affections, Warner – while her emerging love interest Emmet is played by Canadian-born Alex Gaumond (fresh from We Will Rock You as Galileo). Two other very promising castings can be found in Jill Halfpenny as Paulette and the wonderful Peter Davison as Professor Callaghan.
Fairly obviously, it’s decidedly a show for fans of the movie, girls and those who are willing to suspend and notion of serious theatre for one night of unabashed silliness. It’s very pink, very blonde and never claims to be anything else – but if you are not enthusiastically tapping your foot and wholeheartedly rooting for Elle by the key change of the final reprise, I’d be surprised.
Tickets are on sale now, with previews starting towards the end of the month. Naturally I’ll be taking a front seat to see if the West End measures up to Broadway – and no doubt I’ll be dragging the girls along again. Only this time, they know they’ve got a guaranteed fun night ahead of them.
And if you’re not convinced, at least get your hands on the soundtrack. I personally promise it will get you dancing round your bedroom with a hairbrush.
11.04.09
True love IS bag-shaped
Just a quick post this morning. Continuing the trend of heart shaped creations, the below page of Stylist magazine caught my eye this morning. For no other reason than it was a cool arrangement of imagery that promoted their next issue well – and, well, it’s true: true love is bag-shaped.
(Husbands / boyfriends – Christmas is coming. Take note.)
(c) Stylist magazine
10.19.09
THAT Balmain dress
So sequins and texture are dominating the high street right now. Why? Because they also stole the show at London Fashion Week last month. But there was one key statement piece that every fashion weekly and Hollywood superstar – from the established rock veteran to the teenage ingenue – seem to be adopting as the look of the season.
THAT Balmain dress.
The frightenly low waist-skimming neckline and statement shoulder pads define it from the multitude of sequinned numbers currently pouring forth from fashion houses and retail stores alike.
Where might you have seen it? For starters, the superb giant LFW special issue of my own personal weekly fashion bible – Sunday Times Style magazine – showcased it in all its glory in a runway shot:
© Sunday Times Style
On the same weekend, Sunday Telegraph’s big monthly fashion bible – ST – also flagged the Balmain sequins in a muted colour shoot:
© Sunday Telegraph ST
And then, the following week’s Style magazine (launch issue for their new look) featured a big splash interview with rock chick Courtney Love – and guess what they put her in for one of the looks?
© Sunday Times Style
(Perhaps thankfully discarding the slashed-to-the-waist version for the more modest front cut – both can be viewed in the Automne-Hiver 0910 collection on Balmain.com)
And then, a top starlet and fashion inspiration in my world, Blake Lively, rocked up at an Emmy after party in the very same. She even changed out of her classic red Versace awards gown before the party. A clear stamp of approval if it were still needed.
But sadly, not all of us can fork out the required £6,930 for the real thing. Fear not – Warehouse have a copycat number that is guaranteed to fly off the shelves this season. For a mere £90 as well. The danger is that you are likely to rock up at various Christmas parties this winter and experience the embarrassing she’s-wearing-the-same-dress-as-me horror, but given how widely the Balmain original is being touted around, celebs will probably be experiencing the very same. So you’ll be in good company.
10.08.09
New York fashion boutiques hit London… with 20% off tonight!
October has gained official Americana status for Carnaby Street fashionistas as the Wish You Were Here cross Atlantic fashion swap officially hits our London streets this month.
Two pop-up stores in the cobbled streets of the Newburgh Quarter are, for one month only, showing off the wares of 12 specially selected Lower East Side Manhattan boutiques as part of a fashion exchange – of which the London leg hit NYC earlier this year.
Being the New York obsessive that I am, I dropped into the stores last weekend on the launch day with a few girlfriends. Despite the ‘launch weekend’ not having quite the atmosphere billed (and competing somewhat with the ludicrous crowds queuing for the Friends cafe down the road), I was really impressed with the threads on display.
And the best bit? Tonight for one evening only (5-9pm), they are offering a 20% discount across the collections. You just have to register HERE. Get involved.
Click for enlarged Google map
Top picks from me:
In God We Trust (8, Newburgh Street) – my favourite collection, from Brooklyn designer and owner Shana Tabor. Think Blair Waldorf on her first college internship at a fashion house. Highlights for me were the smart silk fitted dresses with satin finish - in black with gold button detail and a vivid purple – and a high-necked rich cream wool cropped dress that would look killer with black tights and skyscraper heels.
Ernest Sewn (3, Lowndes Court) – the denim brand bought over. Not inordinately expensive for boutique jeans, the collection showed a good range of denim hues and cuts, with a cute touch of a trademark Ernest Sewn handkerchief tucked in the back pocket. Unfortunately (at least in the range shipped over) there was no variation in leg length, but if you check out the website you’ll see the extent of cuts usually available.
Adrienne’s & Gina de Silva (3, Lowndes Court) – one gorgeous dress that I am heading to purchase this very evening (if y’all don’t get there first). Gina’s family business, Adrienne’s is actually a boutique bridal salon, hence the dress in question is reasonably bridal inspired; almost knee-length, fitted with a beautiful cream lace atop a darker underlay. Summer garden party perfect, but adaptable for smart evening do’s throughout the A/W season too.
Hairy Mary’s Vintage & Design (3, Lowndes Court) – a cute collection of vintage inspired (and sometimes genuinely vintage) dresses. Pretty, eclectic print fabrics, mostly strapless and tucked in at the waist with built in striped waistbands. And random fact: some lines and accessories appeared in the latest series of Ugly Betty.
And finally, in the basement of the 8 Newburgh Street branch, the WYWH team have installed a temporary art gallery. Not hugely inspirational, there is one piece definitely worth a visit: Julia Chiang’s giant heart installation, created from hundreds of individually wall-mounted candy rings, dripping with sugar sweetness down the wall. Literally, a labour of love:
(c) Julia Chiang
Candy rings. Seriously. Hundreds of them.
09.29.09
JW’s Fabulous(ly British) T’s
Some sharp direct e-marketing from JW this morning. Aside from the fact the T’s themselves are pretty darn cute, playing on the Fabulously… tag within an array of rainbow shades, the presentation of the message is adorable.
I’ve seen a few creative pitch decks being put together in a similar fashion to the above lately, and execs seem to be taking their cue from fashion houses and graphic designers on whose labours of love the above format seems to be based. The standard Powerpoint text box is dead – laboriously photographing collections of Post-Its on a white board is the new way to express your creative ideas (and it is worth it).
As if a snapshot had been taken directly from the desk of a designer at JW HQ (staples still intact in the corner of the crumpled notepaper), there seems a desire to stamp authenticity on what could have become a standard e-mailout. The hand-drawn augmentation of the well-established ‘Fabulously British’ tag now synonymous with the brand, is a cheeky rebellious twist at once conveying both credibility and a brand personality not afraid to challenge convention. Rather reflective of their student audience I thought.
And one final thing – pretty brave for a fashion brand to launch a whole new range of T’sjust as the air turns crisp and people are starting to dig out scarves, layers and overcoats. But when you’re a JW staple, who cares about bucking the trend? Sling it over a Raubelin Henley with a scarf and a beanie and you’re good to go.
09.28.09
Hiscox insurance calls a spade a spade
Snapshot while waiting for a train this morning – a strong outdoor ad from a potentially dull brand.
CBS Outdoor Advertising did something equally striking when catching the eye of bored tube commuters at Hammersmith station a few months back.
This time, insurance company Hiscox are out to prove that they speak plainly to their customer base, cutting through all the usual jargon spouted by a lot of their financial and insurance competitiors. In this case, literally calling a spade a spade.
If my Blackberry photo resolution isn’t quite up to scratch, the copy reads:
It’s a Spade. Not an earth relocating implement.
At Hiscox, we keep our policies jargon free. After all, what’s wrong with plain English?
In a world where your water-cooler arrives via local ’water-dispensing solution delivery operatives’ and your household trash is collected by ‘refuse waste removal management systems’, it was quite refreshing to see a spade called, well, a spade.
