Tim Walker for Love Magazine

Tim Walker obsessed. STILL.
Karen Elson and Edie Campbell on The Lion King shoot for Love Magazine.

Vive la France

Whilst the beautiful English summer may well be treating us exceptionally well this year... I can't help but daydream of my South of France end-of-summer retreat plans.

Bring me the glamorous Côte d'Azur, the Med, the beauty of it all. If it's good enough for Bardot...

Missoni

I've always had a bit of a thing for Italian fashion house Missoni's vibrant knits and colour palette of zingy brights in eclectic prints.

I also adore that the name is inextricably linked with that decadence that comes from a source of one big transgenerational Italian family. They live their lives passionately and radiate a Mediterranean beauty that comes from doing so, which is impossible to emulate (as with Dolce & Gabbana, my other Italian fash faves).

Ottavio Missoni, founding father of the dynasty, sadly passed away recently, at the age of 92. 

Eldest granddaughter of the family, Margherita, last week Instagrammed this cute photo (above), with the caption 'Dance the night away. #Happyhappydontstop', which says it all really. 

Voici Cara Delevingne on the catwalk in Missoni Spring/ Summer 2013; a fashion fun-lover's dream

Et voila, some More Margherita. A girl after my own heart, who embodies joie de vivre, has a fun fashion sense and penchant for flower-bearing trees and secret gardens

 

Prada Candy L'Eau

Quirky in a Miuccia Prada kind of way



On Vogue beauty here
In a 'Romantic and dreamlike Parisian utopia'.

Solange for Kenzo

Solange Knowles is one super cool New York chick. Girl got some sass.
Here she is representin' in some Kenzo, Paris, alongside Brooklyn-based rapper Theophilius London.

Yup Queen Beyonce's younger quirkier sister. Check out her blog here: My Damn Blog.

Vogue, March

New York, New York

Source

Flying out this Springtime to see my beloved honorary American cool cat Madeleine and simply cannot wait. Cue day-dreamin', list-makin', procrastinatin', excitement takin' over my world for the next 6 weeks pre-trip!!

In the wise words of the wonderful Frank Sinatra, 'It's up to you New York, New Yoiiiiik!!'

Elie Saab: Spring/ Summer 2013 Couture

Beautiful, Beautiful dresses! What a stunning colour palette. Just dreamy

''They sparkle, they shimmer, they shine and they work a striking silhouette... It was pretty with beautiful embroideries and embellishments that splayed out across fitted dresses of lavender and white, fuchsia, faded red, black and baby blue... ballgowns of crystals in coralesque formations; white lace flowers strewn between splashes of iridescent silver; head-to-toe embellishment; and plentiful swishing skirts.''    Vogue.com 

Alexa Chung for Maje

Our very own Alexa doing French label Maje. Like a modern-day Jane Birken.

Impressionism and Fashion

I'm somewhat dismayed that my jaunt to Paris later cette mois (pardon my franglais) unhappily fails to coincide with the Impressionism and Fashion exhibition at the Musée D'Orsay (a fave joint for a Parisian culture fix).

The exhibition runs until January 20th, so catch it while you can, discerning art-fashion lovers... Perhaps I'll get a look in when it moves to the Met in New York (February-May).
[N.B. I am now fully committed to dreaming of 2013 travel plans: new year, new adventures]

Here's legendary style blogger The Sartorialist's part of the video that accompanies the expo: -
As he (Scott Schuman, to mere non-fashion fiend mortals) explains,

'I’ve always been inspired by painting, especially Impressionism, so to be included as a modern proponent of the Impressionism concept is quite humbling.'

His blog (the stuff of aspiration for a fashion amateur such as myself) can be found here.

Music of the day: Vices

Got to love a bit of lo-fi arty. Brought to you by band of cute English boys: Vices. Check their website out here

Merry Christmas everyone

Hope you too are all enjoying quality festive times with family, more than a little too much food, some nice presents and being extremely cosy. MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! (here's our little vintage tree and some vintage destiny's child)

Her Majesty

Her Maj, looking simply RESPLENDENT

The French chick strikes again

I've blogged about her before and I'll blog about her again: cool-as-a-cucumber Lou Doillon, via the wonderful Garance Doré (whose own blog is essential reading). Could these French chicks be any cooler?? Advertising dynamite for Free People here. p.s. Don't be fooled by the pitch-perfect English accent- Doillon's mother is the Jane Birkin.

Paris Fashion Week: BALENCIAGA, Spring 2013

This is it. I am completely, irrevocably, in love with this dress. Bravo, Nicholas Ghesquière. Stellar collection: see it here

Desire, desire, DESIRE <3

OUI

=WANT. Ring by Dior. Via Jak and Jil.

Dreaming of a Sicilian Summer...

...courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana, Spring/Summer 2012

As modelled by the beautiful Isabeli Fontana in Elle magazine

Featured in Grazia

My sentiments exactly... Happy Weekend Everybody! (merci Marjorie for this one)

For shoes ready to take flight...

... trust the Grande Dame, Ms Miuccia Prada

Prada Spring/Summer 2012

All I want for Christmas...

... Is a nice, sensible coat from one of the new (well, relatively new to my radar) wave of cool, understated French brands*, such as these little numbers from The Kooples and Sandro; and a new Lomography (worran INCREDIBLE brand) camera to help build the collection I can soon see myself amassing, like this multilens one. I already have the Holga camera and received the Fisheye as a birthday gift last year (remember me showing you the results?). I'm excited about more photographical adventures to come.

So that's a good coat and a good camera please Santa. Come to think of it, some slippers would also be good. And then of course pjs. Ooh, and I could really do with some new, music sound quality-enhancing headphones... the WISHLIST really is never-ending in fact. It would seem I didn't in fact return from my late November trip to India** as unmaterialistic as I thought!

I am also super excited, as always, about seeing the faces of others as they open what I have wrapped and ready for them under the tree.

But of course, Christmas, and this time of year, is really all about quality time with family and loved ones, reflecting, giving thanks... and far too much fine food. (oh, the food).

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. Enjoy. I'm off to enjoy some eggnog prepared by le sister.


*more of which to come
**more of which also to come... ok, first official New Year's resolution: BLOG MORE

The colour-popping Lomography multilens camera
Check out the awesome results from the Lomography site, where people post the fruits of their with-camera adventures.

Manteau, by Sandro. French-designed, navy blue, exclusively sleeved in leather: what more could a girl want in a coat?!

The Perfect Duffle

Oh Alexa