HAWT: Naomie Harris in J Mendell

Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.

I attended the opening of the new Rimowa store last week, and alongside being rather dazzled by the brand’s signature, lightweight and totally glistening luggage, I was utterly mesmerised by Naomie Harris’ outfit.  Wearing a J Mendel cut-out, peek-a-boo dress (my favourite style), Christian Louboutin heels, an Edie Parker white quartz clutch and Monica Vinader jewellery, the Bond actress looked beautifully chic.  

After some giggles with Juliet Angus, an illustration from Clym Evernden, and several salted-caramel macarons, I had a selfie taken with Alessandra Ambrosio (which sadly did not capture her thigh-high leather boots… Sorrrrry fellas!)  And yes, I’m the one that clearly looks like she should be on a Starbucks run. Repeat after me Kelly, ‘Do Not Take Selfies With Supermodels.’ Lesson learnt.

TLC LOVES... RIMOWA

The Met Ball 2015

This week saw the annual star-studded Met Ball once again mark the grand opening of the Costume Institute’s fashion exhibition at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.  This hugely anticipated, glamourous frock frenzy, seen by many as the fashion industry’s Oscars, saw many of the most famous faces (and bottoms, as the case seemed to be!) appear on the red carpet attempting to bring this year’s exhibition theme to life, ‘China: Through the Looking Glass.’  

Sarah-Jessica Parker (in H&M) and Rihanna (in Guo Pei) attacked the theme with predictable aplomb, both wearing outfits celebrating all things Chinese.  Despite SJP’s stand-out, bejewelled Philip Treacy headpiece being likened to a firey emoji and Rihanna’s sweeping canary yellow train being likened to an omelette, these ladies cannot be faulted for their bold and creative looks. 

Below:  Supermodel Karen Elson’s elaborate Dolce & Gabanna gown was phenomenal and definitely one of my personal ‘WOW’ looks of the night.

Below:  Our gorgeous Brit Chicks were out in force and representing on the red carpet, with Sienna Miller (in Thakoon), Georgia May Jagger (in, albeit more Japanese-inspired, Gucci) and Alexa Chung (in Erdem) all looking low key, comfortable and very, very cool. 

‘Who Runs The World?... Girls…’ Well, naked girls apparently. Beyonce (in custom Givenchy Haute Couture), Jennifer Lopez (in Versace) and Kim Kardashian West (in Peter Dundas for Roberto Cavalli) decided that less was to be more on the night.  Leaving very little to the imagination, these three curvaceous beauties made a strong case for replacing the side-boob with the side-bum, a trend I believe (and desperately hope…) will not catch on. These looks, in my opinion, were not high fashion, not reflective of the Chinese culture, and actually, not particularly classy.  I could really have done without seeing 8000 pictures of Kim’s belly-button and Beyonce’s butt-crack over my breakfast. Too much ladies… Toooo much. 

Below:  Several ladies (perhaps anxious about the controversial implications of the theme?) dressed down to avoid any risk.  And by down, I mean drearily.  Spending £16,500 on a ticket to the gala and then wearing a sensible dress, however elegant, feels just plain wrong.  I want me some drama!  I want me some tulle!  Despite there being plenty of extraordinary Chinese designers who I’m sure would have been more than happy to design stunning creations for these gorgeous 'schlebs, Clare Danes, Reese Witherspoon, Rachel Weiss, Carey Mulligan and Dakota Johnson* were among many who disappointingly seemed to have missed the ‘Go Big or Go Home’ memo.  (*FYI Dakota, wearing heavy winged eye-liner and holding a clutch in the shape of a chubby Chinese woman is a little on-the-nose dude...!)

SHOP THE LOOK...

Who was YOUR best dressed on the night? 

'Inside Rolls Royce' - A trip to the Goodwood Factory

I cannot tell you just how excited I was (and just HOW jealous my poor father was!) to be invited to explore the Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood, ahead of their exciting exhibition, ‘Inside Rolls-Royce,’ that opens to the public at the Saatchi Gallery tomorrow.  

An epically sprawling, yet peaceful structure designed in 2003 by Nicholas Grimshaw (who also designed the Eden Project), the factory is a brilliant, natural extension of it’s environment, invisible from the road and air, with a roof made of living plants and plenty of natural light pouring into each and every room.  

 

Upon entering the building, you are immediately met with co-founder Henry Royce’s moto displayed across the entrance; 'Take the best that exists and make it better: when it does not exist, design it,' - advice still very much adhered by the current designers and engineers at Goodwood. 

After a quick lunch and presentation from Marc Mielau (right), the Head of Marketing at Rolls-Royce, where we heard lots more about the upcoming exhibition but also about the luxury car company’s history, we set off in our beige Rolls-Royce attire (less Burberry, more biology GCSE lab coat!) to commence le grand tour.  

With 1500 employees, 20 Rolls-Royce cars are made each day in what I saw to be the most immaculate of factories.  On utterly pristine white floors (no grease or oil in sight!) each Ghost and Wraith (the more girl friendly of all the designs) go through 16 stations for 45 minutes a time, and the Phantoms (enormous!!) have 11 stations, each lasting for 2 hours a time.   It seemed an almost surgical process, as I witnessed incredible amounts of precision and care taken at each stop along the long assembly line.

Below (L-R):  What goes on (factory) tour... With Kit Lee, Ella Catliff and Charlie May.

With so much to see, and such little time, our more than wonderful guide June thankfully knew her audience, so we spent less time having the inner workings of all the car engines explained to us, and FAR more time spent in the design arena...

With cars well known for their heritage, as well as their sleek and ever-evolving design, detail is everything at Rolls-Royce.  Forever pushing boundaries, there is no challenge too small for this company to tackle for their clients and it was fascinating hearing some of the more particular bespoke requests!  

From hand painted stripes on cars (performed in the factory using squirrel haired brushes by a single artisan and his steady hand – WOW! Imagine THAT pressure?!) and customized, non traditional paint jobs (once to match a lady’s much-loved red setter dog, another her pink Chanel lipstick - above!) to hand stitched embroidery, in-built microwaves (for hand towels, duh!), champagne chillers (naturally!), detailed wood, diamond (yup!) and mother of pearl door (below left) designs and twinkly lit, fibre-optic star light head liners (below right). This factory really can, rather effortlessly, make your every fantasy car wish come true!

Above:  Large, super soft and colourful leather hides hang, ready to be stretched, then traced and eventually lazer cut in particular patterns for various car seats.  

I did not find it particularly surprising, given the absolute treasures inside, to find that as our tour finished there was a giant rainbow outside, its end landing at the exact foot of the factory...

After the tour I was allowed to take a Rolls-Royce out for a wee test drive… It's a tough job buuuut...

Below (L-R):  My (brave) passengers/Charlie's Angels for the afternoon; Camila Carril and Sarah Mikaela.

MADDY THOMPSON-004.jpg

Driving through the beautiful countryside roads of Sussex in quite possibly the PIMPEST car possible was pretty extraordinary!  I was a little nervous at first, although smaller and sportier than the Ghost and the Phantom, the Wraith is still considerably bigger (and just a taaaad more expensive) than the lil’bumper car I roll around town in!  Soon, I was completely in the swing of things and only wished the drive had lasted longer (or my family, who were terribly worried for the CAR’s safety) had seen me! 

After such an amazing afternoon, I am really looking forward to attending the ‘Inside Rolls-Royce’ exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery later this week, ahead of its world tour.  With complimentary entry, the public can expect a multi-sensory journey, spread across nine rooms, giving an amazing insight into the world-renowned engineering, design, craftsmanship and remarkable lengths required to create the world’s pinnacle super-luxury car.  I am particularly excited to visit the room where you can, for a brief time, transform into the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy (the ethereal statuette that adorns the front of every Rolls-Royce) on a video wall in a beautiful light particle animation.

‘Inside Rolls Royce’ at the Saatchi Gallery: 13 November until 16 November.

Brad Pitt's Chanel No 5 Advertisement Revealed

We have all eagerly waited upon the latest Chanel No.5 advert having being teased for over a month with the teeniest, tiniest of tit-bit-Pitts, and yesterday it was finally released.  Am I alone in thinking… Is that it?!   Yes, Brad Pitt looks hot. Yes, Brad Pitt sounds hot. But… Where is the romance, the sweeping vistas, the fantasy… the… the… the anything?! 

Marilyn Monroe’s coy giggles, Audrey Tautou’s wistful train glances and Nicole Kidman’s can-can under the Eiffel Tower, have all been replaced by a scruffy Brad Pitt and his goatee.  As the first man to ever advertise the scent (a job he was paid £4.32 million for!) and with the amazing Joe Wright as his director, is it wrong that I had just expected MORE?!  A pensive, sultry Brad looks as if he has rolled out of a bar and given a deeply intense monologue to an invisible flock of birds... Unintentionally funny. Ooh-La-Lazy. 

Musical Moment: The Lumineers ('Ho Hey')

I am loving this beyond catchy debut single, filled with romance and regret, from The Lumineers self titled album released earlier this month. 

Denver folk-rock trio (Wesley Schultz, Jeremiah Fraites and Neyla Pakarek) were formed after the death of a Fraite’s older brother, “out of sorrow, powered by passion and ripened by hard work.”  After a fantastic performance at this year’s SXSW, The Lumineers are set to become ma-hoosive with music that has a nostalgic reverie and videos which leave you itching to join in with all their foot stompin’ folksy fun.  Mood officially lifted.

"I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart..." 

Oh, the Places You'll Go at Burning Man!

Reminding us all to live adventurously and with great faith, Los Angeles based photographer Teddy Saunders at Tedshots, brought Dr. Seuss’ beautiful and joyous ode to life, ‘Oh, The Places You Will Go,’ to the screen last summer at the dusty extravaganza, Burning Man, in the deserts of Nevada.

In the below video you will see a bunch of brilliant and charming ‘Burners’ recite this classic story of life's ups and downs, with all its unrivaled exuberance, in a series of vibrant shots alongside a magical musical score.

Credit Buy - The Mulberry Harriet

Mulberry have kicked off 2012 by spoiling us with yet another beautiful bag...

After the Evelina’s short reign as the bag du jour, the Harriethas burst onto the scene and already has a gaggle of celebrity fans; Elizabeth Olsen, Olivia Palmero and Kate Bosworth have already snapped up variations of the bag, and Blake Lively (left) has been seen on the set of Gossip Girl swinging around the Harriet satchel.

Similar to 2010’s Neely, also having a lock closure and glossy leather finish, the Harriet family comes in a variety of shapes (shoulder, satchel, clutch and clutch wallet) and colours (black, navy, blush, khaki and leopard print.) 

Happy New Year... Happy New Bag? 

From £350 - £2500

J'adore Dior

Mila Kunis has been chosen as the new face of Christian Dior, representing the label's SS'12 Miss Dior handbag campaign.

Joining her fellow 'Black Swan' star Natalie Portman, the current face of Miss Dior Cherie, Mila follows in the footsteps of other Dior beauties; Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Charlize Theron and the legendary, Marilyn Monroe.

Mila said, "I always thought what Dior does is so sophisticated, feminine and beautiful" – as are these photographs of the actress shown below...

Credit Buy - Mulberry's Evelina Hobo

Move over Alexa, Lily, Daria, Taylor, Bella, Holly, Rosie and Tillie - There's a new gorgeous Mulbabe on the scene - Evelina.

This new–season, slouchy and laid back style handbag features luxe gold hardware and a detachable shoulder strap.

Above: Camel Leopard Print Hobo RRP. £2000
Left: Fudge Glossy Buffalo Hobo RRP. £795

Love her forevelina.