Trend: Spring Knits

Above: Day or night, no one rocks a sweater better than Alexa Chung.

Despite the sun STILL refusing to put his party hat on (yes, that is snow outside... IN APRIL!) I refuse to let my style suffer.  It may be all miserable and gloomy outside but underneath my heavy parka and umbrella I shall be wearing a series of gorgeous light and bright knits bound to put Spring in my step.  A knitted jumper is key this season so whether you choose to wear yours with a bejewelled statement necklace, layered with a shirt underneath (collar done up for the ultimate in geek chic), or, à la Brrrrr-ave Alexa Chung, with bare legs and a skirt, your Winter Blues will be banished. 

Above (L-R):  Jump(er)ing into Spring:  Sienna Miller, Poppy Delevigne & Laura Carmichael.

Above ( Clockwise L-R):  Gryphon NYC Rugby Merino Wool Jumper - RRP. £275.00,  Markus Lupfer Big Heart Intarsia Jumper - RRP. £255.00,  Topshop Knitted Mix Stitch Crop Jumper -RRP. £36.00,  Malene Birger Bonny Cotton and Linen-Blend Jumper - RRP. £!45.00,  Influence Pink Honeycomb Crop Knit Jumper at New Look - RRP. £14.99 , Acne Micah Angora Sweater - RRP. £170.00

'Manet: Portraying Life' at the Royal Academy

I recently went to see the Manet exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts… alongside most of London it seemed!  In what was the most overcrowded of shows I’ve been to in a long time (advance bookings were among the highest in the academy's recent history) I saw more that sixty of Édouard Manet's portraits.  Unfortunately, the quality of the work exhibited, much of which was not shown during the artist’s lifetime, was desperately uneven (several were even unfinished) and I found myself searching for the more well known of Manet’s paintings, omitted from this show.  However, as well as learning a lot about the artist’s life, there were some obviously excellent pieces to admire, especially those of Manet’s sister-in-law Berthe Morisot (above) and that of the Monet family in their tranquil garden at Argenteuil (below).

The show closes this Sunday but there are extended opening hours this weekend until midnight.  Tickets RRP. £15.00 available Here. 

Best of London - David Huglin

Burtonwode was launched by artist David Huglin (left) in 2010 when he noticed the huge imbalance “between the choice women had with their underwear compared to men.”   David set about to create stylish and unique boxer shorts for men who wanted something more individual ”underneath it all.”  

Printed in a 19th Century Carlisle mill and then stitched in London’s Canning Town, the sixteen pair collection of colourful Burtonwode boxer shorts are classically cut, made from 100% softened cotton and are available in a range of quirky prints from David’s own artwork.

Despite being based in London, David is Liverpudlian and has 'Liverpool' sewn onto every label "because I want it to be seen as a Liverpool brand; the city very much suits our outlook because there are things like plums and cherries on the boxes - it’s meant to be quite witty and cheeky and not taking itself too seriously.”  Fruity. 

David Huglin shared with us some of his London Favourites…

My Pint – I always try and go for something I've not had before.  I ask to try a bit of something random and and then have a pint of the stuff if I like it.  One that is always good value for money is Sam Smiths Alpine Lager at Blue Posts ( 81 Newman Street).
 
My Date Night – Home made Pierogies on the couch with my wife watching some trashy food porn programme.    
 
My Sunday Brunch – It has to be bagels with cream cheese and dry smoked smoked salmon at L&D in Hampstead (15-17 Lyttelton Road), or at Panzers in St.Johns Wood (13-19 Circus Road) - It's making me hungry even thinking about it...   
 
My Building – This is hard to choose, but probably the The Isokon Building in Hampstead.  Early residents included Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and Agatha Christie. I also find theRoyal Festival Hall just remarkable.  The details are unbelievable - check out the entrance door handles and brass banisters.

My London Shop – It was the Paul Smith furniture shop on Albermarle Street, full of whimsy and playfulness.  Sadly it's temporarily closed as it had some awesome stuff in there.  Calvert Street in Shoreditch is really great, it has Anthem, Mawi and Ally Capelino.

My London Extravagance – Taking the day off and strolling around the British Museum.
 
London's Best Kept Secret – I like the second hand furniture places on the Holloway Road.
 
My London Icon – Edward Johnston who invented the Underground Symbol and Typeface used until the 1980's. A brilliant and efficient response to the challenges of the underground mapping system. 

Burtonwode Boxer Shorts RRP. £26.00

www.burtonwode.com

Happy Easter...

'Now you're just some Bunny that I used to know...'

Stella McCartney receives OBE from the Queen

Stella McCartney was the perfect poster girl for her brand yesterday as she collected her OBE for services to fashion from the Queen.  Wearing a bespoke navy suit of her own design, with a vintage platinum headpiece by Cartier and velvet pumps, Stella told the Press Association, “I feel really proud and really excited and honoured to be here."  Stella also revealed that despite the Queen looking “very chic” she felt the 86 year old monarch should have been wearing Stella McCartney, “I slipped her a card…”
 
Stella McCartney joins fellow designers Dame Vivienne Westwood and Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, as well as Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon in being awarded the Order of the British Empire.  Congratulations Stella!!

The Black Cat Cabaret

Last week I was invited to the decadent Titanic Ballroom at the Café de Paris to watch The Black Cat Cabaret, the descendent of the infamous Parisien nightspot, ‘Le Chat Noir’, brought to London by the co-founders of the Boom Boom Club and La Rêve.  

Whilst enjoying a delicious three-course dinner, I was treated to an array of vintage-inspired performances from musicians, dancers and acrobats, transporting me back to the bygone era of Montmartre’s daring cabaret world.  It was easy, having been to London hotspot, ‘The Box,’ not to be as impressed with all the performances as I perhaps should have been (some of the acts were simply too underwhelming), but the show’s devilish host and co-creator, Dusty Limits, gave a fantastically mischievous and utterly commanding performance, ably abetted by wonderful can-can dancing, an ethereal burlesque performance, mesmerizing hula hooping from ‘drunken’ showgirl Kalki and, my favourite, Dickie Beau’s brilliantly mimed invocation of Kenneth Williams.  A totally charming and whimsical night out. 

The Black Cat Cabaret has one last performance with this cast on Good Friday.  For £10 off tickets enter the discount code '8livesleft'

General Show Admission:   £15.00
Early Bird Show Admission:  £12.00
2 Course Dinner & Show:  £47.50
3 Course Dinner & Show:  £52.50
VIP 3 Course Dinner & Show: £75.00

    www.theblackcat.info

Designer Sushi by Kate Moss

In what appears to be the weirdest collaboration, Kate Moss has teamed up with the French chain Sushi Shop to create the limited-edition Kate Moss Sushi Box – a sequined designed box available from May 13th, carrying 40 pieces of the supermodel’s favourite sushi at a cost of £38.00.  "We are opening our first London location next month so it felt natural to collaborate with her," a spokeswoman for the restaurant announced.  

"Nothing is as good as skinny SUSHI feels..."

Beyonce as Mrs Carter for H&M

Beyonce is the face of H&M swimwear this summer and HOW gorgeous does she look in this pre-released campaign shot?!  Taken in the Bahamas by Inez van Lamsweerde andVinoodh Matadin, Queen Bey reclines on a sun lounger modelling pieces inspired by her individual style.  The campaign will introduce the star as "Beyoncé as Mrs Carter in H&M."  

"I've always liked H&M's focus on fun affordable fashion. I really loved the concept we collaborated on to explore the different emotions of women represented by the four elements - fire, water, earth and wind," said Beyonce, "It was a beautiful shoot on a tropical island. It felt more like making a video than a commercial."

H&M's High Summer 2013 collection will be in stores from May.

Princesse Tam.Tam's Red Nose Day Pyjamarama

Princesse Tam.Tam promised to donate £50.00 in my name at tonight’s 25th Comic Relief fundraiser if I agreed to be ‘Funny for Money’ and wear my pyjamas to work this morning!  I have worn my Princesse Tam.Tam Diamond Blue PJs (available here) along with the accessory du jour, a Red Nose, all day – including at a meeting with Literary Death Match creator Adrian Todd Zuniga at Notting Hill’s Granger & Co (below). 

To donate to Red Nose Day click here.  The money you give will help poor and vulnerable people, both in the UK and in Africa.  

HAWT: Olivia Palermo in Christian Dior Shoes

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.

Olivia Palermo arrived at the Christian Dior A/W'13 Ready-to-Wear show during last week's Paris Fashion Week wearing these incredible heels from Dior's Spring 2013 collection.  The black leather slingbacks featured a mirrored purple cuff.

Shoe envy factor? High. 

Looking as gorgeously stylish as ever, Olivia (left) paired her shoes with a striped sleeveless Dior dress, also from their SS'13 collction, and the Felder Felder Nashville fur-trimmed wool coat.  Olivia's burgundy bag was also, of course, by Dior.  Aside from the unfortunate use of fur on her coat, Olivia's look is as flawless and perfectly polished as ever.