All I Want For Christmas Is....

All I want for Christmas is you... And this... And maybe a few of these... Oh, and this too...

Above Clockwise (L-R): Brilliant Books from Amazon...  'Kate: The Kate Moss Book' - £50.00 £42.50, Tim Walker's 'Story Teller' - £45.00 £24.30, Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld's 'The Little Black Jacket' - £65.00 £55.25, Mel S.Elliot's 'Colour Me Good Ryan Gosling' - £7.50 £6.00, Camilla Morton's 'Diane Von Furstenberg and the Tale of the Empress's New Clothes' - £12.99 £8.83, 'Grace' by Grace Coddington - £25.00 £21.25.

Above Clockwise (L-R):  Sophia Rogge Silk Scarfs - £190.00 or £270 for personalised, Plates from Anthropologie - £16.00 - £26.00, Anya Hindmarch Studded Leather Cosmetic Case - £225.00. 

Above Clockwise (L-R):  Movies and Music from Amazon... 'Moonrise Kingdom' (DVD) - £11.99, 'Homeland' Season 1 (DVD) - £24.97, 'The Hunger Games' (DVD) - £10.00, Rihanna's 'Unapologetic' (CD) - £8.99, Jake Bugg (CD) - £7.99.

Oh... And World Peace. 

Romeo Beckham for Burberry SS'13

"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo…?" Errrm, Burberry apparently! 10 year old Romeo Beckham has made his modeling debut in the S/S’13 Burberry campaign, shot by Mario Testino.  Despite the advertisements also featuring Edie Campbell and 2012's model of the year, Cara Delevigne. It was Romeo, according to Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey, “who really stole the show.”   Looking particularly dapper (left) at the ‘Viva Forever!’ press night last week Romeo, alongside his brothers and parents, wore a stylish Burberry outfit, one of the many that I assume now hang in his wardrobe... alongside his trademark beanies and muddy football boots. 

Romeo’s quirky style has long been admired, and last year he was placed 26th in GQ Magazine’s Best Dressed List, aged 8 - in between Prince William and Tom Hardy!  David Beckham revealed that his mini-me Romeo “is the fashion one… he'll go for skinny jeans and a vintage T-shirt and funny hats," and brilliantly, "one Christmas he asked for a pair of Spats shoes."  Luckily for Romeo, Spats go extremely well with a metallic Burberry trench. 

Musical Moment: Gabrielle Alpin ('The Power of Love')

Below: John Lewis has once again produced a brrrrr...illiant Christmas commercial (watch 2011's advert here) showing a snowman’s journey to buy his snowlady the perfect gift.

Following in the footsteps of Ellie Goulding and Slow Moving Millie, this year’s advert features the voice of Gabrielle Aplin, a twenty year old singer/songwriter from Bath, whose haunting cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ‘Power of Love’ is played during the commercial.  The single, which was co-produced by David Kosten and Mike Spencer, coincidentally was released 28 years to the day since ‘The Power of Love’ was originally released.  In a recent interview, Gabrielle said "I was worried people might hate me because they were so attached to the original single, but I've since been in touch with Holly Johnson, and he said some lovely things about my take on his song." Beautiful.  I cannot wait to hear more of her songs in 2013.

HAWT: Alexa Chung in Valentino

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.

When British DJ/Presenter Alexa Chung attended the ‘Valentino: Master of Couture’ tribute at the Miu Miu pop-up club in London last week she wore a 1950’s-style Valentino Resort 2013 green satin dress with a cream lace overlay top and black bow belt.  Accessorising her outfit with an Anya Hindmarch handbag and a pair of simple black patent Valentino Mary Jane shoes, Alexa looked both lady like and HAWT.  This girl just never gets it wrong.

'Kiss Me, Kate' Press Night at The Old Vic

Last week I was invited to the press night of ‘Kiss Me, Kate’ at The Old Vic.  Directed by Trevor Nunn, this all singing, all dancing, high octane performance, stars the impossibly brilliant Hannah Waddingham and Alex Bourne.  The famed Broadway show, considered to be Cole Porter’s best, follows the story of an on/off couple performing in a low budget stage production of William Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming Of The Shrew.'  This vibrant show (which also includes a gorgeous tap dancing Adam Garcia) has wonderful 1940’s costumes, lots of romance, gangsters, laughs, and of course, brilliantly sassy songs -  Hannah Waddingham’s ‘I Hate Men’ was hysterical!  I was left totally jazz handed and on a real high for days following this show… Although meeting THE Kevin Spacey at the buzzing Old Vic Tunnels after party may also have contributed to this! 

Below (L-R):  The picturesque Old Vic, and with Adam Garcia at the Old Vic Tunnels. 

'Kiss Me, Kate' at The Old Vic - Tickets Here, until March 2nd 2013.

Kate's Retro Waves

This week Kate Middleton (above) showed off her new darker, voluminous hairdo, complete with sweeping fringe.  Whilst opening the Natural History Museum’s new Treasure exhibition, the Duchess of Cambridge told complimentary onlookers, “I’m not sure about it.”  The haircut does look a little dated and a little Farrah Fawcett-like, but this is almost certainly emphasised by the high cut of her retro emerald green Mulberry ‘Cabbage’ dress.  Kate could in the future look to another well-known British brunette for hairspiration:  Cheryl Cole.  Popstar/Presenter Cheryl Cole (below) always manages to keep her enviably thick chestnut locks and feathered fringe looking modern, glossy and tamed.  I am sure however, whatever the Duchess may feel about her new wispy bangs, there will be thousands of women currently rushing to their hairdressers and asking for ‘The Kate!’ 

The British Fashion Awards 2012

Last weekend’s glamourous British Fashion Awards, at The Savoy Hotel, was a STELLAr evening all round… Stella McCartney (above) not only won Designer AND Brand of the Year, but a many of the most stylish guests (including Salma Hayek and Rita Ora) also wore her designs on the night.  My favourite fashionista Alexa Chung once again won the British Style Award (voted for by her adoring public for the third year running!) and Cara Delevigne (left, wearing a green metallic Burberry Prorsum SS’13 minidress), won Model of the Year – thoroughly deserved following her recent marathon Fashion Month.  Harold Tillman - who steps down from his role as British Fashion Council chairman in January – received the Special Recognition.

Below (L-R): Alexa Chung in Simone Rocha with Nicholas Kirkwood shoe-boots, Erdem Moralioglu and Samantha Cameron in Erdem, Jourdan Dunn in Topshop.

Designer of the Year: Stella McCartney
Designer Brand: Stella McCartney
New Establishment: Erdem
Menswear Designer: Kim Jones for Louis Vuitton
Emerging Talent Award (Ready-To-Wear): JW Anderson
Emerging Talent Award (Accessories): Sophie Hulme
Emerging Talent Award (Menswear): Jonathan Saunders
Accessory Designer: Nicholas Kirkwood
Red Carpet Award: Roksanda Ilincic
Model: Cara Delevingne
Outstanding Achievement in Fashion: Manolo Blahnik
Special Recognition: Harold Tillman
Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator: Louise Wilson
British Style brought to you by Vodafone: Alexa Chung

Above: Amber le Bon in Stella McCartney. Below: Dita Von Teese in Jenny Packham

Kate: The Kate Moss Book

Rizzoli have released a Kate Moss coffee table book featuring a collection of photographs, chosen by Kate Moss herself, spanning the supermodel’s lengthy 20 year career.  Edited by her ex-boyfriend Jefferson Hack and close friend Jess Hallett, contributing photographers include Hedi Slimane, Juergen Teller, Terry Richardson, Mario Testino, Corinne Day and Karl Lagerfeld, to name just a few!  The 488 page book, which will be on EVERY fashionista’s Christmas list this year, is a ‘highly personal and complete retrospective of Kate Moss’s career, illustrating her evolution from girl to supermodel to photographic icon,’ which is also reflected by using 8 different covers (below) depicting this transformation.  This book is the ultimate roundup of the ultimate British supermodel. Dear Santa…

Below (L-R): Kate Moss attending a book signing wearing SS'13 Marc Jacobs, attending her book launch at 50 St.James Street Mayfair. 

'Kate: The Kate Moss Book,' RRP.£50.00
(Currently available here from Waterstones for RRP.£39.50)

Joseph's Michael Roberts for One T'shirt Launch

Last week I was invited by Joseph to their launch of Michael Robert’s One T’shirts.  The Vanity Fair’s Style Director’s illustrations of the fashion industry’s most iconic faces have been printed onto a series of brightly coloured t’shirts which are now available from Joseph’s Westbourne Grove store. The T-shirts include the faces of Karl Lagerfeld, Tom Ford, Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington and Carine Roitfeld to name just a few.  How much more designer can a t’shirt possibly get? 

Above:  With Joseph's gorgeous PR Alex Eagle (and Grace Coddington!) 

Michael Robert's One T'shirts available from Joseph. RRP. £75.00