General Pattern Prince

I just got sent this fabulous font-heavy linocut print from General Pattern. Thanks James Brown (sadly not the James Brown, he's long gone) - you've made my day! I'm going to frame it and put it in my hallway.

Reason Why We Love Obama #1

Because he's the coolest guy this side of Havana. Love a dude in a good hat...

Drapers Top 100

LOOK EDITOR NAMED IN DRAPERS’ TOP 100

Look editor Ali Hall is named at number 28 in the Drapers’ Top 100 2008, which lists the most influential individuals in fashion retail who have shaped the industry this year. Ali is the only magazine editor to feature in the Top 50 of the list, alongside the likes of Sir Stuart Rose, executive chairman of M&S and Mary Homer, managing director of Topshop, with Drapers hailing Look as “the most successful magazine launch in 17 years”. Ali said: “I’m really pleased that Look is being recognised as such an influential fashion brand less than two years after launching. It’s great that fashion doesn’t have to be high end to make its mark.” To see the list, go to Drapers.

An evening with Olga Chernysheva

Moscow-based Russian artist Olga Chernysheva, a graduate of the Moscow Cinema Academy and the Rijksakademie, Amsterdam, captures quotidian life in post-communist Russia. Olga will discuss her practice in the context of Russia today with curator David Thorp, and show several of her video works.

13th January 2009, 7pm, ICA, London

£10 / £9 Concessions / £8 ICA Members.

Jessica Alba for Campari

Hit by a nasty bout of extreme photoshopping, Jessica Alba nevertheless looks hot fronting the new campaign for Campari.

Glossy, stylish and reminiscent of the vibrant Louis Vuitton polished poolside ads Gisele Bundchen fronted:

Liz Earle Christmas Night

Wallpaper* Selects The Exhibition

Tonight I am going to this Wallpaper* party at St Martins Lane Hotel, then over to a bar opening (Redchurch) in Old Street.

Citizen Aguilera

Christina Aguilera was the coverstar of Citizen K earlier this year. The shoot is modern and abstract and I like the idea but I don't think it suits. I like the muted sepia but I think it's lacking vibrancy and not sure on the crimped poodle hair she sports throughout...

I'm also not a fan of the unexplained naked men throughout - shocking for the sake of being shocking - see the role reversal? Normally it's boys with scantily clad girls around them but here, you see, Christina takes centrestage with male sex objects as accessories. Yeah, very good Citizen...

Rainbow Books

I adore aesthetically pleasing covers, bookshelves, bookcases, libraries and book shops (Magma is the best in London). These ordered spines look fabulous. The ultimate book artwork coffee table book should be on every coffee table in the country.

We Love Sasha P

Sasha P looking like a rough and ready Harley Honey in the January 2009 issue of British Vogue. It's a tried and tested good look, especially black on blondes:

Mui Mui/ Lindsay Lohan

I love this shoot of the barely-recognisable Lindsay Lohan dressed up like a quirky, prim doll in the Mui Mui ads earlier this year, shot late 2007. Her hilariously-long legs make her look like a ginger, female Mr Stretch. I think this was the shoot where she stole lots of the clothes... Anyway, I love the styling and the over-exposure really works as it ups the contrast between her glowing red hair and porcelain skin.

Bang Bang My Baby Shot Me Down

This shoot in Numero 97 is like fashion on an acid trip. Fashion on an acid trip, zoomed up in rubber, fetish killer heels, 60s bowl cuts, latex stockings and neon splashes of colour. Works for me.

Prada Milan Fashion Week

I'm feeling autumnal today (because I'm freezing my ass off) and so I'm loving Prada's SS09 show from Milan. The skeletal models look wack, but the clothes look great. Especially the uniform patterned tights and flowing eccentric prints!

Sunny Smiles

I work on the wrong magazine! I LOVE this cover. If I saw a girl walking down the street with yellow lips, I'd give her SNAPS. Every street's a catwalk, etc etc...

Pretty in Pink

Hurrah for pretty girls wearing pretty pink! This was taken backstage at the Temperley London SS09 show. Very summery, flirty, girly and bright. Like the rest of the show with floaty royal blue, silky soft whites and Grecian gowns... Hurrah indeed.

We Love Irving Penn

Naomi Campbell in Russian Vogue

Naomi Campbell is the coverstar of the December 2008 Russian Vogue.

And boy does she look good. I LOVE girls who look like they're about to:

a) pounce on the photographer
or b) punch the photographer.

This is both. Fierce.

Fondant Fancy

Weird to be inspired by cupcakes? I want to dress up like these cakes look:

I can totally imagine Katy Perry dressing as a cake, the girl loves her fancy dress...

Live at the Apollo

Last night we went to see Live at the Apollo being filmed at Hammersmith Apollo. Sean lock compered then Jason Manford came on - we were sat by Christine Ohuruogu and in the same row as Jodie Marsh (my God... She looked like a rubbish sex doll), Leon Jackson and in front of Martin Brundle (all of whom got picked on).

Then the second show was filmed and Russell Howard (brilliant) was up first and then Jo Brand (dreadful) waddled onto the stage to silence the crowd. Howard had to come back on as she finished early, and he did lots of improv and questions from the audience.

All in all, it was excellent with some brilliant heckles.

FLASH Restaurant

On Saturday we went to FLASH - which is the new pop-up restaurant from the guys behind Bistroteque. They did the first pop-up restaurant called Reindeer in December 2006 in the Truman Brewery and it was done out like an OTT, beautiful winter wonderland with snow-topped firs and glittering tables and chalets in fake forests.

FLASH, in the heart of Mayfair at the Royal Academy of Arts, was understandably more neutral and grown-up. The crockery was Will Broome for Wedgewood, which were very cool indeed:


The food was divine and the atmosphere buzzy and fun. Everyone should go there before it closes in a couple of months; it's definitely worth a visit but doesn't take the crown from Reindeer as best-pop-up-restaurant-ever.

Before we went to FLASH we had drinks at Elk in the Woods in Islington, which is the perfect place for tea/ food/wine on a cold November evening, complete with log-cabin walls and moose heads. Brrr.

Phillips Jacobson/ Hashimoto Photography Collection

I went to this exhibition opening last night, which was huge and had loads of Japanese portraits and nudes, and high fashion shots from the 70s-present day. There were some great Helmut Newtons, David LaChapelles and Mitch Epsteins:

I love this photo by Michel Comte, featured in Italian Vogue in 1996. I can't believe it's Carla Bruni:

And I can't believe this photo by Peter Lindbergh is Naomi Campbell (circa 1988):

Last but not least, Priscilla by Joseph Szabo, 1969:

Frances Bean Harpers Shoot

This is from ages ago, but I love the shoot Frances Bean Cobain did in the March issue of American Harper's Bazaar earlier this year:

She looks awesome, and I'm sure good things will come from her - I think she looks British because of her porcelain doll face and sweet English Rose colourings. In contrast to her pure, angelic look, the fact that she's rock royalty means she's gonna have some wild tabloid disasters and I hope she'll become Princess of all Fashion F*ckups, following her mother... I look forward to following her ups and downs!

Trishna Opening

We went to the opening of Trishna, a new Indian restaurant, in Marylebone last night.

Which was lovely. Then we went across to Ronnie Scott's in Soho for some jaaaaazz until the wee hours...

Harper's Bazaar Metallics

This GORGEOUS spread in Harper's Bazaar was beautiful; particularly the 'Precious Bohème page. Layers of pewter, silvers over greys and blacks, with pearls, gemstones, crystals, sparkles and shine. All women should aim for this level of glossiness, especially with the Christmas party season coming up. I'm such a magpie...

dVb is VG

This is VB at the DVB Jeans launch in Madrid, looking super-chic in monochrome tailoring. I love her slim silhouette and simple outline.

Those tapered pants shouldn't work on a mum-of-three, but they do. I think she looks so much better when she's working the smart relaxed look rather than super try-hard "I May Know Sh*t About Music, But I am Seriously Fashion Forward' look.

Jia Jia Wang Colourful Canvas

I LOVE the colours in this Jia Jia Wang piece. It's called 'Home, Home Again' oil on canvas. It will be shown at Alexandre Pollazzon on Howland Street 13 November - 20 December 2008, opening with a private view 6-8pm on Wednesday 12 November 2008.

explosion of colour

Reasons Why We Love Jourdan Dunn #1-5

Bill Amberg & Penguin Classics

Last night was the launch of Bill Amberg's new leather-bound Penguin Classics collection. He's designed 6 books bound in calves' leather, which ages with time. There was prosecco and canapes and a lot of leather, including leather pillars and leather floor. The place smelt divine. Lovely books, though and a great gift for men-who-have-everything...

Then we went for dim sum at Ping Pong.

White Face

I wanna go all Elton and throw a white party... Then I can do this:

Any excuse for fancy dress and/ or fancy dress for the face... I love girls who experiment with make up! With any other colour it would be an overload, but all white is gorgeous.

US08

I am pretty excited about watching the state counts... starting in less than 30 minutes. Yes we can!
Dress by Jean Charles de Castelbajac from his SS09 collection.

Dolce & Gabbana Paint Dress

Earlier this year, in US Vogue, Natalia Vodianova looked resplendent in Dolce & Gabbana's gorgeous hand-printed silk dress. I love the big painted or graffiti patterned fabrics around - especially in girly, delicate colours like this one as it softens the broad brush strokes and doesn't look too in-your-face... This particular dress was used in a handful of editorials, but this was my favourite shot, and one of my favourite girls.

Hibernation Beckons

I'm feeling pretty festive and wintry and Christmassy since the clocks went back, it rained all weekend and the office has been full of Christmas stuff for a while now. Even Ikea has festive photography!

Phillips Bae Bien-U Photography

I went to this Bae Bien-U exhibition opening last night, which was excellent.



Huge, glossy nature shots of pines, landscapes, tree trunks, blue skies and green waters. Then we ran up to Oxford Street to do some fancy dress shopping in time for tonight's festivities... Happy Halloween!

Hunting for The Perfect Flapper Dress

According to the Chicago History Society, 'in the 1920s, the word "flapper" described a young woman who rebelled against convention. Like jazz music, the gangster, and the speakeasy, the rebellious and fun-loving flapper was a product of 1920s urban America. Most American women were not flappers, but the flapper's shocking behavior set a tone that helped many women explore Jazz Age freedoms without fear.'

Such a cool era!  I am trying to find a vintage 1920s beaded flapper dress so I can channel Joan Crawford.



I LOVE looking at photos of my maternal Grandma who used to dress up in extravagant, bohemian beads, capes, feathers and silks, blanched pancake powdered face and striking dark lips. People don't throw themselves into fashion so gracefully these days!

I already have the maribou, the black lipstick and the long strings of pearls...



But I haven't found anything yet which jumps out yet, so I'll probably just end up with a not-particularly-1920sish modern black spangly dress like this lovely Alberta Ferretti one (if I could afford it!)