March, 2010

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31
Mar 10

Presenting The Sketchbook Pop-Up Shop

sketchbook invite.jpgFor the past 48 hours I’ve have followed the building of new Sketchbook Pop-up Shop with great enthusiasm. I wasn’t the only one either. Thousands of followers on Twitter and via the Sketchbook blog were able to view pictures of artists at work  painting, creating and generally turning a boring old shop into a design mecca.  What a fabulous way to celebrate 50 years of fashion and music in the Newburgh Quarter of Carnaby and truly no other group of individuals could have done it better.

For those that aren’t familiar with the magazine, Sketchbook, is a quarterly publication with a print run of 10,000. They aren’t about making money. They are about making magic. They offer so much to young readers in the form of inspiration and guidance. They send a message that says, “we have a voice too, so let’s use it.” Sketchbook, if you haven’t figured it out yet, I love you guys!

ffg love for sketchbook.jpgSo why a Pop-Up shop? Well Sketchbook is choosing to channel its own success in the world of fashion onto young creatives who are just starting out in this rather competitve marketplace. From the 31st of March through to the 19th of April Sketchbook will provide workshops and lectures aimed at youngsters who want advice from some of the best in the business. And here’s the truly awesome part…
 
As you know, Sketchbook is what it is today because of the fabulous internet fashionistas.  They realize the importance of reaching out and they’ve clearly demonstrated their grasp on social media. So what’s the awesome part? If you can’t attend the workshops and lectures in person, you can view them all live online. 

Guest speakers will include Susie Bubble (seen on the cover of the first issue of Sketchbook to the left), bloggers Leon Bailey Green and Style Salvage Steve, fashion designers Maria Francesca Pepe, Yan To and Ara Jo, editor of TWIN Magazine Becky Smith, founder of luxury e-commerce site Dia Boutique, Rasha Khouri and many more.
Discussion Panels include:
- PRINT VS ONLINE: WEEK 1
Explore the differences, benefits, and drawbacks of print and online publications. Confirmed guests include blogger Susie Bubble.
- E-COMMERCE: WEEK 2
Come in and learn what sets online-only stores apart from the
in-store.  Confirmed guests include Founder of online store Dia Boutique, Rasha Khouri.
- BLOGS & BRANDS: WEEK 3
How can bloggers build a relationship with brands, while maintaining their integrity and credibility as a blogger. Confirmed guests include blogger Leon Bailey Green.

sketchbook2.JPGSince the shop is actually a shop, there will also be limited edition prints, illustrations and one-off art pieces on sale throughout the three week time period. There are some absolute gems available. I’ve featured pictures of a few of the initial prints displayed herewith. And for all you young artists who dream of one day designing the cover of a magazine…it’s time to make your dream a reality. Sketchbook will run a competition throughout the three weeks looking for the next front cover of their magazine. So get in there, show them your goods and make us proud! I love spotting new talent and I’d love to see some young gun on a future cover.

Oh and there will also be live bands playing every Sunday in the shop!

Shop Details:
10 Newburgh Street, Carnaby, London W1F 7RN.
Wednesday 31st March – Monday 19th April 2010
Monday to Saturday: 10am-7pm, Sundays: 12noon-6pm

To reserve seats or request more information please contact: rsvp@sketchbookmagazine.com

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23
Mar 10

Lulu Guinness Autumn Winter 2010 Press Day

I was invited today to attend the Press Day for the Lulu Guinness Autumn
Winter 2010 Collection in London. The launch took place in the Savile
Club in London and as I climbed the grand staircase and entered the
grand ballroom I knew I would not be leaving with anything less than a
new found respect for Lulu!
Lulu Guinness Invite.JPGThis season features the “Kiss and Makeup Collection” which was inspired
by the iconic 1960′s model Peggy Moffit. Most people remember Peggy for
her outrageous makeup and clothing. And who could ever forget her
absolutely gorgeous enormous brown eyes which she would accentuate with
excessive amounts of eyeliner and mascara?
Lulu Guinness Inspiration.JPGIt’s a wonder that it has taken this
long for a collection to be inspired directly by such a fabulous
historical figure in fashion! If there was anyone that could honour this
iconic woman in the way in which she deserves it would be Lulu
Guinness. The bags, purses and pouches which were presented today are
all instantly recognizable as Lulu Guinness items but they have new
details which make them stand out from anything she has done before.
Lulu has translated the Peggy Moffit look into “bags
embroidered with make-up grids and dressing tables, a bag that features a
‘Make-up Shop,’ with eye-shadow and lipstick palette embroidery setting
the tone for the season.”As always, her pieces are of superior quality
and show extreme attention to detail. We can’t help but feel we are
holding something so special whenever we step out with a Lulu on our
arm.

Here’s a look at some of our
favourite pieces from the launch today:
lulu guinness.jpg
lulu guinnesss.jpg
Thumbnail image for lulu guinness makeup bags.jpg

For more images please visit www.fashionfoiegras.com

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18
Mar 10

Anthropologie Kings Road Opens…a Mecca of tranquillity in Chelsea!

anthro invite.JPGWell this morning I, Emily Johnston,
am thirty years of age. I feel I have fallen into my thirties
gracefully, I hope…but we will see how the next ten years pan out. I
have to say that I can’t think of a better way to trip into the new
decade of life than with an opening of a store in London that I have
adored for years in America. You might remember several months ago the
report I did on the Anthropologie
opening on Regents Street. I thought I had found heaven in London
and have been into the store at least two dozen times since it opened.
It is my zen spot. It’s better than yoga and healthier than indulging in
a bottle of wine. I come out feeling light as air. Unfortunately it is
quickly swept away by the hustle and bustle of one of the busiest
streets in London but none of that matters while inside the doors of Anthropologie. 
So when I received the invitation to the opening of the second store in
London, on the Kings Road, I jumped at the chance to attend. How could I
even dream of missing it?!  Anyone that has been in an Anthropologie
store knows that every location is different. We aren’t walking into a
Gap here people. In fact we aren’t walking into a clothing store at all
if you really think about it. You are walking into a lifestyle.

anthropologie 4.jpgThis new location actually used to be a
gentleman’s club on the Kings Road and is divided into two wide open
spaces by stairs and a lovely waterfall/fountain. Apparently the front
hall is where the gentleman would play their billiards and the back hall
is where they would park their Astons (so said one of the lovely PR
girls I spoke to last night). This particular Anthropologie is
incredibly airy, which has a lot to do with the massively high ceilings.
Glass and steel roofs allow for an incredible amount of natural light
to flood through onto the items for sale. I could of course go on for
days about the incredible plantlife in the store. This, in particular,
has always fascinated me particularly as I don’t have a green bone in my
body – I manage to kill every plant I have ever attempted to own! I
could talk about the “found objects” that are used to display the
wears…which I would kill to have in my own house one day. I could even
wax lyrical about the fact that this is the first Anthropologie store
to ever offer its very own wallpaper for sale! But I know you are
picture people, so here is a selection of some shots from the night.

anthropologie 3.jpg
The store is open to the public
today and trust me, it is worth the visit for an afternoon of
wonderment!
131-141 King’s Road,
London
Anthropologie 10.JPGFor more images check out www.fashionfoiegras.com
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4
Mar 10

Embracing new trends part 1: The nautical theme

As I travel between New York, London, Milan and Paris for the Autumn/Winter 2010 fashion weeks, I find myself getting lost in a world of luxury that is still nine months away from mass production. Already thinking of fur and leather that will need to be incorporated into my wardrobe, I’m skipping over a very important fact, however: that we have to make it through Spring/Summer 2010 before we can get to Autumn again! And here I am, not having thought at all about a wardrobe that is needed in a few weeks’ time (or perhaps longer if you live in the UK).  


At this time of year most women are looking for a quick way to update a dusty wardrobe. Thankfully, the season ahead will be one of the easiest we’ve had yet as far as trends are concerned. Not only are we seeing a lot of fashions returning, but many will also involve basics that we already have in our closets. So I have taken on the task of searching out some killer bargains with which we can update our wardrobe instantly, one piece at a time if need be. Keep checking back as I am going to try to cover as many great options for updating your wardrobe as possible.  

My favourite trend for this Spring/Summer season is the nautical theme. So let’s start there. If you’ve walked down any high street in the past ten days, you’ll have noticed that the whole world seems to be expecting to be sitting on yachts in warm weather this year. Breton stripes are in every store window, lovely gold sailor buttons adorn beautiful navy blue jackets and nautical ropes hold up shorts and cinch in waists. To wear the nautical look is to be in the now for fashion! 
Now anyone can pull the sailor chic off in an instant with a few key pieces added here or there. I asked the lovely people at ASOS to help me pick out a few items from its current offerings and have featured the pieces below. A word of warning, however. This morning I was scrolling through the pages of clothing that ASOS has online and I ended up spending a month’s paycheck on bits and bobs. Be careful! This stuff is addictive and you’ll be tempting to buy in bulk.
nautical at asos.jpg
2. White Rope Belted Shorts, check website for price and availability

All clothing images courtesy of www.asos.com

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