Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow

Is anyone else embarrassingly excited about Robbie and Gary Barlow doing some music together?! Robbie left Take That in 1995 and the single ‘Shame’ will be the first time the two have appeared on record together since then. It will be released on the 4th of October this year. I haven’t heard it yet but its sure to be a goodie.

I Blame Coco Gig TONIGHT!!!

Oh my gosh i am definitely going to this tonight. I love Coco Sumner.
TONIGHT
Sanderson Predicts: I Blame Coco



Back with their latest round of musical fortunetelling for the summer months, the new Sanderson Predicts season is kicking off with an acoustic session from the fabulous I Blame Coco (and just before the next single comes out in a couple of weeks). So where would you rather catch your fill of up-and-coming musical talent: a sweaty, ‘edgy’ venue with a warm, stale beer? Or a sleek, sun-dappled courtyard over a few sexy cocktails? Tough call I know.

The Sanderson, 50 Berners Street, W1T 3NG. RSVP: sanderson.predicts@morganshotelgroup.com

Gatwick Fashion Week

As if there wasn’t enough stress whilst travelling, now beware of Storm Models running hot your heels. Storm Models and London Gatwick Airport (yes, seriously) have launched Gatwick Runway Models search. They planted ‘bespoke model booths’ (fine print = portaloos) in the North and South Terminals to hunt down poor unsuspecting duty free shoppers and change their lives.



The sole reason I am a fan is because Lily Cole is heading up the flock and I think she’s really quite cool.

I’m sure this is most likely due to a recent increase in effort of self presentation recently. I seem to remember travelling used to be about trackies, jumpers and those inexplicable travel socks; now even if I head out of London for the weekend I tend to think about what I’m going to wear a few days in advance. Maybe I’m just vain. There are entire travel sections in Vogue and on websites dedicated to travel wear and how to look super cool when you travel. I do it, the rest of the world does it but why on earth do we bother wearing heels and tailored jackets in a small confined space when, to be honest, we’d all rather be in a onesie?

Is it to mock the silly airhostess in her navy pencil skirt with contrasting neckerchief and silly silly hat? No, probably not.

As ever, if you think it through enough, you can blame everything on the recession.

1. As discussed in a previous entry, people are investing in life long, expensive fashion pieces (for full details, please click here).
2. People are travelling less so a domestic flight between Gatwick and Manchester is now the equivalent to a week in the Caribbean.
3. No one can really afford to travel Club or First anymore but secretly believe that:
a) people may believe that because they are smartly dressed they must be travelling in Club or First.
b) if they dress smartly enough they might get upgraded. Well, you never know, do you?

So come on Lily, give us a real reason to dress up for the airport.


Gatwick Fashion Week runs from August 5-8. Google it. Here's some more info.

Sound of Excellence - Something for a rainy Tuseday

Thought I'd drop a line about the Sound of Excellence in Camden that's happening today. If you haven't got anything on and find yourself with nowhere to go on the Northern line at about 7.30pm then stay on until Camden town and pop along to Proud Camden on Chalk Farm Road. Here you will find a plethora of unsigned acts singing and performing their little hearts out for the big hitters in the music industry. Hear 'em before anyone else does. Oh, and here's a map.

Elephant Parade 2010

If you’ve been anywhere near London in the past month then its very likely that you’ve seen an elephant or two lurking near a famous spot. I’ve become a little obsessed with them and have taken photos of them wherever I spy them and have kicked myself when I see one and I am cameraless. As a general rule I don’t like taking photos in public in London hence why a couple of the following photos look like they've been taken whilst on the move – it makes me feel like an embarrassing tourist when I’m not. But these elephants have left me shameless.

Here are my snapshots:

Numero Uno is Doors by Hatchadapol Mucannoo.





This one is at Duke of York Square, is called Elephant in the Room and is by Anna Masters. And that's Emma.





This is the first of two at Sloane Square. Josephine by Patrice Moor.



This is Kingdom by Rebecca Campbell.



This was at night time after a gig I went to see so is a bit slap dash. Gives you an idea of Benjawin Sang-Gnernchai's Daisies though.

Louis Vuitton Opening New Bond Street (amongst other things)

Where do you put a red carpet brimming with some decent celebrities and a couple of slebs? In the new Louis Vuitton Maison bien sûr!! Which, apparently, rivals the flagship on the Champs Elysée; the architect Peter Marino worked on both projects.



Features of the 1500 sq m store are as follows:

The ground level is entirely accessories. Acting as backdrop to these are original artworks by artists who have collaborated with Marc Jacobs (Louis Vuitton Creative Director of 12 years) in the past. Names on the wall here include Richard Prince and Takashi Murakami.

The lower level is devoted to menswear and can be reached via an LED glass staircase.

Onwards and upwards leads to the womenswear and shoes. Here is yet another sight to behold and investigate. Artists Chris Ofili, Gary Hume and Anish Kapoor have been selected to create bespoke commissions to adorn the walls. The Librairie - also situated on the first floor – will house the most admired British contemporary art books and some bespoke pieces for sale for up to £3000.

The second floor, in case you were wondering, is only accessible to those with an invitation. Private Client Suite. Sends shivers down my spine just thinking about it.

Somewhere amongst this incredible structure is included a two storey wall made from trunks. Thinking about it, they’re probably those beautiful old Louis travelling trunks and maybe not vertical tree trunks as I originally imagined. Idiot.

The theme of the store is the mood of 21st century London (obviously not keeping in mind the impoverished, recession-ridden Londoners amongst us) to bring together innovation, heritage and fashion which, CEO Carcelle says ‘are all values that are important to Louis Vuitton’.



A quote from Marc Jacobs on the night runs as follows:

"Clearly it's gross if you carry on spending in an insensitive way when people are being laid off or having a hard time. On the other hand, wanting to shop and experience the finer things in life are both natural instincts… The question is how to indulge those impulses in a way that's sensitive to others and doesn't ultimately ruin the experience by leaving you feeling guilty."

I do agree to a certain extent. Hundreds of surveys have been carried revealing thousands of statistics showing that the great British public has been being super careful with their spending sprees. The general consensus is that the average shopper (and I include myself in this bracket) don’t want to go to Primarni and spend say £80 on a lot of very cheaply made clothes that will inevitably be threadbare within a week. Instead, people will go up a price bracket from their normal budget and buy a beautifully made, much better quality piece that will last not only over time and wear but also carry through seasons.

This is another point about how we have changed to acclimatise to our economic surroundings. The two issues are very closely linked. The shopper buying the piece that will last, may well also be in the bracket of ‘Fashion Girl’ or, if we’re being crude, ‘Internet Knowledge Whore’. Ie people who spend their days researching the newest collections from designers as well as any other scrap of knowledge that they may come across.

This issue must be a complete nightmare for designers who have stuck to the schedule of SS/AW for decades. Fashion Girls with their infinite internet knowledge have everything they need so accessibly at their typist fingertips. Then they go and post on their blogs (ahem) for the rest of the consumers to pick up. This is what the fashion houses have to overcome.

It’s not good enough now for them to manufacture flimsy trend based collections that can only last a few weeks because people are much more likely to spend the cash on a staple dress or jacket that will see them through a couple of years. Take the Burberry Jacket or the Alexa Mulberry that could take over the world given the right iPhone app judging by the clamorous following they’ve gathered. A 9000 person strong waiting list is currently in circulation for that stunning Alexa and Burberry controversially created a facility for their AW show earlier this year where the pieces were available to buy straight off the catwalk causing the obsession with the sheepskin jacket.



These pieces are going down a storm because they are very beautiful with gorgeous design, are hopefully manufactured to the same standard and are reasonably basic. The basic element to this nods towards how hopefully these pieces will be accepted in fashion circles for longer than a month.



Now follows a small selection of loads of images of beautiful people that I swiped from the Vogue site as well as why they made my selection. (Apart from the fact that they obviously frequent Louis Vuitton flagship Maisons.)

Speak of the devil - Alexa thought she'd pop in.



Bill Nighy and James Purefoy - because I met James Purefoy when I was thirteen and fancied him a Lot.



Catherine Deneuve because I love her and think she's probably one of the most beautiful women as well as an incredible actress.



Dominic Cooper - because who wouldn't? Though doesn't look that hot in this shot.



Gemma Arterton - because I recently heard an interview and I think we should be friends.



Gwynnie and Elle - because they look great and I enjoy GOOP quite a lot.



Kirsten Dunst - because, how amazing does her hair look?!



And Paloma Faith because she manages to be absolutely everywhere at once and someone should give her some credit for efforts. Not looking as eccentric as usual here...bar the lampshade.

Graduate Fashion Week

I’m excited about this one. Whilst London Fashion Week is mostly for the well established designer to showcase his or her latest genius, GFW is debatably more exciting. Running since 1991, it holds shows from all the up-and-comingers from 61 universities up and down the country so if you have an eye for it, you’ll be picking out the designers of the future as they saunter down the runway for the first time.

Matthew Williamson, Christopher Bailey and Stella McCartney have all shown at Graduate Fashion Week. River Island have sponsored the event for the last six years. The graduate who is crowned GFW ruler wins £20,000 to kick start their label; some of the key pieces from their collection are also put into the limited edition section of the River Island flagship on Oxford Street. The prestigious Gold award for Womenswear was won by Myrto Stamou last year.

The event aims to promote the talent of BA Graduates and is a progression from the Smirnoff UK Fashion Awards that used to be held annually in the 80’s. The event has had a tough time with sponsorship in the past and at times, it was left to the participating colleges and universities to pay their way forward. Thank God for tuition fees. The Heads overcame the problem by registering the event as an educational charity in 1994.

GFW takes place at Earls Court on the 6th to the 10th of June, click here to see details of ticket prices and dates.