Charming Dolce & Gabbana

The collection

The high heel charm

I have always loved Dolce & Gabbana make up, from the counters in Harrods & Selfridges (before it's unfortunate closing) to the ad campaigns with the beautiful Scarlett Johansson.
The Dolce & Gabbana woman never is one for being reserved; how could she be with white lace, leopard prints & passionate Italian women in every ad campaign. Why have the ordinary when you can have extraordinary, extra-fun and extra-feminine?

The horn and heart charm

Most recently the brand has applied this principle to it's latest Make up line- it's Charm pencils. The range includes 4 lip liners and 4 eyeliners. The colour range boasts of hue and texture, raising elegant contrasts that work together; lip liners range from fiery red to softer classic nudes which exude a natural sensuality, while the eyeliners feature the truest black, a metallic platinum shade, and black and brown pencils with small hints of glitter for added glamour.

Who better than Ms Bellucci herself to join the likes
of Scarlett Johansson in this year's Make up
campaign

The note and envelope charm


But the best part is that each pencil come with it's own delicate charm in the end. There are 5 different charms, which comes in 4 different combinations, a miniature horn to bring good luck (in creating that perfect line across the lid..?), alongside a heart; a high heel that demonstrates femininity (guess which one I'm getting); an "I Love You" note and an envelope for the ever romantics, and the heart and note together for the most passionate of Dolce Gabbana girls 

Spring Summer '12 ad campaign

Each piece, with it's precious gold packaging, is designed for the user to showcase in her daily routine

Available exclusively in Harrods, starting from £19.

My love for Roland Mouret

Galaxy, Titanium, Moon... all names that has earned Roland Mouret a reputation as a master of structure and a man who understands the female form better than most women.
I fell in love with the dresses as I was working in Harrods & we received them in Ladies International Fashion. I was lucky enough to get a good discount through Harrods and was able to purchase my very first RM dress; a mushroom coloured Galaxy dress. The beauty with the Galaxy dress is that it is so flattering, no matter what your body shape is; it's so cleverly cut, so exquisitely nipped and tucked that it enhances those who already have the curves and conjures them up for those who haven't.

Galaxy

Moon

Titanium

But Mr Mouret hasn't always had such a smooth ride, in 2005 he lost his name through parting with his backers who owned 100% of the company. As a result, like many before him including Herve Leger & Jimmy Choo, Mouret found himself without the right to work under his own name. He enlisted the help of pop mogul Simon Fuller and invented a new label; RM by Roland Mouret. However in 2010 he bought back the right to his name. What I admire though is that even though he lost his name, the RM by Roland Mouret was still making it big. Because he wasn't allowed to have his name inside the dresses, he made sure that the designs screamed Roland Mouret. It goes to show how strong his designs really are.

The great man himself

The handsome french man moved to London 1994 and didn't create his own collection until he was 36 (he is now 50). Before he had worked as a model, a stylist and a creative director within fashion, his own collection was just bound to happen sooner or later. And thank the fashion gods it did.
His head quarter is in Mayfair, and Victoria Beckham has her own studio located right next door (rumours were that he was designing her dresses however I just think he has been a massive inspiration to her). I often find myself strolling past longingly looking over to the building hosting these marvellous dresses.
In fact, last year I did go to the sample sale, as with most sample sales the sizes are extremely small but I was adamant I was walking away with something!
Due to being curvaceous and his designs very petite and in non stretch materials I had a tough job ahead of me. An hour later I walked out with a brown and black creation that I had magically squeezed in to. It looked great, I could move in it, but only just. Which might explain that after a night out where I had been moving a shaking, most seems had come undone and the dress is now in my "get to the dry cleaner to fix at some point" for the last year. Heartbreaking.

The show room in Mayfair

Roland Mouret has succeeded where no nobody has before. To elaborate; the way the system seems to work is if you want to be a designer like Hussein Chalayan, Christopher Kane or even McQueen, you would have to be young, come out of Central Saint Martins, and you have to be wow. When the press then gets hold of you they turn you in to a superstar. But after all that, people might still not buy your clothes, so then the press turns the superstar in to a martyr, because even though the collections are not commercial you must be "so, so talented". After a few years of playing the tortured martyr you get signed to a massive fashion house.
Not Roland. He has no major design group behind him, he didn't even complete the training he started at a french fashion college in 1980's (he didn't even know how to create button holes when he started so he used fastenings with pins...) and yet he has created something as magnificent as the Galaxy dress earning the respect from women like Dita Von Teese, Victoria Beckham & Amber Valetta, to name but a few.

Matching your hair colour to your RM is optional

The absolutely stunning Eva Mendes in her Roland Mouret

Not that Miss Kardash needs help enhancing her curves

My second Roland Mouret dress I acquired whilst working in Selfridges, it's a bone white creation with long sleeves. What I love about the dresses is that they are long (i don't like short dresses that barely reaches the thigh), most are below the knees though so high heels are a must. Perfect for me ;)

My white RM by Roland Mouret, love the full zip at the back

It's not only the Galaxy dress that has caused commotion; Debenhams conducted a survey recently where they asked women what they wanted out of a dress they could wear forever, when meeting the ex, your mother in law or attending a school reunion, any situation that requires a tried and tested solution to feeling confident and looking great. The dress they all agreed upon was the pink Moon dress worn by Victoria Beckham, a good block colour, hugging the figure in the right places, finishing just over the knee and with a delicate neckline. If they would pay the £2,000 price tag though, is questionable.

Only VB can get away with teaming the pink dress
with a pink ostrich Birkin

The new collection for Spring Summer '12 is beautiful and colourful; here are a few of my favourites.

As seen on Katy Perry above

Roland Mouret has won the hearts of the women who have discovered his Jessica Rabbit-style silhouette. Our ever increasing love of cinched waists and hour glass curves are all thanks to his complicated, structural designs and skillful underpinning.
Nobody says it better than the man himself;
"Dresses are for undressing. We all dress up to undress"

But when it comes to Roland Mouret; I think I'll keep my dress on, thank you.

x

Biker chic

Heading off for dinner last night in Nozomi Knightsbridge I wanted to go for some casual glam ;)

I earlier bought the most amazing dress from Bcbg Max Azria, it's natural black and very slim fitted apart from the top where there is extra material with a asymmetrical cut across the neck which gives it a slouchy look at the front. I love that it has long slim sleeves too (went back and got the taupe today!), with it I teamed a belt I also purchased from Bcbg, it looks identical to my Hermes cuff (who's copied who...) and I have been after it ever since I saw it on a stunning girl in NYC.

I kept my biker & Joseph fur from earlier in the day and wore my super comfy Giuseppe Zanotti wedges to give an all over asymmetrical look.

My black birkin finished off the biker chic look ;)

The quilted biker from Zara, I advice buying a size smaller for a tighter fit

The Bcbg Max Azria belt along with my Hermes cuff

Giuseppe Zanotti Adele

Street wear

Lunching in Mayfair with my girlfriend was on the agenda today.

As much as I love my heels even I know that there is a time and a place for them, I would look silly trying to walk the cracked streets of Mayfair in my 7 inches (although I do know I look silly most times with my heels) at lunch time. 

So I opted for a more causal street look in my comfy hightop Jimmy Choo trainers, my grey Victoria Beckham jeans together with a off the shoulder tee from Zara.

It felt like spring today so I could lay off my big furs and instead enjoy my newly purchased quilted leather jacket from Zara, with my black fox fur gilet over to add warmth.

My trusted black Birkin was accompanied by a black Hermes belt & cuff.

Glasses are Dior and stolen from my boyfriend this morning.

Result.

Shortie. Literally.

Best investment ever. Really.

Joseph fox gilet these come few and far apart. When you
find on grab it!

My Choo trainers

McQueen Delight

Last night me & my friend went for dinner at our local Italian La Delizia in Chelsea, London. 

The food there is amazing and we always end up staying for hours on end talking and getting in to the Italian spirit.

The outfit for the evening was a pair of old J Brand jeans & a white tank top. Over this I wore my dust pink Alexander McQueen silk cape, I love the way it flows and wraps around you. It was a really good investment piece.

On my feet I wore my dust pink/nude Louboutin Duvette, I am still warming to them and they are far from my favourites but they went well with this outfit.

Buon Appetito!

Caressing the wall.

Alexander McQueen cape

The print of the cape up close, a combination of butterflies and snakes

Louboutin Duvettes

Gold diggers

Everybody wants a comfortable life style. But not everyone is prepared to work for it themselves.
Over the years in London I have seen girls exploit themselves through Kiss & Tell stories in newspapers hoping it will get them quick fame & money and just leaving them looking pathetic and desperate.
Not to mention the increase in seedy strippers & escorts who are proud of the "work" they are doing. There are also , of course, the whole WAG phenomenon, predicted almost entirely on a cynical pact between rich, bored, badly behaved men (a few come to mind) and the women who want to live off them.

Auditioning for Ashley Cole's next pile of sick.

The gaggle of wannabe WAGs hovering outside any nightclub frequented by Premiere League footballers is proof that there is an increasing number of women who believe that far from having their own life and their own job, the notion of being a human leech is to some degree a preferable career.

I do not know what these girls really think they will get out of it. Having been in the circle for many years I have seen what it brings, fights, harassment & humiliation. And for what- a man that they don't even know? I have overheard women in the toilets of the clubs saying that they don't care if he is married, as long as they just have him for one night with the risk of ruining his relationship. Really? Disgraceful. This breed of women shocks me and makes me lose faith in humanity.

The dream. Well it worked out alright for Cheryl didn't it. At least she had her own career to fall back on..erm..

Now of course I am not only blaming the women, the men in question are just as bad. I find men weak in general, so imagine a man who has had money too young, and has pretty women, who will do anything, throwing themselves at him. If women were not so quick on giving it up straight away, the men would not get the opportunity to behave so badly. However, looking at the Barcelona team for example, there are no such scandals surrounding them on the same level as with British football, what is it in Britain that makes the footballers behave so badly, the idolisation and acceptance of bad behaviour, the girls...? It's a complete different subject worth delving in to... but not now ;)

The usual suspects

I just wished footballers would stop being idolised just because they earn so much money, most of them are not even good human beings due to the situation they have been put in. What is there really to idolise? Since when did everything become all about money? This idolisation has definitely contributed to the view that women are for sale and men are to be used as human cash points. Just the example of Danielle Lloyd in 2009 when during a footballers party got thrown on a glass table by other competing girls and severely cut her legs, almost severing an artery. Seriously, what are girls not prepared to do for footballers.

All in the chase of that luxury life style.

When did it become acceptable to be a gold-digger?

After all, isn't a woman who sleeps with a man for money - or at least for extensive use of his credit card - called something else?

But then, 'prostitute' doesn't have quite the same glamorous, diamond-encrusted platinum ring to it, does it? Who needs sexual chemistry when you can have cold hard cash.

Just had to put that in there. It also works in reverse ;)

What happened to ambition and hard work and feeling that reward when you have accomplished something? I suppose society and media is to blame for this as everywhere you turn there is bling and stardom & people like Katie Price showing off their extravagant lifestyles. I understand pretty girls who have had the taste of not having to pay or work for things themselves, it puts you in a dangerous situation and if you are not smart enough to realise that beauty don't last forever and that replacement is easy you are up for disappointment.
  As evidence that bleeding a man dry has been on the up for a while, there are now even websites such as www.golddiggers.com, devoted to ways of hooking a rich guy.
Click on www.sugardaddyforme.com and the deal being struck is clear.
A glamorous looking young woman appears on the screen "Attractive, ambitious, insatiable" it reads. In other words she is offering sex on tap. When the picture of the tastefully greying man floats in to view, it says "Affluent, caring, generous". Yet we are not supposed to call these women prostitutes. That would be rude. But the line between the girl who asks for cash up front and the one who is taken to designer boutique to choose the latest handbag is surely now as thin as the strap on a La Perla bra.

True love. At last.

Again, it is worth saying that the men are not blameless in this unpleasant sex for designer clothes/jewellery/breast implant transaction. A man who buys a woman is no better than the woman who agrees to sell herself. It reduces human interaction to the level of a business deal.

The funny thing is, that in these days of equality, women no longer need to marry in to money- we can make our own. In a report published last month in Barclays Wealth Management, economists predicted that there will be more female millionaires in the UK than men by the year 2020, and less than 4 of these will have acquired their wealth through marrying a rich man. Yet, persistently, the ones we are really interested in are the ones who have married wealth.
Whole magazines are devoted to the antics of the WAGs and young girls are citing Coleen McLoughlin- who, after all, is only famous for being Wayne Rooneys doormat- as their role model.

Step 1. Hang outside Mayfair bar on a Saturday night .

Now, a girl doesn't always have to marry to get to the cash, luckily for the wannabe WAGs or general hungry gold diggers, they can always make sure they get pregnant by a footballer and in doing so getting a meal ticket for the next 18 years. Because lets face it these type of girls would never be considered for more than a dirty one-night stand anyway.
Wealthy men has for a long time been tricked into bed by single women who deliberately get pregnant because they view the baby as a career option. Soaring numbers of men are being forced to part with their money once they have been ensnared in this way by hungry females. They are seen as an easy prey by devious women who have no desire to work and equate a baby to a trophy and an "easy" life for the next 18 years. Poor babies.
Lawyer Diane Benussi runs a large matrimonial law firm specialising in high-value divorce cases and has seen a huge hike over the last few years in 'canny' women using the courts to gain financial support for 20 years or more. These predators- namely man-eating women intent on securing a cushy lifestyle- have been dubbed piranhas. It is a term that has been borrowed by Mrs Benussi  to describe women who flaunt themselves in the hope of snapping up a footballer or high-flying gentleman, whether he is married or not.

Mrs Benussi. Married to a billionaire.
Only joking.

Mrs Benussi continues saying "increasing numbers of women are shying away from work and marriage and looking instead for easy financial sources. Marriage doesn't seem to have the same resonance it once had. Instead women want a baby. Babies are becoming a lot more fashionable- they are becoming trophies. For some women it is a career move. They are paid to stay at home to look after their baby. It's a meal ticket for the next 18 years."  I am absolutely disgusted by this. Not only do I feel sorry for the babies having such greedy and heartless mothers, but also, in the cases that I know, the fathers don't want to have any contact with them or the children due to them having been tricked in to it before they were ready to start families.
How can you force fatherhood upon someone? Yes it takes two to tango but it should also take two to decide where and when that tango should finish, you can't force someone to carry on for 18 years.
That is just pure selfish, and for money? Pathetic.
Benussi carries on saying "Piranhas, which she described as 'flesh-eating, man-eating creatures' want a high-earning, high-flying, high-virility man. They can attack any time, whether it is in the work place, or at a bar or posh hotel (Mayfair Hotel springs to mind...) They know exactly where to find their target.

Have a baby by me baby be a millionaire...

The real victim of all this is as i previously stated, the babies. They are used and abused as weapons for these women to get money and the lifestyle they don't have the brain to achieve themselves.
And as much as I love my Louboutins and my Hermes bags, I would never ever lie and be deceiving to a person to get something so materialistic and shallow as a luxury lifestyle. Not everything has a price.

A favourite saying of mine springs to mind;
Some people are so poor that the only thing they have is money.

Runway to reality

Designers debuted more than just the latest fashions during their New York & Paris shows. Daring eyes, glowing skin and bold lip stains all made cameos this spring. Running the spectrum from edgy to effortless, there's a bevy of beautiful looks in bloom.
I give you, the inside scoop of creating a few of my favourites from the runway.

GIVENCHY
Silver lining

The over-size shark tooth pendants and use of eel-
skin and sea wolf were the most overt pointers
to his watery theme. The approach was less
about the cool, street inspired T-shirts for young
insiders and more about casting the net wider
 to catch
grown women
 who are in the market for tailored,
quite dressy looks and subtle optimistic
use of colours.
Right up my street.

The life of aquatic inspired Riccardo Tisci this season. Behind the scenes, the beauty team developed a fresh look that hinted at a modern-day mermaid. Led by Pat McGrath, make up artists meticulously applied half cuts of silver sequins to the centre of upper and lower lids to mimic the twinkle of Tisci's shiny jackets. (Enhance this look by applying a dab of bronzer to skin and highlighter to inner-eye corners and the cupids bow) Hirstylist Luigi Mureno topped off the aesthetic by creating be achy hair with flowing waves.

Gisele closed the Givenchy show in Paris. naturally.

Love the simple shoes and metallic finish of everything at the show.



ELIE TAHARI
Midas Touch

Riffing on early-twentieth-century explorer chic and Egyptian exploration in particular, Tahari kicked off his show with a group of white and sand-toned looks accented with gold trim and accessories. His long, tailored toppers, airy blouses, and gold mesh accessories won't present a challenge to customers; the good-looking harem pants and flapping skirts will probably be a harder sell. 

Elie Tahari's ancient Egypt inspired spring collection was
complemented by make up artist Romy Soleimani's sun kissed look. Soleimani hydrated the skin pre-foundation and swept M.A.C Goldmine Eye Shadow on cheeks as a blush. The same shade was then applied to lids, and a warm shadow was dabbed in creases. Eyes were topped with a blend of shimmery beiges, and a single coat of neutral gloss was applied to pouts. Hairstylist Esther Langham supplied the finishing touch: a polished, nape-level ponytail, wrapped loosely around the base with a tendril.


YVES SAINT LAURENT
Glam Slam

Essence of super French classiness on
the Paris run way

For spring, with the groundswell of interest in the mid-twentieth-century couture in his favour, Mr Pilati played it un petit pen Belle du Jour with a hint of Moroccan hippie, and rendered it down to relatively simple pieces, and then throw in some big, jewelled belts and gold-toe capped shoes to ramp things up.

With designer Stefano Pilati's fierce new collection as muse,
make up artist Pat McGrath created statement making beauty.
Eschewing pared-down faces, McGrath broke ranks by pairing heavily rimmed eyes with glistening red lips. What a crime! Using black & brown liners, she drew an exaggerated almond shape that swept across the lids, extended at the corner of the eye and then subtly curved to meet the middle of the bottom lash line.
For balance, she bleached brows and kept complexions flawlessly clean- sans blush.
Messy, wet looking buns by Guido Palau anchored the smouldering look.

Somehow McGrath gets away with bold eyes AND lips

HAIDER ACKERMANN
Heavy Metal

The jewel colours continue this season in floaty silks and androgynous details

The Haider Ackermann spring collection dazzled with bold colour and powerful graze. Oversized tailored jackets with bunched sleeves and popped collars over matching drop-crotch pants that ballooned then tapered, it was like seeing an exaggerated version of Ackermann's own personal style.

Few overtly feminine touches (not even a stiletto!!) were spotted on the spring runway, yet make up artist Stephane Marais and hairstylist Eugene Souleiman defined sex appeal with little more than glossy, bronzy lids and boyish, edgy hair. Marais applied copper and brown eye shadows to lids, while dabs of M.A.C Pro Mixing Medium created extra sheen and a tinge of beige-coloured blush added definition. Models might have donned flat oxfords (shudder...) but they also rocked androgynous updos with voluminous "hawk" tops and slicked back sides that provided a few more inches. Loved it.

In his words, the look was “rockabilly barons,” punctuated by oxford mules and the models’ hair worn swept up into pompadours that were artfully tousled just like the suits. 

Love these hairstyles, effortless effort

From work to play

Back in New York & out at our local and favourite place in Manhattan; The Hurricane Club.

We were just having a casual drink after work so I was still in my work clothes, don't you just love it when it translates from day to night?

My blazer is from Patrizia Pepe, I bought it in Harrods many moons ago and it is still my number one choice when it comes to blazers. It is very fitted with sharp shoulder pads and long slim arms. Power dressing to a T!

My skirt is from Zara, I love the delicate lace that is loose over the beige satin skirt under neath. I always find it interesting to mix something quite masculine like a blazer with something really girlie like lace. The skirt  is high waisted but probably just because I bought it too small, I have no choice, but think I prefer it this way anyway.

My shoes are my black Louboutin Daffodils. 8 hours of work and still going strong!

The glass in my hand is Laurent Perrier. Naturally. ;)

Just hanging.

No1 Blazer

Delicate lace

Work shoes