Vintage gold clutch with hidden treasures

So, today has been pretty uneventful. I mostly spent the day trying to organize my clothing and accessories, but it seemed to take me forever as I kept on finding items which I had forgotten about, and then rediscovering the joys of them all over again ( I love it when that happens, it feels almost as good as buying new things).

While I was doing a quick bag inventory, I remembered about this vintage evening clutch that I have been meaning to post about since I received it as a Christmas gift. It has a hard, box-like structure, is slightly bigger than my hand and is surprisingly heavy for its size. When i opened it on Christmas Day I remember thinking, 'wow this is really beautiful, but why is it so heavy?' The answer was to be revealed on opening it......

TA DAAAAAA.....! On opening one side of the bag, I revealed an inbuilt mirror, a coin holder, a lipstick holder, and what I assume is a section for holding old school cigarettes (or as I use it for.. credit cards). There are also three clips, which pivot on a hinge to hold a comb.

The other side revealed a lighter, and a space ideal for (more) credit cards or money, or if you have one, a really tiny, thin mobile phone.

Apparently, the bag was from the 1920's and so I love to think of all the glamorous outings it would have had. Hopefully it will be able to add a few more glamorous moments to its life at its new home chez moi.

Remnants of Christmas

I love Christmas (as if i haven't already said that before) and I always get a bit sulky post New-Year's when the tree has to come down and all the decorations get put away. All the stores lovely Christmas windows also seem to disappear straight after Christmas, and are replaced by ugly, boring red 'SALES- 50% OFF!!!!!' signs filling up the store fronts.

With this in mind, I was delighted when shopping in Denver on the first few days of January to see the beautiful Christmas windows of jeweler Tiffany & Co. still there, and still clinging on for dear life to the last few days of the festive season. The windows were a multi-layered paper-crafted delight, and you had to get up close to see all the detail. All the diamonds and other expensive finery were draped over the paper models and scenery, although a special mention has to go out to the sleigh-driving elf, who is really working the whole ring-as-a hat look.

I wish you.........

....A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

To my 'followers', and anyone who should stumble upon my blog by chance, I hope you have a very enjoyable festive season, with much fun and fashion adventures in the year ahead xoxo

Christmas presents past

 I was really lucky as a child, as my Grandmother Eileen was always really into fashion. We used to enjoy several shopping trips in London together, and I used to love it when she went on big shopping sprees for her annual cruises on the QEII. She would also drop by and deliver me a fresh batch of fashion magazines each week, which I would sit and pour over for hours. Sadly, she died about five years ago, and I miss her greatly. Still, I take comfort in the many pieces of clothing and jewelry that she has passed on to me over the years, and one of my favorite pieces, is the gold locket that she used to wear everyday. The photos inside are of my brother and I as children, and its always good for a laugh to look at them.

My other favorite vintage hand me down present was from my Godmother, Sue, (AKA 'Auntie' Sue) who was my Grandmother's best friend. On my 21st, she gave me some of her vintage evening bags, my favorite of which is this beaded and sequined small white clutch. I've been using it often since I was given it, and in fact took it out to my birthday dinner this year.

Its really well made, and the beading is very detailed, so here's a close up:

The bag also sparkles a lot in the right light, so its perfect for the Christmas party season.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.....

....or more specifically some of Maison Martin Margiela's home decor pieces from their 'white objects' range. The first interiors collection by the label features minimalistic lamps, plain Russian dolls, cotton calendars, and feather pens to name but a few. All in , yep! you guessed it, white.

Here's some more of the pieces from the collection:

Russian Dolls

cotton calendar

The label recently hit the news earlier this month, when it was announced that the somewhat reclusive designer Martin Margiela is leaving the fashion house, and will not be replaced. The label will continue (yay!) with the same creative team, so we can expect yet more quirky-cool clothes , and hopefully more interiors.

(sorry for the interiors heavy posts over the last couple of days, by the way - I just found out I'm moving in the new year, so seem to be creating my 'fantasy' shopping list for the new pad. Now all I need is a big bank balance to bring it all together)

Anyway, back to my point. The MMM label has always been famous for having unusual elements to its catwalk shows, be it sending models with their faces covered down the runway, or their 'hoof' like shoes.- remember them? Here's hoping that this will continue despite mr Margiela's absence.

P.S. Looking on the website, and found this photo of hoof shoe-prints leading to one of their stores. Love it!

P.P.S Also love, love, LOVE this cuff by the label's jewelry line, which is essentially an enlarged cygnet ring.

Not your usual Christmas jumper

Hurry to Whistles now to grab one of their Christmas sweaters, and help out the charity Shelter at the same time. For every one of these fabulous sweaters that is sold,  25% of the purchase price will be donated to the charity, so there is even more reason to get involved in these festive fashion statements.

The dog on the above sweater is actually the pet of one of the Whistles' staff members apparently, and I have to say, that out of the set, this has to be my favorite. The other sweaters include one by stylist Fran Burns which features a Reindeer illustration (see below, top picture) and a snowflake print sweater which is the work of Christopher Simmonds, art director of creative agency Partner & Partner (see below, bottom picture).

Get them while you can, as they have been online for a while, and are selling out fast. Must be the fact that Christmas is around the corner - yippee!

Pictures from Whistles

Bergdorf Goodman Christmas Windows NYC

One of my shopping highlights on my recent trip to New York, was the Christmas Windows created by the stores. Top of the list however, had to be Bergdorf Goodman, whose highly detailed and intricate displays made you want to stand there and study every aspect of the designs. The Alexander McQueen inspired window above was by far my favourite, not just for the boots (see below close up in the rather rubbish photo taken by me) but also for the miniature doll beside the main mannequin wearing a tiny coordinating outfit.

Here are the rest. My photos didn't turn out that great, so here are pictures (and accompanying text) of the windows from the Bergdorf Goodman site:

Prada Soho NY, and a Christmas gift to myself.

Ok, so everyone knows how cool the NY Soho Prada on Broadway is. Despite being there since 2001, however, this was in fact my first visit to the store, and it was visually even better in person, than in the pictures I had previously seen in architecture and design magazines. Please excuse my pictures therefore for not doing it justice, I was trying to be discreet and not to look too touristy.

The central feature of the store is a zebra wood wave that undulates through the store from the street level to the basement level. There are also, motorized hanging display cases that can be moved across tracks in the ceiling, and a flip-out stage for in-store events and parties. I also loved the giant trunks used as display cases downstairs in the women's shoe department, and the amazing luggage selection which was displayed as you entered the store. Designed by Rem Koolhaas/OMA the store also features an annually-changing block-length wall completely covered in a specially designed wallpaper.

Whilst in the store, apart from all the beautiful clothes, I found myself lusting after the large hat boxes, wishing that the money fairies would deliver me enough $ (or any other currency) so I could get my paws on one. My purchases however were restricted to a pair of shoes (not for me, but for my significant other), and as I had been meaning to get a copy of the Prada book, I thought now was a good time, to treat myself, what with it being Christmas (nearly) and all.

The book, whilst rather expensive, is well worth the money. It covers everything from the history of the brand, collaborations with artists, the future of the label, and pictures of collections and ad campaigns from previous seasons up to 2009. Here are a few of my favorite shots of inside the book, which again, do not do justice to the real thing.

Shoes glorious shoes!

designs under construction

nude dress S/S 2005

Fall 1991

Clutches Fall 2007

Pink Shoes S/S 2006

 See-through trench Fall 2002

 Fall 2002

S/S 1991

Happy Christmas to me!

Gareth Pugh SHOWstudio dress and feathered helmet

Looking through the SHOWstudio shop, to see the completed dress made by Gareth Pugh live at SHOWstudio (see earlier blog post), I was looking through other items in the shop, and saw this amazing feathered helmet, which he created for s/s 2010. Yours for the bargain price of 4,000 GBP.

Anyway, onto the dress itself........

Personally handcrafted by Pugh himself, you can see all the work that has gone into it. I'd love to have this piece and just display it in my home, although sadly i believe its already been snapped up by some lucky bidder. Oh well...

Also in SHOWstudio in the run up to Christmas has been Fred Butler, who has been decorating the studio's Christmas Tree. Butler has decorated/accesorised the tree using hand-made accessories, ranging from hair slides, brooches & bracelets, in varying textures and colours. I love the kind of cellophane-esque texture of them, they remind me of opening a tin of Quality Street.

 

(above images from SHOWstudio.com)

P.S Whilst blogging earlier this month about designer Christmas Trees, for some ridiculous reason, I neglected to include Gareth Pugh's 2008 tree for Topshop. So...here it is;

In true Gareth Pugh style the tree tree comprises simply of 60 neon tubes attached to a free standing metal frame. Definitely on my Christmas list.

Jonathan Adler Christmas Poodle

As demonstrated by John Galliano and others (see earlier post), Christmas Trees don't necessarily have to mean stereotypical glitter baubles and santas/snowmen/reindeer. Not that there's anything wrong with the traditional christmas characters, but sometimes its nice to be a bit non-traditional and throw in some surprise elements. Potter/interior design genius Jonathan Adler, has a delightful range of white ceramic tree ornaments such as the Poodle (above) and elephant (below) which add a nice element of his 'happy chic' style to the tree.

John Galliano for Claridges, and other designer christmas trees

Being a huge fan of Christmas, nothing gets me going more than the sight of the good ol' Christmas tree. Shame then, that I'm not in London today for the big unveiling of the John Galliano christmas tree at Claridges. Naturally, the tree is not your run-of-the-mill tinsel and shiny bauble extravaganza, but more of an icy blue and white frozen tropical tree (see above photos and initial design sketch below). Erected overnight, the 20ft tree is constructed out of papier mache, polystyrene and paper, and featured amongst the branches are a handmade leopard, some parrots and a dragonfly.
Like my own (not nearly as impressive ) christmas tree, it will be on display until the twelfth night (January 6th).

Other designer christmas trees will be on display in Paris from December 8th-14th at

'cite de l'architechture' as part of the city's annual 'Les Sapins de Noel des Createur' event. Designers ranging from Paul Smith, Hermes, Gaultier, and Louis Vuitton (to name but a few) will be designing one-off trees which will be auctioned off to raise money for the charity 'Sol en Si' (Solidarite en SIDA) which helps young people affected by AIDS. Last year, 44 stunning creations raised a total of 101,000 Euros for the charity, so hopefully this year will also bring much festive cheer and charitable proceeds. Just because its December 1st, here's a few shots from last year's trees to kick start the Christmas Spirit.

Gaultier

Louis Vuitton

Gucci

Norman Foster

Chanel

Christian LaCroix

Valentino