Category Archives: Life & Style

Mateus Rosé Original | Drink Review

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Forget Diamond – Platinum & Pink are a girl’s best friend

this year with Mateus Rosé Original

 

I am a fan of rosé in general. When I received this wine I loved the design of the bottle. It is a beautiful colour too. The wine itself is delicious, refreshing, a good colour and not too sweet. In fact I think this is one of the best rosé I have ever tasted, and it is inexpensive too. The newly redesigned Mateus is excellent as aperitifs or with food, such as fish, seafood, Chinese and Asian cuisine and light meals

 

Reigning for longer than Her Royal Highness, Mateus celebrates its Platinum Jubilee this year toasting 70 years as the Queen of rosé wines. With the redesign of its iconic bottle, Mateus is refreshed and ready to be the taste of summer 2012.

 

To mark this impressive milestone, Mateus want to know what the nation is celebrating this summer and in return people will receive a free bottle of Mateus Rosé Original to help their special occasion go with a bang. All they have to do is visit mateusrose.net/win and fill in the blank “This Summer, I’m celebrating…”.

 

While this world famous rosé in its distinctively shaped bottled has been revitalised with a new contemporary pink-hued label and easy screw cap, Mateus keeps its same great taste. With its refreshing Mediterranean flavours, from picnics to evening parties, Mateus Rosé Original is the perfect drinking partner during this summer of celebration.

Raise your glass to the celebration of true greats this summer and join in the fun with Mateus at mateusrose.net/win. Mateus Rosé Original is available from all good stores and off licences at RRP £5.49.

 

The Mateus Rosé Original bottle giveaway/competition is for over 18s only

 

 

DAS Collection S/S13 – VFS

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The DAS Collection established in 2008, was set up by Emirati sisters Reem and Hind Beljafla. Their initial aim was to update the abaya making it a fashion statement whilst maintaining its heritage and respecting the tradition attached to it. The DAS Collections designs also aim to empower women allowing them to be fashionable and conservative at the same time.

I had never heard of DAS  until London Fashion Week, and was excited by their fashion aims and interested to see how they convey this through their designs. The DAS Spring/Summer 2013 Ready to wear collection definitely did not disappoint. The collection used rich bold colours which were clearly inspired by Middle East and Indian style. Each piece made from luxurious fabric and with impeccable detailing of Arabic calligraphy and beading giving the collection a very rich feel. I was impressed with the tailoring of their designs as they definitely fulfilled their brief and more.

It was a very cohesive collection starting with deep blues flowing into vibrant golds and reds. Some key pieces stood out a dipped hem dress in a crisp fabric which was both on trend with a sophisticated air. The stand out dress of the evening has to be the finale gown, worn by supermodel Alex Wek. Alex Wek was beaming as she strutted down the catwalk to the audiences applause. Her red dress was draped in pearls and she gave the audience a double twirl.

DAS Collection embraces Middle East and Indian style whilst fusing it with current western trends. With this seasons brocade and oriental trends this collection entwines this and creates both beautiful and elegant designs.

Take a look at their entire collection here : http://www.dascollection.com/

Some of my phographs of the key pieces …

 

 

 

Ted Baker For London Fashion Week

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I went to see Ted Baker’s new Hunger Games inspired collection at the One Aldwych Hotel. Firstly I devoured a cake on a stick, which was absolutely delicious. As I rifled through the rails I was very impressed by the clothes. There were lots of beautiful Autumn colours and textures.

The menswear was inspired by being outdoors and fishing, as Ted Baker loves fishing. In the womenswear there was beautiful snakeskin accessories, prints were in, bold colours and fake fur. It was day five at the Handpicked Media suite. I also got my nails done by Teds Beauty Spot therapists. It was the first time I got Shellac nails. Shellac nails look amazing and last two-to-three-weeks. I got a beautiful coral shade that doesn’t even have a chip yet. I also loved their swimwear and hats. Ted Baker’s new collection is gorgeous. Full marks.

Craig Lawrence | London Fashion Week 2012

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British knitwear designer Craig Lawrence underwater themed SS13 show was a particular highlight of London Fashion Week. The clothes were metallic with a lot of different textures. Lawrence said that he ‘craved purity’ after his last colourful show and this entire collection was silver or white. Lawrence used kyototex metallic yarn and techno fibres, and as the camera’s flashed the clothes glowed. Absolutely beautiful.

JW Anderson Spring/Summer 2013 collection | London Fashion Week 2012

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I walked into Bedford Square to see JW Anderson’s SS13 collection and was awed by the venue. The marquee built in the square was beautifully designed and there was a beautiful reception to greet the press and celebrities that were there. Daisy Lowe, Pixie Geldof, Corrine Bailey-Rae and Nicola Roberts were all FROW, as was legendary fashion writer Hilary Alexander.

The clothes were divine. Metallic clothes with the occasional splash of colour and geometric hemlines were the order of the day. Frost Magazine has an interview with JW Anderson here and some backstage photos.

Adam Andrascik Spring Summer 2013

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“the collection draws it’s inspiration from the couture shapes of the 1960’s , combined with an ongoing fascination with the work of Lucio Fontana’s ‘slashed’ canvases, and the development of textile techniques and finishing unique to the label.’

On Tuesday morning I headed over to see Adam Andrascik round the corner from Somerset House. The shows was held in a room with the models standing around its edges so the audience could walk up, take photos, admire the clothes and drink champagne!

Sadly, this was the time my camera chose to run out, so I had to make some quick sketched of the collection to give an idea….

The collection made up of clean, elegant clothing. Shirts and A-line skirts featured in a futuristic but feminine a style, as we have seen in a lot of shows over this S/S13.

Classic shapes and silhouettes at the front of the garments give way to bellowing sheer fabric at the back, creating a twist to familiar cuts.

Shiny and sheer fabrics mixed together to create each look. This, combined with the models swept back hair, dark eyebrows and clean make up created a futuristic and alien feel.

Adam Andrascik S/S13 collection, is beautiful, wearable and sophisticated. Perfect for the modern day woman.

http://adamandrascik.com/

Fashion Fringe. Final Show London Fashion Week S/S13

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The finale to London Fashion Week S/S13 was Fashion Fringe, a platform set up to help young design talent to display their collection.

As a design student myself I am always glad to see young designers being helped by those already established in the industry, and i know and appreciate how much work and dedication goes into making a collection and starting up a business.

For Fashion Fringe ten young designers are chosen from thousands and those ten are then whittled down to three. The winner is then announced at the end of the show.

This years finalists were Haizhen Wang, by Haizhen Wang, a graduate from Central Saint Martins who has previously worked for Max Mara, Boudicca and All saints before establishing his own label in 2010. Wangs S/S13 collection is inspired by architect Santigo Calatrava and Japanese amour. It featured precise lines and had echos of both femininity and masculinity. 3D digital printing was also used on the collection adding a futurist feel to his work.

Teija by Teija Eilola. Eilola, a graduate for RCA and previously head of women’s wear at Ted Baker. Her S/S13 collection “All that is Solid” was feminine and sophisticated with soft, earthy colours and luxurious fabrics swishing down the catwalk. The trench coats and outwear had exiting cuts and shapes with with large silhouetted sleeves. Personally this was my favourite collection and I loved the contrasted use of draping mixed with pattern cutting.

Vita Gottlieb, by Vita Gottlieb, a Fine Art Graduate from Central Saint Martins set up her label in 2012. You could never tell but she has no formal fashion training and has instead taught herself.  Her Fashion Fringe S/S13 collection is entitled “The night garden” and is an explosion of cultures and textures coming together, with interesting silhouettes  and bright colours making her collection stand out. With amazing fabrics and shapes Gottlieb’s collection is truly unique and beautiful.

As the last show of S/S13 there was a sense of excitement in the air and as the show ended everyone waited with baited breath for the winner to be announced. Each designer was so different and each collection so powerful it would a hard decision to make.

This year Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Office of Burberry was judge of the competition and presented the awards.

In the end he chose Haizhen Wang collection. As Wang came on to collect his trophy, made by jewellery designer Jessica McCormack, it was clear as he lifted the trophy over his head in triumph how ecstatic and happy he was to have won.

It was a lovely end to a great fashion week, with everyone looking forward into the future for new young talent and a whole new generation of designers.