Category Archives: Life & Style

London Fashion Week : The Countdown Begins!

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London Fashion Week (LFW) is less than one week away and it is fair to say that I am already bubbling over in excitement. The show schedule is bursting with Legends of fashion as well as up-and-comers set to showcase their latest Autumn/Winter collections. As well as that, over 100 designer brands will take part in the exhibition, all showing off their latest and greatest pieces. It is an event I’ve always dreamt of going to and thanks to Frost Magazine, I hold an “access all areas pass”!

So, what can I expect?  Catwalk Shows, Presentations and Parties are all part of the schedule, creating the perfect stage for us British to show off our talents to the rest of the world. It is also certain to deliver some controversy, drama and headline making mayhem…although I do hope we don’t see any poor models fall on the Catwalk again. Other expectations I have are, of lots of noise, colour and eccentric people surrounding me and I cannot wait for it all to start!

Fashion-Lover, Keshini Misha, who is also writing about LFW for Frost, brought up the very good question of, What to Wear? Those three words have been running through my mind too and I’m sure most of this week will be spent selecting the perfect outfits. In fact, I have to admit that this element of fashion week is actually something I am extremely excited about. Not me stressing about what to wear but, getting to see the variety of fashion choices others will make. It is what I love most about fashion really; how people dress as an extension of themselves and their personalities. I think it is a shame to see someone dress in something for its name or for the social status it brings. It is far more interesting and impressive to see those who dress for themselves and throw outfits together in ways others wouldn’t imagine! Each day I will snap pictures of the best dressed people I see to share with you as well as fill you in on all the latest trends, hottest designers and naughtiest gossip!

Until it all begins…

Kate x

Follow me on Twitter too @k8hollowood

Happy “Val-Entwine” From Links of London

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Links of London present Entwine, their luxury range from their Official Collection of London 2012

2012 is a special year of celebration for London with both the Jubilee and the Olympic Games taking place. For couples celebrating Valentine’s Day this Olympic year Links of London provide the perfect collection of jewellery with their Entwine range.

Inspired by ribbons on winning medals and rhythmic gymnastics with a creative pulse of energy rippling through gold and silver spirals the range is a celebration of precious materials and exquisite stones coming together in beautiful designs.

The core range is delicate, feminine, sterling silver and 18ct gold. Citrine stones compliment the gold range creating a warm statement. Cool silver necklaces laced with blue topaz, and delicate silver rings with glimmering white sapphire stones make for a sophisticated and elegant look.

For a memorable token of affection Links of London has created a bespoke diamond and gold capsule collection. The luxurious multi strand necklace and bracelet are adorned with diamond encrusted twists of gold. The three revolutions of the ribbon represent the 3 Olympic Games hosted by the UK in 1908, 1948 and 2012. 205 diamonds punctuate the strands reflecting the number of nations expected to take part in the games.

David Riddiford CEO of Links commented “Entwine is our most luxury offering from the Official Jewellery Collection of London 2012. The pieces are perfect for Valentines, to celebrate a special relationship.”

Links of London have created the Official Jewellery Collection of London 2012 which includes memorable gifts, beautiful women’s and men’s jewellery and the “must-have” Team GB band as part of the Official Collection of Team GB.

Entwine is available in all Links of London stores and online at www.linksoflondon.com

Frost's Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

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Frost is a sucker for Valentine’s Day. With so much hate in the world what is wrong with a day celebrating love? Gift buying can be a nightmare so Frost has done some of the hard work so you don’t have to.

SWATCH 2012 Olympic Watches. Functional, cool, what better way to say ‘I love you’.

Stockist: WatchShop.com – www.WatchShop.com – 0844 736 5340

WatchShop.com Price: £36.00 each and free shipping in the UK

These Swatch Olympic 2012 watches are made from plastic/resin and powered by a quartz movement.

Created with one eye on fashion and the other on the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games, they merge pro-sport aesthetics and classic London design. The new watches are available in brown/pink and blue colourways and each features the 2012 logo.

The designers have given a nod both to British fashion’s mod-heritage and the London 2012 Olympic Games logo by means of a two-toned palette.

Water resistant to 30 metres.

It’s never easy for a man to find that perfect give for his loved one on Valentine’s Day. But with these mobile phone cases featuring Rebecca Bonbon, a charming little French bulldog designed by the creator of Hello Kitty, it’s a lot easier. We think the range is cute.

Available in a wide range of designs and colours – rose, fuschia, white, black.

Managing Director, Andy Tow comments: “ Our range of accessories is continually expanding and we now have mobile phone cases for all occasions.”

If edible is more your thing then Pierre Herme should be your port of call. Try these, our mouths are watering already.

Macaron Envie (Composition: Macaron biscuit, violet cream with whole blackcurrants). A small round biscuit, with a crunchy outside and smooth, velvety violet cream filling with whole blackcurrants.

Valentine’s Day Gift Boxes

The Valentine’s collection also features limited edition boxes created by designer and scenographer Marianne Guély. The box, in vibrant shades of pink and green and filled with either macarons or chocolates, will make the perfect Valentine’s gift. Available from the 6th February in the boutique located at 13 Lowndes Street as well as in our in-store boutique at Selfridges.

Valentine’s 16-piece Macaron assortment: £33
Valentine’s 200g Chocolate Assortment: £31
Macaron Envie : £1.85 per piece
Available online at www.pierreherme.com

Feeling adventuress? Then try something fun and different.

Looking for an exciting way to woo your valentine this year? Does squeezing into a packed restaurant among hundreds of other couples sound particularly unromantic, and corny to you? Why not impress the love interest in your life with something completely out of the ordinary for a valentine’s date?

Go Ape! Tree Top Adventure has found a rising number of pri(mates) are visiting the forest adventure courses for a romantic date, taking the time to bond while helping each other tackle Tarzan swings, zip lines and rope ladders up in the tree-tops. With 27 courses set in beautiful countryside locations across the UK, Go Ape provides the perfect fun-filled adventure.

Prefer to keep your feet closer to the ground? Go Ape also has a range of other activities available for adventure-lovers wanting to escape the norm this Valentine’s Day. Explore the forest off-road with Go Ape! Forest Segways? The self-balancing electric segways are a totally unique way to tackle tough trails and have plenty of fun at the same time. Or why not jump on a bicycle in the great outdoors? Go Ape! Forest Biking is available in the beautiful setting of Black Park Country Park, Slough.

Or play it safe with stuff they will use and cherish forever;

Iconic striped china Cornishware from T.G.Green & Co. has a new addition to its range of Cornish Red for last minute Valentine’s Day gifts. A couple of mugs are a pair of red mugs which can be personalised with up to 12 letters each in a stylish gift box for £25. If two sets are bought postage is free from Cornishware maker T.G.Green & Co’s online shop www.tggreen.co.uk. The mugs solve any Valentine’s Day dilemmas with last orders for Valentine’s Day midnight on 5th February and also make great wedding presents.


Happy Valentine’s Day from Frost.

Brighten Up Valentine's Day in Aid of UNICEF

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PURPLE RONNIE BRIGHTENS UP VALENTINE’S DAY WITH A SPLASH OF COLOUR

– Retro poet provides uniquely created poems in aid of charity –

Romantic rhyming favourite, Purple Ronnie, is creating a series of one-off poems for loved-ones this Valentine’s Day, to accompany a very special gift – your very own colour.

A world first, men and women will be able to gift their loved-ones an actual colour for them to own, through Facebook.com/OwnAColour, for a minimum donation of £1 – an initiative in aid of UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation.

A number of celebrities have named their own colour, including;

Jemima Khan – CFC Blue, named hers for her Chelsea mad son

· Sir Roger Moore – Swedish Blue, I chose to name this particular shade of blue Swedish Blue as it is the colour of the Swedish flag, the homeland of my very wonderful and very beautiful wife, Kristina, and not far off the cyan blue that represents UNICEFfor his wife

· Matt Dawson – Arcos Olive, Reminds him of his wedding day as it was the theme of my Wedding so will always be associated with good memories

· Duncan Bannatyne – Scottish Saltire Blue, It represents my proud Scottish roots

The gift of colour, accompanied by a unique Purple Ronnie poem, will be available from 8th February – for those who are organised – until Valentine’s Day itself – for those not so organised – and provides a special solution for all those Valentine’s Day gifting dilemmas, whilst also contributing to a great cause.

The limited-edition poem, in Purple Ronnie’s iconic cheeky style, will appear on your loved-ones Facebook wall on the 14th February, along with a link for them to pick and name their colour of choice.

Stewart Longhurst from the Own A Colour team comments:“What’s great about the Own A Colour initiative is that, not only does it allow people to put their name to a never-before-owned colour, but it harnesses the power of colour to have a positive impact on saving lives of children. Colour is such an important and personal method of expression, so what better way to show someone you love them this Valentine’s Day than with a colour of their very own, accompanied by an original love poem?”

PURPLE RONNIE OWNACOLOUR

With Own A Colour, your Valentine will be the exclusive owner of one of the 16.7 million colours that the average computer, smartphone or tablet can display.

Recent celebrity donators include The Saturday’s beauty Frankie Sandford as well as other UNICEF Ambassadors and fans such as Jemima Khan, Matt Dawson and Sir Roger Moore, who have all been inspired by their loved-ones in buying and naming their colours; Jemima Khan named hers CFC Blue for her Chelsea mad son, Sir Roger Moore’s Swedish Blue for his wife and Matt Dawson’s colour reminds him of his wedding day.

To Own A Colour, and for more information, visit: Facebook.com/OwnAColour

Diane von Furstenberg Announces the DVF Awards

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Diane von Furstenberg Announces the DVF Awards and Nominees for the People’s Voice Award
Third Annual Award Honors an American Woman Chosen by Public Vote

On Friday, March 9, 2012, the third annual DVF Awards will take place at the United Nations in New York during Newsweek & The Daily Beast’s Women in the World Summit held March 8-10 at Lincoln Center. The DVF Awards were created in 2010 by Diane von Furstenberg and The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation to recognize and support women who are using their resources, commitment and visibility to transform the lives of other women. These are women who have had the courage to fight, the power to survive and the leadership to inspire. Each year, five awards are given to women who have demonstrated leadership, strength and courage in their commitment to women’s causes.

Among those five is the People’s Voice Award, the recipient of which is chosen by the public, through online voting at dvfawards.com.

This year’s nominees for the third annual People’s Voice Awards, as selected by The DVF Awards Board of Advisors, are:

Diane Latiker (Kids Off The Block, Inc.)
Layli Miller-Muro (Tahirih Justice Center)
Andrea Powell (FAIR Girls)
Jennifer Valoppi (Women of Tomorrow)

Public voting will launch online at dvfawards.com on Thursday, February 2 and last through Wednesday, February 15th.

“The People’s Voice Awards have been a great success in the past two years,” says von Furstenberg. “Last year, over 35,000 people voted online for the woman who inspired them! This year, we are proud to highlight four truly exceptional nominees who are doing incredible work on behalf of women.”

Last year’s People’s Voice Award recipient was Taryn Davis of The American Widow Project. Since receiving the grant, Davis has been named one of CNN’s Heroes of the Year and one of Glamour Magazine’s 21 Amazing Young Women, among other accolades. What is more, The American Widow Project has doubled the amount of widows it has served and is currently launching a new website in order to connect to countless more.

Supported by The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, the People’s Voice Award aims to provide the recipient with the exposure and resources needed to extend her critical efforts on behalf of women’s causes. The winner will receive a $50,000 award from the Foundation to sustain and expand their extraordinary efforts. The People’s Voice Award winner will be honored at the DVF Awards on March 9th, 2012 at a ceremony hosted by Tina Brown and Diane von Furstenberg.

DIANE von FURSTENBERG, one of the premier names in American fashion, was founded in 1972 by the designer. Renowned for its iconic wrap dress and signature prints, DVF has grown into the global luxury lifestyle brand it is today. Its distinctive collections are sold in over 70 countries and in 44 namesake retail boutiques worldwide. A firm believer in the infinite power of women, Diane von Furstenberg sits on the board of Vital Voices and has organized initiatives worldwide to support their activities, including the Artisan Handbag Design Competition, the Wonder Woman Comic, and the Proud to be Woman campaign. In addition to DVF’s commitment to women’s empowerment, Diane is a supporter of the Friends of the High Line and played an integral role in the redevelopment of the elevated rail tracks into a public park. As President of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), Diane is an advocate for American fashion and a mentor to its growing community of designers.

Mary J Blige Joins Forces With Belvedere Vodka and RED to Help Save Lives

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Award-winning, multi-platinum singer Mary J Blige will be performing at a private pre-Grammy event on February, 9th 2012 to celebrate the partnership of Belvedere, the world’s first super premium vodka and (RED)(TM).

The exclusive performance will be followed by a private party at Bardot, Los Angeles to help raise awareness around HIV/AIDS and emphasize the need for consumers to unite in support of programs that help eliminate HIV and AIDS in Africa.

In winter 2011, BELVEDERE Special Edition bottle launched to raise proceeds for the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS. The (RED) inspired packaging will contain the same unadulterated and naturally smooth Belvedere vodka enthusiasts have always enjoyed. 50% of Belvedere’s profits from the global sale of BELVEDERE RED will contribute to the Global Fund.

Mary J Blige said: “I’m delighted to be supporting RED in their fight against HIV & AIDS in Africa. It is one of the most devastating issues faced by millions in Africa and if we can raise awareness with this event and encourage people to buyRED, we’ll be one step closer to an HIV / AIDS free generation in 2015.”

Fans can watch the party build up and Mary J Blige’s performance live via Facebook at approximately 10.45pm (PST). The event will be streamed to http://www.facebook.com/belvederevodka. Media can download images and B-Roll footage from the event at 6am Friday 10th February 2012, please visit http://www.epklink.com/BelvedereRedWithMaryJBlige

Diary of a Fashion Week Intern…

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Having given up my place at the London College of Fashion for Drama School, I have never looked back, but it hasn’t stopped me wondering where I would be now if I did chose to embark on the fashion world instead of the thespian… would I be treading the boards at Elle, Or selling my creations at Portobello Market?  I’m sure if I chose that over acting, I would be sitting here thinking exactly the same. It goes without saying, I have not lost my passion for fashion and continue to build a portfolio of fashion drawings as a hobby. So it was a great pleasure when Catherine Balavage, the esteemed editor of Frost Magazine, was looking for interns to cover London Fashion Week, the most prestigious Fashion event of the capital.

Whether you have been to fashion week before, or not, I’m sure you can imagine the biggest dilemma I am faced with…WHAT TO WEAR????

 

 

Keshini Misha

xx

UK Super Bash

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Last night in celebration of the Super Bowl, Chrysler presented the NFL Super Bash – officially the biggest party outside of the US. The event attracted a host of American Football fans including Vernon Kay, Pixie Lott, Warren Brown, James Phelps, Nick Grimshaw, Harry Styles, Corey Feldman and Matt Johnson, who stayed until the wee hours watching the game.

St Louis Ram Cheerleaders who have celebrated their final days in the UK with a tour around London’s more famed spots