A Blush of Rose January 2010

January 2010 - Frosty Dawn.

As this New Year and new decade gets under way I'm glad I stocked up on knitwear. I'm sticking with a warm pink hat that I bought before Christmas by Rollo, who also make great all round ski wear. After treading many miles around the sales at all ends of the price spectrum and I have to say that there wasn't too much that caught my eye this year. I've picked up a few things for summer and stocked up on bargain perfumed soaps in Harrods but I would say that I'm really waiting for the spring trends to hit the shops. I've seen my first snow drops at the Serpentine Bridge in Hyde Park and I think spring is officially on the way.

Sunday 24th January 2010

Brit Chic at the Curzon Cinema Mayfair

An acquaintance tipped me off that this was coming up and I'm glad that she did. Brit Chic is a program of 14 short films run together giving a tantalising glimpse into the vast BFI collection of fashion related film. One of my favorite features was the feature from The Pacemakers in 1970 featuring Biba. Like many people born after the time of Biba's heyday, I'd heard the stories but never seen the footage. I was really very struck by Hulaniki & Fitz's vision of the store. It really was so different from other stores of the time, to me it seemed quite Scandinavian in it's approach, quite informal and relaxed. I wish it was still on High Street Ken to this day nothing else is quite like it right now.

I also enjoyed the feature with Zandra Rhodes who I was lucky enough to meet a couple of years ago at an event to celebrate The Golden Age of Couture exhibit at the V&A. I have great respect for Zandra, her vision is amazing and she's a strong woman with a good heart. I loved the Chinese inspired pieces that where from a collection in the mid 1980s and I there was plenty of amazing footage of her Atelier in London. A beautiful explosion of colour and creativity.

Fashion Fantasy was story woven around the other short films. The dreams of a young post war WREN where intermixed with scenes from the Atelier of Norman Hartnell. Watching Hartnell sketch a couture gown was mesmerising, I would love to be able to draw like that myself.

The five minute short with Mary Quant was delightful. Her joy and the joy she found in fashion really radiated from the film. I think what she really highlighted for me was about how the spontaneity in fashion is key to keeping the wheel turning. Mary Quant is one of the few designers from the 1960's who still has a boutique in London. It's still in Montpellier street next to my optician! The window still shows the signature flower print design and they have an interesting cosmetics line, check it out!

Design in London - Stamo

At a Greek New Years Vasilopitta I met a wonderful lady called Stamo. She is a Greek Fashion designer based in London. She shows her clothes in London and Paris under the Esthetica banner in London and at Zip in Paris. There are two pieces that I especially love from her Spring-Summer 2010 collection and they bring back the memories of so many things that make me long to return to Greece again. I'll bring you pictures very soon and a link to her beautiful web site so that you can discover her clothes too.

I could stare at the water in and around that country forever. I know that sounds funny but that blue, I can never forget it. The last time I went to Greece, as I sailed away from Piraeus harbour, I just started taking picture after picture of the water and the dolphins swimming in it. Blue, blue, blue.

Stamo will be at London Fashion Week A-W 2010-2011 and I hope to catch up with her and see the new collection. I know she's been working very hard on it in the last few weeks, I think she will have a very successful show.

Please check out her website at www.stamo.co.uk/ . Here below are two of my favourite pieces from her Spring - Summer 2010 collection.

Beauty, Wellbeing & Winter warming.

Well we're into a new decade and this month's fashion trend is frosty and glowing.

The days and the nights seem pretty cold so something that can keep you warm in your heart is pretty essential. I recommend dabbing a little of Penhaligon's Endymion on the pulse points at bed time. See my products page for more information on Penhaligon's.

Another little blessing has been my two new pairs of Dents gloves. They are warm and snug and reach up the arm to give extra warmth. There's a good reason why gloves always used to made that way. The extra reach up the arm makes all the difference.

Iced shades of eye shadow coupled with a frosty rose lipcolour will ease you into 2010 on a chic note. A soft rose French Manicure and generous helpings of shea butter handcream will keep your hands beautiful for when the gloves come off.

A wonderful Swedish friend has given me some Raspberry & Roses Green tea which I find pretty comforting right now. I may have to visit Stockholm in the coming months to re-stock as I can't find anywhere in the UK selling it!