The perfect boots (and more)

I recently treated myself to a little splurge in one of my favourite shoe shops Kurt Geiger. As well as finding the perfect pair of black ankle boots – leather, a solid 2 inch heel and great detailing – I also picked up this super cute pompom hat and a red snake print make-up bag that is big enough to double up as a clutch. image image

Leather Skittle ankle boots, £59, Miss KG 

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Saffiano cosmetic pouch, £49, Kurt Geiger London (only pink available online)

Whilst the stores may be filling up with next season’s trends it’s pretty darn cold outside and sometimes sense prevails. For now, I think a warm hat is wiser than a strappy dress and I’ve not taken this one off since I bought it.

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Knitted pompom hat, £35  £15, Kurt Geiger London

Also available in wine £35 £25 and brown £35 £15, Kurt Geiger London

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When I went to write today’s post to tell you all about my shop I had a browse of the Kurt Geiger site and spotted so many amazing bargains that I had to share them with you. I know January is the month of purging, but if you have any money left after Christmas and are searching for great end-of-sale reductions then look no further. Happy shopping all!

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Pair this statement heel with a LBD. Who said the party season is over?

Galaxy studded heels, £150 £69, Carvela Kurt Geiger

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Perfect to wear today with tights and with bare legs in spring.

Hattie snake print heels, £120 £49, KG Kurt Geiger

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Add a touch of sparkle to your trusty go-with-anything flat Chelsea boots. 

Navy Shadow metallic ankle boots, £150 £69, KG Kurt Geiger

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Over-the-knee boots are so on-trend. Wear with skinny jeans or a 70s printed dress.

Pacific leather and suede boots, £220 £139, Cavela Kurt Gieger

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A brogue never goes out of fashion and this pale pair will be a go-to come summer.

Mister brogues in Nude, new season offer £85 £29, Carvela Kurt Geiger

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Another summery ‘I can’t believe the price’ must-have. Best be quick! 

Selina nubuck open toe boots, £130 £39, KG Kurt Geiger

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For hands-free shopping, dancing or any other activity try this fab snake print bag.

Bea Snake Mix crossbody bag, new season offer £55 £29, Carvela Kurt Geiger

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A bold box clutch for the nights when all you need is your phone and a credit card.

Dandy Leopard Box Clutch, £85 £39, KG Kurt Geiger

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For those (like me) who prefer to have enough room for the kitchen sink.

Nell Saffiano leather Tote in pink (also comes in red and grey for £129), £180 £79, Kurt Geiger London

All items can be purchased on http://www.kurtgeiger.com

London Fashion Week SS15

With the fashion crowd moving onto the final week of catwalks and the first shows in Paris about to begin, I thought it high time I not only posted a blog (apologies about the huge gap in posts – it was a summer of filming abroad) but also filled you in on what I saw at London Fashion Week this month.

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My sparkly Kurt Geiger sliders have an outing at London Fashion Week SS15

Whilst the catwalk shows attract the most media attention, I also like to peruse the designer stands in the stunning Somerset House, looking closely at the collections that have just been shown and speaking to new up-and-coming designers. Despite dedicating over 3 hours to this I only managed to cover one floor this season, focusing on contemporary and emerging talent. Sadly for all shoe lovers I didn’t quite manage the accessories hall. Here is a virtual tour of the designers that stood out for me and what to expect for Spring Summer 2015 (all website details at end of page).

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Flying the flag for London

First up the lovely Jean-Pierre Braganza whose SS15 show I also attended this season. A fantastic collection with his signature mix of masculine tailoring, quirky print and fabulous outerwear. Expect monochrome with a little added sparkle. A quick five min chat with the man himself revealed that he had slept a total of six hours in three nights in the lead up to the show. Ouch!

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Designs from Jean-Pierre Braganza SS15 (above) and as seen on the catwalk (below)

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Another favourite Fyodor Golan pulled out all the stops with neon colouring, oversized sequins and dramatic floral applique. Definitely not one for the faint-hearted, expect to see these designs on celeb fans Rita Ora and Katy Perry pronto.

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The delightful Georgia Hardinge showed me around her collection for next Spring, which featured clever architectural-inspired pleating and intricate silk prints, in a particularly strong palette of cornflower blue and chartreuse. Along with five others, Georgia was chosen for this years BFC Contemporary initiative, which included creating a capsule collection for eBay to coincide with Fashion Week. Expect many more exciting collaborations ahead.

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For those who like their clothing of a Scandi persuasion, the simplicity and clean lines of Swedish brand Deitas should appeal.

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Voluminous shapes and luxury fabrics and prints stand out at Fitriani. I love this beautiful collection!

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The prints in the Yuzzo London collection really caught my eye. Subtle and pretty, with an Eastern influence, these gorgeous pieces would work well in any wardrobe.

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Next up is Zoe Jordan, also chosen for this years BFC Contemporary Initiative. Her use of abstract print, geometric lines and cracked leather makes for a feminine look with an urban edge. This collection was inspired by Berlin and her printed leather dress (as seen below) was spotted on Poppy Delevigne that same week.

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Next the urban sport luxe designs of Jamie Wei Huang caught my eye. I was meant to attend this show but sadly couldn’t make it. The unusual use of colour and texture and the quirky menswear detailing make this collection really stand out for me.

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A step further into the world of quirky is New York brand Betina. Starting off as a luxury T-shirt line, the label has since expanded and was recently named as one to watch by vogue.com. Combining a Philappino heritage and US sports influences this collection is a riot of clashing textures, contrasting fabrics and embellishment. Cute!

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On to Emerging Talent and the clean lines, boxy silhouettes and succinct colour scheme of label Heohwan Simulation caught my eye.

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Another emerging designer with an eye for texture is Ming Pin Tien. The hand-knotted tassles that adorn the garments lift the simple shapes out of the ordinary. And I just adore these crazy furry flats. Fab, fun and sure to get a lot of attention.

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And just when I thought London Fashion Week had become all clean lines and commercial shapes, I came across the surreal kitsch designs of Yang Du. The Chinese born, London based designer sure knows how to put the fun into fashion. She may divide a room with her bold designs, but with Susie Bubble as a fan she’ll go far. & why the hell not add some colour to your life. Or an animal backpack…

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http://www.jeanpierrebraganza.com; http://www.fyodorgolan.co.uk; http://www.georgiahardinge.co.uk; http://www.deitas.com; http://www.fitriani.com; http://www.yuzzo-zhou.com; http://www.zoe-jordan.com; http://www.jamieweihuang.com; http://www.betina-ny.com; http://www.heohwansimulation.com; http://www.mingpintien.com; http://www.yangdu-duyang.com;

White Out

In Jan I styled a shoot for Drafted magazine – the popular London based monthly mag – and it is finally out.  Yay!  The theme of the shoot was SS14 white and we decided to go with a futuristic architectural feel (the moodboard I made up for the shoot is above). Shot by the talented Jay McLaughlin (who directed the lovely Bethan Maye from Models 1 to channel Milla Jovovich in Fifth Element), with hair and make-up by Amy Brandon.  Amy kept things modern by opting for an on-trend grungy 90s look with dishevelled hair, a brown lip and minimal mascara.

We shot 7 looks but sadly there was only room for 6 pages.  Here is the shoot along with some behind-the-scenes extras. I hope you like it.

White Out SS14 Drafted mag 1&2 - Stylitz

White Out SS14 Drafted mag 3 - Stylitz

White Out SS14 Drafted mag 4 - Stylitz

White Out SS14 Drafted mag 5 - Stylitz

White Out SS14 Drafted mag 6 - Stylitz

All clothing credits as listed on images

Photography: Jay McLaughlin @ Kayte Ellis Agency

Styling: Alicja Jasnikowska @ Carol Hayes Management

Hair and make-up: Amy Brandon using MAC and Nars

Styling Assistant: Joanne Mulcare

Model: Bethan Maye @ Models 1

Location: Milk @ Grace Bar

And here are some of my behind-the-scenes shots of the amazing jewellery and numerous amounts of clothing.  Thanks to Whitehair Co, HPR, Varg, Trace PR, Dust PR, BPR, Bright Light PR, Kurt Geiger and Marks & Spencer.

Backstage stylitz 1

Jewellery by Maria Nilsdotter and Cornelia Webb

Backstage stylitz 2

Handcuff by Maria Nilsdotter

Backstage stylitz 3

Sunglasses and jewellery from HPR

Backstage stylitz 4

Heels by Kurt Geiger, brogues by Dune and boots by United Nude

Backstage stylitz 6

The chicest (& whitest) cloakroom rail I’ve ever seen

Backstage stylitz 7

Model Bethan Maye (Models 1) with hair and make-up artist Amy Brandon

Backstage stylitz 8

Amy wearing sunglasses by Wildfox, Silk top by Filippa K at Atterley Road, pleated A-Line skirt by Jean-Pierre Braganza

Backstage stylitz 10

Amy channelling Milla Jovovich in Fifth Element wearing organza coat by Hemyca, swimsuit by I.D. Sarrieri, brogues by Call It Spring.

http://www.draftedmagazine.com