Sonic Boom Your Style for 2011!

2011... A New Year, a brand spanking new decade and possibly time for a new you? Reinvention is the key to long lasting fabulousity (just ask Madonna).One of the easiest ways to make a change is to shake up your wardrobe- give yo' style a mini sonic BOOM!
Check out these fashionable lovelies I've spotted recently for a bit of style inspiration....


Get Sexy, Get Vintage
I bumped into the gawjus Georgia LA from SBTV at the Jingle Bell Ball. Ms LA is working her fur jacket for the winter season to a T. She picked up this furlicious vintage piece from Portobello Road, it definitely pays to work your style angle off the beaten track!

I'm the biggest fan of colour and beautiful brights ain't just for shining in the summer. Work out your look with a little colour pop. Love how this girl rocked a yellow silk turban with an all black ensemble. The turban was another vintage find and this fashion acolyte scored it all the way from Sweden!

Bring The Drama!

These ladies are sick and sexy-fied! I heart comedienne Miss London's sultry red lip and LGN Events CEO and fashion doyenne Yolande Letshou's dramatic looooong braids...

.....mixing up make up and hair steelo can dramatically transform your look! I recently went from sleek brunette locks to big and blond!

Feeling this fabulous stylist to Shingaii from the Noisettes. The blue jacket makes a statement without saying a word

Models backstage at a show working super sexy draping and blue hues. Winters a great time to play with different volume's, layering and draping.


Carrying on the blue and blond theme check out this fashionista's fab blond pixie crop and blue nails...

How cute is this mother and daughter team! I met them at my fav cafe, Patissierre Valerie in Covent Garden. Mama owns the lingerie boutique Apartment C in Marylebone. Loving little Miss and her ditzy floral print jacket!

Top Model of Colour crowns its winners for 2010

Top Model of Colour (TMC) is a modelling competition with a difference. It’s been going strong for 5 years and takes competitors from black, mixed, Hispanic and other ethnic minorities who are typically under represented in the modelling world. One male and one female winner is chosen from a honed, toned and stunning mix of finalist’s who have been whittled down from hundreds of applicants. With the backing of the TMC corporation the winners are guided towards supermodel greatness within the UK and Worldwide (former winners have had shoots and catwalk opportunities as far reaching as Gambia and New York). I headed down to the finals this weekend to get in on some front row action as a judge om the night for the men’s category.

The chiseled and lithe contestants were put through their paces in swim, casual and eveningwear categories whilst their catwalk potential and future supermodel credentials were scrutinised by a judging panel that made Simon Cowell look friendly (not me though, I was nice as pie honest!!)

Jason Best and Nana Afua Antwi were named as the male and female winners.
With stunning looks and bodies that place them on par with any budding supermodels out there the sky is the limit for these two.

Jason Best- Winner of the Men's Category


Nana Afua Antwi- Winner of the Women's Category



I salute this enterprise soldier style. TMC strives to get diversity recognised within the modelling world and alongside other initiatives like the Black Vogue Issue, its making great strides in getting the fashion world to stand up and notice the beauty within all races.


For more information on TMC visit http://www.topmodelofcolour.com/

Fashion Forward for 2011

The Key Trends- Get fashion forward with the juice on the key looks for spring/ summer 2011

It might be dark when you leave the house to go to work and dark when you get back home, but smile for you can use these dreary times to plan next years wardrobe...read on fashionista's

70s Disco Sexy- Topshop Unique and Maria Grachvogel had long flowing dresses and skirts with splashes of bold colours in their S/S 11 collections(think blue and orange hues) . Also get your hands on a pair of bell bottom style trousers a la Matthew Williamson.


Country and Western/ Fringing - At this Septembers LFW the Ashish show had the audience stomping their feet because the designs were so hot. It was all about dressing like a modern cowgirl from the wild west! And there was a whole lotta fringing going on with tassels galore, fringing was also seen at Topshop Unique. Think Jessie from Toy Story!


Feminine Chic - Vivienne Westwood and Holly Fulton are bringing us girly glamour in the guise of the dress for next season, with floral prints and 60’s flair. Wanna be in bloom next spring? Then incorporate a little flower power into your style or rock a structured, block colour shift dress



Oh and get your leathers out because Burberry Prorsum (who always set the bar for outerwear) were giving us biker jackets, leather trousers , leather coats and big ol’ leather belts.

Give The Stylist a Medal!

Check out the latest single from the UK mc Skepta. The songs catchy and you may recognise the female on the vocals as Sayeed's long suffering missus from Eastenders but the thing that caught the my eye was the styling in the video.

From Skepta's slick suits and Preeya in all of her lace gloved, strapless dress, armlet glory to the video models writhing around in the cutest mac I've seen in ages this video is a visual festival of fashion. FIN


Cross My Heart will be out on the 17th October

Our Fashionable Night Out!

All fashion land dwellers stayed out late last week Wednesday, not because there was an all night sample sale at Louboutin, it was the now legendary preamble to LFW that is known as Fashions night out!

Mr Manolo Blahnik!


Bella got to spend time with the legendary Manolo Blahnik (shoe-king foreva!) I had a lovely chat at Liberty's where he told us "a woman always needs to balance comfort and style when it comes to picking a shoe. Never buy something beautiful that will in turn cause you pain and make your feet ugly!" Couldn't have put it better myself Manny B (we're tight like that- nickname levels). The fun continued at libertys when we bumped into one of the first supermodels to hail outta blighty in the 80s, the forever young Yasmin Le Bon. Looking half of her 45 yrs we had a little chinwag with the former model about style "when it comes to clothes I'm all about comfort, although when you're finding your style its good to step out of your happy zone and get a little fearless. Also pain is sometimes fashion! Some beautiful things are worth suffering for!" Well said Mrs Le Bon. Minus her rockstar husband she still rocked out, we spied Yasmin getting down to Lady Gaga's Telephone- the Liberty's DJ was on fire!

Yasmin Le Bon






I headed over to Furla with a few friends. The design house had oh so yummylicious cocktails laid on courtesy of Isolabella- we couldn't get enough of the mojito based drinks or Furla's luxe Wizard of Oz inspired collection.

We then made a quick stop at Topshop to get some style advice- we were told to channel vintage-esque festival chic, with lots of layering. Thats a sexy little look right there!

Styling @ Topshop

Post Topshop we decided to get our party on and hooked up with non other than Matthew Williamson at the Moroccan restaurant/ club Momo's.
All I can say is, that designer can dance. From Beyonce's Single Ladies to Katy B's On A Mission the man didn't stop shaking his perfectly formed derrier. FIN

If you buy two things this Autumn...

...make sure you're splurging on a shearling aviator jacket and a pair of OTK's (over the knee boots dahling).

Nothing says sexy but warm like this dynamic duo. Spotted all over the runways last Feb for the A/ W 2010 shows, done to perfection by British fashion powerhouse Burberry, both pieces are the key to Autumnal elegance and winter splendour.

The Jacket

The inspiration for this jacket is the fighter pilot from the 50's. That lot sure knew how to fly those choppers with style- nothing to do with the figure of eights-it was all about the The Shearling Aviator jacket. Its tough but sexy, pilot Amelia Earheart set the bar for this trend over 50 decades ago...work it girlfriend!



This piece looks best in a deep brown weathered looking leather (though tan can look equally sexy), add to that the divine sheep lining and fur collar and you have a jacket that will act as the perfect winter warmer for this season. Rock this piece with skinny jeans and plain t's during the day or with flapper or ruched style dresses, headbands and kitten heels in the evening.

The Aviator by Burberry £1000


Jacket £110 from ASOS.com



The Boots
Whoever thought we would be looking to Ms Whiplash, the notorious 1980's brothel madam, for style inspiration! But fashion knows no bounds and OTK's are still the hottest way to trot this winter following on from their success in A/ W 2009.
These boots that scream naughty night time can can work during the day over slim fit trousers paired with a chunky knit cardigan. For the evening wear a slinky, embellished top and a pair of dark skinny's. The brave can go for an a line mini!

OTK's by Topshop £110

Jaeger Campaign!

Every now and then an advertising campaign is so good that it becomes iconic...think Wonder Bra "Hello Boys", any of those "Got Milk" posters and Kate Moss's Calvin Klein Jeans ad. And Now Jaeger has done it with their Autumn/ Winter 2010 look.

Jaeger is the British fashion house that has been dressing the world for 126 years in a gorgeous style that bridges the gap between high street and high end designer. Under the savvy eye of Stuart Stockland as head designer, they have gone from strength to strength in the last few years, revelling in the revival of esteemed British fashion houses which has also caused a renewed appreciation for Brit brands such as Jaeger, Burberry and Pringle. To further celebrate their Cool Britannia position they have shot an iconic ad campaign which uses the beautiful back drop of London and landmarks such as The Eye. The inspiration for the shoot was a Richard Avedon painting which depicted a woman flying over the Eiffel Tower in a helicopter. Genius. Artistic inspiration + the shoot magic created by the photographer Emma Summerton (who photographs for Italian, British and Japanese Vogue and I-D)+ amazing models in the shape of Abbey Lee, Imogen Morris Clarke and Ollie Edwards= one dynamite ad campaign for Jaeger this A/ W. Check out the gorgeous shots below!

Shoegasm of the Month!

"I'm a lady but I'm naughty" whisper these gunmetal grey goddesses by Brian Atwood. The ladylike pump says chic, conservative woman but the corset style ultra high heel alludes that secretly you're a bit of a freak...

Slip your feet into these babies for £720 available at netaporter.com, Selfridges and Liberty's

Hakaan- A/W 2010 dream!

If a designer gets Carine Roitfeld(the fashion doyenne/ editor of French Vogue) jetting around the globe to sit front row at their show its a given that they are gonna go global. She is one of the most iconic and influential people in fashion- when she champions a designer, fashionista's sit up and pay attention. This is exactly what happened to Hakaan. Despite my lust for Summer I have to admit, I've been waiting with breath that was bated for the Autumn/ Winter collections to hit the stores, and that's mainly to do with Hakaan and his stratospherically stunning A/W 2010 offering.
And finally the wait is over and us mere mortals can get our hands on some Hakaan! Its time to stock up on oodles of this talented designers goodies, because he has just been unleashed in a luxury retailer near you *scream*!

If you do not know about this genius designer, its time for a little education.

Originally from Turkey the talented Mr Hakaan Yildrim was this years Andam fashion prize winner and had his first on schedule show last February. His A/W 2010 collection boasts an aesthetic of sexy silhouettes, bandaged fabrics galore and an orgasmic use of peplum's, assorted texture's and muted palettes.

Celebrities have been clamouring to rock his visions and one of the first was Rose Byrne, and Mrs David Walliams- model Lara Stone, has walked the runway for Hakaan.

All I can say is hold on to your fedora's for his S/S 2011 collection this coming September...Hakaan will no doubt hurt the runway with even more of his spellbinding designs





Visit Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge London to get your mitts on Hakaans bits...Prices start from £660

The FBC does TMC

We put on our judges hat to help choose the finalists for the UK Top Model of Colour Modelling competition. The competition seeks to find models of ethnic heritage- mixed, black, hispanic- basically every race you do not normally get flooding the runways.

The contestants meant business- they were all leggy, had cheekbones you could cut glass with plus elegance, poise and intellect. Think America's Next Top Model- without the drawn out histrionics.

We fully back this comp. Its refreshing for a competition to seek to change the face of fashion for the better. Models of colour are still vastly under-represented on the runways and in ad campaigns.

The last semi final heat for TMC will be held on the 21 August. The finals are in November 2010- excitement!!

for more information visit http://www.mahoganymodels.co.uk/show-competition.php

Daisy Lowe Discovers And Reveals...

Check out the gawjus Daisy Lowe in the video below (oh we're rhyming now) getting to grips with some Shoreditch and Spitalfields architecture whilst giving us a lesson on originality in style, her passions, her fashion and her inspirations.

Palladium Authenticity - Daisy Lowe from Palladium on Vimeo.

If you are into fashion and you do not follow Miss Lowe's fashion frolics then hang your head in shame and start paying attenion, she does grunge'd out vixen @ its best. Regard la mode de Daisy....

Need a Fashion Fix? Head East

Oooh I love a fashionable little accident- no not purple and red mixed together- that's not cute- I'm talking boutique happenstance. I was minding my own business wondering the mean streets of the West End (trying to get to Selfridges down the backstreets instead of pushing through the crowds) when I found myself on Eastcastle Street and discovered a mini fashion mecca. Eastcastle street is home to two very beautiful and different boutiques; Fever and Oxygen.

Fever

If you're a fashionista on a recessionista's budget then Fever is the place to go! This store opened just a few months ago and does luxe on a budget. The designs are gorgeous and girly,
with a vintage feel.


In between the clothing rails are oodles of accessories, fab handbags, belts and jewellery pieces.We had a quick chat with the designers of the stores range "We always channel the vintage look with our designs. We're inspired by the glamour of days gone by!" So if you fancy yourself as a 50s glamour puss, a sixties hippy chick of a 70s sophisticate then head to fever. Oh and they stock actual vintage in the store too so you can get a fix of the real thing.

























Oxygen
Wanna fan your fashion flames? Then after a visit to Fever cross the road and get a little Oxygen in your life. This high end boutique is definitely one to visit on pay day or when you fancy spoiling yourself.
Oxygen hit Eastcastle Street this time last year and it is truly a fashion lovers dream. With brands such as Herve Leger and Alice and Olivia any fashionista worth her salt can happily get her label love on in this store. Oxygen also carries hats by the fabulously talented EunegniaKim!