Luxury ready-to-wear label, NARCISS has just launched its flagship boutique and showroom in the heart of London’s Notting Hill. The brand name derives from the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus – a young, beautiful man who fell in love with his own reflection in the water. Not realising that this vision was a mere image, he was unable to leave the beauty of his reflection and died.
In tribute to this myth, the NARCISS collection includes a wide range of elegant dresses that encourage women to embrace their femininity and enjoy their beauty.
Using only the finest natural fabrics and manufactured with precision tailoring, the NARCISS collection symbolises sophistication and combines femininity with a modern edge. Dresses are the primary focus of each collection, from fabulous evening gowns to beautiful dresses fit to take you from day to night. Each garment is designed to be a unique investment piece, with a nod to the ‘trend du jour’ yet made to blend in effortlessly with your existing wardrobe.
NARCISS is now available in London from the new flagship boutique on 185 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill.
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Topman General Store is an exciting new fashion depot launching 23 September 2011. Housed over two discreet floors on Commercial Street in the heart of Shoreditch this unique space is an initial one-off concept store with its own distinct handwriting and personality.
Curated by Gordon Richardson, Design Director of Topman and Matthew Murphy Creative Director of Bstore London; this intimate space will feature an edited selection of core Topman pieces, Topman Design, Topman Limited and seasonal project collaborations alongside a carefully selected range of key Branded items, limited edition artworks and books exclusive to this store.
Exclusives for the launch include T and F Slack Shoes who have designed three derby shoes exclusives for General Store as well as Swear who have produced two pairs of footwear (one shoe and one boot). Surface to Air jewellery will be available as well as a limited edition t-shirt designed by them exclusively for the launch. Rite in the Rain General Store notebooks have also been produced as a limited edition run.
General store will also house a selection of limited ODR books from Paris and edited collections from Casio watches, Pendleton, Norsea Industries and Percival with plenty more exciting collaborations with link ups to come.
Furnished throughout with personal finds and custom built displays, with temporary art installations, frequent fashion updates and in-store events; the store, staffed by knowledgeable lovers of all things contemporary, will act as both a social hub and fashion destination in the heart of the local community.
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This Saturday sees the famous Bacanal Brunch party host the first ever UK catwalk show from Nicole Richie’s line ‘Winter Kate’.
The collection will be shown during a catwalk show at the ‘Rouge’ Bacanal brunch party at the grand Il Bottaccio, Belgravia.
The Bacanal brunch parties have become a staple on the London party scene for guests ranging from Chelsea socialites such as Alexander Brocket right through to hard working city boys who only have Saturday to party to celebrities such as Imogen Thomas and even Boris Becker.
The champagne spraying brunch party is excited to be showing the Hollywood starlet’s first UK show with entertainment leading fashionista’s into the afternoon’s festivities with resident DJ and percussionist performances.
Sunday hangovers are a thing of the past for the invitation-only, international Bacanal clientele described by the SASA report as “the young, interesting and successful”.
The concept of a Saturday Champagne Brunch was popularised in New York by the likes of the infamous Bistro Bagatelle and has now become the party time of choice for Manhattan's elite. The directors of Bacanal have expanded on the concept with their own creative twists in entertainment and themes. They have now been running the events very successfully for over a year, attracting high net worth individuals, celebrities and sophisticated party revellers alike from across the Globe.
Bacanal launched its NYC Brunch party concept in Knightsbridge in March 2010, the ground-breaking concept offered guests a unique experience aimed at evoking all the senses. Over a year on and the innovative event has attracted thousands of visitors to its parties and now harbours ambitions of making headlines around the world.
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We have taken a peek into the life of one of London’s most immaculately dressed, fiercely ambitious and socially elite as we sat glued to our TV screens throughout Series 1 of the hit E4 reality show 'Made in Chelsea’.
Despite Made in Chelsea having only aired one series, Rosie Fortescue the 21-year-old reality tv star and recent History of Art graduate of Goldsmiths University has fast emerged as a style icon with her looks being featured in high profile magazines as she attends some of London’s hottest events.
To coincide with the second series, which kicked off on Monday at 10pm on E4, Rosie has re-launched her style blog www.atfashionforte.com combining her knowledge of the art world with her love of fashion.
AtFashionForte showcases a collection of her daily outfits for every different occasion. It also offers an insight into her lifestyle, as well as exciting previews of her up and coming collaborations with both well known, and emerging fashion designers. Exclusive interviews and the latest must have fashion and beauty style tips. As her popularity grows, AtFashionForte is fast developing into a ‘style bible’ ultimately establishing her as one of the UK’s top fashion icons.
The official AtFashionForte press launch will take place on the evening of the 27th October at Bluebird in Chelsea and is set be featured on the new series of Made in Chelsea. There will be a host of high profile media and celebrities in attendance as well as entertainment and appearances from her fellow cast members.
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Autumn-Winter 2011 sees the launch of French design house American Retro’s collaboration with iconic New York motorcycle-apparel brand Schott.
Based on Schott’s original 1928 Perfecto – the first ever leather motorcycle jacket and symbol of the rugged Harley Davidson biker - American Retro for Schott presents a zip-detail biker jacket in bubbled leather and New Zealand sheepskin.
This limited edition piece will be available via American Retro retailers from the 15th October 2011.
Price: £850
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In Piazza San Babila, Milan, The new Sisley concept store, created to enter a dialogue with independent people
The store windows will interact directly with customers, thanks to a one-of-a-kind installation of screens collecting and projecting content created by Fabrica and by the web community
At 6.30pm today, the completely renovated San Babila Sisley store in Milan will be opened with a special event attended by Alessandro Benetton. The launch of the new Sisley concept store follows the new-look brand image and website.
"We have begun a comprehensive programme of investments, covering the brand and the structure supporting its strategy and development," explains Alessandro Benetton, Executive Deputy Chairman of Benetton Group. “This is evidence of our desire to see Sisley evolve, making the brand increasingly central to the Group's growth and diversification. The new Sisley concept store is an essential step in this process, and will be extended to the entire worldwide sales network, starting with Italy."
Luca Gori, Sisley Business Unit Director, comments, "The Sisley product is 'fashion reinterpreted for everyone'. With this concept, we wanted to get even closer to consumers, and at the same time, to allow them to express their personality without external constraints. This spirit of independence is expressed not only through the product, it is also seen as inspiration for a lifestyle of freedom, with opportunities to experience it and effective means of expressing it. All this and more can be found inside the new concept store, on the revamped website sisley.com, in the blog/magazine Independentpeople.com, on social media, and in the new communication campaign.”
To celebrate the official inauguration of the new concept store, a select preview of the spring-summer 2012 collection will be given. During the event, attended by the fashion community, press and public, Alessandro Benetton will be the first to write on the special Independent Wall in Piazza San Babila, giving us his own thoughts on the concept of independence. After him, the guests and public will also have the opportunity to give their own interpretation of the theme, and their words may even be used on a new series of Sisley t-shirts.
The new Sisley concept store aims to welcome customers as individuals, each with their own style and personality, in an atmosphere of contemporary elegance. The predominant idea is to enhance displays with a “clarity of presentation” that enables customers to appreciate the looks proposed, and to choose their colour and size quickly and easily. Every detail, each element of the presentation, is designed to convey Sisley's atmosphere of independence, where customers choose according to their own personality.
Another prominent feature is the 24-metre screen that runs across the store windows, like a comic strip with stories to relate, full of contents generated by the blog/magazine Independentpeople.com. This one-of-a-kind installation is created by FABRICA, Benetton Group's communication research centre. With the synchronisation of several projectors, the screen can interact directly with the consumer, displaying content created by FABRICA, as well as content generated by the web community.
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LIVE FROM HYDE PARK
Over 1500 guests attended the Burberry Prorsum Spring Summer 2012 Womenswear show in London’s Hyde Park earlier today including:
Actors: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Sienna Miller, Sir Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, Jessica Brown Findlay, Kaya Scodelario, Luke Treadaway, Harry Treadaway, Douglas Booth
Musicians: Kanye West, The Feeling, Muse, Paul Weller, Ellie Goulding, Misty Miller, Jade Williams (Sunday Girl), Sam Beeton, George Craig
Sportsmen: Andy Murray, Amy Williams, Denise Lewis, Laura Robson
International stars: Zhang Zilin, Go So Young, Burcu Esmersoy
Models: Clara Paget, Nina Porter, Liberty Ross, Laura Bailey, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Jaquetta Wheeler, Lily Donaldson
As well as as Samantha Cameron, Anna Wintour, Mario Testino
TWITTER
Burberry partnered with Twitter to create the first ever live ‘Tweetwalk’ show, premiering the Spring Summer 2012 collection with instant backstage twit pics of every look live from London’s Hyde Park show space.
Every look was shared before the models hit the runway, allowing followers to view the collection moments before anyone else.
Images can be viewed in full using Twitters new media gallery photo functionality.
FACEBOOK
Burberry streamed in HD through Facebook and created a link for every single one of its 8 million+ fans to stream the show through their own personal Facebook pages; sharing with their friends, broadening the social experience and the show audience.
INSTAGRAM
The Burberry Instagram account was taken over by British photographer Mike Kus, the most followed British Instagram user with over 121,600 followers, sharing his exclusive images live from the show space.
YOUTUBE
Burberry will be streaming content from the show including red carpet interviews on to the YouTube homepage.
BURBERRY.COM - RUNWAY TO RETAIL
The runway collection is available for purchase exclusively for one week at Burberry.com and at over 45 Live digitally charged in store retail theatre events, bringing the collection to consumers globally in just 8 weeks with all looks shot in 360 degrees using red cam technology.
ITUNES
Using iTunes functionality viewers can download the show soundtrack by U2, George Harrison, Jeff Beck ft Joss Stone and Burberry Acoustic musicians Kill It Kid, through the on demand service
CHINESE SOCIAL NETWORKS
Burberry, the largest luxury brand on Chinese social media, streamed the show through Sina and Youku.
BURBERRY BODY HOLOGRAM
Guests experienced the brand’s new fragrance for women Burberry Body, entering the show space through an immersive, multi-faceted experience featuring a 4 Dimensional hologram of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the face of Burberry Body - showcased in a scented room using innovative virtual imagery pioneered by the brand in Beijing earlier this year.
ON DEMAND LIVE STREAM
The full show can be watched on demand at Burberry.com, Facebook/burberry.com and on partner sites globally, viewable on mobile devices including the iPhone and iPad.
QUOTES
‘’We are thrilled to create the first ever ‘’Tweetwalk show’’ in partnership with Twitter. Twitter is instantaneous and I love the idea that streaming a show can be in many different forms. This collection is all about the most detailed hand crafted pieces and fabric innovation, creating a beautiful physical experience that is communicated digitally in dynamic and diverse ways and I love balancing those two worlds.’’
Christopher Bailey, Burberry Chief Creative Officer
"Burberry was one of the first brands to truly understand Twitter's ability to connect people all over the world with what's most meaningful to them. Thanks to their creativity, fashion lovers everywhere will be able to see the new Burberry collection even before those in the front row.''
Tony Wang, Twitter
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London based designer, Maria Grachvogel is set to celebrate the opening of her new London flagship store at 18 Culford Gardens, SW3 this September. The official launch will coincide with London Fashion Week where Maria is showcasing her Spring / Summer ’12 collection, following a soft launch opening in August. The store has been designed by Russell Sage, the designer behind the interiors at the Savoy Grill, the restaurant at Claridges, the Zetter Townhouse and Stapleford Park.
The 3 storey 2500 sq feet Victorian townhouse will house the new flagship store displaying Maria’s Ready to Wear collection, an adjoining atelier and Maria’s private office. The store will also incorporate a more intimate space dedicated to the designer’s couture and bridal lines and VIP customer fittings while a bespoke trouser bar will showcase the label’s renowned ‘Magic Pants.’
The store concept encapsulates Maria’s love of creativity, clean lines and continuity that is evident throughout the store, couture space and adjoining office. Although split over the different levels, the entire space has been designed as a ‘home’ rather than separate departments and the eclectic interior reflects this; specially sourced pieces such as a 1930s pop up cocktail bar, walnut and chrome movable library and decorative Deco tables will sit alongside the clothes rails and spacious changing rooms. The luxurious retail environment references the artist Tamara de Lempicka and the Art Deco movement with black Perspex, mirror detail and the use of original 1930s furniture to display leather goods, footwear and jewellery. The neutral colour scheme is accented with black and white; a pale, polished limestone floor features alongside brushed steel rails and is highlighted with an upholstered fabric wall in Maria’s signature hand-painted Artwork print. The wall has been designed so that the fabric can be changed seasonally, adding to the versatility of the space while customers will be offered the option to purchase the various chairs and foot stools upholstered in similar fabrics.
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Jean Charles de Castelbajac is one of the hottest names in fashion, with Katy Perry sitting front row at his AW11 show earlier this year, and even dying her hair bright blue to blend in with his well known love of colour.
The French designer has now teamed up with two fashion brands - Mellow Yellow and Kipling - to produce some styles exclusive to Sarenza.co.uk. The fashionable new e-tailer has the widest range of shoe brands in Britain, including established international labels as well as hot European names, previously unavailable in the UK. From the super cute monochrome mouse flats to the graffiti style bags there will be something fun and fashionable for everyone.
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Fashion Fringe, the emerging talent platform set up by Colin McDowell in association with IMG Fashion, last night announced FYODOR GOLAN as the winner of this year’s coveted award at 8 Northumberland, London’s most central venue.
Each of the three Fashion Fringe finalists - FYODOR GOLAN, HEIDI LEUNG and NABIL NAYAL – showcased their SS12 capsule collections for the first time this evening, in front of the gruelling scrutiny of the world’s fashion press, buyers, friends and family.
Directly following the catwalk show, the 2011 judging panel - Anne Pitcher, Bel Jacobs, Claudia Schiffer, Roland Mouret and Roy Peach, withdrew to the private confines of the Samsung Galaxy S II Backstage Lounge where they conferred to agree on their winner. The announcement was made at the Fashion Fringe after party, also held at 8 Northumberland, where FYODOR GOLAN celebrated with Fashion Fringe guests that included Diana Vickers, Lydia Bright, Bayo Furlong and Jody Furlong.
Following months of tight work schedules that have tested both the designers’ technical abilities and business acumen, FYODOR GOLAN’s hard work finally paid off as they were crowned the worthy winner of the 8th Fashion Fringe accolade. Their name will now sit alongside the likes of past winners Basso & Brooke and Erdem.
On choosing the 3 finalists, the panel commented as follows:
Claudia Schiffer, said”FYODOR GOLAN have proven themselves and have the potential to go far. They deserve to be the winner of Fashion Fringe 2011.”
Colin McDowell MBE, founder and Creative Director of Fashion Fringe commented: “The final choice is always the most nerve-wracking part of the whole process and I am always glad that I do not have to help make it. What I will say of this year’s finalists is that all three contenders have a real future ahead of them and, as always, I can only thank the judges for the care and consideration that they have brought to all aspects of the judging and, along with other professionals and our sponsors, the mentoring which is so key to any young designer moving forward. My heartiest congratulations to FYODOR GOLAN and my best wishes for the future to Heidi and Nabil, it will not be the last we will see of them I’m sure.”
The evening’s celebrations were made possible by Fashion Fringe’s host of loyal supporters, including L’Oréal Paris and L’Oréal Professionnel who created the models’ glamorous final looks; NeuroDrinks who energised everyone throughout the production day and final show; and One Water who kept everyone hydrated, both front of house and backstage.
Fashion Fringe is proud to have the continued support of its following long-term Partners: American Express, Covent Garden London, Davenport Lyons, DHL, The Mayor of London, Samsung Galaxy S II, Very.co.uk and Metro.
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