Stella McCartney was the perfect poster girl for her brand yesterday as she collected her OBE for services to fashion from the Queen. Wearing a bespoke navy suit of her own design, with a vintage platinum headpiece by Cartier and velvet pumps, Stella told the Press Association, “I feel really proud and really excited and honoured to be here." Stella also revealed that despite the Queen looking “very chic” she felt the 86 year old monarch should have been wearing Stella McCartney, “I slipped her a card…”
Stella McCartney joins fellow designers Dame Vivienne Westwood and Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, as well as Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon in being awarded the Order of the British Empire. Congratulations Stella!!
Trend: Canary Yellow
Here comes the sun... Ok, kindof! We all knew Canary Yellow was going to be a big and bright SS’13 fashion trend after DKNY tickled us with their NYC Cab hues and then more delicate tones soon followed in the Zac Posen, Jenny Packham and Carolina Herrera spring runways. On last week’s freezing, snowy EE BAFTA's red carpet, Marion Cotillard (in Christian Dior) and Rising Star nominee Andrea Riseborough (in Vivienne Westwood) bravely led the way, both looking stunning in their LYD (Long Yellow Dresses!)
Lemon, Canary, Mustard… Get ready for the highstreet to flood with an array of glorious sunshine shades – just add some simple jewellery and pouty red lips...
Above: To emulate the feathery Bridget Bardot or Girl-Of-The-Moment Lena Dunham (at this month's Grammy Awards): Rag & Bone Knitted Ribbed Dress - RRP. £195.00, Nars Nail Polish in Amchoor (designed by Thankoon Panichgul of Thankoon) - RRP. £14.50, Whistles Structured Tee - RRP. £75.00, Topshop Mustard Brocade Cutout Dress - RRP. £59.00.
2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards
Award Season is in full swing and unlike the Golden Globes, which was a sea of beige fishtails, last night's 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards was all about the navy. Marion Cotillard, my favourite red carpet chéri (above), looked utterly sensational at the SAGs in a stunning Dior satin gown, complete with a tied bow sash and pocket detailing which kept the look fresh and modern. Below (L-R): Other navy red carpet beauties included SAG award winner Jennifer Lawrence in a tiered Christian Dior Haute Couture dress, a mermaid-like Amanda Seyfried in Zac Posen and Nicole Kidman in Vivienne Westwood.
The New Bond Girls
Forget the guns, the gadgets, the martinis and the villains; the most exiting part of any Bond film is undoubtedly always the girls. In ‘Skyfall’ Berenice Marlohe and Naomie Harris join the super beautiful, iconic ranks of becoming ‘Bond Girls.’ At last night’s glamourous world premiere of the latest Bond, held in London's Leicester Square, the two looked absolutely stunning. Berenice opted for a sizzlingly glamourous red corseted Vivienne Westwood dress (above) and Naomie glittered in a Marios Schwab mesh dress complete with iridescent sequin bodysuit (below). Mario Schwab commented this morning, "it is amazing to have Marios Schwab pieces worn to such an iconic Premiere in London."
How do you think these two beauties will match up to their predecessors?...
Super Girl Power at the Closing Ceremony
There was some SERIOUS Girl Power in the Olympic Stadium on Sunday night when we were not only treated to an awesome Spice Girls reunion but also to a strutting swarm of stunning Supermodels.
Ever since Stella McCartney signed up to design the Team GB outfits (unsurprisingly, the most coveted by all other athletes) fashion was always going to play a part in London 2012. Soooo… Who wore who?
The Spice Girls
Victoria Beckham looked very ‘Posh' in a stunning, custom-made Giles Deacon dress with black Christian Louboutin stilettos. Ginger Geri Haliwell paid homage to her infamous Brit Award’s Union Jack dress wearing this Suzanne Neville peplum dress, an Olympic inspired tiara and Isabel Marant gold Dicker boots. ‘Baby’ Emma Bunton wore her signature pink in a dress by Maggie Cook with glittery heels. Melanie C wore a white jumpsuit from JD Sports with some Sporty silver wedged trainers. Melanie B wore a nude cat suit embellished with amazing gold detailing by Lenanese designer Zuhair Murad – definitely more sexy than Scary! A-Zig-A-Zig-Aaah.
The Supers
This army of British Beauties were a glittering mirage of gold medal hues in outfits created by iconic British designers. A totally immaculate vision paying tribute to British fashion and it's Midas Touch.
The Supermodels were styled by Lucinda Chambers, Vogue UK's fashion director, who nervously spoke from backstage on the night, "It's incredible that Britain, such a tiny country, has such a broad range of talent in fashion, and that's what we wanted to show. We're known for bonkers fashion, but what I hope came across is that these designers make beautiful clothes… that people would want to wear."
Above: Kate Moss in a mermaid-like, gold and silver Alexander McQueen dress.
Above (L-R): Karen Elson glamourously glistening in Burberry and Naomi Cambell looking beyond radiant in Alexander McQueen.
Above (L-R): Stella Tennant glitters in a Christopher Kane tuxedo while Lily Cole is effortlessly ethereal in Erdem.
Above: Lily Donaldson shimmering in Vivienne Westwood
Above (L-R): Georgia May Jagger shines in Victoria Beckham, David Eye-Candy Gandy wears a suit by Paul Smith and Jourdan Dunn models a Christopher Kane dress and a feathered headpiece by Stephen Jones.
18 carat Fashion Fabulous.
These images appear in Vogue's September Issue - Out Now.
Diane Kruger at Cannes 2012
If there was one celebrity who rocked the red carpet at Cannes 2012, it was Diane Kruger. I am a big style fan of this actress and it is hardly surprising that not one on the French Rivera came close to outshining her or her incredible wardrobe of gorgeous gowns.
Above: (L-R) Diane in edgy Balmain, looking utterly breathtaking in Giambattista Valli Couture and in a short Versus dress with sky-high Jimmy Choo stilettos.
What really struck me about Diane Kruger's faultess Cannes style however, was the continuous use of her favourite and prettiest accessory - her boyfriend Joshua Jackson. Joshua manages to match every one of Diane's outfits picture perfectly.
No sparkly designer clutch could possibly compete.
Above: Quirky and cute in Chanel
Above: Summery in Calvin Klein
Above: Divine in Nina Ricci
Above: Prabal Gurung (Look at those shoes!)
Above: Dazzling in Vivienne Westwood
Above: Extremely elegant in Jason Wu.
Black and navy happens to be my favourite colour combination.
Above: (L) Her last and most show stopping dress by Christian Dior.
(R) Diane later changed into this more dinner friendly Jenny Packham ensemble.
Below: Other outfits I really liked were those of Audrey Tautou and Kristen Dunst...
Whilst promoting her latest film 'Thérèse Desqueyroux,' Audrey Tautou personified French chic in this frilly white shirt teamed with casual navy trousers, and later looked particularly Audrey Hepburn-esq in this gorgeous gold Prada dress. J'adore.
Kristen Dunst looked hot (pink) in this gorgeous fuchsia Christian Dior Pre-Fall 2012 gown with Louis Vuitton jewellery whilst promoting her new film 'On The Road,' having looked very demure and angelic earlier that day in a white, retro Dolce & Gabbana dress accessorised sweetly with a floral headband.
Martha Freud - 'Mixed Messages' Exhibition
Portrait by Jack Brockway
On Wednesday night I went to the private viewing of Martha Freud’s ‘Mixed Messages’ exhibition at Camley Street Natural Park in conjunction with the London Design Festival and in partnership with the London Wildlife Trust.
After navigating myself through the twists and turns of the park’s path, all sweetly lit by a trail of quirky porcelain tea lights and stopping several times to admire various light and design installations all happily perched amongst their woodland surroundings, I eventually found the gorgeous designer herself – Martha Freud - teeny-tiny and minxy in Vivienne Westwood and Christian Louboutins.
London based Martha, the grand-daughter of Clement, the great-niece of Lucien and the great-great-grand-daughter of Sigmund, studied furniture and product design at Kingston University and has always been inspired by nature - this exhibition is no different; beautiful lights made of porcelain leaves and butterflies and wooden nests made from sustainably sourced branches are amongst the show stopping collection.
There are also really fun handcrafted pigeon hole cabinets with grids of porcelain cups - each cup displaying one word but lighting up for 5-10 seconds creating well known phrases – I could, and did, stare at these for ages.
A glamorous collection of London’s bright and light young things assembled around a bonfire for marshmallows, guitar playing, endless Veuve Clicquot and many bottles of Martha’s favourite tipple – Orangina.
The 'Mixed Messages' Exhibition is open today and tomorrow from 10am-8pm.
Please see Martha's website for further details.
Items from the collection are available as one-offs, limited editions and as commissions.
Please contact info@marthafreud.com for more information.
(L-R) Martha Freud, Caged Butterfly Light, With Jessica Pownall by the Nest Light
(L-R) With Shirley Leigh-Wood Oakes, Leaf Wall Light, Martha Freud in Vivienne Westwood