14.10.2011- My Month in Pictures: September

The last month has flown by, and I'm struggling to believe that we're now slowly creeping towards the end of the year. As the mornings get darker, evenings draw in and the weather starts to worsen, it seems appropriate to look back on an unexpectedly sunny September:

8th September- Graduated from university (aaah!) and went for celebratory afternoon tea at The Dorchester (I think it's safe to say that I did not 'work' the hat!)

14th September- Picked up this lovely bag from BHS, a bargain at only £9 in their sale!

22nd September- Baked some lovely scones.

25th September- Went along to London Fashion Weekend with Sarah and enjoyed the sunshine in a very autumnal St. James' Park.

27th September- Bought these lovely earrings from Warehouse, they have some beautiful jewellery in at the moment!

30th September- Treated myself to Givenchy's Eau De Moiselle perfume- it's already becoming a favourite!

What did you get up to in September?

(Image credit: Sarah Farrell, please do not reproduce without permission. Images edited using Picnik.)

09.07.2011- Weekend Wishes

I'm a little bit behind on the couture shows at the moment, but am hoping to catch up over a lovely cup of tea when I get a spare minute. One presentation which I did manage to catch a glimpse of was the Givenchy one, and I'm yet again bowled over by the intricacy of the designs. So my wish for this weekend (as far fetched and highly unlikely as it is) is to own a piece from the Givenchy Fall 2011 couture collection:

Givenchy Haute Couture Fall 2011.

So beautiful! I can't wait to see these pieces on the red carpet.

What do you think of Givenchy's latest couture collection? And what are your wishes for this weekend?

(Image credit: fashiongonerogue.)

22.12.2010- Scenta Claus

You always know Christmas isn't far away when you suddenly see perfume being promoted during the ad break of nearly every television programme you stumble across, regardless of how cheap and nasty said programme may be when compared to the rather more sophisticated fragrance. This kind of clever product placement also gives us all the chance to elbow our parents/boyfriend/neighbour/cat, oh so subtly hinting that we might just be needing some new more eau de toilette loveliness for Christmas. And, when you're sitting on the sofa in your pyjamas, hair askew and with your novelty slippers on, a little touch of designer magic in the ad break of Corrie does have a way of making you feel slightly less slob and slightly more chic. So, to celebrate this, and to get you feeling even more festive, I've put together a selection of my favourite perfume adverts:

Chanel No. 5, starring Audrey Tautou

  

Directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet, and starring the beautiful Audrey Tautou who was the quintessential Coco in Coco Before Chanel, this advert was filmed on the Orient Express and features the beautiful vocals of Billie Holiday. The amber-filtered images look like they're being view through a bottle of Chanel No. 5, and I think this beautiful advert really captures the essence of what the scent is all about; mystery, romance and classic style. Plus I much prefer it to its predecessor, which, in spite of the fact that it was the most expensive advert ever made, feels slightly tacky if you ask me!

Flora by Gucci

The inner hippy in me adores this advert, shot by Chris Cunningham. Take Abbey Lee Kershaw, a sun-drenched field full of flowers and a haunting remix of Donna Summer's I Feel Love, add a touch of Gucci magic and you've got an advert which will make you long for summer even more.

Miss Dior Chérie

Sofia Coppola captures the magic of Paris for this Dior advert, set to Brigitte Bardot's Moi je joue. The pastel hues and cine-film feel give the advert a really quirky lightness. If wearing Miss Dior Chérie means I can run away to Paris, take in the sights and shop until I drop, then I think I'll definitely have to put some on my wish list. Dior have also recently announced that Natalie Portman is to be the new face of Miss Dior Chérie, so I can't wait to see how Natalie's advert compares. 

Liv Tyler, Very Irresistible Givenchy

  

  
From 2003, this black and white advert feels more like a short film, as we see Liv capturing the fun and elegance of Givenchy's Very Irresistible fragrance, which remains one of my favourite perfumes. Classic and tres chic, non?

  
Keira Knightley, Coco Mademoiselle

This beautifully shot advert sees Keira cavorting around in the streets of Paris, with a starring part in her very own film romance. The Joss Stone cover of L.O.V.E which plays in the background always has me singing along, and again I love the classic feel of this ad.  

What do you think? What's your favourite? And are you hoping for any perfume for Christmas? 

(Video credit: Youtube.)

15.08.2010- Nordstrom Fall 2010, starring Coco Rocha

The beautiful Coco Rocha stars in Nordstrom's Fall 2010 catalogue, as she assumes the role of artist and muse, showcasing designs by fashion houses including Balmain, Givenchy and Celine:

I adore everything about this shoot, and the quality the natural light brings to the longer shots is incredible. Plus Coco is so stunning and brings a really fun, expressive character to the concept, as Nordstrom set out to showcase the key pieces from their Fall collections as works of art and sources of inspiration in their own right.

What do you think of this shoot?

(Image credit: Official Coco Rocha on facebook.)

23.07.2010- Fall 2010 Couture

I've only just caught up on the couture shows after being away, but remember vaguely hearing about Chanel's giant lion, another opulent installation at the Grand Palais created at the behest of Karl Lagerfeld. I can't say I was bowled over by Chanel's Couture presentation, but as a statement of the power of the label and achievement of stage design, the lion itself was very impressive.

Chanel 

As I've already said, I was a little underwhelmed by this collection as a whole; in particular I found some of the shapes very perplexing! However, a few pieces stood out, particularly the intricately embellished dresses in cream and camel, and I love the red lipstick. 

Valentino

 Again, I love the embellishments on the dresses, and the neutral tones. 

Elie Saab

Filled with gorgeous glittering golds, this was a really beautiful collection. 

Givenchy

 My favourite collection of the week. To me, this is what Couture is all about; opulence, luxury and a little bit of fairy-tale magic. I love that Riccardo Tisci chose to present his pieces in this setting rather than show them on the runway, as the details really come to life against the elegant backdrop. Simply breathtaking. 

What did you think of the Couture collections? Which was your favourite?

(Image credit: style.com.)