Outfit of the Week - Week 2

Seems as Bonfire's night is on its way I thought I would make up an outfit that could be worn to a great bonfire 'do, and then with just a bit of change can be glammed up to rock any after-party events.

Bonfire Party
I love this casual look: we'll start off with the jeans. Skinny-flare jeans are really huge right now and unlike The Skinny, they can look good in any size. These are from Miss Selfridge and I love them. I chose black because winter's on its way, and to be honest we're a bit sick of wearing blue all of the time. I love the tshirt too [and own one in charcoal.] It's casual and will keep you warm under this oversized roll neck jumper, which is both comfortable and stylish. Top off the look with some flat, black ankle boots, a dark beret and a lovely wintet coat, and voila: you'll be fashional, warm, and most importantly, your brand new jeans won't get ruined by the November mud!

Jeans, Miss Selfridge, £35
White t-shirt, River Island, £15
Roll-neck jumper, £45, Topshop
Beret, £10, Warehouse
Flat ankle boots, £79.99, River Island

After Party
You can glam up the casual t-shirt and jeans combo by ditching the jumper and adding this gorgeous black waistcoat for a glam rock-chick look. I don't usually like wedged shoes but these black patent ones will add height and make your legs look slimmer. Accessories are optional but adding the black trilby will give you an effortless look a la Ms Moss, and the black chainmail purse is gorgeous and adds a bit of sparkle to the whole outfit.

Tshirt and jeans, as before
Chopped silk trim waistcoat, £40, Kate Moss at Topshop
Trilby hat, £19.99, River Island
Black patent wedges, £35, Miss Selfridge
Chainmail zip purse, £14.99, River Island

Nolita : No to anorexia

In my practical journalism class on friday we were looking into specialist journalism and I chose to do my 300 word article on the size zero debate. I am continuing it for my feature writing in the next two weeks and thought I'd post my original article here.

Billboards of a naked French actress who has suffered with anorexia for half her life have been unveiled in the campaign to stop size zero models being allowed on the catwalk.

Actress and model Isabelle Caro, 27, has been anorexic for 15 years and weighs less than five stone, and she hopes the shocking image commissioned by Italian fashion brand Nolita will make influential teenagers think twice about starving themselves to fit the UK size four frame.

The picture was unveiled to coincide with last month’s Milan Fashion Week, who last year prohibited any size zero model from appearing on their runways. The move came after the deaths of anorexic models Ana Carolina Reston and Luisel Ramos, who collapsed and died of a heart attack on the catwalk during a fashion show in Monterideo.

A 2007 report by the Model Health Enquiry suggested that four out of ten models are suffering from an eating disorder. But after London Fashion Week refused to withdraw the skinniest models from their catwalks, health organisations fear that their influences on admiring young British women will get further out of hand.

Models unnaturally maintaining a size zero body live on just 500 calories a day from the 1,500 set out as a guideline for women. They have a waist of 22 inches, the size of a seven year olds, and can suffer hair and teeth loss from the lack of nutrients in their body as well as being at severe risk of heart attacks and organ failure.

At her lowest point, Isabelle fell into a coma weighing only 25 kilos (3st 13lbs) and she hopes that her picture, photographed by Oliviero Toscani, might prevent other young women from following in her footsteps. She said: “If I had seen a campaign such as Toscani’s, I probably wouldn’t have become anorexic.”

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

Five of the hottest supermodels on the planet, fashion guru Ralph Lauren, photographer Patrick Demarchelier and creative director David Lipman have contributed their time and talents to produce this beautiful image for the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer and NET-A-PORTER intiative.

The shoot for the campaign took place in August 2007 with Lily Donaldson, Lily Cole, Daria Werbowy, Du Juan and Sasha Pivovarova teaming up and wearing limited edition Ralph Lauren polo shirts emblazoned with the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer logo.

Supermodel Lily Cole said: "It's an obvious thing that breast cancer affects everyone, and [buying the tshirt] is a really small thing that each and everyone one of us can do. It's an overwhelming problem and people wonder how they can make a difference. If you get on NET-A-PORTER.com and buy the tshirt, it really is a great way to help."

The tshirts, in white, blue, red, green and yellow, are £55 from NET-A-PORTER.com and all proceeds go to the charity.

Creative director David Lipman said: "When i got the phone call asking would i be involved with this i said absolutely. I believe it's something that is my duy and my call to do, to make it exciting and fresh, to play off the colours of Ralph Lauren's shirts, and making everyone think we can buy this really easily, and support the cause, and feel really good about the cause."

The Fashion Targets Breast Cancer WORLDWIDE campaign is a charitable initiative of the Council of Fashion Designers of America/CFDA Foundation, and is a year-long project planning to collaborate with many more top designers. Since its launch in 1994, FTBC has raised over $40million for breast cancer in 13 countries.

Go here to watch behind the scenes action from the day of the shoot and to listen to how breast cancer has personally affected the lives of the models and people involved in the fashion business.
http://www.net-a-porter.com/FTBC/FTBehindTheScenes

Miss Dior Cherie

Reasons for posting?
Old campaign, but it's my favourite.

Kate Moss at Topshop AW07/Christmas

Kate Moss's AW07 Topshop collection hit the shelves country-wide today, and I wouldn't be surprised if it caused even more of a frenzy than her first attempt at designing clothes did - this collection is much better and much glitzier - I absolutely love it and think it's put the British supermodel way ahead when it comes to icons-turn-designers [sorry Lily and Amy but yours just don't match up].

Kate tried and tested every garment before it went into production, and looks absolutely fantastic in the campaign shoot - she's really risen back up after her fall in 2005 and I've got a feeling 2008 is going to be even bigger for her.

I didn't really like any of her first collection, and even though this collection features many items [tshirts, scarves..] similar to the last, I absolutely love some of the dresses and purses she has designed for Autumn and Winter.



I think all of these dresses are perfect for the biggest party season of the year. The first one is perfect for a prom and will even fit in with the Halloween parties coming up this week. The last one is a bit too silk nightie-like but it's still pretty and I love the colour. The middle two can either be dressed up or down to fit your mood or your party theme.

I love both of these purses, and am drawn to them because of their beautiful detail. I wouldn't really pay £45 for one, but they're pretty to look at and would go with any outfit.

The only problem with the Kate Moss collection for me personally is the price of everything, it's very exaggerated and I think if the garments didn't have Kate Moss's signature on them then Topshop wouldn't sell half as many, although they would sell them at half the price.

This gorgeous dress is by far the best [and most expensive] of her collection. The 1920's style shift with beaded sequin strands and diamante clusters is a copy of the Topshop/Swarovski dress Kate wore for Fashion Rocks, and is priced at £250. It can be bought at the following stores, but snap it up quick because it's sure to go like hotcakes:
London, Oxford Circus
London, High Street Kensington
Manchester, Arndale Centre
Dublin, St. Stephen’s Green
Glasgow, Argyle Street
Leeds, Briggate
Birmingham, Bullring



To see and buy from the collection, visit:
http://www.katemosstopshop.com/

Fashion Rocks

After massive success in 2003 and 2005, the Swarovski Fashion Rocks for the Prince's Trust is back and is better than ever. It took place on Thursday and the line-up was amazing, with a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between the hottest music stars and biggest fashion designers in the world.

Uma Thurman and Samuel L Jackson hosted the glitzy event and Estee Lauder headed the time of make-up artists transforming the models for each designer segment.

The collaborations were:
Alicia Keys - Armani
Razorlight - Burberry
Joss Stone - Calvin Klein
Lily Allen - Chanel
The Gossip - Christopher Kane
Timbaland - Dolce & Gabbana
Roisin Murphy - Gucci
Dame Shirley Bassey - Marchesa
Shy Child - Stella McCartney
Pussycat Dolls - Valentino
Iggy Pop - Versace
Marc Almond - Yves Saint Laurent

As usual, the stars were out to look their sexiest and one of the running trends seemed to be black see-through ball dresses, as showed off by host Uma Thurman and supermodel Naomi Campbell. No, I didn't know what they were thinking either....



Adding a touch of colour to the bash were the gorgeous Lisa Snowdon and Joely Richardson, who both looked equally stunning in these bright frocks.

It's a shame that poor Beth and Peaches decided to dress themselves........



.... and even though I love the outfit and I can't decide which one wears it better, DO YOUR RESEARCH! How embarrassing to turn up to a 'do as important as this one and find someone else is wearing your dress!

The best-dressed for the night obviously goes to Kate Moss, who turned up at the event wearing a 1920's-style dress encrusted with 60,000 Swarovski crystals. The frock, created by Swarovski and high-street gurus Topshop, is valued at £40,000 and is now being auctioned on Ebay to raise money for the Prince's Trust.

Outfit of the Week - Week 1

Day

I love this day outfit. It looks effortlessly stylish - blouses never go out of fashion and the teal colour grabs attention. I love the detail on it and it's also machine washable - which is important for someone like me, whose Dad chucks everything in the washer together! Skinny jeans are always a good choice and can be teamed with either the silver or black ballet pumps depending on your taste. Because of the detail on the blouse, keep jewellery to a minimum with a simple bangle. On the way from uni to a cocktail bar, the outfit can easily be glammed up by swapping flat shoes for some gorgeous high heels.

Teal chiffon blouse, Miss Selfridge £25
Skinny jeans, Topshop £30
Leather bag, Miss Selfridge £45
Silver bangle, Dorothy Perkins £6
Black maryjane pumps, Miss Selfridge now £10 from £25
Ruche silver pumps, Dorothy Perkins £20




Night

Purple is the colour of the season and this dress is perfect for a night out for those of you who dare to be different. The colour along with big buttons and patent front puts you in with the latest trends and I picked silver accessories to help you stand out from the crowd. A kind of outfit to buy instantly and wear quickly before the weather deteriorates! But it can also be worn over a black long-sleeved top and wooly tights to give it a more comfortable vibe. Definitely a wonderful find, I love it.

Prizu tuni dress, Morgan £50
Silver slingback leather shoes, Warehouse £75
Silver party bag, Accessorize £18

Models of the Moment

British models are quickly becoming some of the best and most talented in the world, and it makes me so proud to see them waltzing down the catwalk for the biggest fashion weeks and being the new faces for the hottest ad campaigns.

For those of you who aren't too familiar, let me introduce you to some of Britain's finest...

Lily Donaldson
Picture: MaxMara FW0708 campaign
Lily has been my fave model for a long time, and is my muse for the blog's title. She has an amazing look and can be incredibly versatile in her campaigns. Lily was born in 1987 and is the daughter of photographer Matthew Donaldson. She was scouted by Select model agency in 2003, and has lead campaigns for some of the biggest fashion houses. She was pipped to the post for Best Model at the British Fashion Awards 2005 by Karen Elson, but is destined for even greater success in the future. In April 07 Lily fronted the campaign for Dior's Miss Cherie perfume, my favourite campaign.
Fashion houses connected to Lily: Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, MaxMara, Chloe, Ralph Lauren, Mulberry, Donna Karan, Christian Dior
Agencies: IMG New York, IMG Milan, IMG Paris, Select London


Agyness Deyn
Picture: Giorgio Armani FW0708 (Mert & Marcus)
Born in Manchester in 1983 (or 1986 as she claims), Laura Hollins worked in a chip shop from the age of 14, before being spotted by one of her customers, Henry Holland, the creator of slogan t-short company House of Holland. She changed her name to Agyness Deyn, has been on the cover of prestigious Vogue Italia twice (Nov 06 & Sept 07), and is now the face of Holland's company. She is being described as "the new Kate Moss" and has inspired a flurry of new hair-cuts with her sharp peroxide bob. She is the face of both Burberry and Giorgio Armani's FW0708 campaigns, and even though the new controversy with her age makes her a "model oldie", her cool and edgy look means that she's one of the most wanted models in the business.
Fashion houses connected to Agyness: Burberry, Chanel, Dior, Lanvin, Miss Sixty, Versace, Moschino, Hermes, DKNY
Agencies: Models 1 London, DNA New York, Why Not Milan, Viva Paris


Lily Cole
Picture: Harpers Bazaar Korea Jan 2006 (Louise Park)
One of the most familiar faces of 2003, she leapt onto the modelling scene with her doll-like features, porcelein skin and fiery red hair. She won the Model of the Year award at the British Fashionn Awards 2004. Born in Torquay and raised in London, her modelling career started when she was approached in town by Benjamin Hart at the age of 14. She was soon signed by Storm Models, who also managed Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford. She was the face of Accessorize for SS07, and is the new face of the Ghost fragrance Anticipation. Not just a pretty face, Lily achieved straight A's in her A-Levels and is about to start studying at Cambridge University. She supports the charities Global Angels, Western Shoshone, Comic Relief and WaterAid, and is also about to star in a Marilyn Manson movie plus the new St. Trinians, out later this year.
Fashion houses connected to Lily: Chanel, Topshop, Anna Sui, Louis Vuitton, DKNY, Hermes, Longchamp, AlexanderMcQueen, Jean Paul Gautier
Agencies: Storm London, IMG New York, d-management Milan, Marilyn Paris


Kate Moss
Picture: Versace FW0708 (Mario Testino)
Not forgetting one of the best British supermodels of all time, Kate Moss is on the up after her career took a dip in 2005. Kate was born in Croydon in 1974 and was discovered at the age of 14 by the founder of Storm Model Management, Sarah Doukes, at JFK Airport in NYC after a holiday in the Bahamas. She fronted a massive Calvin Klein campaign in 1993, throwing her waiflike figure into the spotlight and raising her profile as the anti-supermodel of the 1990s, in contrast to the curvaceous and tall supermodels of that time such as Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell. [Kate is unusually short for a runway model, at 5ft6] Kate has appeared on the cover of 300 magazines, and earlier this year launched a major fashion collection for high street store Topshop, reportedly worth £3m. The collection was launched in 225 stores and was a massive success.
Fashion houses connected to Kate: Rimmel, Agent Provocateur, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Roberto Cavalli, Longchamp, Virgin Mobile, Chanel, Versace, Calvin Clein, Burberry
Agencies: Storm London, IMG New York, d-management Milan, Marilyn Paris


Karen Elson
Picture: Anna Molinari Catalog 2004 (Craig McDean)
Karen Elson was born in Manchester in 1979 and stormed her way into the fashion industry with her trademark red locks and her eyebrows, which fashion photographer Steven Meisel once persuaded her to shave off. She caught the eye of a modelling scout in London but after not being able to find much word she moved to Paris and then Tokyo before a chance encounter with photographer Steven Meisel led to her launch into the supermodel world with a cover shoot for Italian Vogue. She walked the runway wearing Marc Jacobs whilst pregnant, and beat Danny Beauchamp and Lily Donaldson to the Best Model award at the British Fashion Awards 2005. She is also known as a singer and performer, and married The White Stripes singer Jack White in the same year and gave birth to their second child in August 2007.
Fashion houses connection to Karen: Marc Jacobs, Burberry, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Christian Dior, Robert Cavalli
Agencies: DNA New York, Beatrice Milan, Viva Paris, Models 1 London

Keira Knightley for Chanel

I am in love with Chanel's new campaign for Coco Mademoiselle, feat actress Keira Knightley. It's gone straight up there to become my joint favourite with the fashion company's No5 commercial starring Nicole Kidman last year, although this one featuring one of the best British actresses of today makes it just the bit sweeter.

Chanel shot a mini-video for the campaign starring Keira as modern-day Coco Chanel herself, attempting to bring across her strength, independence and mysteriousness. "Coco Chanel's strong personality, her bold temperament and her charisma were impressive," states Knightley. "There was no one like her in the world...her impact went beyond fashion and transformed society by liberating women in both a real and figurative sense."

Coco Mademoiselle was created by Chanel master perfumer Jacques Polge in 2001. The video was shot over 5 days in Paris, was directed by Joe Wright and overseen by the infamous Jacques Helleu. The film's soundtrack, "L-O-V-E" is performed by Joss Stone.

Keira has replaced Kate Moss as the face of the perfume in a reported £1m, 1 year deal. Kate had previously fronted the campaign since the perfume launched six years ago, but has now been replaced by a fresher [and could be argued more innocent] face.

"Chanel has enjoyed its collaboration with Kate for the last six years, and will maintain a close relationship with her," Christine Dagousset, executive vice president of fragrance and beauty, told Women's Wear Daily. "We think Keira is the perfect Coco Mademoiselle woman because she is always incredibly alluring and seductive. What makes Keira exceptional is that she shows strength and independence through the film roles she chooses to play," she added.

LOVE it!

Welcome to Fashion Lily

The reasons for me starting this blog are quite crazy and still somewhat unknown. I know not much about designer, but love fashion. Being at university and holding down a part-time job, I'm more of a window-shopper than a buyer of latest trends. But I love fashion, love advertising campaigns, and can't wait for AW08!