The turkey has been eaten, crackers pulled, presents opened and Santa has returned to the North Pole for another year. Yes, Christmas is well and truly behind us and we’re hurtling at a speed of knots towards the celebrations of a year’s end and a new one beginning.
So Goodbye, Au revoir, Adios, See ya . . . 2010 is almost over and what a year it has been!
On the celeb front, 2010 was the year the phrase ‘sexting’ was born as the cheating celebrity male made his presence well and truly felt ( hello Ashley Cole, Vernon Kaye and Tiger Woods to name just a few). ‘The nation’s sweetheart’ was again all over the press as Cheryl Cole wised up, got rid of her cheating husband, succumbed to malaria and lost out to Danii on an eventful series of X-Factor. Now I like Cheryl but I think her crown begin to slip just a little when she rejected poor little Gamu and picked couple of dodgy contestants who lets face it, were very hard to like never mind support! But big congrats to Danii on the birth of her gorgeous baby boy and her exquisitive fashion sense on this series of X – Factor.
On the BBC, Kara Tointon triumphed on the best series of Strictly ever and what a mover she turned out to be. The fact she snagged herself a gorgeous, uber-talented dancer as well is the stuff Mills and Boon are made of!
And talking of romance, we also had the royal engagement when William eventually took the plunge and proposed to his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton. She’s the lucky one who gets to marry her very own Prince Charming, which is surely every young girl’s dream as she dances round her bedroom in a Cinderella dress! (Sound familiar girls?) Good luck to them both and lets hope this marriage is more successful than the average Royal match . Something tells me it will be and that the late Princess of Wales would be very proud of her dashing son!
SOMEDAY HER PRINCE WILL COME!
Another reality triumph happened in a land Down Under as Gillian McKeith entered the jungle, was frightened of everything and everyone and ‘fainted’ all over the place at the drop of a hat. I don’t think I’ll ever forget her passing out at the start of the live trial as Ant and Dec looked on in utter disbelief. It was priceless TV and don’t you just love a drama queen?? But we all loved Stacey Solomon more and she deservedly won the Queen of the Jungle crown, even if no-one can understand a word the girl says!
While the females in my house were glued to the above entertainment delights, the male contingent occassionally bagged the TV for a little sport relief.
Summer was dominated by the World Cup which Spain won in stunning style and England predictably played some of the worst football of the tournament , dashing a nation’s hopes once again. Chelsea came top of the Premier league which pleased my son Callum greatly, however this season is turning out to be a very different story
COME ON YOU BLUES FOR 2011 !!!!!!
In the music world, Lady Gaga became the best-selling artist of the year and slipped into a dress made of meat to celebrate for the MTV Awards in September. A fashion statement too far? Definitely! But then you have to take your hat off to anyone who can manage to upstage the consistently way out Cher.
IMAGINE THE SMELL UNDER THOSE LIGHTS ?!
CHER . . . . SERIOUSLY ?
No matter how young or old or how many music awards you have won there is really no excuse ladies!
I’m frightened to think what might be in store for us in 2011 from these two! I guess the sky might be the limit.
MATES AGAIN COS LIFE IS TOO SHORT!
On a fresher note after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing Robbie eventually rejoined Take That and the boys back together are more fantastic and better than ever. Let’s hope he’s ‘ Back for Good’! Or at least for next year’s tour as I have tickets to see them in Glasgow, a potential hi-light of 2011 I think!
On the big screen Toy Story 3 cleaned up at the box office while Sex and the City 2 made less of a wave as the world prepared itself to say goodbye to a certain boy wizard. Only one more Harry Potter movie to go and my, how they have all grown up! Especially Hermione aka Emma Watson who stunned everyone with her gorgeous elfin crop at the movie premiere. This magic-obssessed schoolgirl has most definitely come of age!
What does Ron think of her now?
However, the most amazing movie story of 2010 was courtesy of Sandra Bullock who had the most eventful four weeks ever. She won a Razzie for the worst performance in ‘All about Steve’ and to be fair, she’d the nerve and the good grace to pick it up herself! This back-handed award was quickly followed by a long-awaited best actress Oscar for her role in Blindside. A feel-good movie which is definitely worth a watch. Could things get any better?? Or maybe worse, as in the next breath she discovered her husband had been cheating on her with some-one who has even more tattoos than him – and from the pictures plastered all over the web he is definitely no George Clooney. Sandra, you can do so much better girl! But at least her rollercoaster, white-knuckle ride ended on a high point when she adopted a gorgeous baby boy from Asia. Good luck Sandra and I hope 2011 is a better year for you!
So there is proof that none of us knows what a year holds. There will be good times and bad times but all we can do is take stock, breathe deeply and move on, hopefully with the love and support of family and friends around us. I’m not a big one for New Year resolutions because lets face it no-one wants to spend their life eating salad leaves and living in the gym! However, it might make sense to appreciate what we have, live life to the full, laugh more, respect others and take a moment each day to slow down and look about us – or to quote my kids CHILLAX! Life is busy with work, kids, running a home etc etc etc …. which is another reason we should take time every now and again to treat ourselves a little. A girl’s night out, a nice massage or a gorgeous pair of shoes – which luckily we have lots of at Moda!
Red and Diamonte class!
A little festive sparkle
A little more Glam fom Irregular Choice!
We have tonnes more stunning new shoes, bags and boots coming in 2011 so keep an eye on the website or pop into one of our stores. We’ll be delighted to make your 2011 that little bit more glam and gorgeous!
So that’s it, farewell to the highs and lows of 2010 and all the very best for 2011. Hogmanay is upon us so lets all join in,
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ auld lang syne.
And for auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
HAPPY NEW YEAR and MANY HAPPY NEW SHOES EVERYONE !!!
See you on the other side,
Karen x
Article source: http://modashoes.co.uk/blog/2010/12/31/strictly-xfactor-celebrity-2011-take-that-cheryl-cole/
New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) Who said chains, rivets, studs and silver detailing were meant for rock and hip-hop lovers alone? Women are spunking it up with a heavy metal look on their bags and shoes this season!
‘Heavy metal detailing like chains, studs, rivets and zippers add an edge to the look and keep one looking tough and so trendy. The rock star-inspired look is the current highlight of the season,’ Manoj Chandra, vice president (marketing and customer service) of Bata India Limited, told IANS.
Be it at a designer outlet or a local street shop, there’s a huge demand and supply of shoes and bags with metallic add-ons. Often, a zipper, two layers of rivets, or multiple chains and studs in square and round shapes are used to make the accessories a style statement.
Delhi-based shoe designer Swati Mehrotra said that the punk look rocked the fashion runways last season, but the trend came to the Indian streets only this year.
‘These metal hardware details like nails and studs are very conspicuous in this winter, especially on pumps, boots and wedge heels. They are very youthful and can pep up and easily jazz up a very simple and dull look,’ said Mehrotra, who sells under the label Swati MODO.
A lot of credit for the trend goes to international high street fashion labels like Zara, Forever 21, Mango and Guess, now readily available in India. Gold, copper, black or silver metal elements – these brands have used them all on bags and shoes, and have found umpteen takers here.
‘Today, the customers are well travelled, well informed about the latest trends. By focussing on trend-based collections, we have to keep pace with these customers. Since the trend of chains and rivets is youth-oriented, this range is targeted at the young generation who is fashion conscious and keeps in mind such trend specifics while shopping for footwear and accessories,’ said Chandra.
Devanshi Sehgal, 24, told IANS: ‘I swear by my Guess bags! They are a little expensive, but they are so trendy. The dash of metal in them makes them look dressy yet not into the face.’
Public relations professional Neeti Dhawan, 28, feels metal elements do look classy on bags, but are a no-no for shoes. She said: ‘Bags look trendy and add zing with metal, especially when you go out for a party. But I feel shoes with such details look cheap.’
Nevertheless, Mehrotra said that apart from adding the aesthetic value, these metallic details could serve as functional elements in shoes too.
‘One can play around with shoes these days. Simple pumps can be converted into jazzy boots using metal zippers or buttons. An extension to the shoe can be zipped on or buttoned up…metal elements don’t just add beauty, but utility too!’ she explained.
However, she also warned against teaming such accessories with blingy clothes.
‘These shoes and bags look best with simple clothes without any bling. Basic denims, smart t-shirts or tunics complement them the best. Otherwise, they take the attraction away.’
The best bit is the price. The shoes and bags can cost as low as Rs.200 at a street shop, and can range anything around Rs.1,500-Rs.2,500 at well-known stores. However, be prepared to shell out more for ankle-length or knee-length boots that are usually on the steeper side.
(Radhika Bhirani can be contacted at radhika.b@ians.in)
Article source: http://www.sify.com/finance/go-for-the-heavy-metal-look-on-bags-boots-news-default-km5mkpibhcj.html
Absent any social obligations, fashion expectations, or store regulations regarding the necessity of footwear, would you choose to go barefoot as often as possible?
I think you would. Most people, when they get home after work, or vacation in a tropical locale, kick their shoes off. It’s a momentary whim satisfied, but you could never, ever, for example, go to a job interview in bare feet. It just isn’t done, right?
But doesn’t the existence of that instinct toward kicking your shoes off, that inclination toward freeing your feet, make you wonder why? Instincts, after all, are there for a reason. If you dig deep enough and go back far enough, any particular instinct conferred some survival benefit to the organism with the instinct. Now, some instincts are obsolete, or even detrimental, in the modern world — like tribalism, which served a distinct purpose for hunter-gatherers but only sows discord, hate, and fear today. But others still make sense: an infant’s propensity toward putting things in its mouth (introduces novel bacteria to their budding immune systems); a teen’s, ahem, primal urges when it comes to sex (allows the propagation of the species, with some caveats, of course!); and our love of sunny days (sun exposure provides vitamin D, an essential micronutrient for health). I’d argue that our love of being barefoot is a similarly beneficial instinct.
If you look at the structure of the foot itself, it’s a remarkably complex piece of machinery, with more than 26 bones, 33 joints, and over a hundred tendons, ligaments, and muscles. It’s also one of our oldest bodily features, having been essentially unchanged since our graduation into full-on bipedalism at least four million years ago. Bipedalism was a really big deal for our early human ancestors. Walking upright freed our hands for tool making and usage, it gave us greater visibility across the Saharan grasslands for spotting prey and predators, and it reduced the amount of skin directly exposed to the sun when it was at its harshest and brightest. It allowed us to travel great distances more efficiently than quadrupeds. And it was all done without expensive Nikes. Anthropologists place the earliest footwear at about 40,000 years ago, probably a protective measure to guard against snow and ice. So, for the vast bulk of our evolutionary history, the human foot was designed to handle the rigors of walking and running in its completely natural, bare state.
We’ve still got those same feet, but we don’t use them anymore. Instead, we cover them up. We wear shoes that alter the structure and function of our feet, and that weaken the myriad tendons, muscles, and ligaments through disuse. We strap on rubber soles that sever our proprioceptive connection with the ground and restrict our nervous system’s ability to subconsciously respond to changing environments and protect us from tripping or turning an ankle.
An early 20th century orthopedist named Philip Hoffman had a similar idea. His mostly ignored 1905 study, titled “Conclusions Drawn From a Comparative Study of the Feet of Barefooted and Shoe-Wearing People,” (gotta love the blunt frankness of early research) did exactly what the title states. He looked at the feet of people who spent their lives barefooted, of people who started out barefoot and then “graduated” to shoes, and of people who grew up in shoe-wearing cultures. The results were clear: lifelong bare footers displayed wider feet with wider toe beds and fewer foot dysfunctions, while shoe-wearers displayed narrower feet, narrower toe beds, and many more foot dysfunctions. And the shoes acted quickly, too; individuals who had spent most of their lives barefoot experienced significant, rapid alteration of the foot structure after a few weeks of wearing shoes. In the end, Hoffman concluded that of the “one hundred and eighty-six pairs of primitive feet examined, [he] did not find a single foot associated with the symptoms of weakness so common in adult shoe-wearing feet, which are weakened by the restraint the shoe exerts over function.” Take a look at the linked PDF, because the pictures are startling.
This is not an appeal to the naturalistic fallacy. This is simply stating a fact: the human foot was designed by millions of years of natural selection to work in its unaltered state. Putting on thick, restrictive shoes with prominent heels and lots of padding puts us at a greater risk of lower body injuries, both chronic and acute. It allows the muscles in our feet to atrophy from disuse. And once that primary link between our bodies and the ground is compromised, the rest follows: ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, back pain.
So, what can you do if you’ve been wearing shoes your entire life, or if you’re already suffering from foot, leg, or knee pain? Throw in the towel and pony up the money for orthotics? No way! Need arch support? Use your built-in arch support! Just as dealing with the ramifications of tribalism, by ignoring the problem, only exacerbates the situation, sticking your feet in a desensitizing, immobilizing cast made of rubber and leather in order to reduce lower body pain avoids the root cause of the problem and focuses on the immediate symptoms.
Go barefoot as often as possible. It’s as simple as that.
Ditch the shoes when and where it’s acceptable: at home, on walks around the block, at the park. Working in the office? Go in socks and leave the shoes under the desk. Go to the beach and take a long walk. Grasp the sand with them and flex your foot muscles.
As with any muscle you haven’t been using for an extended period of time, your feet are probably weak, and rushing into mile runs or two hours hikes in unprepared bare feet will be painful and potentially dangerous. Ease your way into it, especially if you’re habitually shod.
Free your feet, pay attention to the sensations, and walk the way your genes intended.
Mark Sisson is a former elite marathoner and triathlete. He is the author of the best-selling health and fitness book, “The Primal Blueprint”, and publisher of the health blog, MarksDailyApple.com. Become a fan on Facebook and visit Mark’s blog for daily health tips.
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Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-sisson/barefoot-running-benefits_b_794608.html
YOU would expect a celebrity to don a fancy headdress for a day at the races. However, it did not go as planned for the Ambassador of Elegance at the Longines Singapore Cup.
‘She looks like Medusa,’ he screeched, ‘Her makeup is fine along with her dress and shoes. But I really hate the headdress,’ lamented The Straits Times Urban’s Rohai , tutting Denise Keller’s choice of a huge red rose headpiece for the race day.
Also falling prey to the evil clutches of fashion flops, were Vicky Zhao, Sheila Sim, and even media darling, Fann Wong. Proving once again, that even stars who succumb to trends, are as likely to fall into the fashion victim category as the rest of us mere mortals.
From mutton dressed as lamb, to outfits that made the wearers look like ladies of the night, Rohai, Sara Ann round up the years best and worst fashion moments for 2010 on these wrap up clips for Who Wore What.
Watch them all!
Article source: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_619368.html
Designer vintage apparel doesn’t come cheap — and it typically appreciates with age. Which is why January is a great month to pore over the racks of pristine Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Versace at The Way We Wore, one of L.A.’s most lauded vintage fashion boutiques.
Every new year marks the start of the shop’s big winter sale, featuring collectible clothes, shoes and accessories discounted 50%.
This year’s sale — which starts Jan. 2 and runs through the end of the month — features the usual covetable designer fare, including retro Yves Saint Laurent outerwear, a two-piece black velveteen ensemble from Sant’Angelo and shapely ’80s suits from Thierry Mugler.
But this year, owner Doris Raymond is also discounting, for the very first time, her collection of rare vintage designer sunglasses. Dating from the late 1970s to the late 1980s, the cache of cool sunnies includes classic bamboo frames from Guy Laroche and glamorously over-sized Christian Dior looks.
Also included in the sale — which will take place on the bottom floor of the boutique, with new merchandise filtered in daily — is an exceptional collection of vintage lingerie Raymond recently scored from an avid collector.
“There are really some of the most beautiful silk lingerie ensembles I’ve ever seen,” Raymond said, citing tap pants, bras, teddies and abbreviated robes as some of the looks making up the lingerie sets.
Brands include early Victoria’s Secret, “before they went mainstream and lowered the quality of materials they use,” Christian Dior and Fernando Sánchez, a Spanish designer known for his provocative lingerie.
But perhaps most noteworthy is a sizable collection of Emilio Pucci-printed underthings the Italian designer created for Chicago’s Formfit Rogers Mills, where Pucci signed on as vice president in charge of design and merchandising in 1959.
Raymond noted that sizes for the lingerie — which she’ll be selling for between $20 and $250 (for top-drawer ensembles) — range roughly from a size 2 to “maybe a size 8 or 10 … and there’s nothing for very large-breasted.”
Special collections aside, the vintage dealer said she’s keen to unload most of her winter-season inventory, explaining, “A big part of this sale is about feeding my addiction to shopping — if there’s no room in the store, I can’t shop.”
334 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 937-0878. 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday; 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday; or by appointment. www.thewaywewore.com
Article source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2010/12/shopping-vintage-fashion-boutique.html
The year’s most daringly cut dress was Lady Gaga’s raw-meat frock, which she sported at the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2010.
Chris Pizzello/AP
1. The year started off on a tragic note. One of the fashion world’s most romantic but tortured artists, Alexander McQueen, committed suicide in London in February, sending shock waves throughout the industry. The fate of the McQueen label was left hanging for a few months as various designers’ names were tossed around as possible successors. Then the brand’s owners, Gucci Group, made the wise decision to appoint McQueen’s longtime assistant Sarah Burton as the creative director. Before the year was over, Burton staged her first show during Paris fashion week in October; the unequivocal consensus was that she’s the obvious heir apparent.
2. This year supposedly was to herald the return of the curvy model. Milan and Paris fashion weeks in February and March showed a parade of figure-hugging and bosom-baring clothes on fuller-figured models at such influential labels as Prada and Louis Vuitton. But by the time international collections rolled around again in September, the full-figured gal was replaced by older, mature and real women (i.e., non-models) on the runways, proving designers were turning models into nothing more than novelty acts.
3. On the local fashion scene, 2010 will go down as the year that saw a veritable army of international designers and popular fashion personalities beating a path to li’l old Toronto. Roll call, please: The mega-names who made in-store appearances included Donna Karan, Oscar de la Renta, Alexander Wang, Thakoon Panichgul, Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Rag Bone’s Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, Michael Bastian, L’Wren Scott, Erdem, Giles Deacon, Jonathan Saunders, Mark Fast, Marios Schwab and Halston Heritage designer Sarah Jessica Parker. Other popular fashion personalities who made an appearance included 14-year-old blogger Tavi Gevinson, who spoke eloquently at the ideaCity conference. Proving bloggers are now big business, The Selby and Face Hunter also made real-life appearances to flog books.
4. Of the many outfits, shoes and handbags that pass through the overwhelmingly crowded fashion landscape, two dresses left an indelible impression on people beyond the fashion world. Whether people loved or hated them is irrelevant; everyone will remember them. Both dresses were worn by princesses — the first by the princess of pop, Lady Gaga, who wore a dress fashioned entirely out of red meat at the MTV awards; the other by Kate Middleton, a princess-in-waiting, who on the day her engagement to Prince William was announced wore a simple blue wrap dress. No surprise, it was the royal blue that ignited a frenzy as shoppers went hunting for Kate’s dress. A few days later, a high-street retailer already had copies on its racks.
5. Appointments there were aplenty. Jean Paul Gaultier announced he was quitting designing for Hermès. Jumping from one crocodile to another, Lacoste designer Christophe Lemaire was appointed to replace Gaultier at the iconic French brand known for its luxurious skins. Lady Gaga’s stylist, Nicola Formichetti, was appointed the creative director of Thierry Mugler as the French fashion house stages a comeback. After being ousted from Rochas and Nina Ricci, the immensely talented Olivier Theyskens has bid adieu to haute French fashion houses. He is now the design talent behind well-priced contemporary American label Theory.
6. Tom Ford made a spectacular if somewhat exclusive return to the world of women’s fashion with a small, intimate fashion show to debut his women’s label. It was a blatant snub at what fashion week has become — a front-row circus of D-list celebrities, bloggers and door-crashers where every second of a fashion show is documented and reported in real time on Twitter. Ever the game-changer, Ford issued an invitation list that included only top-tier editors and retailers, and the show featured such celebrity models as Beyoncé and Lauren Hutton. That was in September. It wasn’t until November, when Ford released pictures of the collection, that the rest of the world got to see exactly what came down that rarefied runway.
7. Twitter and blogs are like the WikiLeaks of fashion — it’s hard to keep a secret in this industry now. As the year was wrapping up, there came the sudden announcement that the influential editor of Paris Vogue, Carine Roitfeld, submitted her resignation from the edgy fashion magazine after a successful 10-year reign. Since the Twitter universe missed out on breaking that news, it has taken on the mantle of speculating on why she is leaving — some are saying she was canned — and, of course, there is endless debate on who might be succeeding her in the plum job.
8. Forget this year’s trends, such as clogs and camel coats: a red-and-white knit mitt bearing a maple leaf from HBC’s Olympic collection was the runaway hit during the Winter Games. The company sold 3.5 million pairs. Granted, they were featured on Oprah, which may have had something to do with it.
9. Canadian fashionista of the year? That would be the Biebs. Justin Bieber is wielding a great deal of influence on fickle tweens and fashion. His windblown hairstyle now has teenage boys using hair dryers. And he’s becoming a mini-mogul in the beauty world as the pitchman for Proactiv zit cream and a unisex perfume called My World, packaged with wristbands and dog tags instead of traditional perfume bottles. Elle magazine had him modelling in a multi-page spread with Kim Kardashian, and there are rumours that Bieber will be on the cover of Vanity Fair in early 2011.
10. And one Canadian became immortalized in plastic. Joe Mimran, the creative force behind the popular Joe Fresh label, is the only Canadian to have a Mattel Barbie doll made in his likeness. He joins an exclusive list of fashion personalities, among them Karl Lagerfeld and Ralph Lauren, who have mini-me dolls. The 11.5-inch Mattel doll mimics Mimran’s sartorial style right down to his toes, sporting one of the man’s favourite looks — velvet loafers.
Article source: http://www.thestar.com/living/fashion/article/912967--blogs-biebs-a-mitten-and-a-meat-dress
Equally at home on a starlet’s stiletto as it is on a cowboy’s dusty boot, snakeskin adds texture, interest, and a femme-fatale swagger to everything it touches.
Startlingly adaptable, python lends a tone of timeless luxury to classic silhouettes (like Elizabeth and James heels or Vera Wang ballet flats), while in the hands of fearlessly fashion-forward designers like Maison Martin Margiela and Camilla Skovgaard, it infuses abstract designs with life and energy. Even traditional closet staples, like Hunter boots or Tory Burch flip flops, become eye-catching statements when incarnated in a textured serpent print.
If you’re still not convinced, consider that no two snakeskins (or snake prints) are alike. With finishes, textures, and colors ranging from super-subtle to rough-and-tumble, they’re as diverse as the ladies who love them.
–Rebecca
Article source: http://www.stylebistro.com/Fashion+Forum/articles/rY9vPP_TIej/Best+Foot+Forward+Snakeskin+Shoes
Tamara Mellon (ENS)
In 14 years, Tamara Mellon has transformed Jimmy Choo from a small, bespoke cobbler to a global brand estimated to be worth £ 500 million. Mellon started from the ground up, as a shopgirl at the department store, Browns. She had a privileged background – as the daughter of famous tycoon, Tommy Yeardye, Mellon grew up in Beverly Hills, studied at Swiss boarding schools, and followed her heart. ‘‘The Jimmy Choo success was built on hard work, innovation and determination, and ultimately on a woman’s love for shoes,’’ she clarifies.
With 100 stores in 32 countries, the gutsy 43-year-old certainly knows her business. And even if the media continues with its fascination for her celebrity boyfriends (actor Christian Slater was one), her legal issues with her mother or her deliciously free-spirited actions – the Terry Richardson photograph where she posed naked with a strategically placed kitten, is one of the first pictures you come across when you google Mellon she does not worry about what others think. Her daughter and Jimmy Choo are her life, she says. It is the business her father loaned her money to start. ‘‘My father was the most sound and wise person in my life. He was my advisor and my rock and always encouraged me to live my dreams and ‘to feel the fear.’
The making of Jimmy Choo
My vision for Jimmy Choo has always been to build a luxury lifestyle with shoes at the core. We continue to look at other complimentary categories but we do so with a certain discipline so that each builds upon the Jimmy Choo brand story. Inspiration for our collections doesn’t necessarily come from a place, an era or an outfit. I like to call it Zeitgeist – it is more of a mood, a general attitude; it is really a mix of what I have seen and how I feel and there is always the quintessential Jimmy Choo feminine and sensual spirit portrayed through the collection.
I think that my favourite period would have to be the 70s. I love the era for its fashion as well as interiors. I have always had a love for accessories, including vintage jewellery. I like to rework old pieces.
Nothing is sexier on a woman than self confidence. And a bit of sparkle can only make her feel even more dazzling.
The inspiration for Jimmy Choo’s Project Crystal (besides the traditional 15th anniversary gift of crystal and Mellon’s love for antique jewellery) comes from the signature jeweled shoes which helped make the brand famous on the red carpet. Also, technology and glamour inspired some of the crystal collection’s key pieces like Niagra and Montana.
They combine silver mesh fused in transparent Perspex, making this collection modern, edgy and yet feminine.
My personal favourite from the celebratory series is Marine, a gorgeously soft-strapped nappa leather shoe with 15 crystal discs rising in a geometric pattern, representing our 15th anniversary, wrapping the foot with long straps tied in bondage fashion. It’s glamorous with an edge. Next year, a new aspect of our collection offers for the first time driving shoes, espadrilles, and more biker boots (the brand launched glamourous trainers earlier this year). We just launched ‘The Choo Connection,’ which is a new interactive section of the Jimmy Choo website; a men’s shoe collection coming out in Autumn Winter 2011, and the Jimmy Choo spirit line. And this is just the beginning of our anniversary year; the best is yet to come.
Behind the empire
People ask me how I juggle between hard-nosed entrepreneur, mum and a sexy icon. You must remember your priorities. I am a mother first and foremost.
As jam-packed as my diary gets, I always make sure that I don’t travel too long without seeing my daughter, Minty (eight years old). She keeps things in perspective for me. But when I am in work mode, I always give it 100 per cent.
One of my key mottos is “feel the fear and do it anyway.” And this is how Jimmy Choo has achieved its success.
I have a huge amount of self determination and belief. I always trusted my instinct. (She recently said in an interview: ‘‘If a woman gets tough in negotiations, she’s difficult, whereas a man would be considered a brilliant businessman.’’) I try not to be in (the public eye) all the time. But only when it is proactive, to talk about the company and the charity projects we support.
I always knew I wanted to work in fashion, but it was whilst I was working as accessories editor at British Vogue that I identified the gap in the market; there was clearly a demand for distinct and stylish shoes that was not being fulfilled, so I approached Jimmy Choo (the bespoke cobbler) and founded the company in 1996. My own signature look is easy, glamorous and with edge.
My advice to fashion entrepreneurs is to be strong in your message to highlight what sets you apart. And never give up.
I am an impulsive shopper. My guilty pleasure is net-a-porter.com. I always start with one item in my basket and end up with far too many! I actually archive all my shoes, bags and key outfits for my daughter, Minty.
(Mellon reportedly owns over 1,000 pairs of Jimmy Choos). I am super organised and with my busy lifestyle, everything around me has to be in place and in an orderly fashion. Elika Gibbs, who runs a company called Practical Princess, organises all my wardrobes, and also archives my pieces that I would like to keep for long term.
Everything is colour coordinated, with its own section.
All the shoes that I wear everyday are available and at hand on display and all my old shoes are stored in shoe boxes with a Polaroid of each on the box for easy future reference.
Like every woman, I still have my favourites.
Article source: http://expressbuzz.com/entertainment/fashion/in-her-shoes/235114.html
Platform shoes are a 2010 trend with legs and it appears the higher they are, the better. Sarah Jessica Parker wore these to a November movie premiere. (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
(Credit:
Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (CBS) Fashion in 2010 had its ups and downs with some trends, like bright red lipstick, moving from the runway to the red carpet to Main Street and others, like Silly Bandz bracelets, going straight from the schoolyard to the arms of stars.
Katrina Szish, “The Early Show” style contributor, reviewed a few of these with an eye to what’s worth saving in your closet and what needs to be tossed.
As for the stars, Szish says lady Gaga and “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm are the red carpet royalty who hit all the right fashion notes , while Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Kei$ha are among the most error-prone when it comes to fashion.
“There’s no such thing as cheesy-chic,” she says, “just bad taste”
Here are Szish’s suggestions for your closet:
What to Toss:
- 1950s-iInsdpired styles: “The Mad Men craze made it into the Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 runway but this trend’s brief moment is over. It will be replaced by all things ’70s in 2011.
- Jeggings: This unfortunate attempt at jeans-as-leggings was a bad idea, made even worse the night Conan O’Brien wore a pair on his new TBS show.
- Silly Bandz: Started on the playground where girls collected and traded them , this trend is so 2010. (Hear that, Kelly Ripa and Katy Perry?)
What To Save:
- Platform Shoes: The higher the better! The trend is still going strong for 2011, despite the attempt to resurrect kitten heels this fall. We saw them in the SPRING 2011 Marc Jacobs, Prada, Chanel, Fendi runway shows and on the feet of Anne Hathaway, Lady Gaga (the extreme), Jessica Simpson, Victoria Beckham, and J.Lo.
- Leopard Prints: Tthe ubiquitous classic re-emerged as a must-have in 2010 and remains on the prowl for 2011! Check out Rachel Bilson, Jennifer Lopez, and Adam Lambert as celeb examples.
- Quirky Nail Polish Colors: From teal to purple to light blue, every shade of the the rainbow will continue to make a style statement.
Best Worst of 2010 Style
Article source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20026812-10391698.html
In the news: Lindsay Lohan to design shoes
Written by Adele Booth
Oh boy. She doesn’t give up does she? Jail terms and critical derision aside, LiLo has decided that the next logical stage in her career is to expand her fashion line to include shoes. Just as soon as she gets out of rehab next week.
According to a representative of the actress, Lohan will take her fashion label 6126 (which started as a leggings company before expanding to RTW this year) to the next level by including footwear designers for Winter 2011. The rep stated that the designs would be “classic, glamourous, timeless, with a sexy flair.”
We will see what shows up then shall we!
Category: Fashion Newsroom | Tags:
Article source: http://fashionforlunch.com/2010/12/in-the-news-lindsay-lohan-to-design-shoes/
