Manolo’s New Shoes

Thame’s & Hudson have released the companion to the bestselling Manolo Blahnik Drawings, Manolo’s New Shoes presents a brand new collection of Manolo’s celebrated shoe designs.

Manolo Blahník’s name has become synonymous with beautifully crafted, highly desirable theatrical shoes that ooze originality, style and exuberance. For four decades his unique vision has held the fashion world spellbound.

His design process begins with colour-rich sketches that are so finely executed they are as sought-after as the shoes themselves. Here you can peruse over 150 of these witty, seductive drawings.

As André Leon Talley, the Editor at Large at American Vogue, has said of Manolo Blahník – He captures the most powerful of emotions: desire.


Manolo’s New Shoes is a fabulous book, it’s lovely to read what his friends and peers think of him and his creations. It’s great to see the inspirations to the finished product.

The book is organized to express Manolo Blahník’s passions – art history, architecture, film, including his renowned designs for Sofia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette, theatre and flora and fauna.

An introduction by Manolo Blahník himself is sincere, as he recalls a childhood memory of his mother reading his favourite poem (Romance de la Luna, Luna) to him and his sister. This poem is as significant to his work as the tools he uses to draw.

Manolo’s intro is followed by contributions from some of the best-known names in fashion:

• Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor of the International Herald Tribune talks about her personal memories of Manolo.
• Grace Coddington, Creative Director at American Vogue wrote the designer a letter with illustrations of her cats! (pictured above)
• Carlos García-Calvo, Fashion Editor of El Mundo writes about the Spanish side of Manolo.
• Milena Canonero won her third Oscar for her costume design for Sofia Coppola’s
Marie Antoinette, and discusses her relationship with Manolo the costume designer.
• Amy Fine Collins is Special Correspondent to Vanity Fair, she talks about her love for everything Manolo including the man himself.

Manolo’s New Shoes is a must have for any lover of shoes, in fact, anyone with a love for fashion.

Available from Thames&Hudson.com £24.95

Vogue Fashion’s Night Out

As you may have heard, tonight is the second year of Vogue Fashion’s Night Out from 6pm to 11pm. It promises to be as hugely successful as last year with London’s favourite designers, models and fashionable people in town to mingle with the shoppers and help you find just what you’re looking for in capital’s West End.

Expect expert styling from the Vogue team, plus superstar appearances from the biggest names in fashion in all your favourite shops. Fashion’s Night Out is open to anyone and no tickets are required; just pitch up to your favourite stores for an evening of glamour and entertainment. Prepare for 2010’s biggest fashion party.

There’s so much going on tonight, I hardly know what to do with myself!

I’ve downsized the list of events and made a “faves” list, but even that’s still too much. Here are all the things I want to go to:

Jaeger, Regent St, for a prize draw, DJ and cocktails. (6-9pm)
Liberty London, for the opening of Manolo Blahnik’s “World of Shoes” pop-up (from 6.30)
Chanel, Bond St for manicures and champagne (I feel this is a must) (from6.30)
Diane Von Furstenberg, Bruton St for Studio 54!!! (6.30-10pm)
Topshop, Oxford Circus for the miniature Vogue experience.
Selfridges, Oxford St, have a wide array of things in store. (from 6pm)
Mulberry, Bond St for pies, face painting, and DJ (6-10pm)
Louis Vuitton (invitation only) Bond St, to see Alice Dellal spin the decks (7-10pm)
Nicole Farhi, Bond St for crepes and wine. J’adore crepes! (6-10pm)

I hope to see some of you guys out and about, it’s the best night to shop, lots of offers and proceeds go to charity! If you see me “holla”, I wanna get lots of pics of everyone taking part.

Go to VFNO for more info

Vogue Fashion’s Night Out – Furla

Isolabella, the Italian Sambuca, teams up with luxury accessory designer Furla for an indulgent in-store evening of cocktails and shopping as part of ‘Vogue Fashion’s Night Out’ – the annual global retail therapy initiative, now in its second year.

To celebrate, Isolabella will unveil a new cocktail ‘Oz Bella’ inspired by the launch of Furla’s new ‘Wizard of Oz’ collection. The event is taking place at Furla central London on 221 Regent Street, W1B 4NJ between 7pm and 10pm. The store will be open to all.

‘Vogue Fashion’s Night Out’ was launched in 2009 as an international, multi-sensory, shopping experience with each participating store stamping their own identity on their ‘events’. Last year, this celebration of fashion shopping inspired thousands of style conscious consumers to visit stores around the world – making it the largest shopping event in history. This year’s initiative is set to be even bigger, with an additional three new cities taking place – bringing the total number of participants up to 16.

Mark Collins, Senior Brand Manager for Isolabella said: “For us Furla is an obvious partner, as not only are they an Italian icon, they are synonymous with high quality understated elegance. Isolabella is a stylish high quality extra fine Sambuca made in Milan, Italy thus the result is an evening for shoppers to celebrate the very essence of Italian creativity.”


Furla is a leading Italian brand specialising in luxury handbags and accessories for men and women. They have outlets around the world including five shops in London. In honour of VFNO on Wednesday 8th September, Furla will be closing their Regent Street store at the later time of 10pm.

In addition to the exclusive ‘Oz Bella’ shoppers will also be able to savour an ‘Orange Bella’ or ‘Candied Dream’. In these two cocktails the succulent taste of Mediterranean oranges are combined perfectly with the delicious flavour of anise as it is enjoyed through a distinctive liquorice straw – an irresistible taste experience which will be available to all on the night.

Shearling Trend – Topshop AW10

Shearling is already a HUGE trend for AW10, Burberry put the exclamation point on that during LFW AW10.

GlamUK organised a shoot for us to showcase some of Topshop’s AW10 shearling collection. The shoot was photographed by Adrian from Snappy Lifestyle, styled by Joel from The Dash Empire and modelled by Em fro Make Lemonade, Karena from My New Best Friends, Ellen from The Real Runway, and moi.

I’m modeling Khaki shearling coat, £395, Topshop

Karena from My New Best Friends models Tan leather wool collar jacket, £58, Topshop

Em from Make Lemonade models Black leather and shearling jacket, £78, Topshop

Ellen from The Real Runway models Black Shearling jacket, £325, Topshop

I’m modeling Black shearling gilet, £195, Topshop

Em from Make Lemonade models Khaki shearling hooded gilet, £195, Topshop

Ellen from The Real Runway models Khaki fur lined hooded parka, £85, Topshop

Karena from My New Best Friends models Black hooded shearling gilet, £58, Topshop

Joel from The Dash Empire models Khaki shearling coat, £395, Topshop

Levi’s Curve ID

Levi’s have launched a new fit for their women’s jeans, Levi’s Curve ID. It’s all about shape, not size!

Levi’s invited me to the Levi’s flagship store on Regent St to find out exactly what the new fit was all about and to be fitted for my own pair!

Levi’s tested the shape of 60,000 women for research for this new fitting system, they came up with three different fits: Slight Curve, Demi Curve and Bold Curve.

The Slight Curve (Lykke Li) is pretty much straight up and down with a little hip action.

The Demi Curve (Pixie from Violet) is totally in proportion, so right waist to hip ratio.

The Bold Curve (Miss Nine) is small waist, large hip/posterior.

The measuring is pretty quick and simple, no scanners or body suits. Just a ribbon tied round the waist with two tape measures attached vertically, then a measurement taken around the hip, and another around the bum.

Et voila, I am a Slight Curve.

Once you get your fit, you pick up your size and it should fit like a glove, I know mine did; no muffin top, no gaping, no pinching. They also come in various washes and cuts.

We were given our goody bags with our jeans and an invite to the Levi’s Curve ID party at Studio Valbonne.

The guestlist was fun; Pixie Geldof was to perform with her band so her usual posse was there, Alexa Chung, Henry Holland, Jade Parfitt, and her daddy – Sir Bob Geldof.

Lykke Li (Slight Curve) was up first, she came with her tambourine and drummer, and of course the voice.

Pixie (Demi Curve) pleased the masses and I think she surprised most of them too. The songs were great and after each one the cheers got bigger, she was actually really timid between songs. Maybe she thought she wouldn’t get a good reception, but she delivered so the crowd gave back as good as they got.

Miss Nine (Bold Curve) was the DJ for the last leg of the night, she brought the party tracks with her one of them being “I’m in Miami trick!”

Personally I wish Levi’s would go an inch or two longer on the leg, then the fit would really be perfect (for me)!