Iconic Fashion Brand BIBA Relaunches

This month BIBA relaunches with a new collection of womenswear and accessories that is bang up to date, yet still stays true to the iconic BIBA brand.

The collection references the flattering cuts and styles of the original BIBA collections that brought accessible fashion with attitude to women of all ages. BIBA 2010 has evolved into a modern contemporary collection of dresses, tops, denim and evening wear with a renewed sense of sophistication.

As well as getting to preview the collection we were spoiled with champagne, fruit flavoured cider, and canapés.

AND, Nails Inc were on standby for those who wanted their nails polished and perfected. Shirley, Leanne, and Imani were a dream, they shaped, buffed, and polished our nails to perfection.

What to wear? What to wear?

I decided to go for “Stanhope Gardens”
Char Style Cartel went for “Basil Street”

Amy from Wolf Whistle went for the classic “Victoria”
Photographer for the night, Magdi of HQ, decided to get a shape up and buff

The collection will be exclusive to House of Fraser and available in 35 stores nationwide and online. There will also be 10 BIBA boutiques launching on the 9th Sept 2010 in the following locations: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin (Dundrum Shopping Centre), Glasgow, Edinburgh (Jenners), Manchester, Sheffield (Meadowhall shopping Centre), London Oxford St, London Westfield.

Lanvin <3 H&M

H&M is proud to announce that its next designer collaboration will be with Lanvin, one of the most influential brands of the 21st century. Designed by Lanvin’s artistic director Alber Elbaz, and menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver, the collection will go on sale on November 23 in around 200 H&M stores worldwide.
The collection of both womenswear and menswear will be revealed to the world on November 2, just three weeks before the clothes hit the store, making the launch of Lanvin for H&M among the most anticipated fashion events of the year.

Alber Elbaz, artistic director of Lanvin.
“We are thrilled about Lanvin’s collection for H&M, it is such an exciting moment. Lanvin will bring to H&M a luxurious French tradition that is also modern and playful. It is very much a Lanvin collection, using their cut and tailoring, with lots of focus on form and details for both women and men. The launch in November is going to be full of wonderful surprises.” Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor at H&M.
Since joining Lanvin as artistic director in 2001, Alber Elbaz has transformed the Paris-based label, founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, into a fashion powerhouse bursting with ideas and creativity. Pioneering some of the biggest trends of the past decade – ribbon, bows, pearls, raw edges, sumptuous colour and metallic embellishment among many others.
Lanvin is the latest brand to collaborate with H&M, with previous collections designed by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons, Victor & Rolf and Sonia Rykiel. In a new twist, the Lanvin for H&M collection will be revealed to the world through a special film which will be launched on November 2. The film will be available for all to see online at www.hm.com. Following the film’s debut, it will be just three weeks before customers have the chance to get their hands on a covetable piece of Lanvin for H&M.
I love the idea of these collaborations but in reality I can’t stand it. I probably won’t get a great piece because I don’t do standing outside the store for hours waiting for the first peek and the dash and grab situation that follows (I wouldn’t subject my assistant to it either). If H&M want to give us a lil’ preview, that would please me greatly! Otherwise I’ll just admire it from afar.

Crossover Nail Colours SS10 – AW10

Crossover Nail Colours – for that period of time when it’s not quite AW yet but you wouldn’t call it S/S either.

Nail colour has been a big trend for the past few seasons and there’s no stopping it now. I have selected a “few” colours that’ll take you from Spring/Summer through to Autumn/Winter with ease, keeping you on trend throughout.

Access All Areas, £9, Ciaté @ Powder Rooms

OPI on Collins Ave, £9.95, OPI

Off With Her Red, £9.95, OPI

Strawberry Hill, £20 (1/5 part of Ice Cream Collection), Nails Inc @ QVC

Rose Royce, £5, Topshop

Lovie Dovie, £9.50, Essie

Utopia, £5, Models Own

Wicked, £9.50, Essie

Paradoxal, £16, Chanel

Funky Dunkey, £9.95, OPI

Lilac Dream, £5, Models Own

Purple #5, £10, Nail Girls

Devonshire Row, £20 (1/5 part of Ice Cream Collection), Nails Inc @ QVC

Beth’s Blue, £5, Models Own

Denim Shorts, £2.99, Miners

Give Me The Moon, £9.95, OPI

Totally Teal, £6.75, No.7 @ Boots

Dating A Royal, £9.95, OPI

Feeling Blue, £5, Models Own

Chalk Farm, £20 (1/5 part of Ice Cream Collection), Nails Inc @ QVC

Sapphire Moon, £7.90, Rituals…

Misty Grey, £5, Models Own

Grey Day, £5, Models Own

Cloud, £5, Topshop

Chinchilly, £9.50, Essie

Jade Stone, £5, Models Own

Spring Mews, £20 (1/5 part of Ice Cream Collection), Nails Inc @ QVC

Pretty Edgy, £9.50, Essie

Taupe #1, £10, Nail Girls

Apricot Blush, £2.99, Miners

Maple Street, £20 (1/5 part of Ice Cream Collection), Nails Inc @ QVC

Tickle My France-y, £9.95, OPI

Nude Beige, £5, Models Own

012 in 2010 – Benetton Re-Opening

I remember (she says, sounding like an old lady) when I was a lil girl, my mom would dress me head to toe in H&M, nanny’s boutique finds, or Benetton 012.

Benetton was the lick “back in the day”, even Barbie was rocking it. Before all the controversial ads there  was the fashion.

Twenty odd years later they’re making a come back with their new flagship store in Oxford Circus. The Glam Squad went in to see what Benetton was bringing for AW10.

Emily from Fashion Fois Gras with Butters the fashion dog
Official photographer for the launch, Kristin Knox aka The Clothes Whisperer

Members of the public were given a chance to come in, don the new collection, get made over, and snapped in their own Benetton ad. It’s all part of a new plan to make Benetton young and cool again.

Whoever purchased on the night was given a goody bag

While there I got snap happy with my Deluxe Freaks…

Alisa Afkhami
Charlotte Smith aka Style Cartel
Lira Leirner aka The Portmanteau

The lady from the Dove Pro Age advert

Wrangler for Everyone

We got the heads up from Joel of The Dash Empire that there was a Wrangler party at Mahiki. So we hot footed it down there for a freebie or two…

Char went for these acid wash jeans in the middle, they had lovely woven denim detail in the pocket. Didn’t get a pic coz we were both trying stuff on.

Thom went for this tough denim jacket (tough meaning good, like bad or heavy) the detailing really makes it werq!

So for me, the jeans were too short, I have a denim jacket and denim shirt, so I went for these grey/lilac “greylac” shorts.

Z was well pleased with her faded red jeans.

In hindsight I should have got another denim shirt, I’m not sure when I’m ever going to wear “greylac” shorts with white stitching.