Alexa Chung for Eyeko

Alexa Chung has joined up with British beauty brand Eyeko to create a capsule collection of eye make up.  Alexa has always felt naked without her 1960’s cat-eye liquid eyeliner flick, something she has become synonymous with, admitting ”it's my comfort blanket."  Having had an Eyeko eyeliner used on her by a make-up artist on a recent shoot she decided to meet with the brand’s directors, “I just felt the whole company seemed fun and it got my creative juices flowing… it became quite an organic collaboration.”  

Alexa’s Eyeko collection will sport her name, her own artwork and have kooky names (such as the ‘eye do’ liquid liner) that she has chosen.  The set will cost £35.00 and will be exclusively launched at Selfridges Oxford Street on November 14th where she will be meeting and greeting her fans eager to also have the most fash-lashes in town. 

Hello There: Chinti and Parker

Cousins Anna Singh and Rachael Wood launched Chinti and Parker in October 2009 with one clear mission: to create beautiful, ethically made garments that value style on par with substance.  Loved by all the cool cats, including Alexa Chung, Kate Bosworthand Olivia Palermo, Chinti and Parker super-soft cashmere is available in an array of block colours and fun prints which provide the building blocks for the perfect capsule winter wardrobe.  Actress, lifestyle guru and all round TLC fave Gwyneth Paltrow also recently collaborated with the label after discovering the brand on a shoot, creating two exclusive jumpers for her Goop website.  I have picked out a few of my favourite items from the current collection – effortless, beautiful jumpers and a statement neon pink pom pom scarf and bobble hat that have my name ALL over them.  I do LOVE a pom pom. 

Above (Clockwise) L-R: Bobble Scarf (Grey Marl) - RRP. £125.00, Bobble Hat (Grey and Neon Pink Bobble) - RRP. £70.00, Contrast Cuff Sweater (Oatmeal) – RRP. £295.00, Heart Pocket Cardigan (Grey) – RRP. £295.00,  Contrast Cuff Sweater (Grey) - RRP. £295.00

Halloween 2013

Celebrating Halloween in the UK has become increasingly popular in the last few years (thank you Heidi Klum!) and now there is no shortage of thrills and chills to enjoy come October 31st.  With this ghoulish night fast approaching us (like a serial killer in a dark alley) costumes are now firmly on my mind.  Usually the ladies of London use this annual opportunity to leave as little to the imagination as possible... something spooky + clevage = (Sexy) Vampire/(Sexy) Cat/(Sexy) Skeleton/(Sexy) Devil, etc.  I however, would love to see more effort on the whole and witness some really spooky, stomach-churningly dramatic outfits on the big night;  a tormented zombie, a rabid hybrid werewolf, a two-headed cannibal, a VMA’s Miley Cyrus… Now THAT would be terrifying! 

Above: (Clockwise) L-R: Moto Bat Print Leigh Jeans at Topshop - RRP. £40.00,  Topshop Sadie Lazer Cut Heels - RRP. £80.00, ASOS Full Midi Skirt in Mesh – RRP. £55.00, ASOS Halloween Bat Print Unitard – RRP. £38.00, H&M Super Stretch Treggings – RRP. £12.99,Skeleton Print Unitard – RRP. £32.00

Above:  No Tricks, Just Treats:  Loving these Limited Edition shoes by Charlotte Olympia!
L-R: Vampira - RRP. £975.00, Bite Me Kitty - RRP. £495.00, Nocturnal - RRP. £745.00

Above:  Hummingbird Bakery Limited Edition Cupcake Gift Boxes - From RRP. £19.50
HOW awesome did Emma Roberts look dressed as her Aunty Julia's character Vivienne Ward from Pretty Women at last year's Halloween?! Genius. 

Left:  If you are still in need of some more devilish sinspiration head to Austique where flamboyant fancy dress boutique Violet’s Box are holding a pop up shop for the next two weeks. Stylist Violet Day will be on hand to help you choose a perfectly show-stopping/heart-stopping outfit.

Trend: Socks and Sandals

Ordinarily I can appreciate the merits of a new trend, especially when pioneered by modern day style icons and fashion heavyweights Alexa Chung, Chloe Sevigny and SJP.   I do feel however, feel the socks'n'sandals combo is a step too far.  On six year old girls? Fine. On Japanese Hirajuku girls wearing neon wigs?  Fiiiine.  On the grown women we have come to know, love and admire?  This is an open shoe step too far.   
Look, I know we struggle to let go of the summer in all it’s heavenly rosé glory, and returning our favourite new heels to their boxes to only replace them with that ol’wooly cardigan is excruciatingly hard… but sometimes it’s healthier, and a lot more stylish, to just let it go Ladies… it’s not cute and it’s not clever (clogs). 

LFW: Mulberry SS'14

After having sent out THE most adorable London Fashion Week tea cup invitations made by Wedgewood, Claridges was transformed into an English country garden, complete with fresh flowers, astro turf floors and a stuffed peacock, forEmma Hill to say “over and out” with her final collection as creative director for Mulberry.  Well known for bringin’ the brand’s sexy back, Hill emotionally commenced the show with an echoing voiceover from Sir Winston Churchill, ‘this House we have built together, brick by brick, stone by stone, this house we call home’ before blaring out ‘Our House’ by Madness as the models cue to strut.  Showcasing typically cheery designs inspired by the Sixties London, the models (including Cara Delevigne) wore wide-leg trousers, over-sized silhouettes and enlarged floral prints.  Turbo the British Bulldog wore a floral overcoat – expect one to adorn all the hottest dawgs next spring.

Above:  I am naturally always most interested in the new collection of bags swung on the catwalk, and alongside stripey Bayswaters and a midnight blue Willow, the Kensal, named after the brand’s London roots, was presented. The firey orange Kensal (below) instantly grabbed my attention (after my flame Bryn having being my constant companion for the last few months, I can’t recommend a mood lifting, bright bag for the summer more!) Emma Hill is leaving some very big shoes (and bags) to fill.

Below:  Alexa Chung with her pal Cara Delevigne at the Mulberry after-party.

LFW: House of Holland SS'14

With a catwalk covered in fluffy purple clouds and a FROW filled with the coolest cats in town (including Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof and HARRY STYLES – a name I can’t even read without hearing 100,000 girls hysterically screaming it!) this could only be the setting forHenry Holland’s forthcoming House of Holland SS’14 collection.

I once worked under Henry’s instruction at a teen fashion magazine and still remember how fun he was even all those years ago, with such real creative vision, once hand decorating, sequin by sequin, a pair of heels he had found in a vintage shop for a photo shoot we worked on with a teenage Poppy Delevigne.  I am always excited to see what tricks Henry will pull out of his hat and this show did not disappoint.  In the an ode to Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 ‘Romeo and Juliet’ the collection merged the idea of the chola girl gangs of the nineties with the Mexican Tybalt-style feuding boys in the film. With brilliant bright colours, fun flowery designs, kitsch sunglasses and religious tattoo designs, the designer explained the designs were "really a love letter to that film."  I really loved the orange floral sleeved white trench coat! Oh… did I mention HARRY STYLES was there?!!

Alexa Chung's 3rd British Vogue Cover

I cannot wait to get my hands on Alexa Chung’s THIRD British Vogue cover, photographed by Patrick Demarchelier. I love Alexa’s well documented, nonchalant style, and this editorial goes to show exactly why; who else could look so effortlessly tomboy cool whilst wearing such pretty, romantic and girly gowns?!

To celebrate her October Vogue cover, Alexa has taken over Vogue.co.uk to share with us her own take on fashion history, beauty, culture and shopping - as well as revealing more details  from her book, 'IT'  (details of her book launch found here).

Follow the hashtag #AlexaMonday for all the latest developments.

Alexa Chung's 'IT' Launch

Model, presenter, DJ and now WRITER, Alexa Chung (right) wore a stunning, off-the-shoulder lace Carven SS’14 dress to her book launch and signing at Liberty London last night.

Having said categorically before the book’s release that ‘It’ would not be a style bible or an autobiography, the book shares with us her musings on life, love and music, and through words, illustrations and photographs, explains how she became Britain’s favourite ‘It Girl,’ a term Rudyard Kipling invented in his 1904 story Mrs Bathurst (“It isn’t beauty, so to speak, nor good talk necessarily. It’s just ‘It’.”)

Below: Daisy Lowe and Laura Bailey (wearing a beautiful Roskanda Ilincic AW’13 dress) alongside Pixie Geldof and Nick Grimshaw, turned out to support their friend.

"I wrote it because I was bored and wanted to create something alongside hosting television shows," Alexa admits. "I wanted an extra project to focus on and it was a good excuse to reflect on the last few years and rummage through some long lost photo albums."

The Evening Standard scathingly reviewed the book as ‘one great big enhanced selfie.’  Judge me as you wish, but as a loyal Alexa Chung Instagram follower I just don’t see that as a bad thing?!  I can’t wait to get my copy!

'It' by Alexa Chung - RRP. £16.99

Charlotte Olympia's Incy Collection

Charlotte Olympia, my FAVOURITE shoe designer of all time, has shrunk her favourite six pretty and playful flats, (including the Kitty Flats, left, loved by Alexa Chung) to fit the luckiest of little girls... I've never wanted smaller feet more.  The collection, called Incy, takes inspiration from the 'Incy Wincy Spider' nursery rhyme.

"I always thought I'd design little shoes for little people as soon as I had a girl" said designer Charlotte Dellal,"however, with two boys now and a third child on the way - I decided to finally launch 'Incy' regardless. Maybe I'll have a girl this time!"

 Start saving your pocket money kiddos. 

www.charlotteolympia.com

HAWT: Alexa Chung in Chanel

Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.

 Ooh La Lexa… This week Alexa Chung left a muddy Glastonbury for a beautiful Paris to attend the Chanel Haute Couture Autumn/Winter’13 show at the Grand Palais.  The presenter/DJ looked très chic in a midnight blue velvet mini-dress with black lace Victoriana style high neckline and delicate sleeves.   Black and navy is my favourite colour combination, one Alexa regularly wears on the front row, this time completing her stylish look with a small classic Chanelshoulder bag and a pair of triple buckled black Mary-Janes (which would look hideously unflattering and terribly un-HAWT on anyone else aside from Alexa!)