Exhibition Alert! Tim Walker: Story Teller

Another day, and another exhibition is announced that will be a must-see for me! Somerset House have announced that they will be holding an exhibition of fashion photographer, Tim Walker's work: 'Tim Walker: Story Teller'. In addition to the photographs there will also be installations and a selection of the extraordinary props and models on show, e.g. giant grotesque dolls for Italian Vogue and an almost life-size replica of a Spitfire fighter plane.

I love Tim Walker's photographs. They are alway extravagant and original, and are characterised by a sense of humour and vibrancy, combined with fairy-tale elements. I have a poster of his 'Dress Lamp Tree' image in my bedroom, and his work is always the first thing to jump out of me when I look back through my past copies of 'Vogue' (I was recently given a 4 year archive of the magazine, from 2006-2010).

Somerset House will also be hosting a series of events including a 'In Conversation With' session with the photographer himself, and workshops with some of the set designers and prop builders. Further details will be announced in early September. I can't wait!

Here are some of my favourite Tim Walker images:

 

Fab: Fabulous design at fabulous prices

I recently came across a fantastic website caled Fab which has some great interior and design products at reduced prices. It operates in much the same way as Cocosa and Brand Alley do, with time limited sales on a wide range of products, from prints to lighting to jewellery. All of the pieces are chosen by the company's 'Style Panel', which includes  Marcus Fairs (Editor-in-Chief of 'Dezeen'); Priscilla Carluccio and Tamara Heber -Percy (founder of 'Mr & Mrs Smith').

The site is a brilliant way to get your hands on fabulous design pieces without breaking the bank. Here are some of the items which took my fancy last time I visited the site.

Cushion - £28; Necklaces - £29; Lego lunchbox - £8

Chanel's 'The Little Black Jacket' exhibition opening in London

As a lover of all things Chanel, I was eagerly looking forward to the release of the 'The Little Black Jacket: Chanel's Classic Revisited' coffee-table book, from the moment details were announced. The book, by Karl Lagerfeld and ex-'Vogue Paris' editor, Carine Roitfeld, pays tribute to one of the French fashion house's iconic pieces. What I love about the photographs in the book is that the subjects; who are a 'Who's Who?' of Chanel muses and clients, from Sarah Jessica Parker to Alice Dellal, all wear the jacket their way. They all manage to give their own look, to a fashion classic.

Carine Roitfeld as Coco Chanel [Photo: Chanel/Karl Lagerfeld]

To coincide with the launch of the book, a 'The Little Black Jacket' exhibition has been travelling the globe: from Tokyo to New York; Taipei to Hong Kong. And the next stop on its travels? London.

Here is what Chanel has to say about the exhibition:

"The special event underlines the brand's values of creativity, modernity and excellence. The public will discover the versatility and timelessness of the iconic Chanel jacket through Karl Lagerfeld's photographs."

The exhibition, which contains 113 photographs, will be showing at the Saatchi Gallery from October 12th to October 29th, and admission is free. I really hope that I get a chance to take in the exhibition, as the images I have seen so far, look fantastic.

My Smashbox Makeover

Last week I blogged about the impending launch of the new Smashbox counter in Boots, St David's in Cardiff. I went along with my friend Sarah on Saturday morning, and we both had a great time. My makeup artist, Linda was lovely and was great at explaining the products she used on me. I gave her free reign to choose the look to give me, which could have had the potential to go very wrong! However I loved the look that she gave me. Linda used the following products on me:

• Studio Skin Foundation
• Photo Finish Primer
• Photo Op Eyeshadow Trio (Nectar/Roast/Cinammon)
• Blush Rush - 'Paradise'
• Limitless Lip Stain - 'Guava'
• Limitless Eyeliner - 'Smoke'
• Hyperlash Mascara

I was really impressed with the products. The base was still going strong 12 hours later, and given that it was a scorching hot Summer day, that is quite a feat considering my usually oily skin. Given my love for a red lipstick, it is perhaps not surprising that I want to add the 'Guava' lip stain to my collection asap. Gorgeous shade; easy application and longevity. What's not to love?!

Here are some photos that Sarah and I took in the Smashbox photo booth.

Age of Reason Scarves

Just a quick post to show you one of my latest purchases. I recently won a £50 discount code being given away in a Twitter competition by the fantastic 'Age of Reason' scarves. I have been lusting after one of their scarves for a while now, so figured it was definitely worth a RT. And as luck would have it, the fashion gods were smiling on me, and I won!

I chose this scarf from the S/S 12 range. My friend Penny had previously told me that the workmanship and finish of the brand's scarves was amongst the best she had seen in ages, and after receiving mine, I have to agree!

I love how designer Ali Mapletoft, manages to create beautiful designs, which also have an element of humour to them.  Ali's designs incorporate such great imagery and vivid use of colour. I am often torn between whether to wear this scarf or to frame it and put it on the wall! It is also great to see a company who are really proud to produce all their goods in the UK.

I own quite a number of scarves, as I think that they are a great way to add some colour to an outfit and can instantly lift a look. Also, given the notoriously unreliable British weather, it is handy to have a scarf in my handbag in case it suddenly gets chilly. Who said I can't be practical?!

'Age of Reason' have just launched their new A/W 12 range, but I will save those delights for another blog post.

When Uniqlo met Orla Kiely (again!)

The Uniqlo x Orla Kiely collection which launched in March was a massive hit, selling out within a few hours. Unfortunately, I didn't get my hands on any of that collection. Therefore I was really pleased to hear that the Irish designer has produced another collection for the company. This range, which launches on the 6th September, includes t-shirts; tunics; dresses; hoodies & stoles. If you are in London then you might want to head along to the Uniqlo store at 311 Oxford Street on 6th September. Orla herself will be there, and if you purchase two products on the night, you will receive a limited edition tote bag.

Did you get your hands on any of the previous collection? Will you be buying anything from this latest drop?

Vivienne Westwood store opening in Cardiff

Vivienne Westwood. London - Paris - Cardiff? It has just been confirmed that Vivienne Westwood will be opening a store in Cardiff's St David's 2 development in September. The store will be located opposite John Lewis on The Hayes, and will draw its interior inspiration from the original Vivienne Westwood flagship store  at 44 Conduit Street. 

I am really excited about this opening, as I have always been a big fan of her designs, which manage to combine classic heritage fabrics and styling, together with a contemporary twist. This is the first time that fans of Vivienne Westwood will be able to purchase all of her collections in the city. The store will stock a full range of Gold, Red & MAN Label, Anglomania, Anglomania + Lee jeans, Red Carpet eveningwear dresses, and all accessories including shoes and bags. Croeso i Gymru, Dame Vivienne Westwood!

Lily Donaldson in the custom-made dress that Vivienne Westwood designed for the London 2012 Closing Ceremony. Stunning!

Smashbox launches in Boots

As they are a brand that I have yet to try, I was quite excited when I got an email from Smashbox, informing me of their launch in Boots St Davids Centre, Cardiff on Tuesday 14th August.

To celebrate the launch, fashion photographer Steven Khan will be setting up on the newly opened Smashbox Cosmetics counter in Boots, to shoot with customers from 10am – 4pm, Friday 17th August until Sunday 19th August.

To book a slot with Steven Khan for your flashbulb moment, email smashboxcrew@smashbox.co.uk with your preferred date and time and someone from the Smashbox Crew will get back to you.

Following the shoot, you will receive a USB of professionally shot images that Steven has taken to keep, print and share digitally with friends and family.

For those who aren’t lucky enough to get a booking with Steven during the exclusive in-store photo event, there will also be a travelling Smashbox Cosmetics Photobooth popping up on counter for the weekend. After having their makeup done, customers will be encouraged to create their own photoshoot in the booth with friends, or have a moment in the spotlight alone. 

On  launch day itself (14th August), Smashbox Cosmetics will be giving away 10 'Try It Kits' on the hour every hour, from 11am-4pm.   All Smashbox Cosmetics fans will need to do is be one of the first 10 people to the counter to register their details with a Smashbox Crew member.

Lou Lou Shops: TK Maxx

I know that I have posted about TK Maxx before, but I was so impressed with my last visit there, that I thought it deserved another blog post!

We probably all know that TK Maxx is one of the high-street's largest chain of discount stores. However, for some people, that is enough to stop them walking through the doors. And if that is the case, then in my opinion they are definitely missing a trick!

I think one of the problems for people with the store, is that you can't really guarantee that you will find what you want in there. However, I think that once you accept that, you will see that there are some great bargains to be had in store. I tend to pop in at least once a week.

On my last trip, I picked up a Seafolly swimsuit for £19.99 (usually retails for £70+); a Polo Ralph Lauren v-neck wool jumper for my boyfriend (£37; RRP £99) ; Korres Vanilla Plum shower gel (£5.99, RRP £10.50) and Bridgedale walking socks (£5.99; RRP £16.00). On those items alone, I made a saving of over £125 on the RRP.

A lot of the items in the food section wouldn't look out of place in a high-quality delicatessen, and I picked up some stuffed olives and amaretti biscuits. I love the packaging of some of the items, and will definitely be trying to think of ways to re-use the packaging.

If online shopping is more your thing, then you can also make some big savings on the TK Maxx website. You can find a range of designer labels on the site, including 'Stella McCartney'; 'Balenciaga'; 'DSquared'; 'Elizabeth and James'; 'Dolce & Gabbana', and 'Temperley'.

What are your thoughts on TK Maxx? Have you discovered any fantastic bargains there?

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm for £15.99 - save 41%!

Just a quick post about a beauty bargain I spotted on Half Price Perfumes. One of my staple beauty products is Clarins' cult Beauty Flash Balm, which is a lifesaver when I wake up looking less than perky! However it isn't cheap at £27.00. Therefore I was really pleased to find it on Half Price Perfumes for £15.99 - a saving of 41%! This product always get rave reviews, e.g. Glamour magazine's Beauty Director, Alessandra Steinherr is a big fan, so if you have always been wanting to try it, this is the perfect opportunity.

Charlotte & Co : Foundation Silk Knickers

Apologies for the long time since my last post. Sadly other things have got in the way. But I am back, and hopefully am back in the blogging swing of things!

I have a bit of a soft spot for buying underwear, and could quite easily spend a small fortune on Agent Provocateur & Mimi Holliday if funds allowed! As such, when I think of silk underwear, I am more likely to think of pieces from those brands, and to think of pieces in black or jewel tones. Therefore, I was looking forward to trying the foundation silk knickers from Charlotte & Co,as they are different to my usual underwear of choice. The knickers are part of a range of silk underwear, which includes knickers, camisoles and slips.

The range has been described as the "ultimate practical luxury", and I can safely say that these are both practical and luxurious. Although I tend to go for black underwear as opposed to nude coloured underwear, these were great under a light summer dress. The pure silk-jersey fabric meant that they were really smooth, and there was no sign of the dreaded VPL.

I am a firm believer in a bit of "everyday luxury" and these fit the bill nicely. The knickers retail at £14.00, but you can buy 2 pairs for £23.00. I will definitely be purchasing some more.

Charlotte & Co. currently have a sale on, containing a range of items, from swimwear to nightwear; silk duvets to cashmere loungewear. With prices with up to 75% off, it is definitely worth checking out. As well as the clothing, there are some items which I think would make great gifts.