Celebrity Style

Adele Brit DressLast night made for the perfect night in – Pancake Day and the Brit Awards. The Brit Awards is the biggest event in the British music calendar, honouring the boys and girls that have made the strongest impact on the music scene both in the UK and internationally.

Featuring performances by Adele, Olly Murs and Ed Sheeran, the main gossip to come from the evening was at the end of the night when presenter James Corden had to cut Adele short during her acceptance speech to allow Blur to play out the show. Adele walked away with Best Female Solo Artist and Album of the Year. On accepting her awards, it was also clear to see a big sparkly diamond on her wedding finger, an engagement for the previously heartbroken star perhaps? And how will happiness affect her music?

Adele looked beautiful in a long black Burberry gown with sheer sleeves and top panel. She wore De Beers diamonds and had fifties style big hair. A classic look for the girl with a timeless voice. Fellow performer Florence Welch looked ethereal in an Alexander McQueen SS12 peach gown. With a short front and long lace train, it had a Victoriana collar and peephole at the chest.

Jessie J and Lana Del Rey both opted for red. Jessie J, who failed to take away an award, wore sheer red lace, leaving little to the imagination, whilst this month’s Vogue cover girl Lana Del Ray wore a Vivienne Westwood off-the-shoulder number. Kinky Rihanna, who walked away with the International Female Solo Artist award, wore a Givenchy Haute Couture SS12 beaded gown designed by Riccardo Tisci and split to the thigh and navel.  

Kylie Minogue sported a full Hollywood look in a cobalt blue, strapless YSL gown and diamond earrings. Jo Whiley, Pixie Lott and Katie Melua all opted for classic black cocktail dresses.  

Victoria. Victoria BeckhamI wrote about Victoria. Victoria Beckham last week. The new collection represents the free-spirited side of Victoria Beckham and is placed as a completely separate line to the high end Victoria Beckham mainline. Last Friday, 17th February, the brand launched at Harvey Nichols at a red carpet party in London, followed by a suitably upmarket dinner in the Fifth Floor Restaurant.

Alongside Victoria Beckham, fellow attendees included Alexandra Schulman, Alexa Chung (in a leather shearling jacket), Olivia Palermo (in a blue and black mini dress), Roland Moret and Gordon and Tana Ramsey (to review the food?!). Guests were greeted with champagne cocktails and canapés, whilst the room was decorated in an array of dusky pink and grey hues and vintage inspired roses. You can trust VB to have the intricate details planned to a T.

The SS12 collection, inspired by cartoon character Emily the Strange, is housed in an installation on Harvey Nichols First Floor complete with cute ‘kitty cat’ mannequins and a screen playing an exclusive video by Quentin Jones. Victoria. Victoria Beckham is a really lovely collection of dresses featuring girlie shapes and cutesy prints. Colour and colour blocking feature heavily alongside the specially designed conversational prints.

Dresses start at £395, considerably less than Victoria Beckham mainline dresses. Patch-pocket tunics, dropped waists and A-line tunics are all treated with a light touch in both construction and details. Scalloped edging, pleats and prints appear in a series of simple styles created from cotton sateen, crepe de chine, summer wool and crepes. A patch pocket tunic retails at £500, whilst a sleeveless collar shift reaches £800.

Victoria, Victoria BeckhamWhen Victoria Beckham showed her AW12 mainline collection at New York Fashion Week a few days ago, hubby David was right there in the front row for the first time. Daughter Harper, was also present and the collection shown was softer, and more youthful than previous seasons.

Victoria Beckham’s high end fashion line has been extremely successful since launching. She clearly has style, and experience of plenty of fashion brands. Celebs love the looks, with Michelle Williams, Julianne Moore and War Horse actress Celine Buckens all being spotted wearing pieces from the line within days of each other.

The collection included 22 body hugging dresses. I’m sure Victoria would say you don’t need her figure to pull it off but it would help. Pencil skirted styles in black and red with bondage style panels, make for a classically sexy collection ready for cocktail hour dressing.

Alongside the mainline collection, Victoria, Victoria Beckham only launched last September but is following in the footsteps of its older sister. The clean lines and muted shades of previous collections remained, but print featured as a highlight more heavily than before. Pointed collars and cuffed sleeves gave the collection a St Trinian’s schoolgirl feel though it was not Mrs Beckham's own British upbringing that inspired this theme - it was actually intended to reflect a sense of 'American high school-ness', an influence, perhaps, of her life in LA.

Rohmir DressRohmir is a luxury ready-to-wear label worth knowing about. Started by Olga Roh in 2007, the label comprises sexy separates and elegant dresses. The label captures the elegance of Parisian couture with an injection of European sophistication. Celebrity fans include Liv Tyler, Rosario Dawson and Kelly Rowland, all of whom have been spotted in Rohmir pieces recently.

What I like about Rohmir is that it is stylish but not overly ‘fashion’ focused. Each piece is effortlessly sexy in a way that I think all men would like to see women dress. The woman behind the label herself is a force to be reckoned with. Hailed from Russian nobility, Roh’s background combines a career in the fashion industry with academia. After a career in modelling, she studied at the Instituto Marangoni fashion campus in London and the University of Bern Switzerland. Roh even holds a PhD. She splits her time between London, Hong Kong, Berlin, Zurich, Monte Carlo and Moscow, living up to the jet-set lifestyle.

The Rohmir name derives from the meaning of ‘Roh’s Universe’ in Russian which reflects the brand’s essence.  There is a standalone store in Mayfair, London and other stockists across the world. It might not be a famous brand to many of us, but those who can afford it are certainly in the know. Made in Chelsea star Binky, wore the Charleston dress for her appearance on Come Dine with Me, part of the C4 Mash Up.

The Made in Chelsea girls will love the latest SS12 dresses from Rohmir. For fans of vintage styles and colour blocking, the twenties style Seriema flapper dress is modernised in bright pink with elegant fringing. The black Sander dress nods to the tribal trend by featuring a black horn, and the Ralli dress has a flirtatious frill hem and cute chiffon layering.  

Michelle Williams Baftas

Yesterday I gave my predictions on red carpet Bafta fashion, so did the celebs opt for classic looks or surprise show stoppers? Undoubtedly the biggest movie event on the British calendar, the Baftas are often seen as giving a hint to where we shall see Oscar success. Hosted by Stephen Fry at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, the Baftas wore shown last night on BBC1 and photos galore were available to peek at today.

Michelle Williams surprised many by wearing an H&M dress. Not just a normal high street H&M frock mind, this was a bespoke creation for H&M’s Conscious Collection (their ethical range). A classic column dress with cream satin strapless top and black skirt, Williams teamed it with a book-bag clutch of ‘The Misfits by Henry Miller’ – a quirky touch to finish this elegant look.

As predicted Tilda Swinton opted for a classic statuesque column dress by Celine in pristine white, whilst Penelope Cruz gave in to her fiery side in a wine red Armani Prive gown made from silk cady. Mad Men star Christina Hendricks showed off her curvy figure in Vivienne Westwood, wearing a long black, corseted one-shoulder gown. Meryl Streep went for a similar Westwood style but teamed it with a black wide shouldered bolero.

‘The Help’ star Viola Davis took part in Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge, wearing a Valentino dress made from recycled soda bottles. It had a beautiful iridescent shimmer to make Davies sparkle. The actress is intended to be the first of many actresses to team up with ethical designers on the red carpet this award season, as Livia Firth shows how ethical fashion can still be stunningly glamorous.

Berenice Bejo at CannesThe red carpet has been rolled out for the Bafta Awards, being held tonight on the 12th February 2012 in London. Undoubtedly the biggest movie event on the British calendar, the Baftas are often seen as giving a hint to where we shall see Oscar success. Hosted by Stephen Fry at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, the Baftas will be shown tonight on BBC1 so you can watch all of the action yourself and sneak a peek at what the celebs are wearing.

On Friday night a pre-Bafta party was thrown at the Savoy Hotel. Emma Watson, who has recently launched a Valentine’s make-up range for beauty brand Lancome, attended in a stunning red lace frock. It shall be this evening however, that the real red carpet gowns come out to play.

The nominations for best film are The Artist, The Descendants, Drive, The Help and Tinker Tailor Solider Spy. Leading actor nominations include Brad Pitt, Gary Oldman, George Clooney, Jean Dujardin and Michael Fassbender. Whilst the nominations for leading actress are Berenice Bejo, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, Tilda Swinton and Viola Davis.

Argentinean brunette beauty Berenice Bejo is nominated for her role in The Artist. What will she wear for the red carpet? My bet is on a spring coral gown as she favours jewel-like shades of blue, purple and orange. Either that or something in classic black for this classy lady.

Geri by NextGeri Halliwell’s Union Jack dress for The Brits in 1997 is one of the most iconic dresses of our time. It sparked a whole host of copy-cat styles, did you have one? I didn’t, but it’s not too late! For Geri and Next have brought the dress back to its former glory, along with a range of other Union Jack designs.

To celebrate 2012 and presumably the Queen’s diamond jubilee, Geri and Next have exclusively created a new collection of Union Jack pieces.  The Union Jack collection is Geri’s latest range with Next and adds to her existing swimwear, lingerie and dress collections. The stand out piece is the strappy all-over sequin mini dress for £199. I’m not quite sure when you would wear this, other than at a fancy dress party and even then it makes for an expensive outfit.

Much more wearable are the jersey pieces – a t-shirt and dress for £22 and maxi dress for £38 which would double up as an excellent flag. There is also a very fun bikini set. Personally I would stay clear of the sequins, but one of the t-shirts teamed with cut-off denims is a perfectly acceptable 2012 summer look.

The original Union Jack dress was a last minute customised effort with Geri stitching on a Union Jack tea towel to her black Gucci mini dress because she wanted to 'celebrate being British'. She wore the dress with red Buffalo boots while performing Who Do You Think You Are at the 1997 Brits and a year later the dress was sold for £41,320 after Geri auctioned it off.

Prices for the Geri by Next Union Jack range start at £18 and the collection is available online and in selected stores from early March.  

Davina McCall for Next Davina for Next

Davina McCall has an infectious love for life. Her happy persona shows that smiles are attractive but she doesn’t just rely on that to look great. Davina has produced a collection of fitness videos and always dresses in flattering, sophisticated styles. Now she has teamed up with Next to create a range of fitness and post work-out clothing.

Launching in time for spring 2012, Davina for Next provides the ultimate workout and post work-out clothing along with a range of innovative everyday shoes which feature dual density mid-sole technology to reduce stress on joints. From aerobics to running, power-lifting to pilates – all in great modern shapes, fabulous colours and outstanding fabrics, there’s something for every activity.

Davina says: “My approach was to concentrate on what I would wear, thinking very carefully about the details that matter to me, like a place for an MP3 player, or reflective strips on the bottoms – essential when you’re jogging in the early morning or at dusk. And I’ve ensured the workout tops are extremely solid and secure so your boobs won’t be bobbing around while you’re working out!”

There’s an important footnote to this fruitful collaboration. Harnessing Next’s F.I.T. technology, Davina has developed a line of stylish everyday shoes that offer aspects of comfort, performance and muscle activation previously restricted to cumbersome sports footwear. Think cute ballerinas in bright patent or animal print – and imagine a reduction in stress on load bearing joints. Elegant flats are engineered to increase calf and hamstring activation by up to 12% while canvas pumps carry the promise of decreased heel impact. And Davina’s ultra-feminine trainers will exert 25% less pressure on the ball of the foot.

David Beckham David Beckham Bodywear for H&MThis should be of interest to men and women alike. Last night in London, David Beckham celebrated the global launch of David Beckham Bodywear for H&M with an in-store launch, followed by a cocktail party at a pop-up gentleman’s club created especially for the occasion. At the in-store event at H&M on Regent Street, David showed the new television commercial, met with fans and signed the collection. Later, celebrities such as Bianca Jagger, Emma Bunton and Jessica Ennis joined David to toast his bodywear range.

This debut collection is the first in a long-term partnership between David Beckham and H&M, and is available from today in 1,800 H&M stores worldwide, as well as online. Giant H&M shopping bags have been placed around London this week to support the launch.

“I am very proud to launch my Bodywear collection for H&M in London. It was amazing to see the product at the in-store launch after so many months of development and meet with fans. I loved the pop-up gentleman’s club, which felt both traditional and brand new. It’s the same mix I hope men will find in the Bodywear collection. It was an amazing evening to launch my new collection.” David Beckham said.

At the cocktail party, guests were treated to a unique David Beckham for H&M experience, with decor, food and drink designed to reflect not only classic gentlemen’s clubs but also David’s British roots. Live music was provided by the James Pearson Trio, direct from the infamous Ronnie Scotts club, followed by a DJ set by ”Mani” from The Stone Roses and DJ the Queens of Noize.

Pink Bandage Dress Sofia Celeb DressCelebrity Big Brother – did you watch it? Let’s just gloss over whether I actually watched it or not, and get straight on to the fashion because last night was the final of Celeb Big Brother 2012. The reality show was won by Denise Welch, best known for her roles on Coronation Street, Waterloo Road and as one of the Loose Women. Welch wore a black sparkly number, a demure sequin mini dress with opaque tights and heels. It was the glamour girls however, that had the crowds talking as they all left the house in matching cerise pink shades over the course of the show.

The girls in question were Natasha Giggs, Georgia Salpa, Nicola McLean and Kristina Shannon. Natasha was the first lady in pink, after becoming the second housemate to be evicted on day 9. The former estate agent, who had an extra-marital affair with Ryan Giggs, wore a cerise pink bandage dress with towering leopard print platform heels. Greek-Irish model Georgia was evicted on day 14, following Natasha out of the house. Dark haired Georgia flaunted her petite but enviously curvaceous body in a body-con plain pink jersey dress. She teamed it with jewel encrusted platform peep toe shoes and diamante bling bracelets.

Nicola was evicted on day 21, two days before the final. She wore a pink and black asymmetric bandage dress with platform black patent heels. The blond bombshell went easy on the jewellery, wearing just a silver ring.

Ultimo Evangeline Ultimo Spy

Michael Buble's stunning wife Luisana shows the sensational curves that stole his heart in the ultra-sexy new campaign for Ultimo.  Argentinian bombshell Luisana Lopilato dazzles in the new collection from the UK's leading lingerie designer created by Michelle Mone OBE, just in time for Valentine's Day.

Celebrating feminine charm with pastel and lace, the timeless pale green and navy 'Evangeline' is elegantly flirtatious, while the silky animal print 'Mirage' is designed to reveal the inner temptress. Retro-inspired sophistication meets bombshell in the black and pink 'Spy,' creating a super seductive silhouette with irresistible curves. Bras are priced £28-£31 and thongs and briefs are £12-£14. Sizes go upto G cup which is always happy news for the big busted.

Michelle Mone OBE, creator of Ultimo, said: "Women want to feel confident in their underwear by choosing a style of lingerie that accentuates all the right places. Luisana is a natural beauty and I'm delighted to have her on board for two years. The new collection is not only very sophisticated and feminine but feels comfortable as well so that you have that confidence from the inside out."

Luisana, added: “I loved shooting the Ultimo campaign and usually have to wear plain underwear when I’m filming so it was incredible to be wearing such gorgeous lingerie.  I love the colour of Evangeline – the mint green really highlights my skin tone but the lace gives it that sexy edge.”

Livia Firth Upcycled DressLivia Firth, wife of Colin, is a keen ethical fashion advocate. So much so that for last weekend’s Golden Globe Awards (she gets to go on the arm of said husband) Livia wore an Armani dress made from recycled plastic bottles. It was part of her Green Carpet Challenge, and the first time that such a large fashion house had designed something ethical especially for the occasion.

The strapless black dress looks like silk satin to the eye, with damask patterned panel to the skirt and piping around the bodice. It certainly doesn’t look like the result of recycling used plastic bottles collected from Italian households. On Livia’s Vogue blog, she repeats Roberta Armani, Giorgio's niece and right hand woman for the official description of the dress: 'For the 69th Golden Globes my uncle has designed an exclusive gown for Livia, created from a special fabric made with fibres derived from the mechanical, non-chemical recycling of plastic bottles. The dress is a strapless column style, with the bodice composed of horizontal strips of fabric that create a peplum at the front, opening up to form a geometrically-pleated train at the back, highlighted by an ornate lining.'

Livia is Creative Director of Eco Age, an ethical fashion and lifestyle store in Chiswick, London. She started in Green Carpet Challenge in December 2009 with journalist Lucy Siegle. Following the Golden Globe nomination of Colin Firth for A Single Man, Livia announced that she would from then on only wear ethical and sustainable fashion on the Red Carpet in order to raise the profile of such garments.

Alexa ChungBrit girls - you know and love Alexa Chung right? American girls – let me explain who she is. Alexa Chung is . . . well what is she? A fashion lover, muse and inspiration to countless girls for sure, but even I’m not completely sure where she started. Now, Chung is hoping to break America by presenting a new TV show, “24 Hour Catwalk” but going by early reviews, it could be a long slog.

Chung was scouted by Storm Model Management at Reading festival aged 16 and had remained in the fashion world ever since. In 2006, Chung co-hosted Popworld on Channel 4 with Alex Zane. Most recently the 28-year old has presented iTunes festival and been the face of Italian footwear brand Superga. The girl should be proud of what she has achieved, and how well respected she is in the industry (always front row at the shows) but still the U.S. beckons.

Americans don’t know who Chung is. In 2009 she launched "It's On with Alexa Chung" on MTV but it was cancelled after six months. Chung's new show "24 Hour Catwalk" debuts Tuesday night on the Lifetime cable channel, although a sneak preview is already available. In "24 Hour Catwalk", four designers are given the task of designing an entire collection in 24 hours. Her team of judges, who are named ‘four fashion powerhouses’ include designer Cynthia Rowley, James La Force a fashion publicist and Derek Blasberg, an upwardly mobile New York fashion writer who made his name after leaving Style.com.

Lindsay Lohan Philipp Plein

Lindsay Lohan is the new face of German fashion label Philipp Plein as the campaign shots are released to the wider public. The Hollywood actress, who has posed for Playboy magazine in the past, looks sophisticated, stylish and full of sex appeal in the fashion campaign which involves a range of beautiful outfits.

Philipp Plein studied at the Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen law before realising his love of art and design. Plein started designing exclusive furniture for his friends and family in 1998, and by 2004 a street fashion collection was added. His fashion label has grown fast, using Mischa Barton as the face of his new couture collection in 2010 and Lindsay Lohan for the upcoming collections. He even produced a Philipp Plein Barbie doll for Barbie’s 50th birthday!

Plein introduced Lohan as his new face at Milan Fashion Week in September of last year, and they did the photoshoot whilst in Milan too. Some rumours have also been flying around that the pair have been romantically involved. Indeed Lohan is a huge name to attract to a small brand. Speculation aside, 25-year old Lohan looks classy and sultry in the advertising campaign.

Naomi Roberto Cavalli

Supermodel Naomi Campbell is at it again. The 41-year old shows off her enviable figure for the latest Roberto Cavalli campaign where she poses in leopard print Cavalli underwear and a beautiful print wrap. She looks ridiculously good for a woman in her forties and shows no signs of aging whatsoever!

For another pic, Campbell was joined by American Kristen McMenamy, 47, Brit Karen Elson, 32, and Dutch newcomer Daphne Groeneveld, 17. The foursome let the clothes do the talking, wearing high shine, gold sequin outfits. Each model wears a pleated mini skirt, made from silk rainbow fabric and embellished with gold sequins. Campbell then shows off her back and arms in a halterneck style top, whilst older model McMenamy wears a long sleeved sequin style. Red headed Elson sports a sequin encrusted blazer jacket and newbie Groeneveld wears a rainbow, slim fitting jacket.

Campbell, who has been modelling for 26 years wears a cropped textured cream jacket for another photo, and a loud tropical print jacket over a black bra for another.  Of the shoot, the brand said: 'A static equilibrium, a structured form that creates a perfect geometry, with Naomi Campbell capturing attention with her magnetic gaze, bright and sensual. An extremely sophisticated and feminine vision. 

For the image shot for the Florence bag, the new 'It' bag of the Maison, Naomi's face is lit up with a sweet and attractive smile, enhancing her indisputable beauty and charisma.'

Amy Childs Topman

She normally looks rather orange so it is difficult to recognise Amy Childs in her black and white photoshoot for Topman. Amy Childs, star of The Only Way is Essex, beautician, model, fashion designer, and the face and body behind lingerie brand Ultimo, Childs is no stranger to the limelight. However, the reality tv star shunned the glitz for a high fashion shoot for Topman recently, showing a totally different side to Childs that she hopes to cultivate for 2012.

Childs aims to go for a more natural look for 2012, saying to the Daily Mail, “'I'm going to calm down on the fake tan - I've started to look more natural”. She also plans to pout less, and smile more. She isn’t smiling in the Topman shoot though, but instead opts for a powerful feminine look.  She was given a seventies makeover, referencing the 'reportage-style glamour' of Bob Richardson.

Dolce & Gabbana

When the spring/summer collections were shown last September it was far too early for most of us to think about spring fashions. Not for the celebs though, many of whom have been spotted in S/S frocks already. For the fashion houses there is no better advert than a well turned out star in their product which is why they scramble to get the beautiful and famous into their frocks as soon as the fashion weeks finish.

Scarlett Johansson was one step ahead in her black Dolce & Gabbana ensemble when she attended the premiere of her new movie, We Bought a Zoo. On the S/S catwalk, the model had more flesh on show, with a crop top and textured midi skirt. Johansson however, wore the skirt belted higher leaving just the tiniest peak of her stomach (it is winter after all). At the same premiere, 13 year-old Elle Fanning chose a dress from a label women three times her age can often only dream of, Louis Vuitton. The off-white lampshade dress, made from voile with patterned cut out front panel also showed at the S/S ’12 catwalk.

American actress Rooney Mara wore a Prabal Guring frock to the premiere of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It too was straight from the spring catwalk, but in black with a high necked front, it was perfectly suited for winter evening dressing. Not one to be behind with the times, Ronney then wore a Roksanda Ilincic spring dress whilst promoting her film on The Today Show. She went from black to white, wearing a simple, plain white shift dress, a futuristic take on the sixties classic.

Rihanna for Armani

Feeling depressed about the extra xmas podge? Then don’t check out the pics of the sexiest ads of the year, as voted for by advertising industry chiefs in Advertising Age magazine. Rihanna, Miranda Kerr and Kate Moss made the top three, all washboard stomachs and perfectly made up faces.

It comes as no surprise that Rihanna came in at number one. The superstar pop singer has got raunchier by the second this year. Rihanna’s latest music video for ‘We Found Love’ was been banned in France before 10pm because it was seen as too suggestive, plus she got chased off a farmer’s land this year for filming inappropriate scenes.  Rihanna is the face of both Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans, and it was her work for the brand which gave her the top spot in the poll. Advertising Age magazine rhapsodised about the 23 year-old singer, saying she had never looked better. 'It's Rihanna at her sexiest. She's never looked this good,' they said, adding: 'She's in amazing shape and the pictures are stunning.’

Second place went to Miranda Kerr, Victoria’s Secret model and wife of Orlando Bloom, for her lingerie campaign with Victoria’s Secret. Miss Kerr gave birth to her first child earlier this year, but looked better than ever posing in her underwear for the brand with an impossibly taut post-pregnancy tum.  British supermodel Kate Moss came in third place for her topless campaign with Italian clothing brand Liu Jo, having been knocked off the top spot since last year.

Another supermodel and new mum, Gisele Bundchen, made it into forth place for a series of ‘Hope’ lingerie adverts. Other glam girls to finish the top ten sexiest adverts of the year include Pamela Anderson, Heidi Klum and Lily Aldridge.  

Alexander McQueen Dress

The Duchess of Cambridge has been spotted in a truly stunning Alexander McQueen gown. It has raised eyebrows, not just because of its beauty (and the beauty of Kate in it) but for two other reasons. Firstly, when did you last see Kate in black? She normally opts for bright blues and reds, or muted camels and creams. Secondly, it bears resemblance to the dress worn by Princess Diana right back in 1971 to her first public engagement.

Let’s start with the colour, because quite frankly I find that more interesting. My most vivid memory of Kate is in THAT blue Issa dress. She loves a bit of Issa does Kate. She also loves Sarah Burton, the creative director behind Alexander McQueen, designer of her wedding dress and also designer of this lavish frock. So the designer she was familiar with, it is the colour and shape which is more of a statement. In rich black velvet, full length and strapless, I think there is no better word to describe this gown other than scrumptious. Or sumptuous. Kate rarely shows her shoulders, nor wears black, so is this a sign of her increased maturity? A clear signal that she is now a woman of the world?

The dress was very similar to one worn by Diana thirty years ago except Diana’s was made of satin rather than velvet, both accessorised with diamonds. Princess Diana wore her gown for a fundraiser at the Royal Opera House. It was designed by Elizabeth and David Emmanuel, who designed her wedding dress, and sold at auction last year for a staggering £192,000.

Muubaa Jacket

Muubaa is a label to watch for 2012. The fashion conscious leather brand was founded in 2007, and is already loved by celebs such as Cheryl Cole, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Charlize Theron. Muubaa is rapidly becoming the go-to brand for effortless cool, so what have they got up their sleeve for 2012?

“Immediate plans are to expand our international presence in the world's top fashion stores," head designer Christiana Nicolaou told Vogue "We're currently in Harvey Nichols in UK and Hong Kong, Liberty in London, and top boutiques in New York, Paris and Milan. We aim to become the brand famous for defining and then continually redefining what is possible in leather and any other material we may move into. Our ultimate vision is to become a luxury lifestyle brand known for pushing boundaries and inspiring with new possibilities."

Muubaa set out to make interestingly designed, high quality garments that would appeal to a more modern and fashion conscious customer than traditional leather wear brands and they have succeeded. Leather has become a key trend of the last few seasons with all leather looks filtering down from the catwalk to the High Street. Everyone who’s anyone has invested in a leather jacket and Muubaa do a great job with the ultimate battered black, biker style.

Tulisa X FactorIt’s all over (for another year). Little Mix made X Factor history by being the first group ever to win the X Factor show on ITV. Little Mix captured the viewer’s hearts for their happy-go-lucky innocence, sweet voices and quirky style. Perhaps they mark a new era of girl power, as most of their fans are young girls.

The X Factor final last weekend was a right fashion feast. On Sunday night, the judges dressed to impress with Tulisa Contostavlos wearing a full length blue dress, Kelly Rowland in a goddess like gold dress, Louis Walsh sporting a wine hued velvet jacket and Gary Barlow playing it safe in a black suit and white shirt.

Tulisa, who mentored Little Mix, struggled to walk in her full length gown as it was particularly tight around the top of the legs, and flared out at the bottom in mermaid fashion. It was designed by London Fashion Week Fashion Fringe Award winner Fyodor Golan. The 23 year-old N’Dubz star, held Louis’ hand as she walked over to the judges table. On Saturday night Tulisa had gone to the other extreme, dolled up in a short tutu style dress, in pink and black polka dot netting. It was so short that she flashed her knickers on more than one occasion; don’t these people think these things through?

Little Mix girls, Jesy, Perrie, Leigh-Anne and Jade (aged 18-20) each have their own unique sense of style. Their look is a kind of 80s/90s mix of cute dresses, animal print and denim shirts. They embarked on their first night as popstars at The X Factor aftershow held at the exclusive 5* Corinthia Hotel in central London. Little Mix's debut single Cannonball is expected to be the Christmas No1, although excitement is already brewing that the girls may record a duet with Tulisa. 

Max Studio

A few weeks ago I blogged about the arrival of standalone Max Studio stores to the UK. Well last weekend Leon Max, Founder and Head Designer of Max Studio, hosted a charity winter party at Claridges in London to show his new collection and celebrate the opening of his first London boutique in Westbourne Grove. In support of the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer and its Too Many Women appeal the evening was led by a spectacular catwalk show opened by the Face of Max Studio, international model Katia Elizarova.

Katia went from her first shoot for the cover of Jalouse Magazine to working with some of the world's leading design houses, fashion brands, photographers, directors, magazines and Salons. Her career so far has included working with Rankin, Commes des Garcons, Guy Laroche, Calvin Klein and Chanel to name just a few. She commented: “The Leon Max winter party was amazing. The entire ballroom of Claridges hotel was transformed with mirrors reflecting the beautiful dresses on the catwalk and creating a sense of mystery. The evening was a huge success and I’m really excited about Leon’s latest collection. The Too Many Women campaign is so important and I’m proud to support Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s appeal through my work with Max Studio.”

The star studded event guest list included the likes of Georgia May Jagger, Jerry Hall, Otis Ferry, Sara Parker Bowles and Nick Haslam who were treated to a runway show featuring designs from Max Studio’s latest collection as well as unique pieces designed personally by Leon Max. Modelling the collection alongside Katia Elizarova were well-know faces including Daisy Lowe, Amber Le Bon and Clara Paget.

Back to Black Album

Amy Winehouse’s most famous dress has been sold by auction for £43,200. The late singer, who passed away this summer, wore the polka dot chiffon dress by Disaya to shoot the cover of her second album ‘Back to Black.’ ‘Back to Black’ won five Grammy awards giving Winehouse the record for the most wins by a female artist in one night. Over 3 million copies of Back to Black were bought in the UK, that is a lot of people to looking at Winehouse on the front cover, in her little polka dot dress.

Designer Disaya Sorakraikitikul, a graduate of Central Saint Martins, trained with John Galliano before setting up her own lingerie brand Boudoir by Disaya in 2004, followed by ready-to-wear and costume jewellery collections. Disaya never got to meet Winehouse but was thrilled when the singer’s stylist contacted her to request the frock.

The dress sold for £43,200, quadruple its estimated price, at a Kerry Taylor Auction held in London. It was bought by the Fundacion Museo de la Moda, a fashion museum in Chile, with all proceeds going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Disaya told Vogue: "I am truly honoured to be part of this event and more than thrilled to see our dress on auction, especially after a conversation with Mitch Winehouse about how he plans to distribute this fund to different charities. I was nervous and kept my fingers crossed throughout the auction, hoping that the bidding would raise good money for the foundation. At the end we were ecstatic by the outcome and hope that with the proceeds, the foundation can continue to help charities and that Amy Winehouse's name will be remembered for both her unique music and how much she cared about young children.

McQ Tartan Dress

McQ, the diffusion line of Alexander McQueen, has been extremely popular since launching in 2006. One particular dress though, has caught the eye of all the celebs this season. It is a tartan, short-sleeved, puffball skirted mini dress by McQ which manages to look both cute and tough, childish yet less than innocent.

Tartan is always a signature look of the McQ collections. This particular dress is made from 100% red tartan wool with a round neckline and paper-bag waist. It costs £465, not all that pricey for a celebrity pick. Classical singer Katherine Jenkins wore the dress for an appearance on ITV morning television which she teamed with black tights and heels.

Pop star Rihanna wore the red and black dress for her appearance on the X Factor and gave it a school girl style with a white shirt underneath. Emma Watson allowed her inner rock chic to shine by teaming the McQ dress with a leather biker jacket, pointy black stilettos and black nails. Cheryl Cole and Chloe Moretz both let the dress do the talking with bare legs and no accessories.

McQ was set up five years ago as a trendier and much more affordable take on Alexander McQueen.  Last November, new Creative Director Sarah Burton brought the range back in-house, after it had been licensed out for years. Burton, who designed the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress earlier in the year, has also just been named Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards.

Other garments in the current McQ collection include cropped red and black tartan trousers, a tartan mid length pleated skirt, long-sleeved jersey dresses, school boy blazers and printed t-shirts. Prices start at £80 for a top.  

Paper CrownLauren Conrad became well known after starring in reality tv shows Laguna Beach and The Hills. Born and raised in California, Lauren is the ultimate all American girl that so many of us want to be. She launched her first clothing line in 2007, The Lauren Conrad Collection which was followed by LC Lauren Conrad in 2009, sold exclusively at Kohls.

This year, Conrad launched her third clothing line Paper Crown, super cute and stylish, I think it is her best stab yet. It is tailored for the contemporary market and consists of feminine dresses both short and long, menswear inspired basics, as well as tops and bottoms. The debut collection consists of key pieces made in silk charmeuse, chiffon and stretch wovens.

Conrad has a lovely website which covers all of her ventures, from fashion to beauty to book writing. but to shop Paper Crown you need to head to www.papercrown.com. Paper Crown ‘is a collection for those who like to play dress up in a real world’. The debut collection has just launched for A/W and is inspired by Conrad’s love of fanciful design elements that transcend the boundaries of everyday fashion.

The ‘Ella’ gown in nude is something of a statement piece, full length with layers of tiered chiffon it is highly romantic. A rose print transparent chiffon top is teamed with a high waisted leather skirt in black in a playful way which plays with texture. The ‘Camilla’ oversized sweater in cream, paired with black leggings and boots makes for a subtly sexy day time look. The looks are very summery but let us not forget the climate difference between the UK and LA. Nothing is excluded for us Brits though, its just all about the layering.

Rihanna Armani Jeans Ad

Rihanna isn’t just a pop star. She’s a songwriter, model, producer, actress and now, a fashion designer. Rihanna has teamed up with Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans to produce a range of denim and sexy lingerie.

Rihanna is certainly one to reinvent her look, having sported long, short, and red hair, all out glam and casual sporty styles. More than happy to prance around half naked, she has appeared on Maxim’s Hot List for five consecutive years and is a regular on the glamorous best dressed lists, not forgetting having her very own Vogue front cover. Rihanna has many tattoos including a music note on her ankle and the word ‘love’ on her finger. There’s no doubt about it, this girl loves to look good.

And look good she does, which is why she is also the face of both Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans. Working with the brands, she has created her first fashion line. There are casual t-shirts featuring her R logo and Armani’s signature eagle, classic stylish biker jackets and jeans in two different flattering styles. Delicate sets of lace lingerie come in navy or grey packaged in a Rihanna logoed bag, and there is even a funky canvas rucksack.

The collection will be available nationwide from the end of this month. Rihanna says the jeans, which come in boyfriend and skinny styles, are her favourite pieces from the collection as they have: “a slightly rocky feel, fabulously sexy with a strong, masculine edge”.

Rihanna’s latest music video for ‘We Found Love’ has been banned in France before 10pm because it was seen as too suggestive. Parents might criticise her for being raunchy but her fashion line is refreshingly tame. Even the underwear is pretty rather than overtly sexy, but still perhaps not to be targeted at a young teen fan.
 

Bip Ling BloggerWho’s going to the Clothes Show Live this year? Based at the NEC Birmingham, The Clothes Show is now in its 23rd year! It is always a fun fashion packed affair with more shopping opportunities than you could ever wish for. The event will see an array of top celebrity guests including George Lamb and Jeff Brazier join a team of top experts including international model Max Rogers and celebrity hairdresser Jamie Stevens provide its 170,000 visitors with a premier fashion and beauty experience.

One exciting event to look out for this year is a catwalk show put on by quirky fashion blogger Bip Ling and Diet Coke. Diet Coke Fashion Live promises to be a five-minute catwalk show that showcases the most trend-led yet accessible looks. It is based on Bip’s dynamic, fun and kitsch style and is perfect for girls. Considering Diet Coke’s cute tv ads, Bip Ling obviously fits in with their target market. The show will be hosted on the Diet Coke Image Catwalk and is set to wow the UK’s fashionistas across the six day event.

Nine models wearing individual and inventive looks created by Bip strike a pose on the runway, each look incorporating eye-catching accessories that will bring a light, flirty and fun twist to any outfit. Talking about her collection, Bip said “It’s been really exciting to work with the Diet Coke team, producing this unique catwalk show. I love being experimental with fashion, you can have a lot of fun with accessories, expressing your individuality. I hope visitors to Clothes Show Live love the nine looks as much as I do!”

Kristen StewartKristen Stewart has come a long way since her first public appearances as a teen actor. Not only is she in a serious relationship with a man often voted the sexiest man alive, her Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson, but she is finally dressing like a grown up.

Playing Bella, the female lead in the Twilight saga, Stewart is forced to dress quite tomboyish. However, appearing with co-stars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner for the LA premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Stewart looked infinitely glamorous in a full length purple beaded maxi dress by J Mendel, split to the thigh. Simple, yet elegant, the frock was sleeveless with a round neck. Stewart finished the look with sultry smoky eyes, quiffed hair and matching navy painted nails.

For the UK premiere at Westfield Stratford City, Stewart wore a full length Roberto Cavalli gown from the spring/summer ’12 collection. Heavily beaded with a halter-neck style, the black dress worked perfectly with the vampire theme of the evening, and was accessorised with a black leather Alexander McQueen belt. Back in June at the MTV awards, Stewart dazzled in a red Balmain leather mini dress covered in sequins and studs. Teamed with classic black stilettos, big hair and again, the smoky eyes, it was a look that screamed attitude.

Helena Shirt

American X Factor judge Kelly Rowland ditched the usual sequins and bows on last week’s show to take on her biggest rival on the panel, Gary Barlow, in a tuxedo and button-down white shirt. The ex Destiny’s Child star wore a white shirt by Anne Fontaine and black suit by Stella McCartney. Perfectly capturing the key boy/girl trend of the moment, Kelly embraced the beautiful simplicity of a white shirt, teamed with deconstructed tuxedo charm.

Her strong sense of style has seen orders soar at The Shirt Company, the home of white shirts with a twist. Founder Donna Middleton said there was a huge spike in orders following Saturday night’s show and she had already seen shirts with high collars, button-down elegance and flamboyant cuffs rise in popularity.

Get the look with The Shirt Company's Helena (£89.95), with horizontal panels and elegant long cuffs. This shirt’s statement is its understatement thanks to a concealed front closure with seven plain buttons and one exposed diamante button on each cuff for a touch of glamour.

“I think Kelly is the judge to watch this year, and it has nothing to do with her acts,” said Donna.  “Her style is unique in a truly effortless way and she looks fabulous. On Saturday she proved how versatile the perfect white shirt can be. Whether it’s a business meeting or a glamorous party, the white shirt is a fundamental part of every woman’s wardrobe.”

For a really on trend look, team your white shirt with skinny black leather trousers, heels and a statement necklace for evening. For day, wear it with a pleated midi skirt and knee length boots. The perfect white shirt is a classic investment piece that always looks chic.

Toast Leg WarmersLeg warmers are definitely back in fashion but can leather leg warmers work? Victoria Beckham seems to think so. She mixed the leg warmer trend and leather trend together for an appearance at the 2011 Apparel and Retail CEO Summit at the Plaza Hotel. She showed off her svelte figure in a strapless navy dress with black mid-section, black leather leg warmers and stiletto heels. She looked stunning considering she only gave birth to her fourth child four months ago.

Victoria was guest speaker at the conference which was held in New York. Apart from her appearance at New York Fashion Week, Victoria has been keeping a low profile of late as she cared for new daughter Harper and presumably worked on getting herself back into shape.

Leg warmers are perfect for the transitional weather, providing an extra layer to keep your ankles cosy whilst be a fashion statement in their own right. Wear them like Victoria with stilettos or tuck them into boots, allowing them to poke out of the top for a casual daytime look. These leg/arm warmers by Falke at net-a-porter are a good investment. In light grey and made with a wool/cashmere mix they will go with anything and everything as well as keeping you warm. Wear them on the arms with a chunky cardigan for a casual cool look.