Update – Lana Del Rey’s Campaign shots for H&M

After being unveiled as the face of Swedish fashion retailer H&M’s autumn collection last month, the campaign images of Lana Del Rey’s modelling stint for the brand have finally been revealed in full. While I’m not totally on board with Lana’s abilities as a model, there’s no denying that these soft, sultry photos provide a beautiful glimpse at an exciting range of clothes. Lana’s glamorous, retro appeal and sixties siren beauty lend a demure, yet alluring, aspect to the pieces.

Muted tones of whites, greys and blacks play alongside bolder autumn prints, a mixture kept interesting through the injection of unusual textures and materials. As impractical as a white winter coat might sound, the zip up, faux fur collared jacket above is just waiting to warm my bones this winter.

The pretty peplum top and slinky, structured dress add dimensions and contrast to the collection, all the while complimenting the female figure. A long grey top and thick black leggings is one of my go-to outfits year after year, so I’ll definitely be investing in this little ensemble.

She may not have nailed Tyra Banks’ ‘smiling eyes’ look but there is something quietly beautiful about the styling of these photos which makes me eager to check out the collection as soon as I can. What do you think of Lana’s modelling gig?

Images from Refinery 29

Preview – Primark’s Christmas Collection 2012

Ok, so we had a few days of sunny, hot weather. But looking out the window this dreary Monday morning has just made me even more bored of the non-summer. Plus, checking out all the high street stores’ upcoming autumn and winter collections has got me all excited for the cooler months. And with Christmas a mere four months away (I know right?!) collections like Primark’s are looking more and more alluring.

Combining luxe fabrics with glittering sequins and embellishments, these pieces take on a glamorous, opulent look. Sleek hair styling and vampy dark lips perfectly accent the clothes. Dresses, pencil skirts and sequined blazers provide some party season inspiration, while the more casual jumpers and shirts appeal to the comfort-lover in me.

What do you think of Primark’s Christmas range? Check out the full collection here.

Louise Gray’s Sequined and Colourful Topshop Collection

Since its announcement in May, London-based designer Louise Gray’s debut collaboration with Topshop has been one of the most highly anticipated collections of the year. A capsule range of dresses, shirts and trousers, with an accompanying collection of make-up, will be landing in selected stores across the UK and USA on August 23rd. And by the looks of things, it’s a collection for the most daring, bold and colourful fashion personalities out there!

The pieces, almost exclusively adorned in sequins, interpret the “colour and fun” of Gray’s designs, creating a vibrant collection for “the Topshop girl to stay out all night in.” Humorously named eye palettes, lipsticks and eye liners compliment the outlandish and whimsical designs of the clothes.

While it’s all not quite my personal cup of tea, I am totally in awe of the craftmanship, and these photos are so playfully styled they make me want to save all my pennies and splurge on, say, the sequin-covered dress in the last photo above. The art of Gray’s designs is bright and avant garde, further sentiment to London’s reputation at the forefront of creative fashion.

Images from the Telegraph

Alexa Chung is a Sixties Siren for Vero Moda AW12

I know I’m a little slow on the uptake, but I’ve only just come across these images from Vero Moda’s upcoming Autumn Winter 2012 collection. The shoot, inspired by English icon Jane Birkin, offers a distinctly sixties feel which Alexa’s doe eyes and thick fringe are clearly perfectly suited to. And it’s not the first time the British trendsetter has partnered with the Danish brand – she also fronted their Spring Summer campaign earlier this year.

I’ve never quite known what to think of Alexa Chung but I do like her style. Paired down femininity, peter pan collars and a beguiling individuality give her appeal, and she seems to be comfortable in front of the camera. I especially like the burgundy blazer and embellished collared shirt from the above photos. Above all else, Alexa’s given me some very needed hairspiration this miserable Monday afternoon – shoulder length, fringed, with a subtle ombre dip dye might just be my new look!

Craftwork – Initial Signs

I recently picked up two little basket boxes for my bathroom, one which houses my perfumes and the other which plays host to my boyfriend’s assortment of toiletries. Ever the crafty thinker, I’ve been trying to come up with a creative way to jazz these boxes up a bit, and then it hit me – fabric squares, decorated with our initials.

So I pulled out my sewing box – I needed scissors, a measuring tape, cotton and embroidery threads, fabric scraps and felt for the letters.

I cut out two squares of this Tone Finnanger fabric (which I’ve used here before) and cut myself and my boyfriend’s initials out of felt. Once I’d lined them up where I wanted them to be, I hand-stitched the letters with pink cotton thread and snipped the corners off the bottom of the squares.

The trickiest part of this project was to then hang the initial signs onto the boxes. For this, I made very small incisions in the top corners of the squares, through which I pulled a short length of embroidery thread. I then wound the thread through the woven structures of the boxes so that the signs hung in place nicely, before tying them off with a double knot.

And there you have it! A very cute little way of brightening up the baskets, making use of old scraps of material. They turned out exactly as I’d hoped, making me one happy crafter!

Wishlist – Wildfox Couture

My, oh, my! I would like to say I’m returning from a holiday-induced blogging hiatus, but that wouldn’t be the truth. Truth is, I’ve had a bit of a creative blank recently and haven’t been feeling much like writing…but it’s a new month and I’m determined to get my creative mojo back into gear any way I can!

So a friend of mine is a massive fan of American label Wildfox, and the more of her budding collection I see, the more I have to agree that the clothes are something special. The brand has a very strong personality, with quirky and cute designs and a dose of vintage nostalgia and unabashed girliness which just makes you want to grab your closest friends, have a sleepover and reminisce about times gone by…

There’s very little that could persuade me to spend over £10 on a t-shirt, and some of Wildfox’s cotton pieces are way up their past the £60 mark. But through the wonder of eBay – and a great little store called AdHoc which, thankfully, is in my neck of the woods – you needn’t have to pay that much for a slice of Wildfox style. If, however,  you’re not phased by the prices, then check out their website.

Lana Del Rey’s ‘L.A. Noir’ look for H&M’s Autumn Campaign

After much speculation, it has been confirmed: Lana Del Rey is the new face of Swedish fashion retailer, H&M’s autumn campaign. Having covered Vogue and had a Mulberry bag named in her honour, it seems Lana is something of an unstoppable force in the fashion field right now.

Looking at these two images from the shoot, it’s easy to see why her sultry, retro style appealed to H&M’s creative director, Donald Schneider, who has described the mood of the collection as “very L.A. noir.” Judging from these teasers – nude pink colours and sumptuous angora – the range is set to take retro fashion up a gear, with a generous helping of Lana’s unique presence. The full campaign will launch in mid-September, with a miniclip of Lana covering 50′s pop song, Blue Velvet, set to go viral on the 19th Sept.

Will you be buying into Lana’s and H&M’s retro-inspired new season collection?

Images from Grazia

Wet Weekend Wishlist

It’s something all of us are complaining about at the moment, and for good reason too! This non-summer weather is ruining festivals, staycations and weekends all over the country, and it seems to be a never-ending force. It’s pretty much making me long for the colder months, and the new fashion season that comes with it.

What with work placements and holiday, I’ve slacked a little bit with my weekly wishlists. That and my pitiful bank balance have meant I’ve hardly logged on to the shops at all in the last couple weeks. Anyway, my inner shopoholic has returned with a vengeance, and this is what it’s found…

I often feel more…attractive in the colder months. Not cos I lack confidence in summer clothes, just because I feel like there’s a wider choice of things to wear and I can cover up and be cozy in style. This autumn/winter I’ll be wearing lots of collared shirt and jumper combos. This monochromatic floral shirt, £35, and ombre cable knit jumper, £39, both Miss Selfridge, will be perfect for a preppy look in the coming months.

Oh H&M, I love you and your imitation suede/leather pieces! As a vegetarian and animal lover, I try wherever possible to always buy ethical products and am constantly seeking more information on what products are animal friendly and cruelty free. H&M’s faux-suede and leather items never look tacky or cheap, these tasseled brogues, £19.99, and dalmatian print satchel, £19.99, being perfect examples.

I’ve been loving the influx of tribal look jewellery recently, like this ring, £3.99, H&M. Turquoise and silver go together like butter and toast, and at such a low price this is not a ring to miss!

Hope you’re all enjoying this soggy Saturday as much as possible. It’s the perfect opportunity to have a guilt free duvet day, movie marathon and/or pampering session!

Barcelona – A Holiday Fashion Postcard

Near the beach in Barcelona

After rambling on about it a fair few times, I finally jetted off to Barcelona last Thursday for a five day break in the beautiful Spanish city. I had a fantastic time, and would recommend it to anyone! It’s the perfect blend of relaxing beach holiday, and exciting city break. We got a great deal on Lastminute.com, and found ourselves lounging by a rooftop pool at a 4-star hotel. The sites – Sagrada Familia church and the stunning Park Guell, to name a few – were so interesting and exciting to see, and the beach, lined by alfresco bars and the warm, refreshing Mediterranean, made for the perfect holiday! If you haven’t been, GO!

Grace dress – c/o Dahlia // Denim Shirt – Primark (recent) // Sandals – H&M (old)

I packed pretty lightly, knowing that once I was in the sun and having a great time I would want to be comfortable. My trusty H&M sandals, now in their third year of service, stayed on my feet pretty much the whole time. I covered up in the evenings in a light denim shirt from Primark which suited every outfit I wore.

After the non-summer we’ve had in the UK, I couldn’t wait to get my legs out and soak up some sun, and this gorgeous dress from Dahlia (who I’ve blogged my love for before) proved to be an ideal holiday piece. The high quality of the design is really a cut above the rest, and pretty details like the unusual position of the straps, the volume-boosting netted underskirt and the tassels dangling from the embroidered empire line add individuality to the dress. My pictures aren’t the best so be sure to check out this piece and others on their website!

Hawaii Print Playsuit and Sleevless Denim – Primark (recent) // Fruit Print Shirt – Versace for H&M cruise collection

Getting away from London is always something I enjoy. More often than not, it’s a trip to somewhere new and exciting in the UK, which is great, but it was lovely to go abroad and be somewhere hot! It’s given me a bit of a travel bug – if only time and money would allow for more regular mini-breaks to explore new places and just chill out!

Hope you’ve all had a good week in the meantime!

Chanel Couture 2012 – Winter Wonderland

Romantic, ultra feminine designs in wintry shades well and truly won my heart yesterday at Chanel’s Paris Couture show. I’m not usually a massive fan of Chanel, and I really can’t stand Karl Lagerfeld, but I have to admit this collection had me all excited as I flicked through the photos and compiled a report on it for my recent internship.

The silver, shimmering tights stood out for me, and I am definitely going to look out for a similar pair on the high street when the weather gets colder! The wider trousers on show also set a trend for A/W, and I really hope these and the pretty jackets are designs replicated for girls on a budget this winter.

The beautiful attention to detail also caught my eye, with applique flowers on dresses and feathers on sleeves. All in all, a gorgeous collection. What did you think?

Images from The Telegraph