Lily Allen goes all country at Chanel

Paris Fashion Week has always appealed to me but the buzz about Chanel's latest show is making me wish I was there more than ever.  I've been reading about it everywhere!  Garance Dore was there and labelled it the 'Supershow' describing it as a cross between a rock concert, a mass, a play, a party and...of course...a catwalk show.

Set as a barn, with people in the front row from Anna Wintour to Prince (yes, the Prince!) the glitterati watched as in addition to models appearances were made by Karl Lagerfeld an Lily Allen, who rose from the floor to perform.  Some how I can't help but think she performed Not Fair and that it was her video, decked out all country, that drew the attention of Chanel's creatives.  (See the video below to see what I mean)  I must say I do love that song...it epitomises the relationships of some girls I know.  I am lucky to not be one of those girls.



I can't do justice to this story as well as others...I wasn't there.  Read Garance Dore's account and look at some of her pictures.  I've picked the best for you here....

Some enthusiasm please...

I recently acquired three tickets for Disney on Ice Princess Wishes (not exactly Fashion Week I know!) to take my younger sisters Megan (11) and Holly (4) as an early birthday present for Holly.  I rang her to tell her and this is how the conversation went:

Me: Hi Holly, I have a question to ask you.
Holly: I know.
Me: Oh, has Mom told you?
Holly: Yes.
Me: I see.  So would you like to go then?
Holly: Yeah ok then.  (Where is the excitement?!)
Me: Oh good I think it'll be fun.  I'll sort details with Mom.
Holly: Here she is...

Me: Mom you didn't tell me you'd told her already.
Mom: I didn't.  Did you tell her properly where she's going?
Me: Well no she said she already knew.
Mom: She definitely doesn't, I'll put her back on...

Me: Holly do you know where we're going?
Holly: No.
Me: We're going to see Disney on Ice.
Holly: Oh. (Still no excitement!)
Mom (in the background): Where's Laura taking you Holly?
Holly: Ice skating.
Mom: No, you're going to see the Disney princesses, they're going to be skating.  Holly talk to Laura, she can't see you smiling.
Me: Does that sound good?
Holly: That sounds lovely!

Seriously....longest conversation in the world.  Why on earth would she say she knew it all when she had no clue?!  This is why children need to be told over and over not to go anywhere with strangers.  I could have been emigrating to Australia and taking her with me...she'd have agreed just as easily!  Hope there's some more enthusiasm when we get there.  They both fell asleep at their last show... Girls Aloud/Jay Z/Coldplay at the Wembley.

Megan and Holly with my stepdad at their last show at Wembley

Love is like a cup...

I was reading a Laurell K. Hamilton book today and one metaphor has remained in my mind all day: "Love, whether it's friendship or more, is like a cup.  It fills drop by drop, until one last drop and the cup is full.  The liquid hangs there almost above the rim, hangs there on the surface tension alone, and you can feel that one more drop and it will still over."

Basic but perfect.

The meaning of dreams

Dreams are said to have meaning.  Not dreams of where you want to be, actually dreams that happen whilst you sleep.  Today I met with my family and I mentioned a reoccuring dream of feeling something in my mouth, taking it out and finding a tooth.  This closely followed by other teeth falling out, the taste of blood in my mouth...then I wake up.  I had thought nothing of it but my family looked horrified so I decided to look it up.

Dream Moods has an entire article on dreams related to teeth, apparently it's a common dream.  The article was long and apparently each dream interpretation alters when considering the person, their background, emotions etc.  However, here are the main theories:

1. Fear of your sexual impotence/getting old - teeth are important when wishing to be attractive/well presented.
2.  Fear of being embarrassed - worries and anxiety.
3.  Powerlessness - teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw.
4.  Putting your faith, trust and beliefs in what man thinks rather than in the word of God.
5.  In Greek culture it indicates that a family member of close friend is sick or even near death.
6.  In Chinese culture it relates to telling lies.
7.  Money - relating to the tooth fairy...lose a tooth and get money.

Any other theories?  Because I don't like these.  They're saying I'm old, ugly, anxious, powerless, an atheist/turning against God, lying, wanting/getting money and someone near me is going to die.  Great.  Some how I don't believe these interpretations are one fits all do you?  I had so many nightmares as a child I eventually learnt to realise I was asleep when a dream was getting disturbing...this was always followed by me swiftly waking up as I became more conscious.  Therefore, I think I'll ignore all of these and get on with dreaming nice things when possible...or waking myself up.

A change is coming...

Last night I put on my big red coat.  This, to me, is the sign that winter is coming.  At this time for the last three years I have been at university in Preston, my best friend Katie has been hundreds of miles away down south and my boyfriend has been a couple of hours across the Pennines in Leeds.  Now my best friend is a mere 10 minutes away, my boyfriend is technically not my boyfriend any more (though still in Leeds) and I am at home.  At my family home that is, not the home I made with my friends in Preston.

For anyone who left university this year change is coming and not just in terms of the weather.  Though change is not just for us graduates.  My dad is 'growing up' and realising that he doesn't want to be alone (his girlfriend is moving in), not one but two of my older cousins are re-evaluating how they feel about having children (both are now beginning the process of trying for a child), whilst Katie has realised her intellectual potential through creativity and is taking steps through a degree to become an art therapist.

It's rather hard for me to see all these people making steps towards a future when I feel in limbo.  I'm rather uncertain as to where I want to be, who with and what to do about it.  I always said when I left university I would move away, get experience and definitely not do a masters for a few years.  As it is a masters suddenly seems safe, after all I'm used to being in education, and being at home surrounded by my family doesn't seem like a bad thing.  Essentially though it is time to do something to make a career and a life for myself.  I'm beginning to realise it doesn't matter where I do that or by what means as long as I embrace the change that is to come.  I think King Whitney Jr. was right when he said: "Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."  For me, it's time to get inspired.

A reception with Mr Mulberry

Well...not exactly Mr Mulberry.  Mr Nick Roberts actually, retail extroadinaire at Mulberry.  On Thursday lunch time I and some of the other Graduate Fashion Week winners were welcomed into Mulberry's Sherperds Bush offices for lunch and a chat.

I am not very knowledgable about Mulberry to be honest, I always get confused as to whether or not they just go handbags or whether they were originally a fashion company.  Well both are wrong!  Mulberry will be 40 in 2011 and still hold onto their roots in Somerset, where they make all of their best bags...that'll be those over £395.  Originating with small leather goods Mulberry's founder branched into to leather bags that are their success.  The brand has recently branched out into shoes and also has a womenswear collection.

Mulberry seem to be unphased by the recession, actually improving their turnover by 33% in the last year.  Genius?  Some might say so...well done Emma Hill (creative director) for her fantastic work.  With continued success of their best loved bags Roxanne and Bayswater, Mulberry have gained a huge amount of interest in their Alexa bag made in honour of Alexa Chung.

Nick spoke fondly of Mulberry, possessing a genuine passion for the brand, descibing the need for honesty in a brand (the reason they don't pretend that all their products are made in England) and the brands love of creating a quality product that uses natural vegetable dye so the product ages with it's owner.  I was impressed.

Mulberry's Spring/Summer 2010 Collection

We had an amazing day.  Thank you very much Mr Mulberry for an enlightening lunch and for the very cute present...an oh so sweet pink animal print leather bow bracelet.  In fact, Mulberry have been amazing with us.  They hosted Wednesday night's drinks reception in their fabulous show room inspired in design by a print from their Spring/Summer 2010 collection...complete with carousel horses, printed wallpaper and lots of balloons.  Amazing.

Here's us at the meeting thanks to Calum Harvey's photography...

...check out what he thought of the meeting at Scrap vs Luxury, his very own blog.

Graduate Fashion Week Winners Reception

I have been absent for a few days because I decided to grace London with my presence.  Wednesday night I headed to the Graduate Fashion Week winners reception, which turned out to be an amazing experience.  I didn't expect to have Orla Kiely come over to introduce herself but I am so glad she did because I don't think she could have been nicer.  If I look, act and dress like she does when I'm her age I'll be happy.  There's something spectacular about her, all elegance and grace...two things I don't really have as I am so clumsy its unbelievable.

Orla Kiely in her home in London

Image taken from The Independent online

Believe me though, speaking to all these important people is not as easy as it seems.  Calum Harvey, winner of the Textiles Award, had a conversation with Katie Greenyer of the Pentland Group that went something like this:

Calum: I love your glasses, where are they from?
Katie: Red or Dead.
Calum: Oh, I have some Red or Dead glasses.  They're amazing aren't they?
Katie: Well, I am Red or Dead.
Calum: I've just embarassed myself haven't I.
Katie: Yes you have.

Needless to say Calum was embarassed, however, simply starting our careers it is simply impossible for us to know everything about every person we will meet.  Ok, so we did have prior knowledge as to who we were to meet, however, each of us merely brushed up on those we thought we could learn most from.  It seems that was our mistake, because each of the mentors has so much more to offer than advice on what they are labelled with.  Katie Greenyer, for instance, does a lot more than work in "Manufacturing" as the Graduate Fashion Week organisers told us.  Looks like you can't judge a person by their title, rather like you can't judge a book by it's cover.

I also believe that without experience it is hard for us to know where we want to be in 10 years time.  Katie Greenyer managed to worry me when she told me I should know exactly which segment I should want to work in (high street, luxury etc) because the choices I make now will lead my potential into the future.  Apparently in the luxury sector, for instance, they are unlikely to employ someone from the high street level.  Following this ignored me and spoke to Charlotte Webb, winner of the Media and Communication Award, who was stood next to me at the time.  Guess I'm not worth speaking to until I have sorted where I want to be.  So, any ideas?  I'm rather at a loss.