CarrieMe London: July 2012

Tuesday, 24 July 2012

Will you benefit from Stella McCartney's scholarship opportunity at Central Saint Martins?

CarrieMe takes its hat off to Stella McCartney, who having just received her Honorary Fellowship from the University of Arts London, announced she will be funding a fashion scholarship for exceptional MA students at Central Saint Martins (CSM) - and as London is such a cosmopolitan city, its open to all nationalities, yeeeehhh!


Stella McCartney receiving her Honorary Fellowship from the University of Arts London www.fashion.telegraph.co.uk

As a 1995 CSM graduate, she describes her experience there as "life changing" - yet with UK university tuition fees going up dramatically, many young creative talents are unable to access it, so Stella is doing more than just talking about nurturing creative talent in Britain, she's literally putting her money where her mouth is... and is encouraging other fashion houses to do the same.

Stella McCartney
www.topnews.in

Stella McCartney label
www.sqau.re

More good news - the scholarship opportunity also includes a 1 year paid placement working at the Stella McCartney House - now that really is exciting, wish I could turn the clock back and apply to CSM course next year!

Alexander McQueen
www.stylemagazine.co.uk

Christopher Kane
www.gaurdian.co.uk

With such illustrious fellow CSM graduates as Alexander McQueen, Jimmy Choo and Christopher Kane, who will be the next to wow us?

Monday, 23 July 2012

Alexander McQueen launches the new Heroine handbag... and CarrieMe swoons

Ohhh the whole CarrieMe team is lusting after this new handbag - saw it at the weekend, it looks like Alexander McQueen is going to corner the market with its new timeless classic "Heroine".

Alexander McQueen "Heroine" handbag in black
www.fashion.telegraph.co.uk

Alexander McQueen Heroine in black crocodile
www.styleite.com

We love the envelope loop over the handles and the zip on the side, perfect place to place your CarrieMe finder for your mobile or keys... though the Heroine in Oxblood Suede starts at £1,345, the smart money will be on the crocodile version, a mere snip at £22,295!

Alexander McQueen Heroine in Oxblood Sued medium
www.fashion.telegraph.co.uk

Zoe Saldana with a medium-sized black Alexander McQueen Heroine
www.abeautyfeature.com

Ohhh fitting that the heroine of Avatar is spotted carrying one of the early pieces - wish I could trade places for 24 hours!

So what will Sara Burton and the company have in store for us all for Fashion Week coming in September?

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

Pop in for POP Fashion says CarrieMe

As I had to go to Guys Hospital, I thought I'd get there early and go to one of my favourite places for inspiration...

The Shard - in dismal grey London!

No, its not the Shard (it was such a grey day, I'm looking forward to seeing what the views are like on a clear day)

... its the London Fashion and Textile Museum round the corner, of course. They always have something exciting to see and it beats a hospital waiting room!

www.ftmlondon.org

I wasn't disappointed - their POP Design Culture Fashion Fashion Exhibition blew me away - quite literally - you should see the flares and great skirts for the girls... secretly I'm sure it was the design of the clothes that really got the music going, as who couldn't resist such beautiful people twirling around in full knee length skirts, with the boys going for flares - honestly I'm sure that's what triggered the pop revolution!

Ground floor ... there's more upstairs!

Its starts with a history then has two floors cleverly zoned.

I picked out this Mary Quant travel case with real fur trimming as a must have - Ryan Air customers eat your heart out this is "leisure travelling" and it doesn't get better than this!

And of course, this year all things being British, couldn't pass this stand unaffected, though even I would have trouble pulling off the Union Jack mini!

Which is your favourite piece?

... didn't want to spoil your appetite for more, so check it out before 27th October and i guarantee your Autumn will be the brighter for it!

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Ralph Lauren stays on top til 2017 and wow is CarrieMe glad

Who else is a fan of Ralph Lauren?

Ralph Lauren takes a spin in the designer's circa-1948 Willys jeep
on the Double RL Ranch Colorado 2007. www.vanityfair.com

The good news for us is that he'll be staying on as CEO of his own label until 2017.... with an increase in his salary by 40% in these straightened times, to £1.1m, still paltry compared to some overpaid bankers!

So despite already being worth more than $4.3bn, he's still motivated to make accessible the luxury fashion and culture that he definitely didn't inherit: ensuring you all can look and feel rich, however much money you have. Pretty good showing considering he was born in 1939 with Lifshitz as his surname and grew up in the Bronx.

We're told that "replicating preppy fashions, Art Deco sophistication, and Adirondack ease isn't motivated by skepticism, and, no, he isn't driven by nostalgia either. Lauren isn't trying to live in the past. He's trying to get the past to live in the present, which takes a lot more chutzpah, because to make it work you have to get other people to sign on to your fantasies." (Vanity Fair)

So a modern day Walt Disney then?

"When people describe things as "very Ralph Lauren," they have in mind a world of old money and relaxed style that impresses not just because it is so beautiful but because it seems at once so familiar and so effortless." (Vanity Fair)

Not being preppy or of WASP inclination, its not that I'm out buying his clothes for me or my father much, but there is an undeniable elegance and luxury associated with the brand, from the simple dresses to the casual polo shirts that everyone in China is trying to copy.

Here are some of my favourite looks over the years, all sophisticated and sexy!