Rafa Nadal, I LOVE YOU! I was at the 02 Arena last night to watch the ATP Masters and I got lucky enough to see him playing Davydenko. Unfortunately and to my great sadness Rafa lost. I am a massive fan and I was so dissappointed for him. ANYWAY I’m just posting a little montage to his fine self. We love you Rafa.
A slight alteration of Kate Moss’s infamous recent quote but I baked this cake yesterday, yes, I’m a closet baker, and I was just a little proud so I thought I would share it with the world wide web. This cake has a twist though….it’s got grated beetroot in it and it’s delicious! Though the damson gin in the icing might help, yum.
I love Mawi jewellery. Fact! It’s a great London based company. I’ve been on a lot of fashion shoots with their dramatic costume pieces and I am also the proud owner of a skull necklace, which I always get lots of compliments about. If this isn’t worth saving your pocket money for, I don’t know what is. 
Source: Mawi
I took these photos in the armour gallery of a museum on a recent trip to New York. The detail and patterning are so intricate: all the layering, pleating and tucking, following the curves and bone structure of the body so that the pieces work to protect the wearer in the extremes of battle as well as to enhance his status and inspire fear and respect in followers as well as enemies. They are superbly functional but also beautiful: patterned and polished, engraved and inlayed into pieces of art. Inspiring.
Sorry for the lack of posts this week, I’ve been pretty busy with fashion work but will be better next week…promise!
Emanuel Ungaro, I salute you. (I’m going to ignore the Lindsay Lohan collaboration, it’s too painful and you yourself called it ‘a disaster’). I love the mix of metallics and black. It’s a nice strong statement shoe and the flat plane on the back of the heel is awesome. Anyone got £640 to spare? No? Me neither.
Source: Net-a-Porter.com
This is American Vogue’s December cover of Cate Blanchett (nearly done with all the Dec covers, phew!), supposedly shot by Annie Leibovitz and I’m disappointed Ms Wintour, I really am. Firstly, is she really just standing on a wooden box? in the middle of rolling fields with her hair being blown by a light summer wind? Hang on, this is a December cover. I think they hoped that if a piece of red velvet material made it into the picture it would help with the festive theme; it doesn’t! Also for me the perspective is wrong: her shoulders are tiny, almost childlike but then her head seems bigger, as if she’s leaning back but then pushing her head forward. And it’s Christmas…how about an amazing ruby necklace or diamonds, it’s too minimal. The make-up seems to have washed her out and the shadow on the side of her face is harsh. Finally what’s with the strap line across the top left hand corner? I love Cate Blanchett and I’m disappointed that Vogue couldn’t do better by her.
Source: Fashion Gone Rogue
I worked on this photoshoot this summer and although the magazine was out in September, it’s taken me a while to track it down as it’s an Ireland-based publication, not distributed here. In the end I actually had to ring Image and order it. I still find it crazy that they have the Euro over there. Anyway… lots of behind the scenes photos to come from this editorial about trends for A/W. I think it looks great, the model’s hair is scene-stealing throughout.
Photographer: Matthew Shave
Stylist: Marcella Martinelli
This is British Vogue’s December cover of the model Lara Stone, shot by Mario Testino. I can’t really wrap my head around the shoot. The cover is classic, beautifully composed with the slight twist of her body and her face is lovely and fresh. The hand written ‘wonderful’ adds a great energy. I’m not sure however about the spread inside, it’s all a bit bleached and the fashion is pretty undemanding.
Source: FashionGoneRouge
This is UK ELLE’s December cover of Kate Hudson and it’s so good! The beautiful S shape of her arms and body is so aesthetically pleasing. Her skin looks great but not over photoshopped and I love the large black eyeliner flick. It’s great seeing an actress strike a more modelesque pose, really using the angles. I also like how unstyled it is, although I think I would have put a cocktail ring on the right index finger.
In contrast American Elle’s December cover of SJP is rather average. A bland pose with too much beige as a colour tone. The smile looks slightly forced and there is far too much script, giving it a cluttered look. UK 1-0 USA!
