Hot on the heels of Lily Allen, Agyness Deyn and Alexa Chung, Kimberley Walsh of Girls Aloud is the next celebrity to represent the New Look girl. 

‘We always feature women who our customers tell us they like and relate to', said a spokesman for New Look. 'Lily Allen was one of the girls. Agy is the approachable supermodel and the way Alexa Chung styles herself goes down really well with our customers. And Kimberley Walsh is the girl our customer most wants to be.’ 

The Career of John Galliano

If you've got the time, watch this fascinating documentary about John Galliano. From his humble beginnings at Central Saint Martins to Anna Wintour putting her weight behind his talent. Then see how he was hired as the creative force for Givenchy and finally promoted to head designeer at Christian Dior.

David Bailey criticises peers.

The famous photographer David Bailey - who has established an astonishing career since the Swinging Sixties - has recently made some interesting and bold statements about the fashion industry:

"Any model over the age of 23 has to be touched up these days. 23? It's f***ing ridiculous but that's what you have to do for American Vogue and it's getting the same in Britain.

"They want shoots that look like a shop window in Knightsbridge. They always have the same kind of dead-looking girls. It isn't interesting. Because they aren't girls. They're androids. Airbrushed and cleaned up and not real."

"You can't tell any more who took the photographs. You used to be able to tell - there was character to the pictures.

"You could tell this was a Newton or that was a Beaton or a Horst or whatever. A Bailey woman has a distinct look. A Bailey woman is a real woman of flesh and blood and sex."

AnOther decade in fashion.

Kate Moss apparently wasn't satisfied with 4 September covers (W magazine, British Vogue, Russian Vogue and V magazine) so has landed her 5th with AnOther magazine. But - as seems to be in trend at the moment - there are multiple cover alternatives with Vanessa Paradis, Natalie Portman and Katie Holmes also sharing the limelight.

AnOther magazine’s Autumn/Winter '09 issue is marking the end of a decade of style and inside those covers they will explore 28 famous women each dressed in one of 28 designers (who define the decade). Each pairing will encapsulate a unique fashion moment of the Noughties. Can't wait. 

David Bowie - Fashion

My first introduction to this song was from the film Clueless when I was 10 years old. Loved it then - love it now.

Mango's fresh faces.

So Scarlett Johansson is the face of Mango's Fall ’09 campaign and was apparently chosen for not only her beauty but also "her extraordinary personality, which embodies the ideal of the urban, enterprising, daring woman that we target. Johansson is the epitome of an elegant, sensual woman who is at the same time both creative and inquisitive."
But Mango has also decided to feature some other young faces alongside her in their Fall catalogue who they consider perfectly reflect the "essence" of the collection.

Daisy Lowe, the Americans Leigh Lezark (a famous New York DJ and member of the group The Misshapes) and Riley Keough (daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and chosen as the model for Miss Dior Cherie), and the French model Marie-Ange Casta, have posed in the new collection and each brings a fresh look to the garments with their "undeniable personality, originality and unique style." 

Jaime Ibarra

"I am a professional Flamenco guitarist, graphic designer, web designer, and photographer. As a result, I do not sleep much. 

"I like colours as I see them with my eyes... but I LOVE colours as I see them with my mind. Welcome to my colourful world, it is a happy place. 

"I love photographing people wearing whooshy things that fly in the wind.

"I am rather fond of elipses"

Lace

I have mentioned my fondness for lace on many-an-occasion. I love the delicacy and fragility of lace, which nowadays is toughened up with the items it is worn with. I have collected quite a few lace garments over the last couple of years but there's always room for more. Here are some items I've recently been eyeing up:

My appreciation of lace however, also stems from the booming industry my home town was famous for. For such a small town, Darvel established a large lace-making reputation throughout Scotland and our lace was exported all over the world from the handful of factories. Unfortunately, over the last couple of decades, cheaper foreign production has wiped out the industry and only one of the factories stands intact with its looms but completely dorment.

The next Apple advert?

(Thanks redjotter.)

NYLON style sight

Apparently NYLON knows a good thing when they see it. It seems that when Christopher Kane did his masters degree at Central St. Martin's college, NYLON were so impressed that they photographed  him and his work for their September '06 issue. 

Not only this, but 4 years ago in their STREET book of style published, a 19 year old Robert Pattinson - then an unknown actor - was snapped in the streets of London. 

Yup, the Scrunchie is back.

It's official. I posted at the start of July about American Apparel bringing back the scrunchie. But now that it has hit Topshop shop floors, Carrie Bradshaw must be eating her words.

Neurotica Lookbook.

After posting of the partnership between Neurotica and Topshop last week, the Lookbook has now arrived. Ooooh! Topshop do it with style as usual.

Beautiful Illustration

As Seen On Screen

Since it's beginnings in 2000, ASOS.com has established itself as the UK's largest independent fashion and beauty retailers. 

Twelve in-house womenswear designers constantly create new lines, which are turned around within a maximum of 2 months. Up to 90,000 orders are shipped out of their Hertfordshire warehouse every week with Sunday evenings apparently being the most popular buying time (no doubt from customers needing something to cheer them up before going back to work the following day). 

Apparently clothes sell better when on certain models. ASOS employs 25 in-house models with every single item of clothing being photographed and filmed on the catwalk before becoming available on the site. But typically items sell best on long haired, good skinned and curvy models. An item doesn't sell quite as well as expected? It is re-shot on a different model and re-uploaded. 

Calvin Harris' Humanthesizer

M&S team up with Lewis Hamilton

Along with their new Autograph menswear collection, Marks & Spencer is launching a boyswear range in collaboration with Formula One team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and the reining F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.

The range - 'Living The Dream' - will feature racing motifs and branding of the team’s drivers Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen.

The Scandalous Moments of Tom Ford

Tom Ford's association with scandal was well underway long before his icy departure from Gucci. Remember the days when Tom Ford's ads were notoriously provocative with no less than three separate campaigns of his being banned in various countries?

The Gucci "G" emblazoned in the model's pubic hair:

Going completely bare for Tom Ford's Men's fragrance:

Tom Ford Eyewear ads, which were deemed sexually explicit(?!?)

And of course, possibly the biggest advertisement for himself was that Vanity Fair cover: the Hollywood issue where he posed alongside a naked Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson. 

Model Transformation

V magazine looks at the transformation of an 18 year old model - Camille Penk. Makes you feel a little bit better although Camille is clearly gorgeous with or without make-up and her hair done.

Dorian Gray

A step away from my usual fashion & retail posts but I just cannot wait to see this film. Desire? Period costume? 2 gorgeous leading males? Enough said?

Customize@ConverseOne

I came across this advertisement to design your very own pair of converse, which would be made and delivered within 4 weeks. I felt the need to try it out. 

Of course Nike - who as of 2003 have owned Converse - have had Nike I.D. for years so it is unsurprising that they would introduce the idea to the Chuck Taylor All Stars, Jack Purcells and the Skate shoes. 

Despite Nike doing a good job in mainly sticking to the Converse traditions, I do feel that the idea of designing your own pair goes against the grain a little. Converse throughout the decades, has been representative of so many youthful sub-cultures who used the shoe as a blank canvas for creativity: to draw on, to paint, to sew, to show your personality. It was the role of Nike sneaks to have slick, polished designs but Converse always represented the complete opposite. 

Perhaps it's just the teenager in me that isn't quite ready to accept that Converse "sold-out".

Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture

On September 1st, a book detailing the Louis Vuitton brand's fascination for fashion, art and architecture and all their artistic collaborations will be released. 

Louis Vuitton hired artist Camille Scherrer to present the new “Louis Vuitton : Art. Fashion and Architecture” book in this stunning video.

Harvard Yard

Harvard University is branching out from Academia to launch its very own contemporary menswear line, 'Harvard Yard'. The line will range in price from $165 for trousers to $495 for sport coats and was apparently inspired by photos of students lounging in Harvard Yard in the '60s. 

But unlike the likes of Oxford and Cambridge who flog crest emblazoned... everything to impressionable tourists, the 'Harvard Yard' line won't say "Harvard University" on them or don the schools colors except in some of the finer details. The brand are keen to stress that the clothes are not geared toward their students, but at a global contemporary male demographic. However, it seems the line will not move too far away from its preppy routes. 

I think the line comes at a good time: despite (or perhaps as a result of) the recession, consumers are investing in luxurious fashion. Harrods has just announced an extremely successful year! In the same way owning a designer perfume does, owning a little piece of Harvard gives people access to an extravagantly elite world in a time that - for most - is anything but. 

Wintour to visit LFW

It has been confirmed American Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour will be front row for London Fashion Week in September - her first visit since 2007. No doubt the city owes the visit to the likes of Christopher Bailey's decision to return Burberry to London for Spring/Summer '10. 

(On a side note, I had a dream recently that I was Anna Wintour's personal assistant. Unlike The Devil Wears Prada however, her demands were less extravagant asking for chocolates of all things!)

Neurotica at Topshop

The London indie label Neurotica is set to follow in the footsteps of Mario Schwab thanks to fashion retail giant Topshop. Their gothic prints will be coming to Britain's high streets in just over a week and will be in good company alongside lines by Jonathan Saunders, Emma Cook and Christopher Kane to name a few. 

Lust on the Upper East Side

I'm a HUGE Gossip Girl fan - Cannot wait to see these 2 finally together in season 3! Seeing this photoshoot for Elle prompted me to investigate what we can expect. AARGH! Look what I found! 

Iconic Items

Eniko Mihalik in ‘Iconic Items’ photographed by Mario Sorrenti for Vogue Italia.

Fashion's Night Out

"As part of a bold global initiative, the international editions of VOGUE are partnering with designers, department stores, high-street chains and boutiques to create Fashion’s Night Out, an evening extravaganza to be held in 12 cities around the world on Thursday, September 10, 2009.

"Here, in London’s West End, we aim to lift shopping spirits and to emphasise the pleasure and joy of fashion. London is home to some of the world’s most celebrated designers and is a number one shopping destination internationally – Fashion’s Night Out will reinforce this."

"The VOGUE team will be working with retailers to create a night of original in-store activities, including personal appearances, makeovers and workshops, during extended shopping hours."

Loeffler Randall

Loeffler Randall have shared this behind-the-scenes look at their photoshoot for Fall '09. Their new website, is lovely and reflects the design of their clothes, but when are they going to open stores?

Corrine's Kate prints raise funds.

Premier models is auctioning 500 prints of this Corinne Day photograph of Kate Moss - shot in '91 - to raise funds for the photographer who has been battling brain cancer in a clinic in Arizona. Corinne Day is credited with discovering the teenage Kate Moss, and thus initiating the heroin-chic debate in the 90s which coincided with grunge. Day formed a long and close relationships with Kate Moss, resulting in many intimate portraits of the model over the years. Here are some of the earlier works which remind us why Kate Moss became the ultimate supermodel in the early '90s. 

Just Cavalli Fall '09

Kate Moss has again features in the latest campaign for Just Cavalli, this time for Fall '09 with younger male models.