Archive for the ‘Department Stores’ Category
Affordable Fashions, denim, Department Stores, dresses, Festivals, guess where this is from, Sleeves of the week
By Daisy Buchanan on May 6th, 2013
As we see it, the ultimate, tricksy, brow furrowing, chin stroking, difficult to solve 21st century dilemma is this: What’s a lady supposed to wear for weekend brunch?
Obviously there are proper dilemmas about wars and poverty and the disintegrating moral fabric of society, but we don’t have a hope in hell of solving those. The brunch one is like Sudoku – if we really put our minds to it, we can probably work it out with a pencil.
M&S Limited Collection Cotton Rich Fit & Flare Skater Denim Dress with Belt, £45
The thing is, unless you’re weepingly hungover and need someone to pour you into your tracksuit bottoms and lead you to McDonalds, brunch is a stealth formal affair. You’re still eating fried mushrooms smothered in ketchup, but the mushrooms were probably foraged by an artistic intern curating a Vine feed, and the ketchup has a bechamel quail base tempered with locally sourced botanicals. You need the outfit to match – something that’s all “threw this on AND WHAT?” but also something smoking enough to get the flat white and organic cupcake guy to give you the eye. And something that can stand a little quail ketchup spillage. Also, you’re going to want sleeves. You probably had your arms out last night – come the morning after, the standard practice is that you put the guns back in their holsters.
Where do you go for such a number? One of the Spitalfields boutiques staffed by ‘resting’ actresses who hand stitch wonky hems? Anthropologie, who have many brilliant brunch options for a mere three hundred quid a pop? The situation is frustrating enough to make you turn to gin, stained tracksuits and McDonalds, but all you need is this BRILLIANT M&S denim shirt dress that can be accessorised six ways ‘til Sunday and costs less than fifty quid. As it gets lighter and brighter, your hair can get bigger, your wedges will get fiercer and you can pop the buttons open until the flat white guy’s eyes pop out. On chilly, less reliable days, brogues, bright opaques and a snuggly knit will transform it faster than Madonna was transformed from garter flashing sex lady to Scottish Widow. If anyone feels like thanking Shiny Style for this invaluable wardrobe suggestion, we accept gifts of Anthropologie vouchers and organic cupcakes.
Tags: affordable, denim, dress, M&S, sleeves, style
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Department Stores, Events
By shinychris on February 14th, 2013
H&M flagship Oxford Circus store opens today. To celebrate, four days of music and fashion fun will take place across the opening weekend featuring over 20 top DJ’s and surprise live performances. Customers in the queue before 1pm on opening day will receive wristbands entitling them to 25% discount off all fabulous products in store on the day.
The remodelled store will be the first H&M store in the world to offer Wi-Fi to customers and will comprise over 3,750 sq metres across six floors of fashion including womenswear, menswear, a shoe lounge and even a chill out area on the fourth floor. Customised LED displays feature on every level and unique interiors create an exclusive feel claims the company.
Says Carlos Duarte, H&M’s Country Manager for the UK and Ireland. “We are thrilled to be re-launching our flagship store on the world-renowned Oxford Street in London.”
“Oxford Circus, located in the heart of London’s West End is the ultimate retail destination and we look forward to showcasing our exciting store in this prime position. The increased size of the store will enable us to bring our customers a broad selection of H&M’s ladies and menswear collections. The team behind the 12 month project have worked incredibly hard to create an innovative shopping environment that will inspire our customers who can look forward to the ultimate H&M fashion experience – we look forward to surprising them!”
Tags: H&M, Oxford Circus, Oxford Street
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Department Stores, Designer collaborations, Designers, dresses, Features, Gallery
By Andrea Petrou on March 14th, 2012
If you didn’t fancy braving the queues and the cold to get your hands on the latest H&M designer collaboration with Marni or didn’t have much luck with the queue style website system then you’ll probably hate us today.
The capsule collection may have launched, and been snapped up quicker than you can say “credit card” but we thought the range deserved a mention anyway. Partly because of the detailing and intricacy involved.
Like Marni’s main collection, rich fabrics dominated the range appearing on voluminous skirts, silk tops and flimsy summer dresses.
The styling was less aimed at the teen market, which went crazy for H&M’s Versace collaboration, and more for a mature audience. Hemline’s were longer and tops looser.
However, they did reflect H&M’s audience with slimmer cuts and brighter, bolder colours.
Key items included the leather bag as well as statement Marni patterned scarves.
If you hurry you might still be able to get your hands on a few pieces from the range. Failing that there’s eBay.
See the gallery below for some of our fave pieces from the collection.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Analysis, collections, H&M, Jimmy Choo for H&M, Marni, Marni for H&M, queues, Versace for H&M
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Christmas gifts, Department Stores, Events, Fashion News
By shinychris on November 24th, 2011
Over the past few years we’ve seen QR codeseverywhere, on food, clothes and evengravestones. Yes, we said gravestones.
Well this Christmas, we’ll be seeing hundreds of them on all kinds of clothes, gifts and furniture items, as online marketplace eBay intends to use them to make shopping even easier in its festive pop-up shop.
The brand is launching a new Christmas boutique in London at the beginning of December, which aims to give stressed shoppers the best of both worlds, the in-store browsing experience with the selection, deals and distinct lack of queuing we’ve become accustomed to online.
The new boutique will stock a range of items and each will have its own unique QR code. Shoppers then use their phones to scan these QR codes to buy without the fuss, queuing, tills and even bags, because once you’ve purchased something it’ll get delivered straight to your door. Goodbye awkward tube journey with 5,487,823 bags and no air!
eBay’s new shopping concept seems like a brilliant idea, it gives us peace of mind that the items we’re buying actually look good in real life and it’s popping up (sorry) just in time for Christmas. However, just like buying things with a store card sometimes doesn’t feel real, buying things by swiping your phone around like you’re a little kid playing shop might not seem real too, so be careful you don’t overdo it.
Via ShinyShiny.
Tags: ebay, pop up shop, qr codes, retail
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Celebrity Style, Department Stores, Designer collaborations
By Andrea Petrou on October 27th, 2011
H&M have collaborated with the costume designer from ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ to create a capsule collection inspired by protagonist Lisbeth Salander.
Trish Summerville has created all the outfits for Lisbeth (played by Rooney Mara) in the US adaptation of the Swedish film and she revealed she jumped at the chance to give the troubled heroine’s clothes a more “realistic fashion feel” for the Swedish retailer.
She told WWD: “We put a lot of aged-in washes and finishes, which goes along the lines of the Salander character. In the film, her clothes are quite extreme. They’re really worn down, they’re dirty. So for us, it was taking that kind of concept and giving it more of a realistic fashion feel.”
Anna Norling, division designer at H&M, said the company wanted to make Lisbeth’s clothes more flattering and feminine.
She explained: “We were really strongly inspired by the film and especially by Trish’s styling, but the collection wouldn’t have looked as it does without H&M, because we added the fashion point of view. I’m very happy with the result and I know that Trish is as well.”
Items in the range include tribal-style earrings, a leather jacket, which comes in washed black or deep burgundy, hoodies and lace-up boots.
The collection will make its debut at Paris boutique Colette on November 28.
Tags: collaborations, fashion, Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, H&M, outfits
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Celebrity gossip, Celebrity Style, Department Stores, Events, Gallery
By emilyborrett on September 13th, 2011
11606638
Nicole Scherzinger performs during the launch of the Westfield Stratford City, London
London-based shopping junkies will be happy to hear that there’s a new outlet for your addiction opening today, as the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford finally opened it’s doors today with plenty of fanfare.
Boris Johnson was there (bless him) wearing his trademark crooked tie and blonde thatch of hair, but that’s all we can pass comment on about our Mayor’s style – the less said the better really. More dynamically dressed was Nicole Sherzinger, who put on an incredibly energetic and raunchy performance in a fetish-look black and red PVC coat with fringed sleeves, which she later changed out of in exchange for a sexy black pencil dress.
Pixie Geldof was there for the proceedings alongside Channel 4′s Nick Grimshaw – Pixie looked cute and cool with white-blonde corkscrew curls and a simple black and white polka dot dress with scarily high court heels. Kelly Brook was also there looking very sunkissed and sexy in a black and gold mini-dress to show off the golden glow of her post-summer legs. Cow.
The Westfield shop is going to be absolutely ginormous, with apparently over 300 shops opening there and over 70 restaurants. I think I might get down there myself right now..
Tags: bleach blonde, Celebrity Style, chanel, Events, fetish, grand opening, Henry Holland, high end stores, Kelly Brook, leather, Nicole Sherzinger, patent, Pixie Geldof, polka dots, westfield shopping center
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Ad campaigns, Advertorial, campaign, Celebrity gossip, Department Stores, Gossip
By emilyborrett on August 31st, 2011
Britain’s poutiest supermodel, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, is going to be the new face of Marks & Spencer’s Autumn ad campaigns alongside the Green Lantern star Ryan Reynolds.
The A-list twosome are going to front M&S’s Autograph collection, one of the department store’s many different clothing lines, though Autograph is one of the most fashion-forward ones. Rosie, who’s previously modelled in Burberry campaigns, said: “I feel proud to be associated with a British high street favourite that holds fond memories for so many people.”
The Canadian heart-throb Ryan also has a fond connection with the store and thinks of M&S with “nostalgia”. He said: “Going into an M&S store with my family or friends always gives me a beautiful pang of nostalgia. The Autograph collection is a modern take on the classic style I love and feel most comfortable wearing. The pieces in this collection are lasting staples that’ll never go out of style.”
The executive director of the store, Steve Sharp, was absolutely ecstatic to get the Hollywood pair to front the brand – we have to say that a Victoria’s Secret model and a Hollywood blockbuster hero is a bit of a step up from Myleene Klass and Danni Minogue dancing around in their pyjamas. He told MailOnline: “Rosie and Ryan are the perfect fit for Autograph – beautiful, exclusive and absolutely contemporary. On set, they worked together to deliver a mesmerising performance which allowed us to capture shots that literally sizzle with excitement and an air of mystery.”
Keep an eye out for these two on the telly – Marks & Spencer just got sexy.
Tags: ad campaign, Burberry, green lantern, M&S, Marks and Spencer, rosie huntington whitely, ryan reynolds, supermodel, Transformers, Twiggy, Victoria's secret
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Accessories, campaign, Celebrity gossip, Christmas gifts, Department Stores, Designer collaborations, Gossip
By emilyborrett on August 16th, 2011
We desperately want to get a flight to New York this Christmas, because we’ve just heard that Lady Gaga is collaborating with her BFF Nicola Formichetti to design a range of limited edition gifts for Barney’s department store.
The seasonal campaign, titled “Gaga’s Workshop”, will be taking over the fifth floor men’s department in November, turning the area into Gaga’s very own bizarre Christmas wonderland.
The gifts that will be on sale include sweets, toys, candles, cosmetics and jewellery made entirely out of rock candy, as well as Gaga-curated books and CDs. Barney’s chief exec, Mark Lee, spoke out about the new collaboration: “Holiday is about joy, sharing and inclusiveness, and to me, Gaga really represents all of that. Her platform is so much about positivity, individuality and universality in a very today way.”
He continued, “There are a lot of things for fans of all ages, for kids and kids at heart. I think our existing and new customers will find fun things to share and give as gifts in a lighthearted and not so serious way.”
We actually cannot wait to see what Lady Gaga’s take on the holiday season will be. Get us to NYC in time for Christmas!
Tags: "gift ideas", Barneys, Christmas, department store, holiday campaign, lady gaga, New York
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Department Stores, Designer collaborations, Designers
By Andrea Petrou on July 11th, 2011
John Galliano is being lined up for design for Topshop.
The troubled designer – who reportedly launched a verbal attack on a couple in a Paris cafe in February and was fired as Dior’s creative director in March after a video showed him apparently drunk, telling a woman in a cafe he “loved Hitler” – is wanted by the British chain’s owner Sir Philip Green to create a range for them.
Although nothing has been signed, discussions are said to be in the early stages and Green and Galliano want the collaboration to happen.
If the deal does come off, it will mark a huge turnaround for Galliano, who has been in rehab since his arrest in February.
As well as being sacked form Dior he was replaced at his own label by Bill Gaytten.
However, he was given a boost after he received universal praise for the wedding dress he created for close friend and supermodel Kate Moss when she married rocker Jamie Hince last week.
Last month, Galliano appeared in a Paris court, where he blamed his recent outbursts on his addiction to alcohol, sleeping tablets and valium.
His lawyer Aurelian Hamelle said: “One obvious thing is that John Galliano was ill. He had a triple addiction to alcohol, benzodiazepine (valium) and sleeping pills.”
The lawyer said Galliano – who is now back in rehab to receive treatment for his addictions – was mortified to see how he acted in the video and denies being anti-Semetic.
Five people were to give evidence in the trial, which ended yesterday, and the verdict is due on September 8.
If he is found guilty, he faces a huge fine and a six-month prison sentence.
Tags: court, Dior, highstreet deals, John Galliano, Topshop range, trial
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Accessories, Department Stores, Events, Gallery
By Andrea Petrou on March 22nd, 2011
By Emily Borrett.
Flat Yellow Lace Print Washbag
Every mum wants a beautiful washbag for holidays and little trips away - while this Liberty-print washbag is a little more luxurious than your average Boots one, it's still not an extravagant price.
If you’re anything like me then Mother’s Day has a horrible habit of sneaking up of you, leaving you in a cold sweat resorting to Shell Garage flowers at 11 p.m. the night before. This year to avoid cold sweats in the middle of the night and disappointed reproach from your lovely long-suffering mum, why not plan ahead and order her something amazing right now? For a beautifully packaged little gift that will make her gasp and keep her sweet, there’s not many shops to buy from that will win you as many brownie points as Liberty’s of London.
The big daddy of home and interiors design, Liberty’s is the place to find small, beautiful gifts that will make your mum smile and feel special. Whether it’s a small ornately decorated piece of china, a gorgeous notebook or something little for the kitchen, there’s a gift to suit every mother. Your dear old ma brought you into the world – why not treat her to something from London’s finest department store?
Tags: "gift ideas", affordable presents, department store, homewares, liberty's of london, luxury, mothers day gifts, print, stationery
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Ad campaigns, Department Stores, Fashion News
By Andrea Petrou on September 22nd, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
It was an amazing step forward for fashion as Debenhams unveiled their new national window campaign, featuring 32 year-old disabled model Shannon Murray as its’ new poster girl.
The idea belongs to Nikki Fox and Natasha Wood, both of whom worked on the show “How to Look Good Naked”, the Channel 4 show that’s all about loving your body, no matter who you are. Fox said about the new campaign: “I am so happy and proud that Debenhams has used our disabled model for such a massive campaign. If seeing Shannon helps another disabled person, then we’ve done well.”
Debenhams have long pioneered revolutionary changes in the fashion industry, being one of the first retailers to have airbrushing vetoed in their campaigns, and also one of the first to use plus-size mannequins. Here’s hoping that this love for women of all types, ages, shapes and sizes starts to show in other stores too.
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Department Stores, Designer Fashions, First Looks, Gallery
By Andrea Petrou on September 10th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
If you haven’t managed to quite retain your bikini-body now that the sun’s gone away, and you’re feeling less than a goddess, don’t worry. As the season shifts from summer into the wintery months a new sexiness begins – party dresses, glamour, and yes, sexy undies.
And if you’re like me and feel endlessly perked up by putting on a pair of beautifully made undies (no Primark here, no sir) then you’ll be pleased to know about the launch of the website GlamorousAmorous.com, which kindly put all of your dream lingerie designers together on one big lovely site. GlamorousAmorous features stock from the very best shops available, which include Mimi Holliday, couture lingerie designers Strumpet & Pink, Maxine’s of London and my personal favourite, Lascivious.
Ideas on beauty and femininity have changed over the last season and designers are no longer creating lingerie with Kate Moss in mind. GlamorousAmorous have catered to this by providing tips for fittings, whether you’re a skinny, straight-up-and-down girl or inundated with curves that Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks would kill for. It’s all about accentuating your most feminine features at the moment, be they your breasts, waists, legs or hips. And GA is here to help.
True, some of the pieces on the site don’t come cheap. But really beautiful, well-made underwear never does. So what I say is, start writing your Christmas list now and hand it over to your boyfriend so that he can start saving up. After all, there’s something in it for him too.
Tags: boutique, confidence booster, glamorousamorous, lingerie, satin, sexy, silk, strumpet and pink, underwear
Posted in Department Stores, Designer Fashions, First Looks, Gallery | 1 Comment »
Beauty, Department Stores, Gossip, High End Department Stores
By emilyborrett on July 14th, 2010
Unless you’re one of those rare porcelain beauties such as Dita Von Teese or Sophie-Ellis Bextor, all of us girls look and feel more confident in our bikinis when we’ve got a bit of a golden glow. And in light of all the more recent medical evidence that we shouldn’t cover ourselves in olive oil and marinate ourselves in the sun for six hours a day until our skin begins to look like Italian leather, more and more of us are turning to fake tan as a safe solution.
But it isn’t really safe, is it? Medically safe, yes, with the exception of Jordan and Alex Reid who allegedly inject tan into their skin and spend a week throwing up afterwards. But I’m talking about fake tanning disasters, the ones that leave us weeping and frantically scruffing ourselves with lemon juice, refusing to leave the house to buy milk because of our two-tone skin. I’m going through a tanning disaster right now – I’m beautifully bronzed on the front, cottage-cheese white on the back, because I forgot to rub it in properly.
However, Debenhams have a plan that promises to end our fake-tan woes, and prevent us from ever looking like Dale Winton again, by launching the Fake Tan Tone Chart – beginning at “Pale and Interesting” and ending at “Radioactive Orange”. If you hit that, you’ve gone too far. The chart has been introduced to every Debenhams’ beauty hall in Britain and is there to give novice fake-tanners an indication of what shade of tan will suit them best, and which is the best product for their skin. Consultants will be on board to help customers assess what’s best for them.
To everyone at home currently suffering from a Fake Tan Disaster- don’t worry. There’s a place where you can get help now.
Tags: Debenhams, Department Stores, Fake Tan
Posted in Beauty, Department Stores, Gossip, High End Department Stores | 1 Comment »
Beauty, Department Stores
By emilyborrett on July 13th, 2010
There’s something about duty-free shopping on the way home from a holiday that makes my heart quiver with joy; it becomes the only time of year when I can justify buying a great big bottle of my favourite perfume (Miss Dior Cherie, if you wanted to know) with leftover holiday money, or treating myself to an amazing Chanel foundation that I could never otherwise afford. For me, duty-free beauty products are an excuse in itself to go on holiday. However, I do realise that my way of thinking isn’t exactly practical or logical – it’s a bit silly to spend six hundred quid on flights to Malaga just because you want to get a posh mascara on the way back.
Which is why I jumped for joy at the news that until the 28th of July, Debenhams are going to cut all VAT charges on some of their swankiest products – yessss. Now I don’t have to go on holiday just to buy products from Estee Lauder, Lancome, Clinique, Benefit and Calvin Klein for a reasonable price – I can just pop down to the nearest Debenhams department store. The offer is only for the next fortnight though, so girls, hop to it and take advantage of their bargains now.
Tags: beauty products, Debenhams, VAT
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Accessories, Department Stores, Features
By emilyborrett on July 9th, 2010
Just as Audrey Hepburn famously declared that she was “simply crazy about Tiffany’s”, I’m equally crazy about the Liberty store in Carnaby Street, London. For a few years now its been an annual tradition for me, my mum and my sister to go there in our Sunday best for hours of window shopping, followed by tea and cake in one of its’ tearooms. And it really does take hours to fully do the rounds. If you’ve never been before, it’s worth the train into London – it’s a huge, grand, multi-storey building full of beautiful things to gawp at, from hand-made jewellery, stationary and clothes, to chandeliers, rugs and other homeware. Unfortunately I’m not really to be trusted on the higher floors where the most expensive items are kept, because I’m so clumsy (if I remember correctly, last time I was there I almost knocked over a crystal bowl worth about £1,000 with my bag). However, whilst many of the items on sale in Liberty are way beyond any budget of us little folk, you can still pick up something in one of their iconic prints for a reasonable price.
The famous Liberty prints, which have been in production since the 1960s, are a riotous explosion of psychelic paisleys that have never gone out of fashion; they’re completely evocative of the spirit of 1960s Carnaby Street, one of the most famous sites in London. Even a little piece from Liberty is an exciting splash of colour – some of my favourites of their smaller, more affordable pieces were their luggage tags, keyrings and notebooks (I’m a sucker for a pretty notebook) in the shop’s unmistakeable prints and patterns. My personal favourite out of their prints was the pink peacock-fan print, as I felt girly and summery just looking at it.
If you want to inject some Liberty-style splashes of colour into your life, look at the gallery below for the best of their little bits, perfect for a Carnaby girl on a budget.
Tags: Accessories, Carnaby Street, Liberty, London, textiles print
Posted in Accessories, Department Stores, Features | 2 Comments »
From:Gwen Stefani ranked most appealing female musician/designer