So long, Farewell for Now...

I'm off, away on holiday! Yes, I'll be gone, sunning myself on a lovely Spanish beach next week, thinking of gloomy old London Town away across the ocean. So that means I won't be able to post anything for 7 days... I'm that deserted. And also it's nice to take a break from twitter, Facebook and socialising sometimes, just to get away from it all. I can't wait to walk along the beach and eat tapas all day long with the sun shining down. After all the hard work I've put in these last months I think I deserve it!

So keep safe and do check back after a week for any holiday snaps and vintage finds that I picked up
abroad. Thefashionbox01.blogspot.com is really the place for fashion! Love you all and adios!

Ps. Have you heard that Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr have separated after 3 years of marriage. Well, celebrity marriages never last, do they???

PREVIEW: Jennifer Lawrence for Dior

Tailored menswear, stylish jackets and sweeping necklines. It can only be Dior featuring Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence. Lawrence features in this latest Dior campaign in a series of monochromatic photos of her posing seductivly for the camera in black ensembles, typical of Dior. As well as womenswear, Lawrence advertises Dior handbags, jewelrey and accessories for fall 2013/14. Beautiful and classic... Here are some of the best Dior Womenswear photos for the upcoming season.  

 

 

Jennifer Lawrence for Dior shot by Mikael Jansson.

  http://www.dior.com/home/en_gb

Kim and Kanye Engaged!

So we're expecting another Kardashian wedding. Yes, Kanye West proposed to girlfriend Kim Kardashian in style yesterday with a 15 carat diamond engagement ring. Luckily Kim said yes, so here comes husband no.3 for Kimmie, and hopefully this one will last longer than her infamous 72 day marriage to Kris Humpries.

Kanye hired out a stadium for his grand proposal with a 50 piece orchestra playing Lana Del Rey's Young and Beautiful, followed by a fabulous firework display to mark the happy occasion. So we've been told, the Kardashian clan then ran out onto the pitch to congratulate their tearful Kim as Kanye Wests Knock you Down hit blared out of the speakers. Wedding bliss to come, eh?

Anyway, with Kanye's fashion designer status and Kims fashion foreward thinking, they are definitely one stylish couple. And one can only guess that Givenchy creative director, Ricardo Tisci will be designing the wedding dress for the big day. It will be some wedding and theFASHIONbox01 wish them all the best, even if they are the most annoying reality tv family ever!

Here are some of Kanye and Kim's best dressed moments during the 18 months they've been dating. There were fashion highs and deep lows (Met Gala!) but nevertheless they sure do know how to dress! Enjoy and continue to keep up with Kim and Kanye!!

Who's feeling Michael Kors fall 2013/14?

Over the past fashion seasons, Michael Kors has stood out of the New York pack of designers. His sporty, feminine, sexy and overall just clean cut clothes are certainly a highlight of New York fashion week, and his fall 2013 collection was no different. I would categorise Kors as a strong designer. He has an image, something every design house should possess. His women are confident, smart and extremely stylish with an air of New York swagger. He continually delivers exciting shows. Who knew for his spring 2014 collection he'd go all girly on us? He's different - mixing youthful minimalism with print, sparkle and intricate tailoring, suiting his fashion conscious customer perfectly. And of course, his bags are drop dead gorgeous!

Anyway, for this season Kors was feeling athletic, bright and bold, sending out a stream of elegant models in highly energetic pieces. First of all, almost every model wore big, round sunglasses which looked part Russian spy/ part snowboarder. Nevertheless, they looked cool! Karmen Pedaru opened the show with a hunky male companion. And then came the coats.... Cobalt blue, yellow, black tailored in a very musculine silhouette. The 'man coat' as I like to call it, took centre stage at the Kors catwalk in an array of sizes and textures. Jackets too looked very futuristic in bold primary colours with padded shoulders. Cara Delevingne's blue jacket with black, zip detailing was a favourite of mine which she wore with black knee length trousers.

Skirts were also big news in this collection. Mini, knee high and floaty: we had skirts in every shape and colour. The dresses which closed the show were absolutely divine too. Black with a flash of colour, these dresses flounced out dramatically at the waist and floated beautifully behind the models as they strutted their stuff. A little flamenco and a little Spanish, these were sporty dresses with a feminine and dramatic twist. Karlie Kloss closed the show in a sparkly number, silver and black, with a Dior look about it. It was classic Kors style, simple yet effective and very Michelle Williams at the Oscars.

Overall, a wonderful show, full of style, sophistication and bold colours. If you buy anything this season make sure that it's a coat, according to Michael Kors - a big one, with a masculine influence to be exact. And be bright this winter. Don't be afraid to wear a bold red jacket on a cold, rainy Monday. Just go for it, as there are no rules in fashion...

 

 

Rita Ora for DKNY

Rita Ora has taken over Cara Delevingne's slot as face of DKNY womenswear for spring 2014. Shot in New York amidst yellow taxis and the hustle and bustle of city life, Ora brings her cool, English swagger to the streets for Donna Karan's trendy label. My favourite piece? That shimmery, gold sequinned skirt - just right for those Christmas parties!

Here are some of the photos from the campaign....

The Handbag: Top 10

Every woman owns a handbag. Its a fashion staple - a style social standing in this fashion obsessed world we find ourselves in. Whether its a duffle, box or clutch, in snakeskin, leather or pony skin, with 2, 5 or 10 pockets...A handbag is a personal and sentimental friend, there for you when you need it. The handbag allows you to chuck all your rubbish in it 24/7, store messy notepads and scrunched up tissues, chewing gum and mints, purse, gloves, Vaseline, make up - the list is endless. Frankly, the handbag is a life saver for us ladies and so its extremely important to find the perfect one that suits you.

My favourite bag is my 1 year old burgundy Zara shopper. Its huge! And suits me perfectly. I can store all my art stuff, my college books, an umbrella, a small make up bag and a whole load more. Even though it usually eclipses me and the underserving passenger sitting next to me on the tube, its wonderful and me and my Zara handbag have had a wonderful first year of fashion marriage! Now if I was rich, it would be a completely different story. I daily lust over owning a Chanel 2.55ml handbag, not to mention my new obsession of a Celine cream box bag. Classic and timeless. And then there's those beautiful Hermes Kelly bags, the Dolce and Gabbana  Miss Sicily handbag and the Fendi Baguette bag. Every fashion house has their iconic, bestselling handbag which you can pass in the street and know instantly what it is and where its come from. From Louis Vuitton to Michael Kors, Balenciaga to Dior. Who doesn't love handbags?

So here are my Top 10 handbags. In every size, colour and texture, these are the fashion must haves....

Punk, Cool and Grungy: Vivienne Westwood Gold Label Spring 2014

 

 

Just some of the best photos from the Vivienne Westwood Gold Label Spring 2014 show! Revisit the fashion magic at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqxzXndOkns

Givenchy by Ricardo Tisci Spring 2014

Dark, grungy and cool. It can only be Givenchy, featuring Kim Kardashian and Kanye West! Here are some of the best catwalk looks from the show...

The Furrrtastic Coat...

There is something quite prestige about fur - faux fur that is. Is it perhaps the soft texture that just feels so warm and inviting against the skin or the smug satisfaction of pulling a cream fur coat tightly around you when all your colleagues are wearing boring old trench coats? Could it be the variety of colours, the lengths, the style of fabric or just the fact that you are indeed wearing a fabulous, furry coat? What ever the reason, a fur coat is a fashion staple this autumn/winter, with both designers and the high street picking up on this furrrtastic trend (see what I did there!)

We have been wearing fur for a long old while, I'm going back to the cave men era here, but it wasn't until the Edwardian period that women began wearing fur coats, hats and scarves as serious fashion accessories. During the roaring 20's, women wore floor length fur coats with their tiny little flapper dresses. The Hollywood stars of the 50's were regularly seen swaddled in fur coats and stoles - Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Vivienne Leigh.... The A listers sure did like their fur. Throughout the 70's and 80's, fur was forgotten a bit but made its grand come back in the 21st centurary with rappers rocking fur in hip hop music videos and actresses donning the faithful furry friend again. And for fall 2013, it was big news on the catwalk.

Topshop Unique, Fendi and Simone Rocha all featured the fur coat in their collections, from pretty pastels to foxy browns. Dries Van Noten and Chanel also joined in with this fresh trend as have the high street stores who have literally gone gaga over fur. H&M have a wonderful range of furry, winter coats and jackets on sale now in all shapes and forms. My favorite? A soft, creamy fur jacket coming in at only £30! There are bargains out there, believe me. River Island, Zara, Whistles and Topshop also seem to be in the furry mood as do New Look whose fur coat collection starts at about £45. The whole shearling/fur look is quite huge at the moment too. Shearling is like fur but more Royal Air Force, if you understand me.

I know what you're thinking...Fur is a tricky trend to pull off. Nobody wants to look like a giant polar bear walking down the street or a Del Boy clone just come out of some stuffy old bar! Look to style icons of past and present for inspiration. Mary Kate Olsen, Jennifer Lopez, Agness Deyn and even Kanye West like to throw in the fur every now and again, in a variety of leopard prints, teddy bear textures and dark blacks and browns.

Are you convinced yet? Avoid looking like Cruella DeVille this winter by wearing your fur coat with plain accessories, leather trousers and simple jumpers. Let the fur do all the talking as you strut along the boulevard, feeling like a Hollywood A lister. It's all about feeling furrrtastic baby!!!

Red Carpet Style: Diane Kruger

There are many well dressed women in Hollywood. You've got the stunning brunettes in the form of Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox who look wonderful in nudes, creams and white. There's the curvy señoritas who love their figure hugging dresses - Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce and Mariah Carey. Who could forget the leggy beauties who just carry any outfit with ease and majesty, Heidi Klum and Charlize Theron, we're talking about you. And finally, there are those women who can pull off anything. Maxi, A-line, mini, figure hugging, cocktail, jumpsuits, ball gowns... Basically any style of dress. German actress and model Diane Kruger is one of these women. Yes, miss Kruger always stuns in whatever she wears and is blessed with a body that suits most dresses.

Cannes film festival - every dress was divine and perfectly fit for the scrutinising red carpet. Bafta's? She's got it covered. Venice Film Festival - Diane always looks immaculate down to the last blonde hair on her head. Oscars... A walk in the park! Diane Kruger is one of my red carpet favourites and a secret style icon of mine. Whether it's s mint green, Grecian gown or a boxy Chanel suit, Kruger works it with style adding accessories and a dazzling hollywood smile that makes any outfit stand out (remember that girls, a smile makes ANY outfit!) The current face of Chanel and Calvin Klien has certainly made it onto my best dressed list so here's just a couple of Diane's red carpet looks.... Enjoy!

Alexander McQueen Spring 2014

I realised during the chaos of Paris fashion week, I forgot to upload some looks from the Alexander McQueen show. This collection was full of drama, boldness and feminism, plus a lot of red and leather. Sarah Burten was certianly feeling fierce for spring summer 2014, with hard head gear, daring geometric patterns and high heels, very high heels. Unfortunatly, it wasn't one of my favourite McQueen shows, but nevertheless it was exciting and frivilous. So here you go, for all those McQueen fans out there...

The best of Paris Fashion Week

Well, this has indeed been a Paris Fashion week packed full of surprises. First of all there was jaw dropping fashion with the likes of Stella McCartney, Balenciaga and Dior offering up some beautiful collections that left many wishing they could buy every single piece available. Second of all there were some big shockers, most notably with Celine and Phoebe Philo's bold move into colour for spring, with the usually minimalist fashion house going all out for splashes of bright colours. Karl Lagerfeld also felt the whole colourful 'arty' look at Chanel, paying homage to artists in the amazing Chanel show. If you haven't seen it yet, then I suggest you go watch it, as nobody can fully describe how fantastic a Chanel show is.

The third surprise, we saw coming, but it was still a shocker. Yes, if you don't already know by now then you really haven't been paying attention these last couple of days. Marc Jacobs has ended his rule as creative director at Louis Vuitton after 16 wonderful years of exciting, exhilarating and down right amazing shows. It's sad, but that's life and Jacobs has decided that he needs to move on with his, by focusing on his own label, which is completely understandable. This industry is always changing so its on to the future now, who will take his place? No doubt we'll soon find out...

Anyway, back to Paris Fashion Week. We had silvery metallics at Lanvin, rock star chic at Saint Laurent and Japanese influences at Givenchy. Chloe went all girly while Balmain went in hard with check suits, pin - striped dungarees and frayed denim all making their fashion mark. One of my favourite shows was Anthony Vaccarello who gave us a feast of monochrome mini dresses, tailored blazers and high waisted shorts. Vaccarello is certainly one to keep an eye on. Valentino was pretty spectacular too with bright jewels against black dresses, Greek sandals paired with lace jumpsuits and angelic maxis with divine gold jewellery. It was unpredictable and luxurious, with Valentino proving once again why it is the amazing brand it is.

Chanel and Dior as always gave us jaw dropping sets with Chanel packed full of massive pieces of art decked alongside one side of the catwalk. Dior's runway was set in the middle of a flowery paradise with trees, leaves and flowers hanging from the ceiling. Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood broght the sex appeal while Gareth Pugh and Alexander McQueen gave us brilliantly inivative shows, (a little crazy) but that's fashion! Isabel Marant and Vanessa Bruno brought the stylish, chic Parisian lady to life on the runway. Think all skin tight trousers, navy jackets and silk scarves. Over in the 'cool' department, Kenzo and Miu Miu gave us relaxed, loose and completely wearable collections, defiantly aimed at the younger fashion audience while Elie Saab delivered in one word: beauty.

Overall, Paris was fabulous! There were surprises, shockers and of course beautiful clothes. Designers pulled out all the stops and left editors and buyers lusting over cute jackets, tailored suits and dazzling dresses. Spring/Summer 2014 sure does look appealing. So what's on your shopping list?

Louis Vuitton Spring 2014