I am so so so excited to finally reveal this which is now available to the public! Local designer, Aiisha Ramadan (who has become global, with celebrities around the world wearing her dresses) I am the face of the S/S’12 campaign for her collection, ‘La Pouvoir de la Poudre’… Check out the lovely video featuring myself & the handsome, Harry Santa-Olalla that was filmed by the super talented, Rupert Chesman, and the lookbook images filmed by the brilliant, Hamza Attar! Hair by Khaled Kahel and Make up by Samira Olfat.

& most of all, Thank you to the very talented & lovely, Aiisha Ramadan! It has been a pleasure…

www.aiisha.com

Tshirt available here. Pants available here

Location: London Fashion Week – Day two. A/W’12

This outfit was featured on:
NY mag’s The cut
DKNY PR girls blog
Telegraph (shown below)
Harrods.com

]]> http://myfashdiary.com/2012/02/look-of-the-day-346/feed/ 2 http://myfashdiary.com/2012/02/mylfw-todd-lynn-aw12/ http://myfashdiary.com/2012/02/mylfw-todd-lynn-aw12/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:58:14 +0000 Tala Samman http://myfashdiary.com/?p=7231

Click here to view the embedded video.

Todd Lynn was all about simplicity and minimalism – a little different to what we have been seeing on the runway over the past two days. The collection included key trends such as structured jackets, suiting and well-cut leather. This season featured exquisite long lapels, and cutouts with a Color palette that included darks including olives, and metals with a touch of colored fur. The models had simple looks too, with slicked back low ponytails. Loved the Todd Lynn for Louboutin boots!

Todd Lynn is stocked on Net-a-porter and The Number 4, Kuwait.

Do also check out my LFW coverage for Gilt.com and Masquerade Magazine.

As you might have realized from previous emails, I am so excited about ss12 at Saks, Dubai – shourouk, ALC, Mother Denim. Rachel Zoe is just a few of the reasons why! To start the S/S’12 season with a bang, I  hosted an event with saks as well as styled a fashion show featuring daily wearable looks (I will feature a separate post with the looks I styled!) In the meantime, check out the coverage from the event – it was a great turn out, with guests OD-ing on Sugar, candies as well as adorable and delish cupcakes and cake pops from Hey Sugar, Dubai! DJ Bliss was spinning the decks and guests got their nails done by Nailstation!

Thank you to everyone that came & supported the event & a bigger Thank you to the Saks Fifth Avenue team in Dubai!!

2nd picture: Myself & PR Manager of Chanel Middle East, the lovely Farah!

Location: Chanel Brunch – Dubai, UAE

Click here to view the embedded video.

Day Two of London Fashion Week! Due to London’s traffic on a Saturday, I ended up missing Aquascutum and started my first show of the day at Moschino Cheap & Chic – One of the highlights for this season as Moschino Cheap & Chic was showing at London fashion week for the first time… Coming into the show, I expected to see colors, prints, and lots of fun pieces and that is exactly what their Fall Winter collection consisted of…  The collection was all about powder puff details, chunky details, rainbow fur, and cute statement slogans! The color palette consisted of powder shades with a touch of brights – In a whole, a super fun and quirky collection.

Moschino is available at The Dubai Mall – Tel:04 3398079

www.moschino.com

Do also check out my LFW coverage for Gilt.com and Masquerade Magazine.

Location: Meetings & Errands in Dubai, UAE

Click here to view the embedded video.

This week, I have teamed up with Gerard Darel to give away this gorgeous pop of color handbag – so versatile and a great day bag! This is a short 3 day competition – Good luck! Check out the BTS of the new campaign above!

The Simple Bag: its name is cutting edge these days…

The bag offers a generous space and pure design. An unusual smoothness created by the rough cuts, refined lines and lack of lining. Inside, the leather is just dyed in a matching color and plays the minimalist card: no zipper or pocket to alter its pure

What you have to do:

-Answer this in the comment box below:

Who is Peter Lindbergh?

 www.gerarddarel.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

The last show of the day for me… Jean-Pierre Braganza! Another brand that has collaborated with Bracher Emden for A/W’12. What I loved most about this collection, was the great variety of graphic prints as well as the mix of purples featured in the collection. The Asymmetric hems made every piece interesting in this A/W’12 collection. The collection included a mix of Jacquard, metallics, fur sleeves and structured cocoon sleeves.
www.jeanpierrebraganza.com

Jean-Pierre Braganza is available at Selfridges & START boutique in London. Middle Eastern Stockists:
4 Concept, Kuwait
Anma Group, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Blank, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Do also check out my LFW coverage for Gilt.com and Masquerade Magazine.

Donna Ida (left) & Kim Draper D.I. Managing Director at Soho House!

This week, we have the super lovely Denim Guru – Donna Ida of Donna Ida Denim, who has shared her secrets around the world… www.donnaida.com

THE PLACE TO Eat:

-I recently went to Dinner with Heston Blumenthal and it was amazing!!  Such fantastic food.  Heston’s food is always amazing but if you have a chance to go to Dinner you must – and order the Meat Fruit to start with and the Tipsy Cake for dessert – I’ll leave the main for you to decide.

-A restaurant I have been going to for years and never ever ever lets me down is Daphne’s in Chelsea.  The food is perfectly comforting.  I always have the meatballs with a side of spinach and for dessert the pineapple and mango carpaccio.

-I’m heading to NY soon and dreaming of hot chocolate with chilli at Mariebelle.  I stumbled across this shop a few years ago and it’s one of those places that has really stuck in my mind.  The little tea room in the back is the most fantastic chocolate grotto and is a must for every chocoholic visiting NY.

THE PLACE TO Shop:

Most of my clothes are from Donna Ida, but if I need a dress or something different I head to Net-a-Porter.  Their service and delivery is lightning quick.  I tend to shop when I’m travelling as don’t have time in London, so when I’m in NY I’ll have a look around Intermix, Barney’s, Saks (for the ridiculously big shoe department), and Bergdorfs.  When I go to LA I’ll always check out all the fun bits and pieces at Kitson and I love visiting Ron Herman and Maxfield in LA too.  Both are a must.  When I’m in Paris I always go to Miu Miu – my shoe size is a 35 and they always miraculously (and unfortunately) seem to have my size.

THE PLACE TO Chill:

My idea of bliss is sun, a beach, a lounger, and a hundred books.  For a whole week.  I love Barbados for a guaranteed relaxing break.  Sandy Lane is great or we stay at Landfall, which is a fully staffed private house.  Heaven!

THE PLACE TO Party:

I’m more of a cocktail at the bar girl then a…..party girl.  For me, crazy is order a third cocktail.  I love the Arts Club on Dover Street and the bar at Morton’s Club in Berkeley Square.  One place that would bring out the party spirit in me is Soho House in LA though – amazing!  They have a great photo booth and dinner amongst the olive trees high above LA is really something else.

THE PLACE TO Pamper:

I had a facial a few months ago with Philippa at Sarah Chapman.  She’s at 106 Draycott Avenue above the Donna Ida Chelsea boutique.  The facial was so good I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks afterwards – seriously!  The woman has amazing hands and a bedside manner that should be bottled.  I’m also a big fan of a massage and the spa at the One & Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas is amazing.  Unbelievably good and super relaxing!  They have a whole host of treatments – book yourself in for a whole morning.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Day one – one designer I’ve had my eye on for a while now… Turkish designer based in London, Bora Aksu! This season, Bora toned down a notch with the edginess. We saw pastels, greys, with a mix of brights, lace, as well as some masculine pieces such as blazers and vests. Bora Aksu collaborated with handbag brand, Bracher Emden for this collection, with models sporting super luxe pieces from the collection.

Bora Aksu is available at Wolf & Badger in London & Middle Eastern stockists:
Noramina, Kuwait
S Style, Kuwait
Almultaka, Riyadh Jeddah
boraaksu.com

Do also check out my LFW coverage for Gilt.com and Masquerade Magazine.

The Make Under was a step by step procedure that consists on bringing out your natural beauty as well as highlighting the features you love, as well as making you feel naturally confident.

At my make under, I discovered a great oil free primer, Free will nude gloss, and the great Bareminerals matte foundation – what I love most about this brand is you can actually sleep in the make up or even better, it helps your skin if you sleep in it – how amazing is that?!

What I loved mostly about the make under is the way you are taught how to use their product – once you are taught the SWIRL, TAP AND BUFF – it becomes super easy to use daily! If you’re in London, do drop by their lovely Covent garden boutique this week!

http://bareminerals.co.uk

Click here to view the embedded video.

Remember my feature on Fyodor Golan as one to watch two weeks ago? Well, I attended their A/W’12 show during London Fashion Week yesterday…

Second stop – Fyodor Golan! This is a brand worth watching – Harvey Nichols snapped them up for S/S’12 and I couldn’t wait to see what they had in store for us this A/W’12 season. The design duo are great with mixing textures, and each piece evoked quality and structure. This collection was all about graphic prints, multi media textures and leather -  Also loved the model that was painted in green glitter!

Fyodor Golan is stocked at Harvey Nichols in London, and For my Middle Eastern readers – stocked at Front Row in Beirut and Al Satina group in Kuwait (UAE buyers, we need the brand in Dubai… )

http://www.fyodorgolan.com

Do also check out my LFW coverage for Gilt.com and Masquerade Magazine.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The first show for LFW A/W’12 – Corrie Nielsen.

As soon as I touched down in London from Dubai after a week long in Dubai, I rushed out for the first show of the day – Corrie Nielsen. Corrie’s collection was very Victorian and Scottish inspired (Corrie’s great, great, great grandfather emigrated to America from Scotland around the time of the revolutionary war), and featured Drape, lace and a great attention the detail – The collar detail was just fab. The collection was no short than a fairytale inspired setting. Great collection from the former Fashion Fringe Winner! The make up was designed by Yin Lee of AOFM Pro. Check out my pictures from the show above, as well as a video of the finale! On another note, how amazing were those shoes?

corrienielsen.co.uk

Do also check out my LFW coverage for Gilt.com and Masquerade Magazine.

I will never be a cyber-hacker like Lisbeth Salander, and I will never be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar like Rooney Mara but thanks to the Calvin Klein Collection presented today, I can start assembling a wardrobe that references their combined cool. Filled with black, winter white and tomato red, Francisco Costa sent out a collection of sharply cut dresses and suits that felt modern, cool and flattering.

The shimmering black evening shift with leather back was a standout and the red coat was perfection. If only I looked good in a black bob to go with them.

The other end of the spectrum? Ralph Lauren‘s collection of tweedy, menswear-inspired suiting and glamour girl evening gowns. Just the bowlers and cloches alone could transport you to another time and place, but I think I’d prefer to see how I look in a three piece suit in just a few months. It’s a shift to the eye to think that literally about a menswear moment, but I love the absolute crystal clarity of message from the collection. And the Savile Row quality tailoring cannot be argued with.

New York City Fashion Week has come to end, and visions of winter white, deep plum, black and crimson will have to just dance tantalizingly at the back of my mind until the collections are actually produced. Thank you so much for having me on MyFashDiary.com to chat about what I’ve seen — make sure to visit Gilt.com/GiltInsider during London Fashion Week for special posts from MyFashDiary.com!

Location: London, UK

American sportswear is a term that gets tossed around a lot, but not executed nearly enough for my taste. Thank the fashion gods for Michael Kors, who manages to produce season after season of pieces that make you feel darn near patriotic. The red and black buffalo plaids that opened the show were perfect for the most luxurious mansion on the prairie, while the tweeds are destined for boardrooms high in the sky in Manhattan. And for those ultra-glamorous denizens of Los Angeles, please pick one of his cut-out shimmering gowns for a red carpet soon, please? I will be counting down the minutes until Gwyneth Paltrow wears one.

And speaking of red carpets, J. Mendel turns up on his fair share and his show this afternoon was like watching an award show in action. I particularly loved the series of gowns with tops that looked like they were being held up by magic, with flashes of skin in just the right places for an effect that was somehow terribly sexy without every being in any way vulgar. And his winter white parade was just beautiful, especially the tiered jacket over a matching skirt.

One cannot speak of red carpets without mentioning Marchesa. So many unbelievable gowns at the presentation tonight at the Plaza Hotel to be shipped briskly to LA for Oscars night! I have my favourites and am holding my predictions tight. Meryl in Marchesa? Come on, why not?

Location: Appointments & university – London, UK

Before 10:30 am today, I experienced the full spectrum of what one can expect at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, zipping from the J. Crew presentation to the Badgley Mischka show. The J. Crew presentation, predictably mobbed, was the ultimate in casual chic – bright colours in simple shapes mixed with fun patterns and unexpected accessories. Did I mention the capsule collection that Manolo Blahnik (yes, that’s Manolo) is doing with J. Crew for the fall season? Get on the waiting list now. Having seen them up close this morning, they are to die for. And the duffel coats and chunky knits are going to be what I live in on the weekends.

From the perfect weekend brunch look to the ultimate night out…With a black and white background of Central Park in the background, Badgley Mischka sent out a collection filled with gothically gorgeous gowns. All black swishes of second skin fabric with liberal doses of crystals and sparkle, these were soignee gowns for big-time soirees. And what does it say about a season when a line known for their gossamer colour palette deal in inky shades of navy, pewter and black almost exclusively? (In contrast, Pamella Roland sent out a colorful collection of gowns later on in the day, with a particular emerald column lingering in my mind).

And it may have happened after 10:30 am, but the Rodarte collection is worth a mention. The architectural shearlings and the beautiful prints were standouts of the week. Two more days to go…