Chanel Pre-Fall 2013 Collection Review

Karl Lagerfeld has unveiled his Pre-Fall collection in Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, whom Largerfeld was obviously inspired by.

The collection presents the magic of Scotland, without a doubt. There was a wintry, dark atmosphere with toasty fires around the runway. Perfect for Christmas. What I loved was it was so out of the ordinary. It was a big display of fashion, yet the atmosphere didn't subtract from the pieces, it added to, what I believe to be, one of Lagerfeld's best shows yet.

Layered tweed and tartan was eveywhere, with so many looks of different ways to wear the winter trends.

A combination of red tartan and geometric tights (not a big fan). Layering was big in this collection.

LOVE this cream, shearling jacket with inner tartan.

Maybe not so visible in this image but the threading on the these trousers really does glitter & shine when seen on the runway. Huge puffy sleeves are gorgeous.

A slightly ruched, crisp white blouse with a gorgeous skirt. As you can see, the skirt has detailing which appears as though real red roses are growing from it. The romantic essence of this collection comes alive with pieces like this.

A more gothic look here with a black polo-neck jumper and darker patterend tights. The jacket sweeps over the outfit effortlessly and the heavy jewellery adds to the rock-chic look.

Now the following dresses are from the final part of the show where Largerfeld stepped up and produced some real theatrical and elegant couture. The dresses are divine with the pearl embellishments and layered skirts. Reminiscent of the Victorian era, these dresses are certainly fit for royals. I loved the transition from the outerwear to these treasures.

"There's always the sense with Chanel that Lagerfeld shows much more than he needs to, and that was the case here. Still, this was a sterling collection of clothes for a day you can only imagine being a hell of a lot better than the one that will greet you tomorrow morning." - Tim Blanks, Style.com. 

Fendi- Great Wall of China Flashback

Fashion Youtuber Fatalefashionll blessed my subscription feed with a reminder of Fendi's S/S 2008 Great Wall of China fashion show. 

Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturins were the masterminds behind this creative concept of using such a historical landmark as the backdrop for Fendi.

LVMH (Moet Hennessy- Louis Vuitton) sought to increase its sales by 2008 and I'm sure it did just that with a never-before-seen, panoramic display of fashion. 

In Vogue: The Editors Eye

In 4 days time, HBO will air a new documentary following the lives of those behind the best-selling fashion magazine, Vogue.

I absolutely loved watching The September Issue and seeing Anna Wintour open up so honestly about her life. She's such a strong, powerful woman that it feels like we only ever see her with a strong face on so it was nice to see her be so real and honest, it must have taken a lot. Naturally, Grace Coddington made the whole thing come alive too.

I can't wait to see something new.

Brocade/Gothic Trend- Net-A-Porter

The brocade and Gothic trend has been so huge that Net-A-Porter could not have a better selection of pieces from Lanvin, Dolce & Gabanna, Gucci... you name it. I've rounded up a few of the most show-stopping pieces.

Lanvin- jewel-embellished scuba-jersey dress, £5,195. This is no ordinary dress, the embellishments seriously sparkle and the amount is just incredible.

Dolce & Gabbana- Emebllished velvet dress, £8,505. The black and gold combination here is divine. It seems like such a theatrical and classic piece brought to life with the velvet.

Dolce & Gabbana- Lace-up suede and stretch ankle boots- £665.00. These use the Gothic trend subtlety enough so that the boots can be worn from day to night. The lace up details are adorable.

Prabal Gurung- embellished mesh and feather silk-organza top, £5,070.
Probably the most spectacular, eye-catching piece and I'd expect no less from Prabal. The feathers are so gorgeous, I love the way this piece combines 3 rich materials together in such a sophisticated way that a dress is not needed to make a show-stopping look, this can be combined with black trousers to create the whole look.

Gucci- 18-karat rose gold, diamond and onyx earrings, £6,710. These earrings would be the perfect finishing touch to any Gothic look with the black onyx stone and the gold spikes dangling down. It's equally as elegant with the diamonds.

Tulisa wears Alexander McQueen

Tonight's X Factor sees Tulisa wearing an Alexandra McQueen LBD, prom dress style as well as McQueen shoes. To my surprise, Tulisa really does wear his dresses quite well. 

In a previous week, we also see her sporting a gorgeous McQueen dress with an emerald bustier and black skirt.

 

She was even seen wearing the same S/S 2011 McQueen dress as Kate Middleton, although Kate did tailor hers to have sleeves for the Queen's Jubilee. Something has to set them apart... 

Just as stunning as Tulisa, Nicole Sherzinger has pulled off an S/S 2013 Zeynep Tosun dress perfectly tonight, from the runway to the X Factor, it has an original structure with cut-out shoulders and a halter neck. Nicole is definitely proving that white is HER colour.

Laura Whitmore Style Report

Turning away from the designers, I decided to take the time to honour Laura Whitmore's stylist as I have loved every. single. look. she has worn on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here NOW! on ITV2 (yes, I watch it every night.)

Thank God @thewhitmore has been posting style diaries to keep track of all the gorgeous looks we've seen so far.

I've selected the top 3 looks for me so far (excuse Joe Swash & Rob Beckett in the backgrounds).

Floral and playful. Dress- Topshop, Shoes- Aldo, Jewellery- Daisy Jewellery

Simple and elegant. Playsuit- Topshop, Shoes- River Island, Jewellery- Vintage

Rock chic. Shorts- Warehouse, Top- "Here Comes The Sun" (?), Necklace- Topshop, Boots- Aldo, Ring- Kat & Bee Jewellery

UNICEF Snowflake Ball

The annual UNICEF Snowflake Ball took place on the 27th of November and since then, there's been a lot of talk about "who wore it best... Selena Gomez or Katy Perry?"

I think Gomez outdid herself in a floor-length Dolce & Gabbana gown which eccentuated her figure and gave her a slightly curvaceous look. The combination of black velvet, gold shimmer and grey was perfect for the event, ensuring a full-glamour look. She really showed that she can do upscale and sophisticated.

As for Katy, she nailed Naeem Khan's navy cut-out gown and chiffon cape, yet it looked a little too gothic overall for me.

Regardless, at least they were both there to support the cause and celebrate philanthropy.