Pinterest

With the interest in blogging and social media rising, Pinterest is a crucial website to keep up with trends within different sectors. It's also a great way to bring different aspects of industries together such as Food, Interiors, Fashion and Art.

You can view my personal pinterest here - I have a few board which are personal to my own interests and taste. Here's a snipet of my Pinterest and a few key words.

Pastels - On-trend for SS14, Pastel hair and  sickly sweet colours being mixed together.

Food - Everyone loves food. 

Tiffany's - Robin Egg Blue, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Return to Tiffany's.

Travel - Wanderlust and Freedom; Paris, Greek Islands, Italy, Paradise.

White on White: Minimal, Chic, Simplistic. On-trend.

New York - The Big Apple, The city that never sleeps. 

Statue Of Liberty, Central Park, Greenwich Village

Florals - Always a place in Fashion, Peonies, Roses - Liberty's Floral arrangements.

AW14 Press Events

Through my blog rachelnicole.co.uk, I get the opportunity to attend some amazing events and get previews of the upcoming seasons to share with my readers. Around April and May, companies are showcasing their Autumn/Winter collections and these are just a couple I've viewed in the past couple of weeks. 

River Island AW14 Press Day: There is lot's of Faux Fur coming our way at River Island - On shoes, bags, coats, dresses and more! Along with fur there was a lot of hounds tooth, snake print and monochrome within the collection. My favourite piece that i saw was defiantly the pastel fur handbags, I really love the development of the pastel trend going through to the next season.

Very.com AW14 Press Day: Held at The Vinyl Factory with DJ entertainment from MTV presenter Lilah Parsons. At the press day, I saw the brand new Fearne Cotton Womenswear and Homewear range, as well as Very.com's own collection and Love label. Monochrome was a heavy trend seen throughout all the collections and a beautiful camel coat was a hightlight for me.

Reiss AW14 Press Day: Held at the Reiss HQ behind Selfridges, there was not a major trend throughout the collection. Lot's of leopard print, embellishments, lace and leather - Very luxurious, but staying true to the Reiss image. I also got a sneak peek at the Archive collection which is launching in September and includes a lot of the stand out pieces seen over the past few years.

Debenhams AW14 Press Day: The Debenhams press day was a great preview of all the designers at Debenhams such as Henry Holland, Jenny Packham, Julien Macdonald and more. Aswell as all the different designers there was the in house collections from Red Herring and Floozie and other brands such as Dune. Beautiful garments filled the rooms of the luxurious house in Fitzrovia. My favourite items were the heavily embellished evening gowns seen from Julien Macdonald, Debut and Jenny Packham.

New Look AW14 Press Day: The accessories stood out at the New Look press day, Lot's of metallics, baroque clutches and fur handbags. There was alot of sparkle garments which were a personal favourite of mine - They would be perfect for the festive season. 

House of Fraser AW14 Press Day: Held at the HofF HQ in their press rooms, they showcased a small taster of what brands such as Michael Kors, Vivienne Westwood and Lulu Guiness had to offer. The rest of the rooms were filled with exclusive brands to House of Fraser. I was surprised that so many brands such as Therapy, Biba and Mary Portas were exclusive to House of Fraser. I particularly loved the pastel leather jackets and Biba's collection, which was bejewelled and embellished with a vintage vibe.

Vogue on: Hubert De Givenchy

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"Vogue On: Hubert De Givenchy" by Drusilla Beyfus gives a facinating in-sight into the iconic world of Givenchy. The book is among others in a series created by British Vogue. I chose to focus on Hubert De Givenchy, famous for creating some of Audrey Hepburn's most iconic looks on-film and off. Whether you are familiar with the person prior to reading the book or not, the "Vogue On" books give readers relevant information without delving too deep. The writing style is easy to follow but full of intelligence. The book covers how the aristocratic designer grew up in a privileged world and how he got to be one of the world's greatest couturiers. 

Audrey Hepburn is one of my icons, so reading about Hubert De Givenchy's relationship with each other was very interesting and a highlight of mine within the book - which has a dedicated chapter. Hearing how they spoke about each other so fondly and how the designer worked better with her. I would've liked to have heard more about how the LBD in Breakfast at Tiffany's came about and his thoughts and feelings on it becoming an iconic dress. There was a lot of lingering on My Fair Lady. 

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book but at some point I did think the information could be found online (especially on websites such as Voguepedia). It's a great overview of his life and an interesting read to see where the brand has come from to compare with now with the brand been under the helm of Riccardo Tisci.

American Vogue vs. British Vogue

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I've always been interested by American magazines and I do buy American Vogue when I can, along with Teen Vogue and Nylon. I also buy a number of British magazines, I thought I would compare the US and British editions.

American Vogue

The April issue of American Vogue was possibly the most controversial cover of all time. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West cover shot by Annie Leibovitz, cause speculation over been the first rapper, interracial couple and reality tv star to appear on the cover. Some people said they didn't deserve the honour but it ended up selling over half a million copies which is more than Beyoncé's and Michelle Obama's.
American Vogue is more commerical with editorial adverts inserted from big american companies such as Nordstrom and Saks. Throughout the magazine, there is a large proportion of editorials in comparison to British Vogue. Throughout the magazine, there is more of a focus on the hottest parties, socialites and celebrity culture. 

British Vogue

Nigella Lawson was British Vogue's cover girl for April in a sophisticated shoot. Also deemed to be a controversial shoot as Nigella's personal life has hit the headlines recently. The shoot is very laid back and minimal which is a huge contrast between the American issue which was a huge spectacle.

The content within the magazine is very specific to a target audience with articles about politics, health and psychology. 

Even though these issue's are both Vogue, I find the American issue more commercial and relateable and the British one aims for the elite. Targeting the more well off folks who tend to live in the countryside. In my opinion, I'd rather buy ELLE as I personally can't relate to Vogue and since they revamped the magazine a couple years back it changed dramatically and targets an older demographic with a higher income.

Heathrow Terminal 2 Preview

I was recently invited to preview the retail offering of the new "Queens Terminal" otherwise known at Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport. The event was held at Marylebone One which is just a beautiful venue. Each retailer and restaurant showcased what they had to offer to the new Terminal which opens on June the 4th. 

Retaillers such as Cath Kidston, Thomas Pink, Sunglass Hut, John Lewis and World Duty Free showcased what they will be offering in the new terminal. Hand massages, Manicures and interactive services were available.

Resturants were also showcasing their food, scrumptious scones, pints of beers and even caviar was available to try. Heston Blumenthal was showing off what his restaurant would be like in the new terminal with nitrogen cocktails.

Hand Massages by Jo Malone

Sunglass Hut

Cath Kidston

Thomas Pink

John Lewis

Heathrow Terminal 2 Retail Preview - Press Release

Welcome to the Queens Terminal - A Terminal of world firsts.

With the grand opening of the brand new Terminal 2 fast approaching, Heathrow is presenting the retail offering to the worlds media. Since the closure in 2009, £11 billion has been spent on the terminal's refurbishment which will be opened by the Queen on the 4th June. With 52 retail stores and 17 bars and restaurants, Terminal 2 will be a place of world firsts amongst the shopping, leisure and dining experience. 

The world's first ever personal shopping service in an airport will be available in the terminal. Stylists will be on hand free of charge to help customers with their shopping experience. Regardless to ticket type, travellers will be able to use the personal styling lounge where they will be advised.

60% of the brands retailing in the terminal are British with the massive high street store John Lewis making their airport debut at the terminal. The store will be a unique airport store offering the best of home, fashion and gifts. Another British favourite, Heston Blumenthal - who will be opening a brand new restaurant "The Perfectionists' Café". The restaurant will have a 15 minute menu and on-board picnic options. Heathrow will be the only airport in the world to have two Michelin star chef. Along with Heston, Gordon Ramsey also has a restaurant in the airport.

With over 80,000 passengers expected to be passing through the terminal per day, the retail offering has rose to an exceptional standard. Cath Kidston, Ted Baker and Thomas Pink are just some of the high street stores that will be located in the departure lounge. Designer stores such as Burberry, Bottega Veneta and Harrods will be offering travellers with luxury products.

Max Vialou-Clark, Retail Director at Heathrow said, "Terminal 2 marks the next step in our quest to provide passengers with the best possible experience when they choose to travel through Heathrow. Heathrow is now the only airport in the world to offer a free Personal Shopping lounge together with a selection of over 140 brands that have been selected especially for our customers."

--ENDS--

Mademoiselle C

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Mademoiselle C follows the life of Carine Roitfeld and her journey from leaving her position as Editor-in-chief at Vogue Paris to starting her own magazine/book entitled "CR Fashion Book". Directed by Fabien Constant, the documentary almost compares to The September Issue with exclusive access into the elite's lives within the fashion industry.
The opening sequence see's Carine Roitfeld revealing her brand new magazine before the launch and then it flashes back to six months prior. Carine speaks of her impending grandchild and the importance of birth, not only in life but the re-birth of her image in fashion after leaving Vogue.
Cameo's inclue Tom Ford (whom she previously was his muse), Karl Lagerfeld, Kanye West, Jean Paul Gaultier and Anna Wintour to name a few. The documentary showed her personality shine through and gave a great insight into the glamorous world in which she is respected by her peers. 
Exclusive access on her shoots for the magazine shows how hand-on she is with the whole process
Previous to watching the documentary, I was familiar with her work at French Vogue and had even come to face-to-face with her at London Fashion Week. The documentary really opened up her personality to me, she seemed more warm and open than my previous perceptions of her. I would've like more background knowledge on her such as her past work at Vogue and how she got into the business. Overall, the documentary gave a fantastic insight into the fashion world and it's glamorous parties and the work and inspiration behind some of the biggest fashion shoots in the world.

Pradasphere at Harrods

On a recent trip to London, I visited the famous department store on Brompton Road - Harrods. At the moment, Harrods is hosting an exclusive Prada exhibition where they have transformed their windows and fourth floor into 'Pradasphere'. In collaboration with Miuccia Prada, the exhibition explores all aspects of the world of Prada from fashion, culture, architecture, film and arts.

Laid out in cabinets were key components in the history of Prada - which was founded in 1913, from the original packing, catwalk invites, vintage pieces and even a model of their headquarters in Italy.

In a side room was a small cinema showcasing 10 of the famous Prada short films. One of the ones I watched was entitled 'CASTELLO CAVALCANTI' which was written and directed by Wes Anderson. Although the plot was focusing on a car race which came to end a small village for one driver, the film captured the Italian culture brilliantly. The lead actor was sporting a 'Team Prada' jumpsuit but this was the only referance to Prada in the film.

The exhibition was filled with garments throughout the years which have caught the attention of the fashion world. The windows of Harrods were filled with designs currently on sale in the department store.

The Pradasphere exhibtion was very inspiring to see and it was great to see the history and where the brand stands now. Pradasphere was free and open to the general public until the end of May 2014.

Innovative Thinking & News Debate

In today's lecture we covered a number of subjects relating to current affairs, successful businesses and preparing us for third year. It was great to provide my input and also listen to everyone else's opinions on such a variety of topics. 

We started off the session discussing how to be successful. Innovative thinking is key, especially in the third year with been unique with our final project and knowing what the customer wants. We also need to play about with ideas, brainstorm and experiment to see what would make the most profit. 

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We discussed about interning in London, the pro's and con's. Sometimes it's better to speak up when in a role as you may be took more seriously. Living in London was also a topic and the rising costs of living in the capital might not make accessible despite been the central hub of the fashion world. I think it's something really important to think about as after graduation we will all be thinking about where to go. Would it be better to commute into London or is a house share the best?

We also had a debate about current affairs and what is happening in the media. We discussed how much is controlled on the news and what could be kept from the general public. We looked at Terrorism, Conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11, the missing Malaysian flight.

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Celebrity Culture is another topic we discussed and how certain topics can be relatable. For Example; how celebrities body image is scrutinized under the media spotlight. This can be related to the pressure of looking good in the current social standing and how some people might judge you. It's all the same whether your a celebrity or a student - Some will be there to judge you and someone will feel inadequate with they way they look.

Custard Factory & Digbeth Tour

The Custard Factory situated in Digbeth. Known for being the "creative quarter" for the arts and media professionals. The Custard Factory is home to independent boutiques, retail offices, galleries and cafe's. We took a tour of what The Custard Factory and Digbeth has to offer. 

One of the independant boutiques we went in was called The Vintage Salon. This little place really caught my eye. Not only did it offer 50s inspired hair do's but you could get the full experience with make-over's and photoshoots. The decor of the place was amazing will 50's inspired items dotted around the place. It honestly felt like we had stepped into another era. 

Provide was another independent boutique that we visited. The store sold it's own collection of designs which varied from snapbacks, hoodies and tee's. The store also had various inspirational magazines which are hard to get hold of in Birmingham. They stock around thirty magazines and additional books which are seen to be inspirational. 

As Digbeth was gearing up for their first 'Digbeth's First Friday' event, there was exhibitions been set up exclusively for the event. We got a chance to have a sneak peek at some of the art which was to be featured.

The next stop on the Digbeth tour was the Eastside Project. The current exhibition on at Eastside is named "the 25 paintings" by Bill Drummond. He's been working on pieces around the city such as handing out cakes, making beds and knitting squares.

Fazeley Studios was the next place we ventured to on the tour. On the outside the place had an almost warehouse feel to it, but beyond the large lilac doors was a huge surprise. The first room was very open and light with tall ceiling and almost reminded me of a church. The studios hold a lot of events and weddings but is also home to 35 offices. The studios also has it's own courtyard and cafe where the general public can come in and enjoy the studios.

The last place we visited was the Grand Union Gallery and studios in Minerva Works. The current exhibition showing at the gallery was Maia Conran: Here is the Yard. We had a introduction of the piece by Cheryl who works at the gallery. The piece was very minimalistic but through sound and video came alive. An sculptural sound installation echoed through the room every couple of minutes. The sound was recorded from a yard gate opening and closing and represented the industrial work which happens in the area. A video instalment was shown on the wall in a hypnotic sequence which was took from curtains blowing in the wind and edited on an adobe programme. 

After looking around the gallery, we went down to the studios and heard about how the place runs, more about digbeth and the eastside and future developments and also about Baz, a think-tank amongst the art world.