“Pre-Fall was inspired by a collection of ideas, places and feelings,” the pair tell us. “You can see cultural influences from Africa and South America in the prints. We explored draping and layering techniques but wanted to the overall feel to remain relaxed and simplified.”

Featuring a gorgeous pair of matte sequinned trousers (the designers’ personal favourite), the collection follows a distinctly tribal theme, with plenty of Aztec-style prints, statement fringing and pared-down draping in muted tones.

“The last collection was really energetic – digital-print heavy and full of colour,” say the designers, Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton. “This collection is more subdued and sees a break in colour and a focus on draping, handmade prints and alternative textures.”

The new range will arrive in stores in May, but you can check it out here http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/show.aspx/full-length-photos/id,10106/Page,1

Ella Alexander ~ Vogue.co.uk

The rise and rise of Olivia Palermo continues apace, with the lady herself dropping another detail about her plans for fashion world domination.

Remember that new TV show she’s got in the works? Turns out that cameras will follow Palermo as she develops her own clothing line, she said in an interview with a Spanish magazine.

Although we’re pretty sure that that was the exact concept behind The City, in which Palermo came across as something of a fashion villain, count us in… Now, can anyone tell us whether this show will make it to the UK any sooner than the last Palermo series?

By Emily Cronin | Posted: Wed 29 Dec 2010

Jewel colour combinations of green, turquoise, purple and orange – for grown-up skirts or tapered silk trousers worn with slippery, loosely knotted tops that were belted in stiff metallic gold at the waist, had a richness reminiscent of Yves Saint Laurent, though long glossy blazers added a less welcome Eighties element, particularly when combined with harem pants.

Then the colour bleached away to a nude set of pale linens, leathers and suedes that were ladylike and luxurious and made us think of safari living – the six-star way.

Dresses were woven or whip stitched in leather and, as jewels and feathers were added into the mix the theme took on a tribal energy – it was glorious fashion armour featuring knots and macrame reminiscent of South American handiwork. It had an exotic appeal and, despite being a summer collection, was bursting with leather and suede – enough to impress the super rich, super gorgeous wife of a polo player on their ranch full of money.

Fringed jackets and dresses made for fabulous investment pieces – Frida herself took her bow in a black one – and cocktail versions looked great in strapless woven suede with gold metal worked in. One dark gold silk strapless jumpsuit was the epitome of urban safari glamour.

The final line-up of fringed, feathered, jewelled dresses in dark orange, gold, emerald and black made for an impressive statement.

We were ahead of Gucci in this trend we started stocking this trouser in September and they have been a great success,  check out our grey and black version here.http://www.citrine-online.co.uk/trousers/skirts/cat_4.html

Pair with a great vest top or tunic such as our Raw edge jersey range and a fab jacket. http://www.citrine-online.co.uk/tops/cat_2.html

Let us know what you think!!

Excepts by Dolly Jones ~ www.vogue.co.uk

THINK of utilitarian basics like the parka, the cargo pant, the T- shirt and the hoodie, you almost certainly think of Gap – and you almost certainly do not think of Valentino, but the two worlds have collided. Gap has unveiled its latest collaboration, with the couture house of Valentino, and the results are surprising to say the least.

“We love mixing different cultures and we have been excited to mix gap’s timeless essentials with our roman culture of couture,” the label’s designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli explained. ”It brings together the iconic world of Valentino and Gap’s fashion staples, synthesizing the current trend of combining luxury with basics.”

“The work that Maria Grazia and Pier Paolo are doing at Valentino is so exciting,” Anita Borzyszkowska, VP of global PR and special projects for Gap, told us. “They’re reinventing the label with a modernity that feels really fresh but is staying true to the original handwriting that’s recognizably Valentino. I love that they’ve worked with that vocabulary and applied it to quintessential Gap pieces to create something that feels very cool and new, rather than a high street interpretation of their own collection.”

The seven-piece collection, which was launched to celebrate the opening of Gap’s first Italian store last week in Milan, will arrive at Gap in London- as well as Dover Street Market and Colette in Paris

Lauren Milligan ~ Vogue.co.uk

SEE THE TOM FORD WOMENSWEAR COLLECTION HERE 

Ford convinced his most beautiful and stylish friends to model the collection for him, whilst he announced them. Beyonce’ Knowles, Lauren Hutton, Liya Kebede, Rinko Kikuchi, Stella Tennant, Amber Valletta, Natalia Vodianova, Karen Elson, Karlie Kloss, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Julianne Moore, amongst others, showcased a collection which reminded onlookers of Ford’s best collections for Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.

“There’s continuity from what I was doing at YSL at the end; that’s the customer,” Ford admitted. “It’s about individuality. Real clothes, real women. For a fashionable woman aged 25 to 75. That’s why I literally put many of my own muses in the show. I hear them say, ‘God, I can’t find that anywhere!’ “
So, does this expansion of his own line mean his priority is fashion once again?

“The day I don’t love to do it, I’ll sell it,” he told US Vogue. “Because we’re all only here for a little while, and nothing we do or make has any permanence at all. I care now because I’m doing it. I want to be proud of what I do. Which may be ten or 20 years – who knows?”

Lauren Milligan ~ www.vogue.co.uk

Kate’s channelled her love of delicate vintage costume pieces for this elegant collection of cocktail rings, fine chain necklaces and pendants.

We love the intricate cocktail ring, made of oxidised metal, Swarovski stones and semi-precious beads, and the star necklace inspired by Kate’s own tattoos.  We suggest layering up the fine chains and wearing multiple rings on each hand.

In stores Tuesday 2nd November, this will be Kate’s last regular seasonal collection for Topshop.  So really do get it before it goes!!!

Excerpts from Stylist Magazine ~ Available every Wed in London, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham, as well as in French Connection Stores and Airport Lounges during the week.

And Mary was launched in 2009 by Alison and McNeil.

Alison had been lured back up to the Highlands of Scotland, by the ruggedly Handsome McNeil and the promise of a dog called Elvis, after many years living a fanciful single life in London. Alison had always had two main loves in life; the first was enjoying great food and drinks with wonderful friends and family. The second was vintage fashion and trawling the many antique and vintage markets in London and Paris. Always in search of a hidden treasure that had many stories to tell or, alternatively, one of her famous bargain polyester printed dresses.

After taking on a new job selling gorgeous clothing to the many lovely boutiques and independent retailers in Scotland, Alison discovered that they were in need of some quirky but beautiful jewellery and accessories. They needed to be good quality yet still reasonably priced and most importantly to offer customers a unique and individual alternative to what was available on the High Street.

Soon the time that was once spent in bars in the big smoke became time spent designing and creating what has now become the And Mary range. The kitchen table was quickly transformed from a place to eat to a hive of jewellery making activity. Covered in charms and jewellery from years of purchases, at vintage fairs and flea markets, the first collection from And Mary began to take shape.

If you need the Perfect Present for Someone Special, a gift from And Mary will be as unique and lovely as the person you are giving to or if you feel the need to indulge in your guilty shopping pleasures or give yourself a well deserved treat, the collections from And Mary will offer you the fabulous fix you have been looking for.

Perhaps you are in need of a Fabulous Accessory for a special occasion or for the perfect finish to your favourite outfit, look no further than here, from their glamorous hairpieces to their quirky jewellery And Mary will satisfy your every need.  And Mary’s lovely leather purses are all lined in vibrant raw silk or satin.

Take a look here at the butter soft leather pieces  http://www.citrine-online.co.uk/bags/cat_5.html

The daughter of a Parisian silversmith, Véronique’s passion for South East Asia is translated in the intricacy and vibrant colour combinations of her designs,fusing ethnic and contemporary aesthetics.

With a strong belief in the power of jewellery to uplift the spirits, collections are imbued with symbolism and meaning, from crystal stones to ancient talismans.

All Mirabelle jewellery is produced by fair trade suppliers using sterling silver, 22k gold plated metals, brass, semi precious stones, carved mother of pearl, wood , and shells from trusted sources.

Bridging the gap between high street and high end, Véronique’s designs are characterised by a love of texture, form and natural materials.

Mirabelle’s accessibly-priced jewellery box essentials are classic investment pieces, updated with eclectic, fashion-led seasonal collections encapsulating Véronique’s effortless style and freedom of spirit.

Mirabelle’s jewellery is  worn by Cheryl Cole and Natalie Imbrulia.

Take a look at our Jewellery section for some beautiful pieces @ http://www.citrine-online.co.uk/jewellery/cat_17.html

Well this morning I noticed on my homepage an articule that made me stop and take notice.  I love, love, love fashion and great style so this I had to read ’10 rules on Summer dressing’,  an article that had been written by someone in ’The Guardian’, (sorry if you’re reading this author but I will find out who you are, honestly!)  This is the type of journalism I like reading, something that makes me giggle!  Have a read through and let me know what you think.

The 10 rules of summer dressing

1 Tights/Bare legs:

British summer fashion is a kind of collective madness. From about early May – even if, as with this year, it is actually still slippers-in-the-morning weather – we all have to dress as if going to a picnic. Wearing black opaque tights in summer, even if the skies are gunmetal, marks your card as a killjoy and a wuss. Hey, I don’t make the rules, OK? Deal with it. This, my friends, is why God invented cropped trousers. Unflattering they may be, but think of them like stabilisers while you adjust to getting your legs out, and pray that 20 minutes a week in the gym doing half-hearted lunges while watching MTV will get you Gwyneth Paltrow’s legs.

2 Playsuits:

Awful name. Sounds as if the wearer should be banging a rattle on the table while covered in ketchup. But then, in America they call these rompers, which is even worse. Absolutely nothing wrong with a playsuit, so long as you realise it is entirely impossible to convey the smallest amount of authority while wearing one. And no, banging the rattle harder won’t help.

3 Sunglasses:

Deciding which sunglasses to buy is simple. First question: are you the sort of person who remembers to put your sunglasses back in the case and back in your bag when you take them off. Second: do you cultivate friendships with the sort of people who will surreptitiously check out the side of your sunglasses to find out the designer label? Third: is your self-esteem affected by the name inscribed on the plastic arm by your ear? Unless you answered yes to all three questions, put a £20 cap on the purchase and buy yourself something useful with the difference.

4 Harem pants:

It’s tough, keeping up with fashion. You’d think wearing unflattering trousers would be enough, but no: you also need to wear the right kind of unflattering trousers. And so it was that at the precise moment in 2007 when skinny jeans reached their tipping point – probably when you started wearing them – the fashion-forward abandoned them in favour of a new type of ridiculous trousers. The harem pant was first launched as the drop-crotch trouser, a style that mimics the effect of a toddler with a soggy nappy. Even fashionistas, it turns out, have some self-respect, and the drop-crotch was refined into the harem pant. The moment you start wearing them, the cool people will stop, so why bother?

5 Maxi dresses:

The further a hem gets from the knee, the more difficult it is to wear. It makes surprisingly little difference if the direction is going up or down. If it works, a maxi dress might give you that insouciant Angelina Jolie look, without even having to shave your legs. If it doesn’t, you will look like Matron from an Enid Blyton book. To err on the side of Jolie, remember the golden mantra of impact: shoes and hair. Repeat after me: shoes and hair. Shoes and hair. Got it?

6 Holiday packing:

Most people spend too much time and money buying new clothes for their holiday, and not enough time packing the actual suitcase. The packing has as much impact, and is cheaper, although admittedly is less fun. This is the time to indulge your inner fashion nerd: lay out everything in outfits. Allow sufficient time, and come back a couple of hours later to reassess – there will always be at least one thing that you realise instantly you won’t actually wear.

7 Clogs/Sandals:

The only positive benefit of the return of clogs to fashion is that, by comparison, they make gladiator sandals seem both flattering and comfortable. Gladiator sandals are, of course, neither flattering nor comfortable: they make all but the most photogenic of feet look like slabs of undercooked meat, and the law of averages states that if you crisscross a hot pair of feet with 14 leather straps, then at least one of those straps is going to rub. But the alternative, this summer, is to wear clogs. Oddly, there is nothing that accentuates a tree trunk leg quite like attaching a log to the sole of your foot.

8 Swimwear:

The only sensible way to choose swimwear is to ignore all photographs posed on models. Buying a bikini because it looks good on Lara Stone is no different from buying a pair of earrings because they look good on her. It’s not your fault; the presence of a to-die-for body on the page messes with the balance of your brain. It’s a proven fact.

9 Summer weddings:

It is your duty as a wedding guest to look nice. Not look nice as in look attractive, but look nice as in look as if you are nice. The point of a wedding, you see, is that the bride gets to act out her perfect married-life scenario, to be the best-looking girl, the centre of attention, surrounded only by guests who will gush and whoop and give her presents and tell her husband how marvellous she is. And why not? It’s one day – give the girl a break. Your role is to look decorative in the album and add to the aura of wholesome, cupcakey gorgeousness. Any fashion that hints at negativity (wonky Belgian avant-garde charcoal raw-edged felt tunic) or potentially-threatening-to-the-smug-married-order vampishness (Versace slit-to-the-thigh numbers à la Hurley) are strictly ‘Verboten’.

10 Tribal trend:

Wearing “ethnic” is sartorial code for, “I am much too serious to bother myself with fashion. I choose jewellery that looks a bit like something you’d find in an obscure gallery of the British museum to show how cultured I am. My female friends wear artisan scarves and consider themselves evolutionarily superior to women who wear diamanté.” The tribal trend is an attempt by fashion designers to combat this. So good luck with that!.

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media 2010

http://www.citrine-online.co.uk/