La Petite Party Diaries: Wolf & Badger Graduate Design Awards Party

On Thursday evening London’s fashion elite headed to Notting Hill where unique concept boutique, Wolf & Badger were hosting a soiree in celebration of their 2011 Graduate Design Awards. The jazz was live and the champagne flowing as guests browsed the collections in store and mingled to their hearts content. I pity any Westbourne Grove residents trying to make their way home that evening as the streets were absolutely flooded with stylish attendees making full use of the open bar and awaiting the announcement of this years award winners.

Announcement time…

Pretty soon the moment we’d all been waiting for arrived and it was time to find out which talented newcomers would be winning more than just a trophy. Makiko Nakamura scooped up the award for best product design, with Gemma Land snagging best Fashion design and Brigit Marie best Jewellery. All three lovely ladies will recieve a dedicated in-store display, so get yourself down to Wolf and Badger asap and check out their fashionable fare. Alternatively if you’re too busy/lazy to make the trip have a peek at www.wolfandbadger.com where Makiko, Gemma and Brigit’s award winning designs can be seen, hassle free.

Makiko, Gemma and Brigit

me and my perma plus-one, Charlotte

Now I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there ain’t no party like a Wolf & Badger Party and last week’s shindig did not disappoint. After the winners had been announced and the remaining champagne drunk, we hot footed it down the road to the Lonsdale where lethally strong cocktails awaited. Several hours of slightly drunken boogieing later I somehow managed to negotiate my way home before conking out fully clothed on my bed. Waking up the next morning still sporting platform sandals and a leather jacket may not have been my finest hour but if misplacing one’s dignity isn’t proof of a damn good night then I just don’t know what is.

Love Ella. X

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Parties Leave a comment

La Petite Party Diaries: Wrangler Notting Hill Carnival Party

You can’t deny it, there’s something about the August bank holiday that make us want to party. Maybe it’s because we want to send off summer in style. Maybe it’s excitement at the year ahead. Or maybe it’s because feel in need of one last hurrah before going back to work/school/university etc. Whatever the reason, the last weekend of summer seems to justify the same levels of over indulgence and general merriment as Christmas… but with much less dismal weather. On this joyous weekend the yummy mummies of Holland Park retreat to their country piles as the streets of Notting Hill are overrun with revellers eating, drinking, dancing and soaking up the carnival spirit. Now I love carnival as much as the next twenty-something Londoner but after battling the crowds all day I was fairly relieved to go somewhere with a rather tighter guest list and headed to Bumpkin in Ladbroke Grove where Wrangler had organised an end-of-summer shindig. The party has been hailed as the most exclusive bank holiday soiree in town and Bumpkin was evidently THE place to be for apres-carnival fun. All four floors of the gorgeous gastropub where jam packed with equally gorgeous guests including Jamie Winstone, Zara Martin, Nick Grimshaw and fellow bloggers Prince Cassius and Aizak Buyondo.

Prince Cassius et Moi

Nick Grimshaw & Vanessa White

Jaime Winstone

Diana Vickers & George Craig

We drank, danced and tucked in to what must be THE most delicious BBQ I have ever tasted.

A girl can only drink pre-mixed vodka coke out of a plastic bottle for so long and the unlimited Sauvingnon Blanc supply laid on by Wrangler was much appreciated. I think it’s probably safe to say that none of the guests (myself definitely included) felt all too fresh come Monday morning but it was a bank holiday so who the hell cares.

Love Ella

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Parties 2 Comments

Hot off the press: Azzaro Announces New Creative Director…

In the world of Fashion, news doesn’t come much bigger than the appointment of a new Creative Director, and when said appointment happens at a top French Fashion House you just know it’s going to make headlines. Founded in 1967, Loris Azzaro’s eponymous brand was an instant hit with the Parisian elite. During his design career Loris was renowned for his fantastically glamourous gowns and dressed everyone from Sophia Loren to Nicole Kidman. Since 2004 the label has been under the direction of Vanessa Seward who has skillfully taken things in a rather more understated direction. But whilst the aesthetic of the collections may have changed, Azzaro has remained a fashion front runner garnering rave reviews every season and gracing red carpets and front rows in equal measure.

Azzaro AW11

Seven years on, the third chapter of Azzaro’s tell begins. Mathilde Castello Branco has spent the past decade designing for Lanvin alongside Alber Elbaz. The Franco-Brazilian designer has also been lauded for her work at Hermes and the Atelier Chardon Savard and is now poised to well and truly make her mark on the industry as Creative Director of Azzaro. What new spin will Mathilde put on Loris’s legendary style remains to be seen but if Lanvin’s past few collections are anything to go by, it should be impressive.

Mathilde Castello Branco

Love Ella. X

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Fashion Leave a comment

Boy Meets Girl

In my previous trend-related post I paid homage to the wave of femininity (both demure and vampish) that flooded that catwalks back in February so it seems almost ironic that another of the hottest looks for AW11 is androdgyny. Yes, there may have been pencil skirts and pussy-bow blouses galore at Jonathan Saunders, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton but if you can’t see yourself as a lady or a vamp don’t dispair because if the runway edits are anything to go by, this season masculinity is the new black.

From left: Stella McCartney, Tommy Hilfiger, Tibi, Temperley London

From oversized overcoats at Stella McCartney to tasteful tailoring at Tommy Hilfiger, mannish touches are everywhere with even usually ultra-ladylike labels like Tibi and Temperley getting in on the act. It’s time to dig out those brogues and beg, borrow or (more likely) steal your boyfriends’ favourite sweater because for AW11 I can guarantee that all the coolest kids will be embracing their inner dandy. Many of us (myself included) squirm at the thought of forsaking pretty dresses and delicate prints in favour of mannish tailoring and monochrome shades. But borrowing from the boys doesn’t have to be boring. Go for elegant understatement in Nicole Farhi’s super sleek suits or geek chic in Paul Smiths’ supersized layers and retro tweeds. If it’s something a little more high impact you’re after look to Dolce & Gabbana’s embellished tuxedos and Michael Kors’ sparkly suits for mannish tailoring with a glamourous twist. From trouser suits and chunky brogues to bowties, pinstripes and braces, put away your party frocks because this season the boys are back in town.

From left: Dolce & Gabbana, Paul Smith, Nicole Farhi, Michael Kors

Love Ella. X

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Fashion Leave a comment

Hot off the press: Stylist Pick Re-Launches TOMORROW!!

Having spent the entire day chained to my computer sorting out student finance, re-booking my driving test (failed first time, woops) and doing various other tedious tasks I was delighted when a rather exciting email materialised in my inbox. Stylist Pick is a GENIUS online boutique which enables you to get expert style advice especially tailored to your taste, budget and lifestyle at the click of a button. Obviously the fact that something quite this wonderful exists at all is cause for celebration but the real news is that the site is re-launching tomorrow to introduce new product designs, style content and celebrity collections including one with Louise Roe in October. Yes that’s right, in a mere matter of weeks you could be having a style consultation with a woman who not only writes for Vogue, Elle, Glamour and every other fash mag worth it’s salt but ALSO practically nicked Olivia Palermo’s job as face of Elle TV (I’m addicted to The City, shame on me). Not only that, said style consultation is totally free of charge and can be done from the comfort of your own home (AKA whilst wearing pyjamas).