Emerald City

I was lucky enough to be invited to the rehearsal of the première for 'Oz the Great and Powerful' on Wednesday night at the Empire in Leicester Square. It was amazing!

The colours are vibrant, the landscapes are imaginative and the storyline is magical. This prequel reveals how the wizard, whom the world first fell in love with in 1939, came to be Oz the Great and Powerful and why the Wicked Witch of the West loathes him and the people of Emerald City.

The launch of this homage to a timeless classic has echoed throughout the fashion industry in the form of the Emerald Pantone colour at the heart of the story...

Additional impact of this enchanting shade of green has resulted from the hugely successful release of  'The Hobbit'; it's not every day that a film première rolls out the green carpet. 

Photographer Neil Craver has shot a series of underwater photography in an abandoned quarry which took months of hard work to discover the most effective way to take pictures in this volatile location.

The images express purity, danger and freedom with the subjects being completely engulfed by the glistening emerald water.

Pantone's luscious green Colour of the Year promises a much calmer outlook for the months ahead, representing balance, harmony and well-being.

"Symbolically, emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today's complex world",

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute 

This universally appealing tone translates effortlessly into both fashion and home interiors with several designers championing tones of emerald in their new season collections. 

The shade is also set to be big news in the beauty world next year, see my beauty blog: just-bathandbody.blogspot.co.uk to find out how you can achieve emerald beauty.

Diamonds may be forever but emeralds are for 2013!

1000 views and counting!

This blog has just reached 1000 views so I would like to thank everyone who has been popping by to spend a few minutes, or even a few seconds reading my posts.

Since this blog was born there have been viewers from not only around the UK but also the United States, Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Italy, France, Indonesia, China and Greece!

Thank you again! x

Contrast : It's Black+White

Photographer - Noell S. Oszvald

Hungarian photographer, Oszvald, has created a series of self-portraits that are both intriguing and striking, evoking a sense of black and white contrast within an elegant and sophisticated medium. 

-Oszvald believes that the use of colour distracts from the form and composition of the art.

A/W 2013

Alexander Wang / Anthony Vaccarello / Celine

Giles / Jason Wu / Jill Sander

Chanel / Diane Von Furstenberg / Diesel Black Gold

Michael Kors / Maison Martin Margiela / Marc Jacobs

Miu Miu / NarcisoRodriguez / Oscar De La Renta

Phillip Lim / Zero+Maria Cornejo / Roland Mouret

Ralph Lauren / Prada / Valentino

Paris Fashion Week A/W13

Christian Dior

Anne Valerie Hash

Balenciaga

Isabel Marant

Rick Owens

On The High Street

TOPSHOP >

KAREN MILLEN >

"Black and white colour blocking reflects the modern, graphic attitude of the new season! Monochrome comes in the form of collaged panels, strict blocking and black and white prints that are designed to look both chic and striking. These pieces are perfect for the office, and can then take you through into the evening on trend and in style" Karen Millen store

Knitwear takes a modern turn with contrasting monochrombe ribbing and panelling whilst incorporating bold panels into a black pencil dress creates an enviable silhouette.

Suit Up!

The transition from winter to spring is always a tricky one; how do you capture the SS13 trends early enough to remain ahead of the curve whilst remaining appropriately covered up in the wintry conditions of January and February?

This post identifies one possible solution. The pant suit.

The colours vary from bright shades of red to subtle hues of grey but the arrangement remains the same, it's the season of the alpha female.

On the catwalk:

Balmain SS13

Calvin Klein Collection SS13

Cedric Charlier SS13

Christian Dior SS13

Jonathan Saunders SS13

Mary Katrantzou SS13

Mulberry SS13

Pedro Lourenco SS13

Saint Laurent SS13

Stella McCartney SS13

Theyskens Theory SS13

Trussardi SS13

Victoria Beckham SS13

On the celebs:

Amanda Seyfried during Paris Fashion Week in October wears a 3-button suit from the Prada Resort collection teamed with purple Mary Jane platform shoes.

Christy Turlington shows off a slime silhouette in a black and white combo at The Tracy Anderson Method Pregnancy Project in New York City, October.

Actress Emma Roberts wears a Nanette Lepore outfit in a subtle black and grey geometric pattern teamed with a Claire Vivier clutch and Christian Louboutin shoes in New York last October.

In a grey suit and patterned shirt, Gabriella Wilde goes for a preppy look at Burberry's SS14 Womenswear Show in Kensington.

Kate Hudson wears a striped blazer and trousers by Alexander McQueen to the September premiere of Glee in Los Angeles

Mandy Moore wears a slim-fitting suit at the Centre Studios, New York, in September.

Similarly to Emma Roberts above, Nicola Roberts incorporates subtle print into her trouser suit, wearing a soft animal print at the Stand Up To Cancer fundraiser in October.

Swedish actress Noomi Rapace wears smart green and mustard separates at a London premiere of Great Expectations in October.

Rachel Zoe during Paris Fashion Week in October wears a 70s-style Hutton suit from her own collection.

On the high street:

By investing in a statement trouser suit (by statement this could mean: print / colour / amazing tailoring) you can swap and change the accessories and layering to keep the outfit season friendly, this also helps with the transition of A/W > S/S!

Here I have chosen a very bold floral trouser suit from Topshop to prove the above, in the first outfit picking out the black in the collar and the stripes running down the sleeves and leg makes the floral seem autumnal and wintry, if you add black tights you have an outfit that is also practical for those bitter mornings.

1. TOPSHOP floral blazer, £68

2. TOPSHOP floral cropped trousers, £40

3. NEXT perfect shirt in black, £35

4. LK BENNETT ava leather envelope clutch, £350

5. HOBBS invitation adria shoe, £169

I the second outfit option we see a composition and is reminiscent of springs ever-recurring trend of pastel and floral. By using layering and accessories in paler colours, this highlights the pale flowers in the suit creating a fresh look that is great for the start of Spring, which let's face it, in England, is still bitterly cold..

1. TOPSHOP floral blazer, £68

2. TOPSHOP floral cropped trousers, £40

3. REISS silk front t-shirt in cream, £59

4. LK BENNETT ava leather envelope clutch, £350

5. LK BENNETT abigail patent leather strappy sandal, £295