Aspinal of London X Être Cécile

Launching at the end of last month, and just in time for fashion week, ultra cool brand Etre Cecil has teamed up with Aspinal of London on a standout collaboration. Etre Cecil founder, Yasmin Sewell, described the collaboration as 'unexpected', which is why she says it has worked so well. Aspinal leather goods are usually so refined, so adding a serious splash of shocking pink and neon yellow creates an immediate WOW factor. Expect to see the most stylish girls in town sporting these bags at London Fashion Week. Price Range: £125 - £750

My favourite bags in the collection are the rucksack and trunk clutch - both would look equally perfect styled with jeans and a t-shirt.

Phillippa x

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Venice Film Festival - Red Carpet

The Venice Film Festival has just wrapped up for another year. I have put together an extensive red carpet review of all the looks we saw over this week long event.

Elizabeth Banks

Emilia Wickstead / Andrew GN Resort 16 / Elie Saab Resort 16 / Marchesa Resort 16

Diane Kruger

Prada / Oscar de La Renta Fall 15 / BOSS / Valentino Fall 15 Couture

Hailee Steinfeld - David Koma Fall 15 / Dakota Johnson - Marc Jacobs Resort 16
Juliette Binoche - Armani Prive Fall 15 Couture / Amber Heard - Alexander McQueen Resort 16

Kasia Smutniak - Valentino Fall 15 / Paz Vega - Ralph & Russo Fall 15 Couture
Elisa Sednaoui - Armani Prive Spring 15 / Hilary Rhoda - BOSS

Elisa Sednaoui / Alicia Vikander - Louis Vuitton Resort 16
Kristen Stewart - Chanel Fall 15 Couture / Berenice Bejo - Zuhair Murad Fall 15 Couture

Alessandra Ambrossio - Philosophy / Laura Bailey - Valentino
Tilda Swinton - Haider Ackermann / Dakota Johnson - Prada

Elisa Sednaoui - Fendi / Fiammetta Cicogna - Alberta Ferretti
Franca Sozzani - Valentino Resort 16 / Alba Rohrwacher - Valentino Fall 15 Couture

Aside from the red carpet premieres, the actresses were also styled to perfection during their photocalls... 

Alicia Vikander - Louis Vuitton Resort 16 / Amber Heard - Zimmermann Spring 15

Elizabeth Banks - Dolce and Gabbana / Diane Kruger - Preen Resort 16

Kristen Stewart - Chanel / Dakota Johnson - Valentino Resort 16

Paz Vega - Salvatore Ferragamo / Dakota Johnson - Rodarte Fall 15

Overall Favourite Look - Amber Heard wearing Alexander McQueen. This gown had it all: print, ruffles, colour. I also loved the styling, a messy updo hairstyle added an extra element of unrefined beauty. The whole look had a dark glamorous allure…something which Amber Heard always does so well on the red carpet. 

Best Dressed Attendee - Whilst this was a very close call between Eliabeth Banks and Diane Kruger, in the end I opted for Diane Kruger. Each of her red carpet looks oozed European Film Festival glamour. Luxurious fabrics in romantic colours, made for very beautiful gowns which looked elegant on each occassion.

Best Colour and Print - Elizabeth Banks wearing Andrew GN and Elie Saab. Not many stars are brave enough to wear print and colour, especially not when attending such high profile red carpet events, but Elizabeth never shies away from either. Elizabeth always brings an element of her vibrant personality to the red carpet, and whilst I wouldn't say that either of these 2 gowns were the most elegant we saw at this festival they stood out to me because they marked such a stark contract against everything else and I applaud the actress for always making such bold choices.

Most Daring - Juliette Binoche wearing Armani Prive - It is not easy to successfully wear a floor length embellished gown, and add a plunging neckline into the mix as well, makes a very daring look. It was attention-grabbing but for all the right reasons.

Best Photocall - Paz Vega wearing Salvatore Ferragamo. I adore the bold pop of pink on the floral print. Dressing for a photocell you have the opportunity to be more relaxed and playful, this dress has the perfect balance of both.

Who was your best dressed at the 2015 Venice Film Festival?

For more red carpet looks, follow my 'Celebrity Red Carpet' board on interest (see details below)

Phillippa x

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My North London - Favourite Food

This is something a little bit different from me... I am going down the lifestyle route for this blog post. Having lived in North London for over 2 years now, I have made the area my home, exploring different places and dining out a number of restaurants, pubs and cafe's. There is something rather nice about trying a restaurant which has been recommended to you, or taking a stroll and discovering a pub that soon becomes a firm favourite. In this post, I thought I would show you some of my favourite foodie places in North London - Hampstead, Highgate, Crouch End, Islington
Hampstead

The Spaniards

Without a doubt this is my favourite place to eat in North london. Steeped in history, this 16th Century Inn has even featured in a Charles Dickens novel. Seasonal British food is served against a backdrop of old wooden interiors and a roaring fire. The Scotch Egg is to die for, and I also love the roast belly pork  and sausage and mash.

Gail's

One of the only places I will buy artisan bread from, Gail's has the most incredible selection. They also serve healthy lunches. If you try one thing, I would recommend  the chocolate and pecan brownie. Gail's can be found in a number of locations including: Crouch End, King's Road, Notting Hill, South Kensington and Chiswick.

Highgate

The Bull and Last

Located just a short walk from Gospel Oak overground station, this Gastropub serves mains including; steak, roast cod and confit rabbit leg. The desserts are very indulgent!

The Red Lion and Sun

This pub is located in Highgate village and is a pretty perfect place to enjoy a relaxing Sunday lunch.

Crouch End

Tootoomoo

Fast becoming a firm favourite amongst locals, Tootoomoo serves fresh Pan Asian food. The interior is brightly coloured and casual. Portion sizes are great, as are the prices. My favourite dish is the Stir Fry Ramen Chicken followed by the frozen yogurt. Tootoomoo can also be found in Highgate and Islington.

Zer Cafe

Serving a largely Turkish menu, Zer offers an evening special of 2 course for £9.90. Ideal for a spontaneous meal out.

Islington

The Pig & Butcher

This pub/restaurant serves the best quality produce and craft ales. This is the place to go for proper hearty food in Angel.

Have you been to any of these restaurants? or do you have any recommendations for me to try next?

Phillippa x

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New 'Designers at Debenhams'

Debenhams has a long standing tradition of working with some of the most influential names in British fashion. Matthew Williamson, Jasper Conran, Julien Macdonald, Betty Jackson, Preen, Henry Holland and Betty Jackson, to name but a few all have collections in Debenhams. These collaborations offer the designers the chance to reach a new target market and interpret their ideas in a more commercial way. Two new designers have just launched capsule collections this month, take a look...

Nine by Savannah Miller

Designer Savannah formerly worked at Matthew Williamson and Alexander McQueen, before launching her own brand Twenty8Twelve with sister Sienna. After spending a few years living in Panama, Savannah has moved back to London to launch her debut collection at Debenhams. A reflection of her own personal style, the collection consists of feminine boho pieces which are super laid-back but can also be styled to looked perfect for evening as well. Price: £14 - £90

Giles/Edition

Giles Deacon is the latest designer to team up with the Debenhams 'Edition' brand to create a collection of 'Everyday Luxury'. His mainline collections can be rather dramatic, but with this collection it is all about key everyday pieces which are easy to wear and affordable. Featuring statement prints: photographic roses, horses, bows and stylised florals, the garments are flattering shapes and will be easy to style with other clothes you already own. Price range: £45 - £110

Phillippa x

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Event - Bloggers Festival London

On Saturday 5th September I was lucky enough to be invited to the Bloggers Festival held at the Conrad London St. James hotel. It was my first time attending this event, so I was really excited to get the chance to be involved. Organised by the fabulous Scarlett Dixon (Scarlett London), 200 bloggers were invited and a number of brands were there to showcase their collections and latest range of products.

I thought I would show you some of my favourite brands from the event.

Jewellery Box

This amazing London based brand only launched last year, but is already proving incredibly popular. The range of jewellery is super feminine and dainty, the type of jewellery that you can wear everyday for any occasion. The price point is perfect, with many pieces coming in at under £15...but looking so much more expensive! This brand is also the perfect go to place if you are looking to but a gift for a friend or family member, as the jewellery comes presented is beautiful gift boxes. 

Taisir Gibreel

How could I resist all this wonderful colour and print? Taiser Gibreel is a Scottish textile designer who produces all of her designs in the UK. The range includes silk and wool scarves, t-shirts and dresses. If you are looking for a real statement piece in your wardrobe then this is the brand for you. Scarves are priced between £34.95 - £149 and tops are £89.95

Bee Good

Bee Good are makers of natural skincare products, using beeswax and honey. The product range includes: cleansers, moisturisers, exfoliators, hand cream and lip balm. All the products are super affordable and would make a very welcome addition to any beauty lovers skincare collection.

Simply Be

Showing a selection of items from their new A/W15 collection, I spotted 3 items in particular that I loved. This pair of leopard print are probably one of the best pair of boots I have seen all year. I love a statement ankle boot, and these are ticking all the right boxes for me. There was also a great lilac suede jacket which would carry your wardrobe though the Autumn, but would also be ideal for Spring. I also liked a mini grey backpack with rose gold hardware. I have checked online and all these items are available to buy now.

Now to try the rest of my wonderful treats…including some rather exciting skincare products from Exuviance. I adore good skincare products so I am looking forward to trying them and seeing the results.

A huge thank you to Scarlett for organising this event and Mode Media for all your great advise. Also thank you to Bon Prix for picking me as a winner of one of your competitions, I loved my goodie bag. Hope to see everyone at the next event!

Phillippa x

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Get The Look: AW15

Back in May I posted my Spring/Summer 15 'Get The Look' report and it proved to be very popular, so fast forward to September and I thought I would put together an Autumn/Winter version. As you will no doubt already know, many high-street stores replicate styles and trends as seen on the runway. Working in a design studio I gain a very good insight into which trends retailers are buying into, so in this blog post I have created a 'Get The Look' for some of the most influential collections as seen in New York, London, Milan and Paris. These are 4 of the key looks which you will be seeing a lot of this coming season. Everything listed in this post is also available to shop now.

New York - Zimmermann - The Seventies

London - Burberry - The Folk Dress

Milan - Gucci - The Statement Floral Bloom

Paris - Chloe - Boho-Luxe

For more runway inspiration, follow my 'Runway Favourites' board on Pinterest (details below).

Phillippa x

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Perfect September Outfit

Phillippa x

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