When news broke that Amanda Brooks was relocating to England and leaving her role at Barneys, many thought that she would replace Averyl Oates who had only recently left her buying role at Harvey Nichols. In a surprise twist of events, its not Brooks getting the role. Instead Grazia's style director Paula Reed has joined the department store as their new fashion director.
Reed, who has held her role at the magazine since its launch in 2005, has confirmed that she will take up her new role on September and will report to Harvey Nichols chief executive, Joseph Wan. 'I am delighted that Paula is joining the senior management team here at Harvey Nichols, bringing with her a wealth of experience gained in a number of Fashion Director roles across key fashion titles including, The Sunday Times, Harpers & Queen, InStyle UK and Grazia as well as relationships she has formed in the fashion industry that go back over twenty years,' Wan said in a statement. 'Her broad experience in fashion complements what Harvey Nichols represents, from the most exclusive luxury brands to the more accessible levels of fashion.'
Our hats go off to the marketing team at Harvey Nichols this week. To promote their upcoming summer sale the luxury British department store released these ads showing models with wet trousers standing next to a line that reads, 'The Harvey Nichols Sale: Try to contain your excitement.' While most found the images funny, many customers have got pissed (sorry, that pun was waiting to happen) about it.
According to the Daily Mail, customers have called the ads 'crass' and 'absolutely disgusting' with one person saying that they do 'not make me the slightest bit inclined to shop there!' A spokesperson released a statement defending the ads explaining that they were intended to 'promote our summer sale and capture the excitement in a light-hearted, humorous way.'
This month British designers Julien Macdonald, Giles Deacon and Zandra Rhodes are joining forces for a good cause. All three have signed up to redesign the classic red telephone box to help mark the 25th anniversary of Childline. To save you from running around London trying to spot them, Harvey Nichols will display all three telephone boxes in the widow's of their Knightsbridge store.
They aren't the only ones lending a helping hand to the good cause. Corrie Nielson, Phillip Treacy, Lily Cole and architect Zaha Hadid have also contributed to the open-air art exhibition that is set to launch to mark the occasion. A selection of their design efforts will be auctioned off at the National Portrait Gallery on July 18 with all of the proceeds going to Childline.
When Rihanna stepped out in this blue Emilio Pucci pyjama suit at a press call for her debut movie, 'Battlefield', she made a statement in two ways. Firstly, the singer's decision to sport the style on the red carpet showed that the trend that has been gaining pace and resonance over the past season has officially moved in the consciousness of the mainstream. More than anything else it proved that dressing, particularly for the red carpet, doesn't need to mean that comfort must go out of the window.
It's this feeling that Stella McCartney developed last season at her S/S12 show. After all, it was her relaxed silk pyjama styles that started the current fascination with the style. Since showing that collection brands like Balmain and Celine have tapped into it with their respective pre-fall collections and according to the Guardian, the high street are lapping it up too. Whistles, H&M and Topshop have all reported that the trousers are proving a hit in their stores and are selling out fast.
As someone who spends the majority of my writing time in comfortable clothes sat in my home office, the idea of working in something that felt as comfortable as pyjamas without being the real thing, was an instant draw. But the big question is how did this new found love for comfort happen especially in an industry where most women are glutton for punishment when it comes to their sartorial choices? After all, there is a reason why people are touting it as the most unlikely trend of the season. In my noble opinion I think it is a sign of big changes. A few years ago we were all in the thick of Balmain fever where everything was about the bling, the sequins, the shoulders and the equally garish and ultra mini dresses but over the past few season things have changed. With the economy as it is, our clothes are one thing that we can't afford to be restricted by or worry about and as McCartney continues to prove, comfort and fashion are not diametrically opposing notions. But that's not it. As many retailers have noticed, the great thing about them is that transcend generations. Unlike season past where the pieces would look strange on anyone above a size 10 and on beyond the tender 20s bracket, this look is resonating with women of all shapes and sizes.
So the only question now is will you sport the style this season?
Back in September Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were announced as the creative directors of shoe brand, Supergra but within a few months, Alexa Chung was announced as being appointed in the same role with no word about the Olsen's leaving. To make matters more confusing, today the brand confirmed the twins' role as co-creative directors as they launched their first Supergra range under The Row.
Confusion aside, the big press push is all in aid of the three-piece collection hitting Harvey Nichols this month where it will be available to buy exclusvely at the store. 'As a massive fan of the simple-yet-luxurious designs of The Row ready-to-wear, I jumped at the chance of stocking their first venture into shoes,' Ida Petersson, buyer at Harvey Nicols, said. 'The collection merges the simplicity of the iconic Superga 2750 - every girl's secret weekend best friend - with the softest cashmere, making this my favourite trainer ever.'
The trainers cost £250 and will be available in store this month
After the launch of their highly successful vintage store Lucy in Disguise, Lily Allen and sister Sarah Owen recently launched their debut women's line and today, the pair will be on hand to show the collection in Harvey Nichols. The Fash Pack team were invited to attend the event and interview the pair today and they want you to be there too.
The event, hosted by ELLE, will see the design pair in conversation with Jenny Dickson, Elle's Acting Editor and Natalie Wansbrough-Jones, the magazine's Senior Fashion Editor.
Come down to Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge tonight at 6:30pm so see the full collection. Simply purchase your tickets here, which will also enable you to have a cocktail, canapes and a good bag too!
Roksanda Ilincic continues to go from strength-to-strength. After revealing a collaboration with Whistles last June, the designer has just confirmed that she is set to launch her first swimwear collection.
"It has been really exciting to branch in to this new line and to translate my design aesthetic to swimwear,"she told Vogue.com. "One-pieces are the focus of the collection. They are all reversible and feature sculpted cut outs and flattering multi-straps details which are designed to flatter the figure from every angle. The timing for this launch is perfect especially as London is currently experiencing a rare hot summer!"
The line, which features cut out and assymetric styles, was inspired by the East African Kai tribes and will be sold exclusively at Harvey Nichols.
We're known to be pretty obsessive about our eyewear, and thankfully sunglasses designer Heidi Chan has stepped in with a round of understated but covetable additions to our collection. Chan's range, Heidi Vintage London, takes frames from the '70s to the early '90s and revamps them into pieces that just might be more fun than unaltered finds from our favourite retro-fashion stops. You can check Harvey Nichols for her work, but you'd better go fast before everything's gone.
This week, Chan takes us to her Aldgate studio, where Christmas tunes play all year long.
The British Fashion Council has announced the names of the recipients of its designer support initiative under its NEWGEN MEN scheme. Launched earlier this year, the initiative aides designers by providing funding to enable them to showcase their work at London Fashion Week, as well as access to use of the BFC Catwalk Show Space at Somerset House. Like its sister scheme, NEWGEN, which is sponsored by Topshop, NEWGEN MEN is sponsored by Topman and follows on from the MAN show, which offers designers similar sponsorship and business assistance.
This shortlist for the coming autumn/winter 2010 NEWGEN MEN includes Carolyn Massey, whose designs have been described as "quintessentially English", Christopher Shannon, known for his "luxe sportswear inspired collection and wearable collaborations with Eastpak and Topman, as well as LFW credentials having shown as part of the MAN initiative'", James Long, for "his ability to push the boundaries whilst creating truly wearable pieces", and J.W. Anderson, whose "intriguing silhouettes and romantic detailing have affirmed his stature as one of the most promising emerging menswear designers in London."
Beyonce continues to channel every big trend out there at the moment, as she wore this brown jumpsuit on a shopping trip to Harvey Nichols in London this week.
