This afternoon we were treated to a first look at TV presenter Holly Willoughby's high summer collection for Very. And we liked it. A lot.

The mother-of-two hosted afternoon tea at Claridges, and showed off her favourite dresses (and a playsuit) from the SS13 collection.



Eager to prove her designs look as good on "real women" as they do models Holly had recruited four fans of her collection to attend and model at the launch.

"As a busy working mum, I know how hard it is to look stylish when you are constantly on the go," said Holly, who was wearing one of her own designs. "That's why I design pieces that are trend-led but do not require a lot of styling."

And - as usual - she pulled this off in fabulous fashion. Personally we can't wait to get our hands on the lace trim tea dress, and the purple maxi dress, and the...

Words by Katy Pearson

It's safe to say when we heard that a fashion show was to be staged in the heart of the Buckingham Palace Gardens this summer, we were *pretty* excited!

And now we know a bit more about the planned Coronation Festival Catwalk Show we are even more excited.



Today we can reveal that a 400 seat raised catwalk, surrounded by a bed of flowers in the Buckingham Palace Gardens, will be the location for the series of unique fashion shows.

The exclusive shows will tell the story of British fashion and iconic style over the past sixty years, showcasing companies that have been awarded the prestigious Royal Warrant of Appointment.

There will be five catwalk shows for each day, a mix of four themes collectively paying tribute to the six varied decades since the Coronation of HM The Queen in 1953. Savile Row’s finest tailors including Gieves & Hawkes, Dege & Skinner, Henry Poole & Co and Johns & Pegg, plus tailors Benson & Clegg, Thresher & Glenny and Kent Haste Lachter will join fellow Royal Warrant holders DAKS, Austin Reed, Hunter Boots, Ettinger, John Lewis and Peter Jones to showcase their latest collections in this catwalk celebration of British style.

A few unlikely catwalk candidates may also find themselves creatively taking part in the shows including: fine china experts Caverswall, Roberts Radio, Bendicks Chocolates and celebrated food and drink experts Partridges, Valvona & Crolla and Charbonel Et Walker.

The catwalk will also feature specially commissioned pieces from contemporary London designer Joey Bevan who will take an original and creative approach to Royal Warrant holder products to show the wealth of companies and industry sectors that bear this Royal seal of approval. This will look to include dresses made from Jaguar Land Rover and Bentley car parts to origami paper dresses using materials from Talk Paper and Tom Smith c/o International Greetings, stunning designs using upholstery and fabrics from Hardy Minnis, and G.P and J Baker and dresses made from domestic electrical wires and Brinton Carpets.

We cannot WAIT!

The catwalk shows form just part of the daytime entertainment programme for the four day Coronation Festival (11 – 14 July) – a one off event hosted by the Royal Warrant Holders Association which will bring together over 200 Warrant holding companies to celebrate innovation, industry and excellence. Daytime tickets of £30 per person can still be purchased via www.coronationfestival.com

Words by Katy Pearson

"A Libertine is unrestrained by convention. A free-spirited individual that ignores constraints defined by the larger society and whose thinking goes beyond mainstream idea".

Last night we were at The Club at The Ivy for the launch of Libertine, a new jewellery collection from fashion designer Giles Deacon.

Mixing Edwardian eccentricity with a punk attitude, the collection will be available from 3pm on Sunday at QVC (www.qvcuk.com), with prices ranging from £14 to £70.

Want a sneak peek? Oh here you go then...


Words by Katy Pearson

Surely there has never before been such a varied display of suits on one step?



Yesterday, right in the middle of London Collections: Men, I found myself at the regally splendid Spencer House in St. James's.

There the bespoke tailors of Savile Row, along with London's best shirt makers and hatters, presented the modern face of elegance. And gosh, did they do it in a dashing fashion!

Staged as a series of still-life sequences, the dapper models were found by fires in shooting coats, sat decadently at dinner in formal dinner suits and reading in the library in velvet.



Anderson & Sheppard, Antony Sinclair, Bernard Weatherill, Davies and Sons, Dedge and Skinner, Ede and Ravenscourt, Edward Sexton, and Gieves and Hawkes were all represent, between them covering everything from white tie glamour to shooting wear.

So whether your chap is a discerning dandy or you just want a Downton-esque gent in your life, Savile Row is clearly still place to go.

Words by Katy Pearson

During the summer it can be a tricky task to choose a work outfit that ensures you remain cool and comfortable, whilst projecting an image of professionalism and femininity in the workplace.

This summer you can survive the heat (when it finally arrives!) and still look smart and chic for the office by investing in a few staple pieces. Blouses are big news. They are light, feminine and can be teamed with tailored shorts, linen trousers or pencil skirts. An ideal wardrobe update, Bastyan has some gorgeous options to choose from, including a Limited Edition Collaborare shirt with a bat-wing silhouette and beautiful luxe style, which will look great in the office worn with a pair of lightweight, slim and stylish taupe jeans or trousers.

Ditch the blazer and go for a short-sleeved, cropped jacket for a cool cover-up which is bang on trend this season. A mustard yellow jacket is super stylish and will instantly transform a basic, monotone office outfit into something more sassy and chic that’ll take you through to dinner and drinks.

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