Go East....

Tonight I was lucky enough to bag myself the hottest (or coldest as it turned out) ticket in town. When I first heard about the Studio East/ Bistrotheque dinner I was desperate to get in, and when, at 5.45 the amazing Melanie Rickey managed to get me on the list (thank you a mill Mel) I could hardly re-tie my topknot and slap on another layer or mascara quick enough…

The low-down…
Studio East is ‘a cultural initiative to identify and support emerging talent’ launched by Westfield Stratford East i.e. East London's soon-to-be brand spanking new retail nirvana on the Olympic site. A committee of 8 cultural bigwigs (from Erin O’Connor to Tom Dixon) chaired by Mary Portas, have been scrapping it out for over a year to choose their respective mini-me’s in the categories of Fashion, Art, Product design and Environment.


The party…
Was fabulous, if a tad cold (London in June + being on a roof + a temporary structure + only 3 heaters = Roksanda in her husbands coat and the rest of us with icicle fingers). In fact, I was so cold that at one point I seriously tried to figure out how I could insulate myself with one of the giant plastic curtains (seen above)...answer was I couldn't, but the fact is the desperation was there! On the plus side I think I managed to drop a stone shivering. Ace! Apart from the chill it was a party to remember for all the right reasons. Guests were whisked by train from the Champagne bar in St. Pancras to the Westfield Stratford East building site. We were then ushered onto the roof Big Brother/ 24 stylee, and then wined and dined in plush make-shift surroundings with the rest of London’s most fabulous and influential people (Tracey Emin, Roland Mouret, Roksanda Illincic, Mary Portas, Mandi Lennard, Brix Smith-Start…the list goes on).


The food and drink…
Were amazing. Patron cocktails (I never thought I’d drink Tequila in a civilised setting), and coffee flavoured Patron over vanilla ice cream (aka. dessert heaven), rocked my world, whilst the roast beef and horseradish made me wish I was all alone so I could scoff uninhibited by beautiful people and polite company.


Massive congratulations…
To the incredibly talented Julian J Smith, who won the fashion prize (seen here celebrating in admirable style). I had the pleasure/ luck of sitting next to him at dinner, and can honestly hand-on-heart no-word-of-a-lie say that he is the most lovely, down to earth, friendly bundle of joy and modesty you could ever wish to meet; his win filled the whole roof with delight! Julian will now be designing the uniform for the Westfield Stratford staff…forget going freelance, I’m gonna get me a job there!!!


Anyway - I've had one to many nightcaps this evening, been on one too many modes of transport, and have been blogging for, um, well, far longer than you'd think by the quality of this post....off to bed before I'm late for work a-gain!!!

TTFN xxx

Great Globes of Golden!

So, the awards season’s here – hoorah – for tis no better time to mock the rich and famous than this. Last night Hollywood’s great and good trotted down the red carpet for the Golden Globes, dolled up to the nines – or even tens in some very special cases. So f the awards (they’re all a fix anyway, no?), let’s get down to the nitty gritty of who we still love and shall try to imitate at every given opportunity from now on, and who we’ve lost all respect for and will never pay to see in a movie again.

I’ll start with the bad because let’s be honest, it’s more fun. I’ve split them into the following groups – Fallen fashion icons; I think your stylist hates you, and, Eek you’ve been in Hollywood too long.

Fallen fashion icons

I’m sad to say that two of my favourite ladies are in this category. Chloe Sevigny and Diane Kruger are usually known for their brave and exciting fashion choices, but last night I’m afraid they both missed the mark.

Like most fashionistas I’m usually a great advocate of Chloe ‘how the hell do you pronounce her surname’ Sevigny, but last night she looked like an ornamental napkin in a hideous Valentino number. No no no!

Diane Kruger lost her usual sultry spark in this Christian Lacroix Barbie doll special. Maybe it’s just me, but it looks like something I dreamt up when I was 5, and I just don’t think it does her justice. She does however win the prize for best arm-candy – HOW HOT has Joshua Jackson got. In fact, I take it all back – Diane, good work!


I think your stylist hates you…

I almost can’t look at Halle Berry in this dress. I feel like I can see pubes or something (now, how often have you seen the word pube used on a fashion blog, eh)?! There’s something not right here though. I mean, this Kaufman Franco concoction is not a respectable red carpet dress lady – what were you thinking?


Kate Hudson, I see you’ve inherited your mothers questionable dress sense. Please tell me how you end up walking down the red carpet at the Golden globes dressed as a slutty bride. Pray tell…. Marchesa (for the dress), and Casadei (for the shoes) – you should be ashamed!



“Oi Maz I can see your slip poking out from the split in your dress”
“Yeah, Pen. Well at least I don’t look like I’ve come dressed as Spanish loo roll holder”
Ok – well apart from the visible slip I do actually like Marion Cotillard’s Christian Dior number. I just can’t get down with Penelope Cruz in this Giorgio Armani Privé dress. It’s just too much.

Sandra Bullock. Another woman in a dress which looks like it was designed by a 5 year old (it is in fact Bottega Venetta – gasp)! And it looks itchy to boot. What a load of Bullocks!


Eek, you’ve been in Hollywood too long

Paul (you can’t make me call you Sir) McCartney – what a chump. I mean, come on mate, you’re 68 for gods sake – get a grip! Congrats on ruining a perfectly good suite with a ridiculous scarf. Strange shoes too – they look a bit like slip ons – eeeww!

Terrifying. There’s no other word for it. Just how the hell did Christina Aguilera come to be posing with Cher at the Golden Globes….in fact, on second thoughts I don’t think I want to know. In the words of my good friend Caroline, “eh, it looks like Cristina has one tit in and one tit out” – yes Caroline, it sure does. Cher on the other hand seems to have slipped further into the Morticia Addams/ Cruella DeVille black hole of nightmare dressing.

The Good

And over to the other side we go – to the good, beautiful, stylish, elegant dresses and suits which we’d wear if ever a. invited anywhere quite glamorous, and b. we had the money/ were important enough to be leant it.

This lot have been split into the following sub-groups –A bit boring but gorgeous nonetheless and Interesting and elegant – top fashion points. There are only two groups as sadly, there were far fewer well dressed celebs last night (I’m hoping they’re saving the big guns for the Oscars)!

A bit boring but gorgeous nonetheless

Ok, so she’s not exactly pushing the fashion limits, and is in yet another safe black dress, but flipping ‘ell – how hot does Jennifer Aniston look in this Valentino number (and certainly much better than old Chloe thingy in hers)!

Admittedly I’m not really sure who she is, but Olivia Wilde (above) looked stunning in this Gucci dress. So maybe it’s a bit tight and predictable, but it fits well and is very sparkly, and basically a total red carpet dream, so I’m in.

Gerard Butler in a Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo. Enough said.

Interesting and elegant – top fashion points

I’m not usually a fan, but it’s hard to deny that Maggie Gylenhall looked elegant and modern in this RM by Roland Mouret “Sirens” mermaid gown. I love the subtlety of the pleats and the colour The one downside is that it looks impossible to walk in, but as we all know practicality is totally irrelevant when it comes to fashion, so who cares?

Oh Drew, I do love you. I think Drew Barrymore’s one of Hollywood’s few originals, and of late I think she’s been looking rather lovely. Love the nude colour and crazy hip embellishment on this Atelier Versace champagne silk gown – simple hair, red lips – gor-ge-ous!