Graduate Fashion Week: Nottingham Trent University

Olivia Barclay

Latasha Hammond

Beth Needham

Chloe Jackson

Laura Tollervey

Charlotte Rollings & Morta Rapalyte

Kendall Baker 

Beth Needham & Josephine Bulmer

Charlotte Yates & Lianyi Chen

This week, after a few amazing Finnish fashion filled days, I flew back to London, just in time to see some of UK’s freshest talent present their collection on Graduate Fashion week. I got to be a guest of Nottingham Trent University again and was blown away to say it lightly. What an amazing amount of talent this University breeds, that was also proven by three students that headed into the finals, of which Chloe Jackson and knitwear designer Kendall Baker was awarded for their refined hard work and imagination.

I was personally mesmerised by Olivia Barclay and her innovative use of layers and exploration of silhouettes, where the balance of masculine and feminine came together in a harmony that I could easily see on myself. Laura Tollervey was another favorite that played with volume and layering in a very ready-to-wear manner. I was especially smitten by her material combinations. Yet another designer worth mentioning was Morta Rapalyte and her bold take on pale hues: a perfect presentation of how to balance hard and soft when it comes to materials. I could go on and on about these young talents, but I am sure we will hear more from these graduates very soon.

In collaboration with Nottingham Trent University

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Outfit du Jour: Stripes & Fringe

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Fortnum & Mason magic: Afternoon Tea and Alice in Wonderland

Afternoon Tea in London is an institution. It is one of the few things in this city that both tourists and locals love, and with good reason. Nowhere in the world will you find a more beautiful setup for such an event. Nowadays, however, there is a very short list of special locations in London that are held on a pedestal when it comes to serving this late day delight. One such location is the cherished Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly. It shouldn't come as any surprise that afternoon tea at Fortnum's is a special treat. Downstairs they sell some of the finest tea available and in such varieties that people from all over the world come to Fortnum's specifically to fill their tea chests. 

How I have managed to live in London for 14 years and not step into this tea salon is beyond me. But here we are and those are the facts. Well, until last weekend at least. For the first time, I sat down to afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason in London and I had not one, but two handsome gentleman by my side. It should be mentioned that one of these handsome gentleman was four years old. I note that, specifically, because I was so incredibly surprised by how accommodating Fortnum & Mason were for afternoon tea for a child. We had originally thought that the whole thing may be a bit grown up for such a youngster. We couldn't have been more wrong. He was offered his own menu, a glass of juice with our champagne and hot chocolate while we had our tea. This was a well oiled kid pleasing machine. Oh, and Mr. Maxwell, even took a few pics for FFG while enjoying the special moment. 

Now, moving along to the adults enjoying tea. We started our afternoon with a glass of bubbly from the champagne trolley. I mean you can't say no to champagne on wheels. Am I right or am I right? From there, we chose both a savoury and a sweet tea to share. This is a game changer and I highly recommend everyone take this course of action. You get the best of all worlds and if you love something, never fear... everything is "refillable." Yup, this is endless eats. Although that all sounds so Western Sizzler and this is the height of sophistication here in London. So, no, we did not order seconds. 

After tea, and with very full bellies, we made our way downstairs to peruse the windows. Fortnum & Mason's windows are legendary and this season we were not left disappointed. Oh, and once again we had a hit for kids. The windows were all Alice in Wonderland themed, in honour of the new release of the movie. 

All in, I'd say this was an experience to remember and recommend. And please, if you have children, consider this your next best thing since the opening of your local playground.

To make reservations, visit the Fortnum & Mason Afternoon Tea  information page. Book in advance, so as not to be left disappointed!

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LED Lunchtime Beauty with Sarah Chapman

Don't be frightened. I promise the pictures above and below are not pictures of some exotic torture. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Those bright pink rays you're seeing are all helping to heal my face and take away the daily London grime that likes to accumulate over the day. This is my new lunchtime love...

This is the Sarah Chapman LED Light Therapy and the treatment can easily fit into your lunch hour, with 30 mins to spare. It's a fast treatment that involves a lovely cleanse with a facialist, followed by twenty minutes in front of a non invasive red LED panel. So, what, you ask, is a panel of light bulbs going to do to help your skin? I thought you'd never ask. The LED Light Therapy is all put into action to do the following: increase cell energy, up collagen production, and remove bacteria from the skin. This is a great treatment for anyone with acne prone skin or for anyone looking to just cleanse the city air from their skin. It's also hella relaxing. I fell asleep five minutes into the treatment. Whoops.

Now, for those of you worried about down time after the procedure, there isn't any. You look better than when you walked in, with a face that's fresh and squeaky clean. If you'd rather put hot pokers in your eyes than leave any place without makeup, never fear, as you can apply makeup on the skin once again straight after the therapy. While you'll see a difference after just one treatment, this is recommended as a regular course of therapy to keep the skin looking its best. 

The price of LED Light Therapy at  Sarah Chapman is set currently at £70. However, keep an eye out for special offers. For Chelsea in Bloom, for example, they had the treatment on special for £40.

Sarah Chapman

259 Pavilion Road, Chelsea, London SW1X 0BP

020 7589 9585

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Style Update: A Lavish Alice Off-The-Shoulder Moment

And the off-the-shoulder top obsession continues. Anyone else feeling as if this is all I have in my closet this summer? Hey, if you love something, don't let it go. Hmmmm, pretty sure the saying is "if you love something, let it go," but I'm making it up as I go along here, folks. My latest sartorial obsession comes courtesy of Lavish Alice, a brand that's new to my closet, but one I'm fastly falling for. 

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Photos by Terence Webb.

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Video: 20 tips for packing the perfect carry-on!

For the past five years, I have more or less spent my life living out of a hundred different suitcases. In the beginning, I made big mistakes - never planning, throwing everything into the case but the kitchen sink and never seeming to have exactly what I needed when I needed it most. Oh, the drama. Nowadays, I have the process of packing down to a fine art. I've visited exotic destinations with some of the most well travelled individuals on the earth and I've always taken note of little tips their willing to hand out along the way. And I've been thinking, for some time, that it might be a good idea to share these little tips and tricks. So when CollectPlus asked me if I'd put together a tutorial of sorts for their followers, I was all too happy to oblige, especially as CollectPlus has become a mainstay in my arsenal of packing prep tips. 

For those of you unfamiliar with CollectPlus, allow me to introduce you to the best thing since sliced bread when it comes to online shopping. We all know it's near impossible to get packages at home these days. I, for one, never seem to be home when the delivery man comes calling. CollectPlus have more or less solved that problem perfectly. They are a delivery service that works with over 300 online retailers, including places like ASOS, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and many more, and offer the opportunity for you to pickup your orders at over 5,800 locations around the UK, at your convenience. It's simple for buying, trying and returning (if need be). I've been using them since the day I started shopping ASOS and I've never looked back. Alright, I think you are sufficiently clued in. 

Check out my tips for packing the perfect holiday carry-on below and make sure you check out the CollectPlus Wanderlust Wardrobe for tips on what to pack for this summer's hottest locations. Whether you are travelling to the south of France, Miami, UAE or even on safari, CollectPlus have got tips on which items you need to pack!

Created in collaboration with CollectPlus

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