Will Luella live on?

I was so sad (and shocked!) to hear that one of my most favourite designers, the fabulous Luella Bartley, became a victim of the recession earlier this month.

Her label wasforced out of business after one of its main suppliers, Carla Carini, closed.  The closure meant that orders for the spring/summer 2010 collection could not be fulfilled and so the Singapore-based company in charge of distributing Bartley’s clothing and accessories, VSQ, then withdrew its backing.  The fact that it had been ‘business as usual’ right up to the last minute just shows how quickly a company can be affected.  Scary, isn’t it?

I used to love browsing in her flagship store on Mayfair’s Brook Street; her designs are so fun and girly!  The perfect fusion of traditional British influences with quirky modern details. 

Bartley was crowned designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2008 and has had great success since the launch of the label in 1999. 

Here’s hoping that investors will see the label’s commercial potential and that Luella shall live on….

posted by Emily

Beautiful Victorian house in London

At least once a month, our mailbox is jammed with flyers from estate agents featuring houses that have already gone off the market by the time the brochure even goes to print – I mean really, what is the point in that??!!!

I know most of my neighbours chuck them away or simply leave them at the entrance hoping they’ll dissolve into the air or something (some people are so lazy…) but I personally really enjoy browsing through them for ideas and inspiration and it’s always interesting to see inside other people’s, mostly rich people’s homes!

So in one such publication (John D Wood & Co September/ October 2009), I found the below property – a 3 bedroom Victorian house in Chelsea on sale for a mere £2.7mn…

I thought it would be worth mentioning here as it is so classy and simple, yet with the little touches of colour, not at all bland. Unfortunately though, even if you have a few millions to spare, it has now been sold!

My kind of place, or not?

This 1960s house in London’s Chalk Farm was featured in last week’s Sunday Times and the minute I set my eyes on the first picture of the patio I thought “yuppee – my kind of house! Then, as I turned the pages, I was increasingly disappointed. I really don’t know what to make of it – some rooms are so gorgeous and grown up, others are simply babyish… what do y’all think of it?

The house is owned by Meg Matthews (former wife of Noel Gallagher). Click here to read her interview.

Wall Street crisis versus London Fashion Week

It was the ultimate contrast in London today; whilst hundreds of employees were losing their jobs and leaving the Lehman offices with all their belongings in hand following the company’s filing for bankruptcy, on the other side of the city, celebs were flocking to the second day of London Fashion Week without a care in the world…

This guy’s face really says it all…

London Fashion Week did look like a success though. Here are some inspiring pictures…

Basso & Brooke’s show – not that I would ever wear them, but I quite like the combination of colours used in these dresses – very summery

As usual Julien Macdonald did not disappoint, with lavish evening dresses in sparkly silvers and metallics, wonderfully cut trousers and lots of feathers.

A very classic collection by Spanish designer Fernando Lemoniez

Pictures from Time magazine.