Pretty Betty

Ugly Betty comes to London

AS UGLY BETTY prepares to conclude after four seasons, the cast and crew has travelled to London to film the series finale which sees its star America Ferrera finally receiving a makeover.

Famous for her geek-chic style, Betty Suarez has made clashing colours, thick colourful-rimmed glasses and braces her trademark but - photographed at Piccadilly Circus yesterday - it's clear a new and improved Betty has travelled to London.

Wearing a draped purple dress, patent quilted bag and peep-toe shoes, Betty debuted her new grown-up look - minus the braces and with almost invisible glasses frames - as the character reportedly leaves her position at Mode and journeys to London to launch her own fashion magazine.

The finale of Ugly Betty is set to be aired in the US in late April.



Read more...

Pretty Betty

Ugly Betty comes to London

AS UGLY BETTY prepares to conclude after four seasons, the cast and crew has travelled to London to film the series finale which sees its star America Ferrera finally receiving a makeover.

Famous for her geek-chic style, Betty Suarez has made clashing colours, thick colourful-rimmed glasses and braces her trademark but - photographed at Piccadilly Circus yesterday - it's clear a new and improved Betty has travelled to London.

Wearing a draped purple dress, patent quilted bag and peep-toe shoes, Betty debuted her new grown-up look - minus the braces and with almost invisible glasses frames - as the character reportedly leaves her position at Mode and journeys to London to launch her own fashion magazine.

The finale of Ugly Betty is set to be aired in the US in late April.



Read more...

My Kind Of Girl


IF YOU haven't heard the name Guillaume Henry before, chances are this won't be the last time it finds your ears in the coming weeks. The young Parisian designer is currently making waves as creative director of former French couture house Carven - now reborn as a chic, and affordable, ready-to-wear line under his creative directorship - and his fashion plan is as simple as it is effective.

"I wanted to create a look that was less evening, less cocktail, more girl next door; that's the girl I know," the former Givenchy and Paule Kadesigner explained from the Carven studio in Paris. "Some designers create and imagine a woman, a customer, and that's great - but it's not for me. I design for the owner's wife, my mother, my friends; someone going to work, with children, going out at night - women I know. These pieces can be worn all day, from early morning to late evening. I have tried to create pieces with real honesty, pieces that focus on a woman's needs."

One woman who needed what Henry's Carven had to offer wasNatalie Massenet, who bought the designer's collection for Net-A-Porter whilst she was in Paris - and promptly fell in love with the designer's aesthetic, proclaiming him "a young Saint Laurent". So how does Henry feel about such praise?

"Imagine the pressure!?" he says of the compliment, paid at a dinner in London last week. "I just wanted to die! Natalie is really amazing, she has been my angel. I really felt the air was full of magic as soon as I met her, she made me believe nothing is impossible. She's so strong and so cool - and somehow she manages to live 36 hours in 24. She's definitely a Carven woman."

So what next for Carven?

"I don't want to push too hard," Henry explained. "I respect the brand so much and it has been a sleeping beauty for so long that I'd like to take it slowly. We are a small team, just nine of us, and so I don't want things to go too fast. I'll be here for the foreseeable future and I want to focus the quality and on increasing creativity. We'll keep prices down and remain accessible - that's very important. It's an exciting time."

Read more...

My Kind Of Girl


IF YOU haven't heard the name Guillaume Henry before, chances are this won't be the last time it finds your ears in the coming weeks. The young Parisian designer is currently making waves as creative director of former French couture house Carven - now reborn as a chic, and affordable, ready-to-wear line under his creative directorship - and his fashion plan is as simple as it is effective.

"I wanted to create a look that was less evening, less cocktail, more girl next door; that's the girl I know," the former Givenchy and Paule Kadesigner explained from the Carven studio in Paris. "Some designers create and imagine a woman, a customer, and that's great - but it's not for me. I design for the owner's wife, my mother, my friends; someone going to work, with children, going out at night - women I know. These pieces can be worn all day, from early morning to late evening. I have tried to create pieces with real honesty, pieces that focus on a woman's needs."

One woman who needed what Henry's Carven had to offer wasNatalie Massenet, who bought the designer's collection for Net-A-Porter whilst she was in Paris - and promptly fell in love with the designer's aesthetic, proclaiming him "a young Saint Laurent". So how does Henry feel about such praise?

"Imagine the pressure!?" he says of the compliment, paid at a dinner in London last week. "I just wanted to die! Natalie is really amazing, she has been my angel. I really felt the air was full of magic as soon as I met her, she made me believe nothing is impossible. She's so strong and so cool - and somehow she manages to live 36 hours in 24. She's definitely a Carven woman."

So what next for Carven?

"I don't want to push too hard," Henry explained. "I respect the brand so much and it has been a sleeping beauty for so long that I'd like to take it slowly. We are a small team, just nine of us, and so I don't want things to go too fast. I'll be here for the foreseeable future and I want to focus the quality and on increasing creativity. We'll keep prices down and remain accessible - that's very important. It's an exciting time."

Read more...

Olivia Palermo © Rex Features

Olivia Palermo's Moment

OUR guest on the Today I'm Wearing page this month (see what she is wearing today,here), Olivia Palermo is fast becoming one of the world's most watched fashionistas. Here she tells us first-hand about her biggest style issues:

"Fashion is something that interests me on a daily basis - it started when I would see my mother and aunt get dressed up and go out at night in the city."

How do you decide what to wear every day?
When I get dressed in the morning, I think about versatility - and I'd be lying if I said the weather wasn't a factor. I love layered looks using vests or jackets, but sometimes I feel my best in a great pair of jeans and a fabulous T-shirt.

Who, if anybody, has an influence on your style - or whose style do you admire?
I love the way Scott Schuman captures off-the-cuff street style. It's raw and natural and fits my aesthetic. Menswear always has an influence on me and I think that's down to Coco Chanel - I think many women are influenced by her imprint on fashion.

What are you style essentials - what couldn't you live without?
I can't live without my YSL Tribute heels and my Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Everybody thinks it's the clothing that makes an outfit, but more often than not it's the accessories.

Who are your favourite designers?
There are so many, but several have impacted me directly or shown me how to think about fashion in different ways. Emerging brand Bensoni really captures my feminine and playful side, while Victoria Beckham's collection is elegant for cocktails or evening events. When Mr. Valentino was still designing he truly understood what makes a woman look beautiful. I feel that Rachel Roy and Matthew Williamson get that too with their proper and bohemian looks, respectively.

What are your favourite fashion possessions?
It's a cliché, but I remember when I got my first Hermes Birkin. It was such a pivotal moment - especially living in New York - to have received it. It was like joining a fashion clique and finally becoming one of the tribe. While I use it now occasionally, it always reminds me of how I've progressed stylistically and how cyclical fashion is.

What did you last buy to wear?
For my jewellery launch party for Roberta Freymann (see the collection here), I wanted something special and I spotted this amazing Julian J. Smith dress at Debut on Mulberry Street. I immediately knew it was what I had to wear.

Have you found that your style has changed as your profile has grown?
My style hasn't changed since my profile has increased, but rather my sensibilities towards fashion have. You can't wear the same things at 18 that you can at 24 - that isn't to say that I've overhauled my wardrobe, but I've definitely made a few adjustments. It's all about piecing things together to make closet staples look fresh and interesting.

You have said that London is your favourite city. Why? Which particular places?
London is fabulous because anytime I'm there with [boyfriend] Johannes [Huebl] it just fits. This might sound silly since we live together in New York, but it's completely true. There is a different energy in London and a completely different attitude. My must visit stops include the Victoria & Albert Museum, Matches (of course!) and the Chelsea Antiques Market for things for my apartment. Although the English aren't known for their cuisine, I always take the opportunity to have lunch at Nicole's and dinner at E&O.

Tell us about OPsmile - how did you get involved with it? What do you do for them?
Operation Smile is a wonderful organisation that my friend and New York development director Dee Dee Sides asked me to join years before I even started work on The City. My role as a committee member is to spread the message of the charity and to get young people involved, as without newer members and continued support things will only get worse. Their website is www.operationsmile.org and anyone can get involved online.

Read more...

Olivia Palermo © Rex Features

Olivia Palermo's Moment

OUR guest on the Today I'm Wearing page this month (see what she is wearing today,here), Olivia Palermo is fast becoming one of the world's most watched fashionistas. Here she tells us first-hand about her biggest style issues:

"Fashion is something that interests me on a daily basis - it started when I would see my mother and aunt get dressed up and go out at night in the city."

How do you decide what to wear every day?
When I get dressed in the morning, I think about versatility - and I'd be lying if I said the weather wasn't a factor. I love layered looks using vests or jackets, but sometimes I feel my best in a great pair of jeans and a fabulous T-shirt.

Who, if anybody, has an influence on your style - or whose style do you admire?
I love the way Scott Schuman captures off-the-cuff street style. It's raw and natural and fits my aesthetic. Menswear always has an influence on me and I think that's down to Coco Chanel - I think many women are influenced by her imprint on fashion.

What are you style essentials - what couldn't you live without?
I can't live without my YSL Tribute heels and my Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Everybody thinks it's the clothing that makes an outfit, but more often than not it's the accessories.

Who are your favourite designers?
There are so many, but several have impacted me directly or shown me how to think about fashion in different ways. Emerging brand Bensoni really captures my feminine and playful side, while Victoria Beckham's collection is elegant for cocktails or evening events. When Mr. Valentino was still designing he truly understood what makes a woman look beautiful. I feel that Rachel Roy and Matthew Williamson get that too with their proper and bohemian looks, respectively.

What are your favourite fashion possessions?
It's a cliché, but I remember when I got my first Hermes Birkin. It was such a pivotal moment - especially living in New York - to have received it. It was like joining a fashion clique and finally becoming one of the tribe. While I use it now occasionally, it always reminds me of how I've progressed stylistically and how cyclical fashion is.

What did you last buy to wear?
For my jewellery launch party for Roberta Freymann (see the collection here), I wanted something special and I spotted this amazing Julian J. Smith dress at Debut on Mulberry Street. I immediately knew it was what I had to wear.

Have you found that your style has changed as your profile has grown?
My style hasn't changed since my profile has increased, but rather my sensibilities towards fashion have. You can't wear the same things at 18 that you can at 24 - that isn't to say that I've overhauled my wardrobe, but I've definitely made a few adjustments. It's all about piecing things together to make closet staples look fresh and interesting.

You have said that London is your favourite city. Why? Which particular places?
London is fabulous because anytime I'm there with [boyfriend] Johannes [Huebl] it just fits. This might sound silly since we live together in New York, but it's completely true. There is a different energy in London and a completely different attitude. My must visit stops include the Victoria & Albert Museum, Matches (of course!) and the Chelsea Antiques Market for things for my apartment. Although the English aren't known for their cuisine, I always take the opportunity to have lunch at Nicole's and dinner at E&O.

Tell us about OPsmile - how did you get involved with it? What do you do for them?
Operation Smile is a wonderful organisation that my friend and New York development director Dee Dee Sides asked me to join years before I even started work on The City. My role as a committee member is to spread the message of the charity and to get young people involved, as without newer members and continued support things will only get worse. Their website is www.operationsmile.org and anyone can get involved online.

Read more...

Olivia Palermo © Rex Features

Olivia Palermo's Moment

OUR guest on the Today I'm Wearing page this month (see what she is wearing today,here), Olivia Palermo is fast becoming one of the world's most watched fashionistas. Here she tells us first-hand about her biggest style issues:

"Fashion is something that interests me on a daily basis - it started when I would see my mother and aunt get dressed up and go out at night in the city."

How do you decide what to wear every day?
When I get dressed in the morning, I think about versatility - and I'd be lying if I said the weather wasn't a factor. I love layered looks using vests or jackets, but sometimes I feel my best in a great pair of jeans and a fabulous T-shirt.

Who, if anybody, has an influence on your style - or whose style do you admire?
I love the way Scott Schuman captures off-the-cuff street style. It's raw and natural and fits my aesthetic. Menswear always has an influence on me and I think that's down to Coco Chanel - I think many women are influenced by her imprint on fashion.

What are you style essentials - what couldn't you live without?
I can't live without my YSL Tribute heels and my Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Everybody thinks it's the clothing that makes an outfit, but more often than not it's the accessories.

Who are your favourite designers?
There are so many, but several have impacted me directly or shown me how to think about fashion in different ways. Emerging brand Bensoni really captures my feminine and playful side, while Victoria Beckham's collection is elegant for cocktails or evening events. When Mr. Valentino was still designing he truly understood what makes a woman look beautiful. I feel that Rachel Roy and Matthew Williamson get that too with their proper and bohemian looks, respectively.

What are your favourite fashion possessions?
It's a cliché, but I remember when I got my first Hermes Birkin. It was such a pivotal moment - especially living in New York - to have received it. It was like joining a fashion clique and finally becoming one of the tribe. While I use it now occasionally, it always reminds me of how I've progressed stylistically and how cyclical fashion is.

What did you last buy to wear?
For my jewellery launch party for Roberta Freymann (see the collection here), I wanted something special and I spotted this amazing Julian J. Smith dress at Debut on Mulberry Street. I immediately knew it was what I had to wear.

Have you found that your style has changed as your profile has grown?
My style hasn't changed since my profile has increased, but rather my sensibilities towards fashion have. You can't wear the same things at 18 that you can at 24 - that isn't to say that I've overhauled my wardrobe, but I've definitely made a few adjustments. It's all about piecing things together to make closet staples look fresh and interesting.

You have said that London is your favourite city. Why? Which particular places?
London is fabulous because anytime I'm there with [boyfriend] Johannes [Huebl] it just fits. This might sound silly since we live together in New York, but it's completely true. There is a different energy in London and a completely different attitude. My must visit stops include the Victoria & Albert Museum, Matches (of course!) and the Chelsea Antiques Market for things for my apartment. Although the English aren't known for their cuisine, I always take the opportunity to have lunch at Nicole's and dinner at E&O.

Tell us about OPsmile - how did you get involved with it? What do you do for them?
Operation Smile is a wonderful organisation that my friend and New York development director Dee Dee Sides asked me to join years before I even started work on The City. My role as a committee member is to spread the message of the charity and to get young people involved, as without newer members and continued support things will only get worse. Their website is www.operationsmile.org and anyone can get involved online.

Read more...

Olivia Palermo © Rex Features

Olivia Palermo's Moment

OUR guest on the Today I'm Wearing page this month (see what she is wearing today,here), Olivia Palermo is fast becoming one of the world's most watched fashionistas. Here she tells us first-hand about her biggest style issues:

"Fashion is something that interests me on a daily basis - it started when I would see my mother and aunt get dressed up and go out at night in the city."

How do you decide what to wear every day?
When I get dressed in the morning, I think about versatility - and I'd be lying if I said the weather wasn't a factor. I love layered looks using vests or jackets, but sometimes I feel my best in a great pair of jeans and a fabulous T-shirt.

Who, if anybody, has an influence on your style - or whose style do you admire?
I love the way Scott Schuman captures off-the-cuff street style. It's raw and natural and fits my aesthetic. Menswear always has an influence on me and I think that's down to Coco Chanel - I think many women are influenced by her imprint on fashion.

What are you style essentials - what couldn't you live without?
I can't live without my YSL Tribute heels and my Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Everybody thinks it's the clothing that makes an outfit, but more often than not it's the accessories.

Who are your favourite designers?
There are so many, but several have impacted me directly or shown me how to think about fashion in different ways. Emerging brand Bensoni really captures my feminine and playful side, while Victoria Beckham's collection is elegant for cocktails or evening events. When Mr. Valentino was still designing he truly understood what makes a woman look beautiful. I feel that Rachel Roy and Matthew Williamson get that too with their proper and bohemian looks, respectively.

What are your favourite fashion possessions?
It's a cliché, but I remember when I got my first Hermes Birkin. It was such a pivotal moment - especially living in New York - to have received it. It was like joining a fashion clique and finally becoming one of the tribe. While I use it now occasionally, it always reminds me of how I've progressed stylistically and how cyclical fashion is.

What did you last buy to wear?
For my jewellery launch party for Roberta Freymann (see the collection here), I wanted something special and I spotted this amazing Julian J. Smith dress at Debut on Mulberry Street. I immediately knew it was what I had to wear.

Have you found that your style has changed as your profile has grown?
My style hasn't changed since my profile has increased, but rather my sensibilities towards fashion have. You can't wear the same things at 18 that you can at 24 - that isn't to say that I've overhauled my wardrobe, but I've definitely made a few adjustments. It's all about piecing things together to make closet staples look fresh and interesting.

You have said that London is your favourite city. Why? Which particular places?
London is fabulous because anytime I'm there with [boyfriend] Johannes [Huebl] it just fits. This might sound silly since we live together in New York, but it's completely true. There is a different energy in London and a completely different attitude. My must visit stops include the Victoria & Albert Museum, Matches (of course!) and the Chelsea Antiques Market for things for my apartment. Although the English aren't known for their cuisine, I always take the opportunity to have lunch at Nicole's and dinner at E&O.

Tell us about OPsmile - how did you get involved with it? What do you do for them?
Operation Smile is a wonderful organisation that my friend and New York development director Dee Dee Sides asked me to join years before I even started work on The City. My role as a committee member is to spread the message of the charity and to get young people involved, as without newer members and continued support things will only get worse. Their website is www.operationsmile.org and anyone can get involved online.

Read more...

America Ferrera filming in central London yesterday © Big Pictures

Pretty Betty

Famous for her geek-chic style, Betty Suarez has made clashing colours, thick colourful-rimmed glasses and braces her trademark but - photographed at Piccadilly Circus yesterday - it's clear a new and improved Betty has travelled to London.

Wearing a draped purple dress, patent quilted bag and peep-toe shoes, Betty debuted her new grown-up look - minus the braces and with almost invisible glasses frames - as the character reportedly leaves her position at Mode and journeys to London to launch her own fashion magazine.

The finale of Ugly Betty is set to be aired in the US in late April.

Read more...

America Ferrera filming in central London yesterday © Big Pictures

Pretty Betty

Famous for her geek-chic style, Betty Suarez has made clashing colours, thick colourful-rimmed glasses and braces her trademark but - photographed at Piccadilly Circus yesterday - it's clear a new and improved Betty has travelled to London.

Wearing a draped purple dress, patent quilted bag and peep-toe shoes, Betty debuted her new grown-up look - minus the braces and with almost invisible glasses frames - as the character reportedly leaves her position at Mode and journeys to London to launch her own fashion magazine.

The finale of Ugly Betty is set to be aired in the US in late April.

Read more...

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