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I love the changing seasons and the new fashions that they bring.
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Wednesday 27 March 2013

CLASSIC SCENT

Spring may have officially started last week but it's been even colder with rain, sleet and snow.  Any early enthusiasm I might have had for Spring clothes seems to have evaporated.  Coming in from the cold with a little white carrier bag with CHANEL in black letters printed on it is a different matter.  I enjoy buying perfume whatever the weather.

My favourite perfume is the iconic Chanel No 5.  Described by Chanel as "floral-aldehydic, a bouquet of abstract flowers", it is a blend of many ingredients including rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang and orange blossom plus the aldehydes which give the perfume its power and sophistication.


Although I do occasionally wear the perfume itself, most of the time I spray on the eau-de-toilette.  I like the Purse Spray in black lacquer trimmed with gold, which holds a 20ml refill.  It comes in a box with two more 20ml refills.




Chanel No 5 dates back to the early 1920's and it is a classic and sophisticated perfume.  About five years ago, Chanel brought out No 5 Eau Première, a modern interpretation of the legendary fragrance for the twenty-first century.  It gives the option of a lighter, fresher more delicate way to wear this wonderful scent.  Eau Première is available in a 20ml Purse Spray in black lacquer trimmed with silver, plus two refills.

SPRING NOTE 


It's still bitterly cold out there but it's getting dark later.  British Summer Time begins this weekend and we will be putting our clocks forward by one hour.  So even though the weather's un-springlike, it is really Spring.  I might look around for something warm like knitwear or a scarf in pale pink to look more seasonable.  I noticed that some designers were even showing pale pink  in the Autumn/Winter 2013 collections.


Monday 18 March 2013

SO DIOR, SO LOVELY

Harrods has always been a good place to shop for Dior.  Now, until 14th April, the legendary and elegant House of Dior has become the focus of this equally famous London department store.  Dior's exhibition, "So Dior" is presented on the fourth floor.

Readers of my blog will have probably realized by now that Dior is one of my favourite designers and so I hurried along to Harrods on opening day.  The windows are devoted to Dior and display the beautiful Spring/Summer collection, Dior perfumes and also items made especially for Harrods to celebrate this event.  These include tartan Lady Dior Bags and Dior for Harrods teddy bears with tartan ears and paws.  As I walked through the store on the ground floor, I passed the special Dior Pop-up-Shop.
                                             
On entering the exhibition, a giant dolls house version of 30 Montaigne Avenue, the Dior headquarters in Paris, greeted me on the facing wall.




When Christian Dior presented his first collection on 12th February 1947, it became known as the "New Look".  In the same year, he also launched his first perfume, "Miss Dior".  The exhibition takes the visitor from the past through to the present at the House of Dior.  

A history of designs is shown in a miniature fashion theatre.  There is an interesting display of toiles from recent collections.  Then there are beautiful dresses worn by stars of the past and today, including a short evening dress in white tulle with silver sequins worn by Audrey Hepburn in 1959.  

In a photograph taken by Cecil Beaton in 1951, on her 21st birthday, Princess Margaret wears a Dior ballgown.  Now, Raf Simons, the new Creative Director of Dior, has designed his "mini ballgown", to wear as a top over cigarette trousers - a modern interpretation for today's lifestyle.  This is just one example of how Raf Simons is combining modernity with the style and tradition of the House of Dior.  

Perfumes have always been very important at Dior and films about both "Miss Dior", featuring Natalie Portman and "J'Adore", with Charlize Theron are being shown at the exhibition. 

A white organza evening dress with a strapless bodice, embroidered with tiny chiffon flowers, from the Autumn/Winter 2012 collection is displayed in the centre of a room.  This is the dress worn by Natalie Portman as she lies on a bed of roses in the "Miss Dior" perfume film.



Finally, a giant white Lady Dior bag acts as a screen for a film demonstrating how this iconic bag is made and  the craftmanship involved.


On the wall, there is a display of the individual parts that make up the bag.



Lady Diana, Princess of Wales was a devotee of the bag and so Dior christened it the "Lady Bag" in her honour.  I long to possess this bag in black leather.  It is at the top of my wishlist.  In fact it is really the only thing on my wishlist.

As I left "So Dior", I passed the nearby "Café Dior", a pop-up café.  

For anybody who is interested in fashion, this is a wonderful exhibition but for Dior lovers, it's a must.

Wednesday 6 March 2013

POWDER UP.....AND NEWS FROM MILAN AND PARIS

In my recent post, "Basic Makeup", on 21st February, I wrote about my foundation and blusher.  Now my powder has run out and I have bought my usual brand.  I can't remember how long I've been buying Clinique's Blended Face Powder and Brush but I think it's excellent.  This is a loose, lightweight powder that is suitable for all types of skin.  Although it gives a sheer coverage, it leaves the skin with a smooth, flawless finish.  I apply it with my fingers to the shiny parts of my face and any patches of skin that need extra coverage. I take off any excess with the useful brush provided.  The powder is contained in a neat pot and the swivel-out brush is in a shiny, silver case.
  

The powder comes in 5 shades.  I wear 02 Transparency 2, which is a light shade with a slightly pinkish tone.





MILAN AND PARIS: Meanwhile, Autumn/Winter 2013 fashion shows continued.......

In Milan, Dolce and Gabbana presented a beautiful collection.  Mosaics from the medieval Monreale cathedral in Sicily were the inspiration for printed fabrics, bags and shoes.  There were also many lovely red pieces, some in lace, others jewelled and sparkling.  For day, the black and white herringbone tweed clothes evoked the 1950's.

On to Paris, where Raf Simons presented his second Ready-to-Wear collection for Dior.  Here, modernity was combined with influences from art (Surrealist and Andy Warhol), memory and earlier work by Christian Dior.  Elegant shift dresses were embroidered and appliqued with motifs.  Some memorable pieces by Dior from the 1940's and 1950's were reinterpreted in dark denim or leather. The iconic black and white houndstooth appeared on various pieces including bustiers.

Both these wonderful shows can be viewed on the Dolce and Gabbana and Dior websites and I would recommend the experience.