It is something I’ve always longed to experience and the luxurious ‘Golden Age Of Travel’ really did live up to all my expectations…

As we walked down to the end of Platform 2 at Victoria, we were greeted by a four-piece band (dressed in mustard yellow) playing 1920’s-style music, whilst rounds of tea and coffee were served to keep us warm.

We were boarding ‘The Golden Age of Travel’ on the British Pullman stream train, which included a journey around the English countryside and a five course lunch with champagne and wine.

The whole experience was so luxurious from start to finish; even the tickets (which were sent out prior to the day) came in a wonderful brown leather case with suede exterior.

As the British Pullman drew into the platform, steam bellowed out of the train’s chimneys and the piercing sound of a horn rang out loud and clear. Silver service waiters wearing pristine white suits with sparkling brass buttons greeted us to step aboard our carriage.

The carriages each have their own unique names, décor and history. We were travelling in coach ‘Zena,’ a carriage built in 1928 which featured the original light brown wood-panelled walls, striking brass fixtures and comfy armchairs with fine dining table settings that would have greeted travellers over eighty years ago.

Zena was used in the 1976 film ‘Agatha,’ about the life of Agatha Christie and another carriage Perseus was used to transport the coffin of Winston Churchill in 1965.

As we slowly chugged out of Victoria, it felt like we were a million miles away from modern London life and we settled into our journey with a cool glass of champagne.

We were sat on a traditional two-seater table in the window, as we travelled around the outskirts of London and the South Downs on ‘The Golden Age of Travel.’

Flicking through The Orient Express brochure, I was amazed at how many different experiences and trips are on offer; including a journey to Hever Castle and a 1920’s dinner featuring “a night of vintage glamour and romance,” where guests are invited to don their best vintage dresses and revel in the atmosphere of the 1920’s. Sounds absolutely amazing, I would love this! Perfect too for all those stunning 1920’s inspired looks which are key to fashion this spring/summer.

We were sat nearby a lovely French couple and behind a family of four, who had been planning the trip for over two years to celebrate their Mother’s 60^th Birthday. It would make an amazing Valentine’s Day experience, if you subscribe to February 14^th, otherwise as a couple it’s a wonderful and blissfully romantic way to spend an afternoon.

Our five-course silver service meal included salmon terrine, asparagus soup, beautifully cooked organic lamb, a cheese platter and a scrummy chocolate-y desert…definitely go hungry! The food was absolutely delicious and the waiters were impeccable (in both manner and service) and we felt very well looked after.

A bottle of red or white wine is included but we decided to upgrade to a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which was a delicious and very indulgent way to wash down a Friday afternoon.

The staff went out of their way to give everyone on board the best possible experience and you felt truly spoilt. I would recommend it to absolutely everyone, and I’m already planning about a dozen trips I’d love to take friends and family on!

If there is a special birthday or occasion on the horizon, you really couldn’t choose a more wonderful present. Our trip ‘The Golden Age of Travel’ costs £350 per person, but there are plenty of experiences which start at the £195 mark. If you want to go all out, there are weekend packages available, such as a trip to Cornwall and the Eden Project, alongside journeys abroad to Venice or the Far East.

For more information on all the various trips available and how to book, visit www.orient-express.com.

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The collection looks fabulous as well, I’ve got my eye on so many pieces. It has quite a glam-rock dominatrix feel to it with the use of PVC, faux leather and biker-inspired styles - great for wearing on a night out!

Click on the video below…

I love the metallic tuxedo-style jacket (left) – would look fab jazzing up an LBD! 

The biker-style dress and Karl canvas tote would also look great teamed with chunky black tights and wedges.

Check out the full collection on Net-a-Porter HERE.

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The campaign has been been shot by renowned photographer Terry Richardson, Mango says it chose Brit supermodel Kate as she “embodies the type of urban, independent and confident woman Mango customers can relate to.”

Mango has also filmed a TV commercial with Kate, called Spy Game, which will launch on our screens early March.

Click ‘Read More’ to watch the interview with Kate Moss…

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Marni says: “An upbeat energy of rebellion creates a sense of surprise in Marni Edition for winter 2012. The silhouette is classic, to the knee or to the ankle, with juxtapositions of fabric and fur.”

Fabrics include kilt wool, tartan jersey, flannel and jacquard silk. The classic loafer shape is key in footwear, but more “golfer meets rockability,” alongside oversized pumps with metallic toes.

Bags include buckled purses and flat totes, lunch-box bags in modern matt leather and sheepskin totes with hard leather finishes.

Marni says broaches are a focus for accessories next season, with quirky geometric shapes in mixes of resin, acetate, glass and neoprene.

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The event will include talks, performances and debates from the fashion industry’s leading talents including designers, photographers and models and also offer guests the chance to take part in makeovers and workshops. It sounds great, can’t wait!

British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman said: “I am tremendously excited about putting together this Vogue Festival which will be the first of its kind to allow the general public to see and hear some of the world’s greatest fashion talent speaking, as well as to engage in many interesting issues that fashion and style raises.” 

The Vogue Festival is due to take place on April 20-21 at The Royal Geographic Society, London SW7.  To register your interest, visit Voguefestival.co.uk.    

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Soft trouser suits and silk body con dresses are key looks, alongside textured lace and Peter Pan collars which will continue to be strong for SS12. Click ‘Read More’ to check out the video…

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Louise Gray, SS12

Two of the most exciting womenswear designers at the moment – Louise Gray and Mary Katrantzou – have been awarded Fashion Forward sponsorship by the British Fashion Council (BFC) for two consecutive seasons in London.

I first saw Louise Gray quite a few seasons ago at London Fashion Week, showcasing with OnOff. I absolutely love her work - her AW11 was fun, fresh and colourful. Her designs are so exciting and I can’t wait to see more of her. Read my Louise Gray AW11 catwalk report and backstage beauty HERE.

Mary Katrantzou, SS12

Mary Katrantzou does the most amazing digital prints and I’m so happy that she’s received this sponsorship. I wore a Mary Katrantzou silk dress to London Fashion Week a few seasons ago (sadly her Topshop collaboration, rather than coreline) but still very much her style and I love her work.

Emily Seares wears Mary Katrantzou

Alongside Louise Gray and Mary Katrantzou, Henry Holland has also been awarded Fashion Forward sponsorship along with menswear designer James Long.

BFC chief executive Caroline Rush said: “The recipients for this year’s Fashion Forward sponsorship are an exceptionally talented group of designers. 2012 is set to be a momentus year not only for the fashion industry but the UK and I am looking forward to seeing Henry, Louise, James and Mary taking strides forward in their business development.”

Louise said: “I am thrilled to have been awarded Fashion Forward sponsorship as this backing will allow me to develop my brand even further. I have so many exciting projects coming up this year and this is a great way to start things off!”

Mary added: “It’s really important to have that support and it’s testament to the strength of London Fashion Week and the BFC’s initiative to nuture and help designers build an established business.”

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I also revealed images and details of the much anticipated Louis Vuitton exhibition at Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris, which is due to open in March (and I’ll be visiting in June) – check out my post HERE.

But to add to the list, The Design Museum, London, is launching an exhibition showcasing the work and career of iconic French shoe designer Christian Louboutin and The Denver Art Museum, Colorado, is hosting the internationally acclaimed exhibition ‘Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective’…phew!

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN 

The Design Museum said: “This exhibition celebrates Louboutin’s career to date and showcases twenty years of designs and inspiration, revealing the artistry and theatricality of his shoe design from stilettos to lace-up boots, studded sneakers and bejewelled pumps. Louboutin’s shoes are the epitome of style, glamour, power, femininity and elegance.”

Drawing from Louboutin’s personal archive, the exhibition will showcase a range of his designs; referencing the origins of the iconic red sole through to the latest Louboutin collections, including a range for men and his handbags.

The exhibition will also focus on the handcrafted shoe, one-off designs which incorporate his innovative ideas, forms and materials.

There will be a special section dedicated to the shoes designed for ‘Fetish,’ an exhibition at the La Gallerie Du Passage Paris in 2007; a collaboration of photography between Louboutin and artist David Lynch.

The exhibition is due to open on March 28th, for more info visit TheDesignMuseum.org.

Image Credit: Photographer Phillippe Garcia. Images taken from ‘Christian Louboutin’, published by Rizzoli.

YVES SAINT LAURENT 

The Denver Art Museum, Colorado, is due to host the internationally acclaimed exhibition ‘Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective,’ which will open on March 25. It is a retrospective of the designer’s forty years of creativity and features a selection of 200 haute couture outfits, along with numerous photographs, drawings and films which illustrate the development of Saint Laurent’s style and the historical foundations of his work.

The exhibition explores Yves Saint Laurent’s career, from his first days at Dior in 1958 through to the splendour of his final runway collection in 2002. Highlights include the ‘Yves Saint Laurent and Women’ section, which will display clothing worn by his supporters including Princess Grace of Monaco, Catherine Deneuve and Paloma Picasso.

The Denver Art Museum said: “During his 40 years of designing, Saint Laurent (1936-2008) revolutionised the female wardrobe by borrowing the tuxedo, the trouser suit, shorts and the safari jacket from men’s clothing, transferring these symbols of power from one gender to the other. He empowered women with this new form of clothing, turning traditional menswear into haute couture.” For more info, visit DenverArtMuseum.org.

Yves Saint Laurent Image Credits:

Short cocktail dress, Tribute to Piet Mondrian, Haute couture collection, Fall-Winter 1965. Ecru wool jersey, encrusted with black, red, yellow and blue.

Short evening ensemble, Tribute to Vincent Van Gogh, Haute couture collection, Spring-Summer 1988. Jacket embroidered with sequins and pearls; green crepe blouse; purple crepe skirt.

Tuxedo with pants, Haute couture collection, Fall-Winter 1966. Black barathea and satin silk, white organdy blouse. Pierre Bergé Yves Saint Laurent, Paris / Photo A. Guirkinger

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Selfridges

I used to love visiting the library as a child, my Mum used to take me every Saturday morning after swimming to pick up a selection of new books to devour that week.

The 15,000 book library is set within the Ultralounge on the Lower Ground floor of Selfridges and includes an edit of the most inspirational books from the four publishers’ past and present archives.

There are listening posts for audio books and iPads and a pick of ‘Desert Island Books’ from a selection of celebrities including Mark Ronson, Paloma Faith, Rankin and Thandie Newton. It is also set to host a series of lectures, alongside grammar and latin lessons.

Selfridges said the library installation (which will run until March 1) is making a stand against mass library closures around the UK and the risk it represents to literacy. Selfridges is a hub of creativity, from fashion to art and now literature. Hopefully it will pave the way for a new era of libraries as well. Fashion and books, the perfect mix I think…

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GUEST REPORTER: Holly Sutton

“Girls just weren’t as good looking before GHD’s where they?”

Back in 2002, in a University halls of residence in Lancaster,  this was the bewildered response of a fresher watching frizzy haired girls (of which I was one) enter the room of a proud owner of GHDs…and exit with catwalk perfect silky tresses. 

Ten years later, the fashion for the ironed-straight styles we perfected back then has moved on. And so has GHD’s marketing for the styles you can create. The brand has launched a remodelled 1920′s ‘Scarlet’ range, ahead of Baz Luhrmann’s remake of The Great Gatsby which has kick-started a revival of the twenties flapper styles in fashion.

Personally, I hope these new retro looks will inspire a string of invites to 1920s-style events, like the one showcased in the launch video of the Scarlet range (above). In this video, GHD hair stylists show how to use the straighteners to create glamourous 1920′s hairstyles. 

However, my at home attempts with the straighteners were not so awe inspiring and I found my ability to create the hair styles very limited due to my lack of technical ability. At my local salon I often marvel at hairdressers’ skillful use of straighteners, as I still can’t master the art of the curling my hair with them. So I found most of the 1920′s styles briefly shown on the video too hard to do.

Although I failed to create a finger curl, I still had a lot of fun attempting it. In fact, most of it started before I even turned them on! Delivered in a beautiful art deco style box, the straighteners came in a scarlet satin jewelled beauty case which would have sat proudly on any flapper’s mirrored dressing table.  

One of the most traditional 1920′s hair styles is the short shiny bob, which these spanking new straighteners would perfect in a second. For people with a fringe, creating a beveled look – by using the straighteners to create a lip into the forehead – would also be straightforward. But for a longer-haired, slightly uncoordinated, fringeless cool cat such as myself, the only 1920′s style I could create was poker straight shiny hair that I tied in a sideways ponytail then pulled into a bun with a twenties inspired fascinator. I just need the party invite now…!

FashionBite xx