H&M'S NEXT DESIGNER COLLABORATION WILL BE MARNI!

Start saving your pennies now because H&M's next designer collaboration has today been revealed as Marni. And the important date for your diary? The 8th March is when the Italian brand's collaboration is due to hit 260 H&M stores nationwide. As an uber-fan of the brand I'm already giddy with excitement, I have long lusted after a Marni statement necklace with that coveted black ribbon printed with the iconic white lettering. H&M designer collaborations have produced some amazing high street fashion hits in the past (although the Versace collaboration was definitely not my cup of tea); when the high street label collaborated with Lanvin last year I went as far as to book the day off work to get my hands the embellished t-shirt from the range..! The said t-shirt now proudly hangs in my wardrobe but rarely gets worn because it's far too beautiful for every day wear, god forbid I may spill red wine or tomato sauce down it (which I most likely would do).

Anyway, just for fun I've picked my favourite pieces from Marni's recent collections that I hope H&M can bring to the high street at purse friendly prices prices.

From L-R: 1. Cotton blend dress, £666, theoutnet.com. 2. Acetate and vinyl floral necklace, £175, net-a-porter.com. 3. Embellished platform sandals, £575, net-a-porter.com. 4. Mint print dress, £769.00, Farfetch.com.

RED CARPET REVIEW: THE BRITISH FASHION AWARDS 2011

The British Fashion Awards attracted some of fashion industry's biggest and most glamourous players to London yesterday. From Marc Jacobs to Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham to Stella McCartney, all the biggest names in fashion were in attendance. This also meant the red carpet fashion was parade of looks hot off the catwalk, here's Lafashionfolie's red carpet review:

I think Olivia Palermo pulled this Matthew Williamson feather detail mini dress off with aplomb. I especially love how she accessorised her designer outfit with Topshop heels, Olivia is a big supporter of high street fashion (she's frequently photographed wearing Topshop) and isn't afraid to mix high and low end brands to create unique outfits.

Alexa Chung scored yet another fashion hit in this embellished 1960s style Christopher Kane shift. She teamed the dress with a quirky pair of Charlotte Olympia heels, adding an 'unexpected twist' to look in true Alexa style!

Wow I just love this structured graphic print Peter Pilotto dress on Amber Le Bon! I like the way she's kept her accessories simple to let the incredible dress and her super model good looks do the talking.

This dazzling metallic pleated maxi dress by Mulberry looked amazing on Tali Lennox. My only criticism would be that the 60s inspired hair do looked a bit formal, I think soft, relaxed waves would have looked cooler and younger with such a glamourous dress.

I'm sorry Abbey but I wasn't a fan of this suede Giles maxi dress with rivet detail. With the heavy make-up and bright blonde highlights the overall effect was too 'WAG' for me. Abbey is such a gorgeous girl she could make a binliner look sexy, but I'd like to see in something more fashion-forward, like the Matthew Williamson dress Olivia Palermo was pictured in above.


What do you think of their outfits?

Head over to the Daily Mail website for the full story and all the night's winners and gossip.

BOUTIQUE BY JAEGER SALE PICKS!

After an insider tip off from one of my best friends,who works at Jaeger head office, I hotfooted it to the Regent Street flagship store on Saturday for the start of the Boutique sale. The Boutique collection is full of covetable, 1960s style pieces with Peter Pan collars and polka dot details aplenty. It's a little out of my price range usually, but with up to 50% off on some styles there are some real bargains to be had at the moment. I snapped up the black version of the red jersey dress I've featured below because I think it will be a very versatile addition to my wardrobe that I can easily dress up or down. Here are my top picks of the sale, all available online now. Yippee!

1. Shearling Collar Coat,  now £225.00 reduced from £450.00.2.Sequin Collar Blouse, £75.00 reduced from  £130.00. 3. Angora Spot Jumper,  £80.00 reduced from £160.00. 4. Jersey Prom Dress,  £65.00 reduced from  £115.00.

THE BEST DRESSED CELEBRITIES OF THE WEEK

With the 2011 American Music Awards and InStyle magazine's 10th birthday party, there was plenty of celebrity fashion to dissect this week. Here's Lafashionfolie favourites:

I really, really loved this 1920s inspired silk Giorgio Armani dress on Selena Gomez. It may even be my favourite celebrity red carpet look of 2011! The oyster silk looked beautiful with her colouring and the retro inspired hair do gave the whole outfit an old Hollywood glamour feel. Even though the neckline was cut quite low and the skirt is slashed to the thigh, Selena still managed to look demure and stylish. For such a young starlet Gomez is making some informed style choices and I'm sure there's some great fashion to come from her.

There's no denying Diana Vickers is a natural beauty, but sometimes her casual, boho look doesn't advertise just how stunning she is. What I loved about the simple black MW by Matthew Williamson dress that Diana chose to wear to InStyle's 10th birthday is that it allowed her natural beauty to shine. The simple accessories, black heels and a Bex Rox elephant bracelet, kept the whole look simple and stylish.

All pictures are courtesy of Zimbio.com

Florence looked radiant when she arrived at Radio One this week in a paisley maxi dress with a navy, maxi military coat. This is such a great daytime look; the navy and burgundy tones look fantastic with Florence's shock of red hair, whilst the Mulberry Polly Push Lock bag added some designer polish to the look.

What do you think of my celeb outfit picks of the week? And what were yours?

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY OUTFITS ON A BUDGET

 I can barely believe it but 2011 is drawing to a close and the office Christmas party season is upon us again. Readers of Lafashionfolie.blogspot may remember that last year I splashed out on a beautiful gold brocade dress from Whistles, that made me feel a million dollars but also left me practically bankrupt. Not so clever. So this year I've decided to take some sartorial tips from our wonderful Queen and the fragrant Duchess of Cambridge and recycle an outfit from my wardrobe for office do. I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling the pre-Christmas pinch, so here's some ideas for festive party outfits on budget that give you plenty of bang for buck! 

Shop the look:

Mesh Sleeve Dress, AX Paris, £30.00.  

Suedette 'Rosalyn' Court Shoe, Peacocks, £16.00.

Rimmel London Kate Lipstick, ASOS, £3.50.  

Shop the look:

Midnight Blue Velvet Dress, Dorothy Perkins, £29.50.

Myla Suedette Ankle Strap Platforms, Boohoo.com, £15.00. 

Sequin Embellished Envelope Clutch Bag, M&S, £18.00.

BLOW VS BANK THE BUDGET: GLITTER ANKLE BOOTS

Take your fashion cues from The Wizard of Oz's Dorothy this Autumn/Winter with a dazzling pair of glitter booties. Miu Miu led the trend on the catwalk with their glitter and suede peep toe ankle boots that were seen on all the fashionable tootsies at the S/S12 shows. For a Miu Miu inspired style, head over to ASOS where their lovely 'Astrid' ankle boots have the designer look for a fraction of the price.

The only downside? I can't guarantee that either pair will whisk you from the dancefloor to your comfy bed if you click your heels and repeat 'There's no place like home' after a hard night of partying. If only!

Shop the look:

ASOS ASTRID Glitter Ankle Boots, £65.00.
Miu Miu Glitter and suede peep toe ankle boots, Net-a-porter.com, £555.

POP YOUR COLLAR: STATEMENT NECKLACES FOR EVERY POCKET

A simple way to refresh your look this season is with a statement collar necklace. Whether you opt for a pretty ribbon-tie bib necklace or an edgier, chunkier chain number, a statement necklace can 'fashion up' simple shift dresses, sweaters and shirts. My dream purchase would be a Marni collar; Marni necklaces are a worthwhile investment because they are classic collectors pieces that will never date. But for now I'll have to put the dreams on hold and settle for some of stylish high street alternatives that tap into the trend without the hefty pricetag.

1. Beaded Collar Necklace, Dorothy Perkins, £15.00
2. Ribbon and Gem necklace, New Look, £17.99
3. Bib-style Necklace, Mango, £39.90.
4. Jade Chunky Stone Necklace, Tallulah Tu, £28.
5. Midnight Purple Margery Necklace, Marc by Marc Jacobs at mywardrobe.com, £225.00.
6. Lucite and Horn Embellished Bib Necklace, Marni at Net-a-porter.com, £340.

MARC JACOBS S/S12 COLLECTION STOLEN AHEAD OF LONDON PRESS DAY

The Independent has today reported that £40,000 of the Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer12 collection was stolen from near the brand's Mayfair store on Wednesday morning.

However, there have been lots of varying reports in the papers about the true facts behind this story with the Daily Mail contradicting the Independent, informing it's readers that the ENTIRE collection was stolen from a train en route to London. The truth is, that £40,000 worth of designer fashion is unlikely to amount an entire collection, so what exactly was taken during the theft is a source of hot speculation amongst fashion insiders at the moment.

What is clear is that journalists were made aware all was not well in the Marc Jacobs camp when the label's Europen Press Officer Vanessa Barthel cancelled a press preview due to take place in the Mayfair shop. The 46 look range was due to go on show in London yesterday, giving the British fashion press a sneak peak at next year's trends. A tweet later from Marc Jacobs HQ on Wednesday appeared to confirm that garments had gone awry, reading "Thank-you all for your concern about our stolen #SS12 Collection. Onward, upward."

Whatever the truth behind the headlines may be, what is true is that cancelling showing the new season collection to the fashion press could prove costly for the label,  as it could lead to fewer editorial placements in European publications and subsequently a decline in press coverage in S/S12.

It will be interesting to find out the true facts behind this sensational story as they are revealed in the press over the coming days, as there seems to be more to these first reports than meets the eye.

BLOW VS BANK THE BUDGET: LEATHER TOPS

Welcome to a new weekly feature on La Fashion Folie blogspot, where each week I will show you how to inject some catwalk style into your wardrobe with look-alike pieces from the high street. This week I'm featuring Acne's uber-trendy 'Moma' futuristic metallic finish leather top, that wowed the fashion pack at London Fashion Week back in February.

ACNE A/W 2011 CATWALK

However, at a cool £770, its safe to say Acne's Moma is out of most of our budgets. But never fear, e-commerce giant ASOS have created their own metallic finish leather top that has more than just a hint of the ACNE look about it, all for a more purse friendly £70.

Shop the look:

ASOS Premium Silver Metallic Leather Top £70

ACNE Moma Metallic Leather Patchwork Top £770

FANTASY CHRISTMAS WISHLIST

1. M&S Pure Cashmere Leopard Print Scarf £85.00
2. Anton Heunis Bell Chain Small Gold Spike Necklace £152.00
3. Lanvin Bow-front Metallic Leather Ballerina Flats £355
4. Smythson Soho Diary, Lapis Collection £230.00
5. Chambers and Beau True Love Friendship Bracelet £60
6. Mulberry Lily with Gems Embellished Suede Shoulder Bag £850
7. Diptyque Perdigone Candle £45

MODA IN PELLE S/S12 PRESS DAY

On Monday I hotfooted it to the Oui Rooms post work for the Moda in Pelle S/S12 Press Day. Moda in Pelle is the go-to brand for celebrities looking for red carpet worthy heels; X Factor judge Tulisa, the TOWIE girls and Jessie J are all fans of the brand.


So what does Moda predict it's celebrity following will be wearing for the forthcoming season?


The glitz glam 'Hollywood Heroines' range takes inspiration from the glamourous starlets of the late 50's and 60's, creating a red-carpet worthy collection that is sure to satisfy Moda's celebrity fans.The dazzling sequin and diamante encrusted courts and peep toes were the highlight of the press day for me, what girl wouldn't dream about owning a pair of these?

For beachwear, Moda are predicting Jelly shoes will still be a big trend, and I love how the brand have added their signature glitz/glam to their versions with luxe diamante detailing.

1970's fashion is still a key trend in Moda in Pelle's S/S12 collection, so there's no to need to relegate your platform heels from your wardrobe just yet! This amazing pair called 'Petty' were the stand out style in the range for me; the sky-high heel, flash of gold and coral suede recreate the Studio 54 look. I wouldn't be suprised if Tulisa is the first to snap up a pair.

Another great style with that seventies feel were these stunning striped block heel peep toes in bright coral and electric blue, surely another perfect style for celebs looking to impress on the red carpet. I expect to see lots of press coverage of this style come spring/summer.

There was so much more to love in the collection my post could go on forever, but instead I'll direct you to shop the current Moda in Pelle collection here.

THE PURR-FECT LOUBOUTINS

The Daily Mail online has run a story today about Gossip Girl's Blake Lively stepping out in a pair of Christian Louboutin 'lion paw' heels. The feline-inspired furry courts come complete with raised toe sections with jewelled claws to mimic the look of a lion's paw. The new style of Louboutin are fast becoming a celeb must-have, having been pictured on fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker in August.

What do you think of Blake's unusual choice of footwear? I'm personally a massive fan and pro any designer pioneering quirky, original trends. Get your paws on a pair of Louboutins at net-a-porter.com!

TASK PR PRESS DAY

On Thursday I headed to Soho Gallery for the Task PR S/S12 press day.

On display were the S/S12 collections from Task PR's clients including Marc Cain, Joseph Ribkoff, Ash and Bourne.

ASH

Gorgeous, vibrant colours are abundant in Ash's Spring/Summer range. From bang-on-trend leather high tops through to glamourous platform wedges, the brand has injected a palette of covetable colours into the new season collection.

vibrant colours in the Ash S/S12 collection

I'm just in love with the citrine yellow metallic gladiator sandals. A twist on the gladiator sandal for S/S12.

.

I just love a chunky statement heel, and the combination of hot pink and coral suede makes this shoe to die for!

MARC CAIN

I first came across the German fashion brand Marc Cain when I interned in the head office of a mini-multiple womenswear retailer. The company bought lots of lovely pieces from Marc Cain, and as a pennyless intern I coveted the luxurious, chic pieces that dropped in the warehouse once a week. Three years on and I'm still a fan of the label, and the S/S12 collection certainly doesn't dissapoint.

Marc Cain S/S12 collection

I love this navy blue knitted maxi with chocolate brown leather accessories, it has a very chic, continental feel.

The combination of crisp white with vibrant floral prints looked very fresh. This floral clutch is perfect for summer events, I could see it looking great at the races.

Forget S/S12, these polka dot cropped trousers are bang on trend for A/W11! I want!

I'm a huge fan of leopard print, and I love how the flashes of neon yellow update this sheer top S/S12. This top would look fab with some denim and Ash's citrine yellow leather sandals pictured above.

I loved this summer's flatform trend, so I'm pleased to see them back for next S/S. I love the luxe feel the suede and crocidle print leather bring to this pair. 

The combination of a crisp white and forest green in this outfit looked modern and fresh.

What an amazing belt! The star cut work detail makes a simple chocolate brown leather look super-special.

Marc Cain website
ASH website

THOMAS SABO EXOTIC ISSUE PARTY

Chelsea's most fashionable residents were out in force last Thursday for the Thomas Sabo Exotic collection launch party in the King Road flagship store. Lafashionfolie blogspot was overwhelmingly excited to be in attendance, and I'm not ashamed to say that was partly because of the promise of an appearance from Made in Chelsea stud Spencer Matthews.




Thomas Sabo's Visual Merchandiser Charlotte Fotheringham enjoys the party

  And the night did not dissapoint, Thomas Sabo put on a glamourous event, cementing the brand's reputation for hosting fantastic parties. The dazzling oriental- inspired jewellery collection was complemented by champagne, sushi canapes and an Oriental Geisha to entertain the fashion press, bloggers and PRs in attendance. My best dressed of the night award went to Darkwah Kyei-Darkwah of Bienvenue a la Clique blog in a red blazer, dickie bow and velvet slipper ensemble.




best dressed Darkweh Kwei Darkwah

 





Darkwah's fabulous velvet slippers with lion motif

  As an unashamed uber Made in Chelsea fan, my highlight of the evening had to be when Made in Chelsea's Spencer Matthew arrived with co-star Jamie Laing in tow! The boys were in the mood to party after wrapping filming for the second series the day before, but were remaining tight lipped on the upcoming events the show, with Spencer saying 'I could tell you, but you'll need to watch to find out!'

Yours truly and Jamie and Spencer



In my new Topshop trench alongside Spencer and Charlotte



View the fabulous Thomas Sabo exotic issue collection on Thomassabo.com.