Today marks the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness month and to help beat breast cancer, Pretty Stylish London is hosting The Big Pink Pamper Party in an attempt to raise £1,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Here's an exclusive offer for Pretty Stylish London readers. Studio TMLS will be reserving a VIP 20% discount for your first order!

To get 20% off your purchase, all you need to do to is leave me comment with your full name and then register your details on the TMLS website creating a password that starts with PSL.

Today's post is dedicated to a footwear brand that you really need to know about. It's likely that you already own a pair of Studio TMLS shoes, albeit without realising. If you've bought shoes from Top Shop, Kurt Geiger or French Connection, chances are that the shoe was supplied by the footwear brand. Now after 20 years of supplying shoes to the high street, the brand has stepped out to create an exclusively signature collection, currently sold through their website, also via Selfridges and Harrods.

The new collection for Autumn combines luxurious platform sandals, quirky modern heels and provocative ankle boots alongside the staple flats. The inspiration came from vintage classics, using tactile materials and contrasting shapes. The colour palette is right on-trend featuring rich hues of dark red, emerald green and muted tones of black and grey.

The brains behind the new collection is Veronica Pistolesi, a graduate from the University of the Arts in London and a woman who has always had a passion for super sexy high heels. She talked to Pretty Stylish London about her love footwear and the style icons behind the latest designs.


Thinking back to her childhood she reminisces on her first encounters with shoes and how her experience unknowingly shaped her career path into design. She explains:

"I remember being little and always wandering around the house with my mom towering heels, which of course were so big for my small baby-feet but they appeared to me as the most incredible things to wear. It was like the most beautiful of the transformations...seeing my skinny legs taking that sexy shape made me feel like I was entering a new world."

As for the vintage inspirations behind the new collection, Pistolesi marks London as one of the key places she draws creativity from. Moreover, it was style icon Audrey Hepburn that helped her channel elegance and sophistication into her recent work. She recollects:

"For my inspiration I mainly look at the world around me and London is a great place to observe and to take inspiration from. My style icon is Audrey Hepburn, I always loved her style and spontaneous elegance, she is the perfect balance, she is the perfect beauty."

Studio TMLS hopes the new designs will offer the wearer a journey of luxury with power and modernity. Now that's no mean feat. But with their extensive years of perfecting footwear for the high street, I suspect they know a thing or two about what women look for in their shoes and judging by the new designs, they are well on their way.

See the full collection online: www.studiotmls.com

It's popular knowledge that The May Fair hotel is a regular haunt for celebrities and fashion moguls. London Fashion Week was a prime example of the calibre of guests that the hotel opens it's door to on a regular basis.

Designer Elsa Schiaparelli, model Erin O'Connor and socialite Peaches Geldof all favour the sumptuous surroundings of the bedroom suites. And now as the official hotel for Fashion Week, The May Fair is a highly sought after place to dine. The Bar has a feeling of exclusivity but is far from 'poncy', rather, it has a quiet, understated sophistication. The décor is rich and inviting; I particularly liked the fireplace which worked as a luxurious feature and the spacious leather seats.

I recently visited the bar to catch up with a friend over cocktails and finger food. We ordered the MayFair Mojito (if you're a regular reader, you'll know it's my favourite tipple!) You have to try it, it's one of the best tasting versions of the cocktail I've sipped by far.


I also tried a recent addition to the menu - Bento Boxes; a box designed to share and featuring an internationally inspired menu. The Mediterranean option contains ham, grilled sardines and marinated artichokes alongside traditional kalamta olives and Monte Enebro cheese.

There's also Bento box in honour of seafood lovers, with all the favourite catches included such as smoked Scottish salmon, Cornish crab and potted shrimps. Are you feeling hungry yet?

Not forgetting the vegetarians, the Warm Char Grilled Vegetable box is a healthy treat, served with Parmesan polenta cake and basil dressing. This is just a small selection of the type of platters available, there was also a cheeky chocolate theme box to satisfy a sweet craving.

Personally, I opted for the classic Asian dim sum box, a delightful variety of Japanese nibbles, and it included my favourites; Maki sushi rolls, shell crab and sweet chili king prawns.

The Bento Boxes vary in price, the cheapest being £12.50 and the priciest at £23.50. One box between two to three people is very filling, as the portions are quite considerable. I'm already planning my next visit to try the Chocolate sensation box, it sounds so tempting; White chocolate tart, warm chocolate fondant and dipped strawberries. I know you must be hungry now! Bento Boxes are served from 12pm.



The May Fair Bar
The May Fair Hotel
Stratton Street,
Mayfair,
London, W1J 8LT

Tel: 020 7629 7777
Email: mayfairbar@themayfairhotel.co.uk
Web: www.themayfairhotel.co.uk

Cutting edge designer Emma Griffiths has recently completed her new collection for SS/10. Her label e.g... is quickly becoming the new cult fashion brand, empowering women with ultra sharp, sexy shapes and modern detailing. Griffiths' latest designs can be viewed in the video below, showcasing a series of pieces that I believe is her best work yet. Watch it, you'll love it.



Web: www.egfashion.co.uk

Online retailer Littlewoods Direct has had a style makeover and is now Very.co.uk. There's over 6,000 new lines on the new swish website, featuring collections created by UK TV presenters Fearne Cotton and Holly Willoughby.

As you may have read, I was unfortunate enough to have the lurgy and missed a good chunk of the fashion week antics. Luckily, Very enlisted style reporter Louise Roe to share the gossip whilst securing interviews with LFW designers and capturing the buzz of the front row. The girls at Very have kindly sent me the videos to post as part of my London Fashion Week highlights. See the videos below.

London Fashion Week's official hotel, The May Fair is home to one of central London's premier day spas. Last month, I visited the spa to try the Perfect Peace package; a two hour pampering session combing two of the spa's most sought after treatments - a traditional Swedish massage and prescription facial.

A drizzle of warm oil started 60 minutes of kneading that left me in such deep relaxation, I was practically asleep by the end of the treatment. The facial was specifically tailored to suit my combination skin and I was given a AHA treatment to shift dead skin and bring out a healthy glow, which it did - I was impressed with how clear my complexion was weeks after.

The surroundings are as luxurious as you'd expect from The May Fair, and the spa has some impressive features including a herbal sauna and aromatic steam room that guests can enjoy up to an hour before their treatment time.

The facilities have been designed with a spiritualistic feel; Asian inspired symbols and incense candles enabled me to forget the busy streets of London just outside, for a moment of r&r.

The Perfect Peace package costs £180 and a visit to the May Fair Spa is just the ticket for instant de-stressing.

The May Fair Hotel
Stratton Street,
Mayfair, London,
W1J 8LT

Tel: 020 7769 4041
Web: www.themayfairhotel.co.uk

When I received an email from BODY AMR inviting me to check out their latest collection, I knew that I'd be in for a treat. For those of you who read my ramblings on myfashionflirt.blogspot.com, you'll know that I've posted about the fashion label back in May when they had their Spring sale.

The London based fashion house recently unveiled their style offering for SS/10 at London Fashion Week and it's a beauty! BODY AMR have set out to create relaxed, comfortable and easy to wear separates of fluid skirts and silk knit T-shirts alongside the brand's seductively draped evening wear.

The collection has been inspired by the clean lines of early ready-to-wear American Fashion combining luxurious fabrics with simple, understated silhouettes and structured separates.
The palette of peaches, corals, aqua, and metallic achieve a look that's very Saint-Tropez. I'm loving it.

BODY AMR is available Harrods and Net-A-Porter.com.
Web: www.bodyamr.com

Pretty Stylish London Summary

It was a battle of the prints this week as Basso & Brooke and Mary Katrantzou lit up the catwalk. Both labels treated the fashion week crowd to kaleidoscopes of colour and pop graphics. Whilst Katrantzou's inspiration came from artisanal blown glass and the aesthetics of perfumery, Basso & Brooke remained inspired by the playful and subversive.

True to form, Basso & Brooke's designs indulge us in a dynamic prism of colour. Yet their print work has evolved somewhat to a more sophisticated balance of fantasy and reality. Katrantzou has obviously found influence from Basso & Brooke in her own work, however she achieves a completely different feel. Her prints are more free-form, more organic with a reference to nature.

Graphical pop-colour prints will undoubtedly be a huge trend for Spring/Summer, and the accessories at Katrantzou showing designed by British master of art glass-blowing, Peter Layton will most likely be reworked for the high street.


Credits:
Images courtesy of www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
@beautifuldamned twitter.com/beautifuldamned
@marian_kihogo twitter.com/marian_kihogo

Pretty Stylish London Summary

The primitive look is back again, this time bigger, louder and more animated with Jeremy Scott's Flintstone inspired collection. The clothes really do speak for themselves. This look is about channeling your inner brashness; your crazy, sexy, cool - the Lady Gaga in you.

I can see these prints making their way into Top Shop and ASOS pronto and I'm particularly smitten with the denim mini short set; the jagged cut is such an interesting detail in what is otherwise a very simplistic design. Sometimes less is more after all. The colours are bang on-trend for Spring/Summer with Scott offering a fresh approach to primary hues.

What can I say Jeremy, the people of Bedrock would be proud.

Credits:
Images courtesy of www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
@AmeliasMagazine: twitter.com/AmeliasMagazine
dazeddigital.com

Pretty Stylish London Summary

As one of my favourite designers, Eun Jeong is the relative newcomer for London Fashion Week. For her latest offering, she showcased a feminine collection featuring floaty fabrics and luxurious textures. Whilst tailoring played a considerable part in the designs, a good dose of fluidity made an appearance on the catwalk too.

The look is one I like to coin 'sport luxe meets the age of innocence', and clearly pays homage to 19th century glamour yet with sporty socks and sneaker boots, Jeong firmly positions her designs in present day urbanity. Could this be the new edgy direction of ethereal chic?

Credits:
Images © fiona garden 2009
@vogue_london: twitter.com/vogue_london
www.fabsugar.co.uk

Pretty Stylish London Summary

Primitive yet futuristic at the same time, Todd Lynn impressed at Fashion Week with uber sharp tailoring, hints of nomadic layering and play on textures.

Staying true to his signature ungendered shapes, Lynn create the perfect equilibrium of unstructured meets structured. He also did away with the orthodox presentation of a Men's collection and a Women's collection, rather he merged the two together for a postmodern interpretation of androgynous fashion.

I'm loving the muted tones throughout the collection and the metallic shoulder pads are pretty darn powerful.

Credits:
Images courtesy of www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
@fashion_critic: www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com
www.graziadaily.co.uk

London Fashion Week is coming to a close and whilst I never attended, I was certainly there in spirit. A bout of the common cold, left me without the 'get-up and go' zeal I normally have and instead I've had to keep abreast of the latest updates via the fellow fashion junkies on twitter and of course the official London Fashion Week website.

It's been bitter sweet experience not being in the thick of it all. Bitter because there's is truly nothing better than literally being there, and sweet because I found comfort in reading about it instead of writing about it for a change.

Thankfully my trusted circle of friends have kept me completely in the loop and it's been refreshing to consider fashion week from a range of perspectives.

That said, I simply couldn't let one of biggest style events of the capital pass by without adding my own opinion into the mix. So be sure to check out my Fashion Week highlights, it acts as my wish list of shows that I regretfully couldn't make and the backstage scenes where I'd have loved to be a fly on the wall. Highlights to following shortly....

Nolcha Fashion Week kicked off in New York on the 14th of September, showcasing an international selection of independent designers. It's a big industry event for emerging talent and to celebrate, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nadia Nour - a designer who has been at the forefront of the NYC green fashion movement since 2007.

For Nour, the best part of Nolcha Fashion Week is gaining exposure, mingling with industry insiders and fashion lovers of all kinds. Having showed her collection to a packed audience of the industry's mover and shakers this week, I was curious to know how she felt her designs stood out as unique and attention grabbing.

Nour's motto has always been that women should not have to sacrifice style to be ethical and she wanted her latest designs emphasizes this fully. To do this, Nour has opted for organic and eco-friendly fabrics made exclusively in the Manhattan garment district. The new collection features vibrantly dyed organic silks and cottons crafted into intricate couture-inspired silhouettes. The luxurious details of the designs juxtaposed with the strong ethical standards work well to capture the spirit of a new eco-suave that celebrates going green.

When asked about a celebrity or personality she felt would make the perfect muse for her designs, Nour picks Stacey London; New York's celebrity fashion consultant and co-host of the US version of What Not to Wear as the ideal candidate. The style icon and media darling has styled fashion photos for editorial publication Nylon as well as celebrities Kate Winslet and Liv Tyler. She knows her stuff and it's London's keen eye for detail and passion for the world of fashion that appeals.

When talk of Stacy London moved to discussion of the capital itself, I asked Nour whether she had been to the city and if so where does she shop? Not since childhood, she admits "But I love keeping an eye on the progressive fashion trends coming out of London via the internet."

And speaking of fashion trends, I wanted to know if Nour had any advice on how to look on-trend this season, Nadia suggests: "This season is all about celebrating your personal style. Accessorising and mix matching can be taken to new levels to give new life to your existing pieces."

Finally on the subject of her most coveted designers, Nour tells me that she considers Anna Sui and Chloé among her many inspirations. I can definitely see hints of Chloé sophistication and a splash of Anna Sui's vibrancy in Nour's work. But this is not to say her work is merely a spin off, definitely not, Nour's collection achieves a unique sense of style and the positive message of eco-friendly fashion.


Web: www.nadianour.com
For highlights of Nolcha Fashion Week visit: www.nolchafashionweek.com

Congratulations to the winner of the Scholl On|Off LFW Competition, Leanne Mawson who will be blogging about her fashion week adventures at the catwalk shows and parties. Not only will she be experiencing the excitement of fashion week, she will also enjoy an overnight accommodation in a central London hotel, a Scholl-gifted iPhone 3GS, A pair of fabulous Scholl Diego Dolcini shoes and Scholl footcare products, including Limited Edition Snowflake Ultra Slim Gel Cushions.

As well as seats at On|Off, Leanne will be dancing the night away on Saturday the 19th at the weekend after party with £200 spending money in pocket. What a lucky girl!

Check out her blog 'The Party Feet Diaries' for the hottest trends from On|Off. She'll be giving you all the gossip; from the designs on the catwalk to who's wearing what in the front row.

Visit: www.partyfeetbloggirl.co.uk and read tweets at twitter.com/PartyFeetDiary.

London fashion week is fast approaching and here's a fantastic opportunity to be in the thick of it all. This year Scholl will be backstage at On|Off fashion shows and is looking to recruit a dedicated fashion follower to report on all the news from the highly anticipated catwalk shows.

They are looking for an energetic fashion lover who is also a social networking butterfly to be the editor of their new London Fashion Week report blog.

Come September the 18th, Scholl will be launching The Party Feet Blogging Diaries; the first of it's kind to bring the latest up-to-the-minute happenings. To help cushion the excitement of being at London's hottest fashion event of the new season, you'll be treated to Scholl's Limited Edition Snowflake Party Feet Invisible Gel Cushions, so that you can totter around in statement heels or saunter in flats, safe in the knowledge that foot ache won’t slow you down.

You'll also be given an iPhone for keeping your friends posted on all the backstage gossip via twitter and facebook.

Interested? To be in with a chance of winning, visit www.partyfeetbloggirl.co.uk and send a recent photo of you in your favourite pair of shoes, they could be Louboutins, quilted Chanel pumps or a trusted pair of heels you’ve had for years! Whether designer or vintage; they just need to be special to you. Then tell them in under 100 words why you think you’d be the best person to launch Scholl’s blog at On|Off London Fashion Week.

Good Luck!

Date: Thursday, 10th September
Time: 6pm - midnight
Location: Participating shops in the West End*
Admission: FREE

The annual fashion night out is back for 2009. Come September the 10th, London's West End will be hosting an evening of fashion pleasures and a shopping extravaganza.

Fashion's Night Out is a global initiative that sees the international editions of Vogue are partnering with designers, department stores, high-street chains and boutiques. There are 12 cities participating including New York. Pairs, Milan and New Deli.

The event promises to be an unprecedented feel-good occasion, full of the theatre and allure that fashion and shopping offer. The Vogue team will be working with retailers to create a night of original in-store activities, including personal appearances, makeovers and workshops, during extended shopping hours.

There's also the opportunity to raise money for charity; a limited-edition T-shirt designed by Vogue will be for sale on the night, with 100 per cent of money raised going to Crisis, the UK charity for the homeless.

Need inspiration ahead of the event? Check out the September issue of Vogue to see the section dedicated to the star buys that 73 of Fashion's Night Out participating stores have earmarked specially for the night, ranging from Gap boots to a MaxMara coat.

*Visit: www.vogue.co.uk/fashionsnightout for more information.

You could easily be mistaken for thinking that London's finest hotels are all situated central to the city. You're so wrong. I'll admit that I'm guilty of this assumption too. However, I recently discovered a gem of a hotel, south of the river.

Bermondsey Square hotel is nestled away in one of the most unlikely places; a short drive from Peckham and 15 minutes away from Elephant and Castle. It's situated in a fairly recent renovation where luxury apartments and amenities have been developed to put Bermondsey back on the map.

Bermondsey Street has been called "cool and funky" by Time Out Magazine and Vogue considers it a new destination for South London's most stylish shoppers. The hotel is central to this and has all the qualities of London's most coveted boutique establishments. Till now, I hadn't imagined that the Soho Sanctum could be rivaled in it's rock n' roll edge, but Bermondsey Square is very much on par.

The hotel has 79 rooms in total designed by David Gabriel. Four of which are loft rooms, all with spacious terraces and it's own 8 person Swedish hot tub.


The décor is truly a pleasure; warm, inviting, with a subtle seductiveness about it. The rooms are so chic, that you could easily wake up feeling like you're in an exclusive studio apartment in New York. Having said this, the view from the loft rooms are brilliant and won't leave you feeling disappointed. From the quaint corner shops of old to the architecture of the new look Bermondsey, it's a great view, looking out over London's spectacular skyline.

The loft room that I stayed in was aptly named 'Lilly'. Inside you'll experience a lush cream and white interior. Far from clinical, the soft layers of whites, creams and the hint of golden brown had a classic feel. Yet the Apple Mac TV, ipod deck and 'crystal' studded bed head achieved a contemporary finish. The space was plentiful and I loved the bathroom; the Hans Grohe drench shower did well to ease the aches and stress of the week away.

Aside from the rooms, there's Alfie's Kitchen - the hotel's bar and restaurant that serves delicious English cuisine. I opted for rib eye steak with horseradish mash and honey coated carrots. That was followed by an indulgent chocolate pudding and vanilla ice cream. Divine! The average three course meal costs £33 and it's definitely worth a visit.

There's also hotel beauty treatment rooms where you can be buffed, massage and preened. The menu features the Immaculate Manicure that Harper's Bazaar magazine voted a number one treatment for luxurious, long lasting, chip resistant results.

Bermondsey Square is a must-stay and I can confidently proclaim it as South London's leading hotel. Room rates start from £109.

The Bermondsey Square Hotel
Bermondsey Square
Tower Bridge Road
London SE1 3UN

Tel: 0870 111 2525
Web: www.bermondseysquarehotel.co.uk

This week I have the pleasure of introducing New York fashion week newcomer Shamila Jiwa, a self-taught Seattle based gemologist with a huge passion for unusual stones. Her designs are uniquely exquisite pieces of jewellery with a focus on timeless, distinctive beauty. During her London stop-off, Shamila took time to meet me for a girlie chat over cocktails and a sneak peak at her new collection.

Sitting in the Mayfair bar, Shamila oozes a contagious zeal for her work and what it represents. Born in Tanzania and of Indian heritage, Shamila Jiwa designs jewellery that reflects her extensive travels and rich ethnic heritage. Her designs cleverly combine aspects of Turkish, Indian, and Asian motifs.

Despite being so exotic and culturally rich, the jewellery remains largely versatile as wearable art. Inspiration for her pieces are found everywhere she explains. "Travel, architecture, textiles, food, nature, relationships.." - all important factors to the creative process.


Having studied Cultural Anthropology and International Affairs at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver B.C, it's interesting to how her career has moved so far from the schooling of her bachelor's degree to luxury fashion. Her passion for jewellery design stems from an early interest in fine jewellery and a deep love of art.

Since the launch of her design career in 2002, the use of unusual gemstones such as Labradorite has generated a loyal collective of discerning, international clients and I can see the attraction. Her work is impressive - the craftsmanship and exquisite detailing of each design really is on par with some of the long-standing, established jewellers. Her work is as endearing as Tiffany and as luxurious as Boodles but it also has a soulful, sexy nonchalance that is a cut above.

This is a bold statement, but one that is very fitting - In fact, I'm surprised that the likes of Vogue and Harpars Bazaar have not discovered her sooner. From her signature Blue Glimmer Boa Necklace to the Golden Decadence Earrings, her designs exude an understated elegance, fit for the red carpet.


Shamila is a hidden treasure, but this year may see the international acclaim she deserves. Her debut at Nolcha Fashion Week is fast approaching, and she has high hopes that her designs will have a larger international precedence to add to the awareness of her work state-side.

Nolcha is the award wining home for independent designers and host to a special New York and London fashion week, running alongside the main event. Nolcha Fashion Week will see Shamila's work featured in a stand-out showcase to editors, retailers, stylists and industry figures. With one week to go, I am quietly confident that Shamila is a global phenomenon waiting to happen.

Web: www.shamila.com
Shamila's facebook page
Click here for more information on Nolcha NY Fashion Week