Since Banky's provocative stencils pretty much re-wrote the rulebook of mainstream graffiti, artists have been getting increasingly more creative with the application of their wall-daubings. Gone are the connotations of hoodied-hoodlums spray-canning mindless tags, graffiti has climbed into the echelons of 'street art' incarnation, and with it comes the decal / sticker trend.

A cursory glance around East London's graffiti hotspots will offer many-a-stickered area.  Pioneer of the adhesive movement was D*Face whose giant, punk-esque decals have been splattered on E1 walls since the mid-naughties. Ace One, Lempke, Chora and many others are a new breed who continue to plaster doodlings on unsuspecting walls, lampposts and public amenities.

Hot from the streets, arty wall decals are the latest interior trend: removable wall decals here are a snappy way to update a drab space lurking in your homestead. Less costly than the uber-passe fancy-schmancy Victoriana wallpaper and easy to whip down should you tire of it. Can't afford that taxidermy deer mount? Slap a silhouette decal over your fireplace! No vista from your basement bedsit? Paste a cityscape decal across your lounge wall!

We particularly love David Shrigleys witty 'days stuck in this room' jail tally chart (makes our self-incarceration feel a little more pleasurable) and Keith Haring's multicoloured dancers. Craaw's gigantic painterly decals are like having your own personal beautiful gothic dreamscape.

Decal hunters should check out Brick Lane, Bethnal Green, Angel, Old Street. Keep and eye out for Eine's colourful alphabet soup on shop shutters as well.

When it comes to modern women’s tailoring Next has the market nailed. It has six key tailored trends on its website including Jardin, New Ethnic Geo and Modern Separates, each with its own interpretation of tailoring.

Tailoring has always been important for men, but since the powerwear of the eighties women embodied that masculine look with blazers, trousers suits and tailored suits. These days tailoring isn’t just for formal occasions however; a chic tailored blazer works effortlessly with jeans or even a casual dress and flat pumps. Here are some of Next’s best tailored looks for summer 2012.

Next has given the boyfriend blazer (pictured) a makeover this summer and injected plenty of pretty pastel shades into its colour scheme. At just £50 Next’s Pink Cotton Blazer (pictured) is a real charmer. The delicate pink shade is on trend and completely adorable. It works well with black for the office or you can add some yellow or mint jeans and pumps for a casual weekend look. It has a single button fastening, two side pockets and skinny sleeves that can be rolled up to three-quarter length to give this boyfriend blazer a more relaxed look.

Every woman needs a tailored dress for work and formal events. The Slub Dress from Next comes in nude (pictured), coral or mint green. The slightly tulip skirt, fitted and belted waist, capped sleeves and v-neckline couldn’t be more flattering and the colours are on-trend but enduring at the same time. At just £45 too, it’s a real bargain.

Next has a wide range of suit trouser cuts to choose from including wide-leg, flared, skinny and cropped so you can find a style that fits your shape and look. High-waisted designs are particularly on trend this summer and are incredibly flattering. They help to lengthen legs and flatten tummies. Next has a pair of high-waist Black Belted Suit Trousers that will work well with pretty much any item, from a formal skirt to a silk camisole.

Thankfully shorts have now become acceptable work attire in some offices and are a great summertime alternative to trousers. Lipsy, available from Next, has a stylish pair of Herringbone Tweed Shorts (pictured) that are just £19. These cute, tailored shorts look great with strappy sandals and a vest top for a night out or with courts, a blazer and crisp white shirt for work. Miranda Kerr shows just how stylish you can look in shorts.

Introducing our new fashion crush; we're totally in love with hot new luxury womenswear label, GENE. When their S/S 12 lookbook photos (shot by Japanese photographer Yoshihiro Takeuchi) landed in our inbox, we couldn't help but be enchanted by the contrasting silhouettes and feminine yet sexy shapes executed by creative director and founder, Lora Nikolaev. “I'm more excited this season than I have been with any other” claims Nikolaev, “We're in talks right now about a collaboration with one of Britain's leading high street stores and an international superstar is wanting to wear GENE on her next world tour! Things couldn't be better!”

Who could she mean...?

Growing super-quickly from it's 2009 launch, GENE is is thriving thanks to its wearable shapes, mixing of textures and a focus on the form of the female wearer. We've particularly got our eye on that gorgeous slouchy jumpsuit. Silky lovlieness at it's best.

GENE is officially launching its SS12 collection in the UK this week

www.genestyle.net

It's bad news for staff at Aquascutum's UK factory in Corby - and the British manufacturing industry full stop. The long suffering label decided last week to enter administration, the sad inevitability of which meant their plant's closure due to, "loss-making operations and a lack of funding."

"Whilst a difficult decision, it has been necessary in order to stem on-going losses for the business, and to protect the positions of the 135 remaining employees," a spokesperson for the adminstrators began. "We plan to provide appropriate assistance to all affected employees, including liaising with Jobcentre plus and helping with claims to the Redundancy Payments Service. All head office and retail operations across the UK and international high street, concession and outlet stores are operating as usual at present."

Harsh times. Will the poor, skilled, laid-off workers be resigned to branches of their local Phones4u flogging mobile phone deals? Stacking shelves in Tesco? The decline of Aquascutum is yet another tragic footnote in the story of British industry's decline, let alone the loss of a much-loved historical label.

We do wonder, does Aquascutum look at their peer label in Britishness, heritage and luxury, Burberry's success and think, "that coulda been us!!" That so seemingly identical quintessentially English brands could have had such polarised fortunes and successes boggles the mind.

Even as a double team, Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz never matched the finesse of Christopher Bailey and garnered mixed reviews at best. Aquascutum's A/W 2012 collection under the direction of Joanna Sykes shelved her pervious whimsy for a darker hard edge to much acclaim but it seems too little, too late.

All is not lost however, the company is in the midst of looking for a buyer and their fingers are crossed a suitable investor will be found soon. Here's hoping.
 
(All images Aquascutum A/W 2012)

Much like the coming Olympic Games, the Queens 60th Jubilee is another excuse for the great unwashed to be reminded of their dutiful need to be 'grateful and patriotic' like good subjects whilst simultaneously having their pensions cut, benefits removed and civil rights hastily eroded.

Needless to say, the prospect of the Diamond Jubilee excited us much as getting our toenails chewed off by Prince Phillip (aside from the bonus bank holiday piss-up opportunity - obvs). That was, however, until we found out that our favourite fashion patriarch, none other than Herr Karl Lagerfeld himself is gonna be lending his Deutche tones to the proceedings, courtesy of France 2 Television!

Yes, commoners, as the doors of Buckingham Palace fling open and out hobbles Ma'am and co. in tow, we expect nothing less than a scathing, cutting commentary from Kaiser Karl.

"Mein Gott! Vas in der Hell ist Frau Middleton verring??" we want to hear him cry.

"Pippa ist ein grosse porker, nein!!??"

Will The Ginge sartorially upstage poor balding Wills? Will the Tweeledee and Tweeledum twins (aka Eugenie and Beatrice) opt for headwear equally as heinous as Bea's 'ovarian toilet seat' Royal Wedding disaster? These are the burning matters we want Karl's opinions on NOW!

Franco journalists Marie Drucker and journalist Stéphane Bern are set to join Karl for the broadcast which will no doubt be the only way one should consume any of the silly Jubilee circus, accompanied with a generous jug or twelve of Pimms, of course.

Long live the Karl!