http://www.thereal-runway.com/ en nyongalice@googlemail.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-02T15:47:49+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/lana-del-rey-fake-image-or-authentic-popstar/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/lana-del-rey-fake-image-or-authentic-popstar/#When:15:47:49Z So yeah, Lana Del Rey's got an album out…Haven't you heard? Oh its probably because the promotion's been super subtle... Oh wait! Yeap, its time for the TTR two cents re: Del Rey. You must've known it was coming, we're pretty sure even Horse and Hound are doing a feature on her. Yes the pucker-lipped princess of the pseudonym is everywhere, and it seems the great swathes of initial awe and lust are moving in a more questioning direction. Her album is getting a bit of a slamming review wise, despite being number one in like every country. She's Louis Vuitton clad on the front of Vogue (no mean feet after what… two singles?) But who she actually is seems to be at the forefront of everyone's minds. And to be honest, its not that hard to see why. The thing about using a stage name is that the first thing the press ask is, "So, err, what's your real name?" as soon as theres the slightest hint of the disingenuous, a whiff of deception, the investigation pitches up, and unfortunately for Lana, well Lizzy to be precise, there's yellow tape, all round her crime scene… The media smell a rat. She's not the first to pop into the cultural consciousness from a few YouTube videos and a nice set of pins, but she is definitely something different to what dominates the mainstream right now. Whereas Rihanna is a product of Beyonce, Nikki Minaj a product of Lil Kim and Gaga a product of, well, the list's too long, Lana's not like your average top 40er. There's certainly borrowed elements: a little Winehouse-eqsue pain, some of the weird disconnect you get from Florence and the Machine and those Monroe references are constant - but her delivery, her look, her approach is something new. And that's tough. When you're something new, and you want to be 'accepted' you have to spend a lot of time making the idiots 'get it'. People spend a lot of time going…"oh? so this is like, what your about? ...really?"  The issue with Lana Del Rey, is that her answers don't seem water tight. One minute she's fresh from a trailer park, all ghetto nails and heartbreak, next minute theres a billionaire daddy backing her to the hilt. She's pitching herself as the 'Gangster Nancy Sinatra' but we're pretty sure Nance' woulda made a bit less of a pig's ear of that Saturday Night Live performance. Next thing you know, the tabloids are squawking: 'She's buckling under the pressure'…'Friend's say she's cracking'. They've only known her name five minutes that didn't take long.   Being something different, carving your own hole into the industry and nestling comfortably in there is what separates the wheat from the chaff, it's the stuff great stardom is made from. The aforementioned Winehouse is a prime example of this, but if there's one thing the media never questioned was whether she was genuine. In fact it seems the more genuine are in this field, the more likely you are to meet an untimely demise, maybe Lana's just protecting herself from this glare with a suit of armour made of denim and sex appeal, but that seems unlikely. She's probs just got a good stylist. That's the thing with Del Rey is its hard to know if she's just some girl with a good team of image makers and a nice Barnet, or the 'real deal' whatever that might be. Our instinct is that we won't get that answer for a while. What makes a performer is their live offerings, no matter what her die hard fans say she still has some stuff to prove on that front. If it turns out her whole persona is as surgically pumped up as her top lip, its pretty likely she'll be chewed up and spat out before you can say 'collagen'. But if that's really her, we've got a fucking superstar on our hands. 'Born to Die' is out now. 2012-02-02T15:47:49+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/photographing-laura-ashley-panel-discussion-philip-meech-prada-martin-wood/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/photographing-laura-ashley-panel-discussion-philip-meech-prada-martin-wood/#When:03:35:56Z In antithesis to the archetypal post-New Year-boozing-continuation (Us? New Years abstinence? Never!) we, instead, got our cultural heads on and went along to the brilliant Fashion and Textile Museum with the aim of learning something. To be specific: listen to a panel discussion on the role of the photographer in a fashion and lifestyle brand. Prada photographer Philip Meech, Laura Ashley biographer Martin Wood and the FTM's curator Dennis Northdruft threw their ideas in the mix. Martin Wood (author of Laura Ashley) got things rolling; focusing on images that Jane Ashley (daughter of the aforementioned) shot for her mothers iconic brand from the late sixties onwards which worked to transform the Laura Ashley brand and solidify it's aesthetic. The classic imagery of Ashley's Victorian romanticism came to life with Wood's personal insights as well as input from Jane herself. The strength of the images and their power to nostalgically evoke a bygone era was evident in spades and Martin's confirmation that Laura herself was not a designer, but an editor (acutely aware of trends before they exploded, what would or would not be popular) explained how such an iconic aesthetic came alive with exceptionally executed photography. Prada photographer Philip Meech (whose work is actually on display at FTM) held court next, with and altogether different perspective. With Laura Ashley it was the photography which worked to expand the brands influence, but Meech stepped into a brand that was already globally successful. His work as a reportage photojournalist was eyeballed by Prada and subsequently hijacked to convert backstage documentary imagery into fashion photographs in their own right. Meech's interests were inspiring and lay somewhat removed from silly fashion nonsense and the Prada fashion house: the capturing of stolen moments, the calm within the chaos and glimpses of humanity working to create amazing fashion images. Meech's work is featured on Prada's 'fantasy look books' sent to approximately 100,000 people each season, separate to the main campaigns. His imagery brings a fresh and perhaps subversive subversive perspective to such an iconic brand via his distinctly non-fashion approach. On hand to polarize the differences between the two examples was FTM curator Dennis Nothdruft who expertly underscored the breadth of photography's influence within the industry whilst emphasising the different approaches from launching a brand to revitalizing it. Nothdruft has also curated 'Catwalk to Cover'; an exhibition documenting the many faces of fashion, which also features some of Philip Meeche's work. It runs until February 25th at the Fashion and Textiles Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, SE1 2012-01-16T03:35:56+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/dazed-and-confused-magazine-celebrates-twentieth-anniversary/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/dazed-and-confused-magazine-celebrates-twentieth-anniversary/#When:15:03:52Z   The Terrace Rooms of Somerset House were awash this month with 20 years of fashion history as Dazed and Confused celebrated two memorable decades in the industry. Making It Up As We Go Along charms exhibition-goers with all the irreverent attitude, youthful bravado and two-fingers spirit of Jefferson Hack and Rankin’s nineties-born tome. Coinciding with the publication of a book in the same name, a stylish selection of the most iconic spreads from the publication charts a chronological journey from the magazines humble beginnings in 1991 to the glossy aesthetics of the publication at present date. Jefferson Hack and Emma Reeves curate to capture some of the most poignant moments in the magazines cult history; from Rankin’s signature portraits of Beth Ditto, Blondie and Kate Moss to Dazed pin-up boy Luke Worrall’s first shoot with newly instated Nicola Formichetti as Creative Director. Editorial shoots from Nick Knight, David Sims and Terry Richardson serve as a perceptible reminder of the magazines stellar alumni whilst interviews and contributions from Damien Hirst, David Lynch and Thom York set the barometer for dynamic content. Angular mirrored sculptures reflect the plethora of fashion darlings adorning the walls, making the magazine come to life in all the magnificence of Somerset House. Room 1 captures the first ten years of the glossy and with it, the emergence of 90’s grunge culture. Haunting portraits of Kids heroine Chloe Sevigny, Harmony Korrine and Iggy Pop decorate the walls in various states of undress. Jeurgen Teller’s Interstella Overdrive exposes a youthful and fresh-faced Kate Moss on the brink of success whilst a Jarvis Cocker cut out standing in line at a fast-food bar echoes back to the first stirrings of New Labour’s Cool Britannia in Rankin’s 1996 Pulp, It’s A Rap. Room 2 heralds the last decade’s fascination with celebrity culture, including the iniquitous Fake Issue Cover starring the ‘is-he-or-isn’t-he’ Jacko-alike. Gareth Pugh’s first issue cover in 2004, featuring the red and white balloons from his BA collection, is a fantastic example of how Dazed has become a stage for designers to break into the public stratosphere. Showcasing the work of a little-known Central St Martin’s graduate is risky business, but as founder Jefferson Hack states “everything came from a spirit of curiosity – a core attitude that is purely informed by the feeling and mood of the times.” Further into the exhibition and we are treated to a vibrant and colourful collection of images from the late noughties in Room 3 entitled Scary Monsters and Super Creeps. Mark Pillai’s 2009 Tye-Dye story features a very on-trend, rainbow-haired Anastasia Kuznetsova who could give the BLEACH girls a run for their money. Elsewhere, photographs of London’s Youth come to the forefront of the magazine’s current history, highlighting the entrepreneurial do-it-yourself culture that has emerged from the internet, blogging and social networking. The exhibition concludes with a tribute to the late Alexander McQueen and the magical and inspiring ideas he contributed to the magazine before his untimely death. This includes his 2001 uber-creepy Salo installation and groundbreaking disability shoot Fashion-Able, which Hack sites as a turning point for the magazine in terms of capturing headlines on a global scale. Despite turning twenty, Dazed and Confused shows no sign of losing the reckless and wanton teenage abandon it has consistently seduced us with every month for the past two decades. Now immortalized in print, the exhibition and accompanying book is perfect for any fashion aficionado interested in British style press and magazine culture. The Terrace Rooms of Somerset House were awash this month with 20 years of fashion history as Dazed and Confused celebrated two memorable decades in the industry. Making It Up As We Go Along charms exhibition-goers with all the irreverent attitude, youthful bravado and two-fingers spirit of Jefferson Hack and Rankin’s nineties-born tome. Coinciding with the publication of a book in the same name, a stylish selection of the most iconic spreads from the publication charts a chronological journey from the magazines humble beginnings in 1991 to the glossy aesthetics of the publication at present date. Jefferson Hack and Emma Reeves curate to capture some of the most poignant moments in the magazines cult history; from Rankin’s signature portraits of Beth Ditto, Blondie and Kate Moss to Dazed pin-up boy Luke Worrall’s first shoot with newly instated Nicola Formichetti as Creative Director. Editorial shoots from Nick Knight, David Sims and Terry Richardson serve as a perceptible reminder of the magazines stellar alumni whilst interviews and contributions from Damien Hirst, David Lynch and Thom York set the barometer for dynamic content. Angular mirrored sculptures reflect the plethora of fashion darlings adorning the walls, making the magazine come to life in all the magnificence of Somerset House. Room 1 captures the first ten years of the glossy and with it, the emergence of 90’s grunge culture. Haunting portraits of Kids heroine Chloe Sevigny, Harmony Korrine and Iggy Pop decorate the walls in various states of undress. Jeurgen Teller’s Interstella Overdrive exposes a youthful and fresh-faced Kate Moss on the brink of success whilst a Jarvis Cocker cut out standing in line at a fast-food bar echoes back to the first stirrings of New Labour’s Cool Britannia in Rankin’s 1996 Pulp, It’s A Rap. Room 2 heralds the last decade’s fascination with celebrity culture, including the iniquitous Fake Issue Cover starring the ‘is-he-or-isn’t-he’ Jacko-alike. Gareth Pugh’s first issue cover in 2004, featuring the red and white balloons from his BA collection, is a fantastic example of how Dazed has become a stage for designers to break into the public stratosphere. Showcasing the work of a little-known Central St Martin’s graduate is risky business, but as founder Jefferson Hack states “everything came from a spirit of curiosity – a core attitude that is purely informed by the feeling and mood of the times.” Further into the exhibition and we are treated to a vibrant and colourful collection of images from the late noughties in Room 3 entitled Scary Monsters and Super Creeps. Mark Pillai’s 2009 Tye-Dye story features a very on-trend, rainbow-haired Anastasia Kuznetsova who could give the BLEACH girls a run for their money. Elsewhere, photographs of London’s Youth come to the forefront of the magazine’s current history, highlighting the entrepreneurial do-it-yourself culture that has emerged from the internet, blogging and social networking. The exhibition concludes with a tribute to the late Alexander McQueen and the magical and inspiring ideas he contributed to the magazine before his untimely death. This includes his 2001 uber-creepy Salo installation and groundbreaking disability shoot Fashion-Able, which Hack sites as a turning point for the magazine in terms of capturing headlines on a global scale. Despite turning twenty, Dazed and Confused shows no sign of losing the reckless and wanton teenage abandon it has consistently seduced us with every month for the past two decades. Now immortalized in print, the exhibition and accompanying book is perfect for any fashion aficionado interested in British style press and magazine culture. Making It Up As We Go Along runs until 29th Jan 2012 at Somerset House, W1 2011-12-22T15:03:52+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/karlie-kloss-shocking-cover-shoot-pulled-by-vogue-italia/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/karlie-kloss-shocking-cover-shoot-pulled-by-vogue-italia/#When:15:01:18Z This month’s edition of Vogue Italia has certainly had the fashion world in a frenzy, once again digging up that old ‘size zero’ chestnut. 19 year-old Karlie Kloss’s contorted pretzel torso made headlines after the title unceremoniously pulled the plug on an image of the supermodel looking rather angular on their online site. The December cover shoot, photographed by Steven Meisel, caused uproar when an image of Kloss in Daisy Dukes, dramatically twisted at the waist was found doing the rounds on thinspiration blogs and ‘pro ana’ sites encouraging anorexia. Just when we thought curvy was making a comeback, Vogue Italia editor Franka Sozzani has defended the pelvic predicament on her blog, stating the removal of the picture was a mistake and a formality to avoid an unnecessary weight argument. She has even gone so far as to dub Kloss ‘The New Body’, presumably leaving Elle Macpherson crying into her swimsuit. Whether Karlie Kloss has a hot bod or not is certainly subjective, and as usual fashion followers have made no bones about lambasting the waifs size zero assets on the blogging network. The online uproar has left Sozanni looking particularly red-faced after she passionately launched an anti-anorexia campaign earlier in the year. Personally, those angles look a little too sharp for our liking. Thank god it’s nearly Christmas and Karlie can get her hands on some well-deserved mince pies. 2011-12-15T15:01:18+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/hm-revenue-customs-introduce-strict-rules-on-unpaid-fashion-interning/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/hm-revenue-customs-introduce-strict-rules-on-unpaid-fashion-interning/#When:11:52:18Z To anyone who's laboured in the fashion industry, hearing the glamorous job title of 'unpaid intern' will not come with the slightest bit of surprise. Said much put-upon intern isn't just the person collecting samples, steaming the fabrics and licking the floor of the fashion cupboard clean anymore: their roles are so manifold they're the very lynchpin of the operations, making the collections come to life. To make a collection come alive you don't need a team: you need an army. With so many fashion graduates pouring from schools with an abundance of naivety, extraordinary talent (and glasses of the rose-tinted variety) designers can pretty much take their pick of the willing-but-wet-behind-the-ears. This economic downturn this hasn't only accelerated the fashion-slave industry. Whilst obviously it benefits from this phenomenon (duh, it's totally win-win for the designer)  just take a look at London's recent fashion weeks, the anti gets upped every time.  So, three cheers for the fact that HM Revenue and Customs have finally caught on to this little slavery-loophole: it seems they finally smell a rat of the exploitative variety. A whopping 102 fashion houses that show at London Fashion Week have received stern letters of warning that they are 'under scrutiny' for treating unpaid interns like paid employees. The assumption being that by next London Fashion Week conditions will have started to change.  Having undertaken internships (good and bad) in this rather chilly economic climate, I have to say it's gonna take more than a few finger-wagging letters to cut out this practice in fashion. That fashion relies on interns is an understatement. Who do we think does this heavy embellishment? If we want to change the system of internships within fashion, more stringent guidelines should be made for the fashion houses, yes, but also for the interns themselves. If you ain't getting a dime well, then there's some shots you're well within your rights to call, and if done correctly you'll take away something amazing from one of the most exciting industries to be a part of.  Let's not forget that the face of fashion isn't the chauffeured-to-the-front-row champagne-sippers. Its the girl fetching their Starbucks. 2011-12-14T11:52:18+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/duran-duran-girl-panic-music-video/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/duran-duran-girl-panic-music-video/#When:15:19:18Z Those six-figure ad campaigns just don’t pay the bills like they used to. These days our favourite supermodels of yesteryear can be found earning a crust whilst romping around the Savoy, guzzling Moët and trashing hotel suites for our viewing pleasure. We’re, of course, talking about the much anticipated Girl Panic video by Duran Duran, which sees Naomi, Cindy, Eva, Yasmin and Helena assume the egos and tuxedos of the notorious eighties new romantic band in their hedonistic hey day. With all the usual cliché’s of reckless rebellion, the nine-minute featurette sees the girls in a whirlwind of leather, sequins, feathers and lipstick lez-ploitation as Duran Duran take on the world, or at least the mini bar. Explicit nudity has already seen the video banned from MTV, which is unsurprising considering it’s directed by bonkers virtuoso Jonas Åkerlund (the man responsible for the outrageous semi-nudist jail spectacle that is Lady Gaga’s Telephone.) At the helm of the video is Naomi Campbell, the bitch we all love to hate, playing Simon Le Bon in a staple oversized fur coat. Mad props go to Dolce and Gabanna for lending their hands in the stylist department – classic refined elegance with a very season appropriate (fashion, not weather) S&M feel. Proving sex definitely does still sell, this video will probably go down in history. It’s a shame George Michael already trademarked the idea in his Freedom 90 video. Sloppy seconds, anyone? Words: Liz Connor 2011-12-13T15:19:18+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/christmas-2011-fragrance-perfume-gift-guide/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/christmas-2011-fragrance-perfume-gift-guide/#When:08:07:18Z Fragrances. Everybody loves a Yuletide bottle, but failure to nail the perfect person-to-perfume combo will mean only an epic Xmas fail and a swift banishment from the dinner table. No, granny did not want Rihanna’s Reb'l Fleur, nor did little brother want YSL’s Kouros. With this in mind: Welcome to TRR’s Annual Christmas Fragrance Gift Guide! Let it be said, our shit does stank and this is the indispensable, failsafe manuel au parfum to take you by the nose and lead you to exactly what to buy and for whom – including yourself. As usual, each year we wrap our nostrils round 2011’s highlights along with a soupcon of enduring classics that have kept our olfactory senses aroused over the years.   THE HE/SHE ANDROGYNOUS CONCOCTION - Maison Martin Margiela (Untitled) Smells Like: Fresh Air Like the elusive man himself, Martin Margiela's debut fragrance (Untitled) is as enigmatic and minimalist as they come. For Christmas 2011 (Untitled)'s apothecary-esque clinical bottle comes in a sleek, silver limited edition. The gender-ambiguous scent's main element is galbanum - an emblematic and raw material of artisanal perfumery. It's freshness is complimented by the bitterness of green boxwood and herb accents of mastic. Maison Martin Margiela (Untitled) from 62.50 pounds for 50ml available exclusively to Selfridges THE MODERN CLASSIC - Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Smells like: A Molotov Cocktail It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since this sensual, floral pong exploded onto our dressing table. What’s not to love about FB? Where do we begin? From the tactility of the grenade-like flacon to its sublime bouquet of samba jasmine, centifolia rose and catleya orchid which harmonizes with patchouli and benzoin. Flowerbomb is a true modern classic. For Christmas 2011 it's had an exquisitely dolled-up couture makeover, replete with fuchsia bows - now that's beautiful belligerence. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Xmas Edition 2011 from 76 pounds for 50ml  THE ‘FOR HIM’ - Bleu de Chanel Smells Like: Franco fantastique! OK we’re suckers for advertising. Or, well, a hot French piece of ass at least.  To our delight, the dreamy Gaspard Ulliel is still doing the rounds this year in Martin Scorcese’s Bleu de Chanel advert - so how could we not be lured to the heady charms of the scent itself..? Fortunately - like its muse - it’s intense, brooding, masculine and tres, tres alluring. One pop of the magnetized lid and an opening veil of citrussy, peppery top notes join richer accords of cedar, frankincense and moss – all making for a seriously sophisticated aroma you want generously doused over the man in your life. Bleu de Chanel from 42 pounds for 50ml THE COMEBACK KING - Versace Vanitas Smells Like: Triumph over adversity 2011 will officially be remembered as The Year Versace Flew Back On The Fashion Radar. A killer collection with H&M (not to mention Gaga's two month devotion to wearing only the house) Versace's cred is sky-high. What better to underscore a successful renaissance with a hot new smell we cry? Versace Vanitas celebrates what they does best: opulence and ostentation. Voluptuous tiara flower sublimated by lime and freesia, enveloped by accents of cedar wood and tonka bean make for a seriously sensual scent. Versace Vanitas from 38 pounds for 85ml   THE TEEN SPRAY - Miss Dior Smells Like: Jailbait Your little sister will forgive you that lifetime of hair-pulling, bitchslapping and general sibling-abuse if you thrust a bottle of this delicious new fruity-floral fragrance from Christian Dior into her palms this Christmas. A modern 2011 remix of the 1947 classic Miss Dior Original, “Miss Dior is a chypre that develops step by step." states creator, François Demachy . "It glides from the sharp charm of a fresh, fruity, citrus prelude into blossoming floral notes, then on to the noble elegance of patchouli, before finally concluding with musk, the last trace of memory.” We say: perfect for a teen’s naïve insouciance.  Sweet yet tender, the bow-bedecked bottle's yummy scent is underpinned with jasmine, rosa Damascena and sandalwood. Christian Dior Miss Dior from 60.50 pounds for 50ml THE FAILSAFE - Acqua Di Parma Gelsomino Nobile Smells Like: Class, Bottled Positively no one would thumb their nose at an Acqua di Parma scent, such is the faultlessness of their age, lifestyle and taste traversing appeal. AdP perfumes are less pretentious concoction, more Just Delicious Refined Smells. Gelsomino Nobile is their latest rich honey-coloured tonic for women. Both gentle yet intense, it masterfully harmonizes jasmine of Calabria with joyful top notes of mandarin, pink pepper and seductive tuberose. Gelsomino Nobile  from 65 pounds for 50ml THE BUY-FOR-YOURSELF-IF-NO-ONE-ELSE-WILL - Burberry Body Smells Like: Well, not B.O. that's for sure "The fragrance is very British and is the most sensual and feminine we've ever worked on" coo's Christopher Bailey. "It's sophisticated, it's modern and it's delicate. Rosie is this beautiful, sensual English rise and perfectly captures the spirit of Burberry." OK, OK, so we can't all look like campaign face Rosie Huntingdon Whitley but splashing on a drop of Burberry Body can get us that little bit closer (well, in our minds…) We love this new shamelessly feminine fragrance, the top notes of green absinthe, peach and freesia harmonise with rose absolute and iris forming a luxurious heady aroma. Burberry from 38 pounds for 85ml   THE HERO/HEROINE SCENTS - Tom Ford Extreme / Violet Blonde Smells Like: The sweet smell of SUCCESS Nothing spells class more than the unholy scent of a Tom Ford fragrance; the tanned Texan’s gourmand fragrances are the byword in luxurious, artisan smells. When a new addition of the Ford women's apothecary arrives, we don't half get our panties in a bunch. Welcome, then, Violet Blonde: within the regal purple and gold housing lies a complex blend of sweet violet leaf, Italian mandarin and Baia rose top notes with woody lower notes of benzoin, cedarwood orpur and Haitian vetiver. Like every Ford potion it's multi-layered and utterly beguiling. We all know there ain’t no man like a Tom Ford man and Tom Ford Extreme is like an amped up version of his classic For Men. Timeless, enduring, gentlemanly and a whole heap of other sophisto-adjectives besides, Extreme smells like what every discerning gent should. Distinctly woody, it fuses herbs and spices (Thai basil, chamomile, cinnamon) with fruity notes of black fig and plum. Accords of leather and aged patchouli nail that vintage grooming parlour ambiance. Tom Ford Extreme from 80 pounds and Violet Blonde from 80 pounds 2011-12-12T08:07:18+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/christmas-gift-focus-tissot-watches-casual-collection/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/christmas-gift-focus-tissot-watches-casual-collection/#When:09:34:18Z Swiss timepieces: now we certainly wouldn't sneer at procuring one from our stockings 'pon Christmas morn. We've been lucky enough to peruse Tissot's new weekend collection of watches and present to you, lucky readers, our highlights... First up is the Tissot Courturier: we love the sexy red leather strap, and dare we say, the pretty masculine feel to the face. For those blessed with more scrilla to spare, the Couturier can also come with a diamond bezel. Chronographs can often be too fussy (a bit aspirational James Bond, we think) however Tissot's Dressport is a really elegant model. With a mother of pearl dial and rose gold tone face it combines femininity with functionality.  For an understated day-to-day watch the Classic Dream is a simple, classic (duh) watch and in white looks ultra-fresh. The scratch resistant sapphire crystal and stainless steel case renders it virtually immortal to everyday abuse - hurrah!  The Tissot TXL is dreamily vintage-inspired. With a square face and elegant lines it kinda reminds us of a 1920's Cartier. The embossed leather straps come in a varied pallet of colours (turquoise, red, green, black, pearly white or stainless steel) so snap one up for every outfit. Our favourite model is Tissot's Lovely: a timeless dress watch whose combination of discretion and luxury won us over. The clean dial can come in mother-of-pearl, black, silver or goldtone plus it's also available with a diamond bezel. Whilst we'd naturally team this with a killer LBD this party season (Maison Martin Margiela's leather and jersey number please, Santa) we'd also throw out the rule book and wrap it round our wrists out of party mode for a little luxurious flourish. Tissot Courturier - RRP £195Tissot Dressport – RRP £320Tissot Courturier on White Leather – RRP £195Tissot TXL – RRP £270Tissot Lovely – RRP £150 www.tissot.ch 2011-12-07T09:34:18+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/2011-rise-in-counterfeit-fake-designer-goods-gucci-vuitton/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/2011-rise-in-counterfeit-fake-designer-goods-gucci-vuitton/#When:16:10:18Z Genuine Wolex watch anyone? Our love of a fake fashion bargain is back on the rise but how bad are those sartorial skid marks imprinted on the industry and in-turn, why the hell are we still faking it?? “Touis Vouiston”, “Georgia Armani”, “Auls Boutique”, these are the oh-so luxurious brands which have prevailed over the Brit car boot market since the early 90’s. Their popularity declined in the early naughties (as our ever expanding disposable incomes instead were stuffed into genuine designer purses) however, in the wake of our doomed economy counterfeit designer goods are back, baby, BACK! British Customs reported a 60% increase in intercepted counterfeit booty coming into the country this year.  Does the cost to the plagiarised brands really add up? Copious numbers of reports confirm that they do in fact lose millions in sales. For every illegal bag found, this is one sale lost to the stores (British Trading Standards Report, (2010))  Is this a sensible assumption? Would these consumers, if fakes were not available, buy the real deal? So here’s the rub: British customs this year seized around 6 million fake products, that’s a lot of bags, and that’s a lot of potentially people frontin' inconspicuous labels - counterfeit or not. All exposure is good exposure, right? We ask, has a back-handed compliment ever really been a bad thing…? 2011-12-01T16:10:18+00:00 http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/shopping-focus-late-night-notting-hill-christmas-shopping-event-w11/ http://www.thereal-runway.com/article/shopping-focus-late-night-notting-hill-christmas-shopping-event-w11/#When:12:48:18Z Are we inclined to strain against the tide of gift-ravenous consumers belligerently negotiating their way down Oxford Street come 7pm? Are we hell. For London's premier shopping experience a la nuit, the only place we'll be procuring our pressies is at Late Night Notting Hill next Thursday.The spend-a-thon extravaganza will incorporate over forty local boutiques including Agent Provocateur, Paul Smith, Helmut Lang and Temperley London plus it'll feature glorious Xmassy vibes by way of mulled wine, special one-night-only discounts and limited edition products.Guided style walk mavericks Fox and Squirrel will also be on hand for a two hour guided walk leading you to the doorsteps of everywhere you'll be able to snap up those Christmas gifts.For more information including a map and all participating boutiques head over to www.latenightnottinghill.co.uk and follow @latenightnottinghillLate Night Notting Hill, W11 Thursday 8th December 2011-12-01T12:48:18+00:00