shop Mulberry and Next and get inside insights from Wallpaper

Shop, browse and even locate your nearest store with new apps from Mulberry and Next and stay up to date with all the latest fashionable goings on courtesy of Wallpaper Magazine.

iPhone apps:

Mulberry

This shopping app lets users shop straight from Mulberry's latest looks and catwalk videos as well as browsing the entire range of Mulberry products. The free app also keeps users up to date with the latest news from Mulberry's blog and includes a built-in store locator to help Mulberry fashion fans find their nearest bricks and mortar outlet.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mulberry/id403223687?mt=8#

Wallpaper* Magazine

Catch up with all the latest happenings in art, architecture, interior design and fashion with this app from magazine and website Wallpaper. The free app promises a mixture of trends, new products and inside insights from fashion shows and interior design exhibitions around the world.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wallpaper-magazine/id364309858?mt=8#

Victoria's Secret All Access

Stay up-to-date with new store openings and special events held by the leading American lingerie company. Also get behind-the-scenes photos and exclusive videos of Victoria's Secret fashion shows and beauty tips from the Victoria's Secret Angels - models Adriana Lima, Alessandro Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Miranda Kerr, among others. A GPS-enabled store locator will also help you find your closest Victoria's Secret location.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/victorias-secret-all-access/id336860594?mt=8#

Stila Cosmetics: Get the Look

Beauty addicts can mix and match Stila's 37 eyeshadow shades with 8 complexion hues for limitless color combinations. Plus: How-to instructions provided by Stila makeup pros will allow users to create 12 holiday looks step by step. Users can then purchase the Stila products used for the looks directly from the app.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/get-the-look/id393020539?mt=8#

Women's Wear Daily

Get up-to-the-minute fashion news coverage including celebrity happenings, A-list parties, arts, culture, dining, travel and more with this new application from the retail and beauty trade paper WWD. Users will also be able to receive WWD's real-time Twitter updates to stay in the know about what's happening in fashion.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wwdblast/id400488888?mt=8#

Vogue Stylist

Create personalized fashion and beauty looks based upon the top trends identified by Vogue editors and create a virtual wardrobe by taking photos of the clothes, accessories and beauty products that you own. Users can also browse and purchase products directly from the advertisers featured in Vogue.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vogue-stylist/id355820354?mt=8#

Style Studio

Create your own fashion label with the Style Studio app. Budding designers can customize dresses, tops, jackets, trousers using a huge variety of prints which can then be fitted on to both male and female models. Users can also lay out their own magazine cover featuring their designs and share it on Facebook.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/style-studio-fashion-designer/id366492169?mt=8

Fashism Mobile

Get instant feedback on your outfits from a worldwide community of fashion-obsessed friends with Fashism Mobile. Users simply take a picture of their outfit, upload it and wait for the verdict.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fashism-mobile/id388026124?mt=8

iPad apps:

Next for iPad

Users of this app browse and shop the entire Next collection and locate the nearest of the high street clothing retailers 500 UK stores or 170 outlets around the world.  The free app allows users to sort by style, color and price from the men's women's and children's ranges, zoom in on details and find the nearest high street store.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/next-for-ipad/id393830384?mt=8

Vogue UK

Vogue UK fans can download online magazines (mirror images of the printed version) via this application and can scan Vogue Shops to instantly purchase looks featured in the virtual pages. The Vogue Reader is free of charge, though each issue downloaded will be charged separately at £3.99 (4,70 EUR). Only British Vogue currently offers an iPad app. (No version exists for American Vogue at this time.)

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/vogue-uk/id400468990?mt=8#

OPI

Virtually try on more than one hundred different shades of OPI nail polish prior to your next manicure or pedicure appointment. Searches by name, collection, shade or color family make this app easy to navigate.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/opi/id355728893?mt=8

MAC: A Tartan Tale

MAC's new iPad application is dedicated to the launch of its Holiday 2010 Scottish-inspired beauty line, A Tartan Tale. Read and touch the interactive digital pages of this narrated storybook featuring whimsical images by Tim Walker, fantasy sets by Andy Hillman and narration by PJ Sosko. Users also have direct access to maccosmetics.com where they can shop the full A Tartan Tale collection.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id397448388?mt=8#

Sephora To Go

Buy products, stay up-to-date on the latest cosmetic product launches, read ratings and reviews, look up previous purchases, and create shopping lists. Users can also charge their orders from beauty retailer Sephora straight from their mobile devices.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sephora-to-go/id393328150?mt=8#

Style.com

From Condé Nast, Style.com brings you the best of fashion coverage from the runways of New York, Paris, Milan and London. In addition to downloading the latest runway coverage you can also stay up to date with worldwide party coverage and search out celebrity profiles.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/style-com/id289380413?mt=8

Fashion Sketchbook: The stylish dress-up game

Visualize and assemble your dream outfit using shirts, skirts, trousers, tops and accessories, choose the makeup, hairstyle, lipstick and skin tone of your model, then save your creations and share with friends.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fashion-sketchbook-the-stylish/id368676842?

BEACHES AND BUSINESS FOR RIHANNA

While most of the world is snowbound, Rihanna has been soaking up the sun in Barbados – and squeezing in a little bit of work on the side.

Rihanna took time away from barbecues and jet-ski adventures to dine with Topshop mogul Sir Philip Green and X Factor impresario Simon Cowell at Sandy Lane beach.

Earlier, the Barbadian singer prowled the beach in a panther-style one-piece swimsuit that might just be enough to resurrect the maillot as a swimwear category. She covered up a bit for her power meal, but kept on a knotted leopard-print headscarf that highlighted that red, red hair.

Now that Kate Moss’s line with the high street powerhouse is kaput, could Rihanna be the next celeb lined up for a Topshop collaboration? Or – considering Cowell’s presence – could this have something to do with Phil and Si’s global entertainment business? Or was it just a friendly chat about that X Factor performance?

Meet Cassius Clay, a 19-year-old Yale student

The person responsible for Kanye West's fashion style may surprise you.

Meet Cassius Clay, a 19-year-old Yale University student who, with a combination of luck and skill, has become the creative consultant and personal stylist for one of the biggest music stars in pop culture today.

In what's being touted as his "first-ever interview", Clay recounted to retail company Opening Ceremony the fateful day that West complimented his style while shopping at Barney's. The two went on to exchange e-mail addresses, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Clay, an art history major at Yale, took the fall semester off to work for West, a controversial figure for his often outlandish statements but a highly regarded celebrity for his fashion sense.

Amazingly, Clay's parents didn't disapprove.

"My father is in his 80s and my mother in her 60s so they're not exactly Kanye's typical listening demographic," he explained to Opening Ceremony. "Still, they could appreciate opportunity and were very supportive of a productive pause in my track at Yale."

And now West can count the young man's parents as fans.

"My mother made a Twitter account to follow Kanye (not me)," Clay revealed, "and I've found both [Wests' albums] 'Graduation' and 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' in my father's car."

Clay also gave his insight, no doubt already shared with West, on how to obtain the "perfect look."

"An external reflection of personality that admits both reality and imagination," he said. "I haven't decided whether enthusiastic matching or dramatic juxtaposition is more contrived - or if that self-awareness is necessarily a bad thing - but both are to be respected for the thought that goes into them. Comfort is indulgent and ultimately forgettable."

And Kanye West is one person who is never, ever forgettable.

Hilary Swank, kid from 'Modern Family' launch fashion lines

Move over, Jessica Simpson. Both Oscar winner Hilary Swank and side-splittingly funny 11-year-old Rico Rodriguez (Manny from ABC's "Modern Family") have jumped into the fashion game.

Swank, it was announced in Women's Wear Daily, is working with a management agency on a line of apparel "with an athletic bend." Apparently the idea grew out of Swank's previous life as a competitive gymnast. And, you know, the fact that she's a star with a brand-worthy name. No word yet on when the brand will launch and where. Swank is now, according to WWD, in the "interviewing designers" phase of production.
 
Rico and Raini Rodriguez. (Courtesy RARfashionz.com)
As for Rodriguez, he tweeted news about his new line -- RAR It Fitz Fashions -- last week. Rodriguez is joined by his sister, Raini (Paul Blart's daughter), in the venture and clothes are already available online at rarfashionz.com. Apologies to fans of Manny's precocious "Modern Family" wardrobe of smoking jackets and pressed pants -- RAR Fashions, thus far, is limited to age-appropriate t-shirts, hoodies and beadazzled tops.

Hmm, maybe Swank should give the kids a call?

A low-key welcome to 2011

Sometimes it's preferable to dip your toe into the New Year instead of making a big splash.

Have a little sip, listen to some live music and call it 2011. Wauwatosa's Vino 100, 1442 Underwood Ave., is offering a "relaxing and enjoyable alternative" for New Year's Eve.

The duo Blues Kopf takes the storefront stage at 8 p.m. Friday to perform American roots, country blues, Mississippi Delta and other music featuring steel guitar and harmonica.

And because Vino 100 is a wine bar and store, it'll be pouring bubbly to ring in the new year. The New Year's Eve party runs until 12:30 a.m. Cheer in the holiday in even quieter fashion by taking advantage of the Vino happy hour from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

 

Chinese domestic luxury market weak when it comes to fashion

The Chinese luxury site NobleChinese posted a Top Ten List of preferred domestic luxury labels, as chosen by its readers. Only two of the entries are fashion brands, while the rest are spirit labels, affirming that when it comes to fashion, Western brands are still the best-known and favored amongst Chinese netizens.

It comes as little surprise: A September 2010 study done by consulting firm McKinsey shows that affluent Chinese consumers prefer foreign brands: 52% of consumers whose annual income exceeds RMB 250,000 (USD 36,765) trust foreign brands more than Chinese ones, while only 37% said they prefer homegrown labels.

China, the world's second largest luxury goods market after Japan, is expected to become the biggest in the next five years. The booming retail scene there has led tons of Western brands to set up shop in the country. Every luxury European label from Christian Louboutin to Salvatore Ferragamo to Corneliani has announced that they will expand their business there within the next three years by launching a slew of new boutiques.

Domestic Chinese brands are increasingly facing competition from Western brands that have begun tailoring their products to local needs, tastes, and desires. For instance, Hermès recently launched a Chinese brand- Shang Xia, which sells ready-to-wear fashion, tableware, and home furnishings inspired by Chinese culture- while US denim maker Levi's launched its dENIZEN jeans brand this past summer, with measurements aimed at Chinese consumers since they have narrower hips, smaller bottoms and shorter legs than Americans.

Zhang Zhifeng- the founder of Ne-Tiger, one of the rare domestic luxury labels in China -says that the lack of Chinese luxury brands can be attributed to the fact that they are not treated fairly in their own country: "Some high-end shopping malls and department stores in major Chinese cities, for the sake of their own short-term interest, are willing to open the doors and to bow down themselves in front of foreign luxury brands by offering many privileges. For instance, foreign brands are always offered considerable discounts, the best locations, extended rent exemptions for a couple of years, covering cost for store renovation of the openings, reduced fees, etc. - all of these contribute to their rapid expansion in China," he told the blog Jing Daily.

Club celebrates season with tacky competition

Etiquette experts say the invitation to a party is your clue to its level of formality and dress code. So, one just has to be intrigued by an invite to something called “This Ain’t Yo Mama’s Christmas Party.”

That’s what the Camelot Club’s Tower 451 Club invitation proclaimed its first holiday party, which took place Dec. 15. The club, begun this past summer, is a sub-category of membership for capital area young professionals.

“They meet monthly and decide what kind of parties they want to have,” said manager Jimmy Ward. “They came up with the idea for this party and its ‘tacky Christmas sweater’ competition.”

The evening’s festivities also included a White Elephant gift exchange.

Now, for most of the 20- and 30-something members, the tradition of donning a holiday-themed sweater is something their parents and grandparents might have done back in the heyday of such garments — the 1980s. And maybe they did, too, when they were too young to complain. But the challenge piqued the interest of several members, who went in search of the perfect fashion statement.

And what would a competition be without a prize? In this instance, it was a 3-foot trophy. Never mind that the trophy was actually from a now-defunct beef cookoff; that kind of went with the playfully tacky theme of the evening. As club President Tom Tanner explained, Guaranty Broadcasting’s Gordy Rush climbed down off a Mardi Gras float last year to present him with the trophy. When Tanner called a few days later to see if he wanted it back, Rush told him to keep it, they were de-cluttering the radio stations’ office. So, when he found out about the tacky Christmas sweater competition, Tanner knew exactly what the winner should receive.

Akris Allegra braided leather hobo handbag for spring 2011

Akris Allegra braided leather hobo handbag is soft, slouchy and right on trend for spring 2011. Akris started in 1922 making aprons and slowly evolved into an understated, high end ready-to-wear design house by the 1950’s. The understated yet luxurious vibe of the design house still holds true as Akris is known for using high quality materials as well as craftsmanship in their apparel and handbags.

The Akris Allegra braided leather hobo is a soft, casual leather hobo that is understated yet anything but plain. The braided leather offers texture and gives the handbag a warm weather look and feel. The Allegra braided leather hobo by Akris features a 7” strap drop which allows the handbag to be worn on the forearm or snugly under the shoulder.

The exterior features hidden magnetic snap closure and bottom metal feet. The interior of the Akris Allegra braided leather hobo features two main compartments, one zipper pocket and two open pockets. The interior lignin is leather and the Akris Allegra braided leather hobo measures in at 19” X 13” X 5.”

The Akris Allegra braided leather hobo is priced at $2995 and can be found at Saks Fifth Avenue Stores in a yellowish-tan.

12 Days of DIY Fashion Christmas

Day 10 of 12 days of DIY fashion Christmas gifts (it’s up to you if you want to share the end results!)

On the tenth day of Christmas you can give to thee,  10 lords a’leaping with beautiful ascots made of lace

Lords a’leaping wouldn’t be as fashionable without their gorgeous lace ascots around their necks.  A tied scarf is fashionable now, even in the summer with the variety of lightweight neckware in the stores.

eHow has a super simple set of instructions about making your own ascot AND tying it can be done in    6 easy steps.    Using 2 coordinating fabrics will allow you to reverse your ascot.  Try a lacey fabric on one side and a print on the other, to dress it up.  Triming the edge is also a nice choice.  There are pre-strung beads, tasels and edge treatments available to finish off your ascot.

To finish off your ascot after it’s tied, you need to secure it with a beautiful handmade beaded brooch.  BeadGem has a nice list of tutorials on french beaded brooches.  From a supply of seed beads available at all local craft stores like JoAnn Fabric’s, Pat Catan’s or Michaels, you’ll be able to personalize the style, color, size and glitz of your brooch.

Enjoy your crafting and leaping towards the holiday!

 

There's history behind Matt Cardle's yellow trousers

"What kind of a man wears yellow trousers?" I shouted at the telly, watching Matt Cardle whining away in a pair the night he was crowned winner of this year's X Factor.

"Malvolio!" said my 10-year-old, impressively enough, and one in the eye for anyone throwing money at a private education. "I think Henry VIII wore yellow breeches when Catherine of Aragon finally died, too," a colleague later mused. "You better check that, though."

"I won't," says I, too busy staring blankly at my empty computer screen, deep in thought on the subject of yellow things that are good (the Simpsons, bananas) and bad (custard, er, cowardice). It's a dirty job...

Still, the reputation of yellow clothing, in both high and low culture, is clearly flawed – a sign of a distinct lack of taste in more ways than one.

Malvolio's yellow stockings are the most famously symbolic. In Twelfth Night, the tormented stoic is duped into wearing them with cross garters to please love interest Olivia, only to find that yellow is, in fact, "a colour she abhors, and cross garters a fashion she detests" (and don't you just know how she feels).

The aforementioned monarch, in fact, persuaded his entire court into yellow upon the long-awaited death of his first wife, later claiming that no offence was intended as it was the colour of Spanish mourning. And if you believe that...

Cardle's trousers were a bit like Malvolio's in as much as the intention was presumably to suggest that manly painter-decorators have feelings too. Personally, I preferred his vest, and that's saying something.

Whatever, the wearing of yellow is not to be trusted. Grace Woodward, principal X Factor stylist and a woman responsible for any number of novelty hats and false eyelashes, was the brains behind this particular fashion faux pas too, according to gossip the following morning. One could be forgiven for thinking, though, that super-bitch Cher Lloyd came up with the idea in a bid to undermine the competition. It's a much better story and one that, were Shakespeare alive, he would clearly have run with.

The long and the short of it – a haircut can sum you up

What's dull, thick, smooth and coarse and is currently on everyone's minds? No, not politicians or pop stars – something much more literal than that: the answer is hair. We're a nation obsessed in our pursuit of the hirsute.

From the keening over actress Emma Watson's decision to cut all of hers off, to our commoners' awe at Kate Middleton's abundant and flowing locks, our fascination goes far beyond the follicle. We characterise other people by their coiffures; we make assumptions about them. Stringy and lank? Someone to avoid sitting next to on the bus. Shiny and full? Ripe for a career in TV. See? It's easy! Let's try another.

Julian Assange may be the most reviled and revered man in the world right now; he may even be a threat to national security, but that hasn't stopped us going after his short and curlies. And his elaborate silver quiff sums him right up: a greying faux intellectual sexed up with a bit of styling product and turned into an anti-hero. He even had it cut for his TV appearance after being released on bail (to Bungay, Suffolk, which by all accounts is a town with an unusually large number of hairdressing salons, no less). Assange knows the power of a pompadour as well as any popstar does, and this reveals more about him than any press conference ever will. There are more subtexts here than in a leaked cable.

Other official documents laid bare to the public this week include Now magazine's Best Celebrity Hair 2010 poll. What a diplomatic kerfuffle when Simon Cowell finds out he's in the bottom 10, while his protégé Harry Styles (he of the Byronic mop) has made the top spot. How will Prince William feel when he finds out the public has chosen his brother's carrot-top over his own thinning thatch?

Now, I'd be the first to point out that a Best Celebrity Hair 2010 poll in a gossip magazine does not a zeitgeist make, but it does point to a certain localised scrutiny – a Best Celebrity Nose contest is a rarer sight, I'm sure you'll agree, or Best Celebrity Forefinger. But hair is an emotive subject all round – just ask people who are losing theirs, or those who hide its allure beneath a hijab. Ask the punks who chose the Mohican to look as anti-establishment as possible, or the French collaborators who had their heads publicly shaved. When David Cameron changed the side he wears his parting on, he made more of a political U-turn than his buddy Nick Clegg.

We're attached to our hair; its roots go deep. But it's also a great leveller. You think William chose Kate because she's a nice girl? Think again. It's because she has rich girl's hair, despite her humble origins. You can't achieve those sleek tresses; you're either born with them or not. Kate's hair will reinvigorate the royals like a zesty shampoo.

Disney last weekend released its latest cartoon, Tangled, a reworking of that ultimate tonsorial archetype Rapunzel. Meanwhile, pint-sized popstar Willow Smith (who last week reached No 2 in the charts with "Whip My Hair") has had her trademark plaits cut into a bowl cut. And the now gaminely cropped Emma Watson told of her relief to be free of the Harry Potter contract that stipulated she did not cut her hair for 10 years. Hairdressers speak of traumatised break-up victims begging for drastic chops; our hair is an expression of our inner turmoil. Just ask Boris Johnson.

 

Angelina Jolie's Costumes in The Tourist Pay Homage

Yesterday, I saw the film The Tourist starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp.  The film is a good thriller, Hitchcock-like in its amazing twists and turns. The other thing very Hitchcock-like is how beautiful Angelina Jolie looks in the film, and how beautiful her costumes are.  You literally can't keep your eyes off her and her amazing jewelry, gowns and dresses.  From the film's opening, you are fascinated by her character, and her classic look.  It's a very old school Hollywood look, and you never see her character, Elise, wearing pants, jeans or T-shirts.  Elise is couture all the way.  Elise even wears long gloves, with a cut-out for her watch so she can unbutton a fabric panel to see what time it is without taking off her gloves.  While I was watching the movie, I couldn't stop thinking of some of the costumes in the movie, and how they reminded me of designer Irene Lentz's work in film, particularly the costumes she did for Doris Day in the 1960 movie Midnight Lace.  The whole time I was watching The Tourist, I kept thinking of Irene. Well, that was kismet.  When I looked at this week's People Magazine's StyleWatch, I learned that Irene was actually an inspiration for Angelina's costumes in the movie.   "My inspiration for [Jolie's character] Elise's costumes were the Hitchcock movies: minimal elegance," Academy Award-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood tells People.  She credits the costume Angelina wears in the opening sequence, "an ivory sheath accented with a camel shawl and gloves" (pictured above)  to garments that she was familiar with that had been designed by Irene. "That look was inspired by a dress designed by Irene [Lentz], who is a legendary costume designer," Atwood says. "I took the basic idea and added some flair to contemporize it. The original had a jacket, but I really wanted something a little more luxurious, so I created the cashmere wrap. I've always loved a glove, and was filming in the land of fine gloves, so I used a fine suede glove to finish the look."   I love that Irene was an inspiration for this elegant look. I hope we see a return to more  beautifully outfitted heroines in film after this movie.  It's just so much more interesting to look at beautiful costumes on screen than it is to look at off the rack denim.

Recently, I had my own fashion encounter with Irene.  After much searching, I finally bought an exquisite , pre-loved Irene jacket.  The buttons on the jacket are a revelation.  They are like delicate little pyramids rising from the fabric.  Buttons were one of Irene Lentz's key design touches. She spent a lot of time selecting and designing the special buttons for her garments. The price for my timeless Irene was a mere $90.00. This jacket is one of my best fashion finds ever.

 

The first East Asian survey of lifestyles and attitudes

The first East Asian survey of lifestyles and attitudes by a cosmetics company has revealed some sharp differences between the women of Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei and Seoul.

Unveiled in Tokyo on Tuesday, the six-month study by Kanebo Cosmetics examined women's expectations of work, their aims for five years' time, their personal aspirations, attitudes about beauty and make-up preferences.

"The biggest difference we saw was the emphasis that Japanese women place on human relationships -  in particular they care about being liked by others - while the women in the other cities are more concerned with personal growth through their work or studies," said Sakae Nomura, director of Kanebo's Beauty Research Institute.

According to the survey, which covered around 450 women between the ages of 18 and 59 in the five cities, women in Tokyo place more emphasis on personal relationships and achieving a work-life balance, while the women of the four other cities want a high income and "personal development."

When asked what sort of person they wished to be, Tokyo women most frequently replied "someone who is considerate to others." Their counterparts, however, tended to reply they wanted to be "cheerful" and "feminine."

While women in the Japanese capital like to be praised for their appearance - and particularly like to be described as "stylish" and having good taste - the respondents in Beijing, Taipei and Seoul most like being praised for their work abilities.

Tokyo women use makeup more frequently and extensively than their counterparts, the report identifying that 79.5 percent of women apply makeup five days a week. That figure fell to 38.7 percent in Shanghai, 44.5 percent in Beijing, 45.1 percent in Taipei and 58.7 percent in Seoul.

Japanese women are also more spendthrift than other women, saving a mere 11.1 percent of their income, as opposed to 22.3 percent in Seoul, although they shared the same ambition of being free of financial pressures within the next five years.

The one area in which all the women interviewed were in agreement was on the importance of cosmetics for the eyes and beautiful skin, although women in Seoul also pay close attention to makeup products for their lips.

Zandra Rhodes promotes her new handbag range in York

SHE has designed outfits for royalty, rock stars and celebrities, but at the weekend, one of the biggest icons in British fashion dropped in to Brown’s in York to launch her latest product. Zandra Rhodes is an unmistakeable figure in the world of fashion.

With her bright pink hair and theatrical eyeliner, she stands out in the crowd gathered in the bustling department store to celebrate the launch of her latest range of affordable yet fashionable handbags.

In a career which has seen her design outfits for everyone from Diana, Princess of Wales, Princess Michael of Kent, Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Harry, the movement to high street fashion has seen a reduction in prices, but no loss of the unmistakeable Zandra Rhodes style.

“It’s just fabulous to be outside of London, and it’s lovely that someone is following your work,” she said, laughing, when asked how she was finding her whirlwind tour of three UK cities in one day.

“Bags are an essential to an outfit. If the dress and the shoes are great and the handbag is terrible, the whole outfit is ruined. The perfect bag is one that looks right with the outfit. But for me the bag must fulfil a useful purpose and hold all the things I need my own bag to hold. I expect my evening bag to hold my wallet, more than just a credit card, keys, camera, phone, comb and lipstick.”

Zandra was introduced to the world of fashion by her mother, who was a fitter for the Paris fashion House of Worth and later a lecturer at Medway College of Art, where Zandra also studied, before majoring in printed textile design at the Royal College of Art in London.

Her bold, creative designs were considered outrageous by manufacturers in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and mixed dramatic and feminine styles to great effect, making her an early embracer of the strategic tears and safety pins of the punk period and the perfect designer for Freddie Mercury, the flamboyant front man of rock group Queen.

Zandra said: “I love the seventies, they were my formative period. The seventies have their own special romance. It was an honest period. No holds barred, no pretences.”

I ask if she misses that era, and whether it seems now that celebrities are trying too hard to get noticed or forcing their way into the public eye with outlandish outfits for shock value.

She pauses for a second while we take a seat on the steps in the middle of the department store, packed with Christmas shoppers and fans eager to catch a glimpse of her.

“I think stylistically we are going through a period where people are going to lengths not to look outlandish.

“It’s not seen as looking normal to have pink hair in the US when I visit, but it’s encouraging that in the UK the people aren’t too nervous to do their own thing.”

“Everyone was taking notice of this country in the seventies, when people dared to do their own things. Now when you look at Lady Gaga, for example, she comes over with her own thing, and she’s not scared to lead.”

Zandra was awarded the CBE in 1997 in recognition of her contribution to fashion and textiles. She has been given several honorary doctorates, and was named Designer Of The Year in 1972. She also set up the Fashion and Textiles museum in London to celebrate fashion and textile designers from the 1950s to the present day, and spent time in North Yorkshire while preparing for its opening in 2003.

Between high street handbags and historical archiving, the 70-year-old designer acknowledges there’s not much she hasn’t tried in her career.

“I did a range of tents and Wellington boots for Millets a few years ago, then went to Glastonbury and prayed it would rain. I think that was one of the few times it didn’t,” she said, laughing. But I think you have to be complimented that people enjoy wearing the things you design, it’s always fabulous. When you have designed something it’s the biggest compliment that someone wants to wear it, or if it makes them feel good.”

When asked about childhood ambitions and future plans, considering there’s a royal wedding due in 2011, she chuckles.

“I can’t remember that far back. I remember being teased because I said I want to be a millionaire. My goals are always changing. I would like to have huge international visibility rather that being an exclusive cult figure influencing other designers’ collections.”

Then, as the crowd which has gathered to watch us chat looks on with curiosity, she leans in and whispers conspiratorially: “And of course, I’d love to be asked to do The Dress.”

The 3-D movie craze has designers giving those clunky glasses a style makeover

The Buddy Holly-like spectacles are not only clunky, but some moviegoers complain that the reusable glasses cause eye strain and question how thoroughly they have been sanitized.

Now high-end eyewear makers and fashion houses are offering relief -- but it will cost you.

Since the release of "Avatar" a year ago, studios have been pushing to squeeze more movies into the 3-D pipeline. More than 30 films are scheduled to be released in the format next year; current movies include the new "Chronicles of Narnia" film released last weekend and "Tron: Legacy" coming Friday. Theater owners, who have profited handsomely from the higher ticket prices that the films command, have been scrambling to add enough 3-D screens to handle all the movies.

Eyewear manufacturers such as Oakley and fashion houses such as Gucci are jumping onto the stereoscopic bandwagon. They are introducing lines of 3-D glasses starting at $95 and going up to $225 -- or more than 100 times what most theater-handout models cost to make.

"The way we look at it, it's going to be a lifestyle accessory," said David Johnson, president of Marchon3D. "You've got your smart phone, you've got your iPad and now you

have another piece of equipment. This is a specialty technology device."

Marchon3D, a division of Marchon Eyewear, has licensed its technology to Calvin Klein and Nautica for 3-D eyewear costing $95 to $150. But the high-tech glasses, with a patented curved-lens design, are useful not just in theaters -- they can be worn outdoors as regular sunglasses.

Apart from being more stylish, the premium glasses vastly improve the 3-D viewing experience, manufacturers claim, because they're lighter, more comfortable and employ advanced optics to filter out reflections and other distractions that can cause eye strain.

RealD, the leading supplier of 3-D equipment in U.S. theaters, has "certified" Marchon's glasses and is working with Marchon's parent company to develop prescription 3-D glasses. By next year, consumers who are getting prescription lenses could opt for a 3-D version (at an extra cost, of course).

Marchon also plans to offer lower-cost 3-D glasses, in the $30 to $40 range, by spring. Australia-based Look3D has just launched an online store where budget-minded consumers can buy designer 3-D glasses for as little as $30 ($15 for kids).

"With more than 30 movies coming out next year in 3-D, moviegoers will spend plenty of time wearing 3-D glasses, and we expect many will want them in a style, color and fit all their own," said Michael Lewis, chief executive of RealD. "... We'll see a range of options at different price points, from designer 3-D glasses from brands like Calvin Klein to more budget-friendly glasses you can pick up at a local store or the movie theater when you buy popcorn."

Oakley spent more than two years working with DreamWorks Animation to develop the Oakley 3-D Gascan glasses, which went on sale for $120 recently at Sunglass Hut and Oakley stores. Oakley also has introduced a limited edition of 3-D glasses tied to "Tron."

"We began with a single goal: to set the standard for optical performance in 3-D," said Colin Baden, chief executive of Oakley. "This is a technological breakthrough."

Oakley's glasses, however, aren't meant to be worn outside. And there are other drawbacks to the new glasses, beyond the high prices.

The Oakley and Marchon glasses, for example, won't work if you take them to an IMAX or Dolby theater; they're designed to work in theaters with RealD systems, which represent about 80 percent of the available 3-D screens in the United States. And don't expect theaters to offer a discount if you bring your own glasses.

What's more, your 3-D glasses most likely won't work at home. The models from Oakley and Marchon use a "passive polarization" technology, which is most common in theaters. However, most 3-D TV sets require viewers to wear "active polarization" glasses that are battery-operated and use built-in electronics to actively "shutter" the images that reach each eye. (Some TV manufacturers plan to introduce 3-D televisions next year that work with passive glasses.)

Still, the move toward individually owned 3-D eyewear might have other benefits -- including for the environment. Although most glasses handed out in theaters are reused at least 10 times and are mostly recycled, at least 300 million pairs of glasses have been used worldwide since the debut of Disney's "Chicken Little" film in 3-D in 2005.

A guide to the Christmas sales

There's something about the winter sales that acts like catnip on certain grown men and women. Having fallen asleep in front of the telly on Christmas Day, they wake up feverishly the next morning in a sleeping bag at 5am outside their local branch of Next, desperate to secure a bargain.

This is no way to shop the sales. It takes a cool-headed, calm and collected attitude that doesn't seem to tally with the sort of mind that rationalises bedding down on a pavement. If you do your sales shopping properly, the only camping you'll be doing is the sort that comes naturally with that Dolce & Gabbana leopard-print dress you've had your eye on all season.

Get in the mood

With sales shopping, you get back what you put in – make the effort and you'll bag the best bargains. "Some people relish a long day spent trawling through the sale rails," Amanda Slader, head of fashion advice at John Lewis, says. "Some don't. Either way, you have to be in the mood – not tired or stressed or hung over."

Go with someone else

Perhaps you take an "every man for himself" attitude to shopping; perhaps you can't bear the thought of trying to fish your mother or best friend out of a bargain basket covered in fluff. Either way, you'll need a companion to help you to avoid the siren call of last season's tat, so make sure you have a friend present to lash you to the mast and refuse your pleas to be allowed to try it all on.

Think classic

"Ask yourself why this piece hasn't sold," Amanda Slader says. "When there are rails and rails of one garment, you wonder why the nation has rejected it so vigorously. And it's usually to do with cut or pattern." Cashmere jumpers, basic T-shirts, jeans, posh undies and tights are all sensible buys. "Well-tailored coats and slim-cut black trousers are always worth buying when the price is slashed," personal stylist Eliisa Makin adds.

Avoid lunchtime

"I'll just pop in at lunch and have a look," you think, whirring efficiently. But the shops are so full of other workers and the rails so picked over and chaotic that they resemble a child's dressing-up box. Cue cold sweats and a retreat to the new-season, full-price – and crucially, empty – section of the shop. "Get up early," Amanda Slader says, "get in, get out, get home. Or go for a vodka and tonic."

Accessorise

"If you crave bold, statement pieces, avoid high-fashion 'hero' items which will date quickly," Eliisa Makin warns. "Opt for eye-catching accessories that appeal to your individuality – creative designer shoes, bags and jewellery are far more versatile in the long run." So if there's a particularly wacky trend you're desperate to be part of, do it with a cheap bag, rather than a bank-breaking floor-length gown.

Look ahead

To predict the future, you have to understand the past, as they say. Fashion's not so dissimilar – before you hit the sales, think through the autumn trends and have a rifle through the mags to discover the key looks for spring. Set aside anything too obviously seasonal, such as sheepskin or shearling, and focus on more abstract styles which can work all year round. "The trend for minimalist pieces with modern quirks is set to continue throughout the year," Eliisa Makin says, "as is a neutral palette mixed with pastels and strong pops of colour."

Make sure it fits

Returns policies differ hugely, so make sure you know what you're buying into; many shops will not refund sale items, so it's worth trying things on before you pay for them. And regardless of new year's resolutions, don't just buy something because you like it and you'd like to fit into it. "Never buy anything in the wrong size," Eliisa Makin says. "The intention to diet into it or have it adjusted usually remains just that."

Fashion Photog Takes Prince William & Kate Middleton's Engagement Portrait

Kate Middleton has sat for her first glamorous shoot – with the famed photographer who took iconic pictures of Princess Diana.

Mario Testino – a fashion photographer who is well known for his pictures of celebrities and royalty, including Prince William, Prince Harry and, of course, their mother – was behind the lens to shoot Middleton and her fiancé for their first official photo.

A spokeswoman at William's office confirmed to PEOPLE on Sunday that Testino has taken "some engagement photographs."

It's believed the shoot took place last month, after the couple's Nov. 16 engagement announcement, and that the images will be released for publication in the near future.

"William is a very photogenic person ... self-confident, relaxed, impressive – and so much like his mother," Testino said recently. "I think it comes from a sense of security."

Testino is known for his memorable and candid pictures of Princess Diana taken for Vanity Fair in 1997 and exhibited at Kensington Palace in 2005.

Of the shoot, Testino has said: "[Diana] said to me at the time [that] her children had said to her it was the most 'her' they had seen."