FASHION Magazine

Going to London and not stopping for tea is practically criminal. Even though tea jargon is somewhat complicated (afternoon tea does not equal high tea!) and the rituals are sometimes confusing (tea into milk or milk into tea?), it’s become our favourite meal of the day when across the pond. There really is no better way to break up a busy schedule of shopping and London sightseeing than with a few tea sandwiches and some jasmine pearls. Here are some of our favourite picks.

See all the Olympic nail art! »

You’d have to be living under a rock to have not noticed the skyrocket rise in nail art popularity over the past few years. While Katy Perry and Rihanna were among the first celebrities to champion the trend, it’s has since snowballed into a genuine phenomenon, even engulfing this summer’s Olympic games in London.

If you happen to be in London for the Olympics, we’re warning you ahead of time: your bank account is in danger of serious depletion. Chanel is the latest label to jump on the pop-up shop bandwagon, joining the likes of Opening Ceremony by descending upon Covent Garden. (It will also be the French fashion house’s first U.K. location dedicated only to beauty and fragrance.)

If you thought Ralph Lauren’s made-in-China garments for the U.S. team’s Olympic Opening Ceremony outfits were scandalous, then brace yourself for something even worse: Egypt has admitted that they not only outsourced the outfits for their 112-person Olympic team, but that the China-made products are knockoffs. The Associated Press spoke with Gen. Mahmoud Ahmed Ali […]

The post Who okay-ed this? Egypt’s Olympic uniforms are Nike and Adidas knockoffs! appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

This tidbit may still be in the rumour mill phase, but if it turns out to be true, this will be the best news we’ve heard all week: according to the Mirror, the Spice Girls may be joining the lineup for the London Olympics closing ceremony on August 12. And cue heart palpitation. Supposedly, the […]

The post Could it be true? The full scoop on that “Spice Girls closing the Olympics” rumour appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

As if we weren’t already obsessing over the forthcoming Olympics, news that some of our favourite English Roses will be participating in the closing ceremony has our excitement levels at a fever pitch. Supermodels Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Georgia May Jagger and Lily Cole will be clad in British labels like Vivienne Westwood […]

The post Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Georgia May Jagger and Lily Cole will participate in the closing ceremonies of the London Olympics! appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Drink in the magic of Fall 2012 with FASHION’s first look at the hottest shows, most bewitching sets, best new trends and more.

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JUMP TO: NEW YORK | LONDON | MILAN | PARIS

By Sophie Walker

From slick new shops to gold medal–worthy gowns, Londoner Sophie Walker reports from the fashion frontlines at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Check out our editors picks for London »

Sixty years on the throne certainly deserves some grand form of recognition, and in Queen Elizabeth II’s case, that means a kingdom-wide jewel-incrusted celebration. As part of the celebration—which already boasts a special-edition Butter London nail polish colour, for one—Harrods commissioned the creation of 31 elaborate, handmade crowns from renowned designers around the globe, to be on display at the store’s famed Knightsbridge location. To mark the occasion, Harrods has swapped its trademark green canopies for stately golden frames, each showcasing one of the designer-created crowns.

Alongside Lanvin, Bvlgari, and even Dom Perignon, some of Britain’s most treasured designers contributed their designs to the crown collection as well, including Paul Smith, whose crown is laden with British memorabilia, and Mulberry, whose “hundreds and thousands” explosion of colour adds a refreshing sense of whimsy.

View the crown collection »

The gossamer lace dresses printed with a profusion of blooms in Erdem’s Spring 2012 collection called to mind a few things: a summer of leisure, innocence about to be lost, perhaps a girl one step removed from reality. London, U.K.–based Canadian designer Erdem Moralioglu explains that he conceived the designs after reading Françoise Sagan’s Bonjour Tristesse, “and it stuck.” The French Riviera–set story of a girl’s complicated relationship with her widowed father and his lovers was written by Sagan in 1954, when she was just 18.

This literary link in Moralioglu’s design process isn’t out of the ordinary. A voracious collector of books—he estimates his current count at close to 1,000—he frequently looks to them for inspiration. “I can point to books on my shelves that were catalysts for different collections,” he says.

Online-shopping veteran Rebecca Tay explores the digital world of discount ready-to-wear while taking an exclusive tour of The Outnet’s HQ in London.

See the global top sellers | See the Canadian top sellers

Online-shopping virgins are rare these days. Any girl worth her weight in Wang (whether it’s Alexander or Vera) has not only done the deed but also experimented with the latest spine-tingling activity: trolling the web for designer discounts. Who hasn’t hit the sheets with their laptop primed for a little ready-to-wear rollback action? Half-price Lanvin ballet flats? Yes, please! Erdem floral dresses for a fraction of their original price? Click: “buy!” E-boutiques like Shopbop, Asos and Net-A-Porter have huge followings, but the new stars of the online retail world are the luxury-good bargain hunters. When it comes to these price-choppy waters, The Outnet is the mother ship, drawing more than one million unique visitors every month. It was launched in 2009 as an offshoot of Net-A-Porter, which was one of the first companies to offer designer brands online. With more than 200 high-end labels to browse, including Stella McCartney, Marni, Balmain and Marc Jacobs, this site is a destination for marked-down must-haves. Boots that once cost a month’s rent are now $200; almost everything, from Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen, is 50 to 70 per cent off. It’s a virtual dream, but I get the chance to see if this fairy-tale land of luxe-for-less really exists beyond the screen when I receive an exclusive invitation to spend a day at The Outnet.

It’s a debate that has paralyzed the fashion community on proportions not seen since Lady Gaga’s meat dress: Is the Lita boot still cool? In an industry where trendiness lasts for about 30 seconds, the affordable Jeffrey Campbell creation ($162, shopnastygal.com) has really—and we mean really—stuck around. We asked you if you were tired of […]

The post Still into Jeffrey Campbell’s Lita boot? Check out 2 awesome ways to update the style direct from the London streets appeared first on FASHION Magazine.