My failed attempt at giving Jen a fishtail braid…

Lovely Charlie of A La Mode | Lucy’s DIY collar!

Carrie of Wishwishwish

Frances & Sandra style challenge looks

Video courtesy of Next; Outfit: Sweater – Maska, Dress – Storets.com, White shirt – AA

I love Next. I mean, aren’t they geniuses? One first class carriage full of fashion bloggers, one innocent explosion and poof goes a sizeable chunk of the UK fashion blogging community. GENIUS! Imagine the article on that. Fess up Next, how much did you get paid by the journalists & editors (those robbed of Danish pastries by bloggers at the last fashion week)? Conspiracy aside, I do think I’m starting to fall for Next, their nod towards the bloggers is proving to be very friendly, and they’ve really played up their game with the trend interpretation. (Although, call me tasteless, but the 70’s trend really doesn’t appeal to me at all. )

The trainride was to Next’s headquarters in Leicester where we were fed and watered, then set loose in the mock-shop in a competition to style an item assigned to each of us. It was like a 9 year old’s birthday party at McDonalds really, in the best sense possible, I love birthday parties. And 9 year olds. As you can see my item was a pair of flare jeans, and instead of trying to smuggle and trade between the contestants with better items I decided, heck, let’s just go with it. On hindsight, I should’ve wrestled Frances to the ground for the white blazer. You should watch the video – I say I wanted to style it ‘boho’ and the only thing boho about the outfit is the misfitting jeans and my speech on peace love and understanding. My, I had such a blast this day.

Thank you Next and Jenny from Spreading Jam for organizing an amazing day, and Kit & Jill for snaps!

A few weeks ago I made this small day trip to Paris – some might’ve heard the racket outside your window, that was me twittering on my way to the airport in the morning, so early you’d have mistaken it for a night alley cat giggling. Vente Privee so kindly invited me for a tour of their headquarters in Paris, with the whole trip packaged like a secret mission which I was to fulfil as an agent. The small box I received at the briefing contained a miniature plane, so to the airport it was. Vente Privee, a brand probably most familiar to my French readers, is apparently the pioneer and leader of online sales events, first before everyone decided to open member-exclusive sales for discounted luxury brands for a limited time. Well, here’s a few snaps from my visit! (Feel free to skip this post if you’re not much for a scrolling marathon – again, here’s an exit link)

Atmosphere

Huge, correction: humongous HQ building with major contemporary art pieces (including the King Kong sculpture by David Mach and portraits of the Queen & Kate Moss [not of together, duh]) hogging every corner. Not uploading any for the sake of not getting sued over copyright blablas. Legals terms I know not. In the hallways there were hangers and hangers of product to be photographed, yet these weren’t just clothes – BBQ machines, school stationery and even Jacuzzi’s… apparently they even sold cars and apartments in the past. I’d like to say that to someone someday: I bought this flat at an online sale.

Sound Studios

Talk about DIY – Vente-Privee do all sound, motion, concept design for the products that go on sale in the site. Each sale is individually photographed – editorial and product pics; a 3 minute-long trailer is also made in-house to suit the sale. All sounds are created in the 6 studios managed by Jean-Reol Bonnerave.

Motion Design Team

3D, animation, cartoon, film editing, CG… everything motion, treated in the Motion Design studios. (Above: Marielle Devoyon, manager)

The Photoshoot Village

My favourite part, naturally. The photo department was in a whole other building – housing nearly 40 photo studios and one very sexy room full of big cameras and studio equipments – all the photoshoots for the products happen here. Everything that goes on the website is shot and edited in the premises, which I found was very clever as it does keep a solid consistency in quality. (Above: Keelin Tassy, manager)

Webdesign Team

The most familiar setting for me, the WebDesign studios. They deal with the aesthetics of the site, including the site’s ‘door’ theme that changes every month. Right now I believe they have polarbears in Central Park NY…? Always lighthearted and featuring an animal of some sort! (Above: Emilie Veillon, manager)

Jacket – Courtesy of H! by Henry Holland, Sweater – Topshop, Shirt as Dress – AA, Riding Pants – AA, Shoes – Zara, Bag, Belt – Jin Yoo 103684

Overall I must say I was immensely impressed by the work atmosphere and how so many talents are housed under one roof. It’s a bit like that one loft building in Shoreditch where all the artists, actors and designers supposedly live, flat next to another… a bit more purple lighting in this case. It really does make a huge difference seeing what happens behind the scenes in a company, makes you realize how much work is put in for the things we always take for granted.

Apologies for the long post – if you made it down here you deserve a pot roast, or a BIG TASTY carrot for the vegetarians. Thank you always for reading what I’m up to. xx

Thank you Vente Privee for having me over and Simona Saccà for taking me around the entire day!

Coat – ASOS White, Scarf – Gifted, Top – Courtesy of AA, Jeans – Courtesy of Levi’s, Shoes – Zara, Bag – Jin Yoo 103684

Thanks Leonie for the photos!

One

problem with posting often is that, sure, at times there’s just naturally something to share – usually a somewhat cavalier commentary on other people’s jobs and practices, but there are times where you can’t even remember what you did that day or why the particular outfit. I personally call it the post-grub epoch, where everything is in slow motion and there is a gleaming bed in the horizon with… …wow I just fell asleep, sorry. OK let me cheat and describe something practical from the outfit: The Zara shoes are surprisingly comfortable, they’re good for about the first five hours, and after that it feels like you’re walking on dominos pieces. The coat is LETHAL when going down the stairs at the tube station, the wrinkles in the fifth pic is evidence to how much I scrunch it up to save my dear life. Last but not least, a silk scarf in 3° Celsius is the stupidest idea.

Trench – Uniqlo, Boots – Clarks, Skirt – Courtesy of Storets.com, White Shirt – Courtesy of AA, Sweater – Gmarket, Bag – Lithuania

I’m about to crack one of those hilarious jokes again… just crawled home from Paris.

Why did the chicken… Nevermind, I’ll just go to sleep and you can retain that last strand of respect for this blog. I’ll ask of it next time when I feel the need to sell your information in exchange for free pair of Uggs.

Thanks Kit for the photos! Taken @ Arcadia SS11Pressday

Jacket – Uniqlo, Bag (‘Bae Choo’)- Couretesy of JinYoo 103684, Black maxiskirt – Courtesy of AA, Shoes – Office, Pink Lipgloss – Illamasqua

Kit of Style Slicker, Hedvig from Northern Light, Jen from the Style Crusader, Jill of Streetstyle London; @ Le Pain Quotidien Covent Garden

A few friends over brunch, a bit like a scene in Sex and the City; except tartines refer to the eating type and Mr Big is a name for the soupbowl latté. All we really have in common is the fact that we have blogs, yet there’s always much else to talk about, like how Kit wants to marry a jar of marmite or how Jill used to be a police officer in NYC in the naughties. Last bit not really true, but I think it was something similar, she always has a story to tell which makes us wonder just how many lives she’s had until now.

Thank you Kit for the outfit photos!