Hot on the Highstreet Week 77 - VERSACE for H & M

Versace for H&M is on its way and I can hardly contain my excitement for what is sure to be the hottest collaboration ever. Versace is one of those brands, you either love it or hate it.

While in Edinburgh a few weeks ago, I found an amazing Versace lime green two piece suit in an overcrowded vintage shop. The suit was tucked away unnoticed amongst hundreds of eccentric garments. Priced at only £22 for jacket and skirt, I couldn't quite believe my luck and thought there must have been some mistake with the pricing. Despite being several sizes too big I had to get it, I asked the shop assistant when paying, "Why is it so cheap? It's Versace!" She replied "because it’s Versace, we loathe Versace!" So there you have it... It now hangs in my room awaiting some essential tailoring.

Back to H&M and their electrifying, bright and fun collaboration: a rare chance to get yourselves a piece of Versace, especially exciting considering the recent restyle of retro patterned Versace silk shirts, and Absolutely Fabulous style puffer jackets. Donatella Versace aimed to bring all the vitality and life of the full price fashion house to the highstreet range, and looking at the previews I think she has definitely succeeded.

Prices range from £20 for gorgeous, very wearable silk scarfs to £100 plus for leather and silk dresses. My favourite garments are those that feature the inimitable Versace patterns, neon tropical and wacky animal prints. There are some great leather jackets available too: cropped, tailored and padded to flatter the figure with extra studding to give the biker chic look. The range is typical Versace - colour, pattern, tailoring, and most importantly an element of fashion fun.

Versace for H&M hits stores at 9am on 17^th November, I’m considering taking the day off work to ensure I get a piece of the action. View the collection here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 57

This Monday, with the sales well under way I thought I'd indulge in showing you all a few of my favourite designer buys, all of which have mercifully slashed prices. Working very close to Harvey Nichols, Harrods and Selfridges, the sales are an inevitably tempting time for me. Lunchtimes are spent pining after reduced garments, debating and trying to justify how and if I should buy those (usually unattainable) items.

Of my many favourites, here are my top five:

Marlene Birger leather waistcoast: Danish designer Marlene Birger takes inspiration from the classic styles of the 50’s and 60’s for her timeless, elegant and easy-to-wear designs. The waistcoat, pictured above, is now selling in certain retailers for a snip of the full price. This gorgeous, sleeveless, studded jacket is an absolute steal and will last you forever - only improving with wear. I bought the last one in Harvey Nichols, with a few studs missing - they sold it with a staggering 70% off. Buy online on the M.B website here for £389, originally £635.

T by Alexander Wang collection: if you haven't checked out the Outnet website yet I would urge you to. Their selection of designer clothes and accessories are permanently discounted - mostly half price but often you can find a very reasonable 70 % off bargain! T by Alexander Wang is the fabulous diffusion line devoted to the ‘model off duty’ look, with relaxed tees and slouchy urban style jackets and trousers. It is cheaper and more comfortable than Wang’s main collection. I love the zip-up hoodies and thin racer back tops - they dress down an outfit and are very snug.

Tibi silk outfits: another point to the outnet for their variety of Tibi clothes. Tibi is a New York based designer that focusses on bright colours and vibrant prints. I particularly love the lemon yellow carnival silk shorts, loose and soft for the summer, but with a vital injection of colour, they are now reduced to £82.50 from £165, but here.

Paul Smith ties: thanks to Liberty’s colourful flowery prints, it is now cool for guys to wear feminine patterns... and where better to adopt this look than Paul Smith, the eccentric menswear icon. Last season’s beauties can be found at many department stores as well as the P.S outlets, with some ties selling at half the original £75 pricetag. The perfect gift to give your man a little bit of flower power. Buy in store at Harvey Nichols.

Missoni for Havaianas flip-flops: always fancied yourself a striped piece of Missoni but never had the cash? Your luck might be about to change...Missoni have teamed up with the popular flip flop company Havaianas to create a few pairs of must have summer sandals in wacky techicoloured prints... I am desperate for a pair. There are not in the sale, but at £45-60 I doubt you’ll find Missoni anywhere else cheaper. Buy on Net-a-porter here.

Resist the temptation of designer all season so that you can reward yourself in the sales. I think these items and designers are worth investing in.

Things to do in Paris

Paris, oh Paris, I adore Paris. I went last weekend for three days, and even with the torrential rain (it really did pour non-stop) it was still charmingly beautiful and a wonderful weekend away.

There is so much to do in the city, it is difficult to know where to start. So I thought instead of giving you an all inclusive guide, I’d just mention a few things that I enjoyed:

MUSEUMS: The city is littered with them. Quai Branly is relatively new, and has a wonderful collection of worldly artifacts. The Louvre is, of course, a must... a little tip though – the first Sunday of every month offers free admission to most major Paris museums and galleries, which is a great idea in theory, but in practise means waiting in three hour long queues just to get in. The Picasso Museum, which I am dying to see, is closed until mid-2012 so don’t waste your time like I did seeking out that one!

RESTAURANTS: Where to start? French cuisine can be absolutely divine if you know where to go. Unfortunately with the Pound-Euro conversion being so dreadful, even the snackiest of meals becomes pricey. On our first day we stumbled across a hip vintage cafe called ‘Etienne Marcel’ and in the Etienne Marcel region. We ate delicious ‘LOVE Burgers’ which arrived in the shape of a heart (!) accompanied by the most delicious skinny french fries. A very yummy lunch, but for just main and drink for two it came to 45 Euros, which is about 43 pounds. La Coupole is a fun restaurant too, with a lovely feel of tradition and celebration; the food can be a bit on-off though. The man at our hotel recommended a restaurant, just around the corner from Bastille metro, called Les Banquettes (3, Rue de Prague) in which the food was thoroughly tasty and had a perfect ambience; definitely my nicest meal in Paris to date. I ate stuffed poussin with fois gras sauce and vegetables. It had such a friendly atmosphere, with no tourists at all, they made us feel very welcome and gave us complimentary glasses of wine.

AFTERNOON TEA: The one and only Angelinas (on the grand Rue de Rivoli) really is a treat; you will have to queue, but their famous thick hot chocolate is worth it. A beautiful setting too – I felt like I was Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys. I must also mention Cafe Camille (that I love for obvious reasons) located just a few streets away from Place des Vosges (24 Rue des Francs-Bourgeois); this gem is always packed full of Parisian darlings.

SHOPPING: Vintage or Designer? Take your pick. I found that very few people could give me exact information on good retro shops in Paris. Go to metro station Etienne Marcel and explore around that area. Killiwatch (64 Rue Tiquetonne) is the well known warehouse-like vintage shop, but if that daunts you try Episode down one of the side streets... revolutionary prices – I bought a colourful silk top for 11 Euros and suede knee high tassle boots for 45 Euros, bargains me thinks.

HOTEL: We stayed in the Bastille area which is a little like the ‘Notting Hill’ of Paris. If you want to stay nearer the big attractions like the Eiffel Tower it is likely to cost you more. When I stayed more centrally, the hotel was not as high quality and didn’t have half the atmosphere of Pavillon Saint-Louis Bastille, where we were staying this time.

With the Eurostar so cheap, easy and quick it is all too tempting to hop on a train to Paris every weekend.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 4

Hello summer sales! There is so much to choose from this week ... I have decided on French Connection's Moroccan Suede bag. Reduced from £160 to £80, this bag is a real bargain.

I am a sucker for designer handbags, but this French Connection beauty caught my eye. It is made from good quality soft suede and has nice stud details that make it look much more high end designer than highstreet. It comes in black, pink and blue. My favourite is the pink, a bright and yet sophisticated colour that would perfectly complete an evening summer outfit.

This bag also comes in a leather option, also nice and even cheaper at £57. If you can't quite afford a Mulberry or Balenciaga I would say French Connection's Moroccan Suede bag is the next best thing.

Buy here.

Maison Martin Margiela at Somerset House

Exhibitions like this make me realise why I am doing a blog about London. There is so much to do, hidden in places you may not ever consider looking.

A Thursday night is a great time to do things in London because often galleries and shops stay open late, so it is easy to hop on the tube after work and see something exciting. This Thursday I went to the Maison Martin Margiela show at Somerset House with a good friend I managed to drag along for the ride. We sat in the Courtyard outside for half an hour beforehand in the glorious sunshine. After finishing our Nero coffees and muffins we went into the house to explore the coveted work of Margiela.

This fashion company was born in 1988, the same year as me. The Belgian stylist from which the name derives is known predominantly for his stark white garments and the transgressive themes that can be seen throughout his clothing lines, both ready-to-wear and couture. Maison Martin Margiela celebrates 20 years of the label.

A white caravan sits at the exhibition’s entrance then, walking through white arches, you are in a white, sparkling wonderland. The show is made up of films, clothes, documents and cleverly constructed installations. Everything seems carefully thought out, and the pieces are shown in such innovative ways that it makes you reconsider the purpose of the work entirely. There is a pervasive uncertainty that Margiela most probably intended, challenging all the time the conventions and traditions of clothing and fashion.

The space is otherworldly and magical, and garments hang as pieces of valuable artwork. The video clips are mesmerising – models stride the catwalk with their faces always covered - very disturbing. Secrecy remains central to the designer’s success, his clothes are isolated on the models (they are very much blank canvases) and Margiela kept an entirely private personal life too.

This exhibition is a rare opportunity to see Margiela’s vision in its full glory.

Open until September 5, 2010.

www.somersethouse.org.uk/margiela

Is Kate still cool?

Kate modelling in her newest Topshop range

Kate Moss has been in the public eye more than any other, primarily as a model, but now as a designer too. She continues to hold iconic status, but does she still deserve to be the centre of our attention?

May marks the introduction of her latest Topshop range - S/S '10. The collection harks back to the 1970s with a strong vintage vibe. Floral shirts and floaty maxi dresses dominate the range. Supposedly everything you need to look and feel like Kate Moss.

I went to check out the new Moss garments in Knightsbridge's very own Topshop store last week. I was disappointed (and thank God I was, I cannot afford any more clothes!) Nearly everything is made from synthetic materials - quite unpleasant for summer attire. I picked a few dresses to try on - although there weren't many under £80, and most were over £100, ridiculous considering the quality of the material.

The dresses failed to impress in the changing room too - they clung to my skin and were completely unflattering. Realisation hit - I would not be walking out of Topshop looking like Kate Moss today.

Kate Moss holds a lot of power with her name and image - it's a shame if young girls waste their money on this collection, it certainly isn't worth it.