December 2011
Elle.Stardoll
Kate Middleton in Mulberry. Photo: Getty Images
Mulberry’s love of all things quirky and whimsical doesn’t get in the way of their business savvy. The British powerhouse brand has just released its half year results; sales have tripled with total revenues jumping 62% to £72 million (about $112 million) and retail sales rising 47% in the half-year through September—talk about good news. Turns out being a bit off kilter isn’t a bad thing. This morning, chief executive Godfrey Davis told us, “Mulberry’s eccentricity is an essential part of its history and character. I mean, the English are bonkers really, aren’t they. And that happily is represented in our brand.” It’s been a phenomenal year for the storied British brand: they opened a swank new head office on Kensington Church Street, a flagship on Spring Street in New York, and are set to expand their Somerset factory (which will create 60 new jobs). The environmentally friendly space will include solar panels on the roof and a rainwater-harvesting tank to collect water. Also, as if to heighten their rep as the best loved employers in the UK, Mulberry will introduce a bus service to collect staff from their homes and bring them to work. To top things off, the Duchess of Cambridge has become quite a fan of the brand. She’s been carrying the navy Polly Pushlock for the past few months and wore a green silk dress to a press-filled cocktail party last week. Godfrey added, “It’s great to see someone that glamorous, someone who is loved internationally, choose pieces from Mulberry. We are also very pleased indeed that she is paying attention to British fashion.” With Kate Middleton attracting one sort of fan and Alexa Chung loyally courting the other, it’s no wonder Mulberry’s numbers keep climbing up and up. Godfrey, however, would like to thank someone else for the brand’s good fortune: “It was the sales drive, the expansion, plus this great team we have that all played a role.”
Amber.Stardoll- When it's cold outside, the last thing we want to think about is our hair! Unfortunately you can't let it air dry in soft waves like in the summer, but you can't leave with it wet either! So you have to blow dry it, but the cold is already really damaging to your hair so do you really want to straighten it too? The best and easiest hair style to protect your hair during the winter is a braid. After blow drying, skip the straightener and pull your hair into a fun braid. We've collected our ten favorite styles from easy to hard to inspire you on even the coldest of winter days.
- Amber.Stardoll
- We're really loving simplicity this week! Chic black paired with a crisp tailoring, a fun dress with a pair of heels, it always looks great! We really loved Zoe Saldana's Rene Lange Spring 2012 dress and we loved how Kaley Cuoco paired all black with nude heels and a leopard clutch. Click on the pics to see more of this week's best dressed celebs!
- Amber.Stardoll
- This video is just in, brand new, smoking hot! It’s Justin Bieber’s latest music vid! He’s done a cover of the classic Christmas song “Santa Clause Is Coming To Town” and it’s actually really good! The video was released just a few minutes ago so enjoy being one of the first watching it! We just love Justin, don’t you?
- Amber.Stardoll
- One of the best ways to stay warm this winter is by layering. But what about those times when it's cold outside, but warm inside? We always keep a cardigan close by for extra chilly days indoor or out! It's the perfect piece of clothing to layer and looks great on everybody! While we prefer the slightly nerdy cardigan look with glasses and pressed shirt, we also like the long cardi for running errands and just hanging out! Click on the pics to see celebs who are cardi crazy! And watch the funny vid below about cardigans from the hilarious show, "The New Girl." :)
- Amber.Stardoll
- With her 13 years in the movie industry, the gorgeous Kate Hudson has starred in 26 movies and won 14 awards! Kate's trademark role is the funny girl next door, but when asked about romantic comedies she said, "I'm not a big fan of romantic comedies, believe it or not... Well, I don't run out to see them." Ha, that's ironic! Not only is Kate an incredible actress, she's also one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. In 2000 she was named one of the '50 Most Beautiful People in the World' by People Magazine, and we have to agree. So we put together her top 10 beauty looks through out her career, which one is your favorite?
- Elle.Stardoll
Photo: Getty Images
Clémence Poésy, the sweet-faced French it-girl, Harry Potter actress, and Chanel show staple, is the new face of G-Star. The announcement was made a the brand’s big store opening in LA last night. As they toasted their Rodeo Drive flagship, G-Star’s Brand Director, Shubhankar Ray, was thrilled to announce that the former Gossip Girl star is picking up where Elettra Wiedemann and Liv Tyler left off. Poesy’s campaign was shot by Anton Corbijn, the filmmaker behind G-Star’s past campaigns. The petite blonde looked camera ready last night; in place of pink cheeks and chain strap bags she wore black denim, a leather vest and some rocker ready eye makeup. Look for her ads this spring!
- Elle.Stardoll
Photo: Getty Images
Fake ads are so yesterday. Today, the fashion blogosphere is all about big crazy rumors, like that Nichole Richie is going to be the new Creative Director of Halston, or celebrity face, or consultant, or that Nicole Richie will do something, anything with the crumbling house of Halston. The brand’s relationship with Hollywood hasn’t worked out so well, just one reason it’d be surprising if the investors thought, “Hey! You know what could work here? A really stylish, beautiful Hollywood star.” It didn’t work with Rachel Zoe, or Sarah Jessica Parker, or even Tamara Mellon who really actually does know how to run a business. If, for some reason, the house of Halston is incapable of functioning without a starlet, Richie would be a great choice. She’s one of the few celebrities who’s earned the right to drop “celebrity” before designer and both House of Harlow and Winter Kate are profitable, respected companies with loyal fans in and out of the fashion industry. To add fuel to the fire, Richie wore the sequined Halston dress at left to her last public appearance a couple of weeks ago. Think she’d be a good fit?
- Elle.Stardoll
Photo: Repetto
Repetto’s enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the past few years. The shoe company parlayed its classic dance roots into something a bit more high fashion, working on collaborations with brands like Opening Ceremony and Rodarte and celebrating their storied relationship with Brigitte Bardot with limited edition runs of the BB Ballet Flat in her favorite colors and prints. This year, their patent leather loafer (as seen on the runway at Honor) was a massive hit among the fashion pack. So now they’re launching a perfume. They’ve signed with Inter Parfums SA (they do scents for Burberry and Lanvin) to produce their first fragrance. After Repetto opens the 22 new stores they have planned for 2012, they’ll debut the scent in 2013, kicking off a 13-year partnership that should produce more than one signature scent. The CEO of Inter Parfums told WWD, “We believe that this universe offers real opportunities for creating a range of poetic, glamorous and ultra-feminine fragrance lines.” We smell a Fanning campaign in the making.
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