Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Alber Elbaz - Lavin

The genius of Alber Elbaz lies in his ability to dazzle fashion insiders and consumers alike—editors swoon over the technical mastery behind each drape and seam, while regular women (well, not so regular if you consider the average Lanvin price tag) appreciate the way his clothes make them feel. His spring collection, filled with innovative silhouettes cast in rich, jewel-toned duchesse satin and plenty of imaginative shoulder options (one-shouldered; Dynasty-size proportions), didn’t disappoint.

A woman told me that every time she wears Lanvin, men fall in love with her.

HMP: What kind of women do you design for?
AE: I love personalities. I don’t like just pretty girls. The moment I see a woman, my task is to find the piece that, when I put it on her, I will not see the clothes but I see her face. I don’t want to see a dress with a woman. I just want to see a woman. And fit doesn’t mean that it’s fitting the body. It has to fit her mind. Being an overweight designer, I’m very aware of comfort. We don’t only do clothes for 20-year-old girls. We can see the same piece worn by 20 and by 80. And I love that. I love to see old women. I love wrinkles. I love gray hair.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Fortnum and Mason

Fortnum's tea

A melange of the best blends and single estate teas from around the globe.

In 1707, Queen Anne "sometimes counsel took, and sometimes tay".

Tea was Fortnum's first speciality and remains close to the hearts (and caddies) of our customers: this section contains our most celebrated blends. Purists prefer the loose leaves, spooned carefully into a pot warmed to embrace them.

Today tea lovers themselves are warming to that miracle of modernity: the teabag. We cannot choose. Each is available in either form.

TERCENTENARY BLEND TEA

Our official Tercentenary blend joins Assam, being the oldest tea region in India, and Yunnan the birthplace of tea. For a delicious, malty brew just right for raising a cup to one’s favourite merchant.

TERCENTENARY CERAMIC TEA CADDY WITH WHITE TEA

The hand-painted Chinese caddy contains white tea, the least processed of all. Sometimes known as Bai Mudan, this tea produces a delicate liquor with a fine peachy character.

BLACK TEA WITH STRAWBERRY

The delicious taste of the classic summer fruit fused with black tea makes an unusually refreshing drink - the perfect complement to a hot summer’s day.

RUSSIAN CARAVAN TEA

A blend of China Black Keemun and Oolong teas recalling the ancient trading routes that brought tea to the Tsars. Its light, almost nutty flavour and distinct character evoke the unique position of Imperial Russia on the world's crossroads and its rulers' domestic passion for really superior tea.

CHAI

This ancient recipe produces a warm, soothing drink that promotes a sense of well-being.

GUNPOWDER

Fortnum & Mason has stocked this tea continuously since the eighteenth century. the tightly-rolled leaves first resemble gunpowder pellets, which uncurl when brewed to give a paradoxically peaceful straw-coloured liquor. excellent served without milk after the evening meal, either hot or iced.

LOVERS' LEAP BLACK TEA

Lovers' Leap Black Tea bears a romantic name, but its taste is far more restrained with a brisk and delicate flavour.

OSMANTHUS GREEN TEA

A caddy of Osmanthus Green Tea, a fine semi-fermented green tea which is grown in Guanaxi in the South of China. The tea is blended with the Osmanthus flower for only ten days during the month of October.

CHRISTMAS TEA

Spiced tea to warm your cockles.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Cashmere Mafia

I try to avoid trends. I think what looks best are silhouettes that fit and colors that suit the individual. When I shop for the ladies on the show, I look for interesting pieces that will flatter them, not for the latest "trend".

- Wendy Stefaneli, Cashmere Mafia Costume Designer.