Entries from January 2008
Posted by Rebekah Roy on January 31st, 2008
There are some people who have a gift of making you feel special, they take time when they speak with you and look you in the eye – it sounds so simple but it’s become so rare, so when it happens you fall under their spell and you can’t help but adore them. Joan Burstein is the face, heart and soul of Browns. She and her husband Sidney created Browns 1970 with a small boutique on the ground floor at 27 South Molton Street, the shops grew and now there are five connecting townhouses with number 23 being exclusively for men. Browns is one of London’s most important fashion destinations: not just for shoppers but for designers as well: if your collection is in Browns it’s like a stamp of approval. Joan Burstein is credited with discovering such talents as Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan and Commes des Garcons: she first spotted John Galliano at his degree show, and gave a teenager, Manolo Blahnik a job in her jeans department. She always had pieces that are exclusive to Browns and she cultivates her relationships with designers, helping them to grow and develop. Most of all is she’s very kind. She makes you feel at home in her shop – all her staff are like that – it feels very genuine, she knows her designers and understands her customers. Although Browns is very well established it still feels like one of London’s best kept secrets. I think some Londoners are intimidated by the shop, they’d feel more comfortable in a big department store where you’re anonymous and nobody speaks to you – but once you get past this fear and walk through the doors of Browns it’s like you’ve come home. I think I was a bit nerves the first time I went into Browns – you know it’s special and important but none of the staff are pushy or condescending, it’s just warm and welcoming and just being in there makes you feel special. Marcio & Mrs Burstein are in the photo.
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Tags: Boutique Profile, Browns, style icon
Posted by Rebekah Roy on January 30th, 2008
PPQ on Conduit Street. 
There are so many people in fashion that are always trying to look hip and just end up looking pretentious and then there is the group of girls who are just super cool without trying and these four girls truly are the super cool! Model:Lianna Fowler 
Another cool girl from Pop magazine wearing a great coat, it’s her grandmothers) and I love it with the white shirt, it’s strong and sexy! Lots of fur at this party! 
Alvin – a mens & womens wear designer stocked at Patrica Fields, with a model wearing his designs. 
PPQ celebrated the new Nokia 8800 Arte and Sapphire phone; this is Rihanna the PR from Nokia! 
Loved this girl from Vice Magazine! 
Great eye make up -very rock and roll! 
Super cute Jessica Bumpus & Leisa Barnett of Vogue.com 
Photographers waiting outside to get pictures of the rock and roll fashionistas! 
Two very cool girls: Charlotte Duck Condé Nast’s mobile editor and Phoebe Frangoul of Glamour.com PPQ is Amy Molyneaux’s and Percy Parker’s label. You might wonder what makes this label so unusually hip, is it the girly dresses, the cool prints, the drain pipe jeans? Or is it that PPQ commissioned illustrator Hannah Bay, whose artistic career began in record cover design, to create a series of pen and ink drawings that are installed in their Flagship store? Fashion and music belong together but so often it’s not genuine and the one thing about rock and roll is it’s suppose to be genuine! It just makes sense the PPQ’s love for music and fashion is a true marriage, how many fashion houses can say they have a record label, 1-2-3-4- Records produces glam electro-house music – no wonder the music was so great at the party! PPQ is stocked on Conduit street -their flagship store (47 Conduit Street, London W1S 2YP), in Liberty, Souvenir, asos.com, Ztampz in Hong Kong; Capital L in Sydney and over sixty stockists in Japan.
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Tags: Japan, Jessica Bumpus, music, Nokia, photographers, PPQ
Posted by Rebekah Roy on January 29th, 2008
Me, Alexander and Alexia Somerville – birthday girl!
This club was on New Bond Street in London.
Designer Amechi Ihenacho, London editor of Flux Magazine
Girls having fun & being fabulous!
I love this necklace by Lara Bohinc!
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Posted by Rebekah Roy on January 28th, 2008
I met up with designer Karen Brost this morning at her London showroom. She’s presenting her new Autumn Winter collection to buyers this week and I had a private preview! It’s 80% classic luxury and 20% rock and roll – the details are in the leather buttons, “fox fur shoulder pads”, the fabrics and signature red and purple lining. In general I find classics so understated that they goes unnoticed and are boring – this is classic with an edge – which makes it modern and with attitude! So many women have worn Karen Brost: Dita Von Teese, Cameron Diaz, Sharon Stone and Gweyneth Paltrow!
Karen’s collection will also be exhibited Paris fashion week at Vendome.
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Posted by Rebekah Roy on January 27th, 2008
I’ve had some really great fashion assistants over the years and for some odd reason, unknown to me they are often called Chloe or some form of Kate. Anyway my assistant Chloe is so hard working. She’s been running all over central London this week picking up and returning items. She has sore fingers from sewing and she’s been steaming and ironing all day long! A talented fashion assistant is a rare breed. You always hear people say that fashion is so competitive and in many ways that’s true -but I think the rules are simple – you’re either 110% committed or you’re not – and most people aren’t.
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