Caroline Issa introduces... Myriam Schaefer
StockholmStreetStyle, Courtesy of Myriam Schaefer

From the moment I first saw Myriam Schaefer's bags at the last PR Consulting press day in London I knew they were going to be a hit. So I was thrilled when I saw Caroline Issa carrying one of my favourite models, the 'flag bag', a few days ago during London Fashion Week.

Caroline doesn't only do a wonderful job as executive fashion director of Tank magazine but her flawless personal style has honed her a name as one of fashion's trend-setters.

But it should come as no surprise that Myriam Schaefer's sleek bags are a hit. The designer has years of experience at her back working with influential names like Jean-Paul Gaultier and Nina Ricci. But it could be said that her most successful work was produced with Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga, where she created the brand's iconic 'City bag', which has been a hit for over 10 years.

Now under her namesake luxury brand Schaefer launches a line of ultra sophisticated bags for FW12, all of which carry a stamp with their series number – a sign of exclusivity borrowed from haute couture.  All the models, inspired in 19th century bags, come with a light saffron lining to make it easier finding everything from your iPhone to your lip gloss inside.

Prada presents their new FW12 campaign video

Prada has done it again. Their new movie campaign for the FW12 is as intriguing as it is stunning. Magdalena Frackowiak and Anne Vyalitsyna are such good front women and they play their part brilliantly. If you thought last season's video was incredible, press play and think again.

First look: Chloë Sevigny for Miu Miu
Courtesy of Miu Miu

If the Mad Hatter from 'Alice in Wonderland' were a woman she would wear Miu Miu. That is the first thing that came to my mind when I saw Chloë Sevigny as the face of the FW12 campaign, shot by Mert & Marcus. There is so much quirk and cool in this picture – I love!

Meadham Kirchhoff FW12: Interplanetary psychedelia
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The FW12 Meadham Kirchhoff was the best way to close the last London Fashion Week. Even though I was a Meadham virgin I have never felt as relaxed at a runway show. Most of the attendees looked really wacky and cool. They greeted each other and just did their thing – a refreshing attitude.
After what I had seen in pictures from previous seasons I was quite surprised by how wearable a lot of the pieces were. The lace shirts with oversize round collars, a denim jacket, jumpers and jeans were cute and quirky, perfect for every day. Some of my favourites were the tartan dress with the sequin corset or the metallic leopard print quilted skirt. I was also pretty fascinated with the fur coats, which played with a monster theme that together with 60's disco brought us to an extraterrestrial world where fashionable aliens danced to Abba.
The finale motivated a huge applause that the models accompanied with glitter while they walked backstage dragging the psychedelic fur boas to return to their home planet.

You can see the rest of the collection here and check out my video of the finale below.

I would have usually posted about this on Fashion, Frankly but seeing as Ed Westwick is appreciated for men and women I thought no one would complain if I posted them here. Ed is the new face of the Philipp Plein FW12 campaign, shot by Terry Richardson. I'm glad to see him working with a cool rock'n'roll brand. We see enough of him in dapper suits on Gossip Girl. It's refreshing seeing him in jeans, t-shirts and lether jackets – especial mention to the croc leather jacket, I love it! I am also quite excited because this season I'm going to my first Philipp Plein show in Milan next weekend. I know his shows are really fun and full of energy. And, who knows, maybe Ed will even be there and we'll get to talking and become best mates and jet around the world in designer suits charming ladies. Never say never (!). In the meantime, check out the full campaign on the right, and take a look at the behind the scenes from the shoot on the video below and these pictures.

Ed Westwick & Sabrina Nait by Terry Richardson for Philipp Plein

First look at Prada's FW12 Campaign
Courtesy of Prada

Today Prada has released the first two images from their FW12 advertising campaign shot by Steven Meisel. The "models are arranged in careful poses in the futuristic enclosure, the precise angle of an arm and an elegant neck echoing the geometry of the scene. Shifting camera angles and an endless depth of field create a playful illusion of perspective and proportion, recalling the setting for a videogame." Which actually makes a lot of sense because that is pretty much what their amazing prints for FW12 did to the eye. I am quite excited to see who will be the daring celebrities who will wear Prada's bold prints on the red carpet. You need a lot of personality and a bit of courage to pull these off!
Roll over the picture to see the other image from the campaign.

Miu Miu presents the new collection of perfect summer bags
Courtesy of Miu Miu

This month Miu Miu launches as a preview of their FW12 collection, a new line of incredible bags. They will be available from June at their Capri, Forte dei Marmi and Porto Cervo (where the likes of Valentino and Olivia Palermo spend their summer) boutiques. The new model comes in colours such as fuoco, marea, bluette, acquamarina and soleil and is made of linen of straw and 'Madras' – the leather traditionally used by Miu Miu due to its exceptional artisan production techniques. It features Miu Miu's signature lock and hand-stitched tubular handles.
I can already see my favourite style icons – Jessica Alba, Diane Kruger or Eva Mendes – going crazy over the new model! It's perfect for all seasons and super chic for different occasions.

What's your favourite colour?

Burberry unveils their FW12 Campaign!
Courtesy of Burberry

Today Burberry released their latest ad campaign for the FW12 collection featuring actress Gabrielle Wilde and musicians Roo Panes. Their names might not ring a bell straight away just yet but their faces will. They both rocked Burberry ensembles at the latest edition of the Met Ball in New York.
The feel of the campaign, shot by Mario Testino under the creative direction of Christopher Bailey, is so different from what we've seen before I am in love with the mysteriously romantic air of the photos. I love the cinematic feel and how you can see that there is a story behind each still yet you're not sure what it is.
And, of course, this aesthetic fits right in with the FW12 collection, which brought together traditional British elements bringing them to the 21st century.
For the first time ever Burberry.com will offer a "click-to-buy" on the campaign – all the pieces on the ads will be available to buy online from June 1. From June 6th the campaign pieces will also be available in Burberry stores globally!

Click here to see the rest of the campaign pictures and for a (beautifully shot) look at the behind-the-scenes of the campaign story shoot!

Mary Katrantzou FW12 & the No. HB Pencil skirt
Style.com, Courtesy of Swarovski

It is incredible how much hype there was around the Mary Katrantzou this season. The show, which had that tricky 9am start toward the end of London Fashion Week, had everyone queuing for coffees at the Top Shop venue well before the show. Everyone from Anna Wintour to Alexa Chung took to their seats with plenty of time to pose for their front row pictures.
The FW12 collection did not disappoint. Despite being the season of paplums, Katrantzou's expertise, the designer stayed away from her signature shapes to try new less rigid ones. We saw a lot of chiffon – the mini dresses with the flowing trail were a highlight – and once again the prints and embroidery, which is becoming more and more prominently integrated in them stole the show.
My absolute favourite piece was the HB pencil dress. I just loved how the pencils had been manipulated and how by playing with their colours it seemed only logical that the skirt finished with a ruffle. There were also clock prints, typewriter keys, telephones and cutlery. But everything so beautifully digitally put together that you would only realise after looking closely.

Take a look at my video of the finale below.

Giles FW12: Anna Karenina on Fire
Know Wear, Style.com

I am taking my time posting about the FW12 collections I saw in London because I don't like rushing all the posts in a short week. This also gives me more time to think about the things that I liked.
It was amazing to me to see the evolution of Giles' brand from young and playful to ultra sophisticated. To me the whole vibe of the FW12 collection was very Anna Karenina – someone please make Keira Knightley wear one of these to the premiere! – or even the decadence and downfall of the Tzars. My favourite part were the white chiffon dresses, which had a burn effect the designer had created by using layers and Swarovski crystals. Some of these numbers also included feathers in the same colour palette that, when in movement, did actually look like they were on fire. There was something ominously beautiful about the whole collection – as if a princess had run away from her castle in flames.
I was most impressed by the craftsmanship. From the effects on the chiffon to the similar ones on the satin blazers (can I have a menswear version?) to the thorn crown detailing on an mustard evening dress the collection was like an exquisite exercise of arts & crafts.

Click below on read more to see more detail shots.

Ermanno Scervino FW12: Luxury leathers
Getty, KnowWear

Last week I was invited by the organisers of 'Linea Pelle', one of Italy's biggest leather trade fairs, to visit the latest edition of the fair in Bologna. I spent three days there during which I learnt a lot about animal skins, had quite a bit of fun and plenty of nice food!
To celebrate the kick off of the fair Ermanno Scervino was reproducing his FW12 show, which he had shown back in February in Milan, at Bologna's stunning Teatro Comunale. I didn't quite know what to expect from a fashion show at a theatre but I knew how respected the designer is in Italy and how incredibly chic his clothes are.
Once everyone got to their seats (the theatre was full!) the lights went off and this amazing 3D projection started creating an unbelievable 360-degree visual effect – take a look at the video below to see what I mean. It was a brilliant way of introducing the collection.
Scervino's FW12 line was the perfect choice for this occasion because no one else can show how leather can be incorporated into high fashion like him. From classic pieces like thigh-high boots and gloves to the more daring all-leather dresses or jodhpurs Scervino really knows how to manipulate skins.

Click here to see the full show.

A closer look at Giorgio & Emporio Armani FW12
Know Wear, Courtesy of Armani

This week I stopped by the Armani showroom in London to have a closer look at the Giorgio and Emporio Armani collections. It's brands like Armani whose focus is on subtle elegance that make press days worth it. Only up close you can see the incredible amount of details that all the clothes have.
I must admit that I was especially keen on all the orange pieces. Lately, Armani has a way of using very bold colours and making them so special. The knot dress to the right was a highlight as was the beaded jacket or the bag below. Speaking of which, GA's accessories were particularly strong this season with a lot of clean modern lines of architectural air.
I also loved the textures, which have always been an Armani signature. The velvet jackets and slippers (you know how much I love them at the moment) were some of my favourites. I also loved the colourful sequinned jacket, which would make an exquisite evening look even for the summer paired with simple black jeans and a t-shirt.

Roksanda Ilincic FW12: "Cozy Luxury"
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One of the best feelings to have during a fashion show is surprise. There is nothing better than sitting in a room not knowing exactly what you're about to see. If the surprise is a good one you've got a winner. This is exactly what happened to me last September when I attended Roksanda Ilincic's SS12 show. I was completely in awe for its duration and even now can say it was my favourite show of the season.
So it goes without saying that I couldn't wait to see Roksanda's FW12 collection last February during London Fashion Week. I had great expectations, which can make the surprise go either way, Luckily the collection was another hit –ultra sophisticated and a breath of fresh air.
My favourite thing about it were the sportswear details like draw strings, hoods and sweatshirt necklines incorporated in luxurious evening astrakhan dresses with fur hemlines or exquisitely tailored tweed coats. And the women around me seemed to agree with me.
They were also very wearable clothes –something that Stephanie LaCava proved not only once but twice. The cocktail dresses with gathered details were perfect for work, a dinner or a party and the coats and jackets (the blue astrakhan bowler was a highlight) were just as versatile.
And to top it all off the music was simply perfect to accompany a stunning show.

MaxMara Atelier FW12: Luxury to last forever
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It was clear to me only with look #1 from the first ever MaxMara Atelier collection that this was a collection for the elite. Or for those who believe in quality investments and not in ephemeral trends that, while they may make a statement, don't stay around for too long.
What I love the most about the line is that it seems really forward-thinking to me. A lot of designers and fashion houses are launching custom made services for clients who enjoy exclusivity and quality but this MaxMara line seems to want to create something extremely luxurious in an off-the-rack way that I find to be genius.
And the clothes are amazing. My favourite touch are the smoking slippers, which are quickly going from being a trend to becoming a wardrobe staple everyone has. It was a very Audrey Hepburn collection of understated elegance but had also very modern touches such as nylon panels or the adjustable hemlines on the trousers. The highlight, I guess, were the woollen coats of very classic cuts in either straight-line or A-line shapes.

So I guess the success of the brand now depends mainly on the retail price. Would you wear MaxMara Atelier?

Would you rather... Miu Miu's or Prada's prints?
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The fashion week month clothes yesterday in Paris after four weeks filled with, I must say, some pretty strong collections. I haven't been able to post about all the interesting bits of my favourite ones so this is the perfect time to start sharing those with you –starting with the rest of my LFW highlights.

Miu Miu was among the very few lucky shows on schedule the last day and it's always one that doesn't disappoint. After Prada's strong collection of prints I didn't think I would like the Miu Miu line as much. I often tend to like one more than the other every season. But after looking at the FW12 offerings from Miu Miu I must say I am loving their prints. They have a more sophisticated and subtle feel to them and I really liked the sort of garçonne look with a sense of humour of the collection.

Louis Vuitton FW12: Is Marc Jacobs a Harry Potter fan?
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To be completely honest, I have never really understood what is all the fuss with Marc Jacobs. I have really liked some of his past collections and I appreciate how he's turned his name into a sort of modern-day fashion empire but his collections are usually too gimmicky for my taste.
I never posted about his namesake FW12 collection because, despite the few very nice jackets, it was some more of the same we usually see from him. Getting people's attention for being loud and, frankly, even silly at times seems to have worked all this time. But I still don't understand why everybody loves Marc.
The latest Louis Vuitton collection was shown this morning in Paris. Even though I am usually not too keen on this line either it's usually where we see Jacob's finer work. Despite, again, a few very nice coats or embroidered outfits it was all really gimmicky –full of big plastic buttons, bellboys carrying bags and more silly hats. The only scenario where I can see any of these work is in a high-fashion version of Harry Potter. The LV hats would make a dashing 'Sorting hat' substitute and the bright coats with oversize rounded lapels would make Sybill Trelawney flutter.

Chanel FW12: Karl does boho chic, backpacks & the 'Boy' bag gets an upgrade
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Ever since this Chanel Couture collection I have kept thinking how much cooler Chanel shows would be if Karl Largerfeld took it upon himself to Chanel-ify every-day casual clothes. I simply can't think of anything more luxurious to wear than a Chanel jean or a v-neck jumper.
The beginning of the FW12 collection was a little on the boring side, which made what was to come even more exciting. For the first time there were lots of vibrant colours on the catwalk. Lagerfeld presented his take on a super luxurious boho chic look that people like Mary-Kate Olsen would die for. I found the full-length tweed coats paired with capri snake pants extremely chic but also very relaxed. The same goes for the looks where trousers were worn with camisoles or unfitted dresses.
I loved the mix of colour the most –the scarves were beautiful– but also the lack of pretension. My other favourites were, of course, some of the accessories. The 'Boy' bag, which has become quite a hit over the last few months, got an upgrade for FW12 with bright yellow, green and aubergine velvet. The mini quilted backpacks were also a highlight and I know they'll, too, be a hit.

Do you love?

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Future trend: Colour-block & panelled Furs
Leeoliveira.com, Getty, Style.com

Sometimes we don't give Anna the credit she deserves as a trend-setter. I can't say for sure but it looks to me like as soon as she ordered her Céline FW11 fur coat about a year ago word went around and some of the top designers decided to add some of the new colour-blocking panelled fur to their FW12 collections.

Apart from London, we have seen pieces like these in all the other cities. In New York from The Row – the one I think Anna will be wearing next year. In Milan from Fendi, which looked a bit bolder but could work for Anna with an edited version. And in Paris a new version from Céline (I love the navy sleeves), a red-hot cropped jacket with a trail from Givenchy, and a bambi-inspired super chic coat from fur-master Révillon.

Which one will Anna Wintour be wearing for FW12?

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The best of the weekend from Paris: Haider Ackermann
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Nicolas Ghesquière does Animal Prints for Balenciaga
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Anyone who knows me could tell you that ever since I've known of him Nicolas Ghesquière has been my favourite designer. There is something about the way he works with shape and materials that always keeps me interested. I don't ever remember being disappointed by him.

And he has done it again for FW12 but in a very different way than we're used to. His FW12 collection for Balenciaga is the most wearable we have seen from the house in seasons. The clean-cut coats, chiffon and lamé dresses and even separates such as trousers and bustier tops could go straight from the runway to the shop racks.

I was pleasantly surprised to see so many animal prints on the new collection –leopard and tiger–, which felt really refreshing and modern. I loved the asymmetrical evening dresses the most but was also very keen on the cowl-collared jackets and the kimono-inspired coats (we have seen a lot of Japanese influences this season). They were mostly quite traditional but Ghesquière also played with them in his very well known graphic, more abstract way.

The animal theme continued with one or two fur outerwear pieces and the crocodile parts used on the (amazing!) shoes and bags.