This morning I had an email from Tod's telling me about their Madrid store reopening, which made me quite happy. I remember walking past their shop on Calle Ortega y Gasset when I was a kid and asking my mum if I could have those shoes in the window. My mum, of course, didn't find very practical for a 6 or 7 year old to wear suede "gomini" so the shoes became a sort of beacon of what I wanted to get to.
Now, I don't mean to say Tod's changed my life or anything cheesy like that. But it's one of those fashion-related childhood memories that makes me happy. Almost as happy as the fact that the new design of the shop matches that of the brand's chic Old Bond Street store. Della Valle dragged out the coolest faces. My favourite Spanish designer, David Delfín, the most beautiful woman in the country, model Nieves Álvarez, and Quim Guitérrez, one of the most stylish Spanish actors around.

[Pictures courtesy of Tod's]

Do judge the cover

Last Friday, the day that I was flying back from Madrid to London, my sister and I headed to Madrid's 'golden mile' to have a look at the Vogue cover exhibition that Vogue España have put together to make Fashion's Night Out even more glamourous in the Spanish capital. It was amazing to see so many covers ranging from the early 20's, when they consisted of artwork, to the amazing 50's photography and then onto the later part of the 20th century. It was also nice to remember how edgy the magazine had been in the day, with covers such as the one with the furry hat (Karl wasn't the first) or the one by Dalí.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Paloma Carvajal] < Thanks, sis!


PS. I am leaving today to kind of go packpacking/interrailing in Tuscany for a week. I am leaving a couple of posts ready and Giulia will do hers too. I'll be back at the end of NYFW (posts to come!) and bang-on for LFW, so stay tuned!

First of, Happy Christmas, Chrismukkah and Boxing Day everyone! Hope you're all having fun playing with your toy planes, Barbie dolls and Manolos.

On this lazy and happy day I have decided to post a little about everything and nothing. I figured there is nothing better than some entertaining to kill some free time and forget about stomachaches.

With too much of this free time on my hands I started to have a look at the Pre-Fall 2009 collections even though I had promised myself (yet again) I would not. The traditional disappointment was substituted by some kind of odd surprise. Diane Von Furstemberg and Donna Karan provided a certain excitement, de la Renta some yawns, and Versace, Alexander Wang and Cavalli a bunch of smiles. If, like me, you have nothing better to do than filling your brain with a bit of harmless fashion click here.

I realized I rarely post about music, when it is in fact a big part of my life and inspiration. Today I was happy to find the first ever Dead Man's Bones (Ryan Gosling's band) video ever. Gosling (piano and vocals) and his mate Zach Shields (drums) have come up with an indie mixture of gospel and gothic. I do not know if it is good or bad music but it certainly is enjoyable. Go here to watch their video. Also, look for Gosling's "Put me in the car" —a song he recorded ages ago that is part of my list of favourite tunes.

For some more music, I would recommend Britney's Circus, Beyoncé's CD2 Sasha Fierce (plus her performance on the World Music Awards), and any Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and John Mayer.

Paper-wise, I have been trying to think a bit out of the box and avoid buying another version of Vogue. Instead, I bought a seasonal magazine called View of the Times. As far as I know it is Spanish, but I have just discovered it so correct me if I am wrong. It reaches a good common-ground between alternative and mainstream fashion. The layout follows the same logic and it is both affordable and long enough to fill a couple of afternoons or even three when keeping your laptop by your side.

I recently finished reading Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger —the author of The Devil Wears Prada. Change the magazine for a PR company and add some upper-East-side drugs and parties and what you get is a book you cannot let go of your grasp. I am currently reading Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh —I loved the TV show and will like the film about the decadent lives of a British noble family. I usually like having one or two extra books to read in between the main one. They have to be short stories or something that is easy to follow if not read in a while. These two books are The Diamond as big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Return of the Timewaster Letters by Robin Cooper, both of which I would also recommend so far.

In the fashion department I would encourage all of you Londoners out there not to stop visiting Beyond Retro, Rokit and all those fabulous vintage shops in the surroundings of Brick Lane. If you are looking for some chic relax go to Harvey Nichols and have one of their delicious Mojitos. Being home in Madrid has also provided some new shopping experiences such as the brand-new Marc by Marc Jacobs shop (with wicked accessories for the holidays) and the Oscar de la Renta boutique (a type of fashionable sightseeing). If in Barcelona, pay a visit to el Born with its cool shops full of Isabel Marant, Danielle Alessandrini and Vanesa Bruno.

[Pictures credit: Style.com, Amazon.co.uk]

I hope I killed enough of your time. I surely killed mine.

I'm off.

BACK there

A quick update before I get soVIPzone back to regular business.

After a superb stay in London, soVIPzone is back in Madrid for the Holidays and will be in Barcelona by the beginning of the year. Let's hope my return to these lands takes me to new places and shows me new things I can take inspiration from. Stay tuned for a new update soon!

I'm off.