LV's stole-en our hearts!

Louis Vuitton has never been hotter – trying a more youthful edge for size, they’ve replaced her Madgesty with it-girl model Lara Stone to front their next campaign, and famously made fancy dress fashionable sending models down the runway in those oversized bunny ears for autumn. Now we’re seeing the most stylish celebs donning LV around their necks, in the form of the Leopard Stole. This fabulous limited edition scarf has set tongues wagging everywhere, and makes the perfect addition to an otherwise lacklustre look. Designed by punky NY artist Stephen Sprouse, this stole jazzes up the outfits of Sienna, Liv Tyler, and Rachel Bilson, creating an off-duty rock-chic look. With Jennifer Aniston sporting the lighter, more girly pink version, which one grabs your fancy?

15

A fresh-faced youth reclines against a barren wall in the Camber Sands, cigarette in hand. In a loose pullover and buckled sandals, she sits relaxed and somewhat gracelessly, gesturing with a hazy smile.

If there was ever an image that personified the beauty of youth it’s this one – or any for that matter within its collection from Corinne Day. For these were the photos that launched the career of arguably the greatest supermodel in the world, and the success of one of the most acclaimed fashion photographers in Britain.

Taken on one breezy day in 1990, this photo is part of an iconic set of prints entitled ‘15’, appearing in cult British magazine ‘The Face’ as Moss’s first ever editorial, and ultimately creating the ‘grunge’ effect.

Breaking away from the overworked ‘exotic location’ fashion spreads of the time, Day wanted the world to see the beauty of imperfection – a beauty without styling, makeup, or flattering light. Whilst most models would shudder at the thought of being shot without their safety net, this was no ordinary fashion shoot, and Moss’s striking natural beauty shone through the lens, taking her all the way to a contract with Calvin Klein.

Possessing the endearing awkwardness of adolescence, Moss here exhibits a certain rough yet tender quality that had been missing in magazines. Their intimacy makes them feel ‘off the record’, inviting us into the world of this inherently cool kid. The photo, in all its ambiguity, is actually brimming over with what it is to be human. Day brings out a touching vulnerability in shooting Moss at such an angle; squatted down on the floor looking up at the camera. Not many 15 year olds can pull of ‘innocent’ whilst clutching a cigarette, but Kate remains remarkably childlike. Her stance is gawky but her gaze is blissful, and in this way, she proves her innate ability to connect with the camera. There is a dreamlike quality that shades the photo, derived partly from Day’s decision to eliminate colour.

Firm friends, Day and Moss had built amity over their equally struggling careers, and for their love of The Stone Roses. As model and photographer they clicked instantly and went on to work together often, creating mesmering photographs that have appeared in everything from British Vogue to the National Portrait Gallery.

“Corinne just wanted to bring out everything I hated when I was fifteen. My bow legs, the mole on my breast, the way I laughed". Cut to 2009 and the Kate Moss bandwagon, despite some bumpy detours, rolls on apace.

The Lady is a Vamp

With Halloween around the corner, everyone is sinking their teeth into the latest Vampire craze to sweep planet fashion. Lace leggings and jet black jewels gilded the catwalks of Rodarte, Rick Owen and Roksanda Ilincic this season, with Brit designer Gareth Pugh producing an equally dramatic line at Paris Fashion Week.

Vampires are everywhere; from TV shows, to novels, to box office hits, our love for the undead has permeated culture as we know it. Twilight, the biggest cult film of the decade, made over $70 million in its opening weekend. And it was only a matter of time before the fashion world took a bite.

A hit with the more daringly dressed, Vampire Goth has reached the wardrobes of pop icons Lady Gaga (channeling a sexy and slightly scary vampire for OUT magazine) and Rihanna, who’s been rocking the vamp look with blood-red lips, bustiers and even arachnid jewellery. Proving that not everyone suits vampire chic, Peaches Geldof hit New York Fashion Week in a number of truly horrific ensembles, sporting recklessly ripped tights and a bizarre white face that radiated ‘ghoul’ rather than glamorous Goth.

To avoid looking like you’re in fancy dress, keep it classy with high collars, vintage pieces and lashings of embellishment. A standard-bearer of the trend is Rodarte, who shows us Vamp-Goth at its best with a collection of draped chiffon, glossy feathers, and fabulous patent stilettos for - of all seasons - happy-go-lucky spring. Prints were romantic yet mysterious, the pieces striking yet deliciously wearable; allowing us all to embrace the darker side of fashion.

"There are magazines that emphasize fashion to die for, the dark side - like ID's September issue: It was all vampy and gothic," explains fashion historian Valerie Steele. Curator of a new show at the Fashion Institute of Technology entitled "Gothic: Dark Glamour", Steele believes that the Transylvania moment has been returning, slowly, since the millennium flipped. "The vampy thing is immensely sexy, but it's always going to be a minority taste - most people are more into the sunshine kind of feeling," says Steele, chuckling. "But minority taste will emerge periodically in reaction to all that banal, let's-be-cheery stuff."

The vampire lifestyle, it turns out, is accessible to all, Twilight fan or no. To inject some vampiric sexiness into your wardrobe after Halloween’s been and gone, opt for glossy black and purple hues, and bag yourself some killer heels – for nothing says vamp like a pair of knee high stiletto boots. Wooden stake and garlic optional.

Get The Look: Stereophonics

Stereophonics fans everywhere get excited - the Welsh rockers are returning to the music scene with their seventh, and stunning, new album ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’. The eagerly anticipated record was written by front man Kelly Jones, and is due for release next month along with its debut single ‘Innocent’.

The group, whose classic whiskey rock sounds have earned them a place amongst Britain’s most successful bands, have collaborated with fellow Britpopers Kasabian and The Arctic Monkeys to turn out a record that’s sure to get us all strumming on our air guitars again. A seven-date tour has been scheduled in support of the album, beginning in March 2010.

So what can the boys say for their long-term status as the UK’s hottest boy band from planet rock? ‘All we ever wanted was to be a really soulful band that could write stuff that lets you escape for three or four minutes.’ says Kelly in true indifference. Recreate the band’s look with these great finds from the high street:

Topman, £60

Austin Reed, £12.50

Get The Look: Alesha Dixon

If there’s one lady deserving of props, it’s Alesha Dixon. Turning 30 this month, she’s achieved more this year than many of us pull off in a lifetime. As recently appointed judge on the Strictly Come Dancing panel, with a platinum album in stores and countless campaigns under her belt, Miss Dixon has gone through trying times only to come out hotter and more successful than ever. Her debut tour kicked off in style last night at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham, where she showcased her envious figure (voted in July as having the best legs in Britain) in a showgirl number that brings us back to her ballroom days. Always a fan of glamour and glitz, Alesha wows us on the cover of her latest album in true Dixon style. Now you can get her look on the high street with this bargain buy.

Topshop, £25

Balmain Spring 2010 show

After the ground breaking Autumn collection that brought us futuristic glam rock chick, Christophe Decarnin launched another lineup of spangled and super sexy silhouettes as he showcased his new line for Spring. Only this time disco’s gone back in time, with a touch of military mode. Gone are the bright blues, replaced by a wash of camouflage that adorned micro minis, plunging necklines, and tattered t-shirts.

Keeping true to his first love, sequins, Decarnin embellished everything from dresses to leggings, bringing the best part of Balmain into the Spring. His cult peaked shoulder that we know and love was placed on tailcoats and structured blazers and then matched with dainty, and by dainty I mean miniscule, sheer and shredded fabrics, perfecting feminine sexy with a hint of hard tailoring.

The line’s sex appeal starts with that signature silhouette; a creation of thick waist belts, skin tight denim, and dresses that hugged every curved inch of his slender limbed models. Not the most forgiving of cuts but Decarnin can pull it off. A soldierly motif, in the form of bullet belts, cargo pockets and extra-large epaulets, was matched indiscriminately with draped goddess style fabrics, slashed and shredded to almost non existence; proving that ‘faux-distressed’ is here to stay.

With the likes of Rihanna on the front row, sporting last line’s harem pants, the pressure was on for another tremendous, yet wearable look, and Decarnin once again established himself to be the king of understated glamour. After all, it was he who permitted the daywear of sequins, and we thank him for it.

A Bag Lady's Dream

First and foremost, I am a bag fanatic. Shoes I like, hats are fine, but what really dominates my lust list year round are handbags, and I have a jumbled collection of 100 shoppers to show for it. My perfect handbag? Large, leather and preferably designer, so I can try and think of it as an ‘investment’. But like most of us in these challenging times, I also pride myself on being a bit of a bargain hunter. Who can deny the delightful high that comes with scouting a rare steal in a charity shop, or haggling successfully at a car boot sale? And I’m still trying to get the cheats I want.

Step forward Vanilla Paris; a hidden gem off the Kings Road that allows recessionistas to get the look, with none of the guilt. Buried within the confines of Kings Walk Mall, this store sits modestly between Subway and Sunglasses Hut, making it a fashion hotspot that’s easily missed. Vanilla combines blinging jewellery, fur coats and divine accessories, but is best known for its chic imitations of designer bags. Brimming with designer lookalikes, luxury leather lines the walls of this strange little shop, making it the perfect refuge for it-girls and Portobello princesses alike, not to mention the most fashion savvy celebs in London. It was here that Kate Moss bought her Grecian style leather belt, and Sienna snapped up her signature fur gilet during her climb to fame; a piece made from real rabbit fur and a cool £45. While Vanilla may have aided the rise of the Boho trend, it’s also a favourite with the likes of Jade Jagger and Martine McCutcheon. Just goes to show that every girl loves a steal when it comes to fashion, and this boutique holds that motto at its heart.

All the bags, from Vanilla’s own line, are made in Paris and shipped over to be sold at generously low prices, ranging from £25 to £130. Unlike most designer knock offs, they’re made from the finest leather, setting them apart from ‘fakes’ that fall apart within weeks. They don’t claim to be the real thing (making them legal as well) but have the design and quality of any bag on the arm of Victoria Beckham. So if you dream of Balenciaga but don’t have the spare £500 knocking around, then their ‘homages’ could fit right in your closet. Finally, we can bag a Birkin without breaking the bank.

ShopStyle

ShopStyle, a self proclaimed ‘fashion playground’, launched its UK site a year ago and is fast becoming the most vibrant shopping site to hit the web.

ShopStyle brings together hundreds of thousands of the UK’s most fabulous brands and boutiques, high street and high fashion, allowing users to search the most stylish stores all at once — by designer, brand, price, style, and color. Perfect for fashionistas on the go, ShopStyle features everything from wish lists and trend reports to sales alerts and celebrity style, even urging users to build and communicate their own stylebooks, with their favourite looks and blogs.

On this site, we can be fashion editors of our own making, creating personal collections we can save, share, and then click through to buy. ‘Were like Google for the fashion world’, says Andy Moss, manager of ShopStyle. And with a clientele of over 2million users each month, this site looks set to soar.

Beauty, Style or fashion – is there any difference?

It can seem easy to accept ‘beauty’, ‘style’ or ‘fashion’ as one and the same; all three concepts go hand in hand, embodying an aspect of looking good that has remained the focus of women for centuries. Yet beauty, style and fashion are each very separate and wonderfully different in their meanings, together creating a lifestyle that most of us aspire to.

‘Beauty’, as the old saying goes, seems to lie in the eye of the beholder, often maintained in the natural makeup of a person. Beauty draws others towards it and can be applied to anything from the envious aesthetic proportions of Angelina Jolie, to an incredibly luxurious Chanel quilted bag.

‘Style’, linked more closely with personality, is a mode of expression, and perhaps the most valuable asset of all three. The media spectrum, including the likes of Kate Moss to Katie Price, shows us that ‘style’ cannot be bought. It is ‘style’ itself that leads the way for fashion.

‘Fashion' relates to exciting and often short-lived style trends, showcased on runways and in magazines. Fashion serves as a guide of what’s in and what’s on the way out, leaving us inspired and itching to stay up to date.