In times of hardship like these, most retailers and designers would expect sales would slow down due to the recession but I guess obviously not if you’re Stella McCartney. Her work is currently at its peak with two magnificent recent collections for Autumn/Winter 08-09 and Spring/Summer 09 to hold her on the ground if things ever got shakey. It has been a good year for the designer and after opening her first flagship store in Tokyo this past November and previously in London and New York, she will soon be celebrating the launch of yet another recently opened store  - her first flagship in Paris.

The store is located in heart of the city at the ‘Jardin du Palais Royal’ an unusual location for luxury compared to how Avenue Montaigne or Rue Saint Honore are more for the high-end fashion consumer. However, Stella has obviously come up with her own prediction if her brand survives the credit crunch and says that she thinks the Palais Royal has “just the right balance” as it will not only draw in those who already know her brand but the tourists as-well. She boasts her company’s eco-friendliness as an added quality that should hopefully give customers another reason to choose her brand in these times of economic instability.

If you’re soon to be taking a trip to Paris, The Stella McCartney store is located near the end of the Palais Royal gallaries at No.114-121 Galerie de Valois or visit www.stellamccartney.com - Liv

Luxury fashion is about sending a message of confidence, ease, tastefulness and pride and a recent collaboration between the very well known bespoke ‘House of Boucheron’ and luxury mobile phone company ‘Vertu’ proves just that bringing about the result of a collection of seven magnificent mobile phones. This creative co-existence also marks and celebrates Boucheron’s 150th anniversary and in the maisons own words ” combines its luxury savoir-faire with Vertu’s modern technology”.

The collection consists of a set of unique mobile phone designs in accordance with the aesthetics of both Boucheron and Vertu, adorned with gold, rubies, sapphires and other precious stones with elaborate, complicated designs. Each individually named Audacious, Voluptuous, Curious, Gourmand, Magic, Dangerous and Mysterious the designs of these seven signature phones are inspired by the “Seven Muses” of the Enchanting Boucheron collection. And should you find the adornments a bit too much for a certain occasion, Boucheron has had the insight to make the pieces of jewellery that adorn the phones detachable and thus able to be worn separately as a pendant.

Elegant, sleek and stylish, this mobile phone collection is one of a kind. And with the design and luxury of the mobile phone fast becoming a must for the devoted and in some cases “very rich fashionista”, you wouldn’t want to pass up an opportunity to get one of these crazy beautiful phones. Above all, a mobile phone is one of the most important accessories you take around so don’t let your fashion fall short where it’s most important. Bearing all of that in mind, it’s safe to say these aren’t going cheap, unless your earnings fall into the disposable category of course. Visit www.boucheron.com - Liv