To fulfill all your Christmas dreams in one easy move, take a peek at either of the shops that Parisian perfume company
Annick Goutal have just opened. Goutal, who died in 1999, was a great “nose” - her cult citrussy scent Eau d’Hadrien merely scratches the surface of her amazing talent. There is a huge choice of fabulously classy scents, from the purest flower (Rose Absolu) to the ancient and haunting (Sables). Now her bright and beautiful daughter Camille is running the show and expanding it in new directions. She whizzed over from Paris this week and showed me round her Mount Street domain. Upstairs, around the elegant fireplace and mirrors, it’s like a sweet shop - gorgeous ribbed bottles with gold or coloured ribbon, some with butterflies perched - and helpful assistants to guide you through the different fragrance areas. There are also deliciously scented bath, facial and
home products. Downstairs is more a sexy boudoir feel, with the fantastically sensual newest range - Les Orientalistes, of which Musc Nomade and Encens Flamboyant are guaranteed to make you swoon. Add in beautiful, slightly boho jewellery inspired by the new perfumes, and fabulously elegant lingerie in classic silk satin and lace but unusual spicy colours, and you have a girl’s heaven on earth. Look foxy, feel smooth, smell great - what better
seasonal gift for
you and the
man in your life? - Avril Groom
www.annickgoutal.com
109 Mount Street W1, 20 Motcomb Street SW1
Tags: Annick Goutal, Avril Groom, fragrance, perfume
[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UeNiMu33x5k&feature=channel]
Gucci’s latest initiative, the 2008
Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF shows the world that high fashion has a conscience. Celebrated chanteuse, Rihanna is a strong supporter of UNICEF and in aid of her favourite cause, she is the global representative of this
Gucci campaign. From November 19th 2008 until January 31st 2009, 25% of all sales from the very striking white
Tattoo Heart Collection of highly covetable accessories will be donated to support UNICEF programs for children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. We hope that this is just the beginning of a trend for enduring collaborations between fashion houses and great charitable causes.
Tags: Gucci, Rihanna, Tattoo Heart Collection, UNICEF
Aren’t men just terribly difficult to buy gifts for? Thankfully,
My-wardrobe.com are striving to make our gift-shopping a wee bit easier by launching a section for men’s accessories from great designer labels. Before you brush it off as too prohibitively expensive in these credit crunching times, Iconic View took a peek and was excited to see lots of gorgeous things for under £50 (how about a
Paul Smith scarf?).We were particularly taken by the aforementioned Sir Paul’s fabulously
striped accessories, classic
Persol shades and a
Mulberry day bag, all of which, you’d be pleased to hear, have unisex appeal. And there’s more excitement to come as My-wardrobe.com will launch their menswear site in January 2009! Stay tuned!
Tags: gifts, menswear, mulberry, my-wardrobe, paul smith, Persol, scarf
If you’re facing an unticked list of names on your Christmas gift-giving list, why not check out the winner of the British Design Awards for Best New Shop 2008, Few And Far in Knightsbridge? Founded by Priscilla Carluccio (yes, of the Carluccio’s and also sibling extraordinaire to Sir Terence Conran) it stocks a wide range of super desirables: accessories, furniture, lighting, clothing and food! And best of all, all products are stocked in small quantities with a wide price range so you’re bound to find something for everyone on your shopping list! For shop info, go to their website.
Tags: British Design Award, Christmas shopping, Few And Far, Priscilla Carluccio
With wealthy nations tightening their belts and busy saving their own economies, now more than ever, do the poorest people in the world need our help. So a big applause to Bulgari that has just announced an ambitious project to help the charity Save the Children as part of its 125th anniversary celebrations. Bulgari has chosen to support the Rewrite the Future campaign of Save the Children, the largest independent international organisation for the defence and championing of childrens rights.Through Rewrite the Future campaign Save the Children is committed to providing within 2010 quality education to 8 million children living in conflict-affected areas. Bulgari has decided to make its own contribution to Save the Children with the objective of raising 10 million by the end of 2009, of which 1 million will be donated by Bulgari to the organisation in advance, while the remaining figure will be raised during the next year.
A silver ring specially created for the campaign and featuring the Save the Children logo engraved inside will be on sale from 1 February to 31 December 2009 at the price of 290/$290 (including VAT) of which 50/$60 will be donated to the campaign. Bulgari will also develop a collection of 15 pieces of high jewellery and 8 high-end timepieces, of an estimated total value of 3 million and auctioned on 7 December 2009 in New York. Proceeds will be totally donated to Save the Children and all the initiatives connected with the operation will be totally non-profit for the Bulgari Group. We will keep you informed of the project and look out for the Bulgari silver ring and wear it with pride. - Maria Doulton
Tags: Bulgari, Maria Doulton, Save the Children
A night for golden oldies - one of the year’s best and quirkiest fashion parties was at Zandra Rhodes’ Costume and Textiles Museum in Bermondsey, where Twiggy opened a fantastic exhibition of designs by the late and much lamented Bill Gibb, and launched a
brilliant new book about him by Iain R.Webb. Ladies of a certain age swigged champagne and swapped personal stories about the designer while looking fab in his originals especially the knits, with complex patterns by Kaffe Fassett, and sinuous jersey dresses with sequinned insets. For anyone who knows little about this outrageously talented Scot, who sadly died in 1988 aged 45, he was a style icon of the 1970s and still quoted as a big influence by designers of the calibre of John Galliano and Giles Deacon. Given that he flourished in a recession, expect to see similar wildly romantic designs and fantasy fabric mixes on a catwalk near you soon - he is well overdue a revival. - Avril Groom
Tags: Avril Groom, Bill Gibb, Fashion book, Iain R Webb, Twiggy
One of our favourite purveyors of lotions and potions, Jo Malone have released a fabulous new scent called Sweet Lime & Cedar. Take a whiff and you’ll be transported to the East as they took inspiration from the flavours of Thai cuisine, with lovely notes of zesty citrus fruits, aromatic leaves, delicate flowers, fragrant spices and nutty woods. Best thing though, Jo Malone is running a fabulous prize draw for their new product so you too can experience its wonderful scent! Enter here!
Tags: Jo Malone, perfume, prize draw, Sweet Lime Cedar
Charity is not big on people’s minds at the moment as we contemplate our dwindling pools of money and grim economic outlook. But if you are looking for a present, the WaterAid limited edition pendant or tie bracelet from Carolina Bucci will bring a smile to the lucky girl it goes to as well as help the poorest people in the world get clean water. If you are going to spend, this is a humanitarian way to do it. – Maria Doulton
Tags: Carolina Bucci, Maria Doulton, WaterAid
If any item of interior décor needed a rethink it had to be the almost defunct mantelpiece clock. Usually given as a retirement gift to help you watch your last years slip away, suddenly this forgotten item is hot again. With Marc Newson unveiling his new design for the 80 year old Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos the trendiest mantelpieces around the world are going to be seen gracing this über cool clock. Floating in a Baccarat lead glass cube, this clock never needs winding as it lives on air.
![]()
Tags: Baccarat, Clock, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos, Marc Newson, Watches