Spreading Christmas Magic

Following on from my post earlier in the year, celebrating the first Michelin star at Petersham Nurseries which you can read here, I am excited to see they are in the Christmas Spirit, with an intimate and very festive Candlelit Christmas Shopping & Carols from The Petersham Opera Choir on Wednesday 7th and Wednesday 14th December, from 6 - 9pm.

Alongside the beautiful carol singing from the Choir, you will find a selection of gifts lovingly chosen by the whole team including the gardeners and the restaurant. There are beautiful Welsh woollen blankets, copper hand tools, luxurious Angora goat socks and, incredible handmade rocking sheep with real sheepskin wool fleeces!

You can also decorate your home with antique and vintage crystal decorations, colourful Indian baubles, intricate beaded decorations and oversized etched glass baubles. Dress your table with handcrafted Astier de Villatte crockery, festive Venetian striped glass made by Countess Brandolini and exquisite Cire Trudon candles. The in-house florist will, as always, have an array of wreathes and branches...

As if that wasn't enough, they will also introduce bespoke Christmas Crackers and handmade Christmas Hampers filled with gifts inspired by the Restaurant, Shop, Teahouse and Nursery.

Once you have shopped, get your gifts beautifully wrapped!

PUT THESE WONDERFUL DATES IN YOUR DIARY...
Monday 5th December - Wreath making workshop
Wednesday 7th December - Christmas Market Evening
Monday 12th December - Wreath Making workshop
Wednesday 14th December - Christmas Market Evening
Thursday 22nd December - Petersham Nurseries Cafe Christmas Feast
Friday 23rd December - Petersham Nurseries Cafe Christmas Feast
Saturday 24th December - Petersham Nurseries Cafe Christmas Feast
Saturday 31st December - Petersham Nurseries Cafe New Years Supper Club
Christmas and New Year Opening Times
Saturday 24th December - Open
Sunday 25th December to Friday 30th - Closed
Saturday 31st December - Open
Sunday 1st January - Open usual Sunday hours (11am - 5pm)
Monday 2nd January - Open as usual

For an extra special treat, they are also indulging us all with Magical Christmas Feasts on Thursday 22nd, Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th December. nestled within the enchanting cosy glasshouse the team serve three special and truly memorable Christmas feasts offering a delicious 5-course set menu for £90 per person.

Bookings available from 12.00pm to 3.30pm.
Reservations are essential. To book a table call 020 8605 3627 or 020 8940 5230. Alternatively email info@petershamnurseries.com

What are you doing on 8th March 2012? Don't Know? I'll be queuing!

Following the successful sell-out of Versace for H&M, Marni will follow suit as the next label to create a collection for high street retailer. Consuelo Castiglioni has designed a spring collection which will land in 260 stores worldwide, and online, on March 8th 2012.

"I wanted to create a true Marni wardrobe by revisiting all our favourite pieces in signature fabrics and prints," Castiglioni said. "As always, I love juxtaposing prints and colours, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic and adding sporty utilitarian elements."

The menswear and womenswear will showcase all the elements that Marni mainline has become famous for, from vivid colours to all-over prints. Highlights from the women's collection will include full pleated skirts, dresses, cropped trousers and jacquard knits, in fabrics range from silk to crisp cotton.

 "Marni has such a modern touch with everything they do, mixing prints and accessories in a playful but chic way. It's fantastic to see how Consuelo Castiglioni coordinates her designs, matching new combinations of print and colour, with such incredible craftsmanship behind every piece. The collection will arrive in stores at just the perfect time, as a lovely statement for spring."

The Marni collection is the latest designer collaboration for H&M, which has previously collaborated with brands such as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons, Jimmy Choo, Lanvin, and most recently Versace. This is truly a wonderful opportunity for everyone to fall in love with Marni, as the fash-pack already do!

In-My-Bag Topshop fashion-lover heels

These gorgeous, sleek, monochrome heels from Topshop, are stylish and will prove your fashion credentials as they are inspired by Celine Pre-Fall 2011 collection.

Suede and leather Garland courts, £65 Topshop

I-Spy Something Beginning with O

Osman Yousefzada is a regular on the London Fashion Week catwalk schedule. Sticking to a rigidly simply shape that is cut and constructed to perfection from the best fabrics, his designs are tailored, architectural and flatter everyone. Modern and clean silhouettes are classic as they do not conform to colour or print trends, reminding us of New York based Calvin Klein.

Silk blend dress, £758 Osman Yousefzada at Matchesfashion.com

This beautiful and elegant dress has a simple looking front, but the back is simply stunning - monochrome and tied at the back, it has wow-factor.

If you want to show your fashion know-how without the designer budget, check out John Lewis's collection designed by the man himself. Echoing his main line collection, the dresses and coat are great investments.


Long jersey dress, £250, Osman Yousefzada for John Lewis

 

Asymmetric jersey dress, £179, Osman Yousefzada for John Lewis

British Fashion on top form

Monday night saw the British Fashion Awards at the Savoy Hotel, in London. The star of the show (and this year!) Sarah Burton, of Alexander McQueen, won the prestigious Designer of the Year accolade, whilst Victoria Beckham took home the Best Designer Brand prize, beating off competition from Tom Ford, Stella McCartney and Burberry.

Victoria Beckham, Marc Jacobs and Kate Moss

In terms of new designer names, Mary Katrantzou was given the Emerging Talent Womenswear Ready-To-Wear honour, with Christopher Raeburn winning the category's menswear equivalent. Christopher Kane was announced as the winner of the Awards' debut New Establishment prize.


Kate Moss with good friend Stella McCartney

Alexa Chung holding onto her Most Stylish gong for the second year running

The full list of winners:

Designer of the Year: Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
Designer Brand: Victoria Beckham
New Establishment Award: Christopher Kane
Menswear Designer: Kim Jones
Accessory Designer: Charlotte Olympia
Red Carpet Award: Stella McCartney
Emerging Talent Award - Ready-To-Wear: Mary Katrantzou
Emerging Talent Award - Menswear: Christopher Raeburn
Emerging Talent Award - Accessories: Tabitha Simmons
Model: Stella Tennant
BFC Outstanding Achievement: Paul Smith
Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator: Charlotte Gainsbury
British Style Award: Alexa Chung

In very good company with Bastyan

On the evening of Thursday 24th November, Donna Air hosted drinks with friends to celebrate the launch of the Bastyan Boutique pop up store, on Regent Street. Donna, like me, is a great fan of Bastyan, a wonderful womenswear label by Tonia Bastyan, and shared it with her friends Michelle Young, Kate Walsh, Jewellery Designer Anouska Woods, Strictly Come Dancing Star Brendan Cole and wife Zoe Hobbs, as well as top UK fashion editors and stylists, including yours truly!

Donna wore the gorgeous silky Pandora Pleat Shirt (£165) teamed with the perfect pencil Stretch Wool skirt (£150)



Donna's top pick from the collection, the Lucky corset dress £275 with Tonia Bastyan



Donna's celeb friends and guests

In between celeb hobnobbing, sampling champagne and perusing the sporty chic and beautiful prints from the upcoming SS2012 collection, guests were treated to the perfect manicure by The Chelsea Day Spa . The Bastyan Boutique pop-up is open for 5 week in the lead up to Christmas, 288-294 Regent Street W1. Be sure to check it out....my favourite choice for the party season - this gold silk ruched dress.

Danae Drape dress, £250



Feel Good Friday

What's your ultimate Feel Good Friday? Apart from chilling out in a spa all day, I think shopping whilst donating money to an incredible cause comes very close. Gap (RED) have joined forces with überchic French designer Isabel Marant, to design an exclusive t-shirt to mark World Aids Day.

The boyish over-sized hetaher grey v-neck t-shirt has a playfully colourful print and a slouchy silhouette, which epitomize the understated easy style of Isabel’s collection. Strictly limited edition, the t-shirt will go on sale in Gap stores globally from Monday 28^th November and 50% of profits from the sale of all tees will go to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Get one whilst you can!