A Very Lovely Limited Edition - YSL's Paris Premieres Roses

As a bit of a perfume purist, I'm always rather sniffy re flankers. Come Summer, come the new legion of wannabes, like new-borns screeching for attention.

A way to market an existing brand and fragrance to an already committed market, the flanker seems to be just that bit too obvious - yelling 'buy me' at a loyal customer base who deserve considerably more respect while simultaneously screwing with what's often an already good fragrance. It's ironic that many such flankers end up diluting both the brand message and the juice.

It's rather lovely, then, to say when someone gets it right. When it's actually a welcome addition and a new slant for the fragrance. 

As an avid YSL Paris fan, the big and beautiful original perfume reminds me of stealing into big name dept stores in my lunch hour and spritzing wildly before returning to my Saturday job in 'Chelsea Girl' where I felt I reeked of sophistication while doling out changing room tickets - it was YSL after all. Sofia Grojsman's high-strung overdose of roses and violets seemed to so accurately capture the romance and feel of an arty, distant Paris to an 18 year old.

Smelling the new Paris Premieres Roses is like re-living that experience with the same wondrous rush of wanting to escape to another far more romantic location. Ms Grojsman's re-worked YSL flanker as a Limited Edition version seems to conjur up far more allure than most.

This thirty year anniversary scent seems an even lighter, greener and wetter version of Paris. Dewy fresh, morning-mist tinged Rose de Mai hints of discovering lush foliage in an urban location, spilling its powdery accents on skin while the ethereal violet is still a huge constant but there's also a hint of orange to add a short sharp spritz of freshness.

The dry-down on Paris Premieres Roses is quite simply the best I've experienced in a long time. The fragrance takes on another temperament and while still vivacious, is calm and controlled. The powdered rosy glow meets the warmth of sandalwood and white musk for what is quite a delightful and gorgeous addition to YSL's fold.

I may have to re-think my stance on flanker additions. Paris Premieres Roses 2013 Limited Edition may be the landmark case.

Paris Premieres Roses is available from all good dept stores including Selfridges, Debenhams and House of Fraser priced £29.90 (125ml)

Vince Camuto opens first UK store on Kensington High St

Last night saw the UK infiltrated by another huge American brand with a cult following, Vince Camuto. Launching on Kensington High St, the man himself strolled along to his first bright, shiny new store to see journalists and celebrities fondle the premium shoes and accessories.

“London has such a special energy, so it was exciting to bring a little bit of New York summer here for our opening," said Vince Camuto.

Camuto's trademark style is a tad New York meets chic Hamptons weekender with splurges of colour and well designed neutral basics. From first viewing, I'm impressed. The shoes and accessories include key trend shapes and seasonal colour hits but aren't over worked or styled to relegate them to one-season-trendsville-wear-it-while-you-can.

The launch event had a throng of stylish celebrities including Samantha Barks, Olivia Grant, Leah Weller, Leah Wood, Laura Jackson, Ophelia Lovibond, Angela Scanlon, Florence Brudenell Bruce and 'Made in Chelsea's' Rosie Fortescue.  

In the celebratory spirit of the Hamptons, guests were served 10 Cane rum mojitos, nibbled on Vince Camuto-crested macarons and sipped Laurent Perrier from huge vintage champagne flutes.  

Bip Ling, with her inimitable style & energy, led the temporary Hamptonites as guest DJ for the night.

DSquared2 Drop 'Em Like They're Hot

Look at this poor boy. Talk about getting caught with your pants down. Luckily this is just a hint of what’s to come to wet our appetites for a new collection of men's underwear from Chutzpah favourites DSquared2. Lensed by superstar photographer Steven Klein (literally everyone important in the world EVER), the campaign has got le beau monde's tongues wagging.

We've loved Dean and Dan Caten's cheeky (do you see what we did there?) and irreverent take on men's fashion for years. Whilst not a new name in the overcrowded world of designer underwear, it seems the campaign marks a renewed push by the label into more accessible product sectors.

DSquared2's Spring/Summer ’13 collection showed a focus on more body-consciously snug tailoring, so we can't wait for the twins to put the tight back into "tighty-whitey". As with everything bearing the DSquared2 brand, the launch for the new underwear collection is bound to be a whole lot of fun, and more than a little bit sexy.

Daft Punk may have taken teaser campaigns to the next level, so it’s not surprising to see fashion brands follow suit. Let’s hope DSquared2 don’t leave us waiting too long.

Article written by Lee Clatworthy (@TeamChutzpah) for Katie Chutzpah blog

Carine Roitfeld curates Ultimate Gold Fashion Show at Cannes

Carine Roitfeld can do no wrong. Spinning fashion projects and new magazine creative direction hither & thither.

Roitfeld's latest project is curating a fashion snow, held during Cannes Film Festival (natch) that's part of the 20th Cinema Against AIDS to benefit amfAR.

The 'Ultimate Gold Collection Fashion Show' will livestream on LoveGold.com on Thursday, 23rd May (9pm CET) featuring specially designed looks from fashion houses such as Chanel, Burberry, Roberto Cavalli, Armani, Shiatzy Chen and Tarun Tahiliani.

LoveGold is an initiative of the World Gold Council and online community dedicated to highlighting gold jewelry as precious and inspiring. As a proud presenting sponsor, LoveGold has worked with a number of prestigious jewellery designers, including House of Waris, Pamela Love, Hoorsenbuhs, Kimberly McDonald to name a few, to create one-off pieces for the show. These will be available to purchase via LoveGold.com following the runway event.

Preview illustrations of the outfits to be shown on the runway by Lulu Herself.

M&S Takes a Step in the Right Direction but Missing Something Obvious

Last week, valiant M&S made a sizeable effort to reclaim their top-dog place in the UK's fashion industry with the showing of their 'Best Of British' mens' & womens' collections, launched to re-focus their fashion offer and to celebrate their three year partnership with the British Fashion Council.

M&S is to be applauded in its attempt to re-group and re-focus, taking as it's key initiatives, the celebration of home-grown British fashion and sustainability.

The ideas and basis are all there: M&S firmly associated in our psyches with Britain and fair-play British values (check), supporting new talent and home-based industries (check) to produce collections that relay the epitome of modern British tailoring including Scottish cashmere and Yorkshire cloths (check) and with the support and endorsement of the British Fashion Council (check).

Launched to considerable acclaim in the press, the collections have undoubtedly moved the brand forward while remaining true to the M&S heritage roots - less fashion, more conservative with a small 'c' and quality middle-England. And, for that, they have to be acknowledged. 

It's a great start. To focus on what M&S really stands for and to meet its customers demands in an age where fast-fashion and trend is seen as king. But, despite the fact I commend our much-loved brand (where would we be if M&S went under?) and understand its need to simplify its message and to restrict the number of sub-brands, I still feel M&S is missing one of its biggest customer demands - the need for cross-seasonal, must-have quality basics.

M&S is all about dependability and the loyalty this generates. Where, for example, is a simplified 'Best of British Basics' collection? And I don't mean designed down to the lowest common-denominator (as most M&S products have been in the past. I laboured over this one readers. I worked there for years in a key marketing role). M&S has the influence, the design talent, the heritage and the kudos to develop a range of 'must-have' items that have fashion editors flocking (as they do now to Maje, Isabel Marant and Cos). 

Where is the right weight and texture pristine grey (non-embellished) sweatshirt, the three choices of fantastic black trousers that fits just-so, the designed-for-women man's white shirt, the loose & luscious slub-silk separates (like Lucza's offer) that every woman would scream to wear? These are all items that have wide appeal and would embrace M&S's customer. Anonymous and serviceable but above all, with great quality and design at their axis.

M&S should never be about grappling and competing for trends with the rest of high street.  The 'Best of British' is a step in the right direction for M&S's new Style Director, Belinda Earl. 

But, the brand has enough confidence and power to steer its own course. A range of cross-seasonal items that are great design wardrobe staples (think Joseph, Maje and Marant) would be a welcome addition and a way to welcome back A-list shoppers who may still only visit M&S for food and lingerie.

We're all rooting for you.

Tom Ford's Sahara Noir - Full of Eastern Promise

Tom Ford's Sahara Noir glistens with possibilities. 

From it's gilt ribbed box to it's coruscating, all gold, finely fluted bottle that fits neatly in the palm of your hand with its Tom Ford gold plaque of excellence, this speaks of superiority and slickness. It's a fragrance dressed up to impress - full of Eastern promise. 

Part of Ford's renowned Signature Collection, it whispers, "if you like these (Violet Blonde, Black Orchid, White Patchouli, Grey Vetiver) then you're going to adore me. I'm even deeper and more esoteric than the rest." Like the Tarot's charismatic Magician or the female Moon figure who flashes both light and dark, always unsure of her depths, Sahara Noir's an enigma. 

She's at once both full on and consistent - the gift that keeps on giving, with a one tone swamp of heaviness. But, the latter is composed and complex, built of sticky cistus essence ORPUR® and bitter orange alongside Jordanian calamus (an unusual oasis sweet grass) and Levantine cypress, famed for growing in the gardens of 1001 Arabian Knights. Mr Ford has certainly aimed to concoct age Old Testament authenticity and mystery. Sahara Noir caresses with smokey layers of different varieties of Frankincense while anointing with amber.

As rich and heavy as it's gilt casing proclaims, this Middle Eastern muse's frankincense heart opens wide with accents of cinnamon from Laos, papyrus extract, Egyptian jasmine and Moroccan rose absolute. The jasmine and rose is caught up in smoke filled tendrils breathing of dusk-set scenes and Burmese beeswax extraction that cools everything down with its rich honeyed, animalic tones.

Sahara Noir's Eastern largesse remains undiluted but the dry down does have an element of amber powderiness by way of the labdanum resin, ambreinol paired with Benzoin from Laos., cedar, our old friend Frankincense resin, agarwood and Peruvian balsam. All aim to  keep its presence persistent.

Sahara Noir's personality is fearless and confident rather than big and showy-offy. With all that depth and luxury, why would she be anything else? Sahara Noir has enough glory and charisma to persuade Western converts in designer heels as cash-rich, Middle Eastern sophisticates. As its name suggests, this is a fragrance for hot nights and climes. What are you waiting for? Follow the incense trail.

Available at Tom Ford Beauty counters nationwide throughout the UK from May 2013, Tom Ford Sahara Noir EDP (50ml) is priced £100.

Chantal Thomass Pops Up at Fenwick. And we're in for a treat.

If, like me, your a lover of good lingerie then you are bound to be familiar with French frou-frou with attitude label, Chantal Thomass.

The Chantal Thomass Palais Royal store is a veritable womanly treat - sumptuous, sexy and plied with tease, the store is a pink haven of seduction filled with lingerie that women like to wear - and not just to please their men.

The good news is that Fenwick of Bond Street (already mooted for its incredible selection of designer underwear at all price points) is launching a Chantall Thomass pop-up store in their huge ground floor lingerie area. The label is already exclusive to Fenwick so this will allow customers with a Thomass fetish to further experience the brand.

Running from 18th May-1st June the store will also have a visit from the doyenne herself. Ms Thomass will be making an in-store personal appearance on Thursday, 23rd May from 6-8pm where a draw will be held to win two sets of her beautiful underwear.

Asked why Fenwick were getting behind Chantal Thomass, the reply was simple - "It's one of our best-selling, most beautiful and favourite collections."