Invest in a Leopard Coat. Really. The point is, it’s less Bet Lynch than Bet You Could Go Anywhere In That. Animal print is a total classic on the catwalk and, more importantly, off it. One of my great fashion heroines, Charlotte Dellal, certainly makes a go of her animal print theme. Bruce the porcelain leopard, initially sourced from within her own family, now provides the inspiration for all her stores. Many Bruces have been spawned and many are fronting her gorgeous boutiques – for instance a “Bruceling” stands guard at the Harvey Nichols Charlotte Olympia concession area. A “Bruceling” on guard at Charlotte Olympia Harvey Nichols Quite aside from the decor opportunities, animal print
Best foot forward. Tuesday shoesday it is. Even when it’s the weekend. Valentino Rockstuds at Browns, South Molton Street The term ‘investment shopping only goes so far. But in footwear, that can be far enough. From clogs to stilettos, footwear is the most consciously sought after wardrobe filler, and with high street options getting ever more creative, the choices could be baffling. But given careful thought, it’s not. Some girls seem to take pride in having specialist shoe storage units overflowing with shoes. Imagine the closet of Tamara Mellon or Charlotte Olympia (see my interview with the delectable Charlotte here), for example. Each looks consistently glamorous and craves organis
This summer, prints are back in Vogue. It’s never easy to be swayed away from plain fabrics and especially the traditional black. Oh, the safety! But well-chosen prints are a perfect excuse to make an easy statement and change the gear. There is always a rich offering of florals and more geometric patterns in the shops come summer time, and they bring a welcome lift to the comfortable homogeneity of monochrome. Liberty, known for its traditional English prints, is showing a particularly inventive selection of accessories this season, as previewed at LFW and now in store. Tapping into the welcome and highly practical backpack trend, their take on leather with the iconic Ianthe pattern gives