Sunday, January 31, 2010

Bloomingdale's FINALLY opens in Dubai mall!!!!

Macy’s Inc will open its first Bloomingdale’s store outside the US in The Dubai Mall on February 1, it was confirmed on Monday.
The two stores - a 146,000 sq ft fashion and accessories store spread over three floors, and a 54,000 sq ft home store - will open in partnership with the UAE-based Al Tayer Group.
The launch marks the start of Bloomingdale’s first overseas venture, and presents a “unique opportunity” for the brand, Terry Lundgren, chairman of Macy’s Inc, said in earlier remarks.


Dubai mall

Prepare to shop ur wallets clean!

More pics and coverage comming soon!!!

The Grammy Awards 2010 Fashion 360 view!

Lady Gaga in Armani?? really?
i say a work of art! and always true to lady Gaga ;)

Keri Hilson in D&G







Rihana in Ellie Saab!




Fergie in Emilio Pucci


in Herver Leger


Stephane rolland gown



Ninna Ricci Spring 2010 Campaign

Valentino Spring 2010 Campaign

Carrie Ann Inaba wears Nikolaki to the Grammy Awards

Architectural Carrie!
Carrie Ann Inaba in NIKOLAKI Fall 2010, hosting TV Guide Network's Grammys Red Carpet Pre-Show

Late last year, when I did my Emmys Fashion Wrap with Carrie Ann Inaba, she took me aside and said "You know what? I need to wear NIKOLAKI when I host one of my upcoming Red Carpet Shows..." We decided the Grammys would be perfect. The next time I saw her while filming the Golden Globes Fashion Wrap, I brought sketches for her and her stylist extraordinaire, my fellow Fashion Wrap Panelist, Jen Rade, to see. They loved all of them but decided they should stop by my NIKOLAKI Design Studio to take a closer look and "play dress-up". And boy did she: She tried on half a dozen gowns and dresses. But her eyes began "wandering"... She couldn't take her eyes off a muslin/toile sample that we had made for our Fall 2010 line. Couture Muslin: Nick Verreos and Carrie Ann Inaba pose with the muslin/toile of her Grammys dress

She asked "What is that??" We said that it was just a mock-up (in cotton muslin) of one of the dresses in our upcoming line. "I HAVE to try it on!" she quipped. She did and both her and Jen found their dress. Done and done. My design partner, David Paul and I took her measurements and discussed length and any other minor adjustments. Now we just had to make it--custom--in just ONE WEEK!!! The final result: A strapless cocktail dress made with black Italian Silk-and-Wool Zibeline featuring Oragami-like "petal" folds up top and cascading down the bottom.
Hand Delivery: Nick Verreos at the Staples bringing THE dress to Carrie Ann Inaba's trailer for a fitting

These last few days prior to the Awards have been crazy, making trips back-and-forth to the Staples Center--site of the Grammys--for some final fitting last touches and today both David and I were at her hotel room, getting her dressed in our NIKOLAKI dress. We think she looks amazing!
Click below for Carry Ann Inaba (in NIKOLAKI) and Chris Harrison interviewing Taylor Swift at the Grammys 2010:


Click HERE for more videos.

This week's bread



I've made our bread for the next few days and we eat a loaf between us every day. I pay 65p for a bag of bread flour and 65p for 6 sachets of yeast. My bread costs me 15p and there's no where you can buy a handmade loaf for that. I also went to Trago today to price up wood for our new raised beds and to look around the garden centre. We didn't spend any money but now have a good idea of the amount we need to put aside to do this. We did get deafened by the River Fowey as it thundered past Trago Mills today and even in the depths of winter, it is a lovely sight.

cheap at Trago


If anyone is looking for a cheap wood burner - they have a selection for under £200. Here's one.

Meet the boys.

Meet the 'boys'!

I thought I would introduce you to the dogs. I have two scruffy little white dogs; the larger of the two being a Bichon has pathetically large eyes and always looks at us as if we're about to break his heart. We return home to his desperation, where the poor dog genuinely thought we had died and he would never see us again. He's a rehomed dog and we are his third owners as he was too needy for anyone else. For quite a while a rehomed dog doesn't give you much in return until you win their trust and although we're almost there; Scruffy will still whistle and whine in the car, whine at the door and secure himself to either of our ankles in case we might step out of his sight at any moment. He cost very little, doesn't eat much and Bichons don't require miles and miles of walking and combing his hair is a relaxing as meditation.


Bobby Dazzler, on the other hand, is a sparky, beautiful and minute dictator! No one stays in bed when he wants a walk, no one has any peace if he wants a lap and this dog does not lack confidence. We rehomed him at six months old and Maltese terriers usually find good homes by the time they are 12 weeks old......but not this one. He came from Port Isaac on New year's eve of 2006 and has guarded us with a fierce loyalty ever since. He has also guarded Scruffy, who has Bobby to ride shot gun with him, wherever he goes. Bobby Dazzler is definitely the 'Del Boy' of the two, whilst Scruffy remains the hapless 'Rodney'. Like teenage boys, who can be perfectly behaved for grand parents and visitors, Bobby and Scruff can wreak havoc. Scruff loves to tip over the bin, dig out the cat litter tray, climb into the dishwasher, whilst Bobby refuses to be house trained and will, when you least expect him to, piddle on the kitchen floor!

They are though, wonderfully entertaining and loyal to the point of fixation. I am often home alone in the school holidays, whilst dearly beloved is at work and we're often filling hours of our lives with their company. Inspite of their tiny size, they will both walk over moors and cliff paths and will spend hours in the garden with us and where we go, they go.

But are they frugal? We don't insure them. We take that risk. We clean their teeth to keep them healthy, we groom them so they don't become tangled and they eat very little. They live for years and years and now we have the two; we can't possibly go abroad on holiday so we're saving the cost of the ferry and camping. They are an indulgence but I don' t holiday, buy clothes, don't drink or smoke, don't go any where that costs money and they are the cheapest form of tranquilisers you could ever get.

Loved the Photographs

Illustrated Art couldn't resist posting these images by Alphonse Mucha, in this months issue of 'Plaza Watch Magazine, Issue 10 called 'Temp Nouveu'





Images taken from www.fashionishing.com