How is the Ugg Boot a trend again?

Whilst walking around Nottingham recently I've noticed a lot of people wearing Ugg Boots. This became very apparent when I was doing a street style task and I was looking for knee high boots, Ankle Boots and shoes that have a detail on them. Knee High Boots were not a hard to find but I ankle boots and detailed shoes were a struggle because everyone was wearing Uggs. I understand that they are comfortable and warm when it's cold but Uggs are flimsy and in my opinion, just not very fashionable!

As we are currently studying trend analysis, I can regretfully say ... the Ugg boot has become a footwear trend for Autumn/Winter 2015. I bet the trend forecasters didn't predict that!

Paul Smith: Gentleman Designer

I was aware of the great a quirky designer Paul Smith for a number of years. And I went to the Paul Smith exhibition in London last year.  

My pictures from the Paul Smith exhibition 

Signature Paul Smith Mini Cooper 

 But after watching a documentary about him during film club, I was amazed how he found inspiration for his collections. 

Going to University in Nottingham I am now in the home town of Paul Smith! The flagship shop in beautiful from the outside. With a garden and black iron gates to great you. The shop itself looks like a beautiful town house. An ideal building for a flagship Paul Smith shop. 

During the documentary, Paul Smith explained that you need a more lateral way of thinking. I found it inspirational that he did not find inspiration from fashion but from other print books from 1800 and 1850. 

My favourite quote

Red Rebellion

During our first module we have been learning about colour palettes. 

Our first group project was choosing a a specific colour palette. My group decided to concentrate on neutrals; more specifically monochrome. We came up with a colour story of incorporating red (which was inspired by Valentino) who considers red as a neutral colour. 

With all the recent events in the news we wanted to represent peace with these three colours. Our story was that our model was blowing out the dynamite to represent peace. Our model is purposefully wearing white to again, show the peace.  

Narrative: Red Rebellion

Context: Acts of Terror

Our original image

After the editing process 

We had to present our images to our seminar group and we decided to print our image on A3 textured/grainy paper. 

The Berkeley Hotel Prêt-à-Portea

Afternoon Tea inspired by the current season's trends? YES PLEASE!

Celebrating a birthday with afternoon tea is always a treat, but a champagne afternoon tea adds a little sparkle.  My aunties booked the Prêt-à-Portea at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge for my mum’s birthday.  To enjoy this unique fashionista afternoon tea we were shown to the Caramel Room, where our table was laid out with fluorescent coloured menu cards and beautiful Wedgewood china place settings especially created for the The Berkeley’s Prêt-à-Portea.  We raised a birthday toast with our champagne, ready to gasp with admiration at the food that was to arrive at our table. 



The unique menu changes every six months and reflects the season’s collections.  Our menu was for Autumn/Winter 2015/16.  We chose the delicately fragranced Ceylon and Rose tea to accompany our food.  Along with savoury mousses and scones there were platters of sandwich triangles, with a range of fillings.

Classic three-tiered trays filled with cakes, cookies, pastries, taster spoons and shot-like glasses filled with tempting treats.  With all this fabulous food on our table, the waiter then showed us pictures of some the season’s catwalk collections and pointed out which sweet treat replicated and paid homage to a particular designer outfit, shoe or bag.  The flower motifs from the ‘Viva La Mama’ collection by Dolce & Gabbana were beautifully replicated on a  pastry as well as on a Mary Jane cinnamon biscuit.  A mallow biscuit dusted in coconut to represent the design of a Moschino dress; a cake  covered with glossy dark chocolate with a vibrant blue decoration on top as seen on an Alice Temperley design and a Giambattista Valli creation.  The Fendi coat was a chocolate biscuit covered in pillarbox red icing with detailing in brown icing. However, my favourite was the miniature Valentino rockstud handbag cake with its multi-coloured chocolate stripes emblazoned with the iconic ‘V’ of Valentino.   We had to sit back and marvel at these stunning creations – it was all too good to eat.  When we did finally tuck in it all tasted as heavenly as it looked.  Delicious!

It didn’t end there….at the end of the afternoon as we left we were each given a Prêt-à-Portea cardboard goody bag with a couple of the sweet treats we’d enjoyed in the tea to enjoy again at home. Scrumptious!

Soraya x