Freshly Social

The epicentre of London has so many diverse and amazing things to do and experience. They really have catered for Londoners and tourists alike. In the upmarket and quiet suburb of Notting Hill made famous by the movie ‘Notting Hill’ starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, lies the well known Portobello market.

As the festive season approaches, Londoners will set out in search of fashion bargains and retailers will begin to recycle hangers as their clothing and accessory stocks sell out. For those who are more concerned with high fashion than high street shopping however, the Fashion in Film Festival will be a great deal more attractive than the Christmas fashion sales.

Founded in 2005, the Fashion in Film Festival (FFF) showcases and celebrates the use of fashion in international films. The Fashion in Film Festival is loved by film fanatics and fashionistas alike – the biennial festival is attended by designers, photographers, filmmakers and performers. The couture featured in the cinematic spectacles of the FFF is a far cry from the everyday brands you’ll find on shoe hangers in your local boutique!

If business activities such as Malta company registration have kept you occupied the entire week, then perhaps it is time to enjoy some of the hottest Japanese fashion trends at the Barbican art gallery. All of the avant-garde Japanese fashion clothing will be on display, from the 1980’s up until 2011! Japanese fashion trends have played a huge part in global fashion and these Japanese fashion brands are sure to spark just about anyone’s interests.

Stella McCartney never fails to impress and her show at this year’s Paris Fashion Week, which took place earlier this month, was no different. Pieces from the designer’s ready-to-wear collection exhibited her characteristic luxurious yet subtle style, which is always warmly received by her always star-studded audience.

Celebs like Thandie Newton, Lara Stone, David Williams, Twiggy, and Sir Paul McCartney all had sought-after front row seats to view the latest Stella McCartney clothing. Outstanding pieces from the range include top with a broad black and camel stripe, plain elegant linear coats and comfortable yet trendy fisherman’s jumpers. McCartney dedicated the collection to her late friend and fellow fashion icon Alexander McQueen who committed suicide in early February.

Many a Hollywood glamour girl has been spotted in a Stella McCartney dress on the red carpets of prestigious events and awards shows. Kate Winslet was gorgeously elegant in a simply beautiful black dress by from the designer’s Pre-Fall 2010 collection at the BAFTA awards earlier this year.

Money talks; money makes the world go round; money is power: the idioms based around money are endless for the plain reason that this particular dirty word occupies quite an important place in our global consciousness. In keeping with the general obsession with money, we’ve compiled a list of the most expensive items ever sold in Britain and the world.

Most expensive house in Britain

Uptown Court in Surrey is one of the most expensive homes in Britain. Aside from its capital value of over £70 million, it costs an estimated £250,000 per month just to keep going. With 24 bedrooms, large marble bathrooms and a park rather than a garden, this palatial property is no typical UK semi. Occupying this house will also provide you with a few interesting neighbors like Elton John and the Queen herself.

Most expensive item of clothing

Take this quick quiz to decide if your corporate work wear is screaming, ‘Barbie or Ken doll’ or ‘still lives with mummy’ or if it is simply saying all the right things (like, I’m a success!).

1. When the cold weather hits and you need to pull out the jumpers from the back of your wardrobe to wear to work. Do you…

a)    Favour the sweater given to you 5 years ago by your nan which keeps you very warm but is not out of place in an eighties horror movie?
b)    Favour the tight scoop neck sweater which got you a lot of attention in high school?
c)    Wear anything with a name (not a nickname but rather a name brand) like Pringle?
d)    Choose something warm and well cut that hides the bad and emphases the good without putting you at risk of indecent exposure and/or frost bite (see b)?
e)    Have a good collection of sweaters ranging from the good to the bad and finally the ugly and your choice is mood dependant?

2. You have to go to a job interview and all experts tell you to dress for success. Do you…

The clothing and textile industry in the UK has not been very conscious of exactly how environmentally sustainable the fashion business is, and what its social impact on the world is (particularly in the third world). Approximately 90% of clothing sold in the UK is imported, with a large portion rumoured to have often come from sweatshops in China and India. Also, the industry’s carbon footprint has been largely ignored, until now.
According to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the clothing industry’s annual carbon footprint stands at a whopping 3.1 million tonnes, and every year it produces 2 million tonnes of rubbish. These statistics are shocking, which is why the Defra initiated the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAB), which was launched at this year’s fashion show, with many designers coming out with eco chic designs.