Moschino: Fast fashion | Faded Magazine

Hi everyone! Apologies for not posting in a few weeks, I've been so busy! I've just come back from a work experience placement as an intern at Panasonic UK HQ. It was a really good week, I'm just so worn out (I'm not used to 8:30-5 working hours haha). I'm also coming up to the end of semester 2 at uni and need to crack on with my first year assignments, and of course spend time with everyone as much as possible before leaving! Is it just me who feels like time is flying by so quickly?

So, a little while ago I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to write a website feature for Faded Mag, a magazine aimed at people who like underground music and fashion/independent stores. I've written an article on Moschino's most recent capsule collection, which has taken on many controversial opinions. Take a look here if you fancy it!

What do you think of Jeremy Scott's 'fashion takeaway?

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

Beauty tips | Lara Ramos

Hey everyone. So as the rush of Christmas and January is over, and we're half way into the season of love - it seems many people's bank balances have taken a hit from the previous few months. I feel like I've spent so much money on birthday presents, new uni textbooks and train tickets - which are justifiable, however can be hard when trying to spend as little as possible, being a student and all. I think one of the most annoying things is when you start to run out of all the daily necessities at the point when you're trying to save up the pennies. This post is to share some ideas I came up with on how to make the most out of your beauty products. Jackie Samoraj, the Community Outreach manager for Home Shopping Network, contacted me about a post written by Lara Ramos with some amazing tips to stretch your makeup supply.

- Firstly, shadows or compact powders are nightmare when they shatter (MAC is the worst for this!) so here's a quick and easy way to fix them. Add a small amount of rubbing alcohol to the powder, and mix together until it forms a paste. Place the powder back into the compact and wait to dry. When the powder is completely dry and solid, it's then ready to re-use.

- Another idea to save your makeup products would be to use a dampened sponge, as recommended by makeup artist from New York, Natalie DeStefano. This allows your foundation to last longer because the sponge absorbs less product, leaving more in the bottle.

- Lastly, a beauty idea which is beneficial for multi-use is to use coconut oil. Coconut oil is brilliant for using as a makeup remover, deep hair conditioner and moisturiser. A little amount can go a long way and is great to cook with because it has so many health benefits.

If you're interested in more money saving tips, click here for Lara's post.

Have you got any other ideas for making the most of your products?
I'd love to know! x

The Bear and the Hare | John Lewis Christmas Advert

For my uni marketing assignment, we've had to select a company/brand and research how they are applying marketing communications using both traditional and online methods. I've decided to choose John Lewis because they use creative marketing strategies and have built up a strong reputation and customer profile over recent years. They have also managed to create a huge buzz from their Christmas adverts, which is why I thought this company would be perfect for my assignment at this time of year.

It's official: Christmas is coming because John Lewis said so. The new television ad 'The Bear and the Hare' is an animated tale of what happens to two friends when the first snowflake of winter falls. The lonely hare doesn't want the hibernating Bear to miss Christmas so he gives him an alarm clock as a present - its all about thoughtfulness, friendship and tugging of the heart strings.

The advert went live on 8th November during the break on the X Factor on Saturday evening. This strategy focuses on a growing trend among British retailers in recent years to approach this weekend as the official start to the Christmas trading period - basically the UK equivalent of the Superbowl!

Craig Inglis, John Lewis's marketing director, said at the christmas advert premiere; "Our ads aren't about products - they're about telling a story. But this year we are making a better effort to offer merchandise to the support the ads". It's clear that John Lewis has built up the industry around the advert by launching merchandise such as 'The Bear and the Hare' cuddly toys, onesies and story books.

I really like the JL ad this year! However, I've heard others disagree and say they preferred the romantic snowman ad in 2012. I think they've launched the merchandise really well by having in-store photo background opportunities and the mini excerpt via a special installation on London's South Bank, it's brought the advert to life.

Interview with Laura Faint @ Mallzee HQ | Mallzee App

Hi everyone, I've got a slightly different post up today. The lovely team at Mallzee contacted me recently about their new fashion app. Check out my interview below with Laura Faint, fashion grad and engagement officer from Mallzee HQ, to get the latest scoop and information on the upcoming and exciting app. Enjoy

How would you describe the exciting new app Mallzee?

The perfect way to describe Mallzee (http://bit.ly/MallzeeApp) is 'a personal shopper in your pocket'. Mallzee (http://bit.ly/MallzeeApp) brings together all the top retailers in one place, showing you clothes from these retailers that suit your personal style, just like a portable personal shopper that doesn’t cost you an arm and leg! The app lets you save items for later (if you’re waiting for payday!) and shop with friends, asking for opinions if you’re undecided on what to buy. 

What made you decide to work in the fashion industry?

I have wanted to work in fashion for as long as I can remember but more specifically, when I started reading fashion magazines. Fashion is so dynamic and exciting and I’ve always been interested in how people express themselves through what they wear. Plus, I’ve always loved putting outfits together (my dolls were always dressed to the nines!) and shopping is my absolute vice so it only made sense that I chased a career in fashion. I love being creative and I think it’s great that I have the ability to do this in my job. 

How are you finding your experience working within a new fashion company?

I love it! It’s great to be part of something new and exciting. We have a great team and we get to be really creative in how we approach things. A big thing for us just now is spreading the word about what we’re doing but we’re definitely getting there, people are starting to hear about what we’re doing and are getting excited about it, which is so great to see!

What encouraged you to create the app?

Our CEO Cally came up with the idea when he realised that online shopping had become boring. He was fed up with having 5 or 6 different tabs open when searching for items online and noticed that there was little (if not zero) shopping apps that brought together all the top retailers in one place. This prompted him to start thinking about ways of creating a cool and engaging new way to shop. We started out with an online platform but we then realised that more and more people were using mobile as a means of discovering fashion so we focused on building a great app. 

How can Mallzee be beneficial to current fashion enthusiasts? 

Mallzee (http://bit.ly/MallzeeApp) is designed to really enhance the shopping experience and make it more enjoyable. We’re fashion enthusiasts at Mallzee HQ so designed something that we would all use ourselves. One of the huge benefits of the app for fashion enthusiasts is that they can shop lots of brands in one place. We pride ourselves on hosting both established brands and smaller, more boutique style brands together, meaning fashion lovers can discover new brands and shop their favourites all in one place. When we launched the app at London Fashion Week we met with a couple of stylists and they were really interested in the filtering aspect of Mallzee (http://bit.ly/MallzeeApp). They loved that if they were prepping for a fashion shoot and needed a particular item in a specific colour, they could filter on Mallzee, through our 200+ brands to find this item easily, saving them time.

- The team -

Mallzee (http://bit.ly/MallzeeApp) is available for free on the Apple App Store (http://bit.ly/MallzeeApp)