Inside Gucci's 'Bamboo Confidential'

Shot in London at the famed Savoy Hotel, Gucci's new short film features fashion's most intriguing leading ladies.

Set to 'Bad Vibrations' the Black Angels, the film follows Romanian model Andreea Diaconu entering the Hotel and dashing into the elevator to make a swift getaway from a reporter who is trailing her.

Watch the behind-the-scenes footage here - it's super hot:

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Rated S for sexy

 

I have a question. I realize it’s rhetorical but I feel the need to share my bewilderment by asking it.

Why do attractive, confident, intelligent, financially independent women end up in relationships with men that want to control them?

For me this is another of the world’s great mysteries.

I certainly am not engaging in any kind of man-bashing or degradation of any female who wakes up one day and finds herself in this situation, I’ve done it myself. Twice.

At a recent fashion event of the ‘ladies who lunch’ variety I was engaged in a round table conversation with an assemblage of near strangers when the topic turned to shoes, as it so often does in my presence. After debriefing on the current preposterous flatform trend the banter turned to sexy sandals and the all encompassing love affair those at the table had with them, when my neighbouring seat warmer broadcast to the group, ‘my husband doesn’t allow me to wear sexy sandals.’

I’m sorry?  What? Did someone just slap me into the 50’s and pop me next to June Cleaver?

I had so many questions I wasn’t quite sure where to start. How does one identify a pair of sandals that are too sexy? Too much toe cleavage?

Can she make a call in the affirmative on her own or must she present the offending stem to him for his approval? What other regulations apply? Is there a clothes / shoe combination rule that comes into play?

Despite near biting my tongue off in an effort to silence my mounting opinions I simply enquire as to what she means by that. Allegedly, her husband takes issue if she wears any type of shoe that may garner some kind of attention. From anyone.

Clearly there’s an entire list of issues going on with this particular state of affairs and given I am no psychologist I won’t even begin to speculate about what they might be but this woman is sadly not unique. I have heard dozens of girlfriends and near strangers tell very similar stories and contrary to popular belief these women aren’t doormats, they are emotionally healthy, physically attractive, independent and successful women.

So what’s going on here? Are women, no matter how ‘together,’ still in search of Prince Charming? Are we holding onto a childhood fairytale that a man should come rescue us, to our detriment? Problem is, in this new world of independence and career success we don’t really need rescuing. The tired old line of ‘let me take you away from all of this’ doesn’t really apply. I’m sorry, it’s great that you drive a prestige car and have a balcony with an amazing view – me too, now can we have a conversation with greater depth?

Don’t get me wrong for every one of these stories I’ve heard a woman interrogate a man with; What do you? What do you drive? Where do you live? Three simple questions designed to compile an income review and size up his potential as a ‘sponsor’ for the gal who aspires to being kept. If that’s your thing knock yourself out, but don’t think the sponsorship doesn’t come at a price. I guess it’s up to the sponsored to negotiate terms that work for her? As a collective group our message to men is somewhat perplexing.

We all like the thought of being taken care of. It is nice to know that if we need backup our partner will step in and take care of the things we may not feel equipped to deal with because we are stressed, tired or sick. It can be romantic to return home and find an outfit laid out for us on the bed with an invitation to dinner. Spontaneous acts of kindness are thoughtful and sweet and should not be confused with the degradation of our chosen dress and shoes while in the car on the way to a party.

In simple terms, it’s not really about the sandals being too sexy or a t-shirt being too fitting, it is about something else entirely.

As far as I’m concerned if I’m leaving the house in what is more understated elegance with a dash of sexy than it is stripper-chic, I’m good to go.

Has this happened to you? Do you have an imposed sexy shoe rating you must follow? 



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New pool bar cost serious BACCHAS

When the entrance to an event is flanked by a Lamborghini, a soaring travertine marble stair case (complete with glowing lanterns) and a human chandelier pouring Moët for your arrival, you know you’re in for quite the gig.

Hundreds of Brisbane’s pretty people flocked to last Friday night’s launch of the highly anticipated bar, restaurant and what the PR folk like to call ‘pool concept,’ BACCHUS at South bank, which without doubt gets the gong for most extravagant party of 2012.

 

Hosted by Masterchef’s Matt Preston (and I’m guessing sponsored by Moët & Chandon, GQ, Lamborghini Brisbane and Canturi) the night attracted an A-list crowd including; Kate Miller-Heidke, John Kilroy and fiancé Elena Yusim, Jamie Charman, Coffee King John Lazarou, Margaux and Corey Parker, Designer George Wu, hairdresser to the fabulous Carole Haddad and AFI nominated Alex Dimitriades.

There was a never-ending but impressive food and drinks cavalry elegantly accompanied by champagne parlour acrobats, fire performers and bubble babes in the pool with a five-minute fireworks display officially marking the launch of the new venue.

The food’s amaze, the cocktails are extraordinary and the setting is incredible.  Yes. I gush and I apologise. I usual only do so over a new pair of Louboutins but this place is the shiz.

 

 

BACCHUS is on the Podium Level of Rydges Hotel at South Bank, corner of Grey andGlenelg St Brisbane. To make a booking phone 07 3364 0888 or follow them on Facebook.

 

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Real Housewife's serious 90210 walk-in

Apologies to those who aren't fans, but the RHW tragics (um, me) are delighted The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills hit US and Oz screens this week. 

OTT RHWBH reality star Lisa Vanderpump likes it all big. Big house, big hair, big personality but most of all she loves an even bigger walk-in.

Her new 90210 home debuted on Tuesday night's season premier and her massive department store-like wardrobe is gargantuan. 

Vanderpump's master suite is ultra-feminine and includes a huge bedroom, vanity area and swish bathroom (where there's a flat-screen TV that turns into a mirror) in addition to his and hers robes.

In the first episode Lisa claims they have 'downsized' but there is no shortage of fabulousness in her new Beverly Hills home.

'I got a chance to start from scratch, so I created something that I would be happy to live in,' she said told E Online. 'So, I created a little girl's dream.'

 

For more picture's of Lisa and Ken's new house go to Bravo TV.



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What's next for Tamara Mellon?

When Tamara Mellon strutted from Jimmy Choo in November last year, pocketing a widely reported payout of approximately $135 million, she did so without too much fuss. In lieu of an official statement she Tweeted her 12,000 plus followers, thanking them for their support and signing off with, 'I will keep you posted.'

Despite no further official or unofficial statements Mellon hasn't exactly become a wallflower. Last month she attended the gala openings of the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Ballet, lunch at the Four Seasons for Barbra Streisand, a screening at the Museum of Modern Art of a documentary about the legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland and the NY Fashion Week show of Kimberly Ovitz (the daughter of her boyfriend, Michael Ovitz).

This marathon schedule includes speaking engagements and her love life all being chronicled by several publications and bloggers and is probably a reflection of her full-time move from London to New York about a year ago.

'There is so much going on here, it's exhausting,' Mellon told The New York Times recently over lunch at Fred's (the ninth-floor dining room at Barneys New York). 'When you first move it's slightly overwhelming. You get so many invitations that you have four different things to go to in a night. That's a big difference from London, where you might have one good thing every couple of weeks.'

Mellon finally seems eager to talk about her life post Choo. She is writing a book described by her as a nonfiction 'entrepreneur story,' to be published by Penguin Press next year and there's also talk of her testing other aspects of the fashion business and perhaps building a lifestyle brand.

No matter what's next on her agenda there is no doubt it will be well narrated.

Want more?  Follow her on Twitter or read the full New York Times article here.





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Michael Clarke's trunk to be auctioned for charity

Michael Clarke unveiled a special order Louis Vuitton cricket trunk at LV's Sydney flaship boutique yesterday.

In the spirit of philanthropy and the long time support of the Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation and Louis Vuitton, The Cricket Trunk will be auctioned by Christie's to benefit the Art's Program at The Sydney's Children’s Hospital.

'I have been working with Louis Vuitton for some time and had the opportunity to personalise it as much as possible. There's an iPod dock and speaker. I feel very honoured to design this unique piece, being able to create something that embodies my love and respect for cricket and also knowing that all proceeds of the sale will go to a wonderful cause like the Sydney Children's Hospital,' Clarke said yesterday at The Cricket Trunk's debut.

'Kyly (Clarke's wife) and I travelled to Paris to see the Louis Vuitton factory, which was a great experience, to see first-hand the artisans at work. One artisan worked across the whole project from start to finish,' he said.

As well as being decked out with an iPod dock, The Cricket Trunk (which has a reserve price of $170,000) contains valuable memorabilia, including four signed cricket bats and a helmet worn by the captain himself.

No room for heels in this one though gals, guess we'll have to get to it and design our own.

The Cricket Trunk will be displayed at the Louis Vuitton George Street Maison in Sydney from October 2nd.




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These shoes aren't made for walking

 

There's no question about it, these shoe aren't made for walking.

A South African artist has created these odd looking sky-high heels designed with the heel in front of the shoe.

The wearer fits her foot into the ballerina-like insole and must lean forward and balance her shins against the front of the shoe or 'heel' to remain upright.

While this is merely an artistic reinterpreration of the high heel it's certainly not one I can see taking off  for anyone who isn't Lady Gaga, especially given the bird-like stance they give the wearer.

Conceptualized by artist Leanie van der Vyver and made by shoe designer René van den Berg, they’ve been dubbed Scary Beautiful.  Her goal was to 'challenge our current beauty ideals by inflicting an unexpected new beauty standard.'

Van der Vyver’s design was nominated for a design prize at her university, the Gerrit Rietveld Academie.

The design jury applauded the artist’s attempts to 'force the wearer to develop a new way of walking, leaning forward while refinding a painfully fragile balance.'

Think I'll stick with the more traditional scary beautiful 15cm heels.



(Image Credit: Lyall Coburn/via Vimeo)



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