since November 2003

there are some days where a hermit lifestyle is entirely pleasurable, and i spent part of it today revisiting old Vogues + favourite editorials. i was always fairly confident i'd kept every issue of British Vogue since the first one i bought aged 14 and after tracking them all down, i ended up missing only one issue since Nov 2003. having never been very good at collecting anything, i take pride in this little feat.

Lily Cole and Gemma Ward by Nick Knight, April 2004

two of my favourite models for the best cover and my favourite Nick Knight editorial.

nobody can do English countryside + Balenciaga quite like Tim Walker, August 2006

Natalia Vodianova by Mario Testino, May 2008

it wouldn't be Vogue without some Kate Moss + Mario Testino, October 2008

let them eat cake, and ice-cream in winter

there was in fact two upsides to be found in the disastrous flight-delay situations of recent days. Well, a) being the comedy value of having been to Helsinki and b) that Jamie and I managed to find a day's overlap in London where there should have been none. I left my house to find snow on the ground, but I traipsed gaily off to Picadilly and the Fortnum's ice-cream parlour anyway because their ice-cream (strawberry and 12 year old balsimic vinegar / Amedei chocolate) is that good. We went halves on a banana boat and an Esterhazy cake, whilst Jamie regaled me with her typically comic tales - this time involving sleeping on the ticketing counter at Heathrow whilst living off mince pies.

can the best gift come before christmas?

i couldn't resist showing off the 'little thank-you' which A.W. sent to me after her Beijing-Shanghai trip. Proenza Schouler PS1 bag in beautiful suede for a lovely slice of New York to brighten up the miserable winter days.

H is for Helsinki

Despite my flights being cancelled, a switch to Finnair, and an added five-hour stopover at a bland airport, I just couldn't stop myself from laughing at the hilarity of having been to Helsinki.