i wish i was a punk rocker (with flowers in my hair)

it's not really part of my new job description to go to fashion shoots anymore, but as apartment-hunting on saturday went extraordinarily well, my afternoon opened up and i thought to drop by and say hi. I timed my arrival to coincide exactly with the pizza (win) and lusted with relish after a pair of Haider Ackermann trousers of the softest, supplest leather imaginable. the iPhone clocked a temperature of -4 outside so we were all feeling bad for the model Li Danni as she affected nonchalant poses in her t-shirts and strapless dresses whilst we shivered in our coats and multiple layers on the sidelines. tough beauty indeed.

some things old, some things new. the fifth.

Daria Strokous by Willy Vandeperre, Jil Sander Spring 2011 campaign

Baz Luhrmann, Strictly Ballroom, 1992

can't wait for Baz x Carey x Fitzgerald

Nicholas Kirkwood x Rodarte Fall/Winter 2010 by Tommy Ton

Please finish this sentence, "If women stopped wearing heels .... "

"God would stop making feet."

- Nicholas Kirkwood

Genius.

Claudia Cardinale // Il Gattopardo (1963)

delayed devotion

Lanvin Pre-Fall 2011 // Matthew Williamson Pre-Fall 2011

am feeling rather content that looks I covet i.e. the luxe maxi-skirt/casual top of Dries van Noten Spring/Summer 2010 haven't disappeared, as I'm still avidly searching for my own.

Hong Kong, Dior, Quentin and I

by Quentin Shih

faux fur and fake bling

Yauatcha macarons, a new departure // Meadham Kirchoff x Topshop // smocked mackerel @ Polpetto // Alecia + feathers, feathers // Future Beauty: 30 years of Japanese fashion // 'faux fur + fake bling' // crinkled cup coffee @ Foxcroft & Ginger

the last few snippets of London as I'm back to Beijing tomorrow. the past few weeks have been everything that's best about the city at Christmas; friends and foodie adventures coupled with the thrills of the (winter-sale-bargain) hunt. there will be a significantly longer gap before the next Beijing-London flight; going to miss it all.

wish you were there

sweets to finish

it is almost incredible how much the food adventures of the last few days - and there have been many - were dominated by sugary confections. Unfortunately only managed to document that something akin to the best cheesecake ever at Ottolenghi, and the feast Kevin and I embarked upon in the Hummingbird Bakery. It's probably wrong that your body has to deal with so much sugar as its first intake of the day, but it was such a great way to inaugurate the last day of 2010.