It seems that 'own brand' now really does mean just that - an opportunity for stores to speak directly to their customers by really 'owning' their brand.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Gone are the days when 'own brand' meant budget products in depressingly bleak packaging. Big supermarkets like Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury are doing great things with their own brand products. Be they responding to consumer demand for organic beauty products, as Tesco has with their B Natural range, or developing their brand image as a 'foodie' or gourmet destination, as Waitrose is doing with vintage-inspired packaging for their frozen desserts.
It seems that 'own brand' now really does mean just that - an opportunity for stores to speak directly to their customers by really 'owning' their brand.
It seems that 'own brand' now really does mean just that - an opportunity for stores to speak directly to their customers by really 'owning' their brand.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Old habits...
It's now the second week of January, so I'm guessing that resolutions about going to the gym twice a day, only eating from your organic veg box and becoming evangelical about sobriety are long, long out the window. As Joey in Friends once said, "If you're going to do something wrong, do it right!" In which case, I can only suggest...
Handmade doughnuts from the Pippin Bakery (will be at the Henley on Thames farmers market on 22nd) or delectable cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery (a bit closer to home in South Ken' and Notting Hill).
Or slip off the wagon in style by joining the Wine Society. Top vino delivered straight to your door. The Mothership swears by it and so should you!
And finally, have a night of total debauchery and out and out decadence at the Wam Bam burlesque club in Soho - ideally located for staying on the sin-train long into the wee hours!
It's now the second week of January, so I'm guessing that resolutions about going to the gym twice a day, only eating from your organic veg box and becoming evangelical about sobriety are long, long out the window. As Joey in Friends once said, "If you're going to do something wrong, do it right!" In which case, I can only suggest...
Handmade doughnuts from the Pippin Bakery (will be at the Henley on Thames farmers market on 22nd) or delectable cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery (a bit closer to home in South Ken' and Notting Hill).
Or slip off the wagon in style by joining the Wine Society. Top vino delivered straight to your door. The Mothership swears by it and so should you!
And finally, have a night of total debauchery and out and out decadence at the Wam Bam burlesque club in Soho - ideally located for staying on the sin-train long into the wee hours!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Where there's a Will, there's a way.
If there's one thing the British upper classes are brilliant at, it is exclusivity. Without the right surname, the right public school alumni, the right postcode, you're not allowed in. The adult upper class are bad enough, but look at their teenage children and you find a group utterly obsessed with 'fitting in'. Jack Wills, the fashion brand aimed specifically at young Sloanies, is more than savvy to the fact that wearing one of their hoodies instantly tells you its wearer's class, income and even education. Indeed, Jack Wills has taken the concept of a lifestyle brand and run with it.
Starting with its stores, Jack Wills creates homely retail environments through a combination of vintage homeware and non-traditional store design; their shop in Marlow is a converted townhouse which maintains its original layout of 'snugs', 'dining rooms' and bedrooms. By being the outfitter of choice to teenage Sloanies, Jack Wills has won sponsorship opportunities in areas usually dominated by older, more traditional brands. It sponsors club nights at Mahiki and polo events at the Guard's. It has 'Seasonnaire' teams in every hot ski resort in the world. On its website, it even has a online 'lending library' with a tailored reading list which includes the likes of The Great Gatsby, Richard Branson's autobiography, and P.G. Wodehouse.
Nor is Jack Wills resting on its laurels. Recognising that Sloanies must eventually grow up (if only for the sake of coming into their trust funds) Jack Wills is currently rolling out its sister brand, Aubin & Wills. Aubin caters to an older, richer shopper and has a corresponding website which purveys a more mature, cultured mindset and a look straight from the pages of Vanity Fair.
With old favourites like Abercrombie & Fitch in front and newcomers like I Don't Go To fast approaching behind, Jack Wills seems to have done the impossible by not only infiltrating that most exclusive of clubs, but dressing it as well.
If there's one thing the British upper classes are brilliant at, it is exclusivity. Without the right surname, the right public school alumni, the right postcode, you're not allowed in. The adult upper class are bad enough, but look at their teenage children and you find a group utterly obsessed with 'fitting in'. Jack Wills, the fashion brand aimed specifically at young Sloanies, is more than savvy to the fact that wearing one of their hoodies instantly tells you its wearer's class, income and even education. Indeed, Jack Wills has taken the concept of a lifestyle brand and run with it.
Starting with its stores, Jack Wills creates homely retail environments through a combination of vintage homeware and non-traditional store design; their shop in Marlow is a converted townhouse which maintains its original layout of 'snugs', 'dining rooms' and bedrooms. By being the outfitter of choice to teenage Sloanies, Jack Wills has won sponsorship opportunities in areas usually dominated by older, more traditional brands. It sponsors club nights at Mahiki and polo events at the Guard's. It has 'Seasonnaire' teams in every hot ski resort in the world. On its website, it even has a online 'lending library' with a tailored reading list which includes the likes of The Great Gatsby, Richard Branson's autobiography, and P.G. Wodehouse.
Nor is Jack Wills resting on its laurels. Recognising that Sloanies must eventually grow up (if only for the sake of coming into their trust funds) Jack Wills is currently rolling out its sister brand, Aubin & Wills. Aubin caters to an older, richer shopper and has a corresponding website which purveys a more mature, cultured mindset and a look straight from the pages of Vanity Fair.
With old favourites like Abercrombie & Fitch in front and newcomers like I Don't Go To fast approaching behind, Jack Wills seems to have done the impossible by not only infiltrating that most exclusive of clubs, but dressing it as well.
Friday, January 09, 2009
From the lastest Cool Hunter newsletter...
"The Bloguls (blog moguls) have revolutionized the global media and the practice of journalism. Print can no longer compete, in terms of reporting information first. By the time newspapers and magazines hit the news-stands their content is already old news. Bloggers are setting media agendas and have become a crucial resource for print journalists, who rely on them to supply raw, uncensored, immediate information. We experience this first-hand every day when we receive emails from major publications asking us for high res images and more information on posts, which we see covered in their pages weeks later.
The world's most powerful mastheads, such as the Vogues, Vanity Fairs, Wallpapers and New York Times' of the world - have had to accommodate the increasingly influential Bloguls, with whom they now compete with for advertising dollars as growing slices of marketing budgets are being funnelled into the blogosphere."
Money AND power? It's every blogger's dream!
Click HERE for the Cool Hunter article
Or HERE for a previous Camilla's Store post on the subject (yes - I think I got there first! Not so 'cool' now, Cool Hunter!)
"The Bloguls (blog moguls) have revolutionized the global media and the practice of journalism. Print can no longer compete, in terms of reporting information first. By the time newspapers and magazines hit the news-stands their content is already old news. Bloggers are setting media agendas and have become a crucial resource for print journalists, who rely on them to supply raw, uncensored, immediate information. We experience this first-hand every day when we receive emails from major publications asking us for high res images and more information on posts, which we see covered in their pages weeks later.
The world's most powerful mastheads, such as the Vogues, Vanity Fairs, Wallpapers and New York Times' of the world - have had to accommodate the increasingly influential Bloguls, with whom they now compete with for advertising dollars as growing slices of marketing budgets are being funnelled into the blogosphere."
Money AND power? It's every blogger's dream!
Click HERE for the Cool Hunter article
Or HERE for a previous Camilla's Store post on the subject (yes - I think I got there first! Not so 'cool' now, Cool Hunter!)
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Success in a downturn
A recent study conducted by the Design Council has revealed that 'more than half of UK businesses are using design to help them to survive the economic downturn', while the number of businesses who feel that design is integral to their business has doubled in the past three years. Which leads me to explore a topic I have been pondering for several weeks - namely, what will 2009 hold in store for UK retail?
A quick scan of the papers and magazines of the past few months show that thiftyness, eco-trends, and the demise of the highstreet are already hot topics and we have seen what happens to companies that have failed to move with the times as Woolworths and Whittards went into administration. So which businesses will thrive and why?
As consumers struggle with the environmental consiciousness developed in 2007 and 2008 coupled with a reduced disposable income, companies who offer - or appear to offer - both ethical and monetary value in the products they sell will do well. The co-op has been doing this for a while, while the tone of the new Thompson holiday adverts seems to pay homage to the sentiment. Highstreet fashion brands are taking the inconspicuous consumption approach - with American Apparel and H&M's January window displays looking decidedly understated and monotone.
And what will become of luxury and artisan brands? If credit crunchers do decide to treat themselves to something special, they will no doubt want to feel they are also getting a little something extra. This may be found in the service - places like Rococo Chocolates and the Monmouth Coffee shop pride themselves on their free samples, and knowledgeable, attentive staff. Or it might be in the shopping experience - the new Dunhill store in Mayfair also has bar, private screening room, and barber on site. Or it might be in the finishing touches, which is where this newfound commitment to design will come in. Consumers will demand beautiful packaging, a stunning, navigable website, and a welcoming, comfortable shopping environment if they are to feel their precious pounds are going further.
2009 is going to be a tough ride for everyone, no matter what industry, but it will be those companies who insist on pushing boundaries and exploring the new, who will enchant their customers and come out the other side.
For the Design Council's list of companies working with designers to improve their performance during challenging conditions, click HERE.
A recent study conducted by the Design Council has revealed that 'more than half of UK businesses are using design to help them to survive the economic downturn', while the number of businesses who feel that design is integral to their business has doubled in the past three years. Which leads me to explore a topic I have been pondering for several weeks - namely, what will 2009 hold in store for UK retail?
A quick scan of the papers and magazines of the past few months show that thiftyness, eco-trends, and the demise of the highstreet are already hot topics and we have seen what happens to companies that have failed to move with the times as Woolworths and Whittards went into administration. So which businesses will thrive and why?
As consumers struggle with the environmental consiciousness developed in 2007 and 2008 coupled with a reduced disposable income, companies who offer - or appear to offer - both ethical and monetary value in the products they sell will do well. The co-op has been doing this for a while, while the tone of the new Thompson holiday adverts seems to pay homage to the sentiment. Highstreet fashion brands are taking the inconspicuous consumption approach - with American Apparel and H&M's January window displays looking decidedly understated and monotone.
And what will become of luxury and artisan brands? If credit crunchers do decide to treat themselves to something special, they will no doubt want to feel they are also getting a little something extra. This may be found in the service - places like Rococo Chocolates and the Monmouth Coffee shop pride themselves on their free samples, and knowledgeable, attentive staff. Or it might be in the shopping experience - the new Dunhill store in Mayfair also has bar, private screening room, and barber on site. Or it might be in the finishing touches, which is where this newfound commitment to design will come in. Consumers will demand beautiful packaging, a stunning, navigable website, and a welcoming, comfortable shopping environment if they are to feel their precious pounds are going further.
2009 is going to be a tough ride for everyone, no matter what industry, but it will be those companies who insist on pushing boundaries and exploring the new, who will enchant their customers and come out the other side.
For the Design Council's list of companies working with designers to improve their performance during challenging conditions, click HERE.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Monday, January 05, 2009
I'll give you a tenner for it!
While Mary-Kate Olsen is stomping around New York congratulating herself on the latest bargain from 'Recession', we in Britain are apparently learning how to haggle. Indeed, as my friend assured me over dinner last night, the price on the ticket is now simply seen as jumping off point to start negotiations.
It seems that there really is no part of 'no' that British consumers understand - if we can't afford it we demand our right to a price drop. And, with more and more highstreet retailers heading towards administration over the coming months, the customer is king in a way not seen for years.
But in what stores and on what items, my dinner companion wondered aloud, was it okay to go in for the haggle? She tried her luck on an unsuspecting Body Shop employee and had no joy, while I had copped an incredible deal in Gap. We both agreed that haggling should be kept strictly to sale items - non-sale items seen as bad play. Electrical items and associated memory cards and pouches are definitely fair game. While a little competitive blackmail along the line of 'well, they're 50% off online' was certainly felt to be the best approach.
Suddenly those cheap EasyJet flights to Marrakesh begin to come in useful as a short course in the art of bartering!
While Mary-Kate Olsen is stomping around New York congratulating herself on the latest bargain from 'Recession', we in Britain are apparently learning how to haggle. Indeed, as my friend assured me over dinner last night, the price on the ticket is now simply seen as jumping off point to start negotiations.
It seems that there really is no part of 'no' that British consumers understand - if we can't afford it we demand our right to a price drop. And, with more and more highstreet retailers heading towards administration over the coming months, the customer is king in a way not seen for years.
But in what stores and on what items, my dinner companion wondered aloud, was it okay to go in for the haggle? She tried her luck on an unsuspecting Body Shop employee and had no joy, while I had copped an incredible deal in Gap. We both agreed that haggling should be kept strictly to sale items - non-sale items seen as bad play. Electrical items and associated memory cards and pouches are definitely fair game. While a little competitive blackmail along the line of 'well, they're 50% off online' was certainly felt to be the best approach.
Suddenly those cheap EasyJet flights to Marrakesh begin to come in useful as a short course in the art of bartering!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Light installation outside the Chelsea College of Art and Design. For all those reduntancees out there: short courses enrolling now.
When I am old I shall wear purple Snowjoggers.
As I fast approach a quarter of a century, one has to take into account those trends and fashions that one - no matter how slim, smart, or good-looking - can no longer get away with. Lost, alas, to the recesses of times gone by go the sloaney denim mini-skirt, the Miss Sixty low-slung black cord flares, and hoodies worn any day but a Sunday. Cultivating an age-appropriate wardrobe is as much a rite of passage as renting your first flat, buying your first car, and no longer getting ID-ed at the bar.
But, just as one occasionally returns to the joys of our formative years (waking up still drunk on a work day, kissing a friend's boyfriend, or sneaking home for a mum-cooked meal), so one can be inexplicably drawn to fashion items that are really intended for a person nearly a decade one's junior. I present, by means of confession, exhibit A: Silver Snowjogger boots. Fabulous? Yes. Warm? Yes. Comfortable? Yes. Affordable? Yes. Totally inappropriate for a woman on the wrong side of 24? Regretably... Yes.
As I fast approach a quarter of a century, one has to take into account those trends and fashions that one - no matter how slim, smart, or good-looking - can no longer get away with. Lost, alas, to the recesses of times gone by go the sloaney denim mini-skirt, the Miss Sixty low-slung black cord flares, and hoodies worn any day but a Sunday. Cultivating an age-appropriate wardrobe is as much a rite of passage as renting your first flat, buying your first car, and no longer getting ID-ed at the bar.
But, just as one occasionally returns to the joys of our formative years (waking up still drunk on a work day, kissing a friend's boyfriend, or sneaking home for a mum-cooked meal), so one can be inexplicably drawn to fashion items that are really intended for a person nearly a decade one's junior. I present, by means of confession, exhibit A: Silver Snowjogger boots. Fabulous? Yes. Warm? Yes. Comfortable? Yes. Affordable? Yes. Totally inappropriate for a woman on the wrong side of 24? Regretably... Yes.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Died and gone to carbohydrate heaven.
A recent mosey along Wardour Street - a street infamous for its quick turnaround of businesses - revealed a new patisserie/deli which, I hope will stand the test of time a little better than its predecessors. Princi was clearly conceived in more affluent times, as is evidenced by its bakery-cum-viewing gallery, which takes up no less than a half of its frontage. Inside, you are drawn - lurching from tasting basket to tasting basket - along an unending display of patisseries, each one more delicious-looking than the last.
Temporarily insane from the carb high, my companion and I split the extortionate £3.50 on a loaf of soda bread, while the punters in the heaving cafe area looked on smugly. Credit crunchers may not be able to buy new clothes, but they can certainly eat cake!
A recent mosey along Wardour Street - a street infamous for its quick turnaround of businesses - revealed a new patisserie/deli which, I hope will stand the test of time a little better than its predecessors. Princi was clearly conceived in more affluent times, as is evidenced by its bakery-cum-viewing gallery, which takes up no less than a half of its frontage. Inside, you are drawn - lurching from tasting basket to tasting basket - along an unending display of patisseries, each one more delicious-looking than the last.
Temporarily insane from the carb high, my companion and I split the extortionate £3.50 on a loaf of soda bread, while the punters in the heaving cafe area looked on smugly. Credit crunchers may not be able to buy new clothes, but they can certainly eat cake!
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tired and emotional
You've thrown a tantrum over your Mum's choice of presents, you've cheated at charades, you've come clean to your grandparents about your sexuality/religion/interest in the dramatic arts, and hit the brandy a little too hard. Time, I think, to admit defeat and snooze it off.
Preferably in this fromMod Cloth
Or this from Urban Outfitters
You've thrown a tantrum over your Mum's choice of presents, you've cheated at charades, you've come clean to your grandparents about your sexuality/religion/interest in the dramatic arts, and hit the brandy a little too hard. Time, I think, to admit defeat and snooze it off.
Preferably in this fromMod Cloth
Or this from Urban Outfitters
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Yet more chocolates...
After my annual pilgrimage to Selfridges to buy smoked salmon and cream cheese, my new packaging heroes are Artisan du Chocolat. With the opening of a new concession just as you get to the Food Hall, Artisan appear to have seriously upped their game in terms of product development. All the loose chocolates - in every flavour from tobacco to sesame - were encased behind glass that ran the length of the concession. While the pre-packed chocolates were done so intriguingly and with a whimsical sense of humour that did not leave the realms of the incredibly chic. I loved the 'drink me' hot chocolate flakes, bottled in old-fashioned apothecary jars.
In referencing the Chanel No.5 packaging for their salted caramels, Artisan are knowingly borrowing a timeless design heritage, not to mention all the visual associations of luxury, femininity, and exclusivity. Were this flagrant referencing to run across the entire Artisan range, it would lose its credibility and stand only on the strength of the brand it evokes, but in using it sparingly, Artisan have succeeded in making it wittily their own.
And finally, (sorry it's probably got something to do with it being the season of goodwill and all that), top marks for their catalogue, which is sleek, modern, and clearly shows all the chocolates in their best light. Fabulous!
After my annual pilgrimage to Selfridges to buy smoked salmon and cream cheese, my new packaging heroes are Artisan du Chocolat. With the opening of a new concession just as you get to the Food Hall, Artisan appear to have seriously upped their game in terms of product development. All the loose chocolates - in every flavour from tobacco to sesame - were encased behind glass that ran the length of the concession. While the pre-packed chocolates were done so intriguingly and with a whimsical sense of humour that did not leave the realms of the incredibly chic. I loved the 'drink me' hot chocolate flakes, bottled in old-fashioned apothecary jars.
In referencing the Chanel No.5 packaging for their salted caramels, Artisan are knowingly borrowing a timeless design heritage, not to mention all the visual associations of luxury, femininity, and exclusivity. Were this flagrant referencing to run across the entire Artisan range, it would lose its credibility and stand only on the strength of the brand it evokes, but in using it sparingly, Artisan have succeeded in making it wittily their own.
And finally, (sorry it's probably got something to do with it being the season of goodwill and all that), top marks for their catalogue, which is sleek, modern, and clearly shows all the chocolates in their best light. Fabulous!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Little black book
They say it's not what you know, it's who you know, but in this case salon owner and hairdresser, Richard Stepney has combined what he knows about great shampoo with the creative skills of some of his top clients. He asked the architect John Pawson, designer Tom Dixon, artist Brad Lochore, and sculptress Sophie Smallhorn to each design a label for a special edition run of 4th Floor shampoos. With the following smart-as-you-like results.
The technique of brand alignment is, I feel, hugely underused. Especially by smaller, niche brands. Modern consumers buy in patterns - creating families of brands that, in sum, define who they are and how they like to live. Those families of brands re-enforce consumers' own sense of self and their projection of themselves to those around them.
An excellent example of brand alignment is Marylebone High Street. Here, the street's planners consciously choose a mix of shops that would appeal to a carefully defined group. This group (30+, prosperous urbanites, 'foodie', European, penchant for boutiques) were already buying their kitchenware from Conran, their sheets from Descamps, their french cotton tees from Agnes B, their dinner party gifts from Rococo, and having their hair cut in Aveda. It made perfect sense to offer it all on one street and attract one of the wealthiest, most conspicuously consuming sectors of London society.
Over the years Richard, at 4th Floor, has earned a clientele who are creative, culturally astute, aesthetically intelligent and who rely on him to provide the haircut, the look to project those qualities. By becoming a veritable expert on his clients' lifestyle he has been able to create a brand that fits perfectly into it. This new, limited edition shampoo, which fuses leading-edge creative names with 4th Floor, represents another step in the maturation of Richard's brand.
They say it's not what you know, it's who you know, but in this case salon owner and hairdresser, Richard Stepney has combined what he knows about great shampoo with the creative skills of some of his top clients. He asked the architect John Pawson, designer Tom Dixon, artist Brad Lochore, and sculptress Sophie Smallhorn to each design a label for a special edition run of 4th Floor shampoos. With the following smart-as-you-like results.
The technique of brand alignment is, I feel, hugely underused. Especially by smaller, niche brands. Modern consumers buy in patterns - creating families of brands that, in sum, define who they are and how they like to live. Those families of brands re-enforce consumers' own sense of self and their projection of themselves to those around them.
An excellent example of brand alignment is Marylebone High Street. Here, the street's planners consciously choose a mix of shops that would appeal to a carefully defined group. This group (30+, prosperous urbanites, 'foodie', European, penchant for boutiques) were already buying their kitchenware from Conran, their sheets from Descamps, their french cotton tees from Agnes B, their dinner party gifts from Rococo, and having their hair cut in Aveda. It made perfect sense to offer it all on one street and attract one of the wealthiest, most conspicuously consuming sectors of London society.
Over the years Richard, at 4th Floor, has earned a clientele who are creative, culturally astute, aesthetically intelligent and who rely on him to provide the haircut, the look to project those qualities. By becoming a veritable expert on his clients' lifestyle he has been able to create a brand that fits perfectly into it. This new, limited edition shampoo, which fuses leading-edge creative names with 4th Floor, represents another step in the maturation of Richard's brand.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
And the winner for best crimbo outfit goes to.....
Orion London for this little number. This dress will have lords a-leaping with its on-trend winter colour palette, its rudolph motif, and its generous folds in the stomach area. Cracker-tugging-tastic!
Orion London for this little number. This dress will have lords a-leaping with its on-trend winter colour palette, its rudolph motif, and its generous folds in the stomach area. Cracker-tugging-tastic!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Going bambi-eyed over Paul and Joe
Despite the fact that my parents successfully kept me in the dark about both Disney and Barbie until I hit teenage-hood (raising me, controversially, instead on Busby Berkeley musicals and bits of twig), I still think this new limited edition from Paul and Joe is super-cute. Wonder what strings they had to pull to get that collab' off the ground!?
Despite the fact that my parents successfully kept me in the dark about both Disney and Barbie until I hit teenage-hood (raising me, controversially, instead on Busby Berkeley musicals and bits of twig), I still think this new limited edition from Paul and Joe is super-cute. Wonder what strings they had to pull to get that collab' off the ground!?
Friday, December 19, 2008
WIth less than a week to Christmas the countdown has begun. The christmas tree has been decorated to within an inch of its life, I've watched as much Nigella, Jamie, and Gordon as to make my housemates abandon the sitting room altogether, and 4 months dedicated to jam consumption has finally paid off in the form empty jars littering every surface of the kitchen in readiness for my homemade delicacies.
It is certainly a welcome diversion from the usual 'spend, spend, spend' mentality of this time of year, but 'thriftiness' has its own set-backs. Inconspicuous consumption is a bit of a brand in itself, as it's no good proffering a few burnt gingerbread men wrapped in last week's London Paper. We must, as Nigella insists, be Christmas Domestic Goddesses - fusing treacle, star anise and xmas leftovers as if there was no tomorrow. As I leaf through a mountain of cookery books, I can't help but wonder: wouldn't it just be easier to buy them?
Speaking of 'thriftiness', it seems the Christmas card is dead. Long live the e-card. I once read somewhere that, over Xmas, Londoners waste enough paper to make a rather excellent game of pass-the-parcel out of Trafalgar Square. And, while it is certainly a little depressing not to have the usual hoards of cards festooning the top of the piano, I have seen some excellent e-cards doing the rounds instead.
E-cards from top:
www.jacquielawson.com
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/
www.someecards.com
It is certainly a welcome diversion from the usual 'spend, spend, spend' mentality of this time of year, but 'thriftiness' has its own set-backs. Inconspicuous consumption is a bit of a brand in itself, as it's no good proffering a few burnt gingerbread men wrapped in last week's London Paper. We must, as Nigella insists, be Christmas Domestic Goddesses - fusing treacle, star anise and xmas leftovers as if there was no tomorrow. As I leaf through a mountain of cookery books, I can't help but wonder: wouldn't it just be easier to buy them?
Speaking of 'thriftiness', it seems the Christmas card is dead. Long live the e-card. I once read somewhere that, over Xmas, Londoners waste enough paper to make a rather excellent game of pass-the-parcel out of Trafalgar Square. And, while it is certainly a little depressing not to have the usual hoards of cards festooning the top of the piano, I have seen some excellent e-cards doing the rounds instead.
E-cards from top:
www.jacquielawson.com
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/
www.someecards.com
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Gift ideas for the alcoholic in your life...
Special edition Veuve Clicquot presentation box
Gilbert & George inspired earrings from Tatty Devine
Polished off with a wine tasting tour at Vinopolis down on the southbank.
Special edition Veuve Clicquot presentation box
Gilbert & George inspired earrings from Tatty Devine
Polished off with a wine tasting tour at Vinopolis down on the southbank.
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