Sometimes things just jump out at you straight away don’t they? Swedish label Mini Market, fast becoming famed for exciting footwear that you can actually move in (no taxi shoes here hurrah!), have some very distracting designs on My-Wardrobe right now.

Thinking along the lines of the Camilla Skovgaard ‘Saw’ style, plenty of designers today are busy redefining the aesthetics of the sole (sounds a bit heavy, we know), and Mini Market have that contemporary appeal. A great pair of red wedge boots are perfectly formed, with strong tread and leather heel to rock an edgy yet luxurious look. A similar pair, in patent black, are a serious contender for winter boot investment already. We must keep our eyes peeled on My Wardrobe to see what Scandinavian treats drop next!

Shop Mini Market on My-Wardrobe at LynkU.

Jewellery designer and all-round craftswoman Kirsten Goss has come a long way in 8 years. Since setting up her own business in 2002, Goss has established a name for herself as the go-to woman for simplistic jewellery with distinctive and bold twists. So much so that the glossies can’t stop raving on about her!

Not that Goss is over-exposed. It seems success lies in this label’s hard-earned exclusivity. Kirsten Goss prides itself on being unique, luxurious and tailor-made – something which the founder feels could be compromised by widely stocked department store shelves. The online boutique is a thoroughly enjoyable retail experience, where the inability of customers to touch items is compensated for by a photo album brimming with images of Goss hard at it in her workshop. After only a few clicks you can sense the passion and talent at stake.

Kirsten Goss has that rare combination of clearly defined vision yet rather diversified stock; with earrings which include art deco shapes, ethnic beading in bright shades, and rustic metal work all on offer. With so much to choose from and a quality service guaranteed, we think Goss is (a quiet) one to keep your eye on.

It’s always a pleasure for us to discover new labels that are soon to become more than just an insider’s secret. Our latest obsession? Australian label Dress Up.

Dress Up was set up in 2006 by Stephanie Downey, who graduated from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Arts Fashion. Stephanie’s interest in fashion was an unexpected yet somehow natural progression. Growing up on a farm, Stephanie was not surrounded by fashionable likings – but one of the designer’s fondest memories from her childhood was watching her mother sew and giving her opinion on fabrics and patterns. It was as a teenager that the designer started making her own clothes, and realised she was actually pretty good at it.

A keen sketcher, Stephanie’s approach to her designs is artistic and emotional. The reason for naming her brand Dress Up was, apart from a direct reference to what has been part of many of us ladies’ childhoods, is to reflect the stories and memories that a piece of clothing can have, as well as the desire people have to express themselves through clothes.

So how do Stephanie’s thoughts come across in her designs? Beautifully, we must say. For those of you looking for classic and lady-like designs with a twist, Dress Up is just what you need. We are lusting after these sensual, exquisitely cut separates and dresses in delicate fabrics and pretty detailing.

We’re loving her current collection, but after getting a sneaky preview of her autumn/winter ‘10 pieces, we’ve now got another reason to look forward to winter. Shop for Dress Up on LynkU.

Whilst undertaking a never-ending exploration for fun, inventive jewellery–not to mention, pieces that we wouldn’t find half of the city wearing–we were introduced to a Miss Natasha Kutrovacz, better known as the designer of Garage Gypsy Jewelry.  We’ve been corresponding with the jewellery smith, trying to pick the brain behind the accessories we can’t stop thinking about.  Kutrovacz’s talent lies in mixing old and new, shiny and tarnished in a way that feels less vintage and more imaginative.  The L.A.-based designer cites Coco Chanel and Native American culture as her inspirations, so you know there’s bound to be some intriguing fusions.

Kutrovacz was raised outside of Chicago before she up and left for west coast after graduating high school.  “I moved out to California with that dream of success that I hope everyone has,” she says.  The 22-year-old has been designing with suede ribbon, beads, gemstones–whatever she could get her hands on–since she learned how to braid in middle school.  Originally jewellery-making was a way for Kutrovacz to satiate her buying needs (we can relate).  Unable to afford a turquoise necklace at a young age, the designer sketched, purchased the materials and was gifted a blue-green stone from her mum to start her operations.  Wouldn’t it be nice to be so creatively intuitive?

“My materials come from everywhere. Literally,” Kutrovacz says.  “Vintage buttons, keys and anything unique that catches my eye from flea markets and antique stores.  A friend gives me his broken guitar strings to use, and I find…rare stones and arrowheads in little shops around California and Arizona.”  So it would seem that to no two pieces are the same…we like the sound of this.

Eventually Kutrovacz hopes to make her part-time passion a full-time career.  She is stocked in California, but for now we’ll have to get our fix on Etsy, the online creative mecca packed with hand-made treats.  Right now Kutrovacz seems settled in sunny studio, but we’ll be glad when the Garage opens up on this side of the pond as well.

The company, which specialises in luxurious handbags and wallets, might not be young by fashion standards – it was founded in 2004 – but it has steadily established itself as a must-have brand for women in the know.

The founder and creative director of Belen Echandia, Jackie Cawthra, certainly knows a thing or two when it comes to career women who look for comfort without having to sacrifice style. Jackie originally trained as a lawyer but realised that she was more drawn to the fashion world; she then decided to train in accessory design and successfully founded Belen Echandia.

So what is it about these lovely bags that’s such a hit? Well, apart from the fact that they look gorgeous, there’s nothing like some good old craftsmanship to make us feel proud about our bags. Jackie is deeply involved with the making of each and every one of her bags, which are all made in small, family-run ateliers in Italy – it takes one artisan an entire day to produce one of these precious handbags.

To top it up, the company offers a luscious bespoke service, in which customers can choose any bag style they like from the Belen Echandia archive and select the colour, hardware, lining, length and number of straps, as well as the name to be engraved inside the bag.

We’re currently lusting after these beauties, just what we need to carry all of our basics and perfect for a successful day-to-night transition.

More than It-bags, Belen Echandia’s pieces are timeless classics. Now aren’t you glad we shared the secret?

Yesterday Net-A-Porter invited us to meet and preview Guillaume Henry’s latest collection for Carven.  Henry , who has worked with Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy and Paule Ka, was brought in to the French couture house to revamp the brand for a new generation of shoppers. “It was really quiet, no one would talk about it. It was like Sleeping Beauty waiting to be awakened,” Henry says of Carven’s final seasons in couture. Fast forward to a year ago, when two Parisians took over the brand’s license and changed operations, ushering in Henry’s new philosophy.

Come rain and sudden cold front, we would make this appointment, rushing in to meet the designer at Browns Hotel before the gloomy showers commenced. We were greeted by Henry, an utterly charming man who is clearly passionate about the relaunch of this brand. Our “interview” as such turned out to be more a conversation on the line’s new style aesthetic, so we’ll try to talk you through in an orderly way.

FFL: Since moving away from haute couture, what direction do you plan to take at Carven?

GH: We’re really focused on ready-to-wear now. We have a tiny line of accessories with a few bags and shoes, but we wanted to concentrate on the wardrobe. Carven has been a couture brand for so long– since 1945–when (Madame) Carven could not find anything for herself in haute couture. She had the money to be a client, but she did not want to look over-dressed. You know, most of the time fashion is designed by men who design for a woman who doesn’t really exist, but Carven wanted to find something that fit in a casual way. She sought the need to move, to walk, to live daily life.

FFL: Did you reference the archives at all while you were designing?

GH: We don’t have many archives, because there were so many different designers coming in—everything has disappeared. But for me, Carven is not really about a dress, about a coat, or a cut, it’s more about the DNA. (Carven DNA) is really fresh, and actually it looks a bit like Madame Carven as a 30-year-old Parisian girl. It’s sporty and chic, elegant and casual, sexy but not sexual. That’s what we wanted to create, not the next huge new trend…just proper clothes, something timeless that you could wear in 30 years.

FFL: Did your time at Givenchy or Paule Ka influence your design process?

GH: Working at Givenchy is like creating a new girl in a laboratory, while Paule Ka is about the response. It’s the wardrobe that a girl needs. Those two schools were amazingly interesting, and at Carven we try to tie it all together.

FFL: Would you consider showing the collection again?

GH: At first we want to establish something really intimate. We want to go step-by-step. We reinvented the place, cleaned the studio out and made it all white and refreshing. We wanted people to come to us. We did present the collection two weeks after fashion week when everyone had a clear mind, because when you restart a brand with a name like Carven, it is either unknown or considered old. So the press came and tried on jackets, and everyone has been really enthusiastic, especially with our price points. At Carven we can do a dress for 250 to 300 euro.

FFL: What is Carven’s style philosophy now?

GH: We want to relaunch an accessible product in terms of style and in terms of price to create stylish fashion that you can wear for every occasion. We’re not making costumes, just proper clothes.

At this point Henry walked through the racks of clothes, addressing the inspiration for the line as well as picking out specific pieces to illustrate his points. He talked freely with a warm smile spread across his face, confident in the clothes he has created.

“We did this collection in two months with the idea of a really charming girl who doesn’t know how charming she is. In terms of proportion, everything is all too long or too short,” he said of his spring line. Carven’s current season is about new combinations–a man’s jacket with pyjama pants, or a little lavender dress with a cashmere tank underneath—focusing on what an outfit appears to show and what it appears to hide. Henry then pointed to a white and black zigzag print dress displayed on a mannequin in the corner of the room. It’s his favourite piece from the collection, he explained, because the dress, like a scarf, hangs loosely from the body and is tied around the waist with no zipper to fasten. The dress defines the cool style and effortless appeal Henry has hoped to capture in this collection.

For autumn/winter, Guillaume Henry has taken a more sophisticated approach. Like many of the lines shown at fashion week, Henry has a few lovely camel-coloured coats up his sleeve for Carven. The line also includes second-skin dresses with a lot of draping to break up the silhouette and beautiful stretchy dresses done in a “smoke” technique, which makes the silk muslin look like it has little ruched pockets throughout the fabric. “I like the idea that you can just put it in your bag, and you’re ready to party,” Henry says of these skin-tight frocks.

Whilst Henry insists it’s all about being in the middle–” not too luxurious, and not distributive”–we’d say Carven’s fresh take on fashion is set to earn some much deserved attention—and sales—in the seasons to come. Shop all Carven on Net-A-Porter.

Whoever thought the eighties trend was gone for good, take a look at Olivia Rubin’s spring ‘10 collection. It’s got the best bits of the eighties fused with a sleek edge – acid colours and body-con with a hint of cool sophistication. And what better way is there to stand out, with these refined fashion times we’re going through?

The two-year old label is having a moment, thanks to trend-setters like Cheryl Cole being spotted in one of the label’s key looks – zebra-print dress, anyone? – and counts Fearne Cotton as a faithful fan. Olivia comes from the hip Saint Martin’s pack, graduating four years ago with a BA in Fashion Print – a fact that certainly stands out in her work. Party frocks with statement prints and gorgeous scarves have become the brand’s trademark. For spring Olivia wasn’t actually inspired by the eighties, but by late 19th and early 20th century modern artists – therefore each dress is named after an artist.

In her most ambitious collection to date, Rubin has created more than thirty pieces. We love the Miro blue dress with flashes of pink on the shoulders (geek glasses have never looked so good), as well as the Miro dress in black with a stroke of electric blue and the brush-stroked Gaudi dress styled-up with one of Olivia’s It-scarves.

With prices ranging from £150 to £300, these lovely dresses won’t break the bank either, so we say there isn’t a better opportunity to invest in an Olivia Rubin dress than now.

Shop for Olivia Rubin pieces on LynkU.

Oh, how we love us some new talent. Especially if it looks this good. We wouldn’t be surprised if newcomer Silvina Maestro became one of next season’s discoveries.

Silvina has all the fashion credentials one needs: as well as a great name to begin with, she’s a Saint Martin’s graduate and has worked at a string of design houses: Givenchy, Nicholas Kirkwood and Emilio de la Morena. Autumn/winter ‘10 will see her season as a débutante with this stunning collection. Maestro certainly knows how to get the best out of research, and to say that she was influenced by Flemish still-life art from the 16th and 17th centuries would be an understatement. Each colour Maestro uses in in her garments represents the hidden symbols used in still life painting. Black represents mortality, gold is a symbol of hope for salvation, and white conveys the belief that light can overcome darkness. Moreover, these hues fit in perfectly with autumn’s fixation with black and nude.

The collection consists of sensual dresses and meshed-up separates with cut-out details and playful touches of sheer, reminiscent of early Commes Des Garçons. Named Alba Lux, the collection has been kept short and sweet and consists of only a few looks. After all, we’d prefer quality over quantity any day, and Silvina Maestro’s a girl to watch.

I first met Hawaiian-raised designer Ivy Higa several years ago in Manhattan, and have been a faithful follower ever since.  Though it’s been my little secret for some time, the cats officially out of the bag with her Spring/Summer 2010 presentation at New York Fashion Week this past September.  Ivy is based in New York, where she meticulously designs each collection, drawing inspiration from the far corners of the globe.  Ivy studied at the prestigious Parsons School for Design in New York, and then trained at Lafayette 148 New York under Edward Wilkerson before starting her own line right out of the her East Village flat.  To watch her sketch and hear her discuss influences, moods and materials, there is no doubt that fashion is a labour of love for the designer.

Spring 2010 focuses on ‘wearable art,’ fluid separates that convert from day to evening with a cuffed trouser or rolled sleeve.  As usual there is an emphasis on intricate detailing specifically reverse structure, ensuring that your exit is just as enthralling as your entrance.  Ivy was inspired by Japanese Akari lamps, translating the delicate lanterns into pale nude hues in billowing silhouettes.

We won’t disclose the details of her Autumn/Winter 2010 collection just yet, as we want some photos to support our claims, but from what we’ve seen it is quite the fashion journey.  Stay tuned…

For more information on Ivy h., visit the designer’s web site www.ivyh.net.

We will be twisting in the mirror to take in this back-detailing.

We cannot which we like more: the stark white party number on the left, or the silky pearl-peach combo on the right.

Though our flare for femininity–anything super luxe, lacey, silk, draped, and if all possible pink– is hardly a secret, we have to admit Irwin & Jordan by designer Zoe Jordan has caught our eye and piqued our fashion interest.  Zoe is the daughter of Formula 1 team boss, Eddie Jordan, and has set out to create a collection that weaves the artistry and masculine tailoring of Saville Row with sensual urban sophistication.  Described as a “boy’s best friend and girl’s confidante,” Irwin & Jordan explore androgynous style in the line’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection.

Utilising sumptuous silk and luxurious fabrications, Irwin & Jordan’s masculine silhouettes begin to take shape.  Drop waist dresses, super slouchy shorts and high-waisted trousers exude effortless style, whilst sequined and lace tops (ah ha! we couldn’t bury our girly tendencies for long) make a statement.  Learn more about Irwin & Jordan here.