Well, she’s done it folks. Victoria Beckham, pouty Spice gal turned rather decent dress maker, has been nominated for her first ever fashion accolade. And it’s not just any old nomination either- the British Fashion Awards are generally regarded to be the Oscars of Fashion, and VB faces Mulberry, Pringle and Burberry for the Designer Brand Award. Nail-biting stuff.

Beckham, who’s label has been running for just two years and has been widely praised for its elegance and fine construction, proves how passion can indeed pay off. In further news, as Victoria is showing her brand at New York Fashion Week this season, fans have been instructed to follow her progress as she tweets her way through the day at @vbfashionweek.

The British Fashion Awards, supported by the British Fashion Council, have been running since 1989; and this time the heavyweights fighting it out for the title of Designer of the Year are Celine, Erdem and Christopher Kane. Who knows which way that one could swing! All results will be announced on December 7th at the Savoy hotel ceremony, and we’re pretty nervous already. Best of luck V!

Shop Victoria Beckham at LynkU.

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Leighton Meester on GG set

Victoria Beckham on Turkish Vogue

LFW schedule

The role of leather in our lives is continually growing and changing. We’ve loved fringing, suede, biker, studded..hell every adornment under the sun has been applied to that perennial fabric. Over the past two seasons, however, a fresh approach to leather goods has mounted throughout the catwalk collections, and become our new fashion mode.

It started, we suppose, with leather clothing making a serious comeback. Shift dresses, tops, the lot: leather is (quite rightly) everywhere now; and the resurrection is here to stay. But all this leather lovin’ has demanded new ways to wear, and sadly Bonie Tyler-esque head-to-toe dressing hasn’t had quite the same return party.

Leather for now clearly means one thing- textural juxtaposition. For hard and tough looks in today’s world of fashion there remains a need to soften with the feminine and delicate- just take a look at our Alexa Chung post as a case study. This season we’ve seen wool with leather panels, at both Celine and Gianfranco Ferre, sheer blouses and delicate cottons at Balenciaga, and soft jersey over hot pants, Wang style (and Hermes, before him.)

Leather looks will remain a firm favourite for some time yet, but we don’t intend to stray too far from our slouchy cardies and silk shirts this winter: after all, a classic usually needs an update every once in a while.

Shop leather products at LynkU.

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Alexa keep it Classy

Style snack: Christopher Kane dress

New in: Net-A-Porter

It’s been a while, and like an old friend, we’re more than excited to see Alexa Chung back in London, and back on the pages of FFL, naturally.  Admittedly, the girl’s been busy and while she has been around town, her latest appearance at Harvey Nichols for the launch of Derek Blasberg’s book Classy marked a return to form for the fashionista.  Clad in a nubby long sleeved knit, a leather mini skirt and peep toes, Alexa epitomises effortless Brit style, and we’ve missed her.  This outfit has also made us glad that it’s starting to feel like autumn, meaning it’s officially time to break out the knits.  Welcome back, Alexa.  And would someone do us a favour and pick up that leopard print bag off the floor?

London based label Borders & Frontiers were pretty quick off the mark. Just as fashion bloggers became a world wide fascination, Borders commissioned the now famous ‘bloggers t-shirts’; where our favourite online writers designed limited edition t-shirts to signature their widely read websites.

So we have Queen Michelle’s cool Teddy Boy uncle, Fake Karl’s tongue in cheek ‘Demode’ number, and Style Bubble’s pretty diamond neck chains (two jewellery print fabrics in one day, must be a sign to purchase.) All of the t-shirts come in high quality organic cotton, and are now on sale at half price too! We’ve already made one spend today- would collecting the lot really be a step too far…?

What’s more, Borders & Frontiers have since extended the line to include shopper totes, all printed with great illustrations of Tavi et al made for popping down to Tesco with. We’d also recommend checking out the labels own blog, where interesting art and photography snapshots sit alongside a new tune or two. We’ve already had a bop along to Chase and Status and Bjork courtesy of the site, and it’s not even lunchtime yet. All hail the blogger revolution at Borders.

Shop Borders & Frontiers on LynkU.

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Britney Spears on the cover of POP

Discount at ASOS

Spot the blog

Christopher Kane’s lauded lace and leather collection is slowly filtering into stores and onto LynkU, and we thought it best to give it a shout if you will for all the ladies who can afford to open their purses wide–to the tune of £1780, thank you.  We can’t stop thinking of Carrie Bradshaw’s ‘good on paper’ description, except in reverse whenever we read mention of Kane’s new line.  Lace, leather and embellished daffodils and pansies sounds like a cross between a biker and a flower child, and frankly, we don’t need to see that.  However, every time we come across one of Kane’s black-on-black pairings, we’re reminded of the talent that pours through every vein of this Scottish designer.

Kane has talent with a capital T, working a neat leather collar onto a dark lacy blouse paired with a leather skirt all the colour of night.  But it’s not all doom and gloom, as many of these dresses and separates come equipped with a built in bouquet to charm onlookers.  Keep the rest of your look simple, a few sprigs of flowers go a long way, and walk tall in truly one-of-a-kind style.

Shop Christopher Kane on LynkU.

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Emilio de la Morena dress

Alexander McQueen bag

Plenty of events fit either side of Fashion Week, but none more intriguing than London’s City Cycle Style, which takes place Friday September 17th (the day sartorial proceedings kick-off) for an evening of all things bicycle in London’s Smithfield market.

We know what your thinking, between those cocktail drenched after-show parties and the latest ‘wheels and frames’ show there doesn’t appear to be much competition. But what with the city’s recent bike hire scheme now fully under way (well done Boris), plenty of us are considering dabbling in, if not already participating in, a spot of cycling. The event intends to celebrate fashionable bike fashion in cities all over the world, not just London, with displays, collections and performances – particularly looking at cities such as Amsterdam, where looking chic atop a bike saddle is effortlessly practised.

All this has got us planning our best biking get-up for when we eventually hit the road. Sans helmet (we’re still browsing), we think we’ve mocked up our best pedalling gear. Comfortable chino trouser leggings and stay put trendy black flats form the core, along with the all-telling rucksack for safe storage. Then, to glam up proceedings, were forgoing delicate jewellery for a show-stopper motif t-shirt by Tom Binns. Forget hanging around Somerset House, this really sheds new light on the term ’street style.’

All proceeds from City Cycle Style go towards Re-Cycle, a charity providing bikes to rural Africa.

Shop Cycle chic on LynkU.

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Go cycling?

Elizabeth Emmanuel at London Fashion Week

London Fashion Weekend

The clog is back in a big way, and we have Lagerfeld at Chanel and Jacobs at Louis Vuitton to thank for this footwear fetish.  Much has been typed about this wooden-sole seventies favourite, but really, the latest incarnation to hit stores was a little unexpected.   Clog boots, ladies, this is what we’re talking about for autumn.  On paper this sounds like a tough premise–literally.  Clogs could never lay claim as the most comfortable option, but at least an open or sling back shoe provides a bit of movement, whereas a boot just sounds much more restricting.  You be the judge.

So far Topshop’s peep-toe leather boot is our number one pick.  Almost a wedge–it’s just so close–and with utility stirrups, the Andi clog looks ready for a night out.  But Topshop has the market cornered in morphed clogs, of course, and calf-length boots with kitten-esque heels (really? is this even possible, or is this cramming too many trends into one item?) dominate the other end of the shoe spectrum.  These sock-lined gems will keep you warm in winter as long as you are able to navigate the streets in wooden platforms.

Onto Kurt Geiger, which stands to challenge Sir Philip Green’s stronghold on runway translation, for a chocolate coloured ankle boot.  KG’s Singapore shoe is lined with sheepskin and sure to turn a few heads worn with a cropped aviator jacket.  The jury is still out on the overall wear-ability of this style, at least until our feet have a feel, but it certainly is an interesting new development on rehashed retro footwear.

Shop al l clog boots on LynkU.

Bright red lips have always been a thing of beauty, they’re plump, luscious and simply ooze feminine sensuality. So thank goodness red lipstick is back and one of Autumn 2010’s biggest lip smacking make-up trends.

Blood red lips were seen on every model in Christian Dior’s A/W 2010 catwalk, and when it comes to lipstick trends there are no rules or boundaries. So enhance your natural features with a sweet raspberry shade complete with lip liner and gloss for ultra impact. If darker shades are more your fancy then opt for a deep crimson tone for that dramatic vamp look we all know and love but are too scared to try. But remember to keep the darker shades matt as glossy enhancement will make you look more drag queen than style queen. So go on ladies try something new this season, it’s not just your wardrobes that need changing you know.

For all lipsticks shop on LynkU

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Topshop makeover

Pastel beauty

Maybe she’s born with it

Many of us will remember Elizabeth Emmanuel as being one half of the team that designed a whole host of exclusive dresses for Princess Diana. Although that is impressive in itself, Elizabeth now wants to show the world what else she has to offer in the style department. So we take it relaunching your own label at London Fashion Week is on the cards? Well naturally.

The label, Art of Being, will relaunch this September as a small capsule collection of little black dresses, but fear not, they will be edgy and they will be unique. All dresses will be made using the finest Italian crepe fabric moulded into exquisite feminine silhouettes.

Clearly not content with just one relaunch, Elizabeth has opted to design a second, as if LFW wasn’t stressful enough. But putting our judgements aside, the cleverly named Special Pieces collection will feature intricately designed boned bodices and delicate embroidery, suggesting these dresses are aiming to out do the others. But either way we can’t wait to see the end results.

For all LBD’s shop on LynkU

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London Fashion Weekend

LFW schedule

Since announcing her resignation from the music industry Lily Allen seemed destined to fade away from the limelight…Or so we thought. In fact the mum-to-be has set her sights on entering the world of fashion after opening her very own store in Selfridges yesterday, Lucy in Disguise. We don’t quite understand the moniker, either.

If you told us a few years ago that Miss Allen wanted to own her own fashion boutique we may have recoiled in horror at the thought of fifties frocks paired with an abundance of Air Force Ones. But the pop star has changed her ways since then and seems to be taking her new found style very seriously. The pop-up store is located in The Wonder Room at Selfridges and will be open until September 15th. But don’t worry, the shop won’t be gone for good as Lily plans to open the real thing in Covent Garden a few days later on the 18th of the month.

The Smile singer promises her customers a menagerie of vintage goodies to persue, but in the mean time, has been teasing her Twitter followers with images of retro chain mail Chanel sunglasses and sequin sixties frocks. Oh Lily you little devil, but only a few more weeks to wait. Phew.

For all Lily Allen products shop on LynkU

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Lily swaps music for fashion

Get the Vintage Look