Creative Idle on Surgery PR website

Just been checking out the new Surgery PR website and found myself in a video. Didn't know it was going on the website, but hey, I love Surgery, so it's fine! #Cringe

Marc B: When quilting became cool

Anyone who’s ever perused the accessories floor in Topshop Oxford Circus will know Marc B are a brand with a huge in-store presence selling thousands of chic and super shiny quilted bags each week. The go-to brand for those seeking sophisticated arm candy at an affordable price, Marc B offer a plethora of sleek designs in a variety of pop colours, complete with elegant link chain straps.

At the Surgery PR press days earlier in the month the newest addition to the AW11 Marc B range, ‘Amelia’ caught my eye. Reminiscent of an old-fashioned doctor’s bag, this structured design boasts the brand’s signature quilting, chain detailing and funky a leopard print lining!
**Images throughout courtesy of Surgery PR.

The allure of the black dress

Ever wondered why the ‘little black dress’ is so ubiquitous with style, elegance and sophistication? The go-to garment for many women in a rush or just looking to wear something they trust they will look good in, the little black dress is a wardrobe staple for many, which is why I was impressed by a new brand I discovered at the recent SS12 Surgery PR press day.

Dedicated to finding you the perfect dress for whatever the occasion, Black Dress HQ is exactly what it says on the tin – and is an ingenious business idea. There is clearly a market for all manner of black dresses, so what better way to tap into this expansive customer base than by creating an outlet that stocks exclusive designer dresses from a global selection of designers.

As Karl Lagerfeld says: “One is never over-dressed or underdressed in a little black dress”.

Fresh From The Production Line: Get in the mood for Valentines with Goldie’s undie art at Selfridges

Image courtesy of Surgery PR

A man who has always had his proverbial finger in all the pies, Goldie has teamed up with lingerie brand Dirty Pretty Things on a limited edition set for Valentine’s Day, exclusive to Selfridges. With each piece numbered in the same way as a work of art, collectors of Goldie and/or Metalheadz products will have a field day and will even receive a hand-crafted certificate for their trouble.

Happy Valentines, from the lady who hates Clinton’s Day, sorry Valentine’s Day.

Kipling come up trumps for SS11

Yesterday I was kindly invited to Surgery PR’s HQ to preview the new SS11 collection by Kipling. Revered for their eclectic range of sport-luxe bags in a variety of eye-popping prints and block colours, Kipling are perhaps now better known for the iconic and cute Kipling monkey which gets a classy revamp each season.

Designed with the girl-about-town and festival goers in mind, the SS11 collection plays to its biggest strengths; featuring bags with lots of cunning attention to detail, including padded pockets to store valuables such as digital cameras, and cool pockets to keep your drink of choice on ice. Having seemingly thought of everything a woman could possibly want, lots of goodies on display caught my eye, in particular the mesmerising Scuba print (pictured below), which is available in a plethora of across the body bags, totes and holdalls.

Taking inspiration for the colour palette from earthy tones and fresh watercolours, the soft leather wet-look bags are perfect for adding bright splashes of colour to an otherwise drab outfit. As we all know the newly vintage 90’s are making a come-back so what better way to reflect that than by creating the Magali utility bum bag – an acquired taste on paper, a rather practical solution in reality.

Taking their lead from the amazing success of their collaboration for AW10, Kipling have once again collaborated on a capsule collection with the BFC/Elle Emerging Talent Award winners Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos. Embracing a youthful and retro vibe, the SS11 collection sees a Milky Way print perfectly marrying the aesthetics of both visionary brands, re-working styles from Kiping’s basic collection and re-introducing the mighty duffle bag.

"The desire for unique shapes and colour combinations pushed this collaborative project further for SS11. Our thoughts of the intergalactic traveller, or otherworldly nomad, exploring and discovering continued as inspiration for the collection. With this nomad in mind we looked further into prints that also captured a key element frequently present in our inspiration, the reflection of light. The result, some of our favourite galaxy prints interpreting beams of light made from Nebulas. Mixing these prints with interesting shapes and colour combinations unique to the collaboration was a key objective." Peter Pilotto