Tom Ford

The closest thing you can get to a God in the fashion world is Tom Ford. Everything he has touched has turned to gold and many are those who sacrifice their grandmother to have the same wrap sheet as Tom Ford.

He was born in 1961 in Austin, Texas (poor man). At the tender age of 17 he moved to New York to study art history. After a few eventful turns he ended up in the fashion business. Tom Ford felt that Europeans apreciated style more and jumped at the opportunity to hot up the Gucci brand. Before Tom Ford got his hands on Gucci the image was expensive and old lady. Tom Ford turned it around to the hottest thing around with people on waiting lists for the now so desirable Gucci goods.

After he did the same thing with Yves Saint Laurent that also belonged to the LVMH group and then in 2005 he continued the success story when he launched his own brand. He used very eye popping and raunchy advertising that created quite the stir which yet again proves the point that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

In 2009 Tom Ford produced and directed his first film, A Single Man, to critical acclaim. The saga of Tom Ford is indeed ongoing.

I read in an article that on the height of his success he had an existensial crisis and wondered what was there to do next. Evidently he got out of it but it is comforting for us mere mortals that even a "God" can fall down in a black hole.


Personally I could eat him up with a spoon.

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Eton

The last three days there has been a sale at the Eton head office. Sometimes it has it advantages to live where I live.

The company was founded in 1928 and is still owned by the same family. At first it had a very Swedish name but after a salesman brought the shirts to England they realised that they needed a more international name and chose Eton. Today Eton shirts is a big deal and a powerful brand. They have gone global and every star worth the name wears a tuxedo shirt from Eton to the Academy awards. Now that spells success!!

In life you can never have too much money or too many Eton shirts.

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Paper Dolls

On television or on a DVD close to you the eighties tv-series, Paper Dolls, is on the screen again. This series about models and fashion was not long lived but shared the ingredients with all the power series from the era of the yuppie. Heaps of money, intrigues, drama and over the top action. Morgan Fairchild was the one who got the witty dialogue and played the mandatory poison laced trouble maker. In the eighties we all loved a bitch.

Some things never change ...

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Tanya Chalkin

One of my friends of old, Tanya Chalkin, has carved herself a nice bit of reputation as a photographer. Back in the Stone Ages she went to London College of Printing and I attended London College of Fashion. Her picture, The Kiss, has become a cult picture and a production company is developing a film inspired by the photograph. You go, girl!! And I am eagerly awaiting your coffee table book.

Tanya was a real laugh and a pleasure to be with. I remember when me, Tanya and her girlfriend Jo walked down Kings Road hand in hand. It was to make it easier for them to hold hands in public. I guess I was their beard. :-) I have lots of memories from that time. Remember, Tanya?

Ralph West Halls of Residence, 49 Hambalt Road, getting pissed at The Windmill, me and Jo mooning outside of that restaurant, clubbing at Raw and Heaven, pigouts in front the telly, lighting fireworks at Clapham Common, eating hamburgers in the middle of the night in the middle of Oxford Street, running inbetween moving traffic on the way to the pub ....

We were young and thought ourselves to be invincible .... and it was one hell of a ride.

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Accessory

Me and my friend Anna went into a sports shop today just for the hell of it. We started trying different hats. They seem to come in all the colours of the rainbow. The hats definitely make you in a better mood. Life is supposed to be fun (some of the time at least) and things like these can actually help a little. On the other hand you can never escape the fact that the proper accessories can make or break you. Today I had the best accessory with me.

A good friend.


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Shopping can really cheer a boy up

Sometimes can a relief in your wallet be quite pleasurable. Buying something you positively don't need and absolutely want can give that certain tingle. That certain tingle that makes you feel more alive. It's like a fix, isn't it? A quick fix. A quick fix that needs another quick fix and another one and another one.

... and another one ....

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Zara

The Spanish retail chain Zara that is nibbling H&M at the heels is a God send. Trendy, fashionable and won't wreak havoc with your finances. If you don't do like me and buy plenty of pieces of course. At the moment there is a sale on as well.

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Dita von Teese

Some people stand out from the rest. They have a style of their own. They go their own way come hell or high water. I would like to say that Dita von Teese belongs to that category.

She was born in 1972 (beautiful year) in Rochester, USA. Her real name is Heather Renée Sweet. Not exactly the right name if you want to be a burlesque star. We have seen a lot of her body. A tantalizing concept when burlesque first was popular but today when we are used to see pictures of people's body parts that only gynecologists and your loved ones should see it's not that big of a shock, unless you are an American of course.

Dita is a modern day pin-up and dresses in the style of the 1950s. She wears it well and definitely has a style that sets her apart from many other stars. She often wears a corset which makes her waist tiny. In the future her ribs are not going to thank her for that one.

And who can't help but love someone who chooses the name, von Teese.

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Sweater

Some things that we have in our closets are hard to get rid off. The sweater above is one of my examples of pieces that I don't exactly want to throw away. I bought it (hold on to your socks) 16 years ago. It was the era of Grunge fashion and Dolce & Gabbana had made a sweater like this but I found a cheaper version at French Connection. Actually it is too warm for regular English winters but quite sufficient for Swedish ones. I like it because it's different and why discard something that you can still use?

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Beading

One of the perhaps less exciting aspects of subjects at fashion college was beading. Don't get me wrong, I'm in awe of the people that do this every day because it is a craft and far from easy.

We worked with a fabric in a frame with four people at each frame. We used a metal pipe with a fairly large needle at the end. The needle also had a hook that you picked up the thread with. Beads, pearls and sequins, we had to test them all. If I remember correctly you put the needle in the fabric, picked up the thread from underneath, twisted the needle, pulled it up and so securing the bead.

It was quite easy that the needle got stuck in the fabric and if you pulled the underlying thread too hard the whole line of beads would unravel. I have never heard so many swear words as during those sessions. It was quite understandable. It was a very good lesson in patience. A lesson I never learned.

I suppose I should pick up beading again and learn to be patient. Let the swearing commence.

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John Galliano

John Galliano is one of the brightest stars on fashion heaven and has already written himself into the history books. It would be interesting to step into the mind of John Galliano. I expect it to be a very colourful world. A man that can dream up dresses like the ones we see above is a genius of his trade.

Galliano was born in Gibraltar in 1960. He went to the prestigious school Central St Martins and graduated in 1984. His graduation collection inspired by the French revolution was bought by Browns. He started his own label and started a rocky road of creative triumphs and economic whirlwinds. In 1995 he was appointed head designer of the fashion house Givenchy and in 1996 moved on to Dior. Both brands felt old and outdated before John Galliano injected a well needed dose of energy into them and made them hotter than hot cakes.

At fashion college he was an idol and an inspiration. Every student of course wanted to end up generating the same atention as John Galliano. I remember when Kate Moss paraded down the catwalk in a Union Jack jacket and nothing much else. It was all the buzz.

His menswear is just as atention grabbing. I wouldn't exactly run to the shops and attack the racks of clothes like a stampede. Unless I was going to attend a masquerade.

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Dirt Cheap

Before Christmas I went into www.hm.com and found that they had a sale on. I got stuck on a blue jacket and a grey waistcoat. It was really dirt cheap so I fell for the tempation just as Oscar Wilde always said that you should but did I need them?

As much as a hole in the head.

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Santa Claus

Photo: Jonas Norén. Model: Tony Ryttar.

Now this is what a Santa should look like.


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Catta

Catta is a friend of mine and we share the same love for the colour black. She has the coveted walk-in-closet that is filled with her own great personal style. We share a sarcastic and cynical view on life so we understand each other completely.

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Affliction

Two purchases from one of my favourites, Affliction. I just love their stuff. As long as it has a skull on it I'm there like a shot. I have always had a fascination with skulls. Go figure. I remember the first project we got at London College of Fashion. We were supposed to make a waistcoat and it should be inspired by a hobby or something that we like. I thought of pattern that I hand painted on the fabric, golden crosses and silver skulls.

And decided that my hobby was death.

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Ebay

Sometimes I fly by http://www.ebay.co.uk/ and sometimes I get stuck for a very long time. There is so much to buy. Antiques, books, clothes, DVD:s to name a few. No wonder some people turn into shopoholics. Haven't fallen into that trap but it's a close shave.

I have found this trapper hat. I can't explain why but I WANT it!!

Thank God that I have my shrink on speed dial!!!

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Harvey Nichols

My absolute favorite spot for shopping is Harvey Nichols or Harvey Nicks as the true Londoners call it. It was founded in 1813 but the present building in Knightsbridge was opened in 1880. It resides on the top of Sloane Street which next to Bond street is the luxury haven in the UK's capital. It attracts a younger crowd than Harrods which is only a stone's throw away but tends to be more expensive.

This is the place for the ultimate overall shopping extravaganza and it is famous for its elaborate window dispalys. Five floors of fashion, interior and food which can give most wallets an inferioty complex. What Harvey Nichols gives you is exclusitivity and an array of brands you don't find anywhere else. When in the shop don't miss out on the experience of eating at their restaurant situated on the top floor.

Today you can also shop online since every selfrespecting establishment flog their goods on the Internet but that doesn't beat the real thing. It only soothes the withdrawal for a second or two. On line I found a gorgeous, blue velvet jacket from Dolce & Gabbana for the hefty price of £495. Another thing that caught my eye was a sweater from Ralph Lauren for £105.

Santa is going to be busy this year.

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September

September (Petra Marklund) has made an impact in Sweden through the Swedish television show "Så mycket bättre". The first time we hear her sing in Swedish and I love her version of Petter's Mikrofonkåt (Microphone Horny). She is beautiful and stylish.

She is da shit!

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Lady in Red

Sometimes you just have to leave the office for a while. Me and my work mate, Janette, usually go for a walk in the city centre and do some serious window shopping. She has a really good sense of style as you can see and she is a good mate.

A real lady.

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Paul Smith

I went to Paul Smith's webpage today and found some mouth watering pieces. A nice dark blue cardigan. The only thing I don't like about is that it has pockets. According to me a cardigan should never have pockets. You can never have anything in them anyway. It would look ridicolous. Why place pockets where they make your midriff look wider. Only something a person with a 29 inch waist can get away with. Personally I would have to crack my pelvis bone to get into a pair of 29 inch jeans.

Apart from the cardigan I also found a pair of blue suede shoes. I like the colour and the stitching but the soles of the shoes could have been slightly darker. As you have gathered by now, I am a picky customer. But the little (what I consider to be) faults are remidied by their blue colour, which is and has always been my favourite colour.

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