AFTERNOON TEA WITH LULU GUINNESS - 2 DAYS LEFT!!

Few people are lucky enough to celebrate their 20th birthday at Park Lane’s Metropolitan Hotel but then iconic British handbag designer Lulu Guinness is no ordinary birthday girl. Celebrating 20 years of design and to coincide with London Fashion week The Met has created a Lulu Guinness inspired afternoon tea menu. Guests can expect gorgeous cupcakes and cookies inspired by Lulu’s signature designs including the Lip icons, Pollyanna clutches and kitsch oversized roses – low fat, naturally.

The ‘Afternoon De-Light’ menu will be served daily in The Met Bar from the 14th-26th September and is priced at £24 per person including a pot of tea. For more tasty treats visit the Lulu Guiness page on Coggles.com.

ROBE DI KAPPA - ITALIAN MOD UNIFORM

Robe Di Kappa was founded in 1960’s Italy, the birthplace of clean modern (Mod) clothing. The renowned ‘Omini’ logo also dates back to a 1969 accidental photographic shot of a young man and woman, both naked and sitting back to back, their outlines traced by back lighting. The shot then became the new Robe Di Kappa logo, which soon became a recognised symbol of quality and style.

The new launch of Robe Di Kappa in to the UK brings together all the crisp simplicity of the very first Italian collections from the 1960’s, with polo shirts and lambs wool cardigans and v-necks in a simple but striking colour palette of grey, navy, pink and red.

The current Autumn/Winter Robe Di Kappa collection is now available at Coggles.com.

CHEAP MONDAY - PREMIUM DENIM, AFFORDABLE PRICE

Launched in 2004 the Cheap Monday concept was to provide premium denim at an affordable price. Surpassing this the brand has grown into a successful international brand and competes with high end options in both attitude and quality. Indeed it has become a bit of a cult item. Now the range has expanded beyond just denim to include t-shirts and vests, lace dresses and loose fit cardigans as they continue to innovate while staying true to the values that have made the brand such a success story.

The current Autumn/Winter Cheap Monday collection is now available at Coggles.com

PARAJUMPERS - INSPIRED BY ALASKA'S ELITE RESCUE SQUADRON

In 2005 Parajumpers emerged from Segusino of North Eastern Italy. The belief behind the brand is of quality and durability, inspired by Alaska’s 210th elite rescue squadron the garments effortlessly fuse style with functionality withstanding even the worst of natures elements.

The collection includes field, navy and bomber jackets in navy and sage, each with a seemingly endless list of features including parachute clip fastenings, hand warmer pockets and removable quilted linings for those not so cold days.

The current Autumn/Winter Parajumpers collection is now available at Coggles.com.

JUICY COUTURE - EAT CAKE, CHOOSE JUICY!

Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor, wife of John Taylor – the base guitarist for rock band Duran Duran, are the design duo behind cult brand Juicy Couture. Both girls are known for their colourful personalities as much as they are for their exceptional fashion sense. Their love of bright colours and all things quirky combined with English aristocracy and tradition is a collective of the two girls personalities and the definition of the Juicy Couture brand.

This season sees the continuation of the brands changed direction, incorporating skirts, dresses and tops with a more sophisticated style into the range, further establishing Juicy as an edgy, high-end fashion label.

The current Autumn/Winter Juicy Couture collection is now available at Coggles.com.

GOI GOI GETS KASABIAN FRONTMAN

The Gio Goi boys have chosen Kasabian frontman, Tom Meighan, to fashion the ‘Flashback’ theme for the Autumn/Winter collection, which revisits the 1988 rave culture.

Gio Goi, renowned for using the 80’s music scene as an inspiration for their designs, are hoping the original logo printed onto a classic fit t-shirt will do the job.

Kasabian, who recently closed the July itunes festival, are warming up for what is set to be a mammoth gig headlining Creamfields festival in Liverpool this August.

Some people may think that Gio Goi have decreased the risk factor by investing in Kasabian, compared to previous models Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse…
However, when it comes to burning the candle at both ends, Kasabian hold their own with the best of them.

Tom Meighan recently stated: “Since Kasabian came out, most of it has just been a blackout for me. Thank God I'm still here. I haven't gone to rehab, which is the genius thing.”

AW

NEW 'LIFE' SECTION FOR COGGLES.COM

We are pleased to announce the arrival of home and lifestyle products in conjunction with our friends from Snowhome to our new ‘LIFE’ section of Coggles.com

Many sites now offer the same ranges of generic design, a vast and largely predictable assembly of plastic chairs and accessories imported from the Far East. Coggles wanted to bring you something different. So we have sourced our new collection from smaller manufacturers, emerging designers and carefully handpicked items with character, charm , soul and unique personality.

STICKERS
We have just uploaded or collection of wall stickers from the Danish company Ferm ( who also supply us with beautiful wallpaper ). They are easy to apply and add a touch of gentle graphic flair to virtually any flat surface. There will be more sticky designs to choose from soon, including some fantastic panoramic wall friezes from Germany.

LAMPSHADES
Lovely new self assembly shade in the flatpack shades department.Very clever arresting design with a diffused glowing light perfect for use with low energy bulbs.

WALLPAPER
We are now selling lovely wallpaper from the Danish company Ferm in our online store. Choose from 12 unique designs to give your walls a touch of pattern! . Look in the new Wallpaper section in the store to see more.

TIME
It is not clear who built the first cuckoo clocks in the Black Forest but there is unanimity that the unusual clock with the bird call very quickly conquered the region. Already by the middle of the eighteenth century, several small clockmaking shops produced cuckoo clocks with wooden gears. So the first Black Forest cuckoo clocks were created between 1740/50.
We have now added contemporary versions of the traditional wooden Bavarian cuckoo clock which are now available from designer Pascal Tarabay.

NEW ARRIVAL - PAUL SMITH MEN'S SHOES

The brand new shoe collection from Paul Smith has now started to arrive. The famous York boot and Starr shoe are joined by a host of new shapes.

The new classic styles with a twist consist of the Corso tall brogue boot, the Tony Chelsea boot and the distressed Ibsen trainer.

You’ll need to hurry as this exclusive range has limited stock available.

NEW ARRIVAL - VIVIENNE WESTWOOD MAN

The new men’s collection from the ‘Queen of British Rebel Fashion’ Vivienne Westwood has just started to land.

First to arrive are her iconic military coats, tweed jackets and her classic twisted shirting and her semi-collegiate knitwear.

These are wearable or collectable pieces from the Vivienne Westwood Men's Autumn/Winter 2008 collection.

NEW ARRIVAL - FORNARINA

Fornarina presents the first pieces from its Autumn/Winter collection 2008. Create a unique look with these stylishly sleek garments; fitted and flattering stripes, retro-cool batwing tops teamed with Fornarina denim; bootcut, skinny or flared.

KI

NEW ARRIVAL - PAUL SMITH WOMEN'S SHOES

The brand new shoe collection from Paul Smith has now started to arrive. The famous swirl stripe is now joined by an antique finish.

Classic styles with a twist consist of the Stanwyck antique tall boot, the Sunflower pump and the elegant Annette shoeboot.

You’ll need to hurry as this exclusive range has limited stock available.

NUDIE HAS LANDED

The first wave of the new collection from Nudie has now landed, showcasing the “naked truth” about denim.

The signature orange stitching is prevalent throughout their diverse mix of jeans. Nudie presents a huge variety of different washes, from clean blue rinses, faded denim washes, and raw denim, in a wide range of fits; skinny, slim, bootcut and straight leg are available. Team these jeans with the organic cotton t-shirts, in a variety of warm colours, with quirky reverse-printed designs.

All the best shapes are now in stock too, including Average Joe, Regular Alf, Slim Jim, Straight Sven, Even Steven.

KI

THE REASON BEING…

The Reason Being…I have heard some excuses in my time. Like when Sir Alex Ferguson blamed the colour of the Man Utd kit on the 3-0 defeat to Southampton back in 96’. Or when a speeding motorist recently told Northumbrian Police that aliens were chasing him and therefore had to accelerate beyond the speed limit.

But, Amy Winehouse’s spokesman trying to use “admin work” as the reason why the singer collapsed after signing autographs outside her house yesterday, is so bad, it’s all most great. He went onto say that doctors were unsure why she collapsed but are running further tests and may possibly keep Winehouse in overnight at The London Clinic. I’m no doctor, but as a betting man, I would love to place a cheeky fiver on the real reason she flaked out.

The 24-year-old has recently had her wealth estimated at £10 Million by The Sunday Times newspaper's Rich List. She is due to perform for Nelson Mandela later this month in Hyde Park. My advice Amy, have a chat with Nelson about wisdom, honour and how a 24-year-old should spend her cash. Oh and drink plenty of water.

AW

OUT OF DIESEL

Diesel:U:Music Radio has ceased broadcasting after 26 days of transmission, 24 hours a day.

The station, which amassed over 1 million listeners online, was certainly a hot spot for new music. The artists who graced the stations output included: Klaxons, Busy P, Bang Gang, Joe Goddard from Hot Chip, Simian Mobile Disco, Noah and the Whale, White Williams, Radio Clit, Diplo, Dragonette, Black Ghosts, Four Tet, and New Young Pony Club.

Andy Griffiths, Diesel Head of Communications, said: “Diesel:U:Music Radio has been a truly rewarding experience for everyone whose been involved with it. In the past month, the station has given a great platform for the best in new musical talent and fostered a community who value creativity, passion, a truly DIY spirit and of course great music!”

For those of you who now regret not changing the frequency to check out what those crazy kids at Diesel were doing, fear not my rigid friends. D:U:M radio will be back in the Autumn. If that’s too much of a wait, you can download the archived streams in July at http://www.diesel-u-music.com/

AW

NICOLE FARHI WINS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Nicole Farhi has been awarded the lifetime achievement prize at the First Women Awards 2008.
The ceremony, which recognises women who are ‘trailblazers and pioneers’ in business, described the designer as an “extraordinary entrepreneur” whose "outlook and brand are the antithesis of the throwaway culture", Drapers reports.

Farhi, who was originally a sculptor, invaded the fashion world in the early 70’s when she co-founded French Connection. Ten years later, she launched Nicole Farhi.

In 1994 Nicole Farhi's flagship Bond Street store was launched which features her now reputable ‘Nicole's Restaurant’ in the basement.

1998 and 1999 saw the unveiling of the Farhi Home Collection followed by a flagship store opening in New York.

It’s true to say that Nichole Farhi has pioneered the way forward on many occasions in the fashion world fusing Mediterranean and British styles at her base in London.

And, we’ve been fans for ages.

AW

EMILY AND FIN - ARE NOW BACK IN STOCK!

Emily and Fin's 50’s inspired dresses are now back in stock.


Emily Whittle and Ffion Armour-Brown, the designers behind Emily and Fin, share an interest in all things vintage, quirky and cool, Emily and Fin were also inspired by travels to faraway corners of the globe. They soon began making their own one-off pieces by playing with pretty prints, vibrant colours and flattering silhouettes to create must have wearable designs.

COGGLES.COM - T-SHIRTS REVIEWED

T-shirts are the uniform of a man’s summer, we have over 300 styles from around the world including:

Franklin & Marshall - Famous American ‘College’ t-shirts.

Ames Bros - Hand drawn designs for music’s elite.

Vivienne Westwood - Iconic prints from British rebel designer.

St Lenny - legends of the Australian grunge underground.

Junk Food - The ‘IT’ t-shirt from vintage America.

Religion - Leading the modern day punk movement.

PAUL SMITH ACCESSORIES - UNMISTAKABLE ENGLISHNESS

Paul Smith accessories reflect the character of Paul and his designs, an unmistakable Englishness augmented by the unexpected. A swirl designed Paul Smith product is an iconic fashion purchase and his accessories come in all shapes and sizes including wallets, cufflinks, socks, holdalls, belts, dressing gowns, ties, beach towels…you get the picture!

COGGLES.COM TRAINER REVIEW

Trainers:Hand crafted Japanese imports by ‘TST’ from the esteemed cult footwear designer ‘Seishi Tanaka’, to Paul Smith’s classic trainers with a mix of British and Japanese influences.

Fluro:Still riding high for summer 08 ‘fluro’ influences are going back to the 80’s with New Balance, Paul Smith and K-Swiss.

Deck Shoes:Following the rehabilitation of moccasins and brogues, deck shoes are having a renaissance this summer. Classics include YMC and Lost Souls.

DIESEL U:MUSIC RADIO

What is it about the summer that sparks off a love affair between fashion and music?

Diesel have now taken to the airwaves with Diesel:U:Music Radio. D-U-M radio now broadcasting on 87.7 FM from The Amersham Arms in New Cross, was launched this week. The big boys of fashion are hoping to support the work of cutting edge musicians across the British Isles. Some people say that starting your own radio station is as bold as hanging your balls over a balcony. But D-U-M radio seems to be a sweet investment as bands like The Klaxons sign up to play live gigs to attract listeners to the stations headquarters.

Andy Griffiths, Diesel's head of communications, said: “Diesel-U-Music Radio covers everything we really value - music, community, DIY spirit and new ideas. It's about smart, creative people, whether they're established artists or bedroom DJs, and it's going to make amazing radio."
Well I have to admit Andy it is pretty good so far. Amazing takes time though.

AW

NEW ARRIVAL - BLACK DICE INDUSTRIES

The new Black Dice watches have landed. They are the latest in luxury vintage styling from pure digital to chrome analog watches. Inspiration and ambition define every Black Dice design.

FORNARINA AND THE PONIES

The New Young Pony Club will be Dancing in France with Fornarina on May 12th. The electronic wizards will DJ in Paris’ Carrousel Du Louvre for the latest edition of the Fornarina Urban Beauty Show 6.0 – The Call of Dreams. It seems the sleek designers are flying the British New Wave/Electronic flag with Simian Mobile Disco adding beats of their own during the launch.

The evening is set to be a mixture of Art, Fashion and Noise. For the New Young Pony Club, this venue highlights the versatility of the five-piece band who have recently supported the charitable project Crisis Consequence. The Ponies along with Paul Weller, Supergrass, The Enemy, Graham Coxon, and Dirty Pretty Things, compiled a single to help the homeless get off the streets. If anyone deserves a night out in Paris, The New Young Ponies do.

AW

MERC MUSIC FESTIVAL

It seems the music world has latched onto the Merc movement, and I’m not talking cars here. The British Retro brand have recently confirmed that the ‘Plain White T’s’ will be launching the Merc Music Fest on May 9th, at their store in Carnaby Street.

The Grammy nominated Plain White T’s from across the Atlantic, renown for their #1 single ‘Hey There Delilah’, have done no bad thing making friends with the London fashion boys.

Slapping a Merc jacket across your chest is becoming a healthy habit for bands including The Hoosiers, Kaiser Chiefs, The Enemy, Razorlight and even Greenday. (But we won’t go on about that.)

The 2008 Merc Music Series is set be a sequence of fortnightly gigs that will cost the spectator absolutely nothing. Bands such The Troubadours, The Sigma and The Foxes have all signed up for the late May and June slots.

It looks like London’s about to get Louder.

AW

NEW ARRIVAL - PAIGE PREMIUM DENIM

Paige Adams-Geller has been the designer jeans industry’s secret weapon for almost a decade, being the ‘fit model’ for almost every A-list premium denim jeans label. Her long and successful reign as the celebrity jeans industry’s most sought after fit model was, perhaps surprisingly, due to her curvy, not-too-thin figure, which it appeared; more accurately represented that of normal female consumers.

Far from being a ‘dumb blonde’, Paige was an A-grade student, raised in rural Alaska, who graduated from school two years early. She puts her demand as a model for womens designer jeans as much down to her brains as to her body and in particular, her ability to communicate well. “I think the reason I had a lot of success is because I wasn’t just a person that stood there as a hanger while other people made suggestions” says Paige “I like people to know I have a brain, so I became very vocal as a fit model for designer jeans. I learnt the technical as well as the creative side of the premium denim jeans business… to see how I could make my hips look smaller, my legs longer, butt higher if I place pockets in certain places”. The difference between fit modelling and catwalking, she says is simple “It’s about having an eye for detail and design and not being afraid to speak out about it.”

Paige now channels all her knowledge and experience of fabric and fit into her own label Paige jeans, based in Los Angeles, the home of premium denim jeans with her Paige Premium Denim styles named after the streets of LA.

NEW ARRIVAL - PAUL & JOE SISTER SHOES

A fresh shoe line from the darling of the left bank, Paul and Joe Sister has been a runaway success for the brand. Continuing the design characteristic of the mainline, Paul & Joe Sister have just added their simple Art Nouveau influenced summer footwear.

PETE'S RELEASED EARLY OR ARE THERE JUST LESS DRUGS OUTSIDE PRISON?

The world kicked back a lot flipping softer.

With a packet of fags, and a cheeky smile, Peter’s been released before time. How does he do it? Mr Doherty is to be let off his 14-week sentence after serving just 29 days of his stretch. That’s not even a month. (Unless it’s February in a leap year smart arse.)

Since going inside Doherty has had to cancel numerous gigs but as things stand, Glastonbury is very much on the cards for the lead singer.

Found guilty of continuously breaching his probation, Doherty was sent to Wormwood Scrubs to clean his act up. Despite rumours of heroine reaching the artist whilst behind bars, it has to be now or never for the troubled Doherty to kick his habit. Let’s hope he repays the lenient justice system with some more epic tunes and a shot at redemption.

Best of Luck Pete.

AW

NEW ARRIVAL - EMILY AND FIN

Emily and Fin's vintage, quirky and cool dresses are now back in stock.

Emily Whittle and Ffion Armour-Brown, the designers behind Emily and Fin, met in London while Emily was studying at Central St Martins and Fin was Manager at an independent boutique in Soho.

Sharing an interest in all things vintage, quirky and cool, Emily and Fin were also inspired by travels to faraway corners of the globe. They soon began making their own one-off pieces by playing with pretty prints, vibrant colours and flattering silhouettes to create must have wearable designs.

In discovering their passion for creating beautiful clothes, and encouraged by their friends, they produced their first collection which was quickly snapped up.

The ethos of Emily and Fin combines simplicity with individuality.

NEW ARRIVAL - MELISSA SHOES

Melissa - the original ‘Jelly’, born in 1972 in Brazil are an inspiration through innovation transforming plastic spheres into objects of desire with an authentic sculpture. Collaborations include designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Karim Rashid and Judy Blame, who is best known for her work within Louis Vuitton’s team and Vivienne Westwood ‘The Queen of British Fashion’.

With these shoes Melissa breaks through the boundaries between art, fashion and design to create a combination of bright colours, versatile style and comfortable design injected with a sweet bubblegum scent making them absolutely candylicious! It reminds us of everyone’s best childhood moments. From sexy stiletto’s and comfortable flats Melissa has styled and glamorized jelly shoes, and has brought us chic comfortable footwear with an abundance of character.

NEW ARRIVAL - ADIDAS ORIGINALS EYEWEAR

The sunshine must be on it's way because finally our new collection of men's and women's Adidas Original eyewear has arrived. Adidas eyewear are famous for their contemporary 70’s shapes.

PAUL & JOE & PIERRE

Paul & Joe will pay the avant-garde fashion designer Pierre Cardin, the ultimate compliment this spring/summer. Sophie Albou, creative director and founder of Paul & Joe has a deep-rooted appreciation for Cardin’s style and story and so a collaboration between the two companies has emerged: Paul & Joe for Pierre Cardin.

A representative for Paul and Joe told the Vogue website: “It is a natural progression that following Sophie Albou's homage to Pierre Cardin, an exclusive collaboration between the two houses was born. For each individual piece, Albou takes time to become impregnated with their story and inspirational sources of the designer, as well as the life of the archive pieces and that of the women who once wore them."

The collection itself which encompass ten looks per season will echo the unique flair of Cardin’s work coupled with Paul & Joe finesse.

A seven-year contract has been signed by both design houses to mark the seriousness of this appreciation.

Expect results.

The Paul and Joe collection now available at coggles.com


AW