Patent leather: woman’s best friend.  Scuff marks: patent leather’s nemesis.  Hence, OUR nemesis.  To combat these sneaky scuffs, use Windex and a paper towel to gently clean your favorite pair of patent loafers.  In no time at all you’ll be able to see your reflection in them again.  Ah, now don’t you both look gorgeous.

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Tibi designer Amy Smilovic and I at a friend’s tropical wedding over the weekend!  My clutch is Anya Hindmarch and my shoes are Boutique 9.  Amy’s in full Stella McCartney with Tibi shoes.

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A favorite in home decor for it’s power to subtly transform a room, lucite has a similar effect when it comes to fashion.  When worn in it’s clear form, it has an illusive, almost futuristic “is it there, or is it not” ability to make an impact without over-powering.  Colored lucite seems luminous, almost as if it’s glowing from with-in, allowing highly pigmented colors to be worn without appearing too blinding or bright.

A lucite shoe or clutch can be an unexpected and playful accent to evening wear – just be sure not to keep anything too personal in your clutch.  A chic card-case, lipgloss and phone are really all anyone needs to see!

Last, but certainly not least, the lucite shoe. Perhaps the closest any girl will get to that glass slipper.

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1. Charlotte Olympia Siren Sandal

2. Marc Jacobs Transparent Pump

3. Jeffrey Campbell Daul Painterly Floral Shoes

4. Charlotte Olympia Pandora Siren Clutch

5. Edie Parker Lara Clutch

6. Giorgio Armani Bracelet

7. BaubleBar Lucite Necklace 

8. Ben Amun Drapery Earrings

9.  Alexis Bittar Modernist Bracelet

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Many of us – especially fellow NYC-dwellers – are in dire need of closet space.  Prominent rack and shelving space come at a high premium, and no amount of gadgets and shelf dividers from organizational mecca, The Container Store, will change that.  We must keep off-season clothing Space-Bagged, hidden, and stored away.  Keeping these items packed away for months, can sometimes result in a rather unpleasant, musty smell when it comes time for them to reclaim their place of honor in our closets.  A great way to ensure they smell fresh and airy is to store them with a dryer sheet – just be sure to pick a light fragrance to avoid an overpowering scent when it come time to wear them again!

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Just off Sloane Street, above the renowned Neville Hair Salon in Belgravia, London, sit the exclusive treatment rooms of Fere & Co. Where luxurious quilts adorn the comfortable treatment beds and soft classical music perfectly suiting its Chelsea location floats into the air, this is not your typical beauty salon, let alone your typical facialist.

Fere Parangi’s depth of knowledge is sought after worldwide, her name exclusively recommended to family and friends by women who have entrusted their loyalty and skin to her forever, and what better recommendation will you get, than a recommendation from Olivia Palermo?

After meeting Fere myself, I can without doubt see why. Each treatment is tailored to the skin type, and her wealth of knowledge combined with an excellent use of products makes for an extremely special experience.

Fere begins by cleansing and toning the skin and moving onto a deep cleanse using light exfoliation with steam. She takes her time, getting to know my skin and its needs, examining each pore under light. As I lay there under the pristine white quilt, I began to sense Fere’s absolute knowledge and relaxed into the treatment, knowing I was in good hands.

A favourite of Olivia’s is The Diamond Treatment. A deep cleanse is performed, followed by Diamond Tip Microdermobrasion with the use of laser cut diamonds which polish the skin, unclogging pores, and removing dull, dead skin cells from the top layer. The action of the diamonds and vacuuming also stimulates collagen and elastin production, helping skin to appear firmer and younger.

Fere followed with a Hydrating Mask to combat dry skin. While this was given some time to permeate my skin, I was treated to an amazingly soothing neck and shoulder massage. After Fere’s fingers and the Hydrating mask had worked their magic, the face is then massaged, with emphasis on lymphatic drainage of the eye area to reduce black rings and puffiness. On the verge of consciousness, having relaxed into a near state of slumber, Fere cleansed my skin again to prepare for the next treatment.

Coined as the world’s most effective ‘Celebrity Facial Treatment’ Fere began another treatment loved by Olivia, the The Oxyjet Treatment. This treatment uses oxygen to naturally inject nourishing and hydrating serums deep into the skin. The serums are applied and then ‘pushed’ gently into the skin with small jets of oxygen, a painless and relaxing experience. The science here shows that as the skin matures, the deepest layer of skin experiences decreased circulation, resulting in a lack of oxygen and nutrient supply to this layer. The Oxyjet facial penetrates the skin with the natural nutrients that the deepest layers are deprived of, helping to promote youthful contours of the facial skin.

Finally, I received the award winning Matis crystal eye treatment, recommended by Olivia, and a product adored by Fere herself. Formulated to firm, smooth and relax the vulnerable and delicate eye area, this treatment is designed to moisturize whilst leaving the eye area looking lifted and radiant, evening out fine lines. Whilst the eye treatment is working hard, a Caviar Collagen mask is the final step in the treatment.

Once the mask and crystal eye treatment had been removed, Fere passed me a mirror as she gently turned on the lights and folded back my quilt. In the reflection, radiant skin glowed back at me, crystal clear, firm, and youthful, it was the skin I had tried (but never quite succeeded) to accomplish with numerous foundations, highlighters and powders. Not many people can say their skin actually looks better without makeup, and the effect has lasted.

Combining relaxation with amazing skill, knowledge and products in beautiful surroundings, it is not difficult to see why Fere & Co. has such loyal customers, and such a fantastic reputation.

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Facial Prices with Fere start from £150/$238. See www.FereBeauty.com or contact 0044 207 235 2654 for more information.

Fere & co at Neville Hair & Beauty, 5 Pont St, Belgravia, London SW1X 9EJ.

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Born and based in London, Ali Roff has grown up surrounded by the eccentric and exciting style that London fashion has to offer. She can regularly be found visiting London’s famous markets and museums such as the V&A, and also maintains her personal blog, www.fashionphoenixblog.blogspot.com.

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Feature image courtesy of Philip Volkers Photography

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When you discover something on the brink of greatness, you know it.   Like finding the perfect wedding dress, or the perfect man, it’s something you can’t quite put into words.  You can’t attach certain criteria to it, or quantify it in any real way. You just know.

One look at MAXFOWLES‘ debut collection for fall 2012, and you know you must be feeling the same thing as whomever first saw Alexander Wang’s debut collection.  There is a definite sharp intake of breath, a fluttering of the stomach, and a sudden urgency in the air.  The collection is very much representative of its husband and wife design team, Max and Parisa Fowles (seen above): cool and sleek, with an international polish.  The undeniable sexiness of the collection lies not in a brazen showing of skin, but in its combination of textures and tailoring; in its use of leathers, silks and fur details.  It lies in the story it tells, of the jet-set woman with an elegance, an edge and a secret.  There is not a piece out of place;  perhaps reflective again of its designers, who seem so in tune with one another, they often finish each other sentences.

MAXFOWLES is a classic in the making; not only one to watch, but to get your hands on, to own, and to wear, as soon a possible.

I sat down with Max and Parisa to talk style, inspiration and all things MAXFOWLES:

Parisa Fowles

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Teresa Greenfeld: Fall 2012 is your debut collection; what was your inspiration?  How did you decide on the statement you wanted to make?

MAXFOWLES:  Both Paris and New York inspired our debut collection. The French are slightly more feminine in their way of dressing, while New Yorkers are very sharp in their fashion sense. The combination of the two set the foundation of our Fall 2012 collection.  For our first collection we wanted to truly showcase the quality behind our designs. We incorporated a lot of leather detailing, which is inherent in most pieces this collection. We feel that nice leather can really enhance a product.

TG:  What do you wish to achieve with MAXFOWLES?

MAXFOWLES:  We would like it to be the next lifestyle empire, similar to Ralph Lauren.

TG:  Where do you draw your inspiration from?

MAXFOWLES:  Our travels and the women we see on the street.

TG:  What are some of your favorite fashion websites? magazines? books?

MAXFOWLES:  Citizen Couture, Moda Operandi, The Coveteur, Vogue, The Rake, WWD, L’Uomo Vogue. Harper’s BAZAAR, W Magazine.. and of course OliviaPalermo.com

TG:   The way the public shops for fashion, and accesses the fashion industry, is changing so much right now – with social media integration, content being incorporated into e-commerce sites, and blogs being read over magazines.  How does this affect you as designers, if at all?

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MAXFOWLES:  From our perspective,  this only creates a benefit to the fashion industry. It allows you to draw in a truly global consumer and to have a platform which can be accessed anywhere in the world.

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TG:  How would you define your personal style?

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MAXFOWLES:  We both dress in a chic way. Max’s style feels more tailored than the norm – he is always in a crisp white shirt, clean stonewash jeans, and no socks. Parisa’s style varies with the occasion, but she always manages to incorporate very clean lines, which comes from the Swedish influence in her life.

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TG:  If you could dress on woman – living or dead – who would it be and why?

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MAXFOWLES:  Bianca Brandolini combines true elegance with a very simple aesthetic. She would be a perfect ambassador for the brand, as this is exactly what MAXFOWLES stands for.

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TG:  What is exciting you right now in fashion?

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MAXFOWLES:  MAXFOWLES!

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TG:  Both of you have citied your mothers as enormous influences; What is your most vivid fashion memory of your mothers?

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MAXFOWLES:  Parisa’s mum was always dressed in Chanel. Max’s mum is very creative and was always creating bespoke pieces of clothing,  largely on her own.

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TG:  What are the biggest benefits of working with each other as husband and wife?

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MAXFOWLES:  We have the same dream, the same vision. This makes our partnership enjoyable and never tiresome.

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TG:  It is said that life is a series of meaningful coincidences;  to change one is to change the rest. Was creating MAXFOWLES always the plan? Or is there a moment either of you can pinpoint, that changed where you thought you were headed, and thus set MAXFOWLES in motion?

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MAXFOWLES:  There has always been a plan. It just became a reality when we moved to New York. The fashion influence of New York is incredibly strong and encourages you to take follow your dreams.

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MAXFOWLES Fall 2012 collection, shown below, will be available in July at Ron Herman and Elyse Walker in Los Angeles, and at A Man and a Woman in New York.

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Often some of our most treasured jewelry pieces are our vintage finds that could stand to have just a little more sparkle.  Fear not!  With the help of two items already in your medicine cabinet, you can take your jewelry’s shine factor from dull to dazzling.  Just grab an old toothbrush and some toothpaste and lightly begin to move the toothbrush in small circles over the piece.  Watch as your vintage jewelry starts to look brand new!

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