Royal Academy - Hockney Exhibition

On Saturday night, I bypassed the snaking queues around the Royal Academy courtyard, to visit the David Hockney exhibition. The exhibition was so highly sought-over that I was forced to book tickets over a month ago. However, it was well worth the wait! The exhibition was incredibly impressive; from the sheer scale and size of work on display, to the beauty of the Yorkshire countryside that Hockney has recreated. It was a tough decision but the composition above is my favourite.

Tank Magazine Front Cover

Just a brief blog post to draw your attention to Tank Magazine's fantastic front cover, isn't it beautiful!?

I think the dressed-down, wholesome composition works perfectly, and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't drawn to anything and everything summer-related at the moment.

Adidas by Stella McCartney

I recently met up with the team from 'Adidas by Stella McCartney' to talk me through the latest range. It was great to meet up with the girls who were extremely enthusiastic and informative about the collection (which sadly, is not as common as you would think amongst brands). I was already a fan of the collaboration, between the designer and the sports brand, but had yet to try it in person. The team kindly sent some of the designs from the recent collection to road test.

The range succeeds in creating both functional and luxurious pieces that are also completely wearable. This is incredibly important when you're heading down to your local gym (particularly in my case where half of my work are members). My personal favourites from the collection are the running leggings (top image) and the yoga hooded jumper (above right), which is so comfortable that I have taken to wearing it round the house at all times.

The prices range from £40 for a vest to £300 for a waterproof jacket, so are definitely at the more expensive end. However if you're looking for comfortable and design-led sportswear, that will set you apart in your spinning class, then it's the perfect choice.

Guerrilla Crochet

As I was strolling down Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, on Saturday with a friend, I came across this crochet covered pushchair attached to a lamppost.

Considering it's Shoreditch, the sight of a multi-coloured crochet pram didn't seem particularly extraordinary or out of place. In fact, most people didn't look twice as they walked past.

The colourful creation was brought to the area by Polish born artist Olek, who has a history of bringing to life mundane objects through crochet. There is even a compact exhibition in Tony's Gallery, E1, covered floor-to-ceiling in miniature vibrant stitches.

Boxpark, Shoreditch

Having missed the Boxpark launch before Christmas, I have been keen to form my own opinion. I finally made a visit on Sunday to the Shoreditch site to see for myself.

Boxpark is certainly eye-catching as the sixty fashion, arts and lifestyle brands there all occupy a single black shipping container besides Shoreditch overground. The scheme had a huge amount of press during its opening partly because it was labeled as “the world’s first pop-up mall”. The term conjures a more impressive and grand image than the reality, but it is still quite an impressive structure in what was up-until-recently wasteland.

Roger Wade, who created the concept, selected his brands very carefully and he has done a great job. It mixes established and proven urban brands such as Calvin Klein and Nike, with young and up-and-coming brands from Luke to One True Saxon who are tempted by cheap, short-term rents. The brands are a little too sports and urban focused for my style but it suits its niche extremely well. It is also a fantastic place to nurse a coffee whilst sat on its raised veranda in the sunshine, which is exactly what I did.

Gallic Style

I am having a moment for Gallic style right now. This may be because I've been pouring myself over hundreds of photos from our friends across the channel at Paris Fashion Week. From the epitome of French cool, Isabel Marant, to the forefront of minimalist chic, Celine.

The Guardian thankfully have pulled together a fantastically styled shoot in this weekend's fashion pages, and I have been transfixed for the past few days, busily writing my spring/summer wish list. The first outfit from APC I would happily wear from head to toe (faux pas or not).

Top 3: Paris Fashion Week A/W 12

With Paris Fashion Week wrapping up today, it seemed fitting to piece together my top 3 from the week. I have spent the evening trawling through reviews, write-ups and, naturally, Style.com's gallery to conclude my favourite outfits. PFW was really strong this season, but I have whittled it down to three.

1. Chloé - Clare Waight Keller produced a beautiful, minimalist and easy-to-wear collection, mixing the 'casual vibe of English sportswear with the dressier sensibility of the French'. I would love to lift the whole collection and park it in my wardrobe. Parfait!

2. Alexander McQueen - Three cheers to Sarah Burton, she has created yet another mesmorising and unconventionally beautiful show. I love the idea that the designs evolve in shape as the show goes on, from 'pods' to Japanese cherry blossom, and finally pom-poms. The concept alone would make the top three on it's own merit.

3. Valentino - Folk costumes were a great inspiration for this collection. Valentino mixed ethereal and whimsical designs with a multitude of strong textures, including leather, lace, embroidery and velvet. My personal favourite was the multi-coloured crystal carpet patterned designs (above).