Astley Clarke Wins Best Luxury Brand Award

London-based online jeweller Astley Clarke was recently awarded the Walpole Award for "Best Online Luxury Brand 2009" beating out other jewelry notables including Cartier and Louis Vuitton. Judges agreed that AstleyClarke.com has shown creative innovation through the use of online marketing and social media to achieve outstanding sales results and a luxury presence online in 2009. AstleyClarke.com is now regarded as the home of the World’s best collection of designer jewellery.


The site features contemporary, designer, and fine jewellery from a well edited mix of amazing designers including Dana Kellin, Mallarino, Alexa Garner Sidaris, Saffron Lloyd, Astley Clarke Couture, The Delacorte Collection and more. You’ll find everything to meet your jewellery needs on AstleyClarke.com from beautiful cocktail rings, to stunning pendants, pearls, earrings and bracelets.


If the name rings a bell, it’s because Astley Clarke has been featured in numerous fashion magazines including Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire and Vogue. Shop online and receive free next day delivery in the UK, or peruse through one of their seven holiday gift guides to find the perfect present for someone special.


Here is a sampling of some of the great pieces you’ll find on the Astley Clarke site.

Beauty Bag Must-Have: TATCHA Aburatoriga

My days are non-stop and one of the things I’m not willing to compromise despite my chaotic schedule is a fresh face. After a long day my skin gets shiny and that’s why I never leave home without oil absorbing blotting papers. Lifting excess oil from the skin is the best way to avoid breakouts and give skin a fresh finish no matter how crazy your day may be.

I recently discovered TATCHA Aburatorigami oil blotting papers and now I’m addicted and won’t leave home without them! Tatcha is 100% natural, free of harmful chemicals and also eco-friendly. Each sheet is handmade and comes from the same gold leaf artisan village in Japan where it all started 300 years ago. This is the first time the product is available in the United States.

“I’ve been enraptured with beauty care all my life – first as a passionate consumer, then as an assistant in my mother’s cosmetics boutique, and later as a marketer for one of the leading global beauty care companies,” says founder Vicky Tsai, “It wasn’t until I worked with an online consumer products rating service that I learned about the environmental and health hazards posed by the conventional beauty industry that I had always loved.” That realization led Vicky to dedicate two years to researching heritage beauty secrets from the Far East where green is not just a buzz word, but an entire way of life. “Finding out that I am going to be a mother for the first time has also been a source of inspiration,” Vicky added, “Because it’s made me want to do everything that I can to bring my daughter into a healthy, beautiful world.”

TATCHA Aburatorigami Japanese blotting paper come in packs of 30 sheets for $12 and shipping is always free. The sheets flawlessly remove excess oil and sweat without disturbing makeup or stealing moisture from the skin. Plus, the sheets are powder free, so they won’t deposit any additional powder to the skin when absorbing oil.

Find Tatcha on Facebook by clicking here and become a FAN!

Michael Kors Opens Bellevue Store

Michael Kors recently opened a lifestyle store at The Bellevue Collection in Bellevue, WA. The 3,000 square foot store offers a full range of accessories from all of the collections, Michael Kors, KORS Michael Kors and MICHAEL Michael Kors, with a selection of ready-to-wear pieces from both Michael Kors Collection and MICHAEL Michael Kors. Fragrance, eyewear and other licensed product categories are also featured. 

Warm, Stylish (and functional) Boots for Fall

As the weather gets cold, a pair of Ugg boots may be just the thing you need to keep your feet warm and stylish this fall. Whooga Boots are made from merino sheepskin using Thermofleece technology, they offer great luxury and the best part is that they are priced a lot more competitively than other ugg boots out there on the market. These boots are springier, softer to wear, distribute pressure more effectively and circulate more air. Plus, there are colors and fits to match any personal style and preference.


These boots are also perfect for gift giving! After all, Black Friday is almost here! Shop online by clicking here.

I Heart Harrods

Harrods is giving emerging talent a boost with a newly launched online initiative called “Harrods Launches”. On Friday the store showcased two new designers, Manjit Deu and Iris van Herpen, on harrods.com. Both collections are absolutely stunning and worth checking out! Online orders can be placed for Deu’s collection online before it lands at the Knightsbridge store Feb. 10 and van Herpen’s collection can be previewed before it’s exhibited at the store from Nov. 23 to Dec. 6. That collection, however, will not be sold according to recent reports on Women’s Wear Daily. Each season the store plans to “launch” new talent and feature different designers.

Marigay McKee, fashion and beauty director at Harrods, said she’d like Harrods Launches to become a springboard for Britain-based talent. “We like to think that with backing, these young designers will be the stars of the future,” she told WWD. She said she hoped the Harrods site would educate customers about the new talent and tempt them to buy.  

Deu, a Londoner with roots in India, has a master’s degree from the London College of Fashion and first showed his collection for fall 2009 at the London Fashion Week exhibition. Van Herpen, who is from the Netherlands, has worked at Alexander McQueen and Claudy Jongstra and is a graduate of the ArtEZ Academy of Arts in Arnhem, Holland. 

Juicy Heads to the Airport

I am loving this whole movement toward expanding airport retailing. Let’s face it, people love to shop and what better way to spend a two-hour layover than perusing your favorite stores? Juicy Couture has become the latest retailer headed to the airport and plans to open four stores at airports worldwide beginning in December. Store locations include Miami International Airport’s American Airlines terminal, British Airways terminal at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Taiwan TaoYuan International Airport’s Terminal II and a final store at the Athens Airport in the duty-free area.


“We know that our customer is traveling and she’s in the airports,” said Ellen Rodriguez, senior vice president of global licensing and international at Juicy Couture. “Women are always wearing our tracksuits, especially to travel in. We just don’t think she’s being targeted by other retailers in these airports, so there’s a real opportunity there for us.” 



Now when I travel and forget a pair of earrings, need an extra bag, want to buy a last-minute gift, or just want to indulge in something for myself, I can hit the Juicy Couture store! LOVE!

Fashion Must-Have: Mikimoto Pearls

Pearls are like the perfect little black dress, they never go out of style. They’ve been worn by classy celebrities including Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn, but most recently pearls have been seen on the set of Sex & The City on Sarah Jessica Parker.

When it comes to shopping for pearls, quality is key and no one does quality better than MIKIMOTO pearls. Since 1893 Mikimoto has been creating beautiful pearl jewelry for women all around the globe. With proper care, quality pearls can last a lifetime and they are so versatile you can dress them up or down, making them an investment in any stylish wardrobe.

Pearls make a great gift or a nice splurge for yourself. Shop online for Mikimoto Pearls.