The weather this morning may have been typically British and somewhat dull but the sight of the neon pink telephone box that flags the entrance to the latest pop-up boutique to grace the walkways of Bicester Village was a cheery sight.

Yes today was D-day, or BDC day as the team have been calling it; the much anticipated launch of the British Designer Collective, a joint venture with the British Fashion Council and an emporium of Britain’s most talented designers this century has seen

As we eagerly awaited the arrival of the very lovely Thandie Newton and the British Fashion Council’s Harold Tillman we drank champagne, mingled with press and our favourite fashion bloggers, and chatted with some of the hottest names in fashion who are featured in the boutique; Alice Stone, the creative force behind Lily and Lionel whose scarves are favoured by A-listers, design duo  Felder Felder, London Fashion Week favourite Jean-Pierre Braganza, Holly Fulton whose geometric patterned designs has the fash pack bewitched – It was wonderful to have them all here.

During her speech, Thandie Newton, dressed in a primrose yellow dress by Jonathan Saunders and Georgina Goodman heels from the boutique’s collections, described the British Designer Collective as a “Disneyland for Cinderella’s”. As we swooned over rail upon of rail of design must-have’s it was easy to see why. Quirky accessories from Elvis & Kresse and luxurious scarves from Jane Carr sat alongside androgynous ready-to-wear from Todd Lynn, sequined knitwear from Markus Lupfer, designs by London cult label Preen, print dresses from Emma Cook, Richard Nicoll’s tailoring, Goat, whose designs are favoured by Victoria Beckham and incredible pieces from Felicity Brown, tipped as London’s next big thing at Fashion East.

Gushing over row upon row of the most amazing shoes from Lara Bohinc, Georgina Goodman and Marios Schwab, and glimpsing into the glass cases of Fiona Paxton’s beautiful hand-beaded jewellery and eclectic costume jewellery by Mawi it was clear to everyone there that this 2011 British Designer Collective pop up boutique had an energy symbiotic of the mood du jour, offering luxury at affordable prices by some of London’s most sought-after, new generation of designers.

As with all pop-ups, time is limited. So, if you’re a savvy shopper looking to pick up previous seasons’ collections from the freshest brands in British fashion then make a note in your diary to visit the British Designer Collective boutique before the beginning of May…as Liberty London Girl tweeted as she left the launch “Run, don’t walk to Bicester Village for the BFC British Designer Collective”

On 3rd February Chinese communities around the world will begin to celebrate the start of their New Year.

Based on the lunar and solar calendars, unlike in Britain, the Chinese New Year date varies from year to year with each year of the Chinese calendar being represented by one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. This year, 2011 it is the rabbit (or hare). The Rabbit is the fourth sign of the lunar and symbolises traits such as calmness, creativity, grace, sensitivity and compassion with friends and family being important.

Bicester Village wishes all its Chinese customers a very Happy New Year.

Busaba Eathai is joining in the celebrations by offerings all its customers a special set menu, valid from Tuesday 1st to 13th February 2011.

The lowdown on what to wear to show you mean business on and off the slopes.

HOW TO FIT IN ON THE SLOPES: Body-con ski suits teamed with statement-making eyewear to protect in the athletic and style stakes. Ladies should maintain their style credentials in the hair department by sporting a snaking side-braid.

WHAT TO WEAR APRES SKI: Taking inspiration from the A/W 2010/11 catwalks, hats, jackets and boots embellished with faux fur.

FIND THIS LOOK AT:  Designer eyewear at  Sunglass Time and David Clulow

Looks to keep you looking cool at the hottest ski destinations

Off piste, on piste and apres ski: whether you are a serious or casual skier or a family of winter sport lovers, we bring you some of the top ski resorts for 2011 and what to wear to show you mean business on and off the slopes.

WHERE Apart from its top-quality slopes, Verbier boasts some 60 restaurants and plently of nightspots to give any recent winter purchases that extra mileage. This justifies bringing that extra large suitcase of essentials style mavens just can’t do without.

WHO GOES THERE: Fashion plates who don’t compromise on style whether in or out of their gear.

 

Our travel tips on the best ways to travel to the Village from Boxing Day to 30 December…

1. Shop later in the week
Expect heavy traffic congestion on Boxing Day, wait a day or two to visit, the reductions will continue into the New Year.

2. Shop later in the day
From December 27th to Thursday 30th the Village is open until 8pm and restaurants Carluccio’s, Villandry and Busaba Eathai until 10pm. Visit our Opening Times.

3. Leave the car behind to avoid heavy traffic congestion
Take the train with Chiltern Railways to Bicester North station, and hop onto the Bicester Village shuttle bus for a 5 minute drive to the Village Services running throughout the festive period including Bank Holiday (excluding Christmas Day). Chiltern Railways runs from Birmingham through to London Marylebone, with a number of stops on the way including Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Banbury, Aylesbury and High Wycombe.

Bank Holiday Monday and Tuesday there will be a revised Saturday service, visit Chiltern Railways for up-to-date timetables.

Luxury Coach
Sit back and relax on the Shopping Express.  No need to worry about car parking, the Shopping Express is a daily coach service travelling from central London to Bicester Village. Book online.

Bus and Taxi
There’s also local bus routes from Aylesbury and Oxford or share a ride with friends and book a taxi for door to door service.

50 Pingle Drive
Bicester
Oxfordshire
OX26 6WD

Bicester Village Phone: +44 (0) 1869 323 200
Email Address: bicester@valueretail.com

Bicester Village has teamed up with Le Méridien hotels & Resorts to offer visitors the chance to win a trip of a lifetime to the stunning South Pacific islands of New Caledonia. New Caledonia is a French Overseas Territory in the South Pacific, just over two hours flying time from the east coast of Australia, and has an eclectic mix of Melanesian and French cultures.

We are offering this fantastic holiday through our 2010 Advent Calendar feature in which we give away a fabulous prize each day until Christmas.

To be in with a chance to win, visit us everyday here

In celebration of Bicester Village’s 15th Anniversary we have teamed up with designers Alice Temperley, Paul Smith and Cath Kidston who have designed a range of exclusive limited edition tote bags priced at just £10.  The totes are available at the Bicester Village Visitor centre, £6 from every bag sold will be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Help to keep the magic alive this Christmas with a bit of guilt free shopping.

Visit Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity

Just in time for the summer, (and almost enough time to get bikini body beautiful), Bicester Village once again is home to Elizabeth Hurley Beach.

The 2010 beachwear collection is exciting, using intricate embroidery and embellishments on bright prints. If you need an excuse to get down to the gym and shape up, this fabulous range of bikinis, kaftans and accessories should be enough of an inspiration. There is also a wonderful range of beachwear for kids, some glorious sunhats, stylish sunglasses and resort jewellery. I particularly love the scented candles.

If you happen to be in Europe and in need of a new bikini, Elizabeth Hurley Beach is also available this year at Kildare Village near Dublin and Ingolstadt Village, Munich and will be opening in May at La Roca Village, Barcelona.

Watch the video Elizabeth Hurley Beach at Bicester Village for some fantastic bikini hints and tips from Elizabeth.

So, if the lure of British designers such as Matthew Williamson, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood at affordable prices isn’t temptation enough, our new pop-up will tempt you even more, bringing an exciting roster of some of the most lusted-after designers to the Village! 

In a joint venture with the British Fashion Council to celebrate our 15^th anniversary, the British Designers Collective will support more of our unique home grown design talent, by showcasing some of the hottest names in fashion at glorious price reductions of up to 50%. As if I needed another reason to stay late at work and shop till 7 or 8 pm instead of attempting hill runs with my personal trainer. 

This exclusive opportunity to invest in some of the most sought-after designs from London’s catwalks is probably the most exciting thing to happen at Bicester Village in recent months; that is, aside from the European influx of Fendi, Roberto Cavalli, Gucci and YSL. 

I for one shall be there tomorrow watching eagerly with designers and VIP’s, as Erin O’Connor cuts the ribbon and officially opens this treasure trove. The designers’ list is so fabulous I shall undoubtedly be camped outside for the next six weeks, watching out for new deliveries from my personal favourites, Preen, Tod Lynn, PPQ, Fiona Paxton (her jewels are divine), Hannah Marshall, Bora Aksu and shoe designer Georgina Goodman. 

Here is the mouth-watering list of desirable designers who will be selling inspirational pieces from some of their key fashion collections. What’s not to love? 

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi

• Atalanta Weller
• Bora Aksu
• Emma Cook
• Erdem
• Felder Felder
• Fiona Paxton
• Georgina Goodman
• Goat
• Graeme Black
• Gwendolyn Carrie
• Hannah Marshall
• House of Holland
• Jean-Pierre Braganza
• Julien MacDonald
• Louise Amstrup
• Mark Fast
• Maria Francesca Pepe
• Markus Lupfer
• ME&EM
• Osman
• PPQ
• Preen
• Sykes       
• Swagga & Soul                         
• Todd Lynn

Lee Alexander McQueen was a man who was loved for numerous reasons and respected by a myriad of people – personally and professionally.

In true form, we must be able to feel love to feel loss, and love in its true sense I believe to be a recipe of adoration and respect. Listening to the tributes pouring in, Lee Alexander McQueen was a man who was loved for numerous reasons and respected by a myriad of people – personally and professionally. The fashion world has lost a great artist whose talent went beyond the realms of legendary. He admired and appreciated renowned designers that went before him and he passed his wisdom and learnings onto others. As he said of Yves Saint Laurent: “To me, fashion should predict the time we live in. He did this in the 1960s and 1970s. Pure genius, and a man that I always revered and tried to emulate.”  Is it any wonder that McQueen went on to become a great designer? McQueen’s raw energy and intriguing perspective made him one of the greatest talents of our time.      

Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue sums it up for me. “Lee McQueen influenced a whole generation of designers. His brilliant imagination knew no bounds as he conjured up collection after collection of extraordinary designs. At one level he was a master of the fantastic, creating astounding fashion shows that mixed design, technology and performance and on another he was a modern-day genius whose gothic aesthetic was adopted by women the world over. His death is the hugest loss to anyone who knew him and for very many who didn’t.”      

What I loved about McQueen was his ability to delight, excite and create ingenious and unique designs. In under a decade he achieved enormous success becoming one of the most highly respected fashion designers in the world. From being a trainee Saville Row tailor, to a position at Gieves & Hawkes, to Chief Designer at Givenchy and Creative Director at Gucci, and the inception of his own label, he was awarded the title of British Designer of the Year four times, and received an acclaimed CBE. But it is the collections from his Alexander McQueen and McQ labels that he is most famous for and which have influenced a generation of aspiring designers.      

His Spring/Summer 2010 collection was a breathtaking spectacle of perfection, serving up rare and sparkling creations of pure genius

McQueen SS10 picture courtesy of style.com

His Spring/Summer 2010 collection was a breathtaking spectacle of perfection, serving up rare and sparkling creations of pure genius. Who else would dare (aside from Ms Westwood) put a pair of 12 inch alien style platforms down the runway?  I’m uncertain if I have seen anyone other than Daphne Guinness wear these, and she managed it so effortlessly and looked so chic, a feat that is not at all easy but very daring. And daring is what McQueen was all about.      

In his most recent SS2010 show he shocked us; he made us gasp with delight with a sneak peek of what he believed the future of fashion could look like. He was if nothing but optimistic, and his carefully crafted designs and intricate lifelike fabrics sent shockwaves through the industry. Is it befitting that even in death he has shocked us?  As sad and as devastating that this is, his demise has, like his creations and his talents, made us gasp. The loss of Lee Alexander McQueen will leave a huge gaping hole in the fashion industry and we will remember him for his wonderful take on fashion. I hope that in some form, the House of McQueen will live on.      

As his fellow designer and peer Matthew Williamson said today.” Like many others, I always cited him as a hugely inspirational leader of world fashion – he was a genius and his talent was second to none”. How could anyone not agree.    

It is with sadness though that I try not to think “why”? Phillip Treacy explains that “Creativity is a very fragile thing, and Lee was very fragile. He was a fragile person with a front of whatever you want to call it. It’s not easy being Mr. McQueen”.     

I dedicate this Valentine’s Day post to the legendary Alexander McQueen. A man whose talent we loved, whose designs we treasured and who became a British fashion icon that we will always cherish. He will be missed.