See you there soon, thank you.

Dear friend,

I hope this letter finds you well and, like me, in fine spirits.

Writing these words makes me think back to how it all started for me. You see, back when I opened my first store in Glasgow, I made it my business to know my customers by name and to see to their every need.

These days, it’s impossible to know all my customers personally, but I’m proud to say that, from Manchester to Manhattan, Hong Kong to Las Vegas, the name ‘Ted Baker’ still remains synonymous with unparalleled customer service and – of course – stylish clothing with a clear focus on quality and unwavering attention to detail.

That’s why I am proud to take this opportunity to invite you to join me at the opening of my splendid new store in Bicester Village from the 22– 25 September 2011.

While you will, of course, be able to shop my autumn/winter collection which offers an explosion of playful detailing, tactile fabrics, and vivid colours, you’ll also have the chance to soak up my new store’s sumptuous new interior, enjoy a quick game of crazy golf, and take part in my marvelous competition to win a £250 shopping spree and exclusive trip to Waddesdon Manor.

And if that wasn’t enough, we’ll have complimentary gifts to give away and some delicious nibbles and refreshments, thanks to my good friends at Mary’s Tea Parties and The Travelling Gin Company.

Some say that looking after my customers like this is unnecessary. I say that this is how we do things at Ted Baker – always have, always will.

I look forward to seeing you there.

With my very best wishes,

Ted

Early summer is an incredibly exciting time for us here at Le Manoir. Raymond has been busy working closely with Gary Jones Executive Head Chef, Anne Marie Owens Head Gardner and Jo Campbell Head Vegetable Gardener to re-view the planting schedules for the year ahead.
Le Manoir‘s magnificent two acre vegetable and herb garden produces over 90 types of vegetables, many of which Raymond discovered within his mother’s garden. Together with 70 types of herb, this garden supplies the restaurant’s kitchen with its daily needs for eight months of the year and as spring is with us, we are now beginning to reap the rewards. Raymond and the kitchen brigade are constantly developing Le Manoir menus, with the seasons at the forefront of their minds;  this season enjoy ‘Grilled wild hand-line caught Cornish MSC Mackerel, honey, soy and ginger” or Assiette of Pyrenees Lamb, peas, broad beans, baby onions.

Having caught up with our Head Gardner, Anne Marie Owens and her Head Vegetable Gardener Jo Campbell, their recommendations for budding gardeners would be to wait until the end the month before planting your vegetable plot.  You should consider sowing your pepper and aubergine seeds but remember to keep them warm in a heated greenhouse.

All of Le Manoir poly tunnels are now washed and prepared for the year ahead.  Arriving now are our seed orders, from French heritage varieties to new Asian vegetables, all of which we are trialling this year.

Escape from the stresses of everyday life and enjoy a Midweek Break with us from £680.00 per room per night and take time to rediscover the gardens for yourselves.

Click Here for website offer

Enjoy 5-star grandeur at the Randolph Hotel, Oxford. Steeped in history, this hotel offers nothing but the best. Their Valentine’s offer includes a classic double room with a full English breakfast, a box of luxury chocolates, chilled champagne and a single red rose for only £249. Guests may also enjoy a Valentine’s 4 course dinner in the 2AA Rosette Randolph Restaurant for the supplementary charge of £49.95.

For a more intimate setting, visit the Feathered Nest Inn located in the heart of the Cotswolds. Curl up in front of the log fire with a glass of pink bubbly before a romantic candle-lit dinner all for just £85 for two. From the 8th-10th of February, this delightful Country Inn is also offering couples a three course dinner with a bottle of champagne, one night’s accommodation and breakfast served in the Garden Room from £200.

Nestled away in one of Oxfordshire’s most romantic towns, Woodstock, Hope House is offering a two night stay, B&B and Champagne, as well as a pair of Blenheim Palace tickets for £895. Explore the town and Palace during the day, then return to enjoy an evening of luxury in your hotel suite.

Finally, for those who simply want to be whisked away for a day, Warwick castle couldn’t be more perfect. Escape into the romantic world of William Shakespeare, as characters read out sonnets and plays while you explore the castle and grounds. VIP premium tickets are available for just £60, including entry to the castle, two glasses of champagne per person, a selection of canapés and a luxury box of chocolates, all served in the Castle’s State Dining Room.

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.

Thurnher’s Alpenhof in Zürs, combines modern comfort and Alpine charm to create a cosy mountain hideaway and is the perfect winter sports location, with direct access to the ski slopes of Zürs.

This exquisite gem of a hotel offers spacious rooms, many with balconies overlooking the snow-covered mountains.  Après-ski choices include an indoor pool, sauna, relaxing spa treatments and nightlife diverse enough to cater for all tastes.

The prize is for two people sharing a double room including daily breakfast, as well as, either one 25-minute classic massage or reflexology session per person.

Return flights from London to Zurich Airport and resort transfers are also included.

Enter the competition

Inspiration for the weekend

Every Autumn-Winter season sees the emergence of some sort of black lace trend. While this delicate material can veer on the fussy, designers honed in on its provocative undertones this season to prove that lace is not just for the romantic.

To perfectly play the demure vamp, pair gunmetal metallic trousers with a long sleeved lace top to show just the right amount of skin. Simple, additional embellishments, like a patent leather clutch, killer black stilettos and a delicate, jewel-encrusted belt, will keep things looking a little naughty, but nice.

Find this look at: Anya Hindmarch, L.K.Bennett, 7 For All Mankind, Matthew Williamson, Karen Millen & Roberto Cavalli.

Most wedding guests’ worst nightmare (in fashion terms at least) is to find themselves opposite their clothing twin!

One way to minimise the risk of wearing the same outfit is to choose separates, ideally from different collections. Based on the all important ‘price per wear’ calculations, separates can be much more cost effective than a dress. After the event, you could team a tailored jacket with jeans or wear the skirt to work with a blouse or fitted top. If you do decide to coordinate items from different shops, make sure you take the garment with you for matching purposes (however much you study the item it’s impossible to remember the exact colour and a photo doesn’t work!)

Mind you, I find one of the main benefits of shopping at Bicester Village is that you can get your hands on stock that’s not available on the high street (not to mention at a discounted price). Perhaps with so many events in the upcoming months it would be wise to invest in one amazing new summer piece – spend a bit more on that extra special dress and then wear it to Henley. That doesn’t mean it has to be the same ‘outfit’ though. Clever use of accessories can ensure a different look for each occasion. Choose a simple and chic number and accessorise away!

Valentino has some amazing costume jewellery to add a touch of glamour to the river-side races while Marni is the go-to brand for bold statement pieces.  A trip to Jimmy Choo, LK Bennett or Karen Millen will add some finesse in the foot department and then choose a pashmina or a fitted jacket as another diversifier! Job done.

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.