We have a winner!!!

Lovely Nina is the winner of our competition to photograph yourself/have someone photograph you, in one of this season's pieces purchased at Shop at Maison Bertaux!!!!

Well done Nina! Your Madame A Trois trio is boxed and ready for you to pick up and we'll throw in a cake of your choice to pop on your cake plate! - a drink's too wet without one after all! - Thanks for your entries, we'll do this again I reckon, it's very difficult to choose, but for now Nina will be showing off her Sonia by Sonia Rykiel top on our home page!



Apparantly this is her at "work"!

Madame xx

And Sonia....

So also here's some of the hot tops from Sonia....

I posted the dress version of this but the top is soooo lovely...even with jeans, and I never really wear jeans, but I would with this!

Oversize polka dot tee here is great, a nod to the eighties....

How come Sonia do stripes every summer but we never get bored of them? Also comes in pink and red...



And a twist on a t shirt is always good. You can't really go wrong in my book with stripes and polka dots....or cherries.....or broderie anglaise......or crepe de chine.....

Oh, and the stripes with a heart also comes in a tank. Jolie, non?

Madame x

DRESSES IN MOTION

And OOOHHH what would you know, I wrote GREET Street! You all know I meant Greek though right? While anyone with any sense has been out in the sun feeling the good vibes from the change of season, I have turned into a creature of the night and been up all night wandering around with a drink in my hand and asleep all day...


Wastemen. And look at the lovely guy in the background who thinks so much of us!

I'm just glad I didn't have a moment as unfortunate as this:



No - that isn't a spur of the moment impromptu pussy cat fancy dress outfit. Believe me. It is what you think it is.

But I blame Madame for starting off this weekend of debauchery - I followed her to the George and Dragon on Thursday night 'just for one' [after making the video above of the A.P.C. and SONIA by Sonia Rykiel slinky dresses] and it was all down hill from there. Nervous Stephen's exhibition, Molly's 21st birthday party, the Real Gold magazine launch... Cava, Warm Kir, drinking from teacups and £2 Whiskey and cokes. I have had the best weekend in a long time tho'!

Despite all that, I haven't been able to get Madame's A.P.C. silver dress out of my mind. Apparently there is a gold one too!



xx Lektrogirl

Favourites No 4

So I was thinking about which pieces are my favourites yesterday. Thought I'd choose a slinky slithery shiny selection, particularly since I've hardly taken off my A.P.C. silver gymslip since I got it.

(Luckily I had my roots done today...).

I'm going to keep posting people's favourites on the blog because so many of you have said that it was only after you saw us all trying on stuff in my "You're Gorgeous" video that you fancied a certain piece, so if anyone wants to elect a particular purchase from this season and wear it on the blog you are hearby very welcome to do so.

I also love the oversize leopard Sonia dress, it's so oversize in fact that it doesn't initially register as leopard, it's very classy I reckon and feels so gorgeous on the skin too...


And I had to include the satin A.P.C. tunic which is the most classic, almost 1920's looking little number. The pink lines around the bottom look like they've been painted on with a paintbrush, sort of wobbly...


We always have a lot of cotton 'day' things in but I think all these pieces have a bit of glamour and pizazz, don't you?

Madame x

Too little time.....

I'm lookiing forward to a bit of time tomorrow to tell all Maison B news in a less rushed fashion but there's so many reasons to come and pay us a visit!

1. I've just unpacked not only those silver gymslips from A.P.C. you've all been chomping at the bit for....but also some pretty amazing gold ones with a button front which look very Rolling Stones in Marrakesh.....

2. Obey is finally here!!! Don your Andre's and your women of the revolution printed on the softest, most desirable t shirts you can get your hands on anywhere!!! More on Obey tomorrow, I'm djing straight after work so no time for a proper hoo hah!!!

3. Anyone who loves a maryjane shoe will get somewhat excited by the Eley Kishimoto grey/yellow, print/orange combos. I've been wearing mine for 3 days straight since they came in and they are the most comfortable mid-heel, GORGEOUS shoes!

4. Have you seen all the new spring/summer Sonia?! Everyone keeps telling us we've bought stuff they haven't seen anywhere else but you better be quick, the ladies are ready for colour and snapping up those stripes and polka dots!

For a perverse little p.s. here is the film I made when we went to buy Winter A.P.C. it's worth planning your summer buys around maybe what snazzy little A.P.C. jacket or coat you'll be buying this winter to complement it....and it's worth seeing for my Mrs Overall impression alone.....


Madame xxxxx

You're gorgeous!

Thankyou to all the ladies who made this film with me!!!! We have got so many goodies in at the moment from A.P.C. and Sonia and you can see how cracking they look on all of you! You might also notice our new teaset trios in the background which come packaged in a cake box to go, but more of that in another post......which will be called "Madame a Trois....."

Anyway, enjoy your lovely selves.......


madame x

More winter.

I know it seems unfair and unnatural somehow to be talking about next winter already....but I had to share my trip with Max to Paris to see next winter's A.P.C. because I know you'd love a butchers at it, also cut in with Sonia's offerings to keep you cosy and glamorous next chilly season. I shouldn't tempt fate but the sun seems to shine on our Parisian forays....there was something wierd with the bikes this time and they didn't accept our credit cards so we walked a lot and took the metro....Paris is a great city to walk around, I love it there so much....

So....first we'll be taking delivery of spring and summer....remember how you all loved those sailor dresses we teased you with in our movie 6 months ago? And I predict a bit of filming and photography happening when we get it in next week....you'll all be the first to know....

madame xx

Hula like it's still summer!!

We did some hula-hooping, under the careful instruction of Nahid (who seems to be able to spin without moving!) to show you the new Sonia clothes, Obey jewelry and a bit of A.P.C. as well.....we just got another delivery of A.P.C. in yesterday as well and the storyboards are already being drawn up....keep a look out for our next escapades! Also spliced into this film is a sneak preview of Eley Kishimoto's collection for next summer - don't say we don't keep you abreast of what's hot in fashion!!!!



No time to chat as I'm meeting Emma to do bookwork so no time to tell about Eley Kishimoto fashion week party....i'll do that tomorrow!!

madame x
p.s. go out and buy a hula hoop, it's so much fun, I'm going to!!!!

This and That

As we try to make the most of the last days of summer, I've been craving the sunshine we never had yet secretly enjoying slipping into a woolly tanktop, tweed skirt and, yes an over the knee stocking/sock. I feel cheated yet thrilled by those wintry textures....I mean, look at me 2 weeks ago in Norfolk for instance:

yes, it was August......wierd.
I've not blogged because I've been somewhat busy doing bitty things, mostly trying to spend as much time with Duke and Joe as possible before they go to school. We stayed in this:

with Paul, which was an adventure...did a bit of this:

at the weekend, ate outside for possibly the last time this year:

Ritually sent a McDonald's toy to his death on the back of a rocket:

You see, I hate McDonald's.

On the frocks front, Sarah and Bev have been snapping the new season APC, Eley Kishimoto and Sonia by Sonia Rykiel. Jasmine and Alex have flown through on their way to and from glamorous appointments, and I of course am always in residence to be snapped....and I don't need much encouragement as you know. I'm waiting for some shots of the others, and we'll be making one of our fashion feature films later this week if I can organise everyone to be in one place at once, but in the meantime, here's a few of me in some of my favourite pieces we've just got in:

Bev took this of me in my favourite Eley Kishimoto dress...I've been dreaming about this one since we saw it 6 months ago. To me it conjures up the best of Joan Crawford, it's film-noirish and sexy, and I don't usually wear black.....FIERCE!!

Sarah took this in the stripey Sonia bow jumper and heart brooch

..and this one where I feel I've taken on a 60's librarian-ish persona in Eley Kishimoto jumper....
Chilli did a little modelling, wearing the APC fairisle scarf with the panache we have learned to expect from her cute little self:


I can't wait to film our next movie.....but before then, it's The Look at the Lost Society 697 Wandsworth Rd tomorrow night, where Mark Eley from Eley Kishimoto of course, will be djing along with Max, Paul and myself and there's a performance by House of Boing which promises to be pretty amazing....from 7, do come down....


madame xx

Oh, and also....

Susie from Style bubble asked me to contribute a week of outfits to her wonderful blog! Check it out!

http://www.stylebubble.typepad.com

madame x

The World According To...

Just before Christmas we had a mini re-decoration at The World According To... and the walls in the stairway were wallpapered with newsprints of Wak's Eley Kishimoto designs. Her drawings of the collections are so beautiful and they make great wallpaper!!



And here is some of what we got in our mega super Silas super sale

Snow White bag and Boo bag!

Some real goodies.
We even have some Vivienne Westwood Bags on sale!

Belts between £5 and £20... Cool!!

Pieces from the Silas archives and one offs!



And all kinds of accessories, bags, belts and ties.

Bounce down the stairs to check out the sale and say hello!

xx Emma

XMAS SALE SHOP

WHOO HOO!! You ain't gonna believe what we got for YOU!!!

EXACTLY what it says on the tin. Come December 1st, The World According To... will become a Christmas Grotto Sale Shop full of Sparkling Silas Mens and Womens, Kooky Katharine E Hamnett one offs and archive pieces for Men and Women and pieces like garlands from the bottom of Birdie's nest. Great for Christmas pressies or guilty shopping splurges while out shopping for everyone else.
Cash and Cheque only.
If you come down to either store and pick up a flyer, we will add you to the our Friends and Family list. People on our list are automatically invited to the secret sale on the evening of 30 November where friends and family to get first pickings over the one offs and specialty items we have available.
Our regular The World According To... stock is NOT going into the Christmas Grotto Sale Shop but will live over at Shop At Maison Bertaux come December 1st.

Now I know some of you Shop At Maison Bertaux customers still haven't checked out our original The World According To... shop. There are a lot of cool reasons why you should have come to say hello:

The amazing James Jarvis murals on the walls of our stairwell. AWESOME.

The weird stuff you can pick up for yourself or someone else like these Eley Kishimoto and Marjan Pejoski socks and tights

And more spots and stripes than you can poke a stick at.

Looking forward to seeing you all down to pick up your flyer for the Friends and Family sale!!

xx Emma

Encore....

Je ne comprends pas pourquoi mais je suis fatigue.....I ALWAYS seem to begin a blog with how tired i am! "You've always been tired, girl..." i can hear the dulcit tones of Miss Murphy now!

Anyway Paris was tres fantastique - i know where the accents go honestly but how do you do that on a computer? (answers please to shop at maison b) - we spent time with Jean Touitou from APC, more about that soon.... I think my favourite story was the party he held with Maripol for Madonna in Fiorucci!!! anyone who knows me and Max will understand we were GAGGING!!

Here's Max and Jean Touitou, a couple of swells.
We also went to our buying appointments at APC and sonia rykiel. I fell in love with this dress and crazy dolly shoes - now i have to wait 6 months til we get them in! I hate that!!


Wierd coincidence; I was seated on the Eurostar next to a friend of mine, Antionette...she's a lovely girl who's been coming down to The World According To... and Shop before that for about 7 years or so, young girl to gorgeous lady, and i've always enjoyed chatting to her, but we got the chance to spend several hours together, even a couple of glasses of rose and got to know each other better, she was in Paris for much less frivolous reasons than me.....despite the circumstances it was great seeing her.

Then it was glamour all the way at Sonia Rykiel, where there's a huge Warhol portrait of her at the end of the entrace hall, past a whole corridor's length of scent bottles all lit by lilic light - they must be filled with coloured water though, even still the temptation to pop one of those gorgeous bottles in the pocket is overwhelming!!!!


We hung out with the Eley Kishimoto gang, they'd been partying like crazy all week and we had some fine french sancerre with them and Richard from the George even shared his japanese hangover meal with me - how kind!
Lots of exciting things happening, Emma's told you about Bodymap...I'm djing with max at the Hoxton Bar and Grill on friday night with Pinky Brown and the Lovely Jonjo, it's called Fun City like the Soft Cell song...Trash Fashion are playing http://www.myspace.com/112274396. I'm loving it down at the cake shop and we've got lots of plans for the next few months which will unfold.............soooooon!!

I did it again...

Folks yes it is true - idiot here did it again! Superduck [Nick Abrahams] came down with a friend of his that he has been having afternoon tea with in Maison Bertaux and being a bit tired and over excited cause Superduck was here [he always makes me laugh] I was being quite ridiculous making lewd jokes - SuperD was saying "Your jewellery case is nice" and I said "Yes! It is Pippa's" following it with "Yes - Pippa has a nice case too" [at least I found it funny] and SuperD made some remark about Pippa's shoe collection [men from all over the world have ogled them, and I'm sure women have too but maybe not with the same wishes] Anyway - so you get the vibe of the afternoon!! Then after the two gentlemen made their purchase [Sonia by Sonia Rykiel patent bow brooch] and left I realised who the other guy might be... I did a Google image search but still wasn't sure so I had to send Superduck a text message. Yes I had just asked Brit artist Jeremy Deller "to be my finger" while I was tying the ribbon on the box. I'd be embarressed if after 34 years of being an idiot I hadn't come to terms with myself... Pippa please forgive me!!

xx Emma

P.S. It must be noted Jeremy Deller was quite happy to be my finger for that moment.

JUICEEEEE!!!

Yesterday it was my Saturday in Shop At Maison Bertaux again. I love working Saturdays - because there are always such a different mix of people coming in and I love to chat to anyone. My first two new best friends of the day were Martha and Celia Pym.

Martha came looking for the A.P.C. peacoat that has been selling like crazy - which after much deliberation over the size she left a ver happy girl with her new package! Celia apparently is starting a textiles course soon. Then they went up to Chambre A Côté [Maison Bertaux Room Next Door - geddit?]for a hot chocolate and pastry. They wanted it to be clear that they are the biggest fans of Shop At Maison Bertaux because they love it when shops pay attention right down to the last detail. [P.S. Martha and Celia - join our mailing list!]

Then I was fiddling around with the Sonia Rykiel Bijoux in the cabinet for a while.

Pretty gorgeous SONIA RYKIEL BIJOUX keyring and comes in pink or yellow!

And nice SONIA RYKIEL BIJOUX safety pins for your coat [or the baby who has everything - haha - maybe I'll send a few to Britney]

And some SONIA by Sonia Rykiel brooches.



And check out Koyoko Hashimoto. She was going to Paris for Fashion Week to be the Eley Kishimoto model - try on the collection for the buyers in the showroom. We got into a conversation together about Japanese temples and historical places and I was telling her how much I loved Kamakura when I visited there a few years ago. She reccommended Kyoto as another place to visit that she loved. She tried on a few dresses and selected one she needed to take with her for wearing to the parties in Paris she was going to go to during fashion week.

Then at the end of the day when I closed the shop, Max, Katrina who was in The World According To..., her boyfriend and I all went out to dinner at one of our favourite places Trattoria Da Aldo. We got on to talk about the opening party again cause we hadn't seen Katrina since then. Max was telling us again how much he hated a song Paul played - Juicy Fruit by MTUME and singing and the way he did it make it sound so dirty... It was hilarious. Anyway, Pippa and I both like that song. I don't think Katrina is so keen on it - so the team is divided. Any votes for or against this track greatly welcomed by adding a comment on the comment link below this post. I'll look forward to hearing anything anyone has to say!

xx Emma

Champagne and Eclairs - Here I Come!!!

I just got a phone call from Max. He is in Soho at our new Shop at Maison Bertaux with one of the builders finishing up for the opening day tomorrow. He must be as nervous as I am anticipating the launch cause he just rang to tell me what records to play at the party tomorrow night.



On the way home the other night I visited the Shop at Maison B and couldn’t believe the transformation when I stop and think how the shop looked last time I visited it! Paul Long and his boys have been working non-stop!!




Everybody has been working so hard to get this shop open. Pippa has been on the phone ordering building materials, getting phone lines connected and searching for new staff. Mark at Eley Kishimoto has had his team in Brixton delivering wood and wallpaper and printing the cake boxes we will use for packaging. The doily logo for Shop at Maison Bertaux was also designed especially by Wak. Michelle at Maison Bertaux, the famous Soho Patisserie, is still serving her customers with all of us running under her skirts. Every time I see Max he is covered in sawdust or plaster… Who said working in fashion was a glamorous life?!



In the last week, I have been working furiously on the Shop at Maison Bertaux website and booking in all the stock from Eley Kishimoto that was delivered – so many fantastic things. I always get a bit excited when there is new stock! And new boy, Chris, he has been covering our other shop The World According To… on Brewer Street, listening to either The Pogues or Morrissey at any available opportunity. Chris is from the REAL O.C. in the USA and is totally covered in tattoos.



Check out the wallpaper and printed wood we are using - all from Eley Kishimoto!


So the party is tomorrow night! Monday 18th September from 6pm to 9pm with cakes and champagne. Nicky and Louise from Village Press who do all our press, came into The World According To… on Friday and picked up some Eley Kishimoto frocks to wear to the party. Louise picked up a vintage Stag and Roses print dress that made her look like she was out of Virgin Suicides and Nicky left with a orange and yellow floral silk number that looked fab with her A.P.C. shoes. Speaking of A.P.C. – the girls freaked when they realised that we were also carrying the full A.P.C. range and not just the jeans. We even have some of the exclusive piece that the A.P.C. store is not selling. Louise couldn’t resist one of the red checked smock dresses.
All that is left for me to do now is pick my records and decide what I am going to wear to the party!!! I’m super super excited!!!

xx Emma