Balenciaga: The Verdict

As Demna Gvasalia's first pre collection for Balenciaga is unveiled, Vogue's fashion news editor, Julia Hobbs, delivers the Vogue verdict.

"Balenciaga is like Demna's extra-curricular activity," Vetements CEOGuram Gvasalia told Suzy Menkes in no uncertain terms at last weekend's Vogue Festival. Extra-curicular perhaps, but the historic Spanish house is where the designer's avant-garde concepts need to get serious.

While the white-hot Vetements clique don't like saying all that much about what they're up to, at Balenciaga Demna Gvasalia has to contend with the reality that his hyper-real Eastern bloc aesthetic, which plunders the dirtier corners of counter-culture, is now a luxury proposition. And one that needs to sell.

The phenomenal success of Vetements's stealth, street-styled approach has frustrated critics with its anti-commercial game plan, which includes a restricted supply chain, starving stores of their cult wares in order to make them all the more sought after. This strategy won't work for Balenciaga. Demna Gvasalia's debut designs for the historically sophisticated house will drop as a pre-fall collection in July, and hang in the windows of flagship boutiques around the world. His shoppers will be older and well monied, a gear up from the fresh-faced art-school students sinking their entire student loan into a one-off sweatshirt and competing for inclusion on the brand's Instagram feed. Prices are bound to be higher than Vetements's already jaw-dropping figures, as grown-ups who want to be a part of this new cool are willing to spend more, and Instagram less.

So, what will they buy? The codes of building a Gvasaliaga wardrobe (as for a Vetements wardrobe) are simple but effective. Full-look neon, full-look graphic Balenciaga checks, full-look florals, and full-leg boots. This is fashion with no half measures. The curvaceous Balenciaga silhouette comes through with a cocooning shearling stole (emblazoned with the epically large Balenciaga typeface), and the swaddling aviator jacket - both of which usher a frivolously dressed-up mood on to the street. While at Vetements the design collective appropriate and skew well-known logos (DHL, Champion…), at Balenciaga it's all about brash in-house wording. Fans will be sporting their allegiance upfront.

The first new-era Balenciaga collection is also overflowing with satisfyingly edgy styling cues that people, who can't spend upwards of £700 on a jersey hoodie, will still be able to take on to "get the look" - gold and silver sculptural jewellery layered over a skate sweater, for instance.

These more conservative items will reassure the powers behind the brand that it's not all about those expensive jersey sweaters

This first drop is also about showing the straighter side of Gvasalia's woman, though. For the pre-fall look book, Stella Tennant is photographed through a dark tunnel of garment bags for that very Vetements back-of-house mood, there are swimming-cap style beanie hats and bondage chains - but there are also pointy party heels, peplums, glistening jewellery and stoles, tuxedo jackets, nipped-in skirt suiting, and polite heritage checks that point to Balenciaga's upscale heritage.

The die-hard fans clamouring to get a first piece of the Gvasaliaga action probably aren't too fussed about heritage, but these more conservative items will reassure the powers behind the brand that it's not all about those expensive jersey sweaters.

A Vogue Café Pops Up At Westfield

A Vogue Cafe is opening its doors in the heart of The Village, Westfield London from June 27 to September 25. To toast British Vogue's landmark 100th birthday, the pop-up café will serve a specially created Vogue 100 champagne cocktail and a Vogue 100 punch, as well as a traditional English afternoon tea.

"2016 is an exceptional year for Vogue, and continuing the centenary celebrations theVogue Café will be a perfect stop-off for shoppers in The Village at Westfield," said Alexandra Shulman, Editor-in-Chief.

The redesigned space showcases a range of legendary British Vogue covers from the last century, while a menu of macarons, sandwiches and sweet treats will provide the perfect refuel for shopping sprees.

"The pop-up café will allow our shoppers and diners to celebrate the centenary in a really unique way," Myf Ryan, Westfield UK and Europe's chief marketing officer said.

H&M Confirms Kenzo Collabortation

H&M has announced that its next designer collaboration will be with Kenzo. The collaboration is slated to launch in store on November 3 this year.

"We can't wait to share with everyone the world of  KENZO x H&M, with all of its creativity, fun and love of fashion," said Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M, which revealed the collaboration would entail menswear, womenswear and a selection of accessories.

Kenzo, which has Humberto Leon and Carol Lim at the helm, follows in the footsteps of some of the industry's most prestigious fashion houses, includingIsabel Marant, Alexander Wang, Matthew Williamson, Marni, Karl Lagerfeldand, most recently, Balmain.

"With this collaboration with H&M we want to think big, push the boundaries and bring the new energy of KENZO to everyone around the world," said Lim and Leon, who also design for Opening Ceremony which they founded in 2002, this morning.

Rihanna Collaborates With Dior

Rihanna has collaborated with Dior on a new sunglassess collection, simply entitled, Rihanna. The singer, who is already a brand ambassador for the French fashion house, has already been spotted sporting a pair from the futuristic-inspired collection which she promptly shared on her Instagram account this week.

"The process was pretty seamless," said Rihanna of the collaboration, revealing that La Forge from Star Trek was her design inspiration, reports WWD. "I spent a day at Dior with their eyewear design team. I started by looking through all the archives to see what they've done in the past, then got acquainted with all the new materials. I literally sat there and drew and drew until I was happy with the design, and the team illustrated it for me right then and there. We picked materials and colors that same day, and after that it was a matter of weeks before I saw the first prototype."

"We are very pleased to partner for the second time with Rihanna," said Dior's CEO Sidney Toledano, referring to the Secret Garden IV campaign for the house which she starred in last year. "She is an artist, an entertainer, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and a style icon for today's generation."

It's not the first time that she has dipped her toes in to the world of design. She unveiled her Rihanna Fenty collection at New York Fashion Week in February, which was quickly followed up with a meeting-of-the-minds between herself and Manolo Blahnik. Her latest foray into design with Dior is the first time that the house has created a collection with a brand ambassador. It has, meanwhile, yet to confirm the identity of its new creative director.

WGSN To Honour Alexandra Shulman

Alexandra Shulman, Vogue editor-in-chief, will receive the Outstanding Achievement Hall of Fame accolade at the annual WGSN Futures Awards on Thursday, May 26. The event, which is run by global trend-forecasting agency WGSN, celebrates the fashion industry's most innovative talents.

Shulman was chosen "for her inspirational story and contribution to fashion publishing", said Lauretta Roberts, WGSN's director of brand & propositions, adding that the organisation "would like to recognise Alexandra as a magazine legend and for her success in creating the future of a world-renowned brand that continues to grow and inspire."

"Alexandra's editorship is the longest in British Vogue's history, and has seen her steer and maintain its status as the definitive monthly fashion bible," Roberts continued. "Retaining a strong print presence by diversifying in to an award-winning website and beautifully designed apps."

Previously known as the Global Fashion Awards, past recipients of the Hall of Fame award include the iconic Iris Apfel, and designers Erdem and Christopher Bailey.

Former McQueen CEO Appointed At Versace

Jonathon Akeroyd, former CEO at Alexander McQueen, has been appointed as CEO at Gianni Versace SpA, replacing Gian Giacomo Ferraris, who has worked at Versace since 2009.

Akeroyd's departure from McQueen - where he worked for 12 years - was revealed earlier this month when it was announced that Emmanuel Gintzburger, formerly worldwide retail and wholesale director at Yves Saint Laurent, would be filling his shoes at the British fashion house.

"We are delighted to welcome Jonathan Akeroyd as our new CEO," Donatella Versace, vice president and artistic director, asserting that Akeroyd "brings a proven track record in building global brands, steering growth and driving strategic development. Jonathan Akeroyd's industry expertise and vision will be key to advancing the next phase of Versace's development."

"It is an honour to be joining such a dynamic and innovative organisation," said Akeroyd of his appointment. "Versace is an iconic lifestyle brand recognised globally as a premier name in luxury. I look forward to implementing a long-term business strategy that supports the visionary and creative direction of Donatella Versace and her team."

Akeroyd's new position is said to be effective immediately, although he is slated to start in mid-June. Whether or not he will relocate to Milan to take up the role is not yet known, nor is Ferraris's next move.

Isabel Marant And Caroline De Maigret

It turns out that while skinny jeans, a silk blouse, a beaten-up leather jacket and tasselled pixie boots certainly help, the secret to true Parisian chic is a confident state of mind.

"The Parisian woman is a feminist which informs her style," Caroline de Maigret told the Vogue Festival in association with Harrods this evening, during her conversation with Isabel Marant and Lisa Armstrong who were on hand to uncover exactly what makes Parisian women so cool. "When people look at you, you want them to see more than your clothes. Isabel's woman eats, drinks, dances - she has life, and more to do than looking at herself in the mirror."

Marant - herself a bastienne of 21st century Parisian style and responsible for many of the cult fashion items that have become synonymous with the French capital's look in the last decade - agreed.

"Fashion often shows women as objectified and on the contrary, I like to promote a confident woman," she said, adding that she tries to get inside her customer's head to considers what she needs. "For me, style is more about behaviour and the respect you show and have for other people."

The certain je ne sais quoi also extends to a laissez faire attitude concerning almost every area of life. According to Marant and De Maigret if you want to eat cake, you should, just maybe walk somewhere instead of taking a taxi tomorrow; you should be okay with the cycle of life and accept that if you have a big nose or grey hair, that's okay; you should be understated at all times as it's deemed vulgar to show off wealth; and you should never ruin an evening out by wearing something that you feel uncomfortable in. In other words, "It's not about having guilt, it's about just enjoying pleasure," summarised De Maigret.

Interestingly, the pair revealed that neither has a style icon. "I hate the idea of having an icon - I find it too restrictive, that's the beauty of a woman, it's more about character," said Marant, while De Maigret concurred saying, "I look up to activists and people who make me feel small."

When it comes to being sartorially seductive, however, the pair had more words of wisdom.

"I think it's way more sexy to play with the mind, to show off a bare neck, a cutout on the back, a T-shirt that is too big and falls off the shoulder - more than just a cleavage," said de Maigret. "It's more sexy to play with the imagination," again, bringing it back to the beauty within. "I'm inspired by the beauty of what human beings are able to achieve," said Marant. "It's a big part of my job and the most joyful part. It gives me a lot of inspiration."

Gap Announces More Store Closures

GAP has revealed falling profit margins, with a 46.8 per cent decline in net income in the first quarter (ended April 30). It has also announced plans to shutter another 75 stores, including all Old Navy stores in Japan in a bid to get growth back on track.

"We had never expected positive traffic, but we didn't expect deeply negative traffic," Gap chief financial officer Sabrina Simmons toldWWD.

Individually, Gap sales fell three per cent, Old Navy declined by six per cent, and Banana Republic dropped 11 per cent. Art Peck, Gap's chief executive officer, discussed the difficulties at Old Navy, saying there was too much fashion and too much repetition on particular styles. He identified positive results at Banana Republic since the brand cut back on discounting in a bid to train customers not to wait for promotions.

The success story for the group has been the US-based athleisure label, Athleta. "That business is highest growing," said Peck. "It will be a very significant segment of the overall rated apparel space as we go forward and we plan on it being here to stay."

The news of these closures follows the announcement last June that Gap would close 175 stores in the US, along with a "limited number" of its European stores.

Swimwear Out, New CEO In At Victorias Secret

Victorias Secret has appointed Jan Singer as CEO of Victoria's Secret Lingerie. The news comes three months after Sharen Jester Turney departed the company suddenly in February after a decade in the role. Singer, who was previously CEO at Spanx, will report to Les Wexner, CEO of L Brands which owns Victoria's Secret, from September.

The popular lingerie label also confirmed yesterday that it would be terminating its Victoria's Secret Swim label and moving forward would focus solely on its core lingerie business, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The announcements come amidst multiple changes at the brand, including the discontinuation of its catalogue, as well as making its in-store and online merchandise offering exactly the same.

"We're making these changes proactively, from a position of strength and following a record fourth quarter and 2015 for the brand," Stuart Burgdoerfer, the company's finance chief, told the WSJ, adding that swimwear has been a "flattish business for the last several years".

Burgdoefer also addressed the elimination of the brand's physical catalogue, which has been produced since the label started in the Seventies: "If we were starting this business today in the current context of 2016, would you start with one of your major ideas being a catalogue - a paper-based catalogue sent through the mail - as one of your key, if not your key, marketing activity for a global brand?"

Ventements To Show At paris Couture Week

French elevated streetwear label Vetements has been granted a guest membership to show at Paris Couture Weekin July, by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture - France's governing body for the fashion industry.

The luxury label - with a much-hyped parodic aesthetic - has made the cut this season alongside J Mendel, Yuima Nakazato, Francesco Scognamiglio and Iris Van Herpen.

Demna Gvasalia - head designer and spokesperson for the brand, which operates as a design collective - took the helm of storied French couture houseBalenciaga in October 2015, and will no doubt draw upon his experiences there. "To go to this very beautiful couture house that has a heritage, to consider that and to merge it with my aesthetic is amazing," Gvasalia recently told The Telegraph. "I could never do there what I do at Vetements, but then again Vetements is not just me, it's all the people involved."

Gvasalia also addressed the premium price tags of his collections, admitting that he and his friends rarely buy the clothes. "My friends very often can't afford the clothes. Like myself, I wear prototypes but I don't think I'm crazy fashion enough to go and buy those things. I'd rather go on holiday. My ultimate goal is to be able to offer different things so the people who can't afford to buy a leather jacket can buy a trench."


Will leather jackets, shaved heads, re-appropriated logos and haute hoodies soon be gracing the Grand Palais? Find out at Paris Couture Week, which will run from July 3 to 7.

Gvasalia's brother and Vetements CEO Guram Gvasalia will be in conversation with Vogue's international fashion editor Suzy Menkes at the Vogue fashion Festival this weekend. Get your ticket here.

Why Small Is The New Luxury

There was a time when your oversized leather tote had to be able to carry your weighty laptop, gargantuan phone and even your dog, but as technology has shrunk, so have bags - and a London label is cashing in on the shift. Yuzefi, a handbag label launched by Yousefi just last year, will make its London Fashion Week debut later this year, and so far the very small, deconstructed bags that form the collection have had a warm reception.

"There are a lot of brands that do great big bags, but I wanted to start with something more playful," Nasa Yousefi, the designer behind Yuzefi, told us. "People wear small bags when they are going somewhere, when they are more carefree and ready to have fun. I also am a fan of owning less and carrying less, we spend our lives being weighed down and held back by things we don't need. I noticed that the less I carried the more open I was to doing and experiencing. It is now perfectly acceptable to wear your cool gym gear to work or brunch so you don't need to carry that heavy tote full of things you haven't used in a week and you can have more fun with your style."

Having worked on ready-to-wear collections in the studios of Giles Deacon, Richard Nicoll, Christopher Shannon and Christopher Kane, Yousefi found herself working in leather goods by accident after creating pieces for fashion editorials styled and shot by creatives including Hedi Slimane, Patti Wilson and Steven Klein. As a fashion lecturer - based at London's Istituto Marangoni - Yousefi spends much of her time warning her students of the pitfalls of one of the world's most competitive industries, while in her own time she is busy building a brand that hopes to compete with luxury's biggest names one day.

"I learn from my students every day," she told us. "It is fascinating to get a glimpse into their worlds and see what resonates with them. Things are changing so fast and if you blink you are left behind, the other challenge for us all is to stay forever young minded and relevant. The biggest challenge in setting up on your own is that you do not learn much about the business side of things at fashion schools, and most established businesses you might work for will not provide you with the experience to start your own, but London is a great place to be in because of the support you can get from organisations such as BFC and CFE. They can help fill the knowledge gap, and taught me to think outside the box and create an infrastructure that can function efficiently."

Made in London, the bags displayed Yousefi's fascination with the process of creating leatherware but placing elements normally hidden within a luxury bag on the outside for all to see.

"I became fascinated by the versatility of leather, but I wanted to rebel against the conventional craftsmanship and give it a harder edge," the designer told us of her move from ready-to-wear to leatherwork. "It took about a year to test and refine the ideas I had into something that felt right.

From our exposed gusset to the bolt hardware that keeps the box structure together, every structural or functional element has been transformed into a design feature that highlights the unconventional craftsmanship and the work that goes into making our bags."

Ex-Employee Sues Tiffany & Co

An ex-employee of Tiffany & Co, Kristin Rightnour, is reportedly suing the company following her dismissal over an alleged anti-Semitic comment she made to a Jewish co-worker in April 2014. The former director of marketing is said to be seeking "unspecified damages" from the luxury jewellery brand.

Rightnour's Jewish colleague asked her and another Catholic co-worker about Easter and the crucifixion, prior to the Easter 2014 holidays, The New York Daily News reports. Following the conversation, one of her colleagues complained to human resources, claiming that Rightnour had stated, "the Jewish people killed Jesus" during their discussion.

Rightnour "vigorously denied... having ever said anything of the sort while simultaneously maintaining, when asked, that she is in fact a devout Catholic, that her religion was known to her colleagues, and that what Ms Rightnour had explained is indeed a standard Catholic belief," according to her lawyers, Alexander Coleman, Mike Borrelli and Pooja Bhutani, of Borrelli and Associates P.L.L.C.

Rightnour filed a complaint with the United States Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. She was put on a one-year probation and eventually fired in August 2015. Tiffany & Co have not yet responded to our request for comment.

Saunders "Thrilled" To Take The DVF Helm

Jonathan Saunders has been named chief creative officer of Diane von Furstenberg - and the London-based designer couldn't be more excited for the new challenge.

"The spirit with which this brand was founded is incredibly relevant today. I am thrilled to be part of its next chapter," Saunders added. "Diane has a unique ability to deeply connect with women and I am excited to be working with Paolo on the future of the brand."

The Scottish designer, who closed his eponymous label earlier this year, has previously worked at labels including Chloé and Pucci and will take charge with immediate effect, reporting to CEO Paolo Riva. His famed flair for print and his wearable feminine aesthetic made him the obvious choice, Von Furstenberg revealed today.

"Jonathan's extraordinary passion for colours and prints, his effortless designs, and his desire to make women feel beautiful make him the perfect creative force to lead DVF into the future," Diane von Furstenberg said in a statement today. "I could not have found a cooler, more intelligent designer and I cannot wait to watch him shine as our chief creative officer."

"Jonathan is an incredibly talented designer who is able to express his creative vision with great clarity," Riva said. "He will evolve the identity of DVF and passionately embrace our mission of putting women at the centre of everything we do. I look forward to this partnership with him."

IACC Suspends Alibaba Following Gucci Departure

The International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition has suspended the membership of Alibaba, one week after brands including Gucci, Michael Kors and Tiffany & Co were said to have departed the coalition as a direct result of its being admitted.

The brands are said to have taken issue with the Alibaba's admission under the "general membership" category, following lengthy legal wranglings which saw the Chinese e-commerce conglomerate accused of facilitating the sale of counterfeit products on a number of its platforms, includign TaaBao, by brands such as Gucci owner Kering.

"In consideration of some of the concerns raised by our membership, Bob Barchiesi, president of IACC, has recommended and the board has agreed to suspend the recently announced general membership category to allow further discussion and consideration," the IACC board wrote in a letter to its members, reports WWD. "This will result in the suspension of the memberships of Alibaba, Wish.com and The Real Real at this time."

While the IACC stated that the suspension would not affect its relationship with any of the affected brands, Alibaba responded to its suspension with diplomacy, stating that it still believes that in order to address counterfeit goods effectively, a collaborative approach is required.
Whether or not we are a member of the IACC, we will continue our productive and results-oriented relationships with brandsJennifer Kuperman, of Alibaba Group

"The only way to solve the complex, industry-wide issue of counterfeiting is through strong industry collaboration and we believe that intermediaries, like Alibaba, must be an integral part of the solution," said Jennifer Kuperman, head of international corporate affairs at Alibaba Group. "Whether or not we are a member of the IACC, we will continue our productive and results-oriented relationships with brands, governments and all industry partners."

Beyonce´s Ivy Park Responds To Sweat Shop Claims

Beyonce´s Ivy Park label has come under fire this week following accusations that the collection is produced under "sweat-shop conditions". The range, which the singer launched as a joint venture with Arcadia owner Philip Green, is created in Sri Lankan factories where workers are paid £4.30 a day, according to an investigation by The Sun.

Several workers from the factory told their story to the newspaper, revealing that they worked almost 10 hours a day with a 30-minute lunch break, and that MAS Holdings ­- the factory where they are based - pays them in the region of 18,500 rupees (£87.26) a month. This is above the legal minimum wage in the country, which is 13,500 rupees a month - although campaigners asserted that the true living wage is nearer 43,000 rupees.

"This is a form of sweat-shop slavery," Jakub Sobik, of Anti-Slavery International, told The Sun. "There are a number of elements here that tick the boxes in terms of slavery, the low pay, restriction of women's movement at night and locking them in. Companies like Topshop have a duty to find out if these things are happening, and it has long been shown that ethical inspections by these companies are failing. They should be replaced by independent inspections."

"Ivy Park has a rigorous ethical trading programme," the company told us today in response to the claims. "We are proud of our sustained efforts in terms of factory inspections and audits, and our teams worldwide work very closely with our suppliers and their factories to ensure compliance. We expect our suppliers to meet our code of conduct and we support them in achieving these requirements."

Calvin Model Defends Up-Skirt Shot

The actress and model featured in a controversial new Calvin Klein campaign advertisement has defended the picture. Danish actress Klara Kristin shared the picture on Instagram along with her take on the furore, which centres around the fact that the picture is taken looking upwards to her underwear.

"I love this photo @harleyweir took of me," Kristin said alongside the picture on Instagram. "All this discussion about it makes me think about how alienated and scared some people are to the female human body. Be and love yourself and your sexuality #girlpower."

Commenters on photographer Harley Weir's Instagram page have criticised the shot for its glorification of "rape culture", insisting that it normalises sexual harassment and adding sentiments including: "Disappointing objectification of the female body once again", while others defended the shot as "iconic" and "beautiful".

It's by no means the first time that Calvin Klein has courted controversy with an ad. The brand's pictures of a then-15-year-old Brook Shields asking: "You wanna know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing" caused a media storm in 1981, and saw the brand accused of sexualising a child. Pictures of Kate Moss topless astride Mark Wahlberg drew similar criticism in 1992, despite the fact that she was 18, and later naked images of Eva Mendes and Jamie Dornan garnered worldwide attention.

J Lo On Those Rihanna Boots

When Rihanna unveiled her colaborative collection with Manolo Blahnik in the April issue of British Vogue, it was only a matter of time before it became a celebrity hit - and Jennifer Lopez for one wasn't going to let anything stop her wearing them in her new music video, Aint Your Mama, even if they weren't the easiest to bounce around in.

"Rihanna had sent me these amazing boots and I was like, 'These have to be in the video'. They were hard to dance in," said Lopez, reports People. "Everyone else was dancing in combat boots and sneakers. I walked out to the set and I was like, 'Nobody wearing heels but me? OK!' But we pulled it off."

Rihanna gifted the boots back in April to Lopez, telling her fellow star in a handwritten note that it was "because I know you're gonna wear them better than me!!!" She then shared with her Instagram users her joy at seeing the fruits of her collaboration on Lopez in her music video.

"She wore the 9-5 in a video!!! Mayyyyjorrr!!! Yaasssss @jlo Thanks for the support! I'm having such a f*ckin moment knowing that forever I have proof of a bad one like you in my designs!!!"

Why Gisele Wouldn’t Be A Model Today

Gisele Bundchen may be the world's highest-paid model, but if her career were beginning today rather than in the mid-Nineties, she admits she might have chosen another path.

"If I had to start modelling today, there is no way I would ever do it," she told Access Hollywood. "I'm like a little crab, I just like to stay inside my home, and everything is just too much for me."

Speaking about the early years of her career, the model shared that her first nude shoot aged 18 was almost the end of her fledgling career, since she thought it would be the last straw for her parents.

"So, I'm in this position," she said - re-enacting the pose of the now famous Irving Penn shot that appears on the cover of her book, released last year. "And I was so stiff, I was so scared, I wasn't even breathing because I was so terrified that if I moved something was going to show more. I was thinking my parents are going to kill me. Oh my god, they are going to bring me back home. They are going to say, 'What are you doing taking your clothes off, come home right now.' And then, when the picture came out, I was telling my agent, 'Oh my god, buy every copy of the magazine! Do whatever you have to do! My parents should never see this!'"

Fortunately, the experience didn't see her dragged back to Brazil, and in fact was by no means her last naked or nearly nude shoot. While the supermodel concedes that the offer of a $25 million contract from Victoria's Secret may seem like a "no brainer" now, she insists that back then the decision to tie herself to the brand was more difficult.

"In 1999, there wasn't really a cross over between fashion models and catalogue models," she explained. "I remember having the conversation with my agent and she said, 'You really have to make a decision here, because you might never do a magazine cover again.' But I was 19 years old and I thought to myself, 'I don't know how long I'm going to be in this business, I think I need to take this contract, because that will give me financial security.'"

"We have a great relationship and I've been blessed to find this life partner that we all seek. We've been through a lot of ups and downs together and that has really made our relationship so strong. We all have our challenges that we face in our life, and it's great to have that rock that we can lean on."

Laughing that he "completely disagrees" with her assertion that he is more stylish than her, he joked: "She looks amazing in anything she puts on, so of course when she asks, 'How does this look?' I'm like: 'You look amazing!'" As for her taste in what he wears, he revealed that his current short hair was not at her request - far from it.

"She likes my hair long," he said. "She likes that Tarzan, jungle boy, wants to live in Costa Rica all the time look, but, you know, I'm a city slicker. Plus I have to wear a helmet all the time, so it's kind of a convenience thing for me."

Giving a glimpse into their home life, Brady also revealed that he reads Dr Seuss to his children at night - because they are his favourite stories, rather than purely because his children enjoy them - and that the alternative causes some hilarity.

"We have a lot of Portuguese books in the house and those are… funny!" he told People. "My kids can speak Portuguese, but I can't read it, so I probably screw up half the words."

M&S AW-16

Earth Shattering news from Middle England's retail cornerstone: Marks & Spencer will be joining the see-now, buy-now model for autumn.

Those au fait with fashion's new favourite compound adjective will recognise this as a highly trendy move. Burberry, Tom Ford and Vetements have all announced that they willforgo the traditional catwalk schedule in favour of showing collections that will become immediately available for purchase.

So, on Wednesday May 11, concurrent to the unveiling of M&S's autumn/winter 2016 collection to the fashion press, one segment of it will go on sale online and in 26 stores - six months earlier than it usually would. Eschewing heavy, winter pieces, the "Big Easy" autumn trend, as M&S is calling it, comprises minimalist, transitional items that will slot into your wardrobe as easily as your foot will slide into one of its Gucci-inspired backless loafers this season. Highlights include a Céline-ish white shirt dress with an exposed seam, a lovely pair of wide-legged cream denim sailor pants with the requisite on-trend raw edge, and a black maxi dress with rust-coloured top stitching.

It's a neat strategy. In recent years, the M&S press day has become something of an event, garnering the kind of column inches that other high-street brands can only wish for. The frenzy often leads to random pieces of clothing becoming proper nouns - see: The Pink Coat, The Suede Skirt - and garnering waiting lists comprising hundreds of customers who are all presumably baffled to learn they must wait another three months for the hallowed brown Seventies-inspired suede skirt that Alexa Chung's currently sassing around in to actually reach them. By releasing part of their autumn collection six months early, M&S can capitalise on the press coverage and better serve their customers.

What, then, from the rest of the autumn collection, is worth waiting until September for? A navy pleated skirt with a silver metallic tag on the hip neatly picks up on the clean, modernist aesthetic that characterises a lot of stylish women's wardrobes. A tawny utility skirt, complete with chunky pockets and coal black buttons, is on the money for work and play. So too a green velvet double-breasted blazer, which is smart but hangs slouchily, and a Gucci-style black and emerald printed midi-dress.

The outerwear is particularly strong. A leopard-print faux-fur coat with a Sixties collar in the Per Una range drew admiring glances; a lovely Prada-esque tweedy coat with embellished shoulders looked more expensive than its £100 price tag; and an Autograph camel coat with a silver metal detail on the hip would bolster any woman's wardrobe. 

Not surprisingly, in a season where heritage fabrics were such a big story, M&S's Best of British offering is particularly strong for winter. The stand-outs? A workwear-blue trench coat, a pinstripe midi-dress and a thick tweed grey great coat - there's lots here for the fashion fan enamoured with Prada's tweeds and DKNY's suiting.

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the M&S bra, and to celebrate, a Seventies triangle style is revived from the archives. The style was selected because a) it's a shape that's trending now, and b) because it was the first style that hit one million in sales. Other highlights in the offering include Flexi Fit knickers with 360-degree stretch, and a growing athleisure category with plenty of sumptuous cashmere blends.

Will it be enough to entice the M&S woman back into store? Lord knows it needs to. In April it was revealed that clothing and homeware sales dropped 2.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2016. As M&S's new chief executive Steve Rowe said at the time: "We've not been as stylish as we need to be, not had the availability and need to make sure we have the right product at the right price." At least the see-now, buy-now segment of this autumn collection will tick the "at the right time" box.

Regardless, the mood at M&S headquarters is resolutely upbeat. The Archive by Alexa collection, which hit stores in early April, has performed well across the board, with several pieces selling out. Despite the headache-inducing overall clothing downturn, sales in its Autograph collection were up 10 per cent. And Queralt Ferrer, the Spanish director of design for womenswear, lingerie and beauty is committed to creating waiting-list-worthy pieces. "There is pressure, of course, but we don't set out thinking: 'What is going to get everyone talking?'," she says, when we discuss The Suede Skirt furore. "We want to design pieces that reference a trend but are strong in their own right, as well as something that is super wearable."

Customers will need to cherry-pick, says Ferrer. "Trends are becoming less important. And we are trying to relax our handwriting of the trend. Instead of thinking, it has to be this look, this length, this size, we try to relax." Trends, Ferrer says, can be alienating for customers. "People switch off. They think, 'I'm not into Seventies', or 'That trend is not me'. The aim is to mix and match clothes. We are not so focused on one trend, one catwalk - we look at street style, we want to interpret things in our own way."

That's all very well, but then why persist with a huge number of diffusion lines - Per Una, Autograph, Best of British, Limited Edition - when other big names, including Burberry and Calvin Klein, are streamlining operations? What women want is easy, stress-free shopping that doesn't require constant self-analysis. If M&S is to become a go-to once more, it needs to keep things simple.

Mario Testino´s Centenary Vogue Shoot

Which model would put Cher on the cover of Vogue? And which decade most inspires Jourdan Dunn's style? Find out from the girls themselves in Mario Testino's unmissable video of his Vogue 100 shoot, 'As Time Goes By'. Hit play to watch 10 of Britain's top models answering questions in the most elaborate fashions of the last century, from Edie Campbell as a Sixties rocker and Ruth Bell in a Bowie-inspired spacesuit to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as an Eighties club kid to Kate Moss as the ultimate Nineties girl.

The Ultimate Vogue Auction

As the Vogue 100 celebrations enter full-swing mode, Phillips auction house has revealed that as a part of itsPhotographs auction, that will commence on May 19, there will be a special Ultimate Vogue section, featuring photographs spanning the magazine's 100 years.

Work from Vogue photographers - including Peter Lindbergh, Walter Pfeiffer,Steven Meisel, Ellen von Unwerth, Mario Testino, Nick Knight, Steven Klein,Mario Sorrenti, Glen Luchford, Solve Sundsbo, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggotand Alasdair McLellan - feature in the exclusive auction, which also comprises other leading photographic works from the 20th and 21st centuries.

The Photographs auction hails from a private collection and includes property from the collection of Paul and Toni Arden. The works can be viewed from this Friday, May 13 to next Thursday, May 19 when they will go under the hammer at 3pm.

For more information visit Phillips.com

How Active-wear Became The New Ready To Wear

From Beyoncé's debut athleisure range, Ivy Park, to the ubiquitous Victoria's Secret"train like an Angel" hashtag, it's difficult to overstate the all-encompassing growth of activewear in all our lives. Even those who still haven't embraced the gym-bunny lifestyle will have likely adopted some of their practices - from daily green juices to step-monitoring apps - meaning that the "health is wealth" mantra has reached every area of our worlds, even our wardrobes.

Models and actresses who claim to never work out in order to maintain their figures are a thing of the past, with many of the most famous women in the world stepping out for a post-workout brunch still wearing their gym gear. Now it has become not only a badge of health, but also an outfit choice in itself, many women are looking for something more interesting than the standard sports brands and ubiquitous international athletic apparel manufacturers leading to a rise in niche labels. It's a trend that Caroline-Christine Wilhem - the founder of Copé Active - spotted early.

"I started Copé Active because I saw an opportunity in the UK market after living in the US for six years," Wilhelm explained. "I worked out in every boutique gym I could find and fell head over heels with the post-workout brunch culture, which was all about working out followed by a healthy brunch without having to change outfits. As the look had to be seamless, activewear was becoming increasingly fashionable and functional. When I moved back from the US to Europe, I noticed that the active lady of London had little choice regarding her activewear. There were the major, mainstream brands but hardly any of the niche, designer names I loved from the US and Australia. I set my mind to change this and contacted these brands, to find out if they were interested selling in Europe."

Sitting around "five years behind the US" in terms of our activewear expectations, Wilhelm says, she nevertheless found Brits quick to embrace new activewear labels that they may not otherwise have heard of. The first hurdle was encouraging women that it was alright to wear their gym clothes out afterwards - rather than showering and changing as they may previously have done - and luckily Wilhelm had some high-profile assistance in convincing the masses.

"Social media has had a tremendous impact on growing the activewear movement," she nodded. "For example, Instagram has allowed bloggers and celebrities to share their healthy lifestyle and what they wear to a massive audience. Snapchat is also becoming a force in showing the athleisure trend to millennials. I am particularly fond of Izabel Goulart, who is an ambassador of "strong not skinny" and is inspiring thousands of women to stay fit. It is also hard to miss the influence Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid have had on the activewear market. Both are regularly photographed at the gym or at restaurants wearing stylish activewear. I am also inspired by celebrities such as Kate Hudson who have become wellness entrepreneurs and launched their own activewear brands. In 2016, it is cooler to arrive wearing activewear than a hangover."

Copé Active's success is testament to the rise of this trend. Launched in August 2015, the site has enjoyed 100 per cent growth month on month, in both revenue and site visitors - meaning that not only are we likely to see more women wearing activewear in restaurants across the country, but the labels that we see are likely to become progressively more diverse. So what should we invest in now?

"For the daring ones, our Koral Active Jumpsuit has been flying off the shelves," Wilhelm said, noting that a new collaboration between Charlotte Olympia and Bodyism has been a particular cause for excitement. "For women looking for a stylish yet functional topper , our Ultracor Camo vest protects against the sometimes unpredictable London weather. For the girl that prefers the gym look without working out, our Blanc Noir Ponte leggings are a hit. And for the more playful and fun woman, our Emoji leggings from Terez guarantee envious stares wherever you are heading."

Gucci Departs Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition

Gucci has followed Michael Kors in departing the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition - the non-profit organisation that aims to combat the production of copies in the fashion industry - following the announcement that the Alibaba Group has become a member, according to reports this morning.

The two fashion houses, who previously joined brands including Chanel, Nikeand Apple as a part of the coalition, are said to have opted out due to "the inclusion of Alibaba Group to the organisation," reports WWD, "and it occurs as the e-commerce giant's founder and executive chairman, Jack Ma, was announced as the IACC's keynote speaker at the organisation's spring conference in Orlando, May."

While there has been no confirmation from Gucci as to what the catalyst for its departure was, its owner, Kering, has a history of legal entanglement with the Chinese-based e-commerce company. Last May, it pursued Alibaba for the second time in 12 months for allegedly facilitating the sale of counterfeit versions of items from its stable of fashion houses (which also includes Saint Laurent and Balenciaga) through a number of its online platforms, including Taobao. Alibaba insisted it would fight the accusations "vigorously" at the time.

The IACC asserted this week that Alibaba - and a number of other e-commerce platform facilitators - had been welcomed to the coalition as "general members" and said that their inclusion would make the crusade against counterfeits a more cohesive one.

"The IACC stands by its collaborative approach and is committed to lean into the future and lead a coalition of the willing. Alibaba's application for membership was unanimously approved by the IACC's Board of Directors based on their demonstrated commitment and concrete results through the IACC MarketSafe programme," said a statement from the organisation. It added that "by bringing intermediaries to the fold, we are offering our current membership a new way to work with these entities directly while coordinating a collective effort to develop solutions to global counterfeiting and piracy".

Burberry Looking For Bailey Support

Burberry is reportedly looking to appoint a senior manager at the British fashion house to support its creative director and CEO Christopher Bailey, who has lead both the creative and the business sides of the brand since the departure of former CEO Angela Ahrendts in 2013.

"Bailey needs back-up," said a shareholder, reports the Financial Times today. "He needs someone to help him on the marketing and retail side, who has a good understanding of the business and knows exactly where they want to take the company."

While there is no question over Bailey's experience and skill as creative director at the fashion house, investors are said to be keen to allow him to maintain his area of expertise and bring in someone new who will complement his work.

"It worked with Christopher Bailey as head of design and Angela Ahrendts as chief executive, but there have been problems since he took up both roles after she left," a top-20 shareholder told the FT. Names in the frame for the rumoured position at the house - where shares have fallen 21 per cent since May 2014 and in the last 12 months are down 32 per cent - have not been disclosed as yet.

Alber's Lanvin Tragedy

Alber Elbaz has spoken for the first time about life after Lanvin, referring to his exit as creative director from the storied fashion house as "my tragedy".

"Since I left Lanvin I have a huge scar. For the first couple of months, I walked around Paris and it was raining. I never knew if it was the rain or my tears," he told the audience who had gathered at The New School's Parsons School of Design to hear him speak, reports WWD. "If I ever find an interesting job that will make me want to wake up again, I'll teach every Friday and work one day in a hospital. There's no formula. But I don't want to think about Lanvin."

Elbaz's exit from the French fashion house last October was acrimonious, with the designer (who headed up the label for 14 years) finding himself forced to defend his work amidst poor-quality claims. During his talk this week, he recalled the dissatisfaction he always felt after "finishing a collection and being half dead and knowing that you're late with the next collection", before dispelling a common myth.

"People think fashion is one long party that never ends," he said. "It's a party, but it ends. The life cycle goes through highs and lows. I came here without a private car, without a secretary and without a public relations representative to tell me what to say. There's something quite fabulous about being free."

Slimane Shoots Down Own-Label Rumours

Hedi Slimane has dismissed rumours that he's in the process of establishing an eponymous label following his exit from Yves Saint Laurent. The designer - who generally keeps his counsel on unfounded reports - took the unusual step of tweeting a legal letter from his personal account yesterday.

"For the record, Hedi Slimane has never had in the past, let alone now, the intention or desire to launch a brand under his name," it said, "and therefore denies recent rumours (including in WWD) of alleged encounters with investors, in Paris or Doha, where Hedi Slimane has in fact never been."

The letter - attributed to his Paris-based legal representative, Hervé Temime - also took the opportunity to publicly thank his design team as well as Saint Laurent's former partner, and fervent Slimane supporter, Pierre Bergé.

"Hedi Slimane wishes to extend a public and vibrant tribute to his entire team, to whom he will be forever grateful and loyal," the statement read. "Hedi Slimane dedicates these four creative and inspiring years to Pierre Bergé."

Having quashed those particular whispers, the LA-based creative may have less luck burying stories linking him to another top job at a major luxury house. Following his commercial success at Saint Laurent, it's likely that a raft of labels are clamouring to entice him to join them - with a position helming Chanel menswear before taking over from Karl Lagerfeld one day the industry's current favourite conjecture.

Ab Fab's Vogue Takeover

This month's Vogue has the Duchess of Cambridge on the cover, but inside the issue television royalty are crashing a Vogue shoot. The Absolutely Fabulous duo - Patsy Stone and Eddy Monsoon, or Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders as you may also know them - are bringing their indefatigable banter to David Bailey's studio, leaving Vogue's Emily Sheffield to pick up the pieces.

"Oh, I love them! It's like wearing another cloak," Lumley said. "If someone said would you like a night out with Eddy and Patsy, you would run a mile. Awful. But to have a night out as them, well, that's another matter." While Saunders added of their enduring appeal: "I don't know, honestly. I think we love Eddy because she just keeps trying so hard."

The shoot features Georgia May Jagger, as well as fashion designers Manolo Blahnik and Stephen Jones, and sees the characters wreaking havoc on set. Fortunately, off-screen, Lumley and Saunders promise they are much more sedate.

"I spend my life on my knees in the garden or complaining - and I'm also very old. So I'm not Patsy. And I think people wish that we were falling out of taxis," Lumley joked.

See the shoot in full and read the interview in the June 2016 centenary issue of Vogue - now on newsstands nationwide and available to download. The Absolutely Fabulous movie is in cinemas from July 1.

McQueen Names A New CEO

Alexander McQueen has announced the appointment of Emmanuel Gintzburger as CEO. The executive succeeds Jonathan Akeroyd, who has helmed the company for 12 years, and is leaving to "pursue other interests outside of the group". Gintzburger arrives at the post from fellow Kering label Yves Saint Laurent, where he was worldwide retail and wholesale director, and will assume his new role next week.

Outgoing CEO Akeroyd - who has overseen McQueen's development as an international brand over the past decade - was appointed shortly after the company was acquired by Kering, then the Gucci Group, in 2000. He steered the house following the suicide of its founder, Lee McQueen, in 2010 - and has built a close relationship with creative director Sarah Burton since.

"Kering is grateful to Jonathan Akeroyd for his contribution during the 12 years he served as CEO of Alexander McQueen," the company said in a statement today. "In close collaboration with the creative and leadership team, he successfully oversaw the growth and the international expansion of the brand, making it one of the most recognised British luxury fashion brand in the world.

Chanel In Cuba

Fact: When it comes to far flung destinations, no one can quite top Chanel and its cruise collections. Let's see, there has been Seoul, Dubai and Singapore among them. This week, continuing on the house's world tour, it was all aboard a non-direct flight and some 16 hours in transit to Havana, Cuba, for Chanel's 2016/17 pre-collection.

After 33 years at the helm, rumours are circling that this was Karl Lagerfeld's final collection for the house (the designer supposedly has a life contract which basically means he leaves when, and if, he wants to) but it makes one wonder if anyone else would ever be capable of such large-scale bravado.

Staging a show on a Caribbean island under communist rule is no mean feat. In the weeks running up to the festivities Chinese whispers circled that Chanel was bringing in Wi-Fi. It didn't. Which was a pity as it would have certainly been helpful (there are only 30 locations on the island that are connected). Understandably, Karl Lagerfeld simply can't do everything, just like he can't put a stop to those pesky mosquitos and the more pressing concern of the Zika virus. What he can do, however, is fumigate every venue on the four day schedule from restaurants to the show venue - as he did.

Highlights on the itinerary ranged from a tour of old Havana town; a visit to a cigar factory and to Ernest Hemingway's house hidden at the end of a mango tree-lined driveway in the poorer, southern suburbs; and dinner at Atelier, the very same restaurant that Michelle Obama and her daughters dined at during the president's historic visit in March. (Locals delight in Obama's efforts to chart a new course in US relations with Cuba that will engage and empower Cubans by adjusting regulations and improving travel and import policies.)

As guests soaked up the culture of this city and all its faded grandeur, thoughts turned to the show and just what Lagerfeld might send out against his Cuban backdrop. Some Fifties sass, perhaps, rendered in sun-blasted would-be-brights; the sort of colours that decorate the crumbling Spanish colonial architecture here. There was that, and more, in abundance.

In 35-degree heat and what felt like 100 per cent humidity, the evening began with 170 colourful vintage cars from Cadillacs to Chevrolets to transport guests to El Paseo Del Prado, the chosen show venue in central Havana. One of the city's most emblematic thoroughfares, it was redesigned in 1928 at the request of the Cuban president by French landscape architect, Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier.

It's decorated with eight bronze lions by French sculptor, Jean Puiforcat, and Cuban sculptor, Juan Comas, which perfectly illustrates the ties between France and Cuba - hardly a more fitting venue for a Chanel show in Cuba, then. As the 600 show-goers took their seats on benches either side of what formed a 160-metre catwalk, the balconies of the bordering houses teemed with locals who were in raptures over the sight of guests including Gisele, Vanessa Paradis and in particular, Vin Diesel, who is in Havana filming the The Fast and The Furious 8. (They must be wondering what on earth has descended upon their city this year: first, the Rolling Stones performed a free concert attended by 1.2 million people - which adds up to half the population of Havana - and now, this.)

Stella Tennant may have opened the show, dressed in boyish monochrome pinstripe trousers, brogues and a black tailored blazer topped with a straw trilby (it was a fast star turn; her flight departed a few hours later), but some of the models cast were local girls.

Nods to the city ran from subtle to all-out obvious. On the quieter front were tiered ballerina skirts crafted from white, banana-leaf-shaped organza appliqué, and on the shoutier side were Che Guevara-style berets rendered in black sequins, retro-looking T-shirts emblazoned with "Coco Cuba" layered under tweed suits, a cartoon-ish print of juicy-coloured Cadillacs worked into silk maxi dresses, PJ's and dressing gowns, and Cohiba-cigar-smoking male models. Other highlights included khaki army jackets with tweed backs, tobacco sweater dressing, and black crochet dresses and backpacks - crochet is a celebrated craft here where much less spectacular "Chanel" versions are sold as souvenirs in the old town. A finalé of sequin mini dresses in spearmint, yellow, and peach matched the cars we arrived in.

Once everyone had filed out, back to that procession of honking cars, we were whisked to the after-party held at the Plaza de la Catedral, which had been revamped into a traditional Cuban beach house, whereupon a display of crackling lightening danced across the black sky. Only Chanel.

Net-A-Porter Launches Exclusive Gucci Capsule

Since Alessandro Michele took the helm of Gucci in early 2015, everyone has wanted a piece of the brand - now, he's created a new collection to be sold exclusively on Net-A-Porter that's destined to top every fan's wish list.

The 20-piece capsule will be on sale from May 12 and will encompass ready-to-wear, accessories and shoes, WWD reports, and will include new interpretations of Gucci classics such as the Dionysus bag and Ace trainers. Michele also calls on familiar elements - birds often grace his designs, and a reimagined version of his heron print features on a neoprene sweatshirt.

"Our customer cannot seem to get enough of Gucci," Alison Loehnis, president of Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter commented. "Working on the exclusive project has been a thrill and we're incredibly excited to be launching this global first on Net-A-Porter. Alessandro has an immense talent and vision and as we've come to expect from him, the collection is exquisite."

The Duchess On Her Vogue Experience

The Duchess Of Cambridge may have been photographed many thousands of times over the past five and a half years since her engagement to Prince William was announced, but the experience of a Vogue shoot was a new one even for her. Photographed by Josh Olins in the Norfolk countryside, the Duchess appears very at home in front of the camera - with Olins declaring her a "natural" - but revealed that her children have an even more relaxed approach.

"From taking photographs of George and Charlotte, I have been struck by the wonderful lack of self-consciousness that you see in photographs of children, without the self-awareness that adults generally feel," she told Vogue editor-in-chief Alexandra Shulman for the piece that accompanies the 10-page shoot in Vogue's June 2016 issue.

The Duchess has a keen personal interest in portraiture and has taken several of the official pictures of her children released by Kensington Palace to mark important occasions, including four new portraits of Princess Charlotte released yesterday to mark her birthday today. Having participated in choosing not only the clothes worn in the shoot and the locations used as a backdrop, but also the photographer who captured the images, the Duchess was pleased with the resulting feeling of informality in the final shots.

Two of the images have now been installed in the National Portrait Gallery, of which the Duchess is a patron, where they form a part of the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition.

The June 2016 centenary issue of Vogue will be on newsstands nationwide and available to download from Thursday May 5. "Vogue 100: A Century of Style" is at the National Portrait Gallery until May 22, and tickets are still available from Npg.org.uk.

Meet Harvey Nichols's 100-Year-Old Star

Harvey Nichols has created a very special campaign in celebration of Vogue's centenary issue - landing on newsstands on Thursday May 5 - featuring the first 100-year-old model to grace the magazine's pages: Bo Gilbert.

Ms Gilbert was photographed by Phil Poynter for her very first campaign shoot, in which she wears bespoke Valentino glasses, a Dries Van Noten coat, a Victoria Beckham top, a Lanvin necklace and trousers by The Row. 

"We devised a campaign that reflected the playful attitude Harvey Nichols is famous for, celebrating both the 100th Anniversary of British Vogue and also style in its entirety," commented Shadi Halliwell, creative and marketing director at Harvey Nichols. "It was a privilege to work with Bo, she is a fabulous, independent lady who epitomises timeless style."

The campaign will feature exclusively in the centenary issue, while an accompanying documentary film, directed by Kell Mitchell, chronicles Ms Gilbert's journey to the pages of Vogue. "I love the different fashions," she says in the film, as she reflects on changing style through the decades.

The World's Best-Dressed Traveller Revealed

Victoria Beckham who once announced that the airport is her runway, has been crowned the world's best-dressed traveller by British Airways. The designer, who is a frequent flyer, has claimed the top spot ahead of Amal Clooney, who comes in second, and Kendall Jenner, who comes in third place.

"Victoria Beckham always gets it right when flying and it's so impressive. Usually there is a menswear element to her travel wardrobe, it's chic and sophisticated but still classic and comfortable," said stylist and Vanity Fair contributing editor, Elizabeth Saltzman, who compiled the list alongside the airline.

The rest of the top ten comprises (in ascending order) Angelina Jolie; Gwen Stefani; Charlize Theron; Taylor Swift; Marion Cotillard; Lupita Nyong'o and Heidi Klum.