@ last!

This morning, Mr. D went fishing at like 6:00, with his publishing friends (yeah, if you were wondering why nothing ever gets done in major fashion magazines, that's why: it's the original FF, Fishing Fridays). He called around 9:00 and said listen it's a beautiful day, don't stay inside.

I then proceeded to spend all day inside with the cat, going thru countless shots from Tuesday morning's preview @ the new Topshop in Knigthsbridge that opened yesterday, painstakingly cropping and adjusting light balance and so on. Liz, who does their PR and who I met last spring (spotted & dotted her in Primrose Hill and cracked up when she told me what she did), had invited me to a 'low key breakfast: bloggers and onliners'. I brought Bianca, shown here. We're friends with her dad, and she's just started fashion blogging. I had just met her literally 30 seconds earlier, and before we went inside, a bit after 9:00 a.m., I asked her to jump.

She said the same thing everyone says: 'I can't jump' but then finished with '.. in these shoes.'



Of course she can. Anyone can jump, if they put their mind to it. Her shoes, by the way, are from River Island.

Anyway, after painstakingly choosing my shots - and I still haven't finished - I went to post but the internet was down. Arrgggh!!! So I went to the park for the last part of the day, and discovered that Gloucester Road had a power cut. Have no idea if there's any connection. But I wanted to start you off with SOMETHING, and will do more posts in the next hour or two, so you'all come back, you here?

If you're in London: who's been to the new Topshop? What do you think? We loved it but then again, we had an amazing experience. As I hope to show you shortly.

brand identity

Yesterday, when I was wearing faded denim shorts with tights & slight heels, inspired by Hedvig, I found myself in Knightsbridge, having just met some great friends and en route to meet my dear friend Natayla for lunch.



I happened to have gone slightly out of my way to check out the location of the new Topshop, opening in Knightsbridge on Thursday, so I could tell friends where to meet tomorrow for an early preview breakfast.



That's when I saw Rachel. I so often see someone with a great look that I just clock but don't shoot, but this time, I saw this girl waaaay across the road. In order to reach her I had to wait for two sets of lights to change, but luckily I could see she was stopped outside an estate agent, which gained me some time.

Still, she was power walking at quite a fast clip, carrying two large Starbucks lattes, AND an orange phone. (Not necessarily an Orange phone, mind you). I was noting the bead work and woven details on her fabulous Phillip Lim jacket, nicely tanned quite perfect BARE LEGS (it was freakin' freezing yesterday!) but as fast as she moved, I moved faster.





Finally caught with her. She's Rachel, she's American, from Michigan originally moved here with her boyfriend via Miami, where she trained in Miami as yoga teacher. Her boyfriend started a school here called Power Yoga London.

We couldn't help laugh at the cliche of it all: American girls, she's carrying these Starbucks coffees.. she's delightful. And now we're facebook friends. And that, my friends, is the end of the story!



Rachel's fabulous little griege suede boots are by a French brand called Maje. Her jacket is Phillip Lim. Her shirt is GAP, shorts Ralph Lauren, bag and sunglasses Chanel. Necklace 3, Forever 21 bracelets. Coffee, Starbucks. Phone, not a clue.