5 BLOGGERS + 1 MAKEUP BOUTIQUE = HAPPINESS ♥

 Makeup etc. is a beauty boutique that stocks products exclusively in Dubai by incredible makeup and beauty brands. They invited me along with 4 other fabulous Dubai bloggers for a quick tour and introduction to the store where they shared the stories behind these highly successful labels.

As part of a collaboration we'll be working on, the 5 bloggers selected 5 products each from brands like Julie Hewitt, Alisor Refaee, Armour, Sarah Happ, Coola, 100% Pure, Karuna and Kelly Van Gogh to review.

With bloggers Tinayums, Lisa, Teresa, Mahryska

I selected products from the following labels which I'll be reviewing on the blog throughout the next couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

 Be sure to follow Makeup etc. on Facebook and Twitter

Triple Success for ASOS at Handbag.com Online Fashion Awards 2011

The Handbag.com Online Fashion Awards in association with Medwinds, were revealed this week (27 June), with online fashion store ASOS winning three awards. ASOS was announced as winners of ‘Best New Fashion Site’, ‘Best Vintage Site’ and ‘Best Online-Only Site’.

Now in its fourth year, the Handbag.com Online Fashion Awards 2011 encompass twelve categories, naming a winner and runner-up in each. A panel of handbag.com industry experts including Show Me Your Wardrobe’s Jackie Dixon, DirectorsOf.com founder Leon Bailey Green, Drapers’ online editor Keely Stocker and ASOS’ Jemma Dyas, compiled a final shortlist of the best fashion sites on the web, before putting this shortlist to the public vote. More than 47,000 votes from handbag.com users determined the overall winners.

Full list of Handbag Online Fashion Awards 2011 winners:

Best accessories site
Winner – Accessorize
Runner up – Etsy

Best boutique site
Winner – Paul's Boutique
Runner up – Monica and Joe

Best British fashion blog
Winner – Style Bubble
Runner Up – The Style Bite

Best designer site
Winner – Net-a-Porter
Runner Up – The Outnet

Best high street site
Winner – Topshop
Runner Up – River Island

Best independent fashion magazine site
Winner – My Fashion Life
Runner Up – Fashion 156

Best international fashion blog
Winner - The Style Rookie
Runner Up – The Coveted

Best new fashion site
Winner - ASOS Marketplace
Runner up – Monica & Joe

Best online only site
Winner – ASOS
Runner up – Net-a-Porter

Best use of innovation
Winner – Girl meets dress
Runner up – Burberry

Best user experience
Winner – John Lewis
Runner up – Net-a-Porter

Best vintage site
Winner – ASOS marketplace
Runner up – eBay Fashion

www.handbag.com
www.medwinds.com

United Colors of Benetton launches worldwide blog this week

United Colors Of Benetton has launched United Blogs Of Benetton this week at blog.benetton.com covering four subject areas: Fashion, Tech, Culture and Young. The Young area focusing on young people and their ideas. It will include contributors from around the world and currently features: Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Mexico, the Philippines and China.

The bloggers:

UK - Kit Lee (Styleslicker)
Italy - Silvia Tolomelli (Addicted to shopping)
Spain - Ariadna Ferret (Fashionisima)
France - Mo, M.E e Shyne (Montaigne Street)
Portugal - Ana Garcia Martins (A pipoca mais doce)
Mexico - Ángeles Batista (Boticapop)
Philippines - Miguel Paolo Celestial (El Bosquejo)
China - Bedi Ye (Fashiontrenddigest)
Taiwan - Milla Huang (Mechantbebe)

www.benetton.com

MANGO announces winner of fashion bloggers project

Fashion brand MANGO has announced Andy Torres from the blog stylescrapbook.com as the winner of the ‘MANGO loves the fashion bloggers’ online project. This competition started on 22 March with the participation of six other international bloggers: Nathalie Suárez (natalieoffduty.blogspot.com), Chiara Ferragni (theblondesalad.com), Silvia García (bartabacmode.com), Poppy Dinsey (wiwt.com), Lina Söderström (linadimoda.freshnet.se) and Denni Elias (thechicmuse.blogspot.com).

The project had two stages. In the first stage, the bloggers had to demonstrate their styling skills by creating two looks with the new MANGO collection. The winner was once again Andy Torres, who received a prize of €5,000, which she donated to the Japanese Red Cross. The second stage took place in mid-April, and involved inviting each blogger to a shopping night organised by MANGO in their respective countries, where they were able to interact with customers and offer styling tips.

A cameraman and a photographer followed the bloggers at every moment throughout the two stages and produced a video showing their participation, in order for fans of MANGO to vote for the favourite blogger. The winner will become the brand’s new 'It Girl' for the AW11 season and be invited to the fashion show that will launch the new collection.

Fashion Press Week AW11 dates announced

Fashion Press Week, in partnership with media resource DIARY, will be taking place 18-19 May at One Marylebone, 1 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4AQ. The event will showcase the AW11 collection launches from a variety of leading retailers and designer brands with a number of features lined up at the event. Brands include Marc Cain, Austin Reed and Thomas Sabo among many others.

Following November’s debut show, international law firm Mishcon de Reya will again be sponsoring a gallery supporting emerging and ethical brands under the Fashion Discovered and Fashion Fair brands. This season Mishcon de Reya, in association with Fashion Business Club, launched a competition to search for designers who fall under the Fashion Discovered and Fashion Fair guidelines to offer complimentary space within the event as well as chance to win a year’s mentoring from a wealth of fashion, media and legal experts including online access to PR – an invaluable PR tool offering industry contacts, dates and news. Shortlisted brands include Ivana Basilotta, Hemyca and Viking Wong. In addition, to further support their sponsorship at Fashion Press Week, Mishcon de Reya will be hosting Cafe Legal, a pop-up coffee shop at the event where brand directors and CEO’s can meet with the legal team to discuss matters ranging from intellectual property, real estate, corporate issues and employment law.

For more information about the brands participating and to register for the event itself please visit the website. The show is open from 10am – 8pm on 18 May and from 10am – 6pm on 19 May.

www.fashionpressweek.com

Lingerie brand Freya launches its first blog & competition to find guest blogger

Eveden owned lingerie brand Freya has announced it will be launching its first blog featuring the latest Freya news, lingerie trends and fashion gossip, written by lingerie and fashion experts.

Freya has also announced it will be choosing a Freya fan as a guest blogger to join the blog panel and contribute. Fans can enter to become the Freya Blog Star on its Facebook page. The closing date for Facebook entries is 24 April. The Freya Blog Star will receive a year of goodies, including a digital camera as well as major fashion event tickets.

Topshop launches Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Slogan T-shirt 2011

Topshop has announced its continuing support of charity initiative Fashion Targets Breast Cancer this year with the launch of a limited edition T-shirt, available online and in-store nationwide from 11 April.

Topshop has been working with Fashion Targets Breast Cancer since 2005, producing printed canvas bags and T-shirts each year. Following on from the success of 2010’s ‘Love to Love’ vest, this year the charity garment will be a soft jersey T-shirt with the slogan 'Starts with L and ends in E and in the between are O and V'. Enlisting the help of their friends within the fashion industry, Topshop blog 'Inside Out' has photographed blogger Susie Lau and stylist Fran Burns wearing the T-shirt in their own unique style to show their support.

With every purchase of this limited edition slogan T-shirt costing £18.00, £5.40 will be donated to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. In addition, four styles of friendship bracelets and charity mirrors will also be on sale at till-points nationwide.

Lady Gaga offering UK based blogger a spot on her upcoming tour

Lady Gaga is offering bloggers and journalists a spot on her upcoming tour as a ‘little local monster blogger’. Although this is a US tour, there is a spot available for UK based bloggers. The winners will get behind the scenes access to assist, interview and document alongside Monster Ball blogger Dannielle Owens-Reid on the selected tour date. For details on how to enter, click here. All entries must be submitted by 7 March and the winner will be announced 17 March.

Beauty Speed PR Events for mainstream press and online media

Beauty Test & Perfect, an advisory and research company which specialises in identifying the most beneficial avenues to present beauty brands to media and consumers, has launched a Beauty Speed PR Event taking place monthly held monthly at private members club, Mortons in Berkeley Square, London W1. Now on it's third event, the Beauty Speed PR Events are a fresh and invaluable route for beauty writers to discover and access unknown, niche, exclusive and established beauty brands all in one location, at the same time. There are two events on the day; the first is for mainstream press from 3pm - 5.30pm and then there is an event for bloggers & online media from 6.30pm - 8.30pm. Each day will see seven beauty brands or PR representatives presenting to seven top beauty journalists, with an opportunity to network afterwards covering all areas of beauty. The next Beauty Speed PR Event is taking place today with brands including: Revitalash, Susan Posnick, Medik8, Prior Coffeeberry Natureceuticals, Pepperfit and Clive Christian.

"It was such a good use of time, and not only that, on the whole it was the brand owners presenting so you didn't get any diluted effect in the presentation - it was full-on enthusiasm and I found myself viewing one brand - Murad - so differently than I had in the past, I wished I'd had a chance to talk one on one with them years ago."
Jane Cunningham, British Beauty Blogger

"You have found a great formula, it is just right... in 3 hours I get to talk to all bloggers (who are really nice ladies), in a quiet environment with the waiter taking care of the drinks!"
Dr Barbara Olioso, Forest Secrets Skincare founder

If you are a brand or PR and would like to be apart of this monthly event or a journalist who would like to attend then please contact Nicki or Jenny at Beauty Test & Perfect. e-mail: nicki@beautytesting.co.uk e-mail: jenny@beautytesting.co.uk.
The next events are scheduled for 22 September, 27 October and 24 November 2010.

SONY`s new bloggies offer easy uploading on-the-go

SONY has two new bloggie models, the PM5 and PM5K, which offer the opportunity to take five megapixel still photos and also Full HD MP4 video. Styled in a choice of four colour finishes, the bloggie features a rotating lens that swivels 270 degrees, while the high resolution 6.0cm LCD screen shows camera settings in the bottom half of the display while shooting. The PM5K also includes a special 360 Video lens adaptor that allows panoramic videos to be recorded. Colourful and light, bloggie is a spontaneous way to update personal blogs or post to social networking apps while on the move. After recording photos or video, the data can be uploaded using the camera’s embedded PMB Portable software, which launches automatically when bloggie is connected to your PC or Mac. This software allows the user to view, select and upload clips to popular social apps and media sharing sites like YouTube. There is no need to install any editing or file transfer software on the computer, making bloggie ideal for use on-the-go. There is no need to carry a charger as the camera’s battery is automatically charged while connected to a computer via USB. Styled in a choice of four colour finishes, the PM5/PM5K features a rotating lens that swivels 270 degrees to capture life from any angle. The bloggie is available in four colours including white, blue and pink and is priced around £160.00 (£180.00 with 360 adaptor). For stockist details visit www.sony.co.uk.

Jeans label launches search for Britain's No.1 fashion blogger

Jeans specialist ONLY is looking for the UK’s best fashion blogger to celebrate its 15th anniversary. The winner will be treated to a behind the scenes tour of ONLY, receive a selection of ONLY clothes, watch the latest photo shoot and be given the opportunity to meet bloggers from around the world. To enter this competition, download the application from www.only.com, explain the key attractions of ONLY jeans and e-mail it to: editor@bestseller.com before 21 June 2010. ONLY want to know when you bought your first pair, how many pairs you have and how you use them, style them and make the jeans yours. ONLY want to hear views on fashion and the role of jeans in fashion today, and why you choose one pair of jeans over another.