Charlotte Casiraghi debuts in her new Gucci equestrian look

It’s one of the world’s most famous luxury brands, renowned for its sexy spin on fashion; she’s the glamorous, world-travelling granddaughter of Grace Kelly: now, in a union guaranteed to up the style stakes of the equestrian world, Gucci is designing the equestrian wardrobe of the horse-mad Charlotte Casiraghi and her show-jumping team.
Not content with being fashion royalty, the 23-year-old, whose mother is Caroline, Princess of Hanover and Hereditary Princess of Monaco, is also a talented rider and made her Gucci-clad debut on the first leg of The Global Champions Tour in Valencia, Spain, earlier this month. Highlights of the 'uniform', specially designed by Gucci's creative director, Frida Giannini, include a white polo with green and red trim, emblazoned with the Gucci gold knight crest, and a black cap with a leather peak and dainty bow. This is the first collaboration in a multi-year deal with Casiraghi and her team.
Unlikely partnership? Delving into the history of the house, not really. Renowned for its luxury leather goods, Gucci has long been inspired by the sporting glamour of the equestrian world, with design symbols like the horse-bit and web striped girth strap. Last December, it returned to the world of equestrian sponsorship, after a 20-year break.
Giannini explains: “There was not a moment of doubt in my mind when this collaboration was defined. I have been an avid rider myself since I was a child, so I share Charlotte’s passion and joy for horses. There was a natural connection and understanding between us which made working together absolutely seamless. It feels natural for Gucci to be supporting both a person and a sport that are so connected to the rich history of this house.”
Casiraghi similarly shares the love: “I am thrilled to be working with Gucci and especially happy to be playing a part in their timely return to the equestrian world. I would like to make a special thank you to Frida and her team for embracing this project wholeheartedly and transcending their energy into truly beautiful designs.”

Maison Martin Margiela exhibition at Somerset House

Martin Margiela delights and confounds in equal measures. Yet the now retired designer, who trained at the prestigious Antwerp Academy and broke through as part of the infamous Antwerp Six group (which included Dries Van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester) in the late Eighties, has bewitched the design world for more than 20 years, changing not only its shape (exaggerated shoulders, trompe l’oeil effects, recycled fabrics, frayed edges and men’s suiting for women are all part of his lexicon), but its operation.

Throughout this time, Margiela, who is now in his early fifties, remained – and still remains – anonymous (much to the chagrin of the press), and deeply provocative in the way he shows. Disused metro stations, cafés, containers by the Seine, empty warehouses, “faceless” models, eerie music and no front-row seats are methods used to communicate his concepts, which value the “extra” in the ordinary, and community over hierarchy. To that end, the employees of his label, Maison Martin Margiela, all sport white coats (the uniform of traditional couture ateliers) and statements are made from the collective, rather than personal, voice. You either “got it” and were in the Margiela club, or were out.

Topshop to open new store in London's Knightsbridge

The new Topshop store in the heart of London’s Knightsbridge will open on May 20th with the latest Kate Moss collection and sneak previews of exclusive collections by some of the capital’s hottest young designers.
The 14,000 sq ft store will have a boutique feel, similar to the New York Topshop which opened in the Big Apple last year. It will cover three floors, with a central modern art metal sculpture stretching from the ground to the roof.

-Apart from featuring the newest collection by Kate Moss, Topshop Knightsbridge will also carry a limited number of pieces from the slinky knitwear specialist, Mark Fast, whose collection will not be officially launched until a month later, as well as the new collection by Meadham Kirchhoff, the designer duo of Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff, whose fans include Alexa Chung and Kylie Minogue.
The new store will also stock Topshop’s mainline, footwear and accessories collections as well as the Unique and Boutique lines.
The store will also feature the complimentary personal shopping service "Topshop PS" and a "concierge" on-site providing tips and advice on nearby restaurants and cab services.