Day 44 - Mademoiselle

Chanel Fine Jewellery's Mademoiselle ring in pink gold with coloured stones, sapphires, a diamond and a pearl £3,410.

Chanel

Day 45 - Xmas Lighting

Zinc-Edged Jampot Candle

Strikingly simple yet attractive candle in zinc-edged re-usable jam pot with handle. Great in contemporary kitchens. Can be used all year round. For Christmas wrap heart wire (available separately) and ivy around rim. Half filled with unscented wax. Diameter 10.5cm H 11cm. Burn time 20 hours.

£10.50 from Caroline Zorb

Day 45 - For The Child In Us All

Wooden Advent Calendar £ 52.00

When you're little, Christmas can't come soon enough. This wooden advent calendar features cupboards for gifts, sweets and surprises that make counting down the days much more fun! It would make an ideal gift for families, or sit it by your front door if you have visitors during the lead up to Christmas. Measures 40cm high x 37cm wide. Hanging catch on reverse.

LK6-02 Red Direct

Day 46 - Una grande storia italiana. Valentino Garavani

First name in fashion

The glamorous life and work of Valentino Garavani

Think Valentino: think luxury. Think elegance. Think red carpet. Fashion’s most beloved upholder of refined decadence and the most exciting couturier in business is known around the globe simply by his first name. Only a few years after opening his fashion house in Rome in 1959, Valentino was already at the height of success, counting Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, and Audrey Hepburn among his devotees. Over forty years later, not much has changed—he’s still dressing the top celebrities, from Gwyneth Paltrow to J.Lo, though now his business is a major economic force in Italy and his fashion house is among the most famous in the world. Valentino has always designed clothes for glamorous and sophisticated women, never wavering from his signature style even when grunge, deconstruction, and other passing fads were all the rage. Though his couture division almost never makes a profit (his ready-to-wear lines are what fuel the business), his heart is most solidly devoted to the magnificent haute couture gowns that earned him his reputation as fashion’s most talented dressmaker.

This luxurious limited-edition publication renders homage to Valentino’s illustrious career via a copious selection of images from his archives, including drawings, magazine shoots, advertisements, portraits of Valentino, and documentary photographs; presented chronologically, the visual material is accompanied by a vast array of newspaper and magazine articles about Valentino throughout the years. Text also includes Vanity Fair writer Matt Tyrnauer’s interviews with twenty of Valentino’s closest collaborators and friends as well as an appreciation of Valentino by International Herald Tribune’s fashion writer Suzy Menkes. All of these elements add up to an in-depth look at the man, his lifestyle, and his genius—a book more comprehensive and stunning than one could hardly dare to dream of. After all, what could be a more fitting tribute to the work of Valentino than a book as beautiful and luxurious as one of his gowns?

Collector’s Edition

(No. 101–2,100)


• Limited to 2,000 numbered copies, signed by Valentino Garavani

• Finished in setalux book cloth with six-color silkscreen printing


• Comes in a clamshell box finished in silk cloth, especially tinted in Valentino red


About the authors:

Queen of the fashion world, Suzy Menkes is the head fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune. She is among the most influential fashion critics in the world and was recently named an officer of the Order of the British Empire as well as a chevalier of the Legion of Honor by French President Jacques Chirac. Menkes is originally from London but lives in Paris.


Matt Tyrnauer is Special Correspondent for Vanity Fair magazine, where he has written and edited numerous features over the years. Among them are stories on Martha Stewart, Siegfried & Roy, Frank Gehry, Merv Griffin, and Valentino. He is a native of Los Angeles and lives in New York City.

About the editor:

Armando Chitolina began his career as a graphic design consultant, image consultant, and art director for various magazines, including Vogue Italia and L'Uomo Vogue. He also designed fashion magazines for the Mondadori group. For several years he forged the image of some fashion houses, including Moschino and Mila Schön. Chitolina`s many books for TASCHEN include William Claxton`s Jazz Seen, Gian Paolo Barbieri`s Equator, The book of Tiki, Fantasy Worlds, and Naked as a Jaybird.


£600 from Taschen

Day 46 - Night & Darkness

A fascination with night, darkness and the unseen corners of our world has often haunted the work of Chrystel Lebas as she uses a variety of diiferent approaches to the subject in an effort to assess our experience of it and our relationship to it.

In her series Night 2, Lebas examined the intense darkness of starless nights, shooting at dusk with a pinhole camera. In a separate project, Sleep, she looks explores a different view of night by creating ghostly images of people sleeping, considering the outward appearance and inward experience of being unconscious. "Is it an image of sleep or death," Lebas asks, "of the process of dreaming or dying?"

More recently Lebas has used a panoramic camera to produce colour landscapes from all over Europe. By using slow sweeping camera movements together with long exposure times, from two to six hours, these images explore photography's intrinsic relationship with time and movement. In this respect Lebas uses the camera in much the same way as an artist might use a pencil, as a tool to 'draw' the landscape.

Lebas uses symbolic elements, such as water, sky and mountains, and a richness of colour to emphasise a dream-like state of a distorted world that draws the imagination back to childhood. Lebas' work is strongly influenced by the German Romantic Movement from the end of the nineteenth century, touching upon notions of contemplation.

Human Nature is based upon the idea of human presence within the landscape and our relationship to the natural environment. The photographs, produced in Iceland and America, show the figure contemplating and interacting with places of interest. The grandeur of the landscapes contrasts with the size of the human body within it, and emphasises the notion of immensity.

Chrystel Lebas was born in Salon de Provence, France, in 1966. She is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and currently lives and works in London. Chrystel Lebas has exhibited extensively at international level. Her work is represented in the permanent collection of the Bibliothéque Nationale, Paris, and in many private and corporate collections. L'espace temps / Time in Space, Lebas' first monograph, received the British Book Design and Production Award 2004 and was exhibited at the Rencontres d' Arles Book award 2004. Lebas recently published her second book, the monograph Between Dog and Wolf.

Prices from £520 from The Photographers Gallery. All prices exclusive of vat and framing and subject to change.

Day 47 - Washing Never Was So Stylish

The new limited edition Steam Direct Drive washing machine from LG Electronics and Designer Guild combines state of the art home technology with refreshing and breathtaking interior style. The collaboration has produced 4 eye catching home appliances created to challenge the design and function of traditional white goods.

LG's steam direct drive washing machine is the world's first washing machine to incorporate innovative steam technology in the washing process, and is set yo transform the face of home laundry.

Developed using eco-friendly technology, LG's steam direct drive washing machine steam cleans garments using 35% less water and 21% less energy than traditional washers. Leading the way in cutting edge home appliance technology this stylish high-end washer boasts a number of important features that will change the way we was our clothes forever!

£1,299

Day 47 - Flights of Fancy

Feathers feature prominently on the elegant evening purses by Michael Teperson, the new Milan-based handbag designer. "They are very complicated to make and have to be done beautifully, otherwise they end up looking like pencil cases," jokes Teperson, referring to the luxury evening bags that he produces in a specialist factory away from the fashion fray in Palermo, Sicily. One of the most popular styles is Flute, an opera bag fashioned in satin, lined with suede and graced with an opulent plume of elegant ostrich feathers.

"Feathers are one of the earliest and most primal forms of human decoration, and their exotic nature has always added a sensualquality, so it is no wonder feathers feature so prominently in the world of burlesque," explains the designer whose bags sell for upwards of £320. "Feathers also blend innocence with sexuality and this would have appealed to the Victorians. For me, the sheer glamour is both a challenge and a joy to work with."

Fixing feathers to Teperson's bags is a complicated process. Feathers are plucked from geese or ostriches and hand glued to bags by women in Tuscany.

£483 from Harrods +44 207 730 1234

Day 48 - an Apple a Day.......

The iPhone finally arrives in the UK on November 9, available from 6pm. It's arrival has been eagerly awaited, and for this Apple user it's been a long time coming. As I'm heavily pregnant it's unfortunately going to be purchased from a local O2 shop, however I'd love to be down at Regent's street for the grand launch!

It features a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email, web browsing, searching and maps. And iPhone makes it all easy to use with its pioneering multi-touch user interface. iPhone syncs with your PC or Mac just like an iPod, so organising your content now will help you start calling, texting, emailing, surfing, listening and watching even faster when you get your iPhone. Here are a few suggestions to help you get ready:

Contacts

Making a call with iPhone is as simple as tapping a name. You won’t need to re-enter all your contacts because iPhone syncs with the address book you already use on your computer — Address Book or Entourage on a Mac, or Outlook or Outlook Express on a PC. If you keep your contacts on the web using Yahoo! Address Book, iPhone can sync with them, too. To get ready for iPhone, organise your contacts in one of these applications and make sure they’re up to date with the latest phone numbers and email addresses. If you have a lot of contacts on your current SIM card, make sure to migrate them to the address book on your computer. You can also enter contacts directly into iPhone.

Calendar

Using its built-in calendar, iPhone lets you check your appointments with the flick of a finger. iPhone uses iTunes to sync with the calendar application you already use on your computer — iCal or Entourage on the Mac, or Outlook on a PC — just like it does with your contacts. If you don’t already use one of these applications to manage your appointments, now is a great time to start, so you’ll be ready to sync when your iPhone arrives. If you choose not to use a calendar program, that’s OK. You’ll be able to enter appointments directly into the iPhone calendar.

Email

iPhone offers the best-ever email application on a mobile phone. So now your phone can display rich HTML email with graphics and photos alongside the text. iPhone will even fetch your latest email every time you open the application and automatically retrieve your email on a set schedule, just like a computer does. iPhone works with the most popular email systems — including Yahoo! Mail, AOL, Google Mail and .Mac Mail. If you’re not already using one of these services, now would be a great time to get an account. iTunes will make email setup on iPhone easy by automatically syncing the settings from email accounts stored in Mail on a Mac or Outlook on a PC. Don’t worry if you’re not on one of these email services; iPhone also works with almost any industry-standard POP3 and IMAP email system.

Photos

iPhone has a 2-megapixel camera and a gorgeous 3.5-inch display, so it’s a great way to enjoy and show off your digital photos. iPhone uses iTunes to sync your photos from iPhoto on a Mac or Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe Photoshop Album or any picture folder on a PC. You can carry thousands of photos on iPhone, but you can start by creating an album or two with 50 to 100 of your favourite photos, so that when you first sync your iPhone, you’ll be ready to quickly show off some of your best shots.

Music and Video

iPhone has a beautiful, 3.5-inch widescreen display that allows you to easily enjoy the music, TV shows and videos you have in your iTunes library. If you already use iTunes, you can start getting ready for iPhone by creating a playlist of a few hundred of your favourite songs. If you don’t have iTunes, now is a good time to download it and start a music and video library. That way, when you sync your iPhone with iTunes, you’ll be able to take your favourite music, TV shows and videos with you wherever you go.

iTunes Account

To set up your iPhone, you’ll need an account with Apple’s iTunes Store. If you already have an iTunes account, make sure you know your account name and password. If you don’t have an account, you should set one up now to save time later. To set up an account, launch iTunes, select the iTunes Store, and click the Sign In button in the upper right corner of iTunes. Sign in and you’re ready to go.

Day 48 - iphone For Your Little One

With Friday's launch of the new Apple iphone, comes the latest accessory for you and your family, the limited edition iphone babygrow, available 6 months up to 18 months.

£12.95 available from ipopwear

Also available are ipod T-shirts. So so cute!!!!

All the garments are generously sized. iPopWear and iPopMyBaby clothing is manufactured from the highest quality 100% organic cotton. Garments are combed for softness and comfort with a cleverly constructed neckline designed for easy fitting. Each item DOES NOT contain ANY conventional cotton: no farmers have suffered from pesticide poisoning to produce the cotton fibre – guaranteed GM-free.

The limited edition iPhone-Baby range is manufactured from 100% baby rib cotton in a sweat shop free environment. These outfits are constructed with a reinforced yet soft and comfortable sleeve, neck and leg openings. The triple seat snaps makes nappy changing easy.

Images are silk screened (not heat transferred) for lasting image quality and bright colouration. Machine wash warm with like colours – ironing clickwheel not recommended. Volume and pause control not guaranteed to function! Please note these garnments have no technical functionality - it's just for fun!

They care about your babies comfort - For better wearability and breathability, wash before use. As with any printed garment, please do not use outfit for overnight sleeping as image may cause irritability on sensitive skin.

Day 49 - Muse

Muse Earrings from YSL Sterling silver pierced earrings with Swarovski crystals and enamel Muse charm. Made in Italy.

$240

Day 49 - French Dressing

Luxurious and understated, traditional and modern, artistic and fashionable, with excellent quality and creativity, elegance and humour.

Bonpoint the French fashion house for children is surprising and different. Unique expertise in the world of luxury goods allows for prestigious products which are dreamt about and shared the world over.

Inspired collections for head to toe clothing, specialised fabrication, shops with a family atmosphere, beautifully arranged shop windows, meticulous customer service......

Everywhere there is a sense of love of children, quality and beauty.

The latest UK branch has recently opened on Marylebone High Street, London.

Day 50 - Bite Back At The Bugs

To protect your knitwear from moths, instead of mothballs or other chemical products, try fresh lavender in a pouch hung over your clothes rail.

Lavender pouches £25 Bamford & Sons

Day 50 - Crazy For Coco

Dazzling clothes, intricate accessories, beautiful models and timeless design leave no doubt as to the lasting fame and the magic of Chanel.

Here the House of Chanel opens its private archives, revealing a galaxy of brilliant designs created by Coco Chanel from the 1920s onwards, and now reinterpreted to become the motifs for brand new garments, accessories and beauty products.

Inspired by the legendary Chanel No 5, the book explores five themes – the suit, the camellia, jewellery, fragrances and make-up, and the little black dress – and follows the threads from past to present to show how these key items have been rediscovered and reinvented by fashion designers working in the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors.

This visual journey is enhanced by previously unpublished archive photographs and original drawings by Karl Lagerfeld, as well as glorious images from some of the greatest names in fashion photography.

£19.95 from Thames & Hudson

Day 51 - Tom Cruise Anyone?

Every man should be able to knock up a cocktail - although the Tom Cruise juggling bit is optional. Thankfully, the Bar Academy is short on throwing shakers, long on learning how to 'muddle' mojitos and shake martinis.

Starts November 20th, booking now being taken £140 from Eclipse Ventures

Day 51 - Salt & Pepper

Champagne Stopper Cruet Set

The perfect purchase for entertaining

Celebrate your love this Christmas with a stunning silver-plated Champagne Stopper Cruet Set. If you’re planning a celebratory meal, a winter wedding or simply need a gift as unique and stunning as the recipient, then this is it. Culinary Concepts’ designer range of tableware is elegant, original and ideal for special occasions.

This quirky silver plated salt and pepper set will be the talking point at all your dinner parties.

£22.95 a set from Culinary Concepts

Day 52 - Shine On

For the 'Man Who Has Everything', in true Aspinal tradition, the Aspinal shoe polish kit is probably the chicest ever designed and the the perfect addition to every gentleman's wardrobe.

To keep shoes shiny, wipe them with a damp cloth, apply three dabs of clear polish (it has more silicone) per shoe, run in and then wipe off with a damp cloth.

Buff up the shine using a horsehair brush.

Never wear the same pair of shoes more than two days running, the leather needs to breathe.

Available in brown or black £65 from Aspinal

Day 52 - Dressed To Quill

Tiffany's feather necklace is the ultimate entrance-maker.

Wondering how best to wear feathers? Tiffany's dramatic Plumes necklace, designed by the late Jean Schlumberger in 1960, is a majestic mix of dazzling diamonds, sapphires and rubies.

£292,500 from Tiffany

Day 53 - Cute Stocking Filler

Metal Leaf HookChoose from silver or green.

12.5cm (h) x 13cm (w)

£9.95 each from Pedlars

available in silver or green

Day 53 - Llex Aquifolium

Or in other wrods...... a Holly Tree

A bag of Holly leaves and berries carried by a man was thought to increase his attractiveness to women.

The Holly Tree is a symbol of winter in both Pagan and Christian lore and is associated with death and rebirth. Holly was hung and planted around the home as a protection from evil spirits and is still used today as a decoration throughout Christmas time.

Holly was often used in spells associated with sleep and thought to aid rest.

The Holly Tree is native to the UK and makes an excellent Christmas gift.

Tree supplied is 20-40cm tall.

£24.50 from TREE2MYDOOR

More information about Holly Tree

Native throughout the British Isles, it grows to around 65ft (20m) if left untrimmed.

It forms an excellent evergreen hedge, growing everywhere except on wet soils. It will generally tolerate conditions that would be too harsh for other trees.

The wood is used for carving, inlay work and woodcuts.

Birds feast on the berries in winter providing for a pre Christmas race with those of us wishing to decorate their homes.

The plants are single sex with only female trees bearing berries.

A mix of male and female plants is therefore required to obtain winter berries.

Day 54 - Aqua Fringe Earrings

Tiffany & Co is new to Selfridges (Wonder Room) London.

You'll be able to find these stunning platinum pear-shaped Aqua Fringe drop earrings £8,625.

Also in green or pink tourmaline.

Tiffany