COUNTRY LIVING SPRING 2013 FAIR

If you love unique pieces from the past, then the Country Living Fairs are the shows for you. They are always a great hunting ground for inspiring vintage treasures, plus finishing touches such as ribbons and trims, and there are bargains to be found. The recent Country Living Spring Fair proved rich pickings, and a friend and I unearthed some beautiful French display mannequins from the 1900's and a couple of gorgeous hatboxes from the 20's. 

We always make a beeline for Garden Brocante and we also came across Plum & Ashby. We  fell in love with their gorgeous leather pouches and bags, discretely embellished with a Fox Terrier, depicting the company's mascot Bertie. The bags and homeware are new, but with a quirky twist. Check them out.

The stock at the fair constantly evolves, so it's also worth returning to favourite exhibitors throughout the show, just in case something wonderful has emerged from the stockroom. If we hadn't backtracked, I would have missed out on a couple of lovely 1940's paintings on the Garden Brocante stand, which weren't there first time round. 

Located at the Business Design Centre in Islington, the Spring Fair is just around the corner from the vintage market and the eclectic line-up of independent shops, cafes and other delights of Camden Passage. So its a great day-out. 

The Country Living Christmas Fair (30/10-3/11) is at the Business Design Centre in Islington and also takes place in Glasgow (21-24/11) and Harrogate (28/11-1/12). 

Here are some of my favourite images from the Spring Fair...

Vintage 1940's Novita Liane plaster mannequin for Christian Dior 
at Garden Art & Design 

1930's plaster display bust by Lube Paris at Garden Art & Design -
also a regular exhibitor at The Chelsea Flower Show

CHANEL SPRING/SUMMER 2013 EYEWEAR COLLECTION

Chanel has chosen the French model and actress, Laetitia Casta, to front the campaign for its Spring/Summer 2013 eyewear collection. Shot and styled by Chanel's Creative Director, Karl Lagerfeld, the black and white images show Casta wearing a selection of  frames from the new eyewear range, plus accessories featuring iconic Chanel touches, such as full-blown camellias and woven leather gilt chains. The wide transparent Perspex hats, first seen on the catwalk at Chanel's Spring/Summer 2013 ready-to-wear show, add a halo of light to the polished and futuristic imagery.

The legendary Coco Chanel wore cat eye glasses and Lagerfeld is rarely seen without his trademark black sunglasses, so eyewear is definitely part of the fashion house's DNA. For this season, Lagerfeld has embellished his bold cat eye and butterfly silhouettes with chains, pearls and scrolls of metallic lace. Square, oval and rectangular shapes are also available in both glasses and sunglasses and the frames showcase signature Chanel symbols, such as the double C and rich quilting. Available in classic tortoiseshell and black, the designs also come in a rich colour palette of summer brights. These are definitely glasses to save-up for!

Casta, who was the face of Chanel's Allure and recently appeared in Arbitrage with Richard Gere and Do Not Disturb with Charlotte Gainsbourg, stars in a short video of the shoot. She has also modelled couture and ready-to-wear for Chanel's catwalk extravaganzas on numerous occasions and appeared in Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld's Little Black Jacket book and exhibition of photographs, currently on show at the late baroque Rotonda della Besana in Milan, until April 20th.

Enjoy the latest Chanel eyewear collection video, plus a selection of Lagerfeld's images and a trio of back stage shots, below.