Here are some festive chocolates treats to try from a recent post for Harper's Bazaar. Created by Sally Wood of Sweet Theatre and international chef, Lawrence Otterburn, the recipes are all inspired by Shakespeare's leading ladies. You can find Sweet Theatre at Harvey Nichols and at www.sweettheatre.com:

SALLY WOOD’S SHAKESPEAREAN CHRISTMAS TREATS

The Sweet Theatre founder and chef Lawrence Otterburn create five mouth-watering recipes exclusively for Bazaar

BY LOTTIE JOHANSSON 18 DECEMBER 2014

Juliet's white chocolate, cranberry and chestnut fudge. All pictures courtesy of Matt Crockett.

No food is as synonymous with Christmas and celebrations as chocolate. Here Sally Wood, founder of the Sweet Theatre chocolate company and chef Lawrence Otterburn, share five delicious festive recipes created exclusively for Harper's Bazaar.

Juliet’s White Chocolate, Cranberry and Chestnut Fudge

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Cooling time: 3 hours in fridge
Serves: 20–24 pieces

Ingredients
200g Sweet Theatre Juliet white chocolate (broken into pieces)
350g golden caster sugar
30g unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
125ml evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g dried cranberries
50g roast chopped chestnuts
Icing sugar to decorate

Method
1. Place sugar, butter salt and evaporated milk into a large solid based pan (copper or Le Creuset are best) and heat gently until everything has dissolved.
2. Increase heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, for around 5 minutes (it should start to reach a soft ball stage which you can check by dropping a little into a glass of cold water or using a sugar thermometer).
3. Take your fudge mixture off the heat and stir in chocolate and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Leave for 5 minutes and fold in cranberries and roast chestnuts.
5. Pour into a large flat silicone or tin tray and chill in fridge until set, you could also use greased baking tray or individual silicone chocolate moulds to make single pieces.
6. Cut into 20-24 pieces and sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.

Q&A WITH LAURENCE DACADE OF RAYNE

I spent a lovely morning with Nick Rayne and Laurence Dacade of Rayne at London Fashion Week recently. Here's the Q&A with Laurence that I wrote for Harper's Bazaar's website. I'll be posting my interview with Nick Rayne and lots more images very soon:

Q&A WITH LAURENCE DACADE OF RAYNE

The designer and committed anglophile talks footwear, British heritage and stepping into the future

BY LOTTIE JOHANSSON 18 DECEMBER 2014

Picture courtesy of Rayne

As the talented French footwear designer introduces her second collection for Rayne, Laurence Dacade discusses the relaunch of the quintessentially British luxury brand with Harper’s Bazaar. Originally launched in 1885 by Henry and Mary Rayne, the brand has collaborated with designers Roger Vivier and André Perugia, and worked closely with British couturiers such as Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies in the 1950s and 1960s. The shoes have been worn by an enviable line-up of famous women, including Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot and Queen Elizabeth II, who wore Rayne designs at both her wedding and coronation. Today, the brand is run by the founders’ great-grandson Nick Rayne, who re-introduced it in 2013 after a 20-year absence from the market.

Were you very familiar with the Rayne brand before being appointed as designer?
When Nick originally showed me the Rayne archive, I realised that I had many images of the shoes on my wall and vintage footwear in my own archive. I buy vintage shoes because I like the design and not the label, so all these things came together when we met. I loved the history of the brand and I also loved that it was an English story, which sounded so exotic to me.

THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE HANDBAG

Here's a must-have for all handbag aficionados! 

Discover the provenance of the Hermes Kelly, Chanel 2.55 and Fendi Baguette, plus an impressive line-up of historical and modern designs, in Meredith Etherington-Smith's latest book, The Secret History of the Handbag.

The author expertly leads us on a visual journey of the rise of the handbag, highlighting the social history of the bag and revealing many lesser-known facts en route, including that Leonardo da Vinci conceptualised the prototype for a messenger-style bag in c.1497.

Meredith Etherington-Smith worked as an editor at Harper's & Queen, Paris Vogue and Town & Country, and has written several books, including a biography of Salvador Dali and Vanities: The Golden Age of Necessaires and Minaudieres. She has edited Christie's Magazine since the 1990's.

You can view my piece on The Secret History of the Handbag for harpersbazaar.co.uk here and read my Q&A with Meredith Etherington-Smith, below. 

Enduring style icon JacquelineKennedy Onassis (1929-1994) at Heathrow airport with her eponymous Gucci Jackie bag, 1971 Picture courtesy of Mary Evans Picture Library/Interfoto Agentur

THE INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

Many thanks to Harriet Bowe, Features Editor of The Industry London, for doing this Q&A with me. It was fun to reflect on past work experiences...

MEMBER INTERVIEW WITH LOTTIE JOHANSSON

Freelance editor, consultant and blogger, Lottie Johansson has worked for every fashion publication worth knowing, including a considerable number of the fashion industry’s most prestigious titles. Honing her skills at the likes of Vogue, Marie Claire and Drapers, Lottie has carved out an illustrious career – putting her in touch with many Industry members along the way. She’s also just joined the British Society of Magazine Editors. Here the brand new Industry member tells us more.

With over 15 years experience, what’s been your biggest highlight so far?

There have been so many highlights over the years, but I really enjoyed working at Condé Nast. Firstly, as fashion and beauty editor at Brides and then as executive fashion and beauty editor at Vogue, where editor-in-chief Liz Tilberis and publishing director Dick Shortway appointed me. I worked closely with both the editorial and commercial teams at Vogue, which I found really interesting. I also styled a lovely shoot with photographer, Arthur Elgort in New York and inadvertently sold a page of advertising at the fashion trade show Igedo in Dusseldorf – my one and only experience of selling space.

LONDON FASHION WEEK: AZZA FAHMY FOR MATTHEW WILLIAMSON AW14 JEWELLERY COLLABORATION

British fashion supremo, Matthew Williamson, showcased his second fine jewellery collaboration with the Egyptian luxury jewellery designer, Azza Fahmy, at his 70’s-inspired AW14 London Fashion Week show. The high-energy collection was presented in front of a star-studded audience, including Poppy Delevingne, Olivia Palermo, Cat Deeley and Elisa Sednaoui.

Here's my review of the collection for July issue of Harper's Bazaar Arabia, which includes quotes from Matthew Williamson and Azza Fahmy on gifting for Eid and Ramadan. I've also included my full interview with the collaboration team.

ISABELLA BLOW: FASHION GALORE!

I loved the Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! exhibition at Somerset House so much that I saw the show three times - twice when it opened last autumn and again during last month's London Fashion Week held at the same opulent venue.

Sadly the exhibition closed its doors today and I'm sure if the show had been granted an extended run I would have found my way back to Somerset House again for a final peek...

The reason the show resonated so well with me wasn't just because Isabella Blow (1958 - 2007) was such a colourful and flamboyant figure at fashion shows and associated fashion events for so many years, it was because of her collection of much loved and often well-worn clothes and hats, many complete with cigarette burns, that told such a powerful story of a life lived through clothes.

Isabella Blow, 1997 

© Mario Testino 

PREVIEW OF THE AZZA FAHMY FOR MATTHEW WILLIAMSON AW14 JEWELLERY COLLECTION

As London Fashion Week fast approaches, Matthew Williamson and the luxury Egyptian jewellery house, Azza Fahmy, are putting the finishing touches to their second jewellery collaboration. The contemporary jewellery collection will be unveiled at Matthew Williamson's AW14 catwalk show on Sunday evening at the magnificent One Great George Street.

You can read all about the collaboration in my exclusive post for Harper's Bazaar, plus read additional quotes from the designers and see more image below.

The Azza Fahmy for Matthew Williamson AW14
Jewellery Collection mood board