#👯👯

Normally I don't take notice of updates on my phone, I mean they're usually just bug fixes right? Nothing to get too excited about. Until the last few weeks when I actually started to read what these updates include.

First we had the new emoji update with the iOS 8.3. Ok so there isn't really much use for the people emojis whose gold hair matches their gold skin but being in Australia I found the flags amongst others of some use. 

Again, with the fact that I am now living 10,000 miles away from home, Whatsapps most recent update was of some advantage. Not everyone it seems is comfortable using FaceTime (Hayley and Sam I'm talking to you!) and who has time to attempt to figure out Skype... Whattsapp now however allow you to call  using your internet data as opposed to Cell credit or minutes. (I know there is Viber but I also don't know a single other person that has it). 

Most recently and best of all? Instagram today not only released new filters but have also finally given us the ability to HASHTAG EMOJI'S!!! You know, coz sometimes there just aren't enough words to convey how we truly feel 😎.

H&M kicks off Summer

I might be down under where the sun refuses to do anything but shine, but even I can't ignore that hopeful spring feeling us Europeans always experience this time of year, as soon as the nights begin to shorten. Each of us experience something different that ignites this feeling inside of us. For my sister it's the sound of people mowing their lawns, for myself however it's seeing the new season fashion campaigns. 

From Kristen Stewart's new Chanel ads to the Kate Spade collection featuring Karlie Kloss, summer campaigns never fail to instill a renewed sense of passion within me. One that has particularly resonated over the past few years is H&M's New Icon campaigns. What's not to love, four world famous models, exclusive new music and clothes that'll usually see you through the next few summers. 

This year see's H&M launch summer with another four world famous models - Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes, Natasha Poly and Joan Smalls. 

Pernilla Wohlfahrt, head of design at H&M describes the new line as - "everything I love about the summer - bikinis for long days at the beach, romantic prints on flowing dresses for endless nights with friends"

In keeping with previous New Icon campaigns the television advert, shot by Lachlan Bailey, will debut on April 30th, set to DJ's Axwell and Ingrosso's (Swedish House Mafia, if those names sound familiar) new track 'Sun is Shining' 

Payday Purchase

Have you ever seen a movie with a product that no matter how far and wide you search, you can just never find? Having seen The Holiday the night before I left for Australia, I found myself with this pain in the arse problem. You know the scene I'm sure, where Cameron Diaz' character is in the car checking her itinerary and has that to die for pale blue travel wallet? Well apart from spending £500 in Smythson the options for a decent travel wallet are few and far between. In the UK anyway.

Enter Kikki K. Honestly, I love a good stationary shop and I can spend a lot of time in Paperchase choosing a new diary or pen, this Swedish brand however, put Paperchase on a level with 'Clintons' or 'Birthday' (is that even still a brand?).  Anyway, I digress. After spending a while in the store I finally found the travel wallet I had been looking for, whilst it wasn't pale blue there were a number of colour options and different styles.  I finally settled on the black - I'm way to messy to have gone for the pink even though it was beautiful! 

Marc by Marc Jacobs to be discontinued

                 

After 14 years it seems we are finally saying goodbye to Marc by Marc Jacobs after it was announced this week that the brand will be folding into the main line ahead of their IPO which is looming somwhere in the near future.

Jacobs told WWD 'I've absolutely loved the last few seasons of MbMJ's young, cool, hip shows. It just feels like we weren't doing our job by showing two different collections with two different images'. Although some are still concerned as to how this will all work out, the move is not dissimilar to the one made by Dolce & Gabbana in 2011 who disbanded diffusion line D&G in order to 'put more strength and energy into other collections'.

This is not the first, nor by any means the last big change to happen to the brand in recent years. Robert Duffy, Jacobs business partner is set to take a step back from day to day operations and LVMH are offering more investment, meaning that the parent company will own 80% of the brand whilst Duffy and Jacobs themselves equally share the remaining 20%. 

Furthermore, 2013 saw Marc Jacobs step down from his role at Louis Vuitton among rumours that he was going to focus on his accessories line after the huge success experienced by Michael Kors.  Interestingly he seems to have followed in Kors lead this week after setting up his own Instagram page despite just last month telling Suzy Menkes 'I'm so appalled by the whole Social Media thing, I don't get it. It doesn't appeal to me'. Michael Kors by contrast, has in recent years embraced television advertising, Twitter and Instagram proving how adjusting with the times can be hugely beneficial for a brand after his IPO proved to be one of the most successful in the fashion industry.

The brand, which Marc Jacobs launched in 2001 with Robert Duffy in order to target a younger demographic, is currently headed by Luella Bartley and Katie Hillier, it remains unclear where their future lies or what will happen to the current MbMJ stores.

Payday Purchase

For a lot of things a girl can wear, she can get on the high street. I mean realistically, unless you have the disposable income of an a lister sometimes it's just not worth investing your money in designer pieces because the turn around time for wearing them is gone by the time you have saved enough, or at least that's my view. For some things however there is an exception to this rule - bags, shoes and my personal favourite, sunglasses. 

When I moved to Australia I literally only bought my Ray Bans, not wanting to risk bringing anything else that I might risk losing and then having to claim through insurance.  Now that I'm settled however I've realised that the Ray bans can only be worn with certain outfits and that I'm in serious need of a new pair. I've got the Prada minimal baroque in black at home so was initially thinking of a new pair of Chanel's, having seen this new line from Prada however and I was easily swayed. 

The minimal baroque Sunglasses are not too in your face as you get with the likes of Dior and D&G but they are just stylish enough that they stand out to those in the know. The two tone tortoiseshell and black also make them versatile enough to wear with any outfit.  What's not to love about this style?