Inspiration: Daydream, I fell asleep and met the flowers.

When I was in Oxfordshire visiting my sister around a month ago, I took these photos of the blossom trees in her little village; everything I love about Spring. Also, the weekend I visited saw the annual Ducklington Fritillary show taking place. I love village events like this...tea and cakes in the village hall, Church members selling souvenir tea towels...just brilliant. Properly English.

© Alice Mary Barnes, 2011.

Fashion: Mulberry Love

I love everything British and can't shout about luxury British/English brands enough, so naturally, I am a lover of Mulberry. Since Emma Hill took over as Creative Director, the brand has flourished and become the hot brand to wear or carry but without losing any of it's quinessential Britishness. So, you can imagine my sheer delight when I heard that Mulberry have released a publication celebrating their 40th Anniversary. I am a huge fan of luxury print publications (I even made my own and won a prestigious award for it!) and think enough can't be said for print over digital. When I heard the release date, I immediately put in my order and on Friday when I arrived home from work, a very special package had been delivered! The imagery is to die for, all taken by photographer Venetia Dearden and the design and attention to detail of the whole publication is just, well, exquisite.

The book came so beautifully wrapped and contained these fantastic little pink slips in between the layers of tissue paper - Wizard is definitely my favourite. It also came with an abundance of badges, stickers and a lovely, very personal, little notecard. 

On another Mulberry note, a few weeks ago I visited the designer outlet, Bicester Village, where I obviously had to pay a trip to the Mulberry store there. I was surprised at how much current season stock they had, and because I've been a good girl with money recently, I decided a treat was in order...

I can't describe how much I adore my oversized Alexa - it is just perfect! It was the last black oversized Alexa they had left in the Mulberry outlet, so I'm lucky to have gotten in there when I did!

All images © Alice Mary Barnes, 2011

Fashion: I might be bad but I'm perfectly good at it

That's right, fetish was a huge catwalk trend for A/W 11/12. Wearable handcuffs and kinky boots? Who'd have thought this would be possible!

Marc Jacobs showed us rubber shirts and latex, paired with ladylike Forties silhouettes and lace-up boots at his at his catwalk show at New York Fashion Week (a definite pre-curser of what was to come at his collection for Louis Vuitton at Paris Fashion Week. This was definitely the show to show the wearability of this trend; cinched waist belts, and PVC leather gloves, to update your winter accessories.

In London, Giles showed us demure fetish again, and with an innocent bow in the hair as a final touch.

Paris Fashion Week was as risque as they get! Givenchy, Mugler, Alexander McQueen and Louis Vuitton showed us all how it should be done; with Gaga, Mossy and that much talked about cigarette.

Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy went wild with animal prints, sheer fabrics and leather - PVC peplums over sheer knee-length skirts are not for the feint-hearted, although I could see myself in a cat-hat; definitely the easiest way to wear this trend, meow!

Nicola Formichetti's first womenswear collection for Mugler already had the Twitterverse buzzing before the show, with rumours that Lady Gaga would be modelling. Of course, she set the show alight and I can definitely imagine her wearing every single look from this collection.

One of my favourite collections of the whole season was Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. She managed to make the fetish trend look, dare I say, elegant? The harnesses were beautifully constructed and really added edge to another astounding beautiful collection.

And last but not least, Louis Vuitton's racy show (with every model in Paris it seemed!) showed us handcuffs, ladylike silhouettes and hotpants. And amazingly, they were oh so wearable! Loved Natasha Poly's look with her hand handcuffed in front of her, almost like she was a raunchy, praying nun? I like, like it, c'mon.

All images via Style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Celine

Celine A/W 11/12

Since Phoebe Philo took the reigns at Celine in 2009, the shows have usually been my highlight of the season. For Autumn/Winter 2011/12, Philo has surpassed herself and delivered, in my opinion, her best collection so far for the French house.

Inspired by vintage car upholstery, Celine's woman was firmly in the driving seat and in control: the outwear was just beautiful - the long coats in particular have overtaken my favourites at Aquascutum, and the wood panelling print was genius. Although minimal once again, everything was wearable,  extremely chic and brilliantly cool. And also, love seeing Myf Shepard back on the catwalk again! Such a beauty.

Such a chic colourway.

All images © fashiongonerogue.com

Paris Fashion Week: Dries Van Noten

Drives Van Noten

DVN is one my my favourite shows every season. The prints, the shapes, the beautiful sunglasses (even for A/W!)...I love it all. The discreet embellishment is incredibly chic and the execution of the monochrome trend is fantastically wearable.

© All images - Style.com

London Fashion Week: Topshop Unique

Woof woof. Once again, Unique injects a bit of fun into fashion: for Autumn/Winter 2011/12, it was all about 101 Dalmatians and Cruella De Ville - seeing spots becoming a bit trend for the season. Loved the ridiculously cute hair, with some beautiful spot, dog and bridge prints, peter pan collars, the faux fur...everything!

Topshop Unique

Julia Nobis / Hannah Holman / Tali Lennox

Sofia Fisher / Sara Blomqvist / Charlotte Free

Melissa Tammerjin / Valerija Kelava / Kirsi Pyrhonen