Fashion and Style

Women Who Launch: Meet Catherine Best, a World-Class...

I walk down the chic Elizabeth Street in Belgravia and through the doors of one of its newest residents—the designer and craftswoman Catherine Best’s London showroom. Greeted with a glass of champagne and the friendly team, including Best herself, they tell me all about their latest collections and the new clientele they’ve been able to connect with now that they have an outpost in the capital. “The London showroom is an extension of Jersey and Guernsey and I hope it will be very similar in the fact that we wish to offer a fabulous, friendly, high quality service, and a place where people can enjoy visiting and spending their money [laughs], where the offering is second to none,” she explains.

How to Change the World by Buying Jewellery

Ethical diamond brand Do Amore’s founder Krish Himmatramka appeared on Shark Tank [the US version of Dragon’s Den] after applying for the fourth time, vowing not to apply again if he didn’t make it through to the filming day. His journey up until then has had its twists and turns, and a career change to top it off. Himmatramka wanted to create a product with a big enough margin to allow for each product sold to make an impact, and in came one of the world's most expensive substances, Diamonds.

5 Lingerie Brands for the Classic and Opulent Woman

As John Spence famously once said, "Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion; today is special". What you wear under your clothes is almost as important as your outfit itself, so contributor Cherelle Mukoko has picked out her favourite brands that will leave any woman feeling confident & sexy.

The Best Pieces We Saw at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023

Watches & Wonders is a bit like fashion week for the horology world. It’s an industry-only event for the biggest watchmakers to put their cards on the table, and show what direction they're taking their brands in; both in design and innovation. And this year it's not just the usual suspects. Along with the cream of the crop, like Rolex and Patek Philippe, you’ll find releases from less traditional brands like Tudor and Oris. Here are my favourite picks from this year.

The 2023 Met Gala’s Most Memorable Outfits

And just like that, the first Monday in May has rolled back around again - when the world's rich and famous get together to do well, we don’t actually know. The annual Met Gala ball takes place on the first Monday of May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its purpose is to mark the opening of the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibit, and this year's theme was ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’. The details of what happens at the inside Met Gala are often subject to what we can put together from the dribs and drabs of Instagram posts from our favourite celebrities. What we do know is that it never fails to provide plenty of red-carpet looks to swoon over in the group chat (or not).

Interior Design Wallpaper Trends You Can't Miss

Ask any interior designer and they’ll tell you: there is no better way to add character, depth and texture to a room than with the judicious use of fabric and wallcoverings. And with the development of new printing techniques and a recent flurry of creative collaborations, it’s more possible than ever to make a truly artistic statement with your décor. Whatever your personality, whatever the vibe you want to achieve, someone has captured it in print. Here’s our run-down of the stand-out themes in fabric and wallpaper design for 2023.

The Sybarite’s Oscars Best Dressed List

Without a shadow of a doubt, the Academy Awards are the biggest night out in Hollywood, with the calibre of outfits to match. It’s the truest form of “Hollywood Glamour”, owed to a dress code rumoured to be the strictest of its kind. This year, the 95th edition of the Academy Awards gave us no less than an award-winning performance, dramatic moments, comedy, tears, and dreams coming true - does it get any better than that?

Women Who Launch: Chatting with Florence Macovei &...

“I’m not going to lie, the fashion industry is very focused on who you know,” says Florence Macovei, who spent years building her little black book of contacts whilst working as a model and hostess for brands such as Hermes, Ferrari, Cartier, and Bulgari. “If you have the right connections, you can have very big advantages. The contacts and knowledge I’ve made definitely helped me through my entrepreneurial journey,” she adds. However, it wasn’t just contacts that helped Macovei when she pivoted from fashion insider to founder. Her keen ability to unlock what women want has allowed her to launch AFTERHOURS, a fashion brand which makes incredibly wearable, sleek, and sophisticated clothes for the modern woman. I recently road-tested the AFTERHOURS oversized linen shirt on a trip to Mexico and it was the perfect item to wear over my swimsuit whilst still staying fresh and stylish on the beach. Whether it’s breathable fabrics or flattering silhouettes, Macovei has a deep understanding of her customers’ needs and also leveraged her own experiences to build her first collections. “I always looked for clothes that were luxurious yet affordable while being versatile, and I always struggled, so that’s why I decided to start AFTERHOURS,” she shares. In this edition of Women Who Launch, we speak with Macovei about the mentors who provide a guiding light as she builds her brand and the piece she loves most from her current collection.

The Insider's Guide to London Fashion Week

For fashion enthusiasts who love to dress and fawn over the latest designer fashions, the question remains; what actually happens at fashion week? Think of me as your fairy god sister, giving you the low-down on what goes on at London fashion week and how to get involved. Fashion Month is a bit of an ‘if you know, you know’ event. Outside of the fashion and arts industry, there isn’t much information publicly available, and it’s not until you’re inside that you really understand what goes on. Fashion Week’s purpose [though now changing] was for the people who would promote these new collections to get the inside scoop; editors, writers, stylists, publicists and celebrities - and now, most importantly, influencers.

Diamonds [and Lab Diamonds] for Dummies

It’s just like they say; Diamonds are a girl’s best friend - and one of the most coveted gemstones in the world. Prized for their beauty and rarity, the stones are formed within the Earth’s mantle [between the Earth’s crust and core] in a natural process when carbon deposits into the earth and is subject to a combination of heat and pressure. Though the exact measure of time isn’t available, it is thought to take millions of years, resulting in the high price of diamonds, depending on clarity and carat.

Featuring The Sybarite's Best Dressed Celebs at the BAFTAs

Featuring How the V&A explores Africa's global impact on the...

Iconic African designers, such as Kofi Ansah and Alpahdi, have given the public the opportunity to explore never seen before designs amongst the array of garments and objects on display for the exhibition. I was absolutely blown away by the artistry that was on display, solidifying how much I will be supporting African designers moving forward. You have to visit to understand the magnitude of greatness when it comes to design. When asked what pieces evoked raw emotion, it was difficult to choose. Numerous parts of the exhibition evoked multitudes of sentiments which, to me, is the true aim of fashion. From extreme joy and pride to see such dimension, craft and skill, and at other times, sadness and disappointment to know that African designers aren't given the recognition and platform they deserve to be able to thrive as significantly as the designers we love today.