An evening with Miele and Jasper Garvida

Last week saw Forever Better getting together with members of the online fashion community giving them the chance to attend an evening with designer Jasper Garvida hosted by Miele.

It took place in the lavish and luxurious surroundings of the Miele Gallery in London, located on Cavendish Place. There are photos of the evening up on our Flickr account so head over there to have a peep at what was going on.

Those who joined us have already put together their thoughts about the evening which included a discussion on garment care and a Q&A session with Mr. Garvida. There are also some superb photos and an excellent one-on-one interview with Jasper.

The interview was conducted by Hannah of London Rose. She asked Jasper quick fire choices between things such as Tea or Coffee and Gaga or Madonna, as well as the more in-depth questions on his inspirations, his experience of Project Catwalk and advice for ‘budding fashion designers’,

“If you want it easy, don’t do fashion! People will always be telling you that you’re not good enough, that you need more experience… You have to work hard. That applies to anyone who wants to work in this industry, in any area. It’s tough but worth it.”

Sherin and Leia from Hi Fashion relay the experience of learning about the gentle side of Miele washing machines and the brand credentials when it comes to garment care,

“Miele did a ‘rose test’, which is where they put a rose in a washing machine, and after a wash, the rose comes out looking pretty perfect. We were all really impressed by this. The point was that Miele washing machines are really good for delicate clothing.”

They also posted the below image of the dress that won the 2009 Miele Fashion Prize. The design featured a honeycomb pattern that is found in the Miele washing machines and tumble dryers, something noted by Rachel.

There are general photos of the evening from Kit at Style Slicker/Pop and some amazing close ups of Jasper’s detailing on her other site Style Slicker.

There are more write ups and images at The View From, I Heart Vintage, London, 1:13 AM and Vanity Fashionista. Below is a quote from Vicky of Vanity Fashionista on the event, which is followed by a couple more images from the above attendees.

“I’m excited to see what Jasper has to offer in the future, I’m definitely going to be follow him as he moves up in the fashion industry Thank you to the amazing Miele, Forever Better, Jasper Garvida for giving me this opportunity to attend the event.”

We’d just like to say a big thank you to everyone who came along and made the evening the great success it was!

If you’d like to get involved with the Forever Better community just send an email to Fran and he’ll get back to you letting you know what we’ve got coming up.

You and Miele: Helene from The Luxe Chronicles

It’s Thursday again, and so time for the next instalment of our ‘You and Miele’ feature, where we introduce all the fascinating folk from across the internet we meet at events across the country and get to know them that little bit better. This week it’s the lovely Helene from The Luxe Chronicles – elucidating on her blog, high fashion and how best to care for it.

1. Firstly, tell us a little about your site?

The Luxe Chronicles covers the luxury and fashion industries as well as occasional goings on in the art world.  I try to write from my own perspective as a consumer.  There is a great deal of hype surrounding the fashion and luxury industries and I find consumers’ interests are not always well represented.  I try to look beyond the hype and provide insights and information that can be helpful to my readers.  One of my areas of interest is fashion history so I try to interject a bit of historical perspective in my posts where I can.  I’ve been blogging since October 2007 and I still really enjoy it.  I find it especially rewarding when my readers engage me in debate or add their own insights to posts I’ve written.  It confirms that I’m not shouting into the wind so-to-speak.

2. How’s your personally tailored Jasper Garvida creation getting on?

It is absolutely beautiful as you would expect a Jasper Garvida creation would be.  It is quite a glamorous gown so I look forward to having the opportunity to wear it out.  It has a very 1930′s feel to it which corresponds to one of my favourite fashion periods.  I will treasure it always.  I joked with Jasper that I look forward to loaning it out to museums one day when he’s a rich and famous designer and the subject of museum retrospectives.

3. How important is garment care to you as a fashion enthusiast?

It is absolutely essential.  I’ve never believed in the whole “fast fashion” movement.  If I buy something, it’s because I truly love it so I obviously want to wear it for as long as I can.  This obviously entails taking proper care of it.  This is as true for my Zara purchases as it is my Azzedine Alaia pieces.

4. How do you care for your investment fashion pieces?

I try to follow the instructions on a garment’s care label as closely as I can.  I’m not a huge fan of the solvents used in dry cleaning so I tend to  spot clean as much as I can.  Otherwise, I try to use the most gentle washing cycle I can and never wash clothing in very hot water.  Storage is also important especially with delicate fabrics or embellished pieces.  The hardest thing is finding clothes hangers that are sized properly for things like jackets and blouses.  Otherwise, garments loose their shape over time.

5. Any tips you would like to share with others?

Unscented baby wipes are quite useful for tiny spots especially when you’re travelling.  I also believe in pre-treating stains prior to washing.

6. Any eye’s on any Miele additions to the household?

I would dearly love one of their rotary irons.  I never did master the art of ironing properly and Miele’s rotary irons look like they were designed with people like me in mind.

7. If our readers should hit one blog other than yours, what should it be?

I’m a big fan of both “Make Do Style” and “Business of Fashion”.  Make Do Style is written by Kate Battrick and her blog is as irreverent and amusing as she is.  Her book “Make Do & Mend” is on my reading list for this summer.  ”Business of Fashion” is written by Imran Amed and offers a glimpse inside the business aspects of the fashion industry.  Both are very informative on different aspects of the world of fashion.

Thank you Helene – now go and bookmark The Luxe Chronicles…

You and Miele: Alex from Princess and the Recipe

Here at foreverbetter.co.uk we’re all about the social media, and whether it be investigating what’s being said about the Miele brand in forums and boards across the web, attending events or trialling our products – we’re always meeting wonderful folk from blogs and forums alike. We’d like you to meet them too – so this weekly feature ‘You and Miele’ will interview some of our contacts from across the web, and help us get to know them that little bit better.

First up – Alex from Princess and the Recipe:

So first question – tell us a little about your blog?
My blog is called the Princess and the Recipe. I started it when I lived in Hong Kong as a diary of where and what I was eating. I then got hooked on blogging and kept going once I came back to the UK. It’s a bit of a hodge-podge of recipes, restaurant reviews and foodie events.
What did you enjoy most at the St Patrick’s Day event with Miele?
I loved trying out all the Miele gadgets and meeting the other foodie bloggers. And of course eating the Bailey’s Chocolate Cheesecake!

Have you made anything from the Miele recipe book since St. Patrick’s Day? Bailey’s Chocolate Cheesecake maybe?
I have made a version of the Roscommon Pudding, with plums rather than rhubarb. I’m saving the Bailey’s Chocolate Cheesecake for a BBQ later in the summer.

Are their any Miele appliances on the horizon you are tempted to install in your kitchen?
I’m very tempted by the steam ovens, although it would have to a freestanding one so I wouldn’t have to leave it behind when I moved house.
What other events and activities you would like to see Miele running in the future for passionate food bloggers like yourself?
Just keep up the good work! Anything where I get to play with new toys, eat and meet other foodie bloggers will keep me happy.

And finally, can you link us back to a perfect recipe on your site for the Great British Summer?
Here’s a recipe for gorgeous greengage sorbet