You and Miele: Lola Re

In our latest installment from ‘You and Miele’, Vivian from Lola Re talks about why garment care is so important to her, and what we should all be wearing this summer. USA football kits anyone?

1. If Lola Re were a book, what would the blurb on the back of it say?
If you asked Lola Re her interests, she’d say ‘Cultural revolution, fashion, forward thinking and my hair – but not neccesarily in that order.’ Her blog reflects that; it’s a unique mix of musical refererences, profiles of emerging young fashion designers, daily style photos, and skin & haircare product reviews. She’d say it’s a work in fashion progress.

2. Aside from fashion and beauty, what other passions / interests do you have?
Dancing, holistic health & independent film. I also love camper vans, tea and my family.

3. How important is garment care to you? Do you have favourite items that require special care?
That’s a great question and one I think should be focused on more by young fashionistas. If you’re going to build up a collection of unique and significant pieces, then you should take proper care of them! Ironing is a good start… Miele makes a Rotary Ironer that is incredible. You sit down at it and feed your clothes through, and it has multiple settings and a little arm that swings out to hold the items you’ve just ironed without creasing them. It’s brilliant!

4. We noticed you’ve been getting involved in the World Cup festivities. So, who’s going to win it?
I am probably the least qualified person to say! I do however wish I could meet whoever designed the USA’s team uniforms. How dashing is the white sash detailing across the front?! It makes the players look like princes.

5. You graced our presence at last year’s Jasper Garvida catwalk show. What kind of events would you like to see us run in the future, for Fashionistas like yourself?
I loved attending the Sparks & Miele charity fashion show last fall. I realised that we fashion bloggers can use our newfound influence to help causes. Let’s get everyone in a room, throw a fashion show, raise some money and maybe even donate some clothing. We could call it Charity Shop 2.0. That would be so much fun!

6. Finally, we at Forever Better could do with some fashion pointers… What sort of clothes and accessories should we be adorning ourselves with this summer?
I am currently infatuated with chunky wooden heels and clog sandals. Now, these can be quite tricky to style into an outfit, so I’d recommend an open toe design and tousled, windswept summer hair to balance out the bulk of the shoe. I like the ones I stole from my sister.

I think one of the bright crocheted dresses from Jasper Garvida’s S/S 10 collection would look incredible with chunky wooden clogs and a brown leather bag on a Saturday afternoon in some London market… Dreamy.

Thanks vivian. Head over to Lola Re to see all of her latest outfits and find out more about Lola Re.

You and Miele: Rachel from Peacock Feathers and Diamond Rings

It’s been a little while in coming, but the next installment of our ‘You and Miele’, where we introduce all the fascinating folk from across the internet, is here…This week it’s time to meet Rachel from Peacock Feathers and Diamond Rings and find out her thoughts on fashion, fleas and foraging for fruit… Read on

1. In 50 words or less, tell us the best things about Peacock Feathers and Diamond Rings: Peacock Feathers & Diamond Rings started life as my wedding blog, to share unusual wedding inspiration with readers and to provide myself with somewhere sane to discuss weddings. Gradually it evolved into a more personal blog about all things beautiful in life: fashion, weddings, interiors, people I have met & other pretty things, with a running commentary throughout about my life.

2. I read a lovely recent post from you about autumn – is it your favourite season? Yes, autumn is probably my favourite season (although I think June will always remain my favourite month). I love the excitement in the air in the lead up to Christmas, foraging in the hedges to collect fruits for pie, for jam and for the freezer. For fashion week and the promise of cardigans, tights, think long cashmere socks, scarves and high heeled shoes after (hopefully) several months of sandals. Of the nights getting longer, of candlelight and of days filled with reds, russets, oranges and browns, edged with frost and amber tinted sunlight. So yes, I do love autumn.

3. How’s the cat (Pushkin)? The little black cat, ‘Pushkin’ has returned to his owners, our next-door-neighbours, although he comes round all the time when the children are out or at school. He is starting to go grey and has high blood pressure problems but is doing very well. Although, he is currently banned from our house as we don’t want to get a flea, which we suspect he caught from the other stray cat, HarryCat. Once his flea medicine has taken effect, he is welcome to come back anytime!

4. Have you got your eyes on any Miele products for the PF&DR homestead? I would really like one of the washing machines with the honeycomb drums and the cold washing cycles for all my delicate (and not so delicate) clothes. My old machine has too many hot washes which I just do not use.

5. If there is one site that any internet user simply must use, what is it? There are many blogs which feature fashion and other lovely things, the favourite of mine being peoniesandpolaroids.com. Other than that, I love the site Etsy.com where you can buy and sell vintage and handmade items. I have bought many fabulous things from people on that site and I use it to sell my own range of vintage and recycled bunting.

Thanks Rachel – now take a jaunt to find something lovely over on Peacock Feathers and Diamond Rings.

You & Miele: Shini from Park & Cube blog

An inspiring and educational read for anyone with an interest in fashion – this week, Miele meet the magnificent Shini from the Park & Cube blog, who has a fine word or three to say about fashion care, head-turning treads and knitting in planes (figuratively at least) – read on…

Firstly, tell us a little about your site? Park&Cube is my little hideout, plastered daily with personal outfits and whatever that may be inspiring at the time. Also the occasional (awesome) shopping links and DIY tutorials for those who’d like to put away their wallet and exhaust the craft energy someplace useful.

We hear that your shoes were quite the talk of London Fashion Week. Any more magnificent treads caught the eye recently? Ah the Emma Cooks! Sadly after the evening I realised they’re too small for my feet so they had to be laid to rest until a better time or suitor came by… huge pity! I did get my hands on the dark-grey Office caged wedges later and they’ve been headturners wherever they were worn to. I’ve brought them to Poland and so far I’ve been quite satisfied to present something so unusual.

How important is garment care to you as a fashion enthusiast? Do you trust your creations to a washing machine? Being a personal-outfit-blogger many items in my closet are constantly recycled into different outfits and combinations, so I find garmet care to be extremely important. Especially in cases of vintage or statement pieces, I wouldn’t fling those around carelessly or trust any old washing machine to clean them. As for my DIY pieces, I’ve avoided wearing them too much so that I could delay the washing – but this was purely from fear that the washing machine I own will destroy the garment. I definitely will hand-wash when the time comes.

Are there any tips you can share with our fellow fashion conscious readers? Regarding garment care, since I don’t happen to own a washing machine that will wash a rose without shredding its petals (and nor will a lot of others), I suggest gentle hand-washing with hand-wash detergent. Especially with DIY that involve chains, laces or beads – unless the chains are silver, they will most likely discolour when washed, so take this into account when washing.

In one of your blogposts you mentioned that you would like to knit in a plane at least once in your lifetime. Do you think the world will ever see a time when you are allowed to knit in a plane? I thought about this again on my returning flight back from Turkey! I’m sure now, that my point when I said this was not necessarily that I want to knit something during a 2-hour plane ride, but the fact that they could reconsider how plane safety should be performed. It is pure circus what we go through in airports these days, and unfortunately unless a mighty higher power intervenes, we won’t see a time when they will lift the ban on sharp objects. A few years ago when I was seeing a friend off at an airport, a man offered me his umbrella because it was apparently not allowed on board. What can one do with the umbrella on a plane, threaten to open it and terrorize everyone of bad luck?

If you could pick one of the outfits you’ve featured on your blog, which would be your very favourite? I actually don’t think I have a favourite! I think of my style to be constantly evolving (‘improving’ in more cases, if one may say so) and I don’t think I’m yet at a stage where I know what my true style is to show it off. So this one (see picture) was a particularly fun outfit, just because I’m so in love with the colour of the jacket.

Thanks Shini – now, visit her blog…

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