Hilary Alexander in Conversation with Maria Grachvogel

Famed for her magic pants, Maria Grachvogel's clothes sculpt the silhouette. It was interesting to hear about the inspiration behind the brand from the designer herself. With a strong celebrity client base, Grachvogel is celebrating her 20th anniversary this year and explained the precision and dedication needed to run a successful luxury fashion company. I was fascinated when I heard she used to hand paint each and every one of her dresses in some way and my ears pricked up when I heard she used devoré, a textiles method I am all too familiar with! This determination to create beautiful bespoke pieces is perhaps why Grachvogel has become somewhat of a style secret amongst the stars, from Yasmin Le Bon to Emma Thompson all sporting her looks on the red carpet. Grachvogel now favours the use of digital print, demonstrating a feminine and floaty feel in her SS14 collection. However Grachvogel did state she was looking for a business partner to take on the business side of her company so she can delve back into the creative element, and who can blame her - who wouldn't want to be painting pretty fabric or designing digital prints all day? After this personal insight into such a credited and well-known designer, I couldn’t wait to see her collection in action on Sunday!

Eve Thomas, Style Director at THEOUTNET.COM

I was really intrigued to listen to Eve Thomas talking about her role as Style Director at THE OUTNET.COM. The e-tailer has become one of the leading go-to sites for wearable designer fashion at irresistible prices and I was eager to learn more about this fast growing and energetic brand. Thomas was impeccably turned out in an Iris and Ink suede shirt dress and spoke of her connection with the brand, joining when it was relatively new, and working her way up to her role as Style Director. Her job is very varied, and "no day is ever the same". Originally a sister sale site to Net-a-porter, THE OUTNET.COM has become an irresistible destination for designer styles at amazing prices in its own right, with a pair of Louboutin shoes selling every three seconds!

Lulu Guinness

Many of you will know Lulu Guinness for her trademark red lipstick motif, a motif that was cemented by her love of red lipstick, or should I say obsession. When talking about establishing her brand she explained it was key to make it personal to her. A rookie error, she explained, was trying to fit in when you should be coining a unique selling point that makes you stand out. Her unique selling point and the eventual association with her famous handbag brand was her red lipstick and love for the graphic - strong black and white segments; a lineal and bold aesthetic. This has made Lulu Guinness a recognisable brand, and you'll know a Lulu Guinness product when you see it. I fell in love with her oversized lipstick clutch and perspex bright red lip bag - see through, so you "have to be brave" to pull it off. She expressed an obsession with the black, red and white colour combination, evident through a slideshow of her current season where there were no other colours to be seen. She also admitted to an obsession with perspex, the shiny and the graphic stating she'd "much rather have a big area to work on" where she could design more graphics onto it, than a small one. However "practicality is also important" when designing handbags, as people are buying them use as well as love and Lulu admitted that the practical side of handbag design wasn't really her forte. This talk gave us an incredible insight into the world of Lulu Guinness and if you're after an extra large lipstick bag anytime soon, you know where to go!