Anusha

Dress of the Year

2010-02-08T12:28:00.002Z

The Fashion Museum in Bath has announced its Dress of the Year - Antonio Berardi's black and white trompe l’oeil corset dress worn by Gwyneth Paltrow to the premiere of her film Two Lovers in Paris.

Gwyneth said the following about the dress: ‘When I tried this dress on, I was amazed by the construction and the uniqueness of it. It was at once elegant and sexy and very very much its own dress. It is one of the absolute favourite dresses I have worn and I feel so lucky that we had that evening together in Paris’.

Each year since 1963, a fashion expert has selected a dress or outfit for the museum’s collection to represent the most important new ideas in contemporary fashion. Take a look at the Dress of the Year choices from 1963 to 2009 here.

Gardeners' world...

2010-02-03T09:00:00.000Z

I've just come across these hanging Sky Planters, designed by Patrick Morris.

I quite like the idea of the upside down herbs in the kitchen, but the maidenhair fern and spider plant in the picture below reminds me a little too much of the macrame hanging baskets I used to make as a child in the 70s!
Having said that, I think they're really nicely styled images...

Reboot

2010-02-01T14:00:00.010Z

After a four-week exercise break over Christmas (well, I'm only human!), I was raring to get back to bootcamp in January.

Finally, I'm beginning to feel like I'm getting back on track.

Exercising first thing in the morning does mean I have to get up at 5.50am, three times a week (urgh), but I'd much rather get the workout done before other commitments get in the way (and, more importantly, it's not hanging over me all day - something I hated when I used to go the gym after work). Our trainer, Zita, pushes us without being a bully, and each session involves something different - so much better than doing the same boring old routine every day!

Have I lost weight since I started bootcamp last summer? No. Am I feeling fitter and less stressed? Yes - dramatically so!

Photographing fashion

2010-01-29T11:35:00.004Z

I'm looking forward to the 'Photographing Fashion' exhibition, which is opening in March at the Fashion Museum in Bath.

It's going to include examples of British fashion from the 1960s, including pieces by Mary Quant and Jean Muir as well as original photographs from the Sunday Times fashion archive.

Spring is in the air

2010-01-25T10:00:00.010Z

Mondays are always a busy, busy day in the Anusha office, as we catch up after the weekend. We're especially hectic at the moment as we're beginning to take delivery of our new spring/summer collection - I do enjoy the excitement of unpacking boxes of goodies!

My love affair with gold jewellery continues (we're talking subtle/tasteful, not bling!). I'm really pleased with our new range of beautiful, textured-finish gold and semi-precious stone earrings, bracelets, cuffs and necklaces. Perfect pieces for summer - I know you're going to love them. They'll make an appearance online in the next couple of weeks...

Full length and fabulous!

2010-01-22T10:00:00.022Z

I'm very excited - tomorrow evening, Mr Anusha and I have been invited to The Pump Rooms in Bath to celebrate the civil partnership of some wonderful friends of ours.

With a dress code of 'full length and fabulous', it seems rude not to push the boat out for the occasion! Claudia, Anusha's hair and make-up artist has kindly agreed to come round to my house tomorrow afternoon to work her magic. I'm ashamed to admit, I've been inspired by pictures of Cheryl Cole's messy-dressy do, which she was sporting at the National TV Awards on Wednesday!

Photo location - booked!

2010-01-20T12:01:00.014Z

I've just come back from George Bayntun, a family-run bookshop and bindery in Bath, where I'm going to do my next Anusha photo shoot. Little inside the shop has changed since 1938.

Downstairs, in the amazing Victorian bindery, a small team binds books entirely by hand (apparently, there are over 100 stages in this process). Lovely Annie showed me round the building today, giving me a chance to see the huge collection of hand tools and blocks (they have over 15,000 - some dating back to the eighteenth century), rolls of colourful goat and calf skins, and gorgeous hand-marbled papers.

What a treat for a wet Wednesday morning!

Deary me!

2010-01-13T09:00:00.000Z

I came across this brilliantly kitsch 1950s vintage print, 'Deary Me', via stylist Selina Lake's blog. It's available as a canvas or print at Surface View.

The big freeze

2010-01-11T09:00:00.000Z

Brrr! This amazing image of a frozen Britain was taken by Nasa's Terra satellite last Thursday.

(Image via bbc.co.uk)

The Aigle has landed

2010-01-08T12:05:00.007Z

My Aigle (French for 'eagle') lace-up welly boots were delivered today. Perfect timing: this terrible weather we've been having looks set to continue for at least another week. I'm giving the boots a test-run tomorrow - I hope the chunky soles will give me enough grip to deal with the incredibly icy hills of Bath!

Keep warm!

2010-01-06T16:03:00.002Z

Forget about fighting your way through the snow today! Relax and click through to the Anusha sale - more items have just been added, with some seriously slashed-down prices!

Merry Christmas everyone!

2009-12-23T06:30:00.004Z

I'd like to wish you all a very happy Christmas, and say a huge thanks for all your support again over the past year. It's been yet another amazing year for Anusha.

The offices are closed at lunchtime today until 30th December (but, of course, you can shop online anytime over the Christmas period!). Orders placed during that time will be despatched on 30th December.

In the meantime, I'm waiting for Dave from Abel and Cole to deliver all our lovely Christmas grub this morning. I ordered it online weeks ago - you won't catch me braving the high street at this time of year!
xx

(Festive picture via Living Etc.)

It's not too late!

2009-12-22T10:22:00.002Z

There's still time! Order by midnight today, and we'll get your Anusha goodies to you in time for Christmas.

Party time!

2009-12-19T11:37:00.005Z

Last night I went to the annual 'freelancers' party. As many of my friends have their own businesses, 20 or so of us get together at Christmas time for a festive meal. This year we had delicious (and lethal) pre-dinner cocktails made by the lovely Ice House chaps and then headed to the upstairs dining room at The King William pub for supper.

Coco is back in stock!

2009-12-14T11:28:00.000Z

Our best-selling mulberry velvet and silk Coco dress is back in stock - it's the perfect dress for Christmas day!

Delicate decorations

2009-12-09T22:21:00.000Z

I love these beautiful baubles, created by Land-Rich, a shop based in Brooklyn, New York.

Here's what they say about themselves:

"Inspired by raw nature and those who embrace it, we collect and design classic goods for the discerning customer. Our mission is to provide beautiful objects that symbolize the quality, functionality, and sustainability of simpler times.

"Each quarter we will debut a new edition of products. These timeless items will then become a part of Land-Rich's permanent collection."

(Found via the fantastic Oh Joy blog).

Nicolas Cage switches on Christmas lights!

2009-11-26T21:13:00.005Z

It's true! Nicolas Cage turned on the Christmas lights in Bath this evening!

He was greeted by cheers from a huge crowd as he said: "Thank you citizens of Bath, citizens of Somerset, for your kindness and your graciousness in welcoming me to your beautiful community."

"I love Bath, I'm happy in Bath. I wish you all prosperity in the New Year."

Priceless!

Sweet things

2009-11-09T15:21:00.012Z

We had supper with friends on Saturday, so I took along one of my favourite (and easiest) puds: Nigella's flourless chocolate brownies. They're gooey, rich and delicious with cream. Here's the recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Melt the chocolate and butter gently over a low heat in a heavy-based saucepan.
2. Take the pan off the heat, mix in the vanilla and sugar, and let it cool a little.
3. Beat the eggs into the pan along with the ground almonds and chopped walnuts. Turn into a 24cm square baking tin or, most sensibly, use a foil one.
4. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, by which time the top will have set but the mixture will still be gooey. Once cooler, cut carefully, four down, four across, into 16 squidgy-bellied squares.

I can't bear watching Nigella on the telly, so I stick to her books. I find most of her baking recipes fail-safe.

Chrome collection

2009-11-02T17:08:00.000Z

I've just had an email through from Bobbi Brown, featuring their rather gorgeous, limited-edition chrome palette.

I need it!

Christmas shop open

2009-10-30T10:08:00.004Z

With the days ticking away to Christmas (only 56 days to go!), we've just opened our gift shop. This year we've got more home decorations than ever before:

Royal Mail strikes

2009-10-22T18:06:00.012+01:00

During the Royal Mail strikes, we're offering all Anusha customers in the UK an automatic upgrade to Special Delivery.

Although Royal Mail has removed the Special Delivery next-day guarantee for items posted today and tomorrow (Friday), they have said that they'll restore the guarantee of delivery as soon as they can honour the service promise - which is expected to be by Monday 26th October.

In the meantime, I'm looking at setting up an alternative way of posting out your orders in the future.

Amber Merrick-Potter

2009-10-07T11:41:00.004+01:00

Mr Anusha and I popped along to the MA degree show at Bath School of Art and Design on Saturday.

I particularly liked the paintings by Amber Merrick-Potter. She wasn't in the studio when we visited, but I emailed her yesterday, and she told me her website will be up and running within the next few days, and will include a back catalogue of all of her pieces. Prices start at £100.

Here's what she says about her work:

“Utilising the qualities of my chosen materials the interactions, reactions and contingency of household and industrial paints, alongside traditional oil mediums – as referents back to nature, land and landscape. These lands become entwined, within a contemporary notion of romanticism, a re-awakening and to serve as a reminder to not lose out connection to the natural world.”

It's the teal deal

2009-09-30T12:32:00.000+01:00

Give your autumn wardrobe some teal appeal – it's the colour to be seen in this season! Here are a few of our favourite teal goodies from Anusha's latest collection:

Ruffle flats

2009-09-11T09:01:00.006+01:00

Our lovely Ruffle ballet flats have had a nice write up, over at Shoewawa.

The silver version was so popular this summer, that we've reordered it, and added three new colours for autumn: black, teal and purple. Available from the end of October.

Dark and sultry!

2009-08-14T19:46:00.000+01:00

Just had the contact sheets back from the first couple of days of the Anusha autumn photo shoot. Lots of gorgeous new things coming very soon!