Italian Outlet Mall Shopping Trip

On a recent trip to Italy I returned to the The Mall, a group of high end designer fashion outlet stores. It’s a wonderful concrete oasis jutting out of the countryside outside of Florence, with great coach connections to the city.
I first discovered The Mall about 10 years ago when it was a lot smaller and a lot more shabby. Shoe boxes were stacked up and the rails packed haphazardly. Unfortunately, the days of buying Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci shoes for £30 are long gone. The stores are now very similar to the ones you’d find on Bond St and the price tags definitely higher. There are still bargains to be found though, if you go with an open mind and lots of energy you’ll find yourself a treat or two.

I loved this soft leather pleated snakeskin 

print skirt but it was 2500 euros!!

Due to the current high demand for Gucci I started there, waiting for it to open, hoping not to miss out on any bargains. I ignored the bags and headed for the accessories. The sunglasses were fabulous and plentiful and, as they were mostly ignored by the handbag focused tourists, the prices were great too! I snagged a couple of pairs for me and one for my husband...

As jewellery is my obsession, I focused on the cases containing the sparkly things! I found some beautiful pieces that I could wear every day. I didn't buy them all!

Prada was next, I found myself a beautiful coat for £140 and a wool kilt for £100. Not to everyone’s taste and a few seasons old but I loved them and I think that’s the key to successful outlet shopping. It’s easy to get excited by the prices or latest trends but if an item makes you happy and you feel you’ll get good wear out of it, go for it.

 
I had my eye out for a new handbag and had a good idea of the shape and colour I wanted. I trawled around all the shops and as I was about to leave Mui Mui and Prada, I spotted this black beauty and snapped it up. The pink was just not quite me, as much as I loved it and it is my favourite colour (I sound 8 years old saying that...)

All in all it was a successful shopping trip, there were lots of tempting things I left behind. The logo scarves and shoes in Gucci, sunglasses in Fendi and a cute little handbag in YSL, but you can't have everything as that's just greedy! And expensive!!

The Mall is a slick operation that can easily contend with the thousands of tourists who barge through their doors almost every day of the year.  If you love designer items and fancy a trip to Italy make sure you squeeze in a day trip!

If you have any questions about my trip, please feel free to message me here or on my instagram @annapurser

Click here to visit their site  The Mall

Sustainable Denim - Lindex

After attending a fashion event at Lindex in Westfield a few years ago, I fell in love with this exciting Scandinavian brand.
In case you haven't heard of them, Lindex is one of the leading fashion chains in Europe and it is great at following trends as well as covering off classic pieces, whilst staying affordable. It's relatively new to the UK, with only two stores in Westfield Stratford and Shepherds Bush, but it is also available online at www.lindex.com. What I like about Lindex is that is also prides itself in dedicating everything it does to sustainability production.

Now that recycling is part of our daily routines, and we feel guilty for forgetting our 'bags for life' when we go shopping, being mindful about what we wear shouldn't be a huge stretch. 
Producing denim is an extremely involved processes, it uses cotton which in itself is not the most ethical product you can wear. It uses gallons or water and is responsible for a huge amount of chemical pesticide and insecticide use too. However, we love our denim, most of us having at least one great pair of jeans in our wardrobes, and thanks to Lindex we have have ethical choices.

In 2015 Lindex launched a denim collection made using sustainable fibers, including organic and Better Cotton, and which uses low impact washing processes to reduce water, energy and chemical consumption. There is no premium price for these denims, and this production technique has now been implemented to all of its denim, called Better Denim.

Another innovative idea that particularly interests me is the range called Re:Design. It's a collection of exclusive upcycled products redesigned and remade in Borås, Sweden. These items may have ordinarily have ended up in the sales but instead are imaginatively re imagined in to wonderful original pieces. Some given new details or taken apart and put together again.  But be quick! If you are interested in snapping up any of these limited edition pieces they are available online now.

 The Kimono, part of the Re:Design range, made from six different pairs of jeans.

Wear with a denim jacket and jeans for an 'triple denim' experience!!

 
Unfortunately, I am only beginning to learn about sustainability in fashion but I can enjoy my Lindex denim a lot more now, knowing that huge efforts have been made to make it in the most sustainable way possible. 

 This wheel is very helpful in understanding the process

If you would like to read more about what Lindex are doing please check out this link, http://about.lindex.com/en/denim/
 

Lemons and Leggings

As a regular gym goer, I have been buying lycra for years. Trends have come and gone with the length of the legging, cut of the vest or brightness of the print. At the end of the day, with sports gear, it's all about individual preference and what works for you. I used to buy Lululemon clothing when I visited New York as the quality is outstanding. Which is why I was so excited about Lululemon's new concept store on Regents Street.  It is huge, and beautiful and stocks everything you could possibly need (or not need but want anyway!). It's the largest Lululemon in Europe so if you can't find what you need here, it's not worth having. The store is calming, cool and well laid out. There's even a cafe upstairs and an area for their free classes.

The trend this season is muted tones, no fluros here i'm afraid!
Think earthy and zen. 

My favourite leggings, the subtle embossed pattern detailing is gorgeous

 This lovely set is from a collaboration with Central St Martins. Lululemon challenged the students to create prints inspired by nature's perfect imperfections. They printed their creations onto their iconic styles, creating a limited-edition collection. It's certainly unique and I would definitely stand out in the gym in these fresh, modern prints.

A stylish gillet is a must have for any keen exerciser. Ideal for layering if you're working out outside or just to throw on for your car journey to the gym.

 A super flexible athlete shows us how good Lululemons lycra is at holding you in whilst you're upside down.

Even their mats looking incredible, I need one in every colour and pattern, with this special storage built especially for them.

Everyone needs their own mat, you never want to put your face where someone elses bottom has been...

As with all their stores, the staff know their stock and whether you need clothing for running the marathon, taking a yoga class or just doing the school run they will give you advice on the best choices for you. 

Just go, take a look around and grab a juice from the cafe, you never know you may be inspired to take a class but either way you will come out feeling fitter than when you went in.