FASHION DILEMMA
Is there nothing the Beckhams can't do?*
FS loves a good Victoria Beckham story. But we must confess we've been scratching our perfectly groomed heads this week at the news that Victoria Beckham is to team up with Range Rover. Victoria Beckham? Range Rover? Really?
According to Vogue, the exciting news was unveiled during "what was surely one of the summer's most glamorous parties". No, not Fashion Statement's night in with a bottle of Soave, but a party thrown by ... oh. Look. It was thrown by Vogue. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Range Rover. Ladies and gentleman, we give you fashion journalism. The full article is, in fact, so wonderfully lacking in any sense of its own absurdity that we think we will delight you with this particular paragraph in full:
"I'm incredibly excited to be collaborating with Range Rover. I like to take on a challenge," said Beckham - wearing a nude silk crepe dress of her own design - after Range Rover's new Evoque 4x4 was lowered from a crane amid a cloud of dry ice and a clap of thunder from the speakers.
Wow. FS really needs to get invited to more parties like that. Tearing ourselves away from that rather 80s mental image, FS wonders what exactly the First Lady of Beckham will be, well, doing for a car company. Downsizing them, perhaps? Creating a 4x4 with a rather slimmer silhouette? Over to Land Rover themselves ...
"This lady knows a lot about fashion and a lot about trends, a lot about luxury products," Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern told us. "She's been running her own fashion business for three years and she's incredibly successful."
Ah yes, if there is one thing Victoria does know about, it's buying luxury products. Well, that clears that up then. Perhaps Victoria was feeling in need of a little more of the limelight, as her husband does seem to be advertising Yahoo on every available ad slot/media outlet/newspaper that FS sees. Or perhaps she really is the most multi-talented person on the entire planet. After all, she designs clothes, wears them, buys expensive things ... er ... oh yes! She also voices a character in SpongeBob Squarepants AND goes to parties. Truly, a Renaissance woman.
* Well, aside from save England's football team, that is.
BANG ON TREND
Rucksacks
No, Fashion Statement isn't hallucinating a trend due to heat fatigue - rucksacks really are "in". In fact, they're positively mainstream. FS believes that when fashion offers up such a comfortable and practical accessory (a rare thing indeed), we're duty bound to embrace it with open arms. Otherwise the next thing you know, the micro purse will be the accessory du jour, and FS will be kicking itself.
We can't help but feel that the rucksack revival is an "anti-clutch" reaction. A bag that carries more than a lipstick, a Blackberry and a credit card and leaves your hands free? If you carry anything like the amount of junk - sorry, essential items - that FS does, then rucksacks are the trend for you (and even your chiropractor will agree).
What's more, Cotswold Outdoor this trend ain't. Rucksacks have had the luxury treatment courtesy of Valentino. The label's recent resort (read: in-between seasons) collection showcased watercolour floral-printed nylon rucksacks, complete with oversized bows. This might be overdoing the femininity a little, but there's no denying that it sets a fashion precedent. So without further ado, here is our selection for you.
Canvas and leather seem to be accepted as the fabrics to render rucksacks chic for 2010. Asos has a great canvas style on offer for £35, which is designed for the guys and the gals. We love the tan option with chocolate leather straps, which conveniently channels the delicious, but tragically unaffordable, Chloe spring/summer 2010 look loved by FS.
For a harder-wearing style with an urban vibe, we recommend Topshop's neat leather creations, available in tan or black for £40. If you're in the market for a bag to cart to work, Ally Capellino's adorable AO rucksack-satchel hybrid, designed to accommodate Apple's Macbook, Macbook Pro and iPad, is the 'sack for you, retailing at a pricey £139.95.
The nation's sporting hopes might be toast for another year, but this faded Union Jack canvas backpack by Urban Outfitters (£38) remains totally fun. Other print options include this sweet floral style.
And finally, if you are one of those enviable people who never stains white clothing (FS, regretfully, is not), splash out on this Bill Amberg cotton style for a fabulous slouchy look. At £125, you'll be hoping this trend withstands the fickle whim of fashion's bag barometer.
FASHIONISTA OF THE WEEK
Michelle Obama
It's been a while since Michelle Obama has graced the webpages of Fashion Statement, and we've missed her. Here she is looking lovely and summery in a simple white tank, floral print skirt and lime green tote. I believe she's also got some famous bloke with her there on the right, but it's hard to tell who he is as he appears to be sinking into the grass under the weight of his far-too-wide trousers.
FASHION GRAVEYARD
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why you really, really don't want to "get the SATC2 look!". Lily Allen (in case you didn't know it was her from the helpfully huge reminder) demonstrates that the place where harem pants meet jumpsuits is not somewhere you ever, ever want to visit.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
She's an amazing model. She can make herself look bigger or smaller depending on what the client wants
Crystal Renn's agent responds to speculation that she has been deliberately slimming down. And claims some pretty amazing skills on her behalf.
OUT AND ABOUT
Twi-hards want to steal the, er, undead style? Claire's Salon will be running three weekends of pop-up style stations in celebration of the new Twilight film. From 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 July at selected stores: Manchester (Trafford Centre), Birmingham (Bullring), London (Trocadero), Leeds (White Rose) and Glasgow (Buchanan Galleries).
Catch the end of Six Masters of Photography at Diemar/Noble Photography, open until Sunday 11 July. The exhibition features the work of Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, William Klein and Norman Parkinson. 66-67 Wells Street, London W1T 3PY; diemarnoblephotography.com.
For those with spare thousands burning a hole in their wallets, portraits of Kate Moss taken by Mario Testino will be on view and for sale from 5-16 July at Phillips de Pury, and from 16 July at the Saatchi Gallery. Each image will be enlarged to life-size proportions, of which only two or three copies are available. Details at vogue.co.uk.
You can't keep a good 50s dress down, as evidenced by the opening on Friday 9 July of Horrockses Fashions: Off-the-peg styles in the 40s and 50s at the Fashion and Textile Museum. The exhibition looks at Horrockses Fashions Limited, a company which was famous for its quintessentially post-war full-skirted dresses in lively prints. The exhibition will be accompanied in September by a Make Do and Mend course lasting four weeks. ftmlondon.org.
Tickets are reportedly still available for the Port Eliot festival in Cornwall from 23-25 July, and fashion's glitterati are going to be out in force. Barbara Hulanicki and Luella Bartley will be customising clothes for festivalgoers. Sarah Mower of style.com and the British Fashion Council will be interviewing master milliner Stephen Jones. Andrew Bolton, curator at the Costume Institute of the MET in NY, will be there with designer Anna Sui for a special event. porteliotfestival.com
SHOPPING NEWS
Those lovely folk at Green Baby have a special offer just for you - yes, you, loyal Fashion Statement reader. For the next 48 hours only you can get 25% off their lovely summery fashions for little people, including their gorgeous slip-on shoes. The special code is LIFEANDSTYLE - just enter and checkout at greenbaby.com.
Oxfam Festival Fashion - T-shirts designed in collaboration with magazines, newspapers and blogs - are to be sold in the festival shops at Latitude and beyond. The pre-designed Fairtrade T-shirts cost £25, or you can customise one yourself. All is in support of the Fair Deal climate change campaign, a global movement of people who want those in poverty to be treated fairly in the face of climate change. www.oxfam.org.uk/fashion.
Sample sale-o-holics, get yourselves over to the Chelsea Town Hall on the King's Road on 14 July for a British Designers Sale, including items by Jenny Packham and Edina Ronay, starting at a bargain £10. From 10am to 5pm. Chelsea Old Town Hall, King's Road, London,
SW3 5EE; 020 7627 2777.
T-shirts with a cause are a recurring theme this week. In collaboration with musicians such as Ellie Goulding and Little Boots, Trekstock has designed T-shirts to raise awareness and funds for young cancer patients. Available from the pop-up store '10,000 Hearts', 65-67 Broadwick St, W1. All T-shirts £10.
OFFCUTS
Fast fashion is over - now we're all about classics.
Why you shouldn't take fashion tips from Alan Shearer.
The best swimsuits, from designer to high street.
For all the latest fashion news, visit guardian.co.uk/fashion
News to tell us? Email kate.carter@guardian.co.uk