LPA x Thomas Sabo at LFW

Apologies for the repeated interruptions to regular fashion week programming mes amies, I have so many posts and projects and experiences I want to share with you RIGHT THIS SECOND that it’s playing absolute havoc with my “editorial calendar” and sending me into organisational meltdown. New York was, as always, amazing regardless of the bitter temperatures and Milan where I currently type this from my hotel has also be wonderful so far. But of course, London Fashion Week remains so close to my heart; it’s my hometown, full of friends and memories and such inspiring, innovative shows. I know I’m being uncharacteristically sappy right now but I suspect that might be due to lack of sleep and excess over excitement. I promise I’ll return to my normal, struggles-to-show-emotion English self once this glorious fashion month madness is over. Anyway enough rambles, I want to tell you about a really lovely collaboration I did with Thomas Sabo over LFW…

As you may recall, towards the end of last year (all concepts of time and date currently vanquished by lack of sleep) I was lucky enough to make a whirlwind visit to Zurich with Thomas Sabo for the opening of their store there. Aside from the mind blowingly awesome hotel-cum-castle we stayed in we stayed in, the lasting impression I went away with was that this seriously brand knows how to create shiny things, and I do so adore shiny things. From the sparkling, gobstopper cocktail rings to the delicate gold bands and subtly detailed chain link charm necklaces, I was sold. When thanking Thomas Sabo for the lovely trip I not so subtly mentioned that if they ever fancied working together again or chucking a bit of bling my way to wear to something fancy, I’d be more than up for it. So when they asked if I might be up for styling some of their wares into my London Fashion Week wardrobe the only possible answer was HELL YES!

Thomas Sabo Glam & Soul ring, £105, available here
Thomas Sabo Glam & Soul ring with zirconia-pavé, £125, available here

If you follow me on Snapchat – and if not, sort it out! Username: ellacatliff – then you’ll know that I spend an awful lot of a lot of time and try on an awful lot clothes of in order to decide on the looks I’m going to wear for the shows. I know to some this will sound silly. Hell, it is kind of silly to some degree but then aren’t most things that aren’t actually essential to survival a bit silly if you really think about it? Anyway, as much as “look at me” prints, clashing brights and an Imelda Marcos number of pairs of heels are essential components of my fashion week wardrobe, so is jewellery. They are the finishing touches to an outfit that pull the whole things together. The kind of jewellery a person chooses to wear – costume, subtle, vintage, directional, delicate, all out baller bling etc etc – is perhaps an even greater signifier of their personality than clothes, I think anyway.

Thomas Sabo rose gold plated Glam & Soul ring with with zirconia-pavé, £155, available here
Thomas Sabo rose gold sparkling circles bracelet, £125, available here
Thomas Sabo rose gold bracelet, £179, available here

When it came to styling up my LFW looks I, of course, went all matchy matchy most of the time. Blue and silver outfit? Blue and silver gems of course! Something pink and sparkly all over? Well that’s got to include the jewellery. I’m a total sucker for cocktail rings and gravitated, magpie like, straight towards Thomas Sabo’s super shiny stackable ones.

Thomas Sabo hinged hoop earrings, £155, available here
Thomas Sabo sparkling circles ring, £155, available here

Strangely, given my maximalist tendencies, the look I think I loved the most were the subtle gold hoop earrings and simple gold band I wore on day 3. My outfit was rather more pared back then those I’d worn on the previous two days (well, it would be hard not to be) so I added a pair of gold tights into the mix and the hoops picked up on them in what I hope was a subtle and chic was with just the right hint of playfulness. What do you reckon? Would love to hear about your jewellery preferences and how you style them into your wardrobe.

Love Ella. X

Images by Holly McGlynn