one to watch: reiss

i've never been a huge fan of reiss - have always thought it a bit dull, a bit corporate, a bit unadventurous - and i don't think i'm alone. however, i am really impressed with their spring '07 collection, which arrived in stores this week, so much so that i actually wanted to buy almost everything i saw.

thin heather grey cotton jersey dresses with interesting pleating around the necklines...jewel-toned silk pencil skirts with big buttons up the front...oversized cardis with massive, graphic buttons styled over beaded flapper dresses...everything completely on-trend for the upcoming season, with the potential to be a staple piece of my spring wardrobe. am definitely going to be making a trip back there once pay day rolls around...

neighbourhood watch: whitecross street, ec1

my favourite places in london tend to fall into one of two categories - either they are so quintessentially english that they make you feel as though you're part of a working title film, or they make you feel as though you're in a totally different city altogether.

whitecross street, just off of old street in ec1, is a part of the latter group. essentially a part of the barbican district, the street is surrounded by soviet-inspired tower blocks and construction cranes, which gives the street a sort of eastern-bloc vibe, and actually does make it seem as though you're on holiday in a foreign country.

the shops, too, are quite atypical of london - most notable is bread and honey, whose utilitarian streetwear is reminiscent of that found in london or tokyo (but doesnt totally leave out the hipsters and girly-girls - is still a great place to stock up on skinny black lees or not-so-innocent chiffon dresses like this sweet leopard print one from laura lee)

a small, continental market is open on the weekends, which usually isn't too inspiring, selling not much more than 3-for-a-fiver 'pashminas' and cheap leather satchels - but it sometimes is transformed into an upscale food market along the lines of exmouth for special occasions like christmas - check the website for details

finally, there have been some fantastic small gallery openings on the street over the past few years - madder rose gallery always has consistently exceptional shows from emerging artists, while newcomer ancient and modern is definitely one to watch - their inaugural exhibition included works from the likes of jeremy deller and ricky swallow.

wtf: topshop 'corset' jeans

ok, so i am actually a massive fan of high-waisted bottoms - i own a pair of rib-skimming black shorts and think they are hugely flattering, get loads of compliments on them, etc.

however, think topshop has gone a bit too far with their 'corset' style jeans, in the picture above. first of all, what's with the two contrasting shades of denim? guess it's meant to look as though you're wearing a denim corset WITH denim jeans and not a pseudo-onesie - but when has dark denim on light denim ever been a good look?

then, there's the fit issue. i can't see how, unless you are 6'5 and built like a nine year old boy, these could possibly be flattering on anyone. all they would serve to do is showcase bumps and bulges and make legs resemble turkey drumsticks.

so yes - way to go, topshop, for trying to be directional, but i have a feeling you've not struck gold with these.

new launch: LOOK magazine

ok, a little bit slow with this one, but i have the excuse of being on a different continent...

so IPC has revealed plans for their new women's weekly, which is set to be called LOOK. As predicted, its USP is almost identical to that of Grazia, but for a slightly younger audience - according to the press release issued by IPC, "LOOK will deliver an unparalleled mix of up-to-the-minute affordable fashion, high street shopping advice, celebrity style and gossip. It will be the glossy, fast fashion fix for today's discerning young woman."

Maybe it's because I had really high expectations for this launch, but I can't help but feel a little disappointed. I'm perhaps Grazia's biggest cheerleader (bordering on deranged fan), and I guess I was hoping for something a little bit closer to Grazia's proposition - a bit more aspirational, a bit more glossy, a bit more design-led - but also relevant to someone my age. I mean, I'm sure there is a massive audience for a weekly 'high-street shopping guide,' but to me, the best thing about Grazia is the escape it provides - the fact that for an hour each week, I can immerse myself in a luxurious, beautiful world of shoes I will never be able to afford and the glamourous lives of the rich and famous that I will never lead. I don't really want to hear about the latest high-street finds - I shop on the high street several times a week as it is, and that's enough for me.

The point is, I still feel that there's a gap in the weekly magazine market for an upmarket glossy targeted at a 20-something audience. I think my ideal weekly would combine the aspirational fashion coverage of Grazia (although perhaps with a focus on up-and-coming, lesser-known designers) combined with features more relevant to my generation (e.g. less IVF and plastic surgery) and daring layout / design / shoots (not just a direct copy of Grazia - I mean, come ON, they've even used Jennifer Aniston on the dummy cover - who else put her on the cover of their launch issue? hmm..). I can't really blame IPC because they're continuing to speak to their core mid / lower-market weekly audience with this title, which makes perfect sense - after all, they are the home of most of the 'I had a tumour the size of a football' real-life weeklies on the shelves today. Perhaps I should just start one myself - anyone with me?