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The shop that has footwear fetishists drooling has done it again. Ashley Ardrey is now bringing in bags and shoes by Pierre Hardy of Paris. It's Hardy who designs and makes Balenciaga's incredible shoes, designs Hermes shoes and is generally credited with reviving the fortunes of Dior's footwear line. In fact, Hardy's clogs are so hot that celebrities like Nicole Kidman have requested specially made shoes and bags for events like the Oscars. Priced from around $900, these beautiful babes don't come cheap, but if you care to visit them in their little glass cases at Ashley Ardrey you will soon see the quality, craftsmanship, and fantastic design. When Viva visited the store, the Hardy bags were not out yet but, judging from online pictures (www.pierrehardy.com), they will get bag collectors just as excited as the shoe addicts.
Smooth and slim
The garments that stylists were queuing for at the last Workshop show are now in store. The velvet super slim and straight leg jeans come in four colours, from the very wearable black, anthracite and midnight to the more statement-making ruby red. They retail at $249.
Cyber design
The internet is a breeding ground for all kinds of relationships. One liaison has involved Wellington designer Andrea Moore and New York artist Matthew Langille. Although they've never met, Moore and Langille have collaborated on a T-shirt design in cyberspace. Langille's cute drawings have featured in fashion before - he has decorated T-shirts for Marc Jacobs and provided illustrations for fashion magazines such as Oyster in Australia. The umbrella print he provided for Moore will be part of her collection for next summer.
Hotshot in the cold
We hear World's collection for summer is looking pretty hot. And it's also looking pretty cold - in temperature, that is. Because alongside Zambesi, World clothing is being stocked at new boutique Cara & Co, in central Moscow.
Watch this
You've heard of diffusion lines - the collections designers manufacture to sell at lower prices than their original designs. Marc Jacobs has now gone one better, with a diffusion line of watches. Yes, watches. He already makes a fancy range of time-keepers but, since last year there have been the Marc by Marc Jacobs watches as well. They're made by watch brand Fossil and have a light-hearted, almost retro feel. A small number are available at World boutiques, retailing around $400.
Ruby shines on the web
Fans of the Ruby label who don't live near one of its boutiques, or whose local stockist doesn't supply the whole range, will be pleased to learn that the enterprising young women behind the brand have gone into e-commerce, and have started their own online store. For more, visit www.rubynz.com
Smart in spats
Although ankle boots are the choice for winter's well shod, another trend is creeping into shoe stores. For some
unknown reason, spats - originally stiff fabric covers over the top of a man's shoe, popular at the end of the 19th century - are assaulting shoes all over the show. Local shoemaker Sarah Riley has some in her range, and Myhart has versions from overseas.
Pretty good move
Small but prettily formed, that's Anouk, a new store in central Auckland. The garments - designed in New Zealand by owner Claire Barker and stylist-about-town Anna Caselberg, and made in Asia - range from cord duffel-style coats to romantic white shirting and a range of knitwear. Cutest are the delicate, pastel cashmere-mix cardigans with applique on the back. Anouk is at 3a O'Connell St. Ph (09) 309 3331.
London's best
You too can shop with London's grooviest celebs. In fact, one of Kate Moss' best mates, actress Sadie Frost, says it's her favourite shop in London. Start is a boutique in the trendy London suburb of Shoreditch, founded by a rock'n'roll couple, Philip Start and his wife Brix Smith-Start. The pair have now put their wares online which means you can buy labels like Miu Miu, Rick Owens, Hamish Morrow and Vanessa Bruno, plus clothes and accessories by lesser-known designers. See www.start-london.com for more.
