KEY POINTS:
She's probably best known as the daughter of singer Jane Birkin, for her stints as a Givenchy model and as the style icon who launched 1000 waistcoats. But fairly soon Lou Doillon, the one time "wild child" who is good buddies with the likes of Kate Moss and other cool rock'n'roll types, may become better known for her own clothing line.
Unlike many celebrity designs, this range - a line Doillon has designed for British denim label Lee Cooper - may be worth seeking out, if only because Doillon epitomises both French and British girlie cool.
Window shopping
Here's one way to get an instant fix of Christmas spirit. Head to Smith & Caughey's Queen St store and check out their Christmas window. The animated elves are so cute and in action 24/7 until January 6, 2008.
Looking back
With more than 200 stockists and celebrity customers such as teen queen Mischa Barton, One Teaspoon is a well-known label in its Australian homeland. The label's designer, Jamie Blakey, was asked to collaborate with Le Specs sunglasses and come up with a distinctive range of eyewear. The results include the sorts of shades that cocaine-snorting clubbers might have worn in the 80s to upset their grandmothers - candy striped Wayfarer shapes, chunky purple aviator styles and a guaranteed party favourite, yellow or white heart-shaped lenses. A swift trial in the Viva office showed that the heart-shaped sunnies suit a lot of face shapes. The glasses retail for $89.95 and are available at eyewear stockists.
Hot times
Maybe it's climate change, maybe it's a bandwagon, but local label Ruby is the latest to join the designers producing high summer ranges. Ruby's is called Anywhere But Here With You, and is mainly a versatile range of over-sized but flattering printed T-shirts. For stockists, see www.rubynz.com or call (09) 303-2128.
Think small
Want to give someone a unique piece of art, but don't know how you'll fit it under the Christmas tree? Go to Seed Gallery in Newmarket from Friday onwards. Just in time for the Christmas season, Seed has asked 30 artists to put their work on to brooches. The result is 300 unique miniature artworks, costing $50 each, in an exhibition called Discography. For more information see: www.seedgallery.co.nz, or call (09) 522 5360.
Next big step
Are you ready for the shootie? That's what they're calling the combination of ankle boot and close-toed shoe that's trendy this European winter. Local stores have plenty of these elegant, ankle-high boot shoes too, and they will do very nicely indeed for a more formal summer shoe. Some of the nicest we have seen are the spectator styles in contrasting colours by Pour La Victoire, from the United States, at the Jaimie boutique on Ponsonby Rd. They cost around $355. And if that's too high, check out the adorable and definitely unique, imported sneaker styles at Jaimie too. These include the sweet polka dot, gold or handpainted styles by Springcourt from Paris, retailing from around $215. Phone (09) 361 4000 for more information.
Online Garden Party
One of Viva's favourite homeware stores now has its own website. The Garden Party's site enables people from all over the country to browse its quirky, cute and useful stock. Not everything from the two Auckland stores is online, but a worthwhile collection of all sorts of items, from jewellery to children's gifts to kitchenwares, skincare and artworks, is for sale. And the site will keep regular customers updated on new and interesting products. Well worth a look: www.thegardenparty.co.nz.
Have a seat
Hunting for a cool stackable stool? Wellington design firm Candywhistle has just produced Pedro - a slick, wiry seat, zinc-coated so it can be used indoors or outdoors. It costs about $260 and is available from Simon James Design in Newton, ph (09) 377 5556.
One more to see
The small town of Raglan has what seems like more than its fair share of boutique stores. The cafes, designer boutiques and antique shops make this an excellent region to explore - even if you're not a surfer. The most recent addition to Raglan's increasingly interesting crop of shops is Atamira, which is stocking an eclectic mix that includes fashion from designers Kathryn Wilson and Chelsea Thorpe, design by David Trubridge and Esther Diamond, and jewellery, ceramics, books and New Zealand music. The shop is at 11 Bankart St, Raglan, ph (07) 825 0482 and its website, www.atamira.co.nz, will go live next year.
Affordable designs
Speaking of design stores, another has opened a little closer to home in Newmarket. Homage (below) is a design store specialising in reproductions of classic mid-century designs - so it's perfect for the person who's always lusted after an Eames chair but who probably needs to pay the rent and put petrol in the car first. Also available at Homage is what they're calling their Wall Stories. Basically these are art reproductions, which mostly seem to verge on a graphic design style, that you choose and they frame. They're not exactly originals but they're not the same as everyone else's wall art either. For more, see www.homage.co.nz or visit the store at 1 Morgan St, Newmarket, ph (09) 520 5711.
Basic buying
There's something satisfying and wholesome about discovering your own handcrafted gifts or buying veggies and fruit direct from the grower at a local farmers'-style market. A new market that will be worth visiting is the monthly Summer Market at the Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts in Pakuranga. The centre has been getting a reputation for having interesting exhibitions and workshops, and the Summer Market series looks likely to offer more stimulation, in the way of tasty food and unusual arts and crafts. The first one is on December 1, in time for Christmas shopping. See www.tetuhi.org.nz, or phone (09) 577 0138.
Sounds fashionable
Hip Swedish label, WeSC (short for We Are the Superlative Conspiracy) takes its fashion-and-music connections seriously - so seriously it it will be selling headphones alongside its clothes this season. DJ wannabes can get headphones in funky colours that sit over the ears; the more appearance-conscious can choose from a range of multi-coloured ear buds, including hot pink. WeSC is stocked at Loaded (09) 302 3680, and earphones from Real Groovy.
Just like that!
So you want a dress that looks a little like the one you saw, but maybe in a different colour, with a slightly different bodice? Best log on to the American website, www.Like.com where you can find bags, shoes and garments that look alike. You choose which element is most important to you - colour, shape or pattern. Then you can investigate pictures of dozens, sometimes hundreds, of lookalikes. Not all the suppliers ship here, but it's a fascinating resource that can assist with tricky fashion purchasing decisions.
WIN IT
She likes a pink butterfly or two, does songstress Mariah Carey. She also likes a fruity fragrance. Which is why Carey is the latest big name to step into the celebrity perfume business. With multinational beauty company, Elizabeth Arden, and after working with two master perfumiers, Carey, who is one of the most successful female musical artists, has her own fragrance. Called M by Mariah Carey, it comes in a pretty glass bottle adorned with a butterfly and contains hints of marshmallow and sea breezes. Perfume reviewers have described the scent as a "floriental" that's not too sweet but not too heavy. And if you'd like to smell as pretty as the singer - who says she wasn't a huge perfume fan or wearer until she was allowed to create her own - we have three 50ml bottles, valued at $99 each, to give away.
To enter, write your name, address and phone number on the back of a postcard or envelope and send to M by Mariah Carey Competition, Viva, New Zealand Herald, PO Box 3290, Auckland. Entries close December 5, winners announced December 12.
