The new series of Mary Queen of Shops kicked off on Monday, 9th June, on BBC2. The target: a womenswear boutique in Ascot (Berkshire) specialising in large sizes.

The script was as simple as usual: shop owner doesn't know her business, therefore doesn't make any money and Mary Portas comes to the rescue. It's the same formula as Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares really - but without the continuous swearing...

Some of the morning after tv reviews described Ms. Portas as 'scary' but I actually didn't think that was a fair comment. She had A LOT of patience with the owner of the shop and had to try really hard to open the woman's eyes to see her mistakes and make things better. Eventually (and after quite a few cringing moments) the penny dropped and the shop owner finally realised the potential of her business, so she began to implement some much needed changes.

Mary Portas seriously knows her stuff when it comes to retailing and I really do admire her, not just for her individual sense of style and the gorgeous chunky jewellery she wears all the time (maybe one day we'll see her in something from Caradiaz?) but also from a fashion business point of view. I'm totally with her on the subject of good customer service (something that we take extremely seriously at Caradiaz) and also agree with her views on the downfall of high street quality fashion as a result of the proliferation of big chains selling dirt cheap clothes. "Younger shoppers are starting to ask who is suffering to make it possible to sell a £7 dress." - she said in a recent interview with the Daily Mail.

I really hope she's right and the tide turns!

Mary Portas
Picture: www.maryqueenofshops.com

American designer Tory Burch received the Accessories Designer of the Year Award at the 26th CFDA Fashion Awards (dubbed the 'Oscars of Fashion') held in New York last Monday, beating fellow nominees Marc Jacobs and Michael Kohrs.

I first came across Tory's designs about four years ago through American Vogue (of which I'm an avid reader). I liked the shoes and also the jewellery - I hadn't started Caradiaz yet - and was delighted when Tory's designs were brought to the UK by Harvey Nichols and www.net-a-porter.com - I'm now saving quite a bif of money in delivery charges, as Tory's on-line shop (www.toryburch.com) doesn't do international deliveries and a friend of mine in Washington DC used to ship stuff over for me!

So anyway, many congratulations to Tory for this well-deserved award.

Tory Burch with her CFDA award
New York, 2nd June 2008
Picture: www.wireimage.com

Picture: Patent Victoria Shoes

One of my all-time favourite luxury brands much to my husband's regret (I adore Chanel's bags!) has embarked on a new shop set up with the opening of a mini-boutique in LA's trendy Robertson Boulevard.

The new Chanel 'small shop', which opened to the public last Friday after a lavish, celebrity-attended private party the night before, is decorated in classic Chanel black and white and offers hand-picked ready-to-wear pieces, as well as fine jewellery, gorgeous camelia-decorated accessories and cosmetics, including an exclusive range of eye-catching nail polishes called The Robertson Collection, made up of four different shades named after LA's iconic sites: Melrose (a shocking pink), Rodeo Drive (soft purple), L.A. Sunrise (primary yellow) and L.A. Sunset (warm tangerine).

Given the shop's location in a trendy area frequented by young starlets and wannabes, it has been suggested that Chanel's new strategy aims to attract younger customers; however, the company has strongly denied this.

If the new LA shop is a successful as the company expects, Chanel plans to roll out the 'small shop' concept to locations in London, Paris and Tokyo.

Classic Chanel - Robertson Boulevard shop, LA

Desperate Housewife Nicollette Sheridan
at the shop's private opening party
29th May 2008

Pictures: www.wireimage.com

Almost a year to the day of the death of Gianfranco Ferré, another legendary name from the fashion industry, Yves Saint Laurent, passed away on Sunday evening in his Paris residence after a year-long battle with brain cancer.

Yves Saint Laurent's contribution to the fashion industry has been essential. Apart from creating iconic pieces such as the safari jacket and the tuxedo for women, he was the first 'couturier' to democratise designer fashion with the introduction of a ready-to-wear collection (Rive Gauche) back in the late 1960s. Likewise, he was the first fashion designer to use black models on his catwalks.

I first came face to face with the YSL Rive Gauche collections back in 1989 in Hong Kong of all places, during a work trip. In those days, my Spanish hometown didn't have the fancy designer boutiques it has now, so Hong Kong felt like paradise and the glamorous Rive Gauche boutique in Alexandra House (if I remember right) in Hong Kong Island was one of shops that I remember best.

A true pioneer, may his spirit live forever.

Yves Saint-Laurent
Picture by André Rau
Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yvest Saint Laurent

Allow me to indulge in a bit of 'girl talk' today. How fabulous were the 'Sex and The City' girls during their stay in London last week! They came, saw and definitely won over the hundreds of adoring fans that cheered them on the red carpet in Leicester Square last week for the film's world premiere. They looked as glamourous as ever (especially Sarah Jessica Parker in her remarkable Philip Treacy headpiece and Alexander MacQueen dress) and what's more, they didn't seem to have aged one bit since the final episode of the series some 4 years ago. Remarkable!

If you haven't guessed by now, I confess: hello, my name is Marisol and I am a 'Sex and The City' addict - well, except for the first series, where I find the girls too 'in your face' and Carrie's habit of talking to the camera extremely irritating. Oh, and let's not forget the 'Ally McBeal style' moments, such as when Carrie levitates and flies away in the middle of the street after being kissed by some guy. Silly really...

But I LOVE all the other series: the stories get better and better, the girls get older but wiser and the clothes, the bags and the shoes are simply to die for!!! I just wish Samantha was actually a real person - I can think of a few Caradiaz chunky necklaces that would look 'fabulous' on her!

Sex and The City: The Movie
London premiere 12th May 2008
Picture: www.wireimage.com

Episode 77: Samantha wearing one of her many chunky necklaces
Picture courtesy of www.hbo.com/city/