Royal Academy Summer Exhibit

Captain Cook was on the cusp of discovering New Zealand during the first of these Exhibitions and - this show is the 245th - it still remains the largest art open show in the world with the Royal Academicians choosing what pieces are chosen and where it is hung. They also select their own work and display there too on the hallowed walls of Burlington House. This year one large section of those hallowed walls are filled with tapestries by the cross-dressing Grayson Perry. Meanwhile in the rest of the roomy galleries diverse works clutter the walls from roof to floor. Equally diverse was the colourful collection of society and sleb folk who cluttered the courtyard and galleries of the august Burlington. Jasmine Guinness, Lady Victoria Hervey and the Chanel muse Amanda, Lady Harlech were all out to fete the new whilst surrounded by the old.

Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic

Last weekend in NYC over 7000 cool kids descended on the Liberty State Park for the Veuve Cliquot Polo Classic and turned the New Jersey park into a champagne-fuelled pampas of glamour. High fashion (with the yellow hue of the champagne house working as a neat tone) and dashing polo made for a technicolor afternoon. Matthew McConaughey, his wife Camila Alves and the hunky polo player Nacho Figueras, of the hallowed fame of the Ralph Lauren campaign were the hosts and McConaughey’s charity the beneficiary. And Ashley Olsen, Rosario Dawson, Dree Hemingway, Theophilus London and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld all showed-face. Champagne and charity - it’s all in a weekends work for this party pack.

Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen

Photo Credit: Getty Images

CFDA Awards

A thunderstorm briefly swept the city in the moments leading up to the the CFDAs, an suitable introduction for the Oscars of fashion which were held last night in New York City’s Lincoln Centre and where a phalanx of famous figures handed awards to the brightest and best of American fashion. Star of the show, one Hillary Clinton, was on hand to give Oscar de la Renta the Eleanor Lambert Founder’s Award describing him as “an American icon.”

Meanwhile Proenza Schouler won the Womenswear Designer of the Year award for the third year running. The label crossed this finish line first for a grand third time and is a favourite with Kirsten Dunst, Alexa Chung and Rihanna - it beat stiff competition from Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang to do so.  The designer behind the costumes for the films Snow White and the Huntsman and Alice in Wonderland, Colleen Atwood, sealed the Tribute Award and Jessica Chastain handed the International Award to Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci and Dan Stevens of Downton Abbey fame gave Thom Browne the menswear gong.

Still, it was Secretary Clinton who got the biggest round of applause on the night with Oscar de la Renta setting out the plan for a potential presidential fashion fan club – Clinton, however, would not be moved on the matter. One thunderstorm is enough for any New York night. 

Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Style Guide: Summer Sporting Events

Saturday 1st June - a red letter day indeed. In England they’re praying for sun and the first day of a glorious summer. Unlikely. Meanwhile In New York the Veuve Clicquot polo classic will kick off the summer social season on the East Coast. It will raise funds for Liberty State Park - devastated by Hurricane Sandy it’s only hosting a few events this year, this polo classic being one of them - and a fine chance to be decked out in the summer whites available from MaxStudio, embrace a summer dress, channel some lace detail, serve with a Panama hat - and you’re good to go. 

England expects too - this summer the annual round of summer sporting events kicks off at Royal Ascot, the race meeting held in the shadow of Windsor Castle and frequented by most members of the Royal Family. Hot on its heels is the tennis at Wimbledon, the regatta at Henley and the Cowes week of racing around the Isle of Wight. Back in America there are some cooly cut classics from MaxStudio which can calmly brave the late August of Flushing Meadows for the US Tennis Open or some prim pastels for the Hamptons Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton. What would Daisy Buchanan say to the 21st century Long Island set? “I’m sophisticated. GOD, I’m sophisticated,” no doubt.

Shop the Summer Collection 

Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen

California Summer Style Guide

Maxstudio styles California Summer getaways. From San Francisco to Palm Desert we highlight the best cities to visit in California during the Summer and how to look perfectly put together for each spot. From urban to beachside, vineyard walking to poolside sunbathing we have the perfect summer look for every occasion.

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Cannes 2013

There’s always hype around the Cannes Film Festival - but this year does seem particularly fun and fabulous. First, the Great Gatsby premiere was the fashion film the world’s been waiting for. Then the million dollar jewellery heist from a hotel on La Croisette on the day that Sofia Coppola showed her Hollywood IT kid flick, The Bling Ring. And on Sunday the prolific Hollywood heart throb James Franco hosted a party with the designer Leon Max on board a yacht bobbing sleekly away in the Cannes harbour. The party was honouring their friend Ahna O’Reilly at The Art of Elysium’s charity event - she’s involved in two films playing at the festival, As I Lay Dying, as well as Fruitvale Station - and a host of stars and starlets, including Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz and Beth Grant walked the plank and into the party. Also jostling for the spotlight was the Weinstein Company party at Baoli where Naomi Harris dazzled in a black strapless gown with net ruching around it and carried a black Jimmy Choo bag and sported Kirkwood heels as Nicole Kidman was toasted for her role as Grace of Monaco. She certainly looked the chic and regal part. Meanwhile the other social talk of the week has been the launch of the French version of Vanity Fair, which joined forces with Chanel to host a party on the beachfront at Tetou, the restaurant in Golfe-Juan east of Cannes. For this the big guns were marshaled - Karl Lagerfeld was there of course but so to Jessica Chastain, Adrien Brody and Milla Jovovich. A recipe for certain success.

Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Prepping for Cannes

The big Cannes kick-off comes on Wednesday as the grand Palais des Festivals hosts the opening ceremony and the unveiling of the great 2013 festival jury - this year starring Steven Spielberg, Nicole Kidman, Ang Lee and Daniel Auteuil. That night the talk of the summer, the film the Great Gatsby, finally has its premiere, sport. It’s been a long wait but no doubt worth it. The beautiful people are certainly planning on being at the post-screening party where guests including its director Baz Luhrmann, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan as well as Isla Fisher, Amitabh Bachchan, JAY-Z, Beyoncé and Bryan Ferry, will be shimmying away on the sandy reaches off La Croisette. Thursday heralds more hi-jinks with the opening of Sophia Coppola’s The Bling Ring. She’ll be pitching up to the Palais with her sassy co-horts Emma Watson, Katie Chang, and Claire Julien. Based on the Vanity Fair story of bored Hollywood kids robbing celebrity homes, it’s set to be one of the IT films of la saison. The A-list fun continues into the weekend when Princess Charlene of Monaco and Dior designer Raf Simons host a gala in the Port of Monaco and back in Cannes on Sunday night Robert De Niro, Tobey Maguire, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Kevin Spacey, Ewan McGregor and Bradley Cooper (and what makes a better guest list than that?) hit the most glamorous hotel in the world, the Hotel du Cap, for the IWC Schaffhausen - filmmakers dinner. Nice work if you can get it. 

With all the glitz and glamour everyone will be on their best fashion behavior. From daytime beachside events to red carpet ready we have all the looks you need to pack for Cannes now!

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Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen

Met Gala 2013: ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’

It was one helluva night last night and the shiniest of A-list stars gave it their all at the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute gala ball in New York. While there were hushed complaints on the red carpet that there was nothing ‘Punk’ about this party celebrating the opening of the Museum’s ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’ exhibit it didn’t stop the likes of Madonna going all-out in fishnet stockings, chains, crucifixes and a Givenchy jacket. The other big Givenchy moment of the night was a towering flame-print gown on Beyonce resplendent in a patent-leather bodice. There were elements of ‘Punk’ on Karolina Kurkova and Carey Mulligan who channeled the vibe through the use of safety pins and Rooney Mara who had re-evaluated a white lace gown with a leather strap and zippers: “the romanticism of the lace represents her” explained Met Ball co-chair and Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci. Donatella Versace had no problem keeping to the night’s form with her own custom made gown spiked to perfection. Sienna Miller and Cara Delevingne were spikey too in their Burberry jackets. Sarah Jessica Parker probably wins the most Punk points in this alternative fashion universe - she topped her Giles Deacon gown with a fetching Philip Treacy mohawk. Anne Hathaway got everyone talking with the unveiling of bleach blonde hair and a somewhat sheer vintage Valentino dress while Gwen Stefani kept it simple in black and white. Plenty of starlets including Kate Beckinsale, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Bosworth committed to the pink, the official color of punk.

Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Fashion Inspiration: The Great Gatsby

The fashion film happening of the year is almost upon us. Fashion loves a literary style icon and it doesn’t get much better than Daisy Buchanan. Yes, ‘The Great Gatsby,’ directed by Baz Luhrmann, and with a soundtrack helmed by Jay-Z is the film which had already spawned a thousand style features and hundreds of looks before it even reached the multiplex.  Last year’s Met Ball channeled the feel with Luhrmann co-hosting the Costume Institute’s annual fundraiser and the opening of the ‘Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada: On Fashion’ exhibition. The collections that summer were already awash with opportunities to channel one of Gatsby’s Long Island dances of 1922 with Lanvin and Gucci not the only places to look for Art Deco drop-waist dresses. With the lavish stills we’ve seen of Carey Mulligan’s Daisy Buchanan and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jay Gatsby it’s now imperative that these embodiments of Jazz Age chic inspire the new Summer wardrobe.

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Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen 

Vibrant Red for Summer

Celebrities like Carey Mulligan, Mila Kunis and Jennifer Aniston are taking inspiration, literally, from the red carpet by donning stylish evening dresses in this bold hue. This trend is much easier than one might think so ditch those LBDs for something a bit more memorable. With a colour this vivid and exciting, a monochromatic, minimally accessorized look is the way to go. Take a cue from these chic starlets and opt for something red hot in linen or a fine gauge knit for day, or silk and satin for evening.

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Olivier Awards

The depth of the talent pool in Britain’s theatres seemed endless on Sunday night as the Olivier Awards held their 37th Awards Ceremony to celebrate excellence in theatre. 

Strategically placed on the one night a week that the theatre sleeps, the Royal Opera House burst into life as the heavyweights of the West End each came to perform pieces from their shows to create the most dazzling variety show in the country and of course to collect their awards.   

Dame Helen Mirren for Best Actress for her performance as The Queen. Jon Morrell for Best Costume for Top Hat and Best Actor and Best Director that went to Luke Treadaway and Marianne Elliott were just two of the 7 Olivier’s won by the Best New Play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. 

Nearly stealing the show for herself, hosting the awards alongside Hugh Bonneville, Sheridan Smith, who last year won an Olivier for her performance in Hedda Gabler, wowed the audience with her vivacious spirit, comedic timing and flawless live performance of Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend.  Followed by more performances by Will Young as Emcee in the new revival of Kabaret, an immaculately booming performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” by Heather Headley currently starring in The Bodyguard and of course a very anticipated and rightly so, song and dance number from The West Side Story from the star of Glee, Matthew Morrison. 

Yes, I did have to use my thesaurus to find synonyms for flawless.  Every single performance was more outstanding than the next and I am astounded that anyone could have chosen a winner, but winner they chose and I am honored to have been sitting in the same room with them.

Contributing Editor: Margo Stilley

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Tribeca Film Festival 2013

Every year in April the Tribeca Film Festival takes over downtown New York for what is surely one of the coolest events of the year. Since it was co-founded by Robert De Niro in 2002 Tribeca has been on the up and up, always showcasing the highly anticipated films of industry darlings, and this year was no exception. An unsurprising hit at the festival was Before Midnight, the third installment to Richard Linklater’s quirky series, starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. Other buzz worthy films included Scott Coffey’s comedy Adult World, and Neil LaBute’s intriguing drama Some Velvet Morning.

But one can not just associate Tribeca with movies, as anyone going to the festival would be remiss if they could not attend its star studded parties. Among those was the annual Vanity Fair bash, held at the New York’s state Supreme Courthouse. The party played host to stars Whoopi Goldberg, Sienna Miller, and a heavily pregnant Evan Rachel Wood. Yet even Vanity Fair was rivalled, when the following week everyone from Alexa Chung to Michael Pitt made an appearance at Chanel’s dinner. The event celebrated Tribeca Film Festival Artists Program, and was held at one of New York’s top restaurants Odeon. Sadly the festival ends this Sunday, but has already proven to be one of its strongest years so far.

Written By: Flynn Roddam

NOTE: Flynn is pictured in New York Wearing the Leon Max Spring ‘13 microprint shorts and collared shirt.

Margo In Morocco

After filming the lead in my new film, Still Waters, which meant 12 hour days, 6 days a week in the century’s coldest ‘Spring’ in London, more than I desired, I required a hot sunny get away.

So I sat down and I booked a one way ticket to Morocco and I hoped for the best!  

My first stop was surfing in Taghazout, a small village outside of Agadir where the waves were the ocean started to unravel the knots the London life had woven around me.  

A week later I left and headed down south to the rural Berber villages of South Morocco where the desert meets the ocean. Before dinner at sunset I wandered down the beach and found breath taking red arches where I bid the day goodbye and welcomed the cool darkness of night, a break from the desert heat.  Enshallah (“If God Wills” in Arabic.) 

From the South I moved inland and north up to the ‘Paris of North Africa’ - Marrakech.  Finally able to don my shorts and sandals (it was rude to the Berber people to show so much skin publicly) I hit the souks and the spice markets checking off my ‘must have’ list for cooking and crafts.  The best find so far was the black cumin seeds, which you put in a small piece of cloth and sniff and it clears your sinuses and cures snoring!  Best £5 I ever spent! 

I’m writing this now from the rooftop of Riad Kitula, a beautiful understated and elegant private riad that is available to rent at the owner’s discretion (http://www.riadkitulamarrakech.com) and as my trip comes to an end, I can’t help but stroll through my calendar and wonder when I will have a few days to come back again.  

Note: Margo is wearing looks from the Leon Max/Maxstudio Spring/Summer 2013 Collection. Shop Now

Written By: Margo Stilley

Editor’s Picks Style Guide: Cocktails

Rachel Aschenbrand of People Stylewatch, Jessica Minkoff of Marie Claire and Jade Frampton of Elle Magazine have helped us put together outfits to perfect cocktail hour by embracing the hottest trends of the season. Bright reds are a must-have for spring and can be worn as a statement blouse or  eye catching dress. Next is the sheer cut out, the ideal way to show just the right amount of skin. Lace and hints of sheer are reinforcing the cocktail dress as a date night necessity. Lastly, the fashion forward trend of the season and star of the fashion week runways is the heart print. Worn on a cocktail pant or short with a dressy top, this look is party ready.

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Trending for Spring: White Out

Head-to-toe white is a key trend for spring/summer’13 and fashionistas are divided on how best to style this stunning look.  For those who prefer clean, simple lines, our feather light voiles, fine knits and semi-sheer jerseys are perfect for white-on-white layering. Those drawn to the pretty, romantic side of white can slip into our intricately embroidered, floral lace sundresses, tops and blouses. The choice is yours – a sartorial blank canvas.

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Wilde for Olivia

In New York last night it was mag Marie Claire’s moment to fete their fresh cover girl, Olivia Wilde. This star, who first entered the national consciousness by kissing Mischa Barton in ‘The OC’ is now creating a buzz wither her soon-be-released movie, Rush. The stylish IT girl finally was able to embrace the city weather’s wave of warmth in a well-cut brilliant yellow and white printed dress from Monique Lhuillier’s resort collection. It’s a bright change of tack for Wilde who for the last few weeks has been wowing the style set with her favourite pieces from the Leon Max and Max Studio collection’s; a black turtleneck sweater dress for an outing at a recent Manhattan book launch and a double breasted jacked to walk the snow filled New York streets with fiancé Jason Sudeikis. Bright or black, Olivia Wilde’s having a moment.

Contributing Editor: Richard Dennen

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Celebrity Pick: The Leon Max Cape

Pippa Middleton has been spotted all over London in the past few weeks looking super chic in her Leon Max Single Breasted Wool Cape.  Pictured here, Miss Middleton stylishly escapes the cold - and the paparazzi - in West London. Pippa joins style-conscious celebrities Jessica Biel, Zooey Deschanel and Hayden Panetiere in their love of what’s turning out to be Spring’s most wanted outwear.

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Style Guide: Music Festivals

Music festival season has officially arrived! Find the perfect look to face the heat in style and comfort. Shop fashion must-haves for every day of the festival from flirty printed dresses to lightweight linen shorts and pants and easy to wear jersey pieces. Don’t forget to finish the look with ready to walk sandals and woodies and sun proof eyewear. 

Style Inspiration : Breakfast at Tiffany’s 

Emilia Clarke, the star of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is playing Holly Golightly on Broadway, the great heroine and muse of Truman Capote’s’ Breakfast at Tiffany’s, imortalised on the silver screen in a Givenchy little black dress, oversized wayfarers, long black gloves, pearls. Except for Broadway the iconic 50s image is not being recreated - instead the producers have returned to the text and set their Golightly in the ’40s. It might come as a surprise for those familiar with the famously reflected image in the window of Tiffany’s (and who isn’t?) that instead this Golightly’s in a wartime wardrobe inspired by Mainbocher and Dior’s New Look - 25 costume changes that ride from cocktail frocks to riding habits.

The opening of the production provides the always welcome opportunity to celebrate the little black dress and all of the classic styles made famous by Ms. Hepburn. 

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Style Guide: Warm Weather Getaway

Getting away this spring? Find the must have pieces to make your trip as fashionable as it is enjoyable. Casual day dresses, linen shorts and pants and shouldering baring tops are vacation essentials. Not to mention the fabulous spring footwear and eyewear you will need to accessorize your look. Whether on boat or dry land, beachside or countryside, Maxstudio has all of the pieces you need to fill your suitcase!

Shop the Spring 2013 Collection