en vogue / Looking to London

en vogue / Looking to London

For many London is the place to shop, and every summer many Mumbaikars flock to the city and their agenda: to shop till they drop. Well, London is actually home to me as I lived in the city for over 20 years and I believe London is the place to shop. All the summer collections are out and though the ethnic look is still very popular (in fact nearly everything in Emporio Armani has a Made in India tag on it), there are many other new looks that have hit the stores. Trousers are still cropped and many old favourites are being revived. Bold colours and bright prints seem to be the new must haves for both men and women. In fact if you look around most department stores you will notice that there are five very distinct trends this season. The denim, logo, bourgeoisie, bright and animal look seems to be the flavour of the season. And all these looks can be achieved on a budget, and by adding five pieces to your wardrobe you can be as up to date as any model on the fashion pages of Vogue.

LOGO: Remember the late '80s and early '90s when everyone wore their labels on the outside? Well that look is now considered to be very chic again. With design houses like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Christian Dior all printing their logos all over the front of their designs. But if designer prices are too much for you than opt for a bold symmetrical print, which gives the same effect. Buy a printed shirt and it match up with a pair of basic black or white trousers that you already have -- there is no need to buy a whole outfit, just one piece is all you need.

ANIMAL PRINTS: Animal prints seem to never go out of fashion, but this year the snake skin seems to be the current favourite. Everything from necklaces to jackets can be found in a snakeskin print. Yves Saint Laurent has even made a snakeskin trench coat and Gucci has come out with a snakeskin jogging suit for real die-hard fashion victims. Now you do not need to go snakeskin from head to toe (after all you do not want to resemble a python) but you could buy a snake scarf. Or even snakeskin handbag and shoes as they match most outfits. But if you want to be really up-to date than buy a pair of snakeskin trousers and wear it with a black top.

DENIM:Yes, denim is back and denim anything is in fashion. In fact the Christine Dior summer collection is full of denim from tops, to shoes to handbags. And the darker the denim the more desirable the outfit. So go out and buy yourself a pair of jeans in the darkest blue you can find!