The blogger events I look forward to the most are from NEXT because they are always fun, lively and their collections are to-die-for; and this time was no exception. NEXT hired out a fabulous suite in the lush Soho Hotel set in the heart of London’s coolest district to host a “super preview” of their summer collection which is set to hit the stores in May.
I entered the gorgeous suite and was greeted by the lovely Vicki, Ellie and Gemma from NEXT. We chatted for a while and after having some yummy snacks and a cup of coffee, I was off to browse the new pieces; of course, I was automatically drawn to the pastel racks set in the back of the room. There were fluffy knits, lightweight blouses, sandals and espadrilles in blush pink, sky blue and soft ivory – flirty and fun for springtime and a summer in Provence. Loved how the pinks fit so perfectly against the dusty pink wallpaper of the room and the appliqué cushions on the lush sofas – so girly! The pleated, knee-length skirt in pastel pink was my favourite and can’t wait to get it in May! (see images above and my pic on Instagram)
For those of you who prefer to make more of a statement, there are lots of funky items in bright orange, fuchsia pink and cobalt blue on summer totes, printed tees and flowy kaftans and swimsuits which are perfect for a music festival or party islands like Mykonos or Ibiza. Those t-bar sandals (image above) are the hot heel for this summer – wear them with a flouncy smock dress à la Victoria Beckham or short shorts and a slinky blouse for a summer night out. For day looks, tassel earrings are totally in and mirrored shades are a must-have!
NEXT is also launching a brand new application exclusive to Windows only for the ultimate instant shopping guide and access to all the new items online, from womenswear to homeware. We were lucky enough to get a mini preview of it – release date hasn’t been set yet!
After browsing the racks, it was time for some major pampering in the bedroom with nail art by Bianca’s Nails and free make-up sessions and hair makeovers, courtesy of Blow Ltd. Alex & Cam decided on some pretty braids while I got pastel floral nails painstakingly painted on by superb nail artist, Bianca – and I love them!
Lunch was served around 1pm and, as the room started to fill up with enthusiastic bloggers. I met the lovely Clare from I Like Tweet who took some pics of my outfit (thank you!) and later on had a chat with Sophie from Darling Sophie and Banke from A Style Diary. We had delicious salads and fish and chips accompanied by fresh juices and gushed about NEXT’s collection – as well as our newly decorated nails and styled hair – before somehow getting on to the subject of Game of Thrones. We debated about our favourite seasons and characters with NEXT’s Vicki and Matt!
Vicki and Ellie looked fabulous as always, wearing printed dresses from the current collection – that blue-hued camo dress and those Burberry-esque sandals – while Gemma from Spreading Jam wore a vivid orange t-shirt dress with over-sized florals in grey and white. Shop NEXT here.
I wore: jeans, Acne. Silk top, Zara. Coat, Claudia Strater. Heels, Asos.
After hours of fabulous fashion, delicious food and pleasant pampering, I had to unfortunately leave for Uni and as if all the free pampering, food and a super-exclusive sneak peek of the clothes and new app wasn’t enough, I left with a NEXT bag filled with goodies and a gigantic lollipop sticking out of it!
Thank you so much to Vicki, Ellie, Gemma and Matt for such a wonderful event and I can’t wait for the next one!
The new NEXT collection will hit stores in May so keep your eyes peeled and watch out for the new Windows app!
C x
