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Deny it as much as you like, but we all know that you secretly dream of being famous. Sure the paparazzi and the adoring fans would grow tiring, the endless invites to parties would be exhausting, but just for a little bit, say even fifteen minutes, being famous would be kinda nice. So to help you in your quest for fame and to also celebrate London Fashion Week, French Connection will be installing a complimentary Photo-Me photo booth in their Oxford Street store window. The booth goes live on Thursday 19th February for one week only - it's totally free, so get posing!
The photo booth was inspired by French Connection's Spring 09 campaign shot by legendary photographer Terry Richardson. The stunning and artfully shot black and white photographic backgrounds make reference to the iconic pop images produced by Andy Warhol in the 60's and take reference from his quote - 'in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes'. So you see what we are getting at!
For fashionistas who want to share Warhol's vision and have their moment of fame, French Connection have organised a competition with Elleuk.com to give one lucky shopper the chance to win a VIP shopping trip to London. To enter the competition customers can take their photo booth prints home with them, scan and upload them onto elleuk.com where they will be displayed and then judged by Elle's Fashion Ed to see who's got the best style. But no pressure - just ensure that you look naturally fabulous that day.
The winning trend setter will be treated to a shopping day fit for an A list celebrity with luxurious pampering and preening, a goody bag full of Ruby & Millie products, a complimentary shop at FC worth £500 and so much more*. So really what we should have said was... get dressed up and get posing!
www.elleuk.com/frenchconnection
* full competition details tbc.
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The V&A is so gorgeous and comforting that sometimes we think of setting up home there. After all there are beds fit for royalty there (and could easily squeeze us in with room for ten more), lovely couches, all the clothes we would ever want to wear again, lots of talking points. Perfect. However, we think that there might be some legal issues preventing our plan, so instead we are going to pretend to ourselves it's home for one night only at French Connection Friday Late: Home Sweet Home.
In a celebration of all things homely, you are invited to take part in an evening of workshops and cinema viewings that reveal the craft behind household objects and explore domestic rituals through all sorts of talks, installations and performances.
Solve the murder of Jim, the faithful pooch of the V&A founder, Sir Henry Cole, in the Murder at the V&A Mansion tour, which will take you into the darkest pockets of the museum as you search for clues. Or for those among you who enjoy cutting and pasting, work with writer and collage artist, Graham Rawle, to create picture perfect postcards that convey what home means to you, using interior's magazines from the last 50 years. You can even create some new interior decor for your own Home Sweet Home, by customising a lampshade with a little bit of help from expert product designers, Arash and Kelly.
Of course there is loads more fun and games but we plan to see you in the back row for a screening of Tom Hank's The Money Pit (we love that film. Who says remakes are rubbish?), before we slink off in search of that King (and then some) sized bed...
French Connection Friday Late: Home Sweet Home www.vam.ac.uk/fcfridaylate
27 February 2009 18.30-22.00
Victoria and Albert Museum
SW7 South Kensington
ADMISSION FREE
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Terry Richardson is a maverick. The American photographer may court controversy - it is amazing what you can do with a baguette - but he is totally unique and stands up for what he believes in. Son of fashion photographer, Bob Richardson, Terry was born in New York and raised in Hollywood. He seems to have successfully overcome his apparent "shyness as a teenager" (a quick online image search will reveal that), but finding himself and social skills behind - and indeed in front of - his own camera.
Some may think that Terry put the filth into fashion, but like French Connection, he actually put the fun back in. So naturally, he was the perfect choice to photograph the French Connection S/S '09 advertising campaign - maverick to maverick. Where Terry shocked and titillated his audience with obscure body angles and exhibitionist models, so FC made the public sit up and pay attention with a few cheeky innuendos and a bit of abbreviation.
But ultimately what both FC and Terry create are commercial products with a bit more attitude, and the campaign is a manifestation of that idea. Terry's snapshot technique has added an energy and sexiness, but it hasn't diluted the glamour and sophistication created over the last two seasons. The campaign guys and girl still have all the flair and aspiration that we have followed and aspired to, but through Terry's eyes, we can see more than a hint of mischief behind their cheeky smiles!
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It comes but twice a year, and with it it brings a little bit of chaos, a breed of over-dressed people, the snapping of cameras, the flashing of flashes, the stomping of models, the front row fights, a whole lot of glamour and a whole lot of clothes. Yes, it's London Fashion Week this month and it is celebrating it's 25th anniversary. So it only seemed appropriate that French Connection should design a little something special in its honour. 1,000 of their very popular, best-selling Wizard Cotton dresses in a limited edition colour for a bargain-tastic £25... The dresses were launched on Monday 16th February into select London stores and online at frenchconnection.com but have very nearly, oh so teary, all sold out - you guys are quick! Put your fashion tracking skills to the test and do a hunt of French Connection's London stores to find one - word on the FC radar is that Hampstead still have a few. The easy to wear dress is a favourite of Duffy, Hayden Panettiere and Lisa Snowdon, and looks as cute with heels as it does with big boots packed with attitude!
Plus, to launch the amazing Terry Richardson French Connection S/S '09 advertising campaign, FC will be handing out the canvas bags, along with posters and pads - all printed with the lips and eyes graphics from the campaign - at key London Fashion Week sites.
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There are two reasons to celebrate this Friday (three if you include the fact that it is Friday) - one, it is the first French Connection Friday Late of 2009 and two, we are officially welcoming in the Chinese New Year of the Ox. But at the V&A you can celebrate all two (three) together - hurrah and congratulations all round! It is an evening that will take you through Chinese folk-futurism from East and West, old and new, using film, dance, music and art. Build your own city of sculptures, Listen to sound artist's Yan Jun's musical interpretation of the Year of the Ox, Watch the contemplative performance by London's DJs, or Sign-up to get your future read - just your average Friday night out...
French Connection Friday Late: Year of the Ox www.vam.ac.uk/fcfridaylate
30 January 2009 18.30-22.00
Victoria and Albert Museum
SW7 South Kensington
ADMISSION FREE
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Remember back in the late depths of 2008 we held an evening of jewellery, bling and generally all things metal, at the V&A? Well French Connection Friday Late: Metal Rocks was a massive success. Not least because budding jewellery designers became shiny-scavengers for the evening, in their hunt for eight charms from French Connection and the RCA to add to their basic bracelet. Some found the charms and hit the bar, but others took it more seriously and entered the French Connection competition to design their own charm. We were inundated with entries - some gorgeous and some... well... not quite as gorgeous, but they did all have a sense of design. So far we have narrowed it down to three short-listed entries and are currently at loggerheads as to who will claim the prize of a luxe V&A jewellery book, Jewels and Jewellery and £500 in French Connection vouchers. As you can see none of the finalists have followed a conservative path - Rejko Nakagawa was inspired by vines, Paula Wiginton by DNA and Olivia Ipsioco by good old London town - but each offers something brilliant. We will be bringing you the winner very shortly, but before we get back to hair-pulling and screaming, here's a sneak preview of the finalists...!
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Well it looks like Britain is awash with undiscovered stylists, but we may have just found the talent of the future.
You will remember (because you read it [here] first see) that French Connection launched its City Style competition back in October. We invited shoppers in Dublin, Cambridge, Manchester, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Bluewater, Sheffield and London, to style an outfit from the AW08 collections, and then we chose the best outfit from each city and treated the winner to their newly styled outfit and a night at a fancy hotel.
The outfits were presented, the pictures were taken, the results are in, and boy did you do us proud! An amazing 1600 of you entered the competition across 10 stores - each creating a fresh and different look for girls and boys, which was refreshing as we like to see how you fellas want to dress too (FYI trench coat or cardi mostly). We saw some nice healthy competition - no fisty cuffs at all which was nice - friends of friends of friends got involved as soon as word got out. Sisters vs sisters, mothers vs daughters, boyfriends vs girlfriends, but no blood shed, so well done everyone again for that!
While we have been posting the winning outfits over the month, you can find them all together below. We had a massive style variety from strict school maarm, to playful fifties princess, to forties sweetheart, through modern fashion icon. We were all delighted with the results and want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who got involved. You were wonderful and proved that there are still people who can dress themselves well!
Who knows, we may have discovered fashion's next top stylists... hmm, now that sounds like a tv show to me...
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- Long johns
In different colours and revealing themselves above your jeans. 
Secretly you have been wearing them for months, but it is finally understandable!
- Teeny little heads in swamping clothes
Everything needs to be bigger in the winter - big jumpers, big scarves, big hoods, big gloves, big boots, big balaclava - or you will freeze. To death. Fact.
- Sweat
The only time the faint drip of it is acceptable - if you are lucky enough to be that hot you sweaty git
- Fleeces
You know you have one, you know where it is, you know how much you love to dig it out, put it on and curl up in front of the fire, while watching for rogue sparks that could melt the thing to you for life.
- Mum's clothes, when you return home for Christmas in totally inappropriate clothes
Your mum told you it was cold at home. She told you to bring home sensible shoes and jumpers. You arrive in stilettos that you think make you look thinner, and a jersey top. You spend the holidays in your mum's old mohair cardigan and fluffy slippers. Lovin' it.
- Bed socks during the day
Yes the ones with the feet on the soles. What is your issue? Try them; your feet will love you for it.
- Keeping pj's on under clothes
Only very occasionally I swear, just at the times when it really is too cold to stand anywhere in your house with absolutely nothing on. Far easier just to layer.
- Slutty boots to the knee or beyond
It isn't about being slutty, the upper thigh gets cold too you know.
- Ponchos! Big-uns
Totally disrespected for the rest of the year, mainly because they are impractical and fuse your arms to your sides, but there is something comforting about that in winter.
- Layers and layers of moisturizer. Everywhere
You don't want to prematurely age just because you are too lazy to bathe in e45 each morning do you? Well, do you? You should be dripping. Dripping I say!
- Glitter and anything shiny, everywhere
- The Sound of Music and watching kids movies in the
afternoon
- Long socks - either on or hanging somewhere
- Everything dripping in butter... or chocolate
- Chocolate for breakfast especially Terry's Chocolate Orange
- Booze being acceptable at any time of the day
- Kissing inappropriate old boyfriends
- The Queen - bless her lovely hair and clear cut accent
- Early mornings - the only time you bounce out of bed
- The freezing bloody cold
- Board Games - who knew you remembered how to play Monopoly, but crumbs you are competitive
- Crappy celebrities in Christmas adverts
- Pissed grandparents
- Sprouts. Loads of the little blighters.
- Christmas Number one - it is the only time that anyone gives a shit
- Ronnie Corbett
What does that little monkey do for the rest of the year?
- Santa
Who else, apart from maybe Teen Wolf, is immediately recognizable by a beard?
- The Muppets
The sweet sound of Gonzo is like hearing carolers on Christmas morning.
- Cliff Richard
For a very short time only, like the opening line of Mistletoe and Wine, and then we are done.
- Charles Dickens
For all his wonderful, yet bleak and miserable, dramas that are made for our Christmas telly viewing.
- Tim Burton
For the same reasons as above, but his are less bleak and more terrifying and twisted
- Ebenezer Scrooge
Because ANYONE can play him... Captain Jean Luc Picard, Bill Murray, Vanessa Williams... the Fonze!
- Macaulay Culkin and any of his little brothers
You just want to squish their ickle bittle little faces until they choke. In a nice way.
- James Bond
Because more than likely you are at home with your dad/brothers/boyfriend and you have no say over what you are watching
- Babe the pig
So cute and makes us think of teeny little sausages wrapped in bacon. Yummy little piggy.
- Dick van Dyke
Well, loved but forgotten by those who work everyday and don't get the chance to watch Diagnosis Murder every afternoon.
- Noddy Holder
For just the opening line and no more. See Cliff Richard
- Sandra Bullock
Because she is in every brilliant Christmas RomCom - While You Were Sleeping... -I rest my case.
- The Ghostbusters
Of course Ghostbusters. They are the warmest faces of the season. Except maybe for...
- Cilla Black
Welcome back Cilla, you should really get a new agent you know.
- Always have an escape plan when relatives suddenly descend
They always appear when you least expect them to and hiding
behind the sofa just won't work.
- Start drinking in the morning
It is acceptable and you will find everything funny by breakfast time and beyond.
- Text messaging
Venting your anger by text to friends will stop you beating you siblings with a Satsuma. But it also makes you look popular, but more importantly, furious texting makes you look busy.
- Take control
If you claim ownership of the remote at the beginning of the holiday, you basically rule the roost, but you can't leave the sofa. All Christmas.
- Afternoon naps
If you are drinking from dawn, you need to recharge your batteries to avoid arguments and a drunken bicker, but make sure that you keep a chilled glass of Cava next to your bed for a refreshing wake-up
- Present poker face
Nothing worse than looking ungrateful when opening a shit present from someone in the room. Think of the thought and the idea of returning it.
- A back catalogue of embarrassing family anecdotes
Always keep one to hand, it will pass quality time over the dinner table and you will sound like you care
- Adopt a lunch task
Offer your culinary services up for one Christmas lunch task and one task only - your mum will love you for it, but keep it small yet significant. Gravy is ideal.
- Plan the telly
Plan the TV viewing for the evening together. Each member of the family gets one choice from 7pm until 11.30pm
- Don't talk to siblings boyfriends/girlfriends
It will only end in "what the hell are you doing with this loser?" conversations, which only end in tears.
- Avoid kitchen battles
Don't go near your mum if she has been drinking white wine and cooking, she will blame you for everything
- Laugh
Laugh at you dad's jokes twice and he'll be sweet all day. Simple but rewarding.
- Treat yourself
Buy yourself a really good present so at least you have one to open on Christmas morning. Save it till the end too.
- Dive in
At the Christmas lunch table, get involved in the parsnips immediately as they will go first
Here at French Connection, we love a bit of bling. Anything shiny to be honest. So we were delighted, as always, to sponsor the recent French Connection Friday Late at the V&A dedicated entirely to one of our favourite things... jewellery & and all things metallic.
Everything was shiny from top to toe and lots of you magpies came to experience an evening organised in collaboration with metalwork and jewellery students from the Royal College of Art, lets call them the 'Metal Rockers', who encouraged everyone to explore and experiment to make jewellery, games and music.
There were eight fun workshops including a machine dispensing edible jewellery (Willy Wonka would be gutted he didn't think of it) and the Battle of the Bling - a competition to see who could make the best piece of hip hop jewellery whilst racing against the timed needle of the DJ. As crowds gathered at every stand, others listened to a talk by Dutch jeweller and founder of Droog design, Gijs Bakker, and some even took to the stage at the Megabreath RockBand Fest - a music video game competition in the V&A's grand entrance.
Those with an eye for the creative, an adventurous heart and just a touch of the competitive, hunted high and low for different charms as part of the French Connection Charm Trail. Think of it like the Crystal Maze, except that they were charms not crystals and there were no dangerous water tasks. Think of it as a bit like the Crystal Maze then. Upon entering the V&A each person collected their first charm - a teeny silver t-shirt on a piece of cord, and then spent the evening collecting eight more charms at the eight RCA workshops. For some it was just for fun, for others it was a chance to prove themselves as jewellery designers and they entered the competition to design their own charm. The winning charm will go into production and the winner will also receive a luxe jewellery book, Jewels and Jewellery AND £500 in lovely French Connection wares. Charming.
The place was abuzz with the youthful excitement of the students, who encouraged everyone to try everything. But with entertainment like this, no-one took much persuading and everyone left with their own little bit of bling - which was more than just the twinkles in their eyes!
Here we are again. Sorry we have been mute for a bit. We have been working with the V&A, who are organizing the next French Connection Friday Late and these things do take time you know.
This time, next Friday the 28th November in fact, we are all about the jewellery, the bling, the ice, the rocks... the metals basically. The V&A has brought together French Connection, and those talented Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork and Jewellery students from the Royal College of Art, to collaborate for one special evening of metal - exploring and experimenting with it to make jewellery, games and music.
As ever there will be loads and loads of events to get involved in... compete to create the most extravagant piece of Hip Hop jewellery possible (no real diamonds here though unfortch), make music (read: as much noise as possible) using scrap metal, take part in a 'Rock Band' (get it?) music video tournament, be photographed wearing replicas of famous jewels from the V&A collection, listen intently to talks by very proper jewellery designers, watch lots of film screenings. Or for those of you who just show up for the bar and the dj, they are there too.
But most importantly... on your way in don't forget to pick up your limited edition French Connection charm, hanging from a piece of cord. On your way around the event collect as many different charms as you can, from those clever students, in order to make your own elaborate (possibly quite heavy) and unique piece of jewellery.
Then it is competition time! Yup as part of the Metal Rocks event we have set a challenge for all you budding jewellery designers. We know there are ideas up there in yonder heads, so we challenge you to design your own unique charm. To be honest it is only fair. I mean, you have collected our charms so it is only polite to give something back. The winning charm design will be manufactured and sold exclusively as a limited edition piece on frenchconnection.com. Plus the beautiful 'Jewels and Jewellery' V&A book, plus £500 FC vouchers. Pretty damn generous if you ask me...
So we expect to see you all there on Friday 28th. Otherwise, we will be having words.
For more info and details of flair and creativity click HERE
French Connection Friday Late
28th November 2008
18.30 - 22.00
Victoria and Albert Museum
SW7
South Kensington
ADMISSION FREE
www.vam.ac.uk/fcfridaylate