Ted Baker x Marie Claire Sydney event

What do you get when you cross one of the most loved premium high street brands with a fashion & beauty powerhouse publication? Earlier this week I got to find out as on Wednesday night I attended the Ted Baker x Marie Claire event at the Ted Baker store in Sydney! I thought I’d share some details and photos from the event on my blog, as it was a lot of fun – and also because Ted Baker had a huge announcement for the Sydney attendees… So if you’re a Ted Baker or style lover, then this article is definitely for you!

First up I should probably highlight that this wasn’t a “blogger” event – I received the invite a few weeks ago because I’m a subscriber to Ted Baker emails and RSVP’d to attend. I adore the Ted Baker brand so much and have been a fan of Marie Claire magazine for years, so I thought this would be great to pop along and discover some new pieces for spring. The evening was based around a discussion with Helen (she was the Head of Buying for Ted Baker and is now working in Middle East & Asia area) and Nicky Briger (the Australian editor for Marie Claire magazine) which resulted in an opportunity to learn more about the two brands from these two amazing women.

An event for the style lovers

Upon arriving, I noticed there was a gorgeous & oh so Instagrammable pink flower wall set up, with some chairs for the attendees as well as a cocktail bar. Given that I had been overseas in September and hadn’t had a chance to pop into the Ted Sydney store for a whole month, I spent some time browsing the new collection of clothes. First photo below is one of the dresses which first caught my eye – I adore skirts & dresses with pleats and bonus points if it comes in pink! There were also some gorgeous metallic dresses & skirts as well as the compulsory dresses in all manner of prints & designs for the Spring racing season. Vibrancy in colours was out in full bloom – tangerine, white & teal were featured in a mixture of prints and block colours too.

The seats filled up quickly so I grabbed a gin cocktail and got ready for the discussion. Helen & Nicky introduced themselves with some detail about their professional backgrounds and experiences in the fashion industry, which was at times quite funny and also super informative. Nicky relayed one experience where she was speaking at an event when one of her heels snapped and she had to continue standing on tiptoe throughout the presentation…it’s really good to know that embarrassing & challenging situations happen to everyone, even editors of major magazines! I guess it’s how you deal with it though that speaks to your level of professionalism and I also found that Nicky was well versed in her knowledge of the Ted Baker current season pieces and styling advice.

Ted to toe!

We were also treated to a runway show where models showcased some of the top pieces of the new collection. The tips that were shared throughout the show by Helen & Nicky in relation to particular prints and styles was also really helpful! My absolute favourite piece was a multi-coloured pleated skirt in pink, apricot & green. I’ve been obsessed with pleated skirts for about 3 years now as they are incredibly feminine and comfortable – they are such a versatile piece that I’ve been able to wear to work, during holidays or on the weekend. Another outfit I adored was a pink & white striped suit – the shorts are particularly gorgeous especially as we’re going into summer in Australia in a few months.

At the end of the discussion there was a very special announcement from Helen… Ted Baker is going to be aligning their Australian seasonal stock with their UK seasons. Expected to be in completely phased in-store by December 2019, what this means is that in our Australian stores, we will have the same items available as those items that are on shelves in the UK. This was initially a big surprise to me and my first thought was “how am I going to shop for out of season clothes?” However after I took a moment to contemplate this change it started to personally make sense to me… I’m finding that particularly during 2019 I have been shopping OOS more often at my favourite retailers, most of which are British (including brands such as Ted Baker, Reiss & Karen Millen). So if you’re a Ted Baker fan in Australia then this is a heads up of what to expect, as you will notice stock changing in-store throughout the remainder of this year!

Gorgeous gifts

Once the discussion & fashion show concluded, we were treated to a 25% discount for that evening in-store. Given that I’d had a cocktail and my feet were killing me from standing in new-ish heels for over an hour, I thought it would be best that I get out as soon as possible, because there were just too many pretty things I was eyeing off! I’m trying to be incredibly discerning with new fashion purchases lately, taking the time to really think for a while before purchasing anything and I am confident this pared down approach will only strengthen as I head into 2020. As I was leaving the event, I was gifted with an attendee gift bag which included the new copy of Marie Claire’s November issue, a Ted Baker printed cosmetics/wash bag, some Schweppes soda, a Ted Baker notepad and printed Ted Baker tote bag.

Falling in love with a brand

So why would I give up a couple of hours of my evening after working all day when I didn’t even taken advantage of the (unexpected to me) discount? With so many brands on offer especially in this online era, what makes consumers develop loyalty to one label over another? Finding one piece of fashion you adore is much different to developing a long-term relationship with a brand.

From clothes to accessories, shoes to bags, jewellery to cosmetic bags, Ted Baker has cornered the market on style for the fashion forward. Although I knew about Ted’s label for a while, it wasn’t until 2017 that I started to take a closer look and then firmly fell in love with their style & products in 2018. My first purchase from Ted Baker was a gorgeous pink pleated scalloped detail A-line skirt and it remains one of my most adored pieces in my wardrobe.

It really is the perfect skirt for spring & summer, although to be honest I’ve also worn this during autumn & winter as well, to get that cost per wear down! Fully lined and with the signature rose gold branded zip at the back, it’s an absolute dream to style, suitable for corporate/office & weekend wear. My most recent purchase from Ted Baker was in late July where I bought a pair of white jeans (my first white pair ever!) and the most adorable pink cap sleeved tee with flower details on one shoulder. I’d seen both items in store a few weeks earlier, thought about how they would fit into my wardrobe in terms of wearability and purchased them once I was confident that they’d work really well for me going into the warmer weather.

Pretty jewels

This year I really found myself going through quite a phase with jewellery – from dangly earrings to bracelets, it’s an easy way add a touch of embellishment to any outfit. And of course, Ted Baker has you covered when it comes to little gems! Ted often has matching collections of styles in the jewellery section so make sure you check out what is in-store or online. I picked up the bow ring, necklace and earrings in rose gold, which is another colour that is heavily featured in the current spring collection.

Divine accessories

Now I know accessories from a brand isn’t going to be much of a surprise to mention but I found the cutest ones in store earlier this year which were perfect for investing in for future winter seasons. I picked up these adorable pink fluffy ear-muffs which have gold bees embellished on the side – Ted also had these ear-muffs in black as well, although the grey ones weren’t available in Australia. These initially were released in the UK last Christmas-time and eventually made their way down to Oz in time for the cooler months here! Maybe this is another advantage of Ted Baker aligning Australian stock to the UK’s season, as when we see something online we won’t have to wait 6 months for it to be available in-store… Ear muffs had been on my wish-list for a few years, but I could never seem to find the perfect pair… so when I saw these I knew I had to buy them, plus they will be perfect for any holidays trips to the snow in the future!

Also handy for the cold weather was this sweet gift-pack with a beanie and snuggly socks. I’d been searching for a beanie with a pom pom but couldn’t find one I absolutely had to buy, that is until I walked into the store one weekend and found this with matching socks. These came in a pretty light pink wool material and have light grey pom poms which are super soft! Very girlie, these make a perfect treat as a gift or a treat for yourself.

If you’re after a hard wearing and ultra feminine cosmetic case then Ted Baker is where I’d recommend you go. They consistently have a great range available, in a range of colours, which are updated throughout the seasons. I always carry mine (a plain pink case with a gold bow) in my handbag with me on the daily and it hasn’t showed any signs of wear at all, so definitely an item I’m glad I invested in.

A great night of style

The event was wonderful to attend although I wish they had more chairs for the attendees as only a third of people were able to sit down. Although to be fair, standing up did mean I got a better view during the fashion show and was able to take photos for the blog! Catering was incredible, the cocktails served were delicious and there were cheese & fruit platters plus a rainbow tower of delectable macarons! Also a special thanks to the Sydney store manager who looked after my coat & bag and also allowed me to take lots of photographs instore to showcase on the blog…

To be honest, I think I have developed a lifelong love for the Ted Baker brand over recent years! I’m usually in the store a couple of times a month just browsing and seeing what new items have made their way to Australia – great for my wardrobe, not so good for my bank balance! There’s always things on sale and their clothing range incorporates both classic & trend-based pieces, meaning it’s very hard to walk out of there without having purchased something. This is why I was so surprised I was able to walk out after the event, considering the 25% discount. Although…. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that beautiful tri-coloured pleated skirt!

I hope you have enjoyed this article on the Ted Baker x Marie Claire event and my favourite pieces from this iconic British brand! Let me know what you think and if you are a Ted Baker fan as well!

Lauren Harding

Fashion & lifestyle blogger based in Sydney, Australia

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