Inspired by the somewhat damp and dull weather outside my window today, my thoughts turned to all things black and grey. But far from feeling down and out, the combination of these hues in fashion coloured my mood and spirits. Such as this smoking hot outfit by Claudia Marini (above), a talented and upcoming designer who creates customised threads in her Roman atelier. With her flair and acute eye for detail, Claudia transforms simple ideas into eye-catching pieces, so that an ordinary strapless top becomes a glorious draped jersey pièce de résistance. An item which can be combined with tailored black bermudas in summer, as seen here, or with black velvet skinny trousers in winter.

Of course, no outfit would be complete without the right accessories, and what finer way to add a touch of black and grey to your ensemble than with Georgina Goodman’s divine Fifi leather boots (above right). With its funky heel and grey-tipped toes, prepare for plenty of head-turns as you sashay down the street. Finally, pick up this refined grey leather Ortensia maxi-bag (left) by Milanese accessories designer, Donatella Lucchi. Handmade and exclusively limited in quantity, her luxury pieces will have you swooning in delight.

However, I had to abandon my black and grey moment when I lay my eyes upon the winning snapshot of the Nikon Small World’s photomicrography competition. Michael Stringer was awarded US$3,000 in prize money for his photomicrography of marine diatoms, Pleurosigma. Magnified 200 times and taken using darkfield and polarized light, this captivating image proves yet again that small is indeed very beautiful.

And speaking of photography and colour, for all of you who will be in Los Angeles tomorrow, make sure you pencil the opening of a truly unique exhibition into your agendas. West Hollywood’s Gallery Brown shall be hosting a soirée for the debut exhibition Light Leaks by artist Andrew George. Featuring 16 large-scale photographs, these imposing 4 x 3 foot snapshots are a whirlwind of luminosity and colour which transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. As George remarks, “Often, I observe people in the simple act of walking past one of the photographs – then, like it or not, they’ll turn around for another look. That’s precisely what inclines me to shoot these illuminating moments in the first place. There’s something that makes me respond to these undefined instances of beauty presenting itself.” An absolute must-see. For further details, click here.

Top image courtesy of Claudia-marini.com