Many of us find our most unique fashion pieces at trendy, hidden boutiques.  Trouble is, when life gets busy, we don’t always have time to trek to these places to score the newest items when they first arrive.  I love the idea of being able to shop for all of my favorite boutique items in one place.  Lucky for me, the people at farfetch.com share a similar vision.

I spoke with Marketing Director Paul Brine to find out what farfetch.com has to offer, as well as some of his personal “must-haves” for this year.  Herewith is what Paul had to say:

Q&A:

beso: Tell us about the farfetch.com philosophy and the idea behind the site.

Paul Brine: In 2001, farfetch.com founder José Neves helped open a boutique in London called b Store.  He found that when entering the world of e-commerce, marketing a smaller store wouldn’t be easy.  José came up with the idea of a site that would pull all the boutiques together, because they all had a different voice.  farfetch.com began with just 20 stores.

b: Luxe, Lab, and Cult are three ways to shop farfetch.  Tell us how you came up with the idea for these categories and what treasures we would find in each.

PB: These [categories] were José’s idea.  We had a massive list of over 200 labels, in which some were casual and some avant-garde.  We needed a way to separate them.  Luxe is high-end, well known designers.  Lab is up-and-coming and avant-garde designers.  Cult is more casual, like denim and diffusion lines.

b: Are there any plans to expand farfetch.com to include more than U.S. and European boutiques?

PB: Yes, we are working with Brazilian boutiques right now.  We plan to have these out within the next six months.

b: Your site not only carries exclusive designer fashions, but also lifestyle items.  What are some of your favorite pieces?

PB: I like the Snake and Skull Candle by D.L. & Co. because it’s very gothic.  I also like these prints by a company called Jaguar Shoes, which feature various artists’ work.

D.L. & Co. Skull with Snake Candle

b: What are some of your favorite fashion “must-haves” right now?

PB: For women, Pierre Hardy shoes.  They have these silver metallic wedges with lots of straps.  There are also these brass cuffs made by Givenchy.  For men, Henrik Vibskov sweaters, which are colorful and have big faces on them.  I also like the Opening Ceremony Desert boots.

Pierre Hardy Wedge Bootie Sandal

Givenchy Stud and Brass Cuff

Opening Ceremony Brown Leather Boots

b: What hot men’s accessories are key for summer 2010?

PB: Sunglasses.  The Zanzan Zazou sunglasses are very retro and handmade in France, so they are great quality.

b: Who are some of your favorite designers?

PB: For women, it’s Christopher Kane.  For men, I like Martin Margiela and Robert Geller. 

b: Name the one item you have acquired from farfetch.com that you cannot live without.

PB: I have a shirt by Blaak Homme.  It’s a navy shirt with white polka dots.

b: Who would be your ideal celebrity spokesperson for farfetch?

PB: It’s hard to pin it on just one.  We would love to have Lara Stone.  She is a Dutch model who has a lot of personality.

b: With over 400 designers on the site, can you tell us some of the most popular lines right now?

PB: Right now the top is Alexander McQueen.  Although he has always been a top designer, with his recent death we have seen an increase.  Opening Ceremony is big, too;  we have a lot of their shoes on the site and they sell very well.  Henrik Vibskov’s whole collection is on the site and has become a real cult label.  All of these items are hard to find.

Alexander McQueen Yellow Heart-Shaped Peep Toes

b: What do you think it is about your site that keeps people coming back for more?

PB: The sheer amount of products found here.  You can get lost in there for hours!  We add new items every day, so you can come back next week and find all new things.  Also, we have many exclusive brands that you just can’t find anywhere else.

b: Lastly, we’d like to know — What’s your beso?  My beso is “be so unique.”

PB: I’d say our beso is “be so individual.”

- Dana for beso

The New Neons

Have you had a chance to explore the new neons?

Newport News Linked Watches, $39

These may look like the neons of yore – happy reminders from the 80s, when life was more simple and infused with totally cool Brit-Pop.

Jules Smith Wrapped Up Jellies, $50

But no! These neons so nuevo!

Juicy Couture Neon Necklace, $58

These neons are modern upgrades. Better, hauter, hipper and even more fun.

CC SKYE Neon Screw Bracelet, $79

Grab yourself a better bit of the old.

Tarina Tarantino Tokyo Hardcore Buddha Necklace, $112.70

Disney Couture Bambi Hoop Earrings, $56

beso modern, beso glam, beso neon this spring!

Fossil Digital Purple Crystal Dial Watch

It’s two weeks into 2010, and the new members at my gym are still going strong.  I wonder if all those that made a new year’s resolution to stay fit this year will keep it up through the rest of this winter.  If you are part of this new crowd at the gym, I heard that the first few weeks are the toughest.  Maybe it is time to reward yourself with a sports watch for inspiration to stay healthy through the year?  My pick is this Fossil brand Digital Purple Crystal Dial watch, new at beso this week.   What a find for $55!  The digital dial makes time telling a cinch at the gym, and the chronograph function will come in handy when timing your workouts.  It’s water resistant, so you can sweat with no regrets.

Check out this Fossil watch and all other new active wear at beso, and be so inspired to stay active in 2010!

Have you noticed a new trend in watches?  If your monitor is bigger than 12 inches, you already know what I’m talking about – hint, hint to the gorgeous thumbnails below.  If you haven’t scrolled down by now, I’m talking about all those winter white watches that are gleaming back at you whether you’re looking online or going into a department store.

All that’s white is a breath of fresh air from the stainless steel you typically see around.  Below are some of my favorites from top designers such as Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, and more.  They come in all sorts of styles from leather, to crystal faces, to standard links.

If you’re looking for a resolution, add a new timepiece to your list – out with the old, and in with a new (watch).  I myself have already made my purchase so all I have to do when the countdown begins is yell – five, four, three, two, one… Happy New Year!!

2)  MARC BY MARC JACOBS ‘Henry’ Stainless Steel Watch
$200

3) Juicy Couture ‘Rich Girl’ Watch
$195

4) Fossil Crystal Watch
$105

5)  DKNY ‘Color Bar’ Patent Leather Watch
$85

6) Michele ‘Tahitian’ Large Ceramic Diamond Watch
$1,995

Luminox Watches

Does anyone need a watch anymore?  Of course not.  We have cell phones and laptops; our cars tell time, emails have the time stamped on them, and my stomach growls at noon every day.

So, if you are going to get a watch, it better look good.  And it definitely should be able to tell you the exact time.  It should make people stop and say, “Hey, is your watch glowing?  Can I know precisely what time you have?”  Your watch should be the kind that divers take to the deep seas, the kind that a Navy SEAL takes on stealth missions, the kind that will keep working if you ever fall down a deep well and get caught for up to 25 years in the dark and would like to know exactly what TV shows you are missing.

These are all part of the Luminox story, which you will read just about every time you come across one.  They are most famous for employing the self-powered illuminating system, which can glow without any charging or buttons for up to 25 years, unlike traditional electroluminescent watches.  So if you need a serious watch that won’t let you down, you’d better go with a Luminox.