BLAKE LIVELY CELEBRATES PRESERVE’S 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY…BY CLOSING IT!

She was hailed as the new Gwyneth and even the new Martha with the launch of her lifestyle website Preserve, but Blake Lively’s hopeful new venture didn’t quite work out as she planned causing the Hollywood actress to close the site ahead of its first birthday.

Speaking to Vogue, the 28-year old said “I know what it’ll look like, what I’m facing publicly, that people are just going to have a heyday with this. But it’s so much worse to continue to put something out there—to ask my team to put something out there—that isn’t the best we can do. The only way I can prove all the negative reactions wrong is to come back with a plan that will rock people. And I have that plan,” she added.

In the meantime, Taylor Swift’s hit single Shake It Off has been Blake’s anthem of choice to get her inspired and motivated through this time time. Although everyone had high hopes for the site, which launched around the same time as Blake and husband Ryan Reynolds welcomed their daughter into the world, critics slammed the actress for featuring such wildly expensive items such as a $400 changing bag. “We launched the site before it was ready, and it never caught up to its original mission: It’s not making a difference in people’s lives, whether superficially or in a meaningful way,” Lively said.

Preserve will go dark on 9th October

BLAKE LIVELY DESIGNS A SPECIAL HANDBAG

When you hear that a celebrity has designed something, we can be forgiven for being a little, well, sceptical shall we say. After all, there’s been some pretty horrendous end results over the years. However, when the celeb in question played a fashion darling in a top TV series and is known as a style icon, it suddenly becomes a must-have buy.

New mother Blake Lively has teamed up with American accessories company Sandast to create a leather satchel-style baby bag. Now, I don’t normally post about baby products but this could not be further from the typical wipe-able bags we’re used to seeing. Hand-distressed and complete with a premium plaid lining, the bag retails on the brand’s website as well as Lively’s lifestyle blog Preserve for $860 (approximately £560), and comes in a variety of different colourways. Hmm…not something you may want to waste on a child!!

And not surprisingly, the new tote has been named after the actress’s 8 month old daughter, James Reynolds. Aw!

BLAKE LIVELY LAUNCHES NEW LIFESTYLE WEBSITE, PRESERVE

She’s been somewhat quiet since Gossip Girl wrapped, but marrying a Hollywood heartthrob aside, it seems that Blake Lively has been rather busy creating a new lifestyle website. Launching today (two days early, she’s very efficient!) Preserve focuses on food, fashion, DIY, health, relationships and pretty much everything else that makes up…life. Or in Lively’s own words, it is “part magazine, part e-commerce hub, part philanthropic endeavor and above all, a place to showcase the power of imagination.” Sounds very ominous but doesn’t that seem like an awful lot for one person to do? Well, contrary to speculation, Lively has enlisted a team of content writers and specialists to run the show as she holds down the position of Editor.

In her humbling Editor’s Letter, Lively explains that through her intimidation, she is ” hungry for experience. I’m comfortable with the knowledge that I’m not a teacher, but rather, a student. I don’t do any one thing perfectly. I do a lot of things though. Some well, some not-so-well. Everyone has a story to tell. This idea is the cornerstone of Preserve.”

And if that wasn’t inspiring enough, 5% of every purchase in the Style, Home and Taste categories will go to Covenant House, a charity that helps young people escape the streets and build a better future. Not hugely charitable but every little helps.

Watch out Gwyneth, there’s a new lifestyle guru in town.

www.preserve.us