Cheburashka, the London 2012 Olympics' short Russian

via bosco sport's facebook

It wouldn't be an Olympics without some cringeworthy mascots and Wenlock and Mandeville, who were designed by Grant Hunter - apparently after watching Monsters Inc – certainly don't disappoint. They join a plush pantheon of ghastly Olympic toys that of course includes Sydney 2000's own horrific Millie, Ollie and Syd. Team GB's mascot, Pride the lion, avoids the kitsch factor but sadly, also the kawaii factor. But all is not lost. The Russians have brought Cheburashka to town.

Japan accuses Russia of synchronising Miu Miu

getty via daylife

Russia's Natalia Ischenko and Svetlana Romashina are the reigning queens of synchronised swimming. Their high energy routines have earned them multiple world championships and after a mesmerising performance on Monday, they are now tipped to win the duet gold medal today. But one fashionista has given them a poor score for the originality of their costumes. 

Top 10 fashion trends at the London 2012 Olympics

Form follows function, right? Yes and no when it comes to the London 2012 Olympics, where the apparel and accoutrements are a mix of stuff that makes you fast, stuff that keeps flies out of your ears - and stuff that gets you noticed. Here are frockwriter's picks for the top trends of Week One.  

Was opening ceremony gatecrasher Madhura Nagendra suffering from Beatlemania?

stella mccartney's instagram

So far India has only won one medal at the 2012 London Olympics: Gagan Narang took out bronze in the 10 metre air rifle. But one of Narang's compatriots has nabbed a gold medal in self promotion. Although her father claims she was asked by organisers to accompany the team, Indian Olympic officials remain "totally dazed" as to how twentysomething Bangalore–born, London School of Business and Finance MBA student and opening ceremony dancer Madhura Nagendra managed to embed herself with the Indian team for a victory lap of the Olympic Stadium on Friday night. And she didn't just walk alongside the team. No, she was positioned front-and-centre in the most prestigious spot – leading proceedings, alongside flagbearer Sushil Kumar. According to LOCOG chairman Lord Sebastian Coe, who sent a letter of apology to the Indian delegation and is looking into the matter, Nagendra got "overly excited". Frockwriter has another theory: Beatlemania.

MGM/Columbia/Sony and Tom Ford take product placement to a new level at the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony

machdwallpapers.com via skyfall official/sony pictures

The pièce de résistance of the just-wrapped, Danny Boyle-directed London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony was undoubtedly the pre-taped scene in which British actor Daniel Craig, in character as James Bond 007, got to live out his 'On her Majesty's secret service' mandate by meeting real-life Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. After a few corgi cameos, the  duo then embarked on an amusing, mocked-up chopper ride and paraglider "drop" into the Olympic stadium. This time, of course, it wasn't quite so secret, with the ceremony watched by an estimated one billion. Craig looked ultra sharp, in an impeccably–tailored tuxedo (below) that would have been a fabulous plug for one of Britain's greatest sartorial exports – bespoke Savile Row tailoring. But was it British tailoring – or American?