STYLING THE BAND...DLJ SHOOT!

Hey Peeps! Now due to technical difficulties I wasn't able to write this post when it happened so we're going to back track a month , to a very exciting day! My clients , electro-pop duo Dead Love Junkies discussed doing a shoot with me a while back which they would use for promotional purposes, for the cover art of their album & also to use on their website. I spent some time gathering inspiration & decided what kind of direction I wanted to go in. In the music industry in this day & age there are so many 'up & coming' bands, singers etc that it can be quite difficult to stand out, no matter how talented you may be. However, when a performer has a distinct look & presence , they tend to get people's attention. Take for example the amazing GaGa , would people continue to be so gaga over gaga if there were no dramatic costumes & theatrics - the girl is talented that goes without saying - but image does make a difference. The boys behind DLJ are extremely talented however I wanted to make them look like the rockstar's they are in their own right. My Inspiration came from various things. People like The Killers , David Bowie, Kanye West - these performers have a look that says 'I'm a Star' combine that element with glamour, futuristic influences & a nod to the Circus & I try & create a unique look for the guys. A look that hopefully makes people go 'These guys are cool, I want to listen to their music!'

After showing the guys my moodboard of images, followed by pulling some amazing vintage threads from Beyond Retro - I wanted to use a majority of vintage as it was important to me that the clothing not be about what labels the boys were wearing but more the over all look - I then asked my gorgeous friend & very talented photographer Lora Popescu to do the photography. The shoot took place , accidentally , on location at the Book Club in East London which is this amazing restaurant that has a basement level which provided perfect back drops for our shots! Though I was nervous it ended up being one of those days where everything runs better than you could have ever hoped. The photography, the clothing, the location & the energy in the room was electric. The feeling it gave me to see the guys look & feel amazing was priceless and more than anything cemented in my mind that this is where my heart is! Enough from me , this post is more visual , check out the images from the shoot below, and keep your eyes and ears peeled for these boys - they're gonna be big! xoxo Deni

check out www.deadlovejunkies.com to hear the boys do what they do best!

an amazing day in this world called FASHION!

Hey my darling readers! Apologies for the delay between posts but yet again the technical world has not been my friend and my laptop has kept stuffing up on me! Alas it is back up & running so get ready for all the updates & lots more blogging!

During my 2nd week at InStyle I was asked to assist my hero aka Senior Fashion Editor Natalie Hartley , I couldn't quite believe my luck! Every month I pour over her shoots in the magazine squealing with joy at each look and now I was going to assist her on a shoot. As I woke up that morning I decided to go for a look that best described me! Its not so much that I was trying to impress her and the team , it was more a communication of 'this is deni' in an outfit! I chose to wear an oversized shirt with some leather skinny's , my Vintage Mickey Mouse jumper and silver volleys. It sums up my style in one look , Classic - the shirt. Vintage/Quirky - the jumper. Rock/Edge - leather skinnys. Urban/Glam - silver trainers. Music blaring through my new WESC headphones I made my way over to InStyle to collect the cases of clothes for the shoot!

My driver was waiting for me outside waiting to drive me to the shoot. Today we were shooting Eliza Doolittle , a very cool , fashion-forward up&coming music sensation on the UK music scene. The first time I saw Eliza perform live was in February at fashion week, she sang a live set during the Eun Jeong show & I remember loving her voice. Then I met her properly at this

year's Glamour Awards & happened to bump into her again more recently at the PPQ after show party. Both times I've spoken to her she's always been so lovely and down to earth so I was really looking forward to the shoot. Stuck in bumper to bumper traffic getting to the shoot was a nightmare but eventually I finally made it to the location. The shoot was taking place at a huge house in South-West London. The house was very intriguing in the way it was decorated. To say it was kitsch would be an understatement. Murals of palm trees and gardens were painted on walls of one room for example and in the other hung a massive painting that more or less took up the space of an entire wall (in a room which has very high ceilings) , the painting was of 20 or so people & monkeys running around a field naked. In the same room sat a baby grand piano in a light brown woodgrain finish - it was like the decorator was a. blind & b. extremely confused. However for the purpose of the shoot it set the perfect backdrop for a quirky fashion shoot. I said hello to Natalie & introduced myself to the rest of the crew, it seemed there was people everywhere, the photographer , his assistant, make up artists, nail artists, hair dressers, Eliza's agent , & another 2 or so InStyle representatives. I made my way downstairs to a bedroom which looked like the tackiest hotel bedroom you've ever seen - for today this would be Eliza's dressing room. I began to unpack the contents of the cases and hung up amazing pieces from the likes of Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton , Burberry , Christopher Kane , Henry Holland and soon

followed by laying out all the shoes - Louboutin, Choo, Rossi, Zanotti, Blahnik - the whole gang

was there , followed by vintage sunglasses , jewellery & accessories including a python DVF

clutch and some vintage head pieces. Tacky Room aside - I was basically in a little fashion heaven! While setting up the clothes the next thing I know Eliza came into the room , looking ever so cute in dressing gown & sipping her tea. "Hiya I'm Deni, i'm assisting on the shoot today" I said as I put my hand out for a shake , "Hiya, I remember you, we've met before" , "Yeah at the Glamour Awards & at PPQ" , "Yeah that's right , nice to see you again" - and with that I immediately felt less nervous , it was so sweet that she remembered me as she had just come off a world tour (being in Australia only a week prior to the shoot) and must meet so many people on a daily basis , the fact she remembered little old me was really sweet. Natalie soon made her way in to talk through the clothes with Eliza & this is where the action really began , observing the way she talked through the clothes and discussed the looks so calm cool casual & collected with Eliza like they were two old friends , I was just in awe already and the styling hadn't even begun. For her first look Natalie styled her up in a pair of Denim cut off's , a white Acne vest top & an incredible metallic silver Antonio Berardi jacket , some aqua suede Louboutins completed the look and suddenly the transformation from the girl in her dressing gown to this cool urban-glamazon began. As each look was styled together I couldn't believe how lucky I was to be assisting Natalie & I went into sponge mode and tried to soak up everything I could. The looks ranged from Mark Fast embellished dresses to a Louis Vuitton Kimono top. My favorite look was a bronze metallic leather cropped top with star shaped cut outs exposing some skin. Styled together with nude Viktor & Rolf leggings that had metallic turquoise stripes & studding up the legs , teamed with a pair of wrap around turquoise Louboutins - the result was fun , sexy and so fucking cool! Watching Eliza work the camera and Natalie style each look , was testament to the pro's that they both are but more than anything everyone was having fun with it and that was what was most inspiring of all. Seeing each look uploading onto the laptop as the camera took each frame , and the reaction of the stylist , photographer and crew felt incredible , the rush that filled the room when everyone knew what an amazing shot it was - that is what drives me to make this ambition my reality. As the last look was shot - a gold metallic lurex mini dress teamed with amazing Dior Jewellery & Nude Patent Choo's - it was officially a wrap! Eliza said her goodbyes to the team & before I knew it I was packing up the clothes and making my way back into the car. "Thankyou for your help today Denis you were brilliant" - said Natalie as we said our goodbye's wishing eachother well for our weekends, I hopped into the SUV and my driver made his way into the evening traffic. As we drove across the bridge - Big Ben &

Westminster in my view - I looked across to the London Eye and couldn't help but stop & think 'My God , I am in one of the most amazing cities in the world , experiencing things I've only ever dreamed of - how has all this happened to me' , and as I made my way home I picked up a small bottle of Champagne & some chocolate to toast myself & my amazing day in Fashion! xoxo Deni

InStyle begins...ready.set.go!

As I stood there in front of the mirror umming & aahing over my ensemble I wondered if I looked 'InStyle - appropriate'. How does one sum up their style aesthetic in one outfit - classic.urban.glamour-with a twist! I decided to go for a black and white combo - CLASSIC - a velvet blazer & satin bow tie - GLAMOUR - & studded trainers - URBAN! Done and done! Bag in tow I made my way through the winter air and onto the tube to the Bluefin Building - home of InStyle. As I got off the tube & made my way to the building , which I could already see in the distance , I queued 'Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall' on my iPod and made my way through the revolving doors and into the building feeling very Annie-Hathaway-in-Devil-Wears-Prada!As I entered the long sleek lobby fashionistas made their way through the entrance , swiping their passes. Suddenly I was surrounded by every autumn winter trend possible - capes , shearling , faux fur and suede a plenty. As I made my way I was complimented on my trainers and with that I was in the elevator & on my way to 7th Heaven (aka 7th Floor home of InStyle)
Greeted at the door by one of the Fashion Assistants I made my way into the office & into the InStyle fashion cupboard - which I'll be calling home for a little while. Surrounded by clothes I was officially in fashion heaven. Chloe, Chanel, Valentino, Dior hung beside shelves of Louboutin, Zanotti and Choo! On my first day I met most of the team - it has to be said that the Devil-Wears-Prada expectations of rude , cold , bitchiness is nothing more than a stereotype , or at least so can be said for the InStyle crew. Everyone is lovely , warm & welcoming and made me feel at home. Day 1 included mostly sorting through the cupboard of beautiful clothes , sending back outstanding samples , organising new samples sent in on each editors/assistants rail. After just spending one day in an office where proffesional conversation included "I'm thinking Erdem will be perfect for our Helena Christensen shoot" I finally realised 'This is where I belong - I'm home' - I wasn't sure how long I would have to sort through samples, but I was willing to do it for however long it took to get to work for this fashion institution. As I walked out of the building on Day One I felt an overwhelming sense of this was my chance to prove how much I want this. Day Two came along and it was a slight milestone for me - today I would be meeting my styling hero the amazing Natalie Hartley - Senior Fashion Editor - getting dressed on Day Two I tried to keep up with my signature look and went for a grey knit layered over a white shirt , some black skinny's with a leather & metal Chanel-esque chain necklace , adding my signature oversized black beanie for that touch of urban street style! London was covered in snow and I made my way to the train station feeling nervous yet excited for the day! I spent the first few hours of the day sorting through designer samples in the cupboard feeling very Lauren Conrad & Whitney Port interning at Teen-Vogue on The Hills...As the day went on one of the interns came over to me 'Natalie's just walked in' she said - the previous day after being asked by the interns why I wanted to intern at InStyle I explained to them how much I admire Natalie Hartley and how she was my favorite stylist. As soon as her name was mentioned I felt my cheeks go rosy red and butterflies in my stomach - Its hard to explain but when I look up to someone as much as I look up to her , meeting her is the equivalent of meeting a celebrity. I quickly-yet-casually checked myself out in the mirror and before I knew it she made her way into the cupboard to sort through samples she shot the day before. "Hiya , I'm Denis" , "Hey, I'm Natalie" - and with that introduction the conversation begun. What impressed me more than her 'urban-chic' ensemble featuring an olive knit sweater , denim skinny's and Nike High-Top trainers (lined with shearling) - was how down to earth & genuine she is, chatting & laughing about with the interns. It made me admire/respect her even more!

...the following day while Natalie was out on a shoot we had a minor crisis at the cupboard. We were waiting on a Marc Jacobs runway look to be delivered to the office so we could send them straight to Natalie's shoot - however with London under full throttle snow and all of our couriers on severe delays , someone needed to deliver the Marc Jacobs to the shoot and that someone was me. Before I knew it I had a box of MJ in one hand and my tube pass in the other and made my way over to the studios where the shoot was taking place. As I walked into the space Natalie and the camera crew were breaking for lunch "Hiya Denis..." she began & as I listened I stopped for a moment to think 'she is calling me by my name' , the blushing school boy inside of me couldnt help but feel overwhelmed. As I walked into the studio space and towards Hair & Make-Up , rails of clothing a multitude of shoes and tables of accessories were laid out to be used! I took a look at some of the shots they had done earlier in the day and I was blown away with awe - as always the master at work styled up amazing fashion in the coolest way that only she knows how! As Natalie wished me well I made my way back to the office & as the clock struck 6.30 I made my way out of the office into the snow and out onto the weekend!

As the weekend came and went Monday Morning arrived , I woke up open my wardrobe and inspired by Chanel & Paris I opted to yet again pair my favorite combination of black & white mixed in with stripes for my first Monday at InStyle adding the beanie again for an urban twist!

The day proved to be crazy busy , with all the returns to go back from Natalie's shoot on friday , we had a chance to chat about Christmas , New Years & my Australian origins. As the day drew to a close the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine made her way into the cupboard to select an outfit to wear to an event tomorrow night. I met the Editor , on my 2nd day while she was doing a run through with our Fashion Editor for the Helena Christensen shoot - following my InStyle experience so far she too was a truly sweet down to earth genuine woman who definitley recieves respect when she enters a room but by no means fear - ala Miranda Priestley - as she decided what to wear to the event , selected a black Roland Mouret shift and some neon yellow Miu Miu shoes she looked around the room 'now what accessory does one wear with neon yellow shoes' - immediatley I remembered a bag I saw on friday, upon its arrival at the office it had myself and all the girls in a flurry of ooh's & aah's it is one of my favorite accessories of the season - with that in mind I Immediatley said (in an almost thinking out loud tone) 'You need the neon Celine' and as I reached through our returns I pulled out the neon yellow Celine python clutch and with a giggle she said ' that is the quote of the week' after showing her the bag she gasped 'oh yes that is amazing' , she walked around the room asking for everyone's feedback and my accessory choice was a hit with the whole team! "Thankyou , this is amazing , just what the outfit needed, its perfect" she exited the cupboard to show off her ensemble and returned with a pat on my back "Thankyou again for that" - as I walked out of the cupboard I heard her & senior member of staff say 'He's so cute' - and with a dose of Celine I think I made a good impression! I left the office today feeling so honoured to be in the presence of such genuine , down to earth , and incredibly hard-working team of proffessionals brought together by their love of fashion! Let the journey continue...xoxo Deni

The Fashion Dream continues...

Hey peeps! November has been possibly one of the busiest months of the year for me so I apologise for the lack of posts - so much has happen and i'm not sure quite where to start! It all kicked off about 4 weeks ago when it became apparent that the styling game was really going my way - my boss and dear friend Tamara one evening after work pointed out to me 'Deni if this is where your hearts at then maybe you should follow your dreams...' and with those words and one very sleepless night , I decided that after almost a year of working in Fashion PR , it was time to follow my fashion dreams and take a risk. From as early as I can remember there have been two things i've wanted to do , be a fashion designer and/or work for a fashion magazine. At a young age I didnt really know what that actually meant however over the years I've learned a lot about this industry and working in PR especially has given me an insight to the how the Fashion Magazine world works! Celebrity styling is amazing and lots of fun (and something I will continue to do) however I still remember reading through the first fashion mag I ever bought... Vogue! Holly Valance was on the front cover and she was wearing a Tom Ford for Gucci Dress , I still have the issue in my cupboard at home. I remember how the main fashion shoots made me feel - they gave me hope , inspiration , they made me fantasise - to make someone else feel that way , to tell a story through fashion would be my dream come true! When I moved to London and started to become familiar with all the UK Glossy's , one stylist stood out to me - Senior Fashion Editor at InStyle Magazine - Natalie Hartley! Before I get into her as a stylist it needs to be said that she is basically the coolest girl in the world - her own personal style is my idea of the way girls should dress , she combines all of my fave elements , vintage , designer & high street urban yet feminine and always does so in a cool "I just threw this on "- effortless way!

I saw Natalie at various points over fashion week and each time would just freeze in awe of her style. I blush at the mere mention of her name and this, my friends is why - when you open a copy of InStyle UK and look at Natalie's shoots , whether its main fashion , a shoe special or jewellery - no one's style is cooler than hers. Her main fashion shoots are like eating a box of chocolates , each page gets better and once you've got to the end you're left craving more! Her styling inspires me beyond words , her pages make me gasp and squeal the way she tells a story through fashion and exudes her vision to the masses is everything I dream of doing - she's basically my fashion hero , if that makes sense? She is to me , what David Beckham is to young athletes! I have various tear cut outs of her work on my wardrobe to inspire me on a daily basis!

So when my directors at TKPR asked me 'Where would you most like to work, who would you most like to assist...' - I immediatley said "Well my dream would be to assist Natalie Hartley at InStyle , she is by far my favorite stylist" and before I knew it emails were exchanged , resume's sent over and a phone call that would give me my foot into the fashion world door , soon followed. 2 Weeks after emailing my CV to Natalie and her assistant , a mere 2 days ago I was offered an internship at InStyle - I could hardly believe this was happening. The publication at the top of my wish list and suddenly it was coming true! I knew it wouldnt be glamorous , I knew it would mostly including sorting through a fashion cupboard full of returns - however I also knew this was my chance to prove myself and get my first shot at what I hope will be a career at a major fashion magazine. I hung up the phone after my chat with InStyle and found myself giggling and skipping down the road like a child! So as I sit here in bed after my first day at InStyle (which I will blog about seperately in a few days once i've gathered all my thoughts) I take a moment to take in the fact that in just over a year my life has changed 3 times over and I've finally been given a key to the door which may hopefully open my fashion dreams and make them a reality! What i've done to deserve this I'll never know - all I know is the little boy who used to sit in Math class sketching dresses & reading fashion magazines is slowly making his dreams come true! Now I better get to bed , I've got a busy day ahead of me tomorrow and Natalie's in the office which means I really must figure out what I'm going to wear! Wish me luck xoxo Deni

THE STYLING CONTINUES...

I cant believe its been almost a month since London Fashion Week , so much has happened and I've been so busy that I have barely had a spare minute to stop and blog - so here is a much overdue update followers!

A week after London Fashion Week I found myself walking a block down from my house over to my new client's house. Laura Whitmore (MTV Presenter) and I had sealed the deal over LFW and as our first meeting sprung I was both nervous and excited! As she greeted me at the door with her killer smile and glowing eyes I knew she would be a pleasure to work with. She poured me a cup of tea and we talked fashion , the olsen twins and boys , like old friends. We discussed what events she had coming up and as I jotted dates in my Smythson I soon realised my life was about to get a whole lot busier. The first event I had to style her for was the New Zealand Music Awards - sure piece of cake! The pressure was on and I really wanted her to love what I chose. A week later I found myself back at her door step walking up the stairs to her room with a whole heap of fab options from aussie label Antipodium. Laura loved it all and it really worked for her body and style. Paired with a pair of killer red heels & red clutch her outfit was red carpet ready!

The dress was a big hit and on her return from New Zealand we decided to get some outfit options together for various events as well as her filming for MTV. Proving a lover of aussie fashion two days later she emailed me across an image of her wearing Sass&Bide I chose for her on MTV Digs! Immediately I smiled and finally felt like 'ok this is really happening Deni'......determined to keep finding great pieces to put Laura in , I decided it was time to pull out the seasons hottest item 'the aviator jacket' and chose an Aldo number that we both loved. Little did I know just how much a hit the jacket would be! After wearing it to a fashion launch it featured on MSN online the next day as a 'Hot' Look - as it popped up on my screen I didnt know whether to smile or cry it may sound stupid I really felt like I was finally living my Styling dream.
Two days after the MSN hit , Laura was voted best in a 'who wore it best' vote on Heat Magazine Online. Up against UK Fashion Icon Fearne Cotton , when I saw that Laura was in the lead I immediately text her with excitement and the vote was in , Laura won with 20% more votes!

What's so nice about working with Laura is that we've had a really good chance to get to know each other on a personal level and she's fast becoming a very good friend - which to be honest is the nicest part of this. Its such a nice feeling to be able to collaborate with people you trust and enjoy spending time with. When i'm fitting Laura its like two kids playing dress ups! Last week we attended the film premiere for Nokia TV hosted by another one of my clients Natalia (and mutual friend between Laura and I). For the event I also styled Natalia - gorgeous petite with mediterranean features that would leave any boy drooling I decided to put her in this limited edition G-Star Dress , however I much preffered the back of the dress so I decided to use it as the front , hitch it up and add a belt to give it a more rock-chic feel - featuring a fab Mimco cuff!

As Laura and I headed to event , greeted by paparazzi , I was becoming increasingly aware of the star appeal Laura has and how much the paps love her! Ever the proffesional she poses and smiles and does it with grace! The event was to launch a small film just launched with the new Nokia phone. Featuring cameos by Ed Westwick and Pamela Anderson , Miss Pam was the guest of honour at tonight's event. As Laura and I walked in we found ourself making our way into the room with Jerome Jackson. As I stood shoulder to shoulder with one of the Jacksons I couldnt help but stop and think 'oh my god I have listened to your voice countless times and you're MJ's brother - how am I here?' - It ended up being a really fun event & Laura even got to meet Pam!

For most of the event we hung out with the uber-nice , down to earth and all round cool Benny Hudson aka Mr.Hudson the singer. We chatted about collaborating with my idol Jay Z and what the experience was like and got talking about new projects , television and the x-factor! It was really nice to be there with my two girls and in the company of some really talented people!

...as the event was coming to an end , Laura & some MTV peeps were invited to the Q Magazine Music Awards After Party hosted at uber hot spot Cafe de Paris. Before I knew it we were in a black cab making our way over to Leicester Sqaure to be greeted by more Paparazzi 'Laura , Laura' they screamed and with that we made our way into the venue. Before I knew it I was surrounded by some very talented musicians and the next thing I knew we were sitting at music extrodinaire Mark Ronson's table and dancing with his girlfriend! It was such a great way to end the night and as Laura and I danced the night away we got in the cab together on the way home & suddenly it hit me - here I am 22 years old in an amazing city , meeting & working with incredible people and making amazing friends along the way. I couldn't be any luckier and the adventures have only just begun! xoxo Deni

LFW DAY 5 - the last incredible day!

*Yet again guys pour yourself a beverage of some form , pull out the snacks and relish in my last incredible life changing day of this seasons LFW experience. Happy reading!

I woke up rather nervous and excited for the final day of LFW. See the night before I had recieved a voicemail message on my blackberry from the producer I filmed with on the Saturday of LFW. "Hi Denis i'm just calling in regards to the filming we did with you & Henry on Saturday. I've watched the footage and I just think you're really great on screen and have a great charisma & personality for this. I'd love to film with you on the last day of Fashion Week so give me a call & let me know what your schedule is" - needless to say I called him back immediatley and suddenly I had a day of filming prepared as they were going to follow my happenings at LFW for an hour or 2 for the day. How this was happening was beyond me , but I immediatley looked to my wardrobe for inspiration & decided it was time to pull out all the stops. Vintage Versace combined with a little Sass & Bide to bring out the animal inside of me & let my fashion roar
Before the filming began I had a very exciting presentation to attend, one that is very close to home - Antipodium. Australian fashion maestro Geoffrey J Finch designs fun playful chic clothes that 'cool' girls and guys want to wear. Fans including Alexa Chung, Diana Vickers, my client Laura Whitmore and ME! I am a huge Antipodium fan and was eager to see what Geoffrey had in store for next Spring Summer. Set upstairs in the Portico Rooms of Somerset House I was greeted by my Lubin Lovely Rachel and had coffee and a chat with the amazing Kara Goodley on the balcony. My Internship at Goodley is what opened my door to the fashion world and Kara - ever the inspiration - was still as inspiring as ever. Looking effortlessly chic in a striped breton , chiffon pleated skirt and shaggy gilet she did 'cool' like only KG can! It was lovely to see her and as we discussed New York Fashion Week & Twitter the presentation was about to begin. As the first look came out - a sensible printed silk shirt dress - I knew that this collection was going the be a winner! Last season's playful crucifix's made way for this seasons sheer opulence and 'bookworm chic'. Combining transparency with long silhouettes and layering the presentation was full of beautiful pieces the fashion world & It girls alike would soon all be coveting!

My favorite pieces were a sky blue printed Miu-Miu-esque school girl dress & the transparent maxi dresses layered over a black bra and knickers. They were urban chic at its best and the subtle sea shell prints reminding me of the beaches and urban seascape of back home!
Once the presenation was over it soon came time for the filming to begin. As I met the crew we all had a bite together and got talking about how I came London & my love for fashion. Before long I was all miked up & the camera began to follow my every move. "Just do your thing , be fabulous and we will follow" - were my instructions. Now as I've just started working with the gorgeous Laura Whitmore I was about to become a very busy boy who needed to find some amazing brands to dress Laura in. As she's on MTV 5 times a week this was going to be quite the task so I decided to go for an explore throughout the stands/exhibitions of young up & coming designers and also some more established brands , and the camera's followed. In the first room I discovered an amazing jewellery duo Gemma Critchley & Zara Braganca behind their brand Cabinet. The girls create beautiful unique jewellery and INCREDIBLE embellished collars. When I set my sights on these sequinned and beaded babies It made me squeal! Truly incredible they are the perfect addition to jazz up any outfit. The girls , who I immediatley clicked with kindly let me play dress ups with their bedazzled &beauty's and wear the 'French Bead Collar' for the day - please ignore how dumb my face looks in the pic below & focus on the UN-BEELEIVABLE collar of which I was constantly asked about for the rest of the afternoon - at a cool 360quid this is an investment piece and something I feel would become like a heirloom. I could happily wear this every day for the rest of my life & never want to take it off! You all really need to check out the range on the website http://www.cabinetstudios.co.uk/ Collar in tact I bid the Cabinet girls' farewell and continued my exploration stumbling upon some great printed t-shirts and incredible shoes along the way. I then came to the stand by dutch designer Charlotte Sparre. It was her eye catching vibrant prints that caught my eye and I immediatley wanted to see more. Besides the fact that she is such a humble inspirational woman, her dresses and scarves are incredible and the fact that she designs all her own prints (100+ new prints are designed each season) is amazing & she has a strong celebrity following in LA. When a velvet scarf dripped in a gigantic skull print caught my eye it literally took my breath away. I put it on and could barely speak. "I never want to take it off" I told her "Well than its yours my love" she replied , taken a back I told her I couldnt possibly it was way too generous and she insisted I keep it! Needless to say its one of the most amazing things I've ever set eyes on & will be wearing it ALL WINTER quite literally! I cant wait to get Laura in her dresses! You guys can check her out at http://www.charlottesparre.com/ As we hugged goodbye I was off to the tents as it was almost time for my next show of the day. The producer was incredibly pleased with the filming, "People are just drawn to you Denis and you have a really down to earth sensibility of a boy making his dreams come true that people can relate to, we'll be in touch" and with those comments my mike was off and the whirlwind of the morning was still settling in to my now spinning head. Before I had time to comprehend what was going on I was sitting 3rd row at Todd Lynn. The collection was genuis. A slightly sci-fi element that combined shoulder pads , panelling, metallics and mirrored features. My favorite piece was a gilet with exaggerated mirrored neck piece , very gaga-esque & as the techno music pulsated through the crowd It was quite a short snappy show that provided much stimulation!

As I walked out of the show I was soon confronted by lenses shooting right at me , being snapped by bloggers and press alike is not uncommon during LFW but when four camera lenses are snapping at you all at once its a bit intense and quite surreal. "What are you wearing?" each one asked and as I talked them through my outfit 'Vintage Versace, Sass & Bide, H&M , collar by Cabinet' I noticed a boy next to one of the photographers sketching. "What are you drawing?" I asked him , "You" he replied and as he showed me the sketch he said "it will be featured in SixInch Magazine a new online fashion magazine". I was so flattered & had to take a pic of it!I rushed to the cafe to grab a quick diet coke before the next show. Amanda Wakely is a designer who creates gorgeous feminine dresses , for all my aussie's reading think like the Lisa Ho of London. I didnt have an invite for her show but thought her dresses would be great for any upcoming red-carpet events Laura may have , so I politely approached the PR girl at the door and explained "Hiya , I dont have an invite , but I style Laura Whitmore from the MTV & would love to see the collection - " before I could finish my sentence "Of course come right with me" she replied and before I knew it I was being ushered to the front row. "No you really dont have to make anyone move for me you know" , "Don't be silly its no problem at all" was the reply & suddenly there I was between two , more than likely much more important people than myself , sitting front row at the show. What The Fuck - was all I could think. How is this really happening? I took a deep breath , closed my eyes and appreciated for a moment what was happening to me , opened my eyes and the show begun. The collection didnt dissapoint. An array of grecian style dresses combined with metal jewellery and chain mail details , was really beautifully put together and I must say the view from the front row made it oh so much better!

I left the show loving all things draped , however before I could spend another second thinking grecian goddesses and aphrodite silhouettes it was time for a quick costume change before the Ashish show. Ashish is one of my favorite UK Designers & his show was probably the show I was most looking forward to. Known for his love of sequins & pop culture he designs fun , flamboyant , playful clothes that celebrities and fashionista's love world over. Cheryl Cole sported his sequinned animal print harem trousers in her 'Fight for this Love' video -

Suffice to say I am in love with Ashish's creations and in his honour decided to don some serious sequins of my own - my incredible Limited Edition Ksubi jumper covered in jet black sequins!

Sequins & wet look skinny jeans on (thankyou H&M) I was ready to go and as I sat with anticipation in 2nd row I chatted pre-show to the lovely Hannah Marshall & amazingly talented Marina from Marina & the Diamonds. The three of us questioned the socialite being papped like madness just two people away from us "Who is she?" we asked eachother "Some princess or something?" we replied all giggling , and as I sat there sharing jokes with one of the hottest designers and hottest singers of the moment I couldnt help but have another surreal moment!

Hannah & I had met on Night 1 straight after her show and had bumped into regurlarly since each time stopping to chat. She's one of the most down to earth people i've met in this industry and it was really refreshing! Other celebs included Pixie Lott & Paloma Faith but before you could say 'Mama Do' or scream 'New York' the show was abouto to begin. The words Amazing. Incredible. Out-of-control - all feel like understatements to describe the Ashish show - before I start talking about the clothes lets have a chat about the atmosphere. The music was banging , urban beats began to blare from the speakers and suddenly I felt like I was in a night club which happened to have a runway down the middle of the room. Guests cheered at their favorite looks - which in my , Hannah & Marina's case was about every 2nd look - and the energy in the tent was beyond exciting! Then there are the clothes - oh the clothes! A combination of sequins , fringing and tongue-in-cheek prints that kept me wanting more and more. The collection was what I would call 'Rodeo-gone-Ghetto' and a combination of sequinned bandana prints , fringed jeans and McDonald & Shell logo's made it clear the inspiration came from the United States of A! I loved every look , there wasnt a think I didnt like. The piece I died for If i had to bring it down to one - were the fringed sequinned animal print harem trousers. I would do anything for them and I was already thinking how much I would have to save to buy them for this summer!

As the girls did their finaly march I didnt want the show to end , in terms of style I personally like I would have to say Ashish was my favorite show - jam packed with glitz , glamour and a nice big table spoon of urban hip hop influences it was like a dream collection come true!
As I kissed Somerset House goodbye on the last night of LFW and walked through the cobble stoned paths and the arches that lead me back onto The Strand I hopped into a cab to watch the city of blinding lights pass me by on my way back home. I took a moment wound down my window and took a long deep breath inhaling in the cool London air - this London Fashion Week was truly life changing. How in the course of 5 days I managed to land a client who was about to send my styling career sky-rocketing, attend the show of one of Fashion's greatest Icons (thankyou Dame Westwood) , meet amazing celebrities and designers alike , was given a door to a possible television career (or guest appearance at the least), make a handful of great friends along the way & learn a little bit about my self at the same time - it was all so overwhelming and I couldnt believe it was all happening to me. A week later I still cant believe it did! The adventures to come is what I'm now looking forward to. Stay tuned xoxo Deni