Saturday, September 25, 2010

LFW DAY TWO!

*Pour yourself a cuppa & get some cookies also , its a long one but I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did living it!

As I woke up at 8.00am ready for another day full of shows & events, my hangover couldnt have been worse! I immediatley went to the kitchen where lucky for me my house mate was preparing breakfast , she handed me 3 nurofen and a bottle of lucozade and had me on my way back to good health. Nothing like a day full of fashion to cure a hangover I thought and I began to get ready to head down to somserset house as I had a ticket to a private breakfast where famed photographer Rankin was shooting a photo shoot live for us all to view over croissants! Outfit 1 for the day consisted of my favorite vintage leather trousers , paired with my new favorite wardrobe staple - a sheer oversized white shirt from H&M which I then layered with a vintage Levi's D.J (Denim Jacket - its all about the acronyms you know hehe) and a faux-fur stole - also from H&M - I was loving today's look and was welcomed by the bright sun and chill in the air! I steadily made my way over to the Somerset Terrace where I attended a private breakfast/live photo shoot with Photographer Extraordinaire RANKIN! The shoot was of real women of different races and different body shapes & was quite inspiring to see how each woman was beautiful in her own way & totally owned her look & wowed the camera & the fashion pack!
After a quick coffee and croissant I made a mad dash into a cab to head over to the Louise Gray show. Louise Gray's collections are always colourful & quirky , slightly an eye-sore to look at but when you break down the pieces they become really fun & can be quite wearable (kinda), I've spent a few nights out drinking with Louise on the east london gay scene so I was looking forward to see what she had in store for the season! As I took my second row seat I was suddenly overwhelmed by colour! Streamers! Bottle tops! A pair of clear PVC shorts filled with bubble beans you would find in a bean bag! At closer inspection it made me want to take the shorts straight off the runway & shimmy them onto the dance floor! An OTT collection to be sure , but definitley some fun pieces that take a bit of cheek & humour to wear in real life!
The show came to a close and before i knew it I had to make a mad dash to the 'It show' of the morning , Sienna & Savannah Miller's label Twenty8Twelve. As I approached to the venue with my fabulous friend Marta (who was down to represent the Italian fashion magazine she works for) we couldnt help but notice the amazingly fashionable gorgeous people. The Vogue team pulled up in their black range rovers and with every inch of grace made their way into the shows , clad in shearling , slouchy knits and hiking boots (already ticking off all the key AW trends) for the mere mortals who had to wait in the cold as the VIP's were ushered through (myself included) it was a fashion feast for the eyes. As supermodel Jacquetta Wheeler walked in suddenly it made waiting in the cold easier and as Matthew Williamson & Jude Law strode in together I almost thought I was going to die. Words could not form from my mouth - Jude Law is beyond hot , the man is purely beautiful. He took my breath away. As I continued to wait I continuously was being snapped by bloggers and press making me hope my outfit must be saying the right things. As we finally entered waiting for the show to begin I couldnt help but admire Matthew & Jude in the front row. Designer Williamson in his cyrillian blue knit (which made me think of that scene in Devil Wears Prada ) & Jude in his check suit & bowler hat and just enough stubble, he looked effortlessly cool in a way that only Jude Law can!Before I knew it the lights went down low & the show began. The thing with twenty8twelve is the girls make such beautiful clothes that girls are going to want to wear. Though there may be nothing revolutionary in the design nor are they particurlarly fashion forward they remain effortlessly chic and in a time when everyone is going GAGA its nice to see a feminine collection that I could myself see my fabulous girlfriends dying to wear! My favorite looks included a show stopping leopard print hourglass dress , leopard print pencil skirt & a suede camel short paired with a white blouse & black bow combo - so chic , so carefree , so Sienna!When Sienna came out at the end , hand in hand with Savannah she took my breath away more so than Jude did. The girl is glowing and her 'just rolled out of bed in this' carefree attitude makes her sexier than ever! She epitomises UK chic (along with Miss.Moss) & its been a dream for me to spot Sienna in the UK and suddenly another dream had come true! It was so surreal!
As I made my way back to Somerset House I had some time to kill so thought i'd check my email in the 'blogger bar' - in saying that its crazy to see how far blogging has come and how recognised bloggers are in the fashion industry now - as i logged into my account I opened an email that was about to change my life. A few days prior to LFW had begun I had just started working with a fabulous new client Natalia Grace , a presenter for Nokia TV. A rising talent she's interviewed the likes of Rihanna, Pamela Anderson & Ed Westwick and it just so happened that one of her best friends was MTV Presenter Laura Whitmore. As Natalia & I had our first meeting over coffee , discussing where we lived , Natalia thought it was funny that I lived on the same road as her friend , when she told me it was Laura it made things seem slightly destined to be. I had met Laura before , at the Kylie Minogue Tous event & remembered being blown away by her stunning eyes and blonde bombshell effect she has. I remember saying to myself 'I would kill for a client like her' but convinced she had a stylist I didnt approach the situation. Natalia informed me she hadn't and then gave Laura a sterling recommendation on me following our meeting and so it was that I recieved the email from Laura saying she had seen my styling work with Natalia, was very impressed & would love for us to work together! As I read the email I could barely breathe & almost started to cry. 'This is it' I thought - the client I had been waiting for was about to become my official client. My hands went shaky & I made my way outside. As I did another life changing encounter accured. My friend , socialite Henry Conway , who I had bumped into a few times over LFW was around somerset house filming a pilot for a program being pitched as a behind the scenes of London Fashion Week. As we got talking his producer approached me 'Who are you young man?' he asked , 'My Names Denis , I work in PR & am a Stylist' , 'You look like an interesting character, you should be on television' he replied. I laughed 'I dunno , I'm just little Deni' I replied embarrasingly. 'Do you mind If we mic you up & film you as you take a look at the fashion around somerset house, we could do you & henry looking about together?' , he askedI was quite overwhelmed but thought 'Hey why the hell not' and before I knew it a camera crew was in my face and Henry & I were walking through the exhibitions of somerset house in a very Paris&Nicole type of way. We chatted fashion & Henry interviewed me on the importance of British Fashion to the industry. 30mins later we wrapped the filming & the producer told me to give me his details & with a 'We'll be in touch...' they were off! I couldnt believe what had happened & I needed to stand by the terrace to take this all in! Before I could get over the headspin & how surreal it all was, my blackberry went off - it was my first text from Laura.
She had just arrived to attend a show & wanted to catch up for a pre-show drink so we could meet. Before I knew it I walked over the to laid-black yet glamorous Somerset House Terrace Marquee Restaurant/Bar & as I made my way over there she was. In a gorgeous black dress & leather skirt , her trademark red lipstick & gorgeous blonde locks welcomed me with a big hug! "I saw you from a distance & hoped that you were you , you look so fabulous" were the first things she said to me & as we both sat down I felt as though we had met in another life 'as they say' as we just immediatley clicked. I've been lucky enough to meet some fabulous celebrities since I've been here , but when I sat opposite Laura is was suddenly evident that she had 'x-factor' her eyes glowed and she had an aura about her that just makes you want to be her friend. I kept myself contained & as we chatted clothing , her schedule and how funny it is that we both live literally a block down the road from each other , i just knew that this was going to be not only an amazing client to work with but something told me a beautiful friendship would soon follow. As we got up to head to the John Rocha show together , we had a quick banter about which brands we both like, as we approached the tents something happened to me that i'm not quite used to. It has to be said that yes during LFW there are hoards of photographers & bloggers snapping the fashpack as they come in & out of shows and I myself have been snapped already a few times. However there is a difference between being snapped for your style and being papped because of who you are, now most of my clients are not as well known as Laura and as we began walking to the show together we were immediatley stopped by paparazzi 'Could we get a picture' they asked 'Of course' Laura replied and like a true star her arm was around my waist while the other placed tactfully on her hip and before I knew it we were both posing for the cameras. As we walked into the show two camera crews followed us in as we discussed our love for Sass & Bide. I didnt realise how well known she was in the UK , the fact that the girl is on MTV 5 days a week you'd think I would have clicked! To say my head was spinning is an understatement. How all of this is happening to little old me is beyond me. Suddenly I felt like maybe my hard work was paying off! As the clock struck 5.30 the John Rocha show begun (fashionably 20minutes late) and a collection of , what I call , a mixture of Gothic & Angelic Brides , strode down the runway as large hats, lace & black silk made up most of the collection!
The show was gorgeous but literally as soon as it finished I ran to a cab and made my way to my humble beginnings, Diesel New Bond Street for a Fashion Week event to Launch the Sophia Kokosolaki Diesel Black Gold range in conjuction with AnOther magazine. There was something really nice about being surrounded by my Diesel family after a day of fashion flurry! However suddenly both my worlds collided and as various fashion editors from Glamour, Marie Claire & Harpers Bazaar strode in I was caught in this parallel universe of dancing with my Diesel family whilst partying on down with girls from LOOK magazine! The event was a success & as I made my way home I bumped into a gorgeous girl I had been eyeing up over the past few days. I'd seen her at all the same shows I had been too & loved her style. As I asked her for directions we got talking & again suddenly just clicked , before I could say another word the two of us and her friend were on our way to a LFW party were Joel Madden was the guest DJ! Needless to say , the night concluded in dancing up a storm to an amazing set of tunes & making my glamorous way home at 4am! Only to be up the next morning to do it all over again! Even at 4am as I lay in bed my head drowning in the evenings over consumption of Grey Goose , I couldnt wipe the smile off my face. Sienna Miller, being filmed & landing a beautiful (and potentially life changin) client , all in 24 hours! I couldnt wait to wake up & see what Day 3 had in store! xoxo Deni

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

LFW IS BACK! DAY ONE...

*My LFW posts may be quite lengthy , I just have so much to share hehe so now would be the time to make yourself a coffee or tea, pour yourself that glass of wine, read and hopefully enjoy!
As I woke up on friday morning the bright sun pierced through my windows and though I couldnt help but smile (the sun has that effect on me) I thought 'Nooo , all my outfits are layered autumn looks' as I stepped onto the balcony I was welcomed by a brisk chill 'ah god bless the United Kingdom for remaining cold whilst sunny' I ran back inside and couldnt help but feel giddy, London Fashion Week was about to begin. The night before I lay out all my outfit options for the week to try make getting ready in the morning as quick as possible. Outfit 1 for the day consisted of ripped up jeans by White Suede , white sueded logo YSL tee and the amazing denim and leather jacket by Gripp (which I borrowed from my friend Lora - bless you) , paired with my trusty Zara bikers - my fashion week staple and my fail safe H&M beanie. Urban at its best!

LFW hasnt even begun yet and already i'm hungry (something everyone becomes accustomed to during LFW , there's never any time to eat) so i quickly ducked into the shop to buy my LFW Survival Staple - Jaffa Cakes! The first show of the day was Maria Grachvogel and as I walked into Somerset House I felt like I was back at home , in my element. Stepping into the surroundings of Somerset House during Fashion Week is like walking into a parallel universe where everyone is a fashion obsessed show pony here for the most important event of the season and the cobbles of Somerset House are as much a runway as the catwalk in the tent! The queue for the show was horrendous and in true LFW style I waited half an hour as the show went over time, the best thing about waiting in queues is admiring all the fashionistas, infront of me stood a stunning tall thin japanese girl wearing a tweed coat with shearling collar , white tee, leather skirt and super high hiking style ankle boots (the shoe of the season btw) the whole look was polished & made my waiting a whole lot easier. Once in I took my seat and as the sound of galloping horses introduced the show it soon transitioned into soft music & the show begun. Maria's sheer sophistication was gorgeous! My favorite piece was a silk canary yellow maxi dress that swished down the runway with ethereal elegance , the colour took my breath away !!

The Grachvogel show was beautiful and a lovely way to start of LFW - though the clothes werent revolutionary it was a nice collection combining colour and print with a nod to feminine fashion, draping & the return of the grecian goddess an ethereal character that takes over a room the minute she walks in. The show was over and I made a quick dash back to the office to wrap up the friday reports of a PR agency and after a quick costume change it was back to fashion world for one of the hottest tickets of the week - PPQ. Amy Molyneaux & Percy Parker are the design duo behind the brand and the party couple of LFW their clothes are fun , sassy and girls want to rock their dresses and of course the PPQ after party kicks LFW off with a bang!I met my client Seema for a drink pre show and styled her up for the evening ahead. This was quite a moment for Seema and I , we had met last fashion week so it had been exactly 6 months since our working relationship & friendship & celebration was in order! It was a special moment.

To keep within the fun cheeky spirit and the party ahead I decided to don my new leopard print blazer (the print of the season btw) from H&M with my Dior shirt and skinny tie. I wanted all black and then that splash of leopard. Seema was looking fly in my YSL tee which I rolled up to look slighly more vest-top-esque with some leather and jersey leggings and ankle boots - black and white my favorite combination , she was looking banging and ready for the night ahead! We were slightly early for the show so decided to chill in the private press lounge pre-show. As I sat on the couches I saw Time Blanks walk in the room. Many of you wont know who Tim Blanks is by name or maybe even by face, however he is one of the most influential fashion journalists in the world. He works for Vogue & Style.com & when I was 13 I watched a documentary on John Galliano that was presented by Tim Blanks. That documentary made me realise I wanted to work in fashion and I've listened to Tim's voice constantly since on Style.com so as soon as I saw him I knew I needed to speak to him. He sat at his laptop at the back of the press lounge blending in like he was Joe Smith from down the road and so I made my way over.

Quite nervous I quietly tapped him on the shoulder 'Tim, Hiya, my names Denis and I just had to come over and speak to you I am such a huge fan of yours and the documentary you did on Galliano changed my life at 13 so to me you're kind of an Icon and whenever I hear your voice It makes me think of that moment' , 'Oh thankyou Denis that was an amazing interview with Galliano' as he started to speak I couldnt stop smiling. 'What do you do young man, are you a blogger?' he asked. 'Yes actually I blog and i'm a stylist' , it was then that I asked him if I could ask him 5 questions for my blog. So here is 5 mins with Tim Blanks

1. What show are you most looking forward to? - Christopher Kane , I love how his references always come from some dark and morbid place and then it translates into clothing.
2. Who is your favorite designer? - Miuccia Prada. She also references very interesting ideas that arent necessarily linked to fashion and her collections always make people think deeper. She also understands how to link art and fashion & that is very important.
3. What's the best show you've ever attended? - every Dior Couture collection by John Galliano I see in Paris is amazing.
4. What do you think of Sarah Burton taking over from Alexander McQueen - She's
brilliant, I think she'll do an incredible job!
5. Describe Anna Wintour in 3 words - Sense Of Humour


I thanked him for his time and he gave me a tap on my shoulder 'You're a very impressive young man what are your dreams?' , It was a really big question so I answered 'Well I hope to have my own fashion empire one day , inspire people the way Miuccia, John & Alexander have and hopefully have you sitting front row reporting on it all' , he giggled 'Well I look forward to it and it seems you're on the right path'. As I walked back to Seema I couldnt believe how amazing a 5 minute conversation could be! I took Seema under my arm & as we walked to the show I had been stopped 3 times to be photographed by fashion bloggers and press along the way (the blazer must be a winner then - said my inner voice) ticket in hand we made our way in. As Seema and I have both met Percy Parker (designer du jour) at the Kylie event he had emailed me a week in advance saying he had put our names at the door for both the show & party (which caused me to squeal as I couldnt believe the designer himself had emailed me) however by fate I had acquired a 2nd row ticket through a friend who couldnt attend so as Seema & I were ushered to the 2nd row I couldnt help but pinch myself (little did I know it set the path for the rest of my LFW experience...but more on that later). Before I knew it the celebs had arrived , Amber Rose and one of Destiny's Children took their seats and the show had begun! The music was loud , the lights set for stardom as the PPQ Princesses took to the runway. The collection felt very circus inspired as an array of colours marked the return to Spring Summer!
For a moment during the show I looked at Seema and then back at the runway and couldnt believe we were 2nd row together at PPQ , I squeezed her hand and couldnt wipe the smile of my face! Though from the photo below you cant really tell so replace my pout with a smile hehe
My favorite look from the show was a fun chic summer outfit of white pussy bow blouse with striped shorts! Literally the perfect combination for the chic city girl whilst having a summer stroll by the river with her girlfriends , ice cream in hand! As soon as it came out I smiled!
The show ended with roars of applause & cheers as the duo came out for their bow! Percy's cute little hat made all smile & its testament to their design aesthetic - fun & fabulous!
As we made way out of the show I noticed the paps going crazy for the gorgeous tall thin leather jacket ppq dress wearing Kelly Rowland - or so I thought. I tried to get as close as possible and kept saying 'Kelly Kelly' though no turn around , hrmm she doesnt seem rude in interviews, 'Kelly Kelly' I kept saying when finally a boy from her posse turned around and said 'Its Michelle' and as she started to walk by and I could see face on I realised 'OMG it is Michelle , that did not just happen' , feeling rather bad I giggled and couldnt believe I had just insulted a member of my favorite girl band of all time. I hope she didnt hear me , I thought , and immediatley decided I had to make up for it at some stage during LFW! Upon exit of the tents I bumped into Amber Rose , Kanye's famous ex girlfriend who was a fixture in the front rows all week. 'Amber honey you're fabulous' I said in passing. 'Oh thankyou sweety come here , wanna smoke?' , 'No thanks babe I dont smoke , but how are you , enjoying LFW? I didnt see you last season' , 'Oh yeah I was here with Kanye, i'm loving this season, you going to the after party babe?' , 'Sure am' , 'See you there sweety, by the way lovin the leopard' , 'Thanks hun , you always look amazing' , 'Aw thanks babe' and after a quick photo I kissed her goodbye , like two old friends chatting in passing. WHAT THE FUCK?!?! THIS IS AMBER ROSE! How is this happening to me?
...so with Amber's seal of approval Seema and I were en-route over the river and off to the PPQ after party. As we stepped out feeling fabulous and ready to get down we skipped the queue 'always good when the designer puts your name on the door' I thought - and headed straight in. The problem with LFW is the free alcohol , its both a gift and a curse , before I knew it I was downing doubles with Seema when I noticed Tolula Adeyemi walk in , I saw her at the show and we exhanged a smile. I met Tolula at the Kylie event and then proceeded to dance like crazy with her at the Glamour awards. However with all the alcohol involved I wasnt sure she'd remember me. I walked up to her and said 'Hey Tolula , you probably wont remember me...' and before I knew it she cut in 'Of course I remember you honey , your the cute boy from the Kylie event how are you?' and just like that we started talking like two old friends reminscing about our night of crazy dancing at the Glamour awards. It really was a 'I dont think we're in Kansas anymore Totto' moment, I felt a world away from home and literally was and while drinking with Tolula , dancing to hip hop tunes with the Senior Fashion Assistant from SHE Magazine and congratulating Percy on a fabulous collection in the VIP Lounge , I constantly stopped myself to think 'Deni , is this really all happening to you' - as I stepped into my cab at 3am and kissed the party goodbye I could hardly wait for Day 2 to begin and for the adventures to continue! xo Deni

Thursday, September 9, 2010

VOGUE'S FASHION NIGHT OUT!

As the rain made way for a clear sky and day turned into night, London's fashionista's hit the pavement to make their way to the pre-fashion week bonanza that is Vogue's Fashion Night Out. Vogue's FNO is a collaboration between Vogue and Designer stores who put together various special events over the course of the night to celebrate the one thing we all love more than life - FASHION! As I closed my brolly (I dont care how light the rain was , rain and velvet blazers dont mix) and made my way to Liberty's to meet my fash pack , fellow PR colleagues Alex & Helena , my bestie Choush playing the Pyrus Princess and fellow friend and blogger the darling Lora. First event of the evening was Manolo Blahnik and Yasmin Le Bon opening the new shoe emporium in conjunction with the collaboration between Mr.Blahnik & Liberty's.
As guests waited patiently Cristina Blahnik (Manolo's daughter) came out to apologise to us all.
I've met her before at the TOUS/Kylie event and she was as graceful as ever, rocking some seriously fabulous Manolo's - could you imagine being the daughter of MB - freaking crazy!Once we finally entered it was liking into the gates of shoe heaven. Surrounded by Blahnik archives - the classic patent mary jane (remember that scene in SATC when Carrie strokes the 'urban shoe myth' in the Vogue fashion cupboard) and strappy gold stiletto's sat along side Manolo's styles created in Liberty's fine printed silks and cottons. As the modest man in the purple suit sat at his throne the throngs of girls surrounded him - he is a true fashion icon
Manolo in our presence was the perfect way to start the evening and it was off to the next location. Emporio Armani where editor of Vogue Alexandra Schulman and Giorgio Armani were hosting a cocktail party. As we approached the store I could see the masses of paparazzi surrounding the store and as I walked to the entrance I wondered why the bulbs began to flush till I suddenly realised Giorgio Armani was a little bit more than 5 metres in front of me. His small frame and shining white hair stood out against his perma-tan complexion and I couldnt believe I was amongst yet another fashion icon. For one of the first times in my life I couldnt even think to pull out my camera I was just so overwhelmed by who was standing metres infront of me. This was Giorgio-Fucking-Armani the Italian God of Fashion. Soaking up my Armani surroundings before I could catch my breath it was off to Stella McCartney. Upon my arrival I managed to spot Gwenyth Paltrow make her way on in, leggy, blonde and fabulous!
It was strange to think that almost a year ago now I stood in the very same store speaking to Stella McCartney when I crashed her private party - god i've had some crazy times! Trip down memory lane over it was off the Matthew Williamson next door where african drummers greeted us upon entry - the perfect combination with the Williamson tribal inspired collection Upon soaking up the atmosphere at Matthew Williamson it was well and truly time to hit the party everyone wanted to be on the list for - LOUIS VUITTON! Model/DJ & all round fashion it girl Alice Dellal was guest DJ for the night and as we strutted across Bond St & towards Vuitton I felt like U2's 'City of Blinding Lights' needed to be in the background & suddenly I felt like Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada. Little Deni from the G was attending Vogue's Vuitton Party.
A minute before I entered the doors of Vuitton Alice quickly popped out for a cigarette break at which case the paparazzi went mad , I tried not to act a fool as I have a serious style crush on this girl , she just oozes 'I dont give a fuck cool' and as she quickly sucked away at her nicottine she was back in the venue to keep doing her thing on the decks and keep everyone dancing...The new Vuitton store in itself is amazing - breathtaking is more the word. With its high ceilings and wall to wall array of luggage , bags , scarfs , visual merchandising beyond compare it is a feast for the eyes and beyond incredible - combine this with being surrounded by beautiful people , the fine crop of models , actors/actresses and style elite of London and Alice Delall spinning Peaches and Beth Ditto on the decks and you have yourself a pretty bangin event!

Add a perfect selection of free cocktails and just the right around of mingling and people watching, the night ended with a smile on my fashion obsessed face! As I made my way back home through the streets of London , I had to stop to take in the evening and as I stood there with London's bright lights behind me the night continued to move forward. Another fashion adventure has been had and with fashion week just around the corner there's plenty more to come! After a night of fashion icons , models and exclusive parties it is still surreal that this is all happening to me! A little boy with big fashion dreams in the big city! Cheers to that xoxo Deni