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