*warning this is a long post , pour yourself a glass of wine or embrace the British and make yourself a cup of tea (I will have drank 2 cups whilst writing this post) and enjoy...
If someone was to tell me the first month of TWENTY-ELEVEN would be hectic-manic-crazybusy-beyond-belief , that would be an understatement! It all started in the last week of TWENTY-TEN when I thought I needed to start organising a very fashionable new year. Now, for those of you who don't know , many high calibre stylists work with agencies, so like where a model will be signed to an agent to organise them work a Freelance stylist will work with an agency that does the same. One of the leading agencies in Europe is LGA , they represent Cheryl Cole's stylist (Victoria Adcock) and the fashion director of Elle among others. I emailed the agency a week after Christmas applying for any assisting opportunities that were available in the New Year. Assisting an LGA stylist is the equivalent of a aspiring race car driver assisting Michael Schumacher. With such a reputation and its elite recognition in the industry it was my first port of call. 3 week's later I received an email that would turn my January into MAYHEM. Sarah Cobb , former Contributing Editor to Dazed & Confused and AnOther magazine , is an incredible Stylist who's styles for many high-end edgy international fashion publications. Her style is truly inspiring and whilst on the LGA site her work stood out to me among the rest.
So when I was told by her 1st Assistant that LGA sent over my CV and whether i'd be interested in assisting Sarah , I sprung out of bed and called her immediately and with the question "Can you start tomorrow..." my life turned into Fashion overdrive! My first day with Camp Cobb involved running around London visiting various Fashion PR's , 'pulling' clothes for a shoot for Italian Fashion Magazine FLAIR , I had 2 days and a brief of 'Long , Fluid , Layering' to work off and suddenly I was brainstorming which labels we should pull from. After 2 long days of running around we finally had enough clothes , shoes & accessories to send Sarah off to shoot on location in South Africa and a sense of accomplishment overcame me - until of course it was time to prep for the next shoot. In the mean time , the 1st Assistant (Faye) flat mate was the Fashion Co-Ordinator at uber-cool mens style magazine SEVENTH MAN and when she called Faye asking for an assistant on a trend story they were working on , I was put forward and before I knew it I went from the world of women's straight over to menswear.
As I arrived to 7TH MAN HQ I was given the brief - Sports Luxe - and was told that I would be doing all the press appointments on my own as the team was busy co-ordinating the shoot. To be given that sort of trust on the first day was daunting to say the least but made me want to prove myself even more. With my first appointment at The Communication Store one of London's leading Fashion PR Agency's I pulled some great Versace, Missoni & Christopher Kane and as I made my way to the next appointment it suddenly hit me that I was running around this amazing city they call London, surrounded by my favorite thing in the world - Fashion and again I reminded myself how lucky I was to be apart of this - slowly making my dream come true. At day's end I returned to HQ to show the team some of the looks I pulled. The Fashion Editor was thrilled and the team really impressed with my choices and I left feeling slightly elevated on the cloud 9 I call Fashion! While prepping for the Sports Luxe shoot the team told me they were shooting a trend story on the weekend and asked if I'd like to assist - I jumped at the offer and was ready to work on my first mens-fashion shoot. When Sunday morning rolled around , after a night out on the dance-floor's of Soho , with only 3 hours sleep I stepped into my cab (I decided to treat myself the luxury) and arrived *Marc Jacobs shades to cover last night's hangover* at the studio's for 9am...eek! Determined, however, to make a good impression & work my ass off - the minute I was organising the rails the clothes spoke to me and my hangover was cured!
The story of the shoot was Floral Print , a typically feminine aspect of fashion however the challenge was to make it cool and masculine yet embracing a softer vibe. Styling women is fun , its almost too fun at times because you can simply go to town and play dress ups - the difference with menswear is you need to keep it 'male-appropriate' however it needs to be fashion forward and inspiring and spending the day on shoot made me realise how interesting a challenge it is and I really enjoyed it. Working with the fashion director was a dream , an incredible stylist he was really open to my opinion and ideas and it felt more collaborative then simply assisting. The looks came together beautifully and pushed some boundaries in a cool edgy way. That feeling when you nail a look , is one of the greatest feelings and when the whole room feels it, its electric!
Working with boys who are easy on the eye and really fun to work with doesn't hurt either , but in all seriousness I really found myself loving being on a menswear shoot and some of the looks we put together were really inspiring which ultimately is what fashion should be all about. Before you could say 'I need to rest' the Sports-Luxe shoot came around 36 hours later. As I arrived to the North London studio's (this time by public transport) I was transported from 'Floral & Soft' to 'Sports, Street & Edge' - the theme of the day was an exaggeration of sports-wear in a futuristic super human type way. I had in front of me nylon, leather, futuristic prints & colour
As the Fashion Editor & I styled the looks together I really started to get a feel for menswear and really trying to push myself. The result was brilliant & the looks came together so well. Slightly more high-fashion than Sunday's shoot , the Sports-Luxe story was not for the faint-hearted. The styling was edgy, super cool and I was in my element as the model worked it...
As I got on the train home I felt so inspired to view mens fashion in a completely different light! I really look forward to continue working with the SEVENTH MAN team but no rest for the wicked as they say and before I could gasp for air I was prepping for the biggest womenswear shoot I've ever worked on...all the details coming soon in Part Two xoxo Deni
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
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 
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!
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 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. 
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