A SPANISH PIECE OF HEAVEN!

*Another apology to all my readers I've had computer issues for the past month and haven't been able to do any blogging! How technology can be our best friend and worst enemy i'll never understand. However, here comes a whole lot of updates...Enjoy! xxx

Before my parents made their way back to the shores down under it was time for us to investigate the shores of Spain, as we set off on a holiday for 4 on the Spanish Riviera - Alicante to be precise. Never having been to Espana before I was ready for sun , sea and sangria...and the very good chance that there would be lots of annoying tourists invading my idea of a holiday. What I got (within the first 3 hours) were in fact the three S's (mentioned above) minus the annoying tourists......the beauty of Alicante is that , though it has its main strip of tourist attractions - think a Marina , the main beach and a strip of Palm Trees and market vendors - it also has its little unknown treasures waiting to be discovered. Our hotel , was conveniently located in a quieter part of town and only a 10 euro taxi journey into the main beach. Within hours of arrival we made our way to a private beach recommended by a local (they always know the best spots) and suddenly it felt as though we were on a planet of our own. A beautiful rock beach nestled in a corner of the hill with water as clear as crystal and apparently only the four of us......conveniently for us , above the mainland and up two flights of white conrete stairs sat a quaint little restaurant (the size of most peoples living rooms) with the best Sangria & Seafood Paella in Alicante. The owner spoke barely a word of english , however some how we managed to communicate and suddenly we had discovered a local gem! Sat outdoors, which allowed me to sunbathe and eat simultaneously (hey i'm basically british now and see very little sun) we feasted on amazing cuisine and drank probably just a little too much sangria combined with sun...What followed was 4 wondrous days spent with my beautiful family. We swam, we drank, we ate and we bonded! Highlights included finding a hidden little village with my brother after walking up the hills of the main part of town , what I found interesting was that as its a small town the villagers had to build houses up and into the mountains as there wasn't enough room on the main land. The result is beautiful and some what magical , the view from the top - breathtaking!
On the last morning of our stay my mum and I climbed up the Santa Barbara Castle which sits at the top of Alicante. From most parts of the town you can see it somewhere in the distance and whilst my brother and father decided to sleep in , mum and I were up at the crack of dawn (quite literally) to climb the beast! The result was well worth the effort and it was so beautiful to experience that together with mum , encouraging each other as we made the trek to the top...
Sad as we were to say goodbye it soon came time to leave Sunny Spain and head back to dreary London Town. The 5 days we spent together on the coast was such a lovely break , it bought back memories of family holidays we'd taken as children but now we're all mature adults and our relationship keeps evolving, they're not just my parents and brother any more they're my best friends and going away with your best friends is pretty special! xoxo Deni

BEVERLY HILLS via LONDON!

*Firstly a big apology for lack of posts of late. My life has literally just been that hectic that i've not had time to sit down and properly update you all on it! So here I am with an afternoon spare to share the adventures of months past.

It seems like years ago that I received an email from the Fashion Director at Cosmopolitan asking me to assist on a celebrity photo shoot , "I know your parents are down , and the shoot is on a Sunday but we'd love it if you could assist on the shoot". I checked with my parents and after an assuring "Deni go for it!" there I was waking up on an oddly sunny April sunday , making my way to Notting Hill for a location shoot with 90210 starlet Jessica Lowndes. Of course I knew the show , and exactly who she was , however I had no idea what would follow. As she came beaming into our trailer my first reaction was 'WOW , those eyes' , I've yet to come across anyone with eyes as piercing as hers , and her big smile was one warm and welcoming , like family. "I'm Jessica" , she said as she extended a hug and kiss. With that , I was head over heels in love - this girl had such an amazing energy , that it was impossible to not smile around her. Bonding over a mutual love of hip hop, red velvet cupcakes from Hummingbird Bakery and boys , we spent the day on shoot mostly hanging out chatting between takes. The shoot in itself , set across London from Notting Hill to Kensington Gardens , was a beautiful way to spend a Sunday , combine this with fashion and for a second I felt so blessed to work in an industry that

allows me to have these amazing opportunities. By the end of the shoot we were tweeting each other and when told she'd be staying in the UK for the summer I thought , 'I must get in touch with her while she's here, I would love to work with her'. 2 weeks later I was standing in customs coming back into London after travelling with my family , reading an email requesting I style Jess for various events she had coming up. Before I knew it , within 3 hours of being in London I was doing appointments pulling Matthew Williamson cocktail dresses and Jimmy Choo heels as options for film premieres and fashion launches. The following day I was sat in Jess's hotel room talking about boys & music and deciding between a metallic Matthew Williamson or coral Zac Posen dress for the premiere of Pirates of the Carribean that very evening. Deciding on the metallic Matthew , I walked out of the hotel with a big smile on my face (always the after effect of being in this amazing girls presence) and when at 1am that evening I saw pictures of Jess from the premiere - I leaped out of bed and did a little dance in my jocks across my room!

Two nights following there was a Marie Claire event at the gorgeous W Hotel. After wearing a Felder Felder belt and cuffs to the film premiere Jess fell head over heels for the designers , so we opted for a full Felder Felder look for the evenings event. The perfect little black dress toughened up by leather and studs! After our fitting , I was invited to go along to the event with Jess and before I knew it we were sat in her car and en-route to The W. As we talked about our family & boys (again), it became more apparent that a really beautiful friendship was forming.

During the party , I got to introduce Jess to Danielle Felder (one part of the Felder Felder design duo) who was thrilled to see Jessica in their design. For a moment I kind of had to pinch myself , this was the kind of moment I've dreamed of my whole life, being taken as a serious stylist by a designer who firmly approved of my styling, too surreal. After the formalities of the party , we were en route to Soho for a group dinner with some of Jess's friends, ending the night with cocktails on the rooftop of the Soho Sanctum Hotel - a bond was formed and over the course of the next month a little family formed. Friends I will have forever , beautiful people like Jamie Shepherd & Matt Johnsons , news reporters to London , big brothers to me and Laura Beverley

Glamour model -turned big sister all of which saved my life after a night of too much Grey Goose. Then there is Jessica , no longer 'Jessica Lowndes of 90210 fame' but now just Jess , my gorgeous canadian friend who is immensely talented with a gift in singing & acting, whom I share a love of Hummingbird cupcakes and The Nanny with. That is the most fulfilling part of what i've been lucky enough to call 'my job' , not the "meeting famous people" which can so often become an element that distracts people of their true self, but making incredible friends and memories both of which will last a lifetime! It is for this that I feel truly blessed! xoxo Deni

FAMILY

When I think back to the tearful goodbye at Tullamarine Airport - Melbourne , more than 19 months ago now, I can't fathom how I've gone this long with out physically being in the same room as my family. Skype - is a miracle of our modern world and though smiling into the webcam of my laptop whilst chatting to my parents and brother on a weekly basis is lovely (most times multiple times a week), it is not quite the same as reaching out for a hug. Sometimes when the world feels like its crumbling around you , all you want is a hug from your mum and this is a luxury i've not had for a very long time. So it was on my last day at Vogue that as I walked out of those revolving doors sad to leave this amazing fashion institution, my heart was racing with excitement at the joy that I was going to be reunited with my family in a matter of hours. As I waited at Heathrow, alone, with nothing but my iPod to keep me company, I started becoming very emotional - my family mean the world to me , that goes without saying. However the bond I have with them , my mother especially , is something that in this day and age can sadly be quite rare. I cant count the amount of times my friends have overheard a telephone conversation i've had with my mum - which at times sound something along the lines of 'OMG he was so fit, an amazing kisser. I really fancy him, do you think I should have sex with him soon?' - to then be asked 'was that your mother?' , to which I reply 'Yes', which shortly follows with 'Oh my god you sound like you're talking to your best mate' , 'Well my mum is my best mate' - end of! The bond I have with this incredible woman is like nothing i've ever felt in my life and the bond I have with my father & brother are no less amazing! So needless to say I started to get quite teary at the thought of soon being reunited. When the 3 of them walked out of the arrivals terminal (after their plane had been delayed an hour - typical) I literally ran up to my brother jumping on him and into a hug! What followed was a month of pure joy! Showing my parents this amazing city I now call home , as well as going back to Europe to visit our family across Switzerland, Austria, Germany & Yugoslavia - has truly been an amazing experience. I have matured and developed in so many different ways since being apart from them and having them recognise that and be proud of me for what I have achieved is indescribable. To break down every day would take an entirely seperate blog so for now i'll let the pictures do the talking...they're currently still visiting family but return to London in a couple of days. I cant wait to spend another 2 weeks with these amazing people I am blessed to call my family - saying bye to them at Heathrow is gonna be tough! xoxo Deni

23 in LONDON TOWN...

Just over a month ago now I celebrated my 2nd birthday in this amazing town I now call home - London! Last year was a very tricky time for me , celebrating your 22nd birthday 2 weeks after breaking up with your boyfriend of 2 years is not an easy task and looking back I was surrounded by such amazing people who really did everything they could to make it the most special occasion possible , but this year as I sat with my best friend Charlotte making arrangements for celebrating the 23 she said to me "We have to celebrate BIG this year as last year you were too upset to enjoy your birthday" - so with that in mind I decided to celebrate twice! My birthday falls on April 1st (yes April fools day , which funnily enough has never

resulted in a Birthday April Fools prank) and this year it fell on a Friday , so quite simply the only choice was to celebrate on both the Friday and the Saturday - did someone say multiple outfit changes? As Friday rolled around I woke up and begun my birthday at the House of Vogue where I was still interning - as I walked through those revolving doors it made me think 'who would've thought I'd be celebrating my birthday at Vogue' - that in itself was present enough! As the clock hit 5.30 I made my way into the Soho to meet friends at the chic Freedom Bar and walked through the buzz of friday-night-london. Waiting for me were my gorgeous Cosmo-ettes , soon to be joined by my old TKPR team , gorgeous friends Laura Whitmore and Natalia Jorquera and before I knew it there were about 15 of us relishing in cocktails and champagne! The night was followed with dancing into the early hours, doing Karaoke to Cheryl Cole Fight For This Love incredibly drunk and in front of 200 people at London's biggest gay club (HEAVEN) & 2 birthday kisses - I'm not promiscuous I promise - but as it goes 'its my party and I'll snog if I want to'.

As Saturday afternoon rolled around I decided to do some vintage shopping and treat myself to something fabulous to wear for the evening ahead - deciding on a slightly risque sheer vintage leopard print shirt - I deliberated on it for 20 minutes before thinking 'its my birthday and i'm going to have fun with it' - an hour later and I was ready in my leopard having pre-drinks with my stunning bestie Charlotte and flatmates before our night ahead. Always ones to enjoy a fine dining experience Charlotte recommend Gilgamesh one of London's top sushi restaurants for us to start followed by a night of dancing at a Shaka Zulu a ridiculously chic hip hop venue. The night involved some amazing sushi , one too many cocktails and lots of dancing - which to be honest included a very drunk Deni dirty dancing his way to Rihanna, T-Pain and Beyonce over the dance floor unbuttoning his shirt a little too much with Single Ladies being a highlight!

It was a birthday weekend to remember and when I stop and reflect on how far I've come in a year it is really fair to say that with age comes a little bit of wisdom and clarity, life is full of ups and downs but its such a nice feeling to look back and realise that as a person i've really grown and developed and have become more comfortable and confident in my skin at 23 then I ever have. Aside from that I am so lucky and feel so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing friends who have become more than friends to me , these people are my family and I'm so privileged to have them in my life! So i'd like to thank them for making my 23d birthday amazing! xoxo Deni

5 LETTERS. 1 WORD. VOGUE.

The origin of the word Vogue comes from France meaning 'wave or course of success' other definitions lead back to words describing movement, travelling fast etc... all of these meanings, describe perfectly what Vogue stands for - Moving the (fashion) world forward, allowing its readers to through its pages, travel the world and enjoy its fashion. Last month I was lucky enough to intern with the prestigious fashion bible also known as Vogue. I have many times described in detail how I feel about Vogue and what it means to me , so as I walked through the revolving doors of Vogue House, located at London's Hanover Square - I couldn't help but smile!

Due to a confidentiality agreement I signed I can not go into lengthy in-depth detail about my time at Vogue , as I normally do with my other posts. However my short summary will be more than enough to explain how truly special my time was. At the helm of a magazine is its Editor. The media and popular culture lead us to have many a stereotype of how an editor should look and behave. Privately chauffeured car on a daily basis. Nope, the Editor proudly takes public transport whenever possible and occasionally cycles to work. Ice-Cold stare,

behind dark tinted sunglasses - No sunglasses inside no ice cold stare. Throwing of fur coats at her assistants. None of that, the editor hangs her coat in her cupboard, on her own & I never once saw a fur on her back. Demanding specifically cooked lunches be bought and served hot on a plate by her assistants. Once again, none of that here either. "Just popping out to grab myself a salad" , says the editor at lunch time as she ducks down to Itsu next door , on her own. Over the top , perfectly matching outfits together with perfectly coiffed hair , not a strand out of place. Refreshingly, no. The Editor's personal style is conservatively feminine (think printed A-Line skirts paired with beautiful knits) and her hair no different to anyone else. To the contrary what I did see is Alexandra Shulman, Editor of British Vogue - Businesswoman and Journalist

and one of the hardest working women in the UK's Fashion Industry. A woman who

talks to and treats her staff with respect and integrity and is open to everyone's ideas and suggestions and together with her team puts together a magazine to inspire women (and quite a handful of men) across the United Kingdom. As an intern stepping into an office of people I admire and look up to was nothing short of an honor. To work alongside the very people who write the articles I read word for word and main fashion I pour over every month, was an experience I will never forget. Most refreshing of all , my voice was heard. My ideas , thoughts and input taken into consideration as I worked on a fashion story with one of the team's editors. Coming into an office every day where people share the same passion as you is pure bliss and incredibly inspiring. In my 3 weeks of interning at Vogue, I can honestly say I learned more about how a magazine comes together , than I ever have. More over it further cemented in my mind that this is the industry I truly belong in! I will forever look at my time at Vogue as a full circle experience. From reading the magazine as a teenager to working with its team - and as I walked back out the revolving doors on my last day I looked up at Vogue House with another large smile on my face , pinched myself just a bit and realised that my fashion dream became a great reality! xoxo Denis

VANESSA G-lamour...

When the highly anticipated Wednesday evening rolled around last week the only name on everyone's lips in twitter's fashion world was Vanessa G. With so much hype around the event I made my way to the Cosmopolitan offices (to meet the girls) feeling very lucky to have an invite to the hottest ticket of the week. Deciding for the event to sport some fierce vintage leopard print trousers (excuse the picture being taken in the bathroom's of Banquet House , it was the only time I had a moment to myself all day)...I was ready for the night - in true Deni style...

Our car dropped us off into the brisk London night and as we made our way to Banquet House there was a queue around the corner (always a sign of a hot event) , but with VIP invites in hand

we were escorted straight in *thankyou very much* ...as we stepped in to the rose-lit halls of Banquet House it was immediately obvious that this event was Glamour with a capital G (Vanessa G , that is) , a bevy of smartly dressed waiters stood with Veuve Cliquot Champagne cocktails in hand (don't mind if I do) and before long the gliteratti arrived. Jade Jagger, Poppy

Delvigne, Jade Parfitt & Sophie Ellis Bextor resident DJ for the after show wearing Vanessa G

The lovely Cosmo girls and I sipped our cocktails discussing the celebrity arrivals and grandeur of the event. Everything from the presentation of the finger food on hand (cheese plates sat in extravagant bird cages surrounded by rose petals) to the perfectly lit entry had WOW factor!

Before long we made our way upstairs where the show was due to begin. As we took our 3rd row seat - not too shabby - yet again I was overwhelmed by beauty of the venue and then there was the small thing of the set (which was btw in no ways small). Covered by a screen which projected

a short film & finally the Vanessa G title was soon removed to reveal what appeared to me the facade of a building , and before we knew it the army of models made their way out in a display of exquisite florals, silks and prints. The influence of art & poetry was evident in the romantic silhouettes and the whole production had a some what cinematic feel to it as the models walked along the raised catwalk surrounded by picasso-like paintings and fields of flowers. Take a look...

Once Vanessa G took her well deserved bow , it was time for the after show party. As Sophie Ellis made her way to the decks the tunes begun spinning and the crowds begun dancing and that's when the fun really began. At one point in the night I found myself dancing with the lovely Vanessa G herself , as well as this being her debut collection it was also her birthday. "Happy Birthday & Congratulations on a great show" I told her and then took her for a spin on the floor. Her infectious smile and lust for life was amazing, here was a woman living the dream. Successful, happy and loving every minute of life - she was truly inspiring and a whole lotta fun!

Before the night wrapped up I made my way over to thank the love Sophie Ellis Bextor for her brilliant DJ'ing and in true gay form I declared my love for her dance-floor classics (remember Murder on the Dance Floor) , she was so sweet and seemed to really be enjoying herself...

Before long it was time to head to Bungalow 8 for the exclusive after-after party with my friend Henry Conway and the crew from Tamara Kretzer PR, which was definitely a good decision. Bungalow always delivers and the members only 'club that needs a key to get you in' - as Carrie Bradshaw once said , truly delivered. Jamming the hottest hip hop tunes , drink flowing it was the perfect way to end a great evening! As I hung up my dancing shoes at 3am I thank Vanessa G for a glamorous-fashion-affair to remember! xoxo Deni

VANESSA G...did someone say luxury!?!

When I heard fashion whispers of a highly anticipated fashion event coming to the city of London (a week before my birthday might I add) my excitement levels started raising and when I recieved my invitation to the Vanessa G event last week both myself and the Cosmopolitan team were both impressed and intrigued. With whispers of Celebrity DJ's , custom made sets and tweets that the entire Vogue India team were being flown in for this very event - the question on everybody's lips was "...who is Vanessa G?" Vanessa Gounden's bio consists of philantropist, entepreneur and an activist in the transformation process of South Africa. Her Debut collection will combine unique pieces of art from unsung artists transformed into timeless classics, ready to wow the fash-pack! With Sophie Ellis Bextor confirmed as the resident DJ, a bevy of A-Listers and Fashion's elite sure to pack the front row, the location of Banquet House is sure to provide a regal aura which couldnt be more perfect to host this luxurious event. Two seasons ago I saw the Julien McDonald show at the beautiful Banquet House and remember feeling like the location itself made the experience all the more breathaking. Vanessa G will bring to the Banquet House a never before seen custom designed and built set which will no doubt leave London's Fashion World speechless! I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at what the collection has the offer so here's a little taster. If this gorgeous coat & dress are anything to go by, classic refined Sophistication & Luxury are sure to be the themes of the collection ! With just over 48 hours till

show time, the fashion world waits with baited breath for Wednesday night to roll around - and I have just the perfect outfit for this fabulous event! xoxo Deni