Sophisticated Selfies

From Rihanna to Shane Warne, it seems everyone has been keen to share their selfies online. Some are better than others, but none are as brilliant as the work of Anja Niemi.  She photographs herself as a number of characters, often copying herself and imposing several self-images onto one frame, giving the illusion that there are two or more people captured in a photo. Her latest exhibition, which just closed in the Little Black Gallery in Chelsea, http://www.thelittleblackgallery.com/shows/anja-niemi-starlets consists of several voguish compositions, entitled `Starlets`.

We meet the Bride, who is demurely perched on a chair, with a twin representation of her head lying on the floor, close to the folds of her white dress. It may sound ghoulish, but is – in fact – a refined and highly stylised image. The Socialite, captured in a bathtub, against a backdrop of a red wall, has a mirror image of herself peering from the other end of the bath. Then, there is The Mistress (two of them in one photograph), The Wife (again, a double image), and The Secretary, among other quirky personalities.

My favourite – however – is The Taxidermist – I appreciate the simplicity of it, which gives the viewer a chance to create his own story, while enjoying the artistry of this photograph. The light and a reflection of a `street life` are not part of Anja`s composition, but a result of my amateurish photography skills.  

To view Anja Niemi outstanding photographs, please visit:

http://www.thelittleblackgallery.com/shows/anja-niemi-starlets

Alber Elbaz for Lancôme

Lanvin`s Alber Elbaz made his mark on Lancôme cosmetics collection, by giving its products a makeover. Four different types of mascara have been re-packaged in an idiosyncratic Elbaz-style pattern, and three palettes, and a few mono eye-shadows, proudly sport his signature illustrations.

Made up by Lancôme beauty consultant at Selfridges; I am wearing a Moschino jacket

 

The collection has been unveiled in Selfridges in the middle of the month and will be available – I understand – nationwide on 1 July. If you are a traditional ` Lancôme babe`, you don`t need to worry, you can still get your hands on your old favourites, as Elbaz only concentrated on re-vamping eye-based products.

I left the counter with Hypnôse Show Falsies, encased in a box adorned with cute, wide-eyed figures.

Génifique Eye Light-Pearl, a gentle eye-illuminating serum, will be my next purchase (when my own serum runs out) as I like it`s pear drop shaped massaging applicator.

Fabulous Fascinator

My very own fascinator: four silk roses with diamanté detail, sitting on a silk heart-shaped base

Blocking net; taking spring out of the wire; domette interlining; ice wool; straw needle; wire overlapping…… I learned the meaning of all of these terms (and more) at a one-day millinery course at the Wallace Collection. Under attentive tutorial given to me and my fellow students by Caroline Morris, a true millinery aficionado, we were able to start from scratch and progress, stage by stage, until we each made our own couture hairpiece.

I sneaked out for an hour break, but before I reached a croissant counter in Selfridges, I stumbled across Michael Kors concession, which had a brilliant sale. I grabbed three dresses and two tunics, brandishing my card.

-`Aren`t you going to try them on?` – asked a salesgirl

Michael Kors` size XXS fits me perfectly, and I like his aesthetics, so I always buy fast and in bulk.      

Volume-buying at Michael Kors sale in Selfridges: in a Marni at H&M dress and Ducie fox and rabbit gilet. Bag by Michael Kors

Behind Scenes at Revenge Wears Prada Launch

Lauren Weisberger (on the right) and I (on the left); she signed my copy with her name and `xx`

The Amika Nightclub in South Molton Street was heaving with fabulous women; all were dressed in black, and keen to try on bright yellow stilettoes. I looked around and started chatting to my fellow `promo-girls`. We all had to sign a disclaimer, preventing us from claiming compensation for any injury caused by sashaying through a black carpet in five inch tall heels, which were given to us by the organisers at the beginning of this event. I grabbed a bottle of still mineral water which was cooling off, alongside Coca-Cola and Red Bull in silver containers, and gave my own shoes to one of the organisers who placed them inside a box, marked it with my name and piled it up on top of other boxes. My yellow stilettos were fab. Not particularly comfortable but they are not – by default – worn for relaxation. I received my race number – 30 – and it was pinned up on my front and back.

I am wearing a James Lakeland dress, and a Gucci bag

-  `Hold onto a rail` – instructed a professional nurse, when we were leaving the nightclub through a steep staircase.

She was hired to provide first aid - if needed -  but thankfully I only saw her distributing a few plasters for blisters, and not dealing with anything more serious.

We all came to South Molton Street this lunchtime to support the launch of a new book written by Lauren Weisberger, the author of a bestselling novel `The Devil Wears Prada`. Today, Lauren and HarperCollins publishers were launching a hotly anticipated sequel, entitled `Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns`.  I was among forty or so volunteers who agreed to strut along a 50 meter black carpet, ogled by a crowd of passers-by and papped by an army of lens-wielding paparazzi.

Capital`s FM Lisa Snowdon, who was expertly flashing her long, tanned pins, hosted the event. We were grouped into six heats, each containing six stiletto-wearing participants. Each group power-walked through the black carpet, trying to look glam but also marching fast, as the first one to reach a finish line – marked by a yellow ribbon – was declared a winner of the group.

- `Number 30 have a nice wiggle` – commented Lisa, when I was powering down the black carpet.

I came third in my group. The winners from each heat took part in a grand finale, with one strutter eventually declared winner. A trip to New York was a main prize but we all came away with a generous goody bags, full of treats from Vidal Sassoon, Elemis, Nails Inc, Ted Baker, Handel House Museum, and Monica Vinader.....and more. And – of course – a signed copy of the new book, as well as our very own yellow stilettos!

Art in the Afternoon

My feet, clad in Falke tights and shoes from Ras Al-Khaimah (UAE), had spent the afternoon pounding the gangways of the Affordable Art Show in Hampstead. No gawping hoi polloi here. The place was flooded with sophisticated connoisseurs who came to admire and buy all manner of art: driftwood sculptures, pencil work, traditional portraiture, potent photographs, oil and acrylic paintings, figurative illustrations, digital, plaster installations, porcelain, mixed media, etchings….. we were spoilt for choice.  

 

Anika Manuel`s `Chanel` - acrylic on slate

I am wearing a Michael Kors dress

I liked Claire Partington`s ceramic works, which are inspired by traditional children`s rhymes, legends and folk tales. Lucie Bennett`s perfectly-shaped `Delfine` from her `Naked Burgundy Series` dazzled the viewer with her elusiveness, and Lance Hewison`s portraits were very expressive, due to his technique of shaping the body or face in a way that gives the impression of the complete picture.  

James Doran-Webb`s driftwood entitled `The Emperor`

Be Regal

Carole Railton, behaviourist, author, specialist in personal branding and body language expert, gave an interesting lecture on understanding gender differences in the boardroom.  We gathered on a still cold-ish summer evening on board HQS Wellington, London’s only floating Livery Hall, for a private dinner accompanied by business presentations.

I am wearing a Diane von Furstenberg dress and Anne Klein fox-trimmed jacket

Carole talked us into walking around a room with imaginary crown on our heads, saying that improved posture make us all look more regal and therefore more authoritative. `When we walk slowly with our heads held high others will notice us` - she said. She also shared a tip on matching other person`s breathing pattern during tough negotiations, and smiling often while filming a video, in order to appear genuine.

The evening came to a close too quickly but I am glad I left with her book `The Future of Body Language` as it has many more examples on  how to enhance communication skills, improve video presentation, as well as body language within the workplace.

Make-under

Made-under by bareMinerals at the brand`s Selfridges counter. I am wearing a Michael Kors dress

BareMinerals skincare and makeup was created to be beneficial for the skin. And rather than slapping on heavy-duty colours and potions, the beauty expert in charge of my make-under started with nourishing my skin with a light moisturiser, which absorbed quickly without being greasy or sticky.  Next, she applied a foundation primer, making small, circular strokes of a brush. One thin layer followed another, and then she added yet another layer, buffing it all in, to achieve an even coverage. Next came a beautifully named `mineral veil`, which was in fact a finishing powder.  She left my eyes and lips almost untouched, saying that it would allow the skin to be the focus of attention. And with that statement, I was released into the world!

Fashion Forward

My husband and I dashed to Chester this weekend to celebrate a very important birthday of a chubby- cheek, champagne colour-haired cherub. He was - as always - a delight!

We rushed back to London on Saturday night, so I could check out a new talent at the Graduate Fashion Week, which opened on Sunday in Earls Court. Featuring 22 catwalk shows, an exhibition with over 40 universities participating, and a number of workshops and lectures, it is the largest fashion graduate event in the world.

In a Missoni dress, Michael Kors bag, and Marc Jacobs sunglasses

Bournemouth University catwalk show gave me several reasons to applaud; Yasmin Hulquist`s Hidden Morocco womenswear collection sent bare-feet models covered in floaty, earth-tonal caftans, and glistering, copper-coloured face accessories; Alice Farrow presented psychedelic graffiti dresses; and Michael Beel showcased two-tonal leather coats worn with slim trousers by young as well as mature male models.

Xin Wang's Lantern Dress caught my eye; I`ve heard that the print captures her children's names - how cute

Xiaoping Huang presented a colourful, attention-grabbing outfit, which perfectly captured the artistry needed these days to succeed in a fast-paced word of fashion

The star of the day for me was Emily Hughes from University of Central Lancashire who put together a winning show of metallic dresses, which featured portraits of Chinese women. She borrowed the colours from the rainbow, and her cigarette pants in red metallic, worn with a body-hugging tunic, are now on my `must have` list.