The Bridal Coach

Former model Michele Paradise knows how to walk the catwalk and how to pose for the cameras –well with her modelling career spanning over 20 years, she’s had a lot of experience and picked up a few tips. Now as a style coach and hypnotherapist (Don’t look in to her eyes!) she began to think of brides and the daunting prospect of walking down the aisle with all eyes gazing at them and how they are expected to know how to walk with confidence and grace. So the Bridal Coach concept was born.

At the Bridal Coach press/bloggers event we were able to meet Michele and also learn more about The Bridal Coach.


Propping up the bar (well I was propping up the bar whilst Michele was standing elegantly poised at the bar); I was able to talk to her before the presentation.


My first question was; 'Why start it in the UK and not the US?’
My reasoning was that Wedding Planning is big business over in the States so they would love the Bridal Coach, and Michele is American.


Michele started modelling 20 years ago, her face was not the typical All American model face that the US were used to seeing on the catwalk and in magazines, but a more interesting and striking look we Europeans adore. Realising she needed to come over to Europe if she wanted to boost her modelling career, she packed her bags and almost immediately started working with renowned designers such as Thierry Mugler, Zandra Rhodes (she was her muse for almost 18 years), Donna Karan, Valentino and Philip Treacy. Now the UK is her home.


Why the Bridal Coach?
Michele explains that when you are a model you are taught how to walk and how to pose. Brides are thrown in at the deep end. They may get help with planning the wedding but when it comes to walking down that aisle and posing for the photographs, they are on their own. So Michelle saw there was a gap in the Wedding industry to help brides feel and look more confident and elegant.

During the short presentation, Michele shows how the Bridal Coach can help the bride prepare for her big day as well as tips for the actual day.


Tips she shared with us included:


How brides can stay calm and relaxed just before their very own catwalk ‘aisle’ show.
How to glide down and ‘own’ that aisle
How to hold the bouquet properly so the dress and bride look their best
How to pose for the photographs by putting your best foot forward and what to do with your hands.

I may not be getting married and so don’t need Michele’s Ultimate Bride package, but her Hen Party packages sound fun as well as providing great tips and techniques for everyone going to a wedding. Mmm, this may be the time to persuade a few friends to tie the knot.


More details on www.thebridalcoach.co.uk

Conran Bath and Body

To take a closer look at the new Conran Bath and Body products and speak to the Conran team who had created the range, beauty press and bloggers were invited to an evening at Sir Terence Conran’s penthouse apartment in Shad Thames.

The Products

The range includes bath washes, body scrubs, body lotions, shower gels, hand washes and hand lotions.

The Design

The range is aimed at both men and women so the design is kept simple taking inspiration from antique apothecary bottles and the classic Kilner jar. The two different fragrance ranges are identified by colour and a number. Conran 1 is a caramel brown and Conran 2 a mint green. But both have an orange silicone ring at the top which emulates the rubber seal of the original Kilner jars.

The design team also wanted to emulate glass and the main body of the bottles and jars does look like opaque glass but is made of a hardier material which won’t smash as easily as glass if dropped on the bathroom tiled floor. And to make sure the bottles could withstand the rigors of daily use; glossy white bases have been sonically welded on and act as a shock absorber. The lids are of a brushed silver colour.

The Fragrance

The fragrance house of Drom worked alongside the Conran team to create the unisex fragrances of Conran 1 and 2 based on Sir Terence’s favourite scents. The team wanted a modern scent that would be used and liked by both men and women.

They decided not to put the name of the fragrance on the bottles as research showed people didn’t always remember the names but recognised the product more on the colours.

Scent 1 – Oudh Wood – essential oils of pepper, nutmeg and cardamom. This is a warm woody and spicy fragrance. The colour of the bottle reflects the mood of the scent with a warm caramel colour.

Scent 2 – Green Stems – floral scent with lemon, orange oil and mandarin. This is a fresh and zingy fragrance with citrus, great to help you wake up in the mornings. The colour is light fresh green.

At the event we were also able to smell and give our thoughts to the ‘currently in development’ scents of the next ranges 3, 4, and 5. Plus a peek at the colours that will be used

The Texture

Surprisingly light. The body scrub was not of the typical coarse and heavy texture most scrubs are but felt airy and had more of a soft jelly consistency.

The body lotion felt more of a soufflé, not runny like a lotion and lighter than a cream. It didn’t leave any sticky residue, just glided on to the skin and sank in quickly.

My favourite

Most definitely the Conran 2. The fragrance is fresh and the mint green looks good in my bathroom.

By Karen Grace
Personal Shopper & Image Consultant for Frumpy to Funky http://www.frumpytofunky.com 

Fashion and Beauty Insight Summit

Wednesday 14 March 2012
Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL)

Image courtesy Charlotte Summers

The first Fashion and Beauty Insight Summit took place on Wednesday 14 March with nine key speakers willing to share their expertise on strategic communications, whilst the audience were eager to soak up all this knowledge.


At registration goody bags were handed out including a programme outlining the day and two Oriflame products: Ecobeauty smoothing eye cream and day cream. And for the men: North for Men hand cream and Architect EDT.


The Summit began with presentations from Wahanda, Marie Claire and We Are Folk sharing the importance on gaining the consumer’s trust; on identifying your consumer’s lifestyle profile and on the way to use the four latest social platforms for success.


After a short tea and coffee break A Suit That Fits demonstrated how to improve communication strategy by thinking like your customer and I Spy Marketing showed how Facebook could be used successfully with examples of case studies.


Following a long leisurely lunch break, Mumsnet, Zulu Beauty and Global Radio enlightened us on how we need to respect and listen to what our customer has to say, and how both videos used on social media channels and radio can be powerful communication tools.


The day ended with a one hour Speed Networking session allowing us all to mingle, make new contacts and discuss ideas.

Image courtesy Charlotte Summers 

What did the attendees think of the day’s events? Here are a few comments:


Camilla Ollier, Director of Hearson Communications:
I have found today's Fashion and Beauty Insight Summit a useful exercise in learning more about social media in the fashion and beauty industry. I look forward to implementing some of the ideas in my own social media strategy as well as advising clients on the latest trends. 


Irina Bragin, Founder of Made of Carpet:
Very informative with a lot of ideas I had never considered using before such as videos and Mumset’s tips.


Cyndy Lessing, Director of Sosensational:
The whole day was informative and extremely thought provoking. First class knowledgeable speakers who were able to transmit a considerable amount of information in a short period of time. My only wish would have been for a ‘How to..’ session at the beginning on Facebook and twitter.


Joanne Jarvis, Rachel Bonny and Katie Daniels all from CCD PR say:
It was good value for the money. We found Paul from Folk’s talk really useful and wish he could have had more time. The best speeches were those with more of a work shop angle such as I Spy – not all of us are digital marketing experts – who knew that your Facebook page could be at risk because of the way you posted a competition? However a few of the talks did feel as though we were being pitched to.


Claire Marshall, Account Executive from Slam PR comments on both the Summit and Speed Networking:
Everything went really well. Found the social media speeches with the case studies particularly insightful. The Speed Networking was a nice way to meet different people in the same industry. The bell is a good idea as it makes you move around and make the effort to network, rather than staying with the same group of people. It was a good way to finish off the day.


Click here to read testimonials, feedback and comments

www.FashionBeautySummit.co.uk

By Karen Grace
Personal Shopper & Image Consultant for Frumpy to Funky http://www.frumpytofunky.com



Image Credit: Charlotte Summers
www.charlottesummers.co.uk

The Health Quarter

The Health Quarter opened its doors last month and promises to be a health store with a difference – more of a health boutique combining natural health with some luxury and glamour.

Firstly this bijou store manages to look both fresh and serene with its white fixtures and fittings, pale green decor, potted plants and soft lighting (don’t worry there is plenty of daylight coming through the large windows). There is also a French feel to the place with a few free standing glass fronted cupboards and a small cafe style table and chairs in the corner – tres chic.

The store has opted to sell only brands with high quality nutritional supplements which may be a little bit more expensive but are free of any unnecessary ingredients such as artificial additives, preservatives, flavours, colours etc. They also have a selection of skincare products which are natural and organic, plus an organic cosmetic range so you can look after your body inside and out.




But the main uniqueness to the store is that they have two resident nutritionists, Rosie and Claire, who offer one-to-one consultations on site to help you on the road to a better nutritional way of life.


Before the consultation, they will give you a health questionnaire and a three day food diary to complete which you then return to them at least 24hrs before the session. The consultation usually takes an hour and Rosie or Claire will discuss the findings of the questionnaire and diary and then work out a nutrition programme for you to follow.

Having experienced a little taster of a consultation, I can see how the full hour would be of great benefit. Both Claire and Rosie have a friendly and gentle approach which instantly puts you at ease and you’ll be telling them your life history in no time! Luckily for them my consultation was only 15 minutes.


The initial consultation costs £85 and any follow ups (45mins) cost £70. For privacy, these sessions are conducted before or after opening times.


The Health Quarter
3 Egerton Terrace
Knightsbridge
London
SW3 2BX 


www.healthquartersw3.com

By Karen Grace
Personal Shopper & Image Consultant for Frumpy to Funky http://www.frumpytofunky.com 

Marni at H&M

Last autumn it was Versace at H&M, now it’s the turn of another great designer label to collaborate with H&M – Marni.

Marni’s founder and creative director, Consuelo Castiglioni, has created a spring capsule collection especially for the collaboration which captures the essence of Marni.

The Marni label conjures up images of quirky designs with a mix of textures, bold patterns and colour blocking, and this collection focuses on these signature features.

For the women

The collection is a mix of sporty and ladylike pieces: sporty zip up blousons, parkas and stripy leggings to the neat jacket and skirt ensembles and coats. Other pieces include loose silk dresses, shirts and trousers, brocade pants, tulip skirts and silk front knitted cardigans.

Colour palette is the classic black, grey, navy and khaki teamed with the brighter orange, gold and rust.

The bold prints are of oversized dots, tribal motifs and graphic designs. Fabrics a mix of crisp cotton, smooth silks, gold lame, patent leather and jacquard.

 

Accessories include: separate sequined shirt collars, sculptural jewellery of plastic, resin and rhinestones, printed fabric, leather and shiny plastic bags and wooden platform shoes.

Men

The men's collection has a nautical flavour and is a relaxed take on menswear staples with soft colours and fabrics. Pieces include parkas, suits with either long trousers or Bermuda shorts and knitwear.

The use of print and bright colour is more subtle here, often as just the lining or as a small contrast detail for shirts.

 

Colour palette is black, deep blue and khaki accented with a pop of electric blue, orange and crimson red.

Fabrics include cotton varying in different weights and luxurious cashmere for the knitwear.

Accessories: sandals, plimsolls, straw hats, socks, explorer caps and an oversized tote.

Both men and women have t-shirts with the Marni naive child appliqué on the front.

The collection will be available from Thursday 8th March in selected H&M stores worldwide and online, so make sure you set your alarm for an early morning call that day as the pieces are sure to be flying off the rails.

By Karen Grace
Personal Shopper & Image Consultant for Frumpy to Funky http://www.frumpytofunky.com 

London Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2012

DAY ONE

Antoni & Alison

Simple loosely fitted shift dresses became blank canvases for the designers to display their trompe l’oeil works of art. Using digital printing of an eclectic range of objects from biscuits, cellophane, and staples to feathers, buttons and tweed.

Corrie Nielsen

Nielsen blends the medieval Scottish styles with her own signature sculptural forms.

Dramatically sweeping the floor was the deep purple Duchess satin voluminous floor length cape.

Small leather clutch bags in matching tartan fabrics by Sophia Beckford and striking tartan design face laces by Phyllis Cohen

Bora Aksu

Necklines were high with button up collars and pussy bows; chiffon layering brought a hazy fairytale look to the pieces. Colours were soft shades of dusty pinks, greys and creams.

The style became more structured with tailored waistcoats, jackets and capes, and the colour darkened to greys, blacks and silver metallics with splashes of fuchsia, burnt orange and ruby red. Aksu used a Baroque style print throughout the collection, both on tailored and chiffon garments plus the soon to be ‘must have’ tights.

DAY TWO

Spijkers en Spijkers

40s style tea dresses were updated with colour block panelling and luxurious fabrics of silk and silk wool blends. Ostrich and bird feathers trimmings brought Hollywood glamour as detachable cape like collars and adorned the front of shoes. Colourful embroidered birds embellished jackets, dresses and shirts.

Bernard Chandran

Instead of his detachable peplums he has been creating for the past two seasons he concentrates on detachable collars. Some heavily embellished, others brightly coloured but most of intricate multi folds akin to Japanese origami.

Fluid fabrics of silk satin, wet look leather and gleaming metallic prints all gave the illusion of flowing water. Tailoring was given a sharper edge with the use of clear plastic over opened shoulder seams. This was gown up glamour with just the fun faux fur jacket adding a touch of quirkiness.

Ashley Isham

Here clean lines and tailoring in the form of black leather cigarette pants and capes with matching shorts. Evening wear saw short dresses glittering with sequins and beads, one of jet beads forming daisy patterns. But his signature draped fluid jersey dresses were never far behind with their Grecian asymmetric style long and short in deep teal, frosted grey and a prints of python and floral.

DAY THREE

Prophetik

‘Courtly Love’. Strapless long evening gowns worn with chunky ornate necklaces from Adorn especially designed for Prophetik.

Short day time dresses with full skirts and spaghetti straps that wrap around the arms to leave the back bare.

Hemp wool plaid was new to his collection and gave an equestrian countryside style to jackets.

The finale dress, a white strapless bodice adorned with a vintage pocket watch floated with its trail of black naturally shed ostrich feathers.

Louise Gray

A glorious array of textures, colours and patterns. This collection breaks down into luxurious fabrics of cashmere knits and leather, simple cuts of shift dresses, a-line skirts and sleek trousers given depth through graphic prints and colours. Teamed with printed boots by Nicholas Kirkwood at Pollini and Aztec sun ray hair pieces by Nasir Mazir.

Pam Hogg

Starting quite innocently with a modern take of the crinoline bow peep style dress and bonnet, the risqué catsuits soon came out to play. Firstly in head to toe geometric patterns, then adding patches of stretch chiffon until ending with just the chiffon embellished with cute bows strategically placed. Actress Jaime Winstone contrasted among the sleek catsuits as she modelled a knitted polo neck jumper and matching crinoline skirt.

DAY FOUR

Prose

Designer Mitiam Lehle took her inspiration from a blue curtain and woven shoe leather.

Black oblong leather patches edged with brown leather stitching adorned black trousers and skirts in neat rows giving a beatnik appearance. Leather transformed in to black and brown speckled pheasant-like feather fringing in both short and long lengths. The shorter fringing brought a raw edge to shift dresses and pencil skirts, whilst the longer fringing brought a Wild West boho feel.

The blue curtain became a delicate overlay of skeletal wispy threads kept together by panels for dresses and tops.

Lako Bukia

Titled ‘Broken Mirrors ‘for strong women who are not afraid to face their fears and challenge the bad luck broken mirror myth.

Silver leather was either in geometric patches separated by chiffon or jersey; or on trousers and pencil skirts as a tactile broken mirror pattern design. The finale dress summed up the whole inspiration with its billowing ethereal long skirt and its delicate chiffon top covered in twinkling mirrored shards – showing an Amazonian feminine strength ready to conquer all fears.

Her signature chunky triangular heels were replaced this season for heel made of a stack of broken clear ‘glass’ which glimmered in the light.

DAY FIVE

Holly Fulton

Inspiration: Lady Chatterley in the Estate’s hothouses. Colour palette was a sizzling affair of hot pinks and bright turquoise. Adding to her graphic signature prints were exotic palm prints and butterflies. Layering and the teaming of the pieces with polo necks brought this steamy collection back in to the autumn/winter vein.

Ashish

A collection of grunge meets glamour meets Hare Krishna. Ashish gives the sequin street cred as he uses on hoodies and sleeveless biker jackets. An eclectic array of motifs from hallucinogenic paisleys and smileys; the spiritual ying and yang and Buddhas; to the sporty football stripes. Multi layering of the colours and patterns created a spectacular glorious grunge effect.

Aminaka Wilmont

A minimalist and structured collection. A combination of hard and soft: sharp tailoring with soft draping; digital prints of hard gems and crystals and the softer water lilies and molten glass. Leather and fur for outerwear providing a tougher but luxurious look, whilst iridescent thread brought shimmer to knitwear. Overall look was dark and sultry with flashes of colour in the prints.

Jasper Garvida

Think World War II era and Marlene Dietrich. Daywear consisted of shirt dresses in a muted colour palette of khaki, beige and blues. Evening wear was more dramatic in black and embellished with gold buttons, embroidery and exaggerated long fringed epaulette beading.

DAY SIX – MENS DAY

Topman Design

This collection concentrates on texture and keeps its colour palette black creating a dark sensual and cultural look of the young Robert Mapplethorpe and in keeping with his black and white Polaroid images. The rich textured fabrics include mohair, soft boucle, hi shine PVC, lurex and thick wool. Leather pants taper at the bottom and are rolled up slightly to reveal the leather ankle boots. Mapplethorpe’s photo of the Lily is used as a repeated and distorted print on the silk shirts.

Knotted leather pendants and rosaries by Husam El Odeh adorn wrists and necks and complete the look and mood of the collection.

Oliver Spencer

Inspired by a young Lucian Freud, the collection has an art-house and Beatnik feel as suits of textured rugged fabrics are teamed and layered with the more casual knits. The young 50s baseball jacket is giving a more grown up tailored makeover in wool, but keeping the fun element with contrasting coloured and textured sleeves.

Colour palette: muted khakis, browns, greys with a dash of navy and a pop of burnt orange.

Spencer used models of various ages to show his collection brings sartorial styles to all ages.

By Karen Grace
Personal Shopper & Image Consultant for Frumpy to Funky http://www.frumpytofunky.com 

London College of Fashion MA Catwalk Show 2012

It was a bitter cold night outside, but in the grand Raphael Gallery at the V&A things were hotting up as we watched the London College of Fashion’s annual MA Catwalk Show 2012.


23 students from MA Fashion Design Technology showcased their work. The collections varied from the minimalist to the opulent, from the heritage look to the futuristic, from the neutral palette to an explosion of colour, and from the need a few changes before hitting the high street to the wearable right now.

After the show, TV and radio personality Lauren Laverne and young British designer Christopher Raeburn announced the winners of the Womenswear and Menswear: Collection of the Year.


Menswear Collection of the Year went to Tina Elisabeth Reiter.


Titled ‘The Sound of Homeless (ness)’, Reiter was inspired by the feeling of homelessness, the meaning of belonging and the seeking of our roots in an unpredictable globalised world.
For this she turned to her own Austrian roots for the wish of an ideal world thinking of the Alps, kitschy homeland movies of the Austrian post-war years and the feel good film ‘The Sound of Music’.


Her collection takes the heritage of the Austrian folk costume and fuses it with modern menswear.


With no Lederhosen in sight, this collection goes for softer look with loose fitting trousers, full pleated culottes and skirts. Artist smock style shirts with full blouson sleeves are grounded with the more tailored waistcoat and jacket.

Patterns: gingham, polka dots and tweed
Colour palette: Muted browns, black and grey with a pop of peach


Womenswear Collection of the Year went to Hana Cha


Titled ‘Diffusion between Proletariats and Bourgeois’ the collection was aimed to observe the difference in attire in different social classes.


To represent proletariat she chooses thick and stiff fabrics, deconstruction and a mannish style.


For the bourgeois there’s the softer silk, fluid metallics and fluffy wool to capture a more feminine feel. Hana juxtaposes the conflicting styles of both to create something new.
One of her pieces, the minimalist but luxurious gold jumpsuit becomes the canvas of what appears to be a harsh sweeping brushstroke still dripping with black paint, but on closer inspection the dripping paint is a collection of fine tassels.


Colour palette: Rich metallic gold, sombre matt black, deep purple and vibrant deep blue.


The show attracted a host of celebrities and VIPs including: Rt Hon Home Secretary Theresa May MP; Turner prize winning artist Grayson Perry; Chairman of the British Fashion Council Harold Tillman CBE; band members from Niki & The Dove, The Saturdays Mollie King, DH Jodie Harsh and Made in Chelsea star Francis Boulle to name a few.


For details on all of the collections go to www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/ma/

By Karen Grace
Personal Shopper & Image Consultant for Frumpy to Funky http://www.frumpytofunky.com