NICKI MINAJ- NEW GENERATION OF POWER WOMAN

Just when you thought Madonna was the queen of outrage and scandal and tit flashing, her avant garde heir apparent manifested herself from Stefani Germanotta into Lady Gaga. Then just like that Madonna seems a little tame compared to the meat dress wearing new queen of pop but wait for it …….. a new ingénue has rocked up on the scene and is giving Lady Gaga a good run for her money in the form of Nicki Minaj, a Trinidian America hip hop singer. I do love her and not just because she a Trini like me but I also love her gravity defying derriere, which makes JLO dare I say look like a flat assed chica. Nicki has the attitude and look of the love child of Grace Jones and Lady Gaga. Thank God we live in a world that allows women to reinvent and express themselves and push the envelope on what is sexy and outrageous. I think it’s very democratic and helps women from everywhere, especially those from a stale and suffocating environment find their place on the sliding scale from being as conservative as the Queen to the likes of Nicki and Lady Gaga.

Remember that in the Victorian age, you would have been considered a bit of a slapper for flashing your ankles. I take my hat off to the ladies who did because without a bit of ankle flashing what type of world would be living in today? The world needs ankle flashers, even if you don’t want to flash your own but the option is always nice.

However, I do sometimes wonder if the likes of Lady Gaga and Nicki Mianj are the wicked brainchild of some portly middle aged men in a music boardroom somewhere -who are in fact pulling the strings on their meat and lobster jumpsuits. They both feel very different compared to Madonna and Grace Jones who have evolved their images and sense of self very organically over their careers, which has spanned decades. Or is it just that Gaga and Nicki are 21^st century canny performing arts school brats, who can play the game and are taking advantage of the path that has been beaten and head butted down by the likes of Madonna, Grace Jones, Cyndi Lauper and Bette Midler? Lady Gaga went to New York’s Tisch School of the Arts and Nicki Mianj is a graduate of New York’s LaGuardia School for Music and Performing Arts whose famous alumni include Kelis, Eartha Kitt, Jennifer Aniston, Robert de Niro, Al Pacino and Adrien Brody. Apparently Nicki played the clarinet at school it’s always the quiet ones, isn’t it?

Whatever the case may be- I likey and want the new generation of women being forged to be brave, bold and embrace their creativity.

P.S. I love the barb wire booty protector Nicki is sporting in the photo above, which was a present given to her on a TV show so people would stop groping her- I would love one for my giant ta- ta s.

GWYNETH PALTROW: PILLOW FACE?

Oh Gwyneth love, what have you done? While basking in her glory collecting her Hollywood Star of Fame the other day Gwyneth, 38 looked shall we say slightly Pillow Faced like she had (allegedly) hit the botox and fillers a little too hard.

Gwyneth babe, I know it must be frustrating that you have 20 something year old hotties like Scarlett Johansson, all up in your grill but really turning to the pillow face is sooooo aging. Everyone can see you have had a little something done and it screams paranoia and an air like you really care about those 20 year old bitches trying to take your movie star crown. You know what, as Tyra Banks once said on America's Next Top Model, "I've done my starving". Yes Gwyneth you have been on a diet since you were probably 15 and you have even confessed you have early osteoporosis (probably caused by this extreme lifestyle) but you have 2 kids, a happy marriage and your star, the ultimate Hollywood stamp of approval- let it go. I think this picture does symbolise what a lot of women in their late 30s and 40s go through.

As a women you will have to give up your hot sex kitten crown at some time and pass it on either to the Scarletts of this world or your teenage daughter- but it will happen. All you have to do is go to Topshop on a Saturday to see mother's who should know better changing side by side with their teenage hot daughters competing and struggling to get into that ra ra skirt and skinny leggings while silently whispering to themselves, "I've still got it, I've still got it".

Women really can have it all but just not at the same time- trying to do so will drive you crazy. Enjoy your hot 20s, your career driven 30s, your mama years and your powerful 40s and 50s and the wisdom and peace of your 60s and 70s. You can be sensual and sexy at any age like Monica Bellucci (46) but in no way is she trying to be sexy like her 21 year old self. It's just naff and try hard. Gwyneth ditch the botox and fillers do a Dannii Minogue, the woman has never looked more beautiful because she is literally glowing from the inside out with the happiness, contentment and joy her new life and baby has given her and that is the ultimate anti - aging secret.

ESTEE LAUDER SIGN NEW GLOBAL FACE PUERTO RICAN BEAUTY JOAN SMALLS

To say Estee Lauder is on fire at the moment is a bit of an understatement - they are a burning furnace of cool! Last night I was lucky enough to meet one of my beauty heroes Tom Pecheux, Estee Lauder's Creative Director of Make up (more on that later- the man is a genius and complete sweetie and needs his own post) and witnessed their new lip and nail collections, which quite frankly was a bit mind blowing with the explosion of colour and edge (2 words not readily associated with Estee Lauder but from now on they mosdef are).

If meeting Tom wasn't enough, I politely stalked him back in the day for Sunday Times Style and he was so lovely and undivaish he was a delight to interview, even though he really didn't know who the hell I was and probably thought how did this girl get my home number- is she watching me now as we're chatting? Estee Lauder has added some flavour and diversity by signing a new Global Face with Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls. I remember almost 10 years ago when Estee Lauder signed Liya Kebede - I almost cried. However, even with such a commercial stamp of approval as Estee lauder, Liya was still a hard sell to pitch to titles for me to interview because of her diversity, which was surprisingly not shocking but still upsetting.

We have come a long way and things are getting better and today in 2010 to hear Estee Lauder who I have always admired for their choice of global beauties and colours and consciousness to be inclusive have signed Joan I say- bravo. Estee Lauder you have just given a lot of self esteem and self respect to a new generation of little girls across the world, who will look at Joan and will then look in the mirror and say I am beautiful too. At the end of the day we are all pack animals and we need to see reflections of ourselves and our future selves in the world around us to help give us the imagination and vision of what we can be. Whoever we are and wherever we come from. Whether that's seeing and believing you can go to university, even with the rise in tuition fees (shameful), even if you live in a depressed area and everyone you know is banged up or a smack addict or seeing and believing that a woman can be a mogul and politician like Oprah, Hilary Clinton or Diane Abbott and that women can be successful not just by shagging footballers and being someone's mistress or wife. All little girls need positive role models but especially those from ethnic backgrounds as they are often starved of beautiful, classic, chic and powerful (and not just in the entertainment world) images to identify with -so again thank you Estee Lauder for having vision and being fabulous.

GRAZIA BEAUTY AWARDS

One of my absolute favourite titles to write for and read is Grazia. I love the mix of high street, the catwalk and the general fabulosity and that's why it was so exciting to be involved in their Beauty Awards this year, which shines a beauty spotlight on the most glam and covetable products of the past year.

I flew to New York this month with my husband and our Beauty and Fashion Filming Company Couture Communications, www.couturecommunications.com to film one of the judges of the Grazia Beauty Awards - the bubbly and world renouned make up artist Wendy Rowe who can be seen backstage at Burberry with supermodels like Daria and Anja Rubik. It was super fun and we had a right giggle filming some of the winning products on the stunning model Rose and winners included Tom Ford lipsticks, Estee Lauder's new eyeshadows created by Tom Pecheux, Lancome Precious Cells Mascara and Bobbi Brown's latest Natural Finish Long Lasting foundation SPF 15 for darker skin tones. Back home in old blighty we also filmed the other judges which included Anja Rubik, Hannah Poole author and fashion and beauty journalist, the gorgeous and talented superstar hair stylist Neil Moodie and the lovely Grazia Beauty girls at Grazia HQ.

To check out all the films we made featuring the judges and why they picked the winners please do check out the films on Grazia Daily on the link below.

http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/beauty/archive/2010/11/25/video--say-hello-to-the-grazia-beauty-award-winners.htm

DANIEL HERSHESON BLOW DRY BAR OPENS IN THE CITY

I am obsessed with Daniel Hersheson, www.danielhersheson.com (not the gentleman himself that would be creepy and weird even though Mr Hersheson is a lovely man) but the empire of amazing salons and blow dry bars he has created and runs with his super talented session stylist son Luke Hersheson. Every time I walk into a Daniel Hersheson salon, I feel frazzled like the city has kicked my ass and like some kind of wild beast. When I walk out I feel groomed, chic and like a beauty journalist. Merci.

Daniel Hersheson salons attract the best talent such as Sibi is one of the best colourists not only in London but the world, James who I see for power blow dries that really last and is an afro hair expert (if you have curly, thick, rebellious hair always see an afro specialist they will laugh in the face of your curls, as it’s nothing to them compared to afro hair). The beauty department is also first class see Kully for the best threading (she will make you look as if you have had a brow lift) ever she has a host of A- list celebs who all rush to see her and also their mani/pedi bar, facials and treatments are fabulous.

As well as the salons in central London, Daniel Hersheson also have blow dry bars in Topshop, Oxford Circus, Westfield and now a new one in the city at One New Change, St Pauls EC4,  The blow dry bars are quite frankly genius. You can book on line www.hershesons.com or walk in for a cool up do or sexy blow dry from a smorgasbord of styles created by the Hershesons. You can walk in feeling a blah and walk out with a swing in your step and a smile on your face. The emotionally healing power and soothing elixir of a blow dry- can’t be explained but only felt, am I right? Can I get an Amen up in here.

Now the party season is fast coming upon us the Hersheson Blow Dry Bar is brilliant for those Wonder Woman esque moments when you need to twirl around (metaphorically) and go from office to dance floor diva in a flash. You can even try out the New Hair Accessories range, which includes Gagalicious hair bows, clip in fringes or Winges, plaits and hair extensions, which will leave you feeling all glamourous. Hurray for Hershesons!

I'VE BEEN NOMINATED FOR A BEAUTY AWARD PLEASE VOTE FOR ME ON HANDBAG.COM!

Ahhhhhh!!!!! I've been nominated for Best Beauty Blog on Handbag.com 2010 Beauty Awards, it's so exciting! I screamed the house down when I found out. It's such a pleasure writing this blog and getting all your fab comments and kind emails! Please do vote for me my lovelies as you know how much I love my bling and mama would love to win this award. You also get the chance to win a cool weekend away to Barnsley House, www.barnsleyhouse.com, a 17th century Manor house in the Cotswolds for your trouble, once you have completed the voting process- nice! Thank you!


http://www.handbag.com/beauty/awards/handbag-beauty-awards-vote-2010 

ESTEE LAUDER/ ELIZABETH HURLEY HARRODS LIGHTING FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Last Tuesday was very exciting. I was at Harrods all day (as you do) with Estee Lauder and my Beauty and Fashion Filming and Consultancy Company Couture Communications, www.couturecommunications.com, filming Elizabeth Hurley. Elizabeth started the day off at Harrods raising awareness for Breast Cancer Research with a personal appearance where huge crowds of people lined up to meet her. Elizabeth is really passionate and a complete trooper. She told the crowds that since 1993 when Estee Lauder started the pink ribbon/ October Breast Cancer awareness month that they had raised more than 300 million dollars to help fight breast cancer and that with early detection there is a 98% survival rate with Breast Cancer.

Later on Elizabeth braved the rain and freezing temperatures to dazzle in a blinged out pink number (like she does every year- God bless her, I don't know how she does it I would be f-ing and blinding if it was me) where she turned Harrods pink. We were all given special pink 3D glasses, which made the lights on Harrods turn into 3D ribbons, which was cool. Please check out the films we produced below and remember to tell your friends, mum, sister and grannies to regularly check their breasts!

http://www.facebook.com/EsteeLauderUK

SHU UEMURA EYE SHADOW FROM SASS AND BIDE S/S II LFW

I'm completely obsessed with Shu Uemura. Ever since I was at school I used to save up and go to the Harvey Nichols counter and buy their amazing eyeshadows. They are packed full of pigment and look great on all skin tones especially darker skin tones, as many brands don't put enough pigment in their products -so they look washed out and ashy. As a beauty journalist I was lucky enough to meet the legendary Mr Shu Uemura himself and he was the sweetest most zen, kind man and artist and is one of the reasons why I love the beauty industry so much.

This season backstage at London Fashion Week at the Sass and Bide show I saw this new Shu Uemura eye shadow called G bronze, £14.50, www.shuuemura.co.uk, from the spring collection and I got that butterflies in the stomach feeling I used to get when I rocked up to the Shu counter as a kid. The lovely Pr (bless her) gave me one backstage (to probably stop me drooling over it) and I am lovin' it. It's a shimmering bronzy/gold colour, which can be worn by itself or on top of another base colour to bling it up, which is fab.  Grab one as soon as it comes out!!!!

ELIZABETH HURLEY AT HARRODS TODAY FOR ESTEE LAUDER'S BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Roll up, roll up the poshest and most mind blowing shop (seems wrong to call Harrods a shop but you know what I mean) in the world will be hosting a personal appearance with Elizabeth Hurley, spokesmodel for Estee Lauder and The Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign at 1pm at the Estee Lauder counter today. You will be able to meet Ms Hurley herself as she will be signing purchases from the exclusive Estee Lauder Pink Ribbon Collection 2010 in support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, www.bcrfcure.org. I don't know anyone who hasn't been touched or affected by breast cancer in some way and this is really a fantastic way to give back and support the fight against breast cancer. In the evening there will also be a stunning 3D landmark illumination you will not want to miss!

As a beauty journalist I have been very lucky over the years to be invited to Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness events in October and can tell you that Elizabeth Hurley is truly passionate and dedicated towards the cause. While I have been snugly wrapped up in boots and my cashmere scarf in the cold, I have seen Elizabeth Hurley each year in jaw droppingly beautiful and tiny pink dresses speaking with vigour and commitment and putting on a good glamourous show to help raise awareness without a shiver or complaint and I take my hat off to her and think to myself that sort of spirit wins wars and hopefully the war on breast cancer- good on you love. Get yourselves down there!

DOLCE & GABBANA THE LIP JEWELS

Now I have had quite a few emails asking about this rather blinging and fabulous Dolce & Gabbana The Lip Jewels, £40, on counter from November, exclusively at Harrods, which I spotted backstage in Milan at their show. It literally took my breath away it was so delicious. Quite frankly if I wasn't in the presence of Pat Mcgrath and in the uber chic backstage area- I would have been fist pumping Jersey Shore style I was so excited but I kept myself together and only squealed a bit instead (not too shaming).

I am the biggest magpipe and love all things shiny. I love patent shoes, diamonds baby and the big ass shiny ruby on top of this palette. If I could stick a ring under it I would wear it and touch up everywhere I go in a rather vulgar Marie Antoinette 'flashing my wares' sort of way.

The good thing is this lip palette not only looks good it also doesn't disappoint as such a lot of pretty beauty products do, in a all fur coat, no knickers way. I am pleased to say The Lip Palette is bang on trend as red lips are everywhere this A/W and bless their hearts they have even thrown in a nude (be warned this nude doesn't work on darker skin tones) for those off duty vamp days. The red lip colours are Dahlia (a classic blue red),  Devil (a Hollywood starlet red), Ultra (a warm red)  and they all can be mixed and are very versatile and easy to wear with a creamy, weightless and silky texture, which feels very modern (oh that Pat Mcgrath can conjure up and create some fabulous products). Grab yourself one as I can predict these will fly off the counter and there will be tears if you can't get your hands on one!!!!!!

ELIZABETH ARDEN PREVAGE ADVANCED ANTI AGING SERUM

The last few weeks have been crazy busy for me going backstage at LFW, filming with my company Couture Communications, as well as flying to Milan to go backstage at Dolce and Gabbana. It’s been a bit surreal but to help my skin keep in tip top condition I have been trying Elizabeth Arden’s Prevage Face Advanced Anti-Aging Serum, £145.

Now I do love Elizabeth Arden as a brand - it was started by a grand Beauty dame in her own right back in the day. You can always tell a strong beauty brand by their hero products and in this case the 8-hour cream is both iconic and brilliant!

To say my skin was feeling a little knackered during September would be an understatement, but I have been glowing and my skin looks well rested (even though I have had three hours sleep a night this past month). The silver Prevage packaging looks really high tech which I like as it looks like it will do what it says on the tin. 

The serum also delivered. I love the texture… it sinks in really well with no greasy tacky residue which I liked as at the age of 32 I feel I need to step up my anti-ageing skincare regime but with combination skin lots of the gloopy anti-ageing serums and creams put me off. The serum is bright orange but it’s not from freaky E numbers, it’s actually the natural colour of the main ingredient of the Prevage range and serum – Idebenone which is a potent and powerful anti-oxidant. 

This star ingredient has been blended with a cocktail of anti-oxidants such as a green tea blend, Bamboo Isoflavones and Thiotaine to help firm, tone, smooth out fine lines, age spots, minor scars and wrinkles. My skin loved this serum! It feels really soft, smooth and radiant, especially impressive considering what I have recently put it through! Grab a bottle and give it a whirl!

http://www.elizabetharden.co.uk/prevage/

AUTUMN'S STATEMENT RED LIPS

Ohhhh it's time for a statement red lip, which is so exciting. Red lips were back with an ass kicking avengence on the catwalks this A/W 10 of Karl Lagerfeld (loved the patent leather effect), Sass & Bide (gothic burgundy) and a worn red lip was seen at Moschino. For me red lips will forever be my mama's look, as she vamped it it up hard in the 80s with a power red lip. There is nothing more sexy and grown up than a red lip. You can't be as Britney so eloquently puts it, "I'm not a girl, not yet a woman". Red lips are all about embracing the woman inside of you and being fearless. Repeat after me, everyone can wear a red lip, like clothes you just have to know your red lip rules. If you have a warmer skin tone no matter your ethnicity, tomato warmer red shades look great on you. Deep aubergine / berry shades look (try MAC's Kittenish lipstick, £12.50) great on darker and cooler skin tones as well as giving blondes and brunettes are more vampy feel. Also look out for reds that have lots of blue in it if you have a cooler skin tone. For the purest amongst you, nothing beats MAC's Russian Red lipstick, £12.50, www.maccosmetics.co.uk, for a classic red which will never date just like a Hermes Birkin bag- you know what I mean!

I've been a busy bee this month and here is another film my company Couture Communications, www.couturecommunications.com produced for Sky Showbiz on how to create a 3 different red lip looks seen on the catwalk.


Sky Showbiz

http://www.youtube.com/user/skyshowbiz#p/u/0/8X8NDvX8irg

HOW TO GET DAY TO NIGHT HAIR IN A FLASH

Hi guys,

I can't believe it's the  October already you know how much I love Autumn and chic Autumnal beauty looks. As the days are getting shorter, making a quick change to rock your beauty look in evening can get hard. Celebrities such as Whitney Port, Olivia Palermo, Leighton Meester and Lauren Conrad are all sporting super easy but chic updos all created from a simple ponytail. Grab yourself a baby sized can of the iconic L'Oreal Paris Elnett and stash it in your desk drawer, which every session stylist I know swears by and was everywhere backstage at LFW this season. Please check out this film my company Couture Communications produced for Sky Showbiz with celebrity hair and make up artist Holly Silius on how to turn your work ponytail into 3 evening looks in the blink of an eye!!!!!


Sky Showbiz 
http://www.youtube.com/user/skyshowbiz#p/u/8/bLMmH-jJfpo

DOLCE & GABBANA MILAN FASHION WEEK SS/ 11

I woke up with butterflies in my stomach the day of the Dolce & Gabbana show, I felt like I was a kid and it was Christmas morning. But instead of running down the stairs and seeing a Christmas tree with loads of presents under it,  I was whisked backstage to the Dolce & Gabbana show at the chic Metropoli in Milan. This was a real honour, as they have not let journalists and bloggers backstage before and given so much exclusive access, so I was really thrilled to be asked. I was also to meet and interview one of my make up heroes- Pat Mcgrath, who was creating the make up look for the show. 


In the beauty industry Pat is our Mick Jagger. She is a legend who transcends make up and turns it into art. She is super skilled but it's her ideas, inspirations and concepts that make her so interesting and why I love the beauty industry. It's not just about lipsticks, it's about a mood, channeling characters from history about being that feisty bitch rocking a red lip and owning it (word). Make up can help you become, express and unleash sides of your nature, which both empower and excite you and that's beauty to me and Pat Mcgrath is the high priestess of this school of beauty. All great artists tell stories and they tell them really well whatever the medium be it film, music, fashion or make up and the Dolce & Gabbana show didn't disappoint. Backstage was the most organised and most chic backstage I have ever been to. It was all clean black and white lines, security guards with presidential style radio mics and ears pieces in D& G black suits and patent leather shoes politely saying please move back and wait for your pass Signorina. Even the bottles were lines up in an very pleasing and OCD manner (at LFW you'll be lucky to find some overturned red bulls and half eaten Pret a manger sandwiches). I said to myself, "you're not in Kansas anymore Ateh".  Lovely Chanel Iman was backstage and I said hi to her bless that girl she was so sweet she remembered me from LFW!


Pat was brilliant and created a make up look every women in the world aspires to a glowing, simple, clean chic and polished look with a nude to red mouth depending on the girls. Pat said the collection was mainly all white and that Domenico and Stefano wanted the girls to look sensual and gorgeous. She said the guys were inspired by white lace and the make up had to be natural and very peaceful, which it was. Pat has been working with the guys for 12 years and said it was a joy to collaborate with them and you could really see the relationship between the beauty and the clothes. 

Pat used the Dolce & Gabbana make up line she created and used the eyeshadow quad in nude in the crease and just under the eye with lashings of black mascara on the top lashes only. She lined the eye with the chocolate pencil but also said you can wet black/ dark brown eye shadow to use as a liner to give the eye definition. The top of the cheek bones were chiseled using a silver ish highligher, which made the girls look like angles and a caramel blush was used on the cheek for a slight sun kissed yet sophisticated look. My absolute favourite backstage product was the new lip jewels! The packaging was blinging with a giant ruby on top and it housed a quad of creamy lip colours in Dahlia, Devil, Ultra and Nude. Pat said she was mixing the colours together for some girls and using them separately on others, which was fab. The palette works well on all skin tones (no BS) and was too delicious. 


Eugene Souleiman who is a super creative powerhouse of a session stylist created the hair look for the show. He is also a complete sweetie! Both Pat and Eugene had to prepare 50 girls for the show but like all people at the top of their game, they both had time to talk me through the look with no diva drama or hissy fits. He said the guys wanted the hair to be romantic, soft but without looking like wedding hair, so he created a loose raw chignon with some structure at the back but with fly aways. He blowdried the hair at the roots to give the hair guts before twisting and pinning it. It was very dreamy and covetable hair.


Before I knew it-it was time to leave and go and see the actual show. The waiting area was v glam and they served amaretto sorbet, which stopped me in my tracks and almost made me trip on a stair, it was so good. Ice cream, beauty looks to die for and amazing fashion to come, I was in heaven and having some sort of out of body experience. Inside Kylie, Naomi Campbell, Anna Wintour, Suzy Menkes and Hilary Alexander were all excitably waiting for the show to start. Giant plasma screens showed us all the hussle and bussle that was taking place backstage, which felt very interactive and cool,  as we saw the girls having finishing touches applied to their hair and make up before hitting the catwalk. 


The show started with a huge projection of images of Sicily with old women making lace, of beautiful Monica Bellucci types cradling their beloved little first born boys and white washed church staples, which was quite emotional as they were really drawing from their past and personal heritage. Then out walked a succession of beautiful girls some with tits and ass (model tits and ass, so that's a size 8/10 to you and me), which was quite shocking but fantastic to see. The clothes told a story of a Sicilian woman on her wedding day with beautifully crafted white lace dresses. Then this woman made her way onto the beach with flirty white romper suits. Then all of a sudden the colour palette changed from brilliant white to that of black adorned young sensual widows dressed in curve clinging black power suits. The final florish was that of embellished blinging white dresses, which made me gasp they were so fabulous and made parts of the audience burst into spontaneous applause they were so overcome with the beauty of the white dresses and shimmering diamante. 


I left on a high and then was grabbed outside by a Dolce and Gabbana camera crew, as they wanted to interview me about my blog and what I thought about the show, which really was the most glam ending to a fab time at the show. I could see people looking at me, as they were spilling out into the street  thinking that Oprah's aged well but her weight's gone up again. Oh well. Thank you Dolce and Gabbana and Pat Mcgrath for a fantastico time in old Milano! See you next season Ciao bella!

LONDON FASHION WEEK SS 11 COUTURE COMMUNICATIONS AND GLAM MEDIA

Hi guys,
As you know London Fashion week was a crazy and exciting time for me and my company Couture Communications. We had four crews out filming all at the same time! Please check out this fab film we produced for Glam Media!

p.s. check out my hand in shot as I shamed myself getting various celebs such as Sienna Miller, Tracey Emin, model of the moment Jessica Hart, L'Oreal Paris' James Kailardos and MAC's fabulous Gordon Espinet to give me some sugar and fashion week tips!

VOGUE ITALIA 3D PARTY IN MILANO SS/ 11 FASHION WEEK

Hi guys. You will never guess what's happened! London Fashion Week was a blast as I was filming all day and writing all night, to bring you the backstage gossip from the shows. I then got a call from Dolce and Gabbana's "people" to say that they had seen my blogs and had requested I come to Milan and go backstage for their show. WTF. So here I am in Milan and the fabulousity has been cranked up to 10. As soon as I touched down I was whisked to a Vogue Italia party, which was also an exhibition of Steven Miesel's 3D photo shoot with Miranda Kerr. From the moment I stepped into the sprawling Palazzo Citterio, with it's majestic courtyard scattered with the 3D art installation with it's neon lights and stunning mix of 14th Renaissance old world feel with a modem New York loft- I felt right at home.


The courtyard featured 3D art (we were all given rather jazzy 3D felt glasses to wear) such as a blown up vanilla ice cream sundae (it made my mouth water) and the picture next to it was of an 18th century couple dancing in an orangery what was really fabulous. The whole thing screamed beauty as well as art, as there were dozens of scented candles strategically placed around the courtyard to give your senses a tickle, as vanilla wafted in the air as you looked at the sundae, which just made my mouth water chased by mind blowing orange blossom.


The inside of the exhibition was an homage to all things Miranda Kerr and in 3D it really worked as you felt you could see the wind machines blowing in her hair (very Beyonce/ Sasha Fierce I loved it)! The place was packed wall to wall of the fashion set such as IHT's Suzy Menkes, American Vogue's genius Creative Director Grace Coddington who stole the show from Anna Wintour in 'The September issue'. I had a chat with her and she really is a ethereal romantic artist. I told her I was a romantic too, as she mentioned we were a dying breed in the documentary, she was super sweet and told me that was very nice dear in such a charming English school ma-am/ great aunt sort of way- I did love her even more for that. It's a great feeling when you meet your heroes and they live up to the hype. As I said my goodbyes to Grace in walked Miranda herself and baby daddy/ husband Orlando Bloom she looked amazing with killer high heels on. The whole room gasped as she stumbled on a random ramp on the floor but she didn't fall ! Her 5 month bump was non existent- I looked more preggers than her after  a plate of pasta Ragu ( the food is so good here it brings tears to my eyes literally- I get emotional and my husband thinks I'm a freak and laughs at me with every teary mouthful). Orlando looked cute but quite slight and his mop of curly brown hair looked very well conditioned and defined- top marks I notice stuff like that. He was very loving to Miranda and always caressing her back blesssssss, it was time to go and grab some rest as tomorrow was the biggie going backstage at Dolce and Gabbana then my interview with the legend that is make up artist Pat McGrath!!!!!!!