Engagement story

We got engaged in New York. He was there on business and I'd joined him there for the weekend. Whilst he was in meetings, I was busy popping into all the expensive jewellery stores on Fifth Avenue, looking for the ring (I wasn't going to let him choose!). That was so much fun.

I knew it was going to be Tiffany's, though. Walking into their flagship store was an experience in itself and upstairs where all the engagement rings are (or were, at least), I even saw (a) Holly Golightly! Seriously.

I chose two rings and 'reserved' them. The sales assistant was polite but not super friendly or anything. He did ask for my boyfriend / fiancé's name before I left.

And the next day, we walked in. He recognised me, then looked at my fiancé. He suddenly became the most charming person ever. With a big smile, he walked over to meet us and addressed my fiancé by name. Maybe I should have been offended by this transformation but I was too amazed and impressed!

Another funny thing I remember is that every time we wanted to look at a ring by the big window (different lighting), the sales assistant had to 'inform' the bodyguard. Yes, there was a bodyguard standing by the window! Did they think we were going to jump out of the window with the ring?! 

Now tell me your story! Did you know he was going to propose? Did you choose the ring with him? 

Or how do you want it to be?

1, 2, 3

EML FINAL - SHOWTIME!

4 days in and our 12 EML recruits are walking, talking and dressing like models... but can they pass the ultimate test - the FASHION SHOW?

Dress rehearsal gets underway

After a leisurely Thursday breakfast at the fashion-fabulous Mayfair hotel the girls strolled round to the final show venue, the incredible One Mayfair to crack on with the main event. Rehearsals got underway immediately, with the girls taking their first steps on a real catwalk under the guidance of last year's winner, Nyasha Matonhodze. 

Nyasha shows the girls how it's done

The terribly talented Toni & Guy Art Team were once again on hand to coif the girls to perfection, with celeb makeup artists Daniel Sandler  and his team supplying the makeup. All a-flutter in their Eylure lashes and ready to rock their Warehouse looks, the spotlight moment arrived for our finalists... look out for show and winner pictures here over the weekend!

Louise gets some practice on the other side of the camera

EML FINAL - THE STYLE DAY

The week is flying by and now it's time for our 12 Elite Model Look finalists to chill out and enjoy the model lifestyle before tomorrow's big final show. The day started with a morning visit to the ultra-glam Urban Retreat at Harrods, where the girls were treated to makeup classes, skincare consultations, manicures and massages... all primped and preened and so relaxed we had to drag the dozing models off to their next appointment. Well they deserved a nap.... 

Another blast of catwalk workshop at the agency was followed by a trip to lovely style partner WAREHOUSE's flagship store in Argyll Street. The girls got the red carpet treatment as the store was closed especially for them to shop, while Warehouse's stylists helped them pick out the perfect model looks.

Just one sleep left before the big show!

Say cheese!

I am seriously addicted to Parmesan!

I can't seem to live without it these days. I use it in salads, soups, pasta and risotto dishes obviously, and fish for (I think) the first time last night (it was a Jamie Oliver recipe). The official website says Parmesan is perfect as a starter, main and dessert! (See their serving suggestions here.)

Dessert? Yes, apparently you can have parmesan with fruit. Have you tried it? I'm not too sure about this.

But what I'm even more unsure about is parmesan ice cream. What do you think?!

Photos

EML FINAL - THE PHOTOSHOOT

After the excitement of makeovers,  Day 3 of the Samsung Diva Elite Model Look Final saw our girls get in front of the camera to show off their new looks. With everyone getting to know each other, and a team of almost 20 getting are girls ready for their first major shoot, it was an action-packed if exhausting day for our little supermodels... the full shoot will be published soon but in the meantime here's a taster of the day.

 

Photography by Rokas Darulis

Styling by Warehouse

Hair by Toni & Guy Art Team

Makeup by Daniel Sandler Team

Thanks also to Holborn Studios, Kiel deValera, Colin Smith, Tomek Jasinski and Denis Shklovsky

Beauty sleep is not a myth

Now I have another good reason to dislike those people from last week: not only did they damage my new car, they robbed me of my beauty sleep!

"Beauty sleep is not a myth and sleep does lessen the severity of wrinkles in the face and neck, at least temporarily. This period of deep sleep... contributes to what people call "beauty sleep" as secretion of growth hormone helps repair and rebuild body tissues like muscle and bone. It is not just lack of sleep that negatively affects body fat percentage and the risk of chronic disease—poor sleep quality does as well." (source) 

I've talked about the Sleep Cycle app on my iPhone before (here and here). I looked back at my sleeping patterns following the accident (story here) and sure enough, I've been sleeping poorly.

To set the scene: the night before, I slept like a baby. Perfect beauty sleep.

Then the incident. I was really upset and couldn't sleep.

Next night: exhausted. I went to bed just after 9pm. I thought I slept ok. But I seem to have spent quite a few of those hours 'awake'.

After that: even worse. Not much (deep) sleep at all.

I hope you are getting enough beauty sleep!

EML FINAL - IT'S MAKEOVER DAY!

The Samsung Diva Elite Model Look Final Week stepped up to full speed on Monday with the first finalist workshops and the only bit of the week scarier than the catwalk... hair makeovers!

Our girls started the day with breakfast at the agency followed by a workshop and seed snack with Ian Marber, the Food Doctor, and then headed on to Toni & Guy's Oxford Street Academy for their makeovers with T&G's top session team. We created a fringe, two bobs, a bleach blonde, an Audrey Hepburn brunette, and used at least a thousand foils, and completely without tears too. High five, girls!

Meeting the Food Doctor

A catwalk workshop and quick spin on our new toy the EML BUS, finished the day off nicely. Next up, the photoshoot! We hope you're ready...

Eilidh goes blonde

Here Come the Girls!

Our Samsung Diva Elite Model Look finalists are here at last! The top 12 girls to emerge from our 2010 casting tour are in town preparing for their catwalk debut at Thursday's Grand Final, and we are SO excited to finally have them all to ourselves for a week!  From the minute they arrived on Sunday the girls have been on the go, starting with fittings for their too-fabulous-for-words bespoke Warehouse dresses, choosing their skyscraper catwalk heels, and delving into goody bags including mobile phones, clothes and beauty products from our lovely sponsors Samsung Diva, Warehouse, Toni & Guy, Eylure and All for Eve.

The girls are briefed on the week's events

Leeds girl Jenni raids the goody bags

The girls are off to check into their swanky pad for the week now, and we can't wait to see what tomorrow's makeover day at Toni & Guy holds instore! Watch this space as they spend the week turning into models before our eyes...

Hannah and Grace make the critical choice of which heels to wear on the catwalk

Rihanna in Lingerie, January GQ Magazines

The umbrella girl,Rihanna pose on GQ magazines,january 2010 with black leather lingerie.rihanna was on the cover GQ.

Monte Carlo Blue Silk Lined Bra,Panty and Garter Belt set

Blue Mondays with a Monte Carlo blue silk-lined bra, panty and garter belt set by the U.K,'s Andrea Billard, and worn beautifully by model Sarah Beake.

The French Riviera

I'm going to the south of France in August!

A friend of mine has a house there and she has invited me over! I am only going for a few days because I have other commitments but it doesn't matter. I'm taking my son with me (my poor husband has to work!) so we'll probably spend lots of time doing nothing by the pool. I can't wait!

Have you ever been to the Côte d'Azur?

Photos

Shadow art

What does this look like to you?

It's supposed to be a dog. It's a bit of hand shadow art... created with my hands, I'm proud to add. Well, at least I thought it was pretty good until I saw...

These by a professional duo:

And these - made with rubbish! Incredible!

How talented a shadow artist are you?! 

Fancy Italian

We go to a lot of good Italian restaurants but few are really fancy like the one we went to recently.

It started with the raw vegetables that were brought to our table as soon as we sat down. Cooled with ice cubes - that was a nice touch - and served with a delicious mayonnaise-garlic-chili dip. And I was so thrilled to see 'Bellini' on the drinks menu that I ended up ordering two.

The pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente. It was with truffles, bacon and peas (also perfect, not mushy!). I had fish soup (actually a starter) for my main course (I often do this because I can't eat huge portions) and my husband had fish.

As if that weren't enough, the dessert was out of this world. It was a liquid dessert: sorbet with prosecco and vodka! Boy was I feeling rather *happy* by the end of this meal, if you know what I mean...

I liked the restaurant's modern decor, as well. Especially the tables that had special slits along the edges to tuck in the tablecloth.

Planning on going out to any restaurants this weekend? 

Thank you everyone and L'Oréal

Dearest friends: thank you so much for your support and for sharing your stories (for those of you who missed the news, an incompetent female idiot reversed into my new car this week). Your kind words made me feel so much better; I didn't feel like I was alone and I really can't thank you enough! So here are some pretty flowers for all of you... 

Oh and if anybody knows any voodoo or how to channel fury and do harm from a distance, let me know asap!

* * *

I also want to thank L'Oréal. I was wearing a new mascara that day called Volume Million Lashes that did not make me look like a panda / witch in my moments of distress.

It has the kind of hard plastic brush that I like. The application is quite smooth and it doesn't clump.

But the real test was the 'accident' and the buckets of tears that I shed afterwards and:

1. the mascara did not sting (unlike my past experience with other L'Oréal mascaras, read about it here)

2. it did not budge too much and it kept my eyelashes separate, and

3. I still looked like I was wearing mascara at the end of each crying session.

All of this was without rubbing my eyes, of course. You know that when the eyes are wet - whether from rain or tears - it's best not to touch them.

Now I'm coming around to your blogs to say hello... 

HELLO BOYS

River Delfin (V Man) & Will Lewis (Numero)

Exciting news in the Elite office as finally we have arrived at the launch day of our long-awaited Men's board! We can barely contain ourselves and here's why...

Boasting only the most ELITE men out there, our shiny new board has everything from the hottest new boys such as sultry Spaniard River Delfin, to runway faves Philipp "Dior, McQueen, Gianfranco Ferre" K and established campaign guys such as William Lewis and Aram Gevorgyan.

On top of that lovely lot we're all in a flutter over the fab homegrown talent our mens-booker-with the-most Charlie Clark is bringing on board. With new faces of the standard of Jonny Alderton and Michael Bamber strolling through the door we're sure the finest of London's fashion pack will be beating a path to our door. Don't say we didn't warn you Charlie...

Watch this space come LFW as we think our mens board deserves to arrive with a bang, and that means it's time to get that guestlist on the go...

Want to meet our boys? Get in line by emailing charlie@elitemodellondon.co.uk or calling direct on 020 7841 3287

 

New faces Michael B and Jonny

Crashing a brand new car

It's been one happy week since I got my new Mini! I have been having so much fun driving around in it and I am thankful for the air conditioning! I was going to post pictures of it but it looks exactly like the one I posted here and right now I am not in the mood.

Why am I shaking and crying as I write this? Well, some stupid woman backed into my brand new car today. I was not injured in any way but my poor car!

We were both stopped before a busy road (no lights), waiting for a chance to drive onto it. I was a good distance away from the car in front. But suddenly the car reverses! It didn't just roll gently, she backed, foot on the accelerator... obviously without looking!

I was really alarmed, hardly believing what I was seeing, and I honked the horn but to no avail. Bang! What on earth?!

The 'explanation': she had suddenly realised the car was on the cycle lane and wanted to make space for a cyclist coming our way.

Actually, she did not speak. Her husband was sitting in the passenger seat and he did all the talking. Anyway, we didn't get on very well, he called me arrogant and rude (because I was on the phone with my husband asking what I should do!), so we called the police. Oh, he also said, "What's the big deal? Things like this happen all the time."

My beautiful car has little but ugly black scratches on the front and the number plate is slightly crumpled. I have two witnesses - they were so nice, thank you - so getting the insurance sorted out should not be a problem. Just a hassle.

I'm so sad.
I don't think I'll be able to do the usual commenting rounds today. Sorry, everyone, please understand.