Croque Monsieur

It's only a toasted cheese and ham sandwich. But calling it a Croque Monsieur turns it into something a bit more chic (think cafés and Paris)! And you know what, it tasted so good (even if it was slightly over-toasted). Do you make this at home? (The key is to use Gruyère, it seems.)

It's a Ming thing

Check out this months Dazed & Confused to see the beautiful Ming Xi in a dreamy editorial created by Will Davidson and Joanna Schlenka. The ethereal styling and flowing movements create a poetic feature, celebrating innovative Asian fashion.

Backstage antics...or lack of!

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of the world’s most glamorous catwalk shows? As much as we would love to reveal a scandalous world of tantrums and catfights the reality is far less exciting, especially for the models. Check out these shots of Elite girls behind the scenes at the couture shows...backstage must haves include: ipod, phone, snack, book and a cup of tea!

 Caroline at Valentino & Julia at Chanel

 Julia S at Dior & Olga at Jean Paul Gaultier

Sigrid at Dior

Images taken from style.com

Prada love

It was love at first sight. I saw this pair of beige-blush heels and I just had to have them!

I love the girly ribbon detail, the colour (nude shoes are my favourite), and the fact that the heels are not too high. Just looking at these shoes makes me happy!

And I found a silk top (on sale) and a cute belt... also from Prada. 

Have you done any Prada shopping lately?
Or: what's on your Prada wishlist?

Denisa raises the barre...

Vogue Russia couldn’t be more topical with this exquisite editorial featuring Denisa Dvorakova, proving that ballet fever has well and truly gripped the fashion world...

 

 

Elite ♥ Couture

Julia Saner

Ah couture season descends over Paris once again...when fashion turns to fantasy and designer looks become even more unattainable, none more so than Christian Dior with John Galliano at the helm!  Elite beauties Olga Sherer, Sigrid Agren & Julia Saner took to the Dior catwalk, showcasing some iconic looks the fashion house is famous for...could we pull these frocks off in the real world? Who cares, its couture!

 Olga Sherer

Sigrid Agren

Elite Model Q&A: Charlotte Benson

Bloggers meet Charlotte Benson...you may recognise her from Italian Vogue but we know her as the mad blonde who never fails to make us laugh...

 E: What’s your top beauty tip?
C: The cliché..cleanse, tone, moisturise and smiling!
E: If we were to take you to Starbucks right now what would you order?
C: Coor Momma! Coffee Frappuccino and one of those cherry lollies
E: What do you miss most about home when you’re travelling?
C: Laughing with my mumma
E: What item of clothing is on your s/s wish list?
C: ANYTHING from the Jil Sander s/s-superb it was!
E: As an experienced traveller what gets you through a long haul flight?
C: Leg room, boiled sweets (rhubarb and custards)
E: What did you have for breakfast today?
C: I’m just trying to remember...yoghurt with honey, seeds and a variety of fruity goods
E: f you weren’t modelling what would you be doing with your life?
C: Tornado chasing...this isn’t for laughs...I really would (E: this doesn’t surprise us!)
E: What’s been your best modelling experience so far?
C: Meeting my new scouse friend, Bethany Leader, what a fruitcake (E: we love it when these two are in the agency together...hilarious!)
E: What is your life philosophy?
C: No one is better than you...we all sit on the toilet (E: Is it wrong we see the wisdom behind this one?)
E: Apart from your portfolio what do you carry in your bag during a casting day?
C: All sorts of currency, gum and heels

E: What’s the best thing about being a model?

C: You get to be a part of something new everyday

E: What’s the worst thing about being a model?

C: Its extremely demanding...it’s hard to make plans
E: What’s the oldest thing in your wardrobe?
C: My Steps concert T-shirt and grandpas cardigan
E: Have you ever been in a school play?
C: Yes-I pride myself on being Mary in year 6

E: What would be your last meal and where?

C: A frozen yoghurt in Frae or Snog!

E: Vogue or Heat?
C: Vogue

A Privileged Life

 Here at Elite we love NET-A-PORTER. Not only are they great for a spot of lunchtime shopping on the booking desk but they also come up with some gorgeous online editorials to showcase the latest in designer looks. Hannah Hardy leads ‘the privileged life’ in this exquisite story, head to toe in timeless summer wardrobe staples...all pulled together with the sophisticated elegance our girl is starting to become known for...swoon!

Elite boys-from Milan with love...

With men's fashion week drawing to a close over in Milan we thought we'd give you a taste of what our Elite boys are up to...Next stop Paris!

 Oscar Spendrup-Bottega Veneta

  River-D&G

Vincent Banic-Salvatore Ferragamo

William Lewis-Roberto Cavalli



One V.special editorial!

V magazine welcome in the New Year with this striking editorial, showcasing the new vision, new faces and new fashion that are sure to shape 2011. Three of Elite’s budding megastars Suzie Bird, FeiFei Sun and Ming Xi look set to top their unbelievable 2010 and we can’t wait to see how this year unfolds for these three beauties...dare we start to mention Fashion Week A/W?

Hola Constance!

Constance Jablonski is, without a doubt the modern day supermodel. With countless covers, commercials, campaigns and editorials under her belt it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that she’s gracing the cover of the latest issue of Vogue Spain, shot by Alex Cayley. This simple, soft and spring like image has us yearning for sunny skies and the chance to dip into our own S/S wardrobe. With EML 2011 on the horizon, potential applicants take note that Constance started her career through this iconic contest...inspired?

The year of Nyasha

We know it’s meant to be all about the boys this week but we could not resist showing you this breathtaking sneak peak of Giles Deacon pre-fall lookbook, featuring the gorgeous Nyasha. Following her EML UK 2009 win, Nyasha’s career has skyrocketed (remember Louis Vuitton?) and this is just the start of what is sure to be an incredible year for the sweetest girl in the industry.

Elite Model Q&A: Hannah Noble

We know it’s barely been a day since our last model Q&A but we couldn’t resist putting our questions to rising star Hannah Noble when she popped into the agency between castings. So here you go bloggers, meet our down-to-earth, low maintenance, coffee drinking, skinny jeans wearing superstar...

E: What’s your top beauty tip?
H: Not really my forte...(E: take it from us...unfairly this beauty is all about soap and water)
E: If we were to take you to Starbucks right now what would you order?
H: Small filter coffee..it’s a pound. Bargin!
E: As an experienced traveller what gets you through a long haul flight?
H: The nouveau cuisine they serve on planes...obvs
E: What did you have for breakfast today?
H: Weetabix mini’s fruit and nut with semi skimmed milk
E: What song is the most played on your ipod?
H: The Whitest Boy Alive-Intentions
E: If you weren’t modelling what would you be doing with your life?
H: Ha! Good question...school??
E: What’s your favourite city you’ve seen so far?
H: Paris...without the people (E: here at Elite we love our Parisian friends...clearly Miss Noble’s been hanging out with the wrong crowd!)
E: Who’s your celebrity crush?
H: James Franco

E: What’s been your worst modelling experience so far?

H: Having to walk in high heels! (E: as you can see we have a serious tomboy on our hands!)

E: What’s been the best movie you’ve seen recently?

H: Public Enemies
E: Favourite designer?
H: Missoni
E: What’s your dream night in?

H: Catching up on sleep!

E: What is your current favourite outfit?

H: Black Converse, black skinny’s and my white Slazenger polo

E: Would you say beauty wise you’re high maintenance?
H: Erm...you can judge for yourself! (E: as we're sure you’ve gathered from reading this, Miss Noble is about as low maintenance as they come!)
E: What’s your karaoke song?
H: To be honest if I tried to sing anything it wouldn’t sound anything like the song. So N/A!

It's in the bag!

It's my turn today! This is the "It's in the bag" blog crawl! It's perfect for me - you know how much I love handbags!

I'm actually going to show you my evening purse. Chanel, of course!

It's the classic flap bag in black. I'd wanted it for years and I finally got it about a year and a half ago as a wedding anniversary gift! I still admire it when I take it out of the equally wonderful Chanel box and I take good care of it.

Celebrities are often seeing with this bag during the day but for me - as much as I hate to criticize anything Chanel and I would never ever tell my husband this! - it is too small. I cannot fit everything in there. Also, using it less often makes it more special. I have a bigger Chanel bag that I use on a daily basis.

Because it's for evening, I take as little as possible, and I have narrowed this down to:
- my keys in the red Louis Vuitton key case, which you have seen before here
- money and a credit card in a little I heart London purse from Accessorize - they have the cutest stuff!
- Chanel face powder
- a Shu Uemura retractable powder brush
- Chanel lipstick, Rouge Allure Laque 74 Dynastie (see swatch here)
- L'Occitane hand cream
- toothpick - I think having food stuck between the teeth is embarrassing (for me and for others) so I always, always check in the bathroom mirror after a meal
- hair claw from H&M
- oh, and chewing gum, which I forgot
- and my iPhone, which I used to take this photo.

Not much, is it? But you have to squeeze everything in.
Still, it's a Chanel and it's one of my favourite bags!

In case you missed it yesterday: Inspired Design.
Coming up next: Photography Getaway.
Thanks to Ashley for organising this fun blog crawl!

Elite girls get campaigning!

Julia Saner

What’s this...another black and white campaign, clearly monochrome is the only way to be shot this Season! Elite beauties Caroline Brasch-Nielson (best cheekbones in the business) and EML 2009 winner Julia Saner front the latest campaign for Valentino shot by David Sims, showing off some exquisite and delicate looks the brand is famous for. These whimsical and romantic portraits are an instant favourite round the booking desk...

Caroline Brasch-Nielson

Elite Model Q&A: Jed Texas

Blog followers meet the lovely Jed Texas

Elite: Have you ever been in a school play?
Jed: Yes, Oliver
E: What’s your earliest memory?
J: Being washed in the sink
E: What’s the best freebie you’ve ever got?
J: Wrigleys Mints at Kings Cross station (E: not impressed by this, we need to teach Jed the skill of blagging!)
E: Who would you love to get stuck in a lift with?
J: Jimmy Carr...he would make the time fly by!
E: What’s your Facebook status update at the moment?
J: I’m going places! Wana come?
E: How much is a pint of milk?
J: 50p (E: we googled this...not bad)
E: Most played album on your ipod?
J: Rhianna-Loud
E: What’s your Starbucks order?
J: Hazelnut hot chocolate in Winter and Vanilla Frappuccino in Summer
E: What’s your Fashion Week survival strategy?
J: Painkillers!
E: If you weren’t working in the industry what would you be doing?
J: Busking
E: What would be your last meal and where?
J: Chicken Katsu curry in bed
E: What’s on your Sky+ this week?
J: Eastenders and the Inbetweeners
E: Describe yourself in 3 words...
J: Cheeky, confident, energetic
E: Who’s the worst dressed person in politics?
J: Who’s in politics?? (E: not exactly helping to dispel the models are lacking in intelligence stereotype...)
E: If you had a million pounds what would you spend it on?
J: Girls! (E: Awwww!)

FeiFei + DSquared2 + (Katie Grand + Mert Alas x Marcus Piggott) = super hot campaign

Hello Spring Campaign’s! Nothing says ‘happy new year’ like drooling over the latest looks to encourage us to shed those winter layers. Star of 2010 FeiFei Sun rises again in this edgy, androgynous campaign for the uber cool DSquared2 shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, showing us that ‘tux luxe’ is on the fashion radar (eek!). Throw in the now legendary stylist Katie Grand and this powerhouse of a campaign is a sure winner.

Dr Brandt's Anti-Oxidant Water Booster

This was one of those purchases... I read about it (well, just saw it in the Space NK catalogue) and thought it would change my life so I rushed out to get it. It's supposed to be one of those quick miracle products: one dropper of this stuff is equivalent to 15 cups of decaffeinated green tea. "Maintains younger looking skin" and "helps fight free radicals".

When I bought it last autumn there were only two flavours: blueberry and original. (Now they have pomegranate as well, it seems.) At Space NK they let me try both (a couple of drops in a glass of water). I thought the original (green tea) tasted too "grassy" so I got blueberry.

Well, first of all, I don't like the flavour. I can drink it mixed with orange juice but I don't like to because I don't like the thought of ruining a perfectly good glass of orange juice with some weird and fake blueberry flavour. It certainly doesn't taste good in tea and it's too obvious in water.

And the other problem is that I simply forget to use it.

I obviously won't be repurchasing. And I'm now rather pessimistic about short-cuts like this because they usually don't work anyway, right? Has anyone tried this product and loved it?

More info here, if you're interested.

Who is Rory Torrens?

 Photographer Ian Cole

Well he’s an Elite London Boy of course and by the looks of things Rory Torrens is on the way up, gracing the cover of Carbon Copy’s Winter 2010 issue with a captivating accompanying editorial in case that wasn’t quite enough. Rory is no stranger to the cover club as a previous Chaos Magazine cover boy as well as Pixie Lott’s leading man in her ‘Can’t make this over’ video...currently in Milan for fashion week looks like we will be adding catwalk star to this already impressive modelling CV!

It's all about the Boys...

Now Elite is up and running with (in our opinion) the strongest men’s board around, January is no longer a lull in the fashion calendar as now we have Mens fashion week to perk up our new year! Elite London boys have hit Paris on the first stop on the fashion week trail and we can safely say they mean business! Keep posted for catwalk updates and in the mean time cast your eyes over our ones to watch for the weeks ahead...