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

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?! 

An Editorial fashion shoot - like a short film ...

This fashion shoot art directed and photographed in Firenze Italy is a great example of how like a film director an art director can be.

The creative team of photographer, models, stylist, hair and make up artists and art director can create a wonderfully evocative and compelling story to sell fashion with still images. Selling an aspirational notion, capturing the viewers imagination and making them want to be those people in that place is what it is all about.

The above fashion shoot is a modern day version of 'A Room with a View' by E.M Forster, set in Florence as was the book and famous film. It is simple and has an understated glamour. Beautifully photographed by Dee Ramadam this shoot is very well thought through and sequenced with brilliant attention to detail.

Summer Fashion Trends

I still like jumpsuits even though the maxi dress trend is tipped to continue into next summer too - this is a vintage jump suit from 'beyond retro' - I like Olly Patons styling ..... found this in todays Sunday Times style magazine. See my blog from June about jump suits....got to get one or make one...

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? 

Hottest Bags: Phillip Lim Edie and Mulberry Neely Bags

Phillip Lim's Edie and Mulberry's Neely bags are two of the hottest bags in Hollywood right now. Some of the stars like Rachel Bilson, Leighton Meester and Diane Kruger were seen with Phillip Lim’s Edie bag while Blake Lively, Michelle Trachtenberg and Olivia Palermo hit the streets with Mulberry's Neely bag.



Photo Source: InStyle.com