Vanity Nightmare

Chapter 1.

I see people far too often hijack their own life through a social media presence. They try to find a voice in a sea of technology and are so transfixed by the end game that they forget the present. The Matrix of life is complicated. We coexist intertwined in suburban jungles, the old and new combing in a constant battle of dominance till one contestant breaks or a state of tranquillity is reached. Take control back, your life is yours for the taking, don't waste it.

Understand? No, me neither, but I thought it sounded clever. My mind works too fast for my own good, I'm more complicated than a Rubik's cube and I confuse myself. I see the world differently from others, I know that. I sometimes think it's either my slight dyspraxia or my dsyrixia talking (surely they could come up with easier words to spell) or maybe it's a Scorpio thing. I think RuPaul gets it. He can step away from something and see the bigger picture. I think this is why the world can feel so lonely and empty to me sometimes, when I step out of this Matrix it's kinda empty, because so many are stuck inside.

I find it hilarious that I'm writing a blog entry into blogger in 2019. The world has moved past these types of blogs now and now we exist in a photographic world with captions on made up of short words and catches to get you hooked. And what is up with the people who only have selfies on their profiles?! If your not a makeup artist, Drag Queen, or someone who has a reason for photos of their face, then STOP. One day your look back at these photographic empty diaries and realise your life is an empty book. Document what means something to you, that can be a selfie, but lets bring you back down to earth, more than 3 selfies in a row is a problem.

This blog has been a life saver for me. It's helped me grow and it's helped me find a voice. I've lived in this cyber world for so long, so much longer than anyone I know. I've grown up in chat rooms and I've lived on the web for longer than many of my peers. I'm different, I always will be. I'm always going to be that socially awkward person and I'm proud to be that. 

This blogs main purpose was to feature photos that I had made, and they all had a reason. I had zero idea at the time that one day I would become a Drag Queen. The one thing that pisses me off today is that people see one episode of Rupauls Drag Race and think 'oh yep thats me i identify with that' because a lot of the time you really don't and you don't understand it. Drag is a journey of self discovery and some people think you can spring to the finishing line. It's a slow process and a hard one at that in which I'm still juggling. It's getting there, but for now, ta da, welcome to a new era of Vanity Nightmare. The fully realised Drag Queen that I've become.

Photography is all by the wonderful Chris Jepsen and retouching and graphics are done by moi.

So enjoy whatever this blog has become.

Come join in my life if you read this and find out what I'm up to today!

My instagram is @vanitynightmare - weird eh?!

Bye for now, and thank you for the memories
(and yes I'm aware I'm talking to myself here, i'm weird remember)

x

Rambles

I like reading old posts on my blog here for many reasons.  Sometimes you find yourself giving advice or help you need to yourself without knowing it, or you start to realise things.  I thought about this the other day when watching Grace and Frankie, and I know how much blogging can help sometimes.  Blogging can also be a cause of a lot of issues too, we've all seen the accounts where people like to post picture perfect images that have all been carefully selected and retouched for what? To get more followers? To present this unrealistic idea of how we think others lead their lives when reflecting it back to us thinking, oh i wish i was him/her, oh i wish i had that body, the list goes on and it's driving me insane.  Even i'm a fool to this, why do I, like so many let myself get tricked into this?  We see snapshots of peoples lives and for some reason we create these fully rounded people in our heads.  We don't know their personality, and sure they can post videos, but these are also edited.  I like to see people when they are totally taken off guard, and their just being themselves without them subconsciously editing the way they come across from someone.
Sure I love to post a selfie now and then, sometimes I do it just because I want to check myself in the mirror if i'm presentable to the guy who's about to serve my in the corner shop, then I think oh i actually look ok here.
To some degree we all have issues with our looks, but we never seem to assume that other people do too.  A lot of the time I assume people know how good looking they are, so why would I say it all the time? And why would they get so happy or give someone so much attention for complimenting them?
Maybe I'm living in a dream world, I just don't understand.  If you've been in a relationship with someone and they have loved you unconditonally and you the same then why would you doubt yourself...

I've ended up deleting a huge chunk of this post, no matter how general I talk about something, it's just not the same.  It's pointless, which is exactly how I'm feeling now.  I feel like i've joined a game of Chess mid way through, and since I have no idea how to play the game, I have 0 ideas of what my next move should be, or if it's just game over.  At the same time looking at the positives maybe i've won the game, which is definitely not the outcome, but if I have then I never want to play again.

Inspiration Hits

It's been over a year since I posted here, and life for me has changed dramatically.  Theres been chances that I could have taken to step back, reflect on the things that have been happening around me, or directly to me, and think about ways to go around these.  Although I've taken some of these steps, and as a result created something with a lot more thought, I've neglected these things, more than I should have.  I hate referring to this website as a 'blog' it's really been a visual diary for me, and an outlook for me to really just ramble about anything.  If people come across my page (which i know people do due to stats) I just hope that you get something from it.  Maybe it inspires you to create your own work, or give you an idea, or just be something to look at an enjoy for a mini second, it's created by me, and it's yours for the taking.

I just came across something I found online that has inspired me, and after a year to finally post something on here once more.  I don't feel like I have to, I want to, and really this is just me talking to myself, I need get myself together, and the list of things I need to do is getting longer by the day, so, it's time to stop wiring, for now, and start work on these things.  Although in an hour I plan to watch Mean Girls with the flatmates...

'Let It Go' - Queen Elsa Disney Drag Makeup from Frozen

'Let It Go' - Queen Elsa Disney Drag Makeup from Frozen

It's about time I posted a new makeup look and here's one I created for Brighton Pride 2014!  This year I was walking the parade once again and I brainstormed for ideas until I saw crystal clear idea - Queen Elsa!  I spent weeks finding the right outfit, accessories and makeup and the result of all of all of that can be seen above and below!

My outfit was bought entirely on ASOS.com.  The dress is from a fashion brand called Forever Unique, who make 'unusual dresses'.  The price point is high, but definitely worth it, and I manged to find this gem in the sale!  Celebrities who have worn Forever Unique dresses include Miley Cyrus, Nicole Scherzinger, and Kimberley Walsh to name a few.  The 5" shoes are ASOS own with a lace up design and see-through misted heel.  I bought these as I thought they were a practical alternative and the laces gave me some support for the duration of the parade!
I bought the wig from Coser Studio and the hair pins were bought separately which I then bent into the hair using pliers.  All other accessories were bought via eBay and I made the cape using fabric bought in a local store and knotting it to my collar snowflake necklace.

I love all things Disney and anything that captures the imagination of others is something I give huge props to.  I chose to dress in cosplay and be Queen Elsa, because I knew the film connects with so many people in different ways.  Some people watch the film over and over, some just like the songs, and some only know it through viral videos that people have shared.  Countless people took their picture with me on the day, and many parents wanted a picture of their child or baby with their favourite Disney princess!  I really did feel like a Disney princess throughout the day, and hey, if I can't be apart of the actual Disney Parade then I can sure make my own!  The best part of the day was meeting up with two other people in the parade who were dressed in 'The Little Mermaid' cosplay as Ariel and Prince Eric!

The makeup I've used below is a mixture of drug store and more premium brands.  I only needed to buy the Rimmel lipstick for this look as I had everything else, so really you could buy everything cheap for this look - you can just use my list as a visual reference by shades used!

See my other Disney themed makeup looks HERE
 
Tags: queen elsa makeup, queen elsa drag, elsa drag, frozen makeup, frozen cosplay, elsa guy, elsa dress, asos elsa dress, silver shoes, brighton pride 2014 photos, gay pride photos, elsa drag queen, elsa makeup, elsa cosplay, queen elsa cosplay, disney frozens elsa outfit, elsa costume, disney princess costume, disney princess cosplay, disney princess drag, drag queen makeup, makeup tutorial, queen elsa tutorial, ice queen makeup, elsa dress, elsa shoes, elsa cape, snowflake jewelery 

Makeup products used:

MAC fluidline eye-liner gel in blacktrack
MAC zoomlash mascara in zoomblack
MAC powder shadow in buff
MAC studio fix powder plus in NC25
MAC prep and prime skin base visage
Coastal scents original 88 palette 
Makeup forever HD foundation in N117 and N120 (main)
Rimmel lasting finish lipstick in amethyst shimmer 084
OPI nail lacquer in spark de triomphe 
Stargazer purple glitter shaker
Stargazer white glitter shaker
Illamasqua eye brow cake in gaze
Illamasqua powder blusher in nymph
Collection 2000 Glam Crystals dazzling gel liner in glitz
Max Factor pan stick in 13 
MUA eyeshadow palette in poptastic
MUA eyeshadow in peal
AVON  gel eyeliner in black

New Musicals and New Projects

Last week I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in London's West End Theatre Royal, and I was so pleasantly surprised by the show.  Your never quite sure how something can translate onto the stage let alone a musical and it was beautiful to watch for some many reasons.  One reason was the talent on stage and this was the first musical I've seen that had young actors in.  It was so inspiring to see such young actors belt out musical numbers and others dancing with complete precision and I really was blown away.  It's the type of musical you can watch and just have a really great time, and it really is for all ages.  Speaking about ages that was another thing that was great to see; young and older actors working side by side and the mixture of old and new worked so well.  I did create a makeup look for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory so no makeup look here.  If you do wish to see the look I created then click HERE.

I'm ashamed to say I've only ever seen 3 musicals on stage (although I have seen Wicked 3 times) and with that in mind I've decided to watch one musical each month. I'm working a lot in London at the moment so it gives me the perfect excuse to watch something after work and maybe eat at Shake Shack (I love that place!).  My next musical will be Phantom of the Opera which I'm so looking forward to seeing.  I love the musical and I've watched the concert version on TV many times so I kinda know what to expect yet at the same time have no idea.  I'm going to see this by myself which some may find weird or sad in 'ill come with you' way.  I really am not bothered by this at all and I'm really quite excited to be sat in my own little world with complete attention on the stage.  I've never seen a film in the cinema by myself but I totally would, and I think if that bothers you then you have some problems you need to work out because as Ru says - what others think of me is none of my business'

I'm starting a new makeup series very soon and I want this to be the best yet.  How I'm going to do that is unknown but I'm excited and can't wait to start!  The initial idea came from a Facebook friend of mine who I really admire for so many reasons.  I'm so glad I've connected with him and I wish we lived near each other growing up.  I used to think all the time that I was the odd one out, of course I had amazing friends but few shared my interests that are more outside of the box.  I still don't live near these people now but my eyes have been open and I've made so many connections, and connections that branch into meeting other people.  It's like a great willow tree towering over a river with it's branches hitting the water at different parts in all directions.

I watched Pocahontas the other day and I was reminded once again of how you never know what's waiting just beyond the riverbend.

A Fashion Journal: Paris Fashion Week - AW14 Chanel Front Row

A Fashion Journal: Paris Fashion Week - AW14 Chanel Front Row

Today I'm finally addressing my front row images from AW14 Chanel and sharing with you some of my experiences from the show.  My last two posts looked at location of the show along with the actual catwalk images so if you've not already checked them out then please scroll down!

I love shooting front row and it's the buzz which I love to feed off while taking the images.  Now don't be under the illusion that it's an easy job, it can be a nightmare at times and it's easy for people to focus on the main subject and not think too much into whats surround the photographer i.e the crowds of people.  I was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time when Rihanna showed up so I was able to jump into the crowd of the 6ft 'paparazzi' atmosphere.  Celebrities normally have about two body guards with them during a show and it's almost 2 against 15+ photographers and not all of them are as nice as me so their work is cut out for them.  Rihanna gave photographers exactly what they wanted and stood up and did some poses, and after that time she sat back down and laughed and went 'ok thanks guys that's enough'.  She was very nice about it and of course some photographers still carried on.

Next I had the pleasure of shooting Melanie Griffith and her daughter Stella who was so friendly and nice.  They can both be seen above where Stella is wearing SS14 Chanel (of which I love!).  I moved onto shooting Alma Jodorowsky, a french actress known best for her role in Blue is the Warmest Color (2013).  Her next film 'Kids in Love' is currently in post production and is scheduled for a 2014 release date so look out for that!  Next to Alma was the beautifully talented Elisa Sednaoui with the most amazing hat on.  Elisa is known for her advertising campaigns with Chanel, Roberto Cavalli, DVF (to name a few) and her long list of magazine covers from Elle Italia to Harper's Bazaar Latino America.  I used to be obsessed with her advertising for Chanel eye wear and I'm pretty sure I've still got a few of those spreads floating around somewhere.

I spent the next 10 minutes following Anna Dello Russo around the catwalk with a few other photographers which was an experience!  I love the composition of two above images focusing on her pink and white Chanel outfit in one and the other on the pink and white of the food in the 'supermarket'  The energy Anna gives off is infectious and it's easy to see why everything she touches turns into sheer brilliance.  A truly talented woman who gets it just right whilst having fun.

The final people I shot were the most intimidating and it was really all down to me being star stuck.  Many around me know I am obsessed with Keria Knightly from her films to her advertising campaigns with Chanel and my obsession is still very much there.  After shooting one part of the front row I moved to the other side and saw a group of photographers together.  This is a clear sign someone is worth shooting there so I approached and lifted my camera above the shoulder of someone to see who it was via the camera lens.  At that exact moment the man moved slightly and my eye looking through the lens and the other looking at the man both focused on Keria who was sat 1 meter away from me.  I almost jumped because my camera was zoomed in alot and i was so taken back.  Somehow I managed to get the photos in focus and I really had to calm myself as I was freaking out inside.  Keria was sat next to Mario Testino who really needs no introduction and her husband James Righton, who is a member of the London based group 'The Klaxons'.  I can't say for sure but I think James was wearing the same outfit he had on for their wedding, which wouldn't surprise me as Keria has worn her wedding dress for another occasion too.  I love this couple so much and I love that Keria was wearing SS14 Chanel Haute Couture (along with Rhianna) and they both pulled off the look completely whilst keeping their own unique style.

Overall the experience was overwhelming in the positive sense and it happened so fast that it hasn't really sunk in.  Chanel shows are always a whirlwind of emotions and it's taken me 2 posts to explain the different sides of the show which is saying something.  I think everyone secretly wants to own a Chanel handbag along with the outfit and going to the show feels like it's within reach and not in the literal sense!  So, with that in mind I wanted to share my images and story with you in the hope that you might feel some of that energy that I soaked up whilst having the pleasure of shooting during the AW14 show.  If you have any questions then please get in touch!

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A Fashion Journal: Paris Fashion Week - AW14 Chanel PART 2

A Fashion Journal: Paris Fashion Week - AW14 Chanel PART 2

Today I re-vist last weeks post on the AW14 Chanel show with a new set of images and a new insight into the show!  Next week I shall post my final entry regarding this show and that will be my front row images, but for today, lets focus on the show!  I was one of the first people to enter this venue after the photographers had all taken their places and before the general public were allowed in.  I'm glad I did turn up so early as I was able to really grasp the concept that had presented itself in front of me, and I was able to walk freely around it without people getting in the way.  I was also one of the last people to be seated as I wanted to grab that final front row picture so that was strange too as I was so fixated on front row guests rather than anything else really!

The show has a mixture of songs remixed together and the main ones that stood out were Rhianna 'SOS' and 'Diamonds' and Lady Gagas 'Do What You Want'.  Such a strange and unexpected mix and use really.  Chanel typically does like to have live performances or use music in pop culture, for example AW13 used a remix by Daft Punk and we all know how huge they were in 2013!  In a similar context both artists are very relevant in pop culture just not the choice of songs.  There's nothing more exciting to hear music being blasted out while your standing in a huge room and I love it for the fact you hear the music in a different way.  I was thinking about this today actually while playing music on my iPhone.  The quality was awful and if that was the only way I listened to music then I'd think nothing of it.  However if I play the music with a pair of good headphones then I'm suddenly introduced to the track in a new way.  It's the same for clubs, in bars or in a concert.  I love that about music and how it changes every time you listen to it.

Back to the show now.  The two lines of red and yellow on the floor were indeed paths for the models to walk along, well, more like guidelines as after they did their main walk they were then free to wonder around doing what they liked.  I'm not sure how much of that I actually believe but it was really nice to see one model dropping something on the floor and two of them laughing about it.  Having seen models on the street and in street style pictures you realise just how energetic and fun they are (well what they seem to be).  It's funny because I never think 'oh she was the popular girl at school' i think no, your the quirky one and you actually have a personality which is more than can be said for the wannabe plastics.

There was no real symbol that the show had finished and that threw me too.  There was no final two by two walk from all the models and when I saw Karl I thought of it's finished...  I was kinda disappointed because that's my favourite part but I did like the way the announcer said something about the store closing and all the models left together through the checkouts.  It was an experience I don't think I'll ever have again and it was great to feel like you were part of the show.  Next week will be my front row images and after that then maybe a recap on AW14 as I do have some more images and stories to share with you.

Tags: chanel super market, chanel runway, chanel supermarket, chanel aw14 supermarket, chanel stage, chanel shopping trolly, paris fashion week chanel

A Fashion Journal: Paris Fashion Week - AW14 Chanel

A Fashion Journal: Paris Fashion Week - AW14 Chanel

Just over a month ago AW14 Chanel was broadcast to the world in the most 'super' of ways.  Yes, the 'super' refers to the supermarket stage they created which was a sight to be seen!  Chanel is the one show that everyone wants to go to and I was one of the lucky people to receive an invite in the post.  Typically their invites come in the most beautifully written envelopes so I was taken by surprise when I opened the ordinary looking envelope with a computer printed address.  The invites always give a hint of whats to come and 'Chanel Shopping Center' on the front pretty much summed it up!

I arrived about an hour and a half early for the show at the Grand Palais and already the streets were an array of Chanel clothes and of course people head to toe in Chanel accessories.  As you walked in you were greeted by stunning guys in supermarket outfits which looked more like lab coats.  You walked under a giant entrance sign and then through the checkouts.  As you can tell the themes of red, blue and yellow were used throughout the staging and I thought it worked really well.  I was actually quite confused when I walked in to begin with because I was thinking ok... now where is the runway?  It took me a couple of seconds to realise that EVERYTHING was the catwalk which let me into thinking two things.  First, what a shame because the show wasn't a giant imposing space it normally is (although it was probably just as big as everything they've done before) and my second thought was I wonder what's going to happen.  This was kinda daunting as I wanted to shoot the show and front row so I really had no idea where to start.

The space was filled with nearly everything you'd find in a Supermarket, everything apart from things such as a freezer section and it kinda felt out dated in the good sense.  It started to look quite  Stepford Wives which was an idea they clearly had but didn't push which is a good thing.  It was an experience that was so interesting, and you constantly found new things and hidden Chanel logos on everything from eggs to brooms.

The best part? The fact nothing was really touched before the show.  People viewed all the different elements but not much touching.  Of course the trolleys around the place were just crying out to get a selfie with so they were actually interacted with!  I will talk more about during the show in the post dedicated to that but I wanted to note that models interacted with the various props around the place.  Once the show finished, people went crazy and started to rip open boxes to find things inside and try to smuggle things out.  Others made baskets out of various buckets they found and started to shop for real.  Once at the checkout people found out they couldn't buy anything, but they didn't go home empty handed (HELLO MAKEUP).

The funniest thing I saw was one woman eating the fruit then putting a HUGE bunch of garlic in her handbag...  It really did descend into madness and I would have loved Karl to make a tally of how much was actually successfully stolen. 
It looked like a zombie Apocalypse and I was kinda embarrassed by humankind...

Tags: chanel super market, chanel runway, chanel supermarket, chanel aw14 supermarket, chanel stage, chanel shopping trolly, paris fashion week chanel

A Fashion Week Journal: AW14 New York Fashion Week: Anna Sui

A Fashion Week Journal: AW14 New York Fashion Week: Anna Sui

It's been nearly 2 months since Anna Sui showed at New York Fashion Week in the Lincoln Centre and time has absolutely flown by.  I've been so busy in the past two months that I haven't had the chance to share with you my shots from the show or from AW14 Chanel.  I will most likely split the show into multiple posts as I covered so much from fashions to celebs.

AW14 was filled with fur and it only became really obvious in Milan.  Here you can see a few examples of fur used and I'm so undecided about my morals towards it.  I did however see one guy wearing the most beautiful black and white fur coat so I let myself get carried away to thinking it would be in my price range.  I do love the look of fur, but I don't think I'd ever wear it, it takes a certain look and I dress too grunge for that.

Karlie Kloss, Malaika Firth and Joan Smalls were a few of the models that walked in the show including Natalie Westling (seen above with the bright red hair).  It's hard not to notice someone when their hair practically radiates out of the screen and it's most likely the reason behind me taking so many pictures of her!

I tend to see Anna Sui as it's at the perfect time for me to take a mini break.  Anna always shows at the end of each season late in the day so I'm always very grateful that I get the chance to shoot at the show.  This year bags were given out with makeup and body lotion which spelt amazing!  Not many people are aware that Anna Sui has a huge makeup and perfume range and I definitely recommended trying them out! I have an orange/red lipstick from SS14 and the packaging is so cute and it really does make the perfect gift for someone who loves makeup as it's not your typical 'square box' or 'smooth tube'.  It's very oriental and in keeping with the Anna Sui aesthetics and it really is a huge success.  Eventually I will use this lipstick in a makeup themed post but I've been too scared to even use it yet!  I always have that issue when I buy something new, and sometimes things never do get used which is a problem I need to overcome!

Diaries from a Vanity Nightmare - Taylor Swift RED Tour @ The O2 London

Diaries from a Vanity Nightmare - Taylor Swift RED Tour @ The O2 London

I've been a huge fan of Taylor Swift ever since 'Love Story' and I always remember seeing this video on the music channels along with Lady Gaga 'Just Dance'.  I remember this so well because I was thinking oh great another blonde ex Disney wannabe and to begin with I didn't like either of the artists.  Once I realised this wasn't the case at all (and that I shouldn't judge artists so quickly) I was a dedicated fan from there on.  Taylor Swift writes nearly all her songs primarily by herself and this really shows through in RED and I knew that a part of my experience would be missing from this album if I didn't see the show!

I tried to by tickets on the train to work one day but alas they sold out in seconds.  For weeks I had been addicted to watching her 'All too well' performance at the 2014 Grammys and I suddenly thought wait a second I'm pretty sure shes on tour right now... Once I looked I saw that she was preforming the next day, which was technically the same day as I bought these tickets at 2am in the morning!  The only downside was the fact I was flying to New York the next day after the performance and had to get up at 6am, but after much consideration I thought I'm going to bite the bullet and put myself into a situation that I'm not totally comfortable with.  I think everyone should do that once in a while!

I was really blown away at how amazing the show looked.  I really didn't expect all the set and costume changes and although at times I saw some Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana similarities in staging, overall it was so well put together, such an amazing night and Taylor owned that stage.  Taylor also puts her own twist on every night and actually speaks to the audience differently at each show.  It felt very intimate and after watching performances on other nights on Youtube I realised that it really was different each night, something you rarely see in artists live.  Before the show started, Taylor Swifts mum took her seat which was with everyone else who was seeing the show.  She took time to walk around the arena too and talk to people and get photos with them.  Sure artists parents attend some of their shows but they stay behind the scenes or in seats away from the audience so that was really nice to see.  Another thing that took me away was the fact Taylor lets people take signs with them to concerts and that's something I've never seen before. 

The set list was nearly the same for every show expect Taylor did make a few changes and had a few extra guests such as Danny from the Script on the day I went.  It was a night that was really all about the music and I found the whole experience very inspiring 

The main set list: State of Grace, Holy Ground, Red, You Belong with Me, The Lucky One, Mean, Stay Stay Stay, 22, Starlight, Everything Has Changed, Begin Again, Sparks Fly, I Knew You Were Trouble, All too Well, Love Story, Treacherous, We are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

A Fashion Week Journal: To be Continued

A Fashion Week Journal: To be Continued

The Pont Alexandre iii is probably one of the most recognizable bridges in Paris and it's instantly recognisable.  The bridge that starts from the Champs-Élysées quarter and by the side of the Grand Palais is adorned by golden statues.  The last time I saw this bridge in the media was the 2013 Victoria Secrets advert and before that in the music video 'Someone like you' by of course Adele.

I've chosen this image to conclude my fashion journal as it's a representation of the connection of two different paths.  These paths lead in different directions and the one thing they have in common is this connection bridge.  During the fashion season I feel like I'm on this busy road and by the end I feel like I've taken a turn onto the bridge and stopped.  Life is very cut up for me at the moment and as a result I'm missing out on a lot in life and I really am struggling to find my feet let alone myself.

As I write this post I am currently in the UK and I'm about to leave for New York Fashion Week in 5 days.  Although this concludes my fashion week journal, my AW14 journal will start for me in a matter of days.  I have no idea what this month will bring and I can only hope for the best!  There's going to be a large break now between my posts and I need to have a serious think and take some time to reflect on things.  

The last piece of symbolism that this bridge takes is time for reflection.  Not only the literal sense of leaning over and seeing your reflection in the water, but to also take note of the different paths on your left and right.  Take time to weigh up both options and go for it without regrets and without looking back to think what could have been.  Never think 'what if'.  Always think 'what will be'.

A Fashion Week Journal: Alexander McQueen SS14

A Fashion Week Journal: Alexander McQueen SS14

Today is the AW14 Alexander McQueen show and this post takes a look back at SS14.  A McQueen show will never be what it used to be and I've come to accept that.  Sarah Burton wouldn't even dare to come close to one as people would only compare her even more to the late Alexander McQueen.  SS14 was the first season I got to see an Alexander McQueen show and it was also the first time I've experience waiting before a show and being their as soon as the doors open.  I stood in the photographers pit for the whole time and these are where the photos were taken.  It really was an amazing experience and the lead up to it was even better.  It was all very last minute and I was soon jumping in car to be taken to the Garde Republicaine where the show was taking place.  I didn't realize until after that the floor was actually colored sand and that Anna Dello Russo was sat opposite me in these amazing gold gladiator boots.

Eddie Cambell opened the show whom was still instantly recognizable even though the makeup artist stripped all the models key identifiable features such as hair and of course eye brows.  I do love how Sarah has carried on the overall look of the models from what McQueen used to do and as a result the models have kept their alien looking femme fatale characters.  The models in a McQueen show are almost as important as the clothes and you only notice this in higher profile shows.  Of course other designers can have an overall general look of the general model they want but to dehumanize models through makeup and make it work is a tough job to pull off.

Other models featured above include: Marine Deleeuw, Ysaunny Brito, Mijo Mihaljcic, Julia Nobis, Sasha Luss, Cindy Bruna, Carla Cliffoni, Irene Hiemstra, Vanessa Axente and Carolina Sjostrand

This post concludes fashion show related posts and in two days time Paris Fashion week will end along with AW13.  Although this isn't technically true (the haute couture still to come in the summer) it marks the end for me, but not until I finish my fashion week journal!

A Fashion Week Journal: AW13 Chanel

A Fashion Week Journal: AW13 Chanel

Today is the AW14 Chanel show and last year I was at the AW13 show which was probably was in my top 3 highlights last year.  I can't say it was my top because I was front row at Beyonce earlier this year but still, it's a joint 1st.  I've watched the Chanel show online for over 7 years now which in the scale of things isn't that long at all.  I've re watched them and I've just obsessed over them and you can't get any better than a Chanel show during Paris Fashion Week.  Because of this I find it hard to explain how amazing it was to see a Chanel show in person and it really was everything I had imagined.  It was quite funny too as I ended up getting lost and I managed to walk around the whole outside of the stage and find myself at the backstage room.  Luckily no-one noticed and I immediately left.  One thing I can say is do not mess at a Chanel show and even if you do, judging by the crazy amount of bodyguards backstage - there is no way you would be able to anyway.

Security of course is extremely tight and the only way your going to get in is through having an invite or of course being on the list.  This doesn't stop people from trying and praying they are on the list and there is always a huge amount of people outside the venue just to soak up the atmosphere which is surreal and unreal.  You can practically smell the money these people have and if you can't then you can either see it invested in their clothes, accessories, shoes and bags or of course in their face.  I would say it's a world that I've grown to love but that's not true, I've always loved this strange fashion world pros and cons included.

Before:  People leave and come back freely before the show and some will sit down straight away and others will have a chat among themselves.  Milla Jovovich was just one of the lucky people sat on the front row and of course everyone was edging to get a photograph of her.  Gifts are given out to people as they enter the venue and on your seat you will typically find a booklet with an A4 lookbook within of the looks.  Last season these were shot by Karl himself.  Many other fashion shows can be so over crowded by the Chanel show manages to have just the right amount of people within the venue and so they should as they probably have the most experienced PR team around.

During:  I should note here that the globe within the centre rotated slowly around during the whole time of which you could see lit up Chanel flags in the locations of their stores around the world.  I find things like this fascinating and it really was interesting to see where Chanel stores were and where they were not.  As the show starts the lights change and the heavy loud music of the show begins.  It's the type of music that you hear at a concert or festival where the music feels like it's going through your whole body and then the first model comes out.  Every Chanel show is different of course and here models walked around in a circle and then stopping in front of the photographers pit for a split second.  The show is incredibly fast and you can see just what it is like in the video I recorded at the bottom.  This video shows 3 different parts of the Chanel show so make sure you watch the whole 57 seconds!  

And of course the music you can hear is a remixed track of 'Around the world' by Daft Punk - which I found interesting as the music they play in the online videos of Chanel isn't the same as the show they play in the venue.

After:  It can take over 30 minutes for people to sit down initially and to leave it takes all of 10 minutes max.  People leave in hordes and they explode out of the venue like any other show.  It's always weird seeing a place fill up so quickly and empty so fast and your see this in any venue or show.  It was an experience that I cannot sum up in words and it wouldn't have been possible without my friends of which I will be forever thankful for.

A Fashion Week Journal: Breath 1, 2, 3

A Fashion Week Journal: Breath 1, 2, 3

Upon arriving in Paris last season we had about an hour of free time in the morning so I decided to visit Notre Dame just because I wanted to!  It was at this point when I noticed I've been to more cathedrals than shows this season which I found quite amusing.  The queue to get into Notre Dame is always huge so I decided to just pretend to be part of a tour guide and it worked quite well!  I love stain glass windows and my family holidays always ended up in visiting a place with this feature and what a feature it is.  It always reminds me of the first scene in Beauty and the Beast and I think they are just beautiful!  I ended up having the complete wrong lens with me so everything was super zoomed in and somehow I manged to fit this window in the frame.  This post is really just to serve as a breather as this is normally when you need one.  With 3 cities down and just Paris to go the light at the end of the tunnel is there and you slowly approach it.

It's extremely important to take time to reflect on your past present and future and at times we can forget this and miss out on life.

A Fashion Week Journal: You are cordially invited to...

A Fashion Week Journal: You are cordially invited to...

Makeup at Chanel, macaroons at Lanvin and enough paper invites to to block up your mail box in a matter of seconds; It must be fashion week.  Of course not all invites are in paper form as many designers opt for digital invites via email and agency's such as KCD.  London predominately comes in the form of various paper and cardboard designs which can vary from plain and simple to the 3D butterfly design seen at the AW13 Mulberry show.  Of course this wasn't the same this season as they are missing London fashion week this year. 
Lanvin show their AW14 collection today and a couple of season ago they gave out macaroons in an beautiful Alber Elbaz illustrated box which of course were delicious and last season Mulberry sent out a tiny package with a miniature Wedgwood cup and saucer which was unbearably cute.

Chanel of course are the very best and these typically come in the form of thick white envelopes with beautiful hand written addresses and names.  Of course it's always nice to receive ones of these but the main thing that people want to get their hands on are the gifts given out at the show.  AW13 was in the form of makeup with a nail varnish, 4 eye shadow palette and two lipsticks.  There really was something for everyone in this package and the nude lipstick is so subtle and so beautiful.  I will go into detail about this show in my next post which will post on the 4th along with an Alexander McQueen post.