Perrier Luminaries

So a few months ago Societe Perrier approached me to be one of their Luminaries for art, culture and fashion in Dubai. The Luminaries were selected as being top influencers and culture tastemakers and people who represent the Societe Perrier lifestyle and image. Some of the other Luminaries include PintSizedFashionistas Saanieh and Alizey Mirza, MC Olly Wood, Lomographer Hind Mezaina, and blogger Clare & The City.

 I've had a feature on both the Dubai website as well as the global website and have a few things planned with them in the months to come...

DIESEL ISLAND / CALVI ON THE ROCKS 2011 from bertrand breme on Vimeo.


While I'm on the subject of Calvi On the Rocks I remembered this video from the festival last year. At 1:32 you'll find me splashing about in a glittery bikini in the midst of a massive waterfight. Classy ain't I?

Calvi on the Rocks and the Capsicum video

I had an incredible summer last year dancing and dressing up at chic french beach electro festival Calvi On the Rocks. One of my wackier ensembles involved wearing a giant red capsicum on my head. And amazingly it's been captured on a video recording of Nicolas Jaar's performance at the festival! A friend spotted me at 0:40! See if you can!

Men and Objects

Men pride themselves on being straightforward and uncomplicated. Its us women who obsess over the details, change our minds in a heartbeat and generally overcomplicate everything.

So, if its us women who are the complicated ones, why is it that men are so hard to buy gifts for? Should be pretty simple right? Wrong. Valentine's Day has been no exception and of course I found myself overcomplicating it all and spending much time pondering what might make the perfect gift for the man in my life.

Some Grenson brogues perhaps? Or Oliver People's glasses? How about a good old Acne cardigan?

One thing is for certain and that's that mankind doesn't want any more pants, socks or cufflinks. I admit I've been guilty of gifting the odd pair of Paul Smith stripy socks but I think Valentine's Day warrants something a little more special.

Try as I might I find it impossible to feign interest in electronic gadgets, machinery and handheld GPS devices. And yet, while my man isn't particularly thrilled about shiny gold trinkets he still bought me a set of Astley Clarke stacking rings that I'd been greedily giving the magpie eye. Come to think of it he is fantastic at gifting. Last Valentine's he sent me a huge bouquet of roses, a card and a box of gluten-free cupcakes...followed by a limo pick up...and a 4 course Valentine's Day dinner at Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire. This year he bought me business class tickets to Sri Lanka and we went dutch on staying at the luxurious Weligama Bay Resort. I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that I'm a pretty rubbish girlfriend in comparison.

In an tempt to appease my guilty, overcomplicating conscience (and please my man) I'm hoping a pair of some Orlebar Brown swimming trunks might do the trick. After all, men may be from Mars but they still want to look dashing with their shirts off.

News on shoes...

How great is this PUMA poster designed by Kris Dozign Balerite? Featuring the shoe I designed with PUMA last year, it really brings the colours of my shoe design out and makes it literally leap off the page.

I've been busy sketching and designing shoes for the past few months and have some top secret plans in motion. Let's just say it involves women, a made-in-Italy stamp, luxury, high fashion, comfort and exclusivity.

Those who know me well know I have a massive shoe fetish and have a dedicated wall display for my shoes at home. Well I'm about to take things a step further and really show everyone just how much I love shoes! And I'm hoping you'll love what I have to share too!

A recent feature in Quint Magazine delves a little more into what I've got up my sleeve. I was interviewed by my close friend Gayathri Krishnan who is the new editor over at Quint so its a very personal and candid insight into where I'm at creatively at the moment.

My new (little) logo

Ahlan Hot 100

I was super flattered to be one of 2011's 'Hot 100 List'- noted as a 'Pioneer', and I think my portrait turned out pretty good too (thank you to Daniel Partovi for buying my portrait to donate money to Breast Cancer Research and to Juliet Catherine Dunne for the lovely picture).

It was such fun trying on clothes with Pia Aung at various boutiques but I ended up splurging on my own black and gold floor-length number with a lace train and a custom-headpiece. I like to make an entrance. ;)

I was up to no good at the party of course, kicking my heels off and jumping around like a ninny long after all the glamorous people left and only the debauched remained, crowded around the speakers in our finest threads.

The hardbound book sits on my coffee table next to my David LaChapelle and Urban Art books and I thought I'd share the article with you. It calls me 'crazy beautiful creative'...and an 'octopus'...all in one line. Hmm...

At last...Rolling Stone!

Growing up I wanted to be a rock star. And therefore it's always been a dream to appear in Rolling Stone Magazine. And finally I have achieved this. Ok so it's only my name in point size 6 on the bottom of the Gig Guide for a gig that got cancelled...but still. Rolling Stone I have conquered you at last! ;)
(Obvs I have highlighted the mention in yellow just because it's so small even I may miss it...)

Infusion Magazine's Pic of the Week

Thanks to the lovely Angela Susan Riles-Baker from Infusion mag for this pic of me with my jazz hands out. Taken at a night out on the lash at the infamous Freshly Laced event at Casa Latina, Ibis Hotel, it got published as the pic of the week. GEEKFEST!

Grazia Style Awards + Valleydez vouchers

So in addition to getting a little statue with my name on it I also got AED 5000/- worth of vouchers to splurge at Valleydez. Valleydez, in case you don't already know it, is a quirky little boutique in Wafi crammed with adorable accesories and odd clothes. Needless to say it's my kinda place...

Grazia took these photos of me wearing some pieces from the store mixed in with my own pieces. I really don't like 7am shoots-I look lost! The shoot isn't really my style..its all a bit too 'cute' for me...I prefer a more 'mannish-androgenous' look personally. But hey I got a two-page spread of the magazine all to myself!

Ahlan! Because I'm a foodie...

I love food. So Ahlan! got in touch to ask me about some lesser-known Dubai gastronomical treasures...

TimeOut Magazine- Street Style

The super talented photographer Verko Ignajovic at ITP took this photo of me. I later teamed up with him to take the photos for the S*uce Loves blog which I posted about a month ago as well...

Parachute Secrets & Bucharest, Romania

It's been a busy summer and I spent a while shooting some hair commercials in Bucharest, Romania. Bucharest is a strange place. Everything is stuck in time- the architecture, the music blaring out of shops as you pass by (think Wham! Micheal Learns to Rock and Boyzone...), and the way people dress.

We spent our days working, walking the streets, people-watching, eating big fat dinners and drinking coarse wine. Oh yeah and a one off visit to a casino and a strip club (I got tricked into it I promise you!).

I also got in touch with some Romanian fashion bloggers such as Alice in Vintageland at PopCulture&Magic and Tokyo & Seoul Dreams. Who pointed me towards some vintage stores and markets. Thanks ladies!

Here are the hair commercials we made for Parachute Secrets hair oil...

Main commercial...


Testimonials...






Credits:
Agency: DDB Dubai
Client: Marico- Parachute Secrets
Creative Director: Firas Medrows
Account Director: Anshuman Kishore
Senior Copywriter: Karim Sherif
Senior Art Director: Diya Ajit
Arabic Copywriter: Ali Mohammad
Production House: ABIS Films, Bucharest, Romania
Producer: Heba Kharouf
Director: Nicolas Salis
DOP: John Alfirevitch
Sound: BKP, Dubai

Tropicana Frutz sparkling drink ad

So here's the commercial I made for the launch of new sparkling fruit drink Tropicana Frutz.



Full credits:
Credits:
Agency: DDB Dubai
Client: Pepsico - Tropicana
Creative Director: Firas Medrows
Business Director: Elizabeth Morrison
Group Account Director: Edward Harris
Senior Copywriter: Camilla Mclean
Senior Art Director: Diya Ajit
Arabic Copywriter: Ali Mohammad
Production House: Clandestino Films, Beirut
Producer: Mona El Hajj
Director: Kal Karman
Animation Director: Agustin Verrastro
Sound: Audioforce, Berlin

I love headpieces

I've always like putting things on my head. And so in the run-up to the New Era Introducing project(which I shall introduce you to soon!) I thought I'd post some of the headpieces I've made in the past few months...

Here's one I made for the Ahlan Hot 100 party...



And another for my Ahlan Hot 100 portrait...









And yet another for Masala! magazine...



I love making headpieces so if you've got a crazy idea and want to make something- get in touch!

Ahlan! Face to Watch.

This came out a few weeks ago. Pretty rubbish scan of it but you can read it online here at Ahlan Live.

Henry Holland at S*uce Boutique

Had a fun evening at S*uce with Henry Holland at the decks and then went for some drinks with Alistair Mulhall from Esquire, Kate Hazell from Harpers Bazaar and of course Mr.Holland himself and his lovely business partner Jessica Fletcher (best bud of Agyness Deyn no less!). Sigh.

Thanks to fashion blogger Maha at Oversized Shades & Coffee for the post on the Henry Holland event at S*uce and for this pic of my geek-chic outfit...



And to Pamela Lico for some pics of Alistair and I...

An ambassador for the launch of Bimba & Lola

Spanish label Bimba & Lola teamed up with awesome events company Brag for their launch event in Dubai a few months ago. 10 Dubai stylistas, including myself, were nominated as ambassadors and sent limousines, champagne on ice and asked to invite our girlfriends for a night on the town culminating at a private soiree at the new store in BurJuman. Queue mad scrabbling for the fab goodies on offer at the store. The event was massive fun as you can see from my pictures below...we did have one male stowaway in the limo...










They also gave away the best giveaways I've ever seen from a brand. Leather tote anyone? Or perhaps some printed wooden-framed sunnies?

POSE Magazine feature

POSE Magazine did a feature on me a couple of months ago that I hadn't had a minute to scan in. Photographer Ali Rasit and I took off into the desert and spent an evening fighting sunset to get some pictures for the spread. We got some great images and they deserve their own post, but for now here's the article...

RedVelvetNation post

Thanks to the wonderful fashion blog RedVelvetNation for featuring me at the Grazia Style Awards 2011...