Roving Reporter . . . EM Magazine

The Winner of Every Model Magazine . . . Model Winner!

Photography: Dave Wise

Styling: Me

Styling Assistant Catherine Smith

Photography Assistant: Ben Lycett

Hair: Noel Gibbins

Make Up: Harvey

Model: Alex Prinz

Photographer: Joseph Sinclair

Make Up: Sandra Bermingham

Styling: Me

Roving Reporter . . . Britain's Next Top Model (Mercia) Shoot!

Yesterday saw me swan along to another shoot, this time 'mainly as a prop stylist' (used in its loosest format) for a shoot with the latest winner of Britain's Next Top Model (BNTM) Mercia!

Now as usual I took tones of pics on my blackberry, but I have to keep all those behind the scenes pics secret for now until the real live ones are published!

But here is the gossip:

* The theme of the shoot (still a secret) has been in the planning for the best part of a year and saw the outdoors move indoors and the rule of never working with animals or children, well and truly broken. 

* The head pieces for the shoot were truly magnificent and create by the one and only . . . Louis Mariette, who was a judge on this years Britain's Next Top Model.

* Mercia had gorgeous skin in the flesh and was totally striking. She brought along her fiance to the shoot, to keep her company, but we all think he was pretty much bored to bits (though apparently he is 'used to it').

*The dress was a one off couture number, made specially for the shoot! While the shoes were provided by Giuseppe Zanotti.

*On the picture above, you can just about make out Mercia as she is being primped and preened by the hair stylist (Noel Gibbins) and Louis Mariettes, gorgeous, blonde assistants!

*Aside from her Company Magazine cover and the shoots on the show, this was one of Mercia's first proper modelling gigs! 

xx That's all folks!

Roving Reporter . . . Shooting again!

(Amber-Rose adjusting Ellen's incredibly crimped up hair) - see videos below too!

Yesterday was one busy day!

A few weeks ago at AFW, (alternative fashion week), Flats and I came across the designer for the maybe soon to be Topshop stocked brand - New York Couture. This lady dresses all the stars, with Katy Perry recently sporting a pair of her sequined pants!

Anyway . . . She told us that wearing purple and black together was bad luck, which perhaps explains my entire life! Alternatively she is talking rubbish and for some reason I decided that today would be the day I tested the theory!

(the epic Jack - Make up marvel - pouting AGAIN).

So I left the house in several shades of purple and black in order to finally break the spell . . . well so I thought. The morning started with me pulling the handle of my suitcase, already packed with my stuff for the shoot, having swapped over suitcases, I promptly dropped it on my foot, before ending up at the wrong train station (as I forgot which one I was meeting my assistant - Brogues at!) 

(Brogues and Ellen in between camera card changes)

This so far is sounding pretty bad only to be compounded by finding out our original model was sick so we had to wait for a replacement . . . an eleven o'clock start found its way to 1.30 and with our first shot being taken at around 3.30pm, I was beginning to think that purple and black is not such a hot combination.

However the shoot looked amazing! We used some stunning Afshin Feiz dresses in a multitude of sherbet tones and bound the models legs in ice cream coloured chiffon, creating an ethereal beauty. 

We wanted the dresses to fly, spin and float, this required a mixture of wind machines and Jack (the fabulous make up artist) wafting the models dress! I spent most of the day on the floor creating just the right angle!

Jack at one point found himself under the dress, holding it up, this was my angle, as I was sat on the floor with the giant and extremely strong fan! But from the front Jack was unseen!

Ellen in between shots. We wanted to have the feeling of movement in the shots and so bound the legs to give a ballet feel.

Show us some leg!

Wind machine in full force! I love the fact that she looks so glam but the behind the scenes is so revealing. 

Touch up time!
Photographer Mark and MUA Jack doing boy things (carrying and technical)

One final shot of our ethereal beauty! Check out the videos below!

Fashion Bitch: Terminology - Stylist Rage

Phew, well even the title overwhelmed me a bit. Here at Fash Pack and in the fashion world in general, we have our own little language going on. Whether its the odd flippant phrase or even just a look, the codes of fashion are strict.

The first in this series of fashion phrases was coined by yours truly (though I don't know whether it has been copyrighted yet).

I christen it 'stylist rage'. This is a common occurrence amongst stylists, and usually results in the following circumstances:

1. The clothes that you want to call in for a shoot being 'unavailable', 'in production', 'in the showroom but not available to you, for no apparent reason', 'items arriving after the shoot' (which you then still have to take back).

2. Packing for a shoot. How best to pack it? What is the space like at the location? Do you need a rail? Steamer? Pins? Will it crease? Will it fit in the car? Have I forgotten anything?

3. People playing with your items on a shoot. Yes, team, I know it looks like I have a fancy dressing-up box, but this stuff is worth LOADS OF MONEY, STOP PLAYING!

4. Models. (Does this need an explanation?) No you can't smoke in the rain, in a ballgown, or eat pizza whilst wearing white. IT'S JUST NOT SMART!

5. Rain (after all who likes it?)

Well, there you have it. Stylist rage is serious and quite possibly an epidemic waiting to happen. Personally I live in stylist rage and it deeply affects the people that have to put up with me. But then again, I'd rather be a stylist with her rage than not a stylist at all.

Must go, I have an anger-management class to attend.