Pages

Showing posts with label Oprah Winfrey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oprah Winfrey. Show all posts

Dolce & Gabbana party hosted by Net-a-Porter/Mr Porter - The party of the year

I am not worthy ;)



My party preparation was a full-on military operation, and carried out by New CID cosmetics’ experts; Hair: Isha Samms, Make-up: Michael Phillips. For my part: I prepped my skin with Darphin’s Micellar water, an all-in-one cleanser during the day and the Purifying balm at night a week before the ‘Big event’ to create a spot free, even-toned radiant complexion, Isha tamed my curly ‘fro to sleek, sophisticated perfection using Aveda’s Smooth Infusion products. Mikey took over my face to work his magic. Magic being the operative word, as I have no power to change my features and my hair has a mind of its own! I left New CID’s Burlington studios looking and feeling like Cinderella – and went home to get my glad rags on for the ball….

My anticipation and nerves in the cab dissipated as I walked the length and breadth of Westfield shopping centre trying get to the friggin Village offices! When I arrived I heard a ‘Ipad g-list’ girl say “I love that dress!” Someone thought I looked alright, which made me feel better. I walked up and into the vast Net-a-Porter space filled with ‘beautiful’ people. The majority had made a real effort to dress up for Mr Dolce and Mr Gabbana. UK was representing and London was going in hard! I felt proud and ignored a disrespectful female in flip-flops to my left.

David Gandy - Superstar Supermodel


The Martini Gold cocktails and Italian canapes were served on rotation. For the first time ever, I chose to drink water.  It was all so perfect with the exception of one thing: the air conditioning in the main area wasn’t working. At times it felt like a sauna. My perfect hair turned to candy floss within the hour. As I gradually sweated out I thought “Why don’t you just get a weave, Camille?!” There was a cool photo-room with vintage Vespas and a Sicilian backdrop where everyone including Harold Tilman and Queen Latifah got involved in the fun.  Celebs were everywhere, including Naomi Campbell who is such a lovely person contrary to popular (media) belief. The people who you’d think would be lovely are horrible and vice versa. There was one celeb there that disappointed. They shall remain nameless...

Queen Latifah - The Diva

My highlight; meeting and hanging with the D&G digital and marketing team, and being introduced to Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana who are so down to earth. From the moment they arrived, mingled freely with us all - no hiding in a VIP room somewhere. I wish more famous people were like that. Domenico is quieter so I didn’t say much to him but gave him the thumbs up. I saw him clocking my Italian Gucci slingbacks – I had a feeling he approved. Stefano noticed my glass of water and asked me why I wasn’t drinking. He was so chilled. I shyly told him I didn’t want to and he said “Ah! It’s a party you must drink!” I didn’t - was on my best behaviour. In fact, I waited right until the end to have a cocktail for the road and to help absorb what was a truly spectacular evening. 


D&G baby!!! Giuliano Federico, Dennis Valle and moi


I won’t forget this experience in a hurry. Meeting Mr. Dolce and Mr. Gabbana gave me another ‘Oprah’ moment. Their humble accessibility communicated that everybody is somebody, famous or not, rich or not. And what I know for sure is that we are all celebrities, and in my case I just haven’t got Naomi’s banging body, but am still grateful for what I’ve got. Are you?

Until next time,

The Pursuit of Plastic Perfection...

After attending an event for a new Couture line. I was compelled to put pen to paper. The launch party was in Knightsbridge and filled with very wealthy individuals.  Nothing unusual you may say, actually it was, as I have never seen so many surgically altered faces in one place in this city - ever. Women of all ages were present; inflated lips, pulled back faces so tight it looked uncomfortable when they spoke, slithers representing noses. Filled in cheekbones that didn’t fit the natural alignment of the various bone structures. Crazy!

As my fashion friends and myself discussed the shock, horror and amazement of it all, I felt saddened and thought the freedom that immense wealth gave these people to pursue Plastic Perfection – ‘PPP’, yet at the same time they were enslaved. It was obvious they had gone back time and time and time again! This wasn’t a boob job here or a nose job there. A ‘sea of Joan Rivers’ surrounded us.

As I write Ricky Martin on Oprah is distracting me – the man is fine! And surgery free…

There are many things I dislike about my exterior form; scars, my feet, I could go on and on trust me. As a woman soon to be exiting her thirties, I have a greater understanding of who I am and that it’s the imperfections that make me/us special and perfect. I’ve realized it’s the mental – where your head is at is key – It’s all about happiness and contentment. That’s why so many people are on this continuous 'PPP' quest – to be happy. At which point are they? Happy with the distortion they let their surgeons create? I don’t think so. That’s why they keep going back for more. I really wanted to take pictures of some of these women but wouldn’t have been able to disguise my horror.

The young girls I saw that evening made me wonder what will they do when they get to 30, 40, 50 or 60? What will these ‘kids’ look like? I personally, am totally against needles and surgery if you haven’t worked that one out by now. I’m a true believer in beauty products and make-up and have a significant stash. I was discussing my anti-PPP stance with a fellow journalist at the NARS beauty launch for Francois Nars’ new book ‘Make up your mind, Express yourself’ and she said ‘It’s ok for you to say with your tight forehead and your high cheekbones’. Yes I realise my Mum and Dad’s genes have helped, but over the years I’ve accepted and experienced so much more important things in the grand scheme of life than a line or a wrinkle! FFS! Loving me has been a process. There are so many tools; in the form of clothes, hair and make-up to facilitate. Life coaches, counsellors etc for the internal. These tools are a great process for trial and error.  As a stylist, I’m a great tool for people if I say so myself! ;)

Here are some pics from this fabulous book; he used ordinary women and men who were literally picked off the streets, of all ages and races…







That evening in Knightsbridge was a great ‘Just say no’ campaign for plastic surgery. Whether a little or a lot is done – the bottom line is there is no going back – no reverse gear to what was.. for me that’s the scariest thing.

Also when you think about your perfect man or woman, what would he or she look like? Mine would have face of Michael Jordan, the body of David Gandy, the wit of Russell Kane, the intellect of Jon Snow and the heart of Nelson Mandela! You see how ridiculously unreal and total fantasy my perfect man is...however wonderful it would be. It could never be a reality, only in my dreams...

Now on Oprah, Michael Jackson’s amazing mother Katherine, talking to Oprah about how MJ really felt so ugly and his addiction to surgery, she even spoke to his surgeon to get him to stop operating on him (to no avail), so sad. He went from a Beauty to a Beast – the irony. The same addiction to 'PPP' I saw all around me at the party.

Here is a quote from 'Makeup your mind, Express yourself' that’s perfect to end on..

'Find your own way, have an open spirit and believe in your own beauty'

Enough said.

CamilleA.

©Karma-Style 2011. All rights reserved

Images courtesy of NARS Cosmetics 
www.narscosmetics.co.uk/