Giles SS 2012

Monday 19th September

After Antonio Berardi, I had a couple of hours back home before heading to the Royal Court of Justice for 3:30pm for Giles.  I did the Giles show a few seasons before and it was my favourite show, the clothes are just amazing and the models are the top girls, just stunning.  We had to wait around for a bit for the cafe to close, as that was where we were going to be doing the make-up.  Lucia Pieroni was keying the look.  It was supposed to look as if the girls had been drinking too much red wine.  We used Mac products- lip pencils in brick and burgundy were blended on to the lips, particularly on to the inner part of the lips.  Russian Red lipstick was lightly buffed on to the cheeks to give that flushed look.  And a lip balm was applied to the centre of the lids, cheek bones and nose.  Brows were brushed upwards, and if the model could get away with it we didn't apply any base.  Black girl just had a base done.  One of my models was my favourite model of the season. I feel I should always mention when a model is so lovely.  Nyasha Matonhodze @ Elite was so sweet.  The models got called to go and do their run through and were told to remember who was doing their make-up, so they could come straight back to us afterwards.  Nyasha said to me, 'how can I forget the girl with the beautiful big blue eyes!'  This coming from practically a Supermodel, bless her!  She is in the current Topshop campaign amongst others.

http://www.elitemodellondon.co.uk/details.aspx?modelID=473471&ln=&nav=1&subid=5572&mainsubid=5572&divID=&indx=5&letter=

Antonio Berardi SS 2012

Monday 19th September

Another early call time, this time 7am at the Southbank Centre for the Antonio Berardi show.  Val Garland was keying this show so I was very much looking forward to it for that reason!  I've done a few shows with her before, but the novelty certainly hasn't worn off yet!  He first assistant carried out the demo on the model, as Val was running late.  Turns out she had decided to walk, but it was a lot further away than she thought it was!  She arrived as the demo was going on (which seemed to be going on and on......).  There was two lip looks for this show, a nude lip (Myth lipstick with gloss), and a dark burgundy lip, with a bright coral pigment pushed over the top on to the centre of the lip.  Generally, the blonde girls had the nude lip, and the brunettes or black girls had the dark lip. The rest of the make-up was kept really simple, just a light base with a bit of contouring on the eyes and cheeks.  Everything ran smoothly, there was the usual chaos backstage where the models have to change and get in line up and we have to do the final checks and their body make-up.  I'm starting to get used to it now but it can get really irritating!  No matter where you stand you get told to move, you are in the way.  There are so many people there all trying to get their job done, it just gets really chaotic.  The photographers are the main thing that I find a hindrance because it's not just them you have to contend with, it's all their apparatus too!  And you have to be so careful not to get make-up on the clothes, thanks God it's not happened to me yet, and I pray it never will!!!

I made up two other models as well as the one in the picture, but I can't find any images of them!

London Fahion Week- Elliot Atkinson

Sunday 18th September, 8am.

First stop for LFW, Spring Summer 2012 for me was the Elliot Atkinson Presentation, which was part of Fashion East at Haunch of Venison.  Fashion East is a non-profit initiative established by the Old Truman Brewery in 2000, to nurture emerging young designers through the difficult early stages of their career.

Georgina Graham from CLM was heading the make-up team.  There was only 6 models to do, and there were more make-up artists than models I think so it was pretty easy.  We were even taking it in turns to nip out to Starbucks to get coffee.  The make-up had a very Rock and Roll feel to it, lots of black smudged around the eyes, and  Mac Careblend oils were used on the skin and eyes to give that wet look.  The whole make-up was done without using one brush. 

We had all the models on their podiums ready to start, but one girl felt really faint, she looked awful, and had to be pulled out at the last minute.  So one outfit didn't get shown in the end which was a big shame!

Jake Unger's FAME Team Interview

Sunday 11th September

The Fellowship Academy of Merit and Excellence (F.A.M.E) Team are selected annually to promote a new generation of bright young hairdressers.  A busy year is planned for the FAME Team winners.  This includes photographic shoots, media publicity, fashion shows, hairdressing seminars and events.  Above all the team hone their skills and are given a new platform to shine.  So I really want the super talented Jake Unger from Hob Salons, Camden to be successful and join next years team!  He had his first interview at L'oreal in Hammersmith, where he also had to present two models, for which I was doing the make-up.  And he got through to the next round, yippee!  Not that I was surprised in the slightest, he is definitely going to be following in Akin Konizi's footsteps!  Watch out Akin!!!

Co:lab Magazine

Saturday 10th September

Louise Dartford, a make-up artist with Naked Artists needed assistants on an editorial shoot for Co:lob.  Co:lab is a new platform showcasing fashion editorials and film shot exclusively for ftape.com.  Ftape.com is an online fashion resource, which provides a free platform connecting the fashion industry via the world's largest creative directory and our love for visual stimuli.

The shoot took place in and around the photographer's (Garda Tang) next door neighbours art studio, so there was a very arty feel to the shoot.  There was a lot of models and extras involved, which meant that there were so many bodies and racks of clothes in Garda's house where we were getting ready. Therefore, we had to do the make-up outside in the garden using the garden table and chairs!  It started raining at one point, there was a mad dash to move everything inside but it soon cleared which was a relief!

Louise is really in to organic make-up which I found quite interesting.  It was refreshing to see a kit which wasn't just full of expensive brands of make-up.

http://www.ftape.com/media/

TK Maxx Campaign

Thursday 8th and Friday 9th September

I must have done a good job assisting Marco on the last job, because he asked me to help him out on the TK Maxx campaign.  It was spread out over two days because there was a lot of shots to get through.  The shoot took place in Park Royal Studios in NW10, where the studio was transformed in to a winter wonderland.  One of the child models, a little girl adopted from China, was the cutest thing I have ever seen so keep a look out for her!

Roland Mouret for Elle Magazine

Monday 1st  September

Today was my first day assisting Marco Antonio from DW Management.  He is very much my kind of person so I was very happy about that.  He was lovely to work with and reminded me of another make-up artist I assist called Alex Babsky.  They are both very down to earth and chilled which I love.  We were working on a shoot for Elle magazine underneath Roland Mouret's shop.  The shoot was starring Roland himself, and his team of helpers.  It was the run up to Fashion Week so things were pretty hectic down in the offices!  At one point I was making up one of his workers whilst she had four phones in her hands or to her ear, which were constantly ringing and she just wouldn't keep still!!  We only had one shot to do though which was fortunate because they were just so busy!

http://www.rolandmouret.com/