Updates: Apple & Eve Campaign for Miss Aniela

I recently styled a Fashion Campaign with photographer Miss Aniela for clothing label 'Apple & Eve'. We sourced a selection of props and accessories that would fit the brief to create a nostalgic English theme and chose two locations within Sussex. One location, an amazingly beautiful and decadent manor house, the other set amongst the narrow, cobbled streets of Lewes in East Sussex that both struck the right chord for the Brand.

The look of the final images needed to be rich, quirky and fresh so we used unexpected props such as an antique bike, apples, a teacup and aged vintage maps to create a flowing narrative throughout the photographs. The outfits were styled to reflect the atmospheric look and whimsical style desired by the brand. Using Miss Aniela's unmitigated photographic style with a High-Fashion twist, we created an unusual set of images that will be gracing stores soon!

Photographs by Miss Aniela, Styling by Rachel Holland of La Luminata, Hair styling by Atsu Ninomiya and Make-up Artist Nina Sagri, Model Grace Cairns of Zone Models.

Rachel

Health & Beauty: Have yourself a Lush little Christmas

Lush have released their Christmas range of treats for the bath and shower, with a deliciously foodie theme, stuffed full of tempting ingredients inspired by festive celebrations around the world. To get myself in the mood for the weeks of partying, shopping, pigging out and freezing, I picked out four suitably seasonal delights to spruce myself up in time for onslaught. 'Tis the season – bring it on!

Don't be fooled by the delicate name, the Sugar Plum Fairy shower scrub is a robust, invigorating experience that made me squeal a bit as the rough grains of sugar go to work on my grey wintery skin that's not seen the light of day for weeks. Fragranced with jasmine and ylang ylang, and with plum kernal oil to soften your skin, this is a great (vegan) pre-Christmas party treat to wake up the senses and perk up your skin.

A warming aromatic bathtime treat, you'd be forgiven for taking the tiniest of nibbles from the Gingerbread House bubble bar (vegan), just to see if it tastes as good as it smells. Lots of ginger and cinnamon not only gives it a fantastic smell, it's also bright orange when you rub it onto your skin – a big of a shock at first, although it was great not to be so pale, albeit only briefly...Very nice, and also enjoyed by the boyfriend as the scent is not at all flowery.

Lush suggests freezing the Iced Wine shower jelly, which also contains grapefruit oil, bergamot and buchu oil. I gave it a go although I found, unsurprisingly, that rubbing frozen jelly all over my skin and hair felt extremely odd, especially as even when frozen, jelly is still very wobbly. It does lather up though, and it made my hair in particular feel very nice and glossy. A great, and very unusual vegetarian shower treat.

Another Lush treat that I had a hard time not tucking into as it looks and smells like it should taste delicious was the Bûche de Noël cleansing roll (vegan). Inspired by a traditional Swedish Yuletide recipe, with ground almonds, cranberries and satsumas, cocoa butter and almond oil, cedarwood oil (great for dry skin) and wrapped in a sheet of seaweed. I really liked this and found the exfoliating effect of the almonds very pleasant as a gentle daily scrub. My skin felt very soft and velvety, and nicely protected against the elements.

All available to buy from the Lush website.

Sophy Colbert

Updates: Free Personal Styling at the Sustainable Collective Launch, 9th December 2010

Come and enjoy a Free Mini Personal Styling Experience at the Sustainable Collective Launch on Thursday December 2nd at FAIR, 21 Queens Road, Brighton. There will also be an opportunity to purchase discounted Personal Styling Vouchers for Christmas. £50.

I am offering Personal Gift Styling Vouchers at only £50 for 2 hours of One-on-One Personal Style Advice, Wardrobe Shopping and a Personal Style Chart. A perfect for a gift for a loved one or even a treat for yourself!

If you can't make it to the event and would like to purchase a Gift Voucher, drop me a line at rachel@laluminata.co.uk and I will get one sent out to you in time for christmas, personally written by me and sent in a beautiful Christmas Card.

If you can come to the event, bravo! There will be tasty wine from Barefoot Wine who do some wonderful work on Beach Rescue projects, Music from the delectable Amanda Bes and 20% off party dress & knitwear. With an eclectic mix of Fashion and Homeware brands to choose from such as Lu Flux, Tom Raffield, People Tree, Custhom, Nancy Dee, La Luminata Vintage and Elm...what are you waiting for! We will then all be moving onto the Afro-Connect Night to raise money for the rYico charity, dedicated to the youth of Rwanda.

See you there!

Rachel

We Love: The Things that Dreams are made of…Wonderland

My favourite UK photographer of the moment Kirsty Mitchell has created the most beautiful and iconic set of images entitled 'Wonderland'. Creating the intricate costumes, handmade sets and photographs herself, she is a rare talent that is currently looking set for big things.

Proving that good things can always come out of difficult circumstances, Kirsty turned to photography as a means of self-expression when her mother fell ill with a brain tumour in March 2008.

“Photography became my only escape when I could no longer talk about how I felt. I lost myself in street portraiture, focusing on those who reflected my own sadness and loss. I later turned the camera inwards, and began photographing myself throughout the hardest year of my life. It became an utter fantasy that blocked out the real world, and a place where I could return to my memories of her, far away from those hospitals walls.”

Wonderland came about as Kirsty found herself producing pieces that echoed the stories her mother used to tell her as child. “By combining my various backgrounds, I now create images where everything has been designed and produced by myself, and a small team. The costumes, the props, the sets and accessories, are all part of the process that is finally recorded in the finished product of the photograph. It is driven by the need to produce tangible pieces of my dreams, and make it possible to step into the scenes for real.”

“Life has become a different place, ‘a second chance’ is maybe the only way to describe it, and for that I am so grateful. I have had my eyes opened, and no matter how sad the origin of it all was….. I will always cherish the fact this small and precious awakening has happened.”

We are so happy that Kirsty has managed to make something so awe-inspiring and positive from her own experiences that continues to inspire others too, to dream of their own Wonderland Utopia. Here at La Luminata we are big fans of Kirsty's vision, attention to detail and unlimited imagination!

Rachel

Forever Fashion: SS11 Lu Flux Launches ‘Over The Hills and Far Away’

Ethical designer Lu Flux have just released their Spring Summer 2011 collection 'Over the Hills and Far Away' which quite frankly gives me butterfly's in my stomach.

The collection features collaborations with illustrator Neil O'Driscoll and footwear by Lu Flux for Green Shoes. With an emphasis on symmetry, pattern, intricate patchwork and floral details...this is what I'll be in come Spring!

Chuck

We Love: We Are What We Do Action Diary

We Are What We Do is a global movement that inspires people to use their everyday behavior to affect big environmental and social issues.

Focusing on the many small things we can all do everyday, like taking your own bag to the supermarket or teaching your granny to text. They might seem small and insignificant on their own, but their effect can be massive.

We Are What We Do create products, tools, live experiences and other odd things that make it easier and more fun to do our actions. Such as these fun notebooks which stack together, meaning that I can now colour coordinate my task lists and only have to carry a little notebook as needed! Now I have one for each set of tasks that I need to achieve and the little pink one remains just for me and my shopping list.

The action diary is particularly love-able as it gives ideas and tips to have the best, most action-filled year ever. Roll on 2011!

Health & Beauty: Everyday French Lavender

The French Lavender shampoo and conditioner from EO is perfect for everyday use and has a mild scent, making it a perfect unisex product that suits both men and women alike.  Key active ingredients, include:  Gotu Kola – to revitalise hair follicles, Quinoa Protein - high in Amino Acids, to fortify, condition and repair hair, Hibiscus –to add luster and smoothness, Panthenol and Glycerin - to aid in moisture retention, increasing elasticity and thickening hair and, Aloe Vera and Vitamin A - to improve scalp health with powerful antioxidants. Gentle enough to use everyday, this will treat your hair and your senses well.

Rachel