The Darker The Berry

The Darker The Berry..

I'm so glad my cover shoot with Portia Freeman was published today in the September issue of aMUSE Magazine. It was such a juicy project to get stuck into and I've been dying to post about the experience. Junior Fashion Editor Fran Mullin killed it with the styling. 

My favourite outfits of the day were the Marni sequinned look (oddly reminiscent of Daryl Hannah in Blade Runner), the Theysken's Theory printed chiffon gown (very Wallis Simpson), the Gucci jacquard ensemble with cape and boots (riding crop, mask and pistol optional) and the very-dapper Paul Smith suit (I want the tonal patent loafers).  

We had a great team with photographer Daniel Nadel, super-stylist Fran Mullin, celeb crimper Nadia from Foster London and yours truly doing make-up.

Our muse was top Brit model Portia Freeman, or as her Twitter page states "Mother. Wifey. Model." 

Wife of Kooks bassist Peter Denton, Portia has been shot by Testino, Meisel and Rankin, is the face and body of Charlotte Olympia shoes and has graced the catwalk for Chanel and Dolce&Gabbana.

Given her awesome fashion/rock pedigree, I wasn't sure what to expect. But no sooner had I Tweeted about shooting with her, then my make-up artist friend Kim Kiefer messaged me to say Portia was a lovely, gorgeous girl. That pretty much sums it up. I can't really say much more, other than that she is very down to earth, self deprecating and professional.

She has the most beautiful, lithe Bambi-like limbs, porcelain skin and huge expressive piercing blue eyes. She also has the cutest lap dog I've ever seen (handbag size).

Conversation veered from the joys of mobile beauticians to the health properties of coconut water (she guzzled the stuff and having seen her luminous skin, I may have to follow suit), good manners, Meisel, germs and her forthcoming reunion with Pete and their son at a festival in Portugal.

When you are afforded the opportunity to work with a model of Portia's calibre, you can see why only a select few earn the "Super" prefix. With every ensemble came a different character, facial expressions and body language. In the Theysken's Theory green printed chiffon gown she was channelling the icy poise of Wallis Simpson, while in the Marni jumbo floral paillettes she could have been plucked from the set of Blade Runner. The most laughs of the day went to Portia for her Dickensian mockney street urchin character, which she spontaneously assumed when wearing the androgynous Paul Smith suit. When she started slouching with her hands in her pockets, leering and shouting "alright darlin', can I get ur digits" It reminded me of Damon Albarn singing the Blur hit Girls and Boys (but in a totally good LMFAO way).

Portia loved the lip and nail colours I selected for her, see all the products I used to create her chic gothic look below.

Junior Fashion Editor Fran Mullin's mood boards for the shoot were a-ma-zing:

Fran's make-up inspiration focused on a plummy eye and nude lip and a nude eye and plum lip. I fused the two together for the shoot. They say enhance the eyes or lips but never both - but rules were made to be broken.

Marni jumbo floral paillettes "Totes Amaze"

The Look

Skin Prep

NuBo Velvet Cleansing Cream

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic

Chanel Hydraserum

NuBo Eye Focus

NuBo Instant Lip Perfection

NuBo Voile

Base

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Beige

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pearl

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage No.2

Shiseido Natural Finish Concealer No.1

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

Daniel Sandler Invisible Veil Loose Powder

Highlight / Contour

NARS Multiple Luxor

NARS Bronzer Laguna

Eyes

NARS Eyebrow Pencil

DG Golds Eye Quad (white gold under arch of brow, inner corner of eye and centre of eye lid)

NARS Eyeliner Iceberg (waterline)

DG Blossom Eye Duo (left shade in crease)

NARS Lengthening Mascara

Magnifibres

Lips

DG Lip Pencil Dahlia

DG Lipstick Lust

Nails

DG Nail Lacquer Royal

Portia rocking the blush pink Lacoste shirt she arrived in (worn with blue skinnies and the cutest Charlotte Olympia fruity flats).

The Magazine

Honoured to be on the contributors page (beside Danish supermodel Helena Christensen no less). I must say thank you to Jaeger London for the clothes I'm wearing in my photo! I was chuffed to spot designer and stylist to the stars, Kate Halfpenny. The last time I saw Kate, we were sitting on a sofa with American supermodel Maggie Rizer in a suite at the Dorchester, watching the Royal Wedding live, filming style commentary for OK Magazine and BBC America (as you do).

Team Credits

aMUSE Magazine September 2012

Model: Portia Freeman at Premier

Photographer: Daniel Nadel

Styling: Fran Mullin

Photographer's Assistant: Ellie Byrd

Fashion Assistant: Luba Makar

Make-Up: Ian Brown using Chanel AW12 and Rouge Allure Renovation

Hair: Nadia at Foster London Hair and Beauty

          

Stockists

BECCA

www.beccacosmetics.com

Chanel

www.chanel.com

Dolce&Gabbana The Make-Up

www.harrods.com

Laura Mercier

www.houseoffraser.co.uk

Liz Earle

uk.lizearle.com

Magnifibres

www.magnifibres.co.uk

Nars

www.narscosmetics.co.uk

NuBo

www.nubobeauty.com

Shiseido

www.shiseido.co.uk