I HAVE just been asked to style a travel story for the London Magazine. The photo shoot will be set in a luxury apartment in Eaton Square, and will feature a couple getting ready to go away for a weekend break.
Sounds good to me, not only do I get to dress the girl and the guy in gorgeous outfits, but I can use props to add to the story! So – easy as ABC – I begin to search for my travel styling where ‘A’ is for accessories, ‘B’ is for Bags and luggage and ‘C’ is for cosmetics.
A is for Accessories
When embarking on a journey, ‘travelling light’ is not an option. There are too many beautiful objects which may be just the thing you need when you get to your destination, and this season’s fashion designers haven’t let us down. Hats are back in a big way.
I picked a fabulous red Pamela from Anna Travinski and a gorgeous little blue bell-shaped hat from Matthew Williamson for my female model. For men, caps are really in and they come in trucker style (quite tall, box- shaped and with a long visor) or a hip-hop shape (which is less prominent).
‘But what if I’m not a hat person?’ you well think… Well, a great alternative is – of course – the classic visor (Kangol’s towelling ones are just the ticket.). Gloves are also back ‘in’ with a vengeance so I chose some Dunhill racing style leather ones in cream for him. I also pick a number of fun pieces for the fashion story such as an asparagus green leather-covered flask from Holland and Holland and some towels from Chanel which are incredibly chic.
B is for Bags Of Style
If you like pink – like I do – Chanel has just launched a beach bag with chain handles in bubblegum-pink leather which will stop your heart beating for just a second, and for a more rock-chick style weekend break try Matthew Williamson’s snakeskin pink weekender – very Wild at Heart.
And, VERY exciting news: Juicy Couture – the brand which put the velour tracksuit back on the map – has now launched a range of accessories and bags which of course I had to borrow…
But, for a more classic approach, Louis Vuitton’s brown logo set wins hands down. We used their ‘air-hostess’ style weekend case with wheels and a pullout handle. Very swish.
And C is for Cosmetics…
We all know that travelling can be stressful and dehydrating on the skin, so I have found the perfect travel kit by Liz Earle. A ‘Beauty Traveller’ which is packed with travel-size goodness, and comes in a clear zip-up waterproof bag.
Their instant boost skin tonic spritzer is perfect for a long haul flight. And if you want to add a splash of colour to your cheeks, try the latest Molton Brown ‘Cheek to cheek’ compact powder blush. Each shade is named after a city (New York, Rio, London) so it will keep you rosy wherever you go in the world!
Friday morning: it’s the day of the shoot. I arrive at Eaton Square in a cab with my assistant and unload all my clothes and props for the day. The streets are quiet and elegant and our apartment is set in a stunning entrance with columns on either side. A number of ladies wearing shades (for the record it wasn’t sunny) and mink coats walk past leaving a trail of perfume behind them. The Belgravia scent…
Once we are in the apartment we are asked to take our shoes off – I am pleased that I went for that pedicure last week – and we start the day with croissants and coffee (which we are only allowed to consume in the kitchen) ready for a good day’s work. Having checked into gate 73, Eaton Square, we are ready for take off.
Molton Brown 020 7625 6550, £20.50
Liz Earle www.lizearle.com
