Tuesday 17 March 2015

THREE ENGLISH WOMEN ON COVERS OF GENLUX MAGAZINE

The good things about Los Angeles you can go from one extreme to another. One minute at Physique57 to an extreme yoga work out in Beverly Hill, the next, go on a hike in the hills above Sunset. One minute you can be meeting some famous dude, and the next having coffee with a homeless girl whose life did not have a plan B. Yesterday I met two friends both concerned about girls with no plan A, B, C or D, who arrive in Los Angeles, with stars in their eyes.  Julia Verdin is making a film to help these unfortunate girls. This city can be harsh if you have no plans, cash or talent. It is for the highly ambitious and you need to have direction otherwise you could end up doing things you would rather not be involved in. The underbelly is very colourful.
Listen to the advice that Bernard Hillier gives on Lip TV. Follow it, because its true.
In Los Angeles I love to stay at The Chateau Marmont because it is lively and the crowd good-looking. The cottages there are completely divine in a not too luxurious way, although they have everything.
There is another good thing about LA you get encouraged, and as an English woman of uncertain age I have been given opportunities that simply would not happen in London. I would love to work as a fashion editor in London, but the Los Angeles based magazine, Genlux, asked me. I am also on a billboard for my film in Hollywood, The gun the cake and the butterfly  and so my loyalty has to be to this incredible city where the lights are harsh but boy when it shines on you, it shines.  The following are three English women who were given covers on my Magazine who supports women of uncertain age.. Elizabeth Hurley from the new series The Royals about the Royal Household, a spoof on what its like in the Palace, Lisa Vanderpump of Beverly Hills Housewives and lastly me.

LISA VANDERPUMP

AMANDA ELIASCH
ELIZABETH HURLEY

COFFEE
Arriving in London off the plane, I immediately was interviewed for a television programme about exotic goods. I never realised that a coffee bean could be so expensive, and a cup of coffee could be three hundred and fifty pounds. That it was really created by a cat, called a wild civet, that eats the fruit and expels the bean through bodily functions. I wondered during the interview if I was being set up, but as I had just got off a plane was hardly in a state to argue?. The coffee I was assured was made with the cats running about freely in  Sumatra. However you simply do not know. It all tasted so delicious, but so does Foie gras. 

DIOR AND I
a film by Frederic Tcheng
 I was lucky enough to be invited to Charles Finch's exclusive opening of Dior and I, which seriously touched me and rocked my soul. Although sadly Galliano was "exterminated" from the film, I can honestly say that the documentary drama of Raf's first couture show, had me gasping in so many directions. I fell for the women working behind the scenes creating beautiful dresses that they found difficult to let go. One woman Monique was so brilliant that I wanted to hug her. It was moving and telling. Raf himself showed humility, stubbornness, frailty, distance, vision and panache. I became aware of the costs of these couture shows, which I already knew about, but for me this film brought home the real costs of human pressure and the cost of talent. You realised the pressure Galliano had been under as you saw Raf Simons break down in tears. You understood without anything being said. I was glad however that Suzy Menkes stood up and said something about Galliano not being mentioned. I understand why he was not, but for goodness sake has he not been punished enough? Galliano had brilliance that few have and we desperately need him, back, working and confident. Thank goodness Martin Margiela took him on.

Among the guests were Danny Huston, Bianca Jagger, Bryan and Tara Ferry and the lovely Nicky Haslam. Danny Huston and I were discussing the costs of flowers for the show, I used to work at Kenneth Turner Flowers and I can only imagine the drama of budget.
All I can say is thank you for including me.





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