We have always loved designers’ ranges for H&M, wishing we were there when the collections are revealed and the mayhem hits the stores. So it is no surprise that we love the Versace for H&M collection, unveiled this week. We love the prints!

Rag & Bone’s ‘DIY Project’ is proof that Orlando Bloom isn’t just a pretty face. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor tried his hand at photography, shooting his wife and Victoria’s Secret supermodel Miranda Kerr for the denim label’s fashion campaign. Not bad, considering there was no lighting and no hair or make-up stylist involved, as the couple goofed around on the shores of New Zealand. Karolina Kurkova, Carolyn Murphy and Lily Aldridge are just a few of the other models that appear in the ‘DIY Project’.

Hats off to eNews presenter and reality star Giuliana Radic who bravely announced she has breast cancer this week, thereby reminding all of us to take the necessary measures for early detection. Giuliana is lucky to have detected her breast cancer so early, and we wish her well!

Another collaboration between Evian and Issey Miyake caught our eye on the shelves today. Talk about staying hydrated in style! The pattern is perfect for summer, so get yours for R60 from selected stores. Pop into Woolworths or Pick’n Pay where we spotted it first!

]]> http://elle.delos.za.net/friday-favourites-11/feed/ 0 http://elle.delos.za.net/behind-the-scenes-of-%e2%80%98step-into-the-night%e2%80%99/ http://elle.delos.za.net/behind-the-scenes-of-%e2%80%98step-into-the-night%e2%80%99/#comments Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:24:31 +0000 admin http://www.elle.co.za/?p=13367 Continue reading →]]> On page 144 of the November issue, blackUp’s international make-up artist, David Coranson-Beaudu, transforms the moody blues and shimmering metallics seen on the spring/summer 2011 catwalks into night-time looks for ELLE.

We love that the jewellery used for the shoot is the work of non-profit organisation The African Designers and Jewellers Organisation in association with Edgars. It you’d like to view, and buy, one of these designer pieces inspired by blackUp’s palette, visit Edgars Melrose Arch between 27 October and 10 November. Supporting SMEs is what we call style with substance. But back to the make-up. David created four sparkly looks and the video below will give you a preview – for the full shoot, you’ll have to get ELLE’s November issue – and trust us, you’ll love the looks for their practicality and on-trend colours.

Want to get your hands on blackUp products? blackUp is giving away three hampers to the value of R1 500 each and each hamper includes an eyeshadow palette with four shades, a volumising and lengthening mascara, an eyebrow pencil, blusher, lipgloss and body shimmering oil.

Make one of these hampers yours by telling us why which of the four looks you’ll be wearing this summer.

Entries close on 28 October 2011.

Click here for more details.

ELLE is known for celebrating women in style and the November issue of ELLE USA marked the event with eight different subscriber covers featuring this year’s honorees dressed in, yes, you guessed it, beautiful pieces from the Calvin Klein Collection, Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear. Is this brand getting it right or what? Here are a few of our favourite Calvin Klein outfits on the evening (and some we did not like so much) – and we couldn’t resist asking ELLE’s fashion assistant, Tarryn Oppel, for her take on each.

Indian actress Frieda Pinto (above left) : ‘The dress is not flattering on her; she would have looked beautiful if it was a little shorter.’

Abigail Breslin (above right) :‘She gets our vote for colour-blocking in this gorgeous shift and yellow clutch.’

Elizabeth Olsen (above left) : ‘I’ve seen a full-length pic of her in this dress and there’s only one word to describe the view from the front: unflattering! It doesn’t do anything for her upper half – it’s pretty much a sack and aged her by a good few years. However, I do love her effortless hair and the shimmering silver texture of the dress.’

Naomi Watts (above right) : ‘I would have liked to see this dress on someone with a much paler or darker skin tone, but the shape is lovely and feminine. And I do love the shoes!

Amber Heard (above left) : ‘She looks feminine and classic in this petal pink dress and (what else?) Calvin Klein heels.’

Chloë Moretz (above right) : ‘Unlike Elizabeth, Chloë got it so right! Her look was age-appropriate (there’s only so much a 14 year old can pull off at a red-carpet event). I adore the minimalism of her look, but it’s still edgy! Nicely done, Chloë!’

Michelle Pfeiffer, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston clearly didn’t get the ‘wear Calvin Klein memo’ but at least Sharon and Reese were on the same page when it came to footwear. That said, we do love Reese in a tux and can appreciate the fact that Jennifer can still pull off a micro-mini, but would have liked to see their take on Calvin Klein’s spring 2012 range.

Reese Witherspoon

Reese also surprised guests by saying of her friend, Jennifer, that she has a ‘combination of sex appeal and complete lovability’ and ‘You just want to get your nails done with her, and you want to make out with her at the same time… at least I do.’

It looks as if Reese isn’t the only one who loves the Friends’ star as Jennifer was honoured with an award along with Barbra Streisand, Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Evan Rachel Wood, Naomi Watts, Frieda Pinto and Dreamworks chief Stacey Snider.

Jennifer Aniston

Michelle Pfeiffer

Images from Calvin Klein, supplied.

]]> http://elle.delos.za.net/elle%e2%80%99s-18th-annual-women-in-hollywood-tribute/feed/ 0 http://elle.delos.za.net/ice-ice-baby/ http://elle.delos.za.net/ice-ice-baby/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:57:45 +0000 admin http://www.elle.co.za/?p=13672 Continue reading →]]> On page 153 of our November issue we reveal our latest obsession: popsicles! These gourmet ices are the hottest (or coolest) food trend around, even lifting cupcakes from their number one spot, this summer. Combine just about any fruit or add some chocolate, or, if you dare, a touch of alcohol and take them to a whole new level.

Here are two delicious recipes – if you’d like more, have a look in ELLE’s November issue.

Very Berry Pops

Makes 6

85g castor sugar

140ml water

350g mixed frozen berries, defrosted

125ml beetroot juice

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved (1 – 2 minutes) to make a syrup. Set aside to cool completely. Process the mixed berries in a food processor until smooth. Add the beetroot juice and sugar syrup and stir well. Pour the mixture into six popsicle moulds, insert popsicle sticks and freeze.

Watermelon, Rose and Strawberry Pops

Makes 6

12 thin strawberry slices

375ml watermelon juice

15ml castor sugar

15ml rosewater, or according to taste

Arrange the strawberry slices in the popsicle moulds and freeze in position. Make the watermelon juice by puréeing fresh watermelon and pushing the purée through a sieve. Stir the watermelon juice, sugar and rosewater together until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the mixture into the popsicle trays, insert the popsicle sticks and freeze.

If that’s not enough, we are giving away a Zoku Quick Pop Maker. This amazing gadget makes frozen pops in just seven minutes! Simply pop the Zoku Quick Pop Maker into your freezer for 24 hours, fill the moulds and watch your popsicles freeze on the counter.

To win a Zoku Quick Pop Maker, tell us which delicious flavoured popsicles you’ll be making this summer.

The closing date for entries is 3 November.

Production: Cheska Liackman

Photographs: Steve Karallis

Food stylist: Lyn Woodward

Food assistant: Brigitte Tomma

Here’s Poppy’s thinking behind the set that was pretty much ELLE DIY.

What was the big idea?

We wanted to keep the colours of the swimwear the same as that of the set and give the shoot a sense of retro cool. I wanted it to look as if the girl was part of the picture, not as if she was standing in front of a backdrop.

Model: Annelot at Vision Models

Highlight of the shoot?

It was raining and really cold (Annelot, our model, was very brave in next-to-nothing in a cold studio), so the highlight of my day was definitely the constant supply of coffee!

The backdrop?

We painted a beach in a studio and then my friend, Olive of Christopher Strong, made the extra pieces like the beach ball, palm trees and red and white striped deckchair from cardboard so that it looked like a 3-D postcard.

The styling is simple but beautiful. How did you do it?

We used simple pieces with a retro vibe, polka-dots, stripes and oversized sunglasses to keep all the looks fun. After all, isn’t that what summer is about? There’s a strong focus on the one-piece too – if there’s one costume to buy this season, the one-piece is it. The shoot is ultimately about real swimwear for real women.

Photographs: Damon Fourie

Hair: Jeanette Genis

Make-up: Algria Ferreira

The November issue of ELLE has over 50 swimsuits that real women can wear as well as a top-to-toe guide to getting a beach-ready body! Be sure to get your hands on it and bring some sunshine to your wardrobe.

Today’s focus is on media freedom as we mark the 34th anniversary of Black Wednesday (19 October 1977) when the Apartheid regime banned two newspapers – The World and Weekend – along with 19 black consciousness organisations and detained scores of activists. Food for thought, as the struggle for press freedom is once again on the South African agenda.

Image from: Print Media South Africa

So we’re inviting 15 readers to join ELLE and Jackie at the Cape Cadogan from 11h30 on Wednesday 9 November – and on top of that, each one will receive a lavish Prada Candy hamper valued at
R1 000 .

Prada Candy, the brand new fragrance from Prada, is instantly seductive; it’s pure pleasure wrapped in impulsive charm. In an explosion of shocking pink and gold, Prada Candy takes you for a walk on the wild side, showing you a new facet of Prada femininity where more is more and excess is everything.

The Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel is a stately double storey Georgian and Victorian building that dates back to the beginning of the 19th century and is well known for its comfortable, luxurious accommodation and atmosphere.

All you have to do to secure your seat at this sought-after event, is tell us why you are ELLE’s biggest fan.

Fifteen seats are available and winners will be notified on Friday 4 November. Please note that you must be Cape Town-based or able to travel to Cape Town at your own expense to attend.

Image from: Jan -Hendrik Van der Westhuizen

Plus-size model Crystal Renn

We introduced two successful plus-size models, Lisa Snyman and Celia Ncalane, in our magazine article. Here, they share some more of their experiences.

LISA SNYMAN

Have you ever had a bad experience?

I once went to an open casting which was very nerve-racking. There were many ‘normal’ models and a few plus-size models. It felt as if people were staring at me and wondering why I was there. But I didn’t let it get to me; I just smiled and carried on.

Why do you think women are always complaining about their bodies?

I hate it when women talk badly about their bodies. I’m comfortable in my own skin and I don’t want someone else’s body issues to rub off on me. Either they’re fishing for compliments or they need to go and see someone who will help them improve their self-image.

CELIA NCALANE

Were you always considered big?

I’ve always been bigger than my siblings and my friends. It’s not because I wasn’t eating healthily – I was and I played hockey and swam – it was just the way I am built.

What do you do to stay in shape?

After becoming a vegetarian, I lost a lot of weight but I still eat full meals that contain a starch, protein and vegetables, and I indulge in snacks occasionally. I go to the gym at least three times a week.

TIPS

1. Take care of your body. Plus-size models aren’t obese or unhealthy. Clients and modelling agencies require that you have a firm, toned body, a defined waist and no stretchmarks. You should exercise and eat healthily and, most importantly, exude confidence.

2. Measure up. To work as a plus-size model in South Africa you must be at least 1.68m tall and wear a size 38 to 44. Your body must be in proportion, which means not too busty; everything needs to be balanced.

3. Find the right agency. Don’t be discouraged if the first agency you approach turns you down. If you’re not what they are looking for in terms of their height and size requirements, keep looking. It’s important to have an agency, though. An agency will help you put together a portfolio, send you to castings, negotiate on your behalf and give you advice. They’ll also provide you with a Z-card. This is a model’s ‘business card’ and consists of pictures of you in different shoots and your agency’s contact details.

Do you have what it takes? If you’ve dreamt about becoming a plus-size model, take the first step and join a reputable modelling agency. Here is a list of some of the agencies that have curvier girls on their books:

Y Models, Topco, Faith Model Management, 3D Management, Models International, Base Models, M1 Management

Image from Vogue

Lufuno Sathekge

Nastassja Petersen

Nkanyiso Nango

Ayanda Mngadi

Sinah Vlug

Zama Madonsela

Rimmel are giving 10 lucky elle.co.za readers each a hamper worth R500. Each hamper contains: Rimmel Glam’Eyes eyeshadow, Rimmel Vinyl Max lipgloss, Rimmel Blush, Rimmel 60 Seconds nail polish and Rimmel Glam’Eyes Day2Night mascara!

Rimmel Glam’Eyes Day2Night mascara is a party season favourite, as it allows you to create two dramatically different lash looks with just one brush.

To win one of 10 Rimmel hampers, tell us why you think the Glam’Eyes Day2Night Mascara is a beauty bag must-have.

This competition closes on 21 November.