Summer mornings. Is there anything more pathos-inducing than the idea of our glorious summer dissipating into a distant memory? Will we look back in years to come on the Summer Of 2018 as the year of golden sunrises, a dreamlike did-it-really-happen myth, never to be experienced again in our lifetime? Hmmm, maybe that’s a tad melodramatic, but there’s something extra special about sun-soaked August mornings, especially those spent amongst lush foliage and blush-hued hydrangeas as far as the eye can see.
On the upside, this in-between gap of post-summer, not-quite-autumn has its own brand of optimism. (more…)
For the third in my Petit Déjeuner film series, we’re celebrating the reawakening of the London Dior flagship store. Petit Déjeuner is all about new beginnings and reinvention, and after four years of renovation, we’re finally seeing the reawakening of this sleeping beauty.
What’s the role of a flagship store these days? The flagship (or ‘Maison’ as many like to call theirs) is more important than ever, in the era of bricks vs clicks. If the phone, app, website or e-commerce portal is the convenience store, then the Maison is the beautiful, leisurely experience that to me, is real luxury. As Dior’s Sidney Toledano says, “The real deal is time. The young generation, whether they are 15, 18, 20, they want everything fast. But maturity is giving meaning to time. Time is dreaming. We give the ability to the people to have a moment of dreaming.”
So enter the vast, four-level listed building (actually two buildings now co-joined) and you’re in a grand cathedral to all things chic and beautiful. From the jasmine-trellised conservatory (that had to stay due to listed building status), to the stately marble staircase, to the neo-Louis XV1 furniture (a nod to the elegant Parisian house codes), it’s like entering the most decadent, life size dollshouse. And fittingly, there’s an exclusive home collection to add to the Dior universe. Think crystal glassware, hand embroidered linens and a range of teas inspired by Dior fragrances.
On the subject of fragrance, the perfume department is decorated by the most wonderful porcelain sculpture wall by Beth Katleman. Yes, you will want to linger here for a while. And wait, did I mention the three private dressing room suites, decorated with Mats Gustafson and Christian Bérard illustrations?
Art was one of Christian Dior’s great passions so it’s fitting that this ‘house’ is filled with unique contemporary pieces. The ornate staircase is incredible, from the globular silver ‘Distant Cousin’ sculpture by Tony Cragg alongside it, to the curlicued railings, to the animated ‘mural’ by Oyoram, an ever-changing digital screen that brings life and energy to the space. Marc Quinn continues the colour explosion with his limited edition Lady Dior bags and small leather accessories drenched in a vibrant floral print.
And to balance the bursts of colour, of course there are several shades of signature Dior grey, another house code, here reinvented in silver leafed leather, bedazzling chrome and reflective surfaces. In this shining temple, there are mirrors wherever you look.
It’s all very mesmerising and creates the perfect backdrop for our film about transformation, identity and possibility. Come in, look around, try something on, dare to dream a little. Who do you want to be today?
First outfit:
Black top from Cassie Mercantile; other items from Contemporary Wardrobe
All other items from Dior.
STILLS CREDITS
As above. All clothes and accessories, Dior
Location: Dior, 160-162 New Bond Street, London W1
Thanks to Rebecca Lesley, Emmet Holmes-Boyes, Callie Adams at Dior
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New makeup artist discovery: Emma Broom. We worked together on our Follow The Blue Line shoot (above) in November, when she stepped in at short notice on the recommendation of another makeup artist who had to cancel. In the event she was a perfect fit, translating our ‘no makeup makeup with a bit of extra “something”’ brief with this immaculate inky statement eye.
The photos speak for themselves (see them here) but I couldn’t let Emma go without asking some pressing beauty questions…
DISNEYROLLERGIRL: TELL ME ABOUT THE MAKEUP LOOK YOU CREATED ON MADDY (ABOVE)
Emma Broom: I wanted Maddy to have more then just a no makeup makeup, so I chose to emphasise her eyes in a glamorous grunge way. I kept the rest of her minimal.
DRG: HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE THAT GORGEOUS SKIN WITHOUT CAKING ON LOADS OF PRODUCT?
EB: I always pay a lot of attention to prepping the skin, using products that hydrate and make the skin radiant. Once the skin is looking great and has a glow you don’t need to use as much make up base. I like skin to look real.
DRG: HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE THE EYE LOOK?
EB: I only used 4 products on the eye. I used MAC Feline pencil into top and lower lash line. I really worked the pencil into the lower lash line, so it looked smudged and a bit messy. I then added MAC gel liner in Blacktrack and used it to create a deconstructed liner on the eye lid. I put MAC eyeshadow in Shroom over the ball of the eye and into the tearduct. I finished with lots of mascara.
DRG: SHOPPING LIST TIME! WHICH BRANDS MAKE YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTS FOR SKINCARE, FOUNDATION AND COLOUR COSMETICS?
EB: Skincare – Bioderma, NARS and Sarah Chapman; Bases – MAC Face and Body and Chanel Vitalumiere; Lips- NARS
DRG: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE JOB YOU’VE DONE RECENTLY?
EB: I loved assisting on one of the LOVE advent calendar days.
DRG: WHAT’S INSPIRING YOU CREATIVELY RIGHT NOW?
EB: I recently found inspiration from artist Gerhard Richter. I love his use of colour and I’ve now become obsessed with orange – I want to incorporate this into a beauty story.
WORDS: Navaz Batliwalla/Disneyrollergirl
IMAGE: Vanessa Jackman
MAKEUP: Emma Broom
If you loved the glimpse of the Artist Residence Hotel I shot in recently (with Vanessa Jackman), here’s everything you need to know about it. Located in London’s genteel Pimlico, it’s the third in a trio of homely residences that feel more like a home away from home than a glam-but-impersonal hotel. The original Artist Residence was born in Brighton in 2008, followed three years later by Penzance. What they share is a mix of heritage-y reclaimed furnishings and fittings with artworks from up and coming talent and a laid back ambience. (more…)
