6 Best Celebrity Designers of 2013

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Shaun Chatman

Which designers are the celebrities clamoring after for 2013? Now that most designers have revealed their creations for spring, summer, and fall, it’s clear the cream rises to the top. Here are the designers celebrities are wearing and what’s so special about their 2013 collections.

1. Anna Sui

Anna Sui

Image via Flickr by CHRISTOPHER MACSURAK

Anna’s designs are frequently spotted on A-list celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens, Ashlee Simpson, Fergie, Nicole Richie, and Miley Cyrus. This spring, Sui introduced her self-titled line “Anna’s Garden.” Though the collection is unmistakably Sui, with her favored Art Nouveau prints (all designed in-house), she’s taken this year’s line to a new level of floral prints. She mixes colors and whites superbly, and the looks she creates are never overdone. Sui creates the perfect fit for celebrities wanting to be on the cutting edge of fashion, but not over the top.

2. DSquared2

DSquared2

Image via Flickr by br1dotcom

The team of Dean and Dan Caten currently outfit the likes of style setters Jessica Simpson, Selena Gomez, Alicia Keys, and Halle Berry. For 2013, the design team pays homage to the jazz clubs of Paris in the 1940’s. They combine masculine tailored suits with ultra feminine silk dresses, the epitome of luxury. The ensembles feature basic grays and neutrals as a backdrop for bold, fanciful colors, ideal for the sophisticated Halle Berry’s of Hollywood.

3. Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen

Image via Flickr by Romana Correale

McQueen’s collection for 2013 took ideas from the most feminine designs all the way to erotica, so it’s no surprise to see an interesting mix of celebrities donning the outfits. Of course, McQueen was the honored designer to clothe Kate Middleton for her wedding seen ’round the world, but his designs are also popular with the likes of Kate Moss, Lady Gaga, and First Lady Michelle Obama. It’s the perfect balance of modesty to add to your collection of variety of sexy costumes.

4. Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana

Image via Flickr by @Saigon

Enjoyed by starlets Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, Claudia Schiffer, and Madonna, no list of top designers would be complete without Dolce and Gabbana. This year, the collection pays tribute to the festivals of Sicily, featuring raffia flour sack dresses, hair scarves, dresses and chandelier earrings adorned with street theater puppets, and separates bearing designs of Caltagirone vases and dishes.

5. Burberry Prorsum

Burberry Prorsum

Image via Flickr by OiMax

As McQueen, Prorsum ventured into the deep world of sexy this year, yet came out with a good reputation. This collection, enjoyed by Victoria Beckham, Donna Air, Sarah Jessica, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and others, showcases the joy of erotica. Capes and corsets are the backbone of the collection. Prorsum employs an array of autumn shades with colors hailing from 1930’s era lingerie, such as shell pinks and oyster. These muted colors against bold jewel tones absolutely pop. Satin and cotton sateen fabrics lend a soft touch to the looks.

6. Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani

Image via Flickr by FuFuWolf

Another staple in top designer lists, Armani dresses celebrities like Lea Michele, Penelope Cruz, Anne Hathaway, and Katie Holmes. This year, the Emporio Armani collection borrowed from all the most relevant fashion eras and brought back the very best, such as drop waist dresses and cloche hats from the Roaring 20’s. The line features faded and pastel shades, which lend femininity to the clean lines and soft shapes of the collection. Even the more tailored pieces are crafted with soft fabrics, creating the illusion of being made of fur.

With these superb collections, it won’t be any problem for celebrities to hit the streets looking runway ready.

This post was written by Shaun Chatman, who is a well published author on many authority sites. He lives in Dunedin, FL, and spends his free time playing with his kids or advising friends on everything from tech and gadgets to finance and travel.

The Look of Love Film Review | Sundance London 2013

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Daniel McCarthy

In an astonishingly versatile career that has lasted nearly two decades, British filmmaker Michael

Winterbottom has turned his hand to an astonishing amount of challenging and diverse output.

His work has strayed from fiction to factual, between comedy and drama and from light froth

to storms of controversy. His new film marks the fourth collaboration with comedian Steve

Coogan, their most notable so far being 24 Hour Party People, an excellent account of the

Manchester music scene of the late 70’s and early 80’s. Their subject matter this time around

is Paul Raymond, ‘The King Of Soho’, a notorious figure of the British media who starting in

the late 50’s built an empire from his ‘gentleman’s clubs’, pornography publications and real

estate properties to become the richest man in Britain, broke many taboos of the post-war era and

led an extravagant lifestyle both in and out of the public spotlight. Such a divisive and colorful

character seems almost tailor made for a tell all, illuminating biopic; a modern day King Midas

story. Citizen Kane by way of Boogie Nights if you will.

Soho, 1958: Paul Raymond (Coogan) along with his wife Jean (Anna Friel) open their

first ‘gentlemen’s club’ which allow it’s patrons access to displays of sexuality previously

unavailable due to British law. As the years pass, Raymond invests in multiple properties and

starts his own magazine publications which quickly make him one of the country’s wealthiest

men. However his rise to the top is littered with adversity and tragedy shown through the prism

of the other two key women in his life; Fiona Richmond (Tamsin Egerton), cover girl and

journalist for his Men Only Magazine and Debbie Raymond (Imogen Poots), his utterly devoted

and loving daughter who was destined to take over his empire.

Raymond’s excessive and colorful lifestyle was no secret to the public at large; he had an

uncanny knowledge of PR and treated his name like a brand. The Look Of Love certainly

succeeds at portraying this lavish and sordid empire in terrific detail. Costume and set designs

are beautifully rendered across the decades that the story spans and it’s quite remarkable that

with a fairly modest budget at the filmmakers disposal, the streets are Soho are convincingly

transformed to their period look. Cinematographer Hubert Taczanowski conjures up a stunning

look for the film. The early 50’s set monochrome sequences morph into a lurid, enticing color

scheme that practically drips off the screen and replicates the grainy film stock feel of the era

that thankfully doesn’t feel forced although a number of flashy edits and montage sequences feel

a tad overdone. Unfortunately it’s in discussing the brilliant visual aesthetic of the film that you

can’t help but notice it coming up shorthand in the emotional department.

Raymond’s life was not without it’s moments of heartbreak and tragedy and the film doesn’t

shy away from them. The problem is that for the majority of its running time it assumes the

veil of a bawdy, knockabout comedy breezing through the darker and more dubious aspects

of Raymond’s career without much time to absorb the morality or the lack of it. A scene

where he faces allegations that one of his clubs is being operated as a brothel is quite literally

blink and you miss it, as though the filmmakers are worried that you may start to dislike

this man. Montages whip past in a blur stopping to name drop many important events and

accomplishments of Raymond’s eventful life yet we rarely get any heft or scope of these events.

At it’s worst it almost resembles a live action Wikipedia biography page. It’s understandable that

the filmmakers would want to market the film to the widest possible audience by keeping the

appeal broad and the laughs coming. It’s certainly not without it’s funny moments and they are

their best when dark and scathing. The sight of Raymond giving his daughter a line of cocaine

to help her through labour elicits gasps and guffaws in equal measure. Yet the film revels in it’s

comic background to a sometimes overbearing degree. Cameos from the likes of Stephen Fry,

Dara O’Briain David Walliams and Matt Lucas (in a an uncanny portrayal of John Water’s

muse Divine) are distracting and many of them far too fleeting to have any major impact on the

narrative.

Then there is Coogan himself in the central role of Raymond. Coogan is an undeniable talent

and it can be a pleasure to see comedic actors broaden their range with more straight faced

fare. However as talented a performer as he is Coogan feels miscast in the role. One of the

key problems is that the spectre of his most famous creation, appalling self centred Norfolk

based DJ Alan Partridge, hangs over the performance. Many of Coogan’s mannerisms and

vocal inflections skirt very close to that of Partridge (look out for the scene where he coaches

his dancers through their moves) and it can’t help but pull you further out of the world the

filmmaker’s are clearly working very hard to create. It seems almost churlish to criticise Coogan

for being the gifted comic actor that he is but here the pitch of the performance jars badly, the

character is played so much for laughs that when we step into his darker moments there’s a

distinct lack of empathy. Fortunately many of the supporting performances raise the films game,

most notably from the trio of actresses who play the women of Raymond’s life. Anna Friel is

terrifically steely as Raymond’s first wife; a solid bedrock of support for her husband’s ventures

and she provides one of the genuinely raw moments of drama as their marriage falls apart.

Tamsin Egerton piles on the glamour but is no fool as Raymond’s pin up girlfriend. Imogen

Poots arguably steals the whole thing as Debbie Raymond, pulling off what on paper seems like

a character of contradictions; hedonistic and full of life yet fragile and achingly vulnerable. It’s

the scenes between father and daughter that stick in the mind and hint the most at Raymond’s

softer and more conventional family persona. It’s in these scenes that we perhaps get a clearer

picture of what the film was aiming for before the tone got muddled.

The Look Of Love is certainly no disaster but given Michael Winterbottom’s terrific range

and style this can’t help but feel incredibly conventional, underwhelming and perhaps only as

substantial as one of its protagonist’s glossy publications. A lot of razzle but not enough dazzle.

Pet Loving Celebrities Go ‘Potty’ For Charity Fundraising Event

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Frostie

Pet loving celebrities including Cheska Hull, Laura Hamilton, Sinitta, Felicity Kendal, Arlene Phillips, Kristina Rihanoff, Lizzie Cundy, Meg Matthews, Liz McClarnon, Hayley Tamaddon and Jenni Falconer have joined forces to support this year’s Blue Cross Tea Party.

The celebrities have been challenged to showcase their artistic flair by designing their own special edition pet-themed teapot, to be auctioned to raise funds to help sick and homeless pets. The celebrities are also calling for the public to sign up to host tea parties across the country on Friday 10th May, to help make a difference to the lives of thousands of pets in Blue Cross care.

The fifteen pet loving celebrities supporting the great work of Blue Cross also include much-loved actresses Pam Ferris and Olivia Colman; plus fabulous TV personalities Debbie Bright and Ollie Locke, Made in Chelsea’s finest.

The colourful teapot designs range from Cheska Hull, Jenni Falconer and Laura Hamilton’s paw-print motifs, Liz McClarnon’s creative, cute cat artwork to Arlene Phillips’ pooch ‘Polly’ taking centre stage as the inspiration behind her teapot design.
Lizzie Cundy said: ‘I just love animals, I have two cats at home that I absolutely adore. The work that Blue Cross does really is so important in helping to provide happy homes for thousands of pets a year.”

Cheska Hull said: “I am a huge animal lover and it’s heart breaking that there are so many pets out there that don’t have a loving home. The work the Blue Cross does helps to ensure they can get a second chance at life. So take to your kitchens and get out your mixing bowls – Britain’s pets need you!”

Arlene Phillips said; “I have been busy mastering my baking skills for the Blue Cross Tea Party and I want to appeal to all the pet lovers out there to do the same. I used to really struggle with baking but ever since I did the Great British Bake Off, I love to shut myself away in the kitchen for a few hours whipping up a Victoria sponge or some scones to share with the family. I actually find it very therapeutic, and what’s great is that anyone can have a go to help this fantastic cause. With a huge rise in stray and abandoned pets over the last few years, Blue Cross needs our help more than ever to continue caring for pets in need.”

The auction will take place from (2^nd-12^th May) so don’t miss out on your chance to get involved and bid on your favourite pet-inspired teapot by visiting www.bluecross.org.uk/teapots. To order your free Tea Party host pack full of ideas and recipes, visit www.bluecross.org.uk/teaparty.

Puppy Bella was recently helped by Blue Cross. Part of an unwanted litter, when Bella first arrived she was covered in fleas and her tender skin was red and sore from scratching. Blue Cross nurses provided the vital veterinary care needed to slowly help Bella’s skin improve and she was cared for by a Blue Cross fosterer whilst she recuperated and returned to health. Bella has now found a permanent home with a family who give her the love she deserves.

Blue Cross is a charity dedicated to helping poorly, injured and abandoned pets for over 100 years, doing what’s needed to give every pet a healthy life in a happy home. They run four animal hospitals and 12 rehoming centres across the UK, which provide treatment and seek happy homes for thousands of cats, dogs, small pets and horses each year.

Blue Cross Tea Party, find out more at www.bluecross.org.uk/teaparty

Sleeping Arrangements Theatre Review

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

I love musicals. I really do. Which is why I really appreciate how incredibly brave doing a new one is. It is a move that I feel has paid off for Sleeping Arrangements. It is fun and frivolous. A comedy that makes you feel completely involved with the characters. The story about two families who end up in the same villa in Spain at the same time with hilarious consequences. It is a production set during a holiday and it really feels like one.

What the two families do not know is that Hugh and Chloe know each other. Their wealthy friend Gerard double booked them Was it on purpose and if so, why?

It must have been hard to write a musical from scratch but Chris Burgess has achieved it perfectly. I really had fun watching this musical comedy. It really did have some great one liners. All of the actors are just brilliant. I completely believed in all of their characters.

Sleeping Arrangements is based on the novel by Sophie Kinsella, which has been described as the ‘perfect holiday read’, and this theatre production completely encapsulates it. A really funny comedy that is definitely a go see.

Aria Entertainment Presents
Sleeping Arrangements
Landor Theatre
17th April – 12^th May

Sophie Kinsella’s Sleeping Arrangements adapted for the stage

Aria Entertainment is delighted to announce the full cast for the world premiere of Sleeping Arrangements, a new musical based on the novel by Sophie Kinsella, author of Confessions Of A Shopaholic.

The exceptionally high calibre cast includes Fascinating Aïda’s Liza Pulman and West End favourite Jenny Gayner who has trodden the boards as Roxie Hart in Chicago amongst other high profile roles and Sabrina Aloueche who is best known for playing the character ‘Scaramouche‘ in We Will Rock You.

The Confessions Of A Shopaholic novel was adapted into a film released in 2009, starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy but this will be the first of Sophie’s popular books to be adapted for the stage.

“I am so excited to see my story on stage in such a hilarious and tuneful musical”

Sophie Kinsella

This exciting new musical will play at the Landor Theatre in Clapham London for four weeks starting in April 2013 (17^th April – 12^th May)

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, the musical tells the tale of Chloe who desperately needs a holiday. She’s sick of making wedding dresses and her partner, Philip has troubles at work. Her wealthy friend Gerard has offered the loan of his luxury villa in Spain – Perfect

Hugh is not a happy man. His immaculate wife Amanda seems more interested in her new kitchen than him and he works so hard to pay for it, he barely has time for his children. Maybe he’ll have a chance to bond with them on holiday. His friend Gerard has lent him a luxury villa in Spain – Perfect.

Both families arrive at the villa and realise the awful truth – Gerard has double-booked. What no-one else realises is that Chloe and Hugh have a history, and as tensions rise, old passions resurface. It seems that Gerard’s ‘accidental’ double booking may not be an accident after all…

With music and lyrics by Chris Burgess, Sleeping Arrangements the musical is the perfect summer soundtrack, just as the original novel was “a perfect holiday read”. – Sunday Mirror

Workforce Socks | Fashion

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

Socks? Yes, socks. Few things are more underrated than wearing the right socks. If they make you too hot or too cold they can ruin your day. I also hate it when socks are so tight they stop your circulation, and don’t get me started on socks that only last a couple of wears and end up having holes in the heel and toe. In fact as I am writing this I realise just how hard it is to find a good pair of socks.

So, time to review Workforce socks. Are they any good?

They look good so straight away they get points for design. They also have an ‘R’ and an ‘L’ so you know that you are putting them on the right foot. They have padding on the heel and the ball of the feet. You would be surprised just how much of a difference this makes. They also have some padding on other areas.

The toes are also reinforced. Workforce call themselves the most comfortable socks on the market. A big claim.

I wear the workforce socks for a few days (not in a row. I washed them!) I have had sore feet from running all around London going to different events and stuff. It is surprising just how much abuse your feet take.

The socks really are comfortable. So much so that I don’t think I can go back to normal socks again. I am definitely going to buy these socks for my family and friends. They are just so much more superior than normal socks. They are comfortable, tough and just so much kinder to your feet. I really like them. Consider me converted.

Workforce also say:

Technical features to be found in the Workforce range include knitted arch support engineered for a precise fit and hold, terry cushion panels to provide excellent comfort from shock absorption. Specially constructed ventilation panels aid moisture management, specially treated yarns and bamboo fibres provide natural antibacterial protection. Many styles include heavy gauge ribbing and fully cushioned soles for total comfort and heel and toe areas are enhanced with polypropylene for maximum durability.

Celebrity builder Tommy Walsh is impressed with the performance of his Workforce socks and adamant that they have improved his life at work:

“Workforce are the hardest wearing socks I’ve ever worn and also the most comfortable. They provide me with the comfort and protection I need when I’m working hard or when I’m out and about. They’re warm, but never get too hot; they’re padded, extra strong and fit comfortably with my working boots and shoes. I don’t know how they’ve done it, but Workforce have a range of socks ideal for workwear purposes”

Workforce Socks available from Amazon UK.

What do you think?

Jo Hansford on Angelina Jolie, Carla Bruni, Naomi Campbell and Liz Hurley

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

The world’s most famous colourist, Jo Hansford MBE, is celebrating 20 years of running her exclusive London salon this year.

Jo Hansford salon is a magnet for just about every A lister – from royalty, film stars and celebrities to media moguls and businesswomen. It has seen Hollywood’s finest screen stars pass through its doors as well as First Ladies of politics and many of the world’s leading entertainers and supermodels.

Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Hurley, HRH Duchess of Cornwall, Georgia Jagger, Sienna Miller and Sophie Dahl are all clients of the woman hailed by American Vogue as “the best tinter on the planet”.

Hansford’s Mayfair hair salon opened its doors on Mount Street in 1993 with just eight staff in the middle of the recession. Here Jo shares her interesting anecdotes about some of the famous people who have visited her salon during the last 20 years.

First lady Carla Bruni –I was flown to Paris first class to do Carla’s hair for a fashion shoot when she was at the height of her career as a supermodel. I remember we had to wait for her to get out of bed – not because she was being a diva – more that she was absolutely knackered after doing show after show at Paris Fashion Week. She was charming if not a bit tired. The models have to work so hard and I do feel sorry for a lot of them as fashion weeks are tough on them. We then flew down to Nice to do the shoot for a glossy magazine – she was uber professional and did the job without any moaning even though she was totally shattered. A really charming lady.
Angelina Jolie – We were asked to do her hair for her role as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider. She had just flown in from LA and had to come straight into the salon and was exhausted. Jet lagged, she pretty much fell asleep in the chair. She had a ‘herbal’ black on her hair and needed to be 3 shades lighter to a dark brown. This was an incredibly hard job as herbal tint doesn’t remove very easily. It took all day to get the base right and we had to send her away to get some rest as she was so tired. She returned the next day and we finished the job. She was very unpretentious and very sweet– a true A lister with charm.
Elizabeth Hurley – Elizabeth first came in about 14 years ago. I worked on her hair for a year before I felt we had achieved the perfect colour for her and she has been loyal ever since. At one point she had a penchant for being blonde which I knew wouldn’t be right for her especially on shoots. However, I did what she asked and she came back next time saying she needed to be darker again! She realised that it doesn’t work as well in the photos and she much more radiant as a brunette. She has a radiance about her and is a true beauty. We chat about our love of dogs, our children and business. She’s a smart businesswomen – very astute. When Damian was very small, he used to come into the salon and all the staff adored him. He is a gorgeous little boy and she is a totally doting mother.
The Duchess of Cornwall has been coming to me for – I dread to think how long – 25, 30 years. We get on incredibly well, because our children are the same age, and we both have grandchildren. She has a fantastic sense of humour, she really does. You’re not best friends, but you build a rapport and you know their hair. I was delighted to get an invite to her wedding but unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it. I do have a piece of the wedding cake in a special tin which sits in my office and I keep all the lovely cards she sends me. I am very proud to do her colour.
Georgia Jagger – Myself and my team worked with her to get the right shade of blonde. Her hair is so battered by seeing different colourists and stylists and from her modelling that she wanted to have beautiful soft looking highlights. That’s what we gave her. She’s a great girl, quite reserved which is surprising given her extrovert rock star dad!
Yasmin le Bon – Yasmin was a client for years and at one point we often looked after the whole family, including her daughter Amber. We also looked after Simon after Yasmin’s instructions to give him more natural looking blonde highlights! Yasmin is naturally incredibly beautiful, a homely girl and a really doting mother. It’s great to see Yasmin looking so amazing in the Monsoon campaign with Amber.
Sophie Dahl – Sophie Dahl was a dream client when she popped in for a treatment. After she sent me a lovely hand-written card saying ‘thank you for my grown up highlights!’
Josephine de la Baume – we always look after her hair when she is in London and coloured it for her wedding to Mark Ronson. She is very cool.
Liberty Ross – I was asked by Sam McKnight to colour her hair for Vogue Magazine (he was doing the styling). It was a fairly avant garde shoot and different to what I would normally do as she needed to have multi coloured rainbow highlights running through it. I absolutely loved the experience and she was such a professional and it was a fabulous team. The results were stunning and she was on the front cover. She’s a great example of a lovely girl who has come from a seriously nice family. I was really saddened to read about her split up from her husband.
Linda Gray– Linda came in while she was on stage in The Graduate in the West Wend WHAT DID SHE HAVE DONE. This was post her Dallas days. She is 100% old Hollywood through and through. A great character, a classic beauty who really looks after herself. She has the most fabulous bone structure and is a great looking woman. She was a pleasure to have in the salon and was truly gracious and just a lovely lady.
Rachel Hunter – the model started coming into the salon after she splitting up from Rod Stewart as she temporarily moved back from LA where her hair had been over processed. I did colour correction work to change her harsh orange highlights to more natural honey and cream tones. She was very unassuming, polite and totally unpretentious. She was obviously going through a very hard time but never let anything show and always looked impeccable.
Barbara Taylor Bradford – as well as real royalty we also look after the queen of women’s fiction, Barbara Taylor Bradford. When she’s in the UK and staying in The Dorchester, she always comes in to get her colour and styling done. She won’t go anywhere else for colour. Even though she lives in New York now, she still has retained her northern charm and is a lovely, decent lady. She impresses all the staff with her knowledge on current affairs and is always reading. Her charming husband Bob comes in too. They’re a lovely couple.
Holly Hunter – After the success of The Piano, Holly spent some time in London. She became a regular whilst on stage in ‘By the Bog of Cats’ in London. She used to give everyone massive kisses and hugs when she left, even the juniors! She was the opposite of a luvvie. So grounded and normal. It’s great to see actresses like this who still have their feet firmly on the ground.
Raquel Welch – she was one of my first clients. A real siren – totally stunning. She came into the salon while she was in London in a play and became a real regular. Then one of our stylists would go and look after her wherever she was doing media interviews and TV. I remember her maid dutifully coming into the salon to bring her breakfast or lunch – which was a carefully designed meal given she always watched what she ate. It pays off as still today she has an amazing figure.
Hugh Jackman – Hugh made all the ladies swoon when he came in, he was very gorgeous and had to have his hair permed by one of our stylists whilst he was appearing in Oklahoma. It was a real joy having him in the salon – especially for the our staff and our customers!
Dido – We looked after Dido when she first came to the UK to launch her singing career. We created beautiful natural looking highlights as her hair had been messed up in LA. She was just lovely. A really sweet girl who is naturally very pretty.
Natalie Imbruglia – a regular for quite a while and we gave her the ombre look about two years ago when she wanted something different. She is very pretty and charming.
Lorraine Kelly –is great fun and always so kind and generous when she comes in. It’s very obvious why she is loved by the public as she is completely down to earth and very relatable! She told me the other day that coming into our salon for a cut and colour is probably the most relaxing couple of hours she ever has. I’m glad she likes the experience!
Erin O’Connor – She came to us after she had been to several different colourists and needed her hair evened out. She loves being dark so it was just making sure it was a true flat black with no undertones. Once this was achieved we maintained it for several years until she relocated to New York last year. We actually gave her the formula so her hairdresser out there could maintain it for her! She recently gave us a lovely quote for our website: “Jo Hansford’s just exceptional at what she does and her beautiful salon reflects that.”
Nigella Lawson – Nigella was a client for years and years and she’d often bring her children in for haircuts too. She is such a lovely lady, so beautiful in flesh and has the most amazing skin! She would often come into us on a Saturday and then pop next door to Scotts to meet Charles for lunch. They would always sit outside in the summer there and enjoy the sunshine and people watching on Mount Street. She is naturally very funny and down to earth and charming!
(well, to be correct, 20 ½!) Naomi Campbell: We were asked if we could look after Naomi Campbell’s hair a few years ago when she was huge but didn’t have much detail about what was required. We all got very excited especially when a beautiful Rolls Royce pulled up with blacked out windows. The chauffeur walked round the car and opened the door and then picked up a box off the back seat and brought it in to the salon! They only wanted her fringe piece to be coloured to match the rest of a hairpiece she had!

Sunday Times Rich List 2013: Who Made The List

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Frostie

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY IS WEALTHIEST MUSIC MILLIONAIRE, WITH £680 MILLION FORTUNE IN 25^th ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST

ADELE TOPS LIST OF YOUNG MUSIC MILLIONAIRES WITH A £30 MILLION FORTUNE

McCARTNEY TOPPED 1993 MUSIC RICH LIST, WORTH £400 MILLION, AND HAD £80 MILLION IN 1989

The 25^th anniversary Sunday Times Rich List, to be published on April 21, 2013, will reveal that Sir Paul McCartney is the country’s richest performer, topping the list of the 50 wealthiest music millionaires in Britain and Ireland. He has a £680m fortune, which is shared with his wife Nancy Shevell.

McCartney, 70, has topped all the charts for the country’s wealthiest musicians since The Sunday Times Rich List began in 1989, when the former Beatle was worth £80m. By 1993, the McCartney fortune had grown to £400m.

Aside from starring roles at the Queen’s diamond jubilee and closing the opening ceremony for the London Olympics, McCartney’s On the Run tour grossed $57m from 18 dates in 2012. The tour has helped add £15m to his fortune, which, at £680m, includes £150m for wife Nancy Shevell’s stake in her father’s New England Motor Freight trucking operation.

Profits from his hugely successful stage shows, such as Phantom of the Opera, Evita and Cats, have helped to boost composer and theatre owner Lord Lloyd-Webber’s fortune by £30m to keep him in second place in the Music Rich List, worth £620m. Lloyd-Webber also held second place in the 1993 Rich List of the top UK music millionaires with a £200m fortune, ahead of Elton John, who is now worth double his 1993 wealth of £120m.

The Sunday Times only started to measure wealth in Ireland as part of its annual Rich List in 1997.

THE SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST 2013

THE 50 WEALTHIEST MUSIC MILLIONAIRES IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND

This list excludes music company owners and producers

Music rank2013	Name	2013 wealth	2012 wealth
1	Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell	£680m	£665m
2	Lord Lloyd-Webber	£620m	£590m
3	U2	£520m	£514m
4	Sir Elton John	£240m	£220m
5=	David and Victoria Beckham	£200m	£190m
5=	Sir Mick Jagger	£200m	£190m
7	Michael Flatley	£191m	£192m
8	Keith Richards	£185m	£175m
9=	Olivia and Dhani Harrison	£180m	£180m
9=	Sting	£180m	£180m
11	Ringo Starr	£160m	£160m
12	Roger Waters	£150m	£120m
13	Sir Tim Rice	£149m	£144m
14	Sir Tom Jones	£145m	£140m
15	Eric Clapton	£140m	£130m
16	Rod Stewart	£130m	£120m
17	Phil Collins	£115m	£115m
18=	George Michael	£105m	£100m
18=	Robbie Williams	£105m	£100m
20=	David Bowie	£100m	£100m
20=	Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne	£100m	£95m
22	Brian May	£95m	£90m
23=	Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow	£90m	£72m
23=	Roger Taylor	£90m	£85m
23=	Charlie Watts	£90m	£85m
26	Enya	£87m	£86m
27	David Gilmour	£85m	£85m
28=	Jimmy Page	£80m	£75m
28=	Robert Plant	£80m	£80m
30=	John Deacon	£74m	£70m
30=	Noel and Liam Gallagher	£74m	£65m
32	Pete Townshend	£70m	£40m
33=	Engelbert Humperdinck	£65m	£65m
33=	Mark Knopfler	£65m	£65m
35=	Gary Barlow	£60m	£50m
35=	Barry Gibb	£60m	New
37	Nick Mason	£55m	£55m
38	Sir Cliff Richard	£52m	£52m
39=	Guy Berryman	£50m	£40m
39=	Jonny Buckland	£50m	£40m
39=	Will Champion	£50m	£40m
39=	Brian Johnson	£50m	£50m
39=	John Paul Jones	£50m	£45m
39=	Kylie Minogue	£50m	£45m
39=	Van Morrison	£50m	£50m
46=	Jay Kay	£45m	£40m
46=	Bernie Taupin	£45m	£45m
48=	Mick Hucknall	£40m	£40m
48=	Sade	£40m	£40m
50	Sarah Brightman	£36m	New

In the 1993 Sunday Times Rich List, Paul McCartney was also Britain’s richest performer with a £400m fortune. There were 15 music millionaires, see below, in the 1993 Rich List which measured the wealth of the 400 richest people in Britain, with David Bowie ranked 15^th in the music list worth £20m.

The only two musicians to appear in the first Sunday Times Rich List of 200 names published in 1989 were Paul McCartney, who was worth £80m, and Elton John, with a £40m fortune.

THE SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST 1993

TOP UK 15 MUSIC MILLIONAIRES

Excluding music company owners and producers

Music rank1993	Name	1993 wealth
1	Paul McCartney	£400m
2	Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber	£200m
3	Elton John	£120m
4	Mick Jagger	£90m
5	George Michael	£80m
6	Keith Richards	£70m
7	Mark Knopfler	£60m
8	Cliff Richard	£45m
9	Bernard Taupin	£35m
10	Dave Stewart	£30m
11=	George Harrison	£25m
11=	Rod Stewart	£25m
13	Bill Wyman	£24m
14	Phil Collins	£22m
15	David Bowie	£20m

Adele tops the 2013 Young Music Rich List, of entertainers aged 30 and under, see below, with a £30m fortune. With the continued worldwide success of her album 21, this is a 50% increase on the £20m fortune the Oscar-winning singer-songwriter topped the Young Music Rich List with in 2012.

New entries to the Young Music Millionaires Rich List, each worth £5m, include singer-songwriters Emeli Sandé, aged 26, Ed Sheeran, 22, and all five members of One Direction, Niall Horan, 19, Zayn Malik, 20, Liam Payne, 19, Harry Styles,19, and Louis Tomlinson, 21.

One Direction have become Britain’s richest boy band, with combined wealth of £25m. This puts them just £1m ahead of the combined wealth of the four members of JLS, Jonathan (JB) Gill, 26, Marvin Humes, 28, Aston Merrygold, 25, and Ortisé Williams, 26, who now share a total fortune of £24m, being each worth £6m.

THE SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST 2013

YOUNG MUSIC MILLIONAIRES IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND

AGED 30 AND UNDER

Music rank2013	Name	2013 wealth	2012 wealth
1	Adele	£30m	£20m
2	Cheryl Cole	£14m	£12m
3=	Leona Lewis	£12m	£12m
3=	Katie Melua	£12m	£12m
5	Florence Welch	£9m	£7m
6=	Charlotte Church	£8m	£8m
6=	Jessie J	£8m	£5m
8=	Lily Allen	£6m	£6m
8=	Nadine Coyle	£6m	£5m
8=	Duffy	£6m	£6m
8=	Jonathan (JB) Gill	£6m	£5m
8=	Marvin Humes	£6m	£5m
8=	Aston Merrygold	£6m	£5m
8=	James Morrison	£6m	£6m
8=	Nicola Roberts	£6m	£5m
8=	Oritsé Williams	£6m	£5m
17=	Niall Horan	£5m	New
17=	Zayn Malik	£5m	New
17=	Liam Payne	£5m	New
17=	Emeli Sandé	£5m	New
17=	Ed Sheeran	£5m	New
17=	Harry Styles	£5m	New
17=	Louis Tomlinson	£5m	New

The 25^th annual Sunday Times Rich List – the definitive guide to wealth in Britain and Ireland – is published on April 21 in a special 104-page supplement, which profiles the 1,000 richest people and families in the UK and the wealthiest 250 in Ireland. The list is based on identifiable wealth, including land, property, other assets such as art and racehorses, or significant shares in publicly quoted companies. It excludes bank accounts, to which the paper has no access. This year, a £75m fortune is required to make it into the top 1,000 in the Rich List.

The Sunday Times Rich List 2013 is compiled by Philip Beresford, the leading authority on British wealth, and edited by Ian Coxon.

The Sunday Times Rich List

Shameless Q and A with Jody Latham

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Frostie

Jody Latham talks about reprising his role as Lip Gallagher in the final series of Shameless. Episode 8 will be broadcast on Tuesday 16th April at 10pm on Channel 4.

How important has Shameless been to you in the context of your career?

Oh wow! It’s been a massive part of my career. I’ve been acting for 15 years, and I was first involved with Shameless ten years ago. I was the first person ever cast on the show. In fact, I was the first person ever to be seen for the show, weeks and weeks before we started shooting. I’d been working for a few years before I started Shameless, but it was the biggest thing that I’d done. It put me out there. It’s opened the door for many other opportunities as well. It’s so true to life, people can relate to it. And it set the example for so many other shows to follow. It’s been a huge privilege to be part of it.

When you were started on the show you were only 20 years old. Do you feel that you learned quite a lot in those early years?

Yeah. 20-years-old is considered quite young. I was just out of my teens, living in Manchester, on my own in an apartment, for the first time. I was a kid at the time. Now I’m about to be 30 years old. So in that time I’ve grown as an actor, as a person, as a father, as a man. I hope I’ve grown up quite a lot since I started on Shameless. It’s been a massive part of my life, not just in career terms. I’ve lived and breathed it. I’ve done high profile shows like EastEnders, The Fixer, I’ve made music videos with Tulisa, and yet 99 per cent of the people who recognise me do so because of Shameless. It’s always about Lip and Shameless, even now. A couple of years ago, when I’d been out of the show for a while, I found it a bit annoying, but then I thought “You know what? Shameless is a massive institution in people’s lives.” Some people have grown up with it – watching it aged 10 or 11, in their bedroom when they’re not supposed to – and they’re now 19 or 20. I do get people coming up to me saying they used to watch it in their rooms with headphones on because their parents wouldn’t let them see it.

When did you begin to realise you were in a show that was going to be a success?

To be honest, I knew from reading the script. I knew what Paul Abbott was capable of. I knew how massively respected he was even before Shameless transmitted – he’d been involved in The Lakes, Clocking Off, Band of Gold, all these massive shows. Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold, so I knew it was going to be huge. I read it and knew how controversial it was – storylines about gay 15-year-olds and that. Right from reading the scripts with all these huge storylines going on, I just knew it was going to be massive from day one. It was naughty and controversial and artistically brilliant.

When you were in the show originally, you filmed a lot with Gerard Kearns (who played Ian). Did you form a close relationship?

Yeah, we did. We were into similar music and similar films, and we came from quite similar backgrounds. We were also both strong, opinionated characters. We were definitely close, and I still speak to him every now and again. And I’ve got a massive amount of respect for him as an actor, and as a father, and with how he’s done in his career. He started off in amateur dramatics, like me, with no formal training, and he’s straight in there, doing it, and doing a really good job. That was the thing about Shameless, the younger members of the cast were all just raw talent, nobody had been trained. I think it may have been Gerard’s first ever part. It was all about finding new faces, no star names, making it seem more real. And it made stars out of the cast – Ann-Marie Duff, James McAvoy, Dean Lennox Kelly, Maxine Peake. Me! [Laughs uproariously]. Being in a show like that has allowed us to go on and make good, strong British dramas, and in some cases films – even blockbuster films, with McAvoy! So we’ve all done really well out of it.

There’s now a US version of the series. Have you seen it?

I watched the first couple of them, yeah. It was really weird! It was interesting, seeing it set in a different environment, but it was literally word for word the same as the English version, and I just found that really bizarre. I believe it’s a huge success over there, particularly the second series.

Why did you decide to go back for the last series of Shameless?

Because they asked me! I’d shared my desires to go back and do a little bit more, and they came back to me with an idea, and we just thought “Yeah, let’s do it.”

What’s it been like, being back?

Brilliant. It was quite emotional. It’s been five or six years since I’ve been there, so it was a real trip down memory lane. One irony was that the first scene I shot when I was back in the studio was exactly where I’d shot my last ever scenes when I left. So that was quite random.

Are a lot of the same faces still there, among the cast and crew?

The crew’s almost completely different – there’s a few from the original, but not many. But in terms of the cast, there’s quite a lot of the old gang there. It didn’t feel unfamiliar, put it that way.

Are any of the other old cast members coming back?

Yes!

What’s happened to Lip since we last saw him?

I don’t know how much I can tell you. But Lip and Frank basically bump into each other on the street. Frank quickly discovers that this might be where Lip actually lives. So it turns out that Lip could be a lot closer to Chatsworth than everyone was led to believe. I think I can say that without giving the game away.

Lastly, how much of you is there in Lip? Are you like him?

I don’t think so, not really. When I was younger, I liked to think I was clever, and I liked to think I was popular with the girls, but I’ve grown up a lot now. I’m not as cocky as I used to be!

Interview courtesy of Channel 4

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