An abundance of famous faces and industry greats turned up at the Belvedere Kenzo Party to launch the Kenzo Fall Winter collection at Liberty of London.
Celebrities included Daisy Lowe, Alexa Chung, Henry Holland, Gizzi Erskine, Sophie Sumner and many others. Guests were treated to a set by up and coming act Blood Orange who got the crowd dancing and saw Alexa Chung and Daisy Lowe strut their moves during his cover of Prince’s ‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’.
Cheltenham Fashion Week has welcomed high flyers, glitterati and celebrities to Cowley Manor VIP event ‘For One Night Only’.
Celebrity names such as actress and Hop, Skip and Jump President Elizabeth Hurley, singer
Van Morrisson, actress Lisa Maxwell, cricketer Shane Warne, designer Selina Blow and
Embarrassing Bodies’ Dawn Harper are just some of the high profile attendees that headed
down the red carpet of the glamorous event and watched a high fashion runway show.
Speaking ahead of the event Elizabeth Hurley, who is attending in her capacity of President of Hop, Skip and Jump, said: “The Cheltenham Fashion Week One Night Only event is being held in aid of Hop, Skip and Jump. This is a charity that gives a unique and vital service to the many families who have children with additional needs so it is absolutely right that we should be together gathering support for them during this special week for Cheltenham. Until I met up with Hop, Skip and Jump I had not realised the enormous need for a place which gives flexible day respite to the many families who have children and young adults with additional needs. The change in people’s lives through this unique provision is truly remarkable.”
On arrival at the luxury boutique hotel guests were greeted with a Champagne reception, followed by a sumptuous three course supper and wine. Guests also received a VIP goodie bag filled with lavish treats.
The event was a complete sell-out. The A-list event treated guests to an evening of fine dining, music and glamorous fashion showcasing new and established couture designers from all over the UK.
Winning pieces from the earlier Student Shows also featured alongside the Couture Show.
Photo credit: Spencer McPherson
Jamie Laing, entrepreneur and star of Channel 4’s hit show “Made in Chelsea”, has ventured into the world of racehorse ownership as co-founder of The Candy Kittens Racing Club.
The Racing Club is just one within the Celebrity Race Clubs portfolio, offering customers the chance to mingle with their favourite celebrities while experiencing what it is like to own their own racehorse. Each group has a racehorse running under its name and in its colours and membership can cost as little as £10 per month, offering exciting opportunities to go behind-the-scenes of the sport, as well as enjoy some top on-track action.
The Candy Kittens racehorse has been named by Jamie after his brainchild sweet shop, Candy Kitten, which opened this May in London. The two year old filly is trained by Alastair Lidderdale, in Lambourn, and is due to make her debut at Goodwood Racecourse on 14th October 2012.
Jamie (pictured) visited his new horse last week, meeting female jockey Leonna Mayor, Apprentice Jockey for Alastair Lidderdale, who rode Candy Kitten on the gallops in the Club’s chosen silks. He commented during his visit:
“I am very excited to be adding to my Candy Kitten family with this fine filly of a racehorse and hopefully she’ll give us reason to celebrate during the coming months. Everyone is welcome to join in and I am looking forward to meeting lots of Candy Kitten fans at the races.”
Zawe Ashton can totally identify with her character Vod’s sense of style in Fresh Meat because she has been there and done it herself.
“It’s not even like I have outfits in mind for Vod – I have influences in mind. So after last year instead of listening to so much riot girl punk, Vod is maybe going into a more androgynous place where she is playing with gender and masculinity and at the same time her musical influences are extending to discovering more Bowie or New Romantic post punk music.
“She’s not that self-conscious, she draws so much from her surroundings and is so perceptive that anything that seems vaguely anti-establishment she can really chime with and I can identify with that because that is exactly what happened to me when I was studying in Manchester. Being in a smaller environment with people from so many different backgrounds I changed on a daily basis. One day you’d be having an existentialist conversation with a random in a bar then someone would say ‘do you want to get pissed and dance all night to 80s music’. And I’d be like ‘Yeah’. And because Vod is a yes woman she will say yes to all of that and have all these different influences and experiences. She’ll never miss out. Never regret something she didn’t do…I totally did that at uni after I broke up with my first boyfriend, who of course was a musician. I thought, “Right I am going to have a summer of saying yes to everything.” Which I did.
“This job is such a touch! It is so collaborative but you can also trust every single department to just be on it. If I send June, our costume designer, a picture of Prince and say this is our touchstone for this series – the next thing you know I’m wearing a ruffle shirt, a bolero jacket and my hair’s sticking up and it’s Prince. She runs with it, she is so inventive.”
So how has Vod changed since last term?
Explains Zawe: “This series Vod is exploring the friendships she’s made with these people. What is interesting is having new characters come in and seeing Vod’s reaction – she doesn’t like it at all. She is fiercely protective over the whole group. Vod takes on a hell of a lot more than she lets on and the fact that she has lived with these people and let them in over the course of a term has been a big deal. Seeing her relationship with other characters deepen, especially with JP and Josie, has been really satisfying. Also the episode where she falls in what she thinks is love was really funny because it’s Vod opening up even more to different experiences.
“This season we do see her slightly more vulnerable side but she is also almost like a narrator in a way, she clocks absolutely everything – nothing happens in the house without her knowing about it.
“She’s really caring but at the same time she’s sort of weirdly indestructible. She has such a big heart but is also one of those amazing people who can drink far too much and take too many drugs – like you might say to Iggy Pop ‘you’ve put yourself in some bad situations but you seem to have come through them alright. Still rolling on…’
Also because she is so blunt about things I think she has got a really good grip on what life is. If people die that is just something that happens and you move on. Who knows, maybe aged 40 she’ll have a huge emotional breakdown but for now she’s just a character who has very little subtext, enjoys a good time, has time for people but also insight and will share that. She is her own little thing.”
But Vod also has a few money worries this term and needs to find a job…
“Starting work as a chamber maid is Vod’s idea of hell – that is working for the man. But she is also really good at it. She is massively creative and hard-working but she doesn’t fit into a system and I really identify with that – your work ethic not being that of an institution or a machine. She could probably be great at anything she put her hand to, she’s not limited. But you wouldn’t get out of it what you think… She is definitely born out of her time, she is really modern but at same time there is something sort of old school and punk about her.”
And what are Zawe’s stand-out moments of this series? “I love doing the scenes where we are all together. Those big group scenes are beasts – seriously we are there all day – but they are so satisfying. What is so nice is that you can have reactions off of people, even if you are not saying anything I get an awful lot out of those scenes. The reaction shots are my favourite bits. And exploring the physical proximity of each other – giving this real sense of being in a student house.
Talking of her eclectic mix of fans, Zawe says: “Some people are really drawn in by the hard-living side of Vod and are watching the show thinking ‘that’s someone really good on a night out’. Unfortunately I’m not that person anymore. It is the realisation that I can’t go clubbing all night; I have a job and I’m tired. On the flip side I get lots of lovely mature men and women in their 50s and 60s coming over and saying how nostalgic the whole show feels and how much they like the character because they knew someone like that, so I get both ends of the spectrum. Some lovely fans on twitter made t shirts saying Keep Calm and Trust in the Vod… in that font with a little picture of me. That is definitely the nicest thing that has happened.”
Zawe is currently filming Case Histories for the BBC. She also has another project in the pipeline. “I’ve written a short film for Greg (McHugh). Greg is a superstar, one of the best actors out there working – the characters he creates on screen are superb. I want to direct that. To have a production company and be working out of that writing, directing and acting and hiring teams of people I know will do a good job would be amazing; a dream come true.”
Fresh Meat returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday 9th October at 10pm.
While most of us were happy to just sit back and watch the games photographer Felix Kunze had something else in mind. A hugely ambitious project to photograph the London 2012 Volunteers. Kunze’s managed this with aplomb and even caught the attention of The Guardian who paised it saying:
“A stunning portfolio of portraits in which he sought to illustrate the spirit of the men and women he calls “heroes of London 2012.”
Roy Greenslade – The Guardian The London 2012 Volunteers Portrait Project
We have got the lowdown on this impressive project by Felix in his own words.
“My London 2012 Volunteers project has become a microcosm of the Olympic experience. It has been garnering all sorts of attention online and has turned into a place for volunteers to connect. Messages like ‘Hey, we met on the train, I want to stay in touch’ are the kind of interaction I had hoped for.
The project has captured the imagination. It is remind people of the pride, hard work and enthusiastic collaboration that led to the games being dubbed ‘The Volunteer Games’. You need only look at the comments on the album and the photos on facebook: www.bit.ly/London2012Volunteers
Photographically, the project resulted from me solving something fairly negative:
I had turned down various assignments to block out my schedule to be in London during these games. I’ve followed the Olympics with growing enthusiasm since the Barcelona games in ’92. When London won the bid, I couldn’t believe it. 7 years of build up, 5 weeks of intense action and I still can’t believe the games were in my home city. The idea of it still makes me emotional.
When I cleared my schedule at the behest of my assignment editors at Getty Images, I was excited to be involved in some official way. I envisioned shoots for the sponsors, events with the athletes, even things only vaguely related to the Olympics. As I’m not a sports shooter, I wasn’t going to be covering any of the main events at the venues; I knew accreditations were tight. What I wasn’t prepared for was the absolute dearth of assignments. Getty had the same experience as the shops and restaurants of central London. Lots of buzz, but no visitors. Lots of buzz, but no assignments. It was heart-breaking, devastating, depressing even. Add to that the fact that I didn’t get any of the tickets I had applied for, I was in a storm of regret and disappointment. The fear of missing out.
Then a bout of inspiration changed it all. I managed to get tickets for the Women’s Volleyball at Earls Court at the last minute. It was great to watch the game, but what was even greater was the Games Makers who welcomed us with smiles, helped in every way, shared our dismay at not being able to get more tickets. To me they are the stars of the games. I know lots of people felt the same.
On my morning run the day after Earls Court, the idea came to me to do memento portraits of the volunteers. I wanted them to have something they could take away from the games, something they would be able to savour in 10, 20 or 30 years.I knew from the outset that I wanted to take them out of the venues they were working in. I wanted to give equal billing to those stationed directing people over a bridge to those driving the top dignitaries. Lots of people were taking pictures of volunteers, I wanted to do somet
hing different.
A couple of challenges came to mind right away:
– I couldn’t spend much time with each volunteer. Their job is to make the Olympics run smoothly, not to be photographed.
– We needed a portable setup that had no permanence, lest we fall foul of local laws regarding business on sidewalks. We also didn’t have accreditation. We had to find a place away from the venues that was swarming with volunteers.
– We solved all of this by using a setup comprised of some black foamboard, 1 simple light. We used a fairly standard ‘strobe-over-daylight’ method to balance the natural and artificial light and I needed a minimum of three assistants every day to make it work. One for the backdrop, one for the light and one to get each person’s details and have them sign a release form on my iPad.”
Games Maker facts:
– More than 240,000 applicants, of which only 70,000 became Game Makers after an interview process and training
– Over 2000 16-18 year olds were game makers during these games.
– Uniforms for the team of Game Makers, staff, officials and contracts required 765.92 miles of fabric, 359.37 miles of thread, 730,610 buttons and 1,069,034 zips. That’s a lot of stitching!
– Most applied over 2 years before the start of the Olympics
– McDonalds is the official partner for the Game Maker program and used their infrastructure to help attract, select and train the volunteers
– They delivered around 8 million volunteer hours to make the games run smoothly
“For the Olympics I photographed over 300 portraits.
We heard some amazing stories. The kind of stories that made me foam at the mouth with jealousy – A lot of the Game Makers I photographed were drivers, some drove the North Koreans, some drove family members. Not all of them had ‘All’ passes, but the ones that did were telling m
e stories of watching the athletics within reach of the Cauldron while their clients attend the stadium, many of them met athletes, many of them met dignitaries, many of them struck up amazing friendships. Many had come from afar, put a lot on the line to make the games work. It’s been inspiring.
The Paralympics:
After the Olympics I went and spent a couple of days in the sun. On the Eurostar to Paris, I received a phone call from Mr Matt Hatt who was working for the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) who asked if I could photograph the volunteer wrap party. I couldn’t but Matthew Richards, one of my volunteer assistants, jumped in.
Mr Hatt then asked if I wanted to come into the Olympic Park during the Paralympics. We agreed that Matthew Richards should be my assistant, having slaved away at the wrap party. We arranged accreditation and we spent close to a week in the Olympic Park during the Paralympics. We shot 350 more portraits. This time with support in the form of a Lastolite mobile backdrop which was a godsend, it made my setup mobile and easy to use. I was able to put all the equipment down at the Fleet Depot inside the park, no need for 3 assistants.
We snuck into the Arcelor Mittal Orbit and watched the women’s 100m final from the viewing platform. We cruised around the park on BMWs über-cool electric bicycles, got so close to the action that we were bombarded by fireworks shrapnel but had the most incredible vista views of the final night’s celebration. We even got driven home by a Games Maker in an official vehicle – Games Lanes and a behind the scenes car tour of the park.
On a personal level, the project couldn’t have worked out better for me. I have trouble finding the words to sum up my experience. The Olympic Games are the greatest show on earth. I was a part of it. I did portraiture, I did what I loved. It means so much, it made my year. I did it for free, I didn’t make a dime, I turned down paid work. It was worth it.”
Joe Thomas got to enact a childhood dream while filming the second series of Fresh Meat.
“I couldn’t quite believe it but basically I got to be filmed busking in the style of Blur,” says Joe. “It was like being able to vent my childhood dream of being in a band when my favourite band was Blur.”
Returning to university for the second term, Joe’s character Kingsley has a new look…
“In the last series Kingsley was relatively innocent but this term he is trying to contrive an image for himself – he has become quite pretentious, probably because he was quite badly hurt in the first term. This includes growing a little beard called a soul patch, which doesn’t really suit him, and developing an interest in music.
“On the downside I have to sing but on the upside it is a song written by Graham Coxon from Blur who are pretty much my favourite band of all time. I got to meet him and it was really nice to meet someone so famous who has done an awful lot with their life yet seemed very much a normal bloke. He is a fan of Fresh Meat which is why he wanted to be involved.
“It is interesting because the song isn’t supposed to be very good so Graham must have had to pull against all his natural instincts to write this tortuous and pretentious thing. The lyrics are very funny and it felt like we really got what we wanted from it; an adolescent, overly complicated epic.
“I do play guitar but only to a level many people can, which is a few chords to a few Blur songs. The only other person in the cast who sings in the series is Charlotte Ritchie, who is actually a professional singer, so it is an unfortunate point of comparison for me.”
The other major change in Kingsley’s life is the arrival of Heather…
“Kingsley has a new girlfriend, Heather, who is slightly cooler than Josie and maybe, in the long run, not as well-suited. However in the short term she is definitely more together and more able to organise a relationship and as Kingsley needs to be told what to do they fall into one. And immediately he is in way over his head.
“This series Kinglsey is getting on with the outward appearance of being grown up but fundamentally he is still sorting himself out. He doesn’t resolve any of his issues.
“Take the soul patch; it tends to be the first bit of hair that grows so it is a bit like a boy pretending to be a man. Also in Kingsley’s case trying to look a bit tougher.
On a personal note it wasn’t great for me to have to go round in my normal life with a soul patch either – it is not something I’d have chosen.
“It was an interesting experiment and I suppose made me appreciate not having it after I shaved it off. I might grow a full rugged beard one day; I can understand that back to nature, wild look but the soul patch isn’t really in the same category…”
So how does Kingsley feel about Josie this term?
“Kingsley is increasingly worried about Josie and he is really good to her as is not unaware that she is having a bad time. But when somebody is your friend but you do still really like each other it confuses things. So he has this mix of sympathy and desire which is frankly a bit weird. They have this relationship that neither of them are in control of.
“They both behave like they don’t care about each other, Kingsley is uber chilled and relaxed about her and Josie acts like she lives to party but neither of them mean that. They like stability and feeling at peace with the world but by carrying on as if they don’t care and are just free spirits they are damaging each other in the process. And as a consequence they mess up the opportunity to be together.”
So what were Joe’s stand out moments of the series?
“I got to do some minor stunts when we filming in the Peak District and I do like a tussle. There aren’t many times you get to wrestle in the great outdoors and let off a bit of steam; normally it is all about being very controlled. I didn’t do anything particularly adventurous but I got to fight with Greg or even better with Howard who is definitely not a fighter and probably hadn’t had any physical contact with a human for some time.
“And filming on location in the big country house was great – it was the only time it didn’t rain, apart from when we were in the Peak District, and it was so nice to sit in a garden rather than a car park outside the studios. A change of environment can really change your frame of mind plus there is always a bit of fun when cast and crew are staying in the same place – it’s a bit like a school trip!”
Joe is currently co-writing Chickens, a comedy series for Sky, with Simon Bird and Johnny Sweet in which they will also star.
Fresh Meat returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday 9th October at 10pm.
Don’t forget to check out Fresh Meat House which will launch 9th October directly after transmission of the first episode on Channel 4. Go to www.channel4.com/freshmeathouse for a tour of the student digs and to watch exclusive content released at the end of each episode.
Fresh Meat House is a new commission from Channel 4’s Education team who have a focus on life skills for young people
Stars from television, music and film will come together this autumn for “Stand Up To Cancer” – a unique new fundraising campaign on Channel 4. Joining forces with Cancer Research UK, the campaign will build on air over a week of programming, delivering the best of Channel 4’s science and entertainment programming. It will climax on Friday 19th October in a fundraising extravaganza hosted by Davina McCall, Alan Carr and Dr Christian.
Yesterday in London, Gwyneth Paltrow, Co-Executive Producer of SU2C USA, joined Channel 4’s Chief Creative Officer, Jay Hunt; Cancer Research UK’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Harpal Kumar; and all round fabulous press conference chair Alan Carr, to launch Stand Up To Cancer UK.
Alan Carr revealed: “Pretty much everyone will be affected by this disease in their lifetime, and that’s the very simple reason why I’m honoured to be involved with this campaign. Like so many people, I’ve seen exactly how destructive the big C is. I’ve lost two people already this year to cancer, and friend of mine who has been diagnosed with throat cancer is having her voice box removed next week, and won’t speak again. So we need to raise a lot of money.”
Gwyneth Paltrow said: “I would like to tell you about nine women from the entertainment industry in the United States who, four years ago, decided to do something about the unbearable reality that cancer claims the lives of eight million men, women and children worldwide every year. In the US, 1600 people-a-day are lost to cancer. I lost my father in 2002, and I’m also aware of the impact this disease has on families. But whether we lose a loved one in the US or the UK, we all lose until we do something to change it.”
“Well, these nine women, whose lives had been profoundly affected by cancer, did something. They mobilised the entertainment community, and created Stand Up to Cancer – a program of Hollywood’s leading charity, the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Stand Up to Cancer is a grassroots movement to raise funds for cancer research, to get new treatments to patients more quickly. It requires scientists to work together, to compete against cancer, instead of each other. ”
“Well, it worked. Four years later, $260 million has been pledged. 350 scientists have been funded across more than 80 institutions, with dozens of clinical trials underway. And patients are benefitting. Scientists are working together, accelerating the process to save more lives. And on October 19th, the fight against cancer comes to Channel 4. With their extraordinary commitment to the one-in-three people in the UK who will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime, we are thrilled to join forces with Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, and to bring you Stand Up to Cancer UK.”
“We have the power to make cancer powerless – perhaps even end it. But it takes more research, and that requires funding. Cancer has taken some of the best among us, and it is time for us all to stand up and fight back. I’m so proud to be standing up to cancer for my dad. Please tune in and donate on October 19th. Stand for the people you love in your life. Stand for these amazing advances in science and medicine. Stand Up to Cancer.”
Jay Hunt said: “Why Stand Up to Cancer, and why Channel 4? Well, Channel 4 prides itself on daring to do things that nobody else would want to do or could do. In the last few weeks we’ve managed to change attitudes in this nation to disability with our coverage of the Paralympics, and now we’re up for the ultimate challenge – and to be honest, it doesn’t get much bigger than trying to play a part in curing cancer.”
“[This will be] a charity appeal unlike anything you’ve seen before: a uniquely Channel 4 hybrid of comedy, of entertainment, and science, which is designed to grab hold of an audience and not let it go.”
“Now we are so determined to do something really special on October 19th, we have taken a rather terrifying decision, and one that my scheduling team may not forgive me for. We’re going to stay on air for as long as the donations keep pouring in. Now that might mean that we’re still sitting there as the sun comes up in the morning, but it’ll take whatever it takes, and I think the cause is so important we wanted to make that sort of commitment.”
Dr Harpal Kumar said: “It’s not just technology or knowledge that we need. It’s funding. And every pound we raise is a step closer to our goal of beating this disease. Through Stand Up to Cancer, we hope to raise millions of pounds for our lifesaving work, and thanks to some very important people in this room with us here today, we’re not doing it alone.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled that Stand Up to Cancer has become a reality in the UK, and Channel 4 is the perfect partner for a campaign that promises to challenge, inspire, and push the boundaries in how we fight this devastating disease.”
“The UK leads the world in clinical trials, with one-in-five patients with cancer going on to a clinical study. But we need to do more. Many more patients would like the option of going on clinical trials. So all the funds raised through Stand Up to Cancer will go towards research specifically designed to have an impact within just a few years, by working to turn breakthroughs in the lab to breakthroughs in our hospitals.”
Throughout the week and night, there will be a plenty of other surprises and a huge range of opportunities for audiences to get involved and donate to the cause, to show their support and raise millions for the fight against cancer. For inspiration viewers can log on to www.standuptocancer.org.uk/get-involved
In the run up to the 19 October, Cancer Research UK will be urging the public to get involved by donating money, fundraising, showing support through social networks or snapping up some Stand Up To Cancer merchandise.
For up to date information please go to www.standuptocancer.org.uk or www.channel4.com/su2c
#standuptocancer
Twitter handle: @Standup2C
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/standuptocancerUK
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/standuptocancerUK
‘Stand Up To Cancer’, a joint national fundraising event from Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK culminating in a live evening extravaganza on 19th October. Follow @Standup2C, Standuptocancer.org.uk or channel4.co.uk/SU2C for further information.
– Shoppers told to put money away and pay by social currency –
The world’s first high-street shop where customers pay by Tweet instead of money has opened in central London today.
The Tweet Shop is a standalone retail outlet from Special K and is being used to mark the famous cereal maker’s move into the savoury crisps market.
Customers are encouraged to put away their money and pay for a packet of new Special K Cracker Crisps by simply Tweeting a message about the low calorie snack range and sharing the news with the wider Twittersphere.
As well as the company’s first move into crisps, the shop is also Kellogg’s first venture into the retail arena with its very first dedicated physical space in the UK.
The shop is staffed by a number of iconic Special K girls in red dresses who will check each customer’s Tweet before handing over the crisps.
Kim Murray, 28 from London, was the first person to pay for the product with a Tweet.
Sarah Case from Special K comments: “The value of positive endorsements on social media sites is beyond compare so we’re excited to be the first company to literally use social currency instead of financial currency to launch this new product in our bespoke Special K shop.
“This is big news for Special K and we are hoping the brand’s move into crisps and the high street will create a major buzz on and offline.”
The Tweet Shop on Soho’s Meard Street, London is open from 9am to 5pm on Tuesday 25th September to Friday 28th September. It is lined with hundreds of packs of crisps, a ‘try before you buy’ snacking area and a ‘community noticeboard’ that captures social media reaction to the unique retail space.