Having been styling, smiling and socialising in high heels for four hours straight at my Monica Vinader event, by the time 8 o’clock rolled around last Thursday I was just about ready for bed. But pyjamas and peppermint tea would have to wait as I had another party to attend. Before you start despairing that I’m a complete nutter, hell bent on exhausting myself and crippling my feet in the process, I’ll tell you why I wouldn’t of dreamt of skipping this particular soiree. You see, that day my good friend (and the man responsible for La Petite Anglaise’s makeover last summer) James Joseph unveiled the first ever PRINT issue of his very own Stylenoir Magazine!

Given that Stylenoir has been running as a hugely successful online mag since 2008, many Editors would be inclined to stick to the digital formula rather than venturing into the treacherous waters of print publication. It came as no surprise to anyone who knows him, that James isn’t one of them. With the help of Forward PR Founder (and former LPA interviewee) Courtney Blackman and a small team of talented creatives, Stylenoir’s debut print issue “Retribution” launched last week and I have to say, it’s magnificent.

As we all know, any fashion occasion must be celebrated with a party involving gorgeous guests and lethally strong cocktails. Stylenoir had taken over Mo*Vida for theirs. I don’t know whether you’ve been to the club but its lair-esque, underground setting provided a fittingly glam goth back drop for noir themed cocktails and dark-inspired make overs. Sadly I didn’t stay until the dancing got started (very out of character, I really was knackered!) but I managed to get in a good mingle with some of my favourite fashion friends, guzzle a few vodka confections and have a good read through the magazine.

Huge congratulations to James, Courtney and everyone at Stylenoir! If you want to get yourself a copy, click here.

Love Ella. X

Like so many of my post titles, I suspect or at least I hope this one is a little misleading. While my first project with Monica Vinader may have come to an end, with any luck it’s just the start of much more to come. First and foremost, I’d like to say a huge, huge, HUGE thank you to all of you lovely lot who entered the “Make It Your Own” competition and/or joined me at Monica Vinader’s South Molton Street boutique last week. I’m not going to lie, I was seriously nervous about hosting an event for the fash pack’s favourite jewellery brand but much to my relief and thanks to everyone who came along, it was a wonderful evening on every level.

So, after months of meetings, phone calls and emails, two blog posts and God knows how many tweets, instagrams and Facebook posts, the final and most important part of my collaboration with Monica Vinader finally arrived last Thursday. As I teetered my high heeled way down Bond Street at around 4pm, I was shaking like a leaf. I don’t know whether you ever hosted a party as a teenager but my memories of doing so mainly revolve around panicking that no one was going to turn up. Well hosting a soiree with a major label is much the same, only the stakes are higher. Wearing my favourite Whistles cocktail dress and so many jewels I felt positively regal, I anxiously waited by my gorgeous Ladurée macaroon Eiffel tower (thank you MV team!) as the clock struck 5pm, then ten past, and still no one arrived. Thankfully by half past the place had filled up and my urge to lock myself in the loo and weep swiftly subsided.

Much as I adore getting my style on, I was slightly apprehensive about inflicting it on unsuspecting attendees who no doubt had perfectly good ideas about what rocks to rock already. After all, there are few things more maddening than being patronised, especially when it comes to something as personal as jewellery. Plus, there was always the risk that said customer was just there for the free champers and wouldn’t be thrilled about some chick in a fancy frock trying to dress them in diamonds. Evidently, luck really was on my side that evening and when, after one or two confidence boosting glasses of champagne, I got styling people seemed (or at least pretended) to appreciate it.

If ever there were any doubt that I have very specific (and perhaps predictable) tastes, my event with Monica Vinader dispelled them forever. As you all know, I have a major weakness for all things shiny and green so naturally tried to get everyone in Siren pendants and cocktail rings. Unsurprisingly I ended up going home with a nugget ring in Green Onyx for myself… I just couldn’t resist it.

Before I get even more carried away retelling the events of the evening, I MUST fill you in on our “Make It Your Own” competition winner! As you probably remember from my previous posts, Monica Vinader and I challenged you to tell us what you’d have engraved on your own Ava bracelet and why, whoever’s choice I most adored would receive a Create Your Own necklace worth up to £250 and the aforementioned arm candy. So, without further ado (and I do heart a bit of “ado”) the winner is…*drum roll*.. HELEN STEVENS with her entry…

“I would surprise my friend who is going through a really tough time by giving her Ava with ‘stars’ engraved. We were approached by a complete stranger a few months ago in New York who told her not to worry because all her stars were aligned and everything would sort itself out – hopefully this would keep her smiling and remind her that everything will turn out just great”

Thank you again to everyone who got involved and all the lovely readers I got to meet last week, and of course Monica Vinader! If you didn’t make it along to last thursday’s style-a-thon, or simply feel like indulging in another customisation session, then I highly recommend taking the Create Your Own page, not exactly conducive to concentration but full of pretty things.

Love Ella. X

Ps) #LaPetiteMV