Addicted to Red!

Once upon a time, I thought red only came in one shade: red. Down the rabbit hole of Color analysis and makeup and now red is a multitude of shades that keep growing! Great news is there is a red out there for each and every complexion, season & flow! Everyone can wear red - You just need to nail the one that suits you and you will be addicted, I promise. What you really need to know is what undertone (warm or cool ), intensity ( soft to clear) and shade (light to dark) to go for. With an advanced color analysis consultation, you will find the color palette that suits you, as the best color in the world is the one that look greats on you!

The ruby collection from  Dolce & Gabbana is my absolute favorite ! The luxurious formulation of this Classic Cream Lipstick provides bold colour with a smoothness that is simply gorgeous. I am hooked on "Iconic", a shade that is a bit on the warmer and brighter side of red. I wear it for the day in a lighter tint by blotting with a tissue after application to help set the colour and create a softer effect. All you need to take it to night is to reapply lipstick for a more intense color effect.

Ruby Collection by Dolce & Gabbana, ICONIC

And then, a few days ago, I met Lip Maestro from Giorgio Armani at the airport... and well, it was love at first pout!

This is the first lip stain I have tried with such a comfortable to die for velvet texture and a radiant matte finish. What really sold me is the non-sticky texture which offers hours of hydration and comfort with a color so intense.

My experience with other lip stains is dry, cracked lips and color that fades as you go... not so attractive. As Giorgio Armani put it, this is  the next generation of lip color. I got the shade "400 - the red". I wear it more for the night as it's a bit too intense for day.

What shade of red are you?

comma & LIEBESKIND Berlin land in Dubai!

comma & LIEBESKIND Berlin launched in Deira City Center today, bringing the signature Berlin luxury fashion concept to Dubai! With two adjacent stores, you will find at comma a mixture of apparel, bags and accessories, while Liebeskind is only for bags and accessories.

Love the metallic collection of bags, wallets and belts - a perfect investment for FW14 as the metallic trend will be huge and is so much easier worn in accessories. The neon piping on the bags adds the right pop of color to complement any outfit!

The collection at comma is a mix of fresh colors & prints in casual & work wear, where you can find trendy alternatives to the usual office wear. Positioned as a luxury brand, the price point is midway between high street and designer, making it great value for money with the added benefit of quality tailoring and materials.

I have to tell you, the buttery soft genuine leather at LIBESKIND is to die for! Definitely an investment buy as it only gets better with time! I am already a proud owner of one of their bags and will definitely be going back soon!

Vintage Delirium!

Any trip is never complete without getting delirium-ed in a vintage heaven! I found this gem of a shop in a recent trip to Milan while I was visiting my sister. Knowing that Madonna, Tom Ford and Tory Burch are fans of the place only added to the sparkle of the experience!

The showroom, located in a suggestive courtyard of the historic sector of Milan in Brera, offers one of the biggest vintage selections in the world. High fashion fabrics from the 19th Century up to the 80′s; dresses from the 20′s and 30′s which include Callot Soeurs, Vionnet, and Chanel; Pucci, Dior, Cardin, and Balenciaga specimens from the 50′s and 60′s; YSL, Mila Schon, and Versace from the 70′s and 80′s; bags by Roberta di Camerino, Gucci, Hermès... shoes, belts, foulards, ties, buttons, buckles, jewelry and much more!

Playing dress up 20s style!

We could spend days roaming the 2 story showroom, there's a thing about vintage that transforms you back in time and makes you want to own the world! The thing I love most about vintage is wearing the item in a modern twist. I left the showroom a proud owner of a Louis Vuitton clutch and over-sized Christian Dior shades! The staff were super friendly and I definitely would recommend you visit next time you're in Milan :)

Haifa Wehbe styled by Rana Saab

Working with celebrities , I often get the question of "how was she/he in real life? Are they as attractive as on screen? etc..." Well, one thing I can say working with Haifa Wehbe is that she is even more gorgeous in person. Being around her you feel that you're in the presence of a natural Diva! And that makes it all more challenging and exciting - styling someone who is already a fashion Diva in her own right! I will be sharing with you some (ok, a lot) behind the scenes photos and secrets...

... I also get questions on what the job involves, and simply put - it's deciding on a total image and look for each scene starting from outfit to accessories, hair and makeup styles. I must say I love the whole process from putting together a style reference board for the storyboard all the way to production. You may think watching the music video that it looks effortless - and that is exactly what we want you to think! Each look has to appear so natural to integrate with the story - but that flawless image takes a lot of prep and hands on work behind the scenes to get to! A team of no less than 20 is involved in the approval and prep process, endless days of shooting that stretch into the early morning hours with endless supply of coffee to keep you on the go... and well, the experience is all worth it in the end!

The catsuit is my favorite as it takes center stage and shows off Haifa's gorgeous figure in a very alluring way. I must add here that I worked on it with amazing designer Amato and he did an excellent job and had it produced in less than 4 days!

The cast outfits and masks are DIY by me

One of the job's challenges is finding solutions on set and fast! While hanging on the harness and doing all those acrobat moves, the elaborate beading on the catsuit was not so comfortable... so we had to take off the beads from the sides without it running and ruining the outfit or even showing! Extra delicate job - thanks to my amazing assistant on the job Maria Chaghoury, we managed doing it in no time!

Spike and fringe shoulder pads and masks custom made with a tailor from satwa

  Now here's a totally different look that reveals the other side of Haifa - feminine, romantic and dreamy! I got the Jumpsuit from Etoile Boutique designed by Ingie Paris and am still getting questions from fans on who the designer is!

Another outfit designed by Ingie Paris to complete the dreamy scene, the trench dress

Now that's an undercover look that got people comparing Haifa to Angelina Jolie. I say am thrilled as both are gorgeous women

Final scene, Haifa shows off her showbiz side. The dress designed by Charbel Khoury served its purpose of moving with the beat and showing off Haifa's killer stage persona! Over cap from Amato

That's how it feels like working with an amazing team and celebrating a job well done! Kudos to Angy Akly, the director brain behind the amazing video, for inspiring everyone to keep going and give their best! Watch the music video here

Makeup by Bassam Fatouh, Hair by Donato Abrami and Jacques La Coupe , nails by Sally Hansen.

My latest mascara addiction! Tried and tested

Given the fact that I always rave for Benefit "they're real" mascara, where I haven't bought another type for over a year -  I have to say that I have finally moved on and developed a new  love for  Le VOLUME DE CHANEL mascara!

Delivering massive volume as the name promises, it uplifts the eyes instantly with one bold yet elegant swift. The effect is visible  from a single coat as it thickens and separates.

You can instantly see and feel the difference with its short bristles buxom brush wand. Plus it wears all day long without smudging, clumping or flaking.

I seriously recommend it for all those looking for added volume and an eye opening effect.

Now here's a little secret - I still use Benefit "they're real" mascara sometimes by applying one coat after using the Le VOLUME DE CHANEL for a false lash effect by night. I've always been a fan for mixing products.

Have you tried it yet?

Sarah Jessica Parker is net-a-porter.com's latest cover star!

Sarah Jessica Parker photographed by Alexi Lubomirski.  Dress by Victoria Beckham; necklace by Monica Vinader all available at www.net-a-porter.com

Love the color on her! Hairstyling and makeup too!

Sarah Jessica Parker photographed by Alexi Lubomirski.  Jacket top by Theory; trousers and shoes by Saint Laurent all available www.net-a-porter.com

Fierce elegance! Would have liked some red lips maybe, what do you think?

Sarah Jessica Parker photographed by Alexi Lubomirski.  Dress by Haider Ackerman; shoes by Saint Laurent all available at www.net-a-porter.com

Love the dress and the photography!

Read the full interview on netaporter.com

Prim is not always prop.er! Ted Baker SS13

Bridging the gap between high street and luxury designer brands, Ted Baker is the go to brand for all that "style is in the detail" with immaculate tailoring and quality fabrics. I love their take on the trends with the signature Ted baker styling - and I especially love finding Ted's hidden messages on each and every item in store! Always feels like each purchase is created just for you! Their SS13 collection is an amazing mix of pop colors, sweet pastels and prints with simple fabrics and elegant silhouettes. Enjoy my picks from their look book with the amazing photography and graphics!

Ted Baker locations ; The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, Deira City Centre, Festival City and Abu Dhabi Marina Mall

Enchanted luxury! AennisEunis SS 2013

WANT these heels! Not only are they a statement piece, but each tiny design detail screams exquisite femme fatale! Now these are the kind of heels that you will have to build your outfit around - and you don't need to over think it, they will do the walking and the talking!

In case you are not familiar yet with AennisEunis, do check out his collections and you can thank me later :)  I personally fell in love with his work ever since I was introduced to his signature calligraphy heels back in 2010, and it's amazing to see how he managed to keep his spirit and expand his line into new exquisite styles for every season!

More from the SS13 collection below

Found in: Level shoe District in Dubai Mall and Saks Fifth Avenue in Burjuman Mall, Dubai. Saks Fifth Avenue in City center, Bahrain. 51 East in Lagoona Mall, Qatar. Avanti in Amman, Jordan. Progress in Cherkassy, Ukraine. Richard Rozbora Boutique in Vienna, Austria and Koko / Sant’ Elpidio a Mare (FM) in Italy.

In love with JIMMY CHOO SS13!

I am totally in love with the Jimmy Choo SS13 ad campaign - the styling, photographic style and of course the shoes and bags!

This nude number is definitely on my list - it's the perfect shoe to elongate your legs and goes effortlessly with  skirts, shorts, dresses and skinny pants in any color! A trendy classic.

Might just gift it to myself for my birthday this month :)

Great work styling the shots - Effortless glamor and right on trend chic all the way...

Watch the Exclusive behind the scenes footage here

British fashion photographer Angelo Pennetta, styled by Camilla Nickerson and featuring  models Valerija Kelava and Anders Velencoso Segura

How to create your fashion style mood board

Before meeting a new client, I always ask them to create a mood board of pictures that appeal to them. This includes generic places they'd like to visit, objects they'd like to have in their home, scents they love wearing; Looks they'd like to pull; Outfits they'd never be caught dead in and Looks they aspire to achieve only if "they were taller, slimmer, more confident, etc..." Here's some examples of their boards and how you can do the same to inspire you to discover your personal style and work on achieving it. Let the fun begin and determine if your unique style is classical, elegant, dramatic (edgy), feminine, alluring, natural (effortless, sporty) or creative (boho chic). Remember you can experiment with and always refine your style - just get some insight on how to do it and set your muse!

This client did a mix of styles but the most dominant was the creative and boho, where she picked many folklore and hippie inspired pieces, lots of prints, a mix of fabric and material from denim to leather, silk, fur and bling. You can notice the warm colors too, all of which show that she loves a unique expression of personality and is not following the crowd. After explaining what I saw and showing her ways to achieve that look with current trends and mix n match techniques, she looked at her board again and said that she is always caught in dull outfits and never thought she could dress that way although she always collects folklore items when traveling and this is really what represents her!

Here you can see a lot of movement in sports and yoga and outfits inspired from nature ( floral pints) - with colors that are mainly earthy tones. The words "leap, live, love, raw emotions" reflect her character and aspirations too. I can see that she is a person who is always in motion, open to life and new adventures and in touch with nature. I determined that she would fall in the "natural" and "feminine" style. Her outfits need to be relaxed and extremely practical and allow free movement while her style has to be feminine as not to turn into a tomboy figure.

Last, here we have a clear selection of clean, geometric lines. Very crisp and structured cuts. Bold and bright solid colors that make a statement. Stripes in full contrast. Large statement belts, handbags and arm cuffs and unique heels and shoe details. To me, she is obviously a dramatic style personality who wants to claim center stage. She will definitely sacrifice comfort for fashion.  You can achieve that look by investing in minimal style designs in neutral or monochrome  and team them with statement accessories in bold colors and size. To keep the look current, you can add pop colors from the latest trends. One statement piece of clothing is enough as your look has to be elegant and focused.

What style do you think you fall into?