Christmas card inspiration

I'd like to tell you a little bit about the unseen making of this image, which I shot for Beyond Burlesque couture in London a few years ago (the Beyond Burlesque designer also creates corsets for Vivienne Westwood, a perennial favourite of mine):

Photographer: David Angel

It was a snowy day in London, which was perfect for the glamour fairytale we created... but in real life, snow is cold! Bare skin in the snow is very cold. I had blankets thrown over me between shots, flasks of hot drinks and even hot water bottles to keep my skin the right colour and my muscles able to move freely throughout the shoot. I am fairly sure that in this particular shot I had the hot water bottle pushed up the front of my dress, and that exaggerated hands-on-waist pose is helping to keep it pushed in!

I love it as a festive image not only because it is so chic and timeless, but because its back story reminds me of Christmas itself- all the less-than-glamorous rushing around, preparing, shopping and wrapping that goes on behind the scenes before the moment of calm when the payoff comes: a special person opens the gift that's perfect and personal for them.

I think sometimes with social media we feel we're lagging behind if we're not up doing yoga every morning, followed by sashaying into town and easily finding a slew of "perfect" (expensive and 100% ethically sound) gifts, AND not forgetting to keep our noses perfectly powdered the whole time while we're at it. Really, who remembers that stuff? The part that I remember is that "wow" moment when someone opens that little thing that's perfect just for them- regardless of where it was acquired or if the price tag was in single digits.

With this in mind, and with the photographer's kind permission, I have turned this snowy couture image into a Christmas card that anyone can afford. If you know someone who would enjoy an elegant Christmas card, why not order a couple? At just £1 each plus postage, they make sweetly sophisticated little tokens- and they are printed on premium matte recycled stock.

Order your cards in time for Christmas by clicking here.

Join my free mailing list now to get shooting opportunities, gossip and glamorous new photos delivered straight to your inbox- it is 100% private and 100% free, and it always will be. Enter your preferred email address here:

What do you think? Comment on Facebook!

Who still needs this year's Christmas cards?

Just a little blog to remind you that packs of chic fashion 'Winter Wonderland' Christmas cards shot by David Angel are available to order HERE.

Enjoy!

What do you think? Please comment over on Facebook!

Beyond Burlesque fashion editorial in British MODE magazine by Dave Kai-Piper! #WardrobeWednesday

... in... November... last year... I am comically behind in my blogging! It seems I either have time to live life or time to write about it, but not both, atm! Must get back into the habit of blogging little and often! It's nice to have a daily/ weekly record of my life as a model to look back on.

Anyway! Four lovely lovely pages in British MODE of bridal fashion by Vivienne Westwood's corsetierre Belinda Chorley, shot by Dave Kai-Piper, hair and makeup by Candy. Yay!

My hair colour is much more orange now than it is here. I kind of miss this red/ rust colour. Might introduce it back in at some point :)

2013 Review

Huge long blog post with tons of pictures alert- read only in cases of extreme boredom!

I decided to go back over my last year of blogs and pick out just three highlights from each month to summarise my year.

Some months it was hard to pick just three as there was so much going on, but I tried to be strict! I think it might help to see where I'm going if I can see where I've been.

Plus, it might be nice for any new readers to my blog to get caught up on what sort of things I post about :)


January

1.  Had my first photo back (I think) from a shoot in my newly redecorated 1940s style silver bedroom:

Photographer: Jim Nemer | Hair & makeup: me

2.  Had some lovely black and white nude work:

Photographers L-R: Chris Lord and Callan Tham

3.  Was on the cover of The Societies' 2013 Show Guide

 Photographer and hair stylist: Faye Yerbury | Makeup: me

Liam and I also celebrated our anniversary with lunch at the Dorchester followed by the London Eye at sunset ♥

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

February

1.  Kaori's Latex Dreams editorial in Rebelicious magazine

Photographer: Julian Kilsby | HMUA: me

2.  Posted pics from Asian Couture Week, where I was a guest of Nick Knight's SHOWstudio :)

3.  Posted backstage pics from a Torture Garden fashion show for Jane Doe Latex

Nina Kate and me

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March

1.  Saw Nina Kate's husband's band, The Defiled, at Brixton Academy, along with Ghost and Gojira

2.  Full page ad for EctoMorph Latex in Skin Two magazine, as well as a fashion editorial.

Photographer: Darren Birkin | HMUA: me

3.  Photo shoot with one of my best friends, Amy Colwell, for Lady Allura

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April

1.  Toured Asia again, which probably accounts for my lack of posts; too busy shooting to write about shooting!

2.  Read The Kama Sutra and Lola Montez: Her Life and Conquests

3.  Bought lots of fully fashioned seamed nylon stockings with Cuban heels!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May

1.  Back cover and editorial in Riot Vixen magazine:

Photographer: Luci Phillips | Styling: me

2.  Was invited to my first of many of Perou's Clownface parties

Dan and me scaring people on the tube

3.  Posted photos from my amazing trip to Cambodia

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June

1.  Fulfilled a career-long dream of shooting with Perou ♥

2.  Shot with my good friend Phine Ka

HMUA: me

3.  Shot at this amazing location with Magpie Tommy for Lady Allura, about a week before it all got knocked down

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July

1.  Went on a tour of the Tudors at the V&A followed by cocktails with Ivory Flame

2.  Lost my shit over the proposed internet porn law changes

Photographer: my long-suffering bf

3.  Shot for Fabulously Fetish with Phine Ka

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

August

1.  Had a crazy time in Belfast seeing NIN

2.  Was featured in Jessie J's music video for 'It's My Party', which has had nearly 8.5 million views on YouTube alone so far.

3. Celebrated the imminenet publication of Roswell Ivory's steampunk novel with her, lots of dim sum and some free "congratulations" champagne from the restaurant, Ping Pong in Soho

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September

1.  Experimented with hair colour

Photographer: Pete Maca

2.  Got a funky new haircut by Simon Pinto

3.  Shot for Beyond Burlesque bridalwear with Dave Kai-Piper

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October

1. Lady Allura's Latex editorial in Freque magazine

Photographer: Adrian Jones | Makeup: me

2.  Fabulously Fetish launched their new website, with a whole gallery dedicated to me ♥

3.  I was offered sponsorship with Bare Skin Beauty, an all-natural raw organic skincare brand that I love.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November

1.  Published in British Vogue, in a wedding advertorial, with Chloe-Jasmine Whichello, wearing Beyond Burlesque couture.

Photographer: Dave Kai-Piper

2.  Coincidentally also published on Vogue Italia's website

Photographer: Marcus Jake

3.  Decided to get a boob job; then decided not to, after all.

Photographer: MrGlen | HMUA: me

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

December

Well, after a whirlwind rush through a year in the life, here we are getting ready for January again. December isn't over till it's over so I don't want to list three highlights just yet ;) Although visiting both the National Galleries in the same week was definitely one of them. I also represented my latest sponsor, Anathema Designs jewellery, at Collective 159 Christmas Party on Camden High Street last night, which was a lot of fun. You wouldn't believe the amount of free cake and wine I was simply FORCED to consume!

My agencies have some potential exciting jobs still lined up for me this month, but I don't want to jinx it in case I don't get them! My main focus this month is really doing things like this, reviewing my life, taking stock, reflecting, recuperating and preparing for a hectic 2014.

Thanks for joining me on the journey and see you next year ♥

Anita xx




Tweet

Dare to be Different! British MODE magazine for Beyond Burlesque!

I have a double page spread in British MODE wearing Beyond Burlesque couture wedding dresses with Chloe-Jasmine Whichello :D The designer, Belinda Chorley, also designs forVivienne Westwood, who made Dita Von Teese's famous purple wedding gown for her marriage to Marilyn Manson. Interestingly, the dress I'm wearing here is an ivory homage to that very gown.

Photographer: Dave Kai-Piper | HMUA: Candy Alderson

I still need to track down a copy for my memories box! It's the October 2013 issue if anyone I know happens to spot one- please pick it up for me and I'll give you the £££!

 It's pretty cool for me to be published in two high fashion magazines in the same month- Vogue and MODE. I wish I could go back in time to 14 year-old me, crushed that I'd not grown to 5'8 and therefore couldn't model, and tell her that everything is going to be okay!

Yours happily,

Anita x



Tweet

Published in British Vogue magazine!

Here's something I never thought I'd say- I've been published in Vogue!

I'm in an advertorial featuring Beyond Burlesque bespoke bridalwear called 'Vogue's Wedding Wishlist' on page 257 of the November "Autumn fashion" issue. I found out on Monday night and shot out of the house in dressing gown and flip-flops with only half my nails painted to try and track down a copy right away! Which I didn't actually need to do as two people on my Facebook page pm'd me scans, while I was running around East Finchley like an insane person, which was super sweet and kind, thank you :)

Photographer: Dave Kai-Piper | HMUA: Candy Alderson

The other model is Chloe-Jasmine Whichello, who I've worked with a couple of times now :) The funny thing is, I was actually filling in for another model who dropped out at the last minute. Why do people do that?? Anyway, it worked out well for me! I do have an actual copy of the magazine now, that is going in my memories box under my bed, once I've finished stroking it!

You might have seen Chloe-Jasmine on The Face atm, if you have the Living channel! She's on Naomi Campbell's team. I managed to watch a bit online last night, it looked harsh! I can watch anything involving Erin O'Connor though, I absolutely worship her!

Anyway, here's a BTS snap of me and C-J at the Beyond Burlesque/ Vogue shoot, which was shortly after The Face shoot wrapped, I think, because I remember us chatting about Naomi ;) Nothing C-J wasn't allowed to chat about, of course- I still don't know any better than you who's going to win! We'll have to watch and see!

A slightly less serious shot of me and C-J! We were channelling Eddie and Patsy :p

I've not really done much this morning except make a gluten-free vegan lasagne (no Bechamel sauce, mushrooms instead of mince and nutritional yeast instead of cheese) to pop in the oven when I get home from my job this afternoon, no doubt starving as usual! I may also make some butter-free garlic bread using olive oil, nomnomnom. Must get more admin done tomorrow though, I'm overwhelmed with emails, thousands of photos to sort through, shoots to organise etc atm! It's good to be in demand :)

Anita x



Tweet

Beyond Burlesque bridalwear by Dave Kai-Piper

Fun day today! I've been feeling a bit tired/ unmotivated for a little while now but an amazingly inspiring email from Ivory Flame has cheered me right up :) I'm pottering around my flat in London doing my own thing for a couple of days while Liam is visiting family in Somerset and feeling my energy levels slowly going back up.

I've been up at 7am or so the last couple of mornings getting back into Pilates, which always seems to get me back in shape within a week, as long as I stick at it! It's satisfying when you can feel yourself getting stronger :) Then I had my darling green smoothie and went to meet Simon Pinto to get my hair cut professionally for the first time in at least a year! After a couple of bad experiences with hairdressers doing unpredictable things to my hair I went back to just chopping the ends of myself in the bathroom when they felt like they needed it, haha. But then I got the itch to have a real, proper style again, rather than just an uninspiring longish mop.

The venue for the haircut was really cool- a barber's in Carnaby Street called Pankhurst, which seriously looks like somewhere James Bond would go to get his hair cut! if I was a bachelor, my whole flat would be decorated like their barbershop! I'm thinking of booking an appointment for a cut and shave for Liam for Christmas or something, with the proper cutthroat razor and hot towels and stuff. Totally what I would do if I was a dude!!

Simon and I came up with a haircut between us that I can make simple adjustments to to look either a) natural/ girl next door-like, b) vintage or c) punky, which is going to make my life so much easier and hairstyling so much quicker at shoots :D

After my appointment I inhaled a superfood salad from Pret as thanks to all my fussing and Simon's professional perfectionism, despite meeting at 11am we didn't finish cutting until 2pm, lol. I'm always starving for lunch by 1pm. Then I got the tube to Camden to buy hair dye from the market and other little treats for myself: three bunches of flowers and six bars of dark chocolate, totalling £7.77 from Lidl :p The house feels happier now that there are flowers and chocolates everywhere!

I'm also brightening up my colour a little, at least temporarily, to a kind of strawberry blonde/ apricot colour. My hair's actually blonde as I type this as I had to pre-lighten it! At least now I know that I can be blonde within 24 hours if anyone needs me to be for work! I just need to keep a box of the bleach in stock.

I'm doing a cool little conceptual shoot at home with Dan Hubbert tomorrow to capture the blonde-ness, then having a hair dye break, blow drying it and shooting some more with the new apricot colour! You'll have to wait til then to see me blonde as I don't seem to be able to get a good picture of it on my phone!

Here's a photo with my old hair, taken last month at a shoot for Beyond Burlesque bridalwear. The photographer was Dave Kai-Piper, who I'd met before but not actually shot with, so it was good to finally work together :)

I think this is my favourite shot of the day. It feels more editorial and like a modernised version of a pre-Raphaelite lady reclining in some sort of enchanted woodland (actually, a garden in Crouch End :p). If I remember correctly, Belinda said that this dress was inspired by/ a homage to Dita's wedding dress, which was made by Vivienne Westwood, the company Belinda designs for when she's not doing her own thing with Beyond Burlesque :)

But I also like this catalogue shot... I felt like such a Disney princess in this dress, it was amazing!

I must go and make my detox tea and go to bed now as it's 10.30 pm!! Gotta be fresh for 7am Pilates ;)

Anita xx

Tweet

Alice and the Wicked Queen

Tweet

If you haven't already seen them on anitadebauch.com, here are the photos from last month's bridal fashion shoot for celebrity couturier Beyond Burlesque and ethical fur, feather and bone accessory designer Roadkill Couture.

Beyond Burlesque have dressed many of my modern day style icons, like Helena Bonham Carter and Dita Von Teese, and now they have dressed me twice!

There are a few extra pictures here that you won't have seen on my site!

 Second model: Jeli

Oh, and here's a photo I stole from Beyond Burlesque's website of Dita wearing one of their corsetted couture creations :)

You can see a slideshow of Beyond Burlesque's celebrity clients wearing their couture dresses here, including Helena, Gillian Anderson and more of Dita :)

Today is a day for staying home and not even getting dressed, I think, and maybe doing a little naked yoga. I am going to lounge in my new (to me) 1940s satin housecoat ALL DAY and I'm having dinner cooked for me :) I didn't get home from last night's avant-garde fashion show at the Torture Garden March Ball until 3.30 this morning, and while the other girls were drinking wine and partying backstage before the 1 am show, I was napping!

I have so many irons in the fire atm- shoots, shows, rewrites on my book, other upcoming projects and additions to anitadebauch.com that there just doesn't seem enough hours in the day to get everything done! I've been getting very tired, not least because I like to do or at least heavily oversee everything myself, so I can't really delegate jobs at all. I like everything to be not just perfect, but my kind of perfect, not an "I hired a slick commercial team to perfect this for me for maximum consumer consumption" sort of "perfect"! I think that it's what makes us unique that makes us interesting! :) I know that I prefer to take in the shows, photos and books of people who I think are really doing it in their own style, anyway.

In aid of my own beauty and energy levels, I recently read this book, on Dita's recommendation, funnily enough.

I'm easing into the detox plan slowly by implementing a few of the basic principles at a time, but I'm hoping it will still help to improve my energy levels and the quality of my skin and muscle tone. I'll let you know!! xo




Tweet