1D going in Own Direction

So, it’s the news Luxe Models have been dreading – the boys are splitting up. Heartbreakingly, One Direction – the biggest boy band in the world – are to go their separate ways in March for an indefinite break, to pursue solo careers.

Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan will go their separate ways, with 1D's publicists declining to comment on the reports, which first emerged on Sunday night (August 23).

Meeting

The band met up in London at the weekend for a talk, following Zayn Malik’s recent decision to leave and the news that Louis is to become a father later this year.

They were formed in 2010 on the X Factor, going on to finish second in the show, and they’ve gone on to dominate world music in terms of popularity and their huge number of tour appearances.

A source for 1D cited the boyband's "incredible" five-year run since their formation on The X Factor in 2010, adding: "They fully deserve to have at least a year to work on their own projects. There is absolutely no bad blood between them and they are all 100% behind the decision.

"It is definitely not a split and they fully intend to get back together at some time in the future. But for now it is the end and they go out on top as the world's most popular music act."

Nothing to do with Zayn

It’s believed that Zayn’s decision to leave has nothing to do with this decision, and the boys have been happy since he left.

"This was the plan with or without Zayn. In fact, the band have been making amazing music and been incredibly happy without Zayn," the insider claimed.

"Of course they would have preferred that he had stayed in the band, but they would have taken this extended hiatus even if he hadn't left."

Zayn caused an uproar on social media last week, having a Twitter spat with Calvin Harris and cancelling his planned house purchase with Perrie Edwards, one fourth of Little Mix.

Future

For the time being at least, we can enjoy 1D until next year as they will continue to work until March. Their final tour is set to be on October 31 at Sheffield Motorpoint Arena in what will finish their sell-out UK tour.

We expect a Take That-style comeback in a few years, maybe even as a five-piece, but only time will tell whether any of them can make it solo. It’s believed that Sony are desperate to sign Harry up. Hopefully they will all fare slightly better than Zayn seems to be without the other members of the band…

Which is your favourite 1D song? Digital Spy ranks their top 15.

For more stories like this, be sure to stay in touch with Luxe Models on Facebook. 

Celebrating African Fashion

We recently saw African Fashion Week take over London. LuxeModels digests what is undoubtedly one of the world’s best glimpses of African Fashion.

Held at the Olimpia, this year was the fifth edition of the event since its inception in 2011. As well as those, there have also been at least ten events on the back of it held by third-party organisers including The Mayor of London’s Black History Month celebrations and the annual Africa Centre Summer Festival.

African Fashion

Upcoming designers have the opportunity to prove themselves at the event, with talent, creativity, and output all on display through the open-to-the-public event.

“It’s a conscious decision we made,” AFWL’s creative director, Sola Oyebade once told THISDAY. “We don’t go for the big names. We try to give a platform to young designers and help push their products out there. We’ve had top designers approach us, but told them, no, this is not your market.”

And the 2015 event was themed ‘Apprentice and Skill Development’ – it saw a plethora of young, aspiring designers join some more well-known stylists including Taiwanese Aimme Ku, who is flying the flag for Africa-inspired fashion in her native Taipei City. Nigerian designer, Needlepoint, was a favourite from last year’s event and was also in attendance with her new range this year. And the winner of the Mercedes-Benz Best Designer in Africa, Mary Martin, made her bow on the AFWL catwalk this year.

Big Fashion Designers

Victoria Michaels is one of the most sought-after designers in Africa. Her repertoire includes advertisements for Hertz Rent-a-car, Vodafone, MTN, Nexcafe, Da-Vica and Bela-Aqua mineral water.

Noella Musunka is also an international model and the founder of Malaika, a non-profit organisation which is aimed lives in her native Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the build-up to the event, she told the press: “It feels really great to be chosen as the Brand Ambassador for a globally acclaimed proudly African event like the African Fashion Week London… I’m particularly excited to be part of this grand platform that showcases the original African creativity, style and talent.”

“This industry has the ability to put Africa on the world stage and can provide for countless job opportunities on the ground and abroad, from local factories to international shops. It is time for the world to see the amazing talent that lies within Africa.”

It is expected that the African Fashion Week will be even bigger next year, with designers from all over the world taking inspiration from African cultures into their collections.

For more stories like this, be sure to stay in touch with Luxe Models. 

The Spat That Rocked Pop Culture

Today, Luxe Models wants to delve into the celebrity spat that rocked pop culture and explain how two music heavyweights eventually put aside their egos to settle their beef. Here’s the story of Taylor Swift vs. Nicki Minaj.

Love letter

Let the Luxe Models team take this opportunity to tell you how much we love both Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj. These are two fierce, independent, talented women who have utilised their voices to shoot themselves into the stratosphere of fame.

As fashion enthusiasts, we also need to take a moment to tell you how much we love both women’s sense of style. Taylor is the ultimate girl next door who still knows how to rock a pair of killer hot pants. In contrast, Nicki is the David Bowie of female rappers; she creates outlandish personas and adorns each one with elaborate wigs, strange trappings and colourful accoutrements.

Taylor vs Nicki

This is why many of us here in the Luxe Models office were disheartened to learn last week that our two favourite divas had a falling out on Twitter. Like it would’ve happened anywhere else. The Guardian reported that the argument was sparked by Minaj’s suggestion that the music video for her single ‘Anaconda’ was passed over for a VMA nomination.

She claimed that the clip failed to receive a nod at the ceremony because the awards preferred to champion clips produced by “women with very slim bodies.” Considering the height of her current fame, Swift immediately assumed this zinger was aimed at her, and responded on the social networking site by blasting the Trinidadian rapper with a Tweet so cold it could start a new ice age.

Crisis averted

We’re happy to report that the crisis has been averted. Swift apologised to the ‘Bang Bang’ hit maker on where else, Twitter, and Minaj responded to accept the starlet’s humble words of attrition.

Swift simply said “I thought I was being called out. I missed the point, I misunderstood, then misspoke. I'm sorry, Nicki.” The former American Idol judge responded eloquently, saying that “I've always loved her. Everyone makes mistakes. She gained so much more respect from me. Let's move on.”

Sisterhood

We’re so glad that these two titans of pop have settled their imaginary beef. These are two awesome, talented, confident trendsetters and here at Luxe Models we believe that successful women need to support each other!

For more stories like this, be sure to stay in touch with Luxe Models on Facebook.

Should I Get a Tattoo to model?

A few comments made recently by Jennifer Lawrence have inspired many of us here at LUXE Models to consider a problem that has plagued fashionistas for decades. Should you get a tattoo?

Ill-advised tattoos

Believe it or not, tattoos have been around practically since the dawn of time. They transitioned into the fashion mainstream in the 70’s with the rise of glam rock and punk, as people of both sexes flocked to ink their skin to resemble the rebellious fashion icons of the decade. They’ve remained a staple of pop culture style ever since.

However, many fashionistas have come to regret their snap-decisions to ink their skin. This is because what was cool one moment flies out of style the next. This means that unless you want to shell out for expensive and painful laser treatment to have it removed, you’re forced to live with your ill-advised tattoo for the rest of your days.

Jennifer Lawrence’s big mistake

This point was recently brought home to LUXE Models by actress Jennifer Lawrence. Ever since her meteoric rise to stardom in The Hunger Games, she’s been hailed as a style icon around the world.

Yet even Lawrence doesn’t get it right all the time; a point that she herself made when she spoke to a reporter from HitFix at Comic-Con. She revealed that she has a tattoo that reads “H²O” that she now deeply regrets.

“Tattooed on my body forever.”

Digital Spy reported that she commented, "I was with Liam (Hemsworth)'s family and everyone was getting tattoos and I was like, 'Well, I'm always going to need to be hydrated so I guess I should just get H₂O on my hand.”

The Hunger Games actress went on to explain: "It's the colour of a scar, so it's all natural, so it's literally the most unrebellious tattoo anyone could ever get. By the way, I know that the 2 is high and in H₂O the 2 is supposed to be low. I should have Googled it before I got it tattooed on my body forever."

Think before you ink

This is why you should think long and hard before you get a tattoo. Ask yourself, “will I still like this in a year’s time?” “Will it still look cool?” If the answer to both these questions is “yes,” by all means get the tattoo. If the answer to even one of these questions is “no,” run away from that tattoo parlour as fast as you can!

For more stories like this be sure to stay in touch with Luxe Models. 

Five Celebrity Businesswomen Luxe Models Admires

This week we decided to name the five celebrity businesswomen Luxe Models most admires, to salute the famous female faces who’ve used their talents to build huge financial empires.

It’s a woman’s world

The girls have come a long way. When the modern concept of “celebrity” first arose in the 40’s and 50’s, a woman could be famous but she couldn’t control her own financial future. It was the men who had their hands on the purse strings.

Oh how times have changed. Fast forward a few decades and you’ll soon see that it’s the girls who run the show these days. Female stars are using their fame as a platform to develop entire business empires, and show that the girls are every bit as good as the boys when it comes to making money.

These five women know how to make money!

There are a few women who stand head and shoulders above the rest; women so talented, intelligent and ambitious that they have accumulated serious piles of cash throughout their careers. Here are five that Luxe Models particularly admires.

1)      Oprah: Since she first started The Oprah Winfrey Show back in the 80’s, this fabulous female entrepreneur has gone on to become the world’s only African-American billionaire. Dubbed the “Queen of all media” by the international press, there isn’t a media-flavoured pie Ms Winfrey has failed to grab a slice of. She even has her own TV network.

2)      Madonna: The mother of reinvention has always had a talent for making money. Ever since her meteoric rise to stardom in the 80’s, Madonna has never missed an opportunity to market herself, turning her image into a speeding juggernaut of a global brand. She has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and has developed numerous products including her own clothing line and a chain of gyms!

3)      Beyoncé: The woman that CNN has described as a “global brand,” Queen Bey has straddled the line between marketing herself as an astute businesswoman whilst maintaining her relatable girl-next-door appeal. Not only has she sold millions of albums worldwide, but she has released so many products that we don’t have the space to list them all in this article!

4)      J.K. Rowling: We love J.K. Rowling because she lived the classic rags to riches story. She lifted herself out of a life on benefits when she dreamt up a story about a boy wizard at magic school that transformed the lives of millions of children all over the world. Rowling’s story shows that one idea can change your life.

5)      Taylor Swift: By far the youngest name on this list, T-Swizzle has such a talent for making money that it’s astounding. Named a “savvy business leader” by Entrepreneur.com, her estimated net worth is $220 million even though she’s only 25 years old. It’s really amazing how much dosh you can make off the back of a few (dozen) failed relationships!

Luxe Models salutes you!

The reason we admire these women and others like them should be obvious. They have used their talent, intelligence and raw ambition to overcome the misogyny that’s still rampant in the business community to turn their names into global brands. For that, we salute you celebrity businesswomen of the world! 

For more stories and blogs like this, be sure to stay in touch with Luxe Models on Ello today!

Which Celebrities Have The Best Smile?

A new poll has revealed to Luxe Models which celebrities the British public think have the best smile. So who won the coveted title?

The celebrity currency

Many celebrities live on their looks. They use their hair, bodies, nails and even their skin to secure lucrative advertisement deals that boost their public profiles and line their pockets.

There’s arguably no element of a celebrity’s look that matters more than their smile. As Rochelle and Marvin Humes, ambassadors for National Smile Month said recently "there's nothing better than a genuine smile." A good smile is infectious; this is why it’s the ultimate celebrity currency.

British public votes on best smile

The ambassadors also said that "the best smile ever comes down to confidence – true confidence shines through, and this is what makes smiling infectious." The British public took this to heart recently when they voted in a poll sponsored by Wrigley’s to determine which celebrity has the best smile.

The competition was fierce. Hello Magazine reported that The Duchess of Cambridge was crowned the winner when it came to the girls. She was closely followed by Holly Willoughby, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini (who we’re still surprised didn’t win – she always wins these things.) and Julia Roberts.

Meanwhile David Beckham was the male celebrity who the British public thought had the best smile. He was followed by the hunkiest man on the planet, George Clooney, in second place and the man-who-just won’t-go-away (Olly Murs) in third. Honestly, we’re not sure if the British public got it right as far as Murs is concerned but oh well.

All you need is a smile

This proves our point about how far a celebrity can go if they have a good smile. With the exception of the Duchess of Cambridge, who can’t do commercial things because she’s a royal, every name on these lists is a staple of billboards, TV ads and pop up ads around the world. 

For more stories like this, be sure to stay in touch with Luxe Models on www.Luxe-Models.co.uk. 

The Mystery of the Celebrity and the Gagging Order

News of a juicy celeb affair hit the tabloids recently. The kicker? LUXE Models consider the importance of a gagging order and why it's so serious to abide by the orders. 

Everyone loves a good celebrity scandal

Every time we hear that a celeb has cheated on their significant other, we find ourselves in two minds about how to feel. On the one hand, everyone loves a good celebrity scandal. On the other, it's never great to enjoy someone else's misery.

Despite our misgivings we usually find ourselves getting wrapped up in the story anyway. Think Cheryl Fernandez-Versini or Sandra Bullock. When we discovered that they’d been cheated on we found ourselves starting to like the unlucky in love A-listers more than we ever had before.

The story of CHS and Mr Y

Obviously we feel differently when the celebrity was the one who cheated. Maybe that’s why the Daily Mail reported that a female celeb, only identified as CHS, has taken out a gagging order to prevent details of her illicit affair with a “high profile” married lover called Mr Y from leaking into the public domain.

CHS had a boyfriend herself. He found a journal she’d used to meticulously detail her time with Mr Y. He took a few snaps of the journals “intimate” entries and confronted her and of course, they had a massive blazing row. After a few more massive blazing rows, CHS decided to take legal action against her boyfriend to preventing him handing over the evidence of her torrid affair to Fleet Street.

Judge grants gagging order

Judge David Hodge QC granted the gagging order under the Human Rights Act. He basically said that if the pics were leaked it could do enormous damage to both CHS and Mr Y as figures of public trust. Hodge also suggested that it would have severe financial repercussions and that in this case, CHS’s privacy was more important than any claim that could be made in the public interest to reveal the pictures.

David Hodge has shattered our dreams! If CHS went to the effort of getting a gagging order to stop these pictures leaking you just know they’ve got to be juicy! 

Let’s Talk About Sheer

Luxe Models has decided to talk about something that we’ve been too scared to even whisper about on this blog until now. Sheer; this season’s must have trend.

Sheer’s everywhere

The translucent, daring fabric is everywhere you turn. Think of a celebrity trendsetter and there’s a good chance she’s been pictured wearing sheer clothing in the last few months. Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Rita Ora, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Kate Moss; the list goes on and on.

But sheer is the everyday woman’s nightmare. It’s designed to be revealing. The vast majority of women don’t have Queen B or Kim K’s body, which means that the average fashionista can find it difficult to rock clothing that reveals everything they have to offer.

Five rules for pulling off sheer

However it’s not impossible. You can peep your head above the parapet and rock sheer without making a total fool of yourself. Just follow these five rules:

1)      Invest in fabulous lingerie: This is no time for thongs ladies. You’re not Miley Cyrus; you can’t get away with pairing a sheer outfit with nipple pasties. Sheer reveals everything, so it’s vital that you slip into gorgeous lingerie before you even attempt to pull off this risqué trend.

2)      Less is more: The best thing about sheer is that it’s translucent, not transparent. It provides the wearer with an air of mystery. Preserve the mystique you can draw from this stunning look by making sure you only flash a minimal amount of skin when you’re wearing sheer.

3)      Keep it Simple: Sheer does the work for you. Let it do its thing. Avoid opting for ornate accessories when you don a sheer outfit. Simple accessories add the touch you need to make sheer shine.

4)      Colour is king: As far is fashion is concerned, colour is king. Your clothes should always match and outfits involving sheer fabric are no exception. Follow the rules of colour co-ordination if you want to wear the material without looking like a faded pop star from the late 90’s.

5)      Be Confident: This is a bold look. You need the attitude to match or you’ll look more out of place than Lady Gaga at a meeting of the Women’s Institute when you walk out of the house in sheer clothing. Embrace your inner diva when you opt for sheer!

Do it for women everywhere!

This season’s hottest trend is a challenge to be sure, but it’s a challenge you can meet head on. If you abide by these five rules you can climb the mountain for women everywhere and make the sheer look work for you and your wardrobe! 

For more stories like this, be sure to stay in touch with Luxe Models on Facebook. 

Are the Worlds of Fashion and the Music about to Collide?

A somewhat far-fetched story recently reported in the Daily Star has made Luxe Models wonder whether the worlds of fashion and music are about to collide in a way we never could have imagined. 

The X Factor effect

As much as it sometimes pains us to admit it, The X Factor has changed the face of modern music. The Simon Cowell creation has further commercialised an industry that we didn’t think could possibly be commercialised any further than it already had been after its bubble-gum pop days in the late 1990’s.

One of the reasons The X Factor has been such a hit is that it turns the relationship between its judges into a circus. We all remember the Sharon vs. Danni, the Cheryl vs. Danni, the Cheryl vs. Mel B, the Sharon vs. Louis and the Simon vs. everyone sagas. Shows like The X Factor are more likely to make stars out of their judges than the people who actually use them as a launch pad into the world of showbiz.

Kate Moss could be a judge on The X Factor

But it’s a symbiotic relationship. The show relies on the star power of its judges just as much as those who man its panel rely on its power to turn them into stars. That’s why every time The X Factor hits its latest ratings slump, the show’s execs decide that it’s time to shake up the judging panel.

The X Factor was pounded in the ratings last year. So now every tabloid across the UK is speculating who’ll be added to the show’s judging panel for its next run. A lot of names have been thrown into the ring so far (as usual), including Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora. The most surprising name is Kate Moss, who has been touted as an assistant judge that could help Grimshaw at the judge’s houses stage of the competition.

This is a really bad idea

Let Luxe Models tell you why this is a really bad idea. We adore Kate Moss. She is arguably the most famous super model the world has ever known, and she’s sparked more fashion trends than Madonna, Anna Wintour and Jackie Kennedy combined.

Yet she isn’t a music industry professional. She has no experience in this field and would be a disaster of a judge. If you don’t believe us, why don’t you look at a similar shock Simon Cowell hire; Ellen DeGeneres as a judge for American Idol. It generated a tonne of press but once she started the job it quickly became obvious that she had no idea what she was doing. Needless to say, she didn’t return the next season.

This is one way fashion and music shouldn’t collide

OK this isn’t quite the same thing but the point stands. There are many amazing ways that fashion and music have collided to create something incredibly beautiful. We don’t believe that hiring Kate Moss to judge the public’s singing ability would be one of them. Like DeGeneres time on Idol, it’d be nothing more than a publicity stunt. 

For more stories like this, be sure to stay in touch with Luxe Models on Ello. 

Luxe Models: Met Ball 2015

Do you love fashion and celebrities as much as us here at Luxe Models? Then there’s nothing more interesting than celebrities being fashionable at the Met Ball!

Dozens of celebrities descended to New York on Monday for the 2015 Met Ball at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What to wear

The fundraising event marks the grand opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit, which will be open until August 16^th. ‘China: Through the Looking Glass’ was this year’s exhibit – representing the impact of Chinese art on fashion imagination around the globe. Hosting the event was Hong Kong’s fashion tycoon Silas Chou, with tickets valued at $25,000 each.

Among those in attendance to the 44^th year of the event was Rihanna, who swooped in wearing a fur-trimmed yellow train with floral swirls of gold. Sounds great, but it actually took three people to carry it along the red carpet!  

Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian were there, as well as some of our favourite celebrities; Anne Hathaway, Katy Perry, Bradley Cooper Ryan Reynolds (to name just a few!) The event usually sparks a bit if a trend through the summer, with people wanting similar outfits to those worn at the Met Ball. So Luxe Models are anticipating a bit of a Chinese theme to people’s summer wardrobes.

What to hair

The main thing to notice was not the attire, however it was people’s hair. Sarah Jessica Parker was pulling out all the stops for hair and beauty, and she wasn’t the only one making a statement with head pieces, smoky eye make-up and statement lipsticks

Her show-stopping Philip Treacy Custom headdress, looked like it was on fire from a distance, with red and pale blue ribbons forming flame-like shapes. The former Sex and the City star’ dramatically blue eyeshadow compelled her look and defined ‘fearlessness’.

Floral headpieces can be translated as ‘Chinese headgear’ after this event, with Rihanna’s bold yellow headdress matching the haute couture embroidered cape. Kate Hudson went for a glitzy statement piece that perfectly matched her golden Michael Kors tulle gown. And fellow actress Diane Kruger opted for an oversized white flower to complement her chic dishevelled ‘do.

George Clooney’s new wife, Amal, looked like she had stepped out of old Hollywood in her first appearance at the Gala – her glossy black tresses were worn down to the side and styled in tousled waves. The slick red lipstick was the cherry on the Chinese cake-away. 

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