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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Anne Hathaway's Lip Sync Battle Will Change Your Life

Every so often something comes along that’s so fantastic, so amazing, that it’ll change your life forever. That’s what happened to Luxe Models when we saw Anne Hathaway doing a skit on Spike TV’s Lip Sync Battle.

The woman who has it all

The rise, rise and rise again of Anne Hathaway is all the proof we need to determine once and for all that life isn’t fair. She’s talented, successful, kind and boasts a killer eye for fashion. She even managed to pull off the cropped look after she was forced to have her hair shaved off in Les Miserables; that’s just impressive.

Plus as fashion enthusiasts we have a secret (so not secret) shame. We’re massive fans of the Devil Wears Prada. Hathaway plays the film’s lead role; the style-blind woman who starts working at one of the world’s premier fashion magazines and suddenly develops a fabulous eye for designer clobber. We seriously wanted to find that set and steal every single outfit she wore post-makeover!

Anne Hathaway pulls a Miley Cyrus

Now we have another reason to love her. She can laugh at herself! We made this discovery when we caught a clip of Hathaway pulling a Miley Cyrus on Spike TV’s Lip Sync Battle.

The show is based on a similar sketch on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show. It pits famous names against each other as they pull off their best pop star impressions and mime along to some of the chart’s biggest hits.

She came in like a wrecking ball!

Hathaway went head to head with Devil Wears Prada co-star Emily Blunt. We’ve only seen a trailer at this point but this one-minute clip was enough! Picture this. The beautiful A-lister strides on stage in a white vest and trackies (Vicky Pollard, we think Anne Hathaway stole your outfit!) and starts soulfully miming along to the opening lyrics of Miley Cyrus’ ‘Wrecking ball.’

It doesn’t end there. She goes further in her quest to imitate the ultimate post-modern pop culture provocateur. She strips down to a bizarre vest and pants set before climbing up onto what we can only imagine is a fake wrecking ball, which proceeds to swing over the audience. As the balls hits maximum momentum, Hathaway does her best ‘aggressive Miley’ and writhes around on top whilst sticking her middle finger up to Blunt.

We need to see the full thing

Mind, blown. Yours will be too if you take a minute out of your day to watch this amazing clip. We need the full version of this skit to air, like, now. It could change the world for the better! 

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

Sophie Hunter (Cumberbatch) Stuns in Valentino Wedding Dress

Hunky heartthrob Benedict Cumberbatch and theatre director Sophie Hunter finally tied the knot on Valentine’s Day. Pictures of Hunter’s wedding dress have been released and Luxe Models has got to say, she looked absolutely fabulous!

Who wouldn’t swoon!

We were not pleased to hear the name Sophie Hunter. Benedict Cumberbatch is the epitome of the British leading man. His smooth upper crust accent, cut-glass cheekbones, buff bod and smouldering orbs are enough to make anyone swoon.

In other words there’s more than one person in the Luxe Models office who has a crush on the Sherlock actor. That’s why we went into mourning last year when Cumberbatch took out an ad in The Times to announce his engagement to a woman by the name of Sophie Hunter.

What a woman

The green eyed monster faded the minute we clapped eyes on an article on Your Tango in the aftermath of the shock announcement. As it turns out, the now-Mrs Cumberbatch is a spectacular woman.

Check this out. She’s an Oxford graduate. She has a degree in modern foreign languages from the exclusive university. Furthermore Hunter is a celebrated director of plays and operas. She won a Samuel Beckett award for The Terrific Electric, which she wrote and directed. She’s also an actress who’s appeared in small screen staples like Midsomer Murders and Torchwood.

Luxe Models falls in love with Sophie Hunter’s wedding dress

We’re starting to think she’s the one who’s too good for him. Now it turns out she’s got a killer fashion sense too. Legendary photographer Annie Leibowitz recently photographed the director in her wedding dress for US Vogue. We never knew we could fall in love with a piece of clothing.

What a vision. Hunter chose a floor-length silver lace Valentino Haute Coutre gown with impeccable embroidery for her big day. A demure yet inspired creation, the long-sleeved dress boasted a subtle empire waistline which set Hunter’s statuesque figure off to perfection whilst discreetly disguising her growing baby bump.

The perfect start to married life

We’d have paid a million pounds to be a fly on the wall at that wedding. At Luxe Models we reckon the Imitation Game star fell in love with his bride all over again the minute she started walking down the aisle. In that dress, who wouldn’t fall in love with her!

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

Luxe Models ask: Who is Natalia Kills?

Pop star Natalia Kills hit the headlines last week after being fired from the X Factor in New Zealand for bullying a contestant. This whole debacle has left Luxe Models wondering; who is Natalia Kills?

Natalia Kills, a mini biography

Born Natalia Noemi Cappuccini-Sincliar, Natalia Kills is a singer and actress who’s originally from Bradford. After being signed to a record label by Will.i.am in 2008, Kills went on to release a few albums before securing a role on New Zealand’s version of the X Factor.

You may not have heard a single track this woman has ever released, but you’ll have certainly heard of some of the artists she’s worked with. It reads like a who’s who of the world of cutting-edge pop. Not only has she worked extensively with the Black Eyed Peas frontman, in some form or another, she’s also worked with Katy Perry (supporting her on tour) and even Madonna.

Natalia Kills bullies contestant on live TV

Yet we doubt any of music’s finest will be picking up the phone to work with the Bradford lass after what she got up to on New Zealand’s version of the X Factor recently.

If you haven’t already heard (have you been living under a rock?) the story goes a little something like this. Kills and her husband Willy Moon, a singer-songwriter of New Zealand origin, are both judges on the show. They traversed the bounds of decent behaviour recently when they verbally eviscerated contestant Joe Irvine following his performance of the classic pop staple, ‘Cry Me a River.’ We won’t repeat what they said but it’s pretty brutal.

“Many sides to this story.”

The two were fired within hours and the world blew up. Kills and Moon have been slated across social media, the press and the world of celebrity. UK X Factor judge Louis Walsh even said that she’d never work again.

Yet Kills has finally spoken out on the incident. Billboard quoted the songstress saying that "I feel like everyone needs to put the idea of it being a manufactured conspiracy theory behind them, there's really nothing to it." She went on to comment that "I love my husband with all of my heart, we'll stick together no matter what."

At last! I am relieved that I'm finally able to break the silence... xoxo pic.twitter.com/9ubfgJjjZm

— NATALIA KILLS (@NataliaKills) March 19, 2015

She continued: "There are many sides to this story and I am not about to get an entire industry in trouble that has been going on for years and years entertaining the masses, so thank you absolutely everyone for your support. Thank you to all of my fans. Thank you to my husband...I would like to wish Joe Irvine and my boys’ category all the best on the show."

Her career’s probably over

So who is Natalia Kills? Apparently someone who seems pretty unrepentant about verbally lashing out at another human being on live TV. We don’t really need to care who she is anyway, like Walsh said, her career’s probably well and truly over after an incident like this.

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

Is… that Pamela Anderson?

For what seems like decades, 90s pin up and Baywatch star Pamela Anderson has been teasing men with her honed blonde bombshell look. 

Baywatch beauty

Fierce make up, huge blonde locks, generous cleavage and a figure to die for; Pamela had her look down to a T. She rocked her glamour look to the point that every time we saw her in the mags or papers we expected to see her running slow-mo in a red swim suit across a sandy beach.

But, things are changing. People are changing. Fashion is changing! And guess what, Pamela Anderson is changing.

Her new look

Ditching her signature feel, Pamela has been seen rocking a brand new and completely different look. Appearing at the premiere of the new film ‘The Gunman’ – starring Sean Penn - Pam turned up dressed to kill, almost unrecognisable with a brand new short haircut and loose, revealing gold wrap down.

It’s a mile away from her old look, but there’s still a bit of old Pam left, as she posed to cameras at the premiere. Standing with her 18 year old son, a braless Pamela gritted her teeth to the cameras and was keen to look as nonchalant as possible – whilst looking stunning.

We love it

Here at Luxe Models, we blummin’ love Pam’s new look. And quite frankly, we thought it was about time she moved on to something else. 2015 is coming up Pam.

For more stories and news like this, from the world of fashion and beyond, be sure to stay up to date with Luxe Models on Ello, Facebook and Twitter.