My semi-successful makeover

Posted by Carla Bevan at 12:32 on 15 Feb 2008

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(NB Clearly this picture does not refer to the headline - would be more than happy if that was a picture of me (although I don't usually wear my eyeliner quite like that), but it's not, it's a model at yesterday's Luella show.)

Yesterday was not a normal fashion week day.

Rather than drag myself into the office in the early hours, write furiously for a few hours and then charge out to the shows, I had a fairly relaxed start to the day with a trip to the Daniel Hersheson salon on Conduit Street.

I was booked in for a 'fashion week blow-dry', which was obviously not going to be your run-of-the-mill blow-dry and, in the end, saw me walk out with a messy, Bardot-esque up-do.

Reactions were mixed. Some of the Marie Claire team loved it, some were, how shall we put it, less effusive.

Still, if you're going to have your hair 'done', why not try something a little different? It's safe to say, it's not a style I'll ever be able to recreate at home.

Next up, my make-up by maestro Daniel Sandler. I got a telling off for the state of my eyebrows ('How often do you have them professionally plucked?' 'Erm, that'd be sometimes never.'), but, crucially, a very good cover-up job on the dark circles under my eyes and a very 'natural' look, in contrast to my hair.

All done up, I could then get on with the day in hand: the shows and, by my estimations, the best day of the week.

Luella, up first in the ballroom at Claridge's, was a revelation. All kicky little skirts, witch hats, red tartan prints and sexy little dresses, I loved every single thing that came down the runway.

In the afternoon, we made our way over to the tents for Jenny Packham, taking in a quick VIP Moet champagne reception en route where we attempted not to neck-crane at Anastasia and Jamelia.

On the catwalk, the dresses were red-carpet perfect, adorned with lace, taffeta and jewels - just the thing for her A-list fans, although unfortunately not suitable for those us without an invite to next week's Oscars.

Finally, it was the eagerly anticipated return of Vivienne Westwood, showing back in the capital for the first time in nine years.

The political statement of the day - and there's always one with Viv - was on behalf of the charity Reprieve, who campaign for prisoners being held without trial in prisons around the world.

To this end, her first model - a pretty blonde girl, or so I thought - sported a pair of orange knickers with the words 'Fair trial: my arse' emblazoned across the bottom.

(Unfortunately, the self-same model went on to end the show wearing just the knickers and no top - proving, without fail, he/she wasn't actually female. I'm assured I wasn't the only one in the audience who made the same mistake.)

Watch the action at Luella and Jenny Packham on MC TV now.

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