A day in the life of Moi...

9:00 Having spent an hour dealing with my mail, now dashing for Starbucks en-route to my first meeting. Hail a black cab and arrive with seconds to spare. A new client in banking, and a full image consultation begins. We talk about lifestyle and I get to know a little more about how he spends his time and whether his wardrobe reflects this. He has just been promoted and his new position will thrust him even further into the public eye. As I learn more he seems to visibly relax as he realises that I am not here to critique, only to find ways to enhance who he is and his roles in life... that of business leader, husband, father...

We start with the physical and I measure up... we discuss body proportions, scale, colours and grooming and how to create optical illusions that are best suited to his shape. The great thing about clothes is that we can hide imperfections and enhance the good bits and for a man who claims to have no idea, I can see that he gets it.

With analysis under the belt and the solution defined, we go shopping. I can tell that he is not keen. He gets into the swing of things once he realises that we can ignore rail after rail... wrong colour, wrong shape, wrong style - and head directly for what we need. Successful purchases in hand, he declares that he enjoyed shopping for the first time ever. And I am happy.

We agree to meet again to discuss his communication skills. He needs a refresher on the media-training front and his public speaking skills need a re-vamp. I have also noticed that his body language is a little awkward, but feel that this may change after all of the above. We decide to evaluate again in a month's time.

12:30 Hail a cab and head for a meeting with leading communications and branding specialists. We are collaborating as companies invest vast amounts on their brands - personality, values, equity... but often forget about the people who represent them. We buy a brand because of what it represents and how it makes us feel, and if we are then faced with an individual, whether it's the CEO or a sales person, who doesn't personify the brand, it creates what I have coined the 'brand lie'. We talk about how this works across cultures and markets and how to assist companies to create 'brand congruency'. The next step is to identify those brands in their portfolio who could benefit from Image Consulting...

1:30 In another cab on my way to my next meeting with a builder to discuss floors... I style both people and interiors and am revamping an apartment for a client in Knightsbridge. I receive a call from a client who has recently had a baby and we set a date for a full make-over. I arrange for a haircut, facial, massage, mani & pedi and a make-up artist. I block out time in my diary for shopping and wardrobe management and call her back with the details.

2:15 A thankfully short meeting with the builder and really hungry so up to the 5th Floor in Harvey Nichols for a quick salad. I pick up two dresses that I have in mind for my next client and head on to my meeting with her on location, which is in a luxury retailer around the corner. She is presenting a new series and we are short of a couple of dresses for the next two day's filming. She thankfully loves both of them and we agree on which dress is suitable for each day. I help her with shoes, accessories and overall styling for both and leave her in the capable hands of the make-up artist as filming starts.

4:00 Running short of time and I head back to my desk to prepare for this evening's presentation. I am talking to a business group about men & women's business styling and cross-cultural business etiquette. First impressions really do count when language and familiarity with cultural norms are thin on the ground. I focus on finding an acceptable middle ground, whilst maintaining the authenticity that makes us each individual. It's a subject that I enjoy and with the final touches to my presentation complete, change into a suitable suit and on the run for a cab once again.

5:30 Arrive at the venue and make sure that technology will deliver. I mingle with the organisers and guests and it's an hour later when we start. A good Q&A to end with and I spend time chatting to some really interesting business minds... we swap cards and agree to explore further. Another cab and I ask the driver to wait outside my apartment for a quick change, then on to dinner with a few friends at Zuma. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to their soft-shell crab...

BioStarlight

Anouk Puper, the therapist behind BioStarlight suffered from a bundle of allergies and physical ailments for many years. In her quest to find a solution, she came across Bio-Photon Coherency Therapy, which proved to be a turning point... two years later, and qualified as a Therapist, she brings us BioStarlight.

Bio-Photon Coherency Therapy utilises StarLight technology, which is a series of instruments capable of measuring light emissions from acupuncture points on the body, using fibre-optic cables and crystal electrodes. The Starlight measures the oscillations on each acupuncture point, comparing them to the oscillations of the most common illnesses, bacteria, viruses and fungi. The correct oscillations are then returned to the body, allowing the body to heal itself.


In this age of alternative therapy, healing the body with light resonates somehow... the StarLight has been hailed as a treatment for a multitude of sins, including intestinal problems, colds and flu, chronic fatigue, scars, migraines, dyslexia, depression and whiplash, to mention a few.

To find out more, contact Anouk on +44 7841 876 765, e-mail anouk@biostarlight.com or click on this link.

Frances Bissell

I recently caught up with Frances Bissell who you probably remember as The Times Cook, at The Sloane Club, which has been given a wonderfully stylish makeover by David Linley. Frances is the club’s food and beverage consultant working on menus that showcase the best of seasonal British produce, allied with Connaught trained chef Mark Johnson.

The first woman chef to be elected to the Academy of Culinary Arts, Frances has been guest chef in some of the world’s leading hotels, restaurants and embassies across the world. She worked with British Airways on the introduction of authentic Afternoon Tea to their First Class service; was instrumental in the development of a range of traditional British dishes for Marks and Spencer; worked with top people’s caterer, Mustard Catering on menu development; and after consulting for Gozo, Ta’ Frenc in Malta last year, they won the award for best restaurant in the Maltese islands....

And the best bit is that Frances is available for private consultation on all your culinary and entertaining requirements, from a simple dinner party to a charity Afternoon Tea. She is happy to talk to small groups about all aspects of ‘the table’... shopping, cooking, planning menus, and recipe development, which she considers one of her specialities.

You can contact Frances on +44 (0)207 435 3536, or e-mail fmbissell@hotmail.com.

PS... watch out for her new book 'The Scented Kitchen', due out this summer.

Fashion Foreward

It's that time of the year again and Alison Abrams, the force behind Fashion Forward brings us designer sample sales in central London showrooms that you won't want to miss.

You can take your pick from over 50 designer collections including Save the Queen, M Missoni, See by Chloe, Valentino Red and Takada by Kenzo. From everyday clothes to exquisite evening dresses, handbags, shoes and jewellery.

Fashion Forward's annual membership is £60 per year giving you invitations to over 30 sample sales in the next 12 months. Once you join, you’ll have access to the privileged members-only area of their website with full details of all sales, showroom locations, collections and sizes.

And if you are still in doubt, you are invited as a guest to one of their forthcoming sales to 'try before you buy'. You can e-mail Alison: info@fashion-forward.co.uk or click on this link.

Audio Sushi

Is your ipod still sitting in its box... are you trying to jog to Whitney Houston... are your dinner parties accompanied by Led Zepplin? Audio Sushi, the brainchild of Kerrin Wallace is here to help with their Personal DJ Service.

It's quite simple... you take their music survey on your likes and dislikes (it won’t take long) - they then select music that is truly customised to your own taste.

In true DJ style, they will create personalised compilations on your i-pod or on cd, programme your ipod, give you ipod lessons, offer music storage and networking solutions for your digital media... and even DJ at your events. Oh, and their pedigree speaks for itself with recent events including Andy and Patty Wong’s Chinese New Year, Wallpaper, Sketch, Fabric and many, many more.

Contact Kerrin on +44 870 977 0025, music@audiosushi.net or click on this link.

Happy listening...

Power-Plate

Proclaimed as "the new way to shake off the pounds" Time Magazine September 2006, Power-Plate®, the most sought- after fitness machine on the market has launched its newest and most exciting home-use model to date... the my5. By bringing the gym into your home, the my5 promises to take acceleration training to another level.

The my5 uses Advanced Vibration Technology, which is backed by research and on-going scientific studies and from what we hear, it is incredibly effective.

With applications ranging from elite sports conditioning to training for the elderly and sedentary, the my5 can provide a broad range of health benefits... not to mention the slimming, toning and cellulite banishing results we all want.

For more information, contact Mark Andrew on +44 7743 825 935 or click on this link... I for one have placed my order.