Illamasqua's new US Brand Ambassador

Illamasqua are very excited to introduce Andrea Helgadottir as our US Brand Ambassador and Head Make-Up artist. Her impressive portfolio of work includes her role as Bjork’s Make-Up artist and today we wanted to share her latest artistic and iconic project with you...

Andrea Helgadottir

I'm sure you'll agree, Andrea's inspiring artistic talent will be an asset to the US team and we are thrilled to welcome her to Illamasqua!

Lushiousbeauty Throb winner…

The lovely Debbie, author of one of the Netherlands biggest blogs, Lushiousbeauty.nl hosted an exclusive competition with Illamasqua this January to celebrate the launch of the Throb collection.

With the chance to win the 3 new Nail Varnishes from Illamasqua’s latest collection, Throb, a blood red perfectly suited to the Anti-Valentines theme, Load, a rich and creamy coating, and Scorn, a rubbery matt black, the response was incredible!

We can now announce that the winner of the Lushiousbeauty compeititon, selected at random, was…...(cue drum roll)……..........

Many Moerkerk. 

Congratulations Mandy on winning these sumptuous new shades, they are en route to you now!

Thank you to all those who entered and to Debbie for hosting this fabulous competition.

IMATS tomorrow…See you at the show!

This year, Alexandra Palace opens its doors to yet another stunning display of Make-Up artistry, showcasing the best of student and pro talent and allowing us to indulge in our passion…Make-Up.

As the biggest professional, graduate and student Make-Up event in the calendar, the Illamasqua team are busily preparing the finishing touches to the stand – visit us at 811.

SHOW HOURS:

Saturday 29^th                  8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sunday 30^th                   Pro Card holders only 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

General admission 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

ILLAMASQUA STAND 811

IMATS PRO CARD

If you are attending IMATS as a professional artist you could be entitled to an exclusive opening and show this Sunday 30^th January. Those in possession of an IMATS Pro Card will be allowed entry for a 2 hour period of uninterrupted Make-Up indulgence prior to the general admission for the show!

'The card—available to professional make-up artists—gets you into EXCLUSIVE PRO-ONLY times at select IMATS, expedited entry during normal show hours, a 10-percent discount on magazine subscriptions and other special offers.'

To find out more and to register for your IMATS Pro Card simply click here to be directed to the application page.

During the show, Alex Box, Creative Director for Illamasqua will be performing a stunning ‘Make-Up transition to music’ which is expected to fill the venue this Sunday.

Alex will also be revealing a very exciting announcement after her show…one you will certainly not want to miss!

Tickets are still available to purchase on the day, for more information click here.   

See you at the Show!

Portrait of Creativity course at SOMUA...

As seen in this week’s Stylist, the Illamasqua School of Make-Up Art is fast becoming the go-to place for expert application advice and training in the art and skill of true creativity.

SOMUA can offer courses for the Make-Up novice to the budding professional. Learn technical skills, unleash your creativity and revel in the world of Illamasqua in the heart of the brands Flagship store.

The courses are both intimate and bespoke, with true professionalism at their core. Each have been designed to reflect and share the extensive expertise of the Illamasqua Make-Up Artists and School team. The latest of these courses is the Portrait of Creativity Course in which you can let your individuality flourish…

This intensive 2-hour course will encourage you to discover your Alter Ego – False eyelashes are a perfect way to make a glamorous statement for any occasion. This practical make-up course, unleashes your creativity to hand customize a bespoke lash which truly shows your individuality.   Followed by designing your ultimate eye make-up which showcases your lash design and elevates  you to the extremes of unearthly glamour.

Course Content:

Learn how to use appliqué crystals, feathers, amongst other haberdashery treats to customize your bespoke lash and you’ll leave with your design and £25.00 of complimentary make-up products of your choice.  A fun picture will also be snapped of you to potentially appear on the Illamasqua website ‘Wall of Fame’

PRICE: £75.00 [with £25.00 redeemable against products on the day]

Dates:

Sat 5th, Sat 26th February 2011

Sat 12th, Wed 30th March 2011

Wed 6th, Sat 16th April 2011

Wed 18th, Sat 28th May 2011

Sat 4th, Wed 15th, Sat 25th June 2011

Wed 6th, Sat 16th, Sat 25th July 2011

Wed 10th, Sat 20th August 2011

Times:

Wednesday:      11am – 1pm

Saturday:             2:30 - 4:30pm

This is the perfect way to spend a creative afternoon in the cultural hubbub of London’s Soho. As Lashes become the must have addition to any beauty kit, and as more Avant Garde and lavish styles flood the catwalks, the boundaries are broadening and the Lashes becoming more adorned and more fabulous with them.

To bespoke make your very own False Eye Lashes, or to book onto any of the courses offered at SOMUA simply call +44 (0) 203 432 3274 or e-mail school@illamasqua.com

To learn about each of the courses offered at SOMUA, click here.

Haute! Round Two At Concrete This Friday January 28th ...

Get your dancing shoes on as it's our second monthly Haute! night at Concrete Shoreditch [below Pizza East on Shoreditch High Street] with the delightful, gorgeous hostess Munroe Bergdorf.

Our fabulous National Make-up Artist Mika will also be there [he told me a little bit about his outfit yesterday ... photos to follow Monday!]

The beautiful Viktoria Modesta will also be performing and with the previous guest list including Matt Cardle and Gareth Pugh you'd be fools to miss it if you are in the area!

Come along and get your groove on...

For more details, join the facebook page by searching Haute 2.0

Feeling Frilly

With all the rain I am already starting to think about Summer! Have found a couple of pieces that I can't wait to wear once the sun starts shining again.This dress is from Primark and I was immediately drawn to the print. It reminded me of vintage fabric and even though every other person will probably have this dress I still think something about it is unique and interesting.These sweet frilly shoes were found in the Topshop sale! I am very pleased I have finally bought these shoes as I have been lusting after them for quite some time!! They were perfect to go with a dress that I had for a wedding. Here is the dress, it is from Great Plains and I snapped it up at a French Connection Sample sale for £15!!!So as you can probably tell I will be wearing some frills this summer - and I can't wait!!

Hope you are all staying warm and dry!!

Fashion Fantasist xx

Tutorial for a day look with Throb...

Enjoy!

Illamasqua's plans for IMATS...

This weekend will see the arrival of the most exciting event in the Make-Up calendar…IMATS! For those of you who have been in previous years, I’m sure the tickets have been booked for many months, for those of you new to the experience, you can still buy tickets, but hurry!

Hosted at Alexandra Palace, IMATS showcases the best of student and pro talent, with Illamasqua occupying a large stand (811) to meet you all near to the Education stage.

The talented, professional Illamasqua team are busily preparing for IMATS 2011. The expert team of six professional Make-Up artists will be providing stunning transformations across both days and will be on hand to share their creativity and advice with any who visit them at the Illamasqua stand (811).

Daniel Sallstrom

Many of the artists attending IMATS represent Illamasqua as National Artists, including Mika, Daniel Sallstrom and Clare Lille who regularly travel across the UK to share their visions and talent with Illamasqua followers.

 Clare Lille

All 4 wonderful assistants to Spob, Illamasqua’s Head of Professional Development will also be working hard at IMATS this year, transforming models and talking to any aspiring Make-Up artists.

Working closely with Illamasqua to share their creative talent and fresh, evolving imaginations, Tamara Ramsey Crockett, Kat Sykes, Hailey Williams and Emma Foley have been involved with many artistic projects with Illamasqua.

This creative quadruplet have contributed creatively to the visions of Illamasqua over the past year to produce bespoke Mannequins for the launch of Illamasqua’s counter in Melbourne, Australia, Kitsch inspired ‘Reindogs’ for the Flagship store’s Christmas window and most recently they have customised something exclusive for Illamasqua to be revealed soon…

Tamara, a graduate of West Thames was last year’s overall winner with her beautifully striking entry for 2010….

Tamara's winning entry

Kat Sykes, Southampton Solent’s Student of the Year for 2010 will also be assisting the Illamasqua team this weekend….

by Kat Sykes

Alex Box, Creative Director for Illamasqua will be performing a ‘Make-Up transition set to music’ this weekend to inspire those adoring fans among you, with the opportunity to meet her for a book signing after as well.

Alex will also announce the details of a huge competition launch for Illamasqua after her performance so a visit to watch her is certainly a must for the schedule.

Another exciting competition will be running across both days of IMATS with the chance to win some fantastic prizes…all you have to do is visit the counter to find out all of the exciting details and enter!

Tickets can be bought on the Day or to purchase them in advance click here.

IMATS promises to be a colour saturated, swatch crazed fusion of professional and student artists from across the globe…and Illamasqua has the fortune of being there to join in! Come and visit us at Stand 811!

Cat On The Wall

This week I did an interview with Jo Whitby from the Music and Culture Webzine Cat On The Wall. Please check it out here.

Thank you
Fashion Fantasist xx

HayWire

I have been meaning to post about this young designer for quite some time. I discovered Hayden Williams through twitter and he is a lovely guy to talk to and talented to boot. His illustrations are beautiful. From striking catwalk models to Bratz Dollz and Barbie Hayden is oozing with talent. I have been following his body of work for awhile and thought it was time to find out more about him!How long have you been drawing for?
I've been drawing since the age of 3 and haven't stopped since! It's like an addiction... I was always an artistic child and I haven't changed now I'm a young adult!What is your main inspiration?
My inspirations when I was young was Disney movies... I would draw the animated female characters over and over until I felt they looked perfect! I was obsessed with Jessica Rabbit too. She still is an influence on my work. When I hit my teens and realised fashion was the industry I was meant to be in. I started looking at designer brands, ad campaigns, fashion collections etc. I started coming up with my own designer collections via illustration. Designer brands like Versace, Michael Kors, Gucci and Jason Wu are all influences in my work as well as illustrator/designers such Robert Best who designs for high end Barbie.Your drawings are varied - from fashion designs to Bratz and Celebs - who or what is your favorite thing to draw?
Hmm, that's a tough question!! It depends on what I'm inspired by at the time. The fashion designs I come up with have become a permanent fixture/compulsory for me but the illustrations I do of celebs etc are more of what I would call my 'IT' illustrations. I don't do them very often, but when I do... They serve the purpose for the hype and are very fun to draw! Overall though, I couldn't choose a fave thing... All of the things I illustrate are fun to do!What are you doing at the moment?
I'm currently studying Fashion Product Innovation at Ravensbourne University. I'm studying Womenswear, Menswear, Promotion and more. It's a course that will prepare me for the industry i was born to be apart of! Other than studying and doing uni work, I always find time to do new illustrations and designs to keep things fresh!!And lastly what is your favorite out of your own work?
Another tough question... I have such a huge back catalogue of illustrations that it's hard to choose a personal fave! I don't think I could choose between my illustrations/designs...

Each one I do is unique and special in their own right haha! Every time I do a new one, it's my fave of the moment!Have a browse of Hayden's work on his two blogs (blogspot and tumblr) and see if you can find your favorite. I have to say one of my favorites (one of many!) is the tapered trouser and classic white shirt combo - something about it is so graceful yet edgy.

Hope you have enjoyed Hayden's work!
Much Love
Fashion Fantasist xx

Throb has inspired you…

The launch of Throb this week has seen those pulses racing as anticipated, with many of you falling for Sangers and lusting after the cheeky Nail Varnish in Load, it appears the visuals from this new collection have also captured your hearts.

With Illamasqua’s devoted followers tweeting, posting and sharing the word of Throb and all of its wonderful Anti-Valentines seductiveness, Alex Box’s artistry appears to have inspired you all to draw out your creativity and talent.

 by Jangsara

We wanted to share a little of the inspiring artistry that has had Illamasqua HQ 'throbbing' this week…

 by Jangsara

by Jangsara

To see more of Jangsaras beautiful look, click here!

 by donotrefreeze

This beautiful Nail creation is by Leanne of donotrefreeze     

by Dolcevanity

Dolcevanity’s look and her thoughts on the Throb collection can be found here.

Keep sharing these stunning looks with us we are loving them!

Get a Load of this...

To celebrate the launch of the sumptuous Throb collection, Beak St will be hosting an event this Friday 21^st January lasting all day! That’s a whole day of Throb themed pleasure…

There is simply no excuse to miss this marvellous display of Illamasqua doing what we do best, revealing a collection with an unashamedly fabulous launch party.

With Angel Rose, a fantastic conceptual artist performing throughout the day, her 'Make-Up manifesto' will delight as you absorb the new collection and pick up that cheeky Nail Varnish in Load or  blood red Intense Lipgloss in Succubus you’ve been lusting after since their release.

Angel will be taking centre stage in the windows of our Flagship store and delivering an amazing spectacle and dramatic finale, all to be revealed in store...

 With refreshments and treats to melt your heart, a stunning new collection and clever performances from Angel, this event is sure to get you throbbing !