Yesterday, I was in Covent Garden for an introduction to Remi Nicole's new album, and an afternoon of pampering and beauty talk. Whilst having makeup applied at Jelly Pong Pong, the nouveau rockabilly pop songstress from London was the epitome of laid-back cool, donning a casual ensemble of peg leg jeans, a pale cotton vest and converse boots.

You may remember her debut record My Conscience and I back in 2006. It presented a breezy mixture of indie rock and acoustic pop. However her second album; Cupid Shoot Me, hitting the stores on the 7th of September is far more soulful. I wanted to find out about the inspirations behind her new sound. As we ate cupcakes and tested beauty products, she explained:

"This is my real debut. I didn't know myself when I was 23. It was a challenging time. Now I feel like I know who I am and I know what I want, and that's making the whole process of being a musician, a lot easier."



On the prominent topic of love that remains a consistent basis throughout the 11 track playlist, she is quick to point out that the music (written and produced by herself) is not about being in love, it's about feeling a lack of love. Using the album as a personal outlet for her emotions and a narration of a difficult period in her life, Remi wrote the songs as an autobiographical account of her experiences over the last two years.

I heard a taster of her sophomore release, I think she does well to create musical magic out of what she describes as difficult circumstances. The song Come Find Me is incredibly soulful in the sweetest way possible and Standing Tears Apart (my personal favourite) mixes playful reggae with an infectious pop melody.

Whilst the music is oftentimes catchy and upbeat, Remi wants to make clear it's really quite a dark album and though the album may have dark undertones, I'm confident that Remi Nicole is sure to have a far brighter future. Already quite the scenester and known for her friendships with Amy Winehouse and Alexa Chung, her persona was anything but diva. She was very down to earth and I found at ease as she signed autographs and made conversation with some of her younger fans (including my niece). It was lovely to have met her and I wish her every success.

Visit: www.reminicole.com

Today I'd like to introduce you to the work of Georgina, the founder of Bolton King Photography. We recently worked together on a photo shoot and it was a very creative experience. Based in Harlesden, North London, Georgina has a home studio where she does mostly portrait work, and on location, she's an incredibly versatile photographer, with a real flair for reportage style and fashion images.

What I particularly like about Georgina is her passionate approach to achieving atmospheric shots and creating beautiful images. You'll see from her portfolio the painterly qualities that she aims for and the sheer elegance of her shots. Needless to say, with work like this, it's only a matter of time before she's commissioned for glossies. Georgina is definitely one to watch, you heard it here first.



Visit: www.boltonkingphotography.com
Image Credits: © Bolton King Photography

Author, presenter, fashion expert and a girl's best friend, Gok Wan is this week's pretty stylish person. With two fashion bibles under his belt; How to Dress: Your Complete Style Guide and How to Look Good Naked, plus the TV show Fashion Fix, his mission to help women look and feel in vogue has been by no means an easy feat, but he's gradually helping us to win the battle against our own body hang-ups.

I like the fact that the he knows exactly what he's talking about, having had his own body issues. At the age of 20, Gok was 21 stone and had been bullied as a child for being overweight and rather ignorantly, his mixed race heritage. But the boy's done good now, having shed the extra pounds and proven to himself and those who doubted him that he is fabulous.

What impresses me is that even with Gok achieving his ideal body, he hasn't gone on to promote the fashion industry's 'stick thin' mentality nor does he condone obesity. He encourages, so that whatever stage you're at, whether you're dealing with being a little too voluptuous or you're completely happy at your size, he explains how to make your body shape work for you.

So when he's giving women a pep talk, telling them how gorgeous they are and teaching them the secrets to looking good, I'm not of the cynical opinion that it's all too sickly sweet. Being a woman that can easily fluctuate from a UK size 10 to a 12, I too share some of the same hang-ups as the women on his show and I think he does a great job in educating us that we can look and feel good whatever size you are. Ultimately, his work is about achieving the feel good factor. I'm so look forward to the new season of Fashion Fix.

Q&A with Gok
Fashion Guru Wan will be judging the 2009 Spectacle Wearer of the Year, and as part of the competition, he's on hand to answer any style advice and questions the online fashion community, has via the Specsavers facebook page. Check it out here.


Gok's Timeless Tips for Summer

Today's post is dedicated to the work of photographer Julia Kennedy. Based in London, she produces incrediably dynamic images, tapping into the spirit of every moment; capturing style and substance in equal measure.

Her client list is impressive having been commissioned by publication TANK, as well as retailers ASOS and MYLA . She's also worked with musicians The Dandy Warhols among many others.

Prepare to be inspired....





Web: juliakennedy.com
Image Credits: © Julia Kennedy