9 am – Sitting at my desk I go through my programme for the day. As usual, it looks like a busy day ahead. Expecting delivery this morning of two couture dresses specially sent over from a designer based in Dubai. One is for Her Highness, patron of the ball taking place less than two weeks away, and one for little me, as a thank you I guess for letting them style a VIP for such an important occasion. We’d both selected these beautiful creations from photographs the designer had sent – but will they live up to expectations? What if HH not happy with the pistachio full length gown, especially altered to her taste? Will they arrive in time? The Princess is expected at 1 pm to try on the dress.
10 am – Going through my emails, I note deadline for journalist to receive samples of client’s beauty products is tomorrow. Panic! Quick telephone call to make sure samples are dispatched immediately. Courier still hasn’t arrived.
10.28 am – Ding dong!!! That must be delivery! A smallish box is handed over. What??? How can two full length couture evening gowns be packed in there? Pull out two very tightly packed dresses and put them on hangers. Surprise, surprise! It’s all there and no creases. I eye with some apprehension my “tattoo” dress. What was I thinking when I chose it? Daren’t try it on yet.
11.05 am – Text from HH to say she’s on her way from her country pile. Back to the desk for more work. Must remember one of my clients is in NYC today to receive a Women in Business award that I had put her forward for. Should listen later online to find out whether she got gold, silver or bronze award. A quick check reveals that because of the time difference, that should be at 2 am local time!
1.20 pm – After numerous texts, phone calls and emails HH arrives. She immediately warns me that if she doesn’t like the dress, she won’t wear it. It fits her like a glove but she declares the colour to be bilious rather than pistachio and still too many sequins adorning the bust. Oh dear! What can I tell the designer who’d gone to so much trouble? In the end we decide that HH should wear a plain black dress. Probably best as she’ll be decked in £250,000 worth of diamonds on loan
from luxury jewellers Piaget and the dress mustn’t distract.
3 pm – HH departs in search of a chic plain black dress and at last I have the courage to try on the “tattoo” dress. No, no! It’s much too long and the fabric and design are so intricate that it cannot be shortened. In a sudden flash of inspiration I try on the green dress discarded by HH. It fits perfectly and I don’t find the colour “bilious”. Phew! One outfit saved, but what to do with the “tattoo” dress?
5 pm – After running back and forth between the mirror, the computer and the forever ringing telephones, Lana, Fab UK magazine’s very own executive editor, arrives for a meeting. Looking at her tall slender figure an idea hits me. Would she try on the tattoo dress? A few minutes later she stands in front of me, a vision of loveliness and elegance. That dress was made in heaven especially for her! Take a couple of shots to send the designer who in the end is delighted.
7 pm – Off to a charity event sponsored by one of my clients. Disaster! Logo not on press board, programmes featuring full page ad not there, auction prize donated forgotten in a corner. Push it all to the back of my mind for now, will have to be sorted out somehow tomorrow.
12.15 am – Collapse on bed and drift off to sleep with images of dresses in different shades of green floating in front of my eyes – pistachio, bile, moss, emerald, spinach….. Forgetting all about the awards in NYC.
2.08 am – Woken up by text from client. She won the silver award!
Tomorrow is another day….
Originally published in FAB UK magazine
January 2016
10 am – Going through my emails, I note deadline for journalist to receive samples of client’s beauty products is tomorrow. Panic! Quick telephone call to make sure samples are dispatched immediately. Courier still hasn’t arrived.
10.28 am – Ding dong!!! That must be delivery! A smallish box is handed over. What??? How can two full length couture evening gowns be packed in there? Pull out two very tightly packed dresses and put them on hangers. Surprise, surprise! It’s all there and no creases. I eye with some apprehension my “tattoo” dress. What was I thinking when I chose it? Daren’t try it on yet.
11.05 am – Text from HH to say she’s on her way from her country pile. Back to the desk for more work. Must remember one of my clients is in NYC today to receive a Women in Business award that I had put her forward for. Should listen later online to find out whether she got gold, silver or bronze award. A quick check reveals that because of the time difference, that should be at 2 am local time!
1.20 pm – After numerous texts, phone calls and emails HH arrives. She immediately warns me that if she doesn’t like the dress, she won’t wear it. It fits her like a glove but she declares the colour to be bilious rather than pistachio and still too many sequins adorning the bust. Oh dear! What can I tell the designer who’d gone to so much trouble? In the end we decide that HH should wear a plain black dress. Probably best as she’ll be decked in £250,000 worth of diamonds on loan
from luxury jewellers Piaget and the dress mustn’t distract.
3 pm – HH departs in search of a chic plain black dress and at last I have the courage to try on the “tattoo” dress. No, no! It’s much too long and the fabric and design are so intricate that it cannot be shortened. In a sudden flash of inspiration I try on the green dress discarded by HH. It fits perfectly and I don’t find the colour “bilious”. Phew! One outfit saved, but what to do with the “tattoo” dress?
5 pm – After running back and forth between the mirror, the computer and the forever ringing telephones, Lana, Fab UK magazine’s very own executive editor, arrives for a meeting. Looking at her tall slender figure an idea hits me. Would she try on the tattoo dress? A few minutes later she stands in front of me, a vision of loveliness and elegance. That dress was made in heaven especially for her! Take a couple of shots to send the designer who in the end is delighted.
7 pm – Off to a charity event sponsored by one of my clients. Disaster! Logo not on press board, programmes featuring full page ad not there, auction prize donated forgotten in a corner. Push it all to the back of my mind for now, will have to be sorted out somehow tomorrow.
12.15 am – Collapse on bed and drift off to sleep with images of dresses in different shades of green floating in front of my eyes – pistachio, bile, moss, emerald, spinach….. Forgetting all about the awards in NYC.
2.08 am – Woken up by text from client. She won the silver award!
Tomorrow is another day….
Originally published in FAB UK magazine
January 2016
 The 'bilious' dress |  The 'tattoo' dress |
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