Grazia TV

I was not sure what to think of this when I first saw it but a couple of episodes in and I am starting to warm to it. The look is very much Live from Studio Five style but it contains exclusive clips and interviews conducted by the Grazia team. Grazia TV launched last month while London Fashion Week was in full flow so it pretty much got lost in the mania. Grazia editor, Jane Bruton describes it as a 'Friday fashion fix' where you can see everything from the stars hitting the red carpet in full 360 fabulousness to designers feeling the heat backstage and I-can't-believe-I-haven't-seen-this-already-but-now-I-have-I'm-sending-it-to-everyone-I-know-type clips. The format comprises of 10 hot topics ranging from fashion events, music. TV shows,  celebrity news as well as human interest news - basically the sort of stuff that is in the magazine. It is a great way to get a quick round up of the entertainment and fashion scene. If you ignore the naff background music which cheapens the great content, then what you have is a cracking little programme. I personally think it is much better than the magazine.

You can check out Grazia TV here.

Stylist

So the MediaGuardian 100 power list was published this Monday and featured the movers and shakers in broadcasting, newspapers and magazines, digital media, advertising, marketing and pr and the media business. Jane Bruton, editor-in-chief of Grazia magazine, the country's top weekly glossy made the list for the third year running. Life has been a roller coaster for Bruton since the launch of Grazia in 2005 which has included winning award after award, being named 'media icon of our times' by the PPA. The nation's favourite weekly also went one step further by publishing the magazine live in a perspex pod at Westfield shopping centre last November.

However, Bruton and her posse better watch their backs because there is a new pretender to the crown. Stylist is a fashion and style magazine that is set to challenge the mantle. It is aimed at career women aged between 20 and 40 who lead very chic and affluent lives and will contain topics such as travel, relationships and careers. The publication is published by the same company who produce Shortlist (which is aimed solely at men) and will be distributed free in hip cities like London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.

Stylist will be distributed every Wednesday from October.

Grab a Cup of Cocoa Diaries

Entertainment editor by day, blogger by night and a devoted mum and partner, Keysha Davis is certainly juggling a lot of balls. Her blog, The Cocoa Diaries offers the perfect blend of entertainment and pop culture from a Black British perspective. Set up over a year ago, this delightful blog covers entertainment, fashion, beauty, community, film & music. Basically if it's hip and happening you will find it in The Cocoa Diaries.

What made you start blogging?

I was inspired by the work of others. I’ve been an avid reader of blogs for a few years now, and decided to take the plunge and start one of my own.

Describe the concept behind The Cocoa Diaries?

When I first started out there were tonnes of blogs dedicated to entertainment and popular culture, but very few focused specifically on Black British culture. So I decided that that would be my niche. The ethos of The Cocoa Diaries is a celebration of Black British people and culture. It just so happens to coincide with a time when Black artists in the UK are doing particularly well. New artists like VV Brown, Laura Izibor and Shingai from The Noisettes are rightfully receiving lots of plaudits and media attention. And then you have the likes of Dizzee Rascal, who has just secured the No.1 spot and has the fastest selling single this year. That’s a huge accomplishment. Particularly when you consider that he started off as an underground artist. I want to be there to capture all these moments.

How do you think bloggers have made an impact on the media?

Blogs have impacted the media immensely. The speed at which bloggers can get information out to the general public means they have one up on traditional media. Alongside blogging, I am also a magazine journalist and I often use blogs as a port of call, especially when writing entertainment type articles. I do believe the two can co-exist though. I love the honest, subjective nature of blogging, but I also couldn’t survive without well researched, objective journalism.

What do you do when you are not working on your blog?

Running around like a headless chicken, pretty much. I work full time and have a four year old son so I’m one busy, harried and tired lady (who drinks far too much Red Bull). Aside from work stuff, I like to spend time with my fiancé and child - we’re quite a football mad household so there’s often plenty of screaming and shouting at the TV when Arsenal are playing. I also like to read novels, although I really don’t get enough time to do so. And then there’s netball. I’m part of a team and we play in a league, so I spend a couple nights of the week training and competing in matches.

Describe a typical day.

By day I am the entertainment editor for Pride magazine. I spend my day editing pages, writing articles, conducting phone interviews, and fielding calls that range from disgruntled readers who haven’t received their subscription in the post, to young girls who want to become a model. We are a very small team so it’s a very fast paced environment that can get quite crazy and stressful. By night I switch into mummy mode. That means cooking, bathing and bed time story, before usually dozing off myself (laughs).

What are your favourite glossy magazines?

To be honest I don’t read glossies as much as I used to as I‘m always on the Internet. I subscribe to Glamour and I buy Grazia and Look occasionally when I fancy a quick read on the train. I occasionally pick up Essence if I like the person on front of the cover, and that’s about it.

Name five blogs that you read religiously.

Madnews, Aliyasking, Harlem Loves, Waltzing Matilda and The Musings of Ondo Lady of course.

How do you see The Cocoa Diaries evolving over the next two years?

I’d like to see it evolve into a lifestyle online magazine . So essentially that means more frequent posts, interviews and features. My main issue is time, or lack thereof, so I am hoping to work with an editorial intern over the next few months to get more content out there. Ultimately I’d like to see The Cocoa Diaries recognised as a formidable brand. In my opinion traditional Black British media outlets still don’t fully recognise the benefits of online publishing, so it’s definitely something I‘d like to fully explore.

Kate Moss: Style

Over the last few years style trends such as knee length boots, skinny jeans, flat ballet pumps, the cape and Mary Jane shoes have been seen on all and sundry and they have one person to thank - Kate Moss. The sight of the famous supermodel wearing these items has played a big part in their popularity. Part bio and part style book – Kate Moss: Style delves into the wardrobe of one of the most iconic woman in the world. We are given the stories behind Kate’s wonderful outfits, where she really shops for her clothes, who her inspirations are and what exactly her input is to her line at Topshop. As you can imagine a whole range of fashionistas have contributed quotes to this books; stylistas such as Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, Matthew Williamson, Alexander McQueen, Britt Ekland, Katie Grand and many more all add in their two pence worth.

Fashion journo, Angela Buttolph has been buzzing around on the scene for a long while – her stints have included the Evening Standard, i-D, Vogue and Grazia. She is one of those faces that pops up on TV now and again offering her opinion on fashion culture but she has never really made an impression on me unlike other fashion peeps such as The Telegraph’s Hilary Alexander or The Guardian’s Hadley Freeman. Well that is all in the past now because I am truly smitten with Angela and her delicious book. As far as I am concerned she has taken a really tricky task of creating a riveting book on Kate Moss based on quotes from past interviews in various publications with gusto. Ms Moss is so famous that there are very few people out there who do not know the ins and outs of her personal and public life but Angela manages to present the Moss story in a way that is refreshing and compelling. Weighing in at a massive 198 pages, Kate Moss: Style did look like a very daunting read but I was hooked from the very first line. The writing, which is sharp and crunchy, is a product of fantastic research into Kate’s early years in South London, onto her life as a supermodel and then her evolution as a designer. The book also has wonderful typography, great captions and captivating images that are to die for. Kate Moss: Style maybe a celebration of the model’s life in fashion but it is also a wonderful celebration of fashion journalism.

Kate Moss: Style is available in all good book stores.

You can check out Angela Buttolph’s chic website here.

A Star is Born

You are on the cover of The Sun all week, Mohamed Al Fayed decides to open Harrods especially for you, you have top designers queuing up to dress you, Kate Moss invites you to hang out with her, oh and your new single, Hallelujah has just gone into the charts at No 1. Just a week in the new, crazy, cool life of Alexandra Burke - the newly crowned winner of the X Factor. Last Saturday 15 million people tuned in to watch Alexandra sing her way to fame, adulation and a new million pound record deal. What better way to celebrate your feat than to appear on the cover of the nation's favourite magazine, Grazia. The glossy weekly snapped up an exclusive interview with the lady they call the most famous woman in Britain, where she talks frankly about her beloved family, friendship with Cheryl Cole and her new celeb mates. It really is a riveting interview with a woman who I admire immensely; despite her soul destroying knock back three years, Alex picked herself up and went after her dream. She really is a testament to the theory that you should never give up. The spread in Grazia features the diva in mouth watering outfits made by designers such as Jenny Packham and Christopher Kane.

Grazia LIVE

Those ingenious lot at Grazia have taken magazine journalism one step further by producing a special Grazia Live issue. In celebration of Westfield, the whole team - 46 of them - packed up everything lock stock and barrel and headed down to the country's brand new spanking shopping centre to set up up office. Courtesy of Habitat, the Grazia team took up residence in a cool perspex pod which is literally a fishbowl and set about producing the magazine. Westfield, in case you have been in a deep coma is Europe's newest and largest urban shopping centre and as it holds a whooping 271 high street and designer stores, is a perfect venue for the shopping obsessed Grazia.


You can imagine that producing a weekly magazine must be pretty fast paced at the best of times but doing it in a bustling shopping centre where you are totally exposed to the public must be totally frantic. However, the nation's top magazine of the year did not stop there and also found time to do a live model casting, run a competition to find Grazia's Next Top Intern as well as hosting five daily fashion seminars. Phew all that makes me feel dizzy but all the crazy hard work paid off and we have a cracking issue - all 148 pages.

You can watch the rest of the Grazia in Westfield's episodes here.

British Style Genius

Oooooh I love a good fashion programme; especially the creativity, glamour, eccentricity and lavishness of it all. The fashion season is approaching its last leg in Paris where all the amazing fashion houses will be showing their wonderful wares. Unlike NYC, Milan and Paris, the fashion industry in Britain does not reek of cash but instead makes up for creativity. Stars such as Dita Von Teese, Mischa Barton, Gwen Stefani flock to London Fashion Week to see original and fresh designers such as Henry Holland, Gareth Pugh and Christopher Kane at work. To capitalise on this pool of talent, BBC are launching the British Fashion Season which is a selection of programmes that make a fashion statement.

There is the Twiggy Style Exchange that which shows the diminutive 60s star hosting clothes swapping parties and giving us tips on how to re-style old clothes with Grazia's Paula Reed on hand with top fashion tips. Check out the website here. The Beeb take a blast back to the past by reminiscing on the style from different eras. Men, Women and Clothes: How Fashions Come and Go reveals what it would be like to be stylish through over 250 years of British history.

Last but not least is British Style Genius a five part documentary that provides a fascinating insight into what makes British fashion and style innovative and so influential. The series uses couture houses in Paris which are and have been headed by Brits as an example. Each show is one hour and takes each dimension of British fashion from high street, tailored, rebel, country and street. Designers, models, stylists fashion journos, retail shakers and movers as well as the stars are featured in the show and all agree on one thing; Britain rocks!

British Style Genius airs on BBC2 in October

For all you eco fashionistas, check out BBC's online ethical fashion magazine here.

Britannia Rocks

London Fashion Week (LFW) has come round again amidst a time packed with glamorous media festivities such as the BAFTAS and the Brit Awards. The British Fashion Council have organised a mouth watering menu of catwalk shows from cutting edge designers such as Gareth Pugh, Christopher Kane and the new darling Emma Cook. As well as the new wave there is the established posse such as Betty Jackson, Caroline Charles and the grand dame in the shape of Vivienne Westwood. LFW is always an amazing event full of excitement bordering on hysteria. In between the shows there are lots of launches and champagne receptions and lets not forget all the activities in press room. Every night there is a slinky party where the fashion pack can shake their designer clad booty to the cool beats.

Oh and then there is the Exhibition which plays host to over two hundred designer labels, from established to up and coming and brand spanking new. It is also where the buyers and owners hang out sipping Moet hoping to nail that huge order that will pay for their jet set lifestyle. If you think the catwalk looks glamorous then you really need to take a trip down here. On the ground floor you have jewellery, bags, footwear and millinery and upstairs is where the ready to wear collections are. Taking a browse through the Exhibition can be pretty daunting as you are looked over head to toe by perfectly coiffed fashionistas. What is funny is the way they all look immediately at your pass; obviously to see if you are a buyer from a large store. Those curious looks then turn to fake smiles when they realise that you are press. This year the Exhibition which is sponsored by Topshop, who welcome a revamped New Gen which showcases the works of some of the most promising names in fashion. Hip labels such as Christopher Kane, House of Holland, Duru Olowu, Erdem and Todd Lynn all hold court here. As you enter this section you experience a total new vibe that is cool and shaking. Gone is the smooth albastor interior and in its place is a space that is akin to an old fashioned boozer with that touch of hippy hippy shake. It comes complete with a bar, dartboard and of course a pool table. New Gen is definately the place with LFW embracing the best of Brit talent.

So much that this week's Grazia celebrates this by producing a special 'Britain Rocks Again' issue which shows model, Agyness Deyn on the cover carry the Union Jack. The magazine also has Aygness and her mate, Henry Holland aka House of Holland, adopting the infamous pose that Patsy Kensit and Liam Gallagher did in Vanity Fair back in the 90s. Grazia also features other Brit idols from the entertainment industry.

Project Catwalk 3

Don't laugh but I only signed up for Sky last year so I missed out on the first series of Project Catwalk with the divine Liz Hurley. I am now rapidly catching up via YouTube. I am beginning to wonder how I ever coped before that amazing invention. I throughly enjoyed the second series of Project Catwalk albiet my shock when dumpy, Kelly Osborne was given the presenter's gig. No matter how I try I cannot bring myself to like that girl. Maybe it is her awful dress sense, her obnxious manner or the fact that she possess no talent whatsoever. Anyway - mini rant over - as you all know the second series ended with wonder boy, Wayne Aveline taking the crown and all the perks that came with it. I had my bet on Monika Rene with her flair and feistiness. Didn't you just love the sparring contest between her and Julien McDonald?

The third series started a few weeks ago and I have managed to catch some of it but what I have seen it seems to be more fight than fashion. Contestants bickering over trivial matters. Anyway it is the same format as last year; 13 contestants competing for the sum of £25,000, a spread in Grazia magazine and the chance to design a clothing range for catalogue, Oli. Now I am not one to turn my nose up at clothing labels but surely no aspiring fashion designer wants to be associated with a catalogue. It would be different with if you were an established designer and created a diffusion range to bring in some readies and make your line more accessible. The winner of Project Runway gets to show at New York Fashion Week, now that in my opinion is huge and much more beneficial to any designer's career than a catalogue deal. So how about next year's winner getting a gig at London Fashion Week? That is something I would love to see.

Project Catwalk 3 is on Sky One on Wednesday at 9.00pm

Living etc

Now as you know I am a mag hag, although I have got better over years. Instead of buying zillion glossies each month, I now only buy a selected few and read the rest at Borders or standing in the aisles of WHSmiths. The magazines that are lucky enough to make it home with me are Grazia, Marie Claire (sometimes), Elle (sometimes), First (occasionally) and Living etc. Since I bought and revamped my house four years ago I have become obsessed with property and interiors. I watched all the shows, read all the books and attend lots of fairs. I cannot even remember how I discovered Living etc, I think I must have just picked it up when I was looking for something to read many moons ago; circa 2003. During that time it was edited by Jane Bruton who now heads Grazia magazine and it was full of great articles on doing up your home, tips on property renovations and it also contained the most wonderful pictures. Unlike Elle Decoration whose concept is aspirational bordering on avant garde, Living etc focuses on homes for modern living and zones in on the latest trends, stylish items and sheer gorgeousness. I was totally entranced when I first read it and I guess you can say I still am. Today Living etc is edited by Suzanne Imre and the magazine is just as fabulous as ever, I have about four year's worth of issues and each one is irreplaceable.

Check out their website here.

Magazines vrs Blogs

I never thought I would say this but I really think the magazine era is over. Last week was London Fashion Week mania with every fashion blogger in town adding their two pence about their thoughts on the shows. Then later in the week, the latest pictures from the much awaited Sex and the City (S&TC) film dropped and the whole of blogsphere went ballistic. I must have read about 50 blog entries gushing about the new pictures and seen the image of SJP in Carrie Bradshaw mode floating down NYC in her green flimsy summer dress about a zillion times. She looked great as usual and the blog to blog coverage of the taster showed a tiny glimpse as to how BIG the S&TC film will be.

Yesterday, I bought my weekly edition of Grazia magazine which had the usual editorial from Editor, Jane Bruton. Nothing unusual there except that she was raving on about the new trends from London Fashion Week and describing how excited the staff got over the new stills from the S&TC film. I thought to myself, Jesus this is a bit old hat. London Fashion Week effectively ended last Thursday and that seemed yonks ago and as for the S&TC pics all I could think was been there, done that and bought the t-shirt. My point is that Grazia is a weekly magazine and prides itself on being on the cutting edge of news, fashion and celebrity. Their USP is that they can cover stories that the monthly mags such as Marie Claire and Elle cannot do but for this week they seemed a little out of touch.

Talking of cutting edge, lifestyle portal, handbag.com has had a facelift and shed their pink branding. They have also dropped a lot of sections such as property, money and relationships and now concentrate on fashion, beauty, celebrity and entertainment. In other words they are now just like any other online female magazine. To be honest I am not too keen on the new look handbag.com at all as I think they have lost a lot of their personality. On the other hand the Marie Claire website is totally ravishing. Well designed and easy to navigate, the website covers topics such as fashion, health and food. The best bits of the site are the videos where they carry interviews with various fashion personalities. You can watch footage from fashion shows, behind the scenes with celebrities and there are also trailers from new film releases. Blogsphere leads all the way.

Check out the lovely SJP at the launch of her new perfume, Covet. Which is rather nice, I might say.

Maga-holic

There was a time a few years back when I used to buy every magazine out there. Cosmopolitan, Company, Marie Claire, InStyle, New Woman - they all came home with me. Now I have toned it down a bit and only buy a couple of titles. There is Glamour which I took out a subscription to a few years ago and never got round to cancelling. Glamour is famous for being the publication that had the balls to be different from all the other mags out there. While its rivals were A4 sized, Glamour came in a A5 format that was designed to fit in your handbag. Clever eh? How could any respecting woman resist that? Unfortunately, Glamour has not maintained the standards of its earlier years and the articles are looking old and a bit samey so it will be goodbye to them soon. I also like Elle and Marie Claire - well what I mean is I like the look of them till an hour later when I have ploughed through and realised how crap and totally useless both magazines are.

I don't touch Cosmopolitan because the poor old thing reminds me of an out of date pub that is in desperate need of a lick of paint. In the 70s Cosmo was the voice of post modernist women and published articles on career and marriage while cajoling women that they could have it all. The publication was also a pioneer in awakening women's sexuality and held bold articles. In fact Cosmo was seen as the magazine that you bought if you wanted to know how to cook a three course meal and perform a blow job. Sadly Cosmo's circulation is no longer what it was in the 70s and 80s and is now just seen as just another magazine while other titles like Marie Claire, Glamour and now Grazia have surpassed it. Ah, Grazia; described by a media honcho as a woman's guilty pleasure. It is like bad men and alcohol, fantastic at first till you realise that it is simply not good for you. Upper class fancy magazines like Vogue, Tatler and Harpers do nothing for me. All fur coat and no knickers with very few articles of interest. The magazines that I do have time for are Psychologies, Easy Living and Happy. Also magazines that come free with the Sunday newspapers are pure class; Stella with The Sunday Telegraph, YOU with The Mail on Sunday, Style with The Sunday Times and Observer Woman are all gorgeous publications that remain in my collection. Yes, sometimes the best things are for free. What magazines do you guys read? Picture from The Observer website