Monsieur Ghanem’s Diary January 2013
In preparation for my show ‘Candy…Darling?’ this February I get the feeling that I have let my audience and followers down. For the past couple of seasons I have shown ‘salon style’ to clients and buyers and I now realise that various press, bloggers and fashion addicts have missed my show extravaganzas!
For this show my intention is to make it fun, refined and camp, in fact wall to wall camp! I am sick and tired of looking at all this modern shit around! Modern…it makes fashion sound so clinical – what are designers making? Dresses for the fridge? Poor women, what have they done to deserve this? It’s like forcing a woman to adjust her body shape, her curves into this unflattering ‘modern’ silhouette. I refuse this! I want my models and clients to feel wonderful and comfortable in what they wear. Modern to me is when you don’t do the expected. Minimalism resulted in job losses for couture employees and this is a terrible waste of exceptional techniques and skills.
My cast for the show, as always, is amazing. It’s like a Fellini movie, every character is a star so expect a broad range of unique personalities working the catwalk and bringing my designs to life.
The biggest drama I have been having at the moment is trying to find a model that is a size 16. The industry still isn’t supportive of anyone over a UK size 8, even the Plus Size models are rarely larger than a UK 12. I don’t care if someone is a size 0 or a size 20 I like to work with all shapes and sizes and I love a challenge!
I recently moved to Chelsea and have been working from there, this is a new experience for me having lived in East London but I am doing OK in and amongst the fabulous Chelsea ladies and Earl’s Court hookers.
I was hypnotized last month and the results were amazing. It was one of my biggest life achievements to beat my fear and anxiety and I did it! I am now fearless and fierce ha ha. Thank you Tim Snale http://www.mymindworks.co.uk/tim-smale.html
I made a fool of myself the other week when an LA Agent / Stylist called to request a dress for Eva Longoria and I replied: “Yes, I love Eva and I love her music!” Ha ha, I think I need to get a T.V. and swot up on all these celebs.
So far it has been a good season for the House of Ghanem – I know it’s good because of the amount of requests coming in for red carpet events. Most of the time they are impossible requests…like calling today to ask for a fully beaded made-to-measure gown to be delivered yesterday! I think I will stick to English soil for the moment.
This year is emerging into a beautiful year for myself and the team the latest collection “Candy…Darling?” is full of gorgeous colour like sunny yellow and candy pink, these colours for me symbolize positivity, wisdom, joy and happiness. They reflect confidence and intelligence. I was also inspired by 1950’s movies such as ‘An American in Paris’ with the voluminous, curve enhancing shapes.
We have just shot the preview images for collection and I am so fortunate to have such a brilliant creative team around me from photographer Ram Shergill to stylist Aiden Conner – all the models, hair and make-up team – it’s a really specially feeling when everyone is on the same level and working in harmony. We are so pleased with the images. And thanks to http://uberlondonapartments.com/ for the stunning and rather posh location as well.
I am planning to take this show to China soon. And no, despite all the rumours I am not going to Paris, I am staying put in London and that suits me just fine!
Until next time and see you at my show 19th Feb 2013
Monsieur Ghanem x
ziadghanem 