BA&SH After Hours: I Do Yoga & Drink Tequila...

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I have long since been a fan of ba&sh, the French fashion brand which allows us to access that effortless Parisian style we all covet, with a welcome twist of California cool, on our very own British high streets. 

Season after season, their never-out-of-style, fresh and floaty bohemian aesthetic, with its touch of rock and roll, urban chic, is the direct result of a beautiful friendship between Barbara Boccara and Sharon Krief.  Fifteen years ago these life-long, joined-at-the-hip besties decided to create the now hugely popular lifestyle brand, filled with feminine and timeless wardrobe must-haves fit for any occasion.  

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I was really excited to be given the opportunity to help spread the good word about ba&sh’s first yoga capsule collection, a collaboration with Ana Hart, a young brand co-designed by interior designer and yogini Amanda Ibgui, and her former yoga teacher and mentor Rachel Novetsky

On the first properly sunny day of the year, surrounded by show-stopping, instagram-worthy blossom trees in a nearby private Notting Hill garden (all so very "Whoopsie Daisy," Richard Curtis), I wore some of the pieces to a Jivamukti yoga class with the fabulous Dannii Jordana from the famed Sangye Yoga School.

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The perfect balance of ba&sh’s natural fabrics and feminine styles, alongside the technical support of Ana Hart’s designs, has made for a unique, contemporary and super soft collection with a deliciously cheeky edge.  In fact, the hero t’shirt I wore might just sum up ba&sh in une nutshell; 'I do yoga and drink tequila.' 

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Above:  Wearing the ba&sh x Ana Hart Kloe leggings and Moove T'shirt.

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Above:  Wearing the ba&sh x Ana Hart Moti T'shirt.

This capsule collection is created for women that love to keep fit and healthy, but also like to have a little (or a lotta) fun… Ladies who balance out their green juices with their cocktails and their warrior poses with their table dancing… Which sounds an awful lot like many of my friends!

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Speaking of my friends… I was thrilled when ba&sh invited a group of my nearest and dearest along to a special ‘After Hours’ drinks party at my local Westbourne Grove store, where I introduced them to not only the new yoga capsule collection, but also to the latest ba&sh Spring/Summer’18 designs

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Above:  Hosting my friends wearing the ethereal, metallic Pipa Dress.

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As suspected, it didn’t take my buddies long to get well acquainted with the stunning ba&sh designs (or some of the first rosé of the summer), and most predictably, shopping bags were soon filled with some seriously enviable wardrobe additions. 

Complimentary hugs were issued with every ba&sh purchase... 

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Soon after we piled into cars which took us to a private apartment on Golborne Road, my favourite road in my neighbourhood, where a sumptuous vegetarian feast and a plethora of cocktails awaited us, beside an edit of my favourite ba&sh Spring/Summer’18 pieces.  

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Each of my guests also found gifts from the ba&sh x Ana Hart yoga collection on their seats, and took home posies which made up the beautiful bouquets around the room. 

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The entire night felt dreamy; like a birthday celebration (or in my case, a 'Kellybration') where you got to enjoy all the feels without having to turn another dreaded year older…!  I loved seeing so many of my girlfriends and my energy and love levels were sooooaring (more hugs, anyone?! Anyone?!!)

Merci ba&sh for such a spoiling evening. xx

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In collaboration with ba&sh
Yoga Photography: Frances Davison
Catering and Floristry: The Hill Food Company
Hair: Taylor Taylor London
Nails: Sophie Gass

The Watamu Turtle Pouch Launch and Competition

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Last week, Elizabeth Scarlett founder Elizabeth Elsey and I celebrated the launch of our ‘Watamu Turtle Pouch’ at an intimate breakfast in the festively decorated private dining room at Balthazar London in the heart of Covent Garden. 

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100% of the profit from our limited edition, intricately embroidered cotton, teal pouches (RRP. £25.00) go directly to the Local Ocean Conservation, a non profit organisation based in my home village of Watamu, back in Kenya.

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Local Ocean are committed to the protection of critically endangered and threatened sea turtles and the preservation of Watamu’s spectacular Marine Park and Reserve. Having been lucky enough to help with several of their turtle releases, I can tell you first hand, nothing brings more joy than watching these beautiful beings healthily return back into the wild.

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It was so great to see so many of my friends there to support my second ‘Buy To Give’ collaboration, and they all received their own ‘Watamu Turtle Pouch,’ which were filled with some of my other favourite ‘travel essentials,’ spoiling gifts from Jo Malone, Caudalie, Charlotte Tilbury, Spacemasks, ASOS Africa, and Sisley Paris.

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Above (L-R):  With Venetia Falconer, Niomi Smart, Rosanna Falconer and Liv Purvis.

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Above (L-R):  Nutritionist Zoe Stirling, Make-up artist Charlotte Cowen, presenter Venetia Falconer, and Matthew Williamson's Business Director, Rosanna Falconer.

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Above (L-R):  With documentary photographer Freya Dowson, and wellness guru Jasmine Hemsley

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Watch More Here... 

Watch out for the #TLCComp in the above vlog, for your chance to win your own Watamu Turtle Pouch filled with all my travel favourites (below).

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Shop TLC's Look...

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Photographs: Moeez Ali

With Thanks to Balthazar London

#NoMakeUp Selfies for Cancer Research UK

Over £8 MILLION has been raised for Cancer Research UK in the last SIX days during a campaign that’s seen women flooding our social media pages with their bare-faced ‘selfies’ and donating just £3.00 via their phone.  The trend grew totally organically by each woman nominating several friends to follow her lead.  On Day 5 of my bed-bound ‘Spring Fever’ I was nominated by FOUR of my girlfriends on facebook (flowers will do next time girls… jus’saying!) but as it's all in the name of charideeeeeee…  

Cancer Research UK have said that the generous donations would allow the charity to carry out 10 clinical trials that it did not have money to fully fund last week.  Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support people have been showing us through the #nomakeupselfie trend… It has been an exciting week, and we would just like to thank everyone again for their support."

Above:  What’s also great to see is just how beyooootiful all my friends look without their slap… Truly gorgeous inside and out ladies!  To donate £3.00 please text BEAT to 70099.

 

DISCO London

The opening of Disco (owned by nightclub entrepreneurs Duncan Stirling, above right with wife Zoe Stirling, and Charlie Gilkes, above left with finance Anneke Von Trotha Taylor) has certainly been one of my (Donna) Summer highlights. 

Expect glamorous Pan Am-esque stewardesses, choreographed dance routines and DJs spinning classic vinyl disco tracks from inside an oversized glittery disco ball...  And if that isn’t kitschy cool enough, cocktails will be served in miniature Michael Jackson heads by waitresses and waiters in Kylie-stylie gold hot pants!  

Since the doors closed on Manhattan's Studio 54, there has never been a more opportune excuse to invest in a white flared suit... You can Blame it on the Boogie. 


Left:  Last night's Disco Summer Drinks (L-R: Olga Nicolae CiobanuKelly EastwoodAnna CollinsNicholas Bayliss).

Disco is open Thursday - Saturday, 11PM-3AM, 13 Kingly Court, Soho.

Now everyone...

"She is D, desirable
She is I, irresistible
She is S, super sexy
She is C, such a cutie
She is O, oh, oh, ohhhhh"

Mr Foggs

The imaginative Duncan Stirling and Charlie Gilkes have yet again provided Londoners with an impressively extravagant bar.  Following in the footsteps of BartsMaggies andBunga Bunga, this dynamic duo have recently opened Mr Fogg’s, on Mayfair’s Bruton Lane.  The beautiful bar pays tribute to the adventures of the famously eccentric explorer Philieas J Fogg.  I visited this bar last week with girlfriends and was immediately transported whimsically into the 1870s, being met by an immaculately dressed porter who showed us to our table.  The entire room is brimful with trinkets from Mr Fogg’s travels; quirky artifacts, unusual antiques, portraits, leather luggage, birdcages, maps and an immense hot air balloon (in which he travelled for 80 days) taking centre stage. The drinks and menu are also themed with Victorian Absinthe cocktails served in antique punch bowls.  Extraordinarily unusual, utterly elegant and highly recommended.

Below:  Charlie Gilkes and Duncan Stirling with his beautiful wife Zoe Stirling.

Mr.Foggs (15 Bruton Lane, Mayfair, W1) open Monday-Saturday 5pm-1am.