Let the sleepless nights begin! Amanda Holden is 'thrilled' to be home with baby Hollie after life-threatening child birth ordeal

By Nadia Mendoza


Amanda Holden has returned home after giving birth eight days ago.

The Britain's Got Talent judge spent several days in intensive care following the life-threatening childbirth of baby daughter Hollie Rose.

Holden's spokeswoman Alison Griffin confirmed the mother-of-two has now been discharged from hospital and is 'thrilled' to be given the all-clear.

Separated: Amanda Holden did not see her baby Hollie Rose for three days

Griffin said: 'We are delighted to say that Amanda is now home.

'She and Chris (Hughes) would like to thank everyone who was involved in her care for their amazing skill and dedication, and also to thank everyone who sent such kind thoughts and wishes during this time.

'She is, of course, thrilled to be home with her family - Hollie is absolutely beautiful. Amanda and Chris are completely besotted with their two girls.'

Critical: The 40-year-old, pictured at BGT auditions last week, was under sedation

Last Monday, it emerged that Amanda did not see her newborn daughter for the first three days of her life as she was forced to recover in intensive care in hospital, where she was deemed to be in a ‘critical condition’.

She went into labour a month early and newborn Hollie Rose was delivered later that day by emergency caesarean weighing in at just over 6lbs.

Amanda had gone to hospital after filming auditions for the ITV talent show, with a source revealing: ‘It was a life threatening situation.

Gratitude: Husband Chris Hughes publicly thanked medical staff for their care

'There was a huge loss of blood and Amanda had to have a number of transfusions. She lost several pints of blood.’

Amanda and record producer Hughes, who have been married since 2008, also have six-year-old daughter Alexa, known as Lexi.

Despite the drama surrounding Amanda, Hollie was said to ‘healthy’ and was put into an incubator briefly following her birth, as this was ‘routine’.

For Miss Holden, the arrival of her little girl marked the end of a turbulent year in which she suffered the loss of her son, who was born stillborn last February when she was seven months pregnant.

Growing brood: Amanda and Chris are already parents to Lexi

She also suffered complications during her pregnancy with Lexi after suffering from a low lying placenta meaning she had to have a caesarean.

Speaking at the National Television Awards last Wednesday night, her fellow Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams revealed that he and the rest of the panel were 'worried' when they found out that she was unwell.

'It's fantastic news,' he said of the birth. 'We were all worried when we were doing the show after hearing she was in hospital.’

Simon Cowell tweeted that he was ‘thrilled’ for his co-star.



source:dailymail

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'People are realising we're not all Gisele': Rise of the not-so-teeny bikini as demand soars from Brazil’s 'little fatties'

By Associated Press


Not for wallflowers: Shoppers are shunning the famous 'dental floss' bikinis of Copacabana beach but don't want to 'look like old ladies' in black cover-ups


The Girl From Ipanema has put on a few pounds, and for many sunbathers on Brazil's beaches the country's iconic itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini just doesn't suffice anymore.

A growing number of bikini manufacturers have woken up to Brazil's thickening waistline and are reaching out to the ever-expanding ranks of heavy women with new plus-size lines.

That's nothing short of a revolution in this most body-conscious of nations, where overweight ladies long had little choice but to hit the beach in comely ensembles of oversized T-shirts and biker shorts.


'It used to be bikinis were only in tiny sizes that only skinny girls could fit into. But not everyone is built like a model,' said Elisangela Inez Soares as she sunbathed on Copacabana beach, her oiled-up curves packed into a black U.S. size 12 bikini.

'Finally, it seems like people are beginning to realize that we're not all Gisele,' said the 38-year-old mother of four, referring to willowy Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

Clothing designer Clarice Rebelatto said her own swimwear-hunting travails prompted her to found Lehona, an exclusively plus-size beachwear line.

'Honestly, the problem went way beyond just bikinis. In Brazil, it used to be that if you were even a little chunky, finding any kind of clothes in the right size was a real problem,' said Rebelatto, herself a U.S. size 10.

'And I thought, 'I'm actually not even that big compared to a lot of women out there, so if I have problems, what are they doing?'
Since its launch in 2010, the line has become a hit.

Big and beautiful: A model walks the runway at the first ever Miss Brazil Plus Size Beauty Pageant. Demand for flattering, larger-sized bikinis are soaring

In brash leopard spots and flower prints not meant for wallflowers, the label's 14 bikini styles aren't what you'd normally associate with plus-size swimsuits.

The necklines plunge dramatically. Straps are mere strings. And while the bottoms provide too much coverage to qualify for the famed 'fio dental' or 'dental floss' category of Brazilian string bikinis, they're significantly more audacious than the standard U.S. cut.

'We're working from the principle that bigger women are just like everyone else: They don't want to look like old ladies, wearing these very modest, very covering swimsuits in just black,' said Luiz Rebelatto, Clarice's son and director of Lehona.

He said that recent publicity of the brand and several other new swimwear lines catering to plus sizes has triggered an overwhelming number of calls and emails from would-be customers.

Swimsuit designer: Elisangela Inez Soares rinses off at the beach and says that bikinis used to come in tiny sizes but 'not everyone is built like a model'

They're all excited and they say, 'I've been looking everywhere for a bikini like that. Where can I get one?' said Rebelatto.

Lehona is currently sold exclusively at big and tall specialty stores throughout Brazil.

Its bikinis retail for about 130 reais or $75 — a relatively high price-point here, but Rebelatto said sales have grown at a galloping pace, though he did not provide any figures.

It's the same story at Acqua Rosa, a conventional swimwear label that added a plus-size line in 2008. Now, plus-size purchases account for more than 70 per cent of the brand's total sales, said director Joao Macedo.

It makes sense.

For centuries, large swaths of Brazil were beset by malnutrition, and in 1970, nearly 10 per cent of the population in the country's poor, rural northeast region was considered underweight, according to Brazil's national statistics institute.

Sun worshippers: Business for plus-size brands, such as Lehona, are cashing in on a lucrative market that high-end bikini-makers are too snobby to attract

But the phenomenal economic boom that has lifted tens of millions out of poverty and into the burgeoning middle class over the past decade has also changed the nation's once-svelte physique.

A 2010 study by the statistics institute showed that 48 per cent of adult women and 50 per cent of men are now overweight. In 1985 those figures were 29 per cent for women and 18 per cent for men.

(Still, there's been no rash of plus-size male swimwear lines, as men here wear Speedo-style suits that don't impinge on big guts.)

Analysts attribute Brazil's rapidly widening girth to changes in nutrition, with chips, processed meats and sugary soft drinks replacing staples like rice, beans and vegetables.

And while the country's elite are widely known to be fitness freaks - and also among the world's top consumers of cosmetic surgery - those recently lifted out of poverty and manual labor are becoming increasingly sedentary.

A 2008 study showed that barely 10 per cent of Brazilian teens and adults exercise regularly.

Still, despite their growing numbers, not everyone is eager to embrace 'gordinhas' - or 'little fatties' - as chunky women are affectionately known here.

Many high-end bikini-makers have turned a seemingly deliberately blind eye to the burgeoning plus-size market.

Rio-based upmarket brand Salinas, for example, offers five sizes, from extra-small through extra-large. But their sizing runs notoriously small and it's hard to imagine anyone over a U.S. size 6 actually managing to fit into any of the brand's minuscule two-pieces.

Luis Rebelatto of Lehona chalked it partially up to snobbery.

'Some brands, they don't want their image to be associated with chunky women,' he said. 'Only the thin, the rich and the chic.'

While Brazilians' increasing heft is a public policy preoccupation for the government, growth in the ranks of the overweight population has given them increased visibility in Brazilian society.

Extra-wide bucket seats for the obese have been installed in Sao Paulo's metro system, and on Sunday the city hosted Brazil's first ever Miss Plus Size beauty contest.

'It used to be that people would stare at me,' said Soares, the voluptuous sun-worshiper on Copacabana beach.

'Now when I come to the beach I see women who are much bigger than me - and lots of them are wearing bikinis - so I'm not self conscious any more.

'God makes some people thin but he made me like this,' she said, rubbing down the well-oiled bulge of her stomach and thighs.

'So who am I to think that he was wrong?'


source:dailymail

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My indispensable grandpa, by Prince Harry: The young royal pays tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh

By Rebecca English


Prince Harry has said he does not believe the Queen can now carry out her public duties without the Duke of Edinburgh by her side.

In an interview to mark her Diamond Jubilee, the prince pays tribute to his 85-year-old grandmother’s stoicism and sense of duty.

But he makes it clear that none of her achievements would have been possible without the unswerving support of her 90-year-old husband.

‘Regardless of whether my grandfather seems to be doing his own thing, sort of wandering off like a fish down the river, the fact that he’s there – personally, I don’t think that she could do it without him, especially when they’re both at this age,’ he says.

Harry’s astute comments on the strength of the couple’s remarkable 64-year marriage are all the more poignant as they were made before 90-year-old Prince Philip’s heart scare over Christmas.

After developing severe chest pains, he was admitted to hospital where a stent was fitted to clear a blocked coronary artery.

He spent four nights under observation and has since been recuperating at Sandringham, his wife’s Norfolk estate, as well as carrying out a limited number of public engagements.

Harry’s remark was made in an interview with broadcaster Andrew Marr for the documentary Diamond Queen, to be shown on BBC1 on Monday, which is the 60th anniversary of the death of George VI and his daughter’s accession to the throne.

Writing about the interview in the latest edition of the Radio Times magazine, Marr also reveals the 27-year-old prince makes clear the sovereign has no intention of slowing down.

He writes: ‘Prince Harry reflects on her ability to turn up, still smiling, at places she might not want to be: ‘These are the things that, at her age, she shouldn’t be doing, yet she’s carrying on and doing them’.”


Family: The Duke of Edinburgh talks to Prince Harry, right, and his brother, the now Duke of Cambridge. The Prince has paid tribute to his 90-year-old grandfather

Unswerving support: In an interview to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Prince Harry paid tribute to the strength of his grandparents' remarkable 64-year marriage

Several other senior royals also offer opinions on the Queen and her reign, including future heir Prince William who revealed that despite being one of the most famous women in the world, the Queen doesn’t ‘care for celebrity’.

‘I think she doesn’t care for celebrity....and she really minds about having privacy in general. And I think it’s very important to be able to retreat inside and be able to collect one’s thoughts and collect your ideas...and then to move forwards.

‘[it is] a very tricky line to draw between private and public and duty and I think she’s carved her own way completely. She’s not had a blueprint.’

Other contributions are more light-hearted including that of Princess Anne who jokes about the fact that she and her mother are still talking after all these years.

Several of the monarch’s former Prime Ministers are also interviewed, including Tony Blair who scotches long-held rumours that his office wrote her famous televised address following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, which began with the immortal line ‘As your Queen and as a grandmother’.

‘Those words and that language were her own.....absolutely not written by New Labour no - and the very personal touch was actually hers,’ he says.

He added: ‘She keeps her ear very much to the ground. ...though conventionally it’s supposed to be prime minutes briefing the Queen, I found it a very genuine exchange....she had a very clear and shrewd sense of where people would be on political issues.

‘There was nobody who has a better idea of a crisis, what it’s like, how it is, and how it also doesn’t go on forever.

‘She was prepared within the context of the audience to be very frank and open and informative.’

David Cameron, the Queen’s 12th Prime Minster, told Mr Marr: ‘She’s seen and heard it all, but I think she wants to be in a position where she knows everything that’s going on… she asks you well-informed and brilliant questions that make you think about the things you’re doing.” So did that make him do his job better?

‘I think you reveal both to her, but also to yourself, your deepest thinking and deepest worries… and sometimes that can really help you reach the answers.’

■ Andrew Marr’s full article is in today’s Radio Times.


source:dailymail

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'I was born this way': Teenage transsexual reveals how Lady Gaga inspired him to have full sex change

By Maysa Rawi


A teen transsexual who is celebrating after getting the green light to become a woman has revealed how he was inspired by singer Lady Gaga.

Cambell Kenneford, 16, dreamed of being a female model - despite being born a man.

Now the student, from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, plans to get gender realignment surgery following two years of hormone treatment which has recently been approved by doctors.

Idol: Cambell Kenneford says meeting Lady Gaga inspired him to reveal the truth

After discovering pop superstar Lady Gaga, Cambell said he felt free to accept he was born to be a girl.

He wrote the Born This Way singer a letter and hand delivered it to the star after a London show.

Cambell said: 'My absolute idol is Lady Gaga. She inspired me to reveal the truth - that I am a woman trapped in a man's body.

'I shouted "I love you" as she left. She has given me the confidence to dress as a girl all the time and wear make-up.

'I felt free as if I didn't have to hide my true feelings.'

Cambell, who has been dressing as a woman for two years, is even referred to as 'she' by friends and staff at Cedars Upper School where he is taking his A-levels.

Cambell, 16, plans to get gender realignment surgery following two years of hormone treatment which has recently been approved by doctors

Previously the teen had suffered cruel taunts and violence at the hands of classmates who called him 'gay.'

The heavily made-up teen now turns heads by dressing like film star Lindsay Lohan.

Cambell said: 'I was bullied for years and called 'gay' but I always knew it was something else

'I started painting my nails and growing my hair when I was 11. Now I like girly oufits. I wear hot pants, high heels and tight tops all the time.

'Some people say I look a lot like Lindsay Lohan, which I love.'

Leona Fawcett, 35, who has raised Cambell as a single mum, says she knew he was a girl by age five.

Fashion-obsessed Cambell says despite having model looks, boys are too immature to accept her as she is

Leona, who calls Cambell a 'she,' said: 'Even as a toddler she loved dressing up in my clothes and make-up.

'She used to put on my bras and pants and wore a tea towel on her head pretending it was long hair.

'When she asked me "Mummy, why am I not a girl?" I didn't know what to say. I felt so upset as it was so clear she was different.'

Cambell, who also lives with brother Arlie, 11, and six-year-old sister Lexie, announced the decision to change gender in August last year.

Leona said: 'She blurted out "Mum, I'm a girl inside." She'd been too shy or ashamed to admit it up until then.

'I was so relieved she had finally said it. I said, "Yes, I know.'''

Fashion-obsessed Cambell says despite having model looks, boys are too immature to accept her as she is.

However he does get attention from men who don't realise he is still male.

He said: 'Some guys compliment me thinking I'm a normal girl.
'Everyone at new school knows me as a girl and they treat me with respect.

Cambell used to put on his mother's bras and wore a tea towel on his head, pretending it was long hair

'I've never had a boyfriend but the few times I've revealed myself to guys my age, they couldn't accept it and lost interest.'

Leona, a youth worker, spoke about NHS plans to offer gender-confused children treatment to delay puberty.

It was revealed earlier this month that the NHS would give jabs to kids with Gender Identity Disorder, to give them more time to 'decide' if they are male or female.

She said: 'Had these jabs been available five years ago I would definitely have put Cambell forward for them.


Leona Fawcett, who has raised Cambell as a single mum, says she always knew he was a girl

'It would have given her more time and made her transition into a female much easier.

'Having to survive her teen years trapped in a boy's body has been very traumatic.'

Recently Cambell has spent hundreds of pounds on a new female wardrobe, including dresses and heels.

However, Leona has had to veto some of Cambell's more revealing outfits.

Leona said: 'Because she's still in a boy's body Cambell goes out wearing some quite daring things like hot pants and tiny tops.

'There's no way my youngest daughter will get away with wearing those things.'



source:dailymail

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We're gonna need a bigger carriage! My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding returns with a dress so big... there's no room for the 'groom'

By Daily Mail Reporter


Horse and carriage: This man has barely any space to sit in the carriage as he's swamped by his prom princess' monstrous dress in the new series of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding


Following a success that saw seven million viewers tune in per episode, My Big Fat Gyspy Wedding Is Back.

The popular Channel 4 show will return to the small screen next month and this time the ceremonies are even more outrageous and the lavish, pantomime style dresses have got even bigger.

And of course the show wouldn't be complete without a bride who can barely fit in the trademark mode of transport - a carriage. Although despite the bridal look, this pink-clad princess isn't even a bride. But a school-leaver on her way to prom.

It's all about ME! The pink-clad princess can barely sit down, and her date looks more than a little annoyed


Almost mimicking Katie Price's fairytale wedding, the prom princess's pink dress nearly suffocates her squashed date as they stuff themselves into the carriage.

The fourth series begins with 21-year-old Dolores who gets married in a dress that is embroidered with an image of a cat.

'Everyone has flowers or stars on their dress, I wanted something different,' said the blonde of the unusual dress.


It's back! My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding returns with 21-year-old Dolores who wears a cat-print dress


'Most outrageous': The fourth series of the Channel 4 show promises to be better than ever

Such a perfect day: Bride Dolores takes up most of the space as the happy couple pose for pictures

Wearing an over-sized tiara, bright pink lipstick and sporting an orange tan, the young bride walks down the aisle in the most lavish ceremony yet.

Images of the young bride also show her wearing a multi-coloured palm tree dress which Madine also made.

The bright green, blue and orange dress was coupled with a pineapple one which Dolores' sister Chantelle wore at a party the night before the wedding.


Scream if you wanna wear green: Seems these bridesmaids had no choice, at the wedding of Charlene at Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, Ireland

Frock horror: An insider said the dresses have to be seen to be believed

Another request sees five bridesmaids dressed in bright green tiered dresses with matching headpieces and bouquets.

Despite living in the ultra-wealthy traveller town of Rathkeale, Co Limerick, Dolores still calls on dressmaker Thelma Madine who has featured on the show since the first series.

Madine agrees that the cat-decorated gown is the 'most outrageous' she has ever made even thinks Dolores may have a new nickname in the form of Catwoman.


A tight fit: viewers can expect to see more brides squashed in horse-drawn carriages as they prepare for their wedding ceremony

'Most outrageous': The fourth series of the Channel 4 show promises to be better than ever

'The size and scale of some of these celebrations is incredible – it seems like some brides are trying even harder to out-do each other,' said a Channel 4 insider. 'It will be even more spectacular.'

The latest series of the show is also set to focus more on gypsy life in terms of crime, education and family and will also see the return of Celebrity Big Brother winner Paddy Doherty.

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding will air on February 14.


Matching pair: Dolores' sister Chantelle wore a pineapple dress that was similar to her sisters


Fairytale day: The gypsy brides do everything possible to make their day special



source:dailymail

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Has Amber Rose had her face tattooed? Model steps out with Mike Tyson-inspired etching around her left eye

By Jade Watkins


New ink? Amber Rose appeared to be sporting a new tattoo on her face as she partied in Miami, Florida over the weekend with boyfriend Wiz Khalifa


With her shaved head and dangerous curves often on show in daring outfits, Amber Rose is certainly no chameleon.

And now the 28-year-old model and aspiring singer appears to have had her face tattooed.

The former girlfriend of Kanye West was seen sporting a tribal design around her left eye as she hosted a party in Miami, Florida over the weekend with boyfriend rapper Wiz Khalifa.


The etching was very similar to former heavyweight champion of the world Mike Tyson's tattoo, a tribal design also located on the left hand side of his face.

Whether or not Amber's inking is real, the vivacious blonde confidently showed off her new look.

She also flaunted her ample curves in a bright yellow tube dress, paired with a bleached and frayed denim jacket.

Look familiar? The inking was very similar to Mike Tyson's tattoo, a tribal design also located on the left hand side of his face, which wraps around his eye

She accessorised with some wacky sunglasses and plenty of gold jewellery.

Amber was joined by her heavily tattooed boyfriend who looked cool and casual in a pair of rolled-up jeans, an open pink shirt and some black leather slipper-style shoes.

The pair partied in the VIP area of the club, enjoying complimentary drinks and the occasional cigarette.

Working it: Whether or not Amber's etching is permanent, the vivacious blonde confidently showed off her new look

Amber's new ink joins an array of tattoos located all over her voluptuous body.

They include a rose design on her arm, flowers adorned on her stomach and animal paw prints running up her thigh.

Amber recently debuted her new career as a recording artist.

Dangerous curves: She also flaunted her ample curves in a bright yellow tube dress, paired with a bleached and frayed denim jacket

Earlier this month she released her first single Fame, which features boyfriend Khalifa.

Amber, who rose to fame whilst dating her ex-West whom she was in a relationship for just under two years, said her influence for the track came from being under the spotlight.

'The song represents the ups and downs of fame and lets people know that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be,' Amber told RapFix.

'I have my own unique sound, I make music that I love and I hope that my fans and the people that embrace me will love it also!'

Party time: The pair partied in the VIP area of the club, enjoying complimentary drinks and the occasional cigarette

Amber has said in the past that Khalifa was the one who encouraged her to decision to break into the music world.

She revealed that the 24-year-old actually didn't hear the track until it became a finished product and that's when she asked him to appear on it.

'I made the entire song and then sent it to him, he was overseas on tour at the time,' she said. 'He thought the track was dope and I asked him if he would be on it, he said definitely.'

Taking the world by storm: Tyson's design also appeared in the movie The Hangover 2 after character Stu had it tattooed on his face

The 5'9 shaven-hair beauty is currently working on a full album but has decided to make it a slow process.

I’ve taken vocal lessons and I'm working on my album, but right now I'm in the beginning phases and I'm just taking my time,' she said.

Meanwhile Amber also made headlines earlier this month after claiming that Kim Kardashian cheated with her then-boyfriend West.

The model revealed that Kim and Kanye had enjoyed a secret affair while she was dating the singer and even said she asked Miss Kardashian to stop sending her boyfriend racy texts and pictures.

However Amber is said to have forgiven Kim and according to TMZ she said: ‘I forgive her…and I forgive Kanye too…it’s not a big deal, you know?’


Other woman: Meanwhile Amber also made headlines earlier this month after claiming that Kim Kardashian cheated with her then-boyfriend Kanye West



source:dailymail

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How posh! Victoria Beckham's new collection goes on sale in Harvey Nichols

By Lauren Paxman


Catch them while you can! Harvey Nichols workers put the finishing touches to a display of Victoria Beckham's 'Victoria' collection


Mrs Beckham's new standalone brand, Victoria, has already been seen on the likes of Danielle Lineker, Katy Perry, Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams... And now UK shoppers can finally snap up the collection for themselves.

The pretty, above-the-knee shift dresses went on sale at Harvey Nichols this morning.

Speaking of her newest collection, the designer formerly known as Posh Spice said: 'This new line serves to channel my inner girl - it is fun and young with a distinct sense of humour. The Victoria range can't help but make you smile with its energy and personality.'


Harvey Nichols described the collection as: 'The free-spirited sister brand to Victoria Beckham's eponymous mainline label.'

The flirty, summery frocks are displayed with pride - complete with bejewelled cat's heads which help draw attention to the cartoon character who inspired the range, Emily the Strange.

Beyond Harvey Nichols' womenswear section, the cat-theme continues.

Mrs Beckham collaborated with quirky illustrator and film-maker, Quentin Jones, to decorate the department store's legendary windows with bold cut-outs which highlight the collection's key themes.

They are already attracting the attention of Kensington's well-heeled shoppers who could not wait to get their hands on the dresses.

Catwoman: The frocks were inspired by cartoon character Emily the Strange - which explains the feline connection

Victoria is sold at a lower price point that the former-Spice Girl's designer collection, Victoria Beckham. But it is not a diffusion line, it is its own standalone brand. Dresses cost between £375 and £995.

VB's trademark zip has disappeared - to be replaced with loose-fitting dresses that have a more casual feel.

Cherry red, candy pink and cornflower blue are blocked with black and white, with pretty scallop edging and whimsical cat, cloud and moon prints.


Almost ready: Another Harvey Nichols worker finishes off a window display which was a collaboration with quirky illustrator and film-maker, Quentin Jones

Shoppers admire the display outside the department store before being allowed inside to see the dresses for themselves

Mrs Beckham told Vogue.com: 'It's not a second line, or a diffusion line - it's another line, another side to my wardrobe.

'This is a way to give my customers what they want. They are really easy-to-wear day dresses.

'You can wear everything with heels, but you can wear them with flats as well. And they fit a lot of different people. Nothing's tight: everything's quite comfortable and roomy.'

At the collection's catwalk launch, in New York last September, models echoed the designer's comic book inspiration with blunt fringes.


Calm before the storm: Workers steam a cloud-covered dress, which is the same design that was worn by Danielle Lineker last night

Pretty in pink: Victoria Beckham wearing a pink and black scalloped Victoria dress in New York, and Michelle Williams wearing the same dress in different colours at the LA Baftas

They strode the catwalk in towering platforms in co-coordinating colours and prints, the result of a collaboration with footwear brand-of-the-moment Charlotte Olympia.

But Harvey Nichols' mannequins are bare-foot, and the fringes have been swapped for cat's ears and whiskers - perhaps to show that the dresses really do go with anything?

The department store has exclusive rights to the dresses which can be bought in both the London Kensington and Birmingham stores - as well as by email though their website.


source:dailymail

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Worth every penny of that $3.5m spot: First look at the David Beckham for H&M Super Bowl commercial

By Tamara Abraham


High-profile debut: A television commercial for the new David Beckham Bodywear collection, due to launch at H&M on Thursday, will premiere during the Super Bowl


It goes without saying that the ads that run during the Super Bowl are as eagerly anticipated as the game itself. And one in particular is sure to have the full attention of female viewers.

H&M this morning released its first commercial for David Beckham Bodywear, which will make its debut during the second quarter of the NFL championship final.

Starring the man himself, the 30-second black-and-white ad, set to the song Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by The Animals, shows close-ups of the soccer star's many tattoos and flawless body.

Scroll down for video

In fact, the focus is so much on the 36-year-old LA Galaxy player, one might be tempted to ask what exactly the ad is promoting.

Of course we do get a glimpse of the products in question, right at the very end. The soccer star sports a pair of briefs, which will retail for $12.95, and trunks, which will be priced at $14.95.


One for the ladies: The black-and-white ad shows close-ups of the soccer star's many tattoos and flawless body - but not much of the products from the line

Tattoo tribute: One shot shows an inking in honour of the 36-year-old's second son, Romeo

Mr Beckham admitted he was excited that the ad would be airing in such a high-profile spot.

He said in a press release: 'I'm excited about my bodywear ad featuring in this year's Super Bowl.

'My design team and I spent 18 months developing the collection, it's been a fantastic collaborative experience, and I'm very happy with the end result.

Like every fan, I'm looking forward to Super Bowl Sunday.'


Brief glimpse: Only at the end of the 30-second spot do we see any of the David Beckham Bodywear range

Star turn: As well as the briefs, Mr Beckham models trunks (pictured), which will be priced at $14.95

Steve Lubomski, Director of Marketing for H&M North America, echoed the star's sentiments.

He added: 'We're thrilled about David starring in our Super Bowl spot, which kicks-off the North American launch of the global David Beckham Bodywear collection.

We'll reach a significant number of our consumer base during the Super Bowl, and we'll continue the momentum with a 360 degree marketing campaign that includes social media, national advertising, PR and consumer engagement.'

Cheeky smile: The LA Galaxy player grins at the camera by way of a parting shot


H&M is also promoting the launch with a huge ad on the corner of 8th Avenue & 34th Street in Manhattan.

A full body-length image of Mr Beckham modelling the new trunks will be hand-painted over a period of two weeks and completed by Super Bowl weekend. The process will be captured on video and shared as a time-lapse video on YouTube.

The David Beckham Bodywear line will go on sale on Thursday, just in time for Valentine's Day.

WATCH THE DAVID BECKHAM BODYWEAR COMMERCIAL HERE:





source:dailymail

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The Iron Lady: Davina McCall shows off her impressive abs of steel

By Andrea Magrath


She says that she prides herself on being 'quite fit' - but most people would consider her modest.

Davina McCall put most mere mortals to shame today as she proudly showed off her impressive six-pack on Twitter.

The 44-year-old tweeted the photo during her morning workout with personal trainer Jackie Wren, writing 'Morning campers!! Here's some sport porn for you! Just been annihilated by @jackiewren.'

Tough stuff: Davina McCall proudly shows off her six-pack during a workout this morning with her personal trainer

The presenter can't contain her enthusiasm over her enviable figure, grinning wildly as she flexes her muscles.

London's freezing temperatures this morning didn't put Davina off - show worked up a sweat in the skimpiest of sports gear.

The mother-of-three put her abs of steel on display in a midriff-baring top by Nike and tight lycra leggings.

Earlier this month, Davina made a guest appearance on The Biggest Loser, joining the contestants for a workout.

'I couldn't pick up the phone for two days!' Davina wasn't so confident when she was put through her paces during a workout on The Biggest Loser earlier this month


After being put through her paces on the second episode of the programme, Davina admitted she was so sore that she couldn't even pick up the phone for the next two days.

Davina joined the 13 Biggest Loser contestants in their Last Chance Training session, led by trainers Richard Callender, Charlotte Ord and Rob Edmond - the last opportunity for the weight loss hopefuls to shed a few extra pounds before their weigh in.

Talking about the experience, Davina said: 'The trainers worked me so hard that I couldn’t pick up my phone for two days!

Exhausted: Davina is seen laying on the ground after she was worked hard by the trainers on the show

'I pride myself on being quite fit, I train three times a week and I’m telling you it was tough. So, hats off to the contestants for the amount of effort they put in and the stamina they build up.'

Davina is becoming something of a fitness guru, her latest workout DVD Ultimate Target topped the charts over New Year.

The new release was number one on HMV’s fitness DVD chart and is Amazon’s most successful new release in the category.


Ready for action: Davina said that while she considers herself as 'quite fit', she was unprepared for how hard the regime was


She has an astonishing five fitness DVD’s in the top 50 – including two in the top 20.
McCall's boom sales comes after one of her earlier regimes was voted the most effective routine to get in shape by 89 per cent of a poll of 2,000 British women.

Speaking about staying fit, Davina told Closer magazine: 'I try to work out three times a week but if I don't have time for a session with my trainer, I rope my friends into coming round to do my fitness DVD. We get quite competitive!'


source:dailymail

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