blue dress

London Fashion Week, Women in the Media Event & Brunch at Aubaine

LONDON FASHION WEEK
Life is busy right now. Crazy busy but I’ve never been happier.

I love being a little bit manic, it’s my default mode I suppose- and doing what I love: blogging and all that that entails never fails to stimulate and stretch me. I feel ALIVE people! Woohoo!

So, the last few days have seen my filmmmaking and blogging world collide and I thought I’d share the excitement with my readers.

And what a whirlwind its been-WHERE DO I START? Yes I’m shouting because it was WILD! (And I’m originally Greek and we Greeks love to shout-or blog in caps at least).

So let me break it down-London Fashion Week, meetings, filming, a Women in Media breakfast, hanging out with great friends, inspiring colleagues, brainstorming, plotting, planning, scheduling…attending an awards ceremony, a closing LFW GHD party then back home to my babies. Phew.

I left London feeling inspired and utterly spent, my creative muscles worked to the max and in need of rest. Hello sofa day today.

So let’s start, erm, from the start, MODE who look after some of my ad partners on the blog had invited me to renowned London based Korean designer Eudon Choi‘s show last Friday. They had also invited me last year but I couldn’t make it- and funnily enough, a few years previously I’d directed a film screened there, for designer Hannah Marshall after we were both awarded the Channel 4 4Talent Award (her for fashion, me for film). 

So invite in hand I was excited…

My first thought though naturally was, what to wear?!

Thanks to Kaliko, I found the perfect azure blue dress, teaming it with my bloomin’ brilliant Max Mara floral cardigan. After all ‘Horti-Couture’ is this season’s hottest trend!

Et voila!

blue dress

The buzz, excitement and frenzy of fashionistas, paps and big style bahoonas made for a fun, dynamic energy I’ve not experienced before.

Eudon Choi

Yes I’ve attended film festivals all over the world from Cannes to LA but this was a different vibe, and surprisingly not particularly pretentious. Yes the MIC cast were giving their best pout face on the front row, but it was all fun and games.

Made in Chelsea

I was sat next to journos and got chatting to two photographer’s assistants, Esther and Maya (how lucky) whom I clicked with, and they kindly snapped me getting my pose on. 

All the pictures are the ones I’ve taken bar the ones of me which were thanks to Esther and Maya!

london fashion week

Statuesque Amber Le Bon

le bonlondon fashion weekexhibition spacecatwalk show at london fashion weekFROW

I utterly adored Eudon Choi’s SS16 collection, it was simply mesmerising. Full of clean lines and neutral tones with the odd pop of pink and baby blue. Pastels are big news for Autumn/Winter people.

Simplicity has never been so stylish.

eudon choi collection eudon choi collection eudon choi collection eudon choi collection eudon choi collection eudon choi collection

Erin O’Connor passed us at the end and kindly stopped for a snap, we chatted babies, fashion and blogging and she’s a great friend of designer Hannah who I made a film for. Small world. 

erin o'connorerin o'connor modelEpically gorgeous and so tall (I felt tiny next to her, and I’m pretty tall for a Greek girl 😉 ) Erin is truly humble, sweet and incredibly smart-she promised to read the blog too (Hi Erin) 😉 . 

Erin O'Connor

Love my expression!

Erin O'Connor

Dashing off after all the excitement, it was time for a meeting back at MODE HQ with the fabulous Izan as we discussed potential projects before I had to rush off for some secret filming. Running in heels, that was me! 

Filming in the can, I jumped on a train and couldn’t wait for what was the highlight of my day, hanging out with my sister from another mister, my blogging bestie, Mirka of All Baby Advice and Fitness 4 Mamas. Yay for hanging out with Mirka and her gorgeous family. It was wonderful to see her beautiful home, her house is so like mine, we clearly have amazing taste plus it was fab to meet Mirka’s husband Andrew for the first time and to all hang out.

BFFs

Mirka’s daughter Isabelle is a brilliant pianist and despite me not playing the piano for years, she got me tapping away again teaching me the notes I’d long forgotten. Such a little superstar!

piano
The following morning I was up bright and early in time for a networking ‘Women in the Media’ breakfast hosted by my friend, the actress Michelle Collins, and comedienne Brenda Gilhooly.

I’ve worked with Michelle over many years where I directed projects she was in, and she’s not just immensely talented but also incredibly big hearted and supportive too.

The event was testament to this and was bursting with the most dynamic, over-achieving women you could imagine from broadsheet journalists to film-makers, PR’s, fashion designers, TV producers and more. 

michelle collins

Vicki Psarias and Michelle Collins

women in media

From breakfast to brunch (I told you it was whirlwind) next stop was French restaurant, Aubaine for a lazy feast with my friend Maria otherwise known as my ‘Big Sis’. This lady is a rock to me, how lucky am I to have so many strong, loving ladies in my life?!

friends

We were invited along to review Aubaine’s Brunch At Broadgate, an unlimited brunch with free flowing Cointreau Fizz cocktails (ooh la la). It is unbelievably great value at just £15 per person and is available 11.30am til 4pm.

For those who don’t know, Broadgate Circle is London’s latest stylish eating hub in the heart of the city. Being a Saturday, it wasn’t busy with Suits but mostly families and girlie groups meeting up to eat al fresco, and as the sun beamed down, we could have been in Paris. It is that pretty there. Hidden behind Liverpool Street, you must pop over and pay Aubaine a visit.

aubaine london

I love the chic modern interiors – so Parisian!

aubaine restaurant

aubaineaubaine london

Et voila, say bonjour to our talented mixologist who kept the fizz flowing!

cointreau cocktails

cointreau cocktailsmixologistUnlimited cocktails = a very happy blogger!

blogger

We started the brunch tucking into Aubaine’s Table De Viennoiseries – a selection of freshly baked breads and pastries with preserves! Delicious!

bread

Table De Viennoiseries pastries

And then it was onto the unlimited brunch. Choosing as many dishes as we wanted from their super tasty brunch menu, naturally it was only fair *cough to try a little bit of everything – well it would be rude not to, right?!

We started off pretty healthy…

with granola, freah yoghurt and seasonal berries.

yoghurt and fruit

Followed by this super creamy porridge garnished with banana and blueberries

20150918-DSCF1724

…and then we got a little bit naughty… enjoying this divine Pain Perdu et Mrytilles aka french toast with blueberries and creme fraiche. Soft, gooey, sticky french toast doused in maple syrup. Delicious.

french toast

And it wouldn’t be brunch without eggs florentine would it?!

I can’t resist bearnaise sauce – one of my fave foodie treats.

They also do eggs Benedict with ham for meat lovers, but we opted for the veggie version.

eggs florentine

Each of the dishes were served as small plates, so ideal for sharing and meant we could enjoy a bit of everything without being over faced!

Plus, they left room for extra cocktails too 😉

brunch

-Scrummy avocado on toast with poached egg and tomato

avocado on toast with poached egg and tomato

Another eggcellent brunch dish – free range fried egg and Provencale haricot beans (usually served with toulouse sausage)-I told you we tried a bit of everything!

fried egg

Mini beef fillet burger

burger

Before we finished on a sweet note, sampling some desserts (!)

cakes

Enjoyed with cappuccino of course.

cappucino

I think it’s safe to say, we rolled out of there! Wow!

Thanks Aubaine for the brunch, we loved it and shall we back!

Happy and full I waddled (!) off to meet my girl, Jessica, entrepreneur and PR to the stars at Natural Kitchen in Marylebone. I stuck to juice as she dined. I couldn’t eat another morsel.

Let me tell you about Jess, she has an MBE from the Queen no less, and made Glamour Magazine’s Power List-beautiful inside and out, she is a complete and utter inspiration to myself and everyone she meets.

Another sisterly friend who is one of the most supportive ladies I know, we met as finalists at the Enterprising Young Brit Awards years back (Jess scooped the prize for her Color blind cards concept-now in stores across the UK and US), I as a filmmaker who raised thousands for short films, our friendship was cemented there and then.

So generous, I will never forget her arranging for her mates, the JLS boys to call my cousin Solos, their biggest fan- years on, he still talks about that call. What a sweetheart. So much so, she saw a beautiful baby in the restaurant and gave them some bibs by her designer friend. I love, love, love Jess’ energy.

…Excitingly, you can feel the power of Jess for yourselves as she’s running a PR workshop teaching small business owners how to get media coverage on limited budgets at the British Library on Thursday 29th of October at 10am. Tickets are £30. Book your tickets HERE.

pulicistTogether, we are collaborating on some incredible ‘pinch myself’ kind of projects which I can share more of when I’m allowed. Nothing is more rewarding than strong women coming together in business, especially great mates at that.

Argh, what a great meet up!

…Bizarrely, while I was away in London, I had a fair few strangers coming up to me from the street who recognised me from my TV presenting and the blog (bit mental) and I was even asked if I was modelling at LFW by my cabbie and a group of cute guys (couldn’t be more flattered).

I will have to remember these kind words when I feel rough after sleepless nights thanks to my little sleep raiders. I, like many women are far too hard on myself so I’m going to embrace the compliments and try and remember them when I need a little confidence boost.

Thank you strangers!

I know this is a long post but nearly there folks-

I got back to Leeds to the family, and a few days later returned to London again for the Mum and Working Awards, a celebration of women in business.

I took my great friend, feature filmmaker Amancay Tapia as my date. Amancay encouraged me to start my blog in the first place and now she says I’ve encouraged her to start one too-check out brilliant sharp, wise and witty The Lady of the World.

mum and working awards

So, I didn’t win chaps but I’m so proud to have been a finalist among such pioneering women-bloggers/business owners/ entrepreneurs.

The acceptance speeches were so incredibly emotional, women moving mountains, creating businesses around their families, achieving and running things (literally). Who runs the world? Mums! I want to share a few empowering words by Annabel Karmel,

‘Be confident because if you’re not visibly confident in yourself or what you do, no one else can or will be, take risks, embrace failure and follow your passions. Also listen and learn ‘…

We cried as she told us her first child devastatingly died as a baby and her business was indirectly borne from her mourning, as her second child, struggled to eat, making her determined to help him, creating delicious food from scratch… and the rest is history.

So many women there started businesses from great sadness and adversity.

Other speeches focused on garnering opportunities and striving ambitiously and tenaciously for success. Loved Caprice’s attitude on fearlessly owning and controlling your work.

It was a real honour to be there with so many remarkable ladies.

We ended the day in style with cocktails at the MODE, GHD and closing LFW party having our hair styled by the world famous brand, and we supped cocktails while chatting to beauty and style journos and bloggers…

friends

Nearly all up!

GHD PARTY LONDON FASHION WEEK

And up (with a gold clasp)!

GHD PARTY

The style must have knocked years off me too as later on a model in his 20’s ran up to me on the street and asked me on a date.

His face when I said I was married.

This nearly 35 year old Mama’s still got it hey!

Seriously, all very sweet but  my (Yorkshire) feet shall be remaining firmly on the ground here, worry not!

Oh but what a ball we had.

And here I am, back to reality…for now any way.

Next week sees some big work news announced and quite probably the most exciting shoot of my career yet. I’ll tell you more when I’m allowed, promise (annoying I know).

Mwah for now sweetie, daarrhlings! See I’m one affected fashionista since Fashion Week 😉

Buy my bestselling book in paperback or audio

My debut book is my guide to surviving and thriving at work and at home and offers insight into how to create a digital business or return to work with confidence.

Mumboss: The Honest Mum's Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
(UK 2nd Edition)

Available on Amazon or Audible

MUMBOSS by Vicki Psarias

The Working Mom: Your Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
(US/Canada Edition)

Available September 8th 2020. Order now on Amazon

The Working Mom by Vicki Psarias

Like what you've read? Then why not follow Vicki on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram

Never Miss A Post!

Subscribe to HonestMum for my weekly email newsletter where I share my new blog posts, blogging tips, event invitations, competitions and news about my new book. I never share your personal data with third parties.