The 'F' Word: Fashion & Fitness

So I've just gotten the fire under my bonnet to write this. It stands that in 5 days I'm suppose to be Fierce and Fabulous and model in a long outstanding photo shoot that I have put off for the last hmmm... 6 months!  But in that time I've embarked on my own personal campaign to get fit, drop the fat and show it all off in a fashion shoot.

Well, at this precise moment I skipped the gym and can only contemplate a cheeky childrens meal from Texas fried chicken ( hold the fries and just give me a honey milk biscuit instead...or both! Oh! and a Diet-Coke ) that's my mood as it stands.

Here is some inspiration behind the shoot styling for myself, no less

The following are inspiration pics Ive sourced from for the photo shoot direction, look feel and mood that I've created. for: Fitness Fashionista with a definite touch of Glam and some ethnic styling.

P.S If you couldn't tell, Halle Berry is a total muse in addition to being a total babe!
 So her FHM photo shoot is definitely her as my poster girl!

Fitness is all about the journey too not just the destination of fitting into those jeans you wore 10 years ago remember!

So keep the Faith-and Rock on!

24hrs in the Life of Fashion Designer and Lifestyle Consultant Van der Haer

7.00am 
I usually wake up and start checking emails with an Americano and sippin on some lemon water to cleanse.
 I'd rather be designing frocks and rolling around in French crepe chiffon all day! But hey, business and fashion go hand in hand like cheese and ham! 
After checking all my social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc Honestly, it seems like Lifes one big popularity contest these days! The key is translating ones popularity into sells!


7.30am I get showered and dressed to impress (always!) I fix some breakfast which on a good clean eating day is a green smoothie mixed with berries, frozen banana and some spinach and whey powder blitzed in my Nutribullet -never leave home without it!





9-10.30pm Gym
Living in Dubai your constantly fighting for balance between the courtesy catered champagne events and keeping fit! I this time round am making it a point to be a lifestyle and not a band aid for bad habits. My fave thing is using weights and doing squats! Best results you'll ever get!






11-12pm Inkas & Unique magazine
What do you get when you meet a armored vehicles company and Jet set magazine publisher? Inkas and Unique Global magazine that's what. I meet with Dubai Celebrity Artist,Jim Wheat of Dollarsandart, and entering the premises am gobsmacked at the slick Bond like interior housed in a warehouse in Dubai Investment Park. All that was missing is some gadgets but the armored vehicles fitted out for Royalty and HNI did more then kept my attention. What's this to do with fashion? Well the clientele who buy these souped up 6 figure vehicles very well buy Van der Haer. Unique Global also talk to me about getting in touch to an interview for their online private jet magazine.  

Not your average client..


11.30 Precise 3-d Printers
I meet with the C.E.O Lothar and catch up after a long time having been away, we also discuss exciting new design possibilities and our collaboration. I cant wait to share with you the exciting new designs I'm working on with Precise Ltd. who specialize in 3-D printing! If your not familiar with the concept yet, then check it out!

Images Cristina Franceschini

12.30-1.30: Lunch Social House

In love with this Chinese food hub !

2pm: Fragrance Du Bois

 "You were born an original, don't become a copy" - Coco Chanel 

Fragrance Du Bois Quintessential Luxury

I was invited to sample the Du Bois Oud Fragrance Experience. I had little to no idea what to expect of this exotic oil perched from Aquilaria trees that tediously yet organically creates its very existence.
 Meeted and greeted I was introduced to the C.E.O Dean Henry. Dean led me into a room overlooking the City's Media Hub and Marina and we sat and discussed a little background on the brand before walking me over to a beautiful custom steam trunk that housed dozens of little black glass bottles with even more exotic and enticing names color coded labels on them. A bit like Alice through the looking glass ;-)

5 Interesting Oud Facts

1. Ouds origin can be traced back to Biblical times. 
2. It's value is worth more then gold
3. Its derived from the dark resinous wood of the Aquilaria tree
4. This resin occurs in less than 7% of trees in the wild
5. Oud is highly valued and traded in the Middle East to date.

C.E.O Dean walks and talks me through the intricate process of extracting their priceless Oud oil but more so how they replant the trees with every one extracted. Finally! A luxury product with a conscious that's also sustainable!

If I ruled the World...

Dean Henry 'nose' just what hes doing- sorry, I could'nt resist the pun!

If your gonna pop bottles..your gonna need Du Bois to step your game up!

The Bespoke fragrance especially created for Boxing champ David Haye

Box of Chocolates are so last year!
Need a special gift for a specials someone?!
Try this Du Bois custom made box of fragrance delights!

Decadent crystal bottles cut through the Dubai's sunny skyline

Even the Aquilaria wood is recycled into charm bracelets for keepsakes.

Attention to detail from conception-to-product-to -client

This beautiful custom crock steam trunk opens up to a Pandora's box of Du Bois Fragrance samples for each and every personality!

4pm: Head home with Dubai traffic, I pick up tickets for The Meydan Races where I've been invited by Jim Wheat to wine dine and watch the races from the V.I.P Box tomorrow night with Fashion One TV as our guests. 

5pm Emails catchup and the last of phone calls for the day. If Im lucky I get to sketch and develop ideas for my Ready-to-wear launch collection in April for Si-Fashion Gallery. I then will shut off play some Lemon Jelly or Ibiza Chill and cook some homey food. 

10pm 
If I'm a good girl its bed and a book and if its a must then I'm seeing a client or friend for a couple virgin cocktails and talk of upcoming events and new collaborations for a couple hours before I turn into a pumpkin!lol



Thanks for tuning in....to be continued!....

Healthy Living: The way to eating Raaaaawr!

So it's been on my mind for some time to share my recipes in my attempts to eat a largely Raw/Vegan/Vegetarian diet. Not just for the sole purpose of loosing weight but for attaining a more healthy balanced lifestyle and reaping all the benefits that come with that (anti-aging, weight, health, improved energy and immune system, my green foot print, need I go on?) You can therefore consider this the first of what will be uploaded for tasty treats, meals and snack ideas that are easily prepared , nourishing, delicious and oh so pretty looking!
 I have taken to being a green thumb in the sense of eating what is natural, organic and from the Earth and not out of a polyurethane packet, with GMO food that were doctored in a lab somewhere (ummmm, minus the Ho Ho's I scoffed last week! Hey! I was on a Nostalgia trip from my child hood! lol!) So no, I'm not trying to turn you into a 100% raw eater or vegan when I myself am not one. I'm just trying to show people what and how I've incorporated healthy yet tasty foods/meals more into my everyday diet!

GO!GO! JUICE!

1 small bunch Kale (more calcium then meat!)

2 Celery stalks

2 Carrots

1 Apple

1tb. Flax seeds

I washed, chopped and the all ingredients into my Nutribullet with a cup of water and poured into a Mason jar. All under 5 mins! How's that for Fast food to go?!