Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Posts tagged Launch
XPlus Screen Launch Event
0On Thursday, myself and Charles attended a VIP event at the Leicester Cinema de Lux, for the launch of the new XPlus screen, with a release day screening of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1.
The event started with a drinks reception in the swanky Director’s Lounge, complete with red carpet. For an hour we were showered with glasses of Prosecco, canapés and lovely little desserts. I particularly enjoyed the mini millionaire’s shortbread which was dusted with gold glitter! We also spotted a few Leicester Tigers rugby players in the crowd.
We then headed up to the XPlus screen, which I was really excited about, and I wasn’t disappointed. As soon as we entered the auditorium I was amazed to see the size of the screen. I knew it was going to be big, but it was even bigger than I expected. It’s literally floor to ceiling, wall to wall, and also slightly curved.
Everyone at the event was treated to yet more refreshments in their seats – a drink, and a bag of popcorn, along with a couple of other goodies. When everyone was settled, the manager of Cinema de Lux, and one of the main men at Dolby both gave a speech. They explained that Leicester’s XPlus screen is one of only five in the country, and is designed to give a premium, immersive cinema experience. The screen is in fact 60 feet wide by 20 feet high, and provides sharp imagery, on point brightness, and vibrant colour.
Another special aspect of the XPlus experience is the sound. The auditorium features a Dolby Atmos sound system, and is fitted with over fifty speakers, which provide 360° sound. Having speakers all over the walls and ceiling, which are controlled by sound specialists, allows for dialogue to follow the characters, and for sound effects to come in at all angles, providing sound which completely envelops the audience. Before the film the sound system was demonstrated with thunder-storm sound effects, and I was blown away. The sound of rain and thunder flooded the room from all angles, and I actually got goosebumps because it felt so real.
After the introductions we got to watch The Hunger Games. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the film that much, and I’m not sure it was the right film to show off the Dolby Atmos sound system, but the XPlus definitely improved the viewing experience.
I’m incredibly impressed by the XPlus screen, and after experiencing it once I’m sure a ‘normal’ cinema screen will now just look and sound inadequate. I can imagine the immersive sound working really well for action movies, and I bet it would make horror movies even more scary if you could hear things coming up behind you!
Naomi x
Urban Outfitters Leicester Press Preview
4Earlier today I was lucky enough to attend the invitation-only press preview of the new Urban Outfitters store in Leicester, ahead of their official launch tonight. The store is located at the heart of the city in the Highcross shopping centre (right on the edge so it’s easy to find!), and spans two large floors, with womenswear downstairs, and menswear, home and gifts and fitting rooms upstairs.
As soon as I entered the store I could tell that it had a great vibe. The Urban Outfitters team have worked hard to transform what was once a fairly dark and claustrophobic space, into a far more open and vibrant one, which has the subtle industrial look that you expect from Urban Outfitters, with its bare floors and reclaimed metal and wooden interior. Vintage and alternative curios are also spread throughout the store giving it a fun and quirky edge, and hand painted contemporary art and wording adorn the walls. I even got to see some of it being done!
The store boasts a really eclectic mix of brands and styles, including own label collections such as Pins & Needles and Worland, but also well-known brands such as Converse and Levi’s, and up and coming labels like Cheap Monday and Native Rose. I spotted a great mix of edgy basics and classic designs, as well as bolder, more creative pieces (including a very spacey looking silver mini skirt!), that at the same time keep an urban, on-trend theme.
The accessories, gifts and homeware don’t come as an afterthought either. Everything is displayed so beautifully, and items of jewellery, hair accessories and nail varnishes are dotted around the shop so you can really get a feel of how to style different items throughout the store. Everything just seems to fuse together so perfectly, making for an easy and pleasant shopping experience.
I really enjoyed browsing the new store before it opened, and it was nice to meet some of the Urban Outfitters team too. I even got to choose a gift to take away with me, so I went for a beautiful black burnout floral cardigan that will be great for layering during the coming autumn and winter months. I’m sure you’ll be seeing it in an outfit post or two very soon!
Naomi x
Zatchels Factory Shop VIP Launch Event
7Last Friday I was among a few lucky bloggers and press who got to attend the Zatchels Factory Shop VIP launch event in Leicester. For those who don’t know (and I’m sure there aren’t many) Zatchels are a fashion brand who design and create leather satchels, saddle bags, barrel bags, duffel bags and other accessories, using traditional British manufacturing methods. Their factory is located in Leicester, where highly skilled staff make every single bag by hand, and everything is made to order. Leicester used to have a thriving manufacturing industry, which many of my relatives worked in, so as a Leicester girl born and bred I like to see a Leicester brand doing so well, and I was very keen to support them on their factory shop launch day.
The event started with a chance to meet the brains behind the brand, including Company Directors Dean Clarke and Brian Brady, and Zatchels Creative Director and celebrity stylist Gemma Sheppard, who it was great to meet. We also got to preview some bags from a few new collections which are yet to be launched, and they are absolutely stunning! This pretty little thing was my particular favourite…
Once everyone had arrived Dean and Brian took us on a tour of the Zatchels factory, which had a friendly atmosphere and bright interior, what with all the piles of different leathers – it was amazing to see! We got to watch how each bag is made by hand, from selecting the leather, cutting it and putting all the parts together, right up to quality control and packing. It was so interesting to see the process from start to finish, and I can assure you that so much care and effort is put into every single product.
After the tour, we were taken to the factory shop for its official opening. There were some yummy ‘Best of British’ nibbles on offer, including Zatchels cupcakes from Bitsy’s Cupcakery and Sweet Eve strawberries, and we had the opportunity to browse the bags on offer and have another chat with the other guests and Zatchels directors.
The Zatchels Factory Shop is based at 10 Charter Street, Leicester, which is located very close to the city centre (about a 5 minute walk) and has ample parking. The shop will be open every Wednesday to Friday from 12pm until 6pm, and Saturday 10am until 5pm, and there is a mix of factory seconds and sample bags for sale, as well as quality retail products. Every bag in the shop has been graded and priced accordingly, as follows:
Grade A – Perfect Quality – Full Price
Grade B – Slight Imperfections – 30% off
Grade C – Stitching Imperfections or Scratches – 40% off
I checked lots of the bags over myself to see how noticeable the imperfections are, and even the Grade C bags are still brilliant quality (I could barely find anything wrong with them) so you really can get yourself a bargain.
I had such a fun day at the Zatchels VIP event. It was really nice to meet some other Leicester bloggers and chat to the Zatchels team, and I loved having a look behind the scenes at the process that goes into making every single Zatchels bag. All guests left with a goody bag too, which was a really nice touch. I plan on doing another post soon with advice on how to style your Zatchels bag, so keep an eye out for that!
Naomi x
Cargo Cosmetics Launch in the UK
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7 years
Last month, Cargo Cosmetics, a highly sought after brand known for its use on TV and film sets worldwide, launched in the UK at Debenhams. The brand boasts better, easier, smarter products with the latest innovations in beauty, that give a high-definition, flawless finish from all angles.
Cargo’s range features a wide selection of high quality make up items, including lip gloss, eye shadows, water resistant blushes and bronzer, foundation, liners, mascara, brushes and carefully concocted palettes, sets and quads, all of which look simply slick in Cargo’s award winning silvered packaging. I was recently sent a few products from the range to try, these being two Eye Shadow Singles in ‘Flint’ and ‘Windsor’, a Water Resistant Bronzer and a Lip Gloss in ‘Route 66′, and I have been nothing but impressed by their quality. Here are my thoughts on each…
Eye Shadow Singles in ‘Flint’ and ‘Windsor’ – £12.00 each
Cargo’s Single Eye Shadows come in twelve shades, featuring daring brights and more neutral tones, in either matte or shimmer. The two shades I was sent are ‘Flint’, an ashy grey, and a pale peachy cream called ‘Windsor’, both of which have a very slight shimmer. Both shadows have a soft, velvety formula, and they’re not too powdery. Because of this, I find they apply really smoothly, and give very little fall out so it’s easy to create a sharp look, with hardly any mess. The pigmentation is also impressive, and it doesn’t take much of the product to get a bold finish. My favourite thing about the shadows, though, is how long they last. After morning application, the eye shadow stays put without the use of a primer until you’re ready to remove it, and it barely gathers in the creases at all.
Here’s how the eye shadows look worn together. I used ‘Flint’ as a base up to the eye crease, and ‘Windsor’ above the crease and in the corner of each eye. ‘Windsor’ works really well as a highlighter eye shadow, and ‘Flint’ is the perfect shade to create a subtle smokey look.
If you like the look of Cargo’s Eye Shadow Singles, they are available online here at Debenhams, and cost £12.00 each.
Water Resistant Bronzer – £20.00
Cargo claim that their Water Resistant Bronzer is a world first, as it contains a silicone-coated talc that adheres firmly to the skin, making it long-lasting even in water. This makes it perfect for summer, as it gives skin a healthy glow with the appearance of a natural tan, and will survive a dip in the sea or pool, and stay put even through perspiration.
As you’d expect, I decided to put the water resistance of the bronzer to the test, and I’m pleased to report that water just slides right off it – as you can see in the picture above! Even with some rubbing it takes a while for the colour to fade, but it fades evenly and doesn’t go streaky, which is always good news. Luckily though, it removes easily with make up remover, so there’s no need to worry about it being stubborn.
In terms of colour, Cargo’s Water Resistant Bronzer gives a fairly subtle bronze shimmer that looks great even on pale skin like mine, but it can be built up to create a bolder look if you prefer.
This wonderful Water Resistant Bronzer has well and truly converted me to the bronzed look, and is available here at Debenhams, for just £20.00.
Lip Gloss in ‘Route 66′ – £7.50
All of Cargo’s Lip Glosses are clinically proven to last up to six hours, a statement that I can vouch for, and they have a moisturising formula that isn’t sticky and leaves your lips feeling incredibly soft. The gloss tubes are dinky enough to carry with you at all times, and they come with a just as dinky price tag of just £7.50. I really like the applicator that comes with the gloss as its flat, rounded shape and soft padding makes for precise application. However, I’m not a massive fan of how the gloss smells. I really like sweetly scented glosses, but this one is almost scentless, other than a slight plasticky smell that is slightly off putting. Thankfully it doesn’t taste horrible though!
The shade I was sent, Route 66, is a coral pinky red which is packed full of shimmery particles that give the gloss a lovely, long-lasting shine. The colour applies very subtly for a natural touch of pink, but like all of Cargo’s products that I’ve tried it can be layered to create a deeper colouring. Here it is after one coat:
Cargo Cosmetics Lip Glosses come in a wide range of shades (eighteen, in fact), including an unusual but beautiful gold shade, and are available online here.
If you like the look of any of Cargo’s innovative cosmetics, or you want to find out what else they have to offer, the full range is available to browse and buy online at Debenhams. Do you think you’ll be giving any of their products a go?
Naomi x
*These Cargo Cosmetics products were sent to me by Debenhams for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
