Rosie Scott Blog about Women

In a recent episode of the AMC drama “Humans,” Toby Hawkins, a randy adolescent, engages in a bit of unseemly groping, reaching for Anita, the humanoid family housekeeper. When she turns him away, he glowers, asking her sourly, “Why do you have to be so fit?”

Or for that matter, so adroit in anticipating her employers’ every whim and errant impulse? Given her uncanny sensitivity, you might even suspect that Anita has a mind of her own.

She is but the latest in a procession of weirdly competent and oddly seductive androids who have been marching onto our home screens, looming larger than life at the multiplex and, just as unsettlingly, insinuating themselves into the world of style.

Fashion has been especially quick to seize on the notion that robots are slicker, more perfect versions of ourselves. In the last few months alone, androids have filtered into the glossies and stalked the runways of designers as audacious as Thom Browne and Rick Owens, and of inventive newcomers like David Koma, who riffed on fembot imagery in his fall 2015 collection for Mugler, sending out models in frocks that were patterned with soldering dots and faux computer circuitry.

Formidable and preternaturally glamorous, those models and their synthetic pop-culture kin may well inspire envy and a covert urge to merge with the machine. But they also spawn the kind of dread that’s been rivaled of late only by the walking dead.

Sleeker, smarter and more coolly efficient than their human counterparts, these next-generation bots (played by flesh-and-blood humans) boast advanced motor skills, superhuman consciousness and even subtle facial tics that mimic those of their makers.

What’s more, they’re better looking. In “Humans,” the so-called synths were conceived to look like “almost-perfect humans,” said Vickie Lang, who created their hair and makeup. The fastidiously groomed synth women “never touch their hair,” she said. “Their skin is a little silicone-y.”

In contrast, their masters seem as chaotically thrown together as week-old bed linens. “We left them a little disheveled,” she said.

Hard-put to compete, a rumpled police detective in the series is driven to moan distractedly: “I’m an analog man in a digital age. I’m redundant.”

His remark encapsulates the persistent anxiety being mined by the filmmakers of “Ex Machina,” in which a comely android (Alicia Vikander) outmaneuvers her creator; “Terminator Genisys” and “Mad Max: Fury Road,” in which the fearsome Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) vanquishes her enemies with a robotically wired prosthetic arm.

Similar fears, coupled with a rising fascination, have been tapped in a wave of young-adult fiction, notably “The Lunar Chronicles,” the Marissa Meyer fantasy series detailing the adventures of a cyber-Cinderella.

Pure sci-fi? Not necessarily. As Sidney Perkowitz, a physicist and the author of “Digital People: From Bionic Humans to Androids,” wrote in an email, “the new angle is the growing realization that robots could become more than barely smart enough to do simple tasks (remember when Roomba was a big deal, just for its ability to clean floors without human guidance?)”

These days, he added, “their chips meet a true cognitive challenge by solving complex and shifting situational problems in real time.” The upshot: “Artificial brains could become plenty smart enough to handle all of a robot’s physical actions.”

And usurp human functions, as well. In a sense, synthetics that look like people, think like people and even “feel” the way that people do, reading emotions and simulating human empathy, already exist.

Pepper, a silicone humanoid manufactured by SoftBank Robotics Corp., and billed as “the world’s first emotional robot,” is a novelty home companion with coin-dot eyes and articulated limbs, and carries a price tag of $1,600. The costly but friendly machine sold out within one minute of its introduction in Japan in June.

“Some people think robots will be better at basically everything, maybe even creativity,” said Martin Ford, the author of “Rise of the Robots, Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future.”

In his book he speculates that rising up alongside a new generation of worker-bots overhauling the economy may be an army of artist-bots that can act or make music. “Humans,” he suggested in an interview, “seem destined not to be competitive at all.”

Some members of the fashion tribe have already assigned mere mortals a kind of B-list status. In a Steven Klein photo shoot in the current Vogue, drones hover overhead, seeming to spy on a party of human models cavorting in a field. For the March issue of W magazine, he portrayed the designer Jason Wu wrapped in the arms of a tin man.

In other images, Mr. Klein’s robots tended to be more lifelike, shown about to copulate or otherwise merge with their human partners in settings as alienating and austere as a surgery. They comment on fashion’s willful embrace of artifice, and as Mr. Klein said, on the dehumanizing aspects of digital manipulation in photography, which, he said, “has removed more and more the feeling of skin against skin.”

Fashion’s romance with synthetics has antecedents in the design output of Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy, Donatella Versace and Karl Lagerfeld, each of whom at various times has made reference to the 1927 science fiction spectacle “Metropolis,” that movie’s mechanized central figure whipping her followers into frenzied revolt. Other frequent points of reference include the 1982 movies “Tron,” which inspired Mr. Browne, among others, and “Blade Runner,” which continues to spawn scores of fashion shoots.

More whimsical interpretations of a resurgent trend include a Rodarte collection last year, in which a series of dresses was patterned with “Star Wars” robot stills.

A phalanx of giant techno tin men dominated an installation last spring in the windows of Bergdorf Goodman. Neither menacing nor particularly friendly, “they were oversize toys, really,” said David Hoey, the store’s senior director for visual presentation, “each with a different personality, disposition and story to tell his robot psychiatrist.”

The choreographer Blanca Li emphasized her automatons’ toylike aspects in a performance last spring at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Featured players in her “Robots” show were toddler-size animatronic figures and dancers shod in, of all things, Louboutin pumps.

Fashion, said Ms. Li, who has collaborated in the past with the designer Azzedine Alaïa, was integral to the performance, expressive of the spirit of the hour.

“More and more we are interacting with all kinds of machines,’” she told a Style writer at the time. Her ultimate goal: “that we forget even for one second that this was a machine.”

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On the second day of the first New York Fashion Week: Men’s, before most people in the room had sipped from their first cup of coffee, Michael Kors was starting his men’s spring/summer 2016 presentation at Spring Studios with a story about his assistant’s multicoloured nails. It was an odd exchange to hold with his invited group of more than 30 high- level menswear journalists and retailers. That’s why I loved it.

The early morning pseudo-industry chatter was pure and random; Kors is notoriously funny. But most of all, his non-show shows are simply the best way to experience a men’s collection.

During the next 20 or so minutes, the designer personally walked us through his 27-look collection, piece-by-piece, on a group of models — a process that allows me, as an editor, to really understand his vision for the season. The clothes come alive because of the stories Kors tells, the pictures he paints.

In his own words: “island life,” a “hybrid of a nautical hippie,” “a little Peter Beard running throughout and Picasso stripes, “ and what guys have no doubt been drinking “way too much of while on an island sojourn.” (That’s the dusty, rosé-hued poplin pieces for you.)

Of the last, all-black look — which included a utility anorak and modern track pant with a light, chunky knit for summer — he recounted: “I told Ben [Eidem, a Swedish model and his muse] that if this was a women’s presentation, he would be the Karlie Kloss, the one fighting for that finale look. Although she would just tell me she’s closing the show. And, of course, he’s shorter than her, too!”

That’s not all he had to say. After the tents and venues on the West Side closed down, I caught up with Kors for a more intimate tête-à-tête. Below are his thoughts on men’s fashion, as well as some relaxed, yet luxe, style tips. (Hint: Start with the shoes.)

Congratulations on showing another standout collection at the inaugural New York Fashion Week: Men’s. It seems to be a phenomenally simple and efficient way to present a collection. So why do you think other designers have been hesitant to embrace this format?

I think it depends on your personality and who you design a collection for. I’ve always loved trunk shows — I wish I could still do as many as when I first started designing because I like talking to people about the clothes, seeing their reactions, and hearing their questions. I don’t design my clothes for the runway or for a show. I design them to be worn.

You’ve also been vocal in saying that menswear should not be on the runway — or it isn’t serviced by being presented that way. Can you explain your thoughts there?

Menswear is in the details.

The truth is, you’re taking the favourite pieces that every guy already has in his wardrobe, and each season you’re figuring out what it is that makes their favourite new — the new white shirt, the new navy blazer — and usually it has to do with the fabric and the construction. You can’t see those things in a show; you can’t see the nuances.

Menswear is tactile, you have to see it up close and feel it. We did these reversible totes for spring, and if we did a regular show, you would have never known they were reversible. Those types of details get lost on a runway, and they’re important.

This season you continue to service that elevated hybrid of dressing up and dressing down. What are the first steps in a guy achieving this look if he’s been stuck on one end of the spectrum for so long?

Ease into it. If you’re used to being in a traditional suit all day, then a white linen pant and henley might be a little too drastic. But a more relaxed suit — something unlined, maybe, with the wrinkle built in — is a stepping stone. You’re still polished, you’re still in a suit, but it’s more laid-back.

As your collections show, you’re a stickler for cross-seasonal outerwear and knitwear. Why do you think both of those categories are important for designers to design and sell year-long?

Honestly, the weather is insane. You almost never know what you’re going to get in any given season anymore. Then, in the summer in New York, even if it’s hot, everything is so over-air conditioned that you need a sweater inside — and vice-versa in the winter. And you have to factor in that people are travelling more than ever before, so they need clothes that can span climates. No one is travelling with trunks anymore — the clothes need to be packable and they need to go everywhere our customer is going.

You’re also an early adapter of men’s sandals with tailoring and roomier atypical silhouettes — two trends I think most guys are still reluctant to attempt. How would you suggest a guy experiment with some of these more advanced style elements that frankly, scare them?

Take it a piece at a time. If you never wear sandals, start with a heavier sandal, something with substance, on the weekends. Soon you’ll be wearing them with a trouser and a linen sweater at the office. On the other hand, if you live in sneakers, try a rugged boat shoe. They’re still comfortable, but they’re a little more polished. I don’t believe in clothes that are too extremely oversized for most men, but I do like the idea of ease and comfort, and I think most men do, too.

Your collections always have a well-travelled element to them and kind of exemplify man at his off-duty best. What and where inspired this season?

I kept thinking about island life and this kind of laid- back ease that I think every man craves — especially when the weather gets warm. We wanted to bring that relaxed attitude that you find in Capri, or in Catalina, and make it something you can also wear in Manhattan. Today, people are more casual in the city and more dressed-up on vacation, and this collection caters to that idea.

Any personal travel plans before the women’s collections pull your attention back to New York, come September?

This summer we’ll be spending a lot of time on Long Island, as I love it when we finally have true beach weather here in New York. And then Capri, of course, at the end of the season.

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Makeup artist Molly Stern has spoken about how she created Cara Delevingne's face for the star's Paper Towns red carpet appearance on Tuesday.

Cara Delevingne's Paper Towns premiere makeup look was infused with a "twinge of sexy".

The 22-year-old attended the red carpet debut of the new movie in New York City on Tuesday night, which is her first lead role in a major motion picture.

Makeup artist Molly Stern provided Cara with a vampire-like edge by making her lips pop and leaving other areas of the muted in comparison.

"Cara's look was based around her bold red lip," Molly explained to Us Weekly magazine. "The rest of her look was clean and bright, with just a twinge of sexy."

Molly utilised nothing but Yves Saint Laurent products on Cara's face for the event.

The bold pout was created with the YSL Rouge Pur Couture in #55 lipstick.

Molly enhanced the supermodel-turned-actress' complexion with the use of Le Teint Touche Eclat in addition to the Touche Eclat pen, which lightened the skin around her eyes. Cara's face was primed with Touche Eclat Blur Primer and she completed the visage foundation by adding Blush Volupte #7 to the star's cheeks to layer the look with a rosy glow.

Cara's eye makeup for the evening was a mixture of two shades, Couture Mono Eyeshadow in #11 and #12. The stunning blonde's signature eyebrows were enhanced with Couture Brow #2 and her eye look was finished off with Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils in #1.

Cara wore a stunning silver sequinned mini dress designed by Saint Laurent to the Paper Towns premiere. The garment had a peek-a-boo feature which showed off a hint of cleavage.

Her hair for the evening was a loose braid, with strands free-flowing across the front of the star's face.

"The style was all about effortless, barely there waves, but with an edge," L'Oréal Paris celebrity hairstylist Mara Roszak told Hollywood Life of the hairstyle inspiration. "There was a detailed element to the look that still had a casual vibe to it -- a fresh take on a braid. Cara's gown and makeup were so glamorous, so the hair gave it that cool-girl finish."

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You see them everywhere these days, on public transport, down the pub, in the local park and at Glastonbury, on the backs of everyone from Jonathan Ross to a 10-year-old girl. The Ramones T-shirt has become a ubiquitous garment, a globally recognised design that retains only a flimsy link to the music made by America's quintessential punk band.

Many wearers couldn't name you a Ramones song – although some might hazard a guess at "Hey Ho Let's Go", the opening lyric of their 1976 debut single "Blitzkrieg Bop" (currently being used in a TV advert for an online electrical appliance retailer). People of a certain age might see this as a despicable betrayal of the Ramones' memory, but does it matter? After all, to accuse a 10-year-old child of lacking punk authenticity would seem unfair. Having become a regular fixture in high-street clothing stores, maybe the Ramones T-shirt has merely taken on a strange new life of its own.

"Any kind of band T-shirt that either goes the distance or transcends the original connection is basically down to good design," says Josh Sims, author of the book 100 Ideas That Changed Street Style. "That good design often follows from whether the band has been fortunate enough have a good logo – like Kiss, AC/DC, or Run DMC.

They just look good, regardless of the band or its music." The Ramones were fortunate to have a talented lighting director and art co-ordinator, Arturo Vega; his decision to adapt the US Presidential Seal to depict "the ultimate all-American band" was, in retrospect, a stroke of genius. The olive branch became an apple branch, the arrows became a baseball bat, the lettering within the seal changed as the line-up of the band changed. The shirt on sale at H&M for £7 features the names of the original line-up of Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee and Tommy; all now dead, but somehow living on, emblazoned on the chests of people who don't necessarily know who they were.

While the case of the Ramones shirt isn't unique (H&M also sells shirts featuring metal bands to people who don't listen to metal), the demographic of band T-shirt-wearers has remained pretty static over the years: teenage pop acts and metal bands sell way more than hip-hop and R&B artists, with indie sitting somewhere in between. "If you look at their audiences," says Justin Smith, director of British merchandising company Kontraband, "90 per cent of people at a metal concert will be wearing a band T-shirt and will be likely to buy one.

For us, the best-selling shirts are still ones with tour dates on the back. People want to show that they went to the big gig at the O2, the 'I was there' thing." But he also considers the broadening, cross-genre appeal of band merchandise to be part of a declining tribalism among music fans. "It used to be the case that if you liked a certain band then you weren't allowed to like another style of band," he says, "but that's changed a lot. A band such as [influential US punks] Misfits sell a huge number of shirts in comparison to record sales; the name isn't big, but people just think it's a cool shirt."

Sims, meanwhile, attributes that broadening appeal to a music industry trying to find new income streams in a digital era. "Given that touring and merchandising are supposed to be where bands are making their money," he says, "there's a greater interest in selling T-shirts, and improving their design to make them more marketable."

The various factors that lead a buyer at Next or H&M to put in a Ramones order are complex (and both companies refused interview requests) but whether they're based on pure design, cultural echoes or some kind of ironic distance, people are evidently buying them. "I wasn't aware of that Ramones design until about two years ago," says Sims, "and the only reason I became aware of it is that my wife bought it from H&M for my then one year-old child. And I didn't even know a lot about the Ramones. I knew that they were a band, that they were influential and that they played at CBGB in New York, but beyond that…"

As the band has slowly receded into history, sales of their shirts have picked up. It was reported that the day after Joey died in 2001, one American clothing chain put in an order for 10,000 units. Ramones Productions Inc, the company set up after the band broke up, still presides over the approval of merchandise and splits the profits among the estates of the former members. Punk purists might consider this to be akin to "selling out", but the company's co-owner, Johnny's wife Linda Ramone, sees it as perfectly compatible with the band's ethos.

In an interview in 2008 she stated that "Johnny did want to be the biggest band in the world". And if that accolade is measured by sales of shirts, maybe his wish will come true.

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It may have been a sports themed awards ceremony, but one family dominated the red carpet at last night's ESPY awards.

The Kardashian/Jenner family have never done anything by halves, so the first red carpet appearance for newly transitioned Caitlyn Jenner (formally the family patriarch Bruce) was a full on family affair.

Caitlyn was honoured with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ceremony in Los Angeles which saw stars from the worlds of sports, film, music and fashion come together to celebrate sporting achievements.

Caitlyn was dressed in a white long-sleeved couture dress by Atelier Versace, whilst her family which included Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kendall, Kylie, Brody, Brandon, Burt and Cassandra were all decked out in black.

Only Kylie and Kendall walked the red carpet - Kylie in a dazzling gold gown whilst Kendall chose a sheer black design - whilst the rest of the family headed straight to their seats.

Also in attendance at the high profile ceremony was actress Rachel Mcadams who opted for a bright red tuxedo. Britney Spears appeared to have arrived straight from her residency in Las Vegas in a showgirl inspired beaded and fringing number.

The sports world didn't scrimp on the glamour either with the likes of soccer stars Alex Morgan and Hope Solo in attendance alongside tennis player Caroline Wozniacki and racing driver Danica Patrick.

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Zayn Malik could be planning a comeback on the front of a glossy fashion magazine.

Zayn Malik's rumoured move into fashion will give him a "completely clean slate", it's claimed.

The singer quit One Direction in March because he wanted to be a normal 22 year old, but he's thought to have big career plans. There are rumours of an impending streetwear label, which were compounded when Zayn attended the recent menswear shows in Paris.

It's thought he is tentatively attempting to carve out a fashion career, which would also serve to put his past scandals - such as being accused of cheating on his fiancée Perrie Edwards - behind him.

"I think any news on other, less controversial topics is good to deflect attention, and moving into fashion is a big departure where he can have a completely clean slate. He looks like the big winner right now," PR expert Arek Estall told British magazine Heat.

One fly in the ointment is Zayn's relationship with producer Naughty Boy. The pair appeared close when Zayn left the band and even started working on music together. They trademarked the name Zaughty, a hybrid of their monikers, but it's thought things have since come unstuck as Zayn lashed out at the producer on Twitter yesterday. Calling him a "fat joke", Zayn is understood to be distressed that Naughty Boy posted a video of him online without asking.

Even if this does mean he has to rethink his plans, many believe it won't harm Zayn's style plans too much.

"Expect a big sexy men's fashion mag cover for A/W15, shot by a top photographer, with loads of coverage in the press - he's more sought after than the rest of One Direction now. His story is sexier," an insider told the publication.

It's not the first time the star has been dubbed the most fashion forward of One Direction. He is close to the group's stylist Caroline Watson, who has previously praised him for not being afraid to take a wardrobe risk.

"Zayn was always the cool, mysterious one that was quite street, but could also be quite high fashion," she said earlier this year. "[Zayn will] take the most risks and he'll definitely push it, but it works. He'll have the ponytail, he'll wear the gold belt, he'll wear the creepers and take those chances. He'll wear something a little bit different that sets everything off. He takes fashion risks and it pays off."

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An amazing colourful fashion festival to celebrate 37th Independence and raise funds for children’s playground at the National Referral Hospital was successfully hosted at the Honiara Hotel last week.

The event also offered the opportunity for local fashion designers to showcase their dress designs which captured the attention of all those who turned up to witness the occasion.

Featured at the fashion festival were contemporary wear, beach wear, evening wear, national dress and uniforms.

It was fashion at its best as more than 40 gorgeous models did a catwalk showcasing the different categories of dress on the stage.

Adding more excitement to the colourful fashion festival was the backup show from Australian RnB/Soul artist Mike Champion.

Co-hosted by graphic designer Millicent Barty and back stage manager Frannie the fashion festival offered an amazing event for guests to celebrate independence and spend their money for good course.

Amongst the guests attending the fashion festival was Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Madam Sogavare.

Events manager Doreen Kuper said, as the country celebrates its 37th Independence anniversary it is time for Solomon Islands to create its own style of fashion.

“Fashion expressed our national identify, who we are and our values and what we want to be.”

She said Solomon Islands have talented local designers who are capable to produce uniforms, national dress and traditional dress that we should take pride of.

“I was blown away by the creativeness produced by the local designers especially those who do their own printing,” she said.

The local designers who engaged in the fashion festival are Lavalyn Grossmith, Frances Do’oro, Judy Barty, Stephanie Eta and Grace Kelesi.

Meanwhile Mrs Kuper said, from the event the committee is targeting to raise $100,000.

She believed that from the cooperate table, auctions and raffle tickets they already meet the target but the details will be produced later.

Already Kramer Ausenco has offered to design and construct the building.

She acknowledged the Prime Minister and the sponsors for supporting them towards building a playground for the children at the National Referral Hospital.

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Connie Britton ''can go for days'' without washing her hair and says leaving her tresses alone helps them stay shiny.

The 'American Crime Story' actress has admitted people often ''freak out'' when they find out how infrequently she cleans her hair, although she insists it keeps it in the best possible condition.

She said: ''I can go for days without washing my hair, and people freak out about that.

''It gets better from the natural oils that make it shiny and make it do what I want it to do.''

And when it comes to her diet, the blonde beauty confessed she is very restrictive.

She said: ''My philosophy on life impacts my diet. I don't want to create a vision of a woman who is starving herself, but I also like to feel good, so I tend to stick to certain healthy foods that do that. But, I love cake, and I eat it sometimes - even though I don't always feel so great afterward.''

Connie added she isn't concerned with growing older and insists the ageing process is becoming ''less'' scary.

She told E! Online: ''My body is still in good shape, but it's more about the wisdom for me.

''If you serve your spirit, all of a sudden at this age, life is less scary, less overwhelming. Maybe that's the whole secret to life. It's not that bad getting older, you can enjoy it.''

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Celebrities such as Lupita Nyong’o and Emily Blunt sparkled in the heat at Christian Dior’s vivid couture show set in a timeless conservatory in Paris.

It was the highlight of Monday’s autumn-winter 2015-16 Paris Fashion Week shows, which also included Schiaparelli.

Dior celebrities hold court

Lupita Nyong’o looked ravishing in a short, cherry red Dior couture dress on Monday, and was at a loss for words on entering Christian Dior’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” show set inside the Rodin Museum. Guests ventured with trepidation on entering the huge, abstract painted conservatory garden that featured myriad multicoloured panels — and some even tripped on the giant coloured fruit scattered around the floor.

“It’s really cool,” the actress said, looking around in amazement from her spot next to US Vogue editor Anna Wintour. “It’s so incredible. I think I need to take a moment.”

Emily Blunt — in a simple, white knee-length Dior gown — was equally amazed.

“This is just extraordinary. This is kind of why I would walk from London to Paris to see this show. I’m so excited,” she said.

The only thing she regretted about her trip was a lack of sufficient planning for France’s soaring temperatures, which have recently hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

“I mean, I fry like an egg,” she said. “So I’m feeling like I should have put on more sunscreen. Or a higher factor.”

Dior’s sweltering conservatory decor may well have contributed to the over-heating.

Dior time machine

In a surreal garden setting, Dior designer Raf Simons wove his creative needle in and out through different centuries. That produced an imaginative time-travel of a couture show, which riffed on the styles of the Flemish Masters, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

The large fruit props on the runway conjured up scenes from historic still-life oil paintings.

Long diaphanous column silhouettes in chiffon, like medieval undergarments, floated by elegantly alongside gowns with high-cinched waists and wide, billowing sleeves that mirrored the old Flemish styles. Some bejewelled net gilets were worn on the torso, evoking chainmail in a beautiful touch.

The sense of chic time-travel was further heightened with delicate dots and patterns on the fabrics - designs that evoked the French Impressionists and the technique of Pointillism associated with artists like Georges Seurat.

The coats were the highest point of this strong collection, with one standout: a flame-red coat with beautifully large tubular cuffs.

Elsa Schiaparelli’s theatrical delights

Celebrity guests including Meg Ryan were swept away to the glamour of 1930s theatre life at Bertrand Guyon’s debut collection for Schiaparelli.

And what better a setting than to start exploring the theatricality of the great couturier Elsa? Famed for inventing shocking pink and having collaborations with Surrealists like Salvador Dali, Coco Chanel’s hated rival Schiaparelli was one of the greatest and most colourful Parisian designers of the ’20s and ’30s. The house was recently revived.

In an impressive recreated theatre, Guyon’s models harked from another era. Fastidiously embellished ’30s Orientalist satin jackets had softly square shoulders. Silk “jabot” collars and voluminous “duster” coats wafted by with exaggerated pockets, alongside bejewelled eye, star and key lock decorations.

Guyon even referenced the mania for Grecian looks in Schiaparelli’s heyday in a couple of diaphanous column dresses with flashes of gold.

Not all the theatrical exuberance worked, especially one overly clashing multicoloured mink coat. But Guyon is certainly moving the house in a welcome, more coherent direction since the departure last year of designer Marco Zanini.

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Dazzling white smiles can be an expensive business, but a host of so-called “natural” teeth-whitening methods has become an internet craze.

Entire websites are devoted to the unlikely fruit, spices and oils which apparently promise to give you a Hollywood smile at a fraction of the price.

But can natural methods ever really whiten teeth effectively? We asked Dr Uchenna Okoye, clinical director at London Smiling Dental Group…

Strawberries

Claim: Mash up a ripe strawberry, dip your toothbrush in it and brush carefully over teeth. Within two weeks, your teeth will be whiter.

Dentist’s verdict: True.

Strawberries contain citric acid, which can weaken the surface hardness of your teeth. But they also contain the more gentle malic acid, and the riper the strawberry, the higher the concentration of malic acid compared to the more harmful citric acid.

So choose a really ripe strawberry, rub it on your teeth and just like exfoliating the skin, it does remove superficial debris. The malic acid won’t actually break down the stain molecules, but the surface clean gives your teeth a whiter appearance. A gentle and effective natural whitener.

Turmeric powder

Claim: Mix half a teaspoon of dried turmeric powder with a few drops of water and stir to create a thick paste. Dip your toothbrush in (it will be stained yellow) and clean teeth.

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The usual cleaning time of two-to-three minutes is doubled, because of the time it takes to rinse the yellow from your teeth and gums. The abrasive qualities of the bright yellow spice (derived from a root) will clean your teeth.

Verdict: False

This is a recipe for disaster. The rule in dentistry is that anything that will stain a white shirt will stain your teeth. All spices stain teeth but yellow spices are the worst.

Our teeth have tiny surface pores called dentin tubules, and colour molecules – chromogens – block these microscopic holes. This is why your teeth appear dark. You need to unblock these stained pores to make your teeth appear whiter – but turmeric would just penetrate them.

Orange pith

Claim: The white part of the orange skin, between the surface and the flesh of the fruit, contains d-limonene, which can help remove stains from your teeth after using it for three weeks. Peel the orange, keeping as much of the pith as you can.

Rub the white part of the peel over your teeth, and let the juice sit on your teeth for three-to-five minutes. Brush your teeth thoroughly to clean away pulp and peel, and after several weeks the chemical will have whitened the appearance.

Verdict: False.

The advice I give all my patients is to be very wary of fruit juices and to drink them with a straw (if they have to drink juice).

So this claim goes against every piece of advice and scientific evidence I can think of.

The citric acid within the orange causes tooth enamel to dissolve. This erosion can lead to tooth decay, and once the erosion has reached the soft, inner layer of your tooth known as dentin, you’ll experience sensitivity and pain. Avoid.

Banana peel

Claim: High levels of potassium, magnesium and manganese in bananas can help remove stains from teeth. Simply peel a ripe banana, and rub your teeth with the insides of the peel for about two minutes. After three weeks, your teeth will have whitened.

Verdict: True.

If you rub the skin it can act as a gentle exfoliator and will remove some surface stains, but the banana will not reach inside the pores on the surface of your enamel – so no true “deep” clean will take place.

However, I like the idea that you can eat a banana and give your teeth a quick healthy buff before running off to a meeting.

Cider vinegar

Claim: Rinsing with apple cider vinegar (mix two parts of water) will make teeth whiter and protect teeth and gums from bacteria.

Verdict: False.

Cider vinegar is a favourite of “detox” devotees. Once swallowed, it mixes with pancreatic secretions in the intestines and turns alkaline, but when it hits your teeth, it is an acid, albeit a weak one.

This makes the enamel on your teeth less resistant to damage – like wetting a chalk and then scraping off the surface. A low acid level – such as the malic acid in strawberries – won’t harm your teeth. But this will buff away a deeper layer of enamel, and should be avoided.

Coconut oil

Claim: A 3 000-year-old Ayurvedic way to clean teeth is to swish a tablespoon of oil (usually coconut, sesame or olive oil) around your mouth for 20 minutes every morning. The coconut oil sticks to the oil in the cell membranes of any bacteria in your mouth, so when you spit it out, you are ridding your mouth of unwanted micro-organisms. Used by stars including Gwyneth Paltrow, who claim it whitens teeth and improves complexion.

Verdict: False.

There is no scientific evidence at all that “oil pulling”, as it’s called, will whiten teeth, or even remove bacteria.

It’s possible that the act of swishing the oil around your mouth will dislodge some bacteria or debris, so followed by a careful brushing session, your teeth may look cleaner. But no science shows that oil pulling will make your teeth any whiter.

Bicarbonate of soda

Claim: Bicarbonate of soda is a mild abrasive which effectively removes stains on teeth caused by coffee, red wine and tea.

In a cup, mix half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with half a teaspoon of water, mix to form a paste, dip your toothbrush into the mixture and brush teeth for one-to-two minutes. After just a few days you will notice a difference.

Verdict: True.

Bicarbonate of soda – otherwise known as baking soda – is somehow considered natural but it is actually a chemical, and used commercially in some teeth-whitening products and toothpastes. It does effectively remove plaque and debris on the surface of the teeth to make them appear brighter, and it also can neutralise bacterial acids in the mouth.

But it is an abrasive compound and, as such, will damage the enamel protecting the teeth if used too much.

Try it three times a year to lift those surface stains, and to avoid damaging the enamel use your finger to rub it on or a flannel.

Lemons

Claim: Suck on a slice of lemon for several minutes each morning, or rinse your mouth with lemon juice squeezed into a glass of water. The acid from the lemon will deep-clean even the tiniest of molecules lodged in your teeth.

Verdict: False.

Lemons have such a high concentration of citric acid that their juice is acidic enough to corrode enamel. Lemon juice has no place in the mouth at all.

Lemons are more acidic than vinegar. Far from whitening your teeth, they’ll dissolve them away. I have seen patients who suck lemons and are left with the imprint of a lemon slice on their teeth – requiring bonding and veneering to cover it up. Avoid this at all costs – it is the same as bathing your teeth in a glass of cola.

So which is best?

Strawberries are the best natural teeth-cleaners here. They taste great, are fantastic for the teeth and contain antioxidants, which are healthy, too. Gorge on them over summer and let them naturally clean your teeth.

They won’t push out the tiny colour molecules which cause staining, but they will give your teeth a cleaner appearance without harming them.

Meanwhile, professional whitening should be done by a trained dental worker and maintained with a whitening toothpaste – and perhaps a mouthful of strawberries!

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