Hello my beloved readership,

in November of last year I have attended a special photo shooting at Liz Malraux. During my stay in hospital I received the results. See them here and with that an as important message.

The Hamburg Couture designer Liz Malraux may have closed both her shops at the Neuer Wall as well as the Alstertal Shopping Center as a result of the Corona-Pandemic, which has overcome the world since March 2020, (Fall4Me was the first to report about it here) but nonetheless she still continues to work in full swing. Not only she is still delivering a new collection twice a year (Spring/Summer, Autumn/Winter) along with her known fashion shows but also she is strengthening her online offer and cultivating contact to her clients with extra services and events. One of these events was an exclusive photo shooting.

Liz Malraux was inviting her regular customers to her new opened concept store in Rosengarten, located in the south of Hamburg for Friday, November 12th. With that she has made a part of her estate her point of sale as well as studio and event-location within a rustic single-family house residental area. As places for her exclusive events are limited or – in times of the Corona-pandemic – take place single registrations and appointments are required. So as my appointment was in the late afternoon I arrived at hers in darkness of autumn. The cold and the fog went a step further to complete the gloomy November-atmosphere. However that changed once I arrived at Liz‘ estate and already witnessed her brightly enlightened concept store through the window from outside and recognised her colourful familiar creations. I rang at the door and received a very warm welcome from her and her staff even though she was as always busy with some other loyal customers and guests. Still I enjoyed her sight as she was once again wearing my favourite outfit – lilac on top and a culotte combined with stout shoes on the bottom.

It was a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere in the white building decorated with leather-furniture and antique paintings. I did not expect anything less being familiar with her taste and lifestyle. On top I can finally speak out loud my constant thought that her home reminded me of my parental home. Such a sophisticated taste seems to be typical for that generation.

As I was her last appointment on 5 pm I was immediately led to her make-up artist Daniela Delfs, who is also permanently responsible for the make-up on her fashion-shows. She had furnished her movable make-up studio in Liz‘ winter garden on the right wing of her villa. On the other side of the room the designer created her studio with her emblem which we all know hanging on the wall. Like this the photographer Thomas “Thommy” Willkowei was a company beside the make-up artist. As I had taken off my coat my wrapover, which I had chosen to take it off and on easily without ruining my hair and make-up when switching into Liz Malraux’ couture creations for the shooting, did not leave one thing unnoticed: “Oh baby bump…”, Daniela correctly remarked. In this very calm atmosphere the photographer still could spread the necessary happiness when he stated that this is going to be a very special shooting. And as it always is once someone is pregnant, besides from the typical questions about the gender and due date someone always has a story about pregnancy in stock. In this case the designer herself. The make-up artist let me choose what kind of make-up I wanted to have so I immediately shot “smokey eyes” rocky and indestructible as I am — while my make-up was done Mrs. Wasserthal, Liz Malraux’ “right hand”, came in asking me which colours the clothes I was going to wear should have, as LMC serves all colours. She even returned with some outfits. I do not want to sound conceited but since I can wear anything I was doing hard answering that question — I wanted to wear colours I usually do not wear so much and go with the trends of the season such as green or brown. Apart from that I was open for the suggestions Liz’ assistant made. The choice of lipstick was as hard for all of us most of all because we did not know what I was going to wear. But the designer helped out. She insisted me to wear classic red lipstick as she stressed that I am a classic type combining it with compliments about my hair and eyes. Huge thanks once again, my dear Liz!

Daniela Delfs did not have much to do with my long and shiny dark brown hair. She even expressed her satisfaction about them.

Then I was ready to go to the changing room next door where Liz had already prepared a dress in white, black and red (photo 3 and 4) including her the multi-size-lacing she was famous for. In that context she explained me that thanks to her very own creations she never had to wear any kind of maternity wear (more about that in the Babylove by Fall4Me section soon) and could always look pretty. The designer chose that outfit for me because she wanted me to wear a matching fascinator as the artist herself cherished me for being the type for head-pieces inspired by the British royals. The outfit was complete with red accessories. As I did not know what kind of outfit I was going to wear I missed to take my classy black patent leather pumps with me which would have probably matched any LMC outfit. So I only had the most possible shoes with me already on which could face the frosty and wet November-weather: my stout black ankle boots. Therefore I slipped into the pumps that Liz used for her models – correspondingly in model size at least two sizes too big for my average-women-size-feet. That was visibly a balance to keep especially eight months pregnant. Mentioning this Liz insisted highest attention on me posing so that my baby and I would not get injured. That was very meaningful to me.

To be honest I was quite nervous during the shooting – stage fright – just kidding, it was simply a huge honor for me to be there and actually do this. Liz Malraux events are always like this for me. So in order to bring out my best smile of me the designer cheered me up with me going to have a daughter soon. Yes, this was just the necessary motivation. But apart from that I have to admit that the fascinator in that position was not easy to keep as it was quite heavy and fit loose.

I was given a second outfit: a skirt and a blazer with a zip. A perfect outfit for an elegant night out! I could not believe my luck that with such a baby bump I could still wear a skirt, thank you for proving me differently Liz! This time the butterflies were all we needed as accessories. Just my shoes changed from red to black.

Let us take a deep breath, the shooting was done! But typically for mothers from the east Liz did not want to let me go without a dish. An exquisite haut-cuisine with small portions of vinaigrette, the typical season-food pumpkin and sea-food served with a glass of water suitable for a pregnant woman. While eating I could watch her latest fashion show which was on her TV all the time. I asked her about Oumy’s new blonde hairstyle about which she stated that she actually wanted the model to colour her hair blonde for a change. But the black beauty defended herself against that – for good as I find.

Since Liz had to get her flight to Poland I soon left with a very warm goodbye and best wishes for the upcoming and a firm “see you soon”, with new additions and heavy (positively) promises.

I will not be able to attend her next fashion show due to family matters but I am going to visit her soon. Stay tuned!

Huge and heartily thanks to Liz Malraux and her creative team:

• Style: Liz Malraux Couture
• MUAH: Daniela Delfs
• Photos: Thomas “Thommy” Willkowei

Thank You

A lot of people along with their stories, the burdens they have been carrying and sometimes still carry as well the ideas with which we have reinvented the world had left their impact and with that made their contribution to give me the inspiration I needed to deliver you frequently life-motivating articles which had anyhow – just as some kind of good fortune – always matched my styles as well as the trends.

The stories have never been told obviously or too much in detail so have the people concerned as source of inspiration always been held anonymous. Their stories did not mean to attract or to entertain but for you to develop further just like I have grown from and with these stories and what we did with them. Perhaps these people did not have any idea about the strength of impact their stories were bearing. So if you recognize yourself, do not feel exposed but proud to be able to help someone out there without even knowing.

Having this in mind I want to speak out an anonymous but very close to heart thank you.

Love, Johanna