A Peek at What it’s Like Attending a Movie Premiere: The Danish Girl

My Tuesday has been insane, so I wanted to share it with you!

First, I went to an afternoon tea cooking class and had yummy treats galore.m That lasted from 10am until 2pm. I caught the Tube home, ran inside, dropped off my doggy bag of leftover cake, scones and pastries and left again to attend something I saw advertised in today’s Metro newspaper…The Danish Girl movie premiere at Leicester Square. (For those who don’t know, Leicester Square’s Odeon Cinema has long been home to some of the biggest film premieres in the country and the city of London.)

I walk up the the sidewalk, all barricaded up for the fans and covered in movie posters, and take my place ready to see the stars… two and a half hours early.

At 5pm, they started setting up the carpet, to cover the wide span of ground, which included several carpets. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look:

All that press for me?!?

We wait. And wait. And then, one of the first arrivals? Academy Award Winner Eddie Redmayne, in a gorgeous tailored-to-perfection tartan suit, with his better half not far away from his side.

First, he signed a few papers in different sections and one group selfie about three people down from me. Then, he was ushered to the press pen for some photos. (Side note: wow, the what-seems-like millions of camera flashes are very blinding. Gave me a bit of a headache just looking straight ahead.)

But, always by side in the photos? Wife Hannah… *Insert collective awww here*

Mr & Mrs Redmayne sneak in a word amidst the craziness of the film premiere’s red carpet.

More arrivals followed:

“Call the Midwife” star and Elsa in “The Danish Girl,” Emerald Fennell poses for the camera. Love her dress and all the little beaded elements!

Actor Matthias Schoenaerts from the film smiles for the press.

After press photos, Eddie worked his way backwards and came towards my section once again. (Cue my inner fangirl here.)

He shakes the girl’s hand beside me.

He walks right to me, grabs his Sharpie, looks in my eyes as he signs my notebook. I go to speak and get a bit tongue-tied: a series of incoherent noises squeak out, then I quickly blurt out “Great job” as he’s ushered away to continue the press line.

Then, I get an autograph!

More arrivals:

Star Alicia Vikanders arrives and poses for the cameras at The Danish Girl UK premiere.

The stars pose together for the ultimate PR-requested shot:

Everyone moves further down the line, eventually leading to the cinema, as the stars’ interviews are projected on the big screen for us fans to see and hear.

Aww, adorable Eddie Redmayne answering questions…

That’s it! The red carpet was over, and so, with now freezing toes, I made my way back to the crowded Tube and headed home.

One last look upon leaving…

Wow, that was such an incredible evening! And I can’t believe that I met a superbly talented OSCAR-WINNING actor, who I’ve been obsessed with since seeing him as Marius in Les Mis.

24Nov2015

What it’s like to attend the British Fashion Awards 2015

Posted in Fashion, Miranda Goes Global by msiwak

So, for all my fashionistas out there reading this, as you probably all know: tonight, Monday was the British Fashion Awards. It’s such a huge deal for the fashion scene in London, and I’m so glad I was able to attend! Let’s debrief the coveted night, shall we?

(For a look at all the amazing fashion, check out this gallery on ELLE! Note: I know I normally post red carpet fashion reviews, but since everyone was dressed so ahmazingly, the review would have been boring. So, settle for my inside, firsthand peek at what the event is actually like!)

By the time I arrived to the London Coliseum, the street was blocked off in anticipation and a queue formed down the block for non-famous attendees. As I positioned myself in line, I looked around at the fashions around me: stunning, both men and women alike. It really is true what they say about London being one of the most fashionable cities– this event brought out the most stylish of ensembles from everyone in attendance.

I’m on the red carpet!

Feeling official.

I wait in line (there was a slight delay in programming). And finally the red carpet beneath my feet leads me to the official sign where all the paparazzi photos are taken from (see above.) Pinch me, I must be dreaming. I follow the crowd, walk inside and up the steps to the balcony. Upon entering the room, I’m struck by how gorgeous the building is, and then right in the center of the floor were hundreds of guests eating dinner and mingling (see below.) I couldn’t stop staring at the sheer amount of gorgeous gowns and tailored tuxes.

I find my seat: Row D of the balcony, not too shabby. I take a seat and am so excited for the show to start.

A view from wayyy up in the balcony…

British comedian Jack Whitehall starts the show by discussing the immense talent of British designers, the true legends in the room (cough cough Lagerfeld) and poking fun at some famous attendees (Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell included.)

Comedian Jack Whitehall starts the show with some jokes!

With every moment that went on, I couldn’t believe that I was really here with these hugely influential names in front of me, all together celebrating the bright talents of British fashion.

Rosie Huntington Whitely and Nick Grimshaw, the first presenters! Love her dress, btw!

The runway show to celebrate 2015 in fashion. I honestly thought the construction workers were going to pull a Magic Mike type of thing: they did not.

Surprise! Lady Gaga sashays down the catwalk to accept the award on behalf of Tom Ford.

Congrats Jourdan Dunn on her Model of the Year award! And Oliver Rousteing of Balmain presented it to her, selfie stick in hand, and asked her to twerk instead of giving her speech.

ANNA WINTOUR.

PINCH ME I MUST BE DREAMING… That legend and icon Karl Lagerfeld was really in the same room as me.

Another icon, Naomi Campbell presenting Burberry with the Creative Campaign award for its outstanding social skills.

The British public have spoken! They named FKA Twigs their style star. And she was so sweet dedicating the award to her mum and grandmother who has “sassy legs.”

The British public have spoken! They also named Gwendolyn Christie their style star. And she is so tall in real life.

Karlie Kloss makes an appearance! Woo, that makes two of us from my hometown in attendance!

Celeb crush of all time? Mr. Orlando Bloom.

That’s a wrap!

One last view….

I grab my goodie bag and follow the crowds out of the building to the tune of Justin Bieber’s “Sorry.” I walk outside where suddenly I’m being pelted by raindrops. I scurry down the street and find that a pub has an overhang I can stand under until my Uber driver arrives. Many people have the same idea, including one winner from the night. Guess who? CHRISTOPHER BAILEY, aka the genius behind Burberry’s biggest moments, AND he was standing right beside me for a moment in time. I still can’t believe THAT happened.

Ah, that was such an incredible night to celebrate the best of fashion here in London. I had an incredible time and truly enjoyed every moment of it. Definitely one of my favorite nights in London all semester and a memory I’ll always treasure…

14Oct2015

Paging Monsieur Lagerfeld… at the Mademoiselle Prive exhibition

Posted in Fashion, Miranda Goes Global by msiwak

Hi all! I’m back after quite a fashion-involved morning here in London. So, the Saatchi Gallery is currently hosting the “Mademoiselle Prive” exhibit, featuring the careers of Gabrielle Chanel to Karl Lagerfeld at the Chanel brand. It’s a “journey through the origins of Chanel’s creations capturing the charismatic personality and irreverent spirit of Mademoiselle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld.” And it was nothing less than pure perfection. I loved it! And luckily, I didn’t have to queue to get in as I saw a long queue waiting to enter upon my exit. I thought I’d give you a sneak peek of the exhibit below with some photos:

Entering the exhibit through a pretty garden!

Giant diamond necklace inside a cage inside a giant “diamond.”

Pearls, pearls and more pearls!

Gorgeous. Breathtaking.

See the logo at the bottom?

See the logo at the base?

An original bottle of Chanel No. 5!

Lagerfeld made a gardenia out of tweed… yea…. It’s gorgeous.

Labyrinth garden room, like Miss Chanel’s for inspiration.

Lagerfeld custom designs for the exhibit!

Lagerfeld’s personal snaps of celebs and models in Chanel.

Movie made by Lagerfeld himself.

Just beautiful.

Only slot machine I’d want to play… The Chanel one.

Embroidered details.

This is a fantastic exhibit, and I highly highly highly recommend to anyone that’ll be in London through November! It’s so worth it!

4Oct2015

Releasing my inner fangirl at a One Direction concert in London

Posted in Miranda Goes Global, Pop Culture by msiwak

So, last Monday was the day I went to the ONE DIRECTION concert in London!!! (Can you hear my inner fangirl shrieking?) It was so incredible to see the boys live for the third time, and this time in their home country! 🙂 It was a great night. Now, on to some of the great highlights from their fourth show in London:

Harry told Karen Payne (Liam’s mum), who was there with his older sister, to “stand her pretty a** up” during the show. And they were seated in the same side of the stage as me. No biggie. But, what Harry said was so him and absolutely hilarious.
When reading signs, Liam and Harry found a couple there on their anniversary and they said they had their first kiss watching Elf, to which Harry said, “nothing like… to put you in the mood.” Oh, that’s so Harry…
Liam spoke of how all of his lyrics are about skinny jeans, hospitals and drinking… Well, he’s not wrong… I wonder what a psychologist would say about that one? (And yes, Liam: psychology is a real word. Note: this is a reference to an interview they did with Ellen Degeneres.)
Liam asked if his mum and sister were liking the show. Awww, he’s too cute.
During WMYB (and the whole encore really) Liam and Louis had a huge water fight, chucking entire contents of several water bottles at each other while Harry/ Niall were singing their parts… It was hilarious.

There were so many amazing moments, songs and it was so awesome to be able to see them at their real height and see their faces! 🙂 Ready for some pictures?

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View from my seat! So close to the stage!

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Boys on the main stage.

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Niall and his guitar.

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Liam.

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Harry mastering the “tip the mic stand” move.

Awww, buddies Liam and Niall…

Side note: who’s looking forward to the release of “Made in the A.M.” next month??

27Sep2015

[London] Fashion Week and I

Posted in Fashion, Miranda Goes Global by msiwak

After a week of classes and writing essays, I decided a fun weekend was in order. And so, that’s what this post will be primarily focusing on! So, as you may know, this month is Fashion Month all over the globe (and this past week was London Fashion Week). This weekend was London fashion Weekend, a chance for regular people like me to see catwalk shows, shop the pop-up shows, hear industry-based talks and experience the craziness of fashion week. Here’s some pictures of my time! I loved it! .

Saatchi Gallery: home of the event!

The House of Holland show was incredible! The designs were amazing! And it was so cool to attend a fashion show– and sit second row!

Extra, extra! Press box.

Now, onto that fabulous collection!

The show was absolutely amazing! Henry Holland’s collection was truly breathtaking. He will work with several different prints and colors in one outfit, and it will turn out so cute. Can he design clothes for the rest of my life? This collection is gorgeous. Then, after the show, I went straight upstairs to make it to the one industry talk I was really interested in: a panel on careers in fashion! It was so neat to hear from a bunch of executives in the fashion industry, from magazines, fashion houses and communications firms. It was so cool to hear! Then, I went back to the pop-up shops again for a last-minute browse before heading out.

8Sep2015

Cheers from London with a Fashion Update

Posted in Fashion, Miranda Goes Global by msiwak

Hi from England! I’m currently in the midst of my first week in London on study abroad (for all my abroad adventures check out my travel blog here.) and I’ve been a bit obsessed with the fashion scene while I’ve been here so far.

First, today I had much-needed visit to some British fashion meccas: Harrods and Topshop. (And they were right across the street from each other… Lucky, huh?!? It’s perfect.) Also, since I’ll be here for London Fashion Week, I’ll definitely try to post reviews of collections once they are available or even a review of street style (Love the chicness of the native London citizens! Everyone is dressed to the nines! I feel right at home with my trench coat, wellies and riding boots.)

Now, on to the real purpose of this blog post. So, this past Sunday as I wandered through Kensington Gardens (literally right across the street from my flat), I stopped in to visit Kensington Palace (and I swear Prince Harry was leaving via helicopter as I arrived!) and saw such an AHMAZING fashion exhibit! It’s called “Fashion Rules” and features loans of gowns worn by the Queen, her sister Princess Margaret and Princess Di. Definitely recommend for any other fashion fanatics and those obsessed with the royal family (which is like all of America, lol).

The gowns were unreal to see in person, so I thought I’d share them below.

Vogue images from over the years (to correspond with the decade’s trends) lined the walls!

Gowns worn by the Queen (now officially Britain’s longest reigning monarch):

Gowns worn by Princess Margaret:

And now, gowns from Princess Diana (!!!):

They are all so stunning– I can’t single out one dress over the others that I love the most! They are all impeccably tailored and the details are just incredible. Can I please be a princess? Pretty pretty please? Harry, you listening?? 😉 To be able to wear gowns like that would be like a real dream come true… But, alas, I guess I’ll have to just stick to writing about gowns like that for now.

Well, that’s all for tonight. See you all later from the U.K.!

24Aug2015

Leaving on a jet plane…

Posted in Miranda Goes Global by msiwak

Hi guys! So, after spending such an incredible summer living in Manhattan, I’ve had to leave. Sad face. But, that means my fall semester adventures can officially begin! I couldn’t be more excited to spend my time living in London, exploring all over the U.K. and Europe, interning with a local business and experiencing all the wonders of traveling, as I so love to do!

Since it’s crunch time for me to get ready for my epic travel adventures, I thought today’s blog post would focus on travel tips and perhaps things I want to do abroad/in London.

WHAT TO KNOW WHEN GOING GLOBAL:

1. Pack light. You don’t need twelve pairs of pants, several ball gowns and six pairs of boots (numbers approximate.). A few pairs of pants, shoes, etc are plenty. Remember, there’s always laundry. And if you pack too much, then you can’t go shopping… So, isn’t it worth it not to overpack?

2. When traveling for an extended period of time, always choose your outfits ahead of time. What I do is lay out all my options and take pictures of complete outfits. It also helps to show you how versatile each piece can be. If you can’t wear an item multiple ways, leave it at home!

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Example from my NYC packing!

3. Dress for comfort on the plane! Especially when you’re on a long flight, always wear clothes that are light and easy to move in. Also, grab a pair of compression socks when traveling internationally! Do you really want an increased risk of blood clots and DVT/ cankles?

4. Make sure you have some identifiable trait that makes your luggage easy to distinguish. I mean, everyone has a black rolling suitcase. Sometimes, I travel with a brightly colored pink suitcase or have a colorful ribbon or luggage tag, so I’ll always be able to i.d. my bags at baggage claim.

5. When on the plane, sleep as much as you can! You don’t want to waste a day when you arrive being jet lagged. (A sleep mask is a great investment!) Hint: the window seat is the best place to fall asleep, as you can lean on the wall. Or, if you are not able to sit at a window seat, you can rest on your tray table or just lean back, but please don’t be that person who leans way too far back, giving the person behind you no space for comfort. (For inspiration on how to avoid jet lag: remember Gilmore Girls? This is what not to do.)

6.When packing, ROLL don’t fold or place flat. Rolling allows you to take up less space, and thus, you can add more to the suitcase. Or you can put everything in Ziplocs or Space Bags, and make sure to get the air out!

7. Just in case your baggage does not make it to your destination on time, always always always make sure to add some extra undergarments, deodorant/ toiletries and a change of clothes in your carryon. (When traveling abroad, you do not want to board the plane with one tiny little purse exclusively.) Adapt to a backpack or big tote and put your essentials inside. This was my lifesaver in Israel last year. (No luggage for 3 out of 10 days is definitely not ideal, but I survived due to preparation.)

8. Pack snacks! You’ll definitely get hungry on a long flight and sometimes the little peanuts or the prepackaged meals won’t really help. So, always bring easy snacks for the length of the flight. However, please don’t be the person with the airport fast food. The entire plane will instantly dislike you, as it stinks up the whole cabin.

9. Speaking of the airlines food options, if you have a meal allergy or specific preference always make a note under the “special requests” section when booking your flight! The last thing you want is to be given some food item that you cannot eat. You can even do it after the ticket is bought, as long as they have 24 hours notice to be able to order everything.

10. With a long flight, I always like to go to the bathroom about an hour before landing to freshen up. Change any clothing items that are no longer fresh or clean/ not weather appropriate, and you can also use this time to freshen up your hair and makeup from the flight.

My London Bucket List:

What do I want to do in London?

Hello? London. Home of TOPSHOP. But, I think that one is quite obvious.
Since I’m staying in Kensington: PETER PAN statue (Finding Neverland!) and Royal Family sightings perhaps?
Well, I already know this one: see One Direction live at the O2 arena!! (Eeep, I’m legit soo excited!)
Fitness/ dance classes at Seen on Screen! (Seems like fun for a dancer like me!!)
Travel… EVERYWHERE. (Well, time and budget permitting)
West End shows! (Obviously…)
Singalong film at the Prince Charles Cinema? I think yes. (I mean, Grease singalong?!?!)
Historical sites that are obviously necessary to visit.
Well, since celeb spotting was a thing in NYC… How about royal spotting?? 😉 Also, I wouldn’t say no to 1D spotting… 😉
Shopping, obvi… (Think Harrods, Spitalfields Market, etc)

I can’t wait to go to London!

6May2015

My New York City Bucket List

Posted in Miranda Goes Global, Welcome to New York by msiwak

So, I’ll be living in NYC this summer and I decided I can’t live in one of the greatest cities in the world without creating a comprehensive list of everything I want to do (outside of my class and future internship, of course.)

1. Get good deals to see as many Broadway shows as time allows.

2. Wait at the stagedoor of said Broadway shows (it was so fun to do it at If/Then in March!)

3. Explore Central Park and many other cute parks

4. Wake up super early to attend one of Today/ GMA’s summer concert series (my friend and I already have plans!)

5. Exploring what “random” daily events, festivals and activities are happening around the city

6. Visit my favorite store, Topshop, of course (either location will suffice)

7. Find time to visit the different Manhattan neighborhoods

8. Go to a farmers market!

9. Shopping excursions (both for trendy pieces at retail and discount prices)

10. Go to the cupcake ATM because who doesn’t love cupcakes?

11. Try something new! ( In terms of an activity, food, fashion trend, place to visit, etc)

I’m looking forward to exploring such an amazing city like a true New Yorker. Bring on summer, I’m ready! xx

11Jan2015

I’m so excited!

Posted in Fashion, Miranda Goes Global, Miranda Tries New Things, Welcome to New York by msiwak

Hi guys!

So, I have an exciting announcement to make! As of this week, I will be going to to Teen Vogue’s annual “Fashion University” program in March!

It’s described as “the only educational program where the business of fashion is taught by its stars.” As well as, “TEEN VOGUE brings designers, models, entrepreneurs, and insiders together with the future leaders of the fashion and beauty industries.”

I’m so excited to be able to learn more about journalism in the fashion industry! And it’ll be such an AH-MAZING networking opportunity before I move up to NYC for the summer!

I can’t wait to see what lays ahead when I head up to New York in a couple months! Look out for some blog posts on my experiences!

xx.

30Oct2014

I HAVE VERY IMPORTANT NEWS.

Posted in Miranda Goes Global, Uncategorized, Welcome to New York by msiwak

Guess what? So, I had applied for a program with my school for this summer… and I got in!!! Guess where I’ll be?!?!?!

That’s right, NYC. I’ll be taking a class (where we get a backstage tour of the Gershwin!), wandering the city (Hello? I must go see If/Then, finally!) and wait for it: INTERNING. And as a journalism major, I’m hoping for a magazine internship!

We get to explore the city, take class (hands-on exploring) in the fields of Comm (!!), business, and theater/broadway (My inner fangirl is shrieking right now.) We will then be researching one area in the city for a big paper, and it can be ANYthing! And on top of that, interning! Which, I may admit that my Chanukah present from my parents will be the perfect addition to my NYC magazine internship wardrobe. 😉

AHHHHH!!!! I’m SO EXCITED!!

I’ll try to post a weekly (if not daily or every other day– it all depends on my schedule with interning) blog post this summer from my experience.

I’m so excited, I’ve been pinning outfits for my internship:

And COMMENT BELOW if you have any suggestions on places to visit or networking opportunities for internships! (I’ve only made it to the city once.)

After all,

**Note: these graphics are courtesy of tumblr.

quite simply miranda

Category Archives: Miranda Goes Global

A Peek at What it’s Like Attending a Movie Premiere: The Danish Girl

What it’s like to attend the British Fashion Awards 2015

Paging Monsieur Lagerfeld… at the Mademoiselle Prive exhibition

Releasing my inner fangirl at a One Direction concert in London

[London] Fashion Week and I

Cheers from London with a Fashion Update

Leaving on a jet plane…

My New York City Bucket List

I’m so excited!

I HAVE VERY IMPORTANT NEWS.