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It’s no secret Pitusa have been my cure all for any summer style woes this season, and for many seasons prior to this one! Whilst I didn’t predict the number one accessory for summer 2020 to be a face mask, there’s been no better feeling than wearing dresses I created with my favourite Miami based beach-wear brand.

I collaboratively curated this 15 piece capsule collection with Pitusa’s brand founder Clara Lagos. As a girl who lives in the city with a serious penchant for beach style, I wanted to produce something that translated well from beach to city. I wanted pillowy volume, contemporary spins on classic prairie cuts, with Pitusa’s free flowing, oceanic inspired silhouettes, made from the finest Indian and Peruvian cotton.

I went for a pastel colour palette because it suits a variety of skin tones and I wanted the hues to be seaside inspired, so I went for buttermilk yellows, faded pinks, pistachio greens, lavender purples, maya blues and off whites. I loved adding Pitusa’s classic Inca trim to the designs, giving them a bohemian influence with a bold pop of colour.

It’s so hard to pick a favourited design, but I adored the smocked bodice on the Taylor dress, it’s such a timeless classic and I got so many compliments wearing it on holiday in Santorini! The Angelica dress fast became my go-too for day wear in the city, and thanks to the buttoned-down neck line it was great for breast feeding Sienna on the go!

View my full MillieXPitusa Collaboration here.

When it comes to staying fit, healthy, strong and active during pregnancy, there’s a lot of conflicting ideas thrown around, information overload reaches fever pitch so it’s normal to be more cautious, its normal to have reservations about certain movements and its normal to not have the energy to do any exercise at all! I teamed up with Simone De La Rue, the brains behind Body By Simone, a revolutionary, globally renowned workout method, to create a pregnancy safe workout that’s really simple to follow at home.

So, let’s look to the positives of movement through the trimesters. It works to boost your mood, helps you sleep better, increases muscle strength and stamina (which I’m guessing is as much needed post-partum as it is pre-natal) eases or even prevents any back pain and improves your ability to deal with labour. As with anything pregnancy related, it’s important to listen to your body and use the time you use training as a chance to connect with the changes that are happening in the body.

Simone has recently become a mother herself and is a pre and post-natal exercise specialist, so I couldn’t think of anyone better to team up with to provide at home pre-natal work outs. Simone takes into consideration that you may feel differently through each day of your pregnancy, so three different full body work outs are provided. Depending on your energy levels you could try just the one or on a very good day, you could try all three back to back!

Simone De La Rue and Millie Mackintosh for Body By Simone. Photos by STUDIO 1208

Simone has taught me about how important it is to strengthen the upper body for carrying your baby and breastfeeding, as this can really take its toll on your posture, and her lower body work outs prepare you for delivery as well as making you feel strong from head to toe, both mentally and physically.

I’m super impressed with the results of this program and I can’t wait for you to all to experience it for yourselves

You can buy the DVD here or download the App here.

This British Fashion Awards at The Royal Albert Hall is one of the most important events on the fashion calendar. This year it was going to be all the more special for me thanks to my very important plus one, aka ‘the bump’.

I love dressing up for the Red Carpet, but it can be quite nerve racking at the best of times, let alone when trying to accommodate my growing baby! So, to make sure everything ran smoothly, prep for everything from my outfit, particularly shoes thanks to pregnancy having its way with the comfort of my feet, and of course, where I was going to get red carpet ready started one month prior to the event.

The notion of swapping what I’d usually wear for something designed to accommodate my pregnancy wasn’t going to easy, but it turns out there really are some conventable pregnancy red carpet looks to try, and between the help of the amazing celebrity stylist Anna Bromilow, and My Wardrobe HQ who had very kindly invited me as their guest, I was in very safe hands.

Now all I had to do was calm my nerves and make it to the red carpet. Getting ready at The Kensington Hotel made it a much more calming experience. They kindly opened their doors and welcomed me into their beautiful Kensington Suite, which had me tempted to put on the fluffy bathrobe, order room service and watch a movie!

Before long I found myself standing in front of a mirror, wearing a show stopping mint green dress by the very talented English designer Emilia Wickstead, I accessorised with the finest jewellery borrowed from William and Son and a tiny but beautiful bag which was the perfect shade of green to match my dress from Rosantica, and of course a comfy but still sexy shoes by Nicholas Kirkwood. My Emilia Wickstead dress was rented from My Wardrobe HQ, a new clothing hire service to support sustainable fashion. Without forgetting my super talented glam team, Tim Crespin was the master and commander behind my hair look using Kerastase, my make up was perfected by my all time favourite Christine Lucignano using Chanel. Before I knew it I was I stepping out of the car, onto the red carpet and greeted by a field of flashing lights…………

I am thrilled to announce that my beauty collection is back for a third year!!! ? Available nationwide Boots head online to check out my full range! Let me know which products you’re excited to try ????? #ad #milliemackintoshbeauty

What’s your daily mantra? CONFIDENT really works for me. To celebrate the launch of Lancome’s new fragrance Idôle, share your mantras to be your own idol #WeAreTheFuture #IdolebyLancome Head over to www.lancome.co.uk to find out more!

I also loved being a part of the Teint Idole Ultra Wear campaign with Lancome. If you’re looking for a foundation that lasts all day then look no further than Teint Idole Ultra Wear! Try it now and get your free sample from one of Lancôme’s counters (there are 45 shades)

I am so excited to be continuing my #Extentioniste training program with the amazing James Galvin and Kérastase! Since the wedding Extentioniste has really helped maintain the condition of my hair and made it feel strong and healthy. Check out the before & after below!

When Lancôme celebrates their 15 year anniversary of Hypnose and invites you to film in one of the most decadent locations in honour of the iconic buildable volume mascara…… you simply say YES!

Partnering up with a company such as Klarna and working alongside their passionate team over the last six months has been a real pleasure.
The ‘Smoooth Stores Project’, is an initiative to give back to young brands and creatives with aim to discover the UK’s next big fashion, accessory or interiors brand, offering an incredible prize of receiving mentoring from senior Klarna Executives, free use of Klarna’s Pay later product for 1 year* and £10,000. When Klarna reached out to Hugo and I, we immediately wanted to be involved.

As brand owners and creatives ourselves we know only too well how important it is for young companies and brands to have additional support.

Once the 8 finalists had been shortlisted, Hugo and I had the chance to decide which brands we each wanted to champion in the competition. We were then off on road trips as we travelled across the UK to meet with each business and the people who launched them and continued to work tirelessly bringing their beautiful products to the consumer.

By spending time with each one we learned more about their stories, why they felt they should win the big prize and how this opportunity could further their business.

I had such a wonderful time working on this project and was honoured to have met and worked with such wondered people along the way. Since the project was a part of my life for the last 6 months I thought I would share all my favourite bits from the 4 amazing brands I personally worked with and of course the final winner which the public voted for (Team Hugo won this one fair and square!).

Charlotte Jade
Charlotte Jade is a home decor brand run by Charlotte herself, an incredibly talented illustrator who takes inspiration from nature. Offering customised prints to her clients, she gives a very personalised service. I loved visiting Charlotte at her home in the country (easy to see where her inspiration comes from) to see how her process begins and the journey to the final product. It made me want to redecorate immediately! Charlotte was also a runner-up in the competition and award highly-commended for her inspirational designs.

Carloe London
Carloe London, run by Hannah makes gorgeous leather handbags, by hand. With a retro yet modern feel you receive high-end quality product and with interchangeable straps which is a great way to get more wear out of one piece. Hannah also offers personalised monogram for a final luxe touch. These bags are timeless and something you would keep forever.

Mikaela Lyons
Mikaela runs her ethical jewellery business from her home in Birmingham. She sources everything in her home city in order to support other local businesses. I really love her gold plated necklaces with the Lioness motif. Mikaela shared that this was her maiden name and felt an infinity with it as it signified strength as a woman, mother, wife and business owner.

Valle and Vik
Valle+Vik creator Silje vallevik, wanted to create unique silk dresses that can take you from day to night. Inspired by urban living and global travels, I fell in love with classic flattering cut, quality of fabric and special prints.

However, there could only be one winner and this time the public felt a strong connection to The Hand Dyed Shoe Company (well done boys!) I got to meet the lovely, inspirational man behind the brand (Simon) and hear about what winning meant to him.

Congratulations Simon and to all the brands who took part!

Being a guest of Lancome for The BAFTA’s is always a special evening with a Red Carpet filled with excitement, glamour and best of the best.

This year was my favourite yet and made even more special by working with the incredibly talented Kate Halfpenny and her team who brought my fairy tale gown to life for the big event (as some of you may know, she also created my bespoke wedding dress last year).

These moments are so special and would not be realised without a lot of hard work from a dedicated team ensuring that each considered detail is valued and placed with precision.

Kate and I started working together on this dress in November 2018 with a lead time of 3 months from sketch through to colour and fabric choice of stretch Duchess Satin and Silk Organza overlay to the final delivery for red carpet.

We scheduled secret fittings along the way to make sure the fit was just right for that big moment (but also so I could enjoy the dinner on the night – it’s a long day with prep starting at 2pm, so believe me, that late dinner is a welcomed experience!). As always Kate bestows a gown beyond my wildest dreams but more importantly a creation in which I felt comfortable adding to my confidence which is really important when you embark on a very long, and quite honestly, sometimes a scary red carpet.

We thought we would bring a little of the magic to you with some documented moments of ‘The Dress’ from design through to getting ready at The Savoy Hotel Lancome Suite, hair with Tim Crespin, to the final touches loaned by David Morris London Jeweller, Aquazzura shoes and Aspinal Of London bag, before leaving to the big event.

Thanks to all who made this moment the best!

Photography by Oda Bakkeli Eide @odabeide and Hannah Taylor @thelensbox

Last month I was delighted to announce my partnership with Klarna in celebration of British Design
and the extraordinary Fashion talent we have in the UK.

I first came across Klarna whilst running my own business, they work with brands like ASOS, Topshop and Swoon with over 19 million customers and 100,000 online brands, selling in 14 countries.

Through their online payment system, you have three products which deliver a smoother shopping experience. You can simply ‘Pay now’; ‘Pay later’ so you can try on your outfits at home, return items that you don’t fall in love with and pay only for what you keep; or ‘Slice it’, an option for those luxurious items where you can pay through monthly instalments.

Together with Klarna, Hugo and I are looking for emerging talent, we shall be competing to find the next big retailer in 2019. If you think your brand has what it takes then go to www.klarna.com/uk/smoooth-stores/ to enter the competition and you could receive a visit from me, mentoring from Klarna execs, free use of their online Pay later service for a year and a cash prize of £10,000.

This is a wonderful opportunity for any small business who is looking to expand and diversify.

I can’t wait to see all your applications and hope that you get to join ‘Team Millie’ on this extraordinary adventure – until then I thought I’d share some behind the scenes from the launch in London along with the official campaign.

Get registered!

I was very lucky to be introduced to Arlene (Ventura designs creative director) back in the summer, after mentioning that we were moving to a friend. From the moment we spoke on the phone we got on like a house on fire and I could tell we would enjoy working together.

I described to her how I wanted our new apartment to look, and a few days later she sent me mood boards which totally captured what I had in my head. I had sent her photos of things we already owned and wanted to fit into our new place and these were all added into drawings based on the floor plan, along with new pieces which would be made bespoke by Ventura In Ireland.

The next step was for Arlene and the team to visit the property, see the space in person, and talk though the proposed plans. We then made a few changes and selected our fabrics, furniture, curtains, rugs and cushions so that work could begin. Six weeks later it was the install day and it literally felt like Christmas, as our dream home came to life in a matter of hours. Arlene helped me accessorize our newly fitted shelves and console table, as well as helping me decide where to hang our art and mirrors which I had no clue about!

Everything is custom made to order and that it what makes it so special. I love how our new furniture looks and feels, the combination of colours and textures is perfect for the space. I can’t wait to visit their London showroom, which is debuting in the magnificent Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, in March 2018.

Quote from Ventura Design’s Creative Director, Arlene McIntyre, on the finished look:

“The finished look is a combination of Colonial classic meets BOHO chic. We kept in mind that Millie specifically wanted us to source natural linens for a pared back look at feel. Herself and Hugo love to travel and so we wanted to create a gallery wall which told their story, along with creating built in shelving which allowed us to style in all of her memorabilia including with some faux corals we added in, with beautiful grey crackled jars which toned in with the other finishes in the room.”

What Ventura created for us:

This Adare Armchair is Irish made and was designed for Ventura Design’s 5-star hotel project in the Adare Manor. All of Ventura Design’s furnishings have solid frames and super plush seat filling to layer in extra luxury. This chair is also available with or without studs. Pipping option instead of studs is optional.

The soft sisal rug supplied also layered in extra texture to create an earthy natural feel.
Arlene and her team brought in extra texture and Aztec patterns in Millie’s scattered cushions also.
Everything in this space was very textured and natural, yet luxurious at the same time.
Ventura Design added in a natural herringbone fabric to their Camilla dining chairs with an antique oak finished leg which tied in with the current red tones in her flooring.
Their Renaissance dining table also added to the colonial theme which was in an antique oak finish. This table added to the colonial vibe with its earthy oak grain.
They used the Adare armchair because it was deep buttoned to our Belgium rolled arm sofa due to its soft rolling arms which add extra comfort.
The Jackson ottoman also deep buttoned, helped add in another piece of luxury to this space.
The Taylor Console table is one of Ventura’s special bespoke pieces, handcrafted in their workshops in Ireland. Each piece is made to order and hand finished in any paint tone of choice. They also doing a special gilding finish to add in extra luxury

Millie wanted a very natural relaxing feel to her bedroom so we used our Winged Jackson headboard. This headboard has gorgeous studded shoulders which help you feel encased in your bed.

To view the Ventura Design portfolio please click here.
Check out Ventura Design on Facebook.
Follow them on Instagram!

I had so much fun dressing up for my cover shoot with Red magazine. Read the full feature in the magazine which is out now or the online article here.

Such a fun morning filming with Sheerluxe with an ‘on the run’ 21 question interview whilst getting ready with my lovely hair stylist James Galvin before racing across London to the very chic Hotel Café Royal Regent’s Suite for the launch of my beauty range. Thank you ladies (and gents) for supporting me and my second collection which hit the shops just in time for Christmas.

You can shop the Millie Mackintosh Collection and the product my wonderful Sarah Reygate applied for the flawless natural look in-store and online exclusively at Boots.