ASOS Today

Behind the Scenes at Diesel U: Music Radio

We headed down to a studio in East London on Friday to catch the Diesel U: Music Radio show, with a couple of our lucky competition winners. The first time a radio station has been set up by a fashion label, and run by the producers of Radio One, the sessions began in September in the 30-day run up to the Diesel xXx party we covered yesterday. On this occasion up-and-coming artists Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly and Ebony Bones turned up to soak up the house-party atmosphere and belt out some tunes, with the results being broadcast live into every Diesel store around the world. As we saw yesterday, Diesel doesn't do things by halves...

Behind the Brand: Siwy Denim

With fans of designer denim label Siwy including the likes of Kate Moss and Nicole Richie, every girl should have a pair of their vintage-inspired jeans in their wardrobe. We caught up with the label's founder and New York based designer, Michelle Siwy, via the wonder of the internet recently - here's what went down...

Behind the Brand: Zakee for Asos

Judging by your comments, you've been eagerly anticipating the arrival of our Zakee for asos collection, so we're pleased to let you know that it's finally here! Zakee herself joined us on the collection's shoot recently and so, nosy so-and-sos that we are, we popped down to the studio to find out more about it. Here's what she had to say...

First things first, we absolutely love the collection, Zakee! Tell us how you got into fashion...

Well, my folks are in manufacturing and my mum used to be a fashion designer, so I kind of grew up with it. I had decided that I didn't want to get involved in fashion, but slowly I started doing more and more work. Then a good friend of mine called Jimmy, who owns a menswear collection called YMC, said "you should start your own collection", and he really helped me out a lot. So that was the start of my journey in fashion.

Your designs are known for being really colourful and fun - what is it that inspires you?

Travel, music, meditation and street culture.

The street culture element is obviously a big influence in your work, not just the fashion side of things but also the art and design aspect too. Which creative outlet do you prefer?

I'd probably say that fine art is my first love because I love to draw. I can draw in both the design and the art side of what I do, but I think the inspiration for all the work I do always comes from the art side.

With the Zakee for asos collection, how did you tailor your signature look to the asos girl?

Well, I kinda thought that the asos girl is very sexy and likes a lot of colour, so I upped my use of colour and my prints. But I've always thought of my Zakee girl as being fun-loving and sexy and colourful too, so I just put the two together and thought about what would make someone feel strong and confident.

We noticed that all the pieces in the collection start with the letter 'F' - Frankie, Frances, Fifi, and so on. Any reason for this?

It's a really boring, logical reason. Basically, for every collection I've done for somebody else, I've started with a letter from the alphabet, beginning at 'A' and so on...

Well, we're sure you'll be at 'Z' in no time! On a personal note, are there any celebs in particular that you'd like to see in the collection?

No-one specifically, although there's two girlfriends of mine I reckon would definitely be up for it - Sharleen Spiteri and Lauren Laverne. I reckon they'd both want to wear it and I'll be making sure that they have some of it!

Ooh, we'll keep our eyes peeled! How have you enjoyed today's shoot and seeing your pieces on our model?

I've loved it. I always really love seeing the clothes on a girl because it teaches me about my work - like I noticed today that a top needed to be lengthened a bit - so it teaches me something different, something that you don't necessarily see when you're fitting or sketching.

And finally, what would your top tips for getting dressed be?

Accessorise! It gives you your individuality.

Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese Competition!

Behind the Brand: We Talk to Dita Von Teese

The wait is over, ladies! You've watched the video, you've seen the launch - now, to celebrate the arrival of Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese on site, we've spoken to the lady herself to find out all about it...

Dita Von Teese - burlesque star, old-school starlet and the undisputed queen of retro glamour. You'd surely be hard pushed to find someone better suited to designing a range of lingerie (and a super-sexy range of lingerie at that) for world-famous underwear brand Wonderbra.

The appropriateness of the collaboration is something that Dita herself acknowledges, and she appreciates that Wonderbra let her push the boundaries when it came to design: "I sometimes have eccentric tastes in lingerie," she told us when we spoke recently, "and they let me do things that I didn’t think they would. There’s one bra in particular – my favourite, the Satine-Teese – which brings back 1950s-style plunging top wire, which you don’t really see anymore."

Turning her attention to how she hopes women will feel when they wear the range, Dita explained it wasn't strictly about wearing something for the man in your life, but rather the idea that "you can put on lingerie that is pretty and for you to enjoy that also does something amazing for your figure and gives you the kind of shape that you need to make your clothes look good".

And, rather flatteringly, Dita seems to think it's us Brits and our fellow Europeans that will appreciate this notion the most: "At times you walk into a lingerie store in America and you get the feeling that American women don’t feel that you can have it all [when it comes to lingerie]. They think that they need to buy things that are plain and simple and boring and ugly." And functional..? "Yes!" she exclaims,  "Functional. But I think you can have function and style altogether."

Now, style - and a very glamorous form of style at that - is something Dita knows more than a little about, but she got a taste of the functional side of things recently when she dressed as a dowdy science geek for The Science of Sexy, the promo video she shot for the range. "It was the very last shot we did" she recalls, "so everyone had seen me dancing around in lingerie for two days. Then, for this last shot, I came out of my dressing room and no-one recognised me at all. Once they did, people broke out into fits of laughter. I felt a bit sheepish and was like “ok guys, it’s not that funny!” But some of the men on the crew said “she looks really pretty like that”.

Speaking of the opposite sex, talk soon turned to men, with Dita revealling that one trait she particularly appreciates in a man is patience (take note, all you male readers!). "I don’t like to be rushed - that's a requirement of the men in my life" she told us, before adding "I like men that are patient and understand that sometimes you hit a little roadblock and that you should not leave the house until you’re ready. Sometimes, I don’t leave the house at all - I think 'ok, it’s not working out; this is a sign that I need to stay at home and read a book'".

And so, now that she's conquered the lingerie world, what's next for the raven-haired beauty? "I'm creating a lot of new acts," she reveals, "plus I have some exciting things with Cointreau coming up, which I'm excited about announcing, and I'm working on my new book, which is about eccentric beauty."

All this and she manages to stay so perfectly polished. Jealous? Us? Absolutely.

Click here to shop the entire Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese range, and to read more from our interview look out for the November issue of asos magazine!

Want to Win a Luxurious Jo Wood Organics Set?

Of course you do!

Then don't forget that we've got one full set of Jo's delicious Everyday sets (either Langa or Tula) to give away, along with a signed copy of Jo's book Naturally. To enter, all you have to do is answer this question...

What does the African word "langa" mean?

Email your answer, along with your name, address and preferred set (Tula or Langa) to us on blog@asos.com, making sure you put "I Heart Jo Wood" as the subject. But you've only got until midnight tonight to enter, so get emailing!

Oh, and be sure to check out our exclusive interview with Jo for a little hint (i.e. the answer!).

Win Tickets to Hilfiger Sessions featuring John Legend

Behind The Brand - Jo Wood Organics

With some of you commenting so highly on Jo Wood Organics, the luxurious, 100% organic beauty brand from Rolling Stone Ronnie's wife, plus our beauty blogger Bethan Cole waxing lyrical about her products, we figured it was high-time we spoke to the beautiful lady herself. From her daughter Leah to only eating organic to the possibility of a future clothing range, here's what she had to say when we caught up with her recently...

Hi Jo, how are you doing?

I'm doing fine, thank you.

First of all - what inspired you to set up Jo Wood Organics?

Well, I had been organic for a long time and I was looking for beautiful organic products to put in my bathroom and I just couldn't find anything; I used to have to buy lovely bottles at flea markets and put oils into the bottles. Then my brother gave me a book of recipes to make fragrant oils for face and body, so I started making them up in my bathroom. And then my friend said to me "Jo, why don't you do that properly?" and I said "no". Then I went away and thought "why not? Let's give it a go". So I did!

The latest addition is the Everyday range - tell us about that.

We decided to do a diffusion range because I really wanted to get the organic beauty word out there. I thought "I need to do a diffusion range so it's more accessible to people". I really adore this range.

Us too! What would you say is your favourite product from the range?

My salt scrub - I use that every day, ha ha! And from my original range, it's my body oil.

Looking at the names of all your products, there's obviously a big African influence. Why is that?

Well, 'Usika' and 'Amka' are Kenyan Swahili names - I love going to Kenya. 'Amka' means 'to wake' and 'usika' means 'night time'. Plus, my mum's from South Africa, and there's this song she used to sing to me as a kid [sings] "tula, tula mama, tula" which means "quiet, quiet". And then 'Langa' means 'sunshine', which I also got from my mum.

Mum's are good for things like that!

Yes, they are, aren't they!?

On the subject of family, your daughter Leah got involved in the project as a model - how was that?

It was great! I was worrying to myself "oh god, I need a model". And I'm sitting there thinking about it and then looked at my daughter and thought "Jo, come on, she's right here in front of you!" So I just said "Leah, will you be my girl for my Everyday range?" and she said "oh, I'd love to mum!"

You've lived a very full, rock 'n' roll life, yet still look absolutely flawless and amazing...

Aw, thank you!

What would be your top five beauty tips?

I always, always take my make-up off. I believe you should nourish at night and protect during the day, so I do that too. Plus, I drink loads of green tea, I exercise and I only eat organic food.

Back in the day you used to present trend reports for the BBC, and you've styled your husband's stage clothes - any plans to do a clothing line?

No, I've often thought about it, but I'm so much in love with doing my beauty range. But, you know, never say never!

We've got some goregous products from the Everyday range to giveaway, kindly donated by Jo. The winner will receive their choice of either the Tula or Langa set, along with a signed copy of Jo's book Naturally.

To enter, just answer this simple (and answered-above!) question...

What does the African word "langa" mean?

Email your answer, along with your name, address and preferred set (Tula or Langa) to us on blog@asos.com, making sure you put "I Heart Jo Wood" as the subject. You've got until midnight on Thursday 11th to enter and we'll announce the lucky winner afterwards.