Magical Mauritius

So we are back from our heavenly Mauritian escape.  A whole week of doing absolutely nothing.  We basically lay on a sun bed for seven days straight; getting up occasionally for a spring roll - (Mine and Chaz's long-standing, unhealthy obsession) - a quick dip in the sea or if we were feeling particularly energetic, a walk along the beach to hunt for shells.








A very nosy Bullbull bird


Slightly obsessed with this starry lantern in our villa


We'd been advised not to venture out of the resort by people who'd been there before.  I'm not quite sure why; something to do with being too touristy. We followed the advice except for on two occasions.  

Top, top, top of my bucket list is to swim with Dolphins.  But not just swim about next to them; I want to actually make friends with them. Do a few tricks/laugh around/ tell a few jokes kind of thing.  So when we were offered a chance to do this; "Yes! absolutely. of course you'll be able to hug them, play around.  Just like Flipper". I could barely breathe with excitement.  
We had to get up at the crack of dawn on the big day and even after barely sleeping (busy planning my moves)  I couldn't care less as we zoomed off to find my nbf.  
It could have been the disappointment of the Century.  Long story short, we got there and were met by about fifteen other boats jammed full of people with the same idea.  So much for the private one on one.  As a spectator, it would have been hilarious.  100, freezing, mostly fat tourists, trying to negotiate flippers, snorkels and masks while being ordered to fling ourselves off the side of the boat "NOW, NOW, NOW" every time there was a mere glimpse of a fin.  I think I saw one of their noses.  About fifty metres away.  I was mostly trying to get my mask on in time and by the time I had, we were being hauled back on the boat again.   


"now, now, now!"

Heavenly Sophia Rogge sarong

After that excursion we pretty much stayed put.  Carried on as we had been, happy as Larry.  
We've now been back home for five days and the Cubs are making me pay for leaving, big time. Constant crying/shouting/up all night-ing.   I probably feel worse than I did pre-vancance.  But it was worth every single second.  Flipper or not.  

The Mauritian athletics team in training.

Local Police station

Shells

Ten Minutes With...Sophia Rogge

Eco Designer, Coral Crusader and Model

What makes you happy?

My friends laughing. Each of my closest friends have quite distinct laughs and it really makes me giggle when I hear the cacophony of their united cackles!

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

The sunshine.

What annoys you?

My inability to be organised.

If you didn't live in London, where would you live?

In a tree house, and my bed would be built from the trunk of an olive tree around which the house has been constructed a la Odysseus and Penelope.

Current Obsessions?

Ryan Gosling. Ryan Gosling. Ryan Gosling. Ryan Gosling. Ryan Gosling. Ryan Gosling.

And... Coconut water, Fulvic Acid, Twitter, Roasted Beetroot, Orly's Blue Suede nail varnish and the musical genre Swamp Pop.

Describe yourself in three words?

Brown Eyed Girl

What inspires your designs?

Corals. I find their organic patterns and hallucinogenic colours constantly inspiring, each of my collections will always be inspired by corals.

Sophia's cashmere scarf design

Face of LK Bennett, Designer - what's next?

I'll be representing LK Bennett during London Fashion Week in September, the campaign Life is the Occasion has been a really wonderful project to be a part of.

And I'm bringing out a limited edition Valentine's Day sarong with hearts and corals all over it, 10% of the profits will go to Coral Conservation. Plus, I hope to design coral patterns in a collaboration with a dress designer and bikini designer for next summer.

Favourite smell?

Such a hard question for me! I adore so many different smells but I particularly love floral scents and my favourite of all is Dama de la Noche, night blooming jasmine. Its most commonly found in Spain and reputedly keeps mosquitoes away but I just love its strong aroma on a warm summers evening.

Last fashion disaster?

A while ago I wore a slightly too risky red dress to a friend's wedding. A mistake never to be repeated.

What would you eat at your last supper and which five people would be joining you?

Pici pasta, local to Tuscany, with pumpkin sauce and pecorino. Followed by Veal Escalope with Lemon and Sage. And for dessert Vanilla Ice cream with Balsamic Vinegar. I've recently been introduced to drinking some red wines chilled, so I would give my guests a few cooled bottles of Pinot Noir to enjoy over dinner.

Pici Pasta

I would invite my two German grandmothers, both wonderful characters and both of whom I deeply wish I'd know better.

Cath Kidson, I'd like to pick up a few business tips from her.

Isabel Marant, I'd totally suck up to her with the view that perhaps we'd become best friends and she'd gift me all her latest collections.

And of course Ryan Gosling.

Isabel Marant

Who would you love to see wearing one of your designs?

My Dad! No seriously, there are so many women I'd love to see in my designs. The beauty of the sarong is that its one size fits all, there are so many different ways to wear it.

The Cobalt Sophia Rogge sarong

Last impulse buy?

In almost every other area of my life I am impulsive but not when it comes to shopping. I'm cool, calm and calculated when it comes to retail therapy.

Who do you admire?

My mother, she is akin to Wonder Woman.

What makes you laugh?

When I was younger I used to think I was far too sophisticated for toilet humor but as I get older its the sillier jokes that really make me laugh.

What's on your bedside table?

Everything! Jurlique Jasmin handcream, Organic Pharmacy supplement vitamins, Dermaolgica lip balm, Diptyque interior scent: Mimosa, Le Labo perfuming balm: Jasmine, a few Swatch watches, a USB stick and an external hard-drive for my Mac, a photo of my parents from the 90s, a jade figurine of a dog (I was born in the year of the Dog) and a rose quartz crystal, which aids all matters of the heart.

Jasmine Le Labo scent

Top tip for seduction?

A beautiful scent. Smells have an uncanny power to move us. A whiff of pipe tobacco, a long-forgotten scent or a particular perfume can instantly conjure up scenes and emotions from the past... or visions of the woman wearing it. An admirer just bought my favourite scent back from New York for me, Bond no 9: Saks Fifth Avenue. It was a labour of love as the bottle is extremely expensive and it comes in a wonderfully huge box.

Bond No 9 Saks Fifth Avenue Scent

Favourite London hangout?

My favourite London hangout is Portobello Road during the week days, as I work from home I try to eat lunch out and there are so many delicious options from street vendors to local restaurants. I buy all my veggies, bread and cheeses from the stall holders. I've lived there for the last 8 years and I still get a bit of a rush when I stroll home down the Portobello Road. I am reminded of the song Portobello Road from Bedknobs and Broomsticks, my favourite childhood film.

Portobello Market

Best beauty secret?

Skin Radiance supplement vitamins. You glow from the inside out.

Sophia with Otis Ferry

www.sophiarogge.com

Sophia Rogge

My friend Sophia Rogge has just launched her wonderful new eponymous label. She's designed a eco beach range where much of the profits are donated to her favourite charity, Corals for Conservation. The Cub and I had a lot of fun prancing around in front of the camera shooting her first campaign and were so honoured to be a part of it. I love all her pieces and am beyond thrilled to have sorted my beach attire for this summer in one fair swoop but the creme de la creme has to go to the cashmere shawl. Yes, I do have more than enough cashmere shawls to keep a small army warm but this one really is different to the rest of them. I promise. Go and have a look for yourself.

Cobalt sarong. £45

WILLOW CROSSLEY

June 8, 2011

WHAT DO YOU DO, IN DETAIL...

I never know what to call myself. Maybe a crafty writer? I split my working time between my company Willow Rose Boutique where I hand make bits and bobs using antique fabrics that I find on my travels. Things like bags using old grain sacks, fabric books with vintage scraps of material and panama hats with vintage Indian sari trims. The other half of my time I write about it. I’m writing my first book at the moment which is about recipes for homemade beautiful living. When I’m not writing that, I write my blog,www.willowroseboutique.blogspot.com. The rest of my time is spent with my husband Chaz and 19 month old son Wolf (pictured above, and Willow in the SR Summer Scarf).

IF YOU COULD SPEND ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SEA CREATURE WHAT WOULD IT BE, AND WHY?

An Octopus. Imagine what you could do with eight legs.

NAME THE MOST SECLUDED BEACH ON EARTH?

Honeymoon beach on North Island in the Seychelles.

WHAT SONG REMINDS YOU OF BEACH LIFE?

Sitting on the dock of the bay by Otis Reading. Or the Beach Boys, Wouldn't it be Nice.

WHO IS YOUR PREFERRED TRAVELING COMPANION?

Chaz. (below)

WHAT IS YOUR FONDEST MEMORY OF THE BEACH?

Can I have two? Hunting for cowrie shells with my parents and brothers on Tresco (below) in the Scilly Isles. It was very competitive and whoever found the first got an ice cream. My other is the first day of our honeymoon on Denis Island in the Seychelles. Sitting outside our hut completely mesmerized by the white sand and crystal clear ocean with not a person in sight.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEACH ESSENTIALS?

Sisley Sunleya SPF. A Sophia Rogge Cobalt sarong. Lots of magazines or a trashy book. Snacks. Snorkel and mask. Willow Rose Boutique panama. A Juliet Dunn vintage Indian bag to put it all in. A floaty cover up, probably a white floaty Edwardian nightie or some kind of Isabel Marant vision. Indian silk floral harem pants. Heidi Klein white swimming costume.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST FASHION OR BEAUTY DISASTER AT THE BEACH?

My bikinis never seem to fit and are always falling off. After ten years of getting out of sea with no top on, i've decided to move on to wearing swimming costumes instead.

HOW LONG CAN YOU HOLD YOUR BREATH UNDERWATER?

Not very long, about one length.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SUNDOWNER AND WHO WOULD BE YOUR DREAM DATE?

A raspberry Vodka Mojito with Chaz.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE TOP CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR YOUR OCEANS?

Global warming.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CORAL?

Georgonian Soft Coral, below.

Interview with Sophia for www.sophiarogge.com

http://vimeo.com/user7340224/she-sells-sea-shells