A week of Celebrities!

Its been a busy few weeks as usual at ZPR, not only have we been gearing up to Christmas and all the gift guides but we have been rubbing shoulders with celebs and politicians including Elizabeth Hurley, Pearl Lowe, and George Osborne!

Peacocks had its Pearl Lowe press launch this week at Sketch which was THE event to be seen at, with paparazzi outside and guests attending the Durex anniversary party claiming to be on our list, it was very much a coveted party. The models looked fabulous in the Pearl Lowe for Peacocks dresses, and Daisy Lowe, Rhys Ifans and Danny Goffey were there supporting Pearl, ensuring there was never a dull moment...

Next on the celebrity list was Liz Hurley making a personal appearance in Selfridges for the Estee Laudee breast cancer appeal. She looked stunning and was really open and friendly to the huge crowds who had gathered to see her. She talked about how important the appeal was to her and then posed for the ever increasingly rowdy photographers!

Katie made us all laugh when she sent round images from the photo-call she had organized at Superdrug. Going with the strap line 'men on the lash' a rather good looking male model arrived wearing eyelashes and goth make-up strutted his stuff on High Street Kensington, proving men in make-up is something us ladies must come to terms with!

Last Friday George Osbourne, Shadow Chancellor, visited our B&Q Bradford store, much to the curiosity of the local customers! He was there not only to meet staff but to chat about B&Q's fantastic training and education programmes plus hear about its plans to help customers green up their homes and the campaign to get VAT cut on green goods.

Stepping away from the bright lights of celebrity life and into the wholesome land of DIY, B&Q is also busy educating kids of Britain with their 'Job Done' scheme. They are taking DIY back to schools to help educate kids who have very little DIY skills with their especially designed curriculum.

And finally........ we would like to say a huge good luck and farewell to Hayley who is about to go into labour any minute!! And welcome Amanda who is stepping into Hayleys lovely footsteps!

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What with the return of Avocado bathroom suites and mens' tights you might feel that as we get into the final quarter of the year we've lost the plot but no these are serious new trends to embrace!

Along with 'Watch with Granny' - the news that skills from wiring a plug to changing a tyre and fixing a leaking tap have skipped a generation according to B&Q's survey on how we're turning to our Grandparents to learn skills - very poignant given today is Grandparents Day.

We're feeling all Christmasy now that we're in to October and the Telegraph news desk have agreed with a heavy heart that we can finally start talking Christmas highlighting half Xmas trees as a new trend and Selfridges Christmas Grotto has started taking bookings - but hurry there are hardly any slots left.

Meanwhile - sales of Champagne at Selfridges and jam jars at Lakeland are on the increase - are the two linked - champagne and strawberrry jam or are we just all getting pickled!?

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What's at the bottom of your garden?

Is it a pig arc or a washing line? We've been driving the sustainability agenda this month with the news that more and more people are searching for the Good Life and thinking about taking the GYO agenda a step further by keeping pigs in their back gardens. There's also news that the single biggest one thing that you could do to green up your life is to use your washing line and ditch your tumble drier.

Elsewhere the 21st century pressure cooker means that thanks to Lakeland we can now all follow in the footsteps of our mothers without being terrified of exploding pressure cookers.

And we'll also be following in our mother's footsteps as we step up the eighties glamour stakes as the new FAME film is set to hit our screens next month and we're all going a bit DYNASTY with big hair and shoulder pads.

What's a girl to do to keep up - Crystal Carrington style hair and shoulder pads whilst mucking out the chicken and pigs - now that's 21st Century pressure!

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All things bright and beautyful

The beauty team did not disappoint last week with two Christmas press shows that smashed previous targets and an A list appearance at Selfridges.

Firstly Superdrug heralded a beautiful festive season with a beauty and gift focused Christmas press show at Soho Hotel. Over 160 journalists came along to see the ranges, have their nails painted by the nail art team, their make-up done by one of the experts on hand, speak to a nurse about winter health, or have their fortune told… or them all! We also launched Superdrug’s new Bag 4 Life which is in store in October so watch out for beauty media around town toting their preview pink and black bags.

Next at L’Occitane we launched Christmas in true Provencal style with macaroons and Mediterranean scents. With the air filled with delicious almond fragrance over 120 journalists entered the Christmas haven and cooed at the gourmand beauty offer as mouth watering scents of Cherry, Almond, Rose and Vanilla took centre stage. Our fragrance questionnaire to find your perfume personality was a big hit with beauty editors who were keen to choose ‘Audrey Tautou’ to play them in a film about their life.

Oxford Street came to a stand still as Scarlett Johansson made an appearance at Selfridges for Dolce Gabbana The Make Up. ‘’Im slightly overwhelmed, I have never seen so many personal cameras” she said as Selfridges’s Beauty Director David Walker Smith welcomed her to the stage. With her famous pout brushed to perfection by beauty legend Pat McGrath, Scarlett waved to fans who had flown in from as far as Israel just to catch a glimpse of the beauty.

All in a weeks work for the ZPR beauty team

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Christmas in July

It's been Crackers at ZPR this month - we kicked the month off 'At Home With Lakeland' at their first press event for 15 years and the home of creative kitchenware proved that no home is complete without the Lakeland touch - with jam making, pickling and preserving on the menu this year - we'll be bringing in the Harvest this Autumn Winter.

On to one of the World's most iconic department stores and we launched a 'Cracking Christmas' at Selfridges with its panto themed product and great gift pulling off a full page Christmas exclusive in the Evening Standard.

Last week we tipped the media that it's going to be a DIY Designer Christmas at B&Q with the launch of its biggest ever Christmas range and designer decorative ranges from Laurence Llewelyn Bowen and Kelly Hoppen.

This week we're feeling beautiful as Superdrug and L'Occitane launch their AW beauty and Xmas ranges and Dolce & Gabanna's Cosmetic diva, Scarlett Johansson makes an appearance at Selfridges.

Phew after all this ...we'll all be in need of some serious beauty make overs!

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Its raining men...

ZPR's theme over the past seven days has been 'semi-clad men', which has posed somewhat less of a challenge for the ladies amongst us, as I suspect it might have done for our male colleague Daniel.

Fashion legend, Tom Ford kicked off the proceedings with the launch of his latest Private Blend fragrance, Bois Marocain at Selfridges on Wednesday evening. The following morning, Katie, Hayley and myself travelled (ok, we ran) down Oxford Street to feast our eyes on our idol and sudo God, David Beckham, who unveiled a building sized image of his magnificent body (and Emporio Armani undies) to a sea of screaming fans and the world's media. Monday morning arrived, along with an almost naked Piers Morgan who was launching the UK's first flame grilled bur - sorry I mean to say scent - aptly titled 'Flame', to a 'pond' of screaming fans (and Hayley) in Selfridges' atrium.

We're pleased to welcome our new recruit to the B&Q team, Carrie, who first walked through ZPR's doors just over a week ago and has wasted no time in diving into the multi-seasonal world of barbeques, outdoor furniture and Christmas in July...

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So long, farewell...

Well what an eventful week so far...

Last night (Weds) we went to Gilgamesh to welcome (relatively) new arrival, Dan and (very) new arrival, Leanne and say Au Revoir to myself! In true ZPR style (after 5.30pm) we managed to get through a jug of Pimms and a couple of bottles of champagne which just about lined the stomach for the feast of Thai cuisine which similarly to the alcohol went down very well.

So ZPR bloggers this will be the second and final time that I write to you as a fellow ZPR-ian. As the phrase suggests " Time flies when your having fun" I cannot believe how quickly this placement year has gone! I have had an invaluable experience for my first year in the working world and I know all the opportunities I have been given and situations I have been thrown into (sometimes at the deep end) will stand me in great stead on the beginning of my career ladder!

Finally, all that's left to say is -There's no I in team and I will miss you all!

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Tales from the veg patch…

After working on B&Q for only a few months, and with a good bout of sunshine recently, it was only a matter of time before one of the team ventured outside and got busy with a spade. Not that we encourage taking your work home with you at ZPR, but I’ve been busy ‘giving it a grow’ down the garden and started a little veg patch of my very own. If I’ve followed the advice from our team, I’m hoping to be able to bring home-made potato salad into the Monday meeting in the not too distant future – watch this space!

We had a very big birthday for Selfridges, which is celebrating its 100th year this month, so we kicked off in style with a celebrity party attended by the likes of Lilly Allen, Henry Holland, and Joan Collins! If you’re staying in to save the pennies, Peacocks has just the thing to add a touch of spice to everyday life with the launch of its new ‘Bed-It Crunch’ lingerie collection and Santa’s little helpers at Lakeland have been busy already packing products up for the Christmas shoot and getting ready for their first festive press event in July.

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