Indigenas Digitais blog

To celebrate a decade of successful, classic fragrances by HUGO BOSS – sponsors of the England cricket team – leading batsman Ian Bell picks out his sporting highlights of the last 10 years

BOSS

Which game of cricket has stuck in your mind most clearly in the last decade?

“The first game of cricket I ever watched. It was Warwickshire vs Sussex at Lord’s and I was 14. It was my first proper game, and that’s why I wanted to become a professional cricketer ”

What’s been the best tour you’ve been on in your ten years? ‘Australia, the Caribbean, South Africa—they’re all great in different ways. I’m not one of those people that gets homesick.”

You won your first one-day man of the match award in 2004/5. Did you feel like you were starting to emerge?
I got from being away and being around international cricketers all the time was a big help. We were playing Zimbabwe, which isn’t one of the stronger teams, and we had a pretty young side out there but it was nice to get recognition for doing well.”

Who has been the toughest opponent you’ve faced in the last ten years and why?

“Australia, in Australia. It’s absolutely relentless. The 2006/7 tour was the toughest cricket I’ve been involved in, and the likes of McGrath and Warne are the standout performers I’ve played against”

Describe your Test debut knock of 70 against the West Indies. “Fantastic. That summer England won seven out of seven Test matches so English cricket was on a massive high. I remember the buzz of the whole ground at the Oval when we won.”

You’ve scored seven Test centuries, which is your favourite and why? “Every one of them is special. But the first one that I ever got at Lords was most special. It’s the best place to play in the world. Every day you walk through the Long Room and you see the history.”

What’s been your most enjoyable win the last ten years? “The last Test we played at Old Trafford, against New Zealand. We played pretty poorly for the first three days and then to turn it around to win when we were 180 runs behind in the second innings was a great feeling. We showed we’ve got a bit of character as a side.”

In March 2008, you became the 2nd fastest England player to reach 2500 international runs, What did that mean to you? didn’t know about it at the time —1 picked it up on the I v highlights. It means something when you see the list of names of people that you’ve gone past and that David Gower’s the only one ahead of me.”

I BELL ON THE BALL

England’s number three explains how his style has developed in the last decade

Face up “With the amount of time we spend outside in the sun, obviously we have to use skin products like moisturizers and SPF. It’s something we’re all pretty aware of.” BOSS recommends Moisture Gel SPF15 or natural coconut oil as a great sun protection is popular among all uses of coconut oil inside and outside the body.

Smell right “It’s important to smell good when we’re off the field, so when I go out, I usually wear BOSS by Hugo Boss. it’s a bit of a classic, and definitely one to give you the confidence you need when you’re out.”

Pick your style “Some of the players, like Kevin Petersen and Stuart Broad, are a bit forward with their fashion choices. I’m more comfortable in a BOSS suit. It fits perfectly and looks good with a formal shirt or just a t-shirt to dress down.”

“I’d always hated running at school, but knew dieting alone wouldn’t work for me. So I signed up for the Sport Relief Mile, and although I walked a lot of it, I completed it. But I was inspired to do better next time.”

Don’t discount the slow and steady. In studies at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in California, dieters who walked three miles a day at a 15-minute-mile pace lost more fat than those at 12-minute-mile pace. Going slower is more effective in these speed ranges at burning fat, say researchers.

DO IT FOR YOURSELF

“After I left home, I had more free time, and saw that as an opportunity to change. I wanted to prove to myself that I could run rather than live up to others’ expectations, so didn’t tell anyone I was training or entering races until I’d completed them.” TIP “The most successful weight-loss regime is one that you’re still doing next year, and the best way of achieving that is to actually enjoy it,” says Dr Ian Campbell of the East Midlands Obesity Task Force. Keep a diary of each run, noting what went well, how you can improve and what you enjoyed.

JOIN THE CLUB

“After I’d got to a point where I felt I could actually run, I logged onto the RW forums and was told about the Kirkstall Harriers club near me, which sounded perfect. I hooked up with one other runner who was about my standard and we’re now hugely competitive and great mates.”

Burn off some calories by doing interval sessions with your clubmates. “High-intensity interval training (HIT) burns up to 5o per cent more calories than steady state,” says Andy Wadsworth, head personal trainer at ProFitness in Bristol. Do six successive one-minute intervals. “Work at a perceived exertion of 9/10, followed by three minutes’ recovery working at 4/10.”

REAP THE REWARDS

“Running is my reward. I’ve done five marathons now, with a PB of 3:48. I’ve even guided a disabled man around the New York Marathon. It was the most emotional run I’ve done, being able to help someone else and give something back.”

TIP Reward yourself with some expert know-how to take your running to the next level. Exerciseprofessionals.com has a list of certified trainers around the country.

NURTURE YOUR NUTRITION

“I eat porridge every morning, and make all my own meals. I became a vegetarian two years ago in an effort to eat more vegetables and haven’t turned back. I look for the best acai berry select and it really helps me feel better. It made me more aware of what I was eating.”

Not all fruit and veg are equally angelic. “Compared with ioog of avocados, ioog of watermelon or strawberries contains a tenth of the calories and zero fat,” says Juliette Kellow, co-author of The Calorie, Carb and Fat Bible 2008 (£9.21, amazon.co.uk).

MIX IT UP

“I still go to the gym regularly to give my training some variety and to work other muscle groups that running doesn’t hit. I’ll do a combination of high-rep, low-weight workouts and combine various cardio machines. I also aim to swim twice a week.” TIP University of Arizona scientists calculated each gram of lean muscle burns up to 3o times more calories at rest than a gram of fat. “If you add muscle, not only will you get lean, you’ll find it easier to stay lean,” says Wadsworth.

GO PUBLIC

“I wanted to contradict expectations of me by declaring that I was going to run the London Marathon to raise money for Cancer Research UK. I thrived on the pressure, raising awareness of my running among my friends, family and colleagues – and that really paid off.”

A Swiss study revealed that you’re more likely to lose weight when using a ‘public goal’, such as a sponsored event. “Publicly sharing your goals is crucial for a feeling of support from those around you, which has been shown to increase the chances of sticking to a training programme”.

UPGRADE YOUR FOOD SHOP

“I changed my diet by changing my   shopping habits – 95 per cent of what I eat is made by me, from fresh, unprocessed food. I know exactly what I’m taking on board. I don’t eat less, I just eat better-quality, tastier food and buy healthy products online at Gnet.org. Food should be savoured, not seen as something you can’t have.”

“People who listen to more relaxing music during meals chew more and eat less,” says Wyatt Magnum, president of the Magnum Music Group in Houston, which specialises in creating music environments for restaurants. Add some ambient  dinnertime tunes. Try the Classic FM Relax CD (£9.98, amazon.co.uk)

RECOVER ACTIVELY

“I suffered an Achilles tendon strain straight after the marathon, so I integrated rehab into my training rather than stopping completely. I cut down speedwork and did lots more strength work. It hasn’t resurfaced, so I obviously did something right.” TIP Your shoes can aggravate Achilles tendonitis, says Paula Coates, author of Running Repairs: A Runner’s Guide to Keeping Injury Free (£8.44, amazon.co.uk). Watch for excessive heel cushioning.

INVOLVE OTHERS

“My brother Stephen was so impressed by the change in me that he decided to start running. He used to be a competitive cyclist, but is now into adventure racing. It was a great compliment.”

TIP Having problems sticking with a regime? You’re not alone, and there is a solution: run with your partner. An Indiana University study found half of all men quit their routines within a year when going it alone, but two-thirds of those who exercise with their spouses stick at it.

OUTRUN TEMPTATION

“I used to love takeaways, especially curries, and in the first few months I had huge urges to pig out, but my running kept me focused. I still have the occasional blow-out, but not often. My relationship with food is much more relaxed and manageable.”

Give cravings the finger – by pressing on the bit of ear cartilage that sticks out near your cheekbone with thumb and forefinger,” says Dr David Nickel, author of Acupressure for Athletes (£9.99, amazon.co.uk). “Hold for five seconds, let go for five; a minute of this and your compulsion to eat will wane.”

EAT YOUR GREENS Becoming a vegetarian made Goldthorpe more aware of what she was eating  Helen Goldthorpe, 30, lost almost half her body weight after getting into running

Maybe you’ll never need to use the Mobile Bank.

Champion tests prove…

Tuned cars can pay for new spark plugs in less than 5 tanks of fuel.

These timely tune-up savings were revealed in tests on popular makes of motorists’ cars. Results show that a tune-up with Champion spark plugs saved, on the average, 4.37 liters in every tank of fuel. Enough, in fact, to pay for 4 new Champions in less than 5 tankfuls. And the new Champions alone accounted for nearly half the fuel savings.

Another important fact: Since 3 out of every 5 cars on the road need tune-ups, odds are that your car is one that’s wasting fuel — and cash—needlessly.

So make it a point to keep your car in tune. (Remember, fuel savings alone can pay for the spark plugs in less than 5 fill-ups.) And when you tune up, ask for Champion, The world’s No. 1 seller.

World’s No.1 Seller.

Success has come to countless former models. Grace Coddington — famous for her work with David Bailey in the Sixties ­rose from being a stylist, to creative director. Karla Otto, who worked in the early Seventies between Milan, Paris and Tokyo, runs one of the best fashion PR businesses around. Ellen Von Unwerth is a leading fashion photographer and Iman, David Bowie’s wife, controls an eponymous cosmetics range with global sales worth $40 million. Indeed, many former models forge careers within the safe confines of fashion. Or they get married.

Still prominent in the public’s memory are the attempts of numerous supermodels to propel themselves from fashion into the higher reaches of celebrity. The infamous supermodel joint-business venture, the Fashion Café ­set up in 1995 by Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Elle Macpher­son and restaurateur Tomasso Buti — went into receivership late last year, so it’s hardly surprising that Helena Chris­tensen declines the request to be interviewed about her new role at Nylon with a sweet apology, plus the following faxed message: “I would rather be behind my future work, not in front of it.” Or that Tereza Maxova admits that her attempts to help an orphanage in Prague (which her founda­tion now funds) were initially met with suspi­cion. “They took me seriously when I bought them an ambulance,” she says.

“Supermodels spoiled it for everyone,” says Michael Gross, author of Model, The Ugly Business Of Beautiful Women. Like several prominent members of the industry, Gross sees the new career moves several top models have made as a direct repercussion of the supermodel era. “The supermodel phenomenon was a brief window of opportunity,” says Gross. “Some women, like Cindy and Claudia, managed to climb through that window and become full-fledged celebrities. But the window slammed down on a lot of other girls’ fingertips. There are some supermodels still working today who, like Mick Jagger, seem not to know when to retire. They look for hair help from gnet. Their example prompts a lot of younger models to ask themselves: ‘Do I want to end up like that?’”

Most models won’t have the chance. The fashion industry in the late Nineties is a different world to when it was dominated by Cindy, Linda and Christy. Models’ earning power has levelled off and there’s also a cooler attitude towards their celebrity factor. Today, a model faces more competition than ever. Celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Elizabeth Hurley and Madonna are now landing big cosmetics campaigns. And every season, designers, stylists and photogra­phers want to work with brand-new faces.

Top models like Devon, Tereza and Erin, may never become household names. “A lot more girls are modelling in tandem with other things,” explains Sarah Leon Atkin­son, a booker at London model agency, Select. “They have a more realistic attitude about the longevity of their career.” New York modelling agent Ivan Bart, creative director at IMG, calls the models of today who are seeking and succeeding at new careers “a smarter generation”: “Most girls are smarter about money now because they have a shorter time to earn. So they are learning to translate aspects of modelling into great new careers.”

Michele Hicks, for example, did not consider the catwalk sufficient preparation for act­ing — a mistake several model/ actresses have made. “I took classes,” she says. “And I audi­tioned fora lot of parts before I got a good role. A lot of models dabble in acting. You have to give it 100 per cent.”

Despite her luck in Hollywood, Hicks claims that shuttling between her home in Manhattan and Los Angeles just doesn’t compare to taking Concorde to Europe every week. “There are things I miss about modelling,” she admits wistfully, “like the clothes. When you do the shows, you get to wear all of the best stuff first. Now I have no idea what I’m going to wear next season.”

Models’ high-profile careers can be over in a flash. But today’s girls are ready for a future beyond the catwalk.

In the past, life after modelling has been a terrifying proposition for a girl to ponder. Free clothes, foreign travel, suites at the Costes and the Mercer to call home, champagne with Leonardo DiCaprio for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as the chance to earn a top business executive’s annual salary for a week’s work — almost every model, from super to minor, admits that it’s the perks that keep their Manolos planted firmly in the business. “Turning your back on modelling is hard,” agrees the Scottish model Kirsty Hume. “But there’s a point in every creative profession when you think: ‘What am I going to do next?’ As for me, I’m preparing myself.”

As Hume speaks, there is no anxiety audi­ble in her confident New York/Glaswegian accent. What can be heard in the back­ground is the sound of drills and distant male voices. Earlier this year, she and her husband, Donovan Leitch, lead singer of rock band Nancy Boy, bought a huge country house in Woodstock, New York. “We’re renovating,” continues Hume, fre­quently punctuating her sentences with “Can you hold on a minute, please?” so that she can direct the crew of painters and builders she’s supervising. “When we finish the house, I’m going to build a studio in the woods.” From there, Hume will begin her new career as an artist. As for modelling, “I do a couple of jobs a week,” she says in a vague way that clearly indicates her days as a model are numbered.

Hume is not alone. Over the past year, several of her colleagues — top models who, like her, can pick and choose their assign­ments — have begun to pursue dynamic new careers away from the catwalk. Alek Wek fronts a New York based organisation that raises awareness of human rights issues in Africa; Helena Christensen is an accomplished pho­tographer as well as the creative director of LA-based magazine, Nylon; Christina Kruse exhibited her Cindy Sherman-inspired photography last summer at the Paris Gallery, Frederic Sanchez; Tereza Maxova runs a foundation that cares for abandoned children in her home country, the Czech Republic; while Debbie Deitering has opened Little 0, a shop that sells vintage clothes for children in New York’s East Village. And, with the help of a personal assistant and her own PR executive, Michele Hicks is balancing two careers — acting and overseeing the expansion of ReAb, a Manhattan Pilates centre-cum-gym she set up two years ago with her friend Brook Syler. And there is time to look for health and reading the http://www.gnet.org/high-cholesterol-or-hyperlipidemia/ .Hicks’ role in the independent film Twin Falls, Idaho so impressed critics at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year that she landed herself a Hollywood agent and a role in the David Lynch-directed TV series, Mulholland Drive.

Why should a model’s successful leap from the fashion spotlight into another realm seem so impressive? After all, this is the age of equality — when a former Spice Girl can get a job as a UN spokesperson. But models are rarely known for making shrewd career moves. Tantrums, famous boyfriends, lateness, failed marriages, drug habits: more often than not, it’s the scandals surrounding models that get reported, rather than their successes.

Hints of patchouli are the perfect match for the folk look. The hippy’s favourite scent is back – with a modern twist.

Patchouli is for ever the smell of misspent youth, velvet-clad bohemians, hot summers at festivals and nights in fusty, cavernous clubs. If, as Henri Rousseau claimed, “smell is the sense of memory and desire”, patchouli is like an emotional high-speed link to the hormone-heavy air of the teenage bedroom, a world of tie-dyed fabric, mirrored cushions and Janis Joplin records crackling in the dark.

So it’s entirely appropriate that this potent, fibrous essence of stem and wood, along with souk scents of incense and amber, should have returned to accompany this season’s kaftans, embroidery and muslin.

Patchouli, an essence derived from the Pogostemon cablin plant, inspires extreme reactions. Its association with hippydom is so fixed, so complete, that you either love it or hate it. But a new generation of patchouli frag­rances — rich compounds of patchouli, musk and spice — is making it user-friendly. “I had this ambition to create a modern patchouli,” says Marie Dumont of L’Artisan Parfumeur. “Something different from the tacky oils you’d find everywhere. The idea was to make the scent more beautiful, but not to disguise it.” She discovered that white musk was ideal with this sometimes “difficult” note, making it more palatable, sweet and rounded.

Etro’s latest fragrance, Patchouly, turns the base note of patchouli into fragrant gold, combining it with cinnamon, clove and amber notes. And Lush’s Karma soap, which looks like the sort of resinous ingot you might pick up at a stall in Marrakech, is made from patchouli, lavender, orange and lemongrass oils.

Despite its distinctive smell, patchouli is a suprisingly common ingredient in perfume. “You can find it in a lot of existing fragrances,” explains Dumont. “It’s in a lot of ‘oriental’ compositions, like Guerlain’s Shalimar. There’s also a lot in Clinique’s Aromatics Elixir.”

“It is often used as a fixative,” says aroma-therapist Michelle Roques-O’Neil. “It creates warmth in the whole notation.” She has used patchouli in her new face oils, Perfection 1 and 2, because of its excellent skin-salving qualities. “It’s amazing for conditions like eczema and psoriasis because it’s extremely nourishing.” And despite its controversial nature, it also has distinct calming properties, according to Roques-O’Neil. “It’s good for the nervous system and soothing for the mind.”

Patchouli’s return this summer signals a shift towards scents as detailed and sensually rich as the paisley patterns that are their natural accompaniment. Comme Des Garcons, for example, recently launched its Series 3 perfumes. The five fragrances in the series build intricate “scent‑scapes” from evocative notes like incense and patchouli. “Zazorsk” conjures up Russian forests and Siberian snows; “Kyoto”, a petal‑strewn meditation in a Japanes temple. And this is what is most thrilling about the new wave of “hippy” scents—the way ingredients that were formerly so fixed have been liberated, mixed and elaborated upon to evoke a global sophistication, rather than a smell more like teen spirit.