The Rock Ball 2012

Last week saw the third annual Rock Ball held at The uber-exclusive Hurlingham Club in Chelsea. Hosted by Rick Parfitt Jnr, & in aid of The RPJ Crohns Foundation, the Rock Ball brings together rock royalty & superstar fashion to raise awareness & funds for the Crohns & Colitis UK charity.

And who better to curate the super-glamorous catwalk looks than Melissa Odabash? Showcasing her favourite pieces from the 2012 collection, as well as a selection of the exclusive Odabash&Macdonald cruise line, the fashion show was, as per every year, a massive hit - and with performances from The Feeling & Radio 1's Comedy Dave the night was a huge success, raising a staggering amount for the RPJ Foundation.

Here are some exclusive shots of 'behind the scenes'...

Oh Elle...

Just a quick post to show off this exclusive behind-the scenes of Britain's Next Top Model picture - we can't get over how sizzling Ms. Macpherson looks in our show-stopping 'Veruschka' knit dress from the 2012 Odabash&Macdonald cruise collection. Elle, quite frankly - we are not worthy!

'Veruschka' by Odabash&Macdonald available from our London boutiques : click here for contact details

Ibiza Cool

Check out these images of our 2011 collection in new glossy fashion magazine The Hub. Shot in Ibiza last year in August (how we wish we were there now), these sadly aren't available any longer (though keep your ear to the ground for our 2012 sample sale announcement as some might make an appearance there!) but there are plenty of alternative pieces from the 2012 collection that more than fit the glamorous White-Isle vibe.



'Marbella' in black snake - for similar click here



'Martinique' in pale gold - click here (we recommend the cheetah version, super chic)

'Marbella' in brown sugar - click here (you are going to LOVE this one!)

My Melissa Odabash Bikini & Me Competition

Here at Odabash HQ (or as it is mostly referred to by all of us here ‘Odabash Towers’) we’ve been inspired by a recent competition to find the best bikini shot – for those of you who follow Melissa on Twitter & Facebook, you’ll probably be familiar with this. Our gorgeous winner Jinksy had a body to die for, but it was our runner up, Camilla, whose quirky (and brave!) picture of her frolicking in a very snowy garden got us thinking about our next competition...

Just chilling in the back of a cab? (As you do!)

Riding a bike at dusk?

Playing in the snow with friends (chilly!)

Rollerskating 70's style

Group shot!

Relaxing on a deserted beach, pulling a few yoga poses - wish we were there!

Hardcore working out!

Have you guessed what we want you to do yet? What we want is for you to send us your most creative bikini shots – it could be of you doing anything, you just have to be doing it in your favourite swimwear (and if that happens to be a Melissa Odabash number, all the better!). Think outside of the box – you could be pulling your best downward-facing dog pose on the beach or caught mid-air leaping off the side of a boat, on the top of a volcano in Peru or maybe, for the sake of the competition, wearing a bikini at the top of the Eiffel Tower! Knee deep in mud at a music festival or playing a guitar round a campfire in a swimsuit – rollerskating on Miami beach, jet-skiing in St. Barts, running into the (freezing-cold-even-in-summer) Great British sea, a group shot of as many people wearing bikini’s as you can find, or even a picture of you wearing your bikini in the bath, if you’re that way inclined – the possibilities are endless so use your imagination!



We’ll be giving out exclusive prizes for the best ones at the end of the competition, so get submitting your best photographs.


Here’s how…


Become a fan of our Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Melissa-Odabash/46948923542 and post your picture on our wall.


Have Twitter? Tweet your pictures to Melissa (@melissaodabash) & use #myMOandme


Or, send them to EmmaD@Odabash.com


We can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!

Roses are red, Violets are blue, buying me an MO bikini is the least you can do!

Whether happily coupled-up or single & ready to mingle, there is no getting away from it – Valentine’s Day is upon us once more! If your partner has left it until now (which he inevitably has!) to book that fancy restaurant you’ve been hinting at, chances are you’re going to be disappointed as all the best tables have unsurprisingly been booked – but fear not, there are plenty other exciting things to be done – all is not lost! Here are Melissa’s top five Valentine’s ideas…

Not quite a Melissa Odabash swimsuit, but we think Barbara looks great!

1. Watch a romantic movie – it might sound a bit predictable, but there are more and more unusual cinema venues & experiences popping up in cities across the world – in London they’re showing the iconic ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ in an old chapel, while The Secret Cinema Group (worldwide) offer ‘surprise’ tickets – meaning you won’t find out where you are going/what you are seeing until the actual night, but involve classic films, live acts & music and DJ’s – all for around £20.00 a ticket. Definitely a Valentine’s treat that you’ll remember. If all that fails, light some candles, open a bottle of wine & watch Melissa’s favourite romantic movie, The Way We Were.

2. We’re not quite sure what it is about being on the deck of a boat in the city at night that is so romantic (especially in London, as it is freezing 90% of the time!) but romantic it is! Wrap up warm & head to the river & pray you don’t get seasick – vomiting on your date is SO not a good look - or keep your feet firmly on dry land and head to one of the cosy riverside pubs or even the London eye for incredible views of the city.

3. If your budget is a bit bigger, Melissa suggests heading off to Rome and staying in the incredible Hotel Eden, situated close to the famous Spanish Steps & right in the heart of the city – super romantic. Any guy who does this would get serious brownie-points (we advise ‘accidentally’ sending him the link to this page)! Oh, & don’t forget your Melissa Odabash bikini to make use of the gorgeous pool & hot tub.

4. For a quirky date, book the famous chocolate afternoon tea at the top of the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane – situated on the 28th floor and with three-hundred-and-sixty degree views of London, followed by a romantic walk through Hyde Park, just opposite Park Lane and a good way to counteract all that chocolate you'll have eaten!

And if all else fails, & he forgets completely (or you're single and just fancy a treat), we think you definitely deserve a Melissa Odabash bikini - head to www.melissaodabash.com (or click the 'SHOP' tab at the top of the page) and take advantage of our exclusive Valentine's Day offer.

London Fashion Week September 2012

As per every second week in February/September, the London streets are abuzz with the excitement of Fashion Week. What will we be wearing next spring (or for the die-hard followers of fashion, in January)? Which designers will have the stand out collections? And who are the new names to watch over the next few seasons.

Melissa herself has lots going on - with a few top-secret (and very exciting projects) taking off at the moment, and her own 2012 collection recently launched, however she did make it down to Portland Road to watch good friend & recent collaborator Julian Macdonald's RTW show where she was sat next to none other than GMTV's own lovely Lorraine Kelly (who has become something of a front row regular!), Mark Hayes and the gorgeous Eliza Doolittle (see pictures). Julian's collection was a huge success - with him making the front page of The Independent on Sunday - but saw him taking a slightly different direction than usual, with deconstructed tailoring, futuristic knits in plastic yarns & super-fierce models treading the catwalk. He then ended with some amazingly intricate beaded evening gowns that he does SO well...definitely on the wishlist, and as Melissa said, should be in a museum the beading was so incredible! Following the show, Melissa headed backstage to congratulate Julian, where the champagne was flowing and everyone from Hollywood actress Rosario Dawson to celebrity stylist and good friend Grace Woodward were there to do the same. She also had a chance to catch up with Bianca Jagger, whose style she loves, it being that she wears beautiful kaftans day and night. Rounding off with an interview for Fashion TV, she then headed off to something a  little quieter in the form of brunch with her family.

Saturday night saw the opening night of the new Roberto Cavalli store on Sloane Street, hosted by Roberto and wife Eva, who were very excited to say the least. Another who's who evening, Eva Herzigova, Holly Valance & Rosario Dawson were all there, as were girl-group The Saturdays, and everyone was, of course, decked out in Cavalli pieces...although Melissa went against the grain and wore a fabulous dress from her own collection! the party then moved on to Battersea Power station where none other than the amazing Kelis took to the stage and Melissa partied with Mr. Hudson & Charlie Speed, while The Box provided the entertainment in the form of Cirque du Soleil style acrobatics by immacualtely turned out performers.

Sunday was the event most people in the fashion industry have pencilled into their diary - The Harpers Bazaar Party, at The Saville Row Club. Henry Holland took to the decks and again, Melissa wore one of her own pieces, which got lots of compliments (keep an eye out for her next RTW collection, you will not be disappointed!) throughout the evening, although like Cinderella, she had to be home before heading off to a Paris trade show on Monday morning at a ridiculous hour (although she did manage to squeeze in a bit of Downton Abbey before bed!).

Sneak Peek at 2012.

We here at Melissa Odabash feel it is high time you all got to have a sneaky peek at some of the amazing new pieces from the Odabash 2012 collection. The new range boasts many gorgeous new prints, from 'Lotus' to 'Africa', bold new colourways and some new textures too - including THE softest terry towelling jumpsuits, perfect for snuggling up in after a dip in the ocean.

Of course, Melissa is best known for her luxurious animal prints and this year is no different, with the introduction of a new take on her iconic cheetah print, as well as a muted crocodile print and bold snakeskin (very on trend!). All will be available online at http://www.melissaodabash.com/ or in our boutiques, located in Notting Hill & Chelsea.

Elsewhere, Melissa has been hard at work putting the final touches to her collection with Julian Macdonald, researching some top-secret upcoming projects (keep your eyes peeled!) and taking a well earned rest in Italy.