Page 73 of Bad Influence
I’d been thinking about this a lot, so I was prepped. ‘I think we should approach it with complete authenticity,’ I said assertively. ‘We can embrace maternity brands, but also let your audience in on the insecurity you feel about your changing body and worries about dressing for yourevolving shape. Let them come on the journey with you as we figure out your identity as an expectant mum.’
‘But stretch marks, cellulite, swollen ankles, the big-ness … there’s nothing sexy about it,’ she muttered.
‘Some people find pregnancy sexy as hell,’ I replied. ‘It’s the most beautiful gift and there’s nothing more stunning than a woman’s body in pregnancy, I think. Anyway, if you’ve managed to avoid morning sickness – as far as I know – maybe you’ll be lucky with the rest of your pregnancy?’
She bit her bottom lip. I got the impression Mandy was toying with saying something, but didn’t, so I continued. ‘I think we can show pregnancy can be an empowering time when it comes to dressing. Plus, I think we need to up the sustainability angle too – look for ways to break into the fashion press, for all the right reasons.’
‘What do you mean?’ Mandy asked. ‘The most sustainable thing I’ll ever do for the human race is bring a new life into the world. Do I really need to wear compostable dresses while I do it?’
‘I’m not suggesting that.’ I giggled. ‘I’m just thinking we have a great opportunity to create a fashion moment here, something that will go viral for all the right reasons.’
The wordviralmade her nose twitch, a habit I noticed Mandy had when something caught her attention.
‘Remember that image of Demi Moore, naked, on the cover ofVanity Fair? Or when Kim Kardashian wore Marilyn Monroe’s dress to the Met Gala?’
She nodded.
‘Both sustainable fashion choices that set the internet on fire. I know an incredible vintage shop in Beverly Hills called Decades, I’m sure they will have something to fit the bill. And if you fancy doing a Demi, well, that would grab attention.’
‘Are you suggesting I go naked?’
‘Would you consider it? Demi showing her bump in all its glory was the most powerfully dramatic symbol of femininity. People were talking about it all over the world. It was also a stunning work of art that conveyed a potent message about female liberation. I think that image could do with a 2025 reboot. What do you think?’
Mandy thought for a moment. ‘I’ll consider it. When the bump is big enough. For now, go to this Decades store when we land and find something sustainable. Something that isn’t a fig leaf.’
‘You got it, boss.’ I yawned, my eyes started to feel heavy.
‘I think you’d better get some sleep,’ she advised. ‘It’s going to be a busy few days.’
Touching down in Los Angeles instantly filled me with nostalgia for the balmy awards season I spent out here two years ago. The weather was a warm twenty-seven degrees and the smell of dry concrete and exhaust fumes outside LAX instantly transported me back.
Jimi and I rode together in a car from the airport. I was glad of the opportunity to indulge myself in the scenes around me – him included. Once we hit the highway, I took in the wide roads backed up with traffic at every time ofday, the blue skies, palm trees, and actual Americans at the wheel of large SUVs and Teslas. It was all so different to the UK. Sobig. I lowered my window and the heat from outside hit me like a wave rolling in from the sea at Santa Monica. April was as hot as a day in August back home. As we neared Sunset Boulevard, I appreciated the iconic Hollywood Hills in the distance above us. It was as intoxicating and exciting as the very first time I came here.
‘You look like a kid in a candy store,’ Jimi commented, looking across at me amused.
‘I feel like it,’ I replied. ‘I love this place. Do you?’
‘Not so much.’ He sighed.
‘Why’s that?’
He frowned. ‘We lived here when I was young, until about the age of ten, when we moved to Miami. It was a turbulent time.’
‘Why?’
‘That’s for another day. You just enjoy the view – and the fumes.’ He leant against the side of the car and closed his eyes, signalling the conversation was closed.
The winding road leading to Mandy and Jose’s mansion high up in the Hills was decorated with ancient eucalyptus trees, their leaves gently rustling in the breeze like they were whispering the secrets of old Hollywood as we wound our way around them, climbing up so high my ears popped. Our chauffeur navigated the curves with practised ease as we reached a cul-de-sac and the Sykes’ mansion materialised before us, a sleek futuristic building protected from view by large, high black gates. If the Surrey home was palatial, this was a modernist’s dream, straight from the pages ofArchitectural Digest.
‘It’s a ground-up,’ Jimi announced as the gates opened automatically using state-of-the-art iris recognition triggered by the chauffeur. I looked at him confused. ‘That means it was dust when they bought the plot. You’ll understand why Surrey’s such a struggle when you see inside.’
The gates silently glided open to reveal a glass façade shimmering in the afternoon sun. I watched Mandy step out of the car in front of us, her heels sinking into the polished gravel driveway. The air smelt of jasmine.
A further iris scanner opened the front door, and we were greeted by an expansive hallway with black-and-white floor tiles and bone-white walls. A large, modern clear-crystal-and-gold chandelier, which could have been plucked from a high-end hotel foyer, hung like a frozen waterfall in the middle of the room. Beyond the hallway, floor-to-ceiling windows framed a circular central atrium full of lush tropical foliage, and a curved infinity edge pool highlighted the emphasis on indoor–outdoor living, perfectly suited to the Southern Californian climate.
‘God, I have missed this pool!’ Mandy declared, kicking off her heels. ‘This house was two years of hell in the making, Amber, but worth it.’
I struggled to contain a gobsmacked expression on my face as I took it all in.
