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NORTHERNBELLE

Watch what happened behind-

the-scenes at Melanie’s makeover

in our exclusive video on

www.asiana.tv

With a career spanning 20 years, Melanie Sykes is one of the most glamorous faces on television. During our exclusive

Asiana fashion shoot and make-over, she spoke to MomtazBegum-Hossain about her Anglo-Indian heritage

and life-long love affair with presenting.

Wardrobe: Zafran • Hair: Dar • Make-up: Arfa Beauty

Location: Little Nan’s Bar • Photography: Alan Strutt

Cuff: MerolaEarrings: Nebojsa

Necklace: Oceanic Jewellers(see stockists p434)

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‘I spent three weeks living with an Indian family during Diwali and I’ve never felt my roots so much. Just being around that family made me feel Indian, it is part of who I am. I do have darker skin and I’m really proud of being mixed race.’

Growing up, Melanie spent a lot of time with her grandparents who instilled Indian values into her, including a love for a good curry and being a self-confessed foodie, this element continues to play a part in her life. Keen to visit India with her sons and her mother Wendy who left there when she was 11, Melanie is fascinated with Rajasthan where her mother was born and loves the colourful fashions associated with the region. She recalls, ‘I wore a sari when I filmed the Southall programme and I loved it. Normally I’m just a high street girl, I wear a lot of classics, I love a good quality white shirt, but I don’t concern myself with brands, the dress I arrived in today is from Camden Market.’

Melanie’s own natural beauty is very much inherited from her mother. She enthuses: ‘Growing up I was very aware of my mum’s beauty and people’s reactions to her. Men would just hang out of cars to look at my mum, bus drivers and van

drivers…they would go crazy for her. She had natural sex appeal and a walk that was just like Marilyn Monroe.’ Her Anglo-Indian roots are also something she is grateful for. ‘I do think Indian women are the most beautiful women in the world. I remember hosting Miss World and I knew on day one that Miss India would win. Out of 80 gorgeous creatures I remember saying to Ulrika my co-presenter, ‘Miss India’s got this in the bag!’ Cut to four days down the line and she’s got the crown. It’s just everything about them: bone structure, skin colour, eyes, it’s so beautiful.’

Part of Melanie’s success is that she has never stopped working. After eight years as a model, television was a natural step but she never took it for granted and gave her all to every job, even when

most women would have been taking a break. She explains: ‘I was meant to stop working six weeks before my son was born but I ended up presenting The Vault until two weeks before. I kept thinking the adrenaline of live TV would make me go into labour and I felt like a whale sat on this stall hosting the show but the Head of ITV phoned me up and really wanted me to do it. I auditioned for Des and Mel while I was pregnant and started hosting it just two and a half months after I gave birth. Work has always been important but equally, so are family.’

Melanie’s younger son is autistic and in recent years she’s become a campaigner for Autism awareness. Her ‘me time’ is spent doing fitness and her Instagram account (MsMelanieSkyes) is filled with inspiring images of her looking

The epitome of natural beauty and elegance, model turned television presenter, Melanie Sykes is the first celebrity we’ve featured who doesn’t

need to wear eyelashes; her own lashes have enough impact to hypnotise with their sensual flutter, while her skin is so luminous it radiates a glow, even when the camera lights are turned off. Just turned 46, the mother of two is happier than ever as she relishes in her newfound love for the great outdoors, following her appearance on last year’s I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! and is continuing to enjoy success as a television presenter.

It was an appearance on a TV advert for an alcohol brand that catapulted Melanie from ordinary model, into the face of the 90s. At the age of 19, the Manchester lass moved to London where her career as a model blew up, taking her all over the world. From starring in Parisian catwalk shows for Designer Karl Lagerfeld to landing a major campaign for Coca-Cola in the US, Melanie experienced major success in the fashion and beauty industry. But it was her northern accent and bold personality that got her snapped up by television producers. After the Boddington drink advert in question, she was inundated with calls. Melanie reminisces: ‘I remember it all so clearly. After the advert got aired, I received lots of invites to do screen tests and I just kept getting the jobs!’

To date, her best-known presenting roles are on The Big Breakfast, afternoon chat show Today With Des and Mel and quiz show The Vault, but it was a special documentary that she made for Channel 4 called Southall Stories that touched her the most, giving her a chance to uncover more about her Indian roots. She reveals:

Outfits: Zafranwww.zafran.co.uk07891926111Earrings: NebojsaRing: Dee Vara(see stockists p434)

Hair & Make-up: Arfa Beauty www.arfabeauty.co.uk

Outfits: ZafranHair: Dar

Make-up: Arfa BeautyPhotography: Alan Strutt

Videography: Shevy SandhuCreative Director: Anisha Vasani

Fashion Stylist: Saquib Alvi Location: Little Nan’s Bar, LondonInterview: Momtaz Begum-Hossain

Earrings: Konplott(see stockists p434)

‘Seeing Melanie in our outfits was a real pleasure. Zafran specialises in exclusive Kashmiri handmade couture. Every garment is made with exquisite craftsmanship, handwoven and hand embroidered to make it unique.. We wanted to show Melanie the versatility that exists in our designs so I picked out some of our popular silk suits, which are perfect for daywear and evening wear and of course a feminine lengha. Melanie has an incredible body so she pulled off the cropped bodice with ease, while she looked like a vintage film star in the long flowing skirt. Bringing together colour and couture, the whole collection suited her perfectly. Neetu Jalali Singla, Zafran

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‘Styling Melanie was a pleasure as she looks effortlessly beautiful in everything. I was struck by her natural allure and loved how she’s so open to embracing her Anglo-Indian roots.’ Anisha Vasani, Editor

Outfits: Zafranwww.zafran.co.uk

07891926111Cuff: Oceanic Jewellers

Rings: Merola & Dee Vara JewelleryNecklace: Nebojsa

(see stockists p434)

Hair & Make-up: Arfa Beauty

www.arfabeauty.co.uk

toned and fabulous. She’s also started imparting fitness advice in her own videos for her website (www.melanieskykes.com). While most presenter’s sites tend to be a place to watch their showreel, Melanie’s website is more like a women’s lifestyle magazine, comprising opinion pieces, beauty reviews and advice, as well as being her online diary. She says: ‘Instead of people Googling me, if you want to know more about me, go to my website or follow me on social media.’

The site, although still in its early days, has become an outlet for Melanie to embrace doing what she loves. Content includes beauty reviews, blog style posts and opinion pieces. What she enjoys the most is interviewing people and getting to

know what makes them tick, so you’ll also find her own interviews with inspiring people on the website. She admits: ‘I don’t discriminate against anyone, I’m a girl’s girl but I’ve always got on with boys. Watching what the men had to say about me on I’m A Celebrity was really great, some women feel they can’t be friends with men but I hope to show that you can.’

With grand plans to develop her lifestyle website and with television offers continuing to pour in, there’s no stopping Melanie on her mission to spread her passion and joy for life, while being an ambassador for health and happiness. • Catch Melanie Sykes on A Week In The Wild airing on BBC 2 soon

Bangle: Dee Vara JewelleryEarrings: Konplott(see stockists p434)

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THE DREAM TEAM

Melanie’s hair is in great condition. She has extensions which makes it easier for her to style her own hair on a day-to-day basis, while maintaining a natural fullness and volume. A lot of celebrities I work with opt for extensions, but increasingly so do professional women and brides who want the ease of having hair that looks healthy and doesn’t need a lot of maintenance. For Melanie, she is naturally flawless and her long hair has a natural bounce, so I simply enhanced the curls to give extra body – sometimes less is more and that’s exactly the case with Melanie. Dar,Celebrity Hair Stylist www.hairbydar.co.uk

It’s so rare to work on someone who has such exquisite skin. There was very little for me to do other than get Melanie camera-ready by applying a light foundation base. Her cheekbones do all the talking so there was no need to contour, I simply enhanced what nature has given her. Melanie curls her lashes daily giving them a beautiful texture so there was no need for lashes, I simply applied lots of mascara and finished the look with some natural lipstick. Melanie has a naturally beautiful smile and I adored how she’s always wearing one: it’s the number one way to look and feel great in an instant.Arfa Beauty MUAwww.arfabeauty.co.uk

Asiana paired up the finest glamour experts for Melanie’s makeover…

GLAMOUR SQUAD:Behind-the-scenes - the team who gave Melanie her Desi Girl makeover

Outfit: Zafranwww.zafran.co.uk07891926111Ring: Dee Vara JewelleryShoes: Lisa Kay London(see stockists p434)

Hair & Make-up: Arfa Beauty www.arfabeauty.co.uk

‘Wow! This shoot was different to anything I’ve ever done before. It was refreshing to wear the long jacket and trouser suit as it’s something I wouldn’t normally choose. I adored the bright pink chiffon suit too but my favourite was the lengha. Wearing a cropped top with a long flowing skirt made me feel so feminine and the fabric and colours were gorgeous. Arfa’s beauty look was amazing too, it was natural enough that I felt like myself but ever so glamorous. I also loved Dar, he’s really good at blowdrying hair and gave me some great tips for keeping my locks full of body and bounce.’Melanie Sykes