Читать книгу Model Citizens: Riding for a Fall - Henry Pepper - Страница 7

Uptown, the Estee Lauder Awards ceremony was reaching its conclusion. Branson was profiling Angela. She filled her black Rodarte stretch lace dress so perfectly it looked like a work of art. Her long black hair was now untied and flowed sensually down her back.

“It’s time for us to have a close look at where Angela has come from and what she has been doing since she started charming the cameras of the world just a few short years ago,” Branson breathlessly informed the Kodak crowd.

On the screens appeared a high definition video package of Angela’s ‘colourful’ past as the daughter of a left wing French politician. Aretha Franklin’s Respect was playing.

“What you want

Baby I got it

What you need

Do you know I got it?”

The audience was shown clips of Angela “overjoyed” and hugging her mother after signing her first Chanel contract; her picture on the cover of Vogue France as a fashionable 16 year old Iyengar yoga protégée; playing golf with her besotted father and eminent Parisians; and Angela on location in London’s Battersea Park sensually modelling Agent Provocateur lingerie for a dozen photographers.

“Without doubt, at just 21 years of age, Angela Durand is already one of the world’s premier photographic models,” Branson gushed. “She was recently described by The New York Times as the face of our time.”

As Branson showed camera 4 a copy of a recent issue of Marie Claire magazine with Angela’s stunning face on the cover, Angela blushed and smiled shyly. Branson put his arm around her tiny waist.

“Thank you so much for being with us tonight, Angela. Good luck in the awards and, believe me when I say, we all look forward to seeing a whole lot more of you in the future!”

Angela performed a curtsy to the audience and flashed her best billion dollar smile at camera 3. The Kodak’s capacity crowd of 3500 were charmed and thrilled and made sure she knew all about it.

“Ladies UND gentlemen!! Angela Durand!! From France,” Branson announced proudly. “What a truly luscious woman from a truly special country. What a fine ambassador for European fashion and culture she is.”

As the crowd roared its approval, Branson and Angela embraced, air kissed, then waved from the awards lectern to the rapturous crowd.

“Please don’t touch that remote,” Branson purred. “Coming up right after these important messages from our sponsors, we reveal who is the winner of the Estee Lauder International Modelling Awards for 2009!”

Branson looked approvingly at Angela and then swept both his arms outward to highlight all the contestants.

“And don’t forget y’all, you can find lots of important information about Angela, about all the girls and the wonderful sponsors of tonight’s special presentation on our website. The address is on your screen right now.”