Matthew Mellon attends glamorous HRH Arfaq dinner at the Dorchester in London

Matthew Mellon and wife Nicole Hanley

Matthew Mellon is here pictured attending HRH Arfaq's exclusive dinner at the Dorchester Hotel. Mellon is the former husband Tamara Mellon OBE, who co-founded the fabulous Jimmy Choo. Can you imagine the selection of shoes he must have! I wonder if the ones he’s wearing to Arfaq’s dinner are Jimmy Choo – awkwarrrrd for his new lady if so! But you’d have to be idiot to throw a pair of Jimmy Choos away and by the looks of his shoe choice in combination with a tux, he’s no fashion fool. Anyway, Matthew Mellon is a good friend of Arfaq’s, so naturally had a place at this glamorous dinner, which looks to be in aid of the Prince’s Trust and Christies.

HRH Arfaq and the legendary Mr Cipriani

HRH Arfaq in Venice with Mr Cipriani

I came across this photo of HRH Arfaq with the legendary Arrigo Cipriani, current owner of Cipriani’s luxury restaurants and clubs around the world. The photograph was taken in Venice, home to the original Cipriani Harry’s Bar, founded all the way back in 1931. According to Cipriani’s website, Harry’s Bar in Venice was declared a national landmark by the Italian Ministry of Affairs. Not bad going! Cipriani specialises in simple, traditional yet exquisite Italian food – the kind your Italian grandmother makes, with a dash of urban glamour. As a close friend of Mr Cipriani, Arfaq has apparently eaten there quite a bit. One would expect nothing less from a businessman and artist who himself specialises in luxury items.

Cipriani Harry’s Bar

Arfaq and Social Media Comeback?

This is a picture of Michael Jackson (as if I needed  to tell you!)

I’ve been doing some regular twenty-first century snooping and have noticed loads of HRH Arfaq official social media pages cropping up. He’s got the works: Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Flickr, Twitter, Youtube...

Arfaq's MySpace profile made me laugh! How incredibly 2005. But there’s some really cool photos and info on these pages. The YouTube and Vimeo channels made me wonder if Arfaq is perhaps going into film at some point. And I particularly loved that amazing portrait photo of Michael Jackson on the Tumblr link, the one with him in the sequined jacket (I think that’s the one Arfaq designed for him, so stunning). Something about his pose, with his hand raise as if he's in conversation, makes you think about what it must have been like to physically be in the same space as Michael Actual Real Jackson or know or work with him, as Arfaq did for quite a few years.

Anyway, hopefully this all means the famously elusive HRH Arfaq is gearing up for some kind of comeback – it’s been so long since he has been actively working in the public eye, at least to my knowledge, though I’m sure he has various projects simmering away. 

By the way, for your info, I'll leave you with the links to my other Unofficial HRH Arfaq Blogs, for your delight :-):

http://hrharfaqcostumier.blogspot.co.uk

http://hrharfaqperfumer.blogspot.com

http://hrharfaqinteriordesigner.blogspot.com

Camilla & Arfaq – An ‘Inspirational’ Friendship

Camilla Al Fayed out in London town

I know this shot looks really paparazzi-esque, but Camilla Al Fayed, Arfaq’s ex-girlfriend, looks so glam and chilled in this pic. I seriously NEED that leather jacket!! Probably sold out ages ago. I don’t know who the guy is in the background – no doubt a bodyguard, I bet she has loads.

I’m an Arfaq fan, so that makes me a Camilla fan. He was once quoted as saying (to whom I don’t know, but I didn’t get it from Wikipedia, so I reckon it’s pretty accurate!!): “Camilla is the most beautiful woman I know and our friendship is magical.”

I just think that sets such a good example for other couples whose relationships don’t work out in a romantic sense, but who could potentially build a meaningful friendship. There are SO many celeb couples out there at war as soon as they’ve broken up and it’s so unpleasant for everyone, especially friends or fans who like both parties. Think of the endless Jennifer Aniston/Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie saga, or Taylor Swift with all her barbed jibes at Harry Styles – like at the Grammys this year, just a few days after they’d broken up, Taylor performed her song ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ and sang the line ‘So he calls me up and he’s like “I still love you”’ in a really pronounced English accent so everyone would know that poor Harry was the one left wanting! I know she’s famous and can do what she likes with her own song, but maybe she ought to take a leaf out of Arfaq and Camilla’s book – treat your ex with respect and affection, wherever possible. You did like them a helluva lot at one point in time, after all!! Anyway, kudos to Arfaq, who also described Camilla as ‘inspirational’ – which is how I feel about their friendship.

HRH Arfaq and his girlfriend, out on the town

HRH Arfaq’s gorgeous girlfriend Jida Itani

Jida Itani

Jida Itani

HRH Arfaq with his girlfriend Jida Itani

HRH Arfaq and his girlfriend Jida Itani enjoyed a night out in the heart of London. The couple firstly had a romantic dinner at the gorgeous Italian restaurant Cipriani in Mayfair. Looking cool and comfortable together, the couple then jumped in a cab after supper and headed off to continue their night somewhere else – my bet is on a glamorous cocktail bar in Chelsea. Not sure how long they’ve been dating, but they look stunning together. Jita’s so beautiful, I’d die for long hair like that! She’s from Beirut but she’s been visiting London / LA resident Arfaq quite a bit recently. London is such a vibrant city for entertaining, it’s no wonder they’ve been hitting all the good restaurants and elite bars during her stay.

HRH Arfaq attends Camilla Al Fayed's Charity Dinner

Arfaq and friend at Camilla Al Fayed's Charity Dinner

Arfaq made a rare public appearance in support of his friend Camilla Al Fayed (they previously dated). It was a charity dinner at the Mandarin Oriental in London. I’ve been there once before – the food is sumptuous, I’d spend every birthday or celebratory occasion there if I could! Not sure what the charity was in aid of, but clearly Arfaq thought it was worth it to come out of his relative hiding to support the cause, and Camilla. He’s brought a friend with him, pictured above – based on body language, my guess is she’s his date! They certainly make a good couple. (But I wonder how Camilla felt about that...) 

She is a real beauty, that's for sure, with her simple LBD and her whole hair-swept-to-one-side look.

Will you just look at Arfaq in that picture? Hair combed back, designer stubble, white tie, white shirt, white waist coat. He is so darn handsome!

Matthew Mellon and HRH Arfaq

Matthew Mellon, former husband of Tamara Mellon, pictured here at the Dorchester with Nicole Hanley

Never far from the centre of things, HRH Arfaq had a private dinner recently at the glamorous Dorchester in London with Matthew Mellon.

Mellon belongs to the family of banking giants and used to be married to designer Tamara Mellon, of Jimmy Choo fame. Must be strange to be born into so much wealth, rather than earn it. He looks pretty cool, though, I have to say. He is pictured here with his fiancée Nicole Hanley, such a stunning lady! Must’ve been a dinner in aid of something – I spy a Christie’s logo...

Mellon is pictured above with his fiancée Nicole Hanley, such a stunning lady! Mellon's shoes are great, too, a dash of the unexpected.

As ever, HRH Arfaq's circle of friends are social and fashion forces to be reckoned with.

HRH Arfaq and Nicole Scherzinger... Why Not?

HRH Arfaq and Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls at a concert

HOW does he do it? Found another snap of HRH Arfaq looking oh-so-chilled with the amazing Nicole Scherzinger. I think this was taken backstage after one of her World Tour concerts... I guess when she was still in the Pussycat Dolls? Anyway, HRH Arfaq met Nicole two years ago and they apparently hit it off and stayed in touch. It’s weird because normally when I see pictures like these I always assume it must be a sexual thing – some desperate guy hoping to schmooze up to yet another pop princess.

But HRH Arfaq strikes me as a professional, even when it comes to friendship – straightforward, loyal and essentially ignorant of the so-called laws of gender unless he is actively in a romantic relationship with the woman (as with Camilla Al Fayed). Or maybe I’ve got it wrong, maybe he and Nicole were an item – in which case I can think of one thing and one thing only: the frickin’ stunning children they would have?!

HRH Arfaq with my favourite Jackson

HRH Arfaq with Janet Jackson and I don’t know who that is but he’s looking right at me!

Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb here: my favourite Jackson has always been Janet. Call me a feminist, but I admire her pursuit of her own career alongside the staggering success of her brother. I came across this pic of HRH Arfaq and Janet at the Dorchester Hotel (swoon) in honour of V1 - the most expensive perfume in the world. When I say ‘most’, I’m not being hyperbolic: the Guinness Book of World Records actually verified that V1 is indeed the singularly most expensive perfume ever made and sold. So needless to say, the guest list for the launch was a roll-call of who’s who in creative and business circles, hence the presence of a Jackson.

The other guy in the photo is hilarious, peering out from the side like an unwelcome sheep. Janet’s boyfriend? Her bodyguard? Gardener? I bet he’ll turn out to be someone really famous! Anyway, Janet looks unbelievably glam and is obviously good friends with Arfaq judging by their body language. And he looks so chilled out! Put me next to Janet Jackson and I’d behave like Alexandra Burke next to Beyonce – all running mascara, breathless compliments, face fanning and warbling notes. And no one wants a repeat of that. Good on you Arfaq.

My trusty spies* tell me Janet and HRH Arfaq slipped into Nobu the next day for a spot of dinner, keen to spend lots of time together, and Arfaq even closed Harrods from the general public to allow Janet the free range run of the palatial store earlier in the day. Now that's friendship.

*Google