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Storm Keating, Storm Official

Storm Keating has her well-manicured fingers in several stylish pies ATM. The former TV producer (she was working on The X  Factor when she first met her husband, Ronan Keating) is now boss lady of her very own lifestyle blog, Storm Official, has designed a stunning range of boots for London boutique Stivaleria Cavallin and is a passionate ambassador for Positive Luxury - which awards sustainably-minded luxury brands for best practice and aims to educate how fast fashion is killing our planet. She juggles these love projects with aplomb, while travelling the world with Ronan Keating and his three beautiful children (Jack, 17, Missy, 15 and Ali, 10) in tow. And, while it's not all private jets and press interviews, Storm admits she has come a long way - and not just from the cattle station she grew up on outside of Innisfail, in Far North Queensland. Career-wise, her vocations have always had a creative leaning and it looks like there will be more fashion collaborations in the pipeline soon.

It was on one of her trips back to Oz, that we caught up with the petite, beautiful and endearingly chatty Storm, where she generously unpacked her suitcase and treasured Gucci wash bags to give us a glimpse into the globetrotting life she and her husband have built together – and how she manages to look flawless despite their often grueling schedule. The charming Ronan dropped Storm off before checking out the set and meeting the crew – he was friendly, warm and clearly smitten with his new bride. And it’s not surprising really, when you meet her…

“When I first moved to London, I went onto the Voice UK, producing and directing.

I would never see the kids and Ronan, and it got to the point where I would start feeling guilty. My priorities were with my job at the time. Every woman is different and I’ve always been very independent and career-orientated. It’s been an interesting transition. I promised myself and Ronan that I would take at least a year off from television to create a secure home for the kids and look for ways to redirect my career to more project based opportunities. This would allow me more balance between work and family. For about two years I also said no to press interviews and profile opportunities because I was wary of all of that, but I gradually started doing bits for the family cancer foundation (Marie Keating Foundation) and this eventually led to individual stuff also. I launched my ‘Storm Boots’ design collaboration with Stivaleria Cavallin at Burberry’s London Fashion Week show in February; that was a pivotal moment for me. I also run a blog a on my Storm Official website, plus I’m an advocate for sustainability and ethical business practices and juggle a lot of this type of work in my role as Ambassador for Positive Luxury.

STORM LIKES TO TEAM FEMININE PIECES WITH LEATHER
RONAN PROPOSED TO STORM WITH HIS CHILDREN

The kids proposed with Ronan. They were pretty excited about it…

They hatched up the plan to propose to me – we were on the West Coast of Ireland for Easter break and they built a bonfire outside in the grass and had music going. We were all just hanging out and dancing around with Ro’s brother and his family. Before I knew it, Ronan then got down on one knee and the kids were on either side of him, and they all asked together, ‘Will you marry us?’ It was such a beautiful moment. My brother was also visiting at the time, which made it extra special. Everyone knew what was going to happen, except for me.

The first moment I met Ronan’s kids, it was like instant synergy.

They’re amazing kids and I love having them in my life. When it’s our turn to have the kids, we make sure it’s all about them and we go everywhere as a unit. We try to keep things very real in our household though, it’s a gift to be taught appreciation for all the little things in life and so we work hard at reminding them of this. I love where I grew up and how I was brought up; that has helped shape who I am today. I don’t take anything for granted and the things that make me happy are the things that truly nurture the heart. We don’t want the kids getting caught up in materialistic things and would prefer they make us something themselves; Ali hand-sewed engagement presents for us and I just loved it. I save all their drawings, cards and lettings.It’s that kind of effort that’s truly special.

STORM AND RONAN SHARE SIMILAR FAMILY BELIEFS
WHEN IT COMES TO FASHION, SHE LIKES TO KEEP THINGS CHIC, AS WELL AS ETHICAL

When it comes to fashion, I like to invest in classic luxury items that I know will last me for years.

I don’t buy anything unless I love it (or I know I’m going to get good wear out of it) no matter what the price tag. I guess this is because I don’t like the idea of filling my wardrobe with a bunch of waste. Being an ambassador for Positive Luxury (which awards luxury fashion businesses with a trust mark for meeting certain sustainability criteria) I understand how important it is to be a conscious consumer in a world where fast fashion is at its prime and with disastrous affects on our planet. Vivienne Westwood has a simple mantra: Buy less, choose well, and make it last! So this is what I try to do with every purchase I make… these two Yves Saint Laurent pieces definitely fit that criteria and I travel everywhere with them because I wear them every other day.

My husband and I spend about 85% of the year living out of our suitcases, so we tend to take our luggage and travel bags seriously.

We invest in beautiful pieces that we know will do the distance and for me thats a collection of four black Gucci Boho washbags and two baby pink monogrammed makeup cases by The Daily Edited. Constantly being on the road also means I try to travel as light as I can, even when it comes to makeup. One way I maximise space is by prioritising the products that I can use in more than one way. For example one of my Tom Ford blush compacts also serves as a great eye colour, so I’ll pack that one instead of a blush that I can only wear on my cheek. Ro calls me a wizard when it comes to packing because I always manage to find him more space when he thinks he’s at capacity – one of my tips is to make sure you pack evenly all the way up. Fill up every little knook and cranny before adding the next layer of clothes in. For example put your socks in your shoes,or roll your gym gear (instead of folding it) and use it to fill in those long skinny crevices between piles of jeans etc. I also think pre-planning your outfits is a HUGE help.

SHE SAYS GUCCI WASHBAGS LAST THE DISTANCE
AS A FREQUENT TRAVELLER, STORM HAS MASTERED THE ART OF PACKING

I don’t tend to wear a lot of makeup unless I’m attending an event that calls for glam.

My day-to-day face would include a tinted BB moisturiser by Aevitas, a little blush on the cheek (Burberry’s Tangerine Blush No. 06), a SmashBox mascara, and a clear lip balm by Weleda (which is a natural balm and petroleum free). When it does come time for me to glam it up, I still keep it pretty simple but I definitely like to have more fun with it. I’ll use Laura Mercier’s mineral powder for my foundation (a product I’ve been using for about 5 years) as this gives a nice coverage and natural glow without being too shiny. Plus I’ll use the Chanel contouring cream to accentuate my cheekbones along with a general mix up of eye shadows depending on what I’m wearing. Charlotte Tilbury’s B**tch Perfect lippy is probably the most versatile lip colour in my bag, so this one definitely gets the biggest workout. My stepdaughter Missy, is unbelievably good at makeup and sometimes I find myself taking tips from her – like how to to “bake” using Laura Merciers’ Translucent Loose Setting Powder. She’s only 15 but she watches those YouTube tutorials and it’s quite amazing how advanced the younger generations are with all this stuff.

I am a big fan of Dr Spiller products. It’s the first time I have noticed a visible difference with my complexion.

My skin is balanced. It’s hydrated and glowy and in the last few months I’ve had only one spot – despite our stressful, sleep deprived lifestyle and constant travel on planes! My favourite Spiller products include the the Cleansing Milk with Cucumber Extracts, Jojoba Peeling Cream, Cucumber Toner, Eye Contour Cream, Whitening De-Pigmentation Serum and the Vitamin C Plus Day Cream. They are quality, effective products that work with the skin’s natural defences instead of against them. I discovered it when I was invited to have a facial with Sue Dann and I now go to the Bondi Junction Face Plus Medispa whenever I’m in Sydney. Their philosophy is to not do anything abrasive to the skin; everything is gentle and healing on the inside.

DR SPILLER SKINCARE KEEPS HER COMPLEXION IN CHECK
SHE IS A SELF-CONFESSED SCENT ADDICT

I am a little scent crazy…….

I have about 14 different perfumes going and every day I mix up what I wear, depending on my mood and vibe. I’m a huge fan of luxury brands like Tom Ford and Aqua Di Parma, but I’m generally on the search for any unique combinations which you don’t smell every day. My husband and I buy a lot of uni-sex scents and share them – there’s a great brand called Byredo which we first discovered in Colette in Paris, they do unisex very well – one of our favourites is Gypsy Water. At the moment I’m travelling with Aqua Di Parma – Rosa Nobile (for something feminine and softly sweet) as well as Yves Saint Laurent – Saharienne.

I don’t tend to wear a lot of makeup unless I’m attending an event, then I go glam.

My day-to-day face would include a tinted BB moisturiser by Aevitas, a little blush on the cheek (Burberry’s Tangerine Blush No. 06), a SmashBox mascara, and a clear lip balm by Weleda (which is a natural balm and petroleum free). When it does come time for me to glam it up, I still keep it pretty simple but I definitely like to have more fun with it. I’ll use Laura Mercier’s mineral powder for my foundation (a product I’ve been using for about 5 years) as this gives a nice coverage and natural glow without being too shiny. Plus I’ll use the Chanel contouring cream to accentuate my cheekbones along with a general mix up of eye shadows depending on what I’m wearing. Charlotte Tilbury’s B**tch Perfect lippy is probably the most versatile lip colour in my bag, so this one definitely gets the biggest workout. My stepdaughter Missy, is unbelievably good at makeup and sometimes I find myself taking tips from her – like how to “bake” using Laura Merciers’ Translucent Loose Setting Powder. She’s only 15 but she watches those YouTube tutorials and it’s quite amazing how advanced the younger generations are with all this stuff.

LAURA MERCIER, CHARLOTTE TILBURY AND CHANEL ARE AMONG HER FAVOURITES.
SUPPORTING AUSSIE BEAUTY BRANDS HAS BECOME A HOBBY FOR STORM

I’ve just been introduced to Bhave hair care products and became an instant fan.

It ticks all the boxes: it’s Australian owned; not tested on animals; free from nasties like parabens, sulphates and sodium chloride; contains certified organic ingredients; and actually does what it says it will. Transparency from brands is important to me and when I can see that they are using quality natural products which are not only good for us, but for our environment too, I’m a loyal customer. Hairdressers are always surprised by how long and healthy my hair is and I put it down to a good, healthy diet and low maintenance on my hair. I rarely use styling products and restrict myself form blow-drying my hair unless I have an event to attend. I’m no hair genius, but I think keeping things natural and product free as much as possible, definitely contributes to the overall health of my hair.

Once that diamond ring hit my finger and everyone was asking to look at my hand, I started to get manicures.

I had my first shellac ever and was instantly addicted. But the only problem was that after a few months of constant use, I could feel and see the difference in the health of my nails and also started relying on the shellac to stop my nails from breaking! This really bothered me as I’ve always had such hard and healthy nails, so I bit the bullet and found a compromise in the middle. Like my hair, I keep my nails au naturel unless I have an event or photoshoot to attend. And instead of shellac, I now buy good quality varnish’s like OFAT (who are a Positive Luxury brand) and Tom Ford (who I assume are using top quality ingredients, given the price tag) in the hope they’re better on my nails.

TO KEEP HER NAILS HARD AND HEALTHY, STORM PREFERS A DIY MANI AT HOME OVER SHELLAC
STORM MARRIED RONAN IN AN OPEN-AIR CEREMONY IN SCOTLAND LAST YEAR

On my sustainability journey I’ve learnt more and more about natural products versus nasty products and there is no doubt in my mind what is better for our overall health.

Over the last 12 months I have been rapidly substituting everything in my bathroom cabinet including my skincare range – in addition to Dr Spiller I also love Aesop. As a proud Aussie living in London, supporting Aussie brands is like a hobby for me and I always get excited when I spot an Aesop store. The Aesop duets are my favourite pair of bottles by the sink and they remind me of home every time I use them. Of course the product itself is gorgeous and the packaging is simple and classy, so my husband and I are both huge fans and always make sure the house is stocked up.”

Interview by Sigourney Cantelo; Story by Stephanie Russo; Photography by Myles Pritchard; Styling by Kristin Rawson; Hair by Alanna Marie Patterson; Makeup by Andrea Black

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  1. August 11, 2016
    Rhonda

    I just recently got engaged and I also feel the need to always have my nails freshly manicured. I always try to avoid shellacs and acrylics because they have seriously damaged my nails in the past – absolutely love the Tom Ford nail colors pictured in this article!

  2. August 11, 2016
    Meredith

    How cute is that proposal story! Love that Ronan’s kids were involved, too.. adorable!

  3. August 11, 2016
    Carole

    What a really informative interview about such a lovely lady, the work Storm currently does for sustainable products is first class & her blog follows that up perfectly. Her and Ronan make a lovely couple and Storm has adapted to her new lifestyle in Europe perfectly. A very grounded wife, step mother & business woman. Great read!!!

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