The Swelle Life

Artist Series: Pop Fantastic's Susan Canaday Henry

Late last year I received a scrumptious surprise package containing two beautiful art prints from New York-based multi-media graphic artist Susan Canaday Henry. She knew just what to send - one was a lovely pastel-hued scene with a rendering in her own style of Marie Antoinette languishing on a chaise longue. I love the shades of blues, pinks and purples she used and would be happy to live forever in this room. (Especially if I had Ladies in Waiting as seen in the shadows. Oh wait, that would be weird, wouldn't it? I like to get dressed by myself. Maybe one to bring me tea and macarons every afternoon, that would work.)

The other is the Empress Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to rule as emperor.  The composition is gorgeously coloured in saturated blush, flame hues and crimson. Susan has outfitted her in long, dramatic stripes and an intriguing headdress. Her commanding presence against a backdrop of hazy dawn-lit mountains creates a portrait of power and serenity.

What  struck me first about Susan's works was the harmony of the beautiful colours in each, and what looked to be delicately hand drawn detail and watercolour layering in Marie Antoinette and painterly brushstrokes in  I didn't want Susan to give away any secrets but was curious how she created these images, and lucky for us she was willing to talk about it!

"The drawings all start as pencil/watercolor and then are oomphed digitally--- I think that's what gives them a sort of dreamy look.

"I get a lot of feedback that the colors in my illustrations are very bright, yet nuanced. I don't want to give secrets, but I think the watercolor base gives a weird glow to anything digital, and I aim to make sure you can still see the hand drawn beginnings of my illustrations. I think so much today is too digitized, too clean. I approach Photoshop like makeup: not too heavy, but enough to add distinction. And layer, layer, layer! Add to that a background in traditional animation (I studied a lot of Golden Age Disney, UPA & Warner Brothers at Pratt Institute) and numerous visits to the Metropolitan to gaze at classics... mix it all together, and these are the results. It took a long time to get comfortable with my style because there's a natural inclination to want to produce what is popular, but I've also found that this is what makes me unique, and have learned better to embrace it.

"The Marie Antoinette print really helped me with that. So many people responded to it, that I finally made it available as a print, and it's my best selling image. Marie Antoinette is my favorite, but so is the Empress Wu Zetian. Like many powerful female leaders, she has such a fascinating (and ruthless) story behind her rise. I am hoping to continue the portrait series of Empresses and Queens in the new year."

Susan is such a faceted, talented creative - and she's fun, too! - so  I'll be featuring more of her work on Swelle and talking to her about it.

If you can't wait - and you shouldn't! - see Susan's website Pop Fantastic which showcases her illustration and animation work. I just love her And, Darling...conversations films. Zing!

To see the range of Susan's art prints including Marie Antoinette and Empress Wu Zetian, you can visit her shop on Society 6

Marie Antoinette art print detail by Susan Canaday Henry

Empress Wu Zetian art print by Susan Canaday Henry

CREATIVE LIFE: WINNER LAUREN ART DIRECTS WITH FOTOCRUSH

In conjunction with The Swelle Life, Foto Crush recently ran its “Be An Art Director” contest, where the winner gets to co-create a photo stationery collection with a Foto Crush Art Director - a very cool prize. The lucky December winner was Lauren and we're about to look at how their collaboration produced concepts that were developed to create beautiful artwork that means something. I had the opportunity to do one myself, and we're working on it right now. I'm so intrigued and impressed with the Foto Crush team's creative process, it's so well considered and collaborative, and it allows for a choice of three wonderful options in different directions, capturing various significant elements of the subject's personality and loves. I would have been thrilled to develop any of my three and it was very tough to choose, but I made my decision and am very excited for the next step. (It's like they really know you!)

 

Creative Life is a series of blog posts by Foto Crush that follows each winner’s journey, illustrating their creative progress, and ultimately seeing how each person’s artistry shines. Taken as exerpts from the Creative Life series, here is Lauren's 'Creative Life' from the beginning to the final artwork.

LAUREN’S JOURNEY, PART 1

 

"Right away, we could tell that Lauren was a whimsical, curious mix of wonderfulness. She teaches at an alternative high school, and is an amazing artist in her own right. The first step in the process was for Lauren to take our creativity personality quiz. The goal: To understand what inspires her, then use that to inform the 3 creative concepts for her to choose from. What we discovered was a woman of great faith, who adores her husband, with unforgettable memories of their perfect honeymoon in Italy. She has an eclectic range of music, a few of her favorite songs being Awolnation’s Sail, Toccata & Fugue in D’Minor, and Hysteria by Muse. And she has a real playful side, even back from when she was a little girl who loved her cat, peanut butter and naps most of all! So it was no surprise that Lauren added her own personal touch to our quiz (see colorful border), which gave us more insights into her bright & sassy personality."

 

LAUREN'S JOURNEY, PART 2: THREE CONCEPTS

 

"It’s great to think of these concepts as creative mash-ups of Lauren’s personality. Prior to creating a card design, we first put together a “mood board” of sorts. These boards communicate a certain feeling in color, font and mood -- with some hint towards the design aesthetic. We also aspire to provide variety between the three design directions. Lauren inspired the following 3 concepts: Love’s Kooky Light, Ever Present Love & Faith, and Most Beloved."

 

 

 

 

If you were Lauren, which concept would you have chosen? Take the poll here!

LAUREN'S CREATIVE LIFE: THE WINNING CONCEPT

 

"Given the holidays, and our "love" theme, Lauren selected.... Concept 2!  Ever Present Love & Faith.

"Now that we had the concept, our next step in the creative process is design. Lauren collaborated with our FC Art Director, Melissa, to interpret the concept into several design options. 

Together, they created these 3 designs. Design 1 and Design 2 (a variation of 1) are inspired by the idea of, if you could travel back and sit amongst the wisemen (Lauren's answer to the time machine survey question), what would you wear? Yes, a whimsical thought (hey, it's fashion!), but it was challenging too, being a mix of humbleness, gratefulness, and regal bearing. The 3rd Design is based on the more traditional idea of that very holy night. Here, to balance the awe-inspiring art, we added an element of delight with the little lambs -- integrating Lauren's own artwork.

 

 

 

"Ahhh, the happy ending to Lauren's creative adventure! After mulling over her choices, Lauren chose the kingly BLING to represent her Collection, Ever Present Love & Faith -- a gorgeous blend of etherial whites, pinks, bronzes & glistening stars -- and a very spiritual and romantic representation of love. And since her little lambs were too cute to deny, we also created a photo card from the 3rd option, called The Wisemen. (Did Lauren pick your favorite?)"

A collection based on Lauren's beautiful artwork was created by Foto Crush for the holidays and has been adapted for Valentine's Day, which is perfect for its romantic and dreamy feel. You can purchase it from their two shops: Foto Crush Etsy or Big Cartel.

 

Would you like to be Foto Crush's next Art Director? To participate in their next contest, email yum@fotocrush.com  with “I want to be an Art Director” in the subject line. The next drawing is this month. Good luck!

 

Nick Knight and the Death of Photography

One year ago, Nick Knight proclaimed, "I think photography is dead"  when he self-referenced during a livestreamed interview for the series Fashion Pioneers with The Business of Fashion. Taken out of context, it's a stunning statement considering he's tirelessly and fearlessly pushing the boundaries of what his chosen medium can be, and his unrivaled online creative home, Showstudio, is arguably the most groundbreaking and prolific showcase of fashion imagery and the processes behind it, a marriage of photography and film, much of it in collaboration with in-house filmmaker Ruth Hogben and guest favourites (Alice Hawkins is always a massive treat). To that he added, “Film died some years ago. I don’t miss it. None of my children read magazines. Fashion will be shaped by the internet.” 

Watching the whole interview - it's 4o+ minutes and well worth the time - is crucial to understanding the context of his statements which you want to do because it's better than reading excerpts and thinking someone you admire is hopelessly arrogant. He's not; rather he has the kind of humility only those who achieve great things acquire. His message, drawn out by the quietly astute Imran Amed, is that the way to move fashion forward is to create new, dynamic and groundbreaking fashion experiences that use our available technology to offer access to everyone who wants it (eg. watching Alexander McQueen's Plato's Atlantis on our mobiles), and therefore media such as photography and film must evolve beyond what traditional means can accommodate. Knight observes that, in this sense, photography "has become something else" altogether (hence "photography is dead"), and he's leading the revolution in taking fashion to this open place, beyond the fashion elite. (I've always thought fashion was wasted on a good number of the privileged insiders - bored faces at Chanel haute couture shows are as sure a sight as Lesage embellished boucle.)

At the time of this interview, no other image maker was following Knight's lead or cutting their own path in any meaningful way. The vision wasn't there. Has that changed in the past year? I can't think of anyone.

The images here are Knight's contribution to the January issue of W magazine. They are blowing me away. They are like photography, illustration and film all in one - I believe he directed a film and took stills to create the series which is drawn from the work of Erté, Aubrey Beardsley, Lillian Bassman and Irina Ionesco "to explore the future-fantastic visions of Spring/Summer 2012" for W. I think the imagery trumps the subject which is the clothes. Yet in 30 years of creating fashion imagery, Knight has never lost focus of why he's there, and I find that fascinating.

You can see all of the images, both published and previously unpublished, at Showstudio.

 

Photos: Showstudio

Floral Friday: Au Revoir, Francois Lesage

The man responsible for much of the heartbreakingly exquisite beauty of haute couture has died.  Francois Lesage was head of Maison Lesage, the legendary embroidery salon in Paris where rare magic happens. He was 82.

It seems the craft was in his blood. His father, Albert, founded the family firm in 1924 when he bought the atelier of Napoleon III’s embroiderer, Michonet, who had also worked for Charles Frederick Worth. Subsequently Albert married Marie-Louise Favot, an embroidery worker at Vionnet. With that legacy how could he have followed any other path?

Luckily he fell in love with beautifying textiles with threads and beads and has helped keep this highly skilled art alive, through the work of the Maison as seen on the best of haute couture (not without help from Chanel who saved the Maison by buying it), and ensuring new talent is nurtured through his Paris school, Ecole Lesage Atelier de Broderie. What a dream vocation. (A fellow Canadian named Sarah Crowley got her dream and moved to Paris to study at Lesage a few years ago, you can read about her time there and see her own beautiful designs at Glimpse Creations.)

Below is a delight of an interview with Lesage from 1987 from Fashion Television:

Christian Lacroix's exquisiteness was greatly owed to Lesage

Floral Friday! Papery Printed Porcelain from Bath

This past weekend I went on a girls' trip to visit a friend in Bristol (no one makes toast like you, Sophie) and it included a visit to dreamy Bath, which is a must when in town. We had gorgeous autumn weather and I really wished I had my camera, but I left it at home so I wouldn't be holding up the group or miss everything that was happening. I took lots of pictures in spring of last year which you can see here here here and here. (Though I do find my old photos a bit cringe-worthy so if you look, do it quickly, eh?)

While roaming the shops in Bath I popped into Rostra & Rooksmoor Galleries - I couldn't resist a turquoise-painted shop - and saw a collection of works by local ceramicist Janine Roper which immediately attracted me due to their Delftware influences. And then they really intrigued me when I noticed they weren't poured into moulds but had a papery effect in that they were obviously hand-formed. I didn't get her name (must work on that) but the woman at the gallery was really helpful and explained that the artist rolls out the porcelain into sheets, cuts and shapes it and then screenprints it. That is is so neat! She uses mostly traditional cobalt blue oxides and draws her print design from vintage 'Sunday Best' tea sets and other domestic items from her life.

I had to take one home and decided on the jug, a charming little piece that stands about 6" high. I pictured delicate flowers in it but really wanted to actually use it, as a jug. But I wasn't sure if that was a stupid idea (that happens a lot with me). Was it safe? Would I break it? I got all excited when I read the artist's statement the lovely woman gave me and saw the words "pour exquisite drinks from her range of pitchers of all different sizes." Permission! I've been displaying the jug on my aqua French side table in my living room, then last night when I was putting a tray of tea together I took it into the kitchen and filled it with milk. This was exciting to me. Is milk exquisite? No, not unless it comes from an exceptionally beautiful cow. But it made my tea ritual much nicer.

I know what I want to do in my next life. Study ceramics in Bath. That sounds pretty good to me.

You can see where the porcelain is folded, giving it a papery effect

The spout has been applied as a separate piece but it appears seamless from the exterior

Photos and collage © The Swelle Life

Latest from Alice Hawkins: "Museum of Costume"

Click the image to watch the film

(My headlines get less and less imaginative as the years go by.)  I've really been looking forward to this, Alice Hawkins' latest fashion film, from SHOWstudio:

"Created to accompany the Antwerp Fashion Museum's 2011 exhibition 'Dreamsuits: Designs by Nudie Cohn, the Rodeo Tailor', photographer and filmmaker Alice Hawkins lends her unique eye to Cohn's equally unique couture creations, capturing the glittering surfaces of Nudie suits drawn from the collection of Belgian entertainer Bobbejaan Schoepen on fashion film in 'Museum of Costume.'"

Country/Western/Fat Elvis outfits are not really what turns my crank (I guess I'm bringing that phrase back) and neither is the music that is performed while they're being worn. Alice Hawkins' film Musuem of Costume celebrates both, though it is focused on a particular designer and a particular artist of the genre. But her way of capturing her subjects just 'being', as if they are occupying moments outside of time and space as we know it, is always fascinating and mesmerising to me. Her style of highlighting detail with dramatic light and shade, through both flashing cuts and lingering looks, demonstrates her appreciation for the elements as much as the whole of the character, a study that is always a treat to watch. She made me appreciate the couture aspect of a style I would never associate with couture. But the details in the embroidery, textures and fabrics really are exquisite if you can get past the style of the clothes. I say this at the same time I'm thinking how fun it would be if everyone dressed this way.

Alice Hawkins' films are such a hypnotic, sensory experience (the more accurate descriptor would be 'sensual' but I feel weird saying that, like I should be slipping into a candlelit bath in the dark while whispering the word as I stare at you). 

I have to admit, I love this one best with the sound muted. No offence meant to the talented Bobbejaan Schoepen who has an awesome name and wicked car to match. I'd love to be taken for a ride in it with his stereo cranked.

Alice herself makes an appearance:

Bil Donovan Adorns the New Dior Suite, St. Regis NY

Where do I start...these images are pure joy! I'm humbly grateful to Bil Donovan for sending these to me (plus another tremendous treat further down). This is the new Dior Suite at The St. Regis New York. It's a stunningly decorated suite made spectacular by the presence of a nine by five foot watercolour painting by Bil Donovan who is Dior Beauty's resident artist. The photos alone left me breathless, so I can only imagine how the room feels with such a powerful thing of beauty looking on.

So many important and exquisite details were considered in the decorating of these rooms by Caroline Rippeteau and Bree Dahl that I couldn't bear to simply summarise, so here is the article from the The St. Regis magazine which tells of all the glorious finery:

   

In his painting for the Dior Suite, Bil Donovan has portrayed figures wearing two original Christian Dior dresses, one from Marc Bohan (1960-1989) and the other a creation of Gianfranco Ferré (1989-1997).

 

And Bil gave me a very special gift to share, a fifth painting from the Dior collections that wasn't included in the Suite's original:

 

I interviewed Bil Donovan earlier this year and featured some of his incredibly beautiful paintings, you can read it here

THANK YOU, BIL!!!

LFW: Fred Butler SS12 Teaser

It's going to take me a few more days to edit the rest of the shots I took at Fred Butler's mindblowing SS12 presentation at LFW on Sunday, but I couldn't wait to show one of my favourites - a head piece or hat, lilac-pink (one of the best colours ever) hexagonal sunglasses and fabric earrings that follow through on the sorbet softness of the voluminous scarf/top/jacket (in the full shot it's like a longer bolero style). The fact that I can't quite define it exactly is one of the reasons I love Fred Butler.

More to come!

Photos © The Swelle Life

POP!

This is an art installation at the Tynemouth metro station titled 'Transitions...From Here to There". It's comprised of metro tickets from the past, present and what is to be the future for travel in Tyne and Wear - the Pop smart card. Artist Kimberley Gaiger explores ideas about time, loss, travel, regeneration, and lost and found among other things, and as a result must have awfully sore shoulders from hanging all of these pieces up.

All are interesting ideas that are directly tied in to the nature of the space, but I have to admit I really just like the look of it! With the varying sizes and levels of saturation of the tickets and their placement on different planes, the work has a multi-dimensional feel that generates a momentum that kind of feels like time travel. (I'm guessing, I haven't actually travelled in time. I'm still mastering being on time.)

 
 
Photos © The Swelle Life

Jet Black Perfect Pair

I received a gift recently, a very special pair of earrings of hand carved jet and sterling silver by artist jeweller Molly Vogel. She calls them Perfect Pair and I'm inclined to agree! There's no black like the saturated midnight hue of jet, and I love that she's  finished the perfectly smooth baubles to a subtle, matte shine. They have a nicely substantial weight that still feels comfortable to wear.

Molly is a very talented and thoughtful artist, you can read our interview here and see more of her work, including her stunning flower rings which are my favourites.

Photo © The Swelle Life

By Judith Frankland

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD

This week I'm taking a trip down memory lane to the LA years. Accompanying me to set the glamorous tone are the witty and vibrant collages created by Jon Cooper, AKA renowned DJ Jon Pleased Wimmin. I asked Jon to send me some of his old Hollywood works in which he lovingly transformed a myriad of famous faces, and you, too, could be one of his subjects as he does bespoke commissions. Jon also has a monthly night at Dare in Edinburgh - a man of many talents! You can see more of Jon's work at poparttart.com.

OUT IN LA

The year was 1986, the city LA. I was a newly married, party-loving adventurous gal and it was a great time to live in The City of Angels. After a brief stay up in Hollywood we met some of the downtown glitterati and moved into the heart of the scene into a loft near  Little Tokyo. Downtown LA at that time was heady, fast, experimental and decadent. Life for us revolved around after-hours underground clubs - sometimes held on dangerous gang turf - and a thriving art scene bursting with openings and happenings. The players in this world were bright young fearless and fierce, as some of them used to say "funky fresh", and barely an actor in sight. One was the young, smart, beautiful and funny Alexis Arquette, who would go on to become a legend of the LA club and party scene and a darn good actor.

Clubs would spring up anywhere possible. One particular night there was no location for the club Plastic Passion, run by Brett Boreman, Joshua Wells and Steven Ernst, also incredible characters, who decided it would go ahead in the loft on the floor above us. As the music thumped, the ceiling moved as beer dripped through the floorboards onto our bed! They were hilarious, carefree days when a man on the roof with a gun was entertainment. We dressed and acted outrageously, while through the day I worked on my good old Bernina making clothes for men, women and a bit of both. A fabulous giddy year passed in a flash and it was time to return to London.

WARHOL'S SUPERSTAR AND SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS

Now a separated party-loving, still adventurous gal, I moved on a whim and through a twist of fate, to Hollywood. It was a very different scenario that awaited me . The downtown scene had dissipated along with that 80's experimental edge. Don't get me wrong, LA was still exciting and unpredictable. It was zany, not avant garde, with an urgent "gotta make it" feel. Fame was the name of the game - you know, the "I'm only doing this between acting jobs " mantra.

At first I flung myself into partying, but in retrospect, the heart of the scene was not beating as fast. One fabulous person I got to know was the fascinating Holly Woodlawn. Holly had been one of Andy Warhol's Superstars and was the epitome of glamour with a lovely, witty personality that I was drawn to immediately. Sadly, as fate played its hand again I became ill and had to move away for several months in which time we lost touch, something I have always regretted.

While getting better I had an amazing experience, coffee with Anthony Hopkins - a couple of hours of bliss. The word "charisma" defines this man. The day he walked into the kitchen of the house I was living in and opened his mouth, and spoke with that voice, made my life. He was everything you would expect - the eyes, his mannerisms, wit, charm - gush gush gush. He told me he had worked in Newcastle, my hometown, with Richard Burton. He was a down to earth, class act. As he was leaving, someone daringly asked if he would make a sequel to Silence of the Lambs, and to my delight he turned to me, and in chilling Hannibal Lecter style, he said "Clarice". He was good enough to eat!

Finally, I entered a party free, very productive period of my life with fierce determination and drive. To start the ball rolling, I helped a designer who catered to Rock n' Roll's elite - Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue, and Marilyn Manson, to name but a few. I was kept firmly in the background, sewing away every hour possible and plotting my escape to start my own line. My workmate was a lovely Vietnamese lady who had escaped the horrors of the Khmer Rouge by boat and had ended up as a seamstress, a brilliant one, in LA. She taught me so much and to my delight I got lots of gossip, innocently, from her. She had measured many an inside leg that many gals and guys would have relished doing! She wasn't fazed one bit by a famous name and half the time had very little idea who they were. As we toiled away, I discreetly interrogated her and she would nonchalantly tell me "Alice Cooper, narrow shoulders, large head, very friendly. Keanu, real tall, real nice. Marilyn Manson, lovely guy, very quiet" and so on. About the closest I got to any stars was designing and making some superhero costumes for The Monkees which actually gave me a thrill as I had worshipped them when I was a kid! Alas once more I was in the shadows and didn't get to do the fittings - drat!

NICE NELLY

At last it was time to set up on my own, and this I did in the shape of a line called Nice Nelly. LA is not the place for avant garde fashion and I battled to calm my designs down, I'm a "more is more" kinda gal! I recall one very prestigious shop on Melrose declaring that no one would ever wear rhinestones on denim when I presented my embossed patched and frayed skirts.  Battle on I did, the glorious weather keeping spirits up when sales were sometimes slow. I put my hand to everything to keep the wolf from the door. Outfits for Goth to strippers, a thong for a life-size bear puppet, and clothes featured on the extras in the Josie and the Pussycats movie and in several TV shows, including Buffy and Charmed.

Judith's Nice Nelly designs as styled for Glue magazine, Sept-Oct 2000

I rarely ventured out at night and was happily chained to the Bernina. I was also one of the only people I or anyone else knew of who would take the bus downtown to the fabric district, sometimes a hair-raising experience as it passed through one of the dodgiest areas. However, one party I couldn't resist was Leonardo Di Caprio's, I wasn't a fan but my expectations of a star-studded night ran sadly high. We got ludicrous directions to go to a parking lot on Sunset, leave the car, go through a metal detector and onto a mini bus that ferried us up to a haunted mansion in Los Feliz. The place was teaming with strippers, young wannabee anythings and a dash of bemused folk like me who also made a hasty retreat back to the mini bus and down the hill.

It's very normal to spot famous faces in supermarkets or just cruising Melrose, or in restaurants, even ice cream parlours - after all they are only human. The one star that made me self-conscious and get a silly walk as you do was Al Pacino - yummy! Seeing films such as one of those volcano movies being shot nearby was an every day event, and Biggie got shot just down the road - in fact it was quite normal to hear gunshots or helicopters overhead with the police on loud hailers shouting "put the gun down". And once in a while the earth would move in the literal sense, but that's LA!

VANITY SIZING AND DIVA BEHAVIOUR

I couldn't leave you without touching on the Size O debate and a little gossip. First, size certainly does matter in LA, even if it constitutes size fraud! Here's a wee story that will either fill you with glee or have you running off to purchase a tape measure to keep in your bag. I got an order from a very "hip " LA boutique with a fab clientele. As always, after delivery, pessimist that I am, I sat by the phone. It did indeed ring and it was the shop saying there was a problem with the skirts and could I drop by. Fearing the worst, I put on my bravest face and walked head held high into the shop. Well, lo and behold, it was the sizing! I had used small, medium and large labels. The owner exclaimed, "No one will buy anything with large in it", saying that even medium was pushing it. Could I please go and change them, preferably to XXS, XS and S. The best I could do was XS, S, and M, as they were the only tags I had on hand. No wonder LA is sometimes called the Land of Make Believe.

Now for the gossip, which I've whittled down to one item in the spirit of politeness. I met a very nice, very creative florist who told me the tale of how a large order had been made from the PA of a very famous singer/actress who was known to be extremely tight with her millions. The order was for lots of blue flowers for a dinner party. The job was done beautifully and the flowers delivered. The next day the PA returned to the shop and declared that Miss S........ would not be paying for them. Why? Wrong shade of blue. Guess that's just the way she was...

After a few years I could no longer attempt to conform to the restrictions imposed on me. I craved the creative freedom of the avant garde world of fashion, so I had a garage sale, packed my bags and said goodbye to the circus that was LA. Off for the delights of Paris! However, the fabulous experience of living in LA was well worth it, I love that city!

Fashion Illustrator Series: Interview with Bil Donovan

Bil Donovan for Christian Dior Beauty

Whether fashion is art is a perpetual topic of debate. Conversely, we'd be hardpressed to find objection to the idea that those who document fashion, in an inspired way, are indeed artists.  Fashion illustrators possess that magical combination of technical skill and provocative flair that is essential in bringing their subject to life.

Bil Donovan is one of today's most accomplished and revered fashion illustrators, and a true artist - deemed so by Christian Dior Beauty who named him their first Artist-in-Residence in 2009. Based in New York, he is also an educator, currently as Assistant Adjunct Professor at the city's prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology where he was once a student; and a fine artist working under the name William Donovan, a pursuit that allows him to engage aspects of his creativity in an expression unique to that of his fashion-focussed  illustrations.

In 2010 Bil published his first book, Advanced Fashion Drawing/Lifestyle Illustration through Laurence King UK. It's a beautiful textbook that "promotes the idea of observation, thinking and selectivity through a series of exercises and demonstrations that explore the concepts of line, shape and composition." For illustrators looking to broaden their perspective, this hugely inspiring and challenging book is a must-have. Bil's introduction alone is of immense value; his story will surprise you.

I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Bil, my favourite fashion illustrator, about his work. I look at his pictures when I want to feel happy or elated; it's something in the combination of his precise, elegant brush strokes and how he chooses and uses colour. I'm drawn to his bright hues, though some of my favourites are mostly monochromatic - Bil is a master at summoning an exhilarating energy with his use of light and transparency and translating the space and proportion of a live event into two dimensions without compromising a shred of its vitality, even taking the beauty to a higher level. I would like to live in Bil's world.

 

DG: First, congratulations and big thanks for your book, a truly original and invigorating approach to fashion illustration instruction. It's hard to believe you were once told you were not a natural and that you should 'rethink your artistic pursuit.'  That professor would prove to be instrumental in shaping your path early on, when you took her advice to 'draw draw draw'.

I think you may be about to change the lives of others yourself by revealing this bit of information in your book - t’s a universal given in our minds that true creative talent is something we're born with, that comes easily. You've proven through your achievements that with insightful guidance and nurturing, anyone with the commitment to be a good illustrator can indeed be one.

Do you feel that without the specific education you received from several extraordinary individuals that you would have eventually found your way to where you are now, or was it absolutely crucial to your success?

BD: I believe that regardless of the degree of talent one person may possess, that individual needs to nurture, perfect and explore that ability through practice as well as understanding the fundamentals related to that field.

It is important to get a different perspective and evaluation of your work through the eyes of another and of course this would occur in a class. I know that studying with a variety of instructors sharpened my thinking and pointed me in the direction of pursuing my personal vision.

Would I have developed my eye, or draftsmanship without that experience?

Absolutely, probably through practice, but each teacher brings a distinct viewpoint and perspective to a class and those factors influenced my perception of drawing and nurtured my style.

I love the theatrics of a circle of easels occupied by artists surrounding a model perched on a model stand. Imagine this arena energized by the presence of an instructor who circles around the room pushing, encouraging, inspiring and challenging you to see, think and create work in a different light…the energy is palpable and courses through your body pulsing through your veins into your hand holding the pencil onto the paper…There is nothing like that. I’m still addicted and still take classes.

DG: The fact that you’re still taking classes will either be reassuring to young illustrators or totally intimidating! Then again, learning is a life-long process.  

Do you prefer the easel circle to the live event? Does the spontaneity of the live event force you to adapt your style?

BD: Each is unique. The studio setting is a more controlled environment and the energy is generated through the model, the instructor and of course the other artists present. If I create work alone at my studio then the energy is collaboration between the model and me.

Live events have a kinetic energy generated by the state of flux. You have no control of the surroundings and events occurring and it is great to allow that spontaneity to filter into the work. You have to be in the moment and constantly edit and adapt your process, rather than style to meet the challenge. There is no room for preciousness.
In September Ralph Rucci invited me to document his Spring 2011 collection and it was exhilarating to witness his brilliance and world; to capture that experience as models floated by in these gorgeous creations, for the press, editors, buyers and privileged guests…it was an Ahhhh moment and everyone took a pause at the beauty of his collection, they actually gasped, but I had no time or I would have missed it.
I had to let go and just trust that the essence of that moment would rise to the surface.

At Chado Ralph Rucci, New York Fashion Week, September 2010

DG: You conveyed the structure, textures and lightness of the Chado Ralph Rucci collection beautifully. We love to look at fashion drawings and paintings; they go even further in creating that ideal world, the fantasy, and capturing the essence of a collection than the fashion show itself. They can be so enchanting.

So why isn’t illustration a more regular part of documenting fashion today, alongside the photograph? Fashion week is typically fed to us through a singular view – there’s the catwalk and the wall of photographers at the end of it snapping the models in identical poses without facial expression. We could use a more fanciful narrative!

BD: Amen! I wish I had the answer to that question. And those who are in a position to choose the editorial content and create the narrative could best answer it. The fashion world is a business, and the editorial and advertorial markets revolving around that world must promote an image that meets the demands of a particular audience in order to thrive. However, I believe that this audience is underestimated in their ability to appreciate an illustrated narrative over a photo-realistic one. It is also the responsibility of the illustrator to reinvent the genre of fashion illustration with energy and concept to seduce the eye and capture the attention of a new audience.

DG: During a discussion earlier this year between Imran Amed from The Business of Fashion and Nick Knight for BoB’s series Fashion Pioneers, Nick declared, “I think photography is dead” upon reflection of the notion that as a medium it can’t evolve. He also downplayed the importance of the printed medium and claimed that ‘fashion will be shaped by the internet’, an idea which was supported by the massive public response to McQueen’s live streamed Plato’s Atlantis in 2009.

As an artist who also documents fashion and the curator of the January's exhibition Fashion Illustration: Visual Poetry, do you see a unified movement amongst fashion illustrators toward the use of specific technologies to create both the art and the means of access? How does the concept of evolution apply to the classic art form of fashion illustration, and it is imperative that the genre evolve in order to be influential in shaping fashion?

BD: All art has to evolve, high, low, commercial or fine and Fashion Illustration is no exception. Technology nurtures that evolution by providing a creative arena for exploring possibilities beyond our imagination.

We are witnessing Video, Animation, Drawing Painting, Photography, Performance and Music accompanies one another and move beyond the printed page. That’s entertainment!!!

However, I am a firm believer that your digital skills are only as effective as your traditional skills. Those with a foundation in drawing painting, composition and theory will have a competitive edge over those who to rely on the digital technology to make their work.

Anyone can scan a photo-distort-posterize and process it through a filter. But what makes it unique? Does technique dictate the work or do we dictate the technique to communicate and enhance our vision? Intuition is idiosyncratic and has as yet to be incorporated into digital technology.

Social networking has changed the landscape of how work is seen, perceived and promoted, unimaginable a decade ago.

 

DG: There seems to be an element of critics who dismiss beauty at its most simple and pure as fluff, as if meaningful expression can only be found in the edgy, hard, damaged, or ugly. How would you respond to that? 

BD: Work that is from the soul whether it is dark or light should never be dismissed.

My personal work is dark and my fashion work is light. It took me a long time to calibrate the two and realize that one does not invalidate or surpass the other.

Thank you, Bil. It was an honour.

For Chado Ralph Rucci, New York Fashion Week, September 2010

  For Vanity Fair Italia, 2011

 

For more about Bil Donovan visit his website, and if you're in New York you have a unique opportunity to see him work live:

All illustrations © Bil Donovan

Christian Lacroix and the Tale of Sleeping Beauty

This original content post features a sponsored link   

Fashion, particularly haute couture, hasn't been the same since Christian Lacroix closed his house as we knew it. Lacroix was my favourite couturier, his over-the-top, opulent way of arranging colour, texture and print an aesthetic I had to grow into, and when I did there was no one else who brought such joy. 

So when I heard that Lacroix had collaborated with Camilla Morton on a fashion fairytale that she rewrote and he illustrated, I made a noise that drew all of the neighbourhood stray dogs to my front door. Lacroix's first love, and as he seems to indicate in interviews on subject, his one true love, fashion illustration (that's right!?) could soon be heavy in my own two hands.

I ordered Christian Lacroix and the Tale of Sleeping Beauty straight away - you can check Amazon.com coupons for deals before going to the site - and was supremely excited to read it to my daughter, it's 'our' special book. (I love that at five years-old she can pronounce 'Lacroix' perfectly. That is very important, you know.)

It's an extraordinary book; Morton retells the fairytale classic as delicious fashion fiction - though firmly rooted in the bitchy reality of the industry, particularly that of fashion editors - working Lacroix in as a central character alongside Beauty, a fantastical biography of sorts. I was going to describe my favourite details but that would spoil it - if you haven't yet read it I wouldn't want to steal those sweet moments of discovery away from you. 

The next in the Camilla Morton fashion fairytale series - thank you for these, Ms. Morton! - is Manolo Blahnik and the Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker, available in November. And apparently there are more in the works, though I have to say I feel satiated with the first in the series!

The hardcover without the sleeve, which I prefer

I admit I was taken aback by the dark, sometimes grotesque (see below) drawings that make up some of the pictures. I guess I expected 100% beauty from Lacroix, all colour and whimsical loveliness, but he is a true illustrator, portraying the ugly parts of the story as they really are. There is nothing beautiful about a woman so tragically self-obsessed that she sentences a baby to die on her 16th birthday - all because a party began on time despite her lateness! Still, in true Lacroix form, the details are exquisite. 

Like Lacroix haute couture, the pages are a glorious mix of things - contrasting fonts and colours playing with the electric illustrations.

  One of Christian Lacroix's many self-portraits

Interiors & Exteriors: Saltburn-by-the-Sea

  

Now I love our beach, the aptly named Longsands that spans Tynemouth to Cullercoats, and the neighbouring idyllic King Edwards Bay with the Priory Castle overlooking the North Sea from its beautiful, craggy cliff. But last weekend I really fell hard for the beach and seaside community of Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire. We were visiting our lovely friends in their new home in Yarm for the first time and they spoiled us in all kinds of ways, and one of them was taking us to their local beach to share the beauty.

Not only was the beach gorgeous and expansive with an impressive look-out pier, there were all kinds of charming little shops, restaurants and ice cream stands, and of course anything one needed to surf (no, I didn't, that would look ridiculous).  It was a clear, sunny day and people from all over had come to pretend it was spring. I have never seen a queue so long for fish and chips, and in England that's saying a lot.  (It was worth the wait!)

This post  is for this week's Interiors & Exteriors feature and it's long enough sticking to the theme, so I'll post the beach shots separately. Are you craving fish and chips now? I am.

In the town, just a quick uphill walk from the beach, there were some great shops. I was already lagging behind and we needed to eat lunch so I didn't go in, but I wanted some photos of the wonderful window displays of Northern Lights Interiors

As I was snapping away I saw a woman smiling from inside - you can see her below! and I smiled and waved. As I headed down the road she came out after me and asked if I'd take photos of the storefront, they'd been having trouble getting them without cars in the way and I was happy to oblige. I even had a man ham it up for me!

 

We passed a random rusted-out door that appeared to lead to nowhere with a keypad right in the middle. I'll bet if you pushed the right numbers it would transport you to another dimension. Prove me wrong!

  This photo would have been so much cooler if I'd waited just 10 more seconds...

 

On display at Arts Bank were lamps and tables in vibrant patchwork by Jane Atkinson and a metal sculpture by Ray Lonsdale. Each contains a 'secret meaning' in the form of an object placed in the head. Now, if I'd read the brief beside this life-size contemplative man instead of taking a photo and reading at home, I would have looked and been able to tell you what was in his head! 

 
   

Photos by Denise Grayson

Come back next Tuesday for Judith's latest!

Judith has held on and then some to that exuberant character and style that has inspired her peers. Pink 'Eyelash' dress and earrings by Judith Frankland, with hat from Relate charity shop.

TIM SOUTHALL

I met artist Tim Southall in the mid 80's when I moved into a tenement block in Somerstown (now immortalised by a film of the same name), situated between Euston and St Pancras stations in London. A tough Irish politically active area, so I was told. We were warned to stay out of certain pubs and mind our own business and all would be fine and it was. Except for one hungover Saturday when a friend and I ventured to the local shop and were chased by a gang of visiting football yobs (I was wearing a red white and blue stretch number with matching socks and platforms) - proximity to the main line stations on certain Saturdays could be risky! I hoisted my skirt up, off with the platforms, and we ran back into the maze of flats unharmed. Tim was my neighbour, we became friends. The whole building was full of artists, musicians, designers, professionals and the odd layabout. Jeremy Hardy, the hilarious, dry alternative comedian lived above me. Nightlife was in abundance and the scene was boiling over with clubs such as The Mud Club, the Asylum at Heaven, La Scala (all nighters) the Electric Ballroom and later Taboo, the Bell in Kings X was a regular meeting point, and the list goes on and on. Tim was a dedicated student at the Royal College of Art. We partied hard but work came first for Tim. My motivation and creativity came from what I was going to wear, constant new outfits using fabrics from Shepherds Bush market or Dalston. I was wearing bright colours, stripes, stars, polka dots - anything loud with kids' toys made into earrings, such as the big bright numbers I loved. A crazy, fun, carefree period when again I found myself in the midst of some hot talent. Tim was always at work or finding inspiration. He took me to The Chelsea Arts Club and numerous shows. When the time came for Tim to get his final show ready, to my delight he found inspiration in me for some of the wonderful, vibrant silkscreens.  I love them so much they make me happy and proud to look at. Me a muse, who would have thought? So with a smile on my face I will let Tim carry on as he has kindly sent a few words to go with the pictures. Thanks Tim for capturing that moment in time in such a fabulous way.

  Plug me in and make me go-go, 1985. Tim Southall. 120 x 80cm

  

'JUDITH' SILKSCREENS, 1985

Judith and I became friends in 1984 while I was in the second year of my masters degree at the Royal College of Art. I was immediately drawn to Judith with her larger than life character and crazy approach to life: a sort of smack you in the face and hope for the best, mad, living it large existence that I was desperately trying to create in my own life. Of course, there was also an echo of the age in this, a precursor to the Big Bang and excesses of the later Thatcher years. And Judith seemed to me to be the very embodiment of this age. Then there was the flip side; lurking in the shadows of those good times were all our demons, desperately trying to escape.

In the ‘Judith’ series of silkscreens, I was trying to capture all of the above and at the same time use Judith as a funnel for my own creativity. Much of my artwork rests on taking what might seem everyday and turning it into something special, fun or celebratory, often juxtaposed with pathos: Give Me A Drink… is a good example of this dichotomy swigging from the bottle in a bikini setting, not that Judith would ever be seen in a bikini! Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron shows a woman in a more passive role while also being a reflection on Judith’s profession, whereas Plug me in and make me go-go is an electrifying piece – Judith as a real live wire, stylishly dancing on the spot; I am a Woman of Steel, sees Judith fighting for the right to party.

I should perhaps mention ‘colour’ along with comedy and vibrancy, and size; these are the largest silkscreen I have made to date and of course, looking back now – 27 years later things look very different, but still, no subject has inspired me to work to such a scale.

Tim Southall 2011

www.timsouthall.net

Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron, 1985. Tim Southall. 105 x 77 cm

Give me a Drink at an Impressionable Age and it’s Mine for Life, 1985. Tim Southall. 105 x 77cm

I am a Woman of Steel, 1985. Tim Southall. 105 x 77 cm

 

Header photo of Judith Frankland by Denise Grayson

 

Karen Elson Can Sing

 

It took me a while to get up to speed on Karen Elson's recording debut. I recall hearing quite a while back that she had made an album and I guess I figured it would filter its way down to me. Well, it didn't, not until yesterday when I was reminiscing on YouTube. For once one of their suggestions was for a video I would actually watch (I guess they haven't clued in yet that I am always up for a 'hits to the crotch' or 'barfing babies' montage.)

I had no doubt she would have musical talents, for to be Jack White's wife you would have to be good to put it out there. And that's what she thought, too, with regards to her songwriting. He already knew she sang 'like angel, had a gorgeous voice' (awww!) but she hid the songs she'd written until she was sure she wouldn't get divorced could impress her beloved, and impress him she did and they got to work and we now have an album called The Ghost Who Walks and some videos. White calls her style 'folk-country-goth', which fits. She plays guitar, sings beautifully, delivers hauntingly catchy songs and of course looks incredible while doing it. And she uses a lot of peach. We could use more peach in the world. (Don't laugh, it's a good colour!)

'Who is this Karen Elson' you ask? She's best known as the British model with vibrant red hair and transluscent skin, who had no eyebrows for awhile and that became her signature look. She was referred to as 'alien' and all kinds of ridiculous names for her unique looks by people in the industry who obviously forgot that she was paid to be memorable. And now everyone is shaving off their eyebrows. Fickle industry!

Lu Flux's Personal Toile de Jouy

A couple weeks ago I covered Lu Flux's SS 11 collection Over the Hills and Far Away and wondered as to the origin of the print on this wonderful men's outfit and women's dress, knowing Lu there was a story behind it. And it turns out there is!

I'll just relay what Lu told me:

"The prints are drawn by my good friend and many time collaborator Neil O'Driscoll (he also makes my films each season). A very talented man! The toile de jouy is in fact personalized and is made up of pictures of me and my boyfriend Alex, our dog Burt Wellington and many of our friends which is so so lovely."

Isn't it? How great would it be to have you with you friends, furry ones, too (I love that her dog's name is Burt Wellington!), immortalised in a toile de jouy? I've always loved this style of print, especially in blue, and it flows right into Lu's style of storytelling through clothes. My first recollection of the toile de jouy was in my aunt's teenage bedroom when I was very little (looks awesome under Shawn Cassidy posters). And I think on a quilt, too, also at my grandparents'. Both in blue.

A little background - the toile de jouy originates in - can you guess? - France! in the late 1700s in Jouy-en-Josas, a village near Versailles. The factory that manufactured it was founded in 1760 by German-born Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf, (1738-1815), a textile entrepreneur. According to Quilter's Muse, the factory at first produced only floral designs block printed with wood blocks. In all, more than thirty thousand block print designs were utilized to print fabric there. Imagine the archives!

As for who printed Lu's, I think I know, but I'm quite certain it wasn't done with wooden blocks!

Intergalactic Transport Blackmarket: For Quilts, of Course!

 

 

Can you say your quilt is made by an Intergalactic remnants trader? You can, if you buy one of Jimmy McBride's aka Stellar Quilts hand embroidered creations. I have never, ever seen quilts - or anything else from an independent craftsperson/designer, well he's a textile artist actually - promoted this way. I pity anyone trying to top this film featured on Etsy for ingenuity, it's a tall order. Traditional craftsmanship combined with forward thinking has limitless potential for new concepts that appeal to what lies within so many of us these days - a yearning for that nostalgic feeling, and the wonder of technology. They can co-exist! I love McBride's message that no matter how advanced we as a civilisation become, we will always need comfort and warmth.

Do you remember when you were a teenager and started going over to guys' houses (only when parents were home, Mom and Dad if you're reading this - and they were gay!) and you first saw their bedroom (as you passed the open door on your way to the bathroom) and you saw that they still had a space-themed bedroom? McBride's quilts are the perfect transition piece from space-loving boy to man, so if you're 15 and you're still into your planets and stars and spaceships and beginning to feel a little uncomfortable about it but you aren't ready to pack it all in for the grey or navy striped bedspread, you don't have to leave it all behind - you can still have planets and stars plus nebulas, spacestations and a scene depicting an "attack on the energy collectors surrounding V838 in the 3rd quadrant occupied by the Reni"! Each quilt tells a part of McBride's intricately woven space odyssey so if you really want to indulge in the fantasy, oh boy can you! And you've invested in a piece of art you can really live with.

Pillar in the Carina Nebula

 

Hey, wait, it's ok Mom and Dad! That's (my brother) John's room I'm remembering! It was like being in Battlestar Galactica. Which reminds me that the only non-girlie thing I ever wore was Battlestar Galactica running shoes when I was 9. I don't know what happened there but they must have been the only pair Buster Brown had in my size at that particular time my feet grew another centimetre. That's the only place my mom would take us because they measured our feet properly and sold proper shoes. In other words, they didn't sell Sparks. I remember one day we had to take off our shoes at school for some reason and I was the last to grab mine from the pile to put back on, and the teacher held them up and said 'Whose are these?' and I sat there looking around thinking some dummy doesn't even recognise his own shoes. The other kids had to remind me they were mine. I tried to pretend that of course I knew they were my shoes, I was just taking my time getting up. Me and those BGs, we just didn't gel.

Weekend Fashion Film Treat: The Good Life

Every so often something truly great comes along and I'm gushingly grateful. Something that evokes an emotional response of the extraordinary kind, as in not the kind of the thing you experience in day to day life, and connects with a part of you you would almost forget existed if it wasn't so thrillingly nudged every now and then. (Say what? In short, I lose it for beautiful things that tap into a dream state and I can't tell you why. I don't know exactly.)

Photographer and film maker Alice Hawkins made The Good Life which showcases some of the best of AW 2010, it's a moving editorial of sorts. But for me this film is not about fashion.

This is how it's described on Showstudio (yes, them again. What can I do, they're awesome):

"Proper doesn't have to mean prim - Alice Hawkins gives the bourgeoisie mood of the A/W 2010 collections a terribly British spin in a tongue-in-chic ode to Margot Leadbetter, Beverly Moss and quintessentially English class consciousness."

I didn't grow up here so I don't know the 70s TV show after which this film is named, I don't have a reference for Margot Leadbetter, and Google can't seem to tell me who Beverly Moss is, though something tells me I should know. But that's all fine, I prefer no context for this film. As I mentioned I'm not viewing this as a fashion film, though it's tough to ignore the familiar outfits, and the fact that I fell in love with that Dior ribboned sweater on the catwalk, the one that the wonderful Jean Sherman is wearing at her vanity table (which looks a bit different on her).

The Good Life is like David Lynch doing the The Housewives of Orange County (without the boob jobs, trout pouts, useless husbands and ingrate kids). It's a bit film noir and completely dreamlike. The way Hawkins shot it is dramatic and stunning, she plays with light and dark to create the passage of time - the bright, waking sun of dawn with birds chirping, the washed out look of dusk, and the deep shadows of a mysterious night. Yet her passage of time doesn't necessarily make any sense, all weaving in and out in quick seconds and at the same time dragging slowly, which is a huge part of its appeal. Any of the scenes in The Good Life could be seamlessly edited into Lost Highway or Mulholland Drive.

The film also taps into the standard feminine idealism - perfect house, clothes, hair, family, life - and every waking second is bliss, all smug smiles of true contentment. It's as if their air is not the same as the one we breathe. Why, they don't even need it! They exist on a different, Lynch-esque plane.

I imagine Hawkins asked her cast? subjects? to play the impossibly glamorous, self-satisfied woman. But something tells me, if their stories are true, that they felt right at home and quite deserving of such a portrayal.

After writing the previous paragraph I read this, which would have me believe these women are indeed only a slightly less exaggerated version of their 'characters' and that's exactly why they were chosen. I don't think Hawkins like actors, she's intrigued by real people and exaggerating their fun parts. The article also touches upon why the film reminded me of pageants - the unnatural poses, the frozen smiles, and the complete and utter belief in what they portray, which I would sum up as nothing. If you asked them to stand there and smile without moving for a whole hour, they would, no questions asked. Hawkins is into all of that, "she's attracted to those who 'make an effort'". Works for me.

 
 

Anrealage's Totally Unwearable Beauty

'Does this dress make me look fat?' Yes, and that's kind of the point, at least peripherally.

 

Usually, unrealistic interpretations of how women should look draw criticism. We should all be tall, skinny and eternally wrinkle-free, etc. But in the case of Kunihiko Morinaga, the Japanese conceptual designer behind the label Anrealage, the impossible manifests in ways that challenge conventional notions about the human body and how we dress it. We're too stunned for harsh words.

Plastic inflatables as a material fly in the opposite direction of a shape that offers that svelt look and feel we endlessly pursue, so at first sight we ask, 'Why?' But Morinaga's designs aren't derived from that myopic ideal of looking long, lean and chic. In fact, in many of his previous collections, he ignored the body altogether. The 'clothes' were structured objects that had absolutely to do with the human form. Morinaga likes shapes. Basic, three-dimensional shapes like the sphere, cube and pyramid. He may be an avant-garde designer whose followers likely include the Kawakubo and Margiella set, but he never intended for anyone to try to wear his pyramind hoodie or trenchcoat cube. It's just not possible, no matter how broad the mind:

Photo credit: Paul Barbera of Where They Create

When Morinaga does decide to welcome back established patterns and consider his creations as things people might actually wear, he does so beautifully, with couture attention to detail. His SS 11 collection is a hybrid of the two, in that you can actually put these clothes on, but very few would.

As much as I love feminine, figure flattering dresses with pretty details, I always give time to hearing someone's alternate view of our reality. Isn't it more fun and enriching to try to understand something so incongruent with our beliefs than to dimiss it? (But I hope Tom Cruise isn't reading this.)

These angel wing sleeves really are divine. They also come in handy on long flights.

The third one is more practical than it looks - you wouldn't have to wear a bra.

 

Show photos: WWD.com

Curiosities from London Fashion Week

 

Fred Butler in blue at the Cooperative Designs presentation at Groucho Club

These are some photo bits and bobs from London Fashion Week, interesting things beyond the shows, presentations and exhibitions - more to come on those, I'll wrap it up eventually!

Eley Kishimoto's event Flash On Week at Shoreditch Studios showcased product collaborations using various incarnations of the print duo's iconic 'Flash' design, first seen in 2001. Looks like I arrived too late and missed Mark Eley speaking about this project, but there's a great synopsis of the event at Amelia's Magazine.

 

I couldn't help but notice these two fabulous friends paying homage in head-to-toe Eley Kishimoto:

 

It's not every day you get sprayed by giant, walking fragrance cannisters:

 

More Fred Butler being her awesome self. It was a blue day as you can see. Update from Fred's blog: She wore a blue cord bustier and circle bag by threeASFOUR worn over vintage dress and Alistair Carr padded bomber jacket. 

And the following photos were taken before or after the Felder Felder and Hannah Marshall shows, starting with one that's a bit blurry due to me spinning around to catch the noisy, frenzied exit by Paloma Faith and pals:

 

I'm getting a Centurion-Cleopatra-Xanadu vibe here. Come on, you know the one.

Kanye West's ex-front-row companion, Amber Rose, made her exit through the backstage door. I'm not sure why since you wind up in the same place as the people who left from the front. And she was only too happy to pose, as you can see. Does anyone know what she does? Just curious. The chain belt is current season Felder Felder, by the way.

 

 

And Erin O'Connor, who was one of the very few who could pull off flats at Fashion Week, and willingly at that (you get the feeling most would rather die than be seen walking and standing comfortably):

Photos by Denise Grayson @ The Swelle Life

Swelle Boutique Autumn Preview: MITRA

          

Autumn is soon arriving at Swelle Boutique! I'm happy to announce the first of the new offerings is a smart and femine Victorian-inspired mini collection of one-offs by MITRA, called Victoriana. The young dynamo behind the label is a talented Florida-based artist and designer who likes to give us a little fantasy in our clothes, as she does in her inspired and playful paintings. 

The Victoriana collection consists of a taffeta and brocade Soirée strapless dress with black piping on the front and back; Victoriana wool coat with a jacquard yoke on front, back with jacquard-covered puffed cap sleeves and front pockets, with pale yellow lining throughout; and a seriously sexy outfit of the navy Parlor Gathering Top with gorgeous details you must see for yourself (below) paired with a soft grey, light denim pencil skirt with a back slit revealing a hint of black lace peeking out.

As always, garments are available to buy in preview so if you're interested, please contact me for more details. There is only one of each piece. The dress and outfit are small and the coat is very roomy, it's a true large.

Swelle Boutique is being redesigned and rebranded as I write this. A huge thanks to all who loved the look of the debut design and I hope you won't be disappointed that it's going to look much different. I built the first version myself to get Swelle up and running and now need a look and template that's going to accommodate growth, and a wider variety of designer styles. I do plan to continue to infuse a dreamy feel with my photography as that's where my heart lies, and as always the clothes will be beautiful and feminine. Some exciting new designers will be joining Swelle throughout the season - all collections designed exclusively for us - and I can't wait to bring them to you.

Please watch for a late September launch and until then, the last of the summer clothes - all one-offs and limited edition pieces - are on sale.

 

 

   

   
 
  

Photos by Denise Grayson

Scenes from a Rural Niagara Zoo

There's a zoo in Stevensville, Ontario, not far from Niagara Falls. It's called Zooz. The other day my parents and I took my daughter and I was pleasantly surprised by our day. Usually I come away from public family places exhausted and not wanting to see another human for a week, but this time I left not dreading going back next year! That's a compliment. We even had the rehearsal and sound check of a Guns N Roses cover band as the soundtrack to our time at the playground near closing time (they have concerts on weekends as well). The singer didn't sound much like Axl Rose but the music was solid and made me want to do this in the sand. 

Now, I'm not sure I like the idea of caged animals unless they're being protected, but they've done a nice job creating marshes and lakes, have metal sculptures juxtaposed nicely against the foliage, and they do a hippo and giraffe feeding. Apparently the hippos spray 'urine and feces' on each other and will do the same to spectators as well. Funny how no one walks away after they tell you that. 

He, or she (I didn't see that 'part') looks sad but hopefully isn't. At one point, this pensive baboon who looked so much like an old man, actually unnerved me a bit by looking right at me. I suddenly felt self-conscious taking photos.

A pile of lemurs which looked like little freaky-eyed pandas

Every zoo needs a water park. Actually, when you have kids with you, and it's freaking hot, it does.

 

 

A rare sighting of Coca-Cola in its natural habitat

 

Giraffes are such unusual and fascinating creatures. They had a male and a female named Noah and Rainbow. If I had to name them I might have gone with Mr. Furley and Tori Spelling.

 

 

 

Toronto Art: Shaun Downey Finds Fame with 'Blue Coco'

Blue Coco. Shaun Downey

Carrying on with all things Toronto during my stay that is just about *sniff* up - an event that links my former home with my current one - I introduce you to Toronto artist Shaun Downey. The name may ring a bell, however, as may the painting above. Shaun's portrait Blue Coco was recently selected for exhibition in this year's Portrait Award competition at the National Portrait Gallery in London, England. Out of the 58 chosen from 2,177 entries, Shaun's work was singled out to be the 'face' of the gallery's advertising campaign, including a 9-metre-high banner at the museum's entrance on Trafalgar Square to mark the exhibition's opening in June.

It's an intriguing portrait worth a long stare or two, don't you think?

So who's 'Coco'? She's 20 year-old model Dearbhail Bracken-Roche who goes by the fashionable nickname when working. She sat for Shaun at age 17 when the friend of a friend introduced the two, and the rest is now blue-tinged history. Interestingly, she's now living and working in London and has found fame in the city, often being recognised in the street. I suppose that happens when your giant, unusually beautiful face is plastered over one of London's most famous and popular landmarks, as well as the tube stations. (How would you feel? Honoured and thrilled or completely freaked out?)

The artist and muse at the National Portrait Gallery in London. From Shaun's blog.  

As you may have guessed, Shaun prefers to paint portraits. The work featured on his site is exclusively portraiture dating back to 2004, and all of his subjects are women, though they are not always captured in the formal pose. There's a quiet calm about these pictures, as if the seemingly ordinary moment is being held not just within the frame but is occupying a pensive dimension in which we're being granted a peak. The background colours are soft yet often vibrant which make his work, in my mind, 'happy' pictures, something I'd like to look at everyday. His paintings are gorgeous.

Congratulations, Shaun!

The Doorway. Shaun Downey, 2007 

 

Green Mug. Shaun Downey, 2009

 

Holly in Yellow. Shaun Downey, 2009.

 

The Reception. Shaun Downey, 2005

 

The Old Apartment. Shaun Downey, 2006

 

Noémiah in the National Post

 

 

Imagine my surprise and delight when on Saturday I looked down at the table in my mother-in-law's living room - we're in Toronto now! - and saw Noémiah's gorgeous illustrations by Miss Paule T.B. spanning the entire cover of the National Post's Style section! The gestural renderings of Noémie Vaillancourt's beautiful and unusual feather and chain jewellery were most obviously the highlight of the feature on Montreal's Festival Mode & Design, which practically gushed about the exciting design talent produced by this vibrant and electric Canadian city. 

Swelle Boutique currently offers an exclusive mini-collection of one-off necklaces and earrings by Noémiah. There are four pieces left!

Gone...But Not Forgotten

Gone...But not forgotten from Laura Seymour on Vimeo

If you're a professional or amateur photographer (who isn't these days?), film maker or music composer residing in Europe you may want to consider submitting your best work to Hitachi G-Technology's Driven Creativity competition. Winners and runners-up will be awarded innovative G-Technology drives and the overall winner will receive €5,000 to fund their next project. You can enter until September 30th, 2010 here

Entries are judged not merely on aesthetics but also on the inventiveness used to get your result. One stellar example is Laura Seymour's Gone...But Not Forgotten submission for the film category. It's got it all: technological wizardry to wow you, music to engage you and enough sunny sentimentality in the visuals to leave you feeling that everything is right with the world.

How did she do it?

"Asked by composer Richard Anthony Jay to create a video piece for his track 'Gone...but not forgotten' incorporating super8mm footage, I was inspired by the wealth of public domain archive footage online and decided to attempt to make an animation solely using this footage, and still imagery also sourced online. This involved a long process sourcing the materials, then compositing a massive tabletop composition in Photoshop before then bringing into After Effects to animate one camera over the table-top and all the elements within that needed to move at set times in time with the music. As the concept is about memory, families and capturing the stories of people from times now gone across the four corners of the table, the important thing was also to portray a different aesthetic/finish for each area of the table using filters and colouring to recreate different film stocks. I used the Magic Bullet colouring suite 'Looks' to achieve this in Final Cut Pro."

(If you're reading this in an email subscription click the title of this post to see the video.)

Belsay's Extraordinary Measures, Indeed

Ron Mueck's Drift. 2010

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens has quickly become one of my favourite places in England, or anywhere else for that matter. My first visit in April resulted in some fantastic photographs thanks to Belsay's various photogenic, magical muses, both permanent and ephemeral. English Heritage began using the historical site's attractions to host full-scale art exhibitions in 1996 such as Fashion at Belsay - which included Stella McCartney's crystal horse housed in the medieval castle, fortunately back for a reunion when I visited - as well as 2007's stunning Picture House project featuring an installation by Viktor & Rolf.

Belsay's latest art exhibition, Extraordinary Measures, showcases the work of some of England's most  ingenious and curious creative talents. Each handpicked artist visited the site to gain inspiration, then set to work with the central idea of scale in mind. The exhibition as a whole has a kind of shrinking and growing effect, something like an Alice in Wonderland experience with malevolent insect fairies and fish-bashing babies in place of the murderous Queen of Hearts. While much of the exhibition will bring a smile to the observer's face, equal parts will strike a nerve in their own peculiar ways.

I was lucky as Stella's Spot to be invited to their press which included an introduction by curator Judith King, a short film, and tour of each of the installations which were most times explained by the artists themselves as nearly all were present.  

Extraordinary Measures runs at Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens until September 26th in Northumberland. There's a warning about nudity (the same goes for this post!) and strobes which accompany Mat Collishaw's zoetrope in the castle. Pity for anyone who can't watch as it's the most impressive piece of the exhibition, in my opinion.

Here are my photos from the day, beginning with one of my feel-good favourites, Slinkachu's miniature reproductions of rather normal events made curious by the incongruency of their settings. The actual installations were set up last year throughout the gardens and grounds and Slinkachu photographed them to preserve what was the most fleeting part of the exhibition - they were left to be snatched up by the hawk-eyed or carried away by animals or the wind. So in the place of the figures are the photographs.

 

 

Tessa Farmer's A Darker Shade of Grey was one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen. I felt sick looking at it, yet it was the installation I took the most pictures of. What I'm showing here is the most palatable of the work; it was actually the crispy insect carcasses and not so much the taxidermied rodents that elicited the visceral response. There is something morbidly fascinating about dead animals, especially ones arranged in battle scenes and adorned with crab shell armour with scorpion artillery fighting malevolent insect fairies.

Come again? Fair enough. Farmer's narrative centres on the war between the Northumberland native red squirrel and the outsider, the grey squirrel who is apparently kicking red's fluffy tail. With the help of the skeletal insect fairies who think the grey foreign counterpart shouldn't be penalised for being successful. There's a metaphor in there somewhere but after hearing Farmer speak about her work I don't believe there's a hidden message, it's simply a dramatised version of conflict between two species.

This reminds me that I saw a skinned whole squirrel at the food market last weekend, marked with a stuffed toy version so you'd know what it was. I would rather eat the stuffed animal.

 

There was a bit of condensation in some of the glass cases from the rain - the hazy effect is not me trying to impart a dreaminess on this scene especially as it was more of a nightmare! This mouse is being attacked by a militia of the bug-riding malevolent fairies made from insect parts - it looks like they're holding bayonets! 

No animals were sacrificed for the sake of art. Farmer purchased the taxidermied squirrels and rodents from Ebay, the red squirrels being of Victorian origin. You really can get anything on there. A journalist asked after taking in the full spectrum of the painstakingly fashioned scene,'Why go to all this trouble, wouldn't it be easier to just paint?' And then the artist ordered the evil fairies to descend upon him and poke his flesh relentlessly with their tiny, crude weapons. At least that's what I was imagining might happen when I heard the question. Oh, Dude.

  

Scalesdale is an interactive, evolving model village located in the castle kitchen created by Newcastle architects Jenny Gillat and Tim Mosedale. Visitors will decide how the community develops.

Mat Collishaw's The Garden of Earthly Delights is just the coolest thing. It's a zoetrope or spinning wheel that runs for 90 seconds at a time (I think), and in that short span you are mesmerised and disturbed by the scene that appears to be unfolding in front of you. I say 'appears' because those babies whacking fish with clubs to a soundtrack of layered, unnerving noises that is giving me shivers as I recall it now (I'm serious, real shivers which is odd because it's more creepy to me in memory than it was in person) aren't really moving at all. It's like an animation. Me and the journalist next to me didn't realise that they weren't moving until he asked a question and was told so. I don't know how Collishaw configured and callibrated the zoetrope to create such a compelling effect, but he's done a few of these so the man has certainly mastered the task.

 

 

Woodland Unhappy Families by Freddie Robins is an homage in yarn to the classical Greek architecture that inspired Belsay Hall. Set behind a window nestled in the quarry gardens, two knitted birds play the characters in a sorrowful tale of love and loss from Greek mythology.

Wild Horses by Ciaran Treanor was made possible thanks to his award of the Belsay Fellowship in 2009 that enables a young, emerging artist to participate in the major contemporary art exhibitions at Belsay. The Newcastle University architecture student referenced Belsay's stables outside the castle for his installation of gestural figures that, from specific vantage points, appear as running, jumping horses.

Ron Mueck is a master at creating utterly convincing sculptures of the human figure. Here he has placed his various 'people' (and one giant chicken) within the rooms of Belsay Hall to play with scale. Standing next to Spooning Couple was a fascinating experience. Observations of how real the two look and how sweet they are juxtaposes with the fact that they are obviously not real as they are less than half the size of adult humans. But you want to believe they are. And you can't help but want to put some pants on the guy.

 

This was certainly disconcerting. I first felt as if I should just let the poor guy be naked in privacy, he looked so uncomfortable (yes, I was aware he wasn't real, he's nearly 10 feet tall sitting - those are some high ceilings in that house). But the emptiness of the room was actually quite inviting, the contrast to the feeling one would get sharing a small, low-ceilinged room with the giant Wild Man. Now that would be uncomfortable.

 

(Sorry for pointing that thing at you.)

Youth, Ron Mueck.

 

A giant panel of windows in the Quarry Garden is an awesome sight to behold. Mariele Neudecker's From Here to There is Not That Far is an ambitious undertaking that was well worth the effort. It was a bit surreal, walking through it's doorway felt as if I was passing over into another dimension which is what the artist intended; in developing the idea she was drawn to the moment in Alice in Wonderland where Alice passes through one reality to another, entering a rich and luscious garden.

The Dream State Fashion of Salvador Dalí

 
Mae West lips sofa, Salvador Dalí, 1937
 

 

I wrote this article last week for Models and Moguls and I'm quite surprised it's taken me this long to do so. I was a full-on freak for Surrealism when I discovered it in high school, the idea of this collective of European adults doing things that seemed juvenile but were actually challenging conventional notions of what is art, what is good taste, what is reality, how long and stiff can one guy's moustache get before it pokes another's eye out, validated me as the 16 year-old who fit in but never felt like it. There was something more to things than meets the eye, I knew and they knew it. But no around me seemed to care about that and they wondered why I did. The synaesthesia must have played a major role in this but at the end of the day we all need to connect with something. I don't know exactly why strange juxtapositions are so intriguing, maybe some of us want to live in a perpetual dream state, but if university dorm room walls are any indication, people love a melting clock. 

The following article is a superficial rundown of Salvador Dalí's contribution to fashion. Dalí is a favourite of mine (though the teenage thrill is now gone), as he is a favourite of many for his incredible technical ability with painting and his intriguing dreamscapes. And undoubtedly he is loved for his larger-than-life personality and his other ventures - artistic and commercial pursuits for which the scope became increasingly broad, as hilariously illustrated by his appearance on What's My Line? in the 1950s:

 

The most notorious, prolific and ultimately commercial of the Surrealists – that revolutionary group of artists, poets and provocateurs that grew out of Dadaism in 1920s Paris – was undoubtedly Salvador Dalí. The Spanish Catalan best known for his masterly technical skill as a painter and perversely sexualized subjects had his hand in just about anything he could put his name on, due in part to the push from his wife Gala who was keen to collect a paycheck and not so bothered by the virtue of integrity. However, the signed blank lithographs and commercials for Alka Seltzer aside, most of Dalí’s forays into ventures outside of his main discipline were inspired, original, and hugely influential.

Case in point: anything we see with lips these days could be considered a direct reference to Dali’s iconic Mae West Lips Sofa from 1937 and his Ruby Lips brooch, created in 1949, also based on the sexy actress’ famous bouche. British designer Lulu Guinness is one who owes him her trademark padded lips clutch.

The wildly eccentric artist brought his most famous, Freudian-inspired and dreamlike motifs to life as three dimensional objects through sculpture, furniture, jewellery and fashion. Dali loved fashion and displayed his flamboyant style in his dress and the way he wore his moustache – long, black, waxed straight out to the sides and curled at the ends. He was friends with two of fashion’s most legendary designers, Paris-based rivals Coco Chanel, who inspired him to design clothes, and the avant-garde Elsa Schiaparelli. It was even rumoured that Chanel had an affair with the young Dali, in the days when his facial hair was still neat and understated (one couldn’t imagine the fuss-free designer dealing with the impractical thing that moustache was to become).

The Italian Schiaparelli was hugely influenced by Dada and Surrealism and incorporated the bizarre juxtapositions that were characteristic of these movements into her designs. One can see why Chanel referred to her as ‘that Italian artist who makes clothes’, though this was likely not meant to be a complement from the outspoken and fiercely competitive designer. Dali’s influence has been identified in Schiaparelli designs such as the lamb-cutlet hat and a 1936 day suit with pockets simulating a chest of drawers, based on his painting The Anthropomorphic Chest of Drawers, which was later referenced in a dress he created with Christian Dior in 1950.

 

Skeleton dress. Elsa Schiaparelli collaboration with Salvador Dalí, 1938.

Collaborations between Schiaparelli and Dali produced four iconic pieces that were clearly influenced by the artist:

Lobster Dress, 1937. This simple white silk evening dress with a crimson waistband featured a large lobster painted by Dali onto the skirt. The lobster is one of Dali’s best known motifs which he began incorporating into works from 1934, most notably New York Dream-Man Finds Lobster in Place of Phone, 1935,  and the mixed-media Lobster Telephone, 1936. His design for Schiaparelli was interpreted into a fabric print by the leading silk designer Sache. It was famously worn by Wallis Simpson in series of photographs by Cecil Beaton before her marriage to Edward VIII.

Tears Dress, 1938. A slender pale blue evening gown printed with a Dali design of trompe l’oeil rips and tears was worn with a thigh-length veil with real tears carefully cut out and lined in pink and magenta. The print was intended to give the illusion of torn animal flesh, the tears printed to represent fur on the reverse of the fabric and suggest that the dress was made of animal pelts turned inside out. Figures in ripped, skin-tight clothing suggesting flayed flesh appeared in three of Dali’s 1936 paintings. This puts to rest any notion that the ‘ripped' trend is a relatively recent innovation.

Skeleton Dress, 1938. Designed for the Circus Collection, this stark black crepe dress used trapunto quilting to create padded ribs, spine and leg bones. Many designers today have referenced this dress in their designs.

Shoe Hat, 1937. In 1933, Dali was photographed by his wife Gala with one of her slippers balanced on his head. In 1937 he sketched designs for a shoe hat for Schiaparelli which she featured in her Fall-Winter 1937-38 collection. The hat, shaped like a woman’s high heeled shoe, had the heel standing straight up and the toe tilted over the wearer’s forehead. This hat was worn by Gala, Schiaparelli herself, and by the Franco-American editor of the French Harpers Bazaar, heiress Daisy Fellowes, who was one of Schiaparelli’s best clients.

Dali also designed the Aphrodisiac Jacket of 1936 and several pieces of jewellery for women. In 1981 he drew upon his painting Apparition of the Face of the Aphrodite of Knidos in a Landscape to create bottles for the perfume Salvador Dali Homme et Femme. Dali had evolved (for lack of a better word) from artist to one of the most intriguing and influential brands of the 20th century, and the reverberations of his work will likely continue indefinitely – if our endless fascination with melting clocks is any indication.

The Hauntingly Beautiful Dollhouses of Wallington, Pt. 2

 

Carrying on from Tuesday's post on the enchanting dollhouses of Wallington, here are more rooms with unbelievable detail, like the little buckets under the shelf in the pantry on which several plates of food are waiting, as if the family is about to sit down and eat at any minute. Or how each of the mirrors and picture frames are completely different and highly ornate as was the style at the time.

If you enjoy these, well good! There are lots more from the Wallington house to come...

 

The Hauntingly Beautiful Dollhouses of Wallington, Pt. 1

 

I'm working like a mad woman to launch Swelle Boutique (it's nearly there!) but I wanted to leave you with something special should it be a couple days before I'm able to post again. I visited Wallington a few weeks ago, a National Trust property in Morpeth, Northumberland (that's in the north east of England) with a grand mansion and gorgeous lawns, lakes, parkland and woodland. There's also a beautiful walled garden which we didn't have time to see, but it was cold and gloomy so we'll save that for a lovely day.

I'll tell you more about Wallington in future posts (there is quite a bit to show) but for now here is the first part of the dollhouses from the 17th century mansion's dollhouse room which contains one huge house - like an apartment block - and several smaller ones, the interiors of which are magnificent and shabby all at once. The detail of the period furniture and decor (early 1900s) is breathtaking and some of it is in quite a state of disrepair - evident in the wear on the fabrics and wallpapers and headboards askew - and it creates the feeling that these rooms have actually been lived in by the heavy chested tenants (see below, they are heaving!) for the past century. The effect is utterly charming.

The photos are a bit blurred, the rooms in the dollhouses were very dim and I was shooting through their tiny windows. But it kind of lends to the ghostly feeling and apparently I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to take the photos, it's only been a year since they've allowed cameras. 

Want to see more? Here's Part 2

Scenes from Bristol, the Pastel Painted City

After three posts about Bath (here for an adorable cupcake shop, here and here) I finally get to my shots of Bristol, from my trip down to the south west of England last weekend to visit my brave friend Sophie. I call her 'brave' not only because she shared a room with me for three nights but because she just posted and tagged me in a photo on Facebook of me riding a mosaic pig in Bath. I don't recall signing a waiver!

Anyway, Bristol is a really cool city. It's very diverse ethnically (for a British city) and it's got a buzzing kind of energy. It's very green and on our way to brunch on my last day Sophie took me through a forest  across the street from her house that was just magical. It had wildflowers all over and a stream flowing through it and I swear I saw fairies fluttering by and everything, singing in Bristolian accents. Of course my camera was packed away tightly in my suitcase as I was on my way back home and hadn't a clue of what earthly delights lay ahead of me (and I was trying not to be annoying with my camera on my last day, the other person always has to wait while you get your shots), but I have a project for next time. 

I especially loved all of the pastel-painted houses. Every city should have pink, yellow and baby blue buildings. It's the right thing to do. Who doesn't want to live in the land of Edward Scissorhands?

 

 

A Banksy left over from his exhibition

Definitely Banksy, but with paint splatters of unknown origin added fairly recently:

I thought the splats looked stylised and intentional - look at the blue one in the hanging guy's armpit. That's not random. Not sure who put them there (why would Banksy do this?) but care was taken, this wasn't some wiener shooting paint balls from the street. Some wiener with a ladder, maybe? 

 

 

(Banksy's tag beneath. But NOT Banksy in the lower right. Maybe THAT'S the wiener!)

 

 

 

 

 

We saw these two girls in costumey hats, struggling with their big old suitcases down the street. As they were fumbling they rambled on with a curious drone like two Marlas from Fight Club,that nutter of a character that Helena Bonham Carter played. I knew I had to take a photo. After I said 'thanks' and began to walk away one of them said "Make tea not war." Good thing she did, I've now cancelled my cruise missile testing in favour of a nice cup of Earl Grey.

 

I tripped right about here, nearly took a header. In front of a group of people, of course. I've lived here for years now and still those uneven stones get me every time I go out of the house, they're all over England! I consider them a threat to national security, something must be done! 

The breathtaking view of the suspension bridge from the back patio of a bar in Clifton, the most beautiful part of Bristol. 

Drinks and scenery.

 

 

A Look Back at Picture House at Belsay: Forest Bedrooms, Teacups & Silver Dipped Ballgowns

Geraldine Pilgrim (corridor productions)
Dreams of a winter night

In some recent posts we saw Stella McCartney's stunning Lucky Spot installation at Belsay Castle, a horse made of 8,000 crystals assembled on wires in a hauntingly beautiful medieval room. The horse was a revival of sorts from a project that began a few years ago when English Heritage invited 15 of the most original and experimental film directors, artists, actresses and designers from Britain and around the world to bring Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens (oh, those gardens! More to come on those) to life with a series of cutting edge art installations.

Picture House opened in spring of 2007 and transformed the neo-classical mansion in Northumberland, its 14th century castle and Grade I Listed gardens with electrifying works of fashion, sculpture, music, design, poetry, music and video.

The next art exhibition to take place on the glorious grounds at Belsay is Extraordinary Measures and I'm thrilled to say I've been invited to their press day to tour the works, hear from the curator and take pictures. It's about a place "where size is off the scale. Where the miniscule is made massive and huge surroundings hide surprises. Where ancient buildings always hold something new" - it sounds like Alice in Wonderland meets the coolest treasure hunt there ever was.

Here's a preview:

Hey, it's the miniature old couple from David Lynch's Mulholland Drive!

And back to Picture House at Belsay, beginning with Viktor & Rolf's centrepiece of silver ballgowns, from their latest collection at the time, drenched in dripping silver in Pillar Hall. Their piece referenced the Dutch tradition of dipping a child's shoe in silver to preserve it as a keepsake. "We were inspired by that same desire to preserve a memory," said Viktor Horsting. "To treasure the past. To freeze time."

 

Geraldine Pilgrim (corridor productions)
Dreams of a winter night

 

Quay Brothers
Coffin of a servant's journey

 

A collaboration between Boudicca and Mike Figgis

 

Tilda Swinton created this piece called Belsayland for Arthur Middleton's bedroom, working alongside her husband, playwright and visual artist John Byrne, and their children. It was realised by Neil Murray in association with Northern Stage.

Corollarium. Northumbria University graduate, Francesca Steele, was awarded the Belsay FellowshipGeraldine Pilgrim (corridor productions) which provided her with the opportunity to exhibit alongside the more well known names.

 

Imogen Cloët and Jacob Polley
The Recollection Rooms

 

Peepshow. Costume designer Sandy Powell created a 'peephole' into Lady Middleton's bedroom, where viewers could spy on the inhabitant.

Photos: The Telegraph

Old Castles, Spring Gardens and Stella McCartney's Crystal Horse Pt. 2

Carrying on from yesterday's post (hence the 'Pt. 2' in the title), here are more photos of my visit to Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens in Northumberland, north east England.

 The stables at Belsay

Belsay Hall is an early 19th century mansion with a Greek doric style slanted roof. It's not the most gorgeous of exteriors, it's very stark but the interiors were interesting. A family by the name of the Middletons actually lived here until 1962. It is now a proper of English Heritage.  

 

 

These Delft tiles lined both sides of the fireplace in one of its large rooms

Belsay Hall from the rear

The scenery from the side of the mansion:

 

Back to Belsay castle, a 14th century medieval castle. The main structure, a substantial three storey rectangular pele tower with rounded turrets and battlements was constructed about 1370, and was the home of the Middleton family. I cannot believe people lived in this, oh how mighty cold it must have been (see photos below). Future generations of the family resided here until the early 19th century when they built and moved into Belsay Hall. 

I have no idea what this is, it was in the ruins part of the castle. Some kind of oven? Maybe Wendy Brandes will know.

The spiral staircase from beneath

This is the room where Stella McCartney's crystal horse was displayed

You could go out onto the roof by the turret and take in the view of the countryside.

The view from the top. Those white specs on the grass are sheep.

 

 

I am going to have to do those glorious gardens in another post as this one is getting long, but I have to show you more of Lucky Spot, the horse that was conceived of by Stella McCartney as part of English Heritage's project to transform Belsay in 2004. It is made of 8,000 Swarovski crystals and when the light floods in through the medieval windows the crystals produce brilliant prismatic patterns across the walls.

 

 

 

I've gathered some images of the other installations that were commissioned for this project and I'll post those tomorrow. It includes Viktor & Rolf.

Old Castles, Spring Gardens and Stella McCartney's Crystal Horse Pt. 1

Today we took advantage of a gorgeous spring day and went off to explore some of the beautiful Northumberland countryside. We drove to Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens and I think I may have stumbled upon paradise. (I thought I found it when I went to Maui but it seems to exist way up here in the north east of England, too.) I just got a new camera and this was the perfect place to try it out, the gardens were spectacular and flooded with mid-afternoon sunlight. 

  
A room in the cellar of Belsay Hall, an early 19th century mansion

 

Belsay Castle. The turret part of the castle is 700 years old

 

And this image below is a bit of a teaser, I have so much more to show from this piece and the project itself. It's an installation conceived by Stella McCartney as part of a project involving thirteen British creatives that was commissioned by English heritage to transform Belsay in 2004. More on that tomorrow!

All photos by Denise Grayson

Shatteringly Beautiful: The Glass Dresses of Diana Dias-Leão

Diana Dias-Leão combined her fashion design and glass making skills to create couture dresses made of glass, ceramics, wire and silken yarns to stunning effect. Beautiful, but how do you wear a breakable dress? Well, you don't. These were created as art pieces to explore serious issues around personal identity, beauty and human behaviour. The artist believes that anorexia, bulimia, self harm and body dysmorphic disorder are connected with issues relating to image and lack of confidence.

“The main message I wish to convey in my work is the fact that even though the image is glittering, it is the person inside who is precious,” says Diana. Well, that is very sweet.

Her collection of 14 glass dresses and two barbed wire corsets are currently on display at Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool until September 30, 2011. 

 

 

Photos: National Museums Liverpool's Flickr

A Happy Easter with Spring Butterflies

Happy Easter! Spring and Easter go hand in hand and butterflies are my favourite harbinger of sunny days and warm weather (well, in England we can at least hope). I grew up in Canada in Southern Ontario and when I was very young my family moved to a new town. The subdivision where we bought our house was still largely undeveloped, there were many wide open fields and those were the days where you could call on some friends and go off and play all day long and explore the neighbourhood. It was spring time and there were butterflies fluttering everywhere - in the fields, in our back yard, as you walked through the streets. My parents bought me a butterfly net and while I don't recall catching any (lucky for them!) I had lots of fun trying (or maybe I cried in frustration, that's more plausible).

Now, these may not be real butterflies as pictured above but they are beautiful all the same. This is a piece from Su Blackwell's breathtaking exhibit that I saw in Edinburgh a while back. (I've been holding off on posting in the hopes of interviewing Su but I haven't had the time!) She cuts from old story books and creates these exquisite pop-up vignettes that are just magical, you feel as if you've been drawn into a fairytale land by merely being in their presence. 

From the very talented Lenaah's Flickr

If you like butterflies, you can read a post from my trip to the Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Falls, Ontario a few years back here

Macho Bears and Butterflies: The Wonderful Shoes of Tetsuya Uenobe

  

'Water imp drowns in river'

The womens designer shoes we’re offered each season are becoming bigger and badder and are continually pushing the boundaries of how crazy cool our feet can look, yet it’s still a fairly narrow view of what shoes can be. And if we’re honest, some of us can’t even walk in them. I have a few pairs of shoes I love the look of, they’re gorgeous and sexy heels, but I can’t leave the house wearing them unless I do like Lady Gaga and have someone push me around in a wheelchair.

What we put on our feet can be so much more than what we’ve come to regularly expect of our footwear, if we allow ourselves to think a little differently. Japanese shoemaker Tetsuya Uenobe is a sparkling example of how superior craftsmanship and the desire to impart some personality in our shoes can marry to produce works of wearable art – for our feet!

When I first laid eyes on Tetsuya’s work I was at once charmed by his playful and humourous approach to shoemaking – he draws inspiration from anything and everything around him from boats to monkeys to hot dogs. While Tetsuya says he isn’t adverse to drawing elegant and beautiful designs like Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin and the team at Salvatore Ferragamo, his primary motivation is to make people smile. I challenge you to not crack one while looking at these ‘Macho Bear’ shoes, complete with bear’s own leather moccasins:

'Macho Bear' (with support insert)

Tetsuya designs and makes his shoes in Japan under his namesake label Uenobe. His interest in creating his own shoes came from meeting several craftsman while working in the fashion industry and he soon found himself becoming immersed in their world. He left his job in 1999 and enrolled in the shoe making program at London College of Art, then further honed his craft working alongside a bespoke shoemaker. Upon returning to Japan to launch Uenobe in 2003 he made an impression on Japanese couturier Mrs. Hanai Mori, who offered him the opportunity to show his works at Open Gallery Omotesando in Tokyo. Tetsuya’s influences include Tokio Kumagai and Jan Jansen, who were known for their unconventional approach to shoe design, respectively.  

He admits he has a tough time letting the shoes go once they are finished. (How sweet!)

I had the opportunity to talk to Tetsuya about his shoes and his process:

What kind of reaction do your shoes elicit? And do you have people asking for your art styles or do they usually opt for the more traditional shoe?

My art line was designed as an eye catcher at trade shows at the beginning. I realized these shoes got attention so I decided to develop this line. Actually, I mainly sell my shoes via retail shops so I do not know what customers feel exactly. People prefer to order the main line to the art line; however, many purchased the Koala and some customers bought the Bird from the art line. I have stopped producing the pumps line as the fit wasn't sufficient.

An owner of one of the retailers that deal in my works said customers love my shoes. They enjoy wearing them and appreciate the craftsmanship. I know a woman who is a merchandiser in the fashion industry who purchased the Bird (see right) and wears them at the office. She says she enjoys people noticing them.

I think people understand that my works are unusual. And they love such unusual style. Basically they are fashionistas so they are always looking for a new or rare style. Sometimes customers order traditional styles but the right foot is in red and the left one is in black, via the retailers. The retailers who deal in my works also appreciate individuality. My works are supported by such unique people.

Do you wish to see people wearing your more unusual shoes as an every day footwear choice – an alternative to the ‘usual’ types of shoes we wear, or do you see them as special and meant more for those who appreciate art in their garments?

It depends on the situation. If a philosopher, a doctor or a member of Parliament wears my shoes from my art line at their work place, they will lose credibility. However, wearing them for going out with a lover or to a party would be fine. Actually, I do not mind how people wear my work. My shoes are wearable but also decorative. The important thing is how much people love them.

Your leather sometimes looks as if it has been handpainted with watercolours. How do you achieve that effect?

I dye leather to look like marble. I pour water in a pan and make a a whirlpool, then add a few drops of ink to make the dye then I add the leather.

 

'Swan'

Do manufacturers actually know how to construct a good shoe? Is it possible to get true quality from a factory?

I think everyone who works in the shoe industry knows how to make a good shoe. The difference between me and others is handmade or factory made. Most workers in this industry do not know how to make them by hand. However, I believe they try to make good quality shoes by using machines. Low price shoe companies have to sell their products at lower prices, so they make chunky shoes, shapes that everyone can wear and this way they can cut costs. These can be seen as good shoes when you look at it from that angle.

What are the most important aspects of constructing a shoe, and what should we look for when buying?

Every single shape of the bare foot is slightly different. The shape of one person’s foot will be altered due to changes in body weight or simply from ageing. So people find it difficult to find the perfect pair at the shoe shop. I think the problem is people do not know much about the shape of their foot. They know and care about the shapes of their body but not the foot. Shoes should be attractive but also have to be practical. If you wear disastrous fitting shoes, even from a respected and famous brand, they are bad shoes for you. Bespoke shoes are ideal but very expensive. When you purchase your shoes, you should check the balance of the shoe and fitting, avoid rough finishing and not put whether they are a big designer brand as your first priority.

swelle.

For those interested in how Tetsuya constructs his shoes (I know I am!), here's a look into the process of making them by hand:

Insole: cut off extras and adjust the edge

 

Stiffener: make it thin and flat

 

Lasting: wrap a shoe form with an upper to fix the shape

 

Outsole: perfecting the shape

 

Sewing: securing the outsole on the upper

 

Tetsuya's art line is inspired by animals and plants:

 

'Flower'

'Panda'

'Panther' (the front detail is a view of the tail end of the panther)

 

'Hatch Out'

You can view the Uenobe collection including all of Tetsuya’s fantastical creations at his website.

One day, I found a book buried deep in the ground...

In my previous post about Bjork and Alexander McQueen's collaborative friendship I mentioned that her video for Bachelorette is my favourite of hers. It's actually my favourite video period and I wanted to share it. So I spent an obscene amount of time taking screen caps and paring down the images (believe it or not!) to tell the story and show the gorgeous imagery in both black and white and saturated colour. For me, this little film is endlessly inspiring and absolutely exhilarating, it hasn't lost a drop of its potency since I first saw it in 1997 when it was made. 

As I ranted the other day, the YouTube of the video has been blocked thanks to Warner but if you find the video on her website here you can watch it in iTunes by clicking the download link under the credits - and in case it's not clear, I highly suggest you do! It's an incredible piece of art in every aspect - from the concept to the music to the cinematography to the editing to the set design and props. A brilliant collaboration between Bjork and director Michel Gondry.

 

Things to See in Paris: Paul Guillaume's Amazing, Miniature Apartment

I still have many, many photos from the two months we lived in Paris last year and amongst them are these charming and impressive (awesome, really) miniature replicas of two rooms in art collector and ardent supporter of artists Paul Guillaume's Paris apartment. You can see he really liked Modigliani. In fact, the artist painted Guillaume's portrait in 1915 and according to this model, he displayed it in his study - you can see it in the far right top corner:

 

Amedeo Modigliani. Paul Guillaume, Novo Pilota. 1915

These models on are display in the lower level at Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris which is famous for its series of Monet's Water Lilies paintings, housed above in two rooms:

Back to the apartment - this is Paul Guillaume's dining room, complete with hallways where more of his collection was hung (you wouldn't want to drink too much wine at one of his dinner parties and stumble into a wall - emBARRassing!):

To give you an idea of the scale:

She was beginning to turn into a werewolf, starting with her hand.

This is the room where these models were displayed, it was on the right wall. As for what this room was, I didn't catch it. But it would make sense if it were a full-size (obviously) replica of another room - complete with the actual original paintings - of Guillaume's. It could be called 'the one with no Modigliani'.

And a few curiosities I found in the other galleries downstairs, first Coco and her pup (the artist liked to paint ladies with their dogs):

I just really love these Matisse paintings:

And finally, Maurice Ultrillo's La Maison Bernot, which must mean 'House of the Big Asses' - look at how he painted the ladies' derrieres:

We know what he liked.

Exploring the Dark Side of Adornment with Molly Vogel

Ring II. Jet, vegetable ivory, sterling silver, yellow sapphires. Photo by Robert Diamonte

Prior to the holidays I had the absolute pleasure of engaging in a conversation with artist jeweller Molly Vogel. I've been an admirer of her gorgeous and compelling work since I first laid eyes upon it. Molly was going to be the focus of a jeweller edition of The Swelle Life's Designers Series about a year ago, but commitments to her final year dissertation in the Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design program at Maine College of Art in Portland left her with very little spare time - understandably! Happily, we've stayed in touch and now I'm able to make the introduction.

One look at a piece of Molly's jewelry will tell you there’s something more to it than simple adornment. Her work bears a quiet calm that is anything but static; rather it captivates and intrigues, compelling the viewer to ask questions. Sometimes a piece may be seen as impractical. And that’s just as Ms. Vogel likes it. It’s not that she wants you to find a problem with it; it’s not a trick. Conversely, she wants you to evaluate it according to your own beliefs. What would art be without some kind of inherent challenge – in this case, one that nudges you to explore what adornment means to you? Indulge the curious, enchanting details and an intimate dialogue is bound to ensue.

Molly commits as much thought to the meaning of her pieces as she does her long hours creating them. Here is our discussion in which she shares what's behind her extraordinary work (it's a long one so you may want to make sure your seat is comfy and your bladder is empty):

The first thing I noticed when I saw your current collection is the colour. Black and saturated, no gloss. It’s a quietly profound and dramatic effect. What’s behind your colour choice?

Actually, it all started with black. I remember back in my undergraduate studies right before my department was getting into the thinking and making of our thesis work we were told to make a map of our influences. I started with a bubble in the center of a big sheet of paper which was representative of myself. From there I began branching off the categories of my own personal content. The very first category was color.

I have these color groups that keep popping up in all of my choices in life. Black has been the root of each of those color groups I am drawn to. I find that black is an anchor, one that I completely identify with. It has so many dimensions, it is sultry and seductive, steady and calm, bold and attention grabbing. I found that all of these things that black was representative of were also the answer for how I wanted my work to be described and how I wanted it to function. Of course at this point in my jewelry career it wasn’t such an obvious thing how this related to everything else I was thinking about, but pretty soon black lead me on a fabulous journey.

I’m quite sure you’ve just made me appreciate black a lot more than I did! Do you feel that your exploration of black through this collection has satiated your curiosity of what the colour can convey – and how powerful it can be – or will it continue to drive your work?

As far as I am concerned black will remain a driving force in my work for some time. Through my love of black I quickly came to find and work with the material all of my current work incorporates, jet (which is petrified wood that comes in lumpy rock-like shapes. I work this material by carving it). I fell in love with the qualities of the material jet. It has this amazing ability for a vast amount of finished surfaces. It is able to appear anywhere from matte with a brilliant and sultry luster, to high-gloss and polished making it look like plastic. The other seductive qualities of this material come from its historical baggage in the Victorian era. Jet was at its most popular during the reign of Queen Victoria and was used for mourning jewelry due to moral codes for the grieving duration of lost loved ones. Alas, black lead me to work with this fabulous material that has so much to offer. I am certainly not about to abandon all of these possible avenues of exploration just yet.

Your hand carved textures of the jet in your current work are absolutely exquisite, from the delicately ridged petals to the rich, smooth ones of your rings. Do you create these rings to be worn as much as you create them to be appreciated as an exploration of the properties of your chosen medium? I could see someone buying these and displaying them in their home as art.

This question touches upon the art vs. craft dilemma that is discussed ever so much in academic settings like the one I just came from! Regardless, I am of the firm belief that it shouldn’t matter. I take the route of humanity, preferring to focus on how objects connect to humans and relate to their psyches. I believe that people need objects in order to better understand themselves. The way one particular object will function for a person could never function the same way for another. I have created these rings in direct response to this forum that the art-jewelry world has created. There is a constant questioning that occurs when the subject of conversation is a piece of jewelery. This questioning revolves around the somewhat obvious aspects to the nature of jewelry. ‘Is it wearable?’ for instance is a huge, point-blank question. For some, these flower rings are the perfect cocktail ring, for others they are to risky to wear and act as an object that is only meant to sit upon the mantle and be admired from afar. Even still I am sure that there are those who look upon my work and are puzzled as to why they have even been created in the first place. To this crowd these rings may seem completely unwearable and silly to display because it is still a ring, not a piece of art. It is through these responses that my rings are able to walk a fine line of conversation.

And what would you do with one?

I would wear them - hell I would flaunt them, one at a time during special occasions and I would display them some place special when they were not upon my finger. I personally look at these rings to be pieces of wearable art that signify the individual that boldly identifies with them. They become markers that celebrate moments in life by celebrating self. I would hope that the person that decides that they cannot live without one of my rings would wear it at least once after they take it into their personal collection, however this is entirely an individual choice and justifiable either way. What it comes down to is the understanding that occurs in the choice to want the ring in the first place; the ability to determine why and how one relates to this object and why/how they will celebrate it.

If I had one of your rings, I would wear it to buy milk so there would be no mundane events left in my life! There is an expert felt maker I know who creates these huge, amazing, elaborately detailed shawls which are very expensive, and a woman who was a fan of her work bought one and framed it. She said “Oh, I would never wear it.” I thought what a shame that she can’t feel the weight and the texture and how it molds to her body, and how she’s limiting this magnificent creation to one dimension. Never mind not sharing it with the world!

I think seeing extraordinary things on others whether they be friends or strangers expands one’s scope of what’s ‘normal’, and sets an example of how art can be interactive, an enrichment in our daily lives, rather than something to be admired from a distance. Thoughts?

There is something to be said for interaction and the way that something feels when it is put on the body. It is intimacy in all aspects of the word. What better way to understand an object than to feel it and feel how it makes you feel? Interaction also extends into display and sharing these choices with other people. I believe that what people choose to put on their body or even to hang up in their home is important. I agree that it has the capability to enrich our daily lives as well as communicate a plethora of information about the owner. The key in my opinion is making sure that people are true to themselves and make choices based off of their own relation to objects and take these choices seriously. I would ask people to take it that step further and identify the power that these objects chosen to surround daily life truly hold for them individually.

 

That's a driving force in our choices, isn't it - how we want others to perceive us? Hence the obsession with amassing 'luxury' labels. Not everyone appreciates, or is willing to appreciate, an object that is unique, of true value, reflects hours of skilled handwork and has something to say. Does that bother you? Or does that lend an exclusive appeal to what you do? If not (I'm thinking not) how do we persuade others to find personal meaning in objects they would not normally care about? A lot of it comes down to one's innate sense of taste, which unfortunately cannot be democratized!

I agree that for many people the perceptions of others end up becoming a driving force in their decision making process. I press onward with the ideal that people should make choices based off of their individual desires, opinions and reactions to the objects that are out in the world rather than how the rest of the world views those same objects. Anything can be utilized as a tool for expression and become an extension of self so long as our choices are self-aware. That being said, objects have this vast potential to become art; they are capable of a connection to the owner, of a kind of self-expression that helps one to actualize and communicate this self-understanding to others. I chose to promote my jewelery through art venues because of how it immediately allows me to promote these particular ideals. My viewer is able to walk into a new perspective about the work that is before them, not limiting it to labels. The art context of my jewelry inherently shares that there is a conceptual backdrop to the pieces I have created allowing for its meaning to become quite malleable and open for interpretation. This in itself is precisely how I feel about all objects and I share this by creating a type of forum that is able to open up the possibilities for a person to put value on my jewelery for their own reasons. I believe more meaning arises in this setting than say it would in a display case at a boutique where the setting directly limits the possibilities. This is how I push forward, break down hierarchies and boundaries as well as promote self-expression.

I’m curious – do you ever wear junk jewelry?

But of course! I have a wide variety of all different types of jewelery in my own personal collection spanning from a thick 24kt gold chain with a piece of delft (painted porcelain) set as a pendant, all of the way to chintzy costume jewelery including a variety of versions of Victorian reproductions made of nothing but plated base-metal and rhinestones. I even own an amazing pair of plastic clip on earrings that I wear, they are these luminous, pastel-pink flowers in a 50’s style, round cluster that is littered with tacky fake gems. I wear these in the springtime even though I have pierced ears because they make me feel so good!

What's next for Molly Vogel?

I am going to continue making jewelery, without a doubt. I keep a close and tight network of friends that are doing this as well and support the same hierarchies of good craft, design and innovation in body adornment and wearable art. I truly believe that there are big things out there for me and with this group of people at my side I fully intend to forge my path strong and find out.

swelle.

You can view Molly Vogel’s current collection in full on her website. Just don’t expect to see the pink plastic clip-on earrings!

Artist Series: An Introduction to the Enchanting World of Matilde Montanari

 

Last spring, the most exhilarating email landed in my inbox. It was from a New York-based, Italian artist named Matilde Montanari, and she wanted to share her work with me. I took a look and couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was like a checklist from my daydreams: bold, vibrant colour; washed out, romantic and dusty hues; beautiful, lovely, feminine imagery; dresses and shoes. That would have been enough but there was something emerging through the surface. A feeling began to set in. Nostalgia, reminiscence, introspection. Matilde's imagery, which she conveys largely through self-portraits, draws you in and holds you, prompting you to ask questions of yourself and of the artist. The views, the angles, the perspectives are not the usual presentations. You feel as if you are peeking around a corner to catch a glimpse of a moment in time, a private moment, yet one that feels inviting despite its hint of inaccessibility. The inevitable question 'Why am I being made to look at this?' isn't born of frustration but of intrigue. The scenes are timeless and special, as if from another dimension that is just slightly outside of the one in which we exist.

In Matilde's own words, her work "explores memories as the relation that exists between the environment and the private happenings." And we can contemplate what that means for ourselves.

So why am I only talking about this now? When I connect with work like this, it's a very powerful thing, and I have to take a step back. I was also extremely humbled that Matilde followed my blog and wanted her work featured on it, and so I wanted to do right by it. Little did I know it would take this long to get my head around how to present something that has impacted me so profoundly. So after some major life events I can concentrate again, and here we are, finally. I hope Matilde can forgive me as it's work like this that motivated me to start The Swelle Life in the first place, and it's what keeps it going. And I don't think there has been a day gone by that I didn't think about her pictures or look at them.

She's invented a rare and ultimate combination: sublime beauty and intellectual challenge.

 

 

 

 

This is a selection of Matilde's commercial work in collaboration with Andrea Morini, which is actually quite varied in subject but I chose the lingerie images because I think they are divine:

 

Tonight I Was Seduced By a Coat

There I was, innocently tapping and clicking away at my keyboard, when a garment of many fabrics revealed itself through the ether, enveloped in the rhythm of my keystrokes. It must have sensed I was in the mood for a late-night rendezvous from the aroma of far away spices on my breath (tonight we had Indian take-away), and I don't know if it was my rapid heartbeat and runny nose brought on by the sultry heat of the vindaloo, but I was ripe for seduction.

I can't go on like this, my silliness is going to turn into jibberish, it's late here. But seriously, I was taken aback - I gasped and made some funny noises and my face probably looked funny - when I saw this stunning Couture Evening Coat by RSVP on Shrimpton Couture. Now, this is not something you see every day. It transcends those horrible words, "on trend" (in my humble opinion) and unites us all through our love of truly exquisite clothing. A piece like this creates its own context, taking bits from the past and infusing it with new energy. And RSVP designer and visual artist Christine Davis had a little something to do with it, too. I'm happy that Christine chose to reveal herself; until recently she was anonymously reworking vintage into extraordinary garments for Shrimpton Couture. And while her unclaimed work created an air of mystery about the person behind it, it's also nice to have a name to put with the dress, especially when it is imbued with a touch that is undoubtedly personal.

The style is based on a captain's great coat and made of almost entirely of vintage fabrics, ranging from the Victorian era to the 1970s; Cherie (Ms. Shrimpton Couture) says she counted at least a dozen different fabrics altogether.

And the details. The details!:

I want to live in the lining of this coat. While I hate to draw comparisons when a garment is so utterly unique, the 70s patterned fabric and azure blue silk makes me think of McQueen's Plato's Atlantis. Yet the exterior tells a different story with its mélange of textures and florals. The blues are breathtaking, like a mix of winter lakes and summer oceans. 

You can find out more about this coat at Shrimpton Couture. And the kind of 'responsibility' I was talking about in my previous post - giving a handmade piece of work proper credit and informing potential buyers about its special attributes? Cherie is a shining example.

High Price Tags Explained: Why a Hen in an Egg Necklace Costs Nearly 10 Grand

You can never be too educated about any one thing, and fashion is no exception. We should know something about how the goods we're buying are made and why they cost what they do. Prices can range from a £1 t-shirt from Primark (there's only one way those can be produced so cheaply, people!) to thousands of whatever currency you use to max out your plastic. The value of high fashion is largely subjective; for some the label alone is worth the cost and for others there must something special - even irreplaceable - about the piece to justify the spend, like haute couture for example. Or an expertly crafted piece of fine jewelry with a surprise inside.

And that takes us to Wendy Brandes, whose recent post, Get Smart (About Manufacturing) prompted this one. I featured Wendy last spring but if you're not yet one of her adoring fans and need a quick introduction, Wendy is a New York-based fine jewelry designer who tells a story with each of her wearable art pieces - usually a tale of a naughty, pious or tragic royal woman from the more fascinating and freaky eras in world history.

Wendy has, a few times now, written about how she prices her jewelry as she does, which is something that anyone who charges high-end prices for exquisite things should do - it lends legitimacy to the work and ultimately, fosters appreciation. Oddly, it's not the most common of practices and also, buyers don't always ask the questions; we can be a bit complacent when it comes to justifying our big buck spending (that's how the tightwads are balanced, I guess).

In some cases I think it's a lack of marketing savvy that causes a talented designer to undersell herself when her own enterprise is the point of sale. But usually it's a shop selling a range of designers, whether it be online or brick and mortar, that fails in its responsibility - I think it's a responsibility - to demonstrate why something is special, whether it be a great fit; a premium fabric; a story about what inspired the designer or a particular technique that was used to make this thing you're considering spending the rent on. We want to be convinced, yet so few actually play ball. Dumbasses. Let us assume then there is nothing special (which unfortunately is the case sometimes) and go to someone who has something to share with us.

So that's my thinking on the issue and it's no secret if you read this blog that I feel very passionately about contextual objects that are created with such love, knowledge, the benefit of a discerning eye and exceptional skill that they become art, and garnering support for the people - the independents who do it all themselves - who bring us these things (it figures into a project I'm launching in the spring).

Therefore I urge you to read Wendy's post and all of its links if you have the time, which explains in detail - you'll get an education - why her gold, silver and gem jewelry costs what it does. Once you understand how manufacturing works you can see how the processes and intricacies apply to just about anything with a price tag. And that's good information to have at the top of your brain whenever you've got your wallet in hand. And let's not forget the fun of learning why the golden egg that opens to reveal a diamond-eyed silver hen that sits on a nest with three golden eggs is worth $9,500. I certainly think it is.

You can browse Wendy's entire collection at WendyBrandes.com and be sure to read the descriptions of each piece for a tasty tidbit of delicious history.

  

 

Happy New Year! London's Awesome Fireworks Show

Happy New Year! My New Years Eve here in England was a quiet one, my parents are visiting from Canada and I have a nasty cold so me and Mr. Swelle stayed in and we all ate lots of hors d'oevre-y type nibblies but had to forego the bubbly chilling in the fridge so it didn't clash with the Lemsip Max cold and flu caps me and my mother were eating. Oh yeah, I was livin' it up. We tuned in to the BBC at midnight and watched what was the most awesome fireworks display I've ever seen - London's pyrotechnic show on the Thames, with the London Eye at the centre. If I had been there in person I think my wide open mouth would have been frozen like this.

Here's the BBC video of the event. Everyone is reporting it was seven and a half minutes long which is odd, especially as it went to past 12:10 according to our clocks and the video is over 11 minutes long. The sustained intensity was just so exciting to watch, though the broadcast itself was shot straight on and I think I preferred that. The 'design' of the show is the work of 'firework prodigy' Christophe Berthonneau, a French pyrotechnician. That's one career we don't really consider when we're growing up, do we? I think school guidance counselors should encourage that more. If only I'd known.

Enjoy! ♥

Update: Oh, I'm such a dink! Reader Lauren pointed out this is last year's display. Well, that explains why it's longer and why the colours were different! Hey, I told you my head was full of mucous! Ugh. But really, when they say New Year's Eve 2009, they shouldn't be talking about New Year's Eve 2008! So here's what I really saw, but I haven't been able to watch it yet, it's probably getting too many hits. Enjoy the real one!

Ha, that's my first cock-up of the new year and it has been documented for all the world to see!

(Email subscribers - you have to click the title of this post to see the video!)

WhiteFly Casts the Past in Precious Metals

WhiteFly takes delicate and beautiful things like vintage lace and satin ribbon bows and flowers and casts them in solid gold or sterling silver to make gorgeous one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. The Los Angeles jewelry maker cuts and finishes each piece by hand, creating a soft and elegant handworked effect that can be seen and felt. I'm totally smitten with the lace cuffs - how stunning are they?

You can view the entire collection which also includes several styles of beautiful earrings in WhiteFly's Etsy shop. Until the end of today only (Sunday) you can get free shipping by entering FREESHIP in the 'note to seller' at checkout.

 

And these are so simple yet so gorgeous - a bow bracelet and forget-me-knot ring in solid sterling silver cast from a piece of string. They can also be done in 18k gold vermeil or solid 14K gold.

 

The Arousing Style of Dita Von Teese

You would think that an international burlesque performer who is famous for taking her clothes off in an elaborately choreographed and propped stage show would be best known for her body. But it’s Dita Von Teese’s throwback starlet style that has the fashion world and its loyal followers drooling in their couture.

She may have a figure to die for, but it’s when it’s covered up – or rather how it’s covered up – that has cemented Ms. Von Teese’s place as one of the world’s most influential style icons. She has single-handedly brought back the allure of Old Hollywood glamour with her impeccable 1940s dressing and grooming both on and off-duty, and it seems that just about everyone wants to infuse their own look with a bit of Dita beauty.

So how did a girl from West Branch, Michigan cultivate this much emulated, sexy and sophisticated image? No overnight transformation, this was a result of her intrigue as a young teen with all things retro and burlesque – the dance, the costume, the attitude – which developed into a passionate yet disciplined pathway to both her career and lifestyle. In other words, the girl isn’t simply putting on a show, she's living it.

The natural blonde, born Heather Sweet in 1972, grew up watching Technicolor musicals with her mother – who regularly gave her clothes for dressing up – and found herself drawn to the feminine and flirty aesthetic of the pin-up girls of the past. She was especially fond of Silver Screen siren Betty Grable. From time to time she snuck peaks at her father’s Playboy magazines (eeuw), admiring the lingerie worn by the models on its pages. When she was 15 years old she worked at a restaurant with a lingerie boutique nearby and found herself visiting often to peruse and try on the lacy bras and panties. Eventually they hired her as a salesgirl. Dita became increasingly fascinated with corsets and basques and began incorporating the elaborate lingerie into her own dressing, complete with stockings and garters. Until that point she had hoped for a career as a ballerina, having soloed for a local dance company at age 13. But she arrived at the realization that she was as good as she was going to be, and looked for other ways to nurture the natural performer within. You can see the influence of her classical dance training in her show in which she is known for going en pointe.

While she was at college studying historic costuming with aspirations to style period films, Dita began working at a local strip club, then age 18. She took the opportunity to create her own pin-up girl persona and fashioned a costume consisting of a retro basque accessorised with opera-length gloves and seamed stockings, finished with a beehive hairstyle and dramatic forties-style make-up. Her originality set her apart from the other dancers and she instantly became an audience favourite. At the same time she began posing for photographs as a Betty Page look-a-like glamour model which led to a career as a star of fetish films. She made a series of films called Dita in Distress where she was bound by her hands and feet in a variety of perilous situations, such as being captured by cannibals and prepared for dinner. Despite the theme the films were lighthearted, more camp than hardcore.

However, explicit performances were not outside of Dita’s personal or career boundaries. Despite the protests of her friends – including those in the burlesque arena – she agreed to appear in a film by pornographic filmmaker Andrew Blake. Her reasoning was that she liked his films which featured mostly women, glamourously outfitted and made up in the throwback style she was known for. Rather than derailing her career as her friends had feared, it became a non issue and Dita went on to perfect her burlesque routine.

Not one to do anything half way, Dita had giant martini and champagne glasses custom-made for her signature show. After performing an old-fashioned strip-tease she climbs into the glass and bathes in the ‘cocktail’, washing herself with a giant olive or strawberry sponge, depending on the libation. Her originality caught the attention of many Hollywood insiders and her martini glass routine was borrowed for a scene in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle in which Cameron Diaz performs a burlesque number.

The undisputed ‘Queen of Burlesque’ is now a permanent fixture in the high fashion scene. She is a regular front-row guest for the most high profile and esteemed fashion houses including Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, and has been named the ‘Burlesque Superheroine’ by Vanity Fair magazine. Appeasing her fans' desire for a Dita Von Teese fashion collection, she leant her distinct style to the word of lingerie, with Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese. This vintage-inspired, limited edition lingerie collection for Wonderbra was a bestseller in 2009, and has just been renewed for 2010 and expanded to all of Europe. Dita also launched her own collection of full-fashioned seamed stockings with Secrets in Lace, which are available through their catalogue and her website.

But Dita’s good deeds go beyond supporting fashion's finest and entertaining the masses. She’s had charitable roles as a MAC Viva Glam Spokesperson (2006-2008) and collaborated on the design of a top for H&M, each to help raise money and awareness for against HIV and AIDS.

And that makes up for marrying a certain one-contact-lensed, pseudo-intellectual, fetal girlfriend cloning, ex-wife bashing, self-obsessed GIANT DOUCHE. (Not that I'm taking sides or anything!)

Update: The above statement baffled (awesome) reader Kim because she is fortunate enough not to know who Dita married - and divorced. So I will direct her and anyone else who wants to take a look (get your eye wash ready) to an interview with the former Mr. Von Teese in which he declares - referring to 19 year-old girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood who broke up with him, the one who he turned from a rather plain blonde with no particular style into a clone of Dita - that he has "fantasies every day about smashing her skull in with a sledgehammer." Because she hurt him by leaving him. Oh, get over yourself you pathetic 40 year-old baby. You can read the charming interview here.

 

 

Dita gives Anna Wintour a run for her money when it comes to impossibly perfect hair, no? However, Dita's is the kind of impossibly perfect you actually want to have.

Orla Kiely's Dreamy Retro Autumn Dressing

Sorry to be AWOL, we moved Wednesday and didn't have a connection until today. Thank you all for checking in, sorry for no fresh posts! I suffered a bit of withdrawal yesterday!

I first heard of Orla Kiely at the Tate Modern gift shop in London about four years ago when I moved to England. Her neatly stacked, colourful stem print notebooks and totes caught my attention. Simple and clean graphics with a distinct retro feel. Everybody likes that, don't they? I considered buying a notebook but I've bought so many pretty ones over the years and I write in them once or twice and then forget about them. I don't know what's wrong with me.

While her popular signature print bags and accessories are happy and fun, it's the fashion collections that this Royal College of Art grad conjures up season after season (since 1999) that have me hooked. Ignoring the trends in favour of taking direction from her graphic design she produces dresses, outerwear, skirts, tops and knitwear  - no pants! I love it! - that display her affinity for the sweet femininity of 60s styling, which stay fresh thanks to the evolution of her striking original prints. And I'm nuts about them. They're like Mia Farrow's wardrobe in Rosemary's Baby, updated. I think that's a really, really, good thing.

And while I usually dread the typical 'oh, it's autumn, so everything must be earthy browns, oranges and mossy greens'  that we inevitably see year after predictable year on the high street, Orla Kiely makes the harvest palette more than okay. She's got her own thing going on, and it's about much more than colour alone.

 
Here are my favourite pieces from the current A/W collection. The capes, the little faux-fur collared jacket and the knit dresses with the clover print skirts need to find a home in my wardrobe. And that clover print cardie...oh dammit just give me all of them!

 

And let's not forget these adorable intarsia arm warmers and the clover print tights:

 

Alexander McQueen's Paris Show Live Streaming Tonight!

Update! If you can't get on the site, don't worry. Showstudio is getting high volume and is trying to sort it out. The good news is there's word from Paris that the show won't start for a bit, I'd check in again at 9 pm Paris time. Hang in there, it will be well worth the wait!

I cannot wait for this. Luckily it's scheduled to start in just over two hours, not taking into consideration the standard half hour delay for fashion shows. But I'm guessing Lee McQueen has everything calibrated to precise measurement to ensure this one is absolutely perfect, for he's treating us to a live stream of his show, Plato's Altantis, in Paris this evening. Filmed under the direction of Nick Knight, this live broadcast aims to capture the essence of an Alexander McQueen show: ‘the witnessing of a unique moment in time’. Streamed  on a joint micro-site alexandermcqueenlive.showstudio.com alongside an exclusive pre-show interview with Alexander McQueen himself, the stream is set to kick-off at 8:15 Paris time this evening.

To get you primed you can watch the absolutely captivating and exhilarating film of McQueen's Iconic Moments by clicking the image above which will take you to the video on Showstudio. (I have to admit I cried a little. I sat with my head in my hands watching it over and over. THIS is fashion.)

How to Expand Your Wardrobe With One Swift Move

I'm sorry if that headline got you all excited and you thought I'd tell you how to make dresses magically appear in your closet. If I knew that, Net-a-porter would be filing a chapter 11 and the DHL driver would only have a part-time job. So we're talking illusions here, courtesy of London-based designer Deborah Bowness. For the past 10 years she's been creating digitally and hand printed trompe l'oeil wallpapers, such as these super fun panels with dresses and other things we'd like to have in our closets. These may even be better than the real thing - you get to look at them all day without the guilt of not having put them away, they don't need to be dry cleaned and your sister can't ask to borrow them (I don't have a sister but I've heard this can be a problem). Better yet, bloating is inconsequential to how good they look.

Deborah Bowness also makes wallpaper kits which are just so cool. You can get cut-outs of some of these designs to do with what you please. At first I wasn't sure what was a wallpaper and what was a kit, but it only took me three days to figure it out because I'm smart that way. I'm looking at the plates for the kitchen and the mirror and chandelier for the front hallway of our new house. The phones are great and I like the clocks but I know I'd be constantly looking at them for the time and thinking that the batteries had run out. The chairs and the lamps would be brilliant for those awkward, wasted spaces where you can't fit anything three-dimensional.

I'll post photos when I get it all figured out (fun!). In the meantime you can see more at Deborah's website.

 

Oh Boy, How I Love Trompe L'Oeil

Things aren't always as they seem and that's what makes trompe l'oeil - good trompe l'oeil - so cool. There are a lot of examples around that are really just decoration and aren't tricking the eye at all. All of these here appear to be real at first glance, and with some you can't even tell what's real and what's not. Now that's good trompe l'oeil.

Julian Beever is an amazing UK pavement artist whose realism with chalk is just astounding - how he creates that kind of perspective I have no idea - and then it's all washed away by the rain. You can see his work here.

These range from public works to private commissions in the home. I so wanted to have one done on the stupid brick wall our kitchen faces, which was in front of a higher brick wall! But we've bought a house and we're moving so I don't have to worry about that anymore. Still, I'd love to create something in the bathroom - see below. (That sounded weird.)

By Deborah Bowness

In Agde, France

French Faience trompe l'oeil dishes

Around Champs Elysees in Paris. Now, I spent two months there early this year and didn't see this. So I'm guessing this is one of those cool facades they put over a building so it doesn't become an eyesore while it's being worked on? I've seen this kind of thing elsewhere in Paris and in Brussels so that's what I'm thinking.

La Chaume, Les Sables d'0lonne

The back of the Flat Iron building in Toronto

This is the front:

Metro Etienne Marcel, Paris

Siete Punto Uno, Los Gatos, California. How mindblowing is this? I love it when they paint a person in, I thought she was real at first, which is the point.

This certain makes a small bathroom seem bigger! Though I might feel a bit self-conscious while sitting on the toilet. Even more so than usual.

Quebec

Shanghai

Utterly incredible.