The Swelle Life

Candy Dining

If you love pastels, then what better way to embrace them than to decorate with them? The dining room is a great place for using pastels as they can create a beautifully serene atmosphere. Pastels look fresh and sweet, but you must be careful not to overdo it otherwise it can look sickly.

Modern Pastel Dining

Use sleek furniture in minimalist shapes and metallic accessories with mint, lavender and dusty blue walls and soft furnishings. For a modern look, stick to one colour and use the similar tones throughout. Alternatively, have a predominantly white room and make a subtle statement with a pastel table or chairs. Use the same colour in the curtains of your dining room to bring the room together, and try voile or sheer materials for a pretty, feminine look. Using monochrome and varying tones of grey with pastel also creates a striking look that really makes the pastel pop.

French Country Pastels

The French conjure an association with pastels thanks to the soft colours of their macarons which often provide a reference for interior colour schemes. French patterns such as the fleur de lis, and the rococo and baroque styles, look gorgeous in pastel shades and are used in French country decor. The French aren't overly fussy and like to mix opposites in their interiors, so to really get the feel, mix pastels with dark or bright colours, or both. A variety of textures - wood, porcelain, fabrics, glass - will give the space a rich, homey feel. 

Retro Pastels

This is where we pastel lovers can go really over the top. Pretty florals, polka dots, gingham, stripes and retro shapes can all come into the mix with a vintage pastel dining room. Think about the 1950s aesthetic with pretty coloured glasses and matching cutlery. A bunch of meadow flowers as a centre piece, cartoon birds and a retro style clock all contribute to a pretty feel to the room. Combine complementary pastel colours and shades to really make an impact. Everything from leather to linen to wood is available in pastel shades so you could have everything in your dining room pastel-ised. However, be careful not to go too over the top and include natural materials such as a wooden oak dining table painted white or left in its organic finish to ground the room. You can buy wooden dining tables from Top Furniture. 

Photo source

LM Series: "Does Size Matter? Growth and Sustainability in Contemporary Art"

This is the fourth installment of the LM Series, documenting the discovery of new and wonderful, world class, art and food during 'Le Méridien at Frieze' at which I was a guest in October, hosted by Le Méridien Piccadilly in London.

The starting point of Le Méridien at Frieze was an intriguing panel discussion amongst influential art world leaders, part of the Outset Le Méridien Talk Series which took place in the ballroom at Le Méridien Piccadilly. The question of the day was articulated by Outset co-founder Candida Gertler who asked, "Does size matter? Is it right to keep going? And how do we resist the next big step? Will we be able to sustain it or will we self-destruct in a spiral of ambition? And so the debate began. Le Méridien's Global Cultural Curator Jérôme Sans moderated Frieze co-founder Amanda Sharp, Tate Modern's Curator of International Art, Mark Godfrey, Serpentine director Julia Peyton-Jones and Gagosian managing director of Europe Gary Waterston. In response, each panelist drew upon their own unique circumstances they face in moving their respective gallery or event forward, sometimes at odds with another's view, illustrating how subjective and contextual the topic of whether size matters really is. And that's what made it fascinating. The video above shows highlights from the discussion. (And beyond the compelling topic the film is very well done so I definitely recommend taking a look!)

I wanted to add, that at the dinner that evening at Le Méridien Piccadilly Terrace Bar and Grill (a five-course masterpiece by chef Michael Dutnall with inventive cocktail matchings by master mixologist Boris Ivan - and yes, I kept up, it would be a sin not to), I had the pleasure of sitting across from Jérôme Sans. We had a chat about the topic of the day, and I was so delighted to see right there in front of me how fired up (still) M. Sans felt about the very point of art becoming lost in the quest for growth simply for the sake of it, that someone as accomplished in the art world as he, had not lost sight of what really matters. Art is meant to move people in some way, and if it succeeds, why send it out the door a minute later to make room for something else? And why are we pushing for so much art to be produced? Which made me gush with admiration, even moreso, for what Le Méridien is doing for art, not as a commodity but as an enrichment of culture and ultimately, the individual. It's not all about what happens at Sotheby's.

Just one of the great views within Le Méridien Piccadilly Terrace Bar and Grill

Forces of Nature: Steffi Crown & Angela Hooker

I came to know the textile designer, Angela Hooker, in 2010 after I reviewed the Felder Felder SS11 show at London Fashion Week. Angela had collaborated with the Felders to produce the textile designs for some of their most iconic printed pieces, spanning two consecutive seasons. The London-based, Paris-born creative is now working with Steffi Crown,  a new high-end London fashion, swimwear and accessories brand which, despite its youth (it just launched in 2011) has already received praise in Harper's Bazaar as "Best Newcomer", named Madame Figaro's "Trendspotting Face", and has won celebrity fans including The Artist's Berenice Bejo and Missy Pyle.  Limited edition collections feature sharp geometry with a bit of playful flair, printed with a high quality digital process on the best silks, cotton, Lycra and stretch Napa leather sourced in France.

Angela speaks about her collaborations with infectious enthusiasm - she has an endearing passion and reverence for the fashion talents she works with, and a knack for finding such fertile alliances which spark what would seem to be an endless stream of inspiration.

This is a new collaboration for you - what's it like to work with Steffi Crown?

It’s exciting designing digital prints with Stephania Ayiotou, the designer of the brand. Stephania has a strong idea of what she wants to start with which makes our collaboration more powerful. From a creative point of view, this has been the most exciting project - she really pushes the boundaries and does not compromise creativity to look “commercial”.

 

How did you meet Stephania?

I met Stephania in London two years ago, in a pop up shop near Notting Hill. A couple of months later she called me up from Cyprus and asked me to collaborate on a brand new fashion collection she was working on. I happily took the project on board.

She's very talented, fashion being just one of the ways she expresses herself...

Yes, she's a multi-disciplinary artist and filmmaker, her directorial debut, Mad Dame, was selected at Cannes 2011. She is now shooting an exciting fashion film featuring her new collection which will show first in New York and then LA in July.

Still from Stephania Ayiotou's 2011 film Mad Dame
 

Can you tell us about your creative process in designing textiles for the brand?

Before we start a print collection, Stephania will send me a detailed email that will include inspiring photographs, sometimes YouTube links of documentaries, for example, along with inspiring words  and photos. She describes what she likes about each one and how she feels it will relate to her collection. It’s a pretty complete brief, a very solid starting point.

Is this an "opposites attract", complementary type of collaboration, or more of a "meeting of the minds"?

We have a similar approach to fashion; we are both inspired by the power of nature. That’s the main reason this collaboration is very successful for me. Nothing is more original than nature, I will never grow bored of this topic.
 
Stephania is also happy to explore the different possibilities digital printing has to offer, making the textile design process a lot more flexible and exciting.

Can you explain a bit about the digital print process?

Traditional printing, or screen printing, uses limited colours - a maximum of 18. However, there are no limitations with regards to colour and design in digital printing. The colours in digital printing are also more vivid, and you can print on more sophisticated, high-tech fabrics as well.

Do you have an especially favourite print from this collection?

My favourite print is the Midnight Garden.  The palette is inspired by the colours of a garden under the moonlight, and the pattern of the print is inspired by life in the underwater world, such as coral.
I also love the Black Lava jeans which are low-waisted and so easy to wear and flattering.


Steffi Crown's Stephania Ayiotou with The Artist's Bérénice Béjo wearing the Midnight Garden scarf; Black Lava jeans. Above right is Missy Pyle, also from The Artist, wearing the Blue Coral Silk Chiffon Dress

How would you describe the Steffi Crown woman?

I believe the wearer of Steffi Crown is a modern woman, she will feel very unique and powerful and in harmony with nature.

We look forward to the new collection and film! You can view and purchase the Steffi Crown SS12 collection at www.stefficrown.com

Steffi Crown collection photos by Rob Jarvis

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

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

Interview with Trine Marie Skauen: Making Up the Male Model

Last year I interviewed the fantastically talented makeup artist and art director Trine Marie Skauen (read it here). We saw her candy-spackled eyes, fresh glossy looks and avant-garde creations - but what about the men? Making the male models camera-ready is a bit more of a mystery, and one that you likely won't mind me exploring further!

The Norwegian all-round creative works in tandem with her fashion photograher fiance Marco DiFilippo, and together they travel the world creating extraodinary and beautiful images for magazines, advertising campaigns, video and an array of projects. (I think we've found two nominees for the 'coolest life' award.)

Here Trine answers some questions and gives up a glimpse into what's involved in making up and grooming male models, and what she thinks of it:

How do you approach making up men when you don't want them to look 'made up'?

I would say I work more or less in the same way when approaching ideas for men as I do  girl models. I do research and make mood boards if necessary. If the client wants him to look "natural" then it is more about the skin, making it look fresh, lips not dry, and covering acne and red spots. Then a "messy" styled hair.

Are there many opportunities to do more creative looks on men, especially when the target audience is men? Do men want to see the avant garde in their fashion magazines?

No, I don't think so, the majority of clients want "good looking" men in their campaigns. The differences are mostly if he should be slick, smooth or the urban, messy, cool guy. Like the cool Diesel / Levis guy or the slick Armani guy.

When it comes to magazines, I cannot speak for the men out there, but I believe most men probably like the cool, handsome "normal" guy; they can relate to that type. They probably read GQ, Vanity Fair etc. When it come to the more avant garde magazines like Numero Homme, which I love, the target group is more narrow.

This photo of the 'boy in the bow-tie' prompts the question 'How far do you go with the grooming for a shot where clothes are not the focal point?'

Sometimes I use foundation, creams or also oil, and we go as far as it takes us! It depends on the look. This image is from a test shoot and we just used a some normal cream, if I remember it correctly.

Ok, I'll come right out and ask - did you have to do his armpits?!

This guy actually had his armpits as you see, I did not do any cutting or shaving. We usually ask the agency to tell the models about the body hair. But the request is usually more along the lines of "don't shave for three days."

Or we shave him on set if it's a clean look. I've been lucky with the body hair until now - no clients have asked for shaving or cutting other places then the head! I sometimes have to cut the hair a little bit, but I don't really like that since I am not a hairdresser you know, I don't want to butcher the poor guy!

 
 


Reader Lauren wants to know "How receptive are the guys to having makeup done?"

When it comes to my job and putting makeup on models, they are used to it. They know they have to come to a shoot and just let us do what we want.

But I also see more and more boys using cosmetic products, they just want to look good. If they have acne or red spots they can use some foundation or concealer, some use balm on a dry lip, some use a little powder. Ok, it is not so many of them...yet. The trick is to make it look as "natural" as possible. I also like when men take care of their nails and hands.

Do you have a preference for working with guys or girls in terms of the makeup? And also the behaviour, is one generally more pleasant to work with or is it an individual thing?

The behaviour is individual, but I must say the most fun guys we work with are Brazilian, they are so easy going and fun. Overall, all the boys we have worked with were great, we've never had a problem. Some are just more stiff then others.

As for preference, it depends on the client and the model and project. I like both.

Thanks, Trine! You can learn more about Trine Marie Skauen and Marco DiFilippo's production company and view their work at their website www.tmstudio.me

 

 

All photos by Marco Di Filippo. Makeup and art direction by Trine Marie Skauen

Reflecting on Paris at Lost in Cheeseland

When I was in Paris in April I met up with Philly expat Lindsey from Lost in Cheeseland, a well written and beautifully photographed blog about our favourite and most exhilarating city. During our easy and interesting conversation - the kind that makes two hours feel like 20 minutes and makes you late for dinner in Versailles! - at a cafe on Rue Montorgueil, Lindsey told me she'd like to interview me for Franco File Friday. It's a very popular weekly feature and I was too happy to talk about Paris  and share the company of her wonderfully inspiring previous subjects.

You can read the interview here.  I'll be featuring Lindsey later this summer with my own questions about her (heartbreakingly) covetable life in Paris.

Is it just me, or do you also crave French cheese when you see 'Lost in Cheeseland'?

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

PARISIENNE PLEASURES AND TREASURES: INTRODUCING JOURNALIST RICHARD GILLES

Around 2001 I moved from LA to that majestic masterpiece of a city, Paris. I called home a large fab apartment on a small street, which at the closer end had the bustling market street Rue Montorgueil and at the other end, the also bustling - but for very different reasons - Rue St Denis. There the ladies of the day and night competed for customers wearing some pretty outrageous and provocative outfits. On one occasion a group of ladies commented on my look with a resounding "c'est jolie " and from that day I started to get a faint nod of recognition as I passed regularly on my way to purchase fabrics or notions . If you want to discreetly glimpse at some amazing PVC and latex numbers, pop along the little side street Rue Blondel.

I worked constantly on my eponymous fashion line and my clothing went down a treat in Japan. Buyers would come to my apartment that converted into a convincing showroom during Fashion Week. It was a time of change for the better, away from the boundaries of the less adventurous LA, and I found myself becoming more experimental - inspiration was everywhere.

I would buy my fabrics in the maze of streets at the foot of the Sacre Coeur known as Marche Saint Pierre. If I recall correctly, the five floor store Dreyfus (selling everything from bargain basement fabrics to designer, and a fine range of basic cloth that suited me) was a regular haunt, but other less known gems were hidden along side streets. On the way home if I wasnt laden with goods I would pop into Tati, the shop with the pink and white gingham awnings. There you never knew what you might find from kitsch to useful or downright tacky and useless. It was plain old good fun shopping, cheap and cheerful (Metro Barbes Rochechouart). Then off back down the Rue Faubourg St Denis, passing my fave Passage Brady, a small covered passageway that was wall to wall Indian restaurants and food and trinket shops, simply yummy (Metro Chateau d'Eau). Then home to work.

Here are some pieces from my 2002 collections as styled for various Paris magazines:

 

This was my first time in Paris in the 70s, just minutes before a pastry hit me in the head!

 

From this wonderful melting pot of cultures and the most incredibly beautiful and exciting city hails my dear friend, journalist Richard Gilles. From next month he will become for Denise The Swelle Life's Paris eyes and ears and will report monthly from that grand city. Richard has that effortless chic that the French are renowned for. He is a well travelled, incredibly knowledgeable and cultured man and doesnt miss a trick. Perfect for Denise, living and working in the city she also adores. I asked Richard to give us a few tips on places to see which he has, and to my surprise has included a vivid funny account of how we met all those years back, the rascal.  Ahhh memories... à bientôt, J

*The couture coat I am wearing this week in my style photo was purchased in a "swap shop" for a mere 25 pence. The deal was you took in clothes you no longer wore, they gave you a price and you spent it in the shop.  I got £9.75 for my bits n bobs and nonchalantly asked for the coat in the window that I had spotted the day before when they were closed. I didn't sleep that night in anticipation - it's a "Lacroix, Darling"!

And now on to Richard Gilles

MADEMOISELLE FRANKLAND AND MOI…

 I vividly remember the first night Judith and I became firm friends: it was in Levita House – a rather derelict council building in the infamous Somerstown, where every single flat was squatted by either students, artists, or musicians but also a couple of Hell’s angels and drug dealers to add spice to the atmosphere - on the landing of the 5^th floor. Judith was dressed to the nines, but no one to go out with her! So I gently obliged… And we lived out of each other’s pocket for the following two years, when she left with her newly wed Italian husband for a Californian honeymoon - the charms of Disneyland, Snow White and the seven dwarves… But that’s another story La Frankland will be happy to tell you in her monthly diaries! May I add that I was Judith’s “bridesmaid” at her wedding, which took place in Chelsea Town Hall in the winter of 2006 and that, to Judith’s father’s bemusement, I was wearing a red kilt… Mind you, Judith was wearing a white leather cap found in a gay sex shop and was sporting more chains than Mister T around her neck. So much for the blushing bride! For some reason, there are hardly any pictures of Judith and I together, except for those taken in Italy (Milan and Venice) in 1990…

Three days ago – just before MY BIRTHDAY! - Judith Darling asked me to concoct a quick shopping guide in Paris.  So I decided to concentrate on the area where I live, typically Parisian and tourist free most of the time. Welcome to the Faubourg Saint Antoine!

In a sense, the Faubourg Saint Antoine is famous all over the world as La Bastille was located there. In the fifteenth century, the faubourg became the principal working-class quartier of Paris, cradle of revolutions and mother of street fighters… the rest is history! From its beginnings, the principal trade associated with it has been furniture making, and this was where the classic styles of French furniture – Louis Quatorze, Louis Quinze, Second Empire – were developed. Many furniture workshops, as well as related trades such as inlayers, stainers and polishers, still inhabit the maze of interconnecting yards and passages that run off the faubourg.

But enough of that, I will take you shopping now…

 

It’s about time to jazz up your little black dress, and Metal pointu's  bold jewelry will accomplish the expected miracle. The pieces are pure forms of daring, strong and bold metal.

Métal pointu’s, 9 rue de Charonne, 75009 Paris. Tel: +33 1 47 00 81 60

www.metal-pointus.com

 

 

 

You want to feel like a true Parisienne? Cleo Ferin Mercury was brought up in the colourful and multicultural area of La Goutte d’or, at the bottom of Montmartre. Her beautiful printed silk scarves will add a “je ne sais quoi” to any outfit. For her latest collection, Cleo took inspiration from her childhood icons: a youthful Brigitte Bardot, Dame Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, Wanda Jackson, and Grace Jones.

Discover Cleo’s world at www.cleoferinmercury.co.uk

 

You love couture and exquisite ready-to-wear but you don’t want to break open the piggy bank? Le Dressing d’Eva is definitely worth a visit: one-off pieces by Pucci, Leonard, Ungaro, Yves Saint Laurent, Missoni, and Mugler, custom jewelry and accessories by Chanel, Vuitton, Ferragamo, Valentino, and Fendi.

Le Dressing d’Eva, 18 rue Jules Vallès, 75011 Paris. Tel: +33 1 44 93 70 81

www.ledressingdeva.com

 

Around the corner, Anna Colore customizes and transforms industrial furniture and objects, giving them a bold, personal, feminine touch.

Anna Colore Industriale, 7 rue Paul Bert, 75011 Paris, +33 1 43 79 41 62

www.anna-colore-industriale.com

 

 

Another curiosity is Petites Demoiselles, a temple dedicated to Blythe and Pullip dolls and their extensive, deluxe wardrobe.

Petites demoiselles, 16 rue des Boulets, 75011 Paris

petitesdemoiselles.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Feeling peckish? Time to discover true Oriental delights. La Bague de Kenza is the ideal venue: sweets and pastries filled with almonds, pistachios, walnuts, figs, or dates, and flavored with honey, rose water, orange blossom water, mint, citrus, or vanilla are beautifully arranged on numerous trays.

La Bague de Kenza, 173, Rue du faubourg St-Antoine, 75011 Paris.

labaguede.kenza.free.fr

The shopping experience has been exhausting? Time for the French Coiffeur experience thanks to Matt, who will know how to make you feel that extra special. 

Living Room, 22 rue des Taillandiers, 75011 Paris. + 33 1 43 55 66 81

www.livingroomparis.com

 

 

 

 

 

Craving for pampering? In the heart of a bustling city, Maison Dr Hauschka is a secret, peaceful haven dedicated to beauty and relaxation pleasantly located in a courtyard full of flowers.

La Maison Dr.Hauschka, 39 rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris. Tél :  +33 1 43 55 40 55

http://www.drhauschka.fr/

 

 

 

 

- Richard Gilles

Richard will be bringing his fantastic roundup of what's on in Paris and around the world as a regular feature - aren't we 'chanceux'!

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: ACTOR TIM POTTER

Tim Potter would be a glorious Mad Hatter. He is creative, experimental and intensely loyal to his craft, he seems to relish in a challenge, having played many diverse roles over the years. He was just as at home playing Captain Hook in Finding Neverland (starring Johnny Depp) as he was portraying Spanish genius and serial lunatic Salvador Dali at the Royal Court. He stretched his skills even further playing Blanche DuBois in a production A Streetcar named Desire.

I met Tim at the Carlisle College of Art in the 1970s, we were both in the foundation course and became friends. He was striking, intelligent and hilarious. We had to do a bit of everything, and when Theatre came around Tim and I were in the same group. As luck would have it, it was Panto season. To my humiliation and horror I was chosen to play the Princess to 200 screaming kids twice daily for a week of torture. I was overweight, not pretty, a party animal and it was the eve of Punk. I was poured into an ugly Laura Ashley smock dress, hairpiece and make up that would have horrified the worst drag Queen. Tim played a brilliant Dick Dastardly type villain that was so scary one little boy had an accident when Tim went into the audience. As I climbed reluctantly up a wobbly high scaffold tower, stuck my head out of the "window" and cried help, one kid went as far as to shout "I wouldn’t marry her if you paid me!"

It was in this Theatre that one lunchtime I found Tim playing, very loudly, a fantastic record by a band called The Sex Pistols, and before I could say "Anarchy" I was hooked and soon morphed into "Looby”, the bow-loving colourful punk, egged on to be more OTT by Tim and his childhood friend Richard Ostell. When we went home at weekends we went to Maxim's disco in Barrow where once a week they had punk night. If the bands turned up (in those years it was always if) they would play to a handful of people - Tim and friends pogo-ing madly and Richard and I posing.

When Foundation finished Tim and I headed South - Tim to the Central School of Speech and Drama me to Ravensboune which fortunately was near Bromley, the town that the infamous" Bromley Contingent" which included Siouxsie, Steve Severin, Billy idol and Philip Salon, had put on the punk map. We had great nights up in the West End and at Croydon Greyhound. One afternoon, Tim and a friend popped a note through actor John Hurt’s door (he lived opposite) inviting him for coffee, and to their amazement he came and was just great. What a gent, what an actor! He was filming the Elephant Man at the time and told them David Lynch had shown the cast Eraserhead on set.

One of the last times I saw Tim in person was at a soiree celebrating his birthday held by his friend Rupert Everett at his flat in Chelsea. Tim was sitting in a rocking chair dressed as Miss Haversham, full of great expectations. (HA couldn’t resist!) That was the last memory I had of him until recently when we got back in touch, so very Tim. I spent many years living out of the country and so we had lots to catch up on. He told me that around 1979 he was a member of Acme Acting, explaining that the troupe would take the play to people’s homes. I was so interested and asked him if he would write a piece about his experiences way back then. He did and sent me some fabulous, startling pictures of himself in some of the productions he has been in. Enjoy!

Judith (as 'Looby') with Tim Potter (far left) and Richard Ostell, 1977

Over to Tim Potter...

Tim Potter as Captain Hook in Finding Neverland, 2004

ACME ACTING performed plays in people’s homes. That is, we used the whole of the house, and the audience followed us room to room. The doorbell rang, and that was the start of the show. In Psycho, Norman Bates would enter, showing his guest, Marion Crane, around "The Bates Motel", i.e., your flat. Speaking dialogue from the movie, he'd fix her a snack of milk and cookies from your fridge, and chat to her over the kitchen table, with you watching, sometimes inches from the actors’ faces. When Marion took her shower (Marion was me, in black 1950s corset and knickers - well, I lacked the required female "bits"), I remember one householder, in a panic, begging us to stop. She got really freaked out. We didn't stop. How could you stop in the middle of a murder? In fact, we generally had the upper hand in the house, running up and down stairs, rifling through drawers and "personal things", using cutlery, serving up meals. The main shows, Psycho and Streetcar Named Desire, were played as realistically as possible (despite the inherent absurdity), so audiences ideally would be moved as well as amused. It was helped by being acted in real rooms and hallways, and peoples' homes took on a new dimension as backdrops to the drama. Your washing machine might go into a spin cycle, noisily interrupting one of Blanche and Stanley's scenes in Streetcar. Your pet dog might get very friendly with Norman Bates’ leg. Would you ever sleep soundly in your bed again, after witnessing Stanley rape Blanche there? (to the sound of jungle drums.) Would you ever step into that shower again? We left fake blood on the bathroom tiles, and people with a whole host of cracked memories.

ACME ACTING were Jim, Tim and Louis, recent graduates of the hated (to us anyway) Central School of Speech and Drama, a very conservative place. We needed to rebel against that authority (they'd expelled our friend Rupert Everett, so what the hell did they know?) and the youthful mood of the times was punkish, experimental, in a way perhaps unknown today. Our theatre company reflected that. It was a surprise hit, having a life of its own, and we performed to a lot of thrilled audiences - although it could go wrong, and I'm thinking of one Psycho to a solitary lady and dog in a council flat, where the performance was greeted only with a depressed silence. Ah, well...

For Tim Potter's full acting credits go to IMDb. Tim now lives in Brighton and is writing a children's book - perhaps a copy will find its way to the child of the child Tim scared all those years back? Alas that we will never know but in true dramatic style let’s assume it will!

    Tim Potter and ACME ACTING in i-D magazine

Tim, Jim and Louis of ACME ACTING

Apocalypse Now

Psycho

  Psycho

ACME ACTING photos courtesy Tim Potter; photo of Judith Frankland by Denise Grayson

Interview: Textile Designer Angela Hooker

  Owl feather print textiles by Angela Hooker in collaboration with Felder Felder, AW11

Prints are bringing fashion to life in a way not seen since the 1960s, and textile innovation has opened up exciting new concepts in garment design. Getting dressed is now even more fun! London-based design duo Felder Felder have established their brand as the go-to for a rock n' roll look with a sophisticated twist, their last two collections bursting with textural techniques on dyed leather and layered prints on an array of fabrics and opacities. This dynamic new dimension to their signature edgy look is the result of their collaboration with brilliant young textile designer Angela Hooker.

I wanted to know more about Angela and how she works so we had a conversation - lucky for us she doesn't spare any details!

So you're from Paris?

Yes, I was born in Paris 14e. My mother is French and my father is English. I came to live in London when I was 17, to study at the Central Saint Martin's and never left. I used to go often to Paris while a student especially, to visit family and friends. These days I go less often, only once a year for a few days during Paris fashion week at the moment.

Parisian and London style are quite different, Paris being about easy elegance while London nurtures individual expression. Your techniques with slashed leather, bright hues like cobalt and fuschia, and textural richness created through digital prints as seen in your work with Felder-Felder for their Spring 2011 collection, would suggest that the London style got into your head. Or did you arrive with these kinds of ideas and develop them in your time at CSM?

While living in Paris I was designing fashion for myself and also worked for a little while at Malhia Kent's workshop. The company is well known for designing "fantasy tweeds" for which Coco Chanel is famous worldwide. They mainly do weaving and traditional textiles. I was 15 years old; it was my first paid job.

Central Saint Martin’s was a splendid eye opener. We had lectures and projects at college with designers and artists such as Gilbert & Jorge, Grayson Perry, Eley Kishimoto, John Galliano’s assistant Elisa Palomino, to name a few. Their advice and opinions really opened my eyes on all the opportunities and directions I could take as a designer, a real confidence boost and inspiration. I learned to think outside the box. My goal as a fashion and textile designer is to create original pieces, fresh textiles - London is the best place to embrace such projects in my opinion.

How wonderful to work with the tweeds at such a young age! How much were you taught in school regarding techniques? Did you find your style largely through experimenting on your own?

At college we were given the facilities/equipment to create, such as a great library, a print studio and a design studio. We were trained on the basics of pattern cutting and we also learned the basics of dying and printing. Then it was all up to us, we were free to do pretty much what we wanted with no commercial restrictions. I learned the most from my fellow classmates. The school is mainly there to teach you that you can do whatever you want, just get your hands in there. Central Saint Martins taught me to open up and build confidence in my creating process. Before I went there I had piles of designs on paper and I was never sure what to do with them. At Central Saint Martins I actually executed them 3D, all my ideas became real and achievable.

Angela Hooker's dyed, slashed and twisted leather in collaboration with Felder Felder, SS11

So it was at CSM that you met Daniela and Annette Felder and you collaborated after you graduated. What were your plans before you began to work together?

Daniela and I were in the same class for three years during our BA Fashion Print at Central Saint Martins. Annette did a fashion journalism/marketing-oriented BA course, nonetheless she was around all the time with us on the second floor of the Charing Cross Road building, where fashion print students hang out for breaks next to the print room. They are always together so if you meet one you’ll meet the other.

After I graduated I started working as an assistant designer for Manuel Vadillo and then became a brand specialist at Selfridges for Balenciaga. Nicolas Ghesquiere, Balenciaga’s head designer, is for me the top designer of our generation, an inspiration. I love his androgynous silhouettes and classic Spanish tailoring. As a brand specialist I got to assist the buyer on a trip to Paris for the Spring/Summer 2008 laser cut collection, one of their best. My favourite piece was the robotic metallic trouser-suits.

Felder Felder stocked one of their early collections in Selfridges. It was a wonderful surprise when they came to the shop to give the staff a brief lecture on their collection; this is when I discovered that they were already established as a brand. Later on I asked them if they needed help for textile designs and printing and that is how we began working together.

Where did your palette and print inspiration for Felder Felder AW11 come from?

The inspiration for this textile collection comes from the uncontrollable beauty and breathtaking power of nature; from a barn owl in mid air to thunder in a midnight blue sky. This was applied to create the the "owl feather" digital print, printed on silk and canvas - we did a petrol green version as well as a warm grey; the goat hair, hand dyed in petrol green; and the thunder blue leather which was hand tie-dyed.

How do your currently create your print samples?

I either take fabric and leather from Felder Felder's studio or I go and buy my own around Brick Lane, Dalston and sometimes Shepherds Bush. I also go and buy a few dyes and spray paints from art shops. I’ll then create a few textile ideas, three to seven samples I already have in mind and want to try out. The next step is to go and do some research for my colour palette and textures by going to exhibitions, libraries and on the Internet. I then start experimenting and developing my textile ideas in 3D. Once I’m happy with the samples I will start designing digital prints in the same style.

Are you interested in creating your own designs to apply your prints and textiles techniques, under your own label?

I believe teamwork works best for me. At the present time I am interested in working on digital textiles and embroidery in collaboration with more fashion labels. I'm also looking to do a lot more work with soft furnishings textiles. If I ever were to have my name in a label it would be in partnership with another one I believe - needless to say that individuality counts but teamwork is dynamite!

So how does your creative process work in a collaborative project? Do you see the designs and hear the concept of the collection first and then go to it? Or do you all sit down first and brainstorm that way?

With Felder Felder we work in collaboration. We have a first meeting regarding the inspirations for the new collection, silhouettes, fabrics and colours. I will take notes and contribute to the first stage of the creation in our brainstorm meeting.

From there I create new textile samples especially for the Felder twins label - I have a week or two to come up with six to twelve new textile creations and up to a hundred digital prints. They might choose three to four textile samples and one digital print. The twins develop a new collection from there. We have weekly meetings during that stage too as the textiles and the collections grow together. The samples will merge with the designs and change slightly during the process; for example the colour of dyes might slightly vary. It gives me the time to perfect the textile production sides of things, too.

With the lightning fast pace of fashion and the very short timelines to come up with brilliant textiles and prints, there's no time to wait for inspiration. Are you able, each time, to leave a meeting and go right into creating for the collection? What would you do to faciliate the process if it didn't come together instantly?

I am always up to date on fashion trends and am looking for inspiration non-stop on a daily basis, as I really enjoy it. I always have my A6 sketchbook with me in my back pocket, so if I have an idea walking down the street, on the bus, in an art gallery, I can sketch them straight out and go home to sample them.

By the time the meeting for the new collection comes I already have a selection of ideas and mood board of my own. A first meeting with Felder-Felder develops my ideas and finalizes them towards one strong direction. I will sketch during our meeting, take photographs; translate visually what they expect for their next season and make sure I understand their vision accurately after our first meeting. I get started straight away on samples the same day.

Right now, for example, I’m already sampling for next season, sketching and brainstorming ideas that I will finalize after this week’s show. I always try to be ahead, it’s more exciting that way. The only thing that would facilitate the creating process would be for me to have 24-hour access to a print workshop, ideally my own!

We hope you will one day, Angela!  You can follow Angela Hooker's work at her blog

 

Photos: Header by Felder Felder, Mahlia Kent by Angela Hooker, the rest by Denise Grayson

 Judith in her wonderful living room. When we shot, she felt the decor may not be 'enough'! Skirt and tie by Judith Frankland; jacket, shirt, and shoes are charity shop finds. Photo: Denise Grayson

Style guru, self appointed expert, critic, preacher? No way! I'm an upstart and a woman like many who loves - and in my case 'lives' - fashion and the world that lurks around it, a world I have stepped in and out of all my life living in London, Vancouver, Milan, Los Angeles and my beloved Paris. I have an excitable, excruciatingly inquisitive mind; I never stop thinking, plotting and some would say talking!

I am not a lover of the term "On trend"; I like to say "On form". Micro mini to maxi. If it feels right on the day I'll wear it - no sheep mentality for me. The only thing I follow is the weather - a hard job in Olde England. I, like zillions of others, love to wear clothes, dress up and be noticed, and I shall be incorporating a weekly look alongside my banter. I mix bargain buys, charity shop finds and my own creations. I'll be begging a hairstylist friend once in a while to do me a 'do as I'm not good with tongs unless provoked.

When Denise offered me this weekly spot on The Swelle Life I was so flattered and jumped at the chance to let off some creative steam and share my experiences, past and present. And we'll have a good old romp through my ever-expanding wardrobe, so come join me every Tuesdsay as I throw myself back into the lion's den to launch a new collection later this year.

Judith in one of her fantastic creations, a two-tiered skirt in a bubble of 'school boy' fabric over plaid ruffles in pink and purple.  Photos: Denise Grayson

A Brief History

My life so far has been full of surprises and more than my share of drama, which I seem to attract! My roots - well, the ones on my head are grey now - but the ones from my past were very colourful, from punk to New Romantic and a lot more along the way. Now you may think "Aha - trends!" but at the time they were fresh. I was in the right place at the right time at the right age. These were groundbreaking times, full of self expression and the desire to have a unique look. Often peoples' perception of punk is different from mine. In the early days, the look was bright, not just black, ripped and safety pinned. One of my outfits was an orange lurex two-piece, purple tights, odd dayglo socks, pink kitten heels. Bows all over my head, a plastic mac with small kids' toys attached (ok, with safety pins). That was one way I would troll up on Bromley high street on my way to college. I loathed college, and it wasnt keen on me either, at least the boring head honchos weren't. We would buy boiler suits and dye them bright colours, all very DIY and inexpensive. As my mood darkened mainly due to my dislike of that dreaded place, I started to embrace the all-black and tartan style and a bit of a bad attitude that was to become the punk stereotype.

 Judith in the mid-80s with friend and artist Tim Southall. Photo: Richard Sawdon Smith

The Blitz

Then the Blitz and Steve Strange came hurtling into my life where weekly we paraded around proud as peacocks. It was out and out glamour as we danced to the brilliant DJ Rusty Egan. Steve and Rusty started this night in the small wine bar in Holborn that held around 250 people. Lucky fashion plates, it changed the course of my life and gave chances to many others. I had met Steve through my degree show which was later labelled New Romantic and he bought several pieces from this collection.

Every week in the (less than) palatial South Kensington bedsit I shared with my friend, designer Richard Ostell, we would spend hours coming up with what to wear. Poor Richard had the labourious task of using a can of Elnette and a lot of elbow grease to create a bouffant for me without a hair extension in sight; in fact I'm not sure they existed then. We were optimistic, fame hungry, party animals with a fondness for cocktails and the fine things in life, but booted back to reality when the bank statement came as the majority of us were students. Apart from that it was a fantastic time!

At the Blitz you would rub shoulders with luminaries from the world of art, music, fashion, journalism and photography: Gilbert and George, Brian Clarke, model Marie Helvin, even John Lydon AKA Johnny Rotten, and many others. But not Mick Jagger. Steve Strange famously denied him entry one night - his look didn't pass! And then of course there were the stars of the near future strutting their stuff: Sade, Spandau Ballet, George (later to become Boy), and Midge Ure to name a few.

I had my "15 minutes" when I was handpicked to appear in David Bowie's Ashes to Ashes video. I followed this with a video for Visage's Mind of a Toy single, designing and making the costumes - more on both in a future post. The site Shapers of the 80s gives a very accurate look into this era with some great pictures. A few colourful if somewhat chaotic fashion shows were next and then off I was on my travels.

 

Milan and Onward

After a few moves I settled into running clubs in Milan and one-nighters throughout Italy. We brought from London the fabulous Gerlinde Costiff and hubby Michael with the "girls" and DJs from their legendary club, Kinky Gerlinky. Leigh Bowery hosted a night sporting two pairs of shoes at once and a toilet seat around his neck for starters. Showcases followed for Seal, Right Said Fred, Dee-Lite, Ru Paul, Lahoma van Zandt and super DJ Larry Tee from New York. Fashion shows, parties for MTV, the list is long. It was a crazy, fast time.

After some years in Milan I flew the nest to LA where I started a clothing label selling in various shops around the city. Next it was Paris where I happily started to export to Japan. A busy, satisfying life with lots of work and all rather glam in the way only Paris can be.

These days I'm treating my mind and body with respect, and as a friend brilliantly put it after his abstinence over the holidays, "My liver loves me." I'm channelling all my energy and my retirement from the wilder side of life into creativity. I have many frocks to make, places to see, people to meet, and things to learn - writing well being one of them. Be gentle with me, please! I'm full of surprises and hope you can be lured back even just to look at the pictures!

Join us next Tuesday for Balenciaga Hears the Sound of Music - how a journalist described Judith's graduate collection. She'll share photos of her fantastic creations and tell the story of that fateful night when David Bowie came into the Blitz and chose her, three friends and the fabulous black lace wedding dress from her collection to appear in the Ashes to Ashes video. A great story all around - and as promised, there will be surprises!

Showstudio Interview: In Fashion, Stephen Jones

 

You will well know my love of Showstudio and Alex Fury's recent interview with Stephen Jones (do I need to introduce him as the most accomplished and influential milliner of the past three decades?) is one example of why. How many interviews get your heart racing on aethetics alone? Not to say that the words and thoughts of this man of many hats aren't an absolute delight - he gives probably the most enjoyable interviews of anyone I admire and this is one of them - but they do look great. The directors resist becoming seduced by their own cleverness and losing focus on the point of the inteview - extracting wonderful stories from their subject who in this case is the lovely Stephen Jones, who recounts significant moments from his life in fashion.

He also discusses the context around his hats as they pertain to fashion's most influential designers with whom he has longstanding working relationships (but says nothing of the fact that he looks a bit like my uncle Roger).

Karl Lagerfeld (when he was at Chloe): "He was the only designer in Paris who was using hats. He was the one person who saw how a hat on a runway makes a very special notation or focus."

Jean Paul Gaultier: Months after being asked to model in one of his Paris shows (and not being able to due to a motorbike accident), Gaultier and Jones watched a film of the show together. Gaultier then asked him to design the hats for his menswear collection. This became Stephen Jones' first season in Paris and caused him to fall out of favour with the British Fashion Council, who he told to 'bugger off'!

John Galliano: "John works in a very character driven way. He will create this extraordinary story of somebody and it will be a person, a simple muse, in his head and he will create a storyline around her. The hats will fit into parts of the storyline, they'll be almost a punctuation within the storyline of the clothes."

Rei Kawakubo: When I get a brief from her it will normally be by fax, which I love, and it will be a few words written down. Maybe she'll do a little sketch, maybe she'll just say 'I don't know', and that will be the brief. She doesn't want me to undestand what she wants." (This story is particularly noteworthy if you're interested in Rei's creative process.)

Marc Jacobs: "We'll have a conversation. I remember the third season I worked with him he said 'There are two ladies going shopping in Italy. Florence or Rome? Rome. Will they have lunch? Yes. Are they going to Ferragamo or Gucci? No no no, they're going shopping for fine leather gloves.' I said 'Ok, I'll design a hat to go with that.'"

You can watch the interview here.

 

 

Eugene Lin: A Model Fashion Designer

  

Eugene Lin is a young designer new to the London fashion scene with barely three collections to his name - he's finishing spring 2011 for London Fashion Week this Friday as I write - yet the refinement and elegance of his finely crafted coats and dresses suggest the work of a well-versed design veteran. That's not to say the 28-year-old former soldier from Singapore doesn't know exactly what he's doing. In fact, Mr. Lin built his business and manages every aspect personally, having himself to thank for the growing interest and excitement for his eponymous womenswear label. His cohesive approach to business is reflected in his tight, well-edited collections and vice-versa, an extraordinary quality that rarely exists in talented creatives.

I first met Eugene Lin at London Fashion Week last Febuary and immediately fell in love with his Gordian Knot AW 2010 collection. These are clothes you feel compelled to touch, of soft, fine cashmere and merino and silky draping, in designs that are at once sophisticated and youthful, original and very wearable. Modern, with a bit of edge. You imagine yourself wearing them and how good they would feel.

I had the pleasure of a conversation with Mr. Lin to explore how he came to achieve what he has so early in his career. Serious aspiring designers, take note!

s:  You've now released your second collection, The Gordian Knot, and rather than looking like the follow-up to a debut it appears to be the work of a seasoned designer. And the same could be said for your debut collection as well! Your clothes are refined, elegant and original, which suggests you found your focus very early on. Did you come into Central Saint Martins with this vision of womenswear in mind?

EL: I went to CSM armed with nothing but determination and really raw talent. Having spent the previous two and a half years in the Republic of Singapore army, you could say it was quite a change and I found myself so out of my depth that I did not even know what a 'swatch of fabric' was on the assignment sheet. I honestly thought they were asking for watches! My work then was very, very raw and typical of a lot of student work and collections you see coming out of London. CSM is widely known for its thearatrics, and I thought that going there would shape my work that way. I collaborated with other students to do theatrical pieces but the more I did it, the more I realised that while I was capable of executing it, it was not the type of womenswear I wanted to do.

 I cut my teeth with long hours doing internships while in college and working upon graduation for other designers, because I knew that experience makes all the difference in the industry. Fashion does not care how you get there, all it demands is you produce the refined goods worthy of being international status; it cares not for the 'oh-I-just-graduated-and-need-time-to-get-there' excuse. It simply moves on to the next person who can deliver. I have had the experience of working with some of the best and some of the least talented designers in the industry, so I knew exactly what I wanted and absolutely forbid. I am still learning as a new designer, but I am very happy that my sharp learning curve only shows when customers discover I have only been running my label for over a year.

s: Those are motivational words and a good reality check for students who have misperceptions of what it's like to design in the real world. From the army to CSM! Which was tougher? And how did you feel wearing army fatigues every day? Do you think that shaped your ideals of 'civilian' clothes in any way?

EL: They were both tough in different ways, and as tough as the army was, the discipline really got me through CSM and life after. There are only two ways to leave the army: either you finish your time there, or you die (in training or otherwise). There is no absconding, or deserting, or being AWOL (absent without official leave). And it was a constant political power struggle. It's similar to the fashion world: if something needs to be done, it needs to be done and there is no absconding. And do we know about politics in fashion.

As for the army-issue uniform it was incredibly sterile and boring, but it built discipline. The civilian clothes that most of us wore out of camp when we were allowed to leave weren't anything special either - with menswear it's almost always function over fashion. I don't think it shaped my aesthetic in any way, other than making me want to escape from that world into the world of fashion.

s: With regard to working for other designers, how did you maintain focus on your own ideas while being expected to give so much of your creativity to someone else's vision?

EL: I worked as a pattern cutter for other designers before I launched my own label. As similar as they might seem, the feel of the two roles was different. As a cutter, I was interpreting a sketch, or a drape of another designer and where the creativity is strictly limited to a purely technical process. It was constantly checking with the designer(s) about how they felt with proportions, measurements and lines in order to achieve the best interpretation of what they envisioned. The designers usually pre-decided the fabrics, trims and sometimes the finishings, and I did not have to care about the whole business side of selling the garment. At the end of the day I could just switch my mind off after each garment was done.

However, with my own collections, its a full-on 24 hour engagement. I have to design, create, craft each piece, and balance them against each other so that they work together as a whole collection. Then there's production and sales to look after as well. On the plus side, I no longer have to go back and forth to a third person to check proportions and if they are happy, because it's my label and my vision, and that whole process is internalised when I have my fitting sessions. The creative scope extends beyond the technical into sales and marketing with look books and online promotion, so it is very different indeed.

s: Your holistic approach to your business speaks to a commitment to personal vision and quality that we really don't see much of these days. Do you see yourself conducting business as a one-man operation long-term?

EL: As a start-up, one really has to be able to handle all aspects of the business at least to a satisfactory level. So many creatives cannot balance or even begin to grasp the business acumen that is critical for the industry, because they live in the fantasy bit of fashion. Fantasy is very important as well, but if you cannot balance your books, your dreams are going to end up just that: fantasy. Unless one strikes gold dust and finds some kind of private backer with deep pockets and who wants little or nothing in return, one has to go it alone. Having done this for two, going on to my third season now, I can safely say that on the best day, creativity is only 25% of the whole equation. If you cannot handle the 75% (accounting, pricing, marketing, sourcing etc), you're better off working for someone else than starting your own label.

I do not want to be a OMO (one man operation) long-term. Sure, being small allows me to micro manage and have an incredible control. But as with business in any industry, if it does not grow, it is only going to grow out-dated and irrelevant. I would like to be able to afford some staff too that would take off the intense pressure off my shoulders, but for now that is not a financial possibility.

S: It must be your expertise in pattern cutting that makes the difference in the refinement of your clothes. How do you maintain that couture quality when the manufacturing is out of your hands?

The factories I use are very specialised - not the high-street type of conveyor belt production. When I worked as a cutter, I was constantly aware that after the patterns were done, they would leave my hands and so the more information was on the patterns and spec sheets there was to guide the machinists, the better. I always give them a toile which either I or my assistants have sewn and explain things in great detail in writing, as well as checking back from time to time when questions arise during sampling and production. It takes a while to have a working relationship with any factory, but after a season or two, if they click with you, it should be a long term thing. To date I have had no major problems with my production unit, but I am still learning along the way and constantly pushing my technical and creative boundaries. 

s: Can you tell us a bit about what you've created for SS 2011?

EL: My SS11 collection is called 'The Vanishing Twin', which is the layman's term for Fetus in Fetu (FIF), a rare medical condition where one fetus develops inside another. I was inspired by Stephen King's use of it in his novel 'The Dark Half', and read up further on it. The result is shocking - what doctors thought was a brain tumor turned out to be a foot growing in a boy's brain in Canada, a Bangladeshi man had fully formed limbs and hair and teeth in his gut for 36 years.

This has been translated into the clothing: tailored and draped pieces resemble muscle and tissue, with extra 'bits' growing out of certain pieces. Trousers have in-grown double waistbands, tops have extra straps that grow from unexpected places. But at the end of the day even without knowledge of the concept, the collection really stands by itself with my signature intelligent cutting techniques which I have furthered again this season.

Wow! That's a truly original concept. I'm even more intrigued and excited to see Eugene Lin's spring 2011 collection at London Fashion Week this weekend. Watch for a review of what is sure to be another exquisite collection from this talented and fascinating designer.

To view Eugene Lin's complete collections visit his website at www.eugene-lin.com

swelle.

All images of the Gordian Knot AW 2010 collection, courtesy of Eugene Lin

Making Up the Beauty Shot: Trine Marie Skauen

An artfully conveyed fashion or beauty photograph requires much more than a pretty face and gorgeous clothes. A team of highly skilled people – photographers, art directors, stylists,  makeup artists and hair stylists – are called on to bring their complementary talents together for the purpose of creating magical and compelling images.

Trine Marie Skauen is a Norwegian make up artist, photographer and art director who works alongside her fashion photographer fiance Marco Di Fillipo to create memorable fashion and beauty images. Currently based in Rome and Norway, the adept duo also works frequently in New York.  Their work includes fashion and beauty editorial for magazines, projects for production companies and artwork for CDs and books.

I had the opportunity to talk to Trine about the role she plays as a makeup artist and art director on fashion and beauty shoots with Marco:

Do you ever do the makeup for shoots you photograph or is that too much to focus on at once?

I used to, but I was never a “fashion photographer”. I love photography, I have since my father gave me my first camera at the age of ten.  So I always used to play around with it, I was more into texture, colors, lines and moments, capturing what my eyes saw. It could be things laying around or people. But one day, I was asked to do some photos for a hair dresser friend of mine, she needed some images for her portfolio. So that is when I got the idea to go to makeup school, to learn to do the makeup on the images I was taking of people. Today I leave the fashion photography up to Marco, my fiance.

With the more avant-garde makeup looks, do you have something in mind when you come in for the shoot or do you ever create a look on the spot?

It depends actually, if it is a job where the client wants something in particular, I usually do mood boards, so I can be sure we are on the right track. If it is a test, I sometimes go without. But I normally do research before the shoot and Marco and me discuss what we want to do.

Do you typically have full reign on what kind of look you create or is there a certain amount of direction given?

I don’t know how it is for others, but the photographer decides in the end, so in my case if Marco sees that the look is not photogenic, I will change it.

Do you have a favourite kind of look that you prefer to do?

I love the “doll look”, pink / reddish lips, pink cheeks, long lashes, bright eyes, but is not only the makeup, it’s  the whole look. I love clothing in pastel colours, like that of vintage lingerie.

Are you adventurous when doing your own makeup?

I wish I could say yes, but I am not. I feel very privileged to be able to make others beautiful, and it is so fun to see a model come in with a clean face and I can transform her  with different looks. When I do makeup on myself sometimes, it is usually just bright eyes, a little blush, mascara, a little colour on the brows, and gloss. Not too much, just to look fresh.

And I can tell you my little secret: Sometimes when I have a breakout I put some freckles on my face. I find it takes the attention from it and it makes a kind of a “cute” look, I think! And to be honest, there is always something to do, so I feel like there is never any time to sit down and be adventurous. If I have time off, I’d rather watch a good movie and just relax.

Can you offer any expert advice for bloggers to use when doing their own makeup for styled shots on their blogs?

I think just play with it, try different looks and colours, but never go too far…unless it is a drag queen look you are going for!

Many people don’t quite understand the role of an art director. Can you explain what you do on a shoot?

For me, since I also do layouts sometimes for the client, I think about what the image will look like in the advertisement, for example, and I try to visualize my thoughts to the photographer.

How do you find working with your fiance ?

It’s very convenient, we know each other well now, so that makes it easier to understand what we want from the different shoots. And it makes travelling better.

I notice you like to explore textures in your photographs. Do you prefer to shoot scenes and the detail found within them as opposed to photographing people?

It comes back to the fact I just like to capture what I see, it can be people too, but sometimes I can be too shy to just click the camera in somebody’s face. You never know how they will react, but I have taken many snapshot without people noticing though. But I think I prefer textures, details, colours and shape. The best is when you capture something the eye does not see.

Can you tell us what kind of equipment you use, and give any advice for a novice who wants to get more serious about photography?

Marco is the technological one, he likes a variation of camera equipment, today he using the Canon Reflex 35 mm, but he changes a lot. Me, I have a small canon digital camera, that I carry with me almost everywhere, and then I have a Canon EOS 300D  when I need to take images with better colors and resolution.

Do you have a favourite makeup artist and photographer?

Yes, my favourite makeup artist is Pat McGrath, a true genius. My  favourite photographer, well, among many I would say today it is Miles Aldridge and Sølve Sundsbø.

What’s next for you and Marco?

We would love to launch our UNISEX magazine tomorrow, but unfortunately we lost a big investor due to the crisis, so we have to wait for the right moment. The new thing these days is filming small movies, a new field for us to explore, and that is always fun!

swelle.

You can see more of Trine’s work on her beauty website, art direction website, and view Marco’s photographs for beauty, men and women’s fashion here.

All photos by Marco Di Filippo. Makeup and art direction by Trine Marie Skauen

UN:F [1.8.8_1072]

The Sublimely Exaggerated Knitwear of Kevin Kramp

Knitwear is arguably the most exciting thing happening in fashion right now. Innovative designers are taking the simple, traditional method of looping yarn and turning it on its head to create extraordinary sculptural shapes and complex and beautiful textures. Ultimately, they are reinventing knitwear and redefining what it means to us and how it relates to our bodies; much of it could easily be considered wearable art.

Kevin Kramp is one of these exciting and richly talented young designers who found himself intrigued with knitting well before the knitwear phenomenon exploded. The Minneapolis native began in the menswear program at London’s prestigious Central St. Martins, but found himself designing knitwear for each project. However, he couldn’t realize any of his designs as he didn’t know how to knit! After careful consideration he bravely made the jump to the knitwear program, having never knitted a thing in his life. Fast forward a few years to his graduation collection which caused a stir in the global fashion industry. Today he boasts several awards, sponsorships from the best of the Italian yarn manufacturers and has worked with many influential designers around the world including Richard Tyler and Carlos Miele. How’s all that for inspiration?

Over the course of our interview, Kevin relocated back to his native home of Minnesota - a move he had never, ever anticipated after working all over the world - to take on the prestigious role of Men’s Knitwear and Collection Designer for the upscale men’s label St. Croix Collections.

Here are our conversations:

One of the things that jumped out at me when I saw your work is that you’re of the ‘more is more’ ethos. Is this a part of a signature style or is volume something you explored with this particular collection?

Yes, it’s true! I do often max things out to the extreme, more IS more! This applies to my daily life as well! I can’t help but gravitate to more pattern, more colour, more shape, more more more, so the presence of all this consideration definitely is a signature of my work. However, your specific question to volume is a bit different – certainly I explore and push shapes to new areas, but they are not necessarily always voluminous, nor do I associate ‘volume’ with ‘more.’ Obviously we have seen form-fitting tops that are extremely maximal, and billowy tops which are plain and minimal. And to be honest, much of this collection is quite balanced to me, because I had pulled myself back from greater extremes in order to arrive at these ‘less extreme’ versions. This collection does not represent the outer limits of my capabilities of maximalism, but rather the satisfactory compromise I reached between my cuckoo tendencies and beauty.

 

I love that, ‘cuckoo tendencies’! Something every truly exciting designer must have! So, within the context of your own body of work this collection is a balance between the full-on and an honest consideration of what beauty represents. Do you think you were willing to look for that compromise because you’ve been able to experiment with your maximal approach as you say ‘to your outer limits of capabilities’? Or is there more work to be done there, more boundaries to be pushed? What was it that made you pull it back? I’m sensing it’s something about the maximalism that is that root of what drives you.

Well, I think that I have always balanced my full-on approach with what is beautiful, and that is not because I have already exhaustively explored my maximalist ideas and therefore must now limit them, but simply because many of my ideas and initial maximal work is hideously awful and ugly! I (happily) lose myself in experimentation, boundary-pushing, technique investigation, materials…to the neglect of beauty. After a good spell of stirring up my idea pot (many of which are ugly and hard to understand,) only then do I attempt to contextualize my ideas with what already exists in the rest of the world and the history of creation. This contextualization, or ‘compromise,’ is when I understand what of my work is very good, is beautiful, and what of my work should be hidden forever! Beautiful ideas often do not manifest into beautiful physical realities. It is my job, in the process of creation, to carefully consider the physical reality and honestly evaluate it regardless of its ideological inception. That is the hardest part…being honest with yourself.

Of course there is always, always more to be done in ‘pushing limits,’ in maximizing ideas and concepts (even if ‘maximizing’ means taking away.) I cannot imagine a point in my life when I will ever feel that I have satisfied all the exploration that is to be done, that I have ‘maxed out’ my maximalism.

That’s the beauty of creating, isn’t it? There’s no end to what’s possible. But as you indicate it’s also a challenge in knowing where to draw your own limits. It must be extremely frustrating to have a beautiful idea that doesn’t translate in reality. Have you ever taken an ‘ugly’ idea and made something beautiful out of it?

Well of course! So many ideas start with such promise, but then very quickly become ugly or lose their potential. This is just yet another part of  the  process that then requires careful thinking and strong decision making. Besides, life is often ugly, and undoubtedly I would not survive without rooting out the beautiful and focusing all attention on it! This ‘transformation’ process is inherent in living for all of us I think.

In the past decade we’ve seen a metamorphosis in what knitwear can be, it’s taken on a sculptural quality through the work of Sandra Backlund and Craig Lawrence and others, and your work in playing with proportion offers a new take on knitwear’s relationship to the body. I can’t think of a more exciting and innovative facet of fashion at the moment. What do you see for the future of knitwear?

I agree, knitwear is hot hot hot at the moment, I don't know why this bonanza of knit innovation occurred now, but it has and it’s damn exciting. But I honestly began (and continue) my work totally ignorant of the wider phenomenon of the growing sexiness of knitwear in fashion. I am just bizarrely excited by knitwear and all its potential…whether or not knit is hot on the runway, it’s going to be hot for me for a good long time. I never stop thinking about it! Ideas are a constant flow. There’s never enough, and always more. This knit frenzy will grow to be quite mainstream in the next ten years, of this there is no doubt. Knit is, or can be, simultaneously comfortable, casual, sporty, luxe and ultra high fashion. It’s easy, and immediately understandable. And much more difficult for the average person to make than is cutting and sewing basic fabric. Many people won’t wear oversized structured woven shoulders, but they will wear oversized piles of knit on their shoulders. Knit is intuitive, organic, much closer to the feeling of human experience. Wovens are forced, hard to understand, uncompromising. I can’t face those qualities in life anymore, I too easy crumble emotionally. I need the flexible, the sympathetic, the easy, for survival.

I think we can all survive - and flourish - on that! 

swelle.

All images courtesy Kevin Kramp

Macho Bears and Butterflies: The Wonderful Shoes of Tetsuya Uenobe

  

'Water imp drowns in river'

The 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 are known for their unconventional approach to shoe design.  

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.

Craig Lawrence A/W 2010 Film Presentation

As the title here suggests, Craig Lawrence presented his A/W 2010 collection in film at Somerset House during London fashion week. I had actually taken a video of it myself in the darkened room which was rather unsteady and had some guy's head that was in the way for about a minute, so I was glad to see an official version of the film on YouTube and spare you the amateur version. Not having seen any of the clothes in person it's tough to comment, but we can see that outrageous knitwear is still a love of Lawrence's as his 'pompom' girl would suggest (that's what that giant shrug made of metallic strips reminds me of) as is beautifully worked, intricately lush textures. All of his pieces are handknit and Cynthia F. of The Swelle Life's Designer Series, Knitwear had a hand in assisting with the collection. I'm hoping she can fill us in the materials used, there looks to be a complementary mix of all kinds of textures and fabrics.

(Email subscribers will need to click the the title of this post to view the videos directly from the blog.)

I was going to tell you more about Craig Lawrence but this interview from last summer with Lady Gaga will give you an idea about where his work comes from, and it's more entertaining:

My Fun Afternoon Playing 'Victim' in East London

Last Friday I spent the most wonderful afternoon at the east London studio of Victim with the woman behind the label, Mei Hui Liu. From the moment she opened the door to greet me – living up to her designation in a fitted black and white floral print dress, a killer pair of rubber knee-high platform boots and heavy wing-flicked eyeliner – we became engaged in an enthralling conversation that lasted nearly two hours. By that time I felt like I had known Mei Hui forever, and then for the next hour or so she was sat at her machine sewing some Victorian lace onto a top while I tried on some dresses with several pairs of incredible boots and shoes she showed me – more on that later. I had some interview questions that I’d prepared beforehand, but by then just about every query had been answered. And if anything was left unaddressed it was because this previous curiosity had pretty much been deemed banal after the fascinating stories Mei Hui had just treated me to.

Victim is a 10 year-old label of one-off reconstructed dresses and skirts made from vintage and limited edition fabrics that are sometimes handprinted and typically heavily embellished with Victorian lace that is hand-dyed by Mei Hui. Raw stitching and haphazard hems are elements of her signature style. Her collections can range from fitted and structured pieces with more tightly appliquéd trims to looser styles with embellishments that hang from all over in layers upon layers.

I had wondered what Mei Hui thought of Christian Lacroix since I see similarities in the unapologetic mixing of textures and fabrics and building up surfaces with trims upon trims. So I asked her, but Mei Hui just shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “I’ve been told that before” she said, and then I got why she didn’t identify with his aesthetic. As the creator only you know exactly where your clothes are coming from and you’re not likely to identify the same origin in someone else’s work; it’s too personal, too singular. I didn’t ask who she does like because Mei Hui is established, strong minded and focussed, and is exactly where she wants to be – she doesn’t define success as being a household name or being commercially viable as a brand, or establishing a position based on celebrity endorsement (oh, how I love her) because, as we discussed, what appears to be success is usually an illusion. So it seemed insulting to ask, as if to do so would imply she was influenced by another designer or had aspirations to be like someone else.

In fact, she stopped showing Victim’s seasonal collections last year at London fashion week after putting out her A/W 2009 line. “I did the shows for 10 years, then I didn’t need to do them anymore. I already had my customers,” Mei Hui told me. “The money goes right back into the shows. The more you produce, the more you need to invest, and it never ends.” Now that she no longer shows she doesn’t need to create seasonal collections; her pieces can be worn any time of year and she simply supplies according to demand – which is plentiful. In addition to seeing a steady stream of private clients her clothes are stocked in boutiques in Japan, Hong Kong, Spain, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Dubai, and of course, London. (A little factoid: Topshop twice asked Mei Hui to produce a range of exclusive one-offs which she did - first in 2002 under the label My Secret and in 2005 as Victim Fashion Street for Topshop. There are many other accolades too numerous to mention here including profiles in Vogue and WWD.)

At the same time she left the catwalk behind Mei Hui had also finished with PRs and opted to handle the business contact herself. This is the way she would have preferred to deal with the publicity for her shows had she been able. The idea of working non-stop on a collection for six months only to have 200-300 people at the show, people who are vetted by the PR, didn’t sit well with her. It was obvious the prevalence of this false hierarchical - or what we can simply call ‘snotty’-  practice got Mei Hui really fired up. “And to have a fashion student with a clipboard giving attitude at the door, telling people who can and can’t come in?” Finally, someone in the industry sees a problem with this!

It’s Mei Hui’s democratic approach to fashion that makes her even more admirable. I mentioned that it seems the people who create with their hands, whether they be knitters, felt makers, jewellers or one-off dress makers like her, have the ability and the desire to maintain that closeness to their work and to their audience; there must be something in the tangible quality of what they do that keeps them connected. And that it perplexes me that a fashion student who works so hard for years sketching designs, selecting fabrics and creating the pieces on their own machine – anything their imagination conjures - would want today’s definition of success. “Someone does the sketches, another sources the fabrics, another makes the clothes...and it all must be commercial,” says Mei Hui. And so it’s a question of what these allegedly successful designers are getting out of it. They may be living the life, but typically they’re not the ones receiving the money from their sales. They may be famous, but they’re distanced from the work that bears their name. That's success?

“In the 50s it used to be that you would go to the shops – the streets were full of them - and have all of your clothes made for you. That’s the way it was done," says Mei Hui, who is continuing this tradition in her Brick Lane studio where she regularly sees clients for fittings. She doesn’t view this as something to one day get away from, to evolve beyond; it’s not a necessary evil she must perform to maintain her business. She once tried a production line but it wasn’t her, so she returned to creating one-offs exclusively. For Mei Hui this manner of doing business is a choice and she wouldn’t have it any other way – she’s doing what she loves. She has assistants to help her but at the time I visited her they had all gone home and wouldn’t be back until March. And so an order for 200 tops going to Japan, all similar in style but each requiring a generous application of those Victorian trims that sit in huge piles in her studio, are all going to be completed by her alone within the month (and yet she still gave me her time).

This kind of personal attention is rare in high fashion but that doesn’t mean this designer is without her counterparts. When Taiwan-born Mei Hui settled into east London – Fashion Street in fact, where she got the name Victim as in Fashion Victim – after graduating fashion school in Paris and doing a stint in Italy, she found herself in an electrifying time and place which revolved around the city’s most exuberant young creatives. Fashion students, artists, DJs and the requisite eccentrics and club kids congregated at each others’ studios and the club of the moment, which was 333 on Old Street, at least until 2002 (hotness is so fleeting) and then Cash Point. Mei Hui worked and partied alongside Gareth Pugh who as we know has become a fashion sensation (and despite this still a very nice guy, that’s how they grow ‘em here in the north east) but reaching those aspirations doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve eclipsed the friends still doing their own thing in their tiny studios. There's a lot of big things happening behind those big steel doors.

And that brings us back to those shoes. Models of hand craftsmanship at its finest, each pair that sat on an unassuming shelf in the corner was made by Mei Hui’s friend, London shoe designer and maker Natacha Marro. Natacha is but one of the like-minded, skilled and passionate masters of their trade that Mei Hui collaborates with on projects from time to time. She is regularly called on to make shoes for fashion week shows and has a clientele that includes Daphne Guinness, David Bowie and other bonafide fashion icons – yet you (yes you!) can request a bespoke pair on her website.

Natacha Marro shoes in the Victim studio and from the last Victim fashion week show. That's me with the double-strap red Mary Jane. There's only one leg because my other shoeless one said 'I can't compete with that' and ran out of the room. And excuse the hot pink socks, I didn't know my piggies would be on display that day, I came in wearing over-the-knee boots. Flat ones.

Mei Hui told me to forget about how uncomfortable these shoes look and to try them on so I could see for myself just how good they feel. They are super high – a red leather Mary Jane had to be 7 inches - but there is a substantial platform and a lot of thick padding under the insole which actually did make them feel easy to wear, once you’ve trained yourself to walk in them - if you’re not used to a heel quite so steep, which I admit I am certainly not. (But I wish I were.) There’s a distinct, measurable difference in the feel, fit and look of a handmade shoe and I’m afraid should I indulge just once in a custom pair I may never be able to go back.

I tried on a lace handprinted dress with the shoes and the fabric was so soft and worked in it felt like an old favourite I’d dug out of my closet. (Not that I’d hide it away if I owned it – this would certainly be a key piece in the weekly rotation.)

As for the gorgeous neckpieces that I’d seen in the photos of the runway looks, I’d just missed them, as well as a good part of the dresses that had occupied the racks. Every piece that had been in the studio was now in Barcelona. Just as with her clothes these pieces convey Mei Hui’s novel way of making romantic sweetness a bit dirty. She takes aesthetically refined elements like the laces and pearls and buttons and through her somewhat irregular arrangements and techniques removes the preciousness, which adds a playful quality that anyone with a sense of adventure can appreciate.

I got so much out of the time I spent with Mei Hui. It was fun, hugely inspirational and I got an education in the way things work both in how a designer like her does her job, as well as certain unpalatable truths about the industry, about which I already had a hunch. And now, I’m more convinced than ever that it’s our independent fashion talent that is generating what we perceive as the creative energy of the high fashion industry, that it’s their ideas that drive the innovation and translate what’s happening on the street into meaningful and invigorating fashion. Meeting Mei Hui made me love fashion even more than I did before I knocked on her studio door. And if your impression of fashion is that it’s an exclusive club for the cool kids? Well, that’s one version. I prefer Mei Hui’s. Fashion victim she is not.

And neither are we.

You can read my column Accessorize This: No Fashion Victim Here at Dream Sequins which features more delish Victim accessories and those amazing Natacha Marro shoes.

 

This will be the wedding dress for a very lucky friend of Mei Hui. She told me there's going to be 'lace all over' and I really hope she'll send me a photo once it's all done. 

Detail of the dress in the header photo

And more of my favourite looks from past Victim fashion week shows:

I'd better stop here, this could go on forever....

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:

 

Anita Quansah's Textural Music

A stunner of a jacket floats down the runway of an haute couture show in Paris. No ordinary garment, this adeptly tailored piece has been invested with an exquisite patch of embroidery, applied with an inspired and skillful hand, and all eyes are upon it. It's this very kind of adornment – the fruits of superior craftsmanship - that elevates mere apparel to a coveted and exclusive artisanal creation and sustains the reputation of the most prestigious fashion houses.

Just who are these gifted individuals who make fashion so beautiful and endlessly intriguing, just the way we like it? Many are trained to work for Lesage and Lemarié for example - the Paris embroidery and plummasier maisons, respectively. And then there are the others, passionate individuals who hone their craft through self direction and experimentation.

One of these extraordinary talents is Anita Quansah, a British fashion designer who uses vintage and recycled fabrics with hand and machine embroidery to create gorgeous textures for clothing, jewellery and interiors.

I had the pleasure of having a conversation with Anita about her work:

Your work is so lushly textured, built up with layers upon layers of rich fabrics, colour and various levels of opacity - it's not hard to see the influence Monet and Klimt's paintings have leant to your techniques. Did your style evolve to become this through experimentation or experience, for example; or is this approach your natural inclination and so you were drawn to their work which guided you further in that direction?

I love to paint, I love art and painting of different genres, but I was particularly drawn to these painters because of the way colour, texture and nature played a vital role in their work. I sought inspiration from nature and looked for artists that used this theme and how this was conveyed in their work.

When I first started experimenting with this technique I was very much guided by nature and the ever changing beauty that surrounds it, the colour, texture, the shapes, patterns, tone, placements and proportion, then as time went on every aspect of that change was depicted in my work. I tried to emulate and capture that essence of beauty in my designs by combining the unexpected with various textile techniques such as fabric manipulation, appliqué, hand and machine embroidery to create undulating raised floral textures that seem to float on the fabric. I would say this happened naturally, as each placement of fabric was not planned, neither is the colour nor the build up of texture, so natural inclination took over.

Isn't the unconscious the most intriguing part of creativity? It's interesting you say that nature is such an influence on your work; some of your textures remind me of newly fallen autumn leaves after the rain, when they're wet and kind of fused together in richly coloured layers and really beautiful.

You create your textures using mostly recycled fabrics - what lead you to forsake the new for the abandoned?

Whilst at university in London, I started to gather and experiment with recylced, vintage and reclaimed textiles. There were too many discarded textiles that needed to be reused and reworked on. Once I graduated, my love of transforming found textiles increased. Some of my finds were damaged, worn out pieces from the vintage and charity shops and flea markets which I mixed with the new to create rare treasures which are totally one of a kind, innovative, colourful and abstract work of art which can be worn as a garment or used in an interior space. 

Also, I believe that by working with recycled and reclaimed cloths and materials, I am doing my bit for the planet.

My use of felt stems from my time at university, too. Whilst there I was taught how to hand make felt. Because some of my pieces require a lot of felt, I couldn't make my own any more, so I resorted to using ethically handmade felt by a company here in England.

It's that kind of fearless indulgence with texture that makes Christian Lacroix such a beloved designer. You created an haute couture jacket for his Spring/Summer 2004 collection. Can you tell us more about that piece and your experience collaborating with such a highly regarded Paris fashion house?

Designing the jacket for Christian Lacroix was a joyful experience. It came about when I took part in Indigo Paris and was selected as a winner of an exhibition stand at Premiere Vision and Indigo, a big textile show in Paris. At the show, one of the buyers from Christian Lacroix visited my stand, loved the collection and on the spot scheduled an appointment for me to come back to their Paris design house to show them my collection. On the day I showed my collection they took quite a few design swatches, which they finally narrowed down to one that they really wanted to use. This design was then sold to them and became an exclusive piece, which shall not be repeated and then sold to anyone else. Then a cut of the jacket was sent to me in my studio, for me to apply my design. Once that was completed, I was then told that I shall be reproducing that same design again, for a client who saw the design on the runway and wanted it.

The whole experience was fun. They were good clients to work with, they were precise with what they wanted and how they wanted it. You are made to feel welcomed when in the design house. The people are lovely. I was mesmerised by the beautiful creations in the showroom in Paris. The colours, details, and most amazingly the final piece which I worked on was right there amongst other beautiful creations. Monsieur Lacroix himself was very kind and understanding. I occasionally visit them with my new collections in Paris.

What a dream experience. Christian Lacroix is my favourite couturier and I'm so happy to hear the fantasy doesn't begin and end on the runway. It must have been such a validation of your talent to be considered on par with the Houses's extremely high standards – Lesage, even - and to contribute a piece that was sold to a Lacroix client. How did this change your perspective of your own work?

It changed a lot. I learnt to appreciate my work a lot more. It made me realise that my designs can also be appreciated by high end couturiers. If buyers from Carven and Lacroix and other textile design houses can approach my stand at the trade show and love and appreciate my work, then I am very happy and delighted. I have always feared people’s reactions to my work and getting very positive feedback has encouraged me to work harder to develop my technique. Working on this piece for Lacroix allowed me to push my creative level to the extreme, it allowed me to be freer, yet structured in my design style creating a sumptuous piece for him that is textural with a contemporary edge.

There seems to be a rule that self-doubt must be in inverse proportion to talent. Now that you're free to create as you wish, do you have a particular path in mind in terms of what you want to achieve?

I want to continue developing my technique to make my designs even better. Currently I am developing a jewellery line as well as a fashion line. I have in the past experimented with the idea of having my designs applied to interiors, but I think I shall be focusing on these projects for now. Of course you want to reach that certain goal which is to have your designs in high end boutiques and stores across the world, but people are becoming more aware of me now and in time I shall be approaching the big stores. So watch out!

swelle.

Watch out indeed! You can view a selection of Anita's work at her website and buy her jewellery via her Etsy shop and her fashion collection at Shrimpton Couture.

The following dresses and tops can be purchased from Shrimpton Couture, as can that dreamy concoction in the header photo:

 

Passionate about Linen: An Interview with Mayumi Maeda

 

You know that you like the look of a nice, crisp cotton, or maybe the way a smooth, slippery silk feels against your skin. A thick, scratchy wool on the other hand may be something you avoid at all costs. For many of us that’s the beginning and the end of any thought on what our clothes are made of. But there's more to the fabrics we wear than meets the eye, and an unassuming, understated textile would demand closer inspection if the work of one designer is anything to go by.

When it comes to linen, Japanese designer and artist Mayumi Maeda can’t get enough of writing about it, talking about it, and creating with it. She’s even published books on the subject and one in particular, Every Day with Linen, served as a passionate plea to her then linenless country to the embrace the virtues of this natural, versatile, finely textured textile. And it worked.

I was introduced to the wonderful Mayumi through couture feltmaker and textile artist Liz Clay, who brought together four English and Japanese artists, inclulding Mayumi, for the Connections II exhibit at her Sommerset, UK studio as part of Somerset Art Weeks last month.

Here Mayumi describes what it is about linen that endears her so and how she singlehandedly created a new market within Japan’s textile industry:

Can you tell us what it was about linen that first attracted you and made you want to work with it over other textiles?

Flax, which is the raw material of linen, was initially one of my favourite plants as a flower motif to illustrate. It is not native in Japan, so it had been categorized as 'herbs and spices from overseas'. Actually it is easy to raise, so I grew it from seeds. However, at the time I did not have much knowledge about linen and how flax becomes linen. But one day I fell in love with flax and linen; the charm was 'doubled'. That was when I began working with linen.

How does linen compare to cotton - what makes them different?

As a fabric, I love linen's elegant texture while I also adore the softness of cotton. For me, linen is reassuring because of its durability. When we use high quality linen it will last decades which decreases excessive consumption. In this modern age, many things are changing so rapidly. But with linen, I feel I can have something that will stay long in my life and is not easily changed. That gives me peace.

 
Your 2002 book, Every Day with Linen, raised the profile of linen in Japan by exploring its virtues as a natural fabric, which then lead to the creation of a new market for linen in the country. Why do you think linen was overlooked before your book made its impact; and how has the introduction of linen changed Japan's textile industry?

As I mentioned previously, in Japan, there had been little knowledge about linen. In Japanese, we have a term called 'asa' which covers all fibers and fabrics made from plant stalks. Hemp, ramie and linen are all categorized as 'asa'. So my project for the book was to clarify what linen really is and to distinguish it from the other 'asa', and also to highlight its environmental virtues. The chapter about linen being a durable and sustainable material has been embraced by the readers; it has garnered very enthusiastic reactions.

 I also talk about the holy image that linen has in western culture and the role it plays in religious rituals, and the culture of white house linens with monograms which is something that appealed to the readers. Actually, in the past hemp was regarded as a divine fabric in Japanese traditional religion, but now production is now strictly limited to licensees (mainly shrines) by regulation of 'Cannabis control law'. So, linen could be regarded as a suitable substitute for the divine fabric, hemp.

Once the public was given a new context for linen through my book, it became an icon of pure, natural and sustainable lifestyle. Linen is now featured heavily in magazines and I play a big part in that. Due to public demand, we began supplying linen products through our company LINNET in 2002. Until then there was no distribution of linen in Japan.

Following this, many small stores began to carry linen fabrics and linen products which activated the market for linen and brought innovation to the country’s textile industry. Now, linen is a very popular and indispensible fabric in Japan.

Your husband and partner in LINNET is an architect. Can you describe how his architectural view influences the direction of your company?

When I expressed my special interest toward linen to my husband Satoshi Maeda, he shared it from the very beginning because he was also fond of fabrics for furnishing. Currently he is charge of planning fabrics as well as managing the company. I think his approach is very constructive, especially in the way we work with yarns, such as creating processes for how to finish the woven fabric. He also designs top dyed simple checks and stripes, using some geometric ideas. This kind of approach is quite different from mine which is more emotional. Satoshi is now leading a project focussing on the creation of a special soft and light linen yarn.

Through LINNET you are releasing patterns - do you design clothes yourself? If so, do you have plans to develop a special line of linen clothing?

Yes, I am also designing all the patterns for LINNET. We are mainly focusing on releasing the patterns for sewing but we’re also trying to establish some lines of simple clothes as well.

I had not been a design professional. I just learned how to pattern from my mother, who was a seamstress and the owner of a dressmaking boutique. For me, the clothes are also a kind of "container of one's mentality". I make the patterns which I like to wear, to be comfortable, natural, healthy and relaxed, both physically and mentally. For me, designing clothes is not my 'art', but the work that's indispensable in my life, like cooking, gardening, cleaning etc.

In that way, I would like to introduce how it can be fulfilling and enriching to spend time sewing the clothes ourselves, quietly with nice music in the background, rather than being worn out and tired after long walks searching for clothes around the shops located in tthe city center, on some occasions. However I know, too, that simple and good quality ready-made clothes can be also very inspiring and refueling for our mind. So, I would like to continue producing small collections of ready-made linen garments from my patterns for LINNET. We would like to take a long-term approach to the production of our designs, rather than introducing new designs every season like the fashion industry.

The tactile nature of making clothes, especially for ourselves and our family is indeed good for the soul. Do you see yourself working with linen indefinitely? And what do you think of the newer innovations in natural textiles such as bamboo, hemp and soy blends?

I am sure that we will work with linen forever, but also we are seeking a way to work with hemp in future, together with linen. Hemp is a traditional, holy plant in our culture, and is said to be very ecological. It has a number of uses including making fabric, paper, building materials, etc. In Japan, there are techniques to make hemp as soft as linen. When it is as soft as linen, hemp feels slightly lighter and more airy than linen. I adore the quality as well.

What's next for you and LINNET?

LINNET will soon release the new collection of linen fabrics dyed with complete natural dye stuffs (such as madder plants, etc) and I am working on a new picture book of Japanese wildflowers in autumn and winter.

We aim to remain a small, independent company. We appreciate production based on the necessity. The happiest future for us is to continue as we are doing today. Loving linen, plants, arts and working with nice people!

swelle.

How refreshing is that for a company mission? You can visit Mayumi's shop LINNET and read her blog at www.lin-net.com

Linen ribbons, tapes, and yarns

 

A hand crocheted scarf of organic linen

Crocus painting by Mayumi Maeda

Mayumi was asked to design and produced uniforms for Kurosaka Pediatric Clinic in Himeji, Japan. She was delighted to receive the lovely request, especially as they asked to put some small bunnies or birds among the large flower patterns for the children. In Japan cheerful uniforms are not the norm. But when Dr.Kurosaka was working in Britain he saw in a hospital a beautiful curtain with a large flower pattern and wanted something similar to create happy atmosphere in his own clinic.  So, this apron which we made is already 3rd generation of what they adopted.

"I am just so happy to have been involved in this work, and also very honored that my artwork is used for a place where people can be ‘cured’," says Mayumi.

Isn't she something special?

And my favourite piece of hers, a gorgeous linen corsage that was part of the Connections II exhibit:

A Gossipy Swelle Giveaway: Win a Custom Embroidered T-shirt from Miss Jacqueline White!

I am so excited about this giveaway, it couldn't be more fun. Or more racy. It's based on a scenario that it is all too familiar for so many of us girls: You meet a guy, sparks fly and one thing leads to another. A magical encounter ensues and the world is all rainbows, sunshine and bluebirds singing sweet songs. Until the next words out of Mr. Wonderful's mouth are "Did you used to be a bit of a slag?"

The horror! Ring any bells? For Miss Jacqueline White, a London-based fashion and costume designer and stylist who can create just about anything, it was these very pitfalls of dating that provided her lightbulb moment. After enduring the unthinkable and listening to her friends' own shocking tales of pillow talk faux pas she began collecting these 'post-coital clangers' (love that) and embroidering them on T-shirts along with the date and location of the love crime, which became her debut collection. This saucy siren will not suffer in silence.

Other wicked utterings include "Spare me the lifestory"; "Just don't fall in love with me"; "I run with a pretty sexy crowd" (that one is highly laughable) and gasp "As a woman you have nothing to offer the world." Oh no he didn't. Oh yes, he did. 

In summer I received an invite to 'Naughty Launderette', the launch of the collection which was held in - you guessed it - a launderette, perfectly befitting the theme of airing one's dirty laundry. But unfortunately I couldn't attend as I was in Canada. However I couldn't let it end there when I saw what it was all about. I thought the concept behind the collection was an absolute riot and the T-shirts beautifully crafted; I knew I had to feature this precocious and intriguing designer. We discussed a contest and then Miss Jacqueline White generously offered to embroider the winning clanger on one of her original appliquéd woman-in-the-throes-of-passion T-shirts. Brilliant!

So, if you're willing to share/confess/blubber the cocky communiqué that put the passion in the crapper, you could win your very own bespoke Miss Jacqueline White piece!

Now, certainly this behaviour is not limited to girl/guy relationships as nastiness in intimate situations knows no bounds, so this contest is open to anyone who has done the shame walk home shaking their and asking the world in general "Did he/she really say that to me??"

To enter, give us the dirt in the comments section of this post - and feel free to use an alias if you feel you need to! Anyone, anywhere, can enter. The contest will run until midnight of Sunday, November 8, London time. The super lucky winner will be drawn at random, and announced on Monday.

For an extra entry for each, you can:

• Follow Jacqueline White on Twitter; 
• Become a fan of The Swelle Life on Facebook;
• Follow The Swelle Life on Twitter;
• Re-tweet this announcement.

So, do all four - be sure to tell me! - and you get four extra entries! And be sure to check out Miss Jacqueline White's website to shop and see photos from the Naughty Launderette and her creative styling.

Read on to learn more about the fabulous Miss Jacqueline White - she gives great interview:

While your debut collection is far more than just another range of T-shirts, did it feel more restrained than the other side of your work, as in the over-the-top styling and costume for bands?

It certainly did feel different. I had collected a lot of material/stories, many of which had to be discarded because I thought the language was too strong, or they were simply too sad or nasty. The practicalities of designing and producing a viable collection I found challenging, rather than restraining. I had to think about a range of body shapes, rather than just one client, that is why each of the women's is a different cut. I also had to consider durability, washing, and of course the dreaded budgeting - for example: Are individually laser cut perspex size labels justified? YES.

You're very talented with print, embroidery and appliqué, three techniques that make our hearts beat faster. Will you be applying your skills to your next collection?

Yes. There will also be embroidery on the men's, without appliqué, and with less colour. Lots of men have requested I make versions of the women's for them. The material for the next collection is proving very difficult to gather. I can't really say anymore without spoiling the surprise...

Ooh, the anticipation! So, it seems you're a heroine of sorts for exposing such naughty behaviour and turning it back on these callous culprits. How does it feel to be the liberator of the heinous memories these East London girls have been carrying around for years?

I love it, actually. I am something of a naughty heroine amongst the girls, and the boys just seem to think I'm even naughtier than they did before. I don't think I have been to a dinner party in the last year without the whole thing pouring out, followed by lots of drunken reminiscing or confessions. It feels good to 'out' these men, because really we are having the last laugh.

Good work! Has there been any backlash from the outed 'acquaintances?'

Hmm...Some of them know, some don't. The ones who do know actually love it, and see it as an affirmation of their bachelorness. One past fling seemed genuinely disappointed when he did not make the final cut.

I thought the collection might affect my love life in a negative way but instead the opposite happened. A recent lover made me laugh so much when his first post-coital comment was 'What do I have to say to get on a T-shirt?"

Ha! Well, that's one way for a girl to gain the upper hand! What's next for Miss Jacqueline White?

Apart from boshing out loads of Ts for Christmas...I have a couple of massive commercials, just finished one for an airline, about to start a crazy one involving animatronics in the costumes, which is a first for me so it will be pretty interesting. I move into my new studio in three weeks which I cannot wait for. It is a very unusual space, a glass box inside an old office block at London Fields. But my mind and time are completely preoccupied with Miss Tahita Bulmer at the moment, in the build up to the launch of the second album from New Young Pony Club. We are shooting the cover in three weeks, and the album launches in January 2010. I am very excited about the new looks we have created, and quietly confident that we will wipe the floor without joining in the freakshow which seems to be going on in female pop star styling at the moment. It's not sexy, is it?

swelle.

Sexy? I'd have to agree and say not. I cannot wait to see what she's got in the works. 

Branded.

Swelle Giveaway! Win a Supayana Reworked 'Parisienne' Top!

How adorable is this plaid, ruffle sleeve, bow-tie top? It's from Supayana and you could win your very own 'Parisienne' top that's made just for you! Supayana is a Montreal-based clothing line run by designer Yana Gorbulsky. Her one-of-a-kind upcycled pieces have been featured in the New York Daily News, Bust magazine, Daily Candy, Montreal Metro and she was the 2007 winner of Fred Flare's Next Big Thing contest. Supayana has been recycling fabric and clothing for many years and is committed to being eco-friendly in her professional and personal life. She strives to convince others that eco-fashion doesn't have to be frumpy and boring!

Well, one look at her Etsy shop has me convinced that her clothes are nothing but sweetly feminine, original and very smart. To enter the contest to win the Parisienne shirt made in your size - which sells for $59 - please do the following:

1. Follow Supayana on twitter
2. Become a fan of The Swelle Life on Facebook
3. In the comments section of this post tell us how you would style your own Parisienne shirt!
4. For an extra entry re-tweet this contest announcement on twitter!

The Parisienne top is made from a recycled men's plaid shirt and black cotton voile. As the shirt is custom made for the winner the plaid will be different as it will be made from another shirt than the one pictured. The winner will be able to choose their size from XS to XL - bust sizes will be given. If it's a male reader who wins the top we can offer help with figuring out the best size for a gift!

Anyone from anywhere can enter. The winner will be chosen at random. The contest runs until next Sunday, Sept. 27th and the winner be announced on Monday, Sept. 28th. Good luck!

*Before you enter read on to find out what makes Supayana designs so special:

What is that made you choose to rework clothing rather than create your designs with new fabrics when you started your line in Brooklyn, New York?

I think in the beginning it was out of necessity. I was a university student when I first started Supayana and second-hand materials were much more affordable than new fabric. Using recycling materials allows me to use high quality fabrics and still keep a low price point. Most of my clothes are $60 and under so it's quite affordable for something that's handmade, recycled, and made in Montreal. While using second-hand materials is cheaper, it is a lot more time consuming than showing up at a fabric store and buying a few bolts of fabric. I have to make many trips to scour thrift stores and recycling warehouses to find the materials I need. So, even though I save money on the material itself, I actually spend a lot of time sourcing it.

Do you think that the current popularity of recycled clothing is a fleeting trend or a preference that will endure; and do you think it could grow to one day compete with ready to wear?

I'm not sure that it's a trend because a lot of people were doing it before it was fashionable to be green. I think it's become more acceptable to wear something that's 'used', so maybe that's why it's more popular now. I also think peoples' awareness about the environment has grown significantly over the past few years, so a lot of people think about how they want to spend their money. Maybe one day it will compete with ready to wear...I still think we're a long way from that. I'm going to the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris in a few weeks, so I'd like to see what kinds of things will show up on the runway.

You're committed to eco-friendly practices in all aspects of your work and life; what kinds of measures can you suggest to readers for becoming more environmentally responsible?

I think if everyone made a few small changes in their lifestyle it could go a long way to making a difference. Here are three small things you can do to start:

1. Stop buying bottled water. You can buy a cute stainless steel bottle and use that over and over.
2. Try not to buy anything with excessive packaging.
3. Try to minimize your waste as much as possible. Whatever you throw away in your garbage bin doesn't just magically disappear when the garbage truck takes it away...it ends up in a landfill or in the sea!

Thanks for the tips, Yana!

swelle.

You may recognise the model - it's our fabulous Angie from Norwegian Wood!

Swelle Giveaway! Win a PONO Warrior Refined Necklace

PONO is the Hawaiian word meaning 'righteousness.' And the Warrior Refined Necklace in 'Beach', above, embodies all kinds of goodness: it is made of sculpted, lacquered wood; is manufactured in Italy under strict environmental regulations; and it's from PONO by Joan Goodman, an NY-based, environmentally and socially conscious accessories company that has initiated the Give Love, Practice Peace Campaign. Three collections have been created with the purpose of donating a portion of the profits to designated charities: Save the Planet supports The Climate Project; Brightness of Life assists Give a Girl a Chance; and Arctic Awareness is for the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC). 

And you can win this gorgeous statement necklace that retails for $550! For a chance to make it yours, you need to do the following:

1. Become a Fan of PONO on Facebook
2. Become a Fan of The Swelle Life (New!)
   
3. In the comments section of this post, tell us what you're doing to help a social cause or what you plan to do!
4. Re-tweeting this post on Twitter will get you a second entry!

And be sure to see below for the interview with Joan Goodman!

The winner will be chosen at random next Sunday, August 30th at midnight, London time. Anyone can enter. The announcement will be made on Monday. Pomaikai! (Good luck!)

Here's my awesome friend Tammy of You Say Potato, a fantastic cooking blog, doing a stellar job modeling the Warrior Refined necklace. Especially considering it was completely spontaneous! I put it around her neck on Yonge St. in Toronto and snapped the photo, luckily she was up for it!

 

Joan Goodman, a button-maker for 20 years, has a genuine appreciation and love for nature, having lived in Hawaii in the 70s. These qualities are reflected in her jewelry designs as well as her business model. Her necklaces, bracelets, bangles and earrings are made of high quality wood, resins and unusual materials such as cow horn and are typically bursting with colour. And they've been featured in many fashionable films and TV shows including The Devil Wears Prada and Gossip Girl.

Here, Joan gives us a glimpse into her life with PONO:

How did you make the transition from making buttons to creating jewelry?

I'm very lucky in that I work with two amazing Italian button factories. It was somewhat of a natural progression to push the envelope and try something new.

 Can you tell us how your time living in Hawaii has shaped what PONO has become today?

The inspiration of PONO is in the beauty and colour of Hawaii. The ocean, the flowers, the trees, the mountains, the birds...some part of all these elements is infused in every piece.

I like that you don't rely on trends to provide direction for your creations. What do you think it is about your collections that appeals, exclusive of what's happening at the moment?

The pieces can fit into many categories because they are classic with a twist. A lot of the pieces can be worn with just a white shirt...there are no boundaries. So the pieces work for lots of people, places and things. 

PONO is both environmentally and socially conscious, yet you are able to offer a range of price points that includes the very affordable. How are you able to achieve this while demanding a high level of quality?

We work with our Italian factories to make it possible. We try to cover a wide-range of prices; it's not always easy to make that happen and stay true to your beliefs. But we do our best without compromising our beliefs.

What do you attribute to your success as a designer who has made it all happen for herself?

A lot of hard work and I'm very lucky I have a lot of angels.

What's next for Joan Goodman and PONO?

I wonder about that every single day! I'm going to Italy in a couple of weeks. I'll keep you posted!

swelle.

La Joie de Vivre, Fifi Flowers-style

Parisienne Party Dress. Fifi Flowers

Just about everybody who has been to Paris has fallen in love with it. And the rest are likely just as smitten with the notion that lives within their imagination thanks to photographs and paintings that illustrate the best of what one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in the world has to offer.

The paintings from Fifi Flowers convey the playfulness, guilt-free indulgence and unapologetic passion that lives in the heart of Paris, its interiors and its people. How is it that simple lines and a vibrant colour palette can imbue the kinds of qualities that leave us hopelessly besotted? The answer lies in the heart, the hand and the eye of the artist who, who when I first saw her paintings, had me feeling the emotional equivalent of a wet puppy just out of the bath madly tearing around the house.

Red Bench Entry. Fifi Flowers

Fifi paints homages to other great cities as well and takes commissions where she works from your travel photographs or pictures of your house or business or even your pets, and makes them Fifi-esque. And she appears to be endlessly enamoured by flowers and beautiful interiors which are my favourite paintings of hers as I share the same longing to be surrounded by gorgeous and happy things.

And then she takes it even further. The saying goes "the home is where the heart is," and the ultimate home surely reflects those details we consider the key to a blissful existence. So it's only fitting that Fifi also provides an online decorating service which is as simple as sending her photos of the room you want to decorate. She then works within your budget to create colour renderings and floor plans of your new look, and provides photos of the items she envisions for your room and where to buy them.

 

Pink Mirror. Fifi Flowers

I wanted to know more about the Los Angeles-based artist and decorator so I delved a bit further into who is Fifi:

One can't help but notice that Paris figures prominently in your paintings; is it your favourite city/subject?

Paris...French things are a favourite of mine, for sure!! I studied French art and the Parisian art lifestyle while I was in art school. Once I graduated I went to Paris for a week, walked the streets and felt overwhelmed knowing I was where some of my favourite artists hung out. EXCITING!! I have yet to return, but the memories are still in my heart. I hope to return next year!

Your lively painting style conveys a fun and happy energy; who or what was it that inspired you to paint this way? 

What inspired me to paint in the first place was the LOVE of art. My favourite artist is Henri Matisse. I wanted a painting in my home by him. Of course I cannot afford an original so I painted reproductions of his work. I have six or seven Matisse reproductions by moi hanging in my home. I enjoyed painting so much that I started painting my own paintings of things that surround my daily life. I LOVE colour and FUN, so that is what reflects in my paintings.

You also decorate home interiors. Do you seek to re-create the kind of aesthetic that you like to capture in your paintings or will you work in any style?

I do decorate homes and offices and I try to consider each individual in the home and the clients that will be in the office. I will not be living in the houses so they really MUST reflect the inhabitants of the dwelling. Everyone is so different with unique needs and wants. However, I do like to incorporate a painting in each project I work on and they are also to their taste. These days I do very little interior decorating because I am so busy working on my paintings or painting commissions, but I do some online decorating. 

swelle.

 

Berry Cushions and Wine. Fifi Flowers.

 

Fifi's Happy Studio. Fifi Flowers

 

Cafe de France. Fifi Flowers

After spending a total of 10 weeks in Paris thus far I have to say that what is so wonderful about the city is that once experiencing it in person, it lives up to the expectations conjured during daydreams and then some (though sufferers of Paris syndrome - a bizarre reaction to disappointment once arriving in Paris that affects some Japanese tourists who require medical attention and counselling - would surely disagree!). So, to be able to put up a painting that captures the spirit of the city, whether it be a street scene or a turquoise chaise longe and look at it daily is a real treat. For my new house I'm now trying to decide which pieces of Fifi's collection will make me happiest; though that's a tough one - I find myself smiling ear to ear every time I browse her gallery. Vrai bonheur.

 

Pink Commode. Fifi Flowers

Shrimpton Couture Weighs in on the Future of Vintage

I've been so taken with the idea of vintage lately and it's due in part to my reaction to over-consumption which I'm as guilty of as anyone (except I'm not anywhere near as bad as that lady on Oprah whose shopping and hoarding addiction left her house unliveable and a warehouse was needed to store it all when it was finally removed). But who wants vintage if your options don't provide a desirable and sustainable alternative to the shiny new clothes fresh off the runways that we're used to oggling, lusting after, buying and wearing? And one may be without the time or resolve to rummage through the vintage shops, if there are nearby options available.

I've always loved the idea of vintage but in practical terms (ie. what was I really buying) I found myself in this category until I discovered Shrimpton Couture, owned and run by the passionate and knowledgeable Cherie. I was at once won over by the carefully chosen and well-presented selection of truly good vintage, and further by the reworked pieces from a design duo called RSVP, two very talented individuals who Cherie works closely with and who prefer to remain anonymous as they are accomplished in another field (how mysterious!). And to top it all off a host of handpicked, talented accessories designers contribute collections of handmade adornments made of vintage findings created specially for Shrimpton Couture in the designer's own unique style.

 The purpose of this post is two-fold: First, I wanted to show some of my favourite pieces from the shop because they are too wonderful and exciting not to share (and I know many Swelle readers will appreciate lacy dresses both flapper and Edwardian, and there are lots of those). And second, I got to thinking about the future of vintage and whether the older vintage we enjoy now can sustain passing down to future generations, and also if what's been created from the 90s to present and beyond will be worthy of collecting in the future. So I asked Cherie to weigh in and she provided thoughtful answers to my barrage of questions and thankfully, offered hope for our vintage loving future as well as a positive interpretation of an era in fashion that to me seemed somewhat lost and undefined until now:

With corners being cut more and more in production in the making of 'designer' clothes today will the majority of the garments last? And as for design, will it still translate decades from now or be worthy of appreciation? Can the 90s and the noughties be defined through fashion in a significant way that will really mean something to future generations? Lastly, do you see any one fashion house or designer in particular producing collections that will live on?

I often worry about the future of vintage; even the mass produced items of days past were very well constructed and the concept and manner in which clothing were produced was very different. Mass production in the 1950s could mean thousands of items. Now it can mean millions. That being said there are still many designers that produce beautiful, well made, ready to wear pieces and I suspect that many independent designers that manage to get some notoriety now will become the future highly collectible of tomorrow. Dealers will just be forced to sift through far more crap to find the gems!

However, I doubt it will be too different then. I buy mainly from a small, trusted group of collectors who know my tastes and level of quality of demand, but I do still occasionally make a 'thrift trip' - I don't think I will ever get over the thrill of finding that diamond in the rough - and am astounded at how much awful, cheap clothing ends up at local thrifts. My gut tells me this will be the case in 20 years, too!

As far as design translating - well good design is good design. Don't you agree? I think that as soon as women where "unshackled" so to speak form the confines of corsets and undergarments that strived to change the shape of the body, that design really started to become what we tend to think of as modern design. There really are only a dozen or so basic shapes that the entire world of fashion revolves around since the turn of the century so I think in the far future you will see more of an impact in the advancement of fabric technologies rather then some "new" cut or shape. Personally I would just like to see advancements in preserving fabrics; I could cry when I see some early 20s pieces and what they get reduced too.

In the future when we look back I think what will define the nineties and noughts is not that it had a defining look but that the defining look was undefined. I know that might sound odd at first but I think that for the first time historically woman have really come into their own for the most part (broad generalization I know but bear with me) globalization has changed the way we think, feel and ultimately, how we dress. The seasons are no longer dictated as they where - season are no global and designs put out more collection a year then ever to cope with woman who work and travel globally. Everything we do is influenced by a mish mash of cultures and that rubs off onto how we dress. We can go on the internet and see girls on the street in the US, China, Australia, England, Paris....all the corners of the world and it instantly changes the way we look at our clothes as individuals. I think that we will look back and see this time period as the one that freed us from a"look" and became an ever evolving, fluctuating flow of trends.

swelle.

To indulge your vintage lust you can follow Cherie's regular column at Herald de Paris. Her debut article lovingly recounts her introduction to vintage as a teenager and if you don't 'get' vintage, this may turn you:

"I have heard stories of the first time a girl fell in love in the 1950s wearing a cupcake of a dress with a cinched in waist and full, full skirt. Occasionally, there are still bits of confetti lodged in the lace of the bust of these party frocks from high school dances from a more innocent time. I have heard the story of the dress, worn by its owner who is now bent and stooped, a dress made with her own hands to go to her first dance with a boy, in the days when that was as risqué an event as a girl would have in her young life."

Beautiful, well-constructed clothing with a soul - what can top that?

 

 

Designer Profile Paris: Xuan-Thu Nguyen

When I was in Paris I had the opportunity to meet and interview Xuan-Thu Nguyen (pronounced Swan-Toe nuh-WEN), an extraordinary haute couture and prêt-à-porter designer whose approach to each isn't altogether different; when it comes to materials and execution she spares nothing to perfectly produce the design in her head, at times closing that typically wide divide between couture and ready to wear. Her mix of Old World skill and care with innovative techniques results in garments and accessories that are at once exquisitely crafted and fashion-forward.

The interview originally ran at Amelia's Magazine and here I'm able to say a bit more about Thu and her creations. During my visit to her boutique in the Marais I got to see first-hand her incredible couture colliers, or neckpieces, and her unique brand of detailing that ranges from the beautifully decorative and delicate to her ingenious modifications to functional elements like button holes on shirts and pocket placement on coats. (I'll have to show those in a follow-up post, there's just too much amazingness for one. And those are her shoes in my banner!)

What puts Thu over the top for me is just how committed she is to creating truly special garments with no compromise in their quality at any point in the process. In a world of fast fashion and cheap labour for inflated profit margins it's both a relief and a treat to meet a person who is wholly true to her craft.

I'll be attending her show at Paris Haute Couture week in July and I am excited to bits to see what she's created for the fall season, so to speak - read on to see how Thu doesn't really care for seasonal constraints like 'appropriate' fabrics and colours (I just adore her!):

Tell us a bit about yourself, Thu?

I was born in Vietnam and grew up in Holland. When I was 10 years old I wanted to become a florist, but I always wanted to design, so I decided to go fashion design school. Upon graduating in 1999 I started my own label in Amsterdam before coming to Paris to open my boutique four years later, in 2005. I began showing my prêt-à-porter collections at Paris fashion week then added the haute couture, which I've been showing since July, 2008.

Can you take us through your creative process?

I design in my head, see the pattern and work out the adjustments before I begin putting anything together. In school I would do up the sketches after I'd made the garment! I have so many ideas, it can be difficult to focus on one thing and I have to separate my ideas and choose one direction. Sometimes the starting point is something as simple as a colour, a shape or a technique.  My creations are a mixture of modern and geometric pleated shapes with fragile and delicate accents like handmade embroideries. I use natural fabrics like 100% cotton, silk or wool which give the garment even more of a delicate expression. 

Do you work with a design team?

 

No, I design everything myself.

Where is your prêt-à-porter made?

Some pieces, like the accessories, are made here in Paris. I do the first few myself. The prêt-à-porter is made in Holland. My parents own a textile factory there and the numbers I need are small enough that I'm able to produce there.

Do you find that allows you to control the production?

Yes, I have some unique finishing processes that I've had to work hard to get right on the production side, but in the end I've gotten things made as I want them. I could have my clothes made in China, but for me, it's not about bigger profits.

With that kind of commitment to detail in your prêt-à-porter it seems you blur the lines a bit between that and your haute couture collection, would you agree with this?

You could say that. I will do some prêt-à-porter pieces like haute couture, like if I really want to use an expensive fabric or trim I will, or I might spend a lot of time to get the detail just right. Many of my pieces look very simple from the outside but have a lot of work on the inside. It's not about making a big show of it; these are likely things that just the wearer and I will know. (Ed. note: While browsing Thu’s Paris boutique I noticed some examples of this understated yet significant detailing: her placement of jacket side pockets, invisible button holes on shirts and the extensive finishing on the underside creates clean lines and gives the garment a polished simplicity. Truly chic.)

Your Fall/Winter 2009 collection is very light and summery; what was your thinking behind that?

I don't really follow the seasons; I design what I want to at that time. Also, many people live in places where they don't have winter or they need clothes for warm holidays, and I don't want to restrict myself to working in just wools and dark colours or be dictated by a season. And we could all use some brightening up during the winter!

What's next for Xuan-Thu Nguyen?

We're working on launching the brand in Asia for 2010...

 swelle.

 

What I've shown here are pieces from her F/W 2009 RTW collection (I'm coming home from Paris with that silver blue blazer, I fell for it from the photos and then happened to run into Thu on the metro and she was wearing it with one of her couture colliers in red and that sold it for me, it looked amazing. (Though I noticed she hadn't 'roughed up' the panels on the sleeves as they were styled in the photos. Will I??)

Watch for the follow-up post with photos and the story behind those colliers, plus looks from her spring 2009 Haute Couture collection - including the 'fox' stole made entirely of handmade flowers. 

 

The Magical World of Rowanjoy

 

*Exclusive Rowanjoy one-offs are now available at Swelle Boutique!

Sometimes you stumble upon clothes that are so much more than clothes. Dresses, coats and skirts that are enchanting and boldly feminine with a bit of cheek, that pull you into a kind of fantasyland where you can indulge the fun parts of your personality. That is the magic of Rowanjoy, the womenswear label created by Edinburgh designer Rowan McIntosh. To create her frolicsome looks she takes inspiration from mad tea parties and magicians and uses vintage and modern fabrics in a playful mix of colours and prints - resulting in garments that look as if they jumped off a page in a book of fairytales, yet they are completely wearable. (I know - I tried a few dresses myself and if it weren't for the size I would be wearing one of those dreamy frocks as I write this. To Die For.)

Rowan McIntosh is a designer whose mind is a place we want to get inside, so I've asked her to give us a glimpse into how her one-off, happy clothes that are handmade by her (yes!), came to be:

How did you begin your career as a fashion designer?

I graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 2003 with a BA (hons) in fashion. Once I finished I knew I wasn't particularly keen to scrap it out for a job in London so I decided to stay in Edinburgh and continue with my own work. The opportunity came up to get involved in a reworking project that was being set up by the owner of a vintage shop called Godiva. From starting this six years ago I have been slowly building my own label, still working with the idea of using vintage fabrics and mixing them with modern fabrics. I set up my own label three and a half years ago and have been running it ever since.

Your clothes are so colourful, playful, off-beat and very feminine; what's on your mind when you're designing?

One of the main things I think about when I design is whether I would wear what I am designing. I think my personal taste plays a big part in my designs - I am most definitely a dress and skirt girl and love colour and print. Personally, I think fashion should be fun and make you happy when you wear something you love, and I would like to think that the pieces I design and make bring this to the wearer.

Someone once told me that my clothes are "romantic, with a sense of humour," and I thought that was a really nice way of describing my work. And somehow - no matter where my initial inspiration comes from - they do always seem to turn out that way.

Where would you like to take Rowanjoy in the future?

At the moment all the pieces I do are one-offs. One of my main plans is to split the label in two and have one part that carries on with making the really special one-offs and then develop a more ready-to-wear line that won't necessarily be mass-produced but will be produced on a larger scale than I can currently manage. I would also like to raise the profile of my label on a more international level, hopefully in the future showing in some way in London at fashion week - although, I don't see Rowanjoy becoming too big for its boots, I like the independent uniqueness of it.

And so do we! Rowanjoy can be found at various shops in Scotland and England. She also provides a made to measure service at Godiva Boutique in Edinburgh does private commisions. I think a trip up to Edinburgh is in order...

I adore her photos - doesn't her lookbook convey the spirit of her clothes perfectly?

Dior Gets an In-House Artist

 

Wendy Tabac, author of the book Chic in Paris and her blog of the same name, recently had Bil Donovan, Dior Beauty's first Artist-in-Residence, interviewed for the site by French fashion journalist Charlotte Wiedemann. Donovan talks about his love for Paris and what drives his work in fashion, presented with a smattering of his gorgeous illustrations. Can you tell which is my favourite?

You can read the interview here

Toi, tu me plais, Garance Doré

 

My last days of my (heartachingly good) two-month stay in Paris could not have wrapped up more perfectly, for I had the genuine pleasure of interviewing Garance Doré. For many, the Paris-based blogger extraordinaire needs no introduction, and if you don't know the beloved photographer, illustrator and storyteller who can transform a monitor into a wonderful, fashion dreamworld that feels both fantastical and attainable all at once, today is your lucky day.

Garance is such a delight, she speaks so freely about her life and her work as you would expect from her diary-like blog posts. And she embodies exactly those qualities that compose the quintessential French woman whom I so adore: confident, clever, chic, gifted, gorgeous. (I could go on but it would cross over to sycophantic and embarrass everyone involved.)

Here is the story of how Garance turned a blog into a jetsetting career documenting fashion as it happens around the world:

How did this all start for you?

I never studied art, I studied communications. I started as a PR for cinema in the south of France. I liked it; I went to Cannes for the film festival. After a few years I felt the artistic part wasn't being used. But I was young and I knew it wouldn't be a risk to try. I trained myself and took my book to some art directors. But the job was different, I found myself at home so much, there were no people. I was frustrated having to stay home and the commissions were not that interesting. So this is why I opened my blog, to open a conversation about that. I realised I also liked to write. I was the first in France to talk about fashion and illustration this way. I did that for a while but fashion goes with photography, so I picked up my camera. I never thought years ago this would be big, it was just something I thought was different.

And now you're famous. How do you feel about that?

Yes, well because of my boyfriend, Scott, the press photographs me and sometimes I'm even recognised in the street in New York. I don't really show myself on my blog. (Ed. note: The photo above is Garance, as shot by Scott Schuman, 'The Sartorialist'. And yes, they are a couple. A fashion match made in heaven.)

Do you have a favourite city for capturing people?

I really love Paris and New York but no, each time I move somewhere it gives me inspiration. It's difficult the first day because you don't know the light. But then you see the romance of the city.

At a Paris fashion week show I witnessed a very well dressed photographer endure a horribly rude dismissal when he asked a man, someone unknown, if he could photograph him. Do you ever find yourself confronted with an unwilling subject?

It never happens. Usually I can feel when not to ask.

Your illustrations are so simple yet they convey vitality, playfulness and beauty. Has your style remained relatively constant or has it evolved over the years?

It's evolved a lot and evolving more every day,  I try to get more simple, convey emotions. I like to evolve all the time, it's still me. I think it's good when illustrators keep their style but for me I like it to change.

Do you use a model or a photograph when you sketch? 

I just draw instinctively, I don't rely on something. Maybe I should use something.

No! What I love about your illustrations or your 'girls' as I call them is they aren't recognisable, they are characters that you have created. Do you ever find yourself designing when you 'dress' your girls?

Yes, usually I like to dress them with clothes I like, usually they are things I want or admire. It's a way for me to show clothes, it's like an homage to those who make clothes. I've had proposals to design clothes, maybe one day I will if I find the right partner.

Wow, I hope you do. Your illustrations are the perfect companion to your photographs; you have the person in the flesh and also a bit of fantasy where you can convey whatever you wish.

It's like a movement between illustrations and photography, it creates a movement.

Where do you think your career would be without the internet?

I really don't know, it opened me to a lot of new medias. I never thought I could do a picture, it gives me the opportunity to do different things and meet new people. I think it's my destiny that I fell for the internet. 

 

One of my fondest memories of my Paris adventure is a moment where I looked out the window of the bus I was on, it was stopped at a light along the Seine, and I saw the most precious woman sitting on a bench, clutching her handbag on her lap with both hands together in the most ladylike way. She was about 60 years old, with brown chin-length hair parted at the side in two pretty barrettes, bright red lipstick and a matching coat over a soft, floral dress. She was so chic and so sweet all at once, and I couldn't help but smile and she smiled back. It sounds silly but the way she smiled at me, I know she recognised what seeing her did for me and that she appreciated it. I thought 'This is Paris.'

There's something in that experience that parallels closely the reaction one feels when looking at your photographs. Can you put into words what it is you are capturing?

I think what you're capturing is a moment more than clothes, of course I feel that it's a great way to get in touch with people.

Further to my story, I had been taking photos out of the window and although I would have so cherished a photograph of this woman, I just couldn't ruin the moment by raising my camera and clicking away. Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you prefer to experience the moment away from your camera?

Yes, it happens sometimes. Once with a great fashion editor, I would have loved to take pictures, but she was opening to me and it's a question of feeling what's right or wrong.

Do you see yourself doing this for the rest of your life?

I don't know, I like what I do but I'm not closesd, I like to be open minded. I have a lot of ideas about my future but I want to do what feels right at the moment.

swelle.

And that's what it's all about, isn't it? Thanks for these moments, Garance. 

We also spoke a little about Paris and its women - Garance was interested in what it is about Paris that means so much to me and how the women stand out. It was a lovely conversation and I'm happy knowing that although I'm not in Paris anymore, I can go to garancedore.com and feel the essence of the city. No matter where in the world Garance may be, her photos, illustrations and the little peeks she offers into her day bear that most irresistable je ne sais quoi that only French women have. J'adore. 

The Undressing of T-Shirt and Tails

Surely we've all wondered who that person is behind the blogs we follow and I had the opportunity to find out more about the author of T-shirt and Tails, a fashion-loving blog out of London with a focus on what's new and what's making it's way back (like it or not), personal style and fun random bits - all subject to well-delivered critical assessment. In other words, she knows what she likes and she speaks her mind!

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a 23 year-old who lives in London and works in PR. I love clothes - particularly vintage bargains from markets and charity shops. I also have a big passion for jewellery - most of which I design and make myself. Outside of fashion I enjoy visiting art galleries and exhibitions and of course partying with friends!

What role does fashion play in your life?

My favourite part of the day is getting ready in the morning and deciding what to wear (much to the frustration of my boyfriend). I also love the way fashion is ever changing but is something through which you can express your own individuality. As I previously said, I particularly like scouring for one-off pieces in markets and charity and vintage shops so that I have something unique that no one else has. 

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style is ever-changing and depends on my current inspirations and mood. There is no forward planning to my outfits - I pull them together minutes before I leave the house so I would describe them as attempting to be ‘effortless chic’ (it sometimes works!). I am a big fan of bohemian style and vintage pieces and I never leave my flat without some jewellery and a big leather bag. I also love classic basics which I then dress up with individual pieces.

You have very specific tastes when it comes to clothes and accessories, as evidenced by your current loves and peeves – will we be seeing any style photos from you?

If the feature requires it then you will see some styled images from me…

What is your ultimate fashion turn-off?

People that try too hard are my biggest fashion turn-off, and I also dislike anything that follows a trend on an almost daily basis as these tend to date very quickly and lead to people not developing their own unique style. It’s always best therefore to adapt trends to your own style.

Do you have a favourite style era/decade?

I don’t have a favourite style era as such, but I love certain aspects from each. For instance, I have always been a big fan of 50’s high-waisted skirts, hemlines from the 60’s and floral prints from the 70’s to name just a few!

What influences and inspires you most, outside of the internet?

My biggest inspirations come from style that I see on the streets of London. I love to see what people are wearing and how they’ve put together an outfit. I am also very inspired by art and music. I also love market days and often visit Portobello, Spitalfields and Brick Lane. I also come from an Italian family and have spent many long hot summers in Milan and Rome which have given me a taste for classic designs and chic outfits - but not sunglasses in the winter!

Do you think luxury fashion is too expensive?

Luxury fashion is extremely expensive and so therefore few fashionistas can afford to purchase these pieces frequently. However the price is a reflection of the quality, skills and time taken to produce these pieces. I think that designer diffusion lines are fantastic however and are a great way to buy designer pieces at affordable prices. what I really object to though it the extortionate prices certain fashionable ‘vintage’ shops charge for their pieces - when you know you could scour the market stalls and get the same bag for under £10.

You’re now making your own jewellery – do you have any plans to create your own line?

I have started to sell my jewellery to friends and family and I am looking for outlets to start stocking my pieces. If anyone out there is interested, please get in touch and I will send you pictures of the available designs.

Love the anchor necklace! You, too? You can get in touch via T-shirt and Tails.

And, I was interviewed a little while back on T-shirt and Tails, you can read it here. Although now I can't believe some of the omissions I left out of the blog list, despite my rambling answer. Sorry, Garance!

Liz Clay Transforms Felt into Exquisite Couture

Felt is beginning to work its way into the fashion mainstream, and I'm not talking about the knitted kind that is washed to produce a felted effect (which can be lovely, but it's altogether something completely different). Creating felt fabric can require a substantial time commitment and is the physical process of binding loose fibres, usually wool, with water and an alkaline solution such as soap, by rubbing and rolling with the hands. And while anyone can make felt - it's a wonderful craft for all ages - producing something extraordinary is reserved for those who have a passion for textiles and spend countless hours experimenting with a variety of fibres and manipulation techniques, ultimately elevating the craft to an art form.

Liz Clay's felt featured in Stella McCartney's
Paris show for the Fall 2008 RTW collection

Liz Clay is one of these exciting talents, and an accomplished one. A renowned feltmaker, textile designer, lecturer and author, she has inspired many the world over with her sublime silk and merino boas (the design of which is registered and protected), clutches and handbags. When I first discovered and fell in love with feltmaking three years ago, it was Liz' work that really got me fired up. With her boas she's taken felt into the high fashion realm by working the softness of the merino into an almost ethereal quality that is felt as its most beautiful, and along with other signature techniques has created one-of-a-kind, highly fashionable yet wearable accessories. (I WILL own one of her boas one day. This is a hint if someone in particular is reading this...Christmas is coming....)

Her CV and list of accolades is a long and impressive read, and includes a solo exhibition at Harrods in London and recognition from Givenchy and Stella McCartney, who have each invited her to collaborate on their collections. Wow.

First came Givenchy. Liz was contacted directly by the Paris fashion house in 2005 and commissioned to produce garments for their A/W haute couture collection. She has since been involved in development for new collections, both RTW and couture and is now on the team of makers for Givenchy. Liz says she finds the couture work most exciting, that "seeing a finished garment become the showpiece on the catwalk is thrilling." I can only imagine.

Then Stella came calling - at the last minute, just before her Paris A/W show in February, as is the way in the fashion industry. One coat request became a daunting three, yet somehow Liz pulled it all off. (Anyone who has made felt knows just how much laying down of fibres is required for something the size of a coat, as the shrinkage that occurs in the agitation and fulling process could be in excess of 1/3. It's A LOT of hard work and sore muscles. I made a coat once at a weekend-long workshop and afterward several of us vowed never to do it again!).

In the end, Liz's felt opened the Stella McCartney show in Paris - worn by Raquel Zimmermann (above), followed by two more of her stunning felts (looking fab on Aline and Masha). She's now developing new design samples for the next collection so there's a good chance we'll be seeing more of Liz Clay on the runway.

So, what's Liz working on now? She's just returned from Japan where she showcased her new collection of boas and interior wall panels in very fine felts using local wools, in a solo exhibition. You can see the work at the Lesley Craze Gallery in London until Christmas, then at the prestigious Mall Galleries in January. She's also doing commissions from this collection for private customers. (Am jealous.)

And somehow, Liz finds the time to host workshops and lend her expertise to those of us who hope to glean just a shred of her genius. I have been gutted over and over, having missed so many opportunities to be tutored by Liz as her studios are in the south west, in Somerset,which is a very long way from me in the north east of England. Cross-country train ticket, plus hotel for the weekend, plus the workshop fee....well, you get it.

But for those of us who can't quite get there just yet, we have Liz' books. Her latest is Nuno Felt which can be ordered direct from her website, as can her boas, clutch bags and purses, pins and brooches. Considering Liz' affiliations we're lucky that her accessories are so accessible!

The Couture Collection of embroidered silk, cashmere and merino purses and clutches


Interior wall panel in very fine felts using local wools


Wall panel detail


Reversible half-boa

Stella McCartney show photos: Marcio Madeira

Sweet Paul Styles Us a Blissful Life

Tailgating. Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Jim Hensley

Have you ever tried to photograph food? Try it, look at the photo, then ask yourself "Is this something I would eat?" I guarantee your response will be "Only if I were starving." Like anything done expertly, Paul Lowe aka Sweet Paul makes it all look so easy. A Norwegian who came to New York for love in 2006, Paul has been styling food, props and interiors ever since a photographer friend recognised his talents while he was still arranging flowers in his shop 17 years ago. It didn't take him long to prove he has the keen eye, instincts, style and ingenuity essential for creating scenes that make beautiful photographs, and he's been in demand ever since.

Sweet Paul is not just a nickname but also a stunning blog where he shares his work and his life with a growing global fanbase who check in religiously for their daily dose of Paul. It is serene, highly inspirational, gorgeous and addictive (visit when you have time to browse, and you'll see what I mean when you find yourself 10 pages deep.) And it's interactive - Paul will seek the opinion of his readers when facing a styling conundrum (eg. which one do we like better?), and we are only too happy to put in our two cents. Rewards for loyalty now include Recipe Monday which has featured original concoctions such as Fallen Chocolate Cake, Accidental Pie and his creamy risotto (Paul is often asked to create the recipes for the food shoots).

As for his interiors, they are likely to illicit an 'I wish I lived in this' response, regardless of your style preferences. Who doesn't want to find themselves in surroundings that are warm, vibrant, tranquil, and inspired? And as a special treat Paul shares his brilliant DIY home styling ideas, such as using old books to paper your walls and create the loveliest photo holder:

Both for Country Living. Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Ellen Silverman

(Is it just me or do the phonetics of 'Sweet Paul' sound especially pleasing? Just whisper it to yourself 's-w-e-e-t-p-a-u-l'...To me it's the phonoaesthetic equivalent of 'cellar door'. Quite befitting of the blog, isn't it?)

Paul Lowe shared with me a bit more about himself and what drives him (beyond taxis):

Was it a smooth transition going from arranging flowers to styling food and interiors?

It kind of was. It is all about colors, textures, and having good taste in your work.

Has living in New York changed you and the way you style?

Oh yes. I think my work has gotten better and better. There is so much inspiration here, it's amazing. The competition is also very high so you have to be on your toes all the time. The choice for props is also amazing, you can get whatever you want. Love it!

You say that fashion is your greatest inspiration - does it translate directly in your work?

It does. I have a book that I stick in pictures I rip out of fashion magazines. Colours, textures, combinations - it all inspires me. My black fig story was inspired by the all-black Viktor & Rolf Fall collection from 2001. 

Black Fig.Styling:Paul Lowe. Photo:Colin Cooke    Viktor & Rolf, Fall 2001 RTW

Do you ever go to fashion shows?

I've been to some small ones, but I would love to be in the front row of Marc Jacobs, Viktor & Rolf, Dior, Lanvin, etc.

Have you ever had a food that was a naughty model and didn't want to behave?

It's all about the recipe, sometimes it just does not work. I made some crème brûlées the other day, after two hours they were still runny. 

You have thousands of fans around the world who follow your work and your personal life through your blog - how does that make you feel?

Oh, Wow. Ehhhhh...Now I feel like Brad Pitt. He he. I think it's amazing that I have so many readers (Ed note: monthly page views currently total 32,000.)  And they are so great, they leave lots of comments and send the best emails. I love them all. I think it's great that I can inspire people.

Does your home interior reflect the warm and vibrant aesthetic you bring to your work?

Ehhh no! We live in a small apartment here in NYC. It's full of stuff - props and books. I did have a shoot here a while ago, I had to tidy up for three days beforehand, so it's a mess. But it looks okay once it's tidy. I'm not the most organised person in the world.

Now that's a sure sign of creativity! If you'd like to know more about what happens on Paul's shoots and advice he offers to aspiring stylists, there's a great article at Cookbook Catchall.

Just one warning before you go exploring: While writing this article - quite late into the night and enjoying the photos from Paul's stories - I finished off stirfry leftovers, then had a yogurt, and I was still searching the refrigerator. You may not want to visit Sweet Paul when you are hungry and have no food around - the suffering would just be too terrible!

Takk skal du ha, Paul.

Black Fig. Styling by Paul Lowe. Photographed by Colin Cooke

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Colin Cooke

For MORE magazine. Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Kana Okada

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Steve Giralt

 

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Steve Giralt

 

For The Comfort Table. Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Miki Duisterhof

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Studio Dreyer Hensley

 

 

Tailgating. Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Jim Hensley

 

For ELLE Interior. Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Studio Dreyer Hensley

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Colin Cooke

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Colin Cooke

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Colin Cooke

 

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Colin Cooke. Get the recipe for Nested Eggs
 

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Colin Cooke

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Studio Dreyer Hensley

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Gemma Comas

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Frances Janisch

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Frances Janisch
 

Styling by Paul Lowe. Photography by Ellen Silverman

From article: Raspberry jars and sofa with doily curtain photographed by Frances Janisch

Exclusive! That Song from the Marc by Marc Jacobs Show? Meet GoldieLocks

If you've seen the Marc by Marc Jacobs show video for NY fashion week (watch it now if you haven't seen it, bottom right video link), you are likely wondering 'What is that song? I must know! I can't get it out of my head! I'm dancing uncontrollably!'' That was my reaction after hearing the track Marc Jacobs used to open and close his show, it suited the spirit of the collection perfectly (well, maybe not the guys, they looked like eunuchs). After doing a few fruitless Google searches for 'English female rapper' and variations of, my light bulb went on (it's low watt). I recalled hearing '...and I'll be rockin' em in that Goldilocks way' and 'Goldlilocks hoodie' throughout the track and thought 'hmm....maybe that's a hint'. Bingo! The song is called Neek Chic by Croydon, South London vocalist/producer Sarah 'GoldieLocks' Akwisombe.

Amazingly, the 23 year-old beatmaker wasn't aware her work had figured so significantly in the show, until I contacted her and asked about it! How did she react to the news? Read the interview for some insight into this exciting new talent:

I won't pretend I know...what does 'Neek Chic' mean? And what is the song about?

It's loosely based on me and my mate making our own t shirts a few years ago. Neek is like a Croydon word for a geek, and we didn’t care that we were neeks, so we thought we were Neek Chic. The tees ended up having ‘Neek Chic’ on them. The chorus doesn’t actually make sense, I just thought it sounded cool. I made it up behind the bar at Starbucks when I used to work there. It was released back in May on the ‘Wasteman’ single as the B side.

How do you feel about your track being used for such a major NY Fashion week show? Hearing yourself while Marc Jacobs is taking his bow?!

Well I actually only found out cos you told me! It’s really weird actually. Really cool but weird. Seeing them all walking straight faced and taking such a stupid song so seriously. It’s funny, and I’m very honoured! Hopefully I can go to the show next time ;) The girls in my management office are working on blagging free clothes from Marc Jacobs as we speak...

What do you think of the collection?

I really like it actually! I need to watch it properly as I was so excited earlier I just watched the bits with my song. But I like it a lot.

Who or what do you like to wear right now? I sense of bit of a fashion rebellion in your tracks. I think I heard a diss on Topshop in Neek Chic? And then there's Mmm...Fashion "all you wanna do is talk about fashion, and I don't wanna hear it!"

I usually wear big baggy cool T shirts with printed leggings, or band T shirts. A lot of trainers, some heels on occasions but I usually end up taking them off.. Anything with colour! Topshop here is good, they have good pieces and good value for money but its just so ‘done’ here. You go out and everyone is wearing the same clothes cos they all bought their outfit in Topshop. ‘Mmm Fashion’ was more a diss at the people in London who try so hard to out do each other and look original that they all actually end up looking the same, and how seriously some people take fashion. 

Do you have any thoughts on Marc Jacobs using only female artists for his collection? Do you know any of the others?

Not really any thoughts, I guess it’s kinda cool! I didn’t recognise any of the other songs apart from M.I.A whom I love. They all sounded pretty fresh.

Listening to your voice in your tracks and how it works with the beats, you make it seem so easy. When did you realise you're a natural for rapping/singing and making beats?

Making beats I’ve been doing since forever, just in different ways, I used to play the drums but I never had a band to play with. I’m more of a producer than a writer but as time has gone on I’ve got better at singing hooks and writing melodies.

Considering that your lyrics represent your views on the world around you, your personal world, does it give you a kind of freedom to be able to express yourself this way?

It does and doesn’t. It means you can say your opinion but you still have to fit it into a 3 minute song that people can understand and doesn’t go way over their heads. Also, people often get your opinions twisted or think you are arrogant. One line can suddenly stop people listening to your music from that point on.

Is Wasteman about someone you know, or a broader frustration?

It was about a guy who messed my sister about. She was kinda pissed off about it so I was trying to cheer her up.

Where are you looking to go with your music? Do you see yourself as strictly an underground artist (referring to the electro and grime influences) or do you have aspirations to reach as wide an audience as possible and go stateside, or global?

I’d like to be world known, but still on an indie vibe, if that makes sense. Kinda like how M.I.A or Dizzee Rascal have done. I would like to be well known as a producer, as that’s more important to me than being an artist.

How is it that you're not on your way already? You're obviously a huge talent, your voice has style, you can write and produce and your tracks are immediately addictive. Never mind certain aesthetic qualities that make you a marketer's dream. Seriously!!

Because some people find my voice annoying! I think also I don’t fit into a box, which I like, but can be hard for people to make their mind up on. I think I make music like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. Most people are quite sheep-like when deciding if they like music, it’s easier to say a song is ok and save face than saying you love a tune and the person next to you hates it.

 Aside from collaborations, you produce all of your own music?

I mostly make my own beats, occasionally make songs with other producers and produce / remix for other artists a lot. (Ed. note: She's made beats/written for Kate Nash, Example, Neon Hitch, Cerebral Vortex, Tinchey Stryer, Jeeday Jaws, Frisco, Miss Odd Kidd, and Cock n Bull Kid, and done remixes for Mutya Buena, Example, Eliza Doolittle, The Mitchell Brothers, Master Shorty, and Envy.)

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

My new single is out NOW on itunes and as limited edition CD. Check out my merch shop at www.goldielocksmusic.bigcartel.com (Ed.note: you can buy the Wasteman / Neek Chic 7" vinyl here)

GoldieLocks will be performing live tonight at the launch party for her 2nd single 'Kids / Drug Dee-La'. It's a free event and begins at 6 pm at Puregroove Records at 6-7 West Smithfield, London, EC1A 9JX. RSVP asap to sarah@ATCmanagement.com to be added to the guestlist.

And if you're finding yourself loving GoldieLocks' music, spread the word!

Tasty Crumbs Well Worth Picking Up

The women's apron can be seen as the symbol of a hard-day's work in the kitchen, a throw back to the era that gave us casseroles, Sunday pot roast dinners and a bold fearlessness of lard.

Or better, it's a sweet reminder of those warm memories of baking chocolate chip cookies alongside mom on rainy Sunday afternoons, while dad watched the game on TV in the living room in the big chair. And then ate most of the cookies. But you didn't mind, the fun was all in the pointers learned from mom, and the giggling and sharing of secrets that dad would never understand anyway.

Donning an apron to cook or bake, especially a great looking one, transforms the act of simply preparing sustenance to one of nostalgic ritual and great fun. To indulge in it myself, I went searching for true vintage to get the authentic experience, but was disappointed when I found that the originals don't look anywhere near as good as they do in our memories and imaginations. And the thought of a 50 year-old pork n' beans stain is a bit unappetizing.

Luckily, there is a designer who understands such wants and needs and is passionate about them. Jennifer Lucas of the Canadian company Crumb Designs has created a line of flirty and romantic aprons 'to inspire everyday living', as is her motto (and a wonderful one at that). Each is handmade with fabrics that are carefully chosen for colour, design and the quality to endure a lifetime and beyond. Such a lovely family keepsake they would surely make.

Jennifer is most compelled by the happy times she spent as a child in the kitchen baking and cooking with her mother and grandmother, and through her designs offers such an opportunity for others. Her impossibly adorable and stylish matching aprons in adult and child sizes are the perfect recipe for creating that special bonding experience for you and your favourite wee one. What little girl wouldn't light up when presented with such a delightful invitation?

Crumb Designs aprons are available online at www.crumbdesigns.com (nice website, too!).

Coming soon: Watch the website this spring for the new line of gardening aprons for adults and children. (Bake cookies, just the two of you, go outside to the garden to plant your tulips in the sunshine then enjoy your homemade snack together on the porch. How's that for the perfect day?)

To learn more about Jennifer Lucas and how Crumb Designs came to be, read the interview (a very sweet and inspiring story).

More delicious treats to savor:

Anax Imperator Machina - How to Create a Buzz

Whether insects are your thing or not, the Anax Imperator Machina, latin for 'The Emperor Dragonfly Machine', is undeniably a very striking specimen that demands closer inspection.

Painstakingly hand made by artist Jesse Danger (don't you love his name? He can make you cool stuff AND save you from a burning house), this intricate invention is a several hundred-hours-long labour of love and a truly original creation.

The best of both worlds, the Anax Imperator Machina is beautiful as well as functional (if only we had such options with men). Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's fantasized gadgets, Mr. Danger takes classical engineering one fabulous step further by using the finest precious metals and gems to produce a stylish and coveted work of art. Turn down the tip of the tail (actually the abdomen) to make the finely detailed argentium silver wings flutter (argentium is superior to sterling and fine silver). The internal mechanisms, gears and moving parts were industriously hand-milled and hand-calibrated with absolute precision from 14k gold. The body, mechanical frame and wings, also handcrafted from argentium silver. Those pretty baby blues are large 10 carat Swiss Blue Topaz cabochons and the 14k gold bezel on the tail contains a 4mm Amethyst bullet shaped cabochon.

Breathe. After taking in all of that, how can you not be impressed? (and a little tired...imagine?).

This extraordinary one-of-a-kind dragonfly is for sale in Jesse Danger's Etsy shop which also features his eco-jewelry line of Asian-inspired rings, pendants and earrings. I have his textured brass earrings, they are awesome. Look for his incredible Eco-Silver and 22k Gold Ring, which brazenly re-defines 'ring'.

Coming in May is his dragonfly wing line of jewelry and a limited-edition booklet. I anticipate a quick sell-out so watch closely if you're interested!

Read the interview with Jesse Danger to find out what makes him buzz.

Note: Just a word of warning if you haven't looked at the shop yet, the price on the dragonfly is not for the faint-hearted, thick-templed or curly-haired. Okay, maybe strike the last two. It's a heck of a lot of money, but well reflects what's gone into it so no overblown gasping, okay? If you could, you would, right? I would!