The Swelle Life

WOWW...That's More Than a Tea Towel

Mae Engelgeer, you have made me covet a tea towel. Or two, or three. The Dutch textile designer has created the Woww, Fest and Bow collections of graphic fabrics, developed in small quantities at the Textile Museum in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The fabrics are a mixture of mohair, cashmere, cotton and acrylic yarns for the blankets, shawls and scarves, and the tea towels are just slightly less precious yet still fine for such a utilitarian item, in cotton, linen and acrylic. I'm probably going to buy one - my favourite is  Woww (above and below) and I won't lie, I will try to wear it as a scarf.

You can buy Mae Engelgeer textiles at her online shop or at The Minimalist which is based in Australia, where I found out about her.

But there's nothing worse than buying something pretty that's meant for practical purposes and then being afraid to use it and dirty it up. I once bought cloth napkins that had a print on a white background and I loved them. The first time I used them was when we had friends over for lunch for the first time ever. I guess the importance of a first impression was lost on me, because when I realised that any mouth wiping would result in an instant stain, I collected them up and replaced them with paper towels which happened to have The Muppets characters on them. Yes, I did that. I was a little embarrassed but would I have done it differently if I could go back? Um, no! Later, I had to figure out how to make them practical and not stress about it. I decided they would not be table napkins but would look nice on my serving trays when I was bringing out tea or desserts. And this is exactly what I would do with these awesome tea towels which are far too good for wiping stuff. 

 

Chanel Film: Bicolor, The Making of the Cardigan

Click the image to watch the Chanel film Bicolor, The Making of the Cardigan at Chanel News

Leave it to Chanel to turn the making of a cardigan into something magical. From choosing the colour of the finest cashmere threads to the finishing of the piece with those intertwined C buttons - measured for exactness with a wooden ruler - we get a glimpse into the highest level of craftsmanship that goes into making the French fashion house's two-tone cardigans.

Chanel's cashmere is produced in Hawick, Scotland. In fall 2012, Chanel purchased the Barrie Knitwear cashmere mill after its owner company collapsed, saving 176 local jobs and keeping yet another artisan manufacturer from going the way of the Dodo. To date, Chanel has ensured the quality and that unique exquisiteness of their garments by acquiring the struggling couture ateliers Lemarie, the last remaining Paris plumassier, Michel for millinery, Desrues for costume jewellery, Massaro for shoemaking, and Lesage for embroidery. Most of us may never be able to afford a Chanel garment (lottery tickets), but it's nice knowing they're still out there in the world. 

Fashion Week Favourites: Paris

Miu Miu 

In the end, Paris gave the colour and texture lovers what we wanted, and for those who can never get enough black, there was of course a ton of that as well; Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, Ann Demeulemeester and Comme Des Garçons will always have options for you. Miuccia Prada has guaranteed a polka dot revival for fall thanks to the unabashedly vibrant, Lichtenstein-esque Ben-Day dot patterns at Miu Miu which she clashed with tight horizontal stripes on tights, bags and fantastic, fitted long coats with off-centre plackets with big buttons (is it still considered clashing when it works so well?). And I'll bet we'll be seeing a lot of necks tied up in scarves which is good because I've got a box of neckerchiefs that are desperate to be relevant again. 

Here's what else jumped out at me from Paris: 

Tsumori Chisato presented a chic version of her fun, vibrant, and surreal approach to clothes - this time a marine theme that looked handpainted ran through the collection

Valentino drew upon Dutch influences for their laser cut and beaded collars, Delft-like prints and tulip embroidery that adorned somewhat austere dresses and capes

The clean and elegant cuts, tactile fabrics and soft tones of Céline make for a great palette cleanser. Add a bit of appliqued texture and slightly exaggerated shapes and you get a luxe classic that never feels old. 

Cacharel is a personal favourite of mine; regardless of who's designing the Paris house is always about youthful, feminine clothes that are chic, and I have a feeling that combination will be endlessly appealing to me no matter how many calendar pages flip by. Prints are a big part of the brand's DNA and for fall we have tapestry-inspired florals and a hummingbird motif that brought a classic anorak to life; hopefully others will take note and wake up this winter staple with options beyond the drab, plain tones we're usually offered (whenever khaki is a trend I die a little). 

Happy coats at Issey Miyake! And happy models, too (those who were capable of accommodating the 'True Smiles' request, anyway). A colour-blocked rethinking of plaid in tonal shades energised with fine diagonal stripes made for coats that would brighten any damp and gloomy day - get them to the UK stat!

While not a colour fiesta at Chanel, with 80 outfits to choose from we're guaranteed to fall in love with at least a few tweed or boucle creations. Will we be seeing second-skin thigh-hig leather 'socks' come September? How about winter wig hats? Karl Lagerfeld always brings a bit of fantasy beyond the daydreams he prompts of winning the lottery to afford the clothes. 

Colour seeker or not, Alber Elbaz made the darkest of palettes light and beautiful for Lanvin with flower and insect appliques, easy yet sophisticated cuts and wordy necklaces and medallions that (mostly) expressed nice things like 'Happy' and 'Love'. I'd feel both of these if I were wearing Lanvin. 

Photos: Style.com

DIY Your Own Runway Tie Dye

As soon as the first model hit the runway for London Fashion Week, retailers began scrabbling away, replicating the patterns and styles of top designers. As Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte gave a nod to the ‘90s by bringing back tie dye at New York Fashion Week, are we likely to see the same on this side of the pond?

If so, you can avoid wearing high street reproductions by tie dying your clothes yourself. And no longer do you need to stick to dying a white tee as you did when you were younger. This year’s trend sees Rodartetie dye a blanket shawl, a silk dress and a satin body suit. So this is your chance to be adventurous! Pick any white item you like – cotton, linen and silk tend to work best – and we can go from there.

You can buy fabric dye from any good haberdashery or fabric shop – and you can choose hand dye or machine dye in which you put the dye, together with your garment, in your washing machine. For tie dying purposes, you want to buy hand dye, as you’ll only be dying parts of your material or immersing it for a short amount of time in a washing up bowl or bucket.

When you’re ready to get started you want to soak your garment, as wet fabric is easier to dye. Spin out the excess water in your washing machine or squeeze out what you can by hand. You’ll then need either elastic bands or string to create your desired look.

There are a number of different designs you can create easily just by folding and tying your item in different ways. Some of the most popular ways to tie dye clothes include creating spirals, circles, stripes and knot tying:

• Spirals: Lay the fabric on a flat surface and put the handle end of a wooden spoon in a position where you’d like the centre of a spiral. Holding the fabric in place around the handle, start twisting the fabric around it. When you’ve got the material into a circular, spiral shape, tie multiple (around four) rubber bands or pieces of string over the fabric so that they crossover in the centre. Make sure the fabric retains its circular shape.
• Circles: Pick up a small area to be the centre of a circle and hold it between your fingers. With your other hand, tie string or elastic bands at one-inch intervals – go as far down as you’d like the circle to be wide. 
• Stripes: Roll the fabric up to form a loose tube shape. Tie string or elastic bands tightly at regular intervals.
• Knot tying: Hold the garment at each end and twist it tightly to create a long rope. Tie it together to form a large knot.

Wearing rubber gloves, dissolve the dye in water as instructed by the packaging – the amount you need will also vary depending on the material you’re using and the size of the garment.Some patterns such as creating spirals will ask that you completely immerse the clothing in the dye, while other styles, and those where you want different colours will need you to apply the dye from squeezy bottles directly on to the individual areas. If you’re immersing the whole garment, leave it in the dye solution for around a minute before taking it out, squeezing out some of the excess water, sealing it in a plastic bag and leaving for 24 hours. If you’re applying the dye directly to the fabric with a bottle, you can pop it straight into the sealed bag.

After the 24 hours, without untying the item, rinse it in cold water until it runs clear. Then you can untie the string or elastic bands and wash it in hot water using washing detergent.Once you’ve dried your tie dye masterpiece, it’ll be extremely wrinkled so you need to use a steam washing machine or iron to remove the creases. Now you’re good to go!

If you want to get more involved in London Fashion Week’s trends, designer Holly Fulton has teamed up with event sponsor LG and will be creating a bespoke Pinterest board showing the inspiration behind her unique fabric prints and embellishment in her latest collection. You can share your own fabric inspirations on Pinterest –enter using @LGUK and #LGLFW on Twitter for the chance to win an LG 6 Motion Direct Drive washing machine, also available to buy on LG’s website.

Photo: Style.com

Fashion Week Favourites: London

Duro Olowu returned to London this season to show his scrumptiously chic A/W collection (he's been showing in New York for the past two years). One of my most favourite designers and a very warm-hearted man to boot, through his clothes he shows us seemingly endless ways to wear texture, colour and print at its most joyful, and those ways are becoming more and more refined and sophisticated without stifling one bit of his infectious exuberance. I can only imagine how special you would feel wearing one of his garments. (When I met Duro last autumn his lovely wife was with him and looked fantastic wearing one of his exquisite jackets.)

Look beyond the no-pants, high top trainer, face-eating-muff styling by Katie Grand and you'll see some very gorgeous knits from this sister line of the knitwear house Sibling, appropriately named Sister by Sibling. (Sometimes I feel the need to explain why catwalk presentation can be odd, for the non-fashion readers. Like my Dad. "Why isn't she wearing pants? Who goes out without pants?" "No one, dad. But you notice the sweater, right? And the hat?" "No, I'm wondering why she's not wearing pants." "Never mind, Dad.") Anyway, massive scarves in a gorgeous slubby texture are appealing in a primal way - don't we all seek that kind of assured comfort in the cold? The short sleeves of the fair isle and rosette sweaters balance their chunkiness and make for a cute shape. And they may even look good with pants. 

I love the sporty look of  Clements Riberio's striped cashmere sweater with the floral mini, and the slightly punky hair that keeps it from looking too preppy. These outfits stood out from the earthier muted tones that dominated the second half of the line up. 

 

Michael van der Ham's usual choppy asymmetry was only to be found in the zig zag of the models' hairstyle this season. The patchwork mashups were (mostly) gone, with the outfits more finished and refined. And if the models look to be even more miserable than usual (actually, with the exception of one, these were the least sour looking of the bunch) it's because van der Ham's inspiration was a 'tough girl - moody and dark.' Ok. But some actually looked like they were in pain. 

Pringle of Scotland has pared down their knitwear range to focus on their signature styles, the loveliest of the bunch being the pure white gilet and skirt in an ottoman rib knit that makes you want to run your fingers over and over just as much as wear.

I always look forward to the Orla Kiely presentation in what has been her fashion week home away from home for the past several seasons, the Portico Rooms at Somerset House which she would transform into her preferred fantasyland at the time, and always on the Friday. Sometimes there would be live models (which of course I loved, they pose for you), sometimes there would be cardboard cutouts, and other times it was superimposed paper girls on the walls. I've skipped the past two seasons because fashion week takes a heck of a lot of energy, and I just haven't had it for the past year. So I was surprised to find out that Orla moved out of Somerset House and instead set up office, literally, for her fashionable, anachronistic secretaries to show off their new knit dresses, embroidered cardigans and smart handbags between typing and taking phone calls. 

Photo source

Click the image to watch the video of the girls at work (at fashion156.com):

Another reason I love the presentation format:

Sophia Webster showed her new range of shoes in pastel birdhouses in a pastel forest

Photos: Bora Aksu

I so look forward to inspecting the intricate details of Bora Aksu's clothes up close in the exhibition hall, post-show. The Turkish designer's signature approach involves techniques with the textiles to create all kinds of interesting textures, and mixing knitted elements with both delicate and rigid materials, like chiffons and lace, and hard leather. You can see some details from a past season here.

Photos: fredbutler.blogspot.co.uk

And undoubtedly the most joyful of presentations come from Fred Butler where you instantly feel validated for your enduring childhood attachment to colour and your desire to celebrate it now in a big way. Which Fred does every day. This season Fred took a more commercial approach and set up a pop-up shop (complete with Fred Butler-esque cupcakes by Pomp de Franc) to allow guests to interact with the goods.

Fred does a film each season and I use them for a little daydreamy escape whenever things are too gloomy in this world of ours:

 

Photos from Style.com unless otherwise credited

Fashion Week Favourites: New York

Red Valentino continues with their youthful silhouette that seems made with a modern day Marie Antoinette's daughter, Marie Thérèse, in mind. This time the dresses took a folksy turn, inspired by the fairytale Hansel and Gretel, presented against an illustrated backdrop of treats Will Cotton would appreciate.

In the sea of black that tends to be half of New York fashion week shows, London is always a breath of fresh air as there is no city uniform for the designers to cater to. (I'd still take any of the clothes of course. Except maybe those shiny dresses geared toward the Real Houswives set.) However, New York is still full of fresh and vibrant offerings, many of which present off the catwalk in spaces that allow for more creative and engaging context. 

The most appealing collections visually, for me, are always those that combine structure, colour, print and texture to create something that feels exciting and new. (Writing that just triggered the Love Boat theme in my brain.) 

NEW YORK

Toronto's Calla Haynes, based in Paris and showing in New York, tells us we shouldn't be afraid of colour, and that this collection is about 'being happy'. I knew I loved Calla. 

 

 J. Crew is really stepping it up, earning their place amongst the luxury at NET-A-PORTER.COM with this Marrakech-inspired, jewel-adorned collection

This exquisite McQ belted dress combines structured, chunky ribbed knit with what looks to be felted bell sleeves and skirt, possibly angora and cashmere? (Why are there no reviews published yet?) Whatever it is, the progression of the McQ line in the past two seasons has raised the stakes of sister lines, possibly even further than Prada did with Miu Miu. 

Swimwear and resortwear designer Mara Hoffman applies her signature look of vibrant prints in flowing fabrics to a range of cooler weather outfits - what a way to bring the sunshine year round!

 

Alice + Olivia's simple navy turtleneck lets this wonderfully full tropical print skirt stand out

  

Norma Kamali's iconic Sleeping Bag coat from 1974 provides the reference for this quilted 1950s style party dress and cosy patchwork coat. I love that she's made a padded dress appear light and airy. 

Anna Sui's heavily styled and layered outfits can be a lot for the eye to take in all at once; these two looks present the designer's head-to-toe texture and print approach in a more cohesive way.

Photos: Style.com

Floral Friday: The Flowers of Spring Haute Couture

Raf Simons takes Dior back to the garden for Haute Couture SS 2013

With Haute Couture, we get to see florals rise up from the 2-D of print and pattern and 'pop' as embroidered and appliquéd blossoms so delicate you need to whisper, or so lush you want to run around in them. Flowers figured heavily at Dior (my favourite collection of the 22 houses, I think, who showed) and Chanel (of course they did, you don't waste the hands of Lemarié) while they texturised a selection of looks at Giambattista Valli and Valentino. The haute couture flower is so exquisite in its craftsmanship that it transcends trend and exists as simply a thing of beauty to admire, forever. 

Giambattista Valli appliquéd swelled-bellied and cinched-waist dresses, and accessorised with bronzed bouquets

Valentino Haute Couture SS 2013

Since we're talking about the specialness of haute couture, I can't not mention Valentino without also drawing attention to the dresses detailed in piping. This kind of handwork has featured in many Valentino collections when the man himself was at the helm, and now Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli have taken the technique to extraordinary lengths. According to Tim Blanks as per the notes received at the show, the tulle cage-like cape below - over a dress of layers of organza embroidered with birds and butterflies - is scrolled with crepe piping that took 500 hours of hand-rolling to produce. And that was just one of several piped creations that took the catwalk. Blanks added that one roller apparently developed carpel-tunnel syndrome during the production of the collection. That's not suprising, but what is, is the fact that it was only one person! I'd say it was well worth it, but then it's not my gnarled hand we're talking about, is it? 

You can faintly see the embroidered birds and butterflies peaking out from the 500-hours-of-handpiping 'cage' cape

 The hand-piping in Valentino red. It's like fancy iron work but in crepe.

Chanel Haute Couture SS13

Chanel is generous with giving us glimpses into how their haute couture is made. Below we see the skilled hands at work at Lemarié, Lesage and Atelier Haute Couture Chanel as they create the collection 'Le Savoir Faire' for the spring-summer season. It's a three-minute video, but I think I could easily watch three hours of tulle ribbon being pulled through metallic threads:

Photos: Style.com

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'Shoe as Art' Series: Jan Jansen

I've begun to make my way through this mostly hidden world of shoes that defy the conventional notion of what a shoe is, and I'm taking you along with me on this new 'Shoe is Art' series. We've already seen the make-you-smile designs from Japanese shoemaker Tetsuya Uenobe - who can resist a stuffed leather bear hugging your ankle as you walk? - and we're going to look at other shoe artisans whose footwear creations are so wonderfully unorthodox that they essentially turn your foot into a walking exhibition. They range from the unique-but-not-a-massive-stretch-from-what-we're-used-to-seeing-these-days designs, to some that are just so out there they stop you in your tracks and cause your face to contort just a bit. (That happened to me today when I saw shoes made of dead animals. I guess when we wear leather we're doing the same, but this pair went well beyond the socially acceptable use of animals in footwear - would you be willing to walk on an actual hoof?) Whether you would wear these mind-bending designs or not doesn't matter; but if you're open to the concept, you can catch an intriguing statement from the designer/artist. And if you do wear them, you get to deliver that statement to the world.

Today we're looking at Dutch shoemaker and designer Jan Jansen whose work I was introduced to by Tetsuya when he mentioned Jansen as an influence on his own designs. Not suprising, considering 'the master of shoe design' is one of the most revered figures in the world of shoes, having created some of the most iconic and innovative styles to date. Jansen has been designing unconventional - though still largely wearable - shoes since the 1960s, the styles of which are still as relevant and current as ever, owing to his obliviousness to outside inflences: "Im not a trendsetter. I'm years ahead of the trendsetters." Jansen is probably the most prolific shoemaker when it comes to rethinking the design of the shoe; he is constantly developing new constructions, though he will use the the same ones for years and create variations of some. 

Jansen has received numerous awards for his work, including the Kho Liang Ie Prize (1985), the Grand Seigneur (1996), The BKVB Oeuvre Prize (2002) and the Max Heijmans Ring (2006). Many of his works are displayed in museums and galleries in Europe, and still Jansen prefers to refer to himself as a craftsmen, rather than 'artist' which has been attributed to him by peers and fans. In 2007, Christie's auctioned the collection 'Jan Jansen, In His Shoes' - everything sold and all of the estimated selling prices were realised. And significantly, many of the lots were a single shoe. 

With the exception of those gorgeous Orchid shoes above which are a current design on the market, this is a retrospective view of selected styles from the past five decades.

'Interchangeable 2', 1967. Metal frame mule with removeable patterned sock

'Stir my Blue Blood', 1991

'Serpent's Kiss', 1994,  is constructed of a python upper that looks as if it could bite, mounted on a platform and heel which Jansen has reinvented in wavy, ribbon-like stainless steel.

'

For Snoecks', 2000. Suede, goat leather, patent goat leather, vulcanised sole. 

 

Velazquez boots, 1979. These quilted satin platforms were made in collaboration with Fong-Leng to be worn with her red evening cloak, 'Velazquez'.

'Build Me Up', 1972. Extreme platform slippers!

Metallic green heels with silver piping and exaggerated back, 1996; the rattan sandal in nubuck, 1973.

One variation of Jansen's iconic sandals with rattan frame, 1975. The original prototype in ochre was copied by Prada in 2006 without credit to Jansen, right down to the colour. 

'High Tea', from Meubelcouture, meaning furniture couture. You're right, you can't wear it. It's not a shoe but a chaise longue, the structure of which Jansen based on his famous rattan frame sandal. If you tilt your head you can see that the seat features a face-to-face design in the leather. 

And another art work of Jansen's based on his shoe design is 'Cindy's Dance at Midnight', part of the permanent collection of the National Glass Museum in Leerdam, Netherlands. Using glass to translate his style from the traditional materials, the extreme yet elegant curves of this 'shoe' show off and mix the spectrum of the pinks and greens beautifully. (It reminds me of Cinderella, when the one wicked stepsister's attempted to scrunch her huge foot into the dainty glass slipper.)

 

What's better than watching and hearing the man himself? This video profile below is just wonderful, taking us into Jansen's Amsterdam shop and studio to see and hear firsthand how he approaches the process of making his shoes: "We don't have a budget for the amount of leather we can buy or what the collection may cost. We just go by what we think is nice and beautiful." This approach is extremely unusual these days, but then Jansen has remained independent, passionate as ever, and answers only to himself. And his wife Tonny who double as as his muse, style tester and colour advisor. Jansen also shows us how a hand made shoe is constructed, and watch for the table in the window of his shop which stands on women's legs outfitted in his shoes, of course. Also part of his Meublecouture collection, titled Hommage to Rubens. 

 

 
Shoe therapy: The news that we're about to enter a triple recession in the UK has just hit and it's been tough enough already, so if you're in need of a new pair of shoes, you may want to have a browse of the discounts available with netvoucher codes for shoes - you may find your that favourite online shoe shop is participating.

Photos: Christie's, Virtual Shoe Museum

How to Revitalise Your Cashmere Look

Everyone loves and covets cashmere, but we tend to think of it in terms of classic styling. While every wardrobe needs a good, basic cardigan or jumper in that softest of textiles, it doesn't have to be relegated to being just that 'old standby' piece you'd never part with but don't often wear. There are endless ways to make your old cashmere exciting again, and incorporate new cashmere into your daily seasonal outfits while keeping on trend, thus creating your own collection of special future classics.

The crew neck cashmere jumper is a luxe basic that never goes out of style, and it will always look smart worn over a crisp oxford shirt in classic white or contrasting shades for a pop of colour. Spring 2013 is all about the collar and we're going to be spoilt for choice when it comes to shirt options or embellished stand-alone collars we simply tie or snap around our necks (which means we get the cashmere right against our skin!). If your jumper isn't a shade that works today, or the shape isn't particularly flattering to your figure (we've all gone awry with the boxy styles at one time or another), update it by choosing can't-go-wrong black, navy, or baby blue, or hot pink or coral, in a fitted shape. (I have cashmere in a bright coral and baby yellow from about 10 years ago and both still look fresh, current and lovely! But a beige one feels a bit anemic for my liking these days.) For more styling ideas, Pure Collection offers some fashion forward ways to incorporate all kinds of cashmere pieces into your outfit through their Lookbook. And as for those old boxy jumpers that are so soft and cuddly yet do nothing for your shape, you can give them a new life with a little bit of DIY creativity. Ask your friends if they've got any cashmere they're not wearing, and if at least one of you is handy with a sewing machine, you can cut them all up and make new patchwork jumpers and cardies that you'll be excited to wear. Make the most of them by adding vintage decorative buttons and bits of trim to make them truly unique. (And in the end you've each got a timeless keepsake from each other!)

Luxe layering is a great way to wear your cashmere, especially in autumn in lieu of a coat or in harsh winter for extra warmth without sacrficing style, and it's another look that is always current if you wear the right pieces in the right way. You can go eclectic by mixing colours and prints, but be sure to choose carefully and include a least one solid to avoid looking like a random pile of fabric! You can't go wrong with black and shades of grey which may seem safe, but it has that reputation because it's the easiest way to look polished and pulled together. When putting together the layered look, use lighter weight layers underneath and add the heavier ones last so you appear proportioned, and if you get hot you're able to shed one or two pieces and cool down. If you're a hat person (if you're shaking your head 'no', I'll bet you just haven't given them a chance or are yet to find the right one for you), a smart fedora can take your outfit from comfy boho straight to fashionista if you've got the confidence to go for it. Take a good look in a full-length mirror, then choose your footwear. Don't immediately go for your favourite shoes or boots, but try on different styles to see what balances your outfit (something lighter may keep you from looking to wrapped up and heavy) and is appropriate for the weather and the occasion. (I'll never sacrifice comfort over style, especially if it means I'll avoid freezing or becoming crippled an hour into my day. But there are ways to do this, we do have options that aren't torturous!)

Cashmere can also be incorporated into your look as accents, such as sleeves contrasting a silk bodice, or a cashmere felted flower brooch, for example. And of course there's the perenial classic, the pashmina. There are endless clever ways to style a scarf and a simple tutorial online or from someone in the know can instantly make an old but good piece exciting and new again. There's nothing lovelier than having cashmere against your skin, and people do respond well to someone who looks cozy yet well styled, don't they? I know I do. Have fun with your cashmere!

Feeling Festive with Sweet Paul

A gloomy, windy, sort-of-rainy day like today isn't ideal for getting into the festive mood, so I went straight to Sweet Paul's winter issue which just came out, my go-to for holiday inspiration. (I like a build-up to Christmas but it's hard when you're struggling against the wind with your umbrella and trying not to get Mary Poppin'd into the North Sea.That's not very cheery. Or jolly.)

Sweet Paul's world is all about creating a warm and inspired home no matter the season, but the holidays are the one time of year that many of us will actually take the time to do that! So if you're looking to change up your traditional rituals a bit, or have a go with something you've never done before, there are lots of things to try (my favourites are below. Some of them. I love it all).

There's a fantastic interview with textile artist Richard Saja that will have you thinking about embroidery differently, and you may never look at a traditional toile de jouy the same way again. He uses needle and floss to alter existing toiles, not only adding colour and texture to the monochrome pastoral motifs, but injecting a bit of humour with the unexpected (a wolfman pushing a maiden on a swing in place of the doting young gentleman, for example). And you'll get some history behind the toile de jouy, too. Good read!

We also get to hear from the boys of Baked, the Brooklyn bakery so popular that it spawned three cookbooks and a legion of drooling fans. And there's a special bonus: the recipe for Baked Wintermint Cake, created specially for Sweet Paul readers. Who wouldn't want to make something with a name like that that looks like this:

I love this Nordic table styling which I would be tempted to keep around well past the holidays:

This issue's cupcake is a tall drink of bubbly. Copy Sweet Paul's styling for the centrepiece and surround it with others decorated with just the silver balls:

Sweet Paul's brunches look aspirational, but he makes it easy to recreate the magic in your own kitchen:

 An icy blue Christmas is a gorgeous alternative to the traditional colour scheme:

Why not citrus in winter? I'm dying to make the blood orange vinaigrette:

 

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but it's fun to think about what's next, especially when it's all about spring:

Images from Sweet Paul magazine

Antonio Marras SS13

  

Antonio Marras is usually the first show I look at from Milan Fashion Week. It's the richness of textures and the liberal use of pastels that gets me (no, I will never tire of pastels!), presented in classic, feminine cuts that Marras reinvents with each season. A few of the looks from his latest collection would be right at home at Tokyo Fashion Week. Luxe fabrics, especially irresistible when he mixes many in one garment:

and hand embroidered details:

finished with those shoes! (which I could never walk in) and those bags! (luckily I have no difficulty carrying bags).  As you can see in the video above, the show took place during a suitably sugary afternoon tea and I think I actually saw someone eat something. (I have seen the most gorgeous food go ignored at fashion events and I've so wanted to come in with a stack of Tupperware and rescue it all.  I like that Antonio Marras went with the idea anyway).

Photos:  Style.com

Fred Butler SS12: Our Summer Sun Has Arrived!

The reception was hosted by Susie Bubble, seen studying one of the textural sorbet outfits

Last autumn I saw some of Fred Butler's SS12 presentation at London Fashion Week. I had to be quick despite this being the collection I was looking most forward to, because my evening train back to Newcastle was leaving across town in just over an hour. To walk into the Portico Rooms at Somerset House,  see this thing of pure joy, and have to rush through it was just cruel. I took photos of the three outfits being modelled, after stopping to take in each one in - you can't not smile when doing this! - then ran off just as more models appeared in high-inducing oufits, but I was already late and I left with a whimper (and I mean literally, people looked at me). So I tried to take a shortcut to Kings Cross which wound up being a longer way, and missed my train by 20 seconds. Swearing and some self-flagellation followed. When I returned home I was so excited about the photos and posted a teaser for the presentation, then my hard drive crashed a few days later, obviously a punishment for not getting onto the main post sooner. After five days in the IT hospital and being told to write a eulogy for my laptop, our local guy saved it and the hard drive was recovered, but there was no guarantee that everything would be there. This drawn-out tale leads me to today, when I finally, and purely by chance, found my lost Fred Butler and Craig Lawrence photos which I thought were gone forever, my record of the best of what I saw for spring at  LFW.

And technically it's still summer, eh? Not that it matters, Fred's clothes and accessories aren't bound by seasonal restraints; colour is celebrated simply because it's a new day and one must get dressed in something, so why not make it happy? Her palette takes shape though unusual forms that must be the result of manipulation, playing around with soft textiles and rigid materials like perspex, and whatever she can sculpt to create things that are joyful, sunny, and different, but not simply for the sake of it. Her style is tightly honed and elegant in its own way. I took a pass on the last LFW as it wasn't a good time to be away from my family, and when I saw what I missed, a salon showing of her AW12 collection, it just stung. If you love pastel harmonies, you will melt like blue bubblegum ice cream on a summer day (that is, unless you're in England!!)

This is the video for Fred Butler SS12 followed by the photos, and it's well worth clearing an hour to watch her videos on Vimeo, they are one of my few go-tos for daydreaming and you can see why:

 

 

Fred has a knack for making things that leave you desperate to run your fingers over them. But I didn't touch the model's feet or forearms.

She must not have seen what she was wearing, otherwise she'd be smiling.

 

Photos © The Swelle Life

Missoni's First Interior-designed Residence Unveiled

Missonihome have already brought their vividly textured lifestyle concept to the world through their branded hotels in Edinburgh - I haven't stayed but I've eaten at their restaurant Cucina and it was fantastic, from the food to the pattered plates and walls - and in Kuwait. And now in partnership with Century Properties, the fashion house unveils the interior design of its first residential building, the 52-storey, tropical rainforest-infused design condo, Acqua Livingstone, in the Philippine capital of Manila.

Acqua Livingstone will have 645 units ranging from 27sqm to 140sqm, with one to three bedrooms. A private collection of special units called Acqua Privé will also be available to purchase.

Showcasing the regenerating Pasig River into its waterfront design, the residence features a central amenity area called The Pebble, a four-storey sports and leisure complex with three waterfalls. At the Pebble’s ground floor is the RiverWalk Promenade that features a stretch of restaurants, bars and cafes. Next to it is the Boardwalk, where an exclusive water shuttle will take residents to and from the Makati riverside. 

Not for fans of beige.

The Canopy at Acqua Livingstone. The lower level will house functions rooms, business center, an indoor and outdoor gym, Jacuzzi, a library and spa. The upper level is a social space dedicated to interaction and entertainment with an amphitheatre, lounge, DJ booth and dance floor, pool with swim-up bar (see below), and barbecue facilities. Tying these two levels together is a fanciful organic wire-mesh tree that winds its way up and connects to the mezzanine floor, where residents can enjoy surrounding views or a meal in the open-air dining area.

 

Playing with perspective in the lobby of the residence

 Look at that. It's like the Garden of Eden with a swim-up bar.

Images courtesy MISSONIHOME and Century Properties

exhibition: when racing and fashion collide

In terms of fashion, the races tend to conjure images of large hats competing for attention, silk tea dresses, and for some, a pivotal scene from Pretty Woman. But a group of fashion students from the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design saw beyond this, and, inspired by a day at the races, have created garments for a one-off exhibition in East London titled 'A Day at the Races'. 

The Annexe, part of the renowned Brick Lane Gallery, will host the unique designs from the 13 – 18 June 2012, offering the public the opportunity to see the students’ modern and vibrant take on attire for a day at the races, at this six-day, free-to-view exhibition. Featuring twenty-three designs created by fashion design students specialising in womenswear, the exhibition showcases a range of handmade garments from a futuristic take on a top hat and tails, to traditional tweed, couture dresses, hand-stitched quilting and turf-inspired shoes.

The students on the course - alumni include Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane and Hussein Chalayan - were answering a cut-and-make brief set by Racing for Change, an initiative set up to broaden the appeal of horseracing.

Willie Walters, Course Director of BA (Hons) Fashion at Central Saint Martins describes how the project's designs were developed: “Starting with an exhilarating outing to Newbury Racecourse, students began working on themes which they drew from their experience of the day. They researched equestrian dress, attended a lecture from fashion historian Marie McLoughlin on the development of the riding habit and finally made their decisions on their own particular avenue of research to follow in order to create their fashion silhouette. The results can now be seen at this exhibition.”

I unfortunately am not able to attend, but I do have a few favourites from the exhibition lookbook. Here's a preview, along with the designer's story behind the outfit:

RICHARD MALONE. This design was inspired by Richard’s trip to Newbury Racecourse, when he observed some children who were also at the raceday. They were fully immersed in the day’s activities, and were observed spinning in every direction as they tried to take in all of the excitement. The dress is made of hand-painted panels, each of which represents a scene from the races through a child’s perspective. It has been carefully tailored to flare during movement, based on the children’s original spinning movement.

DAISY COLLINGRIDGE. The inspiration for this garment came from photographs taken at some local riding stables, when Daisy got an insight into the lives of horses and how they are looked after. The horses were all absent from their stables, but their blankets and other gear remained. The quilted numnahs, which sit beneath the saddle, is where the inspiration for this dress has come from; incorporating horse images within a hand-quilted design.

NICOLE WALUGEMBE NABISERE. A trip back to Uganda Kampala reminded Nicole of her home life, which she then compared to the classism of 18th century Britain. This resulting traditional court coat turns into a shower proof jacket – protection against Britain’s rainy weather – and also incorporated Ugandan fabrics to represent the tribes from her home country. The trousers are shaped on the jockey’s breeches.

Photos: Wiglius de Bie

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

Swelle on Houzz.com: Pastel Mid-century Modern

You may have noticed the widget in the first sidebar that always shows some neat furniture or decor items. It links to my Swelle Ideabooks on Houzz.com, an incredibly inspiring site for endless daydreaming about spaces and the things that make you want to live in them. If you don't already know it, you must visit. You will return, I promise you. 

Since being asked to contribute, I've created five Ideabooks featuring 20 products  each that fall within a theme I've chosen for that month, with my thoughts on how it might work in a space (and I love it!). My fifth collection is Pastel Mid-century Modern, my tied-for-all-time-favourite architectural and interior style. (I think you  know what the other one is, and there are four idea books for that.) The George Nelson sofa is shown in black but colour options are available in your mix of candy and pastel colours which would look like a paint-by-numbers set of paints. Imagine the combinations! 

Each product links to the website where I found it so you can get full details and order. I admit it can be torturous! But it's too dreamy not to indulge.

Saving the 'Gone With the Wind' Dresses

You would think the costumes from one of Old Hollywood's most iconic films would be preserved with the kind of care afforded to newborns. Yet the velvety brocade and feather embellished garments from the epic Gone With the Wind were not treated as precious, they were tortured! Well, not intentionally so, but some do look a bit nasty now as a result. Compare the Technicolor emerald green and brilliant gold of Scarlett O'Hara's curtain dress as seen above on the set to the faded mess it is today:

Ack! Was it pulled from a swamp? How did it and other important pieces from film history wind up like this? It's a combination of factors. The dresses endured decades of traveling on display and had been on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. They were dry-cleaned multiple times, sprayed with disinfectant - likely Sudol, similar to Lysol (that can't be good) which could have affected the rate and nature of the fading (no kidding) - and displayed in department stores. However, streaks of 'brown mustard' discolouration remain an unsightly, dijon-esque mystery.

Some pieces, such as the burgundy ball gown, have retained the depth of their colour, but Scarlett's veil is unfortunately a lost cause. Brittle, creased and too fragile to be handled, it has booked a one-way plane ticket to Miami and is learning to lawn bowl.

Associated Press was invited to observe the restoration process undertaken by the Harry Ransom Centre at the University of Texas and gave us these photos of the costumes in their current state. It will cost $30,000 to restore five dresses which, according to the Yahoo article, are from the collection of David O. Selznick which was acquired in the 80s. The producer of Gone with the Wind died in 1965, so I'm guessing his family took possession of the collection. All of this is about getting the pieces in good shape for a 2014 exhibit to mark the film's 75th anniversary.

So how does one approach repair on garments that just can't take any more? The Ransom Center has enlisted the help of the University of Texas' textiles and apparel technology lab to analyze the fibers in the faded areas. New technology will allow the fibers to be examined without being destroyed.

Cara Vernell, an independent art conservator who specializes in Hollywood film costumes and is doing the restoration work explains, "We do not add color back. That would be me, this lone individual in the 21st century, deciding what that was going to look like 75 years ago. It's unethical. You just don't do that. We honor the history and we honor the piece."

I get it.

Photos from AP

Versailles Series: Marie Antoinette's Petite Chambre

I've been dying to get back to my tour of Versailles! We're back on track now with Marie Antoinette's bedroom. I know what you're thinking, "This can't be it." Well, this was just one, her bedroom in the Petite Trianon, her private chateau (which really was private - husband Louis had to ask permission to enter, not that he really cared to).

It's very modest in contrast to its salons, though surely better than anything we have, but still very small (which is why the angles in the photos are short):

Either she was incredibly petite or she liked to sleep in the fetal position. I don't think she had a choice here!

The reflection in the mirror looks odd due to my crude eradicating of the tourists (yes, I know I am one, too, we're all guilty of ruining each other's photos) 

Marie Antoinette's other 'throne'

Now I found this a bit odd. As you stand in the doorway to her bedroom you will find a tiny salon to the left. I guess this was her ensuite sitting room and there's nothing strange about that, but it just felt so awkward, kind of shoehorned into the space. Though still lovely and not lacking in the handcrafted detail of the grand salons, done in white with gorgeous silvery blue tapestry accented with lots of gilt, of course.

That second mirror on the outside wall seems strangely placed?

 
    

Lots more to come next week (and the next week, and the next week...)!

Photos © The Swelle Life

Caaaashmere!

Cashmere is one of those few universally adored things,  who wouldn't want to feel incredible softness against their skin? There's a reason premium toilet paper boasts of its likeness to it! (It's still not quite the same, though I appreciate the effort.)

So where do we get the fibres that make the coveted cashmere knitwear we all lust after so luxurious? The cashmere goat, and the whitest and therefore finest is said to come from Mongolia who produce the second largest quanties behind China. If I had access to a baby cashmere goat I'd be rubbing my face in it, too. It doesn't get softer than the little ones.

The double fleece hair, consisting of of a fine, soft undercoat mingled with a straighter and much coarser outer coating, is naturally shed during the spring moulting season and collected for the textile industry (the goats don't even know what they're missing!). It then goes through a mechanical process called de-hairing that separates the coarse hairs from the fine hair, preparing it be dyed and converted into yarn, fabrics and garments.

I used to make felts and have used cashmere fibres which I blended with fine merino. This produced the most gorgeously soft felts, and whenever I worked with the cashmere I had to snap myself out my ritual of rubbing the wispy fibres through my fingers. And I admit to sitting with the 'top' - that's when fibres that have been carded and combed for feltmaking - in my hands as if I'm holding a little bunny. That is some magical hair.

Versailles Series: Marie Antoinette's Chateau, the Petit Trianon Pt. 1

Originally built by Louis XV between 1762-1768 for his long-term mistress, Madame de Pompadour (who did not wear a pompadour), the Petit Trianon was eventually given to Marie Antoinette by Louis XVI when he became the King of France (and let's not forget Navarre) in 1774. Unlike the elder mistress of his grandfather who died four years before its completion, Queen Marie actually did live in it.

At 19, she'd already been married for five years after being shipped off from Austria by her mother to marry the future king of France and didn't care much for her royal duties.  She spent much of her time in the (relatively) little chateau and its gardens with her few friends, and later with her children.

It is said that even King Louis wasn't allowed to enter his wife's domain without her permission (impressive) and that he really didn't mind. (You can take that both literally and figuratively - he was more into his hobbies than his wife and they didn't consummate their marriage until 1777, according to a letter Marie Antoinette wrote to her mother. However, considering they were 15 and 14 years old when they married it makes the whole thing far less gross. )

And our tour continues! (The really cool rooms start with the next post.) As you walk into the grounds of the Petit Trianon you see...

 
 

 

     

  

 

Have you seen that Seinfeld episode where George's dad puts a pool table in a tiny room and every time someone goes to shoot they slam their cue into the wall, themselves or someone else? This room reminds me of that.

 
 

 

  

 

 

 

 
  

Everything must be gold!

 

 

 
   
 
 

 
 

 

Lots more to follow and it gets better. This tour is a slow burner!

Photos © The Swelle Life

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

Interiors & Exteriors: Saltburn-by-the-Sea

  

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 
   

Photos by Denise Grayson

Lu Flux's Personal Toile de Jouy

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

I'll just relay what Lu told me:

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

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

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

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

Intergalactic Transport Blackmarket: For Quilts, of Course!

 

 

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

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

Pillar in the Carina Nebula

 

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

'How Much Silk Does a Silkworm Silk?'

In the spirit of showing the processes behind the final creation - that's not a non-sequitur but rather a reference to a theme that runs through this blog - here's a video presented by Summer Rayne Oakes in which the model, author, and promoter of sustainibility in beauty and fashion takes us through the story of how silk is made by and procured from the silk worm. It's a lighthearted illustration of a process that's quite astounding if not a bit nasty, if you care about these little silk-spinning caterpillars. But there is a kinder way! The downside is, the silk isn't as good.

Viktor & Rolf are a Couple of Giant Tulles

Wow. A Viktor & Rolf show is always a guaranteed spectacle but I actually laughed out loud at this one! I'd like to say it was because their unbridled playful experiment with tulle made me happy, but I'm not quite sure I can convince myself it's a matter of laughing with them. Or maybe I am? It's okay to feel confused when presented with clothes that are the tulle equivalent of Edward Scissorhands' handiwork on the neighbourhood shrubs.

I have to say though that I'm finding myself quite fascinated with the cross-section of those precision cut-outs in the skirts. How many layers must there be? The compulsion to touch it is almost unbearable. (And I kind of want to eat it, too. Is that weird? If you have to ask, yes. Yes it is.)

However, not all was taken from a ballerina's acid trip. There were some very beautiful and wearable looks among the curiosities:

 

Photos: WWD