Saturday 16th August: Gold In My Hands

This is quite the best thing I have discovered in a long time so I want to share it. My friend ASi left a clip from youtube on my MySpace page and I had to investigate further..............

It is a documentary about Irene Williams who was a secretary in Miami but made all her own clothes and hats and customized her accessories to match. This outfit was made from a beach rug and you can see that she even covered shoes in the same fabric! She had over 100 hats which she started making because when she felt down it would transform her into feeling like a movie star by wearing a one. She was self taught and hastens to add that although she doesn't work from patterns, it is in the same way that Elsa Shiaperelli worked from instinct. Her sense of humour is so smart and the editing does great justice to her remarks and ideas on fashion and life. Infact my hand was over my mouth during most of the 23mins.


I have totally fallen for this character as her dressing was motivated by brightening up other people's days just like me. Her home also has a scary similarity to my own wardrobe organisation. Sadly her life ended with dementia in a nurse's home and she insisted on not being clothed at all. I hope that our similarity will not extend to this detail! But for anyone that knows me, its probably not wholey unlikely!

Saturday 16th August: Cut The Brand

The last Friday late event at the V&A was "Cut The Brand" installation by artist/fashion designer NOKI. It took place in an empty shop on exhibition road which is the official off-site venue for the Fashion Vs. Sport exhibition. You were invited to chose a T-Shirt from a rail of rainbow 2nd hand stock and turn it into yarn. After choosing an orange addidas number, I learnt how to cut it into shredds and loop them into a continuous thread. All the balls of NOKI-NHS-DNA-YARN is going to be turned into garments for his S/S garments. During the evening a mini dress was made by Dr. Hook crocheting onto a panel of a leather jacket. After being modelled by Carly it was then styled as a snood on a mannequin in the window for the next day's session.

It was a really fun evening to witness the concentration on people's faces as they got to grips with the whole process. The atmosphere was a lush relaxed vibe with JJ Hudson's dog "Bail" toddling around helping with the proceedings. I found out how he got his name .........JJ got him from a rescue home and literally bailed him out!

I have borrowed these photographs by Olivia Hemmingway from the FvsSport live blog.........

Friday 15th August: Cooperative arrive at Browns

Congratulations to new generation Knitwear label "Cooperative Designs" (Annalisa Dunn & Dorothee Hagemann ) who have just landed Browns as a London stockist. Their next show will be on 17th September, 12.00 at the Baden Powell Scout Hut, next to the NaturalHistory Museum in South Ken. They have sent me this print design for a taster of what to expect of the Spring Summer Collection. Here is a quote to explain their style and method from a recent post on vogue.com "Like to use traditional knitting techniques with modern machining and explore them in unusual and modern ways, combining and contrasting colour and scale".

Thurs 14th August: A MAN called Shannon

The new contender to step up for the MAN show is Christopher Shannon whose last luxe collection was inspired by the shell suits and Northern styled trackies he grew up with in Liverpool. His design process is concerned with turning everyday street sportswear references into unexpected beautifully finished pieces via fabric and finishing. Here is a snippet from his current inspiration wall at his studio which has kindly been sent over for my blog.

Chris has quite a bio already so take a deep breath to learn the following:

- won scholarship onto CSM MA from Louise Wilson, the 1st in 10 years
- won the Dunhill Menswear award this year
- has collaborated with Eastpak, Nike, New Balance & Levis
- teamed up with Judy Blame on a print label for 2 seasons (some for CDG)
- MA collection currently stocked at Colette
- has assisted Kim Jones, Richard James, William Baker/Stevie Stewart for Kylie,

Chris will be showing alongside James Long and Hans Madsen at MAN which is the Fashion East Show in conjunction with Topman Design to firmly assert London menswear on the map.

Weds 13th August: ""This is Krazy! But, oh! It is so Chic."

New York based Brazilian photographer Marcelo Krasilcic has started a new venture. It is a label of goods aptly named "Krazy Chic" which includes thongs, t-shirts, hats, dog outfits, baby outfits, mugs, watches and more..........
Marcelo has a hilarious cheeky/ naughty sensibility and I love the quotes that he included in the press release "“Buying Krazy Chic products changed my life. I have finally found happiness" (also see title of this post).

Instead of attaching images of the products here I have chosen some of his photographic work instead. Marcelo is known for his portrait work (Michael Stipe, Chloe Sevigny etc) and also campaigns for Nike and United Bamboo. Recently he has been developing sculptures comprised from pillows which I believe started from his own pillow collection at home. I don't think its common for photographers to go the extra mile and do their own prop styling, so this has become one of his trademarks. I remember one of the first times I witnessed him shooting was with Nicola Formechetti for Dazed in 2001 and they made little gold wings for his cats to wear in the pictures. CUTE!

Tue 12th August: Nice Surprise

Thank you Holly Macdonald who tipped me off when she discovered this fashion story on Retts Wood website. Susie Lloyd styled this beautiful Summer story and here she used one of my archive pieces - a bricolage necklace.

In addition to fashion there is an amazing portrait portfolio on Retts website featuring the recent Laura Marling picture in Vogue and my favourite of the bunch is of Graham Coxon with Julie Verhoven. There is also a portfolio of reportage and travel journals to explore..............

Tue 12th August: OOh Frankie

Andy Hillman is officially off work and on baby-sitting duty for his daughter Frankie but had to pop in today for a meeting with video director Simon Owens. We tried one of my bow ties on her which she seemed to really like..........

Monday 11th August: AOI Images 32

This year's book by The Association of Illustrators No.32 is the best of British Contemporary talent and features work by my studio mate Andy MacGregor. Here are couple of examples of his portrait work which he conjures up using "Pencils, Paper, Paint and Pixels". He sits very quietly, occasionally sharpening a pencil, sipping a constant stream of tea and by the end of a day has produced something incredible like this:






There is an exhibition to accompany the launch of the book:


30 July – 27 August 2008
London College of Communication, Elephant & Castle,
London SE1 6SB
10 – 4pm Saturdays
Closed Sundays
Admission free

Monday 11th August: Dazed Digital Relaunch today