Friday 26th March: London Showrooms in NYC

The BFC / LDA has taken 21 of the UK's emerging fashion designers across the Atlantic to set up showrooms in NYC.  Here is our reporter Craig Lawrence who has sent back some photos from his first time in the city and preparing for the event at The Soho Grand.  Last night the whole crew descended on a Vogue dinner party with Anna Wintour and Sarah Mower.............so Im hoping we may get a 2nd batch of snaps from that!............ here he is with Hannah Marshall who's current facebook status sounds like it was a good one!

Thurs 25th March: HIllman Studio's "Lady Grey" for Italian Vogue

These 2 scans are tears of  the couture special "Lady Grey" from the new Italian Vogue with set design by Hillman Studio and shot by Tim Walker.  I am lucky enough to be sat next to the in-house prop production that goes on for such jobs............witnessing this hare head being realised from sketch to final fur and flocking perfection.  Here you can see Andy Hillman behind the scenes on location and the models Stella Tennant and Charles Guislain in the final epic images.  How incredible to be a 16yr old fashion enthusiast and find yourself cast with such consideration in a timeless and doubtless iconic narrative.  This is one of the most sublime stories I have seen come out of the Walker stable in recent times and the whole thing carries on for pages and pages.  Congratulations everyone on the team from the exquisite styling of Jacob Kjeldgaard, green fairy magical makeup by Sam Bryant and theatrical taxidermy hairpinned barnetts by Malcolm Edwards.

Thank you to Alex Cunningham for the pictures.

(This is my 1,111 th post!)

Thurs 25th March: The Knocking Shop

Think back to the excitement of Friday late night guilty pleasure ridiculous telly.............the out of control delivery of presenters interviewing technique and general raucous conduct........the erratic camera work and disorientating green screen visuals............the bands who weren't quite sure where they were or why, what they were playing or indeed who they were............

Welcome to the 2010's answer to "if Reeves & Mortimer had done Jools Holland in a TFI / The Word format", turned upside down, shot in the upstairs of a pub in Dalston..........hosted by a new improved Caroline Aherne / Daisy Donovan superstar alongside a Divine David looking "Cilla Zack" ...............get ready for "The Knocking Shop" written, directed and executed by Danny Sangra and Ollie Evans..........

Here is a trailer............Ive been lucky enough to see an interview with Thecocknbullkid which made me nearly wet myself with laughter and the gadget review of £1 shop items............

The Sound Of Knocking from the knocking shop on Vimeo.

Weds 24th March: Meet Mimpy

This is a new character from the genius hand of Jim "the illustrator" Stoten. .........currently under construction, click back for an update soon to find out where he may be going and what he might be up to..........

He is just about summing up how exceedingly excited I am about my 30th birthday party......only days away.  

Thanks to Scottee for teaching me how to upload a gif!

Weds24th March: Blood, Swear & Fears

Last week I peddled into town to visit "Fifi and Lola" at their cake stall as part of the live magazine event "Blood, Sweat & Fears".  It did exactly what it said on the tin............everything you find leafing through a magazine but jumped off the printed page and onto the floor of a converted Carnaby street shop.  Here you can see screen printing by "We Make T-Shirts" , photographer Dan Wilton sporting a Charlie Le Mindu headpiece after a photo shoot, and live visuals by Riyo Nemeth.  Not only was this week of residency and events a brilliant new interactive concept and unique idea of getting creatives all together in the same place at the same time BUT it was in aid of the charity "Art Against Knives".............so to bulk up the collection box, buy your copy of the final physical mag when its published in May.

Tues 23rd March: FREDZUUUL

Out-take from shoot by Dan Wilton on Friday......................details to follow soon.........

(hands belonging to the brilliant hair stylist Yoshitaka Miyazaki)

Tues 23rd March: Jo Apps & Nova Dando

Since I wrote about music video director Jo Apps from the Birds Eye View Festival at the beginning of this month............her latest clip has come out with the launch of New Young Pony Club's new album.  I asked Jo if she had some images of the shoot for a blog post and she had actually taken a roll of film whilst directing.  Once these were developed, I got in contact with her collaborator Nova Dando who styled the project as a one-off job with her friends to find out more...................(you can also see thier joint creative force on "U Can Dance" for Bryan Ferry)

"Lou from New Young Pony Club is my best friend and I have been making her stage clothes for years. 

I havent actually worked with the band styling them until this video and it was a great project to do as I know them all so well already. It was also one of the only videos I have done where I purely styled it as opposed to making a lot of pieces so it was great to work with choosing the right designers to represent the band. 

I have also worked with Jo Apps lots of times before being involved in the same projects and find it so easy to work with her as we know each other well. We had a fitting a couple of days before the shoot and nailed down the looks the band were to wear for the video.  Jo came to the fitting too so we could talk about the lighting etc and ensure the clothes would look perfect."

It was very exciting to see Louise Amstrup's body suit crop up in both this and a Lucinda Chambers shoot in Vogue in the same week!

(Styling credits include the following: 

TY- Spiky Top- Louise Amstrup, Bracelet worn as hair piece- Mawi

SARA- B/White All in one- Kate Underwood, Spiky Shoulder dress- Ashish, Chain Shoulder Piece- Fanny Schiovani

LOU- Black Pvc Mac- Agent Provocateur, Black Jumpsuit- McQ, Silver Collar on White Shirt- Maria Francesca Pepe

ANDY- Black Shiny Jacket- Armand Basi, Cream Suit- Topman, White shirt- Armand Basi)

Mon 22nd March: Treasure Nest

Nesting must be in the air....................

Latest press in VOLT magazine of my Hibiscus Ridiculous broach and necklace

Photo: James Brown, Fashion Editor:  Ella Dror