Sat 21st Aug: Fuck Off, I Love You by Dan Wilton & Huse Monfaradi

Dan Wilton invited me to his studio to stand and swear at him for a portrait. Its not particularly in my nature to shout out expletives, and I really don't enjoy having my picture taken ..........which is probably the exact combination of reasons he asked me!
The result is an exhibition of 54 portraits of friends looking comically caught-out, captured mid curse. The show in collaboration with director Huse Monfaradi was a joint project to challenge convention of obliterating imperfection in post production of portraiture and instead emphasise a genuine spontaneous split second. Aside from their earnest objectives, I can hazard a guess that it was also marginally a good excuse to snap and exhibit all their mates looking .....................



............................... far from how they would if they had gone to the portrait parlour in their local Debhenhams! (Top: James Copeman, Bottom: Nina Ribena)

So, Ive fired back some questions at Dan in the theme of the show, breaking down each word of the title Fuck Off, I Love You:


Q) FUCK - This word makes me think of the opening scene from Four Weddings and a Funeral when everything goes wrong..............whats the worst thing that's happened to you that's made you swear like Hugh Grant?


A) Wow, rowdy start. What's the worst thing that's happened to me that's made me scream Fuck in a posh floppy haired accent? Well at Glastonbury I was play fighting with my girlfriend Nina, she got a bit over excited and lost in the moment and windmilled me in the man region with a bottle of gin. Fuck. Ouch


Q) OFF - This word makes me think of off food. Whats the rankest thing you've ever had to eat.......... why did you eat it?


A) Ummmm, I got conned into eating deep fried buffalo testicles by some cowboys when I was in Wisconsin. I think they told me they were mountain oysters or something. But I wouldn't say they were rank. In fact they were really nice. I ordered seconds


Q) I - That's you ........... whats the latest self portrait you've done ......... how was it set up / what were you up to?


A) I took a portrait of me & Huse last week for a promo piece on the exhibition in Le Cool. We were in central London for a meeting and I had to send the pic over so we balanced my phone on some stairs and we stood next to an old gold Honda car. I was petrified the wind was gonna blow my phone off the stairs. You can see the pure terror in my eyes, sort of


Q) LOVE - Whats the last thing you fell in love with............ piece of art, song, camera.......could be anything or something you want to recommend?!


A) Last thing I fell in love with is my cat Ron. He rules. I totally recommend him



Q) YOU - This word makes me think of the 80's kids TV show "Why Don't You (Just Switch Off Your Television Set And Go Out And Do Something Less Boring Instead?") - whats the weirdest/funniest game you played when you were a kid in the school holidays........what did you get up to with mates?

A) Wow, my memory's awful. I was probably watching Thundercats. Cheetarah woah...

The show is still on until the 26th, so go have a gander at all out vulnerable silly faces:
Fuck Off, I Love You
Exhibition 20th - 26th August
Londonewcastle Project Space, 28 Redchurch St, E2 7DP

Here is a moment Dan caught from the private view on Thurs eve:

Sat 21st Aug: Get My Look - shot by Dan Wilton

Here are some professional shots of my silver look (as seen in previous Hannah Marshall post). Dan Wilton snapped my wardrobe for the latest Super Super Magazine which includes a lovely introduction on the contributors page - thanks Dominik!
Im wearing silver pieces from my A/W09 Heliocentric Electric collection and a Rainbow Brite costume by Chloe Bell with shoe covers I made many, many moons ago for my Buffalos!


Photography: Dan Wilton
Makeup: Megumi Matsuno
Hair Stylist: Yoshitaka Miyazaki

Thurs 19th Aug: Hannah Marshall HQ

The ying to my yang is fellow Essex girl Hannah Marshall who is famed for wearing all black to set off her jet black razor sharp raven locks. When Im wearing white with my blonde hair worn down its a good gag! Now Hannah has moved round the corner there will be more chancees to cross paths for a photo opportunity (see one from last LFW). Last weekend I popped in to say hello and have a catch up on her latest news. She was finishing off a custom made dress for her muse Erin Connor to be worn in an upcoming cover shot - hence the model's measurements pinned up on the wall. As the new season is upon us, I couldn't photograph any garments under construction but here are the record covers she has as inspiration. Her reference books sit on the window sill with her logo embosser used ingeniously as the book end. The wall of S/S mood images and swatches looked tantalising so I'm waiting with bated breath to see her show in September...............and fingers crossed I'll be able to bring you some insider news on that at the time.............until then keep your eyes peeled for a select few pop princesses appearing in her sexalicious architectural suits and dresses............

Check out Hannah's recent press in Red here

Thurs 19th Aug: Jim Stoten's going to be in Stockholm

Im always checking in with friends to see what they up to and on hearing that Jim Stoten has signed to Big Active I dropped him a line.......... and here is the answer.........

"What's happening Fred Butler?

I'll TELL you what's happening!

Me and Tom are headlining at Heavy Pencil in Stockholm!"

So here is the flyer for those of you in Stockholm on Saturday, pencil it in your diary! Here is also a recent illustration, how his desk is looking today and a photo of the man himself from the last Heavy Pencil gig, where he literally wore a pencil!

Tues Aug 17th: Pantone Stationary at 1973

Thanks to Holly at 1973 I have a selection of their new Pantone range......delivered in a package with a GIANT postage stamp! Photography can never capture true neon colours so I'm afraid you'll have to use your imagination slightly as the hues are not close to the originals in this snap. Basically, some of these greeting cards are NEON!!!! I also got some wrapping paper too so look out if you are expecting a present from me..................
The range of 24 colours also includes notebooks, postcards and swing tags. If you head over to their shop to have a look also check out the screen prints whilst you're at it (Ive just dragged off an image of my fave as reference)!!

Mon 16th Aug: Fashion Social - Can you guess who it is yet?

Once in a blue moon, the fashion designers of London Town peel themselves away from the pattern-cutting table and take a glimpse of the outside world by congregating for an event known as "Fashion Social". Like bunnies caught in headlights, fashion peeps take on the challenge of testing thier social skills by mingling and trade the daily diet of coca cola and cigarettes for a day of ........well er,.......champagne and cigarettes.......and an exceptional slice of Shoreditch House pizza. It is a chance for the cliques to crossover and barriers drop, so that the community can leave the isolation of thier studios and finally meet each other outside of the usual fashion week party circus. One of the stipulations of such a rare occasion is that no press is present to guarantee a relaxed unconfrontational environment. Abiding to the rules I didn't get snap happy but took just a little slice of sartorial sections in a secret squirrel hidden camera type style. So here we have details of the designers garms.........unfortunately I missed getting Mandi Lennard's Nike logo manicure and Bape green plastic gorilla ring AND Judy Blame's yellow Dr. Marten's lace and button broach pinned onto his mustard check suit......... next time!

(1-2: Holly Fulton, 3-4: Louise Gray, 5: NOKI, 6: Myles Johnson, 7: Tom Ryling)

Mon 16th Aug: Wood London

Thanks to Supermarket Sarah for the live image contribution from Goodwood yesterday...........just after uploading the post, I headed out and happened to see Bethan Wood who is the current guest curator on Sarah's wall........ here she is with NOKI striking what appears to be a classic catalogue pose by pointing into the middle distance...........infact she was indicating that my bus was about to leave .......... so I'm glad I managed to get this shot just in the nick of time!

Check out the Wood Wall for lots of Behtan's beautiful silk prints and tonnes of her own vintage pieces she's prepared to part with and put on sale .........

Sun 15th August: Vintage at Goodwood - Supermarket Sarah

Vintage at Goodwood festival via. Supermarket Sarah ............ with visitors Susie Bubble and Style Salvage Steve

Sunday 15th August: Lazy Oaf HQ - Report by Emily Beard

If you've ever visited the Lazy Oaf shop at Carnaby Street, you're equally as likely to have overheard someone trying to (unsuccessfully) buy part of the decor. So what would the studio of the master team behind Lazy Oaf actually look like..?
I was lucky enough to find out.

New residents to the neighborhood (Lazy Oaf moved in a just over year ago) the spacious studio houses just as much business as creativity. Upon entering the studio there is a self titled 'shelf of dreams' which has everything from books of inspirational material to loafers studded with googley eyes and plush teeth. The Lazy Oaf personality is undeniably everywhere you look: a giant perspex 'Lazy Oaf' sign hanging next to a plush wolf head, rainbow computer keyboards, mimi clown pom pom hats, not to mention a Fred Butler paper bird chilling on a rainbow!
My personal favourite section was a toss up between the array of skulls with crystallised eyes and sofa straining with lazy oaf cushions.

The lovely team at Lazy Oaf were nice enough to gift the above rucksack, which is what Fred would probably look like in bag form. Naturally Fred popped it on as soon as she got her mitts on it!

Lazy Oaf recently hosted an 'Let's face it' event at the Tate, which invited illustrators- both aspiring and established- to get creative and draw self portraits. The event was a roaring success, and you can see the results and pictures here .
To go through the keyhole and see the house of Lazy Oaf director Gemma Shiel, click here.

Let's Face It at Tate Modern from Lazy Oaf on Vimeo.