Sat April 16th: Rhea Thierstein

The last time I featured set designer Rhea Thierstein was her cosmic colossal wasps that hung in Selfridges windows as part of the Bright Young Things scheme. Prior to this, Rhea worked on another larger than life project that was waiting in the wings of W Magazine to be published. Last year Rhea covered interior walls of Glemham Hall with giant canvases for a Tim Walker shoot featuring Andy Macgregor dressed as a musketeer. Rhea created both the costumes and backgrounds which is a cross discipline approach she applied to fantastic effect when art directing the epic "Price Tag" video for Jessie J. The treatment was inspired by old toys which might account for the teddy and doll you can see here in amongst the collected objects in her work space. Rhea has sent photos of both her studio world where the ideas are conjured up and then prep day snaps from translating those ideas into reality installing the set for "Blow Up". You can click over to W to read captions explaining each of the 18th- and 19th-century portraits of Baroness de Rothschild, Madame de Pompadour, and other nobles chosen for the story. I love the way Andy really looks like Frederick Gustavus Burnaby in this final shot:

".... everyone on the set was looking at me then back at the picture, then back at me!

Its my regency face!!!!.......he hee."



To research Rhea's portfolio including shoots for British Vogue, US Vogue, Vogue Italia and Vanity Fair see her site, agency and behind the scenes on her blog.

Friday April 15th: "Smoke & Mirrors" at SHOWstudio

The latest exhibition to open in the gallery space at SHOWstudio is entitled "Practice to Deceive: Smoke & Mirrors in Fashion, Fine Art and Film". This theme has been explored across many mediums and all individually spectacular which results in an incredible group show. I was very excited to see an original "Sound Sculpture Robe" by Francois & Bernard Baschet from the opening scene of William Klein's "Qui êtes-vous, Polly Maggoo?". William Klein's "Smoke and Veil" hangs in amongst a wall of other iconic black and white works acting as a historical context for the show. Contemporary photography is represented by Walter Hugo who has an ongoing project taking portraits of London's new generation of creatives. Ironically these shots don't immediately appear current as Walter's hazy glass plates hark back to 19th century technique using a pin hole camera he has built for the project.
In the basement of the SHOWstudio Shop on Bruton Place is Nick Knight and Ruth Hogben's film "Jo Calderone" which is projected exactly where it was first shot in house. The flickering imagery of a young man excersing and smoking to the beat of the soundtrack, is actually Lady Gaga in drag for Vogue Hommes Japan........ a smokescreen in more ways than one. Nick Knight's other classic and more colourful portrait capturing Susie Bick smoking is included which is great news for any collectors of his work. Apart from this, if I could invest in a piece I would like to pick out either the Stephen Jones "Mirrored Mask" or Henry Krokatsis Untitled assembly of mirrors for my wall!!!!

To see more about the exhibition go to the SHOWstudio Shop
To see photos from the private view go to the blog.
Watch this excellent little documentary about Walter Hugo and a clip from Polly Maggoo:

Reflecting the Bright Lights... from London Sessions Productions on Vimeo.

Friday April 15th: Havaianas Wellies at Selfridges

Finally we are the right side of Winter and flying through Spring on course for Summer. Hooray! I can't wait for festival season to begin and it suddenly came sooner than expected at Selfridges last evening. The entire floor of the Ultra Lounge was carpeted with turf and the scene was set with divided areas and map on the invitation to navigate round the plan! The mini main stage, straw bails, beer tent and bunting setting was installed by Havaianas to launch their diversification from flip flops into wellies! The colourful line is exclusively on sale at Selfridges for two weeks and we got to have first glimpse at the designs and put in an order of a complimentary pair! I decided on pink so I better start planning a pink wardrobe for Glastonbury......... perhaps I should have got purple if Prince is going to play?!

Find out more at Selfridges.

Thurs 16th April: Craig Lawrence, Holly Fulton and James Long

Here are Craig, Holly and James posing in a very serious manner for a photo at their private order evening yesterday. Craig is modelling one of Holly's jackets and James is neatly demonstrating one of her clutches. The three designers displayed their A/W 2012 collections at the Fashion East HQ in the Truman Brewery building which is normally home to both the enterprise and new venture Lulu & Co. Whilst visiting Craig, I also snapped some of Lulu Kennedy's studio decorations including a Richard Nicoll look-book, the patchwork blanket made for her by the Fashion East family from their own fabrics and artwork including William Broome and Murray Arthur.
To keep up to date with news of the impending 2nd Lulu & Co. collection check in on Lulu's blog..............
To see Craig's collection, click here
To see Holly's collection, click here
To see James collection, click here

Thurs 16th April: Super Ted

I'm currently working on a job designing a bike for someone .......... for which I have been teamed up with Super Ted who will build the dream machine. Ted has been talking me through all the intricacies and possibilities of putting together a bespoke bike. I just want one for myself now! Yesterday we went to look at lacquer colours ......... RAINBOW for me please!!! Here is Ted's workshop with all the various fixtures and fittings he has assembled in order to hand craft every component ........ including even constructing his own drill-bits from scratch for the machinery to fit exact dimensions. Watch this film to get an idea of the extent of geekiness you can get into when putting together your own frame........... I am learning alot!

Thurs 16th April: JJ in MB

I bumped into NOKI earlier in the week when he was visiting Mandi Lennard to deliver her some dresses to wear in LA for the Coachella festival. Here he is in her office Mandi's Basement with one of the special pieces ............ keep up to date with Mandi at her Colette blog.......... and her guaranteed amazing AnOther Loves............ e.g right this very moment she's uploaded from the poolside at the Mondrian!

Weds 13th April: Keeping up with Quentin Jones Cont.....

Here are a couple of frames from Quentin Jone's new animation (with my shoulder piece placed around a Chanel bag) which will launch on vogue.com next month. As a taster of what to expect Quentin has sent over a lo-fi clip which is an experiment with the dancer's face. The overall feeling is a "circus vibe" with a unique electronic circus beat soundtrack recorded by Peter Duffy (Man Like Me)............ find out more by following the fashion film director on Twitter.

Weds 13th April: Keeping up with Quentin Jones

Since interviewing Quentin Jones last year I have stayed in touch, eager to find out about each upcoming project. Just recently Quentin teamed up with Agata Belcen on an ode to Chanel's current collection commissioned by Vogue.com. The girls wanted to put motion into the clip and cast a ballerina (Emma Chadwick) in place of a model which you can see in these snaps taken on set at Spring Studios. Agata styled the Chanel with Nike, DMs and the dancer's own wrist tape + shin pads and a shoulder piece from my S/S 10 which you will see in the next post .........