Monday 8th January: LABRUM AW18

"Labrum" is a Latin word for having an edge. Labrum not only has an edge, detail, innovation, craftsmanship, quality, unique style and philosophy but founder Foday Dumbuya has manifested this all from dreams into reality right in front of us. We’ve witnessed the ideas come alive and now it’s out in the world and showing at #LFWM this season with his very own ASICS Tiger exclusive sneaker. I proudly stepped out in mine to witness his “FREETOWN” collection inspired by his formative years and recent work in Sierra Leone. 

The collection has been inspired by the country's history, people and tribes via their working methods such as the fishermen seen in the narrative of the look-book photography.  Art Director Harris Elliott brought this theme into the styling of the looks with netting in the hair, basketry accessories and the mood of how the models were to carry themselves throughout the presentation.  Here you can see highlights of the live event and the collection's imagery shown as large-scale prints around the Truman Brewery venue.  Illustrated backdrops were created by Masha Karpushina who has drawn scenes depicting Sierra Leone's ecosystem of the harmonious farming lives from the mountains to the sea. 

The country of "Gold & Diamonds" has also informed the textiles in the tailoring with the geometric diamond jacquard weave.  Clean silhouettes complement these textures to be paired with the "Freetown" shirt and its signature curve detail on the lower placket.  Shaping has been considered all the way down to the feet with the exclusive customisation project on the ASICS Tiger iconic GEL-Mai, limited to only 60 pairs.  Luckily for me I have been gifted a pair and feel honoured to wear this “one to watch” for the future of wearable and idiosyncratic menswear.  Watch this space!

See archive posts here.

Monday 20th Nov: Isabel Nolan: "Another View from Nowhen"

"Another View from Nowhen" by Dublin-based artist Isabel Nolan, features two works that respond to the history of the location of the ancient Walbrook river which lies beneath the site now occupied by Bloomberg.  The inaugural exhibition in the space uses site-specific geographic and archaeological inspiration in the vibrant, hand-tufted tapestry (The Barely Perceptible Vibration of Everything) and  a large painted-steel sculpture (Blind to the Rays of the Returning Sun).  This soft 20ft tapestry is Isabel's depiction of the physical and historical layering of the location as a "narrative of cosmic proportions."  I like the sound of that!  And that's how I noticed it out of the corner of my eye when I was walking past one drizzly afternoon and the expanse of colour called out to me to stop and investigate.  The gallery lies as the entry to the London Mithraeum so if you plan to visit, you can also see the Roman Artefacts found during the excavations of the archaeological site at the Temple in the heart of the city!

Wednesday 17th May: My Paper Flower, Summer Headdress Workshop on Thursday

Paper Flower, Summer Headdress Workshop

Thursday 18th May 19:30 – 21:30 at No. 56 St James Street, Walthomstow, E177PE

Tickets  £12 from Eventbrite.

Tuesday 16th May: My Paper Flower, Summer Headdress Workshop on Thursday

Join me for a creative fun workshop in how to make a paper flower headdress perfect for Summer festivals, weddings and parties.  All levels of skill welcome with materials and equipment included in the ticket price. Refreshments will be available from the venue's menu including a special cocktail and sharing platters.

Thursday 18th May 19:30 – 21:30 at No. 56 St James Street, Walthomstow, E177PE

 Tickets  £12 from Eventbrite.

Tuesday 25th April: Record Store Day 2017

Friday 27th January: Pantone “Outside In” Air BnB House

Time to re-think AirBnB.  It's not just a gateway to experience a city from a resident's insider location but now you can book an engineered "experience".  This comes from two angles by either staying at a home that has been decked out and decorated on a theme or signing up to a specialist course.  To fully illustrate both of these new concepts, AirBnB have partnered with Pantone on a premises in Clerkenwell totally devoted to all things green inspired by their "Colour of The Year" - Greenery.  Once thru the Pantone painted door you immediately enter an indoor forest with tree-stump stepping-stones to the next room.  Here is an indoor greenhouse dinning room, dripping with foliage and potted up with vegetables and herbs for you to pick fresh for the adjacent kitchen.  This is the ultimate fantasy for anyone still pining after Andie MacDowell's dream flat of pines and perennials from "Green Card".  The flora continues down a spiral staircase to a bedroom carpeted in lawn, complete with a tepee snug cave for children.  The en-suite bathroom doesn't just have scented candles but is an immersive wet-room recreation of a rainforest soundtracked by chirping frogs.  Its normally hard enough as it is to get out of the bath, now you'll definitely wallow for way to long in this lily-pad pool but then youv'e only got to pad over the moss bath-matt to get into bed.

You can literally explore this piece of paradise in East London for yourself as the listing is now live.  If however you can't take on the entire booking, you can have a peek inside via one of the creative courses.  I went to a wall-paper screen-printing workshop as part of a programme including tea blending, terrarium building and gin botanical brewing.  It's heaven for any green-fingered and / or green-thinking creative.  I got to take away a keep-sake of my time at the "Greenery" house to add to my very own home groaning with over-growing spider-plants.  Who knew, we're all on the same page............. and Pantone reference.   

Check out the courses on Eventbrite here.