Monday, 28 April 2008

Sunday 27th April: Ponystep Launch

On New Years Eve Richard Mortimer closed the doors to Boombox and has since been devising his new magazine project entitled ponystep.com. Last night M.A.C hosted the launch, in line with its ongoing support of Mortimer's events and crowds that merge music, fashion and makeup. Here is Matthew who had undergone a M.A.C magic wand for the event with other friends of Gareth Pugh who started spinning the night's soundtrack.



Sunday, 27 April 2008

Sunday 27th April: 7 Deadly Sins

Vanni was delayed flying in from Milan so unfortuneatly for him but fortuisully for me .......... I joined Anna for the last London performance of "7 Deadly Sins" by The Tiger Lillies. She 1st took me to see them in 2005, so I have had a few years to digest and grow to love thier witty poetic lyrics on themes of beastiality, rape, murder, terminal illness,............. all things we should not laugh at but somehow they manage to reduce you to tears of laughter and extreme cheek ache.

In this new show I was mesmerised by the eerie sounds from the doublebass player transfering his bow over to a musical saw on a few tunes. And equally captivated to watch him conjure and manipulate the atmostphere playing his Theremin. Here you can see Martyn's beautifully decorated green accordion (complete with name inlay), custom-made by Fantini of Italy.

"Cult London 3 piece The Tiger Lillies play a twisted fusion of pre-war Berlin cabaret and avant garde music hall in deranged anarchic gypsy style.. .................................The Trio are fronted by singer Martyn Jacques who trained himself as an opera singer with a castrati style voice of heartbreaking beauty"


Saturday, 26 April 2008

Saturday26th April: Quant Dissertation

Im at home and have remembered to dig out my mum's project on Mary Quant from 1967 (have wanted to blog this for some time). It includes original magazine tears, cosmetic boxes, swing tags, labels, knitting patterns,and stationary. "It is her regard for practicability which I most admire and the fact that she puts great thought into her designing. She has not only created a 'look' but a way of life as well". Now I just have to dig a bit deeper to find some pictures of my mum at the time to see what she means!............. I think white lipstick is going to crop up! (sorry these photos are back to front)




Friday, 25 April 2008

Friday 25th April: Foil Ruff

I originally ran this piece up for the final BoomBox on NYE. So it is fantastic that it has had another use and been incorporated into a couture story by Grace Cobb in the new Wonderland Magazine (model Ikeliene). I really enjoy seeing how stylists interpret my designs. I made it to be worn around the neck but now I see it fits quite well in hair............


Thursday, 24 April 2008

Thurs 24th April: Viva Soiree

Mark Daniel Bailey, Nova Dando and I hosted an evening to celebrate our window installation at Viva salon in Soho. Music was supplied by Lou Hayter and Jackson Scott (seen here) and drinks were sponsored by Kopparburg and Cube PR. I don't want to make this sound like a party page review in a cheap newspaper supplement so I will stop there. But much fun had by all so thanks for all those who attended!




Thurs 24th April: Dodecahedron Collision

This is it! The launch of my collection at Cube PR today "Dodecahedron Collision". Here you can see the look book which has been designed to fold into a fortune teller by the graphic design maestro Wren studio. The look book also has beautiful photography by Annie Collinge and styling by Alex Cunningham. The photos can also be viewed at a new menu page on fredbutlerstyle.com thanks to the webmaster extraordinare wizardry of Luke Tarpey. Big thanks to my uncle and aunt who lent me this amazing shop cabinet to display my wares. Big thanks to everyone that helped me with my collection : Holly Macdonald, Holly Ormrod, Rosie Ray, Maki Lou Lou, Jessica Dance, Thanks to Sarah Magnay for the unrivalled sewing dexterity in making up the glove - inserting different colour panels in between the fingers! Thanks to K A B I R for loaning his sewing machine in an hour of need.........Lots of thank yous to make..........



Wednesday, 23 April 2008

Tuesday 22 April: Replay

Photographer Toyin spent the day at 33 Portland Place making a film for showstudio.com to showcase the new Replay collection. She captured models amongst clouds of black baloons, set against the crumbling decadence of the incredible townhouse. Here are Mishkin at the event's celebration. Amy (a long standing accomplice of Toyin) was wearing a beautiful all-in-one knitted garment by Coperative designs and looked like a real life pierrot doll.


Monday, 21 April 2008

Sun 20th April: We are Scientists

Dr. Butler and Dr.Maki Lou Lou went on a medical field trip to "The Science of Survival" at The Science Museum.................extremely important research into how we can save the planet.............and a mild excuse for rainbow discovery on a Sunday..........




Saturday, 19 April 2008

Friday 18th April: Mishkin

A meeting with photographic partners "Mishkin" (alias Anna Leader and Amy Gwatkin) at their new studio in Dalston.


Friday 18th April: Blood on Paper

We customized a book this week for a display that will be on show during the Friday late event for the current exhibition "Blood on Paper" at the V&A. Artists have been sent a penguin book to transform, which will be placed together in a special library in the main entrance.




Friday, 18 April 2008

Thurs 17th April: Who is It?




Bjork at Hammersmith Apollo..............Highlight for me was "Who Is It?"...............and white streamers that burst from her palms during hunter ...............

Thursday, 17 April 2008

Thurs 17th April: Design Editions

My friends ADi Angela & GABi have designed a shift exclusively for Gap as part of the new design edition range. They were invited alongside a few other designers, from making the shortlist nominees in the recent CFDA awards. Finally their genius pattern cutting is getting the distrubution it deserves to spread the word of ThreeAsFOUR.


Wednesday, 16 April 2008

Tues 15th April: Gloved-Up Birthday

Laura a.k.a "Gloved Up" spent her birthday party on roller skates, dancing to the beats on wheels and inspiring a resurgence of trips to the local rink. Here are the gloves that she gave out to guests...............inverse generous gift giving............
Gloved up make gloves on comission for stylists such as Patti Wilson and Lucinda Chambers, designers such as Hetherette and Diesel and for musicians Madonna and Peaches............Anna Piaggi is a big fan too!

Tues 15th April: More Birthday Treats


Maki brought a perfectly fitting blue sparkly giftbag for my blue glitter makeup day. Contents of which, being my birthday presents .............hand crafted birds you can see here and an insanely lush concertina fold out book of artwork.

Tues 15th April: Butler-Style Boxes

Holly Ormrod joined the team in helping with all aspects of the collection. But I think that her favorite part might have been sole charge of designing and making the boxes for the pieces. As the accessories are so delicate, they need special care in transport. We solved the problem by cutting special boxes to house them. Recycling has proved not only environmentally friendly but also an unexpected graphic treat!


Monday, 14 April 2008

Sunday 13th April: Spadger Kitten

My fellow Blondie-in-crime Amy Gwatkin has undergone a beautiful new shade..................


Sunday 13th April: Plink Plonk

Grey Gardens screening hosted by Jeanette, feigning as a Beale descendent, aptly dressed in pink fur and blue head scalf. His silhouette seen here, doing a majorette dance to great applause whilst the credits scrolled.

Sunday, 13 April 2008

Saturday 12th April: Warrior Princess

My favourite stylist Susie Lloyd has requested me to make a new piece for a shoot with music artist Bishi. Based on a feeling of warrior queen/romantic pierrot - she wanted a cape with feathers. So I have breathed new life into this piece I had from another project. By making honeycomb balls and sequins out of aluminium coated fabric for some understated shimmer and femininity.


Saturday, 12 April 2008

Friday 11th April: Principal Colour

Teo finished the look book and we received the mock-up back from the printers to approve. I love the colour keys that come on the edge of the print out.............


Thursday, 10 April 2008

Thurs 10th April: I Love Pictures

Two thirds of the studio are feverishly working away on the upcoming Tim Walker exhibition at the Design Museum (9 May - 7 September). Andy Hillman is co-curating the layout with integrated installations and Teo Connor is doing the artwork and graphics for the project campaign. Here are some of Alex Cunningham's beautiful behind-the-scenes shots from an Italian Vogue shoot last May. I am having fun peering at the mock up model of the exhibition and imaging myself already there. It is going to be INCREDIBLE!



Thurs 10th April: Lucky Star

Maki Lou Lou (a regular face on my blog) has recently made minature replica dolls for Dazed's latest Madonna project. They have been turned into an animation which is showing on Dazed Digital...............check out the attention to detail of the teeny tiny costumes.............

Wednesday, 9 April 2008

Weds 9th April: Aggy on the Rocks

Bistroteque hosted a fish'n'chips dinner to celebrate former chippy Agyness Dean's Icon Issue of i-D with 6 collectable covers. The restaurant was crammed with eager takers like a rowdy school canteen. Probably due to the limitless cocktail menu that featured special sources such as "Aggy on the Rocks". This portrait was taken by her boyfriend who mixed up the roles by turning my camera back on me .............hence I have cropped myself out! But here is one of my pics of Judy Blame who made an eyepatch for her in the Tank Girl shoot similar to the hat he was sporting last night.


Tue 8th April: New i-D

The new Agyness special edition i-D is out..........including a shoot of her styled by Fran Burns as Tank Girl...........featuring accessories I was commissioned to make for the story.............here is the rocket bra that I made out of satin to mimic an old fashioned bra.......amongst the other pieces is a set of elbow pads that are from a Tank Girl outfit I made in 1995 for GCSE textiles ............this proves it is always worth keeping things..............they always come in..........even if it is 13 years later!......

Monday, 7 April 2008

Mon 7th March: Archive Photo


I have trawlled my photos from the Arnhem Biennial and cannot find a picture of Henrik Vibskov's installation............but did rediscover this inspiration snapshot (primary school classroom) ..........subconsciously I must have retained it, now I look at my collection...........

Saturday, 5 April 2008

Friday 4 th April: Will Broome

Here is the illustrator at his new installation as part of the Toilet (literally) Bienniale at Bistroteque. I love the cheeky characters that he has emblazened onto the walls with speech bubbles suggesting toilet related conversation between them.
He has previoulsy collaborated on surface designs for Marc by Marc Jacobs and is about to launch a capsule collection for TopShop. His agency represents new London based talent such as Husam El Odeh, Ben Weller, Matt Irwin, Robbie Spencer.


Friday 4 th April: Fig

I am so chuffed with this gift from Agenturv who also represent the Airbrush beauty mavericks "Uslu Airlines". Feride and Jan have devised this new nailvarnish to celebrate their 5th year of being with Collette. In addition to the Colette logo on the bottle, the hue is derived from the store's trademark blue. But better than all of this is that once the laquer has dried, it smells of the Colette house perfume! If I close my eyes I can imagine myself walking up the Rue Faubourg St Honore, where I am more accustomed to wafts of this signature scent.............I have never been transported by a nail varnish before..........I guess that is the wonder of the Uslu Airlines..............

Friday 4 th April: Press Day

I met up with Kim Howells at her last press day appointment. Scandanavian specialist agency "Agentur V" who represent Raf Simons, Bless, C.Neeon and as seen here Henrik Vibskov. This is a giant mohair jumpsuit/sleeping bag which has a label in the same pattern as the item itself! I have some picutres in my archive from the Arnhem Bienniale of his "boob" sculpture garden, so I will try and find them for a future post............


Thursday, 3 April 2008

Thurs 3rd April: Smily Faces


Dolls I found at the Sunday Market in Brighton for inspiration..............they didn't come into use this time round but i'll keep them hanging on my desk as they are such cheery souls..............

Wednesday, 2 April 2008

Weds 2 April: Hint mag

Since meeting Lee Carter last Sept during his visit to LFW, I have now become a monthly contributor to the hintmag.com blog. I have just uploaded my 2nd edition of treats from London life.................


Weds 2 April: Lush Plush Patterns


My Bluetooth is on strike so to get back to blogging until its fixed..........here is new work by printer Victoria Langdon.............which can be seen on her blog plush patterns in my fave blog addresses............