Fri 18th Feb: The Rodnik Band at LFW

Yes, that's a Duchamp inspired urinal shaped sequin shift dress and a Dali-esc satin lobster evening gown. The Rodnik Band label shows its new season's line via a presentation as a pop band for its pop art attire with designer Philip Colbert at the helm. AW11 was presented in the context of a gallery space with the existing exhibition featuring as the backdrop for the Warhol-esc fashion film projected as a promo of the collection............ Im particularly keen on the red telephone mini dress with sequin dial detail....... Call Me!

(Both the Lauren Cotton vinyl "Composition" and Rory McCartney's "Psycho Boogie" canvas are in the group show "Fired Up" at Gazelli Art House)

Fri 17th Feb: Eat The Desingers - AnOther Magazine's 10th birthday celebration

To celebrate AnOther Magazine's 10th anniversary, 10 fashion designers invented their own vision of a fantasy birthday cake for the occasion. These sketches were dispatched to 10 superior bakers to interpret and deliver something out of the ordinary to a regular batch!!!! Here are just a few of the masterpieces and insight into how they were conjured up in kitchens rather than ateliers:

The lavender tasting Calvin Klein edible mobile was made by Brett Redman from Elilliots. It is an interactive floating installation of individual matchbox size suspended silver foil coated pieces perfectly reflected in the mirrored setting.

The Missoni multicolour marzipan tower cake was made by Caroline Hobkinson who layered cherry, pistacho, raspberry, strawberry, apricot, chocolate and cream to assemble the turrets. (Ive lifted a portrait of Caroline from her site because its so colourful and lush!)

Givenchy took an explicit theme with an X-Rated confectionery creation, which could only be viewed through peep holes. The twisting icing tablo was the work of Simon Smith who answered Ricardo Tisci's instructions for "Dark decadence, sensuality, something that recalls pure pleasure"

Gucci's 3 tiered birthday cake was a life-like set of luggae which sat on the shop floor of Selfridges in camouflage as if it were part of the luxury brands concession of bags. On close inspection you could see that the emblem bags were sewn up in sugar not leather! Andrew Stellitano used liquorice strips, strawberry marshmallow, caramel fringes, pink meringue and silver sugar parline topped off with a biscuit logo. Check out his site for previous Louis Vuitton tortilla chips!!!

After a preview of the cake-off in Selfridges Wonder Room, the celebrations continued downstairs to the basement converted into a Sweet Shop by the ridiculously inventive Bompass & Parr boys. The bar dispensing candy cocktails was built like a Victorian shop counter with shelves stacked with glass jars of penny sweets. Candyfloss, lollipops, chocolate cigarettes and fizzing sherbet were the canapes to accompany the alco-pops poured in novelty shots. The cherry on the top of the cake was delivered as a surprise appearance of performance artist Theo Adams exploding out of the giant white Lanvin cake to entertain the crowd buzzing on sucrose! I think Theo was a genius twist on Alber Albaz reference to 1950's musicals with glamour girls popping out of cake props! Perfect!

To see all 10 designer cakes, head over to AnOther for the full lowdown. (Thanks to Mary Thrift for taking these photos for us)

Thurs 17th Feb: Incoming from NOKI at LFW

"Let the fashion games commence ha ha x"

NOKI at Somerset House yesterday setting up for Estethica. He has filmed a little virtual tour of his space for us here. To see preview shots of his collection click over to the BFC site here.
NOKI will also be part the live presentation event at the Fashion East Menswear Installations on Weds so you can catch his garms off the static stand and in motion. ...............

Thurs 17th Feb: Piers Atkinson "Paris" A/W11 exhibition

Piers Atkinson has just unveiled a teaser trailer for his AW11 collection "Paris". In addition to the pieces on display as part of the BFC millinery showcase "Headonism" at Somerset House, Piers has put together 30 hats in an exhibition of fashion portraits in Frith Street during London Fashion Week. Here you will find Morgan White's photographs of subjects including Anne Pigalle, Dr. Noki, Lyall Hakaraia, LIZ & MC Kinky and Benjamin Esser. This set of London's fashion Royalty and emmerging contenders have been cast for this season by stylist Kim Howells to represent the world inwhich Piers has been inhabiting throughout his career in the city. From a past of previously assisting a pink haired Zandra Rhodes to the most recent relationship of PR representation from a peroxide haired Ella Dror - all these personality's have posed for the campaign.
Film director Zaiba Jabbar was on set for the shoots to capture the time spent with each sitter to make a documentary of the seminal project. Here I have pulled stills from her trailer of Twigs Paramour & Ryan Pickard, Zandra Rhodes, Judy Blame & Dave Baby, Princess Julia and Karlie Shelley . To see the entire showcase put these details in your diary!

The Gallery at Franny's Soho from 11:00 - 19:00, Fri 19th Feb - Wed 23rd Feb.

Weds 16th Feb: FRED LOVES FASHION

Fred Gallery on Vyner Street is holding a special exhibition during February to
coincide with London Fashion Week. Curator Fred Mann has asked eight designers to make an installation rather than display collections as an opportunity to show how they how they opperate in the grander scheme. The work on show includes drawings, sculpture, film, photography in addition to garments and accessories.

Contributing Designers/Artists:
A Child of the Jago
Bernstock Speirs
Boudicca
Andrea Cammarosano
Sian Hoffman
Kenny Campbell and KCTV with Nelson Santos
Factoria Rent Me
Omar Kashoura


16 – 27 February 2011
45 Vyner Street, London E2 9DQ
T +44 (0)20 8981 2987
www.fred-london.comr

(selection of work top to bottom Andrea Cammarosano, KCTV, A Child of the Jago styled by Judy Blame, Bernstock Speirs for Peter Jensen, Boudicca)

Tues 15th Feb: "No Days Off" report on the iconic London Mosaic under threat........

The maverick magician behind my graphic design Teo Connor has alerted me to the sad and scandalous pillage of the magnificent multi-colour mosaics at Tottenham Court Road underground. I absolutely love these public space site specific pieces and have previously blogged photos of the moth and more abstract patterns so akin to my own obsession for colour and form. Here, Teo talks through the developments which I have lifted from her own business blog "No Days Off" ........

"If you do one thing this week, make sure it’s going down to Tottenham Court Road station for a long, and perhaps final, look at Sir Eduardo Paolozzi’s beautiful technicolor mosaics. These stunning works of art, that depict elements from everyday city life in Paolozzi’s distinctive Pop Art style, are at risk due to the mammoth Cross Rail
revamp taking place at the station.

I know that travelling on the tube in London can be pretty horrendous and is best avoided unless you have a penchant for sticking your face in the armpits of strangers. However, what is great about Paolozzi’s mosaics is their power to cheer up even the most weary of commuters, and bring a burst of colour and personality to an otherwise bland station.

I think it would be very sad to lose such a spectacular and iconic piece of public art.

Let’s hope TFL do the right thing by preserving one of the few things that make travelling by tube half bearable, for future generations to enjoy."

Tues 15th Feb: In the edit with Elisha

Just been to visit Elisha in the edit.......... our film is nearly finished! Here is an example of one of my cards that was up on her wall from a few years ago.......... nice to know people hold onto them!

Elisha, Kim and I are going to be holding a talk / Q&A about our fashion films together at the W Project evening on March 11th. Elisha is also going to be part of the panel in this year's "Birds Eye View" Fashion Film event alongside contributors to the billing Julie Verhoeven, Ruth Hogben, Sarah Piantadosi, KT Autela and Quentin Jones. See curator Kathryn Ferguson's site for more details. That's a couple of dates for the diary if you are in London!

Tues 15th Feb: Invitations to my AW11 screening

Here is another little teaser for my new collection. Ive been scooping up the offcuts to make special invite cards to accompany the hardcopy postcard being distributed. Here is a glimpse of what they look like if you are not a recipient of one of these limited edition correspondences ............ sealed with my ASOS "HIT" pink parcel tape.

Details of my digital presentaion can be found on the LFW website here.

Mon 14th Feb: Behind the scenes of my AW11 Film.......

Some behind the scenes snaps on set of my new fashion film with Elisha Smith-Leverock which we shot on Saturday. Here is Kim Howells wearing a bit of my archive for good vibes on the day, Yin Lee's makeup kit and Helen Macintyre's pain box / suitcase!

Find out more about the film on schedule at LFW here.

Mon 14th Feb: Heart Shaped Velvet Cake at RELAY Tea Room

A new Tea Room has opened up in the burgeoning Brixton Market complex which is whipping up the best range in sweet treats. I went down yesterday for special Valentine themed tea with Yellow Rose Cream and Red Velvet Heart Shaped cakes. It was all washed down with English Breakfast Tea in cute cups and mint leaf / strawberry infused water. Janelle Monae's Archandroid album was singing out of the soundsystem........the sisters who have set up the tea room know a thing or two about music so on any given day the tunes will be a guaranteed draw. For me, it was the triple layer banana cake from the fair hands of Mrs Mcksays that first got me hooked to the baking sensation even before the cafe was set up. Now the doors are open for breakfast, lunch and tea ........ on the patchwork print bonquette under bookshelves of collected crockery and cook books.

http://relay-boutique.blogspot.com/