Sat 5th March: No Days Off

The genius graphic design team "No Days Off" who are responsible for the realisation of my printed matter have just re-jigged and re-launched their online portfolio. If you have a peek and poke around you can find images of their work for Pick Me Up, Pure Groove and Paloma Faith amongst exhibition identity for Tim Walker and Maison Martin Margiela or literature for Wolfgang Tillmans. The new look redesign features a blog to check in with their various visions (such as the tip off abut the Eduardo Paolozzi murals in Tottenham Court Road Tube Station). Its not all just visual either! As the designers behind many album covers, they also have music and mixes to download....... "all sorts" in their own words! Ive posted this on a weekend because I know they'll see it as they literally take No Days Off. That's why I love them!!!

www.nodaysoff.com
www.nodaysoff.com/blog

Friday 4th March: "Love From Alice"

The latest personal project from photographer Clare Shilland in the series entitled "Love From ......" has reached its second incarnation in the name of "Alice" who is a Central St. Martins student cast for her individual nuance in natural style. This muse was shot last year in Östra Lagnöis, Sweden over a series of 5 days in collaboration with Beth Fenton. The images were re-worked into an accompanying publication by graphic designer Wood McGrath all culminating in an exhibition at Saville Row's BStore boutique. The show opened as an installation in-store this week and will be run until the 30th March...........

To see more from Clare's work, check out her blog and online portfolio.
To see Alice's own "Signature Style" blog as part of the Pop empire, go to "Cool & Beauty".

Love From Alice site
B Store
24A Savile Row, London W1S 3PR

Friday 4th March: Archive Michael Pybus

Here is a project Michael collaborated on for Dazed from 2008 at The Jerwood Space - photographing his work within the context of a fashion story. Kim Howells styled the shoot and Incorporated pieces from my first collection with abstract painterly makeup by Hiromi Ueda. See the rest of the images here.

Thurs 4th Mar: Michael Pybus at Dalston Superstore

The latest artwork up on the walls of Dalston Superstore has come from the mixed-media talent Michael Pybus. Titles such as "Instant Barbecue" fit very well to the context of having an exhibition in a space shared with an eatery destination. For the majority of my readers I think that the interior of the Superstore is a well acquainted territory with no surprises in store (excuse my pun!). But I thought it would be nice to share how it looks for the rest of the world not on the doorstep of Dalston's most frequented disco spot! Its an unassuming set up that doesn't boast about its clientele of Christopher Kane, Marios Schwab, La Roux and guest dj's including Robyn and Peaches. It just happens to be beautifully set up with sun streaming through the glass roof and comfortable laid back banquette seating. The food is pretty special too! It requires a serpent skill to dislocate your jaw to get your gnashers round one of their giant burgers stacked with pickles and melting cheese. So just incase you have been under a miss-comprehension that "Dalston Superstore" was some kind of £1 shop along the E8 stretch - you can now stand corrected and see exactly whats going on! Its a gorgeous open air retreat to sit during the day and while away time day dreaming that you could actually be in Manhattan.......

Weds 2nd March: Thomas De Kluyver Makeup at LFW

CHARLIE LE MINDU



Top 2 backstage photographs c/o of Saga Sig - see more on her blog here.







Backstage & Test photos c/o Thomaas De Kluyver

To follow my previous feature on iconic moments in makeup from history to a new talent brandishing the blusher brush baton to take over as the next generation of experimental and beautiful styles in the medium. I have caught up with
Thomas De Kluyver to see what he has been working on recently whilst cementing a solid and exciting future in the industry. For London Fashion Week, Thomas headed the MAC pro teams on two shows which he has shared with us here........ two very different aesthetics requiring two distinct disparate directions for his designs..........

Charlie Le Mindu
"I wanted to make the girls look like ethereal snow queens but with a hard Rock n' Roll edge. For the skin we wanted a light but matte finish so I mixed Studio Moisture Fix with Select Cover-up concealer. Invisible powder was used to give a light powdery finish. Eyebrows were naturally groomed and Cheeks were gently sculpted with Harmony Blush. #33 false lashes were applied and select cover concealer was brushed through to give them a wispy-feathery look. Lips were lined with Auburn Lip Pencil and Black, Red and Crimson Lipmix were mixed together to create a beautiful dark matte red."


KOKON TO ZAI


Top 2 backstage photographs c/o of Saga Sig - see more on her blog here.





Backstage & Test photos c/o Thomas De Kluyver


KTZ
"For the makeup I wanted the models to be a modern take of the 90s Moschino girl. Skin was dewy, Face and Body foundation and Face and Body mixing medium were used to give it a gorgeous glow. For the graphic brows Velvetone brow pencil was used from the arch outwards to create a sharp point. A graphic square shape was painted on the eyes with Acrylic Paint in either Marine Ultra, Primary Yellow or Basic Red depending on the girls outfit. Lips were pencilled with either Cork or Subculture Lips Pencils to create a chic but natural shape."

I'll be back in touch with Thomas again next week to see what he conjures up for the Steffie Christiaens show at Paris Fashion Week................. watch this face!

Weds 2nd March: INCANDESCENT META-MORPH-INCESSANT A/W 2011

Tues 1st Mar: Magic Makeup Moments

The top image here is by Peter Philips from the current French Vogue which has triggered off memories of my favourite magic makeup moments. There are many! Here are just a few ........... 1-2 Peter Philips, 3-4 Kabuki, 5-6 Pat McGrath. This is really skimming the very surface! Id like to dig deeper into the dermis and find you work from Serge Lutens, Alex Box, Matthias Van Hoof, Feride Uslu, Andrea Helgadottir, Hiromi Ueda, Ayami Nishimura and Sam Bryant .......... bare with me on this one.........
To see a selection of fantastic patterned makeup references, head to Patternity.

Mon 28th Feb: Annie Collinge - Linda Leven

You may remember the beautiful and provocative photographs of Linda Leven that I featured on the blog from Annie's first exhibit of the work in the group show "You, Me and Everybody Else" at London's The Print Space. Annie has since returned to NYC and the home of this incredible subject who she has found such an engaging and productive partnership with. The two personalities that discovered each other by chance on the sidewalk of the city have continued to meet up for sittings and now have enough material for an entire solo show. Annie has sent me four of the most recent works added to the project which you can see on her website here. I'm looking forward to the series being converted into print and a beautiful book to record this unique and refreshing view of portraiture.

Mon 28th Feb: Elisha Smith-Leverock interview

A great little introduction to the world of Elisha Smith-Leverock who I love to collaborate with on my fashion films alongside stylist Kim Howells. If you would like to hear her talk in person, come to our film presentation and Q&A session at The W Project closing night on Mar 11th. The party will be hosted by The Sit Down Affair (Josephine Chime)for their delicious food and Caryn Franklin & Debra Bourne from All Walks Beyond The Catwalk, screen their latest film too. Its a chance to find out more about their initiative with Erin O Connor that's changing the face (and bodies!) of the fashion industry.

Its free entry but with limited seating, RSVP is essential: info@thewproject.com

Sun 27th Feb: Behind The Scenes on set of INCANDESCENT META-MORPH-INCESSANT

Crown, Shin Piece and rings you see in these posts are all by Rosy Nicholas for Fred Butler.

Sun 27th Feb: Diane Pernet Interviews Elisha Smith-Leverock and I

Our key ambassador for consistent and constant backing on our fashion film projects is Diane Pernet (alongside SHOWstudio's support) so it was great news that she could come to see our latest work! Diane and Konstantinos visited The Screening Room at Somerset House to watch our new clip and asked us to explain the concept. Here you can listen to Elisha explain the whole thing ..... who we worked with and how the idea was born..........

Diane has the exclusive premier of the finished film on her site here.