Sat 24th April: Peter Jensen Sample Sale

One of the advantages about being back in Dalston is being on everyone else's doorstep........so I was able to nip round the bend (of Shacklewell Lane) and drop in on Peter Jensen's to say hello at the opening of his sample sale last evening.  Its carrying on for the whole weekend so get a wiggle on and hop down there to bag your own bunny print resort collection bargains or magnificent silk print summer dresses..........my favourite design being ants carrying sewing equipment and leaves on their backs across the garment........you can even pick up your very own vegetation as Peter has potted up some spider plants specially for the sale!?!?  Classic Jensen!

(This skirt doesn't represent what is on sale at all, I just unearthed it and really loved the vintage print!  If you dig deep you can also find Bernstock & Spiers hats for £5!)

Friday 23rd April: Into Africa at The Darkroom cont...

It was the launch of "Into Africa" at The Darkroom last evening after the Cube press day across the road on Lambs Conduit Street.  Here are some of the special pieces designed for their S/S range........David David's screenprints,  Florian beaded jewellery, my designs with Brie Harrison's print, Noel Stewart hats and The Darkroom's own line of interior decorations........all one-offs and all available now....

Fri 23rd April: Russellgg'n'Cress

(Its rare that I divert from my USP of original imagery, but I just had to post this today if it makes anyone else laugh as much as it did me!)

Thurs 22nd April: R.I.P Malcolm McLaren

Can't believe Malcolm Mclaren departed at only 64.  

............. so live every day as if it was your last and watch this today if you do anything.

(Thanks to Alex Cunningham for the pics from the start of the parade at Portland Street earlier today)

Thurs 22nd April: Into Africa at The Darkroom

The Darkroom boutique are celebrating the leap into the new Summer season with a special edition exhibition "Into Africa".  They have invited a selection of designers to take traditional African arts and textiles as a starting point to produce a mini range exclusively for the event.  The participants are as follows:  Corrie Williamson, David David, Despina Curtis, Florian, H by Harris, Lizzie Finn, Michelle Lowe-Holder and Noel Stewart...............and myself with print designer Brie Harrison.  

For this project I asked Brie to collaborate as I thought it would be fun for us to invent our own vision of a contemporary African print. Brie created a gorgeous graphic silk habitai with which I have made a showpiece from my Spring/Summer collection  "Hibiscus Ridiculous" and additional limited edition brooches and necklaces. I chose to reproduce this design as it is both an accessory and a unique object that could integrate into interior design which fits perfectly to The Darkroom's product range. Its interactive tactile nature is like a game as it turns infinitely in your hands and can be worn either on the head, neck or shoulder.  Here are the pieces at my studio when I finished making them yesterday...........before pedalling like a mad man on my mountain bike to deliver them...........megalomaniac, doing everything myself..........CURRENTLY RECRUITING INTERNS>>>>>>>>>>>

Head down to Lamb's Conduit Street today to check out not only The Darkroom but also Cube PR press day where Supermarket Sarah has transformed the shop front for the occasion..............that girl gets around!  (No offence Sarah  ;  P  )

See the design in motion when I illustrated the original to Diane Pernet at LFW:

Weds 21st April: Birthday Wishes from ROWDY SUPERST*R

In amongst my own razamatazz rik rak, dice and caterpillar necklace is nestling a new plastic fantastic necklace from ROWDY.  Possibly the last present in............but there was a post-it note  saying "Numero Uno"..........so there's still hoping.........

Weds 21st April: You do the mash, you do the SuperMash

"Clash Mash" is the name of Sarah's third and final Supermarket Sarah Wonderwall installed at Selfridge's Wonder Room.  The poor girl can now return to normal sleeping pattterns...........after the de-install next week that is!  I can't quite see exactly what is going on in this new theme from the phone pic that she sent me yesterday after completion but I think that might be some Wood London hanging in the centre.  YUM!  My bow stars are still up with the addition of the silver hat from my "Heliocentric Electric" collection and 2 Caterpillar necklaces from my "Dahlia Fantasia" Collection..............all hand made and never to be reproduced so its an investment!  

Its the last week for Sarah and also my windows at Selfridges so have a look if you are passing......

Check out more at the Selfridges blog......

(Top image of my hat and breast plate ontop of a Gemma Slack dress styled by Masha Mombelli)

Tue 20th April: The Gentlewoman: Penny Martin

Reading Penny Martin's editor's letter in the first issue of "The Gentle Woman" I can almost hear her voice reeling off the words as its written in replica of her patter.  I can also hear the tapping of her laptop keys through memory of listening to her live interviews previously broadcast on SHOWstudio.  So it was a pleasure to be able to tune in to her latest offering in person, at her inaugural lecture at LCF where she is Professor of Fashion Imagery.  

The  opening topic of "Off The Page - Fashion Imagery's New Futures" was a breakdown of a recent media stunt at a Milan Fashion Week show.  One of the major players positioned celebrity bloggers pride of place front row, between the recognised royalty.  We learnt that the pretence of the stunt was merely a smokescreen for the brand to prove acknowledgment of new media but without the actual promised follow through.  As it turned out none of the pioneering peers uploaded reports until the following day.  Penny divulged the statistics of the outwaying volume of viewers to these named blogs versus unit sales of the key international Vogues.............which brought her onto the question "Print vs. Webpage".

As a blogger myself, I started to feel self conscious of persecution as part of the parasitic plague gathering prominence.  However, the audience were soon assured with credible authority that the two can co-exist.  With an associated analogy, Penny likened the partnership to the arts of Painting vs. Photography............there is no contest as both are valid and have stood the test of time together.  With equal appreciation, both editorial formats carry content in parallel proximity but will not necessarily cross paths to collision.  Periodicals will just have to switch course to become chronicles of quiet, considered and edited appraisals that will transcend day to day trivia available online.    Indepth interviews and interrogations will rival the influx of forgettable featherweight flotsam on blogs.  Not only can Penny prove this with a precise PowerPoint presentation but also with a primary resource of her own publication "The Gentlewoman".  (If you haven't yet picked up a copy, get one pronto..............if you can find one as rumour is rife that it has sold out.)

I am an obsessive magazine collector and otaku geekoid on the subject.  It is a crazed addiction I can liken to any sick irrational reliance.  I find myself anxiously darting in newsagent doorways to scan shelves to discover new issue arrivals.  I take great delight in arranging each title to my current compilation as they home into view.  So it has been disheartening of recent times that these bound resources have been out of date and unreadable by the time they have been dissected on my coffee table.  Evidently it is only a temporary glitch before publishers review and redefine the role of the hardcopy.  

I would hate to be part of the opposition and responsible for the extinction of my initial passion for print.  But now, after Penny's justification I can relax and enjoy contributing to the plethora of replenishing personal viewpoint platforms online.  Paper pages will maintain their place without sufferance.......albeit in a morphed guise..........which is no bad thing as each title will become more characteristically independent and identifiable.  For this is where The Gentlewoman is a perfect case in point............. 

(Thanks for this portrait entitled "Penny and the Duke" which is a little insight into "The Gentlewoman" that is Penny Martin.  I specifically requested a phone-pic from her for this post as a tribute to her early days revolutionising catwalk reportage at SHOWstudio.  It was their astute embrace of technology that had immediate imagery direct from the runways via mobile snapshots LONG before the rest of the industry where it is now common place.........lets not forget!) 

Mon 19th April: Birthday Wishes from Team Wolf

Yes, my birthday presents are still trickling in!  Here is a late entry courtesy of Patrick Wolf who has been away in the States working on his next album.  This is the face of "Gayonce" which he made with William, Orla and Michelle for a round in Cozette's "A Fashionalbe Pub Quiz" back in London last week.  The teams were asked to design a mask of their ultimate fashion icon - theirs being a hybrid of Gaga AND Beyonce - the ultimate American woman.  Once they completed the look with a telephone hat, Patrick realised it should be my birthday present and here is a phone pic from the pub................still got to get my mits on the real thing.  

If you fancy checking out the fashionable pub quiz, the next installment is on Monday 26th at The Marksman in Shoreditch.  "Fortnightly pub quiz that tests your knowledge of fashion, dress and design".  Check here for details.

Sunday 18th April: BOY London

Thanks to Rowdy for introducing me to the East End HQ of BOY London.  I don't know which rock Ive been trapped under but I had no idea it was there now?!  Aswell as original pieces and re-issue t-shirts the establishment has diversified to reconditioning vintage European bikes.  Another thing I had no idea about and have now learnt about stripping a bike of all gears and breaks to become a fixed wheel model which is light enough to carry into your building without risk of locking it up outside to be stolen.  A bike with no breaks?    That's the new trend apparently.  Have a look at whats whizzing past and you'll start to notice!  Yikes!  

Here is Elisha trying on a covetable coat which she had to reluctantly leave behind.  I would love to see her barking orders from the director's chair wearing a gold BOY bomber jacket!  Perfect!  So if you want to snap up a piece of BOY, a copy of Blitz (see Boy George wearing some Blame on the cover above) and a flash new bike for the Spring, spend your Sunday down at Brick Lane Market.

To see a great selection of original imagery, click here.