Sat 2nd June: TOMS designer shoes auction

As part of TOMS shoes pop-up shop events programme they comissioned six designers to customise a pair of their espadrilles to auction in support of Fashion Awareness Direct .  Here are the final one-off designs by Charlie Le Mindu, Joanne Stoker, Pam Hogg and myself on display alongside Felder Felder, Yang Du and Marimodo.  They are up for grabs via a secret auction in the actual store where you can fill out a ballet paper with your bid and drop it in a box to be opened a winner assigned on Thurs 28th June.  Charlie's are complete with signature hair weave, false nails and crystals whilst Pam has totally encased hers making a unique cover sewn into the seams.  

Whilst you are visiting, there are flat paper patterns and felt-tip pens to have a go at drawing your own dream design and gluing it into a 3D prototype.  Each week the wall gallery of these submissions are put thru a selection process by the TOMS team and one is transformed into a real one-off design for one lucky recipient.   Here you can see some of this week's various ideas from rainbows to a lady-bird.  If you head over to their Tumblr you can check out some of the finished pairs post production.

Find out more on the site & visit TOMS pop up store 69 Neal Street Covent Garden, WC2H 9PJ 

Fri 1st June: RCA 2012 Fashion Show: Highlights

Here are a few of my highlights from different designers: Top to bottom 

Rajinder Johal with incredible large gold sculptural accessories integrated into dresses in collaboration with  Danyi Zhu, Hannah Morgan representing millinery this year, Rachel Chan's geometric knits in mixed weight wool, Colette Vermeulen large scale frayed and fringed florals, Rachael Hall triangular pattern knits with ric-rac details and styled with bowler hats, Ichiro Suzuk menswear in 3D geometric patchwork tailoring with this incredible pixilated rainbow suit!!

Fri 1st June: RCA 2012 Fashion Show: Shubham Jain - Womenswear

Shubham Jain's collection had huge foam ropes and knots, architectural rigging structure shoulders, running paint pattern and monochromatic looks in the primary colours of the rainbow................ I certainly wouldn't mind having one of these sculptural dresses hanging in my wardrobe........ or on my wall ......... lush!

Fri 1st June: RCA 2012 Fashion Show: Peiran Gong - Womenswear

Peiran Gong shone out for me with her Trompe-l'œil moulded pieces that looked like ties on shirts with subtle colouring from pastel brush stokes indicating shadows.  Ive never seen anything like it before - truly refreshing, fun and chic.  The colour theme extended down to the soles of the high heels with an effect that the girls had walked thru a die-bath on their way out onto the catwalk so that the fabric had just picked up pigment on the very bottom.   This collection had a big <3 scribbled next to it in my notes, and looking around at the nods from the rest of the press in the audience, I think Pieran is a name of note from RCA 2012.

Thursday May 31st: RCA 2012 Fashion Show - Peter Bailey, Menswear

I visited the Royal College of Art today for their final fashion show and was treated to an hour of beautifully conceived and executed collections - very exciting.  Each designer had put all their heart and soul into their major project to prove their worth to the world and find a pocket in the fashion industry.  Menswear was particularly strong and a great indication of talent bubbling under the surface to secure a fantastic future for the new London Collections opening for the first time next month.  Here is my absolute favourite - for obvious reasons............ bright, bold, eye-popping and confident colour............ optical and graphic patterns............. glitter metallic contour applique and panels.............. and a RAINBOW sleeve jacket.  HELLO Peter Bailey!   

Tues 29th May: Margot Bowman's BT Artbox "MBK6"

To continue my coverage of the BT Artbox  project here are Margot Bowman 's instagram shots from the process of her "MBK6" model.  Margot's theme was to celebrate the bygone era of when we used to converse face-to-face and meet in person to communicate ............. when time literally stood still .......... and if you wanted to make a call you would literally have to remain static at the fixed receiver.  Therefore, she enlisted help from her friend Byron Pritchard to build seating into her replica red box so that the public will feel inspired to sit down with their friends and take time out to have a chat.  Before the box finds a spot on the streets of London, Harvey Nichols have it in their menswear floor and found the perfect seated mannequin for the display!  

Here you can see Margot's initial technical drawing and the layers of paint as she built up the pattern of hearts........... hearts being the symbol for having a heart-to-heart personal natter rather than public dialogue via the new social media phenomenon of sharing banter on Twitter / Facebook.  Bravo Margot! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Mon 28th May: Art Car Boot Fair

Yesterday I headed down to Brick Lane for this year's Art Car Boot Fair where British Artists congregate to put on their annual village fete experience with themed stalls.  Each artist brings down a novelty vehicle to display their wares and offer a signings service and meet'n'greets for London's art enthusiasts and fans.  Pam Hogg was selling plates and pin badges alongside the limited edition "Pretty Taxing" Tax Disc series specially put together by the collective with her title being "Road Hogg".  Fellow member of the scheme Peter Blake was on hand with daughter Rose Blake who had these great t-shirts in addition to both thier screen prints.  Tunes were spun by Jarvis Cocker and Jeremy Healy with the BBQ manned by St. Johns Bread & Wine.............. along with this brilliant deceiving ice-cream van who crafted cardboard cones and emulsion paint icecream sculptures for £25 a-pop(sicle).

(Photos top to bottom:  Snail race, David David, Ice Cream Van Man, Pam Hogg, William Blanchard, my Judy Blame necklace I wore for the day, Rose Blake, Kim Howells & Jez Tozer)