Wednesday 19th September: Zandra Rhodes LFW SS19 “Looking Back, Looking Forward”

Zandra Rhodes “Looking Back, Looking Forward” at LFW for Spring Summer 2019, presented with jewellery by Andrew Logan

The title is an indication of Zandra's upcoming 50 year anniversary!  The collection has taken this theme by referencing her extensive back catalogue, incorporating prints and colours from 1969 to the present day.  Patterns such as her signature "Cacti, Frills, Punk and Wiggles" have been revisited and screen- printed by hand at her London atelier.  She has kept every single screen so here the racks are a real archive of her artwork which can automatically be re-visited.  These soft chiffons feature alongside her other trademark style of structural pleated metallics, my absolute favourite.  Total dream.    

Help fund the feature documentary "Zandra With A Zee" exploring the life & art of one of Britain's most iconic designers on the run up to this Jubilee Anniversary. Head over to the crowdfunding page to pledge here.

Thursday 5th May: "MISSONI Art Colour" at Fashion and Textile Museum

Party people at the private view and dinner of "MISSONI Art Colour" inc. artist Andrew Logan, designer Bethan Wood who was guest posting on Missoni's Snapchat and photogprapher Rankin who was doing the Instagram take-over for the night's preview.  Here is Kitty Joseph wearing her own new pixelated pattern collection and just one snap of the mini ice-creams we were treated to alongside pots of tirimisu, plates of rhubarb cheese cake....... after saffron & tarragon rissotto and asparagus & broad bean salad......... all of which I have no photos because I inhaled each and every one too quick!

Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF

6 May – 4 September 2016 

Thursday 5th May: "MISSONI Art Colour" at Fashion and Textile Museum, Part 2....... Roots

When you enter "MISSONI Art Colour" at the Fashion and Textile Museum, you first encounter a gallery of the family's inspiration in the form of Futurist & Constructivist paintings.  I was not expecting this from a textile show so I was immediately amazed from the very first step in.  The walls are hung with original 1930's avant-garde canvases including one by my absolute favourite artist Sonia Delaunay.  If you buy the book that accompany's the display there are pages and pages of other key works from their vaults including Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Josef Albers etc. ..... as the text explains "the rhythmic composition of shapes and colours used with purity, a language that the Missoni's translate and rework in the central motifs of their creative process".......

(Top to bottom: Fortunato Depero's Composizione, Date unkown,  Atanasio Soldati's Ambiguta Composizione, 1951.  Nino Di Salvatore's Struttura Spaziale In Tensione, 1952. Emilio Vedova's L'urto, 1949-50, Gianni Monnet's Costruzione, 1946)

Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF

6 May – 4 September 2016 

Monday 30th Nov: The Winter Tree at Standen House by Zandra Rhodes & Andrew Logan

Friends and artists Zandra Rhodes and Andrew Logan have joined cosmic forces to collaborate on Christmas this year at the Arts & Crafts period Standen House.  Ive been lucky enough to see Andrew's Christmas Tree decorating skills myself with his own tree, and now the public can enjoy this vision in full glory at the National Trust property in Sussex.   He used neon road maintenance safety tape to wrap the branches into fluorescent prongs to hang hand-mirrors decorated in Zandra's trademark swirls.  This pattern was carried thru to paper chains and lattice bunting was bound into ball shapes from the orange netting also salvaged from highway usage!  This conscious adaptation of found materials was key to keeping the process in line with William Morris approach to creation.  The duo also actively involved the local community by inviting children to donate toys to suspend in clear bubble baubles so that everyone had input to the installation.  The lights were switched on with a special night of a presentation about the commissioned project.  There's another chance to catch this event with artists in residence on Monday 14th and a fashion show of both Zandra's clothes with Andrew's accessories that weekend.  Head over to the site to see full details.

(Photos from the opening and a separate portrait of Zandra at last week's WProject symposium which is unrelated but only days apart to illustrate how busy this inspirational Dame is!). 

Thursday 15th Oct: Andrew Logan's 70th Birthday Masked Ball

Happy Birthday Andrew Logan who celebrated his 70th with a Masked Ball party in a grand church, now converted into 291 Gallery.  The artist (who like me) wears top-to-toe one colour, invited his guests to come dressed in their favourite colour.  He spent the night sneaking off to slip out of one hue into another to complete the whole spectrum of looks before the stroke of midnight when he appeared as a complete rainbow.  LEGEND.  

Here he is cutting his cake, still wearing his own mosaic mirror mask.  And here I am in my neon yellow frog guise with Kit Miles and Kitty Joseph.

(Additional photos by Birdy Imoke)

To experience the wonder yourself, visit Andrew's sculpture park in Wales - find out more info here.

Tuesday 26th May: Zandra Rhodes Rainbow Loft Sample Sale

This Bank Holiday the colourful network of London designers took over Zandra Rhodes Rainbow Penthouse for a sample sale. Here is Bethan Wood camouflaged perfectly into the surroundings wearing some Zandra Rhodes prints.  I tried on a Piers Atkinson PomPom headband and got some cosmic rainbow cable covers from the Auria swimwear stall.  Kitty Joseph had selections of her archive and printed t-shirts, socks and dip-dyed acrylic accessories.  Andrew Logan's beautiful mosaic mirrored jewellery was also on view which I always covet like crazy - especially the massive chunky bangles.  Classic.  

Check out Bethan's installation for Tory Burch "Lettuce entertain you" here