Sat 28th June: Reykjavik: Aftur

Here is the boutique of the line "Aftur" which Raven runs with her sister Bara (seen here). Their signature style is to compile recycled materials into their own voluminous designs. Some are cloaks of plaid patchworked together in circular seams and some are oversized sweatshirts in horizontal stripes of polkadot jerseys. Textiles are hand dyed/bleached and embellished to make each garment a unique piece.

Sat 28th June: Reykjavik

I arrived late Friday night/early Sat morning to begin a weekend of never setting sun.............here are a couple of snaps to set the scene of the blue sky. I met Raven in Boston Bar which is a new destination in the city since the lamentable closure of legendary "Sirkus" owned by her friend Sigga. The decor features illustrations on the bar by artist Gabriela Fridriksdottir who represented Iceland when I was a the Venice Biennale in 2005.

Fri 27th June: The Fashion Almanac

Laura Bradley has just graduated from CSM with 1st class honors. I can see why. Today I received her magazine "The Fashion Almanac" in the post in a very well considered silver and transparent envelope. The whole concept, design, content and execution is far superior to many of the major titles currently of the shelf. I particularly appreciate the wit in several of the articles. For instance one breaks down and analyses a designers bow at the end of a runway show........another is a list of difficult fashion names with their phonetic pronunciation. My favorite that particularly tickled me is a time line chronology of Nick Knights assistants. This is such a smart entry into the editorial world. Smart but not smug as so many other officious fanzines of the moment.

Thurs 26th June: Bishi & LSO

Last night St.Luke's church in Old Street was flooded with sweeping siren song and strings from Bishi the London Symphony Orchestra. Mesmirsing melting arrangements from her album "Nights at the Circus". The orchestra turned her love songs into multi-layered passionate journeys and her upbeat tracks into vibrant anthems - explained by Bishi asking them to play as if they were out enjoying a great night!

We celebrated the concert's success afterwards at The George and Dragon which is one of the locations in the video to her next single "On M y Own Again". This beautiful photograph is from that scene by Anna Leader who captured a series of fantastic atmostpheric portraits during the 2 day shoot. She is relaunching her website soon so watch this space for an insight into the special talent behind the lens!

Bishi is playing at Glastonbury so if you are heading West, be sure to track her down..........

Thurs 26th June: A bit of Ruff!

Maki Lou Lou in one of her creations as featured in the new Toni & Guy magazine. Im guessing a shot taken at the last fashion week when she was working on the set for Peter Jensen's show.

Weds 25th June: don't leave me this way

"Don't leave me this way" is the latest performance piece by Franko B in collaboration with lighting designer Kamal Ackarie (seen here in left corner). I left the sun shining on The Mall and entered the pitch black theatre at the ICA. You experience the piece as the only audience member. You are guided in the dark to a seat and left alone for a few minutes. Then just as you begin to wonder what will occur, a blast of strobe light triggers straight at you leaving a silhouette of Franko B in your eyes when the room goes back to black. You realise he has been sitting directly infront of you, not a foot away. I have never seen anything like this before! Artists using their body as sculpture in different ways is something that always intrigues me. Funny that I picked up a postcard in the ICA shop of Leigh Bowery's performance from the Anthony D'offay from 1998.

Franko B and Kamal are holding a documentary screening and discussion about the tour this evening. The performance also continues today so you can do both! See link below for details.......

(NB. This is not an image by me but a screen grab from their website which does not have a photo credit so please comment here if you know who it is)

Tues 24th June: Sigur Ros

Icelandic stylist Raven commissioned me to make a piece from my collection for the drummer of Sigur Ros for their new tour. They played a spectacular concert at Westminster Methodist Church in London last night and here is Orri wearing his new crown. Photos by Mari who has helped me make this in time for their gig, thank you!

They are playing 3 dates in the UK in November so check out www.sigurros.com for details......

Mon 23rd June: Mary Queen Of Shops

Viva Hair Salon was featured on this week's episode of "Mary Queen Of Shops". Im so glad our hard work on the window installation paid off for the boys to get this coverage!

Sun 22nd June: Tagged!

I have been tagged by disneyrollergirl who was originally tagged by Madame from shop at maisonb. The quest is to discover other blogger's favorite 7 tunes of the moment. It seems I share an appreciation of Jackson 5 so far.

I dj'd at Teo's party last weekend under the moniker of "Strictly Vinyl". It was my 2nd time ever. The first was at my "80's kids TV" themed 18th birthday. So with trepedation from a 10 yr gap since my last assault at a dancefloor, I was stunned when the response was a general thumbs up!

Anyway, this is an edited list from my set:

1) "Reet Petitie" - Jackie Wilson
2) "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" - Michael Jackson
3) "Lets Dance" - David Bowie
4) "Rokin Robin" - Michael Jackson
5) "Love Action" - Human League
6) "Poison Ivy" - Rolling Stones
7) "Cool For Cats" - Squeeze

I have also included a video here of my Ultimate Favorite dance song which sadly I don't own, but couldn't help adding it here. Now I know how to upload from youtube, thanks to Mari!


The rules of the game as set by Simon Reynolds: “List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.”
I'm tagging:

http://bishi.co.uk/diary/
http://bybellazine.blogspot.com/
http://livinginmagazines.blogspot.com/
http://plushpatterns.blogspot.com/
http://therealkesh.blogspot.com/
http://www.spadgerdisco.blogspot.com/
http://www.zezizezi.blogspot.com/

Fri 20th June: Dance the pain away

After Grace Jones, we joined Jamie E17 and hair stylist Charlie le Mindu to see one of his clients dj.at the silent disco - the ever cooly coiffed Peaches. On entry you are passed the obligatory headset which allows you to switch channels between the sets of either dj at one time. Or you can just take them off and laugh at everyone dancing to their own beats. Her spinning technique involved squatting on the desk and jumping from deck to deck whilst swigging Verve Cliqot. She finished on a Nina Simone number and handed over to Noel Fielding........I can't tell you who was battling her as I never changed over to find out..........but apparently he played a song from Jungle Book, so perhaps he stole some audiences members for that but its really no contest when Peaches is in residence.........

Thurs 19th June: Here's Grace!

The volume that wowed the Royal Festival Hall last night is only accountable by the acoustics from the vibrations bouncing back off Miss Jones bionic booty.
No more to be said.
LEGEND

Fri 20th June: Mao Mao

My friend Angela (of Three As FOUR) listens for little miows wherever she goes. The latest discovery is this little definition of cuteness she found in the trash!

Weds 18th June: Amelia's Magazine at Pure Groove

Amelia's Magazine launched the new issue at the record store "Pure Groove" which has recently relocated from Archway to a very snazy Smithfield's store. Here is my studio mate Andy Macgregor who had a double whammy of celebration as his work coincidentally features in the magazine and also the newsletter for Pure Groove. Go to any number of the evening events and pick one up for yourself. It is an exciting list of "goings-ons" (e.g Partizan film night or Peter Saville installation). Just a visit to see the interior design is worth a check...........re-branded by Patrick Duffy of "No Days Off" and wall illustrations by Kate Moross.

Weds 18th June: Heres something Im making at the moment

A few different varying commissions on at the moment..............im enjoying the way my desk is looking..............

Weds 18th June: Heres something I made earlier

Anna Leader has very kindly been helping me find old picture files for a requested image. In doing so, I unearthed some treats I had forgotten about. Here is a little chap that I made as a thank you present in 2005 and snapped before I wrapped him up to put in the post.

Mon 16th June: Im a Barbie

My friend Michael Vanderham sent me this hilarious picture he found and thought that if I were to be a Barbie, this would be it! Oh yes, I would love this jacket!

I first met Michael when he was interning for As FOUR in NYC in the summer of 2005. He returned home to Holland and decided to leave studying fashion in Antwerp and continue work placements. He moved to London and diligently undertook placements at McQueen followed by Sophia Kokosolaki. Now he has gone back to his studies on the womenswear MA at CSM. I am very excited to see what he will come up with for his final show................updates will appear here in due course..............

Sat 14th June: Teo Fest

Andy Macgregor and Rich Stevens have been planning a monumental "Dirty Thirty" birthday celebration for Teo. They set up a mini festival in a field with green parrots in the willows and a yellow flowered lily pad pond inhabited with jet blue dragon flies. Here are Maki and Steve who brought spicy prawn skewers and marshmallows (not together!) to christian the BBQ. We made the most of the open air dance floor and bopped ridiculous moves under the canapy of Kate's beautiful bunting and nearly solstice stars. The nights ended trying to fall asleep against the mega decibel last act in the musical line-up............ a frog chorus of apparently randy reptiles in full mating mode.

Fri 13th June: Mishkin a la Newton

Top Shop collaborated with the Helmut Newton foundation to re-instate his " Newton Machine" in store. His invention from the 1970's was devised to create a catalyst for a photographic self-portrait. As the model, you can work out your stance in a mirror and then just "click".
I was in town with the photographer's Mishkin for a meeting, so we had a quick hit and run encounter with the equipment. Coming from a set designer background, I would prefer to have been better equipped. Sadly Top Shop staff were not in alliance with our spontaneous gathering of props from in store. So our final image involved putting our hands in each others pockets which was quite fun. Here are some previous Newton road testers ..................

Thurs 12th June: News Flash

Nicola Formichetti has just announced his new project on his blog (see my favorites list) as fashion director of a new bi-annual publication to be launched by Conde Nast in Sept "Vogue Hommes Japan".

Here are 2 pages of his editorial with Oliverio Toscani featuring my accessories. The first is from the current Another Man magazine - the shoot I made accessories as props for all 5 boys in each different DPS scenario. The 2nd image is from the new Dazed & Confused issue, guest edited by Vivienne Westwood. This is the first page I have seen to use a piece from A/W collection.........the triangle rouleu necklace.

Mon 9th June: My aunt - the queen of puds

Potentially, the best ever Pavalova?

Monday 9th June: CONTRIBUTOR FROM BASEL

When Anna Leader went to the Basel Art Fair last week, I asked her to send me some pictures for an incoming report. She snapped this incredible sculpture by Artist Kohei Nawa who is represented by SCAI the bathhouse, Tokyo. It reminds me slightly of a Hussein Chalayan dress? She seemed to think that the taxidermy is inside the glass............so I looked up his explanation and here it is...........quite fantastic...

PixCell - ...... (Beads)
By covering surface of an object with transparent glass beads, the existence of the object itself is replaced by "a husk of light", and the new vision "the cell of an image" (PixCell) is shown.
Most of the motifs, like stuffed animals are found through the internet. I search some auction sites and choose from the images which appear on a monitor as pixel. However, the stuffed animals which actually have been purchased and sent have real flesh feel and smell, and have a discrepancy with images on the monitor. I then transpose them to PixCell in turn.

Sat 7th June: Lets Get Lost

Bruce Weber generously gave a Q&A session after the showing of his new release last evening at the comfortably lush "Screen On The Green". Here he is afterwords, answering more intimate questions to the scardy cats who didn't put their mit up the first time round. I loved the way he translated his own experience of watching the film ("Lets Get Lost" about legendary jazz musician Chet Baker)..................apparently he has an inexplicable hunch that Chet is watching from heaven, and the film will unfold in a certain mood governed by Chet's feeling that day ............luckily Bruce thought this showing was a positive one, as Chet would have loved and approved of the atmosphere of this Islington cinema. I first saw a Bruce Weber film in 2001 at the Castro Cinema in San Fransisco. I chanced upon "Chop Suey" when I visited the beautiful 1920's cinema, just to see the Wurlitzer organ that is played in the interval. Who knows, perhaps this was a favourite film retreat of Chets when he wasn't playing his trumpet down at The Black Hawk...................

Fri 6th June: JCDC

The much anticipated store opening for Jean Charles De Castelbajac on Conduit Street happened last night. I had died and gone to multicolour heaven. Rainbows everywhere. Many of the guests had been lent outfits to sport for the occasion and here is Nova Dando in a current jumper and her own vintage leggings. It was sequin trompe l'oeil dresses and gold pendants a go-go. London's brightest and colourful crew turned out with the Super Super team for once resembling chameleons blending into the physcadelic backdrop.

Thurs 5th June: Urban Outfitters

Sara is in today researching for Wren studio. Looking for websites that scroll horizontally, she came across the Urban Outfitters blog. What a nice surprise to discover that today's news from London is about my accessories...............and I reckon that this image is pulled from the blog as it is just a studio snap..............so thank you whoever you are, viewing my daily picture posting and spreading the word........

Thurs 5th June: Work It

Sara herself had some press this weekend via a Lauren Cochrane article in the Guardian on Sat "Dig Out The Dungarees" picking up on the resurgence interest in 1990's R&B. Sara set up a new club night to bring back the classics that are not played anywhere else in London ........

"on both sides of the Atlantic are creating clubs dedicated to the 1990s sounds of their childhoods, like New York's 1992 (lauded by the New York Times) with Mariah Carey, MC Lyte and Janet Jackson on their playlist. Or London's Work It which boasts a hair fade on the flyer and plays everything from Luther Vandross to Bell Biv DeVoe; it also serves beer bottles in brown paper bags, New York-style, to girls in TLC-ish dungarees."

The next installment in Dalston is June 21st. Here are pictures from the last event by Simon Archer Hurlstone.

Weds 4th June: Time Out

This jaguar pearl necklace was originally made by Maki and I for a Patti Wilson Italian Vogue commission. "Fifi Trafalgar" was resurrected from the archive and now features in a report on 5 new London Jewellery designers in Time Out by Helen Jennings. The other designers profiled are Hannah Martin, Johanne Mills, Lina Peterson and Eleanor Ford. The edition's focus on jewellery is to tie in with "Coutts London Jewellery Week" happening from now until 15th June. It will comprise of exhibitions, catwalk shows, auctions and workshops.

Tues 3rd May: Outside, Inside

The latest campaign for Coin (Italian Homeware) was shot by Tim Walker and Andy Hillman. Maki helped make these incredible gigantic flowers and we luckily still have a few roses decorating the studio. (The plethora of cakes in the recent self portrait of Tim was shot at the same time with the props left over from the cupcake shot)

Sun 1st June: Garage Sale

After a Leicester Square Matinee of "Sex In The City", 4 girls trotted along to Soho for a riffle through the vintage sale on at The Black Gardenia. Here were the hosts on deck, looking suitably gorgeous in their Sunday afternoon spleandour................reassuringly untainted by the Bradshaw Blanhnik Brainwash we had just witnessed............

Saturday 31st May: Brit Chic

4 mini fashion films at the BFI as part of the Fashion In Film Festival. The 2 highlights being firstly "Pacemaker: Biba (1970) and secondly "Insight - Zandra Rhodes" (1981). It was fascinating to see both Barbara Hulanicki and Zandra Rhodes in their prime looking totally dazzling caught on candid camera in these fly-on-the- wall documentaries. Equally fascinating to see the scrumptious and sumptuous surroundings that they inhabited............no wonder both visionaries have had such success in interiors aswell as frocks. But the best, best thing was Zandra's eyebrow/s that morphed in design and positioning on a daily basis and put on in one stroke.

(Here is an original 70's Zandra fan invite that I have in my room............nestled upright in the Grace Jones record collection)

Saturday 31st May: Jones Goldmine

Spending the day with Alex Cunningham, I took her downstairs in a Covent Garden restaurant to share with her a wall of photographs I once discovered. A venue to some of Stephen Jones fashion shows from the 80's/90's, it is a like having a sneak into a family album with snaps of the varying models and audience of different seasons............

Tues 27th May: Craig Lawrence at CSM

Craig Lawrence invited me to see his knitwear collection in the Central Saint Martins BA graduate fashion week show. Quite rightly he secured the prestigious last position in the already brutally edited list of 40 designers. Hooray! And it didn't disappoint. Although this picture is poor, it is a hint at what garments will be cropping up in the most exciting editorial of the next 6 months I'm sure! Watch this space...................

Sunday 25th May: Credit Crunch @ Kashpoint

Matthew Glamorre and Bishi re-instated their legendary club night Kashpoint for a special one off show to launch Bishi's new single. Kashpoint was the original showcase for underground artists and gave the likes of Gareth Pugh and Carri Cassette Playa thier first platform show. Although the start of the evening was a playground for new gen Kashpoint debutantes to flaunt thier inspired regalia, it was the end of the night when the old guard took over the dance floor and showed how things should be done............

I never did work out who was inside a silver pyramid that would occasionally appear from the ether. I was especially surprised when it collapsed in a magic trick without a trace of the inhabitant. To add to my surprise, I stumbled across said costume today dumped on Old Street...........2 days after the event and a different side of town to the Moonlighting Club of Soho............the mystery continues...................(it can be seen just behind Bishi in the pic from Sun night)............

Sunday 25th May: Tales of Ordinary Madness

Here is the impeccably turned out Paloma Faith who has just been featured in the current Nylon magazine's feature on London's rising talent. She is putting on a night of entertainment next weekend with the following acts: Ed Harcourt, The Langley Sisters and VV Brown. I think it will worth going along just to see her outfit from what she was telling me!.................. See her myspace for details of "Tales of Ordinary Madness".

Saturday 24th May: Nan Goldin

Quite possibly one of the best cultural events I have ever attended. And in my 28 years I have seen my fair share...........

Like a religious sect honouring their God (Nan Goldin) at their place of worship (Tate Modern) we filled the floor of the Turbine Hall, sat on the floor intranced in one direction............ mesmerised by the gigantic screen which ran slideshows of her most iconic works and the missing links inbetween to reveal the whole story.................

The visual overload was accompanied by a sensational symphonic soundscape courtesy of 2 performances. The first by John Kelly, a contemporary of Goldin from NYC whose voice was so accomplished it made your spine tingle and eyebrows rise off your forehead. The second was composed by Patrick Wolf and performed with his family (quite literally with one) of musical collaborators. As the images morphed in narrative, Patrick's set sequentially switched in perfect timing. The emotional trip through Nan's lifes work came to an end with an extensive dedication list to the friends she has lost along the way. Although it punctuated the realisation of her subject's sufference, I think it was more an indication to celebrate their lives through sharing the moments she captured in spending time with them.

Sorry to get a bit sincere. The objective of the blog is to share colour and delight but occasionally I may derail when its neccessary!

(Here is photographer Bella after the show)

Friday 23rd May: Pinstripe Delight

And what a delight...............lunch for both a visual and gastronomic feast! Bishi has been busy performing lots of varying concerts recently and is taking part in "The Long Weekend" event at the Tate Modern tomorrow. She is joining Patrick Wolf on stage in the Turbine Hall to accompany Nan Goldin's slideshow presentation of "The Ballad of Sexual Dependency".

Legendary clubnight Kashpoint is also returning for a special one-off occasion to launch her latest single release "'On My Own Again". At Moonlighting on Greek Street from 22hrs til 03:30hrs. Get your glad rags on.......................

Thurs 22nd May: Grun

Last month Gary Card created a giant wicker hand and hoisted it up on a roof in Clerkenwell as part of the Adidas Grun project - Guerrilla Gardening. Tara Darby had a private view of her photographs from the commissioned artists work last evening at the Dazed Gallery. Here is Gary with his new violet crop and Bethan Wood who was his accomplice in the wicker weaving. I didn't have time to go and see it before I went on holiday but I did by chance drive past and admire Jay Burridge's floral billboard ..................but Tara's exhibition is on for a month so luckily this ephemeral art is not lost forever...........

Weds 21 May: New Kabiri Image

I stopped by Jewelry boutique "KABIRI" today and was reminded that Annie Collinge has just shot this fantastically candy crisp new press image for them...............