Friday 3rd April: HIT

The 2nd product on the HIT list has been released today and it happens to be designed by me! Its polkadot parcel tape to use like a danger tape to build up and make crazy patterns on all your correspondence. Its £6 for 66m. For anyone that doesn't know, I collect tapes and so this was a natural choice of product to play with. Here is my shelf with some of my various tapes accumulated over the years from different cities.
This has been such a fun project to work on. Richard Sloan has curated his top choice list of collaborators and let them run riot with ideas to come up with something totally unique and off-the wall (but still comercially viable). I wish that I could divulge all the inside info because I'm bursting to share the delights that are destined, but I can't break the contract or ruin his fun! But trust me, the dream-team guests and their preposterous products are going to get very interesting indeed! Next up is Julie Verhoven..............your guesses may not be too off track!?

Thurs 2nd April: Just Woke Up

After falling victim to his label closure, MC Rup didn't let Captain Credit Crunch get the better of his album release realisation. Instead he has worked with homegrown Hackney label "Hear Today" to put out a collection of 10 tracks and took to the local streets to shoot the artwork. Literally, photographer's Mishkin shot him on his street but in his bed. None of that trendy Conde Nast concept its inside, but outside shenanigans...........its just that if you can't get the boy out of the bed, get the bed out with the boy still in it. Here you can see how it happened with producer Steve Clear on hand masterminding the proceedings (probably acting as health and safety officer diverting traffic rather than checking Rup's hair wasn't blowing out of place..............merely my own musings from previous experience of his high-alert tendencies!)

I'm a big fan of this record (especially vocals by Parisian Moocha and Copenhagen's Naim) but as I'm really not the best person to try and decode the press-release to explain why, here are snippets which sum up their honest humour which I love and runs thru everything they do:


'Hip Hop from the UK’ are a dirty collection of words in many music circles right about now. It could be argued that releasing an album by an MC from Camberwell called Rupert is perhaps not a fantastic idea…

• There’s a tune about being a fox.

• George Clinton is a family friend and offered to do a remix, which never happened.



But to find out why more precisely, check out the definitive and delicious website designed by resident artworker Luke Tarpey to hear the beats and read more ridiculous ramblings.............:

http://www.heartodayrecords.com

Weds 1st April: 02

The bonus of sharing my studio with other friends who are set designers is having a work space that looks like a cross between Saturday Swap Shop and the inner chasm of Lewis Carroll's mind's eye. Another bonus is that we can keep each other company when we are working ridiculous freelance hours when the rest of the working world are sensibly tucked up in bed. One such night whilst i was finishing my collection, Hillman Studio were unwittingly getting high with solvents, working like Dozers constructing a small plastic street scene. They had to snap laser cut sheets of components they had designed to fit together to make up a blue post-code row of houses. Tiny tiles were applied to the rooves and wind screen wipers added to cars and vans. All this preparation took place overnight in making the separate parts so that the shoot day prep could be spent lighting each window and street lamp. This precision prop styling might have given Nick Park a run for his money! Thanks to Alex Cunningham for taking time to give me these work-in-progress images of her handiwork.

Weds 1st April: WOW

Here is the beautiful Teo Connor who is one half of the graphic empire "No Days Off".
She is in line to be featured on W-O-W which is Maxmara Sportmax Code’s spin-off website to promote the work and experiences of creative women today. Its a webzine of interviews, image galleries and videos aimed at presenting an authentic portrait of young women operating in the current international field of arts and design. The archive is steadily and satisfyingly increasing with great profiles on the likes of Lizzi Bougatsos, Kinga Burza, Ami Sioux, Hvass & Hannibal. Can't wait to see Teo's page! Big shout-out and respect to her for calling in one of my caterpillar necklaces to wear for her portrait!




Portrait: Will Morgan

Tues 31st March: Birthday Prezzies Part 1

Here are just 2 of my awesome birthday presents.

Case 1: T-Shirt illustrated by Maki Lou Lou. This funny feline extends round the side to a cute tail at the back, decorated with bow brooches. I love Maki's mental illustrations, its a peak into the characters that preoccupy and roam her magical mind!

Case 2: Cocktail cigarettes named "California Dreams" in holographic gold box from Elisha. These really jazzed up my smoking enjoyment of the birthday party but I now can't bring myself to finish them!

Mon 30th March: Bonkers Birthday

Being of a somewhat shy creature (ie incurably socially unskilled), I tend to gloss over birthdays for fear of any attention or fuss. But this year I was 29 on the 29th of 2009 so something had to be done. But I wasn't quite prepared for what I found when i arrived at The Railway Tavern.............a congregation of familiar faces...............not familiar faces of friends but different versions of my own face! Yes I was experiencing my very own surreal Chris Cunningham "Come To Daddy" moment courtesy of Kim and Alex's mask making and distribution. Great work girls! It was truly trippy in the most bonkers way! The icing on the cake was then a "ring a ring o' roses" type dance with a pair of rainbows. Brilliant! My dreams come to life!
I did question myself on becoming self consciously "fashion" dishing out serial comments of how well dressed each person was. I never normally compliment on attire as I find it a bit cringey but I really couldn't control myself. After a good while it dawned on me what was going on! Guests had been forewarned to dress in one-colour but I was to confused to actually cotton on! Der! All my best friends, dressed in their best brightest clothes. Can't think of anything better. THANKS GUYS! The streets of Hackney had a little one night colour invasion.

Sat 28th March: South by South West

Thank God we had a miraculously sunny Spring week in London when I heard news from the sunshine and partying going down in Texas at South by South West music festival. Otherwise I would have replied with some choice words of furious abuse and outright jealous indignation at the sheer mention of 24hr music & margaritas. As it was, I had my own party of drinking a can of Guinness on a park bench to celebrate St.Patrick's day with a fellow designer (who will remain nameless as not to tarnish thier integrity by hanging out with me at such an auspicious occasion) . But here are some out-takes from Elisha Smith-Leverock's documentary photography of Esser whilst they were living it up Cowboy style in the Lone Star State.









VOTE for Elisha's newly edited Esser "headlock" video which has been added to the mtv 2 myspace chart by going to:
myspace.​com/​mtv2
choose 'full list' from the voting widget where you'll find ESSER then just click on 'vote'

Friday 27th March: SHOWing out

No its not Mel 'n' Kim but rather more Laura 'n' Alex of SHOWstudio have spent the last couple of months orchestrating the relocation with military precision. The final schlep took place yesterday with the events monitored on the site's twitter feed whilst the usual webcams were down. I asked Laura to get some snaps of the event and true to her word here are some beautiful shots capturing the turning of the page onto the next chapter. Here are some of the 80+ boxes that have the previous 9 years correspondence archived - where else would you get Massive Attack, Bless and Brad Pitt in the same stack?! Once everything was out the Ironmonger residency it looked somewhat like this..............and the new Mayfair dwelling with the iconic dollar sign finding its feet in new soil. So either hook into the twitter for up to the minute details of the final unpacking today or check the site next week when the cameras are rolling and the exact territory disclosed.

Thurs 26th March: Wish You Were Here

Well luckily I was there! It was Vicky's penultimate printmaking show before her MA showdown. Her pigeon triptych is looking fresh and fantastic at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith until April 12th. Although they are a menace to society, the urban vermin have been transformed into beautiful prints that might end up as a cheeky wallpaper design. Vicky is also pushing the process of hand printing to the max on a collaboration with graphic designer Luke Tarpey. We had a sneak peak at the initial trials and an explanation of how she laboriously individually cuts each etching plate to position the composition..............not to mention the rubbing and cleaning inbetween presses............its a labour of love that is for sure! And I LOVE it!

Weds 25th March: Louise Amstrup

Just a few moons ago when I was helping Alistair Carr with his first collections I got to know designer Louise Amstrup who had just joined him from Jonathon Saunders. Fast forward to the present day and we are both now heading our own labels and continuing the family line of being repped by Cube PR where Alistair was at the time. Louise had her A/W preview last eve and a chance to see her best collection to date. Its super duper sexy with panels of sheer and leather in fitted skirts and pointy shoulder boleros and jackets. My personal fave 2 items are the leotard with fin details for an outrageous silhouette which I would love to test drive and this outrageously sophisticated/futuristic heavy angular felt coat.

Mon 23rd March: Bubalicious

Thanks to Susie for being my ambassador for a day at Paris Fashion Week wearing my trademark Dodecahedron or "bubble" necklace................. this is what its all about...............wearing it and enjoying it...............no matter if its a bit bonkers.............she always looks sublime so its an honour : )





(collage of her fashion week looks and detail of the necklace from when I 1st gave it to her last year)

Sun 22nd March: The Convenience Store

In true spirit of Andrew Ibi's reinvention of retail, he has relocated the newly replenished stock for a 3 week sort of sartorial sabbatical. He has temporally closed the doors to the comfort zone of his corner shop to embark on a pop-up shop in the St Martins Lane hotel. I went along to the opening on Thursday eve to have a a squizz at the spectacle and find out more.
Andrew explained that his onus on supplying a tactile and tailored shopping experience for his customers, is best suited to physically moving in order to connect with a dispersed clientele. To make the concept-led edited collection and service global, its not going to be a case of translating to online. Its not possible to virtually reinterpret the platform for one-off pieces and personal intuition from the proprietor. So with this in mind, the alternative action Andrew has taken is to occasionally recreate the Golborne Road haven in transitory spaces. The maiden voyage has taken him central but who knows where the next one will be .............L.A? Miami?






Photos Courtesy: Cube PR ( Gareth Pugh Dress, Hannah Marhall & Cherish Kaya from Ipso Facto, Andrew Ibi & Pam Hogg)

Sat 21st March: Another Man

I'm so chuffed not only to discover that my accessories have been styled by Nicola Formichetti but doubly pleased that they appear in the new Another Man. When I design it is never with a particular gender in mind and so it was an unsettling surprise when I realised that my S/S 09 collection turned out to be so feminine. So hallelujah it didn't actually limit the usage and here are both the Hydrangea hat and caterpillar necklaces used in this mixed up, muddled up collage story. Woo Hoo

ANOTHER MAN MAGAZINE S/S 09
PHOTOGRAPHY SØLVE SUNDSBØ
STYLING NICOLA FORMICHETTI

Friday 20th March: Louise Gray Friendship Brooch

Stop the press! Louise Gray for £20!
This is an exceptionally exciting project that has launched today on ASOS.com. Selected designers are collaborating with the online retailer to design a limited edition special product exclusive to them at an accessible price point. Louise's concept is a friendship brooch/keyring much like the heart lockets that you could split and share half with your other half. So on that basis you could go dibs-in with a friend and pay £10 for one of these handmade accessories that will be delivered in a custom built box. Whats stopping you? Quick, once they are gone, they're gone!

Friday 20th March: I love London, Zaiba Jabbar

I recently had the pleasure of meeting female film maker Zaiba Jabbar who was another director included in the Birds Eye View fashion screening for her David David short for S/S 09. During London fashion week she trawled the various events capturing the faces and places in a series of stop frame animations that she has compiled into a short film. This contribution for hintmag.com is a full 6 mins jam packed with the best insight into the atmostphere of the antics which pisses (please excuse my language) on any party pic pages that may have cropped up in the press. By asking fashion folk to blow a kiss into her camera, Zaiba has linked the love to a soundtrack by Crystal Fighters. Not only is this shot in a unique way but its a unique and informed experience of living life to the max at LFW.

Thurs 19th: New Shoes!

Thanks to http://www.joesafiend.blogspot.com/ for recommending me to the Nike ID project, I have been able to design my very own pair of trainers (for free)! I met Adrian Fenech in the ID studio at Nike Town and he showed me the operation of how to choose your sneaker style and then systematically select the leathers, stitching, detailing and text if desired. You can build your dream shoe in a 3D computer package and then have it made and delivered in a few weeks. Obviously my criteria was to fit as many colours on as possible and mastermine a truly rainbowtastic dunk. I love the silver heel especially and the contrast stitching of red on blue. Yum Yum Yum! I know having my name embroidered is a bit cheesy, but heck, I don't take myself that seriously - its too funny to turn down!
I hate shoes and I hate buying them even more. So this was a dream come true. I picked them up yesterday and have bounced into work this morning feeling better than Mr Soft from the mint advert. Its hard to take my eyes off them. I might even sleep in them like my nephew and wellies.
I can FULLY recommend this service to anyone who has a spare ton to transform their toes!

Weds 18th March: Michael Vanderham

Well here it is: the moment that I have been waiting for. Over the last few years Michael has invited me to the Central St. Martins MA static show to get to see the collections up close and personal. Finally it was his turn to shine as he graduated this year. I proudly stood by his stand for the duration of the preview and felt like his mum, making loud noises of approval just incase anyone had missed it for themselves.
Its so incredible to explore each dress and appreciate the inconceivable level of work in every spliced garment and also examine the sketch books where the trouble shooting took place. Michael has plotted out the whole process from initial historical investigations through to collaging the references to arrive at the intricate pattern cutting and fabric choices. Already gleaning glimmering press, I'm sure that Michael's next steps are going to follow the ones laid down by last year's success story of Mary Katrantzou (who I also blogged about from the static when I instantly fell for her). This is the unknown excitement that is synonymous with the unwritten chapter in the lifecycle of Louise's offspring when they fly the nest ............






Photos coutesy of Kim Howells

Tues 17th: thecocknbullkid

Yay, there are beautiful photos from thecocknbullkid single launch at the ICA last week. It was a double celebration as she signed to Moshi Moshi/Island on the same night. Congratulations! I have also included this endearingly catchy video from Your Twenties who supported on the night. This is for no particular reason other than the fact that I really like it and they made it themselves! Enjoy!
Whilst there are many many more Moshi Moshi related activities going on the other side of the pond at SXSW, the next night in London is already on the agenda with new 3 piece girl act
"An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump" @ The Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen on the 26th March.







Photos courtesy: Dan Wilton
To see more of Miss Blay and a wealth of other acts and scenes: www.danwilton.co.uk

Mon 16th March: Where can I fix my camera?

Sorry for the lack of entries, Im in Buenos Aires!
Actually and quite obviously Im not, I wish I was. But I can now look like I am, thanks to Alex Cunningham who brought these dope specs back from her trip for me!
The real reason for my absense is the persisting lack of camera. Although I do not manage to keep the content daily as was my initial intention, Ive realised that if i had a camera I could almost run a subsidiary blog for all the things that get left out. So many of my day to day antics get left by the wayside as I can't record the events. Last week I gave a lecture for Penny Martin at LCF, saw The Birds Eye View fashion film screening at the ICA, shot my look-book, joined the chaos at hairstylist Lyndell Mansfield's Too Many Tina's birthday party, took Maki to the Hussein Chalayan exhibit, dj'd with Teo (twice if I add the V&A gig from the previous week), was interviewed by Kasia Bobula for www.thecrane.tv.................. the only thing that didn't come off was attending the single launch for thecocknbullkid because it was so oversubscribed which was absolutely fantastic news for Anita, but brought about a little tear in my eye on account of missing her and Your Twenties.........................exciting times for them both

But please be patient with this blog, i hope to resolve the camera issue and get back to form..............any ideas, please let me know? Jessops reckon its a non-refundable £25 just to give a diagnosis.............

Thanks to Laura McDougall for this camera phone snap