Weds 21 Oct: Birds of a feather at Mandi's Basement

Yesterday was the first of 2 press days at Mandi Lennard Publicity.  With her newly trimmed and focused roster, the synergy of her clients stood out between Gareth Pugh and Roksanda Illincic who have both incorporated feathers in their latest S/S collections seen here.  How funny that the saying Birds of a feather came to my mind (not the Chingford duo!) and I looked up the meaning which really fits the subconscious comradely of Mandi's clients:

 "Birds of a feather flock together". (In old poetic English, "birds of a feather" means birds which have the same kind of feathers, so the proverb refers to the fact that birds congregate with birds of their own species.)

They also created their own special muse doll for Mandi's other client Barbie. Mandi's penchant for manicured nails is echoed in the form of an omnipresent statement furnishing in her showroom as a large Barbie doll hand left over from a DSM installation by Hillman Studio.  The enviable position of being one of London's most gifted PR's has been documented in this month's Elle as an interiors article illustrating Mandi in "My Space" surrounded by all of her favourite things (including the giant rainbow magazine tear sheet Chanel bag I gave her).

Thanks to Jessica for attending Mandi's Roller Disco to take these snaps for my blog.  Her previous work placement was at Milliner Noel Stewart where coincidentally she had a hand in making this feather hat for Roksanda.........

Tues 20th Oct: Herb-bow-tie

Here is Matthew Herbert wearing custom made bow-ties for his latest video made by Rosy Nicholas commissioned by Rowdy Superstar who is currently working with Matthew on different projects...................including currently recording his own album.   Thanks to Rowdy, Rosy and I went to see other Herbert protege's Micachu and The Invisible in concert last week...............when I gave my name "Rowdy" at the box office, the lady said "surname?"......to which I replied "Superstar"............never said that before!.............

Watch this space on for more info on this video with an ever increasing size bow tie and doubly the ever increasing fortune of the future for everything in Rowdy's record Wonderland..............

Video credits: 

TRACK NAME- LEIPZIG

PHOTOGRAPHER- LUCY POPE

DIRECTOR- MARGARET SALMON

STYLING- ROWDY SUPERST*R

Mon 19th October: Calling all handsome chaps

Yes, you can be a model for SHOWstudio at Somerset House............either to be shot by Jason Evans or star in Simon Foxton's living installation "Sittings".  All you have to do is head down to the exhibit and find the interactive casting booth to pose for a mugshot.  In addition, you will need to state a few of your stats...........but don't make the same mistake as my friend Naomi: 

"I went into the bit where you are supposed to talk to the machine to apply to be a SHOWstudio model and the machine says “NAME” so I said “Naomi Attwood” the machine says “HIDE” so I ran away from the camera and hid in the corner. Then the machine said “CHEST” then it said “SHOE SIZE” so I realised that it didn’t say “HIDE” at all, it said “HEIGHT” in a Steven Hawking voice and you weren’t supposed to hide at all. So that’s why I’ll probably not become a famous model now. Oh well."

Here are shots from Simon's Sittings on Friday with a fresh face who I rang to speak to purely for research purposes!  I take my journalism very seriously.  Of course it helped that he was easy on the eye (as you can tune into the live feed on the site).  So I found out that his "Omar Kashoura" suit was really quite comfortable and that he was enjoying his orange socks and laces that complimented the backdrop.  His name was Alex and it was his first job from having signed to AMCK the day before!   

Thanks to Rasharn Agyemang for taking these pictures for the post to illustrate a 1st hand account of the project as he is Simon's right hand man.  Of course Rasharn is also known as one half of the menswear design duo Jaiden RVA James who just showed at Somerset House themselves during London Fashion Week.  To see both his collection and incidentally Omar Kashoura's ..........both will be on preview at Cube PR press day this Thurs.............um.........where mine will be too................its a family thing..........

STYLIST SIMON FOXTON 

ASSITANT RASHARN AGYEMANG 

POTOGRAPHER RASHARN AGYEMANG 

Thurs 15th Oct: Frieze Art Fair Part 4

The vibe of Santos Party House has been brought to Regents Park via a little boothe within Frieze.  Milwaukee's Club Nutz have installed the world's smallest comedy club.........at an art fair.  

After the Sirkus reincarnation of last year, it was the turn of NYC to take the party mantle for tunes on the opening night with Spencer Sweeney on the decks.  This was hilarious!!!!!!  As a punter, you had to enter the miniature nightclub (complete with spinning lights, mirror ball, velvet rope and bouncer) and take to a tiny stage to do a turn at stand-up...............tell any joke and you won a free drink!  Of course I didn't take up the challenge but enjoyed being the spectator for a joke about a guy putting a potato down his speedos to impress the ladies at a beach..........I'll spare you the punchline as I think it was one of those "you had to be there" moments................but check out the line up for this stand, I reckon its gonna be a goodie (somthing about Maureen Paley?).........

infact on investigation it turns out they advertised for participants on craigslist, so it might be worth finding out if you can still take part.......

Thurs 15th Oct: Frieze Art Fair Part 3

Ok, I started writing down the artists / gallery names of things I liked...........but after a few hours of walking the boards in this labyrinth, I got a bit exhausted and overwhelmed ........the free Pommery might also have had something to do with it..........ssssssh..........so this post is really an over view of what to expect rather than a particularly informative appraisal..........but hopefully is a tantalising taster to inspire you all to go and find out...........

.........and this irredescent sculpture we discovered by Great Portland Street.........not only is it made out of my favouite irredescent plastic, but it reflects shards of stunning spectrum onto the chruch wall behind it..........

Thurs 15th Oct: Frieze Art Fair Part 2

Here was something that reeked of ThreeASFOUR (as seen in ADi's earring from Santiago in 2007).  Not only are these canvases based on the shapes of French Curve tailors tools, but they also had tiny gold jewellery detailing sporadically sewn in.  Amanda Ross-Ho's "Negative Carrier"  came about from - the contours are arrived at through mathematical necessity, however the resulting forms are simultaneously ornamental and utilitarian.  Quite!  I'm very lucky to be the owner of a ThreeASFOUR curved gold plate in a similar style that I wear as a belt and is one of my favourite accessories...........I wouldn't mind one of these paintings on my wall!  For anyone who actually has a budget to facilitate that, Amanda is represented by Hoet Bekaert Gallery, Belgium.

Thurs 15th Oct: Frieze Festival Part 1

This week has been a good dose of domino good fortune on finding out about things going on in town........from Esser to Golden Silvers to Colin Henderson who invited me down to the opening of Frieze Art Fair.  I wore a ThreeASFOUR white suit to look very professional and serious for this event on the arts scene calender.  But it only took a few minutes before I spotted an irredescent sculpture that I wanted to wear in my hair..........by Berta Fischer.

Here is artist Shoplifter who I have finally managed to catch up with since her opening at Trolley Gallery last week.

Weds 14th Oct: Colin Henderson Balaclavas

My curated shop  for Supermarket Sarah is still live for anyone wanting to purchase a colourful treat.  Colin's balaclavas are up for grabs so head over to check them out............the tiger head has sold.............and the Grace Jones records............and Brie Harrison's cushion..........so QUICK snap up Colin's one-off masterpiece mugger's headgear before someone else..........

Weds 14th Oct: Colin Henderson for The Golden Silvers

Seeing Esser this week was a double bonus as he tipped me off about Golden Silvers playing the NME show last night (the two acts share producer Lex).  Ive been wanting to see Golden Silvers for such a long time as I have been blogging Colin Henderson's previous album artwork and video direction for the band.   Finally this was a great opportunity to see their live performance in the beautiful and fine acoustic music hall venue of Camden's KOKO.  After a bouncy and catchy set, the band down-tooled for a charming barber shop chorus song for the encore.  I grinned like a silly bugger throughout the whole gig as their cosmic charismatic charm is totally intoxicating.  They are now heading off to NYC to convert the Chrysler tower city to the musical way of all things Gold and Silvery.  I appreciatively procured one of their new bits of merch for the trip from their manager which has taken immediate residence on today's gem sweater!

SO........to Colin........who has sent over all this great imagery including the artwork for the backdrop and Gwil's hand embroidered keyboard cloth which I saw last night.  The other live snaps are examples of Colin's visuals used at the iTunes festival at another of Camden's finest concert halls - The Roundhouse.  CHECK OUT THE LATEST VIDEO here too, which is a stop frame animation (directed by Gabriel Bisset-Smith and Graham Turner)  with photos that Colin illustrated over, frame by frame.  I love the way that by collaborating with Colin, everything interlinks and crosses over in their identity in this way.  Above you can see a couple of the stills and the 7" single cover for the track "Please Venus".

Tues 13th Oct: Interior Politics: The Private View

The 3 photographer's behind the show Interior Politics honoursly decided to schedule their private view a week ahead of Frieze so as not to overshadow their counterpart. Here is a selection of some choice snaps from the salubrious event where you can see Cristal was eschewed in place of Asahi (which I hasten to add was self funded ........however if sponsorship for future events should be open for negotiation, please do not hesitate to get in touch.......I'm sure you'll agree it does look pretty covetable in the care of these cuties!). The artists exhibiting can be spotted in the pics above - Bella Fenning (Blondie 1), Amy Gwatkin (Blondie 2) and Anna Leader (Inez vans Lamsweerde 1).

Now time for a serious note: Anna is in the top picture beaming with joy because her special guest turned up which made her day, month, year! The two met on the film L'annulaire where Anna was shooting the stills and Beth was scoring the soundtrack.

The show is open until the 25th, Wed - Sat 1-6pm & by appointment.

Tues 13th Oct: Essex Raver

*CONTENT WARNING* this post could potentially be mistaken for an ES Magazine party page type review...............to all intents and purposes I suppose it is, but please don't take it seriously.........I'm merely a fly on the fashion wall, not a deluded aspirational partaker

Esser are finally back from touring the states over the summer. YAY! Thanks to Esser HQ for inviting me out to celebrate last night at a swanky "do" on the roof garden of Shoreditch house which Ive never seen before. Amidst flashing bulbs of paparazzi going wild for Jade Jagger's jacket'n'jeans combo, was one hotel guest having his evening swim in the open pool, totally non-plussed! Excellent!
Whilst looking out at over the twinkling East End skyline, party revellers snacked on delicately potted seafood and dainty mini fruit shortbreads............all very civilised and tasteful (literally)...........until the supplies ran dry and the kitchen took the decision to wheel out a surprise stint of ginormous pizzas and burgers?! Here is Ben Esser getting fully involved and sampling the second-wind catering. Verdict - thumbs up.
Ive titled this entry "Essex Raver" due to Ben's patriotic county t-shirt he was wearing which is becoming confused for his own band merchandise, when his jacket cuts off the "x"! If you want to check out the East Anglian boy's yodeling skills he's going to be in Covent Garden at 3 pm today. Ive got no idea what its about, but sounds suitably hilarious!

Mon 12th Oct: The Fashion Body

I was over the moon when SHOWstudio commissioned me to make a film for their "Fashion Body" installation at the Fashion Revolution exhibition at Somerset House. Aprox 36 artists were asked to make a film based on an assigned section of the body to be put together for the resulting artwork. I had heard that NOKI had been given the knee (Peter Jensen the other knee) and I wondered who else had been designated .............rumours were rife with this highly secret opperation. Through strange and magic hapestance I was asked to focus on the "nape of the neck".........HELLO! That is coincidentally my one fetish! I love a defined arched hair line which makes a heart shape in the negative space on the neck. That's always the deal breaker for me on finding someone attractive...........call me a weirdo, but if there aint a heart, its a no-go! SO it was heaven to have this part of the anatomy to concentrate on for the film. As I am a frustrated makeup artist, I decided to highlight this heart by making makeup from the sequins I devised for my Heliocentric Electric collection. With my fave crew on board (Elisha and Kim) we worked out how to film through a lens to get a spectrum flair and make the whole thing rainbowtastic. Here is an initial test shot where Elisha tried shooting through different objects. On the day she turned up with a cut glass ashtray from a £1 Shop en route to the studio and that did the job perfectly - Genius!!!!!! Yin Lee had fun turning my muses Callum and Jessica into glittering Greek Gods and the outcome is a rather steamy affair..........although I hadn't intended it to be!

If you haven't been already, get down to Somerset House for the whole exhibition and discover the enclosed chapel at the very end for the entire "Fashion Body"............

Director - Elisha Smith- Leverock, DOP - Marcus Domleo, Stylist - Kim Howells, Hair - Cyndia Harvey using Bumble and Bumble , Makeup - Yin Lee at Premier, Models - Callum Turner at Models 1 and Jessica at Union, Camera assistant - Sam Widdows