Friday September 1st: LAURIE NOUCHKA x OMNIUM

Here I am modelling and loving the new limited edition Omnium cycling apparel featuring Laurie Nouchka's pattern design, inspired by The Shard. It's wearable art with all the high performance features of professional cycling hit = perfect for me!
I've been following her sports-luxe collection since I started my fitness fashion blog on Hunger TV when I wore the St.Pauls print to the early morning East London rave "Morning Gloryville". Laurie wants her range to be an easy-to-wear option between exercise or simply spending your regular day in comfort.  My favourite feature is the high-cut waist on her leggings and how neatly they cover the navel.  Why aren’t leggings usually this way? I always feel so exposed when I have to strip down to my crop-top and have my whole abdomen on show.  This extra surface area of fabric also conveniently gives Laurie more room for her cosmic prints, drawn from London landmarks.  The Ominum padded shorts are the same comfort but have a unique flattering dip V shape waistband which Ive never seen before.  Very snazzy!  There's a sports bra, jersey, sleeves and cap to match in the range which also includes a menswear version of bibshorts. 
We met up super early to catch the sunrise over The Shard as a complimentary hue backdrop for the colour palette of the print.  Laurie had only just returned from New York where she went on a research trip to sketch the Big Apple's own skyscrapers. She plans to base each collection on a different city.  So wherever you are in the world, she’s coming to a capital near you!
Shop her first Cycling Apparel collection exclusively in collaboration with Omnium over on their site as pre-sale in a limited edition run of only 100 pieces.

Tuesday 29th August: "Joy and Peace" by Morag Myerscough & Luke Morgan

Here is the "Joy and Peace" installation by Morag Myerscough & Luke Morgan in the Rotunda Garden at Smithfields for the Culture Mile week of performances.  The artists translated six symbols: the heart, representing love; the globe, representing society; the sun, representing joy; the eye, representing wide open; the star, representing energy; the flower, representing peace.  The entrance walls to the Peace Pavilion & Garden incorporate patterns developed form workshops with local schools.  Each section of the wood sculpture was hand-painted by Morag, Luke and a team of painters in her studio.  I went on Friday evening to see the Gambian musician Jally Kebba Susso play the Kora as part of the programme in association with the Barbican, London Symphony Orchestra, City Of London, Guild Hall School and the Museum of London.  It was the beginning of the heatwave bank holiday weekend and the perfect setting to enjoy escapism in the bright positive space and make the most of being outside in the end of Summer in the city.  

Thursday 24th August: Dan & Sarah's Wedding

Here's a #ThrowbackThursday to this time last year when I made the bridal & bridesmaids headdresses for Sarah Anderson's marriage to Dan Wilton.  Here are a selection of shots from their photo album of incredible moments as you can only imagine from a photographer and guestlist of London's best snappers.  I used the offcuts of Sarah's dress by Bombe Surprise to make a matching satin swirl of spheres to echo the ellipse lines of the gown.  This was replicated in Silver and Iridescent for her bridesmaids as a sprinkle of cosmic detail to the proceedings which included top-hots exploding with confetti!  A dream commission for me to do what I love doing, for a day of love and cinematic stills to capture it all.

I've put together this edit from a compilation by  theo, steph, bradley, alex,

marc, carl, rosie, jesse, jonang, tim, jean paul & nina.

Wednesday 23rd August: Craig & Karl's Petrol Station installation

To complete my street-art tour of London's graphic & optical murals, I visited White City where the artists Craig and Karl have brought colour to a derelict petrol Station on Wood Lane.  The pastel pink roof should be replicated in all petrol stations in my opinion!  Obviously its my dream scenario for an instagram-friendly fuel stop!  I spent ages snapping all the different angles of this public artwork in West London.  It's totally magic and I'd love to see more commissions like this over the city!

Wednesday 23rd August: Felipe Pantone for River Island

I’m in LO❤️E with the Felipe Pantone denim collaboration for River Island, bringing one of my favourite artists aesthetic to my wardrobe.  I'm a massive fan of his graphic optical style which graces walls and galleries across the world.  I went for a mini street-art tour of London to get the best backdrop to snap the graphic applique jacket. Here I am surrounded by public art from Lakwena in Carnaby Street (top) and Morag Myerscough at Battersea Power Station. I accessorized the white look with a Keith Haring tote from Uniqlo and ASICS Gel Lyte III trainers.

Photos by Mitchell McGillvary & Magda Kagwa

Tuesday 22nd August: Chris Ofili "Weaving Magic" at The National Gallery

It was when I first returned from Trinidad Carnival that I started seeing press about this show and couldn't believe I didn't know Chris Ofili lives and works on the island! The YBA relocated to Trinidad in 2005 and has been inspired by the country's culture in his work ever since. It's a particularly exciting discovery for me as some of his recent pieces are based on the "Jab Jab" Blue Devil character from Carnival! Those oil paintings have now moved on and morphed into this latest piece which is a handwoven tapestry Commissioned by the Clothworkers’ Company (a livery company in the City of London).  Here you can see the original sketches and watercolour that have been translated into looped stitches with the bleeding water-mark spots particularly beautiful.  This story continues his interest in the classical mythology, stories, magic, and colour of the Trinidadian landscape.  The title of the tapestry "A Caged Bird's Song" relates to the tradition of underground songbird competitions with his own contemporary twist of mixing in a portrait of legendary footballer Mario Balotelli.

The labour of love took two-three years to weave and is epic in proportion, with the triptych filling the Sunley Room of the National Gallery.  It's the final week of the "Weaving Magic" show which falls on the build-up to Notting Hill Carnival this weekend and Trinidad Independence Day on the 31st.  If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, I whole heartedly recommend a journey to the museum for a very moving magic piece indeed.

Monday 21st August: #MarawaLovesKevin

"I Am Blessed" was the theme tune for Marawa & Kevin's first dance at the UK edition of their wedding and that title sums up exactly how I felt to be in attendence.  Their marriage celebrations are a triptych of cities and themes between L.A, Australia and London.  To kick-start the international tour Marawa took the "Blessed" African wedding vibe as inspiration in the Pinterest mood board for the dress code which she circulated with the invites.  The pressure was on!  Luckily my friend Bombe Surprise kitted us out in enough wax cotton prints to cover from head to toe, finished off with Chale "Melanin" socks for my date.  Here is Marawa in her violet look for the night which was swapped for a red lace heart dress later on for the dance and final send off.  Her outfits and the backdrop for the portraits were put together by the deft hands of Rosy Nicholas who Swarovski'ed every rhinestone to Marawas's trailing veil.    
Every detail of the night was epic from the venue of the Barbican Conservatory to the soundsystem selections by NTS to the luxury cake hand-made by Lily Vanilli herself.  I was in love with the spectrum lighting in the disco and the room was wall to wall loved-up vibes.  The happy couple's infectious fun lit up the room even more than the rainbow rig and we all had the best night to remember forever and ever after!!