Monday 8th December: Colour & Craft in Algiers

Amongst the many things that I learnt last week in Algiers was the revelation that my favourite and most-worn rik-rak top is infact a traditional Berber costume from Algeria!!!  It is a top that I made from a dress I hacked apart, purchased 2nd hand from a charity shop in North London!  I wore it on the first day of the workshop and instantly found out it's origin.  Serendipity or what?!!  Here are some examples of that technique from our research trip in the city.

Monday 8th Dec: Teaching Durar with CDA in Algiers

Last week I travelled to Algiers in North Africa to teach at the Fine Art School as part of the CDA initiative which also took me to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia last year.  The non-profit scheme has been set up to promote dialogue between creative sectors in different countries through the development of a new platform dedicated to innovation. "In supporting the creative community, CDA enhances the local culture in envisioning a diverse creative economy that is an integral element of modern society".  For the new project called "Durar" the course started in Algeria and is now continuing on to Tunisia and Morocco.  I started off the scheme with a workshop on "wearable accessories" to inspire the participants in conceiving a piece that combines traditional craft and material but in a new contemporary outcome.  For this we visited local artisans and the historical museum to see the origins of their heritage and talent.  Above you can see some of the students who came together from different regions, cities and even countries to take up the offer of this unique opportunity.  Over the next few weeks they will coordinate with a specialist technician to develop the design from which we will choose a winner to be awarded sponsorship to produce the final article.   To be continued............

Special thanks to The British Council for funding my trip to make this all possible!

Here are my snaps of the beautiful buildings of the fine art school which is set at the top of a mountain overlooking the capital and the bay so the view has the sea meeting the sky above the open courtyard planted with bird-of-paradise flowers, hibiscus and bougainvillea.

Tuesday 2nd Dec: British Fashion Awards 2014 via Keely Hunter

Thanks to Keely Hunter for her snaps from last evening's British Fashion Awards held at The Coliseum.  Here is Edward Enninful collecting his Isabella Blow award for "Fashion Creator" from Naomi Campbell which was great news alongside my fave Craig Green winning "Emerging Menswear Designer".  Here are guests Atalanta Weller and Noel Stewart and a snap of the BFC selected Headonism Miliners I poached from Instagram to get a photo of Keely herself in this post!   Head over to the BFC site to see the list of winners and awards from this year's countdown.

Follow Keely's Instafeed here.

Monday 1st Dec: COOPS London 2nd Birthday

Happy 2nd Birthday COOPS London - the earring cuff sideline of jeweller Emma Franklin who asked me to DJ at the celebration party.  It was a week of 3 jewellery DJ spots from Hannah Martin to Claires Accessories!  It wasn't jewellery week but something must have been in the air!

(Find out more about my DJ antics over on KI and check out COOPS for stocking filler ideas here)

Monday 1st Dec: NIKE X MO’WAX COLLECTION

The launch for MO'WAX collaboration with NIKE happened instore at NikeLab via a live set from James Lavelle and Nightwave, also streamed live on JustJam............. 

JUST JAM X NIKE X MO'WAX by justjamlondon

Thursday 20th Nov: Viviane Sassen's "ANALEMMA: FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY 1992 - 2012"

This show is ridiculously beautiful.  

Whoever is curating at The Photographer's Gallery at the moment is smashing it.  The previous exhibition by Lorenzo Vitturi was equally essential, refreshing and lush.  

DO NOT MISS

The Photographers' Gallery, 16 - 18 Ramillies St, London W1F 7LW

31 October 2014 - 18 January 2015

info@tpg.org.uk  +44 (020) 7087 9300  

Mon – Sat 10.00 – 18.00, Thu 10.00 – 20.00, Sun 11.30 – 18.00

Weds 19th Nov: "The Fractured & The Feline" by Quentin Jones with Robert Storey

Two of my favourite artists (and people) have once again collaborated and this time on an exhibition as a retrospective of Quentin's work and their previous joint projects.  Quentin's archive of illustration and animation has been made into a 3D spatial showcase by art-director Storey to bring to life her signature Surrealist squiggle style.  As you move around the maze of mirrored walls it feels as if you've stepped into one of their fashion films with reflections of both your own body and their body of work all intersecting thru cut-out sections in the divisions.  Robert wanted to involve the visitor in viewing Quentin's work beyond the regular gallery experience and has turned the Multi-Storey Car Park space into a set from their imaginary worlds.  Within this cavernous dimension is also a canteen to dine upon Storey's furniture and feast on a menu by Jones' sister's catering company "TART".  If that's not enough, The Vinyl Factory have also installed a stand selling a series of screen-prints as limited editions from the show to take a piece of the cut-in-paste puzzle home with you............    

The Vinyl Factory Space at Brewer Street Car Park, Brewer Street, London, W1F 0LA
Dates: 19th November – 13th December 2014,  Wed – Sat 12pm – 5.00pm,  Free

See my archive first feature on Quentin from 2010 here

See my archive first feature on Robert from 2011 here