An Afternoon With Blow

Its Blow PR’s last day in a three day press event bonanza, Nell and the team are tired, Nell especially as she is harbouring a very nasty cold, (hot cup of cocoa and a Vix rub was Sketchbooks suggested remedies!) Once I have left the Sketchbook Studio to find the Blow HQ I meet with Chun, our lovely photographer and we enter into the Blow PR Forest- well it’s really a collection of twigs, ribbons and lights that grace the walkway into the showroom. Once in, (it has been a long day and the slightest bit of excitement is very overwhelming at this point!) We are welcomed in by the team, hats/gloves/bags are all put to the side (think back at school coat pegs and P.E bag shenanigans! I have a quick min to grab a ‘Relaxing‘ and detoxifying drink of redcurrant and blackcurrant juice, and then its time to be taken through Blow’s extensive and impressive list of clients. Can I just say at this point Blow PR is known for its great eye for design talent, but boy the collections are not for the faint hearted! From human hair skirts to full throttle metal bustiers my eyes are amazed at every sight.

The first label on the list is QASIMI, the Byzantium inspired range by Emirati designer KHALID AL QASIMI, which is not only stunning but also accessible and wearable and I am eager for us to get as many snaps as possible.

After a few sips of the “relaxing” juice drink, we approach  “Sex on The Brain”,  a fun and quirky head wear range by the talented PIERS ATKINSON, the range is very playful - hats, glasses and bondage decorated with bananas, cherries and pearls (I’m guessing no explanation is needed here). I am also told Atkinson is soon to be doing a small collection for TopShop, though I assume maybe not with sex as the main theme!?

As we carry on drifting in and out of A-list dresses and non-bio degradable skirts (let me add in at this point that this collection by CRAIG LAWRENCE is worth noting - red plastic cord and nylon bags have never looked this chic!). The next noticeable label is GEORGIA HARDINGE, although most of the range was out on loan, the small collection hanging speaks for itself. Intricate leather designs paired with skilled craftsmanship and an undeniable understanding of the female form makes Hardinge’s designs some of the sexiest and most desirable clothes of the season.

The journey through the remaining collections unveils names such as MANJIT DEU, AVSH ALOM GUR and IRIS VAN HERPEN, the last two of which showcased their collections in the last two fashion weeks, VAN HERPEN having the most intricate weaving and designs .

When the tour is complete and I have had a quick chat with Nell and Ella, the mission is complete.  Inspired and rather exhausted I put my SB notebook to rest and head home!

All in all it was a great evening, and there is nothing left to say but a big thank you and well-done to the team at Blow PR!

Text EMETE YARICI

Photography CHUN P. LIN

Jazz-tastic!

The London Jazz Festival 2009 is in full throttle. Having kicked off on Friday the 13th of November, the festival will continue until November 22nd, featuring established and up-and-coming British and international jazz musicians lighting up different venues around London town.

Ranging from smooth classical jazz to swinging soul, our picks for this year include BOBBY HUTCHERSON for chill-out experimental free jazz, the New Orleans R&B king himself, ALLEN TOUSSAINT who lends his great talent on stage, BRANFORD MARSALIS for the undeniable Miles Davis influence and of course, GILBERTO GIL is a must for the Afro-Cuban jazz lover. But the icing on the cake would have to be none other than the unforgettable MADELEINE PEYROUX at the Royal Festival Hall on Friday, November 20th; with critically-acclaimed albums ‘Half the Perfect World’ and ‘Careless Love’, she was also voted Best International Jazz Artist in 2007.

Forgetting the moaning, groaning and lame “but I thought elevator music was only supposed to be played in elevators” line, this is one scene I’ll be hitting on a cold crispy London evening with some hot chocolate, toasted marshmallows and most importantly, snuggled up against my significant other (albeit my fellow canine). A definite must.

Illustration: SUSAN KEYS

THE ASSEMBLY - ‘To bring together into one place. To put together. To congregate.’

Last night I was fortunate enough to attend THE ASSEMBLY preview party – a new concept at THE EAST END THRIFT STORE which brings together beautiful clothes, art and people in one place. Go upstairs and you are greeted by a glass of bubbly and an altogether different vintage world to the one below. I managed to steal 5 minutes with SARAH the co-owner of the store and mastermind behind the idea, to ask her about this exciting new direction for the store.

I was wondering how the three of you who created this store met?

It’s just my husband and I’s venture up here; we met at the end of my road and we’ve been working in this industry a long long time, we were both designers and immediately had a lot in common with where we wanted to go.

Can you tell me a little bit more of how and why you came up with the concept of bringing clothes, art and people together in this space?

We got married and had a dream to create the store. Three years down the line it’s actually happened. I have done lots of retail design and Myles (my husband) has worked on the other side so he does all the clothes picking. So it was a question of how we could merge the talents together and create a space.

We decided that we actually wanted to show young peoples’ work, to have classes where people can start to customise clothes. Almost all the staff have a Masters in fashion so it’s a really creative environment. I have 20 years retail experience, graduated from St Martin’s and designed Galleries Lafayette, stores like that. I’ve done dirty retail too and it was just time to do something together.

The space is amazing. How did you come across it?

In fact Myles opened the thrift store downstairs 2 years ago. This space has always been here and I came up here one day and said why don’t we actually make this a creative space, not just a clothes store. Let’s have exhibitions up here, let’s actually make this breathe in a bigger way.

So will there be a gallery up here?

Yeah we are going to show young artists’ work and have private views.

I was just wondering who you are trying to attract and appeal to?

Probably the slightly older market - downstairs is where the students and TV stylists love, but up here it’s for people who like really beautiful clothes. They don’t just want to have the same old repeat that you find in Reiss or wherever…actually unique pieces. Most of the people here this evening are of a certain age that they appreciate beautiful clothes, but it doesn’t make us ageist. The principle behind the thrift store was that it was very reasonable, hand picked and recycled. This is the same but it’s just a little bit more expensive, but not too much more.

Everyone who comes into this place will find something they really love.

The prices are still very very reasonable for such unique and beautiful pieces, how do you do it?

That’s our secret

Do you pick all the pieces yourself?

Yes, Myles has contacts and picks them all himself, nothing is random. We want it to feel relaxed but it has been really chosen carefully

Do you go right across the country?

I won’t give our trade secrets away…

What are your plans and aspirations for this space?

We want to try and grow the creative side in terms of artists being able to exhibit, being able to hold lectures and we want to start showing films. It needs quite a clear vision so initially we’ll probably being putting on an exhibition of my father’s work who is a very well known photographer and did lots of stuff in the 80’s of somewhere called Kensington Market; and as the resurgence of the 80’s is back we might start by having a real retrospective of the 80’s.

Downstairs in the original East End Thrift Store

Text/Photography: FIONA GANDY

5 Minutes with Photographer CJ Clarke

Photographer CJ CLARKE recently visited the village of Tabakro in Southern Mali for Christian Aid looking at the affects of climate change. While there he met some of the villagers where he saw and captured their lifestyle on camera. We had spoke to him yesterday to find out what he’d been up to over there, as well as telling us about the amazing colours of Mali, the torrential rain and been presented with a white, feathered chicken. 

Where were you?

The photographs were taken in the village of Tabakro in southern Mali. The village is quite small consisting of mud-walled houses. We were welcomed into the village with women singing and dancing and presented with a chicken, white feathered and red headed. With the help of national and international NGO’s the village has been able to install solar panels allowing them to install electric light in the school, which, in turn, allows women to study during the evening: this has a tremendous impact on the social dynamic of the village. Investing in women can help facilitate real social change. 

How many places did you visit in Africa? 

For this trip I only visited Mali. Within the country I travelled extensively, first taking a small plane to the north of the country; before traveling south by road. 

What caught your eye? 

When you are traveling everything catches your eye; everything that is exciting and different but also those mundane things. For instance, I bought two brightly coloured kettles;  bright swells of plastic colour these kettles were ubiquitous and as such remind me very much of Mali. It is interesting that such an everyday item could be so vivid; everything was colourful the mans tailored shirts and the women’s clothes. Just fantastic.  

What was your experience there like? 

Welcoming and friendly, is it a great experience to travel in Mali. Extremely warm but, when it rains, it rains. Traveling down at dirt track, through hollows of water our 4x4 skidded off the road. But no harm was done. Through the Dogon region we briefly visited pygmy dwellings carved out of the rock, several thousand years old. Quite something! 

www.cjclarke.com

Shake It: An Instant History of Polaroid

With the last batch of Polaroid film expiring this month, 60 years of iconographic photographic format is on the verge of extinction. The Pumphouse Gallery is hosting an exhibition, ‘Shake It: An Instant History of Polaroid’ to celebrate the end of the era. 

We popped along last week where we saw 6 decades of innovative photography from the likes of Guy Bourdin, David Hockney, Robert Mapplethorpe, Juergen Teller and Andy Warhol, some of which have never before been seen in the UK. 

Howl for Kirsty Lee's T-Shirts

Blogger KIRSTY LEE, who we interviewed a few weeks ago, recently launched her own T-shirt line ‘Howl Clothing.’ Howl sells handmade t-shirts designed by herself, online on her website: www.howlclothing.blogspot.com. You can see a few of these cool, unique designs here, with loads more to come soon. 

www.howlclothing.blogspot.com

5 Minutes with Blogger The Style Strutter

CATHY LAWSON, better known as blogger THE STYLE STRUTTER began her blog just three months ago and is already hitting 60+ hits per day. She recently embarked on a ‘bloggers breakfast’ where bloggers alike can meet up and have a good old chat about anything and everything…usually fashion. Here our writer NATALIE MILLER chats to her about the phenomenon of bloggers, who attended the breakfast, and most importantly, what they ate.

How long have you been writing your blog?  

I have been writing The Style Strutter since August, so it’s only 3months old now, but going strong I think.

Where did you come up with idea for it? 

Originally I wanted to do a street style blog based in my home-town Cork, but I didn’t want to limit myself to just street style. So I then decided to keep it more general but focus on fashionable events happening around me. I also think that readers connect more with personal blogs so I like to include pictures of DIYs I’ve done or outfits I’ve worn or love.

Other than your blog, is your career very fashion-based? 

I’ve always been completely obsessed with fashion and my blog stems from this love. I studied Fashion Design & Knitted Textiles in college while working in a fast paced high street store merchandising. I then moved on to become a display artist/ window dresser in a luxury goods department store, where I work on window & in store displays, styling mannequins and working at fashion shows. In my free time, I’m usually making clothes for myself and my friends, reading magazines or browsing other blogs and fashion sites, so as you can see I pretty much eat, drink and sleep fashion.

How many hits do you reach per day/week? 

At the moment I’m averaging around 60 hits a day, which I think is great but there’s always room for improvement! I’m so grateful that people take the time to check out my blog.

I wanted to talk to you about the bloggers breakfast you were involved with. Who/how did you come up with the idea?

The bloggers breakfast is the brainchild of Irish fashion writer and stylist Annmarie O’Connor. She’s been organising and running the monthly meet-up for just over a year now, and it’s a great opportunity to meet like minded people and chat about anything and everything….usually fashion! 

Who was there?

An array of fashion bloggers from all over Ireland attend the event, from the professionals to the ones like me just starting out!

Some of the usuals would be ANN MARIE of course from ‘iblogfashion’ BLANAID from ‘blanaid.com’ CILLIAN from ‘male-mode’, ARSHEEN from ‘fashionfilosofy’ and ANGELA from ‘angelascanlon’ and many more which you can find on my blog!

So what do bloggers eat for breakfast?

Bloggers eat a lot of nice things! Ranging from cupcakes to pancakes, fishcakes to nachos, all washed down with wine, cocktails, tea and coffee!

Why do you think the ‘blogging world’ has become such a phenomenon?

The blogging world is very accessible and varied; you don’t have to be a recognised professional to have an interesting opinion. I think there are so many fascinating people out there who use blogging as their creative outlet and its great that anyone can read it from anywhere in the world. I think there’s something very raw and genuine about bloggers that readers feel they can connect with more so than anonymous magazine articles and this has helped to make it such a phenomenon.

We would love to do a breakfast with ourselves. What was the process of the breakfast?

As I didn’t organise the event myself I’m not certain of how it started out, but all you need is a few eager fashion bloggers and a venue to host your brunch to start with. Someone well-connected like our organiser Annmarie O’Connor is hugely helpful as they are recognised in the industry and have the dedication to plan the meeting month after month.

Do you feel it was a success? Would you do it again?

The breakfast is a huge success! Last month was actually my first time attending it but I will definitely be going every month from now on. It’s just a great opportunity for a casual meet-up with friendly and enthusiastic people who share a love of fashion and blogging!

www.thestylestrutter.blogspot.com

Illustrations SUSAN KEYS

Anglomaniancal

Monday night Selfridges had a case of Anglomania: the parking garage was taken over, not by a hungry hoard of camera and note-pad wielding fashion press, but bastions of Anglomaniacs and some of the Dame’s most prized customers, including Lady Victoria Harvey, Nicola Roberts and Julia Restoin Roitfeld. It was a bit of a strange affair - more of a social event with a catwalk thrown in than a proper runway show, even though Daisy Lowe walked twice. Vivienne herself emerged from backstage before the show to sip lukewarm champagne through a straw in a front row seat beside her son, Tim, and watched the show along the rest of us. With such an unusual frower in our midst, my paparazzi instincts automatically flared up and I began to squeeze along the side of the catwalk in search of that perfect shot when, to my horror, a burly security guard gave me an icy stare and asked me if I was a guest. I waved my entry rubber wristband in his face and went to resume my blogger’s duties when the ogre put a firm hand on my shoulder and said “that’s enough.” That’s ENOUGH? The whole point, surely, of a fashion show is to snap, snap, snap, cover, cover, cover. But this was no fashion show; if it walks like a marketing ploy and quacks like a marketing ploy, it probably is one.

Regardless, my evening was full of faux pas after faux pas. I don’t know what it was, but I smashed two glasses (Honestly, who puts an ice sculpture in a car park? And next to the bar where it looks simply like a sweaty glass surface upon which to rest one’s drink?) and walked up to Richard Young and said “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” But the greatest faux pas of all, as we were squirming in our seats, scanning the front row for the usual familiar faces and recognizing none, I turned to my friend Ally and declared with a somewhat exasperated tone that the laypeople had penetrated the so-called inner fashion sanctuary that is a runway show: “I don’t see ANYONE here I know.” In that instant, I look up, the Dame is standing right in front of me. Smoooooooooth.

Vivienne (left) and Young (Right)

The runway show itself was Westwood to a T. Bunched tartan in fresh spring greens, yellows and pinks, folded and tucked blouses, tee-shirt dresses with anti-propaganda messages straight from the Manifesto emblazoned across the front and so on. The accessories were the best part - sunglasses made out of recycled Coke cans, runner’s bibs pinned to the front of dresses with messages about climate change and chunky plastic skull trinkety necklaces. This collection, with its collage of tribal prints juxtaposed with clean white and navy sailor stripes, bears the Westwoodian orb at its core: and it’s far more intricate and sartorially crafted than Anglomania usually is. The attention to detail perhaps even surpasses recent Red Label collections, which is certainly surprising. But Vivienne said it herself at the reading of her manifesto: “Don’t buy fashion right now, wait until you see something you really like…that will last you…” It seems like the Dame has taken her own advice and applied it to her entry-price label. She created pieces that, even though the line holds the third place spot on the Westwood hierarchy, are intriguing enough to merit just such an investment. So next spring, get Anglomaniacal!

Daisy Lowe

A model presents Tim Westwood with flowers

The missing Obama sister, Dionne Bromfield, performs post runway

Dionne and Viv share a moment

Nicola Roberts and Florence Welch

“You only get ONE photo with Julia.” Snap.

Text/Photography KRISTIN KNOX

Rachel's Bite-Sized Chunks

Today we interviewed our neighbour, illustrator Rachel de Ste. Croix, who is currently working on making children’s books. She kindly gave us 5 mini business cards of her beautiful illustrations.

Thank you Rachel, we love them!

You'll definitely get a good night's sleep at 40 Winks

Stepney Green East London - Mile End Road to be exact, is not the usual MG clad million pound street you would expect to find, let alone one of the most eccentric boutique hotels of the world.

40 Winks the small boutique hotel which launched in March earlier this year has already become a secret cavern for the fashion and Hollywood elite.  Anyone who is anyone has graced these divinely decorated four walls. Our reporter VICTORIA AITCHISON went to see what is; without a doubt, London’s best kept secret.

Upon arriving at the front door you do not expect what happens next; within seconds of stepping in the door of what looks like one of London’s everyday town houses you are instantly transported into an Alice in Wonderland fantasy. Walls adorned with dream like creations and mirrors that look as if they could come to life at any second surround you, window frames imported from China and ceilings decorated as the sky finish each room to perfection. Each bedroom has its own unique theme; my favourite being the owner’s very own Marie Antoinette styled lounge, polished off with a wig worn by Naomi Campbell - who I am sure would be more than happy to spend a few hours in the immaculate gold bathroom or utterly beautiful secret garden.

Interior designer DAVID CARTER, the man behind this incredible space, told me how he is currently in talks with one of the biggest fashion houses in the world, as well as one of the biggest lingerie brands (dare we take a guess – Agent Provocateur anyone?) for upcoming exciting projects. He is in the meantime working on various projects which in the words of David himself, “will be very sexy!” words extremely fitting to this man’s genius.

The venue is now fast becoming a place for designers, photographers, fashion insiders and other creatives to stay in, inspire and be inspired. 40 winks is without a shadow of a doubt a hub of creativity that could alight any imagination.

Text VICTORIA AITCHISON

Photography NATHAN PASK

The brain behind the beauty