Ring it!

A few weeks ago I received on the post a beautiful present from Peculiar Vintage. A gorgeous Bloc Letter Ring with my initial created by Stef Warde and inspired by old printing blocks (which happens to be one of my favourite objects in the world).

I have said before that summer is the perfect time for statement rings. Firstly because it gives the chance to experiment with flamboyant colours and secondly because the lack of gloves opens the chance for some seriously oversized hand jewellery.

However, when I found myself in front of this beautiful silver ring I ate my own words and realised that this was all my hand needed. The size of the letter is about 1cm with fine Goldsmith and PV Hallmarking. It fully made of silver and has an oxidised look with double loop shank.

This was one of the first rings from Stef’s BLOC collection, which you can check visiting Peculiar Vintage and also find at Rokit’s website.

Mariana Moyano

A new Milestone for Motorola

A few weeks ago, I was leaving the house in a rush with the conscious fear that I wasn’t carrying in my improvised handbag all my essentials. “Money and Cigarettes” -said my friend, quoting a long forgotten Eric Clapton album from 1983-“those are the essentials”. No offense to my friend or Mr Clapton, but I found the check list rather inadequate. In the first place I don’t smoke; and secondly –and not less important- that checklist lacks an essential without which I can’t leave the house: my mobile phone. It is not about being technologically obsessed, it’s about necessity.  

For years I’ve been at the other side of the latest trends and had successfully resisted the use of a phone as a symbol of status or a fashion accessory and always defended its use solely on communicative grounds. However, mobile phones have advanced beyond the mere act of calling or texting. The plethora of functions, gadgets, apps, and other goodies involved make them simply irresistible. That is the case of the new Motorola Milestone XT720, the first android phone with Xenon Flash and an 8.0 megapixel camera incorporated.

It would’ve only looked like a any other phone to my inexpert eyes, but the Motorola team invited me and other social media members to try the camera and it’s HD camcorder on the streets of London. After a quick instruction given by none other than Kathryn Ferguson, the film-maker and creator of one of my favourite Lady Gaga pieces for Dazed Digital, featured in Vogue and showcased in SHOWStudio.

After a list of simple rules to help us make the most out of our brand new phones, we were left to ponder around near by streets, capturing images and sounds and setting our creativity free; giving us the chance to play and work with a comfortable, slim, elegant device that was also equipped with all the necessary communicational technology. Suffice to say that numerous tweets and Facebook updates were done seconds after the phones were turned on.

The camera has the normal features of a digital camera, but that are usually absent of on mobile phone ones: easy panorama, face detection, multi shot, face filter, red eye reduction, macro quality and camera shake prevention among others. It includes an 8GB memory card expandable up to 32GB so all images and videos can be stored in the phone.

After we came back to our meeting point, we were invited to drinks and snacks while we shared our videos and photos. It was a wonderful experience and an original way to be introduce to a new product. I am aware that I have bought used and discarded phones without using half of its gadgets, simply out of ignorance, and although the learning curve gets steeper with the addition of tricks at the daily unstoppable advance of technology; the possibilities available in this particular one have captivated my eye and my lust for knowledge.

My new checklist is now: money, keys, Motorola. I wonder if Eric Clapton would do a song about it? 

Text: Mariana Moyano

Photos: Mariana Moyano (using Motorola Milestone XT720)

Dressing up your Sketchbook

Sunday Upmarket is one of THE places to visit in London weekends. The place bursts with colour, people and novelties of all kinds. Located in the Old Truman Brewery, it displays 140 stalls offering from arts and crafts to ethnic food.

It was during one of these visits that Sketchbook crew bumped into Michael Ruthenbury’s creation: Penroll; an original piece of hand crafted clothing for the notebook.

Newly graduated from Kingston University with a diploma in architecture, Michael started looking for a job in his field, but economic crisis has hit hard the architecture business and he found himself with time in his hands and in the need of an income, so the idea came to life: “originally it was only a pencil roll that allowed for quick access to the pens and pencils, I thought this would be useful for people who sketch in the city as it could fit in a pocket. I came up with the idea of putting them around a book quite randomly really, I was making books and just thought why don’t I wrap it around the book, it fitted and thought it was good, so I applied for a patent. Since then I have been making them and selling them at Upmarket”

The Penroll can wrap around books and attach as well as being able to detach and be rolled up. Michael is also working on some new products in the range, like handmade sketch books that the Penroll can be more integrated within, while still being able to be detached. There’s also a project for more luxurious version of Penroll developed entirely in leather.

“So far I make them all myself so they have the handmade quality which I like so I think I would like to keep them handmade. My ideal business plan would be to keep them made in the UK and get a small team to work on them and develop some new products all based around the concept of a simple, well made and efficient pencil case”

Simple ideas are the best, so make sure you have pencil in your sketch book next time one comes to your mind.

For more information and to order your Penroll visit www.penroll.co.uk

Text: Mariana Moyano

Rock N’ Needle Sketchbook Cupboard

An unexpected gift arrived at Sketchbook’s London HQ, a Rock N’ Needle white vest with royal blue bow embroidery perfect for staying fashionable in summer’s baking weather. Modelled by Sketchbook’s very own Cleide Carina, we photographed three different ways to wear the vest; nautical, rock chic and Blair Waldorf preppy, with the help of accompanying items from Sketchbook editor-in-chief, Wafa Alobaidat’s stylish wardrobe (we’re hoping she’ll one day pass on the YSLs to us).

Words: OSMAN AHMED

Styling: OSMAN AHMED

Photography: OSMAN AHMED

Model: CLEIDE CARINA

PUMA- THE RETURN OF THE DALLAS

PUMA has been featured in the fashion press a lot recently and quite rightly too.

A couple of weeks ago PUMA proudly announced the triumphant return of the PUMA Dallas trainer. First released in the 1980’s, it was a simple yet appealing streamlined basketball shoe and a favourite among the European break-dance community. With its re-issue for SS10, the Dallas has stayed true to its original and low-profile form with suede upper and blue/silver colour combinations. Each pair comes complete with a limited edition shoe tree made of Cedar Wood which will help keep the style fresh, inside and out. This rare classic from the Puma archive retails at a very reasonable £55 and is available exclusively at Hanon and Size?

Puma have always managed  to keep up-to-date with changes in trends and culture so it didn’t surprise me when I heard they were jumping on the ‘Sports-Luxe’ band-wagon  this season by collaborating with fashion designer Hussein Chalayan (whose first collection was purchased and displayed in luxury designer store Browns in 1993) and launching the Urban Mobility collection. While not as extreme, the collection continues Chalayan’s penchant for cutting-edge style combined with function.

The collection features desert boots for men and trainer versions of this summer’s must-have wedges for women, among other unique designs which show off his talent for material innovation and Puma’s technical excellence. The collaboration between Chalayan and PUMA is long-term owing to his role of Creative Director for the sports brand, so keep your eyes-peeled for additional collections in the seasons to come.

Adding to PUMA’s already impressive roster of collaborators that include Alexander McQueen and Mihara Yasuiro, I would recommend checking out the ‘Modern Africa’ women’s apparel collection by Kehinde Wiley. By using the artist’s distinct graphics and colourful wallpaper-like backgrounds, the collection is an instant visual masterpiece.

Don’t forget PUMA’s only London store is located on Carnaby Street so be sure to pop in while you make your SKETCHBOOK visit.

SKETCHBOOK would like to thank PUMA for sponsoring the drinks for the launch of the Sketchbook pop-up shop.

Text by EMILEE BRADFORD

Images from PUMA

Addition no.1 to the Sketchbook Cupboard

As you all know the team at Sketchbook was pleased to announce the launch of our Fashion Cupboard last week, and today we can proudly present the first member of the Fashion Cupboard family. Sent from the team at Swagga & Soul, this gorgeous fringed black leather cape was sent to us on 16.10.09 and has now found a home in our beautiful white oak closet! So don’t worry Nina it’s in good hands!

Stats:

From: Nina Hopkins at Swagga & Soul

To: Sketchbook Magazine

Description: Fringed Black Leather Cape with one button fastening (size 10)

Birth: Nina Hopkins’ Studio, Hackney

Materials: Leather

A Parcel From Warner Brothers

Its nice to wake up to post but its even nicer to wake up to a pile of CD’s kindly sent over from Warner Brother’s Records in London. Yesterday we were lucky enough to receive some new albums for the sketchbook crew to review (being the music savvy people that we are! not just pretty faces you know!), among them are names such as The Flaming Lips and Tegan and Sara.. we cant wait to listen to them! look out for our reviews coming soon.

The Fashion Cupboard is now Open!

Welcome to the beginnings of the Fashion Cupboard, a concept created by the editors of Sketchbook Magazine to archive and encase samples from designer’s previous collections to showcase in their live shoots.

The idea behind the cupboard is to collect samples from designers to be re-used on our blogger shoots.

How it Works

1.     Designers send us samples of their previous collections to our Sketchbook Magazine studio address (Sketchbook Magazine, Studio 3, 86 Kensington Park Road, W11 2PL, Notting Hill, London)

2.     All items get photographed, archived by our editors and stylists in the fashion cupboard for our readers and audience to see

3.     Each item is labeled with the following (Name/From/To/Birth Place/Materials)

4.     Samples will be used for photo shoots for the Sketchbook Blog which gets 500-1000 hits a day. They will be re-worked/re-used/interpreted by commissioned stylists and editors who visit our studio and work with the magazine

5.     Each sample will be credited in the photo shoot along with the team, commissioned stylist, models

How to get Involved/Send Samples

Designers and press offices can send samples from current and previous collections to be kept in our fashion cupboard, to be used over and over again on our shoots. We are looking forward to archiving your coats, dresses, shirts, blouses, jeans, pants, shorts, swimwear, kaftans, accessories, bags, clutches, shoes, boots and sandals.

The Sketchbook Sample Cupboard

The Sketchbook Fashion Cupboard is a 400cm x 100cm white oak closet fit with shoe rack, shelving for belts and accessories, and hanging space for long dresses and coats. Our hangers are designed to hold pants, jeans, shorts.

Contact Us

To be part of Sketchbook’s Fashion Cupboard, please contact Emete Yarici: 

The Fashion Cupboard

Studio 3

86 Kensington Park Road

W11 2PL 

emeteyarici@sketchbookmagazine.com