Mia Jafari and Florence Bamberger in collaboration with Sketchbook Magazine

Late last year we gave our readers a special task for the commencement of our first competition. We called all illustrators to create a template for the design of a new scarf by the masterful Central Saint Martins and Goldsmith’s graduate, Mia Jafari, whose majestic scarf range has caught the eye of Vogue, Grazia and Nylon Magazine.

We received a plethora of submissions and with your help, decided on the winning design of Florence Bamberger, a graphic designer and illustrator from Paris.

The original winning illustration by Florence Bamberger

Together they worked hazardously to design and produce a limited edition scarf, “The Florence”, which we are thrilled to present to you today.

“The Florence” scarf

Designed in collaboration with Sketchbook Magazine and illustrated by Florence Bamberger, The Florence comes in a sumptuous fuchsia pink and black box, with the Mia Jafari LONDON logo stamped on the front. 

Florence Bamberger and Sketchbook Magazine in collaboration with Mia Jafari

These beautiful boxes are handmade locally using the highest quality of recycled card. In addition, each scarf comes with a hand sewn Swarovski encrusted swing tag at a tiny edition size. The Florence scarf is on silk double georgette so prints are visible on both sides, therefore compatible to wear however you choose.

Illustration by Katherine Tromans

The Florence measures at 63 x 63 cm and is available to purchase online for only £45 at the Mia Jafari Official Shop: 

http://miajafari.co.uk/shop/

DELIVERY IS FREE WORLDWIDE

Referencing peacocks and Jean-Paul Gaultier, The Florence scarf is ideal for anyone interested in exclusive yet whimsical luxury.

Sketchbook would like to thank both Mia and Florence for their hard work throughout the procedure of the production. We are so happy with the result.

Visit Mia Jafari’s website to see more of her scarf design: http://miajafari.co.uk/

View the work of graphic designer/illustrator Florence Bamberger: http://www.florencebamberger.com/

Take a look at the work of Katherine Tromans: http://www.katherinetromans.com/

See our Top 10 Finalists in the Sketchbook Magazine + Mia Jafari collaboration: Our Chosen 10

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Word: MEGAN McDOWELL

Images: MIA JAFARI

Peacock Illustration: FLORENCE BAMBERGER

Fashion Illustration with scarf: KATHERINE TROMANS

CLOWNLAND by MariosAlexander

Finding new talent is always just as exciting as celebrating the old more distinguished in design. We are thrilled to introduce the SS11 Collection by Greek-Cypriot designer MariosAlexander, Clownland.

As a recent MA Graduate from the London College of Fashion, Marios’ collection is inspired by the performing arts, masking the transition of role-play in theatre into an alternate perspective in luxury menswear clothing.

Whether it be in the ashen harlequin collar or in the argent depiction of a studded tailcoat, his collection exudes a degree of romanticism, a colour palette of gold and silver expressing a sensitive lining around the male form.

Associated with the peculiar fashion and persona of a clown, the first collection of MariosAlexander expels personality with classic style.

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Words: MEGAN McDOWELL

Photography: ONE SMALL ARMY*

Model: SIMON LEARY

Hair: MICHIKO YOSHIDA*

Make up: MARY-JANE GOTIDOC*

For more information, please contact Matthew Zorpas on 0044(0)7511554494 OR email Matthew_Zorpas@hotmail.com

LaBoca design for Black Swan

As one of the most highly apprehended films of this cinematic season, Black Swan has acquired a great deal of media and creative attention.

LaBoca Design is an independent design firm specialising in art and design for a variety of the creative industries. They too have stumbled across the artistic affection that is Black Swan, creating four official teaser posters for 20th Century Fox.

Swan embodied

Inspired, I assume, by the Constructivism and Futurism movements, each of the aforementioned posters embrace modern geometrics, simplifying each aspect into a fundamental, yet simple blueprint.

View more of the geometric works of LaBoca Design, based in Portobello Road, London. They put “the ape into apricot” :www.laboca.co.uk/

Read the full review of Black Swan on our blog: Review- Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky

Images: LaBOCA DESIGN

Words: MEGAN McDOWELL

Review- Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky

My dreams of plié-ing along to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake were as swiftly diminished as the parallel love/obsession mentality of Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan.

Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and the classically suave Vincent Cassel, Black Swan is one of the most riveting psychological thrillers since the murderous vengeance of Psycho or the nuclear insanity of Jack Nicholson in The Silence of the Lambs.

Portman plays the lead of Nina Sayers, a conventional recluse with a near obsessive attitude toward perfection. Amongst a troupe of other young ballet hopefuls, Nina is turned toward the spotlight, given the lead role of both the virtuous white swan and her alter ego, the black swan. Although relishing in the stardom of main dancer, her transformation into starlet causes a great deal of unnecessary anxiety in her already erratic consciousness. 

However, the spotlight does not remain at the prestigious New York City Ballet, instead drifting into the life of Nina Sayers, her strive for perfection becoming so near perfect on stage that the real story of Swan Lake becomes that of her own.

Natalie Portman started her work with Director Darren Aronofsky in 2000, perfecting her ballet technique already evident since childhood. Losing 10lbs, suffering a concussion and a dislocated rib for the role, Natalie’s efforts have not been overlooked by the critics, being nominated for a Best Actress Oscar amongst three other nominations for the movie. Also nominated for an Oscar is Mila Kunis for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Lily.

Other than the profound creativity of the movie directorship, Black Swan has gained acclaim from the grandiose costume design of the Mulleavy sisters, Kate and Laura of Rodarte. With the majestic spectrum of tutus and bodice’s graced in feather and embroidered lace appliqués; the sisters, conjointly with director Darren Aronofsky, have created a avant-garde spectacle of a celebrated artistic phenomenon.

Persecuted by her own reflection, the life of Nina Sayers becomes something of a hallucination, the line between reality and insanity broken by a recurring obsession.

Black Swan releases in cinemas this Friday the 21st of January 2011.

View the Black Swan website to see more of Aronofsky’s Tchaikovsky-influenced creation: www.blackswanmovie.co.uk

Images: 20th CENTURY FOX

Words: MEGAN McDOWELL

Sketchbook at the Design Museum: Design Overtime

The Design Museum is known as the pillar of fashion and design showcasing, exhibiting some of the most prolific in illustration, art and contemporary design.

In December, Sketchbook Magazine was thrilled to announce a collaboration with the Design Museum along with fashion journalist Hywel Davies for our latest pop-up installment, Design Overtime. 

The evening commenced with a live tutorial segment of fashion illustration by Sketchbook’s in-house illustrator Gabriela Mot whose technique of creating outrageous illustrations with the aid of magazine editorials began a artistic storm.

Our other guest illustrators were Tomomi McMaster, with a variety of illustrative techniques; and lecturer Stephen Stone who integrated members of the audience as his model subjects for his fast illustration class.

Stephen Stone

Gabriela Mot and illustration participants

In addition to our unique illustration classes, Hywel Davies, author of Fashion Designer’s Sketchbooks and Central Saint Martin’s lecturer, entertained an ample audience of spectators with interviews with phenomenal designer greats.

Journalist Hywel Davies

The audience with Fred Butler, interviewed by Hywel Davies

Those interviewed are at the pinnacle of British design, namely Richard Nicoll whose affinity with strong-tailoring and sleek design that has seen him become a celebrated addition to British fashion; London-based Turkish designer Bora Aksu who has fans in the Dolce and Gabbana duo; the celebrated props and accessories designer Fred Butler (amazing us with her eclectic headpiece); and lastly, the illustrious Amy Molyneaux, one part of the notable pair who created the revolutionary cult brand PPQ back in ‘92.

Fred Butler and Hywel Davies

Bora Aksu with Hywel Davies

In true journalistic form, Hywel charmed each genteel participant with a capacious variety of Q and A, allowing the audience and those following our buzzing Twitter feed to divulge in their own individual inquiries. I was lucky enough to snab my own, more-refined questions to each designer, somewhat rousing a desire in me to investigate the true quality of each individual widely praised in fashion.

Art Editor Megan McDowell with Richard Nicoll

The evening buzzed with a fashionable banter and the smell of mulled wine, eventually ending in the Sketchbook editorial team probing guests to the door after an overdue but much appreciated stay. The initial sight of our space after the night had ended imprinted our minds with a fantastic mirage of what the night had previously been.

We will be posting individual interviews from each of the aforementioned designers in subsequent posts that you can enjoy whilst divulging into Fashion Designer’s Sketchbooks by Hywel Davies, available for purchase here.

On behalf of the Sketchbook Editorial team, we would like to thank:

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See more photo’s of the night on our Facebook page

View the talents of the illustrators that participated (click their name): Stephen Stone, Tomomi McMaster and Gabriela Mot

…and our photographer Nedim Nazerali

Words: MEGAN McDOWELL

Images: NEDIM NAZERALI

“Hide and Seek” with Mr Clement

In the same studio space once used by Sketchbook Magazine for our previous pop-up in the Newburgh Quarter, Mr Clement -an artist originally from Hong Kong- was recently housed in the Pyrus Store for his Lapin influenced “Hide and Seek” Exhibition.

Describing himself as an illustrator and sculptor under an irregular pseudonym, Mr Clement gathers necessary inspiration that corroborate with his pop-culture designs from comics, popular culture and most strangely, pornography; ultimately creating incredible artworks from various plastics and a once-off taxidermy of a rabbit’s head.

His exhibition was a body of “lapine” or rabbits, a similar catharsis of Fifi Lapin, commonly known as the stylish illustrated bunny in “What Shall I Wear Today?”.

In a small space, Mr Clement uses every dimension to house each of his unique designs, alternating light whilst hiding each display in the smallest of nooks, satisfying the obvious hard work put into each of his pieces.

The “Hide and Seek” exhibition runs until January the 11th at the Pyrus store off Carnaby Street. Admission free.

Take a look at Mr Clement’s website: www.mrclement.com/

Many thanks to Sarah Croll of Goodley PR and Mr Clement, aforementioned artist.

Text and Images: MEGAN McDOWELL

The Unknown Hipster

So the “The Unknown Hipster” doesn’t leave us with an accurate description of The Hipster himself, but do you necessarily want to be named when your artistic medium is a variety of Crayola and the limited creativity of a mere pre-adolescent?

Save yourself the shame, or not…

Alas, my critique is useless when the work of The Hipster (found to be who we think is Jean-Phillipe Delhomme) is seen on The Purple Diary Blog and features Olivier Zahm himself along with Waris Ahluwalia and Marina Abromovic as prime subjects, along with the observant depictions of city normalcy in dark sunglasses and long beards (aka. a “hipster”)

Through these un-limitations and variety of fashion clique, I can honestly declare that the illustrations of Jean-Phillipe have become my illegible obsession. They depict a wild craze that evaluate the standard human form (although extracting all fault) but remain spontaneous and instinctive- a real pleasure amongst the idealism of the usual society of fashion.

Along with his work, Jean-Phillipe adds a descriptive text explaining each of the situations he encounters prior to his scrawl, a bit of a descriptive anonymity.

Moving to New York from France, this lead tambourine for the band Uneven Dusk, states that he planned to be either “a painter, a poet, or whichever position was available on the art scene”.

Discover the work of Monsieur Delhomme and review it yourself at www.unknownhipster.com

Words: MEGAN McDOWELL

Images: The Unknown Hipster