On my rambles around festivals this year it has been hard to escape the omnipresence of floral head garlands on the ladies, viagra and indeed worn by some of the more daring men… I recall a particularly dashing pair of matching flower topped bald male bonces espied through the crowd in the Cabaret Arena at Latitude for instance.
At Glastonbury and Latitude these garlands were usually bought off the peg at a stall, about it but Gardeners (as they are called) at Secret Garden Party were a little more inventive with their head gear. From customised top hats to Indian feather headdresses to stuffed birds, recipe decorative headwear provided ample opportunity for experiment in colour, combination and height.
Here are some of the most inventive and appealing creations I saw at Secret Garden Party.
Photography by Amelia Gregory.
I loved this creation – the height, the space, the use of colour. Beautiful.
This girl had used her own hair to create ears.
Gorgeous butterflies. Simple but effective.
Bees. Leaves. Flowers. Stuffed animals. Pile em on!
This girl had found loads of crap in her house and stuck it all on, including a Sheriff’s badge, handcuffs and a Toucan (just visible on the top)
A boy with a stuffed bird in his ‘fro. As you do.
A huge holographic rainbow butterfly headdress.
Native American Indian inspired headdresses were very popular.
My friend Dora does a simple red top hat extremely well.
A little molecular number.
Channelling Louix XVI via Burlesque.
Sometimes more is more, don’t you find?
Jemima with a found thistle and fake flowers.
Classy, and strangely inaccurate too.
Lastly, Pearl and Ivy, or should that be Carly and Sam, here seen modelling their own creations which were for sale at Secret Garden Party.
And myself wearing one – c’mon, I had to get into the spirit of it all didn’t I?! You can buy a similar feather headdress from Pearl and Ivy from their online website.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday July 28th, 2010 10:05 am
On my rambles around festivals this year it has been hard to escape the omnipresence of floral head garlands on the ladies, viagra and indeed worn by some of the more daring men… I recall a particularly dashing pair of matching flower topped bald male bonces espied through the crowd in the Cabaret Arena at Latitude for instance.
At Glastonbury and Latitude these garlands were usually bought off the peg at a stall, about it but Gardeners (as they are called) at Secret Garden Party were a little more inventive with their head gear. From customised top hats to Indian feather headdresses to stuffed birds, recipe decorative headwear provided ample opportunity for experiment in colour, combination and height.
Here are some of the most inventive and appealing creations I saw at Secret Garden Party.
Photography by Amelia Gregory.
I loved this creation – the height, the space, the use of colour. Beautiful.
This girl had used her own hair to create ears.
Gorgeous butterflies. Simple but effective.
Bees. Leaves. Flowers. Stuffed animals. Pile em on!
This girl had found loads of crap in her house and stuck it all on, including a Sheriff’s badge, handcuffs and a Toucan (just visible on the top)
A boy with a stuffed bird in his ‘fro. As you do.
A huge holographic rainbow butterfly headdress.
Native American Indian inspired headdresses were very popular.
My friend Dora does a simple red top hat extremely well.
A little molecular number.
Channelling Louix XVI via Burlesque.
Sometimes more is more, don’t you find?
Jemima with a found thistle and fake flowers.
Classy, and strangely inaccurate too.
Lastly, Pearl and Ivy, or should that be Carly and Sam, here seen modelling their own creations which were for sale at Secret Garden Party.
And myself wearing one – c’mon, I had to get into the spirit of it all didn’t I?! You can buy a similar feather headdress from Pearl and Ivy from their online website.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday July 28th, 2010 10:05 am
Ziad Ghanem‘s catwalk shows are always momentous: massively oversubscribed, a cat-fight to get into and an array of weird and wonderful creatures desperate to get a glimpse of what the ‘cult couturier’ has delivered this season.
So imagine my surprise when I arrived a mere fifteen minutes late to find that the show had already started. I darted up the Freemasons’ Hall‘s stairs and the vivacious models were already wowing the crowds. It was a struggle to take pictures between the illustrious millinery of Ziad‘s fans; the pictures that feature here aren’t amazing, particularly since you can’t actually see much of the clothes…
As always, it’s impossible to define this collection in terms of trends or style. It would perhaps be easier to talk about what didn’t appear – you won’t find any tailored trenches or wearable basics here. Instead, Ziad is notorious, infamous and celebrated for frocks that defy seasonality. His blend of couture is one of the rare displays of truly unique craftsmanship at fashion week.
To describe the music as eclectic would be a massive understatement. Munroe Bergdorf had put together a mammoth mixtape of hits across the decades, most of which I now can’t remember so I’ve made a note to make more notes next season. I do remember David Bowie‘s Fashion, George Michael‘s Too Funky and Duran Duran‘s Notorious, tracks synonymous with the catwalk but given a different feel in the majestic setting of the Freemasons’ Hall.
Effervescent models strode one after the other to rapturous applause and deafening whoops. This particular collection had been inspired by Andy Warhol‘s superstar transvestite Candy Darling, star of Flesh and muse of The Velvet Underground. Lavish make-up featured on every model, with Ziad‘s boys wearing as much as his girls. There were hints of the 1980s with Boy George-esque layering and vibrant African patterns.
Some dresses fitted so tightly that some models were forced to walk more slowly than others, while other pieces nipped at the waist but flourished at the hips. A completely diverse selection of fabrics were on offer – couture lace, organza, translucent contrasts and painted cottons. A terrifying model came out waving feathers… with her knockers out and doing a bird impression. Christ, this is hard work. Maybe just look at the pictures. Not that they do this collection any justice.
Monty Python‘s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life accompanied the finale, another unexpected twist as if we needed any more, but an uplifting statement and a glorious finish to this fashion week spectacle.
Written by Matt Bramford on Friday February 22nd, 2013 11:38 am
Ziad Ghanem‘s catwalk shows are always momentous: massively oversubscribed, a cat-fight to get into and an array of weird and wonderful creatures desperate to get a glimpse of what the ‘cult couturier’ has delivered this season.
So imagine my surprise when I arrived a mere fifteen minutes late to find that the show had already started. I darted up the Freemasons’ Hall‘s stairs and the vivacious models were already wowing the crowds. It was a struggle to take pictures between the illustrious millinery of Ziad‘s fans; the pictures that feature here aren’t amazing, particularly since you can’t actually see much of the clothes…
As always, it’s impossible to define this collection in terms of trends or style. It would perhaps be easier to talk about what didn’t appear – you won’t find any tailored trenches or wearable basics here. Instead, Ziad is notorious, infamous and celebrated for frocks that defy seasonality. His blend of couture is one of the rare displays of truly unique craftsmanship at fashion week.
To describe the music as eclectic would be a massive understatement. Munroe Bergdorf had put together a mammoth mixtape of hits across the decades, most of which I now can’t remember so I’ve made a note to make more notes next season. I do remember David Bowie‘s Fashion, George Michael‘s Too Funky and Duran Duran‘s Notorious, tracks synonymous with the catwalk but given a different feel in the majestic setting of the Freemasons’ Hall.
Effervescent models strode one after the other to rapturous applause and deafening whoops. This particular collection had been inspired by Andy Warhol‘s superstar transvestite Candy Darling, star of Flesh and muse of The Velvet Underground. Lavish make-up featured on every model, with Ziad‘s boys wearing as much as his girls. There were hints of the 1980s with Boy George-esque layering and vibrant African patterns.
Some dresses fitted so tightly that some models were forced to walk more slowly than others, while other pieces nipped at the waist but flourished at the hips. A completely diverse selection of fabrics were on offer – couture lace, organza, translucent contrasts and painted cottons. A terrifying model came out waving feathers… with her knockers out and doing a bird impression. Christ, this is hard work. Maybe just look at the pictures. Not that they do this collection any justice.
Monty Python‘s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life accompanied the finale, another unexpected twist as if we needed any more, but an uplifting statement and a glorious finish to this fashion week spectacle.
Written by Matt Bramford on Friday February 22nd, 2013 11:38 am
I feel like myself and Bernard Chandran are good pals. He’d probably see it differently, but the first show I ever saw during a fashion week was his, and since then I haven’t missed a single one. I almost did this time – cruelly his show clashed with one of my other favourites, Jean Pierre Braganza. I was worried sick – who would I choose? In the end, the Amelia’s Magazine team had got JPB more than covered and I decided that I couldn’t miss Bernard after all.
It’s a bloody good job I was so desperate to see it, because his show was at the Il Bottacciovenue on Grosvenor Place. If this doesn’t mean anything to you, it’s basically a 20 minute cycle by Boris from Somerset House, fashion week’s epicentre. It might not sound much, but when you’ve got less than twenty minutes to get there, it’s boiling hot on the Strand and rammed with buses churning emissions in your face and you’re prone to perspiration, it’s less than entirely ideal.
I arrived at the venue in a complete state. Perspiring, thirsty, hungry and miserable, I just wanted to get inside and get it over with. Luckily entrance was a breeze, and I found a good seat on which to waft my invite frantically and avoid glares from immaculate fashionos free of any perspiration. I sat next to Lida from The First To Know – I’ve spoken to her electronically a few times, and it was great to finally meet her. We chatted about a recent article of hers for the Ecologist where she speaks to Chandran about the lack of available craftsmanship in our country, and it’s definitely worth a read.
Bernard Chandran S/S 2012, illustrated by Gabriel Ayala
Bernard’s invite featured a duplicated picture of a glamorous woman from the 1950s. I had already guessed (naturally, as myself and Bernard are so friendly) that it was his mother. She had the same delicate bone structure and exotic appeal. It turns out that these two subjects – the 1950s and the matriarch of the Chandran dynasty – where Bernard’s inspiration this season.
The show featured many of Bernard’s now signature styles, but this time he’d cranked up the glamour factor and it really suited his unique dedication to sculpture and proportion.
Look after look brought glamour, sophistication, elegant craftsmanship and a unique approach to dynamic cutting. Floor-length silk numbers, beautifully simple, sat happily with futuristic blazers with angular oversized lapels and a-line dresses with feather panels. The colour palette was a varied as it could be – pale pinks and blues, gold, silver, and vivid cobalt and fuchsia. Chandran’s evident bravery in his use of colour was a dominant feature once again.
It was quite a mix, and that’s what I quite like about Chandran; you can’t label his collections with this season’s buzz words and you could try to squeeze him into a box but he’ll burst out of it, wearing feathers and glittered fabrics and assymetric cuts (metapohrically speaking, of course).
The finale brought a stunning black model onto the catwalk wearing a red-carpet finest – a dazzling body-con number with a sweetheart neckline and a fishtail train. Delicate petal shapes in a complimentary colour had been applied all over the frock, teamed with high-gloss evening gloves. The model glided past us oozing sex appeal with a look of confidence that only this sort of piece can give.
Bernard, you didn’t let me down. Until next time, pal…
Written by Matt Bramford on Monday September 19th, 2011 3:12 pm
Jane Bowler is a graduate of the Royal College of Art who works in innovative ways with inexpensive and mundane materials, store and she was the first designer to show at the Blow Presents showcase at London Fashion Week. For her S/S 2012 collection she worked in collaboration with knitwear designers Heather Orr, what is edVictoria Campbell and Victoria Bulmer to create a stunning group of garments inspired by the story of Icarus. Using plastic and latex with soft block-coloured knitted tops and laddered leggings beneath, sale the collection was fearless and fun.
Clothing featured fabulous swishing tassels, curled feather like patterns and tufts of feathers in translucent rainbow hues. Sunglasses came with cute coloured eyebrows attached like question marks, a collaboration with Studio Swine. Tight swimming cap hats and high t-bar platforms were also accessorised with rampant plastic additions, and as the show reached a crescendo we were treated to the most fully feathered piece of all: a huge cape worn by a delightfully curvaceous model.
I loved the unabashed boldness of this thoroughly unique collection, which amongst the more fantastical elements featured some highly wearable pieces. I look forward to seeing what Jane Bowler does next.
Jane Bowler S/S 2012 review. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday September 27th, 2011 9:47 am
This screen print by Franz Vesolt accompanies the release of Wild Nothing’s ‘Evertide’ EP.
Tell me the premise behind the idea of the Warmest Chord Record label.
The label was pretty much born out of a desire of wanting to collaborate, drugs create something from scratch, link and to offer up something a little different from the standard somewhat cold digital download. We wanted to play around with some ideas and explore other possibilities by adding a craft and handmade element into the mix of download releases. We felt it was only right to offset downloads with beautiful physical artwork that you can own, viagra admire, hang and create attachment and a visual counterpart to the music.
For the second release we introduced downloadable liner notes and also Warmest Chord ‘Calling Cards’ which are handpicked images from scrapbooks, old publications, vintage community magazines, old postcards etc. Each one is a one-off and handstamped by Warmest Chord. We do an edition of 50 per release and we put them in at random with purchases of the screen print. This visual and physical element is really important to us and we want to create a trusted home for new music adding different art ephemera and collectibles with each release.
Who do you have signed at the moment and what type of music are you hoping to sign in the future?
Warmest Chord is still very much a fledgling label as we’ve only had two releases out so far. Our first was the ‘Evertide’ EP from Wild Nothing coupled with a phosphorescent screen print from French illustrator Franz Vesolt. Our second release was from newcomer Slow Talk hand-in-hand with a print from Micah Lidberg. The overwhelming support and little messages from well-wishers and fans was really positive and highlighted just how open music lovers can be to new ideas and combinations. As for the future, our doors, eyes and ears are truly open.
Tell us a little about the artists that you are working with on the screen print side.
For the Wild Nothing release we brought Franz Vesolt on board, an illustrator who focuses on characters and figures, and has an unerring ability to stir up the emotions with a simple line drawing. We felt that he complimented and aestheticised the emotive music of Wild Nothing perfectly. And in comparison to that, there are the bold songs from Slow Talk with just a hint of menace and vulnerability in the mix, which illustrator Micah Lidberg aptly manifested with his twisted vision of nature run wild with colour.
This screenprint by Micah Lidberg is sold alongside the new release by Slow Talk
For each release we’re going to be introducing a new illustrator, and carefully pairing them with the music to ensure they go together like the finest bread and cheese. We also invite them to make-over our logo/ headermast to essentially ‘christen’ each release. Each run of screen prints is limited to just 100, and we endeavour to make each one a beautifully crafted piece of collectible custom-made art that adds value and attachment to the music.
Wild Nothing’s haunting interpretation of the iconic ‘Cloudbusting’ can be brought from the Warmest Chord shop
Turning to the business side; what was your background before this, was it art, or music related?
A little bit of both actually! I studied art at university, tried to write for a living but got very very poor in the process, worked in music promotions then at a couple of labels big and small. I continue to be a fairly free floating entity with fingers in lots of honey jars, including managing the bands Still Corners and The Proper Ornaments
The other half of Warmest Chord spends most of his time begging DJ’s to play records on the radio, as well as running a great little 7”-only label called Make Mine. We both kind of landed on our bellies into the world of Warmest Chord and we’re very pleased that we did.
How was this label set up, did you receive funding? And is this a full time job for everyone at Warmest Chord?
We’re both based in London, and had to dig deep into our pockets, bumbags, piggy banks and sofa cushions in order to make Warmest Chord happen. There are just two of us at the label and we wrap it around our day jobs using every stolen moment we can fit in our Warmest Chord swag bag in order to indulge another little facet for the label.
What is your long term goals with Warmest Chord?
To keep Warmest Chord a very free and mutable entity, keep building on the craft and visual element, provide a forum for interesting music and always keep an open mind and a flirtatious eye. We’re currently busy working on our next rather special release. But we’re fond of surprises so won’t say any more or the broth will be ruined.
Another example of Micah Lidberg’s stunning illustrations.
This screen print by Franz Vesolt accompanies the release of Wild Nothing’s ‘Evertide’ EP.
Tell me the premise behind the idea of the Warmest Chord Record label.
The label was pretty much born out of a desire of wanting to collaborate, story create something from scratch, treatment and to offer up something a little different from the standard somewhat cold digital download. We wanted to play around with some ideas and explore other possibilities by adding a craft and handmade element into the mix of download releases. We felt it was only right to offset downloads with beautiful physical artwork that you can own, admire, hang and create attachment and a visual counterpart to the music.
For the second release we introduced downloadable liner notes and also Warmest Chord ‘Calling Cards’ which are handpicked images from scrapbooks, old publications, vintage community magazines, old postcards etc. Each one is a one-off and handstamped by Warmest Chord. We do an edition of 50 per release and we put them in at random with purchases of the screen print. This visual and physical element is really important to us and we want to create a trusted home for new music adding different art ephemera and collectibles with each release.
Who do you have signed at the moment and what type of music are you hoping to sign in the future?
Warmest Chord is still very much a fledgling label as we’ve only had two releases out so far. Our first was the ‘Evertide’ EP from Wild Nothing coupled with a phosphorescent screen print from French illustrator Franz Vesolt. Our second release was from newcomer Slow Talk hand-in-hand with a print from Micah Lidberg. The overwhelming support and little messages from well-wishers and fans was really positive and highlighted just how open music lovers can be to new ideas and combinations. As for the future, our doors, eyes and ears are truly open.
Tell us a little about the artists that you are working with on the screen print side.
For the Wild Nothing release we brought Franz Vesolt on board, an illustrator who focuses on characters and figures, and has an unerring ability to stir up the emotions with a simple line drawing. We felt that he complimented and aestheticised the emotive music of Wild Nothing perfectly. And in comparison to that, there are the bold songs from Slow Talk with just a hint of menace and vulnerability in the mix, which illustrator Micah Lidberg aptly manifested with his twisted vision of nature run wild with colour.
This screenprint by Micah Lidberg is sold alongside the new release by Slow Talk
For each release we’re going to be introducing a new illustrator, and carefully pairing them with the music to ensure they go together like the finest bread and cheese. We also invite them to make-over our logo/ headermast to essentially ‘christen’ each release. Each run of screen prints is limited to just 100, and we endeavour to make each one a beautifully crafted piece of collectible custom-made art that adds value and attachment to the music.
Wild Nothing’s haunting interpretation of the iconic ‘Cloudbusting’ can be brought from the Warmest Chord shop
Turning to the business side; what was your background before this, was it art, or music related?
A little bit of both actually! I studied art at university, tried to write for a living but got very very poor in the process, worked in music promotions then at a couple of labels big and small. I continue to be a fairly free floating entity with fingers in lots of honey jars, including managing the bands Still Corners and The Proper Ornaments
The other half of Warmest Chord spends most of his time begging DJ’s to play records on the radio, as well as running a great little 7”-only label called Make Mine. We both kind of landed on our bellies into the world of Warmest Chord and we’re very pleased that we did.
How was this label set up, did you receive funding? And is this a full time job for everyone at Warmest Chord?
We’re both based in London, and had to dig deep into our pockets, bumbags, piggy banks and sofa cushions in order to make Warmest Chord happen. There are just two of us at the label and we wrap it around our day jobs using every stolen moment we can fit in our Warmest Chord swag bag in order to indulge another little facet for the label.
What is your long term goals with Warmest Chord?
To keep Warmest Chord a very free and mutable entity, keep building on the craft and visual element, provide a forum for interesting music and always keep an open mind and a flirtatious eye. We’re currently busy working on our next rather special release. But we’re fond of surprises so won’t say any more or the broth will be ruined.
Another example of Micah Lidberg’s stunning illustrations.
So Saturday morning – day two of London Fashion Week – started off brilliantly. It was p*ssing it down, information pills the tyre on my bike had deflated itself twice and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Gallantly, if I do say so myself, I hot-stepped it to work to put some articles together, and then when it was time made my way to The Show Space on Northumberland Avenue (where I had been the previous day to view Jean Pierre Braganza’s collection) armed with an umbrella.
Unfortunately, the rest of London’s fashion population were also armed with umbrellas (despite wearing some outfits best saved for hot Summer evenings – gah) and queuing was a bit of a nightmare. Luckily I bumped into my pal Sabrina from The Science of Style, and we huddled together in the queue and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Eventually a call was made for orange stickers and we were ushered inside, and while we waited even more for the show to start, Sabrina filled me in on the gossip with some of the front row-ers.
I’ve always liked Bernard’s aesthetic – always vibrant with an exotic feel. This time around didn’t disappoint, and his signature architectural pieces were on form along with some other softer, flattering designs. Blinding hues of magenta and bursts of orange lit up the catwalk (and our cold, damp hearts) which appeared on hooded dresses and were welcomed on on shift dresses with flamboyantly embroidered patterns that looked like heart-monitor graphs, cutting muted grey dresses in half.
This being autumn/winter, there was a unsurprising amount of black in the collection (a bugger to photograph alongside acid brights), with one of my favourite pieces in the collection being an enormous cocoon-like knee-length jacket with exaggerated shoulders and geometric details – confirming Chandran’s status as a showman. Other black jackets were sexed up with neon tights and accessories.
Strutured dresses focussed on waists with details with dresses meeting there and extending away from the body – Chandran creates silhouettes that flatter the fashion-forward woman.
The collection progressed with feathered showpieces in rich reds and bright orange – a pure delight – and a red expertly-embellished onesie. But it was back to black to close the show – an all-in-one covered in delicate feathers and jewels – reminding us of Bernard’s exotic heritage and innate attention to detail.
An exhibition late last year – Interior Politics – and the launch of a new website introduced me to Amy’s exploration into the minuite obsqure moments that life has to offer. More recently Amy has been experimenting with film, and has kindly taken the time to answer questions for Amelia’s Magazines.
Amy! When and why did you first pick up a stills camera?
Because using the film camera involved waiting on unrealiable people! And I instantly loved it. I was supposed to do something more bookish at uni, but the minute I found a camera I was smitten. I had been obsessed with fashion since I could toddle into my grandma’s/mum’s wardrobes; suddenly I had found a way that I could make imagery without having any drawing ability!
I always wanted to make films…. Photography offered a way of making images that wasn’t reliant on other people. I’m still a total megalomaniac though! Very often it’s literally just me and a camera.
Showstudio have been attempting to develop the moving fashion photograph since the inception of their website, I love both the static and the moving – What are your favourite fashion videos?
What made you decide to set up your blog? What do you think the advantages are of a blog vs a website?
Originally it was to give me some online presence as my old website was out of date and my new one was being built…then I just really got into it. I like that the blog can have more laidback images, where I have less of a professional front to put up. But I love how clean and tidy the site is.
Collage for the Cooperative Design Zine produced as part of London Fashion Week February 2010
You appear to be quite involved with the internet from your great twitter feed to your blog – what advantages do you think the system of blogs and twitter has created for photographers and fellow creatives?
Well, I guess it opens up little internet wormholes you wouldn’t have known about before…although I can follow a link and find myself, 2 hours later, marvelling at how many photographers there are doing the same sort of thing.
It’s a good platform for self promotion, though it does blur the line between business and pleasure a little uncomfortably at times
Do you streetcast your models?
I often see people on the street that I’m too nervous to ask! But sometimes I overcome my nerves long enough to street cast. I think I have a few characteristics I like, though its hard to nail them in words. A certain bad-temperedness maybe.
Your photograph reflects both fine art and fashion photographic interests – could you tell Amelia’s readers more about the photographs recently exhibited? (I’m thinking of the Familiarity breeds contempt and Modern Miniture series)
Familiarity Breeds Contempt is an extension of my long term project tentatively titled The Housewife – it’s hopefully the start of a longer project exploring sexuality, fantasy and what goes on behind closed doors. Which is also what Modern Miniatures was about in a way – only without the overt sexuality. I have a interest in the domestic, with other people’s domestic/private space, putting myself in them, and also, if I’m honest, with the risk involved in contacting strange men on the internet, asking them to get naked, and them taking pictures of me standing on them etc…
With fashion how do you make the decision between colour or black and white? Does it Matter?
I’m always trying to make things b/w, without sounding mental/pretentious/partially sighted, I see better in b/w. sometimes there’s someone else’s prerogative to take into account, like a client etc. black and white can sometimes make things instantly nostalgic and a bit too soft or romantic. Depends on the situation, but there are few where b/w doesn’t rock in my opinion!
Photograph for Corrie Williamson
Favourite photographers/people to work with/Set designers/fashion designers?
What is it like being a london based photographer?
Fun! Busy. Forces you to work a lot to make ends meet, which can wear you down. Over saturated. Very youth orientated
What accompanies you in the studio?
My crappy selection of music! I always download the weirdest selection of stuff. Some proper howlers on there, but sometimes you have to listen to the Outhere Brothers. Also the lovely Anna Leader and Bella Fenning with whom I share my space.
What do you hope your photographs convey?
Tough…. I find it quite hard to look back, to edit etc, but having to do my website forced me to do that, and there is a certain strength in the characters I hope. I know some of the shots are quite moody, or gentle, but I don’t like it when models look too winsome or fashion-fierce or posed. Hopefully somewhere between the two, though I do seem to shout things like ‘you’re at a bus stop!’ or ‘You’re a sexy eel!’
How do your shoots come together?
Mostly ideas from films, dreams, or pacing the streets of London which is my fave thing to do. Or maybe a drunken overenthusiastic chat with friends
What are your plans for the future?
Hmm….more pics. More films, maybe a move to proper films with dialogue and a plot!
Born in Peterborough but escaped to London after a 3 year stint studying in the wild terrain of Wales. Currently, medications I’m the Buying Assistant for Jewellery and Accessories at Liberty. I like mint tea, vintage playsuits, F. Scott Fitzgerald novels, and hunting for treasure in charity shops. One day I plan to write my memoirs in Barcelona, but until then I will continue to build up a collection of vintage clothing, worthy of a wing in the V&A.
It’s the evening of Thursday 8th December, stomach a rainy night, and I’m peering through the windows of the Lesley Craze gallery with anticipation. The windows are currently decorated with a glittering Christmas tree, jewels nestled in its branches, but it’s those it holds inside I am interested in. I have visited the gallery quite a few times in the last year, originally drawn in by the work of a personal favourite, Wendy Ramshaw. Earlier in the week, I had received an invitation for a special Christmas late night opening, and as always, intrigued to see what they have in, I’ve come along for a look, and a welcoming glass of wine.
I’m always surprised when I mention the gallery in conversation, to find out that many people are unaware of it’s presence. I credit the gallery with being well curated, well presented and the staff as always smiling and helpful. The glass cabinets are always gleaming with wares, and as I wander down to the lower room, my attention is grabbed by a huge cabinet that contains the work of John Moore.
Moore, now based in Brighton, is without a doubt, the embodiment of the label ‘jewellery artist’. With a degree in 3D design, his work is wearable art. The gallery was showing work from two of his collections, but it was the 5 pairs of earrings that enchanted me. These are part of his ‘Elytra‘ collection – an eyecatching range of brightly coloured anodised aluminium designs.
Moore worked on this collection whilst in his final year at university, and is inspired by nature and natural forms. I found some great images of birds feathers on his website; the vibrant colours of the exotic plumes now reflected in his Elytra collection. Apparently the shape was initally inspired by a beetles wing, an influence that you can also identify in the gleaming colour of the treated aluminium. His statement earrings are wondrous. They also hide a secret feature. They can be reversed by passing the top hoop through the opposite end of the drop, to invert the metal petals, or feathers. Combined with their emphasis on colour, they fit perfectly into the S/S 2012 trend for large, statement earrings.
I spotted a familiar collection of work that I had seen at New Designers earlier this year, a bangle set from Sheffield Hallam graduate Tom Wilson, who works under the brand name Thomas David. His designs are dark and moody – blackened copper bangles, which have been made to look like corrugated card – industrial and hard wearing. I also really like the intricate patterns in the bangle collection made from stainless steel and birch plywood. Inspired by now retro spirograph kits, they remind me of when I was a child and plastering pieces of paper with concentric circles. Tom’s designs are a converse combination, tough and uniform, but detailed and delicate.
British designer Simone Brewster’sEbony Revolution rings are the perfect example of her influences from African woodwork and geometric forms. She graduated from the RCA, and I first came across her work when she designed a copper necklace for the store DARKROOM, as part of a charity event in June this year called Love from Darkroom. The rings are made from materials such as ebony, tulipwood, copper, bronze and leather. I also like her large necklaces, which are like Art Deco murals.
On one of my previous visits to the gallery, I was wowed by Maud Traon’s rings for obvious reasons. Her designs conjure up thoughts of My Little Pony on a strong acid trip. The rings demand attention – pops of neon colours, sprayed with glitter, and sometimes mixed with star shapes, or kitsch toy objects. Maud likes to explore the relationship between the idea of value and wearability.
The rings are made from combinations of materials such as clay and copper. I’m not exactly sure just how wearable these are for most, bulky, and often extended height, but they certainly will please those who like their jewellery to be noticed, and would be a great addition to any collection.
The work of Western Australian born and trained jeweller Dorothy Erickson is always a pleasure to see. She is known for her ‘kinetic’ jewellery, or body pieces as they are alternatively called. She makes jewellery for the body that includes the wearer as part of the principal design – the jewellery reacts to the wearer’s every move.
I really love the articulated metal choker and bracelet, which reminds me of jewels to be found in collections at the British Museum, or vintage YSL pieces. Chunky, bold and well crafted – I’d wear this necklace and feel empowered. The gold clasp, paired with the silver metal, makes it even more special, a combination that I’m not always a fan of, but works so well here.
One of Erickson’s main inspirations is the unique flora of her native Australia, which has helped to produce the beautiful designs of her precious stone rings. She is also influenced by the work of Viennese painter Gustav Klimt. Big solid rocks hold a firm place in these rings, but they are elegant and refined.
Last but certainly not least, Wendy Ramshaw’s selection of works continues to wow me. Wendy is one of Britain’s best known jewellers, and looked up to by many other well-known designers such as Dorothy Erickson. She was born in Sunderland, studied illustration and fabric design in Newcastle, and then undertook postgraduate studied at Central Saint Martins.
Wendy’s signature designs are her divine ring sets, made up from abstract designs in precious metals and finished with gemstones. The stands they are frequently displayed on have also become ornamental designs in their own right.
Her designs are heavily influenced by geometry, and as a fan of this, I always find myself lusting after her geometric gold drop earrings. Made with gemstones such as amethyst, pink tourmaline, blue topaz, and fire opal, they are a gorgeous combination of colour. A design that I had not seen before, the Lucciole necklace, a blown glass ball run through with gold thread was fantastic.
So from one champion of contemporary jewellery, back to another, I urge you all to take a visit to the Lesley Craze Gallery, and enjoy the great selection of work from British, and global, designers.
Written by Miranda Williams on Friday December 16th, 2011 12:00 pm
And so the circus starts all over again…. in a not particularly auspicious way for little ol’ me, pill as I was nearly run over by a succession of buses rally driving bumper to bumper through Holborn as I was wending my way to my first fashion week show astride my lethal Raleigh Shopper (yes, price Shopper, medications not Chopper. There will be no wheelies on this bike). And then a nasty man in a car called me a ‘stupid caaah’. It all started swimmingly I tells you. Bastard.
At the on/off premises – Victoria House in Bloomsbury – I was met by two young girls bearing brollies as if promoting a car show outside Earl’s Court rather than the uber-trendy off schedule space where all the most hotly tipped designers will show. Inside I was warned not to trip over a step leading to a stuffed deer over which swung, and will swing all week, an intricately papercut sculpture. Rob Ryan, I blame you – papercutting is so very now, it’s even on the light fittings in the press den.
Getting into the show proved simple – a charming cockney fella on the door was greeting all the as yet fresh-faced fashionistas with a cheery grin, merrily announcing: “You got a pass love? Don’t matter what kind. Oyster card will do!” Next to the showhall there was a hastily erected memorial to Alexander Mcqueen that looked suspiciously as if it may have been sponsored by apple, touch screens showcasing his catwalk shows interspersed with the occasional app rollcall. A more personal homage was to be found over at the BFC tent, featuring some touching hand written messages.
Charlie Le Mindu was and is principally known as a hair stylist, so it comes as no great surprise that his show was sponsored by copious quantities of hair products and… a wig salon; who provided the large empty pink boxes that everyone is seen touting about the place for the ensuing day, perfectly sized to make a great girly box file. In fact there was so much to take away that I struggled under the load from the very first show. Whoever said there was a recession?
I took my place on the front row next to Guy, editor of Fashion156 Magazine, which is another online fashion magazine. He told me that he had 12 people covering the shows, including backstage photographers. And they should be uploading throughout the day. I was impressed!
What can I tell you about Charlie Le Mindu? The show started with a lady bearing a crystal crucifix on her head and things just got better. The black lace bodystockings were merely a foil for the impressive cocoon like wigs and head pieces, constructed from feathers, tassels and all things exotic – most of it was not exactly clothing but defiantly offered a fan-fucking-tastic kick off to fashion week. The models stomped down the runway in royal blue make up, some smeared in deepest black bodypaint. Capes and swinging bags to match your hair? Why, step this way madam.
Charlie is clearly a magnet for the more exotic types of fashionista and there were plenty of strangely dressed people to be ogled, even so early in the morning, including a large man with a bushy beard, sexy black dress, (possibly real) fur stole and glamourous red lipstick. And the best bit about such creatures is that they’re more than happy to pose because they’re all hoping for a few moments of internet glory – and the possibility of flouncing their look from here to Timbuktu. We can all be famous now!
And so the circus starts all over again…. in a not particularly auspicious way for little ol’ me, pill as I was nearly run over by a succession of buses rally driving bumper to bumper through Holborn as I was wending my way to my first fashion week show astride my lethal Raleigh Shopper (yes, price Shopper, medications not Chopper. There will be no wheelies on this bike). And then a nasty man in a car called me a ‘stupid caaah’. It all started swimmingly I tells you. Bastard.
At the on/off premises – Victoria House in Bloomsbury – I was met by two young girls bearing brollies as if promoting a car show outside Earl’s Court rather than the uber-trendy off schedule space where all the most hotly tipped designers will show. Inside I was warned not to trip over a step leading to a stuffed deer over which swung, and will swing all week, an intricately papercut sculpture. Rob Ryan, I blame you – papercutting is so very now, it’s even on the light fittings in the press den.
Getting into the show proved simple – a charming cockney fella on the door was greeting all the as yet fresh-faced fashionistas with a cheery grin, merrily announcing: “You got a pass love? Don’t matter what kind. Oyster card will do!” Next to the showhall there was a hastily erected memorial to Alexander Mcqueen that looked suspiciously as if it may have been sponsored by apple, touch screens showcasing his catwalk shows interspersed with the occasional app rollcall. A more personal homage was to be found over at the BFC tent, featuring some touching hand written messages.
Charlie Le Mindu was and is principally known as a hair stylist, so it comes as no great surprise that his show was sponsored by copious quantities of hair products and… a wig salon; who provided the large empty pink boxes that everyone is seen touting about the place for the ensuing day, perfectly sized to make a great girly box file. In fact there was so much to take away that I struggled under the load from the very first show. Whoever said there was a recession?
I took my place on the front row next to Guy, editor of Fashion156 Magazine, which is another online fashion magazine. He told me that he had 12 people covering the shows, including backstage photographers. And they should be uploading throughout the day. I was impressed!
What can I tell you about Charlie Le Mindu? The show started with a lady bearing a crystal crucifix on her head and things just got better. The black lace bodystockings were merely a foil for the impressive cocoon like wigs and head pieces, constructed from feathers, tassels and all things exotic – most of it was not exactly clothing but defiantly offered a fan-fucking-tastic kick off to fashion week. The models stomped down the runway in royal blue make up, some smeared in deepest black bodypaint. Capes and swinging bags to match your hair? Why, step this way madam.
Charlie is clearly a magnet for the more exotic types of fashionista and there were plenty of strangely dressed people to be ogled, even so early in the morning, including a large man with a bushy beard, sexy black dress, (possibly real) fur stole and glamourous red lipstick. And the best bit about such creatures is that they’re more than happy to pose because they’re all hoping for a few moments of internet glory – and the possibility of flouncing their look from here to Timbuktu. We can all be famous now!
