Amelia’s Magazine | Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration is OUT NOW!

Willow candle by daria hlazatova
Willow Organic Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle by Daria Hlazatova.

I don’t know what it is about candles that gets me so excited. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I love beautiful smells. My house may be a mess but I quite often spritz my office with a sweetly scented room spray or light a candle to imbue a relaxing mood. I think that this is the nub of what is so brilliant about candles, generic link especially the really high quality ones that contain high quantities of essential oils – they are the simplest way to create a delightfully relaxing and cosy feeling within a space.

willow organics candle

And of course Christmas is all about candles. Since I lived in Sweden as a little girl my family has had a tradition of lighting advent candles during the month of December – and whilst I don’t spend much time at my parent’s home anymore, look I always look forward to candlelit dinners when I return for Christmas. Candles impart a certain cosiness which the Danish call “hygge” – and during these bitterly cold dark winter months is most sorely appreciated.

Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle by Daria Hlazatova
Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle by Daria Hlazatova.

This year my favourite discovery is the Willow Organic Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle. It comes beautifully presented in a beribboned fold out box and utilises the naturally healing and calming effects of precious oils that have been synonymous with Christmas since biblical times.

Willow candle box
willow candle box open

From the wonderful scents to the gold leaf that floats glittering in the top of the wax, information pills it doesn’t get more christmassy than this. The Willow Organic shop in Kings Road, Chelsea is open until the 23rd December, so there’s still time to grab a fabulous Christmas candle before the big day.

Cire_Trudon_by_Megan_Piontkowski
Cire Trudon by Megan Piontkowski.

Earlier this year I discovered the French Cire Trudon brand, which has been in operation in various guises since 1643. Alongside very high quality candles presented in beautiful glass pots with heraldic shields, they also produce stunning room sprays in statement bottles and a boxed set containing a room spray, candle and illustrated fairy tale – the idea being to encourage children to enjoy evocative scents from a very young age. Not for the hard up these boxed sets don’t come cheap, but I love the idea and the illustrated booklets are a delight.

Sinbad the Sailor - Fairy Tale Box - Cire Trudon

Recently discovered: the Albam independent menswear clothing store in Spitalfields stocks three yummy varieties of candle, my favourite being the figgy one. When I went in they were also testing out a new scent called Library, which was suitably masculine. Unfortunately I don’t think you can buy these online but it’s definitely worth taking a trip down to this great little store.

Spitalfields Candle Co by ellie sutton
Spitalfields Candle Co and Tocca candles by Ellie Sutton.

There is also the Spitalfields Candle Co. which uses sustainably sourced soya wax in all candles. It was hard to choose my favourite from such a yummy range only briefly sniffed in the Inspitalfields gift store, but I think it has to be Lemon Verbena – I just love that clean bright scent.

Diptyque Candle - The Cloud Commission
Diptyque Candle by The Cloud Commission.

Tocca are a high end scent company that stock in Liberty – I particularly like the sound of the Bianca candle which contains Green Tea and Lemon. Each year the Parisian brand Diptyque creates a special Christmas range, in beautifully decorated coloured glass jars. The Orange Epicee sounds yummy, as does the Canelle.

Jo Malone by Gareth A Hopkins
Jo Malone by Gareth A Hopkins.

Lastly but no means least Jo Malone offers incredibly classy scents, all tastefully presented in cream boxes with crisp branding. The limited edition Pine & Eucalyptus Collection sounds glorious, and how about a giant candle with not one but four wicks to make a major statement?

Right, I’m off to get on with my present wrapping by the scent of my Willow Organic candle. Have a glorious Christmas everyone.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-cover

So, pills the book is finally here! You can find it at Tate Modern, about it Magma, Design Museum, Serpentine Gallery, Tatty Devine, Cornerhouse, Arnolfini and many other good independent book stores across the UK and by early 2011 around the world.

Tatty Devine Amelia's Compendium
Harriet of Tatty Devine takes receipt of her copies of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Amelia's Compendium Magma
On the shelves of Magma.

Or you can buy it online here for a reduced price and receive 12 unique Amelia’s Magazine postcards, plus a selection of bookmarks. This offer is EXCLUSIVE to my website. You can’t get these postcards anywhere else!

Amelia's Compendium postcards
Postcards come free with all orders of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration made through this website.

The following up and coming fashion illustrators feature in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration:
Abigail Daker, Abby Wright, Amy Martino, Andrea Peterson, Aniela Murphy, Antonia Parker, Bex Glover, Emma Block, Erica Sharp, Faye West, Gemma Milly, Jennifer Costello, Jenny Robins, Jo Cheung, Joana Faria, June Chanpoomidole, Katherine Tromans, Katie Harnett, Kellie Black, Krister Selin, Lesley Barnes, Lisa Stannard, Michelle Urvall Nyren, Naomi Law, Natasha Thompson, Natsuki Otani, Rachel de Ste Croix, Yelena Bryksenkova, Zarina Liew & Gareth A Hopkins.

And…. the book features interviews with the following ethical fashion designers:
123 Bethnal Green Road, Ada Zanditon, Andrea Crews, Anja Hynynen, Beautiful Soul, By Stamo, Camilla Norrback, Christopher Raeburn, Ciel, Dem Collective, Edun, Emesha, Emma Ware, Fifi Bijoux, From Somewhere, Goodone, Gossypium, Henrietta Ludgate, Hetty Rose, Howies, Ivana Basilotta, Izzy Lane, Joanna Cave, Junky Styling, Little Glass Clementine, Lu Flux, Martina Spetlova, Maxjenny, Michelle Lowe-Holder, Minna, Nancy Dee, Nina Dolcetti, Noir, Noki, Oria, Partimi, People Tree, Pia Anjou, Prophetik, Romina Karamanea, Sägen, Satoshi Date, Tara Starlet, Ute Decker & Wilfried Pletzinger

Below are some pages from inside the book – which is the usual riot of colour and pattern for which I have become known. You can also watch a flick video of the book on the website of my international distributor Idea Books here.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-From Somewhere
From Somewhere illustrated by Rachel de Ste Croix.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-By Stamo
By Stamo illustrated by Krister Selin.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-Christopher Raeburn
Christopher Raeburn illustrated by Gemma Milly.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-Edun
Edun illustrated by Katherine Tromans.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-Dem Collective
Dem Collective illustrated by Michelle Urvall Nyren.

Amelia's Compendium Aniela Murphy
Aniela Murphy’s pages in the content proofs.

Amelia's Compendium Antonia Parker
Antonia Parker’s pages in the content proofs.

Please note that I will not be posting any orders out until the 4th January 2011. Have a very merry Christmas!

Categories ,123, ,123 Bethnal Green Road, ,Abby Wright, ,Abigail Daker, ,Ada Zanditon, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Amy Martino, ,Andrea Crews, ,Andrea Peterson, ,Aniela Murphy, ,Anja Hynynen, ,Antonia Parker, ,arnolfini, ,Beautiful Soul, ,Bex Glover, ,book, ,Book shop, ,Bookstores, ,By Stamo, ,Camilla Norrback, ,Christopher Raeburn, ,ciel, ,Cornerhouse, ,Dem Collective, ,Design Museum, ,Eco fashion, ,Edun, ,Emesha, ,Emma Block, ,Emma Ware, ,Erica Sharp, ,Ethical Fashion Design, ,Fashion Illustration, ,Faye West, ,Fifi Bijoux, ,From Somewhere, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Gemma Milly, ,goodone, ,gossypium, ,Henrietta Ludgate, ,Hetty Rose, ,howies, ,Idea Books, ,illustration, ,Ivana Basilotta, ,Izzy Lane, ,Jennifer Costello, ,Jenny Robins, ,Jo Cheung, ,Joana Faria, ,Joanna Cave, ,June Chanpoomidole, ,Junky Styling, ,Katherine Tromans, ,Katie Harnett, ,Kellie Black, ,Krister Selin, ,Lesley Barnes, ,Lisa Stannard, ,Little Glass Clementine, ,Lu Flux, ,Magma, ,Martina Spetlova, ,Maxjenny, ,Michelle Lowe-Holder, ,Michelle Urvall Nyrén, ,Minna, ,Nancy Dee, ,Naomi Law, ,Natasha Thompson, ,Natsuki Otani, ,Nina Dolcetti, ,noir, ,Noki, ,Oria, ,Partimi, ,People Tree, ,Pia Anjou, ,Prophetik, ,Rachel De Ste. Croix, ,Romina Karamanea, ,Sägen, ,Satoshi Date, ,Serpentine Gallery, ,Tara Starlet, ,Tate Modern, ,Tatty Devine, ,Ute Decker, ,Wilfried Pletzinger, ,Yelena Bryksenkova, ,Zarina Liew

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration is OUT NOW!

Willow candle by daria hlazatova
Willow Organic Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle by Daria Hlazatova.

I don’t know what it is about candles that gets me so excited. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I love beautiful smells. My house may be a mess but I quite often spritz my office with a sweetly scented room spray or light a candle to imbue a relaxing mood. I think that this is the nub of what is so brilliant about candles, generic link especially the really high quality ones that contain high quantities of essential oils – they are the simplest way to create a delightfully relaxing and cosy feeling within a space.

willow organics candle

And of course Christmas is all about candles. Since I lived in Sweden as a little girl my family has had a tradition of lighting advent candles during the month of December – and whilst I don’t spend much time at my parent’s home anymore, look I always look forward to candlelit dinners when I return for Christmas. Candles impart a certain cosiness which the Danish call “hygge” – and during these bitterly cold dark winter months is most sorely appreciated.

Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle by Daria Hlazatova
Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle by Daria Hlazatova.

This year my favourite discovery is the Willow Organic Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle. It comes beautifully presented in a beribboned fold out box and utilises the naturally healing and calming effects of precious oils that have been synonymous with Christmas since biblical times.

Willow candle box
willow candle box open

From the wonderful scents to the gold leaf that floats glittering in the top of the wax, information pills it doesn’t get more christmassy than this. The Willow Organic shop in Kings Road, Chelsea is open until the 23rd December, so there’s still time to grab a fabulous Christmas candle before the big day.

Cire_Trudon_by_Megan_Piontkowski
Cire Trudon by Megan Piontkowski.

Earlier this year I discovered the French Cire Trudon brand, which has been in operation in various guises since 1643. Alongside very high quality candles presented in beautiful glass pots with heraldic shields, they also produce stunning room sprays in statement bottles and a boxed set containing a room spray, candle and illustrated fairy tale – the idea being to encourage children to enjoy evocative scents from a very young age. Not for the hard up these boxed sets don’t come cheap, but I love the idea and the illustrated booklets are a delight.

Sinbad the Sailor - Fairy Tale Box - Cire Trudon

Recently discovered: the Albam independent menswear clothing store in Spitalfields stocks three yummy varieties of candle, my favourite being the figgy one. When I went in they were also testing out a new scent called Library, which was suitably masculine. Unfortunately I don’t think you can buy these online but it’s definitely worth taking a trip down to this great little store.

Spitalfields Candle Co by ellie sutton
Spitalfields Candle Co and Tocca candles by Ellie Sutton.

There is also the Spitalfields Candle Co. which uses sustainably sourced soya wax in all candles. It was hard to choose my favourite from such a yummy range only briefly sniffed in the Inspitalfields gift store, but I think it has to be Lemon Verbena – I just love that clean bright scent.

Diptyque Candle - The Cloud Commission
Diptyque Candle by The Cloud Commission.

Tocca are a high end scent company that stock in Liberty – I particularly like the sound of the Bianca candle which contains Green Tea and Lemon. Each year the Parisian brand Diptyque creates a special Christmas range, in beautifully decorated coloured glass jars. The Orange Epicee sounds yummy, as does the Canelle.

Jo Malone by Gareth A Hopkins
Jo Malone by Gareth A Hopkins.

Lastly but no means least Jo Malone offers incredibly classy scents, all tastefully presented in cream boxes with crisp branding. The limited edition Pine & Eucalyptus Collection sounds glorious, and how about a giant candle with not one but four wicks to make a major statement?

Right, I’m off to get on with my present wrapping by the scent of my Willow Organic candle. Have a glorious Christmas everyone.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-cover

So, pills the book is finally here! You can find it at Tate Modern, about it Magma, Design Museum, Serpentine Gallery, Tatty Devine, Cornerhouse, Arnolfini and many other good independent book stores across the UK and by early 2011 around the world.

Tatty Devine Amelia's Compendium
Harriet of Tatty Devine takes receipt of her copies of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Amelia's Compendium Magma
On the shelves of Magma.

Or you can buy it online here for a reduced price and receive 12 unique Amelia’s Magazine postcards, plus a selection of bookmarks. This offer is EXCLUSIVE to my website. You can’t get these postcards anywhere else!

Amelia's Compendium postcards
Postcards come free with all orders of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration made through this website.

The following up and coming fashion illustrators feature in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration:
Abigail Daker, Abby Wright, Amy Martino, Andrea Peterson, Aniela Murphy, Antonia Parker, Bex Glover, Emma Block, Erica Sharp, Faye West, Gemma Milly, Jennifer Costello, Jenny Robins, Jo Cheung, Joana Faria, June Chanpoomidole, Katherine Tromans, Katie Harnett, Kellie Black, Krister Selin, Lesley Barnes, Lisa Stannard, Michelle Urvall Nyren, Naomi Law, Natasha Thompson, Natsuki Otani, Rachel de Ste Croix, Yelena Bryksenkova, Zarina Liew & Gareth A Hopkins.

And…. the book features interviews with the following ethical fashion designers:
123 Bethnal Green Road, Ada Zanditon, Andrea Crews, Anja Hynynen, Beautiful Soul, By Stamo, Camilla Norrback, Christopher Raeburn, Ciel, Dem Collective, Edun, Emesha, Emma Ware, Fifi Bijoux, From Somewhere, Goodone, Gossypium, Henrietta Ludgate, Hetty Rose, Howies, Ivana Basilotta, Izzy Lane, Joanna Cave, Junky Styling, Little Glass Clementine, Lu Flux, Martina Spetlova, Maxjenny, Michelle Lowe-Holder, Minna, Nancy Dee, Nina Dolcetti, Noir, Noki, Oria, Partimi, People Tree, Pia Anjou, Prophetik, Romina Karamanea, Sägen, Satoshi Date, Tara Starlet, Ute Decker & Wilfried Pletzinger

Below are some pages from inside the book – which is the usual riot of colour and pattern for which I have become known. You can also watch a flick video of the book on the website of my international distributor Idea Books here.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-From Somewhere
From Somewhere illustrated by Rachel de Ste Croix.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-By Stamo
By Stamo illustrated by Krister Selin.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-Christopher Raeburn
Christopher Raeburn illustrated by Gemma Milly.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-Edun
Edun illustrated by Katherine Tromans.

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion-sm-Dem Collective
Dem Collective illustrated by Michelle Urvall Nyren.

Amelia's Compendium Aniela Murphy
Aniela Murphy’s pages in the content proofs.

Amelia's Compendium Antonia Parker
Antonia Parker’s pages in the content proofs.

Please note that I will not be posting any orders out until the 4th January 2011. Have a very merry Christmas!

Categories ,123, ,123 Bethnal Green Road, ,Abby Wright, ,Abigail Daker, ,Ada Zanditon, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Amy Martino, ,Andrea Crews, ,Andrea Peterson, ,Aniela Murphy, ,Anja Hynynen, ,Antonia Parker, ,arnolfini, ,Beautiful Soul, ,Bex Glover, ,book, ,Book shop, ,Bookstores, ,By Stamo, ,Camilla Norrback, ,Christopher Raeburn, ,ciel, ,Cornerhouse, ,Dem Collective, ,Design Museum, ,Eco fashion, ,Edun, ,Emesha, ,Emma Block, ,Emma Ware, ,Erica Sharp, ,Ethical Fashion Design, ,Fashion Illustration, ,Faye West, ,Fifi Bijoux, ,From Somewhere, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Gemma Milly, ,goodone, ,gossypium, ,Henrietta Ludgate, ,Hetty Rose, ,howies, ,Idea Books, ,illustration, ,Ivana Basilotta, ,Izzy Lane, ,Jennifer Costello, ,Jenny Robins, ,Jo Cheung, ,Joana Faria, ,Joanna Cave, ,June Chanpoomidole, ,Junky Styling, ,Katherine Tromans, ,Katie Harnett, ,Kellie Black, ,Krister Selin, ,Lesley Barnes, ,Lisa Stannard, ,Little Glass Clementine, ,Lu Flux, ,Magma, ,Martina Spetlova, ,Maxjenny, ,Michelle Lowe-Holder, ,Michelle Urvall Nyrén, ,Minna, ,Nancy Dee, ,Naomi Law, ,Natasha Thompson, ,Natsuki Otani, ,Nina Dolcetti, ,noir, ,Noki, ,Oria, ,Partimi, ,People Tree, ,Pia Anjou, ,Prophetik, ,Rachel De Ste. Croix, ,Romina Karamanea, ,Sägen, ,Satoshi Date, ,Serpentine Gallery, ,Tara Starlet, ,Tate Modern, ,Tatty Devine, ,Ute Decker, ,Wilfried Pletzinger, ,Yelena Bryksenkova, ,Zarina Liew

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with fashion designer Ramil Makinano


Ramil Makinano‘s Graduate Collection illustrated by Milly Jackson

I first saw the weird and wonderful work of Ramil Makinano at the Toni&Guy Hair Show during London Fashion Week last month. The show, which I very much enjoyed, was all about hair as you can imagine; the clothes were selected to compliment the hairstyles and were pretty basic. That is, except for the final pieces. Vibrant colours and odd shapes flooded the runway, and as a result of my review, Ramil got in touch to introduce himself. I couldn’t wait to find out more about this unique designer.

I met Ramil on a chilly Monday evening at Bar Music Hall in Shoreditch. It had been hard to pin him down, and I was about to find out why. Born and raised in the Philippines, Ramil moved to London fifteen years ago on a nursing scholarship with the NHS, despite being thoroughly passionate about fashion from an early age. ‘It was a good way to move away,’ Ramil told me as we took a seat with our beers. ‘I was interviewed in Manilla, and was one of the first few people to be brought over by the NHS.’ Ramil’s passion for nursing and inevitable need to fund his collections still see him working at St Thomas’ Hospital at weekends.


Ramil Makinano‘s Graduate Collection illustrated by Maria del Carmen Smith

After 8 years working as a nurse after qualifying in London, Ramil decided to return to his desire to become a fashion designer and had naturally heard of the world’s most famous fashion school – Central Saint Martins. By this time Ramil had obtained British citizenship and secured a place on the foundation course, professing to the degree specialising in print.

It was whilst studying at Saint Martins on a sandwich course that Ramil undertook placements with some of fashion’s greatest talent, experiences that he remembers very fondly. Internships at Matthew Williamson, Elisa Palomino and Diane Von Furstenberg allowed Ramil to fully explore his penchant for print. As I rub my hands together hoping for some juice on these fashion figures, I’m only slightly disappointed when Ramil has nothing but great things to say about the designers. He tells me a story about Von Furstenberg calling all the interns to the rooftop apartment of her 14th Street studios for lunch. ‘We were just sitting there, having lunch, on the roof, with Diane Von Furstenberg. It was INCREDIBLE!’ he exclaims. He attributes his successes whilst studying to course lecturer Natalie Gibson. ‘I owe her so much,’ he tells me, ‘she’s an incredible woman.’


Ramil Makinano‘s Graduate Collection illustrated by Estelle Morris

We move on to talk about Ramil’s breathtaking final collection that I saw at the Toni&Guyshow and that he presented during the CSM presentations in the summer. He digs out his portfolio and comes across a little nervous when talking me through it. ‘I feel like it’s a job interview!’ says Ramil. I feel like Diane Von Furstenberg for a mere moment, and I’m not complaining. Ramil’s inspiration for his collection came from two disparate sources – Medieval armour and Margaret Thatcher. Well, not that disparate when you consider satirical cartoons of the Iron Lady in Medieval garb, I suppose.


Pages from Ramil Makinano’s sketchbooks

His obsession with colour, texture and the aesthetic properties of materials is all over this collection. It’s fascinating to see where a designer started with their research and where they finished; where the collection has come from. Ramil leafs through page after page of design inspiration; vibrant patterns, sketches of Thatcher, photocopies of Medieval source material, grabs from movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars. His journey began at the Tower of London, and it is the armoury he saw there, with its bold silhouettes and sense of purpose that inspired Ramil so much. Throw in a powerful woman like Thatcher and you’ve got a seriously ambitious collection on your hands. ‘I didn’t want it to be serious, though,’ Ramil informs me. ‘I wanted to keep it playful; to be fun.’ Even the hardest-nosed critics would have trouble not finding any fun in this set of outfits.

Shapes in the collection are visibly inspired by the curves and sculpture of armoury, constructed from neoprene using techniques Ramil created himself. These are presented in a variety of bold colours, and the ensembles feature playful, almost childlike, prints of rockets and spaceships. It wasn’t a easy task by any means. ‘I had to make at least 8 toilles per garment,’ Ramil explains. ‘I am always seeking perfection.’ We discuss the surge in digital printing. ‘I do like digital prints, but I prefer traditional methods. I spent hours in the studio matching colours, testing colours – I like the interaction between fabrics and dyes that you don’t get with digital methods. I spent my whole student life in the print room, but I have no regrets. It’s not glamorous either, it’s dirty work!’


Ramil Makinano‘s Graduate Collection illustrated by Milly Jackson

So who does he admire? ‘Matthew [Williamson] and Diane [Von Furstenberg] especially – people who are successful in fashion but have their feet firmly on the ground.’ He also likes labels that continue to employ traditional methods – only Eley Kishimoto and Zandra Rhodes, he believes. What else does he get up to? It’s a pretty packed week, researching Monday to Friday and nursing at the weekends. ‘I love London galleries!’ he tells me, ‘because there’s so much to see. The Design Museum, the V&A, the National Gallery – they are all so wonderful.’ He try to persuade me to get a National Trust membership, one of his favoured possessions.


Pages from Ramil Makinano’s sketchbooks

He tells me he’s a ‘child of the MTV era’ and finds much inspiration in the graphics of music videos. It was an MTV show, House of Style, and Style with Elsa Klensch, that are amongst his earliest fashion memories. He tells me ‘I used to fight with my brother all the time because Elsa Klensch‘s show was on at the same time as American Basketball!’

So what’s next for Ramil? He’s currently researching his next collection – A/W 2012 – which promises to be ‘something completely different.’ It will most likely be print-based, but that’s all Ramil can tell me at this stage. One thing he is certain on is that he’s staying put here in London, and currently applying to various fashion bodies in the hope of a debut solo show during fashion week next September. I look forward to seeing his name on the schedule.

Photographs courtesy of Ramil Makinano

Categories ,2001 A Space Odyssey, ,A/W 2012, ,American Basketball, ,Armour, ,Armoury, ,Bar Music Hall, ,catwalk, ,Central Saint Martins, ,CSM, ,Design Museum, ,Diane Von Furstenberg, ,Eley Kishimoto, ,Elisa Palomino, ,Elsa Klensch, ,Estelle Morris, ,fashion, ,House of Style, ,interview, ,Iron Lady, ,London Fashion Week, ,margaret thatcher, ,Maria del Carmen Smith, ,Matt Bramford, ,Matthew Williamson, ,medieval, ,Milly Jackson, ,MTV, ,Natalie Gibson, ,National gallery, ,National Trust, ,NHS, ,print, ,Ramil Makinano, ,shoreditch, ,Star Wars, ,textiles, ,Toni&Guy, ,Tower of London, ,va, ,Womenswear, ,Zandra Rhodes

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Russian fashion designer Pitchouguina

Pitchouguina by Isher Dhiman
Pitchouguina by Isher Dhiman.

Pitchouguina is the new label from Russian designer Anna, now based in London but producing her collection in Poland. Having first studied economics she is well placed to grow a serious brand, with a style that is both wearable and unique. The A/W 2013 collection features scrumptious floral printed blouses, rough wool fitted dresses and oh-so-tactile fluffy sleeveless jumpers, cleverly mixing folk inspired detailing and Japanese tailoring. I caught up with Anna to discover more about to what expect from her next collection…

pitchouguina_aw13_beigedress
pitchouguina_aw13_beigedress_basic
Firstly, your website is very enigmatic, who is Pitchouguina, and where are you from?
I am originally from Russia, but I have been bouncing around the globe for a little while. From the early stages I was drawn towards a nostalgic, curious and somewhat naive image of a young lady, because as a designer I was always searching for those things while in each different country. 

pitchouguina_aw13_jersey
Pitchuguina-by-Veronica-Rowlands
Pitchouguina by Veronica Rowlands.

How did you come to be based in London, and what keeps you here?
It seemed natural to stay in London once I realised how much I have built and created around me. I first came here to spend time gaining work experience with great established designers as well as young designers, and then I opened a company here and now I am planning my first commercially presented collection for S/S 2014.

pitchouguina_aw13_double_knit
pitchouguina_aw13_flowertshirt
How would you describe the Pitchouguina aesthetic?
Dreamy but with the strong beliefs behind those dreams. I hope that my clothes can be adapted to a lot of lifestyles but I think my garments will be chosen over others because of the need to wear something soft, melancholic and maybe even loving.

pitchouguina_aw13_furry_jumper
Pitchouguina AW 13_14 by Tone Gautefald Tveit
Pitchouguina A/W 2013 by Tone Gautefald Tveit.

You have an impressive list of sponsors – how did you go about finding them?
I believe in what I do and I think if you make others believe in it as well you will get results eventually. Finding sponsors is really hard work, but after approaching hundreds of people and being ignored by most I found a few that were exactly the ones that I was looking for.

PITCHOUGUINA_SS 2014
Can you give us a sneak peak into your ideas for next season: what can we expect?
Layering, lots of pinks and lots of covered buttons.

preview_SS14_PITCHOUGUINA_2
What unexpected things inspired the upcoming collection?
I started with baby pink, baby blue and loose sequins in a bag at first and this slowly evolved into what will be shown in a few weeks time. I guess an unexpected part of the new S/S 2014 collection is a bit of a sporty touch, but Pitchouguina is mainly a colour and fabric driven label so if you were to put my mood boards into black and white all the references would seem to go off in many different directions! 

What fabrics and silhouettes dominate the upcoming season?
Expect organzas, coloured jeans, gold thread and sweat shirt jerseys. Silhouettes are kept simple but I have worked hard on creating delicate details and fit.

Categories ,A/W 2013, ,fashion, ,Fashion Illustration, ,interview, ,Isher Dhiman, ,Pitchouguina, ,poland, ,Russian, ,S/S 2014, ,Tone Gautefald Tveit, ,Veronica Rowlands

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Amelia’s Magazine | My Habbit is Not a Hobbit – How to Calculate Your Carbon Footprint


All photography by Maria Domican

I was nervous upon arriving at Vintage at Goodwood… Nervous because I had called in sick to work, sickness nervous because I had been hearing bad press about the event and mainly nervous because I had no idea what to expect.

I have to admit, cialis 40mg no matter how fashionable, arty and eco driven a festival is, a major emphasis has always been on being drunk and having a great, if somewhat crazy time… I couldn’t imagine myself getting wasted on ‘classic cocktails’ or ‘gin and tonics’, parading around campsites in my beloved vintage treasures and sleeping through bands in a dusty heap at Goodwood. Apparently that was exactly the crowd that organiser Wayne Hemingway was eager to discourage, not wanting those “out on the lash that leave a load of empty tins at their ripped tent”.

Goodwood was billed as ‘the first of what will be an annual music and fashion led celebration of creative British cool’ ‘The new festival of Britain’. But what was it? A vintage Fashion Fair? An exhibition? Or a festival? Featuring music, art, fashion, film and design I was puzzled as to how it would all come together.

None the less I was excited… I had packed a few of my 2nd favourite dresses (the dirt was still a worry!) far too many hats (and yes I carried them in a vintage hat box) and even two matching vintage parasols, for my friend and I to parade around with; in short, more than I would usually take on a week long holiday.

Upon arrival we were greeted by a red carpet and the famous British High Street. Made up like a spaghetti western, all wooden fronted shops, I felt like I had wandered onto a film set. The high street catered for the big brands: John Lewis, The Body Shop and Dr. Martins all had large stores with all the facilities of any other high street shop. It also was the home for the vintage cinema, a traditional British pub and even an Indian take away! The draw of the festival to many though – the vintage stalls – were down the two side streets in tents. These were much more bazaar-like in style; small cramped lines of tents exploding with clothes, accessories, and when it rained (which it did a lot) crammed in people unable to move.


Vintage shopping at Goodwood.

Bands such as The Faces, Buzzcocks, Heaven 17 and the Noisettes entertained the crowds but it was the fashion that was the main draw of the festival. Workshops taught sewing and knitting while Hardy Amies and Pearl and Daisy Lowe were among those with runway shows.


The Noisettes on the main stage.


Pearl and Daisy Lowe at their runway show.

Divided into eras, the festival celebrated five decades of British cool, with each area having a different ‘curator’ (supposed experts in that field).


The 1970s and 1980s zone curated by Greg Wilson featured a warehouse with interactive graffiti wall and a roller disco.

Also in the 1970s era was Eddie Miller’s Soul Casino nightclub – replicating a mid 70s ballroom and reminiscent of many a bad wedding reception, complete with 1970s swirly carpet, sprung dance floor, pool tables and low lighting – it was here that Wayne Hemingway performed his own DJ set on the Sunday.


Wayne Hemingway

The emphasis of the festival was definitely the 1940s and 1950s, however, with the majority of outfits being so themed and with one of the highlights being leading percussionist, producer and 1940s enthusiast Snowboy’s Tanqueray sponsored ‘Torch Club’: a 1940’s style supper club which served 3 course meals over the weekend, with waiter service and a full orchestra playing while you eat. Behind the club forties allotments and land girls held guess-the-weight-of-the-pumpkin competitions and the guys from The Chap held an Olympian event with cucumber sandwich tossing and tug-o-moustache.


Cucumber sandwich tossing at The Chap Olympiad


Moustache tug-o-war

Still in its first year, the festival organisers have room for improvement before next year’s. The website promised ‘an unparalleled attention to design and organisational detail’ which is a little optimistic considering the press pass debacle. Still, this was upheld in areas such as the attention to period detail in all shops and stages and that all events were first come first served and not fully booked up beforehand.
It’s possible the press pass debacle was a result of the PR company giving all 150 staff free weekend and camping tickets… of which apparently only 8 were used!

One stall holder also complained that they felt the festival had been miss-sold as they thought that the vintage stalls were going to be on the main high street not crammed into the side tents.

Whilst a lot of events over the weekend such as dance classes and the cinema were free, the main grumbles were still about the commercial emphasis of the festival, Bonham’s high profile auction, chain stores and a huge emphasis on shopping and spending money left a lot of people disgruntled, but apparently still willing to spend; Oxfam reportedly made £1000 in the first half hour of opening! Lily Allen‘s no-show to launch ‘Lucy in Disguise’ was probably a blessing in disguise as it prevented the focus of the weekend from being celebrity.

The ‘Glamping’ was on all accounts also seen to be a big disappointment. Situated at the bottom of the hill in the woods this area quickly became a muddy bog with the torrential rain and at £1200 for a tent with an airbed was seen as a complete rip off by many who didn’t even have hot showers. The same was true of the pods which had to move some people to tents due to complaints about size and not being able to stand up.


Glamorous campers.

For the regular campers, though, there were no problems. Many vintage tents, bunting strewn camps and campervans were on a chalk based slope which quickly drained and dressing rooms with full length mirrors and power points enabled everyone to dress up.


Dressing up rooms. Photography by Madeleine Lowry

…And dress up they did! Whilst the day trippers favoured fancy dress over true vintage and stuck to the high street, the weekend crowd were the highlight of the festival. A huge ego-boosting weekend, everyone went out of their way to compliment each other on their outfits and a general blitz spirit coupled with the friendly campsite and interactive nature of events ensured that everyone was quick to make new friends.

Overall the weekend offered an overwhelming range of activities to take part in or witness, and hopefully with the kinks ironed out before next year, things can only get better for Goodwood.



Fashion at Goodwood.


Shopping locally, abortion by Kayleigh Bluck

I have to honestly admit that I don’t really THINK about sustainability in my everyday life. I even recycle without thinking because it is such a natural process to me. You don’t consciously think about why you drink tea from a cup and not from a bowl or why you pee into the toilet and not into the basin.  
I think you’re only truly sustainable when it’s a part of your way of life, just like a diet is pointless unless you actually change your lifestyle and habits. In keeping with this, I came across a test with a perfectly relevant name: “My Habbit“. You can check out your own carbon footprint and you might be surprised at how easy it is to change really small habits. 

Whilst taking the test it visualises your carbon footprint in the form of a strange and creepy semi-alien computer-generated human body. Proportionally distorting a human’s body parts in order to visualise your disproportionate use, you work your way through the different stages of sustainability. For instance, if you use a lot of electricity, you head starts to look more and more like a skeleton. The more meat you eat, the fatter your belly gets. Electricity and gas expands your hands, travel expands your feet until it looks like an almost bursting balloon. Mine looked pretty normal at the end, but it still had suggestions for me to better myself. But how did I even come across this test? 

“So, a guy came into the office today to borrow some of our paper, which was recycled and said ‘So are you trying to save the world or summin?’ (sic) to which I wanted to start replying but by the time I said ‘Um..’ he said ‘Then stop driving!’ I obviously replied ‘I don’t drive’ and he said ‘Oh’ and walked off. What’s the dude hassling me for?” 
This is a snippet of a conversation I had during dinner today, where it transpired that me being a vegetarian and not having a car actually makes me “pretty green” according to a test my partner had taken during the workshop he held at the “Sustainable Futures” exhibition at the Design Museum. I was immediately intrigued. This may have been mainly due to the fact that I was fairly certain I was going to come out of the other end of the tunnel with a result to be proud of (aka something to show off about).  


Shopping locally for fabric, illustrated by Naomi Law

I already knew some of the reasons that were going to be to my advantage. I work from home, which means that in average, I use the underground only once a week for meetings or events in town. I have only travelled by plane once in the past year (last November, in fact), which is highly unusual and mainly down to the fact that work has happily consumed all my time. Either way, I knew it was going to make me look good in the test. I walk to the shops, and buy most of my food and fabric (I am a fashion designer) in the local market where things are mainly locally sourced. I’m very lazy when it comes to anything that is essential to life such as sleep, eating and washing. That’s only of advantage because I own a lot of clothes, which means I very rarely have to actually wash any of them. My washing machine is extremely underused.  

Furthermore, since we’re on the subject of big white goods, I don’t own a dishwasher or tumble dryer or any such machinery. I recycle everything from paper snippets to plastic to glass to fabric. I would say “tins” but I don’t really use them. As I mentioned before, most my food moves directly from the bowl of vegetables of the farmer’s table into my Longchamp shopping bag into my vegetable drawer. Another point that I knew was going to help me look good in this test was the fact that I’m a vegetarian. Apparently, that makes a difference although I’m still not quite sure why. Surely any food needs to be transported, worked on? Do feel free to enlighten me if you know. 

Returning to the subject of technical items, I don’t watch TV. I have a TV set for watching a DVD every now and then, but I usually prefer to work, and the TV is of course unplugged when I don’t use it because otherwise it makes a very annoying humming noise when it’s on standby. I unplug my printers, sewing machines, hair straighteners etc when I’m not using them.

People who don’t live with me would never believe it, but I’d rather look like a couch potato wearing three jackets (I’m at home, right?) than turn on the heating unnecessarily. In fact, the heating is completely switched off until the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius for more than a week, which doesn’t make me very popular with my housemates.  

We were given some free sustainable light bulbs when we last switched gas and electricity companies, which we use throughout the house and half of the fluorescent light bulbs we have in our office have burned out and we are too lazy to replace them.


Shopping for clothes, illustrated by Zarina Liew

This one is a big deal, but not a topic that gave me any extra credit during the test. About 80% of my wardrobe (including my shoes) is either second hand, vintage or passed on in some form or another through eBay, TK Maxx, in the form of presents from family and friends, inherited pieces, charity shops etc. This does not, however, mean that I don’t indulge my fashion sense, as a quick peek into the style section of my website will confirm. 

I don’t listen to the radio, I don’t have a CD player or stereo because I have all my music on my Mac and iPhone – who knew being this non-nostalgic about music, could turn into a blessing? 

We have an agreement with our landlord who sends round a gardener every two months. Officially, any carbon footprint they amass during their work is technically not mine, so I am not counting it. The grass is yellow from the few days of “heat” this lame English summer had, but I don’t really see that as my responsibility and as far as I can tell, I don’t think the gardeners ever water the grass – they simply cut it even shorter and dryer and pick up the leaves. 

Some of the questions in the test were difficult. For instance, I had to look up which type of light bulbs we actually use. They cleverly adjust the optimum “habit” you could have at the end and suggest ways in which you can better yourself, even if your carbon emission is as low as one could realistically imagine. 

However, there were aspects of importance that were not quite taken into consideration. A big issue, which could tip someone’s carbon print (especially among us fashionistas and fashionistos, eh?)  is our shopping and consumption habits beyond mere primary necessity (food). Do you buy online? Are your purchases shipped or flown from overseas or do you make sure buy locally? Do you shop in chain supermarkets or local markets? How much stuff do you own? Do you buy from Primark or second hand? Do you buy per trend and season or do you invest in pieces that you have worn for decades? Do you tend to consume actual objects such as electric equipment, decorative items, clothing or something altogether different? 


Using recycled paper, illustrated by Emma Block, using recycled paper!

There are also questions relating to your profession that are not taken into consideration at all. For instance, the test asks you whether you use a printer at home, but not whether you use a printer at work. How much paper do you use and waste, knowing you’re not paying for it? I’ll forgive them for not asking office-related questions, though, as this could get very detailed and complex. But what about mobile phones? No sign of their impact.

Having an iPhone, which I use for work, means I charge my phone up a lot more often than, say, someone who works in a shop and turns theirs off for most of the day. As anybody who owns an iPhone knows, as much as we love them – the battery of the iPhone is abysmal. It needs charging ALL the time. Surely the test should be asking about the different phones one has, the same way they asked about what type of TV I own? On the other hand, I charge my iPhone via my laptop – this means less electricity is used. You can see, the questions can be quite endless, but an essential acknowledgement of such basics would have improved the test. 
Many of my friends and colleagues are writers or need to write in some form or another. When you do your writing, do you do it online or offline? That sounds like it would make no difference, but it does. Here’s a good illustrating example, which has astounded quite a lot of people when I’ve mentioned it. 


Energy in the kitchen, illustrated by Gemma Randall

One of the questions in the questionnaire is how often you boil the kettle. Did you know that every time you do a search on google it uses as much electricity and power from the mighty google servers as it does to boil a full kettle? A question in the test, if I have had any say, should have been “Do you look up the tiniest question on google rather than trying to think that second longer in case you remember?” Do you maybe have a real life dictionary (oh wonder and glory), which can help you just as much? Yes, one should consider the production cost of making said book, but for the sake of the argument, let’s assume it’s a vintage book, which still holds perfectly updated descriptions of most words we know. If it doesn’t, you can STILL use Google, Wikipedia or an online dictionary. But not doing so would immediately reduce your carbon footprint more than you think… 

I am a great believer in the fact that until something is accepted as normal, it has not really been overcome. Until it is, the obstacle of integration is not complete. I feel this is the way with sustainability. I grew up with it, so it was quite strange for me to see what fuss people made about being sustainable – it was new to me. Once people embrace it as part of their lives, it will be a lot easier. You hear campaigns telling you to “be aware” and “do your part” as if most of these acts weren’t perfectly logical. I disagree. Sure, some people just don’t admit to perfectly basic knowledge being obvious, and need those hints and tips, and none of us are perfect and continue to be educated. However, the obsession of making recycling something to be conscious about is not going to help. Only once it’s truly and easily integrated into our lives in a manner that is natural to participate in will sustainability really be standard practice.

Categories ,Apple, ,campaigns, ,Changing Habbits, ,Clothing, ,Design Museum, ,Dictionary, ,earth, ,ebay, ,Electricity, ,Emma Block, ,Fabrics, ,fashion, ,Food, ,Gas, ,Gemma Randall, ,Google, ,Human Body, ,iPhone, ,Kayeligh Bluck, ,Light bulbs, ,Longchamp, ,Mac, ,Markets, ,My Habbit, ,Naomi Law, ,paper, ,Primark, ,Printing, ,Second-hand, ,sustainability, ,Sustainable Futures, ,TK Maxx, ,vintage, ,White goods, ,Wikipedia, ,Zarina Liew

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Amelia’s Magazine | Wim Crouwel, a Graphic Odyssey at the Design Museum: Review and Twitter Takeover

Wim-Crouwel-Graphic-odyssey-by-Luke-Hayes-8
For those of you who have not yet been to the Wim Crouwel exhibition there is still a brief chance to catch this wonderful show at the Design Museum. This Dutch designer is one of the pioneers of a modernist style of graphic typography that has been emulated the world over, erectile so chances are that even if you haven’t heard of him you will have been influenced by him at some point. Using bold colour combinations and innovative layouts he brought his playful style to the attention of the mass market in his work for many big brands and in particular for the posters and catalogues of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, with whom he worked for many years.

Wim-Crouwel-Graphic-Design Museum Twitter Takeover
Wim-Crouwel-Graphic-Design Museum Twitter Takeover

My graphic design has always been more maximalist but I can absolutely appreciate Wim Crouwel‘s approach, one which prioritises the dissemination of information over ornamental style. Whenever I placed a photo with text for Amelia’s Magazine I was always careful to ensure that both were clear and easy to understand. This was a key factor in the way I designed right from the beginning, borne out of my own experiences. As a photographer I am never more frustrated than when my photos have been over run with textual design information, or as a writer, my words have been rendered impossible to read because of the graphic design. Like Crouwel I have always worked with very basic grids, despite the ornamentation that I have added. I also love to play with all sorts of type, inspired by many designs from the 60s and 70s in particular, sometimes plundered wholesale from an original piece of design or re-rendered by hand drawn methods.

Wim-Crouwel-Graphic-Design Museum Twitter Takeover
Wim-Crouwel-Graphic-Design Museum Twitter Takeover

For Wim Crouwel typography is all and is always dominant in any design. Now into his 80s he continues to be active and influential in graphic design and as his exhibition draws to a close there will be a chance to meet him, virtually if not in reality.

YouTube Preview Image
YouTube Preview Image
Watch these videos to find out more about the way that Wim Crouwel works.

Despite his age he’s happy to engage in the modern world of social media, so on Thursday 23rd June 2011 before his sold out conversation with Deyan Sudjic there will be a chance to take part in Wim Crouwel’s Twitter Takeover – when he will be answering questions from fans between 4-4.30pm using the @designmuseum twitter feed.

On Friday 1st July a PechuKucha special at the Design Museum will focus on the influence of Wim Crouwel on the practice of numerous well known designers – more information can be found here. Wim Crouwel, a Graphic Odyssey finishes on Sunday 3rd July.

Categories ,Branding, ,Design Museum, ,Deyan Sudjic, ,Eindhoven, ,Graphic Design, ,Graphic Odyssey, ,PechuKucha, ,twitter, ,Twitter Takeover, ,typography, ,Van Abbemuseum, ,Wim Crouwel

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Amelia’s Magazine | Nobrow Press Flickr competition: People I’ve Never Met & Conversations I’ve Never Had

Nobrow No.1 Gods & Monsters
Nobrow No.1 Gods & Monsters
Nobrow No.1 Gods & Monsters

Last year Nobrow Press caught my attention with their first book, ampoule Gods & Monsters, a beautiful limited edition affair deliciously screen-printed in just blue and black. Featuring contributions from a range of illustrators it was ferried straight to the counter of the Design Museum shop. A rare thing indeed, as I don’t often buy new design books.

Gods & Monsters by Bjorn Rune Lie
Gods & Monsters by Bjorn Rune Lie

Gods & Monsters by Ben Newman
Gods & Monsters by Ben Newman who has been featured in Amelia’s Magazine.

By Alex Spiro
By Alex Spiro

Working from their Shoreditch studio illustrator Alex Spiro and short film director Sam Arthur have been most prolific in the last few months, quickly releasing their more colourful second volume The Jungle (which I’ve sadly not scraped enough cash to buy yet, though I stroke it lovingly whenever I see it in a shop) and reprinting another lovely book by the cover artist Blex BolexAbecederia.

Nobrow 2 - The Jungle
Nobrow 2 – The Jungle

Abecederia by BlexBolex
Abecederia by BlexBolex

They have also printed People I’ve Never Met & Conversations I’ve Never Had by illustrator Nick White and decided that the subject matter was so interesting that they would open it up to the wider illustration world. Which is where you, dear illustrator (or dear person who most probably has illustrator friends that you really should go and tell about this opportunity right now), have the opportunity to be part of the next Nobrow publication.

People I've Never Met & Conversations I've Never Had by Nick White
People I’ve Never Met & Conversations I’ve Never Had by Nick White

You are asked to submit one image of a person you’ve never met, and another image that illustrates a conversation you’ve never had. These images can be a drawing, photograph, collage, etching – whatever you would like really. The best designs will be put together in a beautiful book, printed in cmyk on uncoated stock and perfect bound in an edition of 500-1000. What a fabulous opportunity to get your work included in what is bound to be a stunning project.

BUT you don’t have long – your two images must be submitted to the Nobrow boys by 15th February 2010, mere days away. To do so upload them to this flickr group, where you can also check out the competition and get inspired. I particularly like the work of Onionmilk, KatsAsleep, Doris Freigofas, Sam Brewster and Jack Teagle, whose work you can see below. Images should measure ?115mm x 145mm at 350dpi (1585px x 1998px)

Get ready, get set, GO!

Jack Teagle for Nobrow Press
Jack Teagle for Nobrow Press
Jack Teagle for Nobrow Press

Categories ,Abecederia, ,Alex Spiro, ,Ben Newman, ,Blex Bolex, ,competition, ,Design Museum, ,Nick White, ,Nobrow Press, ,Open brief, ,publishing, ,Sam Arthur

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Amelia’s Magazine | Review: Designs of the Year 2012 at the Design Museum

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood ethically produced bags.

The Design Museum‘s flagship exhibition, Designs of the Year, has returned for 2012. I went along to the preview to check out the experts’ choice of the best from multiple design disciplines; including fashion, architecture, product design, digital and graphics. Here’s my pick:

Design Museum designs of year 2012  noma bar
Design Museum designs of year 2012  noma bar
Outline Editions have brought along designer Noma Bar and his Cut It Out dog machine, which is able to cut through all sorts of materials. His artwork is inspired by negative space – he gleefully told me how he has taken to trawling charity shops for interesting things that the dog can chomp through. As well as the wonderful simplicity of his bold imagery I am particularly attracted to the upcycling side of this clever project.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Photolettering
Photolettering by House Industries allows users to create usable type from vintage American fonts. As something of a font fiend I love this idea!

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -GF Smith
GF Smith create beautiful papers (they were used in the first two issues of Amelia’s Magazine in print) and their colourful display was inspired by the microscopic detail of paper fibres. Designed by SEA Design with Field.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -De Designpolitie
Using bold yellow with red and black typography, De Designpolitie of the Netherlands have created a brand identity for the two day What Design Can Do! conference in May 2012. I love that they are not afraid of making a statement!

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum‘s High Arctic display to highlight the fragility of the environment was represented with a tiny model. This immersive gallery installation must have been quite mesmerising in situ.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Mary Katrantzou
Representing the very best of British fashion was an outfit from Mary Katrantzou‘s seminal A/W 2011 collection: great to see the digital detailing and remarkable cutting up close.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Suno
Suno of New York was a new ethical fashion discovery: they work locally with artisans to create highly desirable collections – the first one used vintage Kenyan textiles but more recently they were inspired by the subtle colours and abstract designs of Art Deco illustrator George Lepape.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Vivienne Westwood
And then there’s Vivienne Westwood grinning gleefully from beneath her bird’s nest hair. Her Ethical Fashion Africa collection is created out of scrap materials by marginalised women in Nairobi. The outcome? Typically colourful designs with outrageous slogans embroidered out of Masai beads.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Bethan Laura Wood
I was most intrigued by Bethan Laura Wood‘s incredible Moon Rock table, made using colourful kitchen laminates. Her Totem lighting was also on display. Miranda Williams previously spotted Bethan‘s beautiful work at London Design Week, for this talented lady also makes jewellery.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Thixotropes by Troika
Thixotropes by Troika are huge spinning LED sculptures that combine art and science. Hypnotic!

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Studio Bertjan Pot
Heracleum is a hanging light by Studio Bertjan Pot – designed to imitate the branching form of a plant.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -The Comedy Carpet
The Comedy Carpet in Blackpool is a huge 2,200 sq metre granite installation designed by Gordon Young with Why Not Associates. It features jokes and catchphrases in glorious decorative fonts of all sizes. I am very impressed that such a thing was commissioned!

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Hovding Invisible Cycle Helmet
Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Hovding Invisible Cycle Helmet
The Hovding Invisible Cycle Helmet is designed for stick in the muds such as me who refuse to wear a bike helmet. It contains an airbag that sits around the neck and is only activated should an accident occur.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Orb-It
The Orb-It is a small hand held rechargeable vacuum hoover by Black & Decker. It looks very cute, but I’d like to see it in action.

Design Museum designs of year 2012 -Kokoro & Moi
Stockmann packaging by Kokoro & Moi has a delightfully playful Finnish quality.

The panel of judges encompasses a diverse range of artistic talent, which explains the chaotically eclectic nature of this exhibition. Despite some arbitrary choices (I mean, there’s so much good design out there, where do you start?!) Designs of the Year offers a great chance to discover some exciting new design from a wide range of fields. My one wish would be that more designers begin to incorporate sustainable practice into their work: one of the wall infographics depressingly stated that only 19% of projects on show have been designed to be sustainable. It will take more than that to sort out this mess we are in.

Find out more information at the Designs of the Year 2012 website.

Categories ,2012, ,Bethan Laura Wood, ,Black & Decker, ,Blackpool, ,Cut It Out, ,De Designpolitie, ,Design Museum, ,Designs of the Year, ,digital, ,Ethical Fashion, ,Ethical Fashion Africa, ,fashion, ,Field, ,Fonts, ,Furniture, ,George Lepape, ,GF Smith, ,Gordon Young, ,Granite, ,Graphics, ,Heracleum, ,High Arctic, ,House Industries, ,Hovding Invisible Cycle Helmet, ,Laminates, ,Lighting, ,Mary Katrantzou, ,Moon Rock, ,National Maritime Museum, ,Noma Bar, ,Orb-It, ,Outline Editions, ,Photolettering, ,Print Design, ,Product Design, ,review, ,SEA Design, ,Stockmann, ,Studio Bertjan Pot, ,Suno, ,The Comedy Carpet, ,Thixotropes, ,Totem, ,Troika, ,typography, ,What Design Can Do!, ,Why Not Associates

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Amelia’s Magazine | New Designers 2011 Part Two: One Year On Show Review

New Designers show review 2011-Imogen Heath Studio
In the One Year On section of New Designers part two there was lots of colourful talent: Imogen Heath Studio showcased wonderful geometric textiles.

New Designers show review 2011-Stone and Spear
Stone and Spear versus Lucy Jay were selling fab silk hankies. Designer Simon Cook is involved in many illustrative design projects and is now selling at the Design Museum.

New Designers show review 2011-Deryn RelphNew Designers show review 2011-Deryn Relph
Deryn Relph uses knit to create her colourful household textiles. Her design philosophy is underpinned by an ethos of sustainability and she often repurposes old furniture: like a lot.

New Designers show review 2011-Katie Heeks Designs
Katie Heeks Designs tableaux are created from multiple patterned lasercut pieces.

New Designers show review 2011-Fishboy aka Ashleigh Ward
Fishboy aka Ashleigh Ward of Beast Collective had created a fun 3D illustrated artwork.

New Designers show review 2011-Eight YearsNew Designers show review 2011-Eight Years
Birmingham’s Eight Years specialise in illustration and animation.

Don’t forget to look at a few of my other New Designers reviews, viagra 40mg including my surface design review.

Categories ,2011, ,Ashleigh Ward, ,Birmingham, ,Deryn Relph, ,Design Museum, ,Eight Years, ,Fishboy, ,illustration, ,Imogen Heath Studio, ,Katie Heeks Designs, ,knit, ,Lucy Jay, ,New Designers, ,One Year On, ,print, ,review, ,Simon Cook, ,Stone and Spear, ,textiles

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Amelia’s Magazine | Creative Review Tweetup at the Design Museum: An insider’s perspective

crtweetup_exhibition_opens_at_the_Design_Museum_Space_photobyHali_O
Photo by Halima O.

Last Thursday the first ever Creative Review tweetup took place at London’s Design Museum. As Amelia had so many other engagments – what with it being both London Fashion Week and the London Design Festival – she asked me to report back on how things went.

FlickrTwitter_mashup_ap_by Nice Agency_photo by ShantyUK
A twitter mashup, page photo by ShantyUK.

I’ve been tweeting for Creative Review for about sixteen months now, and it’s always been obvious that there’s a community made up of a particular type of creative person that uses the network; generally the friendly type keen to share news of things that interest them. The tweetup was a chance for them to come together, no matter what their creative discipline, but the bulk of guests comprised illustrators and graphic designers.

Collaborative_doodles_Photo by ShantyUK
Collaborative doodles. Photo by ShantyUK.

Proceedings kicked off at seven in the Museum’s lobby, with guests enjoying a free drink courtesy of the only commercial sponsor of the evening. The Design Museum had kept its shop open and a cash bar was operating too. The event was partnered by Moleskine and the LEGO group, and as well as the drink, on arrival each guest received a little CR branded Moleskine sketchbook.

Collaborative doodling
Collaborative doodling.

Activities started with a bit of sketching too. There was a ‘never-ending’ 2 x 8 metre roll of 200gsm sketchpaper covering a large square table that fit about a dozen people around it, and a load of fibre-tipped pens, pencils and charcoal for filling it up with scribble. Several people seemed to spend most of the night immersed in this one activity, but they missed out on the rest of what the museum had to offer. After a couple of drinks, a bit of a chat and a doodle, most went on to explore the rest of the space, arriving first at the impressive BRIT Designs of the Year exhibition, which will soon be coming to an end. As well as featuring some impressive sustainability projects.

Communal LEGO building
Communal LEGO building.

For many, the main event took place on the very top floor of the Museum, in the just opened John Pawson exhibition. This exhibition is one of pristine minimalism, with a beautiful reproduction of a Japanese monastery, a hall-spanning bench made from Douglas fir and a floor embedded with materials product design arranged with as much care and forethought as a feng shui-inspired garden. Very few of the guests would have been able to enjoy this peaceful impression however, as by the time most of the more sociable crowd arrived on the third floor, the space had been taken over by cross-legged adults attempting to build representations of their ideal homes from LEGO.

CR_Lego
A LEGO installation.

When it came to the time for me to announce that LEGO play was almost at an end and the evening’s piece de resistance was about to be unveiled, there were more than several looks of disappointment. Still, everyone got to keep the LEGO that they hadn’t made use of, which was not an inconsiderable amount. The final stage of the evening was an impromptu exhibition put together by Creative Review staff that was comprised of individual pieces of work the guests had brought along with them. Here’s a look at some of the work that was done on the night: with photos taken by various attendees.

Illustration by Jitesh Patel_Photo by ShantyUK
Illustration by Jitesh Patel. Photo by ShantyUK.

All in all most people seemed to get a kick out of the evening, and there’s been plenty of talk at Creative Review about putting on something similar in the future, perhaps looking north though, to Birmingham, Manchester or Scotland. In the meantime you can follow me on twitter @NeilAyres.

Categories ,Creative Review, ,Design Museum, ,Jitesh Patel, ,John Pawson, ,Lego, ,Moleskine, ,Neil Ayres, ,ShantyUK, ,Tweetup, ,twitter

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