Amelia’s Magazine | Alternative Fashion Week 2010 at Spitalfields Market: more from Day 5

latitude festival
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Waltham Forest College
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Born in Brazil but resident of Milan, no rx Cristiane Chaves brought us a ‘subliminal message of seduction from Italy’ with her Cyberwitch look. A google search on this designer throws up an intriguing website Temporary Label, prostate which suggests that Cristiane puts a lot of thought into the execution of her work, using dissolvable labels that remove all trace of the original designer’s input. I think you’d want to remember who’d designed these highly accomplished draped and roped garments if you managed to get your paws on one.

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Cristiane Chaves
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Cristiane Chaves
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Cristiane Chaves
Cristiane Chaves.

I found Olivia Grogan‘s collection of stripy print dresses cute but nothing special. A textiles graduate from Northampton University, these were sweet halter neck outfits to wear to a summer party.

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Olivia Grogan

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010
Hat lady looks a bit less stressed by the end of day five. Thank goodness for that!

Toni Ann Haines was quite frankly frightening: plastic coats over ill-fitting boned bodies. No thanks.

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Toni Ann Haines
Toni Ann Haines.

From Germany, Wilfried Pletzinger showed a brilliant collection of recycled sportswear. Thanks to a bit of clever ruching, jumbling everything upside down this way and that, he gave us something new and highly desirable. From day to day clothes to evening wear he aims to challenge the role of ‘sportswear’ and he does a really good job of making this happen – take a look at his website to get inspired by more of his creations. This is how all sportswear should end it’s days (or merely start them once more, to be upcycled all over again?)

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Wilfried Pletzinger
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Wilfried Pletzinger
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Wilfried Pletzinger
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Wilfried Pletzinger
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Wilfried Pletzinger
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Wilfried Pletzinger
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Wilfried Pletzinger
Wilfried Pletzinger brings a whole new meaning to upcycling.

Immani Da Silva, inspired by the worlds of fetish and burlesque (no shit Sherlock), presented a truly frightening collection of clothing fit only for the most outrageous trannies. It didn’t hold together in any way at all, but I enjoyed shooting the models, posers, the lot of them.

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani da silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani da silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Immani Da Silva
Immani Da Silva models have fun with the photographers.

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010
Does she belong with Immani? I’m not sure.

Make up artist Maya was lurking around backstage during the Immani show, looking fabulous again. And then I espied another young girl sporting amazing rainbow eye make up. Related? What do you think? I was too chicken to ask.

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Make up artist maya
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Make up artist maya

And last but very not least I absolutely adored the collection – Sock it to Me (Make Do and Mend) – made by the students of Waltham Forest College, the entirety of which was made out of old socks and presented on the most hilarious gaggle of models shod in floral welly boots. In bright pink Barbara Cartland lipstick with zingy blue eyeshadow they were utterly brilliant exhibitionists who couldn’t stop posing once they’d left the catwalk. Who would have thought that recycled socks could be so sexy? Just gorgeous. I’d photograph these girls again any day.

Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Waltham Forest College
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Waltham Forest College
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Waltham Forest College
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Waltham Forest College
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Waltham Forest College
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Waltham Forest College
Alternative Fashion Week Day 5 2010 Waltham Forest College

For some good footage from the catwalk on Friday check out Ballad Of here.
You can read part one of this blog post here.
Look out for my last post, which will be ways in which to make the best impression at Alternative Fashion Week. Something to read for next year maybe!

If I have got any credits wrong please email me and let me know. I’ve done my best.

Categories ,Alternative Fashion Week, ,Ballad Of, ,barbara cartland, ,Burlesque, ,Cristiane Chaves, ,Fetishwear, ,Germany, ,Immani Da Silva, ,Olivia Grogan, ,recycling, ,Socks, ,Toni Ann Haines, ,Upcycling, ,Waltham Forest College, ,Wilfried Pletzinger

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Amelia’s Magazine | Nottingham Trent University: Photography Ba Hons Graduate Show 2011 Review

Lydia Anne Stott  Solitudo
Solitudo by Lydia Anne Stott.

Nottingham Trent University had a huge range of styles on show at Free Range.

Nottingham Trent photography graduate exhibition 2011 Jonathan Marsh
I was most taken by Jonathan Marsh‘s large photograph Now Fades the Glimmering Landscape which seemed to signify a preoccupation with the decimation of our landscape, hospital an effect achieved by over laying faint imagery of road signs on top of a bleak and wild black and white landscape. Apologies for my bad photo – this was work probably best appreciated in the flesh.

Jonathan Marsh landscape
Jonathan Marsh landscape
Jonathan Marsh‘s bio declares an interest in ‘the impossibility of modern wilderness and the precarious position of modern democracy.’ Odd then that he also shoots for the Conservative party and the Royal Bank of Scotland. It’s possible to make large amounts of money taking photos for big corporations which can then be ploughed into more interesting personal projects, but this can present something of a dilemma. Where does one draw the line? There’s a certain irony in making money from a corporation like RBS that is hardly a bastion of environmental sustainability… to then draw attention to our foolish unsustainable human ways. Perhaps a more moral stance is needed, in which case it may not be possible to create that personal work in the first place. It’s an issue that many creatives struggle with, including myself, and I’m not sure I know the answer anymore. Beautiful photos nonetheless.

Gabrielle Brooks Animalia owl
Gabrielle Brooks Animalia
Gabrielle BrooksAnimalia caught my eye because for a moment her stuffed animals placed in a natural environment fooled me, until on closer inspection it became obvious that these animals were very much dead, leaving the feeling of a peculiar displacement between object and location. Unsettling.

Jodie Herbage girl wall
Jodie Herbage yellow
Jodie Herbage yellow flowers
Jodie Herbage girl woods
Jodie Herbage showed an enigmatically beautiful series of girls roaming a rural mountain landscape, the use of projection in the exhibition giving her work an even more ethereal feel. These are photos that would sit well in magazines such as Ballad Of and Oh Comely.

Lydia Anne Stott Solitudo
Nottingham Trent photography graduate exhibition 2011 Lydia Anne Stott
With a similar feel Lydia Anne Stott created atonal dreamy landscapes in Solitudo, the inherent unreality of the photos used to emphasise the hazy memories of some kind of familiar yet distant folklore.

Kat Borvinko Twilight Transparencies
Kat Borvinko Twilight Transparencies
Kat Borvinko chose to display her late night Twilight Transparencies of urban landscapes against light boxes to great effect, the blurring haze around the lights flooding ever outward against the purple urban night sky.

Categories ,Animalia, ,Ballad Of, ,Conservatives, ,Free Range, ,Gabrielle Brooks, ,Graduate Shows, ,Jodie Herbage, ,Jonathan Marsh, ,Kat Borvinko, ,Lightboxes, ,Lydia Anne Stott, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Now Fades the Glimmering Landscape, ,Oh Comely, ,photography, ,Royal Bank of Scotland, ,Solitudo, ,Twilight Transparencies

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Amelia’s Magazine | Best of D&AD New Blood Illustration Graduates 2011: part one

New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
Illustration by Adam Avery.

And now time for the best illustration that I discovered at this year’s D&AD New Blood, symptoms part one.

New Blood show review 2011-oona brown
New Blood show review 2011-oona brown
At Glasgow School of Art Oona Brown‘s Bad Eggs considered how the pass time of collecting eggs is now frowned upon and considered stealing.

New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
I was most taken by Adam Avery at Norwich University College of the Arts, sickness one of many graduates who have taken a Nobrow palette to heart. Introspection Out was a wonderful autobiographical book about his time spent in Norfolk.

New Blood show review 2011-Rosalind Johnson
The Mouse, the Bird, the Sausage by fellow graduate Rosalind Johnson was charming.

New Blood show review 2011-MATT BRAND
As were spooky images by Matthew Brand.

New Blood show review 2011-Joe Lyward
At University of Plymouth Joe Lyward featured some evocative line drawings to demonstrate a story, My Fear – about facing fear head on.

New Blood show review 2011-Emma Carlisle
Emma Carlisle tackled historical figures – she has worked for Oh Comely and Ballad Of.

New Blood show review 2011-Josh Neal
New Blood show review 2011-Josh Neal
New Blood show review 2011-Josh Neal
I was impressed by Josh Neal‘s colourful woodcut work, and he had a lovely screenprinted book on sale.

New Blood show review 2011-Southampton Solent University
At Southampton Solent University the girl looking after the display *joked* that her tutor had nicked a prime spot with this nice animal poster.

New Blood show review 2011-Jen Hainsworth
Jen Hainsworth had made this delightful print of a woman.

New Blood show review 2011-Southampton Solent University
The central table was laid out with a whole range of delights.

New Blood show review 2011-Laura Clare Davis
New Blood show review 2011-Laura Clare Davis
New Blood show review 2011-Laura Clare Davis
At Edinburgh College of Art my eye was caught by a little scratch n sniff book by Laura Clare Davis.

New Blood show review 2011-Samuel Hawkins
I’d missed a few from my earlier Westminster University blog, so here they are: Follow Anyone by Samuel Hawkins may not have entirely got the point of twitter, but he wasn’t the only one making a commentary – it was a popular theme this year.

New Blood show review 2011-Natacha Malkin
Natacha Malkin‘s Red Feather was a lovely loose bit of fashion illustration.

More to come in a wee while… read part two of my New Blood illustration review here.

Categories ,2011, ,Adam Avery, ,Bad Eggs, ,Ballad Of, ,D&AD, ,Edinburgh College of Art, ,Glasgow School of Art, ,graduate, ,illustration, ,Introspection Out, ,Jen Hainsworth, ,Joe Lyward, ,Josh Neal, ,Laura Clare Davis, ,Matthew Brand, ,My Fear, ,Natacha Malkin, ,New Blood, ,Nobrow, ,Norfolk, ,Norwich University College of the Arts, ,Oh Comely, ,Oona Brown, ,Red Feather, ,review, ,Rosalind Johnson, ,Samuel Hawkins, ,Southampton Solent University, ,Suffolk, ,the Bird, ,The Mouse, ,the Sausage, ,University of Plymouth, ,Westminster University

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Amelia’s Magazine | Best of D&AD New Blood Illustration Graduates 2011: part one

New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
Illustration by Adam Avery.

And now time for the best illustration that I discovered at this year’s D&AD New Blood, symptoms part one.

New Blood show review 2011-oona brown
New Blood show review 2011-oona brown
At Glasgow School of Art Oona Brown‘s Bad Eggs considered how the pass time of collecting eggs is now frowned upon and considered stealing.

New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
New Blood show review 2011-adam avery
I was most taken by Adam Avery at Norwich University College of the Arts, sickness one of many graduates who have taken a Nobrow palette to heart. Introspection Out was a wonderful autobiographical book about his time spent in Norfolk.

New Blood show review 2011-Rosalind Johnson
The Mouse, the Bird, the Sausage by fellow graduate Rosalind Johnson was charming.

New Blood show review 2011-MATT BRAND
As were spooky images by Matthew Brand.

New Blood show review 2011-Joe Lyward
At University of Plymouth Joe Lyward featured some evocative line drawings to demonstrate a story, My Fear – about facing fear head on.

New Blood show review 2011-Emma Carlisle
Emma Carlisle tackled historical figures – she has worked for Oh Comely and Ballad Of.

New Blood show review 2011-Josh Neal
New Blood show review 2011-Josh Neal
New Blood show review 2011-Josh Neal
I was impressed by Josh Neal‘s colourful woodcut work, and he had a lovely screenprinted book on sale.

New Blood show review 2011-Southampton Solent University
At Southampton Solent University the girl looking after the display *joked* that her tutor had nicked a prime spot with this nice animal poster.

New Blood show review 2011-Jen Hainsworth
Jen Hainsworth had made this delightful print of a woman.

New Blood show review 2011-Southampton Solent University
The central table was laid out with a whole range of delights.

New Blood show review 2011-Laura Clare Davis
New Blood show review 2011-Laura Clare Davis
New Blood show review 2011-Laura Clare Davis
At Edinburgh College of Art my eye was caught by a little scratch n sniff book by Laura Clare Davis.

New Blood show review 2011-Samuel Hawkins
I’d missed a few from my earlier Westminster University blog, so here they are: Follow Anyone by Samuel Hawkins may not have entirely got the point of twitter, but he wasn’t the only one making a commentary – it was a popular theme this year.

New Blood show review 2011-Natacha Malkin
Natacha Malkin‘s Red Feather was a lovely loose bit of fashion illustration.

More to come in a wee while… read part two of my New Blood illustration review here.

Categories ,2011, ,Adam Avery, ,Bad Eggs, ,Ballad Of, ,D&AD, ,Edinburgh College of Art, ,Glasgow School of Art, ,graduate, ,illustration, ,Introspection Out, ,Jen Hainsworth, ,Joe Lyward, ,Josh Neal, ,Laura Clare Davis, ,Matthew Brand, ,My Fear, ,Natacha Malkin, ,New Blood, ,Nobrow, ,Norfolk, ,Norwich University College of the Arts, ,Oh Comely, ,Oona Brown, ,Red Feather, ,review, ,Rosalind Johnson, ,Samuel Hawkins, ,Southampton Solent University, ,Suffolk, ,the Bird, ,The Mouse, ,the Sausage, ,University of Plymouth, ,Westminster University

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Amelia’s Magazine | Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration launch party photos: meet Liz Johnson-Artur

6 day riot by Natsuki Otani
6 Day Riot‘s Tamara Schlesinger by Natsuki Otani.

There were so many amazing guests at my ACOFI launch who didn’t come down to the afternoon tea party that it seemed only natural to ask some of my ACOFI illustrators who were also not present during the daytime to illustrate a few of them. Which is how I wound up with this merry bunch of pictures.

A couple were unsurprisingly enamoured of 6 Day Riot: Erica Sharp and Natsuki Otani (above) show just how differently illustrators can see things.

6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp
6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp.

ACOFI cake by Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes felt moved to illustrate the cake, price buy but not on a table, treat oh no. On a head, where I feel it belongs rather nicely.

ACOFI-Launch Tim Adey-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Lovely Yelena Bryksenkova (who alas did not make it at the very last minute due to snowy conditions in New York) took up the challenge of illustrating my boyfriend Tim Adey… resplendent in Liberty print shirt and waving aloft a dainty teacup.

Amelia Gregory by Gemma Milly
Gemma Milly – also absent on a prolonged trip to Canada (the poor thing) illustrated the whole of my outfit, from Joanna Cave earrings, through Beautiful Soul cape, via Monsoon dress (ahem) down to Nina Dolcetti shoes. Splendid.

Gemma Milly-Courtney Blackman_ForwardPR
Gemma Milly also did this lovely illustration of Courtney Blackman from Forward PR.

Cleide Carina of Sketchbook at ACOFI launch by Abi Daker
Abigail Daker, stuck over in Cyprus, took on the challenge of capturing Cleide Carina of Sketchbook Mag. Love it!

emma_block_pipettes_ACOFI
You’ve already seen The Pipettes by Emma Block – but hell, it’s so good why not show it again?

Amelia Acofi by Faye West
Faye West as well took up the challenge of rendering me in all my illustratory glory.

Gareth A Hopkins Will From Mystery Jets
Gareth A Hopkins decided to illustrate the heart throb that is Will from the Mystery Jets… I feel he’s caught his tousled nature perfectly. He looks truly Byron-esque!

Jo Cheung Robots in Disguise
Jo Cheung fancied herself a bit of Robots in Disguise action. Love their hair. So changeable. But never ever boring. It’s been a long and beautiful relationship. Theirs, ours. You know.

Kellie-Black-A-Goodone-Goodtime
Kellie Black illustrated one half of Goodone. Having a Goodtime.

Kellie-Black-Alan-&-Martin-Of-Principal-Colour
And then came back to render the lovely men who run Principal Colour. Voila, I introduce to you Alan and Martin Darby, my printers extraordinaire. I’ve been working with them for seven years now and I will never stop telling people just how lovely they are. Let me tell you, Amelia’s Magazine owes an awful lot to them. Hell, they even talk me through existential crises (Alan has found me in tears on more than one occasion)

ACOFI-launch-Liz-Johnson-Artur-byLisaStannard
Lisa Stannard did my parents Bruce and Ursula – who I barely even ran into over the entire night. But I hear they had fun which is all good.

ACOFIlaunch-Amelia+Nicola-by LisaStannard
And then she also did me together with Nicola Woods of Beautiful Soul, she who designed my wonderful shrug.

ACOFI cover by Ani Saunders
Ani Saunders of The Pipettes decided to create her own version of Andrea Peterson’s front cover for ACOFI. Just love it.

HANNAH BULLIVANT by Natasha-Thompson
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-ELLIE-LOUGHRAN
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-KORAL-WEBB
Natasha Thompson came up trumps with pictures of earth contributor Hannah Bullivant and bloggers Ellie Loughran and Koral Webb. Read Koral’s blog here: much kudos to her for asking her tutors if I can lecture at her University in March. Which I will be.

disney-roller-girl-katie-harnett2
I got wind that Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl had made it along to the launch although I didn’t get to meet her myself. I then found out that she “outed” herself just days later… there seems no better time to get her illustrated on the web. Here she is, by Katie Harnett.

cassius-katie-harnett
Who also could not resist a bit of Prince Cassius action. And why the hell not?

Amelia & Matt by Karina Yarv
Finally, Karina Yarv couldn’t resist herself a little bit of the action even though this wasn’t done from a party snap. She doesn’t appear in the book but if I’d met her earlier she almost certainly would have. Just one of many illustrators who have done so much amazing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the past many months

Amazing inspiring stuff, all of it. Thankyou so much, all of you, for being so so brilliant.

6 day riot by Natsuki Otani
6 Day Riot‘s Tamara Schlesinger by Natsuki Otani.

There were so many amazing guests at my ACOFI launch who didn’t come down to the afternoon tea party that it seemed only natural to ask some of the illustrators who were also not present during the daytime to illustrate some of them. Which is how I wound up with this merry bunch of beautiful pictures.

A couple were unsurprisingly enamoured of 6 Day Riot: Natsuki Otani (above) and Erica Sharp (below) show just how differently illustrators can see things.

6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp
6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp.

ACOFI cake by Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes felt moved to illustrate the cake, medical but not on a table, viagra 100mg oh no. On a head, where I feel it belongs rather nicely.

ACOFI-Launch Tim Adey-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Lovely Yelena Bryksenkova (who alas did not make it at the very last minute due to snowy conditions in New York) took up the challenge of illustrating my boyfriend Tim Adey… resplendent in Liberty print shirt and waving aloft a dainty teacup.

Amelia Gregory by Gemma Milly
Gemma Milly – also absent on a prolonged trip to Canada (the poor thing) illustrated the whole of my outfit, from Joanna Cave earrings, through Beautiful Soul cape, via Monsoon dress (ahem) down to Nina Dolcetti shoes. Splendid.

Gemma Milly-Courtney Blackman_ForwardPR
Gemma Milly also did this lovely illustration of Courtney Blackman from Forward PR.

Cleide Carina of Sketchbook at ACOFI launch by Abi Daker
Abigail Daker, stuck over in Cyprus, took on the challenge of capturing Cleide Carina of Sketchbook Mag. Love it!

emma_block_pipettes_ACOFI
You’ve already seen The Pipettes by Emma Block – but hell, it’s so good why not show it again?

Amelia Acofi by Faye West
Faye West as well took up the challenge of rendering me in all my illustratory glory.

Gareth A Hopkins Will From Mystery Jets
Gareth A Hopkins decided to illustrate the heart throb that is Will from the Mystery Jets… I feel he’s caught his tousled nature perfectly. He looks truly Byron-esque!

Jo Cheung Robots in Disguise
Jo Cheung fancied herself a bit of Robots in Disguise action. Love their hair. So changeable. But never ever boring. It’s been a long and beautiful relationship. Theirs, ours. You know.

Kellie-Black-A-Goodone-Goodtime
Kellie Black illustrated one half of Goodone. Having a Goodtime.

Kellie-Black-Alan-&-Martin-Of-Principal-Colour
And then came back to render the lovely men who run Principal Colour. Voila, I introduce to you Alan and Martin Darby, my printers extraordinaire. I’ve been working with them for seven years now and I will never stop telling people just how lovely they are. Let me tell you, Amelia’s Magazine owes an awful lot to them. Hell, they even talk me through existential crises (Alan has found me in tears on more than one occasion)

ACOFI-launch-Liz-Johnson-Artur-byLisaStannard
Lisa Stannard did my parents Bruce and Ursula – who I barely even ran into over the entire night. But I hear they had fun which is all good.

ACOFIlaunch-Amelia+Nicola-by LisaStannard
And then she also did me together with Nicola Woods of Beautiful Soul, she who designed my wonderful shrug.

ACOFI cover by Ani Saunders
Ani Saunders of The Pipettes decided to create her own version of Andrea Peterson’s front cover for ACOFI. Just love it.

HANNAH BULLIVANT by Natasha-Thompson
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-ELLIE-LOUGHRAN
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-KORAL-WEBB
Natasha Thompson came up trumps with pictures of earth contributor Hannah Bullivant and bloggers Ellie Loughran and Koral Webb. Read Koral’s blog here: much kudos to her for asking her tutors if I can lecture at her University in March. Which I will be.

disney-roller-girl-katie-harnett2
I got wind that Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl had made it along to the launch although I didn’t get to meet her myself. I then found out that she “outed” herself just days later… there seems no better time to get her illustrated on the web. Here she is, by Katie Harnett.

cassius-katie-harnett
Who also could not resist a bit of Prince Cassius action. And why the hell not?

Amelia & Matt by Karina Yarv
Finally, Karina Yarv couldn’t resist herself a little bit of the action even though this wasn’t done from a party snap. She doesn’t appear in the book but if I’d met her earlier she almost certainly would have. Just one of many illustrators who have done so much amazing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the past many months

Amazing inspiring stuff, all of it. Thankyou so much, all of you, for being so so brilliant.

6 day riot by Natsuki Otani
6 Day Riot‘s Tamara Schlesinger by Natsuki Otani.

There were so many amazing guests at my ACOFI launch who didn’t come down to the afternoon tea party that it seemed only natural to ask some of the illustrators who were also not present during the daytime to illustrate some of them. Which is how I wound up with this merry bunch of beautiful pictures.

A couple were unsurprisingly enamoured of 6 Day Riot: Natsuki Otani (above) and Erica Sharp (below) show just how differently illustrators can see things.

6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp
6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp.

ACOFI cake by Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes felt moved to illustrate the cake, this web but not on a table, oh no. On a head, where I feel it belongs rather nicely.

ACOFI-Launch Tim Adey-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Lovely Yelena Bryksenkova (who alas did not make it at the very last minute due to snowy conditions in New York) took up the challenge of illustrating my boyfriend Tim Adey… resplendent in Liberty print shirt and waving aloft a dainty teacup.

Amelia Gregory by Gemma Milly
Gemma Milly – also absent on a prolonged trip to Canada (the poor thing) illustrated the whole of my outfit, from Joanna Cave earrings, through Beautiful Soul cape, via Monsoon dress (ahem) down to Nina Dolcetti shoes. Splendid.

Gemma Milly-Courtney Blackman_ForwardPR
Gemma Milly also did this lovely illustration of Courtney Blackman from Forward PR.

Cleide Carina of Sketchbook at ACOFI launch by Abi Daker
Abigail Daker, stuck over in Cyprus, took on the challenge of capturing Cleide Carina of Sketchbook Mag. Love it!

emma_block_pipettes_ACOFI
You’ve already seen The Pipettes by Emma Block – but hell, it’s so good why not show it again?

Amelia Acofi by Faye West
Faye West as well took up the challenge of rendering me in all my illustratory glory.

Gareth A Hopkins Will From Mystery Jets
Gareth A Hopkins decided to illustrate the heart throb that is Will from the Mystery Jets… I feel he’s caught his tousled nature perfectly. He looks truly Byron-esque!

Jo Cheung Robots in Disguise
Jo Cheung fancied herself a bit of Robots in Disguise action. Love their hair. So changeable. But never ever boring. It’s been a long and beautiful relationship. Theirs, ours. You know.

Kellie-Black-A-Goodone-Goodtime
Kellie Black illustrated one half of Goodone. Having a Goodtime.

Kellie-Black-Alan-&-Martin-Of-Principal-Colour
And then came back to render the lovely men who run Principal Colour. Voila, I introduce to you Alan and Martin Darby, my printers extraordinaire. I’ve been working with them for seven years now and I will never stop telling people just how lovely they are… Amelia’s Magazine owes an awful lot to them. Hell, they even talk me through existential crises (Alan has found me in tears on more than one occasion).

ACOFI-launch-Liz-Johnson-Artur-byLisaStannard
Lisa Stannard did my parents Bruce and Ursula – who I barely even ran into over the entire night. But I hear they had fun which is all good.

ACOFIlaunch-Amelia+Nicola-by LisaStannard
And then she also did me together with Nicola Woods of Beautiful Soul, she who designed my wonderful shrug.

HANNAH BULLIVANT by Natasha-Thompson
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-ELLIE-LOUGHRAN
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-KORAL-WEBB
Natasha Thompson came up trumps with pictures of earth contributor Hannah Bullivant and bloggers Ellie Loughran and Koral Webb. Read Koral’s blog here: much kudos to her for asking her tutors if I can lecture at her University in March. Which I will be.

disney-roller-girl-katie-harnett2
I got wind that Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl had made it along to the launch although I didn’t get to meet her myself. I then found out that she “outed” herself just days later… there seems no better time to get her illustrated on the web. Here she is, by Katie Harnett.

cassius-katie-harnett
Who also could not resist a bit of Prince Cassius action. And why the hell not?

ACOFI cover by Ani Saunders
Ani Saunders of The Pipettes decided to create her own version of Andrea Peterson’s front cover for ACOFI. Just love it.

Amelia & Matt by Karina Yarv
Finally, Karina Yarv couldn’t resist herself a little bit of the action even though this wasn’t done from a party snap. She doesn’t appear in the book but if I’d met her earlier she almost certainly would have. Just one of many illustrators who have done so much amazing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the past months. Amazing inspiring stuff, all of it. Thankyou so much, all of you, for being so so brilliant.

6 day riot by Natsuki Otani
6 Day Riot‘s Tamara Schlesinger by Natsuki Otani.

There were so many amazing guests at my ACOFI launch who didn’t come down to the afternoon tea party that it seemed only natural to ask some of the illustrators who were also not present during the daytime to illustrate some of them. Which is how I wound up with this merry bunch of beautiful pictures.

A couple were unsurprisingly enamoured of 6 Day Riot: Natsuki Otani (above) and Erica Sharp (below) show just how differently illustrators can see things.

6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp
6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp.

ACOFI cake by Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes felt moved to illustrate the cake, viagra approved but not on a table, oh no. On a head, where I feel it belongs rather nicely.

ACOFI-Launch Tim Adey-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Lovely Yelena Bryksenkova (who alas did not make it at the very last minute due to snowy conditions in New York) took up the challenge of illustrating my boyfriend Tim Adey… resplendent in Liberty print shirt and waving aloft a dainty teacup.

Amelia Gregory by Gemma Milly
Gemma Milly – also absent on a prolonged trip to Canada (the poor thing) illustrated the whole of my outfit, from Joanna Cave earrings, through Beautiful Soul cape, via Monsoon dress (ahem) down to Nina Dolcetti shoes. Splendid.

Gemma Milly-Courtney Blackman_ForwardPR
Gemma Milly also did this lovely illustration of Courtney Blackman from Forward PR.

Cleide Carina of Sketchbook at ACOFI launch by Abi Daker
Abigail Daker, stuck over in Cyprus, took on the challenge of capturing Cleide Carina of Sketchbook Mag. Love it!

emma_block_pipettes_ACOFI
You’ve already seen The Pipettes by Emma Block – but hell, it’s so good why not show it again?

Amelia Acofi by Faye West
Faye West as well took up the challenge of rendering me in all my illustratory glory.

Gareth A Hopkins Will From Mystery Jets
Gareth A Hopkins decided to illustrate the heart throb that is Will from the Mystery Jets… I feel he’s caught his tousled nature perfectly. He looks truly Byron-esque!

Jo Cheung Robots in Disguise
Jo Cheung fancied herself a bit of Robots in Disguise action. Love their hair. So changeable. But never ever boring. It’s been a long and beautiful relationship. Theirs, ours. You know.

Kellie-Black-A-Goodone-Goodtime
Kellie Black illustrated one half of Goodone. Having a Goodtime.

Kellie-Black-Alan-&-Martin-Of-Principal-Colour
And then came back to render the lovely men who run Principal Colour. Voila, I introduce to you Alan and Martin Darby, my printers extraordinaire. I’ve been working with them for seven years now and I will never stop telling people just how lovely they are… Amelia’s Magazine owes an awful lot to them. Hell, they even talk me through existential crises (Alan has found me in tears on more than one occasion).

ACOFI-launch-Liz-Johnson-Artur-byLisaStannard
Lisa Stannard did my parents Bruce and Ursula – who I barely even ran into over the entire night. But I hear they had fun which is all good.

ACOFIlaunch-Amelia+Nicola-by LisaStannard
And then she also did me together with Nicola Woods of Beautiful Soul, she who designed my wonderful shrug.

HANNAH BULLIVANT by Natasha-Thompson
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-ELLIE-LOUGHRAN
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-KORAL-WEBB
Natasha Thompson came up trumps with pictures of earth contributor Hannah Bullivant and bloggers Ellie Loughran and Koral Webb. Read Koral’s blog here: much kudos to her for asking her tutors if I can lecture at her University in March. Which I will be.

disney-roller-girl-katie-harnett2
I got wind that Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl had made it along to the launch although I didn’t get to meet her myself. I then found out that she “outed” herself just days later… there seems no better time to get her illustrated on the web. Here she is, by Katie Harnett.

cassius-katie-harnett
Who also could not resist a bit of Prince Cassius action. And why the hell not?

ACOFI cover by Ani Saunders
Ani Saunders of The Pipettes decided to create her own version of Andrea Peterson’s front cover for ACOFI. Just love it.

Amelia & Matt by Karina Yarv
Finally, Karina Yarv couldn’t resist herself a little bit of the action even though this wasn’t done from a party snap. She doesn’t appear in the book but if I’d met her earlier she almost certainly would have. Just one of many illustrators who have done so much amazing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the past months. Amazing inspiring stuff, all of it. Thankyou so much, all of you, for being so so brilliant.

You can buy Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration here, with a special 10% if you use the discount code ACOFI LAUNCH up until the 28th February 2011. Please do buy a copy if you want to ensure this website keeps going… fer real.

6 day riot by Natsuki Otani
6 Day Riot‘s Tamara Schlesinger by Natsuki Otani.

There were so many amazing guests at my ACOFI launch who didn’t come down to the afternoon tea party that it seemed only natural to ask some of the illustrators who were also not present during the daytime to illustrate some of them. Which is how I wound up with this merry bunch of beautiful pictures.

A couple were unsurprisingly enamoured of 6 Day Riot: Natsuki Otani (above) and Erica Sharp (below) show just how differently illustrators can see things.

6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp
6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp.

ACOFI cake by Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes felt moved to illustrate the cake, cheap but not on a table, pilule oh no. On a head, where I feel it belongs rather nicely.

ACOFI-Launch Tim Adey-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Lovely Yelena Bryksenkova (who alas did not make it at the very last minute due to snowy conditions in New York) took up the challenge of illustrating my boyfriend Tim Adey… resplendent in Liberty print shirt and waving aloft a dainty teacup.

Amelia Gregory by Gemma Milly
Gemma Milly – also absent on a prolonged trip to Canada (the poor thing) illustrated the whole of my outfit, from Joanna Cave earrings, through Beautiful Soul cape, via Monsoon dress (ahem) down to Nina Dolcetti shoes. Splendid.

Gemma Milly-Courtney Blackman_ForwardPR
Gemma Milly also did this lovely illustration of Courtney Blackman from Forward PR.

Cleide Carina of Sketchbook at ACOFI launch by Abi Daker
Abigail Daker, stuck over in Cyprus, took on the challenge of capturing Cleide Carina of Sketchbook Mag. Love it!

emma_block_pipettes_ACOFI
You’ve already seen The Pipettes by Emma Block – but hell, it’s so good why not show it again?

Amelia Acofi by Faye West
Faye West as well took up the challenge of rendering me in all my illustratory glory.

Gareth A Hopkins Will From Mystery Jets
Gareth A Hopkins decided to illustrate the heart throb that is Will from the Mystery Jets… I feel he’s caught his tousled nature perfectly. He looks truly Byron-esque!

Jo Cheung Robots in Disguise
Jo Cheung fancied herself a bit of Robots in Disguise action. Love their hair. So changeable. But never ever boring. It’s been a long and beautiful relationship. Theirs, ours. You know.

Kellie-Black-A-Goodone-Goodtime
Kellie Black illustrated one half of Goodone. Having a Goodtime.

Kellie-Black-Alan-&-Martin-Of-Principal-Colour
And then came back to render the lovely men who run Principal Colour. Voila, I introduce to you Alan and Martin Darby, my printers extraordinaire. I’ve been working with them for seven years now and I will never stop telling people just how lovely they are… Amelia’s Magazine owes an awful lot to them. Hell, they even talk me through existential crises (Alan has found me in tears on more than one occasion).

ACOFI-launch-Liz-Johnson-Artur-byLisaStannard
Lisa Stannard did my parents Bruce and Ursula – who I barely even ran into over the entire night. But I hear they had fun which is all good.

ACOFIlaunch-Amelia+Nicola-by LisaStannard
And then she also did me together with Nicola Woods of Beautiful Soul, she who designed my wonderful shrug.

HANNAH BULLIVANT by Natasha-Thompson
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-ELLIE-LOUGHRAN
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-KORAL-WEBB
Natasha Thompson came up trumps with pictures of earth contributor Hannah Bullivant and bloggers Ellie Loughran and Koral Webb. Read Koral’s blog here: much kudos to her for asking her tutors if I can lecture at her University in March. Which I will be.

disney-roller-girl-katie-harnett2
I got wind that Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl had made it along to the launch although I didn’t get to meet her myself. I then found out that she “outed” herself just days later… there seems no better time to get her illustrated on the web. Here she is, by Katie Harnett.

cassius-katie-harnett
Who also could not resist a bit of Prince Cassius action. And why the hell not?

ACOFI cover by Ani Saunders
Ani Saunders of The Pipettes decided to create her own version of Andrea Peterson’s front cover for ACOFI. Just love it.

Amelia & Matt by Karina Yarv
Finally, Karina Yarv couldn’t resist herself a little bit of the action even though this wasn’t done from a party snap. She doesn’t appear in the book but if I’d met her earlier she almost certainly would have. Just one of many illustrators who have done so much amazing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the past months. Amazing inspiring stuff, all of it. Thankyou so much, all of you, for being so so brilliant.

You can buy Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration here, with a special 10% if you use the discount code ACOFI LAUNCH up until the 28th February 2011. Please do buy a copy if you want to ensure this website keeps going strong to support both young creatives and people doing good in the world… fer real.

6 day riot by Natsuki Otani
6 Day Riot‘s Tamara Schlesinger by Natsuki Otani.

There were so many amazing guests at my ACOFI launch who didn’t come down to the afternoon tea party that it seemed only natural to ask some of the illustrators who were also not present during the daytime to illustrate some of them. Which is how I wound up with this merry bunch of beautiful pictures.

A couple were unsurprisingly enamoured of 6 Day Riot: Natsuki Otani (above) and Erica Sharp (below) show just how differently illustrators can see things.

6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp
6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp.

ACOFI cake by Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes felt moved to illustrate the cake, information pills but not on a table, this site oh no. On a head, where I feel it belongs rather nicely.

ACOFI-Launch Tim Adey-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Lovely Yelena Bryksenkova (who alas did not make it at the very last minute due to snowy conditions in New York) took up the challenge of illustrating my boyfriend Tim Adey… resplendent in Liberty print shirt and waving aloft a dainty teacup.

Amelia Gregory by Gemma Milly
Gemma Milly – also absent on a prolonged trip to Canada (the poor thing) illustrated the whole of my outfit, from Joanna Cave earrings, through Beautiful Soul cape, via Monsoon dress (ahem) down to Nina Dolcetti shoes. Splendid.

Gemma Milly-Courtney Blackman_ForwardPR
Gemma Milly also did this lovely illustration of Courtney Blackman from Forward PR.

Cleide Carina of Sketchbook at ACOFI launch by Abi Daker
Abigail Daker, stuck over in Cyprus, took on the challenge of capturing Cleide Carina of Sketchbook Mag. Love it!

emma_block_pipettes_ACOFI
You’ve already seen The Pipettes by Emma Block – but hell, it’s so good why not show it again?

Amelia Acofi by Faye West
Faye West as well took up the challenge of rendering me in all my illustratory glory.

Gareth A Hopkins Will From Mystery Jets
Gareth A Hopkins decided to illustrate the heart throb that is Will from the Mystery Jets… I feel he’s caught his tousled nature perfectly. He looks truly Byron-esque!

Jo Cheung Robots in Disguise
Jo Cheung fancied herself a bit of Robots in Disguise action. Love their hair. So changeable. But never ever boring. It’s been a long and beautiful relationship. Theirs, ours. You know.

Kellie-Black-A-Goodone-Goodtime
Kellie Black illustrated one half of Goodone. Having a Goodtime.

Kellie-Black-Alan-&-Martin-Of-Principal-Colour
And then came back to render the lovely men who run Principal Colour. Voila, I introduce to you Alan and Martin Darby, my printers extraordinaire. I’ve been working with them for seven years now and I will never stop telling people just how lovely they are… Amelia’s Magazine owes an awful lot to them. Hell, they even talk me through existential crises (Alan has found me in tears on more than one occasion).

ACOFI-launch-Liz-Johnson-Artur-byLisaStannard
Lisa Stannard did my parents Bruce and Ursula – who I barely even ran into over the entire night. But I hear they had fun which is all good.

ACOFIlaunch-Amelia+Nicola-by LisaStannard
And then she also did me together with Nicola Woods of Beautiful Soul, she who designed my wonderful shrug.

HANNAH BULLIVANT by Natasha-Thompson
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-ELLIE-LOUGHRAN
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-KORAL-WEBB
Natasha Thompson came up trumps with pictures of earth contributor Hannah Bullivant and bloggers Ellie Loughran and Koral Webb. Read Koral’s blog here: much kudos to her for asking her tutors if I can lecture at her University in March. Which I will be.

disney-roller-girl-katie-harnett2
I got wind that Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl had made it along to the launch although I didn’t get to meet her myself. I then found out that she “outed” herself just days later… there seems no better time to get her illustrated on the web. Here she is, by Katie Harnett.

cassius-katie-harnett
Who also could not resist a bit of Prince Cassius action. And why the hell not?

ACOFI cover by Ani Saunders
Ani Saunders of The Pipettes decided to create her own version of Andrea Peterson’s front cover for ACOFI. Just love it.

Amelia & Matt by Karina Yarv
Finally, Karina Yarv couldn’t resist herself a little bit of the action even though this wasn’t done from a party snap. She doesn’t appear in the book but if I’d met her earlier she almost certainly would have. Just one of many illustrators who have done so much amazing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the past months. Amazing inspiring stuff, all of it. Thankyou so much, all of you, for being so so brilliant.

You can buy Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration here, with a special 10% if you use the discount code ACOFI LAUNCH up until the 28th February 2011. Please do buy a copy if you want to ensure this website keeps going strong to support both young creatives and people doing good in the world… fer real.

6 day riot by Natsuki Otani
6 Day Riot‘s Tamara Schlesinger by Natsuki Otani.

There were so many amazing guests at my ACOFI launch who didn’t come down to the afternoon tea party that it seemed only natural to ask some of the illustrators who were also not present during the daytime to illustrate some of them. Which is how I wound up with this merry bunch of beautiful pictures.

A couple were unsurprisingly enamoured of 6 Day Riot: Natsuki Otani (above) and Erica Sharp (below) show just how differently illustrators can see things.

6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp
6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp.

ACOFI cake by Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes felt moved to illustrate the cake, medicine but not on a table, and oh no. On a head, where I feel it belongs rather nicely.

ACOFI-Launch Tim Adey-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Lovely Yelena Bryksenkova (who alas did not make it at the very last minute due to snowy conditions in New York) took up the challenge of illustrating my boyfriend Tim Adey… resplendent in Liberty print shirt and waving aloft a dainty teacup.

Amelia Gregory by Gemma Milly
Gemma Milly – also absent on a prolonged trip to Canada (the poor thing) illustrated the whole of my outfit, from Joanna Cave earrings, through Beautiful Soul cape, via Monsoon dress (ahem) down to Nina Dolcetti shoes. Splendid.

Gemma Milly-Courtney Blackman_ForwardPR
Gemma Milly also did this lovely illustration of Courtney Blackman from Forward PR.

Cleide Carina of Sketchbook at ACOFI launch by Abi Daker
Abigail Daker, stuck over in Cyprus, took on the challenge of capturing Cleide Carina of Sketchbook Mag. Love it!

emma_block_pipettes_ACOFI
You’ve already seen The Pipettes by Emma Block – but hell, it’s so good why not show it again?

Amelia Acofi by Faye West
Faye West as well took up the challenge of rendering me in all my illustratory glory.

Gareth A Hopkins Will From Mystery Jets
Gareth A Hopkins decided to illustrate the heart throb that is Will from the Mystery Jets… I feel he’s caught his tousled nature perfectly. He looks truly Byron-esque!

Jo Cheung Robots in Disguise
Jo Cheung fancied herself a bit of Robots in Disguise action. Love their hair. So changeable. But never ever boring. It’s been a long and beautiful relationship. Theirs, ours. You know. (They appeared in issue 1 of Amelia’s Magazine a long time ago…)

Kellie-Black-A-Goodone-Goodtime
Kellie Black illustrated one half of Goodone. Having a Goodtime.

Kellie-Black-Alan-&-Martin-Of-Principal-Colour
And then came back to render the lovely men who run Principal Colour. Voila, I introduce to you Alan and Martin Darby, my printers extraordinaire. I’ve been working with them for seven years now and I will never stop telling people just how lovely they are… Amelia’s Magazine owes an awful lot to them. Hell, they even talk me through existential crises (Alan has found me in tears on more than one occasion).

ACOFI-launch-Liz-Johnson-Artur-byLisaStannard
Lisa Stannard did my parents Bruce and Ursula – who I barely even ran into over the entire night. But I hear they had fun which is all good.

ACOFIlaunch-Amelia+Nicola-by LisaStannard
And then she also did me together with Nicola Woods of Beautiful Soul, she who designed my wonderful shrug.

HANNAH BULLIVANT by Natasha-Thompson
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-ELLIE-LOUGHRAN
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-KORAL-WEBB
Natasha Thompson came up trumps with pictures of earth contributor Hannah Bullivant and bloggers Ellie Loughran and Koral Webb. Read Koral’s blog here: much kudos to her for asking her tutors if I can lecture at her University in March. Which I will be.

disney-roller-girl-katie-harnett2
I got wind that Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl had made it along to the launch although I didn’t get to meet her myself. I then found out that she “outed” herself just days later… there seems no better time to get her illustrated on the web. Here she is, by Katie Harnett.

cassius-katie-harnett
Who also could not resist a bit of Prince Cassius action. And why the hell not?

ACOFI cover by Ani Saunders
Ani Saunders of The Pipettes decided to create her own version of Andrea Peterson’s front cover for ACOFI. Just love it.

Amelia & Matt by Karina Yarv
Finally, Karina Yarv couldn’t resist herself a little bit of the action even though this wasn’t done from a party snap. She doesn’t appear in the book but if I’d met her earlier she almost certainly would have. Just one of many illustrators who have done so much amazing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the past months. Amazing inspiring stuff, all of it. Thankyou so much, all of you, for being so so brilliant.

You can buy Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration here, with a special 10% if you use the discount code ACOFI LAUNCH up until the 28th February 2011. Please do buy a copy if you want to ensure this website keeps going strong to support both young creatives and people doing good in the world… fer real.

6 day riot by Natsuki Otani
6 Day Riot‘s Tamara Schlesinger by Natsuki Otani.

There were so many amazing guests at my ACOFI launch who didn’t come down to the afternoon tea party that it seemed only natural to ask some of the illustrators who were also not present during the daytime to illustrate some of them. Which is how I wound up with this merry bunch of beautiful pictures.

A couple were unsurprisingly enamoured of 6 Day Riot: Natsuki Otani (above) and Erica Sharp (below) show just how differently illustrators can see things.

6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp
6 Day Riot by Erica Sharp.

ACOFI cake by Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes felt moved to illustrate the cake, and but not on a table, ask oh no. On a head, clinic where I feel it belongs rather nicely.

ACOFI-Launch Tim Adey-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Lovely Yelena Bryksenkova (who alas did not make it at the very last minute due to snowy conditions in New York) took up the challenge of illustrating my boyfriend Tim Adey… resplendent in Liberty print shirt and waving aloft a dainty teacup.

Amelia Gregory by Gemma Milly
Gemma Milly – also absent on a prolonged trip to Canada (the poor thing) illustrated the whole of my outfit, from Joanna Cave earrings, through Beautiful Soul cape, via Monsoon dress (ahem) down to Nina Dolcetti shoes. Splendid.

Gemma Milly-Courtney Blackman_ForwardPR
Gemma Milly also did this lovely illustration of Courtney Blackman from Forward PR.

Cleide Carina of Sketchbook at ACOFI launch by Abi Daker
Abigail Daker, stuck over in Cyprus, took on the challenge of capturing Cleide Carina of Sketchbook Mag. Love it!

emma_block_pipettes_ACOFI
You’ve already seen The Pipettes by Emma Block – but hell, it’s so good why not show it again?

Amelia Acofi by Faye West
Faye West as well took up the challenge of rendering me in all my illustratory glory.

Gareth A Hopkins Will From Mystery Jets
Gareth A Hopkins decided to illustrate the heart throb that is Will from the Mystery Jets… I feel he’s caught his tousled nature perfectly. He looks truly Byron-esque!

Jo Cheung Robots in Disguise
Jo Cheung fancied herself a bit of Robots in Disguise action. Love their hair. So changeable. But never ever boring. It’s been a long and beautiful relationship. Theirs, ours. You know. (They appeared in issue 1 of Amelia’s Magazine a long time ago…)

Kellie-Black-A-Goodone-Goodtime
Kellie Black illustrated one half of Goodone. Having a Goodtime.

Kellie-Black-Alan-&-Martin-Of-Principal-Colour
And then came back to render the lovely men who run Principal Colour in Kent. Voila, I introduce to you Alan Flack and Martin Darby, my printers extraordinaire. I’ve been working with them for seven years now and I will never stop telling people just how lovely they are… Amelia’s Magazine owes an awful lot to them. Hell, they even talk me through existential crises (Alan has found me in tears on more than one occasion).

ACOFI-launch-Liz-Johnson-Artur-byLisaStannard
Lisa Stannard did my parents Bruce and Ursula – who I barely even ran into over the entire night. But I hear they had fun which is all good.

ACOFIlaunch-Amelia+Nicola-by LisaStannard
And then she also did me together with Nicola Woods of Beautiful Soul, she who designed my wonderful shrug.

HANNAH BULLIVANT by Natasha-Thompson
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-ELLIE-LOUGHRAN
Natasha-Thompson-ACOFI-KORAL-WEBB
Natasha Thompson came up trumps with pictures of earth contributor Hannah Bullivant and bloggers Ellie Loughran and Koral Webb. Read Koral’s blog here: much kudos to her for asking her tutors if I can lecture at her University in March. Which I will be.

disney-roller-girl-katie-harnett2
I got wind that Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl had made it along to the launch although I didn’t get to meet her myself. I then found out that she “outed” herself just days later… there seems no better time to get her illustrated on the web. Here she is, by Katie Harnett.

cassius-katie-harnett
Who also could not resist a bit of Prince Cassius action. And why the hell not?

ACOFI cover by Ani Saunders
Ani Saunders of The Pipettes decided to create her own version of Andrea Peterson’s front cover for ACOFI. Just love it.

Amelia & Matt by Karina Yarv
Finally, Karina Yarv couldn’t resist herself a little bit of the action even though she wasn’t there, this wasn’t done from a party snap and she doesn’t appear in the book. Though doubtless she would have done if I’d met her earlier. Karina is just one of many illustrators who have done so much amazing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the past months. Thankyou so much, all of you, for being so so brilliant.

You can buy Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration here, with a special 10% if you use the discount code ACOFI LAUNCH up until the 28th February 2011. Please do buy a copy if you want to ensure this website keeps going strong to support both young creatives and people doing good in the world…

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Tamara Cincik and Amelia Gregory
Tamara Cincik and Amelia Gregory at the ACOFI launch by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Liz Johnson-Artur and myself go back a loooong way. In the days when I was interning at Arena Magazine (RIP) I accompanied her on shoots in Brixton as a fashion stylist’s assistant, troche and then when I became determined to become a photographer I began to assist her, memorably on a series of fashion shoots featuring posh girl models posing in posh country houses for the high society rag Tatler. They liked her quirkiness, and for us it was a great chance to see how the really rich live.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Prince Cassius
Prince Cassius.

Liz Johnson-Artur-Jonno Ovans, Matt Bramford & Sally Mumby-Croft
Jonno Ovans, Matt Bramford & Sally Mumby-Croft.

Liz was one of the few people who was willing to take me on at a time when I knew nothing about the technicalities of taking pictures – I still don’t know much to be fair, but that’s never hindered my love of photography. We’ve worked together many times since – she produced some wonderful early shoots for Amelia’s Magazine, then moved down to Brighton to bring her girl up in a more sedate environment than that surrounding the tower block in South London where she lived for many years.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Antonia Parker
ACOFI illustrator Antonia Parker.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Rachel de Ste. Croix drawing Susie Bubble
Rachel de Ste. Croix drawing Susie Bubble.

She’s the perfect person to bring along to a party because she so delights in capturing extravagant folk of all types, so, when I needed someone to shoot Pete Doherty and co at play for an editorial piece that I wrote for Fader Magazine right at the height of his mania who better to call on than Liz Johnson-Artur? And then in January I thought of her to capture my ACOFI launch party attendees. Luckily it was easy to persuade her to leave her south coast idyl and join us for the afternoon.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-6 Day Riot
6 Day Riot soundchecking.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Ballad Of
Claire from Ballad Of Magazine.

When putting this blog post together I decided to ask her to answer a few questions: read on and be inspired. It’s always a total pleasure to team up with Liz. Mwah.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Rosie and Harriet of Tatty Devine
Rosie and Harriet of Tatty Devine.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI

What was your favourite part of shooting the ACOFI launch?
The most amazing thing was to see what you are doing. I am one of those people who was there when you started, and seeing your energy prosper in such a creative and committed way, is for an old friend, to say the least… very nice.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Gabby Young
Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Gabby Young
Gabby Young.

Why do you still prefer to shoot on film? What does it add to an image that you can’t get on digital?
I love to have the negative as a starting point and I love being in the darkroom – I wouldn’t want to give it up for no easy ‘perfect photoshop’. My hands have a chance to touch negatives and this is part of what I want my photographs to transmit, the sense of being in touch with all our senses. I think this is an especially important thing in these times. Shooting on film gives you time between the taking and the having. For me photography is a sensual experience – it’s not about perfection or quick turn over, but the journey that it takes to see the photograph. I think that the limitation that film offers is also the creative and spiritual freedom, and it is worth preserving.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Andrea Peterson
Andrea Peterson at work.

You’ve got an amazing blog called Black Balloon Archive – what’s it all about?
My Black Balloon Archive started when I came to London and didn’t know much about the mix of the city. Growing up in Germany my access to black culture or communities was very much limited to black GIs, and standing in Brixton waiting for the bus I suddenly realised that I was in a place where all this could be explored. My camera was somehow a way of convincing people to let me in; there was never an aim or a strategy. All I wanted was to be let in – to look and learn.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Nina Dolcetti shoes
Nina Dolcetti shoes.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Amelia at 123
Running up and down the stairs at 123.

Starting in London I developed this hunger to find Afro/Caribbean communities to document wherever I could… in Portugal, Germany, the US, France and finally last year in Russia. Being of Ghanain/Russian descent myself this was personally an amazing trip. The Black Balloon Archive blog presents some of the images which I find in my archive – it enables me to retell some of the stories and revisit the faces that I have met on this journey…

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI
Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Johann Chan of Digital Arts
Johann Chan of Digital Arts.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Michelle Urvall Nyren and Naomi Law
Michelle Urvall Nyren and Naomi Law.

What will you be shooting next?
That depends on what will cross my path, but I guess that somehow it will be always be connected to people and their stories.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Courtney Blackman of Forward PR and Cate Sevilla of Bitch Buzz Buzz
Courtney Blackman of Forward PR and Cate Sevilla of Bitch Buzz.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Lily Vanilli having the Dr.Hauschka treatment
Lily Vanilli having the Dr.Hauschka treatment.

Liz, you tell those stories so very well… so I think it’s best to just let the pictures do the talking.

Don’t forget to visit the Black Ballon Archive on your way out.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Lesley Barnes
Illustrator Lesley Barnes.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Susie Bubble
Susie Bubble.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-illustrators
The illustrators gathered and ready to draw the guests.

Categories ,6 Day Riot, ,ACOFI, ,Afro/Caribbean, ,Amelia Gregory, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Andrea Peterson, ,Antonia Parker, ,Arena Magazine, ,Ballad Of, ,Ballad Of Magazine, ,Bitch Buzz, ,brighton, ,Brixton, ,Cate Sevilla, ,Courtney Blackman, ,Digital Arts, ,Dr.Hauschka, ,Forward PR, ,gabby young, ,Ghanain, ,Johann Chan, ,Jonno Ovans, ,Lesley Barnes, ,Lily Vanilli, ,Liz Johnson-Artur, ,Matt Bramford, ,Michelle Urvall Nyrén, ,Naomi Law, ,Nina Dolcetti, ,Prince Cassius, ,Rachel De Ste. Croix, ,Rosie and Harriet, ,Russian, ,Sally Mumby-Croft, ,Susie Bubble, ,Tamara Cincik, ,Tatler, ,Tatty Devine

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with illustrator Faye West, as featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration

(Commision which came about from Amelia's Mag feature) by faye west
Commission which came about from Amelia’s Magazine feature, by Faye West.

Faye West‘s whimsical watercolours first came to my attention nearly four years ago when she had just graduated from university. Since then a lot has changed, but her unique take on fashion illustration remains the same – beautiful, timeless and finally gaining the recognition it deserves. Since appearing in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration 2011 has been a busy year for Faye and 2012 looks set to be even more so, with a big move to London imminent. Time to check in with one of Amelia’s Magazine’s most prolific and delightful contributors…

My Fave 'Amelia's' piece by Faye West
Faye West‘s favourite illustration for me. This was to illustrate the Gossypium dress and bag that comes free with issue 10 of Amelia’s Magazine, and appears in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

You first came to my attention several years ago when you delivered some gorgeous (and yummy) hand decorated cupcakes to my door – what prompted the idea and what persuaded you to get in touch again last year?
My London College of Fashion friends finished their Fashion Journalism degree with a bit more of a clue in what was going on than I had (Faye studied at Fashion Promotion and Illustration at University for the Creative Arts), and knew Amelia’s Magazine was highly illustrative so we devised a plan to woo you with illustrated cupcakes. I had always meant to follow it up with some illustrations, but it was before I was twitter-conscious and the next brief I happened to see was in fact the ACOFI, or Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration open brief.

Faye west Cupcakes
Those infamous cupcakes! I wish I had taken a better photo… alas they have long since been demolished…

Florian-Jayet-by-Faye-West
Florian Jayet S/S 2012 by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

How has producing fashion illustrations for Amelia’s Magazine and ACOFI developed your perception of the fashion and illustration worlds?
It has basically been a way to stay working to briefs, in the way you do as a student. It’s very hard to stay motivated without someone else setting you a brief because you are only doing self-authored work which tends to get a bit stale. The variety of images you then produce are so wide and interesting that your work just evolves through all the experimentation. Amelia’s Magazine is almost like a giant spider gram of illustration opportunities.

Finalist entry for V Mag Gaga comp
Finalist entry for V Magazine Lady Gaga competition.

You’ve just launched a sexy new website, what prompted the redesign?
I wanted to get a website up and running that was a bit more of a platform for my pieces, almost as though someone had decorated a Faye West shop for all of my work to be displayed or sold in. It was also a little challenge to myself to get to grips with the creative side to website building.

Sketchbook Magazine image by Faye West
Sketchbook Magazine image by Faye West.

What was behind your decision to create Edit Collective, and can you describe a bit more about the project?
I had just spent a while contacting galleries, local to Devon and London and had a very negative response. Which is all part of the business but having graduated over 6 years ago, exhibiting was a goal that was proving unobtainable. So I thought I’d see if anyone else was having the same issue and the idea of a group exhibition started. Edit Collective is basically to show off the work we have produced over the last year, all the JPegs sat on computer desktops, and original pieces filling up portfolios not seeing the light of day. I was so bowled over by the interest from other artists that it involves near to 30 artists. I hope to continue expanding this number each year, keeping to the proviso that it is editorial work. Fellow ACOFI featured illustrator Gemma Milly is partnering my venture and the majority of artists have come to know each others work through contributing to magazines such as Amelia’s Magazine.

Faye West Self Portrait
Faye West Self Portrait.

How did you get involved with Think Act Vote, and can you give us a taster of what you’ve produced?
I was sent a lovely email asking if I would like to take part in their upcoming publication. As a student I was away with the fairies, I had no political view point at all which seemed to vex my tutors a bit. But in my old age I am starting to become very interested and unfortunately angry at the current state of affairs. This is what drew me to to illustrate Katherine Hamnett‘s piece in particular. I have illustrated something playing on her infamous slogan tshirts, mixed with the idea of a figure representing Democracy in the same vein as the Statue of Liberty.

for Ballad of Faye West
Illustration for Ballad Of by Faye West.

What is the VV Collective and what you have done for it?
This is Vivian Vile, a collective put together by two artists who feel that young female artists can often be overlooked. I am always drawn to the feminine, and feel quite proud to be alongside some wonderful artists and photographers in the ‘Members Lounge‘ They were involved with Ladyfest this year which was something I had wanted to get involved with since being a student interested in Riot Grrls and the like. They have just launched a competition to submit a self portrait which, if successful will be exhibited at Cultivate on Vyner Street. I decided to really set myself a challenge and paint on canvas with acrylic which was a little more time consuming and frustrating at times compared to my usual water colours. 

Harriet Gray's Dream by Faye West
Harriet Gray‘s Dream by Faye West.

Gareth Hopkin's Dream by Faye West
Gareth A Hopkin‘s Dream by Faye West.

You’ve built up quite a friendship with Ukraine based illustrator Daria Hlazatova, recently creating Lupine Osmunda together – how did this come about – both meeting and doing a project together?
I am her number one fan. I just loved her work so much, it makes me feel like a child starting at fairy tales again! So basically I commissioned her to illustrate me scenes from the Twelve Dancing Princesses because it was a story book I had as a child with illustrations which fascinated me. We often chat on twitter and email and our discussions would turn to the bizarre dreams we were having so we decided to illustrate each others and turn it into a project.

Teatum Jones by Faye West
Teatum Jones S/S 2012 by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

Apparently you have some exciting news, that you will be will soon be in-house illustrator for Ballad Of. How did this come about and what will you be doing?
Yes, it’s all very new so not started anything yet. But I really enjoyed doing some pieces for the girls for their last issue. They have a two submission limit to give everyone an opportunity to have their work showcased. It was the last submission for me which I was rather sad about! So I asked them to consider me if they were ever looking for someone to help out with little illustration jobs. They liked the idea and agreed to have me on board, so I am looking forward to their next issue and to start writing some of the Illustration blogs for them. Ballad Of is one of the things I found through fellow Amelia’s Magazine illustrators on their blogs and through twitter; a wonderful example of how many doors have opened from the advice you gave me to get some internet presence!

Ballad of Bag Faye WEST
Ballad Of tote bag by Faye West. Photo courtesy of Lindsey and Claire.

GLITTER love Faye West
GLITTER love by Faye West.

What has been the most exciting thing to happen because of your involvement with Amelia’s Magazine and ACOFI?
Has to be seeing my work on printed silk dresses for Beautiful Soul and finding out that I was one of the 30 illustrators going in to Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration! Also I designed an exclusive limited edition tote for Ballad Of‘s last launch party and I had a special Courtney Love commission (see above) from a blogger who like the image I did of the singer for Topshop Boutique a few years ago.

Tallulah pet portrait commission by Faye West
Tallulah pet portrait commission by Faye West.

Anything new coming up? What will you be up to in 2012?
At the moment I am working on portrait commissions for Christmas presents, I have had a high number of dog portrait requests this year! Very sweet. I love being asked because you know you’re helping someone give a special and unique gift. I plan to move back to London, get Edit Collective‘s exhibition under way, and I would really like to concentrate on some more print design. Here is a link for portrait commissions which I have just put together! Do get in touch!

Morris-Dancers-by-Faye-West
Morris Dancers by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

You can see more of Faye West‘s beautiful work in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration. Buy both my books together with four rare back issues of Amelia’s Magazine (including the one with the bag illustrated above) for just £50. A bargain! And I can’t wait to see how Edit Collective evolves.

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Ballad Of, ,Beautiful Soul, ,Courtney Love, ,Cultivate, ,cupcakes, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Devon, ,Edit Collective, ,Fashion Illustration, ,Fashion Promotion and Illustration, ,Faye West, ,Gareth A Hopkin, ,Gemma Milly, ,gossypium, ,Harriet Gray, ,interview, ,Katherine Hamnett, ,London College of Fashion, ,Lupine Osmunda, ,Pet Portraits, ,Riot Grrls, ,Sketchbook Magazine, ,Statue of Liberty, ,Think Act Vote, ,Topshop Boutique, ,Tote bag, ,Twelve Dancing Princesses, ,UCA, ,University for the Creative Arts, ,Vivian Vile, ,VV Collective, ,Vyner Street

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