Style Passport is the brainchild of Sarah Walter, formally a fashion director at Marie Claire, now retail entrepreneur. Realised as a one stop shop for the ultimate holiday wardrobe, Style Passport champions many smaller designers and artisan makers. I caught up with Sarah to find out how she got into the internet business, how her previous career has impacted her work and what she recommends for the ultimate vacation look this season.
Hi Sarah, I believe I did a short work experience stint in the fashion cupboard when you were still at Marie Claire… what drew you to working in magazines during the first part of your career?
Did you really? How did you find that experience? I too started in a cupboard in a fashion department at Vogue, it still seems to be the only way to break into the business. Why was I drawn to magazines? Well, when I started they were wildly creative with photo shoots taking up 20 pages and really extending the editors’ and photographers’ imagination. Coming from art college this merged my two great loves – art and style – so was the perfect career path for me.
How did becoming a mother inspire your career swerve into retail?
I experimented in retail just before I had my first daughter and found the whole experience pretty interesting. Not only was I trying to create something interesting to wear but then I got to see if it was actually bought and worn by someone. My daughters became experts in spotting a dress or bag I had created and we all shared the same excitement. It’s pretty addictive actually. Oh, and the pay is generally much better.
How has your experience of working on fashion editorials influenced the way that you approach retail?
Creating a story in a magazine has all the same elements as creating a window in a shop or a page on a web site. All need a good idea to start with, then great creative and copy that hooks you in. The fact that more and more editors have left magazines in recent years to move into e-commerce and retail just shows you how blurred these worlds are now, whereas 20 years ago there were distinct barriers. The internet and technology has changed and will continue to change everything.
What factors do you consider when looking for a new brand to stock on the website?
Well, we start by thinking ‘Where is she going and what does she need to take with her to ensure she has the easiest and most stylish trip possible?‘ We love colour (we do mostly think of holidays in colour, not black and white, don’t we?), print and items that are easy to fold up, so jersey features strongly and unstructured jackets too. Some brands particularly scream ‘holiday’ like Matthew Williamson and Antik Batik; you can literally imagine yourself on the beach when you see them. We have a broad price architecture too, it’s very much the Fashion Editors‘ choice, so we try to choose what you can get for a reasonable amount of money (Armor Lux bretons for example are perfect, you don’t need to buy a designer version).
What have been your most exciting discoveries when hunting down new labels? Are there any particular finds which stick in your mind?
I’m very excited about Visconti & du Reau gladiators which will be on the site in March. Sam and I saw them in Paris and literally dropped everything on the spot.
Where do you source your artisanal goods from, and why are these products so exciting to you?
Artisanal goods to me have always been the holiday ‘finds’ which tell the stories of your adventures and create your personal style. They are personal and remind us of the best times in our lives. We find our artisanal items from our own travels and now increasingly, artisans approach us with their goods and we love to find out about them and bring their stories to our customers.
How do you balance your stock of expensive high end products with more affordable items?
It’s all determined by our approach to style. Items on the site are there because they are loved and we believe they are worth the money. Sometimes it’s a designer piece that will make all the difference and sometimes a trusted basic or artisanal find. To me, this combination is true style.
How do you decide which beauty brands to promote on Style Passport?
Again, we try to focus on brands we love which support our travel ethos. We have to have suncream and mosquito spray so our customers really can come to us and get their bag packed in one place.
Style Passport mood board.
You’ve spoken of plans to expand the website to include menswear and kidswear – what else would you like to do with Style Passport in the future?
One step at a time! We would love to eventually have our own label associated with the best travel items, so let’s see what happens.
Style Passport mood board.
What have been the best and hardest parts of going it alone with your own business?
The best is creating what you want in the way you want to and surrounding yourself with hugely passionate, talented people. The worst is raising money to drive forwards and getting the call at 1am when the alarm goes off in the warehouse.
Putting it all together: Style Passport looks.
Lastly, what are the three most important things to pack: for a hot destination?
1. A scarf that keeps you relaxed on the plane, is nice enough to wear out at night, can be doubled and belted to make a skirt and of course used as a beach coverup or a hair protector…… I can go on about scarves for ever.
2. Great sunglasses. Nothing makes you feel more glamorous and in the mood like these. Plus, after a long journey they cover puffy and tired eyes.
3. Your favourite dress. Dresses are the easiest way to get dressed as most decision making is removed. For me they are the most versatile of items. Very little work is required to take the same dress from a market shop (basket, flats, headscarf) to a dinner (heels, lipstick, ear rings).
Some of my key holiday looks are included in this blog. For S/S 2013 I’d go for a Matthew Williamson blue shirt waister dress, an Indonesian sarong – always a sarong, the gladiators in lizard and neon by Visconti & du Reau and a Seafolly Goddess swimsuit which just fits and improves every body that it is put on.
And for a winter holiday this season?
A down coat. ADD and Barbour are great. Light, warm and stylish.
Lip salve – the cold really affects your lips. Carmex is the original and best in my view and the yellow pot is very friendly.
Base layers. American Vintage cotton fitted longjohns and roll necks should be the first thing you put on after your underwear.
Thanks Sarah! It’s so interesting to hear from someone who has created a successful retail experience. Do visit Style Passport to discover more great holiday ideas.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday February 4th, 2013 10:40 pm
Last week it occurred to me that if one drew something remotely funny and sent it around twitter at the same time as everyone was going mental with the hashtag #leadersdebate whilst watching the Leaders’ Debate on the TV, what is ed one was more or less garunteed a huge amount of retweets and a viral hit.
Except there was something that was irking me about this twitter phenomenon: and that was the poor quality of the drawings that were tickling the fancy of so many. So I sent out my own twitter message to see if anyone was up for drawing something satirical and vaguely amusing that we could send out on twitter at the appropriate time this week, no rx and knowing that I hang out with lots of very talented illustrators on twitter.
Then I read in the Evening Standard that the election has already brought about a vast outpouring of artistic ingenuity: drinks (slightly poisonous looking concoctions in virulent red, and blue and yellow), logo decorated jellies and even rag rugs have all been created with the election in mind. So it seems I am not the first to cotton onto a general feverish mood in the artistic firmament.
Here, then, are the results of my callout. This blog is not about my political leanings – though I’d happily take a pop shot at Cameron’s flabby potato head (sorry Sam) before I’d see him in power – but rather about an experiment in the way we communicate during election time in 2010. So these images will also be twitpic-ed out come 8.30pm tonight. Feel free to join in the fun and let’s see how far they travel!
With thanks to the lovely illustrators who answered my callout with such glee. It seems I touched a nerve…
I’m not really a high maintenance kind of girl, illness but the older I get I am starting to think that maybe I should consider paying just a little bit more attention to myself. But grooming just takes so much time, store right? And it’s just so darn pricey?
Well yes to both the above. And no. Last week I had my nails done at the NailGirls Spa Salon in Islington, order it took about ten minutes and it didn’t cost a thing. Oh okay, so it was a freebie as part of the press launch for their summer range (yes, nail varnish really does come in seasonal colours) but it was also incredibly quick. Within ten minutes of Kelly placing my hands – with well practiced firmness – on the towelling rest, I was sporting 10 perfectly manicured pinkies in Purple #7. Here at NailGirls they don’t go in for fancy names for their nail varnishes, preferring instead to take the minimalist route.
Musing, in the way that one does whilst being attended to by a beautician, I wondered how long it takes to grow really sick of painting nails. Five years perhaps before the sight of someone else’s paws drives you insane? “Well, I’m 20 years old,” says Kelly, “but I’ve already been doing nails for 5 years.” Blimey, 5 years? No way?! “Yes, since I was 15!” But she isn’t sick of it yet: in fact she’s just left behind he beloved cheerleading squad that she tutors up in Brum to pursue a glittering career in London, where her financial trader boyfriend is based. I love hearing about these little things. Human life, always so fascinating.
Lynda-Louise and Joanna Burrell (just before Jo spilt white wine down Lynda’s top, but we won’t talk about that).
NailGirls is the brainchild of two north London sisters. As my nails are being painted Lynda-Louise tells me how she spent 11 years working in the fashion industry in New York before returning to set up the business with sister Joanna Burrell, formerly working in oh-so-glamourous recruitment. “I knew that I wanted to do something in fashion – and there didn’t seem to be anything here like they have in the US, where they have proper nail spas.” Before she returned to the UK Lynda put her back into some serious research and got together a nail polish formulation that is not tested on animals and eschews nasty chemicals such as toluene, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate and camphor, which are proven carcinogens. The nail varnish is made in the US and imported to sell in the salon and online.
Lynda is passionate about painted nails as a way of keeping on trend. “It means you can change your look really easily and without the expense, of say, buying a Chanel handbag.” And without going into consumer overdrive, I should add. Using her self-confessed expertise in the field of trend spotting she picks out key colours for each season. For spring/summer 2010 she has picked out colours from the collections of Christopher Kane, Christian Louboutin and Burberry: a soft coral, bright green, pale blue and pearlised apricot. During their friendly garden speech the sisters described working with top make-up artist Pat McGrath during fashion week, and excitedly hinted at more fashion related collaborations later this year.
It’s all rather fun this beauty malarkey, I have to say – and I found it most intriguing to chat with the various girls that I met at the launch; in a shrewd move the NailGirls have chosen to target a range of beauty bloggers (the success of this strategy is borne out with a quick blogsearch). Hungrily ogling the nail colours on the salon shelves I met the immaculate Lola of the Beauty Geek blog, who is normally doing corporate stuff for Nokia but puts together blogs demonstrating how to apply perfect Cheryl Cole-esque make up in her spare time.
Beauty Geek blogger Lola.
Those are Lola’s delicate little hands, not mine.
Whilst I was snaffling canapes by Eclectic Food in the garden I met some beauty bloggers who work at the other end of the spectrum. Hair stylists Alex Brownsell and Louise Teasdale run Beauty is a Religion, which takes an occasional look at plastic surgery gone wrong, tattoo art and 18 year old girls with orange skin and fake boobies for whom Jordan is an idol. They sport fabulous pastel coloured hair and pale skin. You couldn’t get two more diverse approaches to beauty blogs if you tried. Other bloggers present that I did not get to meet have some fantastically named blogs: including Do Not Refreeze, Vex in the City and Make Up to Make Out. It’s a whole wide beauty blogging world out there I tell thee.
Beauty is a Religion blogger Alex Brownsell.
Beauty is a Religion blogger Louise Teasdale.
This is Louise’s identical twin! Except for the hair that is.
It’s been a week since I had my manicure, and I have to report that my nails are faring very much better than they would have done had I applied a manicure myself (though not as good as Lola’s – blimey she’s doing well!).
“You must come back and have a pedicure when the sun is out!” Jo tells me as I leave this friendly little salon just off the high street in Islington. The NailGirls website desperately needs a bit of tender lovin’ care to make it more user friendly, but I’d return to be pampered in their lovely garden spa area in a jiffy. Summer pedicure did you say?
Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday April 29th, 2010 3:47 pm
MAC Semi-Precious range by Antonia Parker. Her lady wears Hint of Sapphire on eyes, caseGeo Pink on lips, sildenafilWarmth of Coral blush. The background is inspired by Blue Sheen eyeshadow.
Now, I don’t generally get that excited about the launch of a new make up range, but I was most intrigued when I learnt (on the grapevine) about the new MAC Semi-Precious Collection. Why, you may well ask? Well, this large new beauty range boasts plenty of semi precious mineral ingredients and the final products are intriguing – a swirly shimmer of glistening particles that reflect the source of their creation. Time to find out a bit more….
Over at MAC HQ Jennifer Balbier and Nick Gavrelis are the brains behind the collection, inspired by trips to Brazil where the use of natural minerals in make up is much more commonplace. The minerals are pulverised into very small particles and then baked into the marbleised finishes that typify the collection. They were helped in their knowledge of the Brazilian beauty arena by Fabiana Gomes, who grew up in Curitiba and has worked with MAC since they opened their first store in Brazil in 2002. Beauty is super important in Brazil, so the launch of the Semi-Precious Collection clearly sees MAC with one eye on this huge emerging customer base.
But what about the really interesting stuff? The ingredients themselves? The finely milled gems which have been chosen for the Semi-Precious range are Bronzite, Black Tourmaline, Gold Pyrite and Lilac Lepidolite – each of which create beautiful jewel-like colours and are also believed to have some interesting properties.
Bronzite, the Stone of Courtesy, is a deep chocolate colour with golden swirls, believed to be energised by the Earth, thus improving metabolism and oxygenation at a micro level (wow, all that from wearing a pretty eye shadow!)
Black Tourmaline is iron rich and known as the Electric Stone because it conducts a gentle current – for this reason it’s believed to neutralise negative energies and enhance happiness in the wearer.
Gold Pyrite is very bright and metallic as anyone will know who has marvelled at Fool’s Gold. It’s the Fire Stone, sparking when struck against iron and steel. For this reason it’s associated with stamina and transforming intuition into logic and reasoned action. It also aids concentration and fosters open communication.
Lepidolite is a member of the Mica family. It is the Peace Stone, used to encourage openness and honesty. It is believed to dissipate pain when placed on the body, to relieve allergies and stabilise mood swings. If wearing a pretty lipstick can do this I’ll be damned, but there’s nothing like a bit of folklore to encourage sales.
Research was done by the MAC team in Canada and the minerals were mined by Solabia International – slogan Between Nature and Technology – then put together to echo the beauty of the Brazilian landscape in their laboratory just outside Milan. Solabia mines on the Mata Atlantica coast of Brazil where the four precious stones are found, following an ethical code of practice laid out by DNPM the Brazilian National Department of Mineral Production. I am assured that the process does not use large quantities of water.
The Semi-Precious stones are used in Mineralize eye shadow, blush and lipstick, though the new range also features body lotions as well as mascara and foundation. With names like Pure Magnificence, Natural Flare, and Geo Pink the geographical nature of the ingredients is always at the fore. I’ve been wearing the Golden Gaze on my eyes over the past few days and the way that the gold particles are swirled together with black gives a multi-layered finish that is very different to your average eye shadow: think sultry charcoal grey with a glinting hint of gold once on the eyelid – a subtle look that is totally suitable for daytime. I’ve also tried the Feeling Flush blusher, which is a perky pink colour on the skin. Be warned though, I needed very little of this to achieve a strong effect.
OPI shatter nail polish collaboration with Olivia Rubin by Novemto Komo.
I do like a press day where you can get your hair and nails done, price so despite my lack of time I decided to swing by South Molton Street yesterday to visit Olivia Rubin, who was greeting all visitors personally – what a nice touch. No high falutin’ designer here, plus she was very good about my review of her A/W 2011 catwalk show, which mainly banged on about the high celebrity quotient.
Olivia Rubin at her A/W 2011 press day.
Usually there is a massive queue for free grooming but I chanced upon a lull having missed, by mere minutes, a whirlwind visit from The Only Way Is Essex pop group Lola. Damn. They were the ones who distracted me at her A/W 2011 catwalk show. Actually, maybe it’s a good thing I missed them.
Olivia Rubin bespoke cupcakes by Cute as a Cupcakes. Always the cupcakes… but I have to admit these really were a stunning compliment to her new collection.
Anyway, I decided to grab the opportunity to try out the new OPI shatter collection produced in collaboration with Olivia Rubin and for sale in exclusive colour combinations at ASOS and other stores soon. It’s a great idea because Olivia is known for her bold use of animal prints and this looks a bit like a leopard print from afar.
Olivia Rubin shatter nail polish collaboration with OPI. Nice bright colours as always.
Did you know that OPI takes its name from the dental company whence the first nail products sprang from? Back in the early 1980s George Schaeffer took over a dental supply business called Odontorium Products Inc, and quickly realised the potential for transferring the technology behind acrylic dentures into the crafting of false nails. Not very sexy eh? But that’s the way it rolls in the beauty industry. Happily, OPI do not test on animals.
Olivia Rubin’s elegant nails.
Hmmmm, my not very elegant hands.
Since then they’ve built a huge nail brand, famed for its brightly coloured nail polishes with fun names. OPI technicians have been helping out backstage at various fashion shows during LFW, and they take care of famous pop personalities such as Katy Perry and Alexandra Burke, who have their very own nail technicians on hand at all times, except, that is, when they are sorting out my stubby sausage hands. My nails were done by Alexandra Burke‘s *actual* nail technician, get in. She won the X Factor a few years back in case you were wondering.
Here’s a pic of my paws: the effect is really most captivating. I can’t stop looking at them!
The shatter nail polish is apparently all the rage, though in my backward way I had never heard of it and sat there transfixed as Alexandra’s right hand man painted the second coat onto my nails and it mysteriously cracked in front of my eyes: the chemicals reacting to the first coat below. After that he used a very cunning product called Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops, which drops on top to dry nails almost instantly. Clever, these dentist types. The shatter nail lacquer comes in black and silver to create fun effects on top of other colours.
After that I decided to get my hair blow-dried by a lovely girl called Isobel from Rush Hair salon: love that vintage dress she’s wearing. I do wish that I could make my frizzy hair look so sleek and glossy myself, but I have to admit that it’s way more relaxing to get someone else to do it for me!
It was really nice to see the new Olivia Rubin collection up close, to feel the satin silks and admire the screen prints which she does herself. I particularly liked the fine gauge knit jumpers featuring Olivia’s signature brick and speech bubble ‘prints’ and she’s also done some lovely shoes in collaboration with Dune.
Keep an eye on this one because she’s a savvy business lady, and for sweet idiosyncratic dresses and tops she’s right on track: Olivia Rubin is now stocked in 50 stores across the UK and globally.
Do the shatter polish y’all.
Olivia will be finishing off the next collection over Easter, and her OPI collaboration should be available soon. I look forward to trying out Overexposed in South Beach, which joins Suzi Loves Cowboys and Wing It! from LFW goody bags. Now I’ve just got to find time to paint my nails more often myself.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday April 21st, 2011 10:51 am
The beauty and fashion world’s obsession with fabulous nails seems to show no sign of waning: in fact, the speed with which images appear on the #nailart hashtag on instagram is mind boggling (go on, try searching). There are a lot of people obsessed with what to put on the end of their pinkies… nail art, it seems, is the ultimate expression of creativity in a consumer society where hard manual labour is no longer the norm. Tap-tapping on a computer or iphone is of course the perfect way to admire beautiful nails, and who can resist getting swept away in the fun?
My new found love affair with nail varnish stems from the fact that I’ve realised what a great beauty lift it is and I can usually fit in a new set of nails in the slim gap between Snarfle going to sleep and my own bedtime. Also, my nails are way stronger now that I am a mum, which makes it easier to wear nail varnish on a regular basis: I put it down to all that breast milk I’m making.
Summer tans (if you were lucky enough to get one) may be nothing more than a distant memory but there’s plenty of fun to be had with winter beauty. Here’s my guide to some festive ideas for nails this Christmas time.
I had my nails done with a Ciate Caviar Manicure during the Snow PR press day a few weeks ago: this look is a major nod to the texture trend currently rampaging through the nail world (shatter top coats have given away to 3D textures like the Caviar micro baubles and matte looks such as velvet, leather and concrete). It’s supposed to be worn on its own but my rainbow was done with an orange base, and it looks like my nails are caked in hundreds and thousands: good enough to eat.
Ciate Christmas advent calendar. Image courtesy of Lily Pebbles.
Unfortunately it didn’t last. Having said that in general I am a big fan of Ciate nail polishes – they look ever so pretty in their square pots adorned with a little black bow, and the basic colours last really really well. I’d love to have one of their sweet little advent calendars (above) : a new colour in a mini pot every day.
For a more easy going textured effect there’s nothing like applying a heavy dose of glitter to get that Christmas mood; which is exactly what I did today when I found this metallic pink glitter varnish at the bottom of my in nail polish tin.
If you want a more up to the date look you could go for OPI‘s The Living Daylights, part of their Skyfall range, to tie in with the Bond movie of the same name. Here seen on a dark base coat.
OPI gold flake top coat. Image courtesy of Sparkly Vernis.
I’d personally love a pot of the real gold flake nail varnish too: it creates a kind of supremely luxe leopard spot effect. How delightfully decadent.
Moving on to more trends: there are a lot of snowflake transfers around – I’ve never tried them but they seem an easy way to achieve something wintery. Above is a fun look I found online. There are some great Holiday themed wraps available from Minx Nails.
I asked nail enthusiast Laura Thompson of Clothes Hound to put together some special Christmas nail art for me, and here’s what she came up with:
Watch the tutorial for how to create Snow Storm nails above.
Laura writes ‘Christmas Crackers – theres no such thing as ‘too much’ at Christmas time, so here is just about every festive nail I could think of. I think my personal favourite is the ombre style snow storm with sleigh silhouette (above), but it’s so hard to choose I may just have to have a new design for each week in the lead up to the big day!’
‘To create the designs on my wheel I’ve used a variety of polishes (see photo), sponges, a striping brush, dotting tool, a wooden skewer and nail art pens. I’m a big fan of Ebay for nail art products; that’s where I get my pens, gems and tools. I try to use household products as much as possible to make it easier for others to recreate.’
I also love these Christmas nail art suggestions on We Were Raised By Wolves. And for those who are really serious about their nails: here are some great ideas for presents from some of my favourite brands (the ones that have both great coverage and staying power):
This couture set by Nails Inc is bling-tastic. Pick your favourite crystal encrusted lid, add the coloured varnish of your choice, and personalise the gift box with stickers.
If you try to describe this to someone (which you shouldn’t, this websales don’t give anything away), doctormedications you will sound like you are conjuring from memory a nonsensical and fantastical dream; not something remotely tangible that actually happened in a 25-minute journey through a Shorditch warehouse.
Enter the ride and find yourself wheeled through 15 distinct scenarios with over 70 artists acting out micro-performances. “Designed to mentally and visually astound”, check; “leaving you overwhelmed and exhilarated’, check and check; and finishing the ride “in a totally different emotional state from the one you were in when you embarked on the journey”, most definitely true: utterly elated, mesmerised, and psychologically discombobulated.
The You Me Bum Bum train represents a new branch of experimental live art where the line between performer and audience is not just blurred, but utterly turned on it’s head; interaction is integral to the experience, and how far you take this is up to you. It’s creators Kate Bond and Morgan Lloyd, intend to strip individuals of decision-making, giving passengers the would-be ordinary experience of somebody else’s shoes. You are left with fleeting slices of alternate realities, one moment you might be a drummer, the next a translator (I really don’t want to say much!). It’s real human experience through the prism of the utterly surreal, and it will take you some time to reclaim your grasp on the two, a most marvellous and novel experience.
The venue is essential to the experience, and they describe Cordy House as their dream venue, lending itself to the most ambitious event they’ve held yet.
There isn’t much time to go, and I whole-heartedly recommend it as an unforgettable experience. It runs every Saturday from now until the 20th of December between 7pm and 11pm.
Hip Parisian fahion and electro label, buy Kitsuné, what is ed are fast becoming as well known for their associated music as they are for their fashion. In fact, there is a clear cut three-way divide at Heaven tonight: scenesters, dressed for the fashion blog photographers collide en masse with those who know Kitsuné for the music and are quite unprepared for the additional rooms full of said scenesters, and with the regular Heaven clubbers, used to G-A-Y Camp Attack on Friday nights and probably the most bemused of everyone here.
Within the four rooms there’s a frustrating mix of real djs and acts like Autokratz, whose Pet Shop Boys go big beat set was a joy to behold and left me humming ‘Stay The Same’ for the rest of the night. Hearts Revolution, Punks Jump Up and Kitsuné house band Digitalism all turned out in force to impress and did so, although at times the acts felt a little repetitive. Alas, alongside these quality acts, we also got a number of vanity djs, including various models and boutique owners, which all blurred into the same set as the night progressed and seemed to play to rooms full of people aiming to get to the bar and move on.
It transpired that the ‘Don’t Panic’ room was the place to be. Inspired by K-Tron, blasting bass heavy No-Wave, they held me and the room in near divine rapture. The highlight of the night however, was Matthew Stone who dragged us back to 1985 via The KLF, his effortlessly sublime musical compass taking us on a seemingly random adventure, fitting perfectly with the tone of the night. There were some true high points tonight, but Kitsuné are probably best enjoyed via one of their compilations than live, based on tonight’s evidence.
Global Day of Action
6th December 2008
This will be the Saturday midway through the next round of UN Climate Talks and our best chance to influence the decisions of delegates ahead of the critical UN talks in 2009 at which a post-Kyoto treaty agreement will be decided.
LONDON
Climate Bike Ride 2008
Assemble 10.30 am Lincolns Inn Fields for a mass bike ride around Central London joining up with the National Climate March at Grosvenor Square (see next listing for National Climate March info)
The three stops on the route are:
-Outside Greenergy, 198 High Holborn – for an agrofuels protest organised by Biofuelswatch
-Outside E.On 100 Pall Mall – for a speaker on NO NEW COAL
-Outside the Department of Transport – for a speaker on sustainable transport
Everyone welcome; decorate your bikes, bring whistles, bring music!
Want to help out for this action? Contact Jeremy Hill on 07816 839883 or jeremy.hill1@btopenworld.com
National Climate March and Global Day of Action on Climate
The march starts at 12noon at Grosvenor Square and will move via Carlos Place and Mount Street to Berkley Square and Berkley street to Picacadily, Picadilly Circus, Lower Regent street, Pall Mall and Cockspur street to Trafalgar Square and Whitehall to Parliament Square.
We will bring the UK issues of Aviation, New coal and Biofuels to the streets of London, along with a call for more investment in renewable energy, more energy efficiency and more green jobs.
Speakers will include Nick Clegg (leader Liberal Democrat Party), Caroline Lucas (leader, Green party), Michael Meacher (ex-Environment Minister) and George Monbiot (Honorary President, Campaign against Climate Change).
Contact: 020 7833 9311 www.campaigncc.org
There will also be an After-Party in the Synergy Centre from 5.00 pm till late.
The March on Parliament has four main themes –
1) NO to a 3rd runway at Heathrow and the runaway expansion in aviation expansion.
2) NO new coal – no new coal-fired power stations as planned at eg Kingsnorth in Kent
3) NO to the expansion of agrofuels – with negative impacts on forests, the climate and world food supply.
4) YES to a renewable energy revolution and green jobs – a “Green new Deal”
Come with your own banners, costumes on one of these themes and join up with others pushing that theme……
The March on Parliament for the Climate marks the Saturday midway through the UN Climate Talks in Poznan, Poland and we make our demands on the UK government in solidarity with the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities that will suffer worst and most immediately from climate change caused overwhelmingly by the rich long-industrialised countries.
We need the government to act now on climate, to stop building coal-fired power stations and new runways – and to begin the renewable energy revolution. We need a tidal wave of people outside parliament to make them act to stop climate catastrophe now! Be part of that tidal wave, be there! Next year may be too late.
BUST is a magazine devoted to the female. Providing an unapologetic view of life in the female lane, they break down stereotypes! Based in the US and established in 1993, the magazine addresses a variety of different issues within pop sulture, including music, fashion, art & crafts and news.
Editor-in-Chief, Debbie Stoller, decided to call the magazine BUST, because it was “aggressive and sexy and funny… It was a title that could belong to a men’s porn magazine.”
For Women With Something To Get Off Their Chests! Click here for the Christmas Craftacular’s Facebook Page
Jumble Fever Under the bridge on Beck Road, E8 Saturday 6th December
Midday-4pm, Entry £1
A fabulous jumble sale with a boogie twist! There will be a great deal to see and do and buy.. See you there!
ETSY
An online shopping bazaar; Etsy is a cross between eBay and Amazon with a humble handmade twist. Launched in June 2005 by Robert Kalin, for sale Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik, the site has grown to be incredibly popular, with tens of thousands of people selling their handmade goods (90% of whom are women!).
As Christmas draws nearer and greener, we have chosen our favorite handmade things to inspire your presents list. www.etsy.com
“The Kelsey”; a pleated clutch in paisley mocha
This handmade clutch is one of many adorable bags created by GraceyBags; get in touch through etsy.com to custom order a clutch and choose from a rainbow of fabrics.
Featured is ‘The Kelsey’ in a paisley mocha print on the outside in greens, blues, pinks, yellows and browns. The inside has been sewn from a silky brown fabric and the bag closes with a small magnet.
Recycled Journal – handbound Find a lovely selection of hand bound recycled books by Rhonda; bookbinder and book artist.
This particularly wonderful journal is made with a variety of recycled scrap papers ranging from large envelopes, posters, junk mail, blank paper, lined and graph paper, covers from old sketch books, old maps, discarded photocopies, misprints from the computer printer to paper bags.
Perfect as an art journal, the book is covered with an old map of the world, the one pictured above showing the islands of Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
There are 256 pages (when you count both sides of each sheet). The pages are handbound using green and brown linen threads, visible on the spine in 4 rows of chain stitches.
The book size is approximately 4″ x 4¼” and 1″ thick (or 10.5cm x 11cm x 2.5cm).
This adorable cotton tote is the perfect carry-all for any occasion. BellaBlu Designs signature French Bulldog silhouette has been cut from Heather Bailey‘s ‘Sway in Brown’ Pop Garden print and appliquéd to this cotton canvas bag. It is 100% 10 oz. cotton, measures 15 x 13 x 3 inches and can be customized with most other dog breeds.
We’ve also had a browse round treefort.myshopify.com, for some gift ideas for those of you with little ones in your life!
Dreamlets Dolls These cute little creatures would make an adorable gift this season, and as a product that gives 1% back to Artworks, Bridges to Understanding, or Poncho, they’re doing a lot more than making a loved one happy! The dolls come in a variety of shapes and colours, each with their own quirky personality. You are also able to choose which organization will benefit from your gift by registering your doll online.
Nikki McClure’s Mama & Baby Things Treefort also sell many of Nikki Mcclure‘s prints, books, cards, and calendars. Nikki McClure creates complex, yet natural designs by cutting away from a single piece of black construction paper with an x-acto knife. Her works are printed on 100% Recycled, 100% Post-Consumer Waste, Processed Chlorine Free paper that was manufactured with electricity that is offset with Green-e® certified renewable energy. Her work is printed by a small family-owned press in Portland, Oregon, US- and uses soy-based inks.
Kids On Roof “House” is made of Eco friendly-100% recycled cardboard and is 100% biodegradable. These houses are the perfect gift for creative children, as they’re meant to be decorated and personalised! (see below for examples from treefort) Kidsonroof donates 5% of its profits to specific Unicef projects; €24,000 has now been collected for the Unicef project for building better, small-scale housing for HIV/Aids inflicted orphans in Russia.
Beyond Retro Christmas Party!
This evening Beyond Retro is throwing it’s annual seasonal gathering – in both it’s shops, viagra buy the original Cheshire St warehouse and new sibling store in Soho – from 6pm – 8pm, there’ll be lots of exclusive goodies for you to browse through and they’ll even throw in some mulled wine and mince pies. Good times.
Made In Clerkenwell
This evening and all weekend, the Clerkenwell Green Association open their studios for Made in Clerkenwell, an event that showcases the work of over 70 designers they support through providing them with studio space, mentoring and business advice to help them create their work.
The fruits of their labors are exhibited and available for purchase, so you can hunt out that unique Christmas gift and buy all kinds of original and creative wares – ranging from fashion designs to jewellery, accessories, textiles and even ceramics.
What makes this shopping experience so different is that you can mingle with and chat to the designers and find out about their craft, inspirations, working method, becoming a designer, anything you want to know! So pop down, get a great gift and support new designers.
Open 6pm to 8pm, Thursday 27th November 2008 and
12pm to 6pm on Friday 28th, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th November 2008.
£2.50 entrance – free to the under 16s.
It’s no secret that Brooklyn’s the place to be for smart indie pop these days, view but look a little closer to home and you might be surprised. Take tonight’s superb support acts, advice for example. First up is Pens, erectile a cute lo-fi local trio who, despite playing to only a handful of people, put on a wonderfully frantic and ramshackle performance – think Karen O‘s kid sisters gleefully bashing at snare, guitar and synths.
Fellow Londoners Chew Lips are up next and are nothing short of a revelation. The threesome cater in captivatingly melancholy electronic music and boast a bona fide icon-in-waiting in singer Tigs; she prowls and creeps around the venue, all black bob and wide eyes, unleashing powerful vocals and jumping on the bar to serenade us, while the boys whip up a glitchy synth and bass storm in the background. ‘Solo’ is the band’s set-closer and an undeniable highlight – scuzzy and danceable yet strangely sad, it will be one of your anthems of 2009, no question.
This bunch are hard to follow, but Telepathe just about manage it. Dave Sitek-produced debut ‘Dance Mother’ is on the way in January, and recreating its majesty live is clearly still a tricky undertaking for the Brooklyn duo. They do their best, unleashing a stream of cluttered soundscapes, layered harmonies and clipped rhythms, and while the effect is hypnotic at times, barely a word is uttered between songs – resulting in a distinct lack of atmosphere. This could of course be due, in part, to the fact that they are playing to a room full of typically disinterested Shoreditch types. Whatever the reason the performance falls a little flat, until final effort ‘Chromes On It’ that is, its spine-tingling beats waking the crowd from its stupor and climaxing with speakers shaking and half the band hanging from the ceiling as the hysterical throng down the front excitedly punch the air. It’s just enough to convince us that we’re not quite prepared to give up on Telepathe as a live proposition yet. More like this please.
Nuclear: Art and Radioactivity discount -4.064941&sspn=16.764146, visit this site 39.418945&ie=UTF8&ll=51.524712,-0.079694&spn=0.008598,0.019248&z=16&g=E1+6PG&iwloc=addr”target=”_blank”>Nicholls and Clarke Building, 3-10 Shoreditch High Street, Spitalfields, London E1.
‘Half-life’ Chris Oakley, 2008
High-definition video, 15 minutes
The Nicholls and Clarke Building hosts an exhibition that explores the changing perceptions of nuclear power. In our rapidly deteriorating climate, the effects of nuclear development from the past have come to haunt us. ‘The Nightwatchman,’ by Simon Hollington and Kypros Kyprianou, captures this disturbing predicament.
As we entered the installation there was something immediately unsettling about it. A board-meeting table situated in the centre of a large dilapidated storeroom indicated recent activity, and as we crept further through the exhibition space there was more evidence of some night watchmen. But they are no where to be found…
Together with the film ‘Half-life’ by Chris Oakley, there was a sense of being caught in a crossfire of two different eras: the naïvely optimistic 80′s and the knowledgeable cynicism of the present day.
The film showed a series of paradoxical images of nature vs. technology, and through it we were reminded of how our idea of what is progressive has been turned on it’s head.
If you’d like to have something of yours across the chests of music aficionados throughout the country, viagra you might like to apply for this. 100% music, cheap 100% recycled paper (well done), sildenafil Bearded Magazine is preparing for the re-launch of the printed magazine on January 29th, and they’re throwing in a t-shirt as well.
When it came to deciding what should go on the front of said t-shirt, they mumbled gibberish into their beards and drew blanks, and so they’ve put the task out to you the reader to help them out. In fact, they might be so filled with indecision that there could be four winners, so better chances for you! Have a look at the criteria and send in a design soon, you have until the 15th of December.
The Wellcome Collection’s new temporary exhibition is entitled ‘War and Medicine’ and focuses on the individual human consequences of war rather than the overall statistics of death and destruction that impersonalise and almost glorify military combat and which we are most often presented with. Soldiers are heroes when they die for their country but uncomfortable representatives of horror when they return wounded and disfigured.
Installation artist David Cotterrell‘s film, sales specially commissioned for the exhibition, salve attempts to rectify this. Covering three walls of a darkened room, more about the film shows wounded soldiers, with varying degrees of injury, being loaded onto a flight back to England from Helmand Province in Afghanistan. The only soundtrack is the constant hum of the plane’s engine, an eerie backdrop to the calm, efficient activity taking place on screen. There is an unsettling disjunction between our inclusion in the scene through the way it is presented to us and the alienness of the sight before our eyes. This slightly dreamlike atmosphere helps separate the artwork from the realms of documentary photography and helps us understand the confusion of this homeward flight, which we are told in the information outside, is often only partially remembered by the soldiers.
What is most striking about this piece is the individual humanity behind the uniforms of the men and women depicted. On the left are the walking wounded with a variety of arm slings and facial injuries being tended to by medical staff and waiting patiently for their journey to begin, on the right, more distressingly, a person is carried in on a stretcher, connected to breathing apparatus. It is heartbreaking to realise that although most of these people will probably survive, and so not register in the public consciousness, they will have been scarred for life both physically and emotionally. I began to see them as people beyond whatever my personal attitudes to their profession and the war they are fighting in was.
A harrowing counterpart to this work is Cotterrell’s written diary, where he describes with civilian horror, the daily minutiae of life amongst the medical staff in Camp Bastion. The exhibition’s mission statement is to explore the dichotomies in a society that is simultaneously developing ever more sophisticated means of destroying life and protecting it. The stalemate futility of this situation is given a human face by Cotterrell’s work.
David Cotterrell is featured in issue 10 of the magazine, out shortly.
Hurrying through the lights and sounds of Soho, stuff the words ‘bloody hell it’s cold’ rattled my skull. I was heading to see the Canadian singer and illustrator Chad VanGaalen, this known for rarely leaving his basement. In this weather, who would blame him?
Once inside Borderline I was able to thaw out and to take in the cosy surroundings. Kindly folk in chequered shirts patiently waited as they sipped Guinness. But there was something odd about this fresh-faced crowd. Moustaches, I realised. There were loads of them.
It’s Mo-vember, apparently. The time of year for all socially conscious gentlemen to grow out their fluff to raise money for testicular cancer. ‘That’s nice,’ I thought.
This playful and boyish act of sincerity seemed fitting for the night in store as there’s something of the fourteen-year-old boy about Chad VanGaalen. Deceptively awkward and immediately charming, he’ll break your heart.
Together with a hairy-faced accordionist he delivered a homemade and reflective sound. It was as if we had wandered into his basement, and he seemed a little surprised to see us there.
His hesitancy on stage draws you nearer, and his tight and masterful song-writing capabilities took a hold of my senses like a sedative.
That uneasy fluidity reminded me of Beach House and the unexpectedly punchier tunes provided an excitable energy that twanged some of those moustaches.
Listening to Chad is like putting on a pair of earmuffs and skate boarding down smooth suburban streets.
There’s a yearning to be free and limitless but it only slightly ventures out of the comfortable. A girl behind me whispered excitedly ‘It’s the kind of music I’d ride my bike to.’
It is difficult for any set at the Borderline to not feel intimate and Chad VanGaalen’s was by no means revolutionary.
But the evening was all together thoughtful and enchanting, and as I braved the bitter London streets once more, the words of Electric City wrapped me up like a duvet.
At 8am on Friday 28th November on a wet and grizzly morning, stuff the Greenwash Guerillas and a band of allies rallied together outside the E-On Head Office at 100 Pall Mall. We were there to protest against the planned government-approved scheme to build 7 new coal fired power stations. E-on will be responsible for the first of these havoc wreaking death chambers (no hyperbole here) at Kingsnorth, Kent. This power station alone will emit between 6 and 8 million tones of CO2 every year. If all 7 are built, treatment their collective emissions would be approximately 50 million tones of CO2 a year. This would make the Climate Change Committee’s proposal to cut back on CO2 emissions an average of 2% per annum so that by 2050 we’ll have an 80% reduction well… impossible.
Browsing through E-on’s website, it might be easy to be fooled into thinking they are an environmentally conscientious company promoting ‘clean, green energy that never runs out.’ But it doesn’t take long to realize that their wind farms and claims of boosting local employment are cleverly marketed to cast a rosy sheen over more profitable projects that use coal.
Coal is the grimiest of fossil fuels. It’s carbon-intensity is higher than oil and double that of natural gas. Yet, as the driving force behind the industrial revolution, it has been the primary source of power for the electricity generation. Gathered outside the E-on head office, we are no longer in the 19th century but in the 21st century and in the midst of a climatic crisis. With sea ice disappearing at a never-before-seen rapidity now is the time to use new greener sources of power, not to revert to the practices of the past.
So why is the government supporting what seems a disastrously archaic project?
The government’s answer is that by increasing the cost of carbon, power stations will be forced to use a process of carbon capture and storage (CCS) whereby the harmful carbon dioxide produced by coal is extracted from the air and buried underground.
However, a presentation made by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee concluded that this reasoning is implausible. Voicing research from the U.K. Energy Research Centre and Climate Change Capital, it showed that using a process of CCS would in fact be the least cost effective option for power stations. The research they gathered predicted that CCS will cost power companies like E-On 70-100 or 90-155 Euros per ton of CO2, while the government estimates that the price of carbon between 2013 and 2020 will be less at approximately 39 Euros per ton.
It’s fair to say that it is extremely unlikely that power companies will go for the more expensive option, especially when the margin is as large as it is. In short, the government’s criteria for approving E- On’s power station at Kingsnorth is worryingly unsatisfactory.
If our government is failing to alleviate the catastrophic predicament of climate change that is costing lives then it is up to us as citizens to take action against the construction of Kingsnorth and others like it. For more information on what you can do please click here and please go to the national climate march on Saturday 6th December, bring your mates and make it fun. This is a serious issue and we need to get the message across but optimism is always the best the way of creating change, in my view anyway. Klimax is a network for climate activists that started in 2007 by environmentalists who wanted a platform for people with more radical ideas about direct actions. Well known in Sweden for their campaigns against private motorism and the meat industry, viagra sale the group has spread to a number of Swedish cities, cialis 40mg and in Gothenburg they consist of 20 active members.
Members of Klimax initially wanted to protest on the 13th October, which is the actual date of the anniversary, but after finding out there were no meetings that day, postponed to the 12th November. This allowed them the much needed time to plan their action in detail; the first few weeks consisted of a few hours of planning and as the time drew nearer members were working five hours a day to make sure everything was finished. Among writing speeches, making banners and establishing contact with the media, they had to prepare their costumes!
Our contact at Klimax said “We do not always dress up for events but we believe that it is a good way to spice up an action! We sometimes dress up as penguins or polar bears because they are the two types of animal that are severely affected by Climate Change; it is also fun and looks nice!”
Their aims with the action was threefold; firstly to pay tribute to the work done by the suffragettes- strong women fighting for women’s right to vote, secondly to make the politicians aware that there was strong opposition to the building of another tunnel under the river in Gothenburg; Miahabo Berkelder from Klimax in Gothenberg says that the group believe this to be an awful way to spend a large amount of money, just so that more cars can be on the road; asking ‘What if the money was invested in buses instead? New roads simply lead to more traffic and that is a disaster for our climate.’
The third reason for the protest was to make sure that politicians knew that climate change isn’t just a moral topic, it is a political topic.
On the day, members were shocked to see the six activists storm the meeting,
but after the action Klimax joked that if they had been politicians sitting there during long and boring meetings, they would have been happy with the distraction!
They certainly created a buzz, and definitely caught the attention of the council! After a short while the six were asked to leave the building and did so with little fuss.
In reaction to the protest, a woman from the Swedish environmental party said Klimax had a valid point, but a man from the conservative party was more concerned about security, wondering what would have happened if terrorists had stormed the meeting instead!
The plans for the tunnel are still up in the air. The initial decision to build the tunnel was made solely by Göran Johansson, the chairman of the Municipal Council. Because this wasn’t a democratic way of deciding, the case has been reported to the county administrative court.
According to Miahabo, there are a lot of plans in Klimax’s future; new actions will take place during the spring and there will be a new regular event called Climate Café- where anyone can attend to share coffee and discuss climate change, sometimes including an expert on the subject to answer any questions.
The next big event for Klimax is on the Global Day of Action, taking place in cities all over the world on the 6th of December. At the same time as the leaders of the world will be discussing the climate problems, demonstrations will be arranged all over the world including London and of course Gothenberg. Klimax have come together with several other groups to arrange a huge demonstration, Miahabo says that Klimax are organising a “Climate Clash” which is a wide spread Klimax phenomenon; they will walk out in the middle of a busy road and block the traffic; a perfect and simple way to make people aware of the climate problems.
Anyone who is interested in joining Klimax is welcome- it is a flat organization with no board of directors, anyone who wants to be a member is simply one.
For more information about Climate Rush, please visit: www.climaterush.co.uk Monday 1st Dec
The Ashni Art Gallery specialises in Indian Art that is both contemporary and of the past. They will be exhibiting the best of their collection from now until the 19th of December.
Tuesday 2nd Dec
Live in Bristol? Feeling somewhat alarmed by the continued transformation of the city centre to all things consumerist (with 120 new shops having just opened)? Slipping between the gap of reality and fantasy, andSomewhere Here are hijacking advertisement space to provide shoppers with a brief respite during the fall of capitalism. Nine artists take nine advertising hoardings (billboards) until the 3rd of December only. Catch them before they are swallowed by Advertisement Beast.
Wednesday 3rd Dec
Opening today at the ICA: Dispersion; an exploration by seven artists of the appropriation and circulation of images in contemporary society. They examine money, desire, and power in our accelerated image economy. It runs until Feb 1st.
Thursday 4th Dec
First Thursdays of the month is here! But aren’t galleries open most Thursdays anyway? It would be silly tell you a single thing to go and see, 100 galleries will be opening their doors until 9pm, so there will plenty to satiate your creative appetites, but if you perhaps feel so inspired that you are driven to the pencil yourself, The Princess Studios will be hosting free life-drawing drop-in sessions throughout the evening.
Friday 5th Dec
Vauxhall’s best kept secret-art-laboratory, Beaconsfield, curates Late at Tate this Friday, adapting Tate Britain’s Duveen Galleries and transitory places to create a terminal space, with an array of arrival and departure points, in which only the surreal applies …
Satuday 6th Dec
Colin McKenzie senses that art ought to be more like a day at Woodstock, or at least what he imagines Woodstock to be like: electric, dynamic, smooth, and mind-expanding. At the Red Gate Gallery. McKenzie strives against order and sense, aiming to manoeuvre without restriction.
Monday 1st December
The Lady: A Tribute to Sandy Denny, page Royal Festival Hall, treat London
An evening of songs from the back catalogue of one of the most influential female folk singers, approved Sandy Denny. Various artists including Marc Almond, P.P. Arnold and Johnny Flynn will be performing songs from her Fairport Convention days as well as her solo career. Should be a really interesting night in light of the current trend for new female folkies and a timely tribute to one of the godmothers of the genre.
A lovely gentle way to start the week with this folky-country duo who will hopefully be celebrating the first day of December with a performance of their Christmas single, released next week.
In the UK for one night only, this much-loved San Francisco band’s staccato, rough-round-the-edges punk pop is even better live.
Ten Kens, The Duchess, York
Anyone who has a blurry picture of people snogging on their record sleeve is a good bet for a messy live show and these Canadian grungers are reportedly no exception. Should be good in this small venue too.
New album produced by Will Oldham, harpist on Anthony and the Johnsons first album and with Andrew W.K. providing bass on her new record, this transsexual musician’s musical pedigree is assured.
Wednesday 3rd December
Kitty, Daisy and Lewis single launch, Madame JoJos, London
Snappily dressed, hearse-driving siblings playing rockabilly at their single launch party.
Liam Finn, Night and Day, Manchester
Introspective folk.
The Wave Pictures, Club Fandango, St Aloysius Social Club, London
Thursday 4th December
Vivian Girls, The Social, Nottingham
Uber-hyped Brooklyn girl group bring their shoe-gaze tinged grunge-pop to the UK. Time to see if they live up to their recorded promise as a live act.
Really bummed about breaking up with some girl called Emma, he headed into the woods alone and wrote an album about it. He must be feeling a bit better as he’s spreading the heartache on a UK tour.
Lovely duets from surprisingly compatible artists.
Pretty Taxing is a fashion collection with a twist, stuff as the end product is not clothes but car tax discs. Unusual – yes, sick but we all know how important accessorising is…
It would seem like a bad idea if such creatively interesting designers hadn’t contributed to the cause. They include Emma Bell, who has twice shown at London Fashion Week, David David and Pam Hogg. Along with artists Natasha Law and Stuart Semple, they have all created unique collectable pieces of fashion memorabilia.
You can pick up these discs of fashion-random-brilliance at Matches or at the pop-up shop KIN in Kingly Court, Carnaby Street. Abiding the law has never looked so good.
Today I was sent to Coventry, abortion quite literally. Together with 30 other Climate Camp activists dressed as Santa we descended on E.On, health the energy company responsible for the proposed new coal fired power station to be built at Kingsnorth.
This action followed a 48 hour action that happened over last Friday and Saturday – and E.On were not expecting our return. In fact, buy they were probably kicking themselves that the special fencing that they had put in place late last week was now lying dismantled on the floor next to their headquarters.
As a result our merry busload hopped off easily and headed straight for the main entrance of E.On’s offices.
Why? Despite spending a lot of time and energy letting the public know that they are one of the biggest investors in renewable energy in the UK (they’ll point out the big array of solar panels on one of their buildings and the lobby features a looped tape about wind farms) they are also pitching to build the first new coal fired power station to be built in the UK in 30 years, which will alone defeat all our CO2 emissions goals. So why spend so unwisely?
Whilst some merry santas climbed atop the revolving door and superglued their hands to the various entrances, another bunch of santas headed off into the building to see if they could speak to head honcho Paul Golby and let the employees know a bit more about the facts behind new coal.
Bearing banners that said Stop Coal and E.On F.Off they set off down the corridors singing some specially adapted carol songs.
Two intrepid santas managed to enter a boardroom meeting, surprising the attendees with some gifts of lumps of coal – for as you know santa gives bad children coal instead of gifts and E.On has been very bad this year. They were ejected from the property, but soon raced back in again…
We managed to disrupt operations for four hours, stopping employees and visitors as they came to work and giving interviews to the BBC and ITV, and live on the radio. Our action was spoken about on the World at One on Radio 4, which you can listen to here. We are talked about at approximately 8 minutes and 20 seconds into the programme.
The police were surprisingly even handed, although some employees were clearly fuming, especially the head of security (woops) One indoor santa even managed to locate a cup of tea and a newspaper to read.
At one point we were able to reenter the building, with the santas forming a conga line for the cameras. We delivered papers written by leading NGOs describing why there is no need for coal power, and generally had a merry old time. All employees and visitors were rerouted through back entrances, so I think it is fair to say that we were fairly disruptive…
Eventually we decided that once unstuck it was best that we leave, but the police had other ideas, and as we walked off down the road they tried to contain us, managing to trap four of our number and arrest them.
The rest of us ran off down the street to find our getaway vehicles, parked up in a local pub car park. Our drivers had thoughtfully bought us lunch in the pub, but shortly after we had gulped it down we were asked to leave because the police presence was putting off other customers. The police followed us as we left to pick up the other santas at Warwick university student union, and thereafter ensued the slowest police chase ever, with us managing to lose them after taking a wrong turn.
The purpose of this action was to embarrass E.On and raise awareness of what they up to in a light hearted and humourous way – I think that as a bunch of merry santas we did this exceptionally well. We hope that E.On will take heed and stop greenwashing their plans. It’s simple, don’t build Kingsnorth. Spend your money increasing investment in your (meagre) renewable energy supplies. If you would like to help us stop companies like E.On destroying our world check out what Climate Camp is up to next. More articles on this action can be read on Indymedia here and here.
We’re having a bit of a Grace Jones moment here at Amelia’s HQ. Obviously we’ve always known she was AMAZING but her majestic new single ‘Williams’ Blood’ goes to prove that she’s still totally got it. In fact, buy it’s been on repeat for about the past week and we’ve all been waving our arms in the air singing “I’ve got the Williams’ blood in me”. There’s an infectious gospel refrain running through this song that really brings out Jones’ strident message. Strongly autobiographical, link ‘Williams’ Blood’ tells the story of her parents’ life together in small-town domesticity and her musician grandfather – he of the Williams blood – philandering his way around the world, an insight into the Grace Jones spirit of rebellion.
There’s a cry for freedom and for breaking away from the strictures and constraints of her background, which you can’t help but feel has been successful for this overtly sexual, bonkers wardrobed, gay icon, hence the joyful bursts of the chorus. It also seems almost subversive for a female singer to talk about the influence of a male ancestor on their lives but Jones has never been one to play by the rules. In fact, as one of our writers proved, she’s perhaps the only woman with such immense stature you could prove your respect for by mooning. But that’s another story…
‘Williams’ Blood’ is released next Monday 8th December on Wall of Sound.
“The film was an experiment”, abortion says Jonas Cuaron, settling down across from me on a sofa at the Renoir this Saturday. I’ve come for the release of his debut film, Año Uña – year of nails – and the place is abuzz with excitement; I’m especially enamoured by the snippets of Mexican-tilted Spanish I hear that always make me nostalgic (Luisa with no ‘o’, can you guess?), “Ai que deliciosa!” someone behind me exclaims at the sight of a quesadilla in the first few minutes of the film; maravillosa indeed.
“I wanted to make a film”, he continues, “using a format that would be hard to watch”. Hard to watch? A legitimate concern when it dawns on you that you’re in for a feature-length film composed entirely of still-frame photographs. But the merit of any film boils down to one thing, a good story – and the impossible romance between American girl and Mexican boy in the throes of puberty, subsumes this hard-to-watch format and makes it altogether accessible. Plot aside for a moment though, the genesis of the film deserves as much attention, so I asked Jonas how the whole thing came about.
JC: For the film I took photographs of my everyday life for a year. I wanted to break the way in which film is normally done. Normally people write a screenplay first, and then out of the screenplay they do the image, but here I wanted to do it backwards. I took the photographs and then we made an installation where we put them all up in a room, and made a story from that.
Were there other possible narratives, did you find it hard to pick which story to tell?
Well I always knew that it had to be a story of this girl from the US and this boy from Mexico. They were the ones I photographed the most that year, and so I knew they were going to be the main characters and it grew organically from there. But sometimes I think, with all those photographs I could make a different movie, draw something completely different from the same images.
What was exciting about working in that format?
Well I wanted to play with the boundaries between reality and fiction. I wanted to have images that were real, but to show, how with text, or with a narrative over those images, you can have a completely different meaning. All the images in the movie are real, but none of that happened, I wanted to play with that boundary.
So there was no interchange between reality and fiction? There must’ve been!
Well I mean, in the events there was. Like my Grandpa really did get sick and he had cancer, but for instance, the main characters, Diego and Molly, they are my brother and my girlfriend, so I hope that wasn’t real (chuckles).
How did your brother feel about in falling in love with your girlfriend, was that awkward?
Well the narrative was so fictional, so far away from reality that both him and Eireann saw it as an acting job; they never thought of it as real. All the character’s names are real aside from Eireann, which I changed to Molly because I wanted to help Diego and Molly not feel awkward, and I knew that Diego was gonna be saying really dirty things about her character, so I thought it would be easier for him if she was called Molly and not Eireann.
Throughout the film, Molly seems to be perpetually trying to capture something real from Mexico in a photograph, and failing. Is that Ironic? Seeing as you’re playing with a moment captured and how it can mean lots of things.
With Molly, a lot of what I wanted to play with was the idea of the tourist, being a foreigner in another country, so even though she’s the one seeing, she’s the observer with the camera, in the case of a tourist like Molly, people are also observing her. So with her character I played a lot with the subconscious of being in a new place.
You grew up partially in Mexico and partially in the US, so is that something you link closely too?
For me, that part of the narrative – the interchange between two cultures – it really fascinates me; so when I realised that Diego and Molly would be my main characters, I was happy because the relationship between both cultures is an important one for me. I know what it is to be new in a different place, and I understand the boundaries between the two languages, and a lot of this is seen in the character of Molly. Many of those pictures were taken during Eireann’s first visit to Mexico, and it was at the time when Bush had just been elected. For her it was really hard to be in Mexico because everyone was judging her for what Bush was doing, so I wanted to play with the idea, that I also feel from being a Mexican in the US, that people see you as a nationality and not who you are.
What is the main theme of the film for you?
When I first started making a film with photographs, I realised that the main theme would be the passage of time and the impermanence of things. You can’t do anything about photography and not talk about the passage of time, and particularly in a film – film is always dependent on the idea of time and still-photography doesn’t have time in a way, and so for me, the whole film is an exploration of how nothing lasts forever.
Would you use the format again?
I think it’s a very interesting format to explore, but for me, I’ve done everything I would want to do with that format. It’s been a very important learning experience for me. At the end of the day, the important thing is having a good story.
Muchisimas Gracias Jonas. How do you like London?
It’s cold.
Last night, adiposity to coincide with World AIDS Day, clinicvinspired.com, a youth volunteer organisation website, hosted a charity fashion show to raise money for the children’s HIV Charity, Body & Soul.
This fashion show was the last stage in a creative process, which started off with four volunteer design teams, based in four parts of the country, who gave their time to find new and exciting designers. The creative workshops were set up by Junky Styling in London, Traid, who nurtured the Bristol designers, the Ethical Fashion Forum in Nottingham and Kesh(pictured above), who worked with the Manchester based designers.
Said designers had to then compete against each other to create the best outfit from recycled clothes, e.g.: the clothes given to charity shops – and it was at this fashion show where the winner would be decided by designer Ben de Lisi.
TV presenter Miquita Oliver hosted the event and the celebrity quota was filled by Rolling Stone daughter, Leah Wood (pictured above), who modeled on the catwalk and Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman, who provided some post-show tunes.
Even bigger names (not in attendance) but supporting the charity include actress Kate Winslet and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who donated a suit and a shirt respectively, to be remade into something fabulous. Designer Zandra Rhodes is also a big supporter of this recycling fashion cause saying, “It is appalling how much we waste in society these days, but it seems we are entering a new era of resourcefulness. This is really exciting – and the best part of it is young people are leading the new trend.”
Taking place in Central Saint Martins aptly named Innovation Centre; the venue was small and intimate, which perfectly captured the tone of the event. Unlike most fashion shows, this one had a very human element when a representative from the Body & Soul charity got on stage to talk about her experience living with HIV. She spoke about having to live a double life, having to hide her illness from the world due to the level of prejudice that still exists towards the disease. Money raised from this event will go towards generating awareness about HIV.
As we sat by the catwalk, video screens showed the designers in their workshops making the clothes that would soon appear in front of us. What these guys did with discarded shirts and dresses was pretty impressive, it wasn’t about following trends but making creative, innovative and pretty pieces, and there was a lot of that evident on the catwalk.
Ben de Lisi was there to judge the entries, with only a matter of minutes to decide who the winner would be, he was asked how he would do it and said, “I shoot straight from the hip, I know exactly what I want.”
Who he wanted was designer Anne-Marie Fleming, from the Junky Styling stable. She seemed to me to be a safe choice as although her design was good, it was not the best seen on the catwalk by a long way.
This event worked so well to promote two causes, the importance of recycling (not always being a slave to trends) and reducing the level of our prejudice about supposedly taboo subjects.
All the clothes can be viewed at vinspired.com/fashion and will be auctioned on eBay from today, so you can get your hands on a uniquely designed piece and give some cash to a very good cause.
If you’re planning on going to any of these events, viagra buy or have something you want to write an article about for the Earth Blog, more about email us: earth@ameliasmagazine.com!
Eco-Design Christmas Fair 2008 website +152+Brick+Lane,+London+E1+6RU&sll=51.521668,-0.071497&sspn=0.007423,0.019011&g=152+Brick+Lane,+London+E1+6RU&ie=UTF8&ll=51.522349,-0.072269&spn=0.007423,0.019011&z=16&iwloc=A”target=”_blank”>The Boiler House, The Old Truman Brewery, 152 Brick Lane, London E1 6RU
Saturday 13th December 2008 12pm-7pm
Sunday 14th December 2008 11am-7pm
entry £2 or £1
A great event at which you will be able to see and buy some wonderful eco-design products (including organic clothing, furniture, jewellery, books and alternative technology) directly from the makers.
Exhibitors include Amira Fairtrade Fashion Clothing, Green Oil UK Ltd (Green bicycle chain lubricant & maintenance products) , Lizzie Lee Lighting and Po-zu Ecological footwear, amongst others! For a full list and for more information about the event please visit www.ecodesignfair.co.uk
Contact Louise Kamara: info@ecodesignfair.co.uk or 07956 916 079
Make Christmas as ethical as you can this year with another Fairtrade fair at Westminister Hall. Fair Trade Fair is an annual event that has been going on for 20 years; the first of which was organised in 1987 by Benny Dembitzer and opened by Bob Geldof.
Fairtrade events are incredibly important as they play a major role in empowering developing country producers, promoting sustainability and reducing world poverty.
The fairtrade movement encourages the payment of a fair price and the improvement of environmental standards; products range from handicrafts, coffee, tea and sugar to wine, flowers and cotton. http://www.fairtradefair.org/ftf/index.htm http://www.myspace.com/FairTradeFair
Here’s a scary thought: there’s only 21 days left for Christmas shopping… so leave the high street and take advantage as London’s coolest shopping districts throw late night events…
Bermondsey Street – nearest tube: London Bridge Thursday 4th December
From 6.30pm to 9.30pm, drugs pop down to this fashion-forward little street, viagra sale where not only will you get 10% off in all the shops but the Fashion and Textile Museum is also open late, stomach with guest appearances by some of the designers featured in the museum. Shopping and culture: the perfect way to spend an evening.
Cabbages and Frocks Christmas Fair – nearest tube: Kentish Town Sunday 7th December
Want designer goodies at bargain prices? This is the place to go. The weekly market pulls out all the stops this Sunday for its annual Christmas Fair, with all the sellers offering special yule-time discounts and the chance for you to get a genuine designer garment into your wardrobe – or give someone the best gift ever – get down there now….well, on Sunday.
Columbia Road – nearest tube: Old Street Every Wednesday in December
Situated in the heart of the east-end, you can browse in over 50 boutiques and shops, which are all open until 9pm and listen to live music to get you in that Christmas spirit while you browse for gifts.
As the title suggests, this shopping experience takes place within three roads – Old Street, Great Eastern Street and Shoreditch High Street – the shops taking part are offering special discounts on their wares, free gift wrap and the chance to pick up a brilliant present for the fashion-conscious people in your life. More details below:
Written by Jennifer McNulty on Wednesday December 3rd, 2008 1:41 pm
Another year, edsymptoms another bank holiday at the start of the summer, and another edition of the Dot-to-Dot Festival, a sprawling mess of bands and audience occupying venues and bars in cities up and down the land. This year sees it spread from birthplace Nottingham and second city Bristol to Manchester, taking in three regional centres that, it could be argued, have long lacked massive indie festivals to call their own and to ground their musical calendars.
Thanks to a snail-paced jam on the M1 we missed the first band of the day (Frontiers, in Rock City’s main hall) – instead, the day began for us in Rescue Rooms with the lads of The Cheek, who sadly fail to sparkle in the mood of the glorious sun twinkling down outside. Their name may bring to mind something skinny and sharp from the late 70s but the lead singer’s suit certainly didn’t. It looked like he’d borrowed it from his dad. Their poppy punk sound came across like a sort of watered-down Suede, which held my interest for all of ten minutes before I headed out for a wander.
Trent SU, the second-largest of the venues at the festival, had what seemed to be the most appealing consistency in acts, even if it meant foregoing Blood Red Shoes and Wild Beasts (both bands having appeared at previous editions of the festival, however, and both bands were, inevitably, awesome – also, it illustrates just how frequently Dot-to-Dot manages to pick out the next big bands mere months before they break).
Small Black were gracing the stage as we arrived – hailing from Long Island, they’re something of a blog darling in corners of the web and I can completely see why. Their music is a very carefully crafted pop that bears a resemblance to geographical cousins like Beach Fossils and Memory Tapes, bands that specialise in a kind of laid-back, fuzzy sort of sound. It’s instantly unlike anything specific that you’ll have heard before, but equally, instantly recognisable. The four lads manage to balance melancholy, longing, joy and ecstasy in a way last seen regularly in the films of John Hughes.
Upstairs in the bar, Islet were going through their usual routine of tearing up the stage. I’ve been an ardent fan of theirs since their lead singer screamed in my face back in March when they supported Los Campesinos! at the Koko in Camden – their bizarre mélange music, all drum circles and hollering and ambient noise and funk grooves and… oh, why bother describing when I can show demonstrate:
Back downstairs, and Washed Out (or, rather, New York resident Ernest Green) has taken to the stage with his tripped-out ambient house and his friends (and geographic neighbours) in Small Black join him, adding extra layers to his sound. The clash with Blood Red Shoes appeared to have left the audience numbers a touch low, but nobody there regretted their decision – there’s something of the madchester in Washed Out’s sound, like a chilled-out evening at the Haçienda (or at least how that would seem in my mind). A case could also be made for saying it sounds like Chicago house played on a tape player with low battery. The results, regardless, are wonderful.
The second of my 50-50 choices then came, and Liars won out over Wild Beasts – but can you blame me? The American art-punk band has doggedly refused to stick to any kind of consistent style, with their latest release, Sisterworld, yet another masterful addition to their discography. Lead singer Angus Andrews cuts a demented figure on stage, strutting and preening like a preaching Mick Jagger – his voice, the drawl of a doorstep drunk at 4am, smitten with violence, joyfully spitting the lyrics to ‘Scissor’ like some kind of mental declaration of war. Proper, proper good.
It is then, unfortunately, something of a timetabling error to follow this violent display with Beach House, a delicate washed-out band that would have sat much more comfortably next to, well, Washed Out. The audience, still somewhat full of bloodlust, is quickly bored and begins to dissipate, which is a terrible shame considering just how brilliant Victoria Legrand and Alex Scully’s sultry Kate-Bush-meets-a-shoegaze dreamscapes are.
I’ve written at length about how much I love Los Campesinos!, so for some of you it will be no surprise that I’m going to say that their set headlining at Trent SU was something of a triumph. I’m not being biased here, though, in all honesty – this really was a magnificent performance. The crowd, who all day had looked a little bit sun-frazzled and unable to conjure up much more than the occasional whoop (even during Liars there were visible signs of struggle during the rounds of applause), suddenly sparked into life. Jumping! Singing along! Gareth couldn’t have looked happier, and his usually awful singing was merely average. A definite peak for the day.
Had to take a quick break here, because at this point it had been something like 8 hours of standing up with neither break nor sustenance – I grabbed some a sandwich in the still-open Lee Rosy’s Tea Room, a wonderful establishment that’s at the heart of Nottingham’s alternative music and arts scene. Somewhat a shame, then, that this year it isn’t hosting the acoustic acts – Primavera Sound, held on the same weekend, appears to have snapped up many of the bands and artists who usually make it here, leaving us with a smaller-than-usual Dot-to-Dot. It is inescapable, too, to note that the festival is far from sold out. Usually leaving a venue for another is something of a risk – in previous years it has been impossible to see the headliners on any stage without waiting through several hours’ worth of bands beforehand. The breathing space is a welcome change, but the lack of people inevitably means that the festival feels less like a party.
Yuck took to the stage of the Bodega after midnight, looking every bit like they’d been enjoying the £3 pints of 7% cider in the bar downstairs for the past few hours. Already something of a convert to their cause, having seen them several times around London over the past few months, I’d been waxing lyrical to friends all day about their brand of borrowed-from-the-90s slacker rock. Their stage banter was a little dry, and their response to a call from an audience member for their closest thing to a hit, ‘Georgia’, was met with a deliberate omission of the song from the setlist, meaning that this was not exactly their most friendly appearance, but nevertheless it proved a decent gig.
Dot-to-Dot ends with Stealth putting on the last of the shows as the night turns slowly into early morning, and after fighting my way inside for the end of Casiokids’ brittle dance set I realised that my day (and my feet) were done. Another excellent bank holiday weekend festival – despite the smaller crowds and slightly smaller lineup, it’s still proving itself one of the most important festivals in the regions that host it, and it also provides an excellent way of kick-starting the festival season.
Another year, online another bank holiday at the start of the summer, treatment and another edition of the Dot-to-Dot Festival, a sprawling mess of bands and audience occupying venues and bars in cities up and down the land. This year sees it spread from birthplace Nottingham and second city Bristol to Manchester, taking in three regional centres that, it could be argued, have long lacked massive indie festivals to call their own and to ground their musical calendars.
Thanks to a snail-paced jam on the M1 we missed the first band of the day (Frontiers, in Rock City’s main hall) – instead, the day began for us in Rescue Rooms with the lads of The Cheek, who sadly fail to sparkle in the mood of the glorious sun twinkling down outside. Their name may bring to mind something skinny and sharp from the late 70s but the lead singer’s suit certainly didn’t. It looked like he’d borrowed it from his dad. Their poppy punk sound came across like a sort of watered-down Suede, which held my interest for all of ten minutes before I headed out for a wander.
Trent SU, the second-largest of the venues at the festival, had what seemed to be the most appealing consistency in acts, even if it meant foregoing Blood Red Shoes and Wild Beasts (both bands having appeared at previous editions of the festival, however, and both bands were, inevitably, awesome – also, it illustrates just how frequently Dot-to-Dot manages to pick out the next big bands mere months before they break).
Small Black were gracing the stage as we arrived – hailing from Long Island, they’re something of a blog darling in corners of the web and I can completely see why. Their music is a very carefully crafted pop that bears a resemblance to geographical cousins like Beach Fossils and Memory Tapes, bands that specialise in a kind of laid-back, fuzzy sort of sound. It’s instantly unlike anything specific that you’ll have heard before, but equally, instantly recognisable. The four lads manage to balance melancholy, longing, joy and ecstasy in a way last seen regularly in the films of John Hughes.
Upstairs in the bar, Islet were going through their usual routine of tearing up the stage. I’ve been an ardent fan of theirs since their lead singer screamed in my face back in March when they supported Los Campesinos! at the Koko in Camden – their bizarre mélange music, all drum circles and hollering and ambient noise and funk grooves and… oh, why bother describing when I can show demonstrate:
Back downstairs, and Washed Out (or, rather, New York resident Ernest Green) has taken to the stage with his tripped-out ambient house and his friends (and geographic neighbours) in Small Black join him, adding extra layers to his sound. The clash with Blood Red Shoes appeared to have left the audience numbers a touch low, but nobody there regretted their decision – there’s something of the madchester in Washed Out’s sound, like a chilled-out evening at the Haçienda (or at least how that would seem in my mind). A case could also be made for saying it sounds like Chicago house played on a tape player with low battery. The results, regardless, are wonderful.
The second of my 50-50 choices then came, and Liars won out over Wild Beasts – but can you blame me? The American art-punk band has doggedly refused to stick to any kind of consistent style, with their latest release, Sisterworld, yet another masterful addition to their discography. Lead singer Angus Andrews cuts a demented figure on stage, strutting and preening like a preaching Mick Jagger – his voice, the drawl of a doorstep drunk at 4am, smitten with violence, joyfully spitting the lyrics to ‘Scissor’ like some kind of mental declaration of war. Proper, proper good.
It is then, unfortunately, something of a timetabling error to follow this violent display with Beach House, a delicate washed-out band that would have sat much more comfortably next to, well, Washed Out. The audience, still somewhat full of bloodlust, is quickly bored and begins to dissipate, which is a terrible shame considering just how brilliant Victoria Legrand and Alex Scully’s sultry Kate-Bush-meets-a-shoegaze dreamscapes are.
I’ve written at length about how much I love Los Campesinos!, so for some of you it will be no surprise that I’m going to say that their set headlining at Trent SU was something of a triumph. I’m not being biased here, though, in all honesty – this really was a magnificent performance. The crowd, who all day had looked a little bit sun-frazzled and unable to conjure up much more than the occasional whoop (even during Liars there were visible signs of struggle during the rounds of applause), suddenly sparked into life. Jumping! Singing along! Gareth couldn’t have looked happier, and his usually awful singing was merely average. A definite peak for the day.
Had to take a quick break here, because at this point it had been something like 8 hours of standing up with neither break nor sustenance – I grabbed some a sandwich in the still-open Lee Rosy’s Tea Room, a wonderful establishment that’s at the heart of Nottingham’s alternative music and arts scene. Somewhat a shame, then, that this year it isn’t hosting the acoustic acts – Primavera Sound, held on the same weekend, appears to have snapped up many of the bands and artists who usually make it here, leaving us with a smaller-than-usual Dot-to-Dot. It is inescapable, too, to note that the festival is far from sold out. Usually leaving a venue for another is something of a risk – in previous years it has been impossible to see the headliners on any stage without waiting through several hours’ worth of bands beforehand. The breathing space is a welcome change, but the lack of people inevitably means that the festival feels less like a party.
Yuck took to the stage of the Bodega after midnight, looking every bit like they’d been enjoying the £3 pints of 7% cider in the bar downstairs for the past few hours. Already something of a convert to their cause, having seen them several times around London over the past few months, I’d been waxing lyrical to friends all day about their brand of borrowed-from-the-90s slacker rock. Their stage banter was a little dry, and their response to a call from an audience member for their closest thing to a hit, ‘Georgia’, was met with a deliberate omission of the song from the setlist, meaning that this was not exactly their most friendly appearance, but nevertheless it proved a decent gig.
Dot-to-Dot ends with Stealth putting on the last of the shows as the night turns slowly into early morning, and after fighting my way inside for the end of Casiokids’ brittle dance set I realised that my day (and my feet) were done. Another excellent bank holiday weekend festival – despite the smaller crowds and slightly smaller lineup, it’s still proving itself one of the most important festivals in the regions that host it, and it also provides an excellent way of kick-starting the festival season.
Another year, pilule another bank holiday at the start of the summer, and another edition of the Dot-to-Dot Festival, a sprawling mess of bands and audience occupying venues and bars in cities up and down the land. This year sees it spread from birthplace Nottingham and second city Bristol to Manchester, taking in three regional centres that, it could be argued, have long lacked massive indie festivals to call their own and to ground their musical calendars.
Thanks to a snail-paced jam on the M1 we missed the first band of the day (Frontiers, in Rock City’s main hall) – instead, the day began for us in Rescue Rooms with the lads of The Cheek, who sadly fail to sparkle in the mood of the glorious sun twinkling down outside. Their name may bring to mind something skinny and sharp from the late 70s but the lead singer’s suit certainly didn’t. It looked like he’d borrowed it from his dad. Their poppy punk sound came across like a sort of watered-down Suede, which held my interest for all of ten minutes before I headed out for a wander.
Trent SU, the second-largest of the venues at the festival, had what seemed to be the most appealing consistency in acts, even if it meant foregoing Blood Red Shoes and Wild Beasts (both bands having appeared at previous editions of the festival, however, and both bands were, inevitably, awesome – also, it illustrates just how frequently Dot-to-Dot manages to pick out the next big bands mere months before they break).
Small Black were gracing the stage as we arrived – hailing from Long Island, they’re something of a blog darling in corners of the web and I can completely see why. Their music is a very carefully crafted pop that bears a resemblance to geographical cousins like Beach Fossils and Memory Tapes, bands that specialise in a kind of laid-back, fuzzy sort of sound. It’s instantly unlike anything specific that you’ll have heard before, but equally, instantly recognisable. The four lads manage to balance melancholy, longing, joy and ecstasy in a way last seen regularly in the films of John Hughes.
Upstairs in the bar, Islet were going through their usual routine of tearing up the stage. I’ve been an ardent fan of theirs since their lead singer screamed in my face back in March when they supported Los Campesinos! at the Koko in Camden – their bizarre mélange music, all drum circles and hollering and ambient noise and funk grooves and… oh, why bother describing when I can show demonstrate:
Back downstairs, and Washed Out (or, rather, New York resident Ernest Green) has taken to the stage with his tripped-out ambient house and his friends (and geographic neighbours) in Small Black join him, adding extra layers to his sound. The clash with Blood Red Shoes appeared to have left the audience numbers a touch low, but nobody there regretted their decision – there’s something of the madchester in Washed Out’s sound, like a chilled-out evening at the Haçienda (or at least how that would seem in my mind). A case could also be made for saying it sounds like Chicago house played on a tape player with low battery. The results, regardless, are wonderful.
The second of my 50-50 choices then came, and Liars won out over Wild Beasts – but can you blame me? The American art-punk band has doggedly refused to stick to any kind of consistent style, with their latest release, Sisterworld, yet another masterful addition to their discography. Lead singer Angus Andrews cuts a demented figure on stage, strutting and preening like a preaching Mick Jagger – his voice, the drawl of a doorstep drunk at 4am, smitten with violence, joyfully spitting the lyrics to ‘Scissor’ like some kind of mental declaration of war. Proper, proper good.
It is then, unfortunately, something of a timetabling error to follow this violent display with Beach House, a delicate washed-out band that would have sat much more comfortably next to, well, Washed Out. The audience, still somewhat full of bloodlust, is quickly bored and begins to dissipate, which is a terrible shame considering just how brilliant Victoria Legrand and Alex Scully’s sultry Kate-Bush-meets-a-shoegaze dreamscapes are.
I’ve written at length about how much I love Los Campesinos!, so for some of you it will be no surprise that I’m going to say that their set headlining at Trent SU was something of a triumph. I’m not being biased here, though, in all honesty – this really was a magnificent performance. The crowd, who all day had looked a little bit sun-frazzled and unable to conjure up much more than the occasional whoop (even during Liars there were visible signs of struggle during the rounds of applause), suddenly sparked into life. Jumping! Singing along! Gareth couldn’t have looked happier, and his usually awful singing was merely average. A definite peak for the day.
Had to take a quick break here, because at this point it had been something like 8 hours of standing up with neither break nor sustenance – I grabbed some a sandwich in the still-open Lee Rosy’s Tea Room, a wonderful establishment that’s at the heart of Nottingham’s alternative music and arts scene. Somewhat a shame, then, that this year it isn’t hosting the acoustic acts – Primavera Sound, held on the same weekend, appears to have snapped up many of the bands and artists who usually make it here, leaving us with a smaller-than-usual Dot-to-Dot. It is inescapable, too, to note that the festival is far from sold out. Usually leaving a venue for another is something of a risk – in previous years it has been impossible to see the headliners on any stage without waiting through several hours’ worth of bands beforehand. The breathing space is a welcome change, but the lack of people inevitably means that the festival feels less like a party.
Yuck took to the stage of the Bodega after midnight, looking every bit like they’d been enjoying the £3 pints of 7% cider in the bar downstairs for the past few hours. Already something of a convert to their cause, having seen them several times around London over the past few months, I’d been waxing lyrical to friends all day about their brand of borrowed-from-the-90s slacker rock. Their stage banter was a little dry, and their response to a call from an audience member for their closest thing to a hit, ‘Georgia’, was met with a deliberate omission of the song from the setlist, meaning that this was not exactly their most friendly appearance, but nevertheless it proved a decent gig.
Dot-to-Dot ends with Stealth putting on the last of the shows as the night turns slowly into early morning, and after fighting my way inside for the end of Casiokids’ brittle dance set I realised that my day (and my feet) were done. Another excellent bank holiday weekend festival – despite the smaller crowds and slightly smaller lineup, it’s still proving itself one of the most important festivals in the regions that host it, and it also provides an excellent way of kick-starting the festival season.
Another year, link another bank holiday at the start of the summer, and another edition of the Dot-to-Dot Festival, a sprawling mess of bands and audience occupying venues and bars in cities up and down the land. This year sees it spread from birthplace Nottingham and second city Bristol to Manchester, taking in three regional centres that, it could be argued, have long lacked massive indie festivals to call their own and to ground their musical calendars.
Thanks to a snail-paced jam on the M1 we missed the first band of the day (Frontiers, in Rock City’s main hall) – instead, the day began for us in Rescue Rooms with the lads of The Cheek, who sadly fail to sparkle in the mood of the glorious sun twinkling down outside. Their name may bring to mind something skinny and sharp from the late 70s but the lead singer’s suit certainly didn’t. It looked like he’d borrowed it from his dad. Their poppy punk sound came across like a sort of watered-down Suede, which held my interest for all of ten minutes before I headed out for a wander.
Trent SU, the second-largest of the venues at the festival, had what seemed to be the most appealing consistency in acts, even if it meant foregoing Blood Red Shoes and Wild Beasts (both bands having appeared at previous editions of the festival, however, and both bands were, inevitably, awesome – also, it illustrates just how frequently Dot-to-Dot manages to pick out the next big bands mere months before they break).
Small Black were gracing the stage as we arrived – hailing from Long Island, they’re something of a blog darling in corners of the web and I can completely see why. Their music is a very carefully crafted pop that bears a resemblance to geographical cousins like Beach Fossils and Memory Tapes, bands that specialise in a kind of laid-back, fuzzy sort of sound. It’s instantly unlike anything specific that you’ll have heard before, but equally, instantly recognisable. The four lads manage to balance melancholy, longing, joy and ecstasy in a way last seen regularly in the films of John Hughes.
Upstairs in the bar, Islet were going through their usual routine of tearing up the stage. I’ve been an ardent fan of theirs since their lead singer screamed in my face back in March when they supported Los Campesinos! at the Koko in Camden – their bizarre mélange music, all drum circles and hollering and ambient noise and funk grooves and… oh, why bother describing when I can show demonstrate:
Back downstairs, and Washed Out (or, rather, New York resident Ernest Green) has taken to the stage with his tripped-out ambient house and his friends (and geographic neighbours) in Small Black join him, adding extra layers to his sound. The clash with Blood Red Shoes appeared to have left the audience numbers a touch low, but nobody there regretted their decision – there’s something of the madchester in Washed Out’s sound, like a chilled-out evening at the Haçienda (or at least how that would seem in my mind). A case could also be made for saying it sounds like Chicago house played on a tape player with low battery. The results, regardless, are wonderful.
The second of my 50-50 choices then came, and Liars won out over Wild Beasts – but can you blame me? The American art-punk band has doggedly refused to stick to any kind of consistent style, with their latest release, Sisterworld, yet another masterful addition to their discography. Lead singer Angus Andrews cuts a demented figure on stage, strutting and preening like a preaching Mick Jagger – his voice, the drawl of a doorstep drunk at 4am, smitten with violence, joyfully spitting the lyrics to ‘Scissor’ like some kind of mental declaration of war. Proper, proper good.
It is then, unfortunately, something of a timetabling error to follow this violent display with Beach House, a delicate washed-out band that would have sat much more comfortably next to, well, Washed Out. The audience, still somewhat full of bloodlust, is quickly bored and begins to dissipate, which is a terrible shame considering just how brilliant Victoria Legrand and Alex Scully’s sultry Kate-Bush-meets-a-shoegaze dreamscapes are.
I’ve written at length about how much I love Los Campesinos!, so for some of you it will be no surprise that I’m going to say that their set headlining at Trent SU was something of a triumph. I’m not being biased here, though, in all honesty – this really was a magnificent performance. The crowd, who all day had looked a little bit sun-frazzled and unable to conjure up much more than the occasional whoop (even during Liars there were visible signs of struggle during the rounds of applause), suddenly sparked into life. Jumping! Singing along! Gareth couldn’t have looked happier, and his usually awful singing was merely average. A definite peak for the day.
Had to take a quick break here, because at this point it had been something like 8 hours of standing up with neither break nor sustenance – I grabbed some a sandwich in the still-open Lee Rosy’s Tea Room, a wonderful establishment that’s at the heart of Nottingham’s alternative music and arts scene. Somewhat a shame, then, that this year it isn’t hosting the acoustic acts – Primavera Sound, held on the same weekend, appears to have snapped up many of the bands and artists who usually make it here, leaving us with a smaller-than-usual Dot-to-Dot. It is inescapable, too, to note that the festival is far from sold out. Usually leaving a venue for another is something of a risk – in previous years it has been impossible to see the headliners on any stage without waiting through several hours’ worth of bands beforehand. The breathing space is a welcome change, but the lack of people inevitably means that the festival feels less like a party.
Yuck took to the stage of the Bodega after midnight, looking every bit like they’d been enjoying the £3 pints of 7% cider in the bar downstairs for the past few hours. Already something of a convert to their cause, having seen them several times around London over the past few months, I’d been waxing lyrical to friends all day about their brand of borrowed-from-the-90s slacker rock. Their stage banter was a little dry, and their response to a call from an audience member for their closest thing to a hit, ‘Georgia’, was met with a deliberate omission of the song from the setlist, meaning that this was not exactly their most friendly appearance, but nevertheless it proved a decent gig.
Dot-to-Dot ends with Stealth putting on the last of the shows as the night turns slowly into early morning, and after fighting my way inside for the end of Casiokids’ brittle dance set I realised that my day (and my feet) were done. Another excellent bank holiday weekend festival – despite the smaller crowds and slightly smaller lineup, it’s still proving itself one of the most important festivals in the regions that host it, and it also provides an excellent way of kick-starting the festival season.
Another year, sale another bank holiday at the start of the summer, and another edition of the Dot-to-Dot Festival, a sprawling mess of bands and audience occupying venues and bars in cities up and down the land. This year sees it spread from birthplace Nottingham and second city Bristol to Manchester, taking in three regional centres that, it could be argued, have long lacked massive centrally-located indie festivals to call their own and to ground their musical calendars.
Thanks to a snail-paced jam on the M1 we missed the first band of the day (Frontiers, in Rock City’s main hall) – instead, the day began for us in Rescue Rooms with the lads of The Cheek, who sadly fail to sparkle in the mood of the glorious sun twinkling down outside. Their name may bring to mind something skinny and sharp from the late 70s but the lead singer’s suit certainly didn’t. It looked like he’d borrowed it from his dad. Their poppy punk sound came across like a sort of watered-down Suede, which held my interest for all of ten minutes before I headed out for a wander.
Trent SU, the second-largest of the venues at the festival, had what seemed to be the most appealing consistency in acts, even if it meant foregoing Blood Red Shoes and Wild Beasts (both bands having appeared at previous editions of the festival, however, and both bands were, inevitably, awesome – also, it illustrates just how frequently Dot-to-Dot manages to pick out the next big bands mere months before they break).
Small Black were gracing the stage as we arrived – hailing from Long Island, they’re something of a blog darling in corners of the web and I can completely see why. Their music is a very carefully crafted pop that bears a resemblance to geographical cousins like Beach Fossils and Memory Tapes, bands that specialise in a kind of laid-back, fuzzy sort of sound. It’s instantly unlike anything specific that you’ll have heard before, but equally, instantly recognisable. The four lads manage to balance melancholy, longing, joy and ecstasy in a way last seen regularly in the films of John Hughes.
Upstairs in the bar, Islet were going through their usual routine of tearing up the stage. I’ve been an ardent fan of theirs since their lead singer screamed in my face back in March when they supported Los Campesinos! at the Koko in Camden – their bizarre mélange music, all drum circles and hollering and ambient noise and funk grooves and… oh, why bother with a description when I can offer a demonstration:
Back downstairs, and Washed Out (or, rather, New York resident Ernest Green) has taken to the stage with his tripped-out ambient house and his friends (and geographic neighbours) in Small Black join him, adding extra layers to his sound. The clash with Blood Red Shoes appeared to have left the audience numbers a touch low, but nobody there regretted their decision – there’s something of the madchester in Washed Out’s sound, like a chilled-out evening at the Haçienda (or at least how that would seem in my mind). A case could also be made for saying it sounds like Chicago house played on a tape player with low battery. The results, regardless, are wonderful.
The second of my 50-50 choices then came, and Liars won out over Wild Beasts – but can you blame me? The American art-punk band has doggedly refused to stick to any kind of consistent style, with their latest release, Sisterworld, yet another masterful addition to their discography. Lead singer Angus Andrews cuts a demented figure on stage, strutting and preening like a preaching Mick Jagger – his voice, the drawl of a doorstep drunk at 4am, smitten with violence, joyfully spitting the lyrics to ‘Scissor’ like some kind of mental declaration of war. Proper, proper good.
It is then, unfortunately, something of a timetabling error to follow this violent display with Beach House, a delicate washed-out band that would have sat much more comfortably next to, well, Washed Out. The audience, still somewhat full of bloodlust, is quickly bored and begins to dissipate, which is a terrible shame considering just how brilliant Victoria Legrand and Alex Scully’s sultry Kate-Bush-meets-a-shoegaze dreamscapes are.
I’ve written at length about how much I love Los Campesinos!, so for some of you it will be no surprise that I’m going to say that their set headlining at Trent SU was something of a triumph. I’m not being biased here, though, in all honesty – this really was a magnificent performance. The crowd, who all day had looked a little bit sun-frazzled and unable to conjure up much more than the occasional whoop (even during Liars there were visible signs of struggle during the rounds of applause), suddenly sparked into life. Jumping! Singing along! Gareth couldn’t have looked happier, and his usually awful singing was merely average. A definite peak for the day.
Had to take a quick break here, because at this point it had been something like 8 hours of standing up with neither break nor sustenance – I grabbed some a sandwich in the still-open Lee Rosy’s Tea Room, a wonderful establishment that’s at the heart of Nottingham’s alternative music and arts scene. Somewhat a shame, then, that this year it isn’t hosting the acoustic acts – Primavera Sound, held on the same weekend, appears to have snapped up many of the bands and artists who usually make it here, leaving us with a smaller-than-usual Dot-to-Dot. It is inescapable, too, to note that the festival is far from sold out. Usually leaving a venue for another is something of a risk – in previous years it has been impossible to see the headliners on any stage without waiting through several hours’ worth of bands beforehand. The breathing space is a welcome change, but the lack of people inevitably means that the festival feels less like a party.
Yuck took to the stage of the Bodega after midnight, looking every bit like they’d been enjoying the £3 pints of 7% cider in the bar downstairs for the past few hours. Already something of a convert to their cause, having seen them several times around London over the past few months, I’d been waxing lyrical to friends all day about their brand of borrowed-from-the-90s slacker rock. Their stage banter was a little dry, and their response to a call from an audience member for their closest thing to a hit, ‘Georgia’, was met with a deliberate omission of the song from the setlist, meaning that this was not exactly their most friendly appearance, but nevertheless it proved a decent gig.
Dot-to-Dot ends with Stealth putting on the last of the shows as the night turns slowly into early morning, and after fighting my way inside for the end of Casiokids’ brittle dance set I realised that my day (and my feet) were done. Another excellent bank holiday weekend festival – despite the smaller crowds and slightly smaller lineup, it’s still proving itself one of the most important festivals in the regions that host it, and it also provides an excellent way of kick-starting the festival season.
Another year, viagra another bank holiday at the start of the summer, more about and another edition of the Dot-to-Dot Festival, rx a sprawling mess of bands and audience occupying venues and bars in cities up and down the land. This year sees it spread from birthplace Nottingham and second city Bristol to Manchester, taking in three regional centres that, it could be argued, have long lacked massive centrally-located indie festivals to call their own and to ground their musical calendars.
Thanks to a snail-paced jam on the M1 we missed the first band of the day (Frontiers, in Rock City’s main hall) – instead, the day began for us in Rescue Rooms with the lads of The Cheek, who sadly failed to sparkle in the mood of the glorious sun twinkling down outside. Their name may bring to mind something skinny and sharp from the late 70s but the lead singer’s suit certainly didn’t. It looked like he’d borrowed it from his dad. Their poppy punk sound came across like a sort of watered-down Suede, which held my interest for all of ten minutes before I headed out for a wander.
Trent SU, the second-largest of the venues at the festival, had what seemed to be the most appealing consistency in acts, even if it meant foregoing Blood Red Shoes and Wild Beasts (both bands having appeared at previous editions of the festival, however, and both bands were, inevitably, awesome – also, it illustrates just how frequently Dot-to-Dot manages to pick out the next big bands mere months before they break).
Small Black were gracing the stage as we arrived – hailing from Long Island, they’re something of a blog darling in corners of the web and I can completely see why. Their music is a very carefully crafted pop that bears a resemblance to geographical cousins like Beach Fossils and Memory Tapes, bands that specialise in a kind of laid-back, fuzzy sort of sound. It’s instantly unlike anything specific that you’ll have heard before, but equally, instantly recognisable. The four lads manage to balance melancholy, longing, joy and ecstasy in a way last seen regularly in the films of John Hughes.
Upstairs in the bar, Islet were going through their usual routine of tearing up the stage. I’ve been an ardent fan of theirs since their lead singer screamed in my face back in March when they supported Los Campesinos! at the Koko in Camden – their bizarre mélange music, all drum circles and hollering and ambient noise and funk grooves and… oh, why bother with a description when I can offer a demonstration:
Back downstairs, and Washed Out (or, rather, New York resident Ernest Green) has taken to the stage with his tripped-out ambient house and his friends (and geographic neighbours) in Small Black join him, adding extra layers to his sound. The clash with Blood Red Shoes appeared to have left the audience numbers a touch low, but nobody there regretted their decision – there’s something of the madchester in Washed Out’s sound, like a chilled-out evening at the Haçienda (or at least how that would seem in my mind). A case could also be made for saying it sounds like Chicago house played on a tape player with low battery. The results, regardless, are wonderful.
The second of my 50-50 choices then arrived, as Liars won out over Wild Beasts – but can you blame me? The American art-punk band has doggedly refused to stick to any kind of consistent style, with their latest release, Sisterworld, yet another masterful addition to their discography. Lead singer Angus Andrews cuts a demented figure on stage, strutting and preening like a preaching Mick Jagger – his voice, the drawl of a doorstep drunk at 4am, smitten with violence, joyfully spitting the lyrics to ‘Scissor’ like some kind of mental declaration of war. Proper, proper good.
It is then, unfortunately, something of a timetabling error to follow this violent display with Beach House, a delicate washed-out band that would have sat much more comfortably next to, well, Washed Out. The audience, still somewhat full of bloodlust, is quickly bored and begins to dissipate, which is a terrible shame considering just how brilliant Victoria Legrand and Alex Scully’s sultry Kate-Bush-meets-a-shoegaze dreamscapes are.
I’ve written at length about how much I love Los Campesinos!, so for some of you it will be no surprise that I’m going to say that their set headlining at Trent SU was something of a triumph. I’m not being biased here, though, in all honesty – this really was a magnificent performance. The crowd, who all day had looked a little bit sun-frazzled and unable to conjure up much more than the occasional whoop (even during Liars there were visible signs of struggle during the rounds of applause), suddenly sparked into life. Jumping! Singing along! Gareth couldn’t have looked happier, and his usually awful singing was merely average. A definite peak for the day.
Had to take a quick break here, because at this point it had been something like 8 hours of standing up with neither break nor sustenance – I grabbed some a sandwich in the still-open Lee Rosy’s Tea Room, a wonderful establishment that’s at the heart of Nottingham’s alternative music and arts scene. Somewhat a shame, then, that this year it isn’t hosting the acoustic acts – Primavera Sound, held on the same weekend, appears to have snapped up many of the bands and artists who usually make it here, leaving us with a smaller-than-usual Dot-to-Dot. It is inescapable, too, to note that the festival is far from sold out. Usually leaving a venue for another is something of a risk – in previous years it has been impossible to see the headliners on any stage without waiting through several hours’ worth of bands beforehand. The breathing space is a welcome change, but the lack of people inevitably means that the festival feels less like a party.
Yuck took to the stage of the Bodega after midnight, looking every bit like they’d been enjoying the £3 pints of 7% cider in the bar downstairs for the past few hours. Already something of a convert to their cause, having seen them several times around London over the past few months, I’d been waxing lyrical to friends all day about their brand of borrowed-from-the-90s slacker rock. Their stage banter was a little dry, and their response to a call from an audience member for their closest thing to a hit, ‘Georgia’, was met with a deliberate omission of the song from the setlist, meaning that this was not exactly their most friendly appearance, but nevertheless it proved a decent gig.
Dot-to-Dot ends with Stealth putting on the last of the shows as the night turns slowly into early morning, and after fighting my way inside for the end of Casiokids’ brittle dance set I realised that my day (and my feet) were done. Another excellent bank holiday weekend festival – despite the smaller crowds and slightly smaller lineup, it’s still proving itself one of the most important festivals in the regions that host it, and it also provides an excellent way of kick-starting the festival season.
Kensington Palace, pills illustrated by Aniela Murphy
Kensington Palace has been home to some of the most fashionable and glamorous women who ever lived. From Queen Caroline in the 17th century, who patronised many of the struggling artists and scientists of the time and always looked fabulous, right through to my favourite Royal, Princess Margaret – never seen at a party without a fag in one hand and a glass of mother’s ruin in the other.
So it’s no huge surprise that Historic Royal Palaces, keepers of Kensington, have decided to host a rather fashionable temporary exhibition while it renovates the Palace; temporarily for almost two years, that is.
I took a trip there last weekend with the other half and my parents. My parents are wonderful, I have to say, but they aren’t particularly into fashion; my mum was Miss Butlins 1979 – winning, I’m told, because of her fashionable swagger, but together with my father, they couldn’t care less about fashion. So I was a little concerned as to how they’d react to this exhibition – they dig a historic landmark but aren’t down with la mode.
The exhibition, however, successfully combines historical artefacts and new fashion pieces, created especially to occupy the rooms. All this is, of course, housed in the magnificent splendour of the Palace – it’s a win:win situation. We were even treated to a little bit of period dancing in the gardens, so the folks were smiling with glee before we’d even entered the building.
Several rooms are open for viewing. More traditional guests may be disappointed that the Palace’s most famous rooms and exhibitions, such as the royal dresses, are closed for the time being, but regular visitors and fashion fans will be delighted at this innovative and unique transformation of a landmark.
Attendees are provided with a map and quiz sheet – there are seven princesses to find (all previous residents, so don’t cheat on Wikipedia to find the answers first, you’ll spoil your fun!) You won’t be surprised to hear that the most recent is Princess Di – and one of her ensembles, in which she attended a dinner at Bucks Pal, hangs poignantly in a glass case surrounded by white feathers.
The rooms have been given rather pretentious titles, which at first hearing, sound somewhat superficial. As you spend time in each of the rooms, though, you soon discover that the names have incredible meaning. Take, for example, the first room – ‘The Room of Tears’. The centre piece is a specially-designed piece by fashion design duo Aminaka Wilmont – a lifeless mannequin lays elegantly, facing the ceiling, draped in Aminaka Wilmont’s creation of silk, embellished with hundreds and thousands of crystals. ‘We were really inspired by the sense of sorrow and sadness in the room,’ Marcus Wilmont said of his creation. It does hold sadness, but the essence of their piece, which lies like an illusion, provides an incredibly serene setting. The room is dedicated to [insert name of Princess here, when you’ve visited the exhibition!] whose tears were collected in glass bottles – some of which (the bottles, not the tears) are on display.
Other rooms include a grand, sweeping staircase, at the top of which stands Dame Vivienne Westwood’s incredible creation. Westwood’s general themes, of aristocratic and royal dresses sexed up, tie in perfectly with the exhibition, and this was by far my favourite piece. An architectural feat, this sculpted number creates the illusion of a princess running down the stairs.
Vivienne Westwood’s Dress for a Rebellious Princess, illustrated by Natsuki Otani
There’s also fantastic creations by fresh London design talent – William Tempest gives his take on the longest reigning monarch’s bedroom – his piece hangs from the ceiling and is made up of thousands of origami birds, embodying the shapely figure of said Princess (sorry to be so vague, I really don’t want to give the game away!)
Boudicca have created metallic sculptural pieces that hang precariously from the ceiling, Stephen Jones showcases some of his finest millinery, inspired by a bust of Isaac Newton; and new kid on the block Echo Morgan has created an amazing sculptural piece – part mantua, part lantern, featuring the most wonderful illustrations.
Echo Morgan’s Dress of the World, illustrated by Natasha Thompson
At this exhibition, there’s much fun to be had. The addition of a game to discover each of the princesses is a fantastic touch, and a unique way of exploring this magnificent building. Go!
Open until January 2011. See Kensington Palace’s website here for all the details and to book tickets.
Written by Matt Bramford on Friday July 16th, 2010 11:42 am
Olivia Rubin’s show was to be held at Jalouse in Hanover Square – a place I’d hear of but never actually ventured in to. It was to be my last womenswear show (although I didn’t know it at the time, page such is life!) and after a long, grueling day I needed a big drink. Luckily, these were on hand.
Outside, glamorous ladies and gents queued to get in, all throwing their tickets into the air, shouting the names of their publications or various relationships with Olivia. When I finally got inside, the Only Way is Essex girl group Lola were being ravished by a pack of pervy photographers screaming their names. To my left was Danielle Lloyd, an intriguing shade of orange; to my right, Jason Gardiner sat in a booth surrounded by a harem of orange honeyz. Konnie Huq was there. What the hell was going on? I was completely baffled. We’d featured Olivia in the past – I adored her artists-inspired collection, but I had no idea she had such an, erm, orange following.
There were no seats available – the show was to take place on a precarious plinth around the main area of the club, with guests littered around the plinth in sunken seats. I positioned myself by a wall and necked a cocktail. Whilst waiting for the show to start, I Twittered and checked my emails, slightly aware of somebody standing next to me but not looking up to notice. Hilariously, it was contributor Lauren, who had been stood there for a good ten minutes without either of us realising. This is the kind of thing that happens to your brain during fashion week. I could have been stood next to Naomi Campbell and wouldn’t have noticed (not that Lauren isn’t gorgeous herself).
The show began to rapturous applause, with the first model coming out from behind a make-shift backstage area right behind where I was standing. It was difficult to know where to look, and I missed the first few outfits due to glaring at the audience and being mesmerised by Jalouse’s crystal ceiling.
Olivia has quickly risen up the fashion ranks with her playful, vibrant prints using a whole load of inspiration. This time was no exception – brick patterns, speech bubbles, floral prints on silk and animal prints were all on display under the glittery lights. The shapes and cuts seemed a little more sophisticated this time around – Olivia’s staple playful dresses were still there in vibrant colours, but the addition of figure-hugging jersey tops and cropped trousers added a new, demure look. Lace details had been added to some pieces, sexing them up a little. Jersey and silks had been married for great effect. Sexy translucent shirts worn over lace underwear add even more kink to this fab collection.
Illustration by Jaymie O’Callaghan
Illustration by Madi Illustrates
Many of the pieces featured wrap-around details that flatter the figure – not that any of these hot models needed any flattering, but I imagine that sweeping necklines and pinched waists can be pulled off by even the most Rubenesque figure. Longer, almost floor-length numbers with vibrant graphic patterns closed the show – the final walkthrough leaving me on edge as these glamorous girls in vertiginous heels swaggered around the raised plinth.
One of the Only Way Is Essex birds, illustrated by Lisa Stannard
After the show, me and Amelia enjoyed a cocktail or two and had a bit of a gossip, keeping one eye on the attendees. We stood near the official photo point, me with my camera around my neck – one of the guests asked if I could take her picture. She didn’t ask why I was taking pictures or which publication I was from, she just wanted her photograph taken. Well, why not? Here she is – I hope she sees it (and likes it, obv).
Danielle Lloyd and Konnie Huq, illustrated by Lisa Stannard
Olivia Rubin’s show was to be held at Jalouse in Hanover Square – a place I’d hear of but never actually ventured in to. It was to be my last womenswear show (although I didn’t know it at the time, such is life!) and after a long, grueling day I needed a big drink. Luckily, these were on hand.
Outside, glamorous ladies and gents queued to get in, all throwing their tickets into the air, shouting the names of their publications or various relationships with Olivia. When I finally got inside, the Only Way is Essex girl group Lola were being ravished by a pack of pervy photographers screaming their names. To my left was Danielle Lloyd, an intriguing shade of orange; to my right, Jason Gardiner sat in a booth surrounded by a harem of orange honeyz. Konnie Huq was there. What the hell was going on? I was completely baffled. We’d featured Olivia in the past – I adored her artists-inspired collection, but I had no idea she had such an, erm, orange following.
There were no seats available – the show was to take place on a precarious plinth around the main area of the club, with guests littered around the plinth in sunken seats. I positioned myself by a wall and necked a cocktail. Whilst waiting for the show to start, I Twittered and checked my emails, slightly aware of somebody standing next to me but not looking up to notice. Hilariously, it was contributor Lauren, who had been stood there for a good ten minutes without either of us realising. This is the kind of thing that happens to your brain during fashion week. I could have been stood next to Naomi Campbell and wouldn’t have noticed (not that Lauren isn’t gorgeous herself).
The show began to rapturous applause, with the first model coming out from behind a make-shift backstage area right behind where I was standing. It was difficult to know where to look, and I missed the first few outfits due to glaring at the audience and being mesmerised by Jalouse’s crystal ceiling.
Olivia has quickly risen up the fashion ranks with her playful, vibrant prints using a whole load of inspiration. This time was no exception – brick patterns, speech bubbles, floral prints on silk and animal prints were all on display under the glittery lights. The shapes and cuts seemed a little more sophisticated this time around – Olivia’s staple playful dresses were still there in vibrant colours, but the addition of figure-hugging jersey tops and cropped trousers added a new, demure look. Lace details had been added to some pieces, sexing them up a little. Jersey and silks had been married for great effect. Sexy translucent shirts worn over lace underwear add even more kink to this fab collection.
Many of the pieces featured wrap-around details that flatter the figure – not that any of these hot models needed any flattering, but I imagine that sweeping necklines and pinched waists can be pulled off by even the most Rubenesque figure. Longer, almost floor-length numbers with vibrant graphic patterns closed the show – the final walkthrough leaving me on edge as these glamorous girls in vertiginous heels swaggered around the raised plinth.
One of the Only Way Is Essex birds, illustrated by Lisa Stannard
After the show, me and Amelia enjoyed a cocktail or two and had a bit of a gossip, keeping one eye on the attendees. We stood near the official photo point, me with my camera around my neck – one of the guests asked if I could take her picture. She didn’t ask why I was taking pictures or which publication I was from, she just wanted her photograph taken. Well, why not? Here she is – I hope she sees it (and likes it, obv).
Olivia Rubin’s show was to be held at Jalouse in Hanover Square – a place I’d hear of but never actually ventured in to. It was to be my last womenswear show (although I didn’t know it at the time, symptoms such is life!) and after a long, stuff grueling day I needed a big drink. Luckily, these were on hand.
Outside, glamorous ladies and gents queued to get in, all throwing their tickets into the air, shouting the names of their publications or various relationships with Olivia. When I finally got inside, the Only Way is Essex girl group Lola were being ravished by a pack of pervy photographers screaming their names. To my left was Danielle Lloyd, an intriguing shade of orange; to my right, Jason Gardiner sat in a booth surrounded by a harem of orange honeyz. Konnie Huq was there. What the hell was going on? I was completely baffled. We’d featured Olivia in the past – I adored her artists-inspired collection, but I had no idea she had such an, erm, orange following.
There were no seats available – the show was to take place on a precarious plinth around the main area of the club, with guests littered around the plinth in sunken seats. I positioned myself by a wall and necked a cocktail. Whilst waiting for the show to start, I Twittered and checked my emails, slightly aware of somebody standing next to me but not looking up to notice. Hilariously, it was contributor Lauren, who had been stood there for a good ten minutes without either of us realising. This is the kind of thing that happens to your brain during fashion week. I could have been stood next to Naomi Campbell and wouldn’t have noticed (not that Lauren isn’t gorgeous herself).
The show began to rapturous applause, with the first model coming out from behind a make-shift backstage area right behind where I was standing. It was difficult to know where to look, and I missed the first few outfits due to glaring at the audience and being mesmerised by Jalouse’s crystal ceiling.
Olivia has quickly risen up the fashion ranks with her playful, vibrant prints using a whole load of inspiration. This time was no exception – brick patterns, speech bubbles, floral prints on silk and animal prints were all on display under the glittery lights. The shapes and cuts seemed a little more sophisticated this time around – Olivia’s staple playful dresses were still there in vibrant colours, but the addition of figure-hugging jersey tops and cropped trousers added a new, demure look. Lace details had been added to some pieces, sexing them up a little. Jersey and silks had been married for great effect. Sexy translucent shirts worn over lace underwear add even more kink to this fab collection.
Many of the pieces featured wrap-around details that flatter the figure – not that any of these hot models needed any flattering, but I imagine that sweeping necklines and pinched waists can be pulled off by even the most Rubenesque figure. Longer, almost floor-length numbers with vibrant graphic patterns closed the show – the final walkthrough leaving me on edge as these glamorous girls in vertiginous heels swaggered around the raised plinth.
One of the Only Way Is Essex birds, illustrated by Lisa Stannard
After the show, me and Amelia enjoyed a cocktail or two and had a bit of a gossip, keeping one eye on the attendees. We stood near the official photo point, me with my camera around my neck – one of the guests asked if I could take her picture. She didn’t ask why I was taking pictures or which publication I was from, she just wanted her photograph taken. Well, why not? Here she is – I hope she sees it (and likes it, obv).
I’ve been a big fan of Pai Skincare for some time – and it seems I am not the only one. This small ethical beauty brand has quickly garnered a huge celebrity following that includes the likes of Natalie Portman. All products are certified organic and formulated in house by inspiring founder Sarah Brown. I asked her to answer a few questions:
You were inspired to start Pai Skincare after suffering from your own skin allergies. What were you doing previously and how did you set about creating the brand? ?? I was previously PR Manager for E & J Gallo Wines. ??The inspiration for Pai came from my personal battles with difficult skin and my disillusionment with the lack of transparency in the natural beauty sector. ??I came to the task with the mindset of a frustrated customer and fixed all the things that bothered me about the other products I’d tried on my aggravated skin and rejected. ??I’d always harboured ambitions to develop my own brand – there is something profoundly rewarding about creating something meaningful from nothing but your own hard work!???
Pai Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream.
And how does it differ from other beauty skincare brands on the market???
The complete Pai range is certified organic by the Soil Association and is designed specifically for people with sensitive skin. ??We formulate all our own products, approved so we’re experts on ingredients and don’t compromise by adding irritating chemicals or alcohol. All the manufacturing is done in-house as well. So many other natural brands use contract manufacturers to formulate and make their products, so I think they don’t have the same connection with their products as we do at Pai.?? We also list all ingredients in plain English so you know exactly what’s in the bottle. We’re still the only beauty brand to do this. Most ingredient lists appear in the obligatory Latin, which we don’t think is particularly reader-friendly!???
What have you learnt along the way and what has been the hardest part of setting up your own business???
Stick to your principles, don’t compromise and keep striving for perfection. ??The hardest part has been lack of money – the recession hit just when some investment would have been useful to get things moving. However, it has meant that Pai has been profitable from day one and it is really satisfying to have built both a brand and a business.
???Where do you source your ingredients from??
We try and source the majority of our ingredients from Europe to keep our moisturiser miles to a minimum. Some of the more unusual plant extracts do come from further afield.
????One of your latest products is the wonderfully named Fragonia and Sea Buckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream. Why did you decide to formulate it with these ingredients, and how did you find out about their properties?
??We designed this therapeutic cream for particularly dry, sensitive and chapped hands. ??Fragonia is an exciting new ingredient from Australia that is similar to Tea Tree oil. It has the same anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties but without the irritation. It is far kinder on the skin and has a softer, sweeter aroma. ??Sea Buckthorn is bursting with anti-oxidants and carotenoids which nourish and regenerate damaged skin.?? What’s clever about this product is that it absorbs instantly. My central aim was to create a cream that packed a punch (from a skin conditioning perspective) but without leaving the usual greasiness you get with hand creams. I like to apply a hand cream and be able to hold a pen afterwards!???
Your website is really clean and easy to use. How important are online sales to you???
Pretty important – it helps to give us a voice and international distribution in markets where we don’t a have physical store presence.?? We built the website ourselves to keep costs down, and manage it all in-house. We have just opened our US West Coast warehouse to make delivery a bit quicker for our fast-growing US customer-base.???
You’ve had a lot of high profile celebrity endorsement – why do you think this is (apart from your brand obviously being very good)? Do you have a high profile marketing strategy, or is it merely word of mouth?
??I think it’s a combination of marketing, word of mouth and a bit of good fortune. We have a number of make-up artists who swear by our products so word has spread quickly in Hollywood and Pai is now a regular fixture on a lot of film sets. Our Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream is a great base for make-up.???
Which celebrity would you most like to be using Pai Skincare in the future, and if they were reading this blog now how would you persuade them?
??Natalie Portman has recently declared herself a fan of our products – particularly our Chamomile & Rosehip Cream – so for me it doesn’t get much better than that. ??Kristen Scott Thomas would be a great customer to have – she seems suitably discerning. And Simon Pegg because he’d be a fun ambassador for the brand… and real men need organic skincare too.
? ?Why is a good night’s sleep in the dark so important? ?
Total darkness stimulates the brain’s sleep chemical, melatonin. So results in a higher quality of undisturbed sleep.
???You keep a wonderful blog – how is this important in promoting the brand and keeping in touch with what customers think and want??
My blog is really important as it gives me the chance to talk about wider skin health rather than just plug my products. I write about all sorts – from why chocolate really does give you spots to natural remedies for cold sores. Anything that interests me, and that I think (or rather hope) might be interesting to others too.
???What retail outlets can people buy Pai Skincare in???
We’re stocked in a number of specialist beauty and health food chains throughout the UK e.g. the lovely CONTENT in Marylebone and Whole Foods Market. People can also buy online from our website – www.paiskincare.com.???
What is keeping you busiest at the moment, and what new ideas or products are you working on???
Ideas for new products always keeps me busy. We have some great new products in the pipeline – keep an eye on our website for more details soon. Or check out our Facebook page – for a little sneak preview.??
Don’t forget to check in with Sarah’s wonderful blog – there are some real pearls of wisdom on there, especially if you suffer from skin problems.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday March 4th, 2011 3:40 pm
Olivia Rubin’s show was to be held at Jalouse in Hanover Square – a place I’d hear of but never actually ventured in to. It was to be my last womenswear show (although I didn’t know it at the time, page such is life!) and after a long, grueling day I needed a big drink. Luckily, these were on hand.
Outside, glamorous ladies and gents queued to get in, all throwing their tickets into the air, shouting the names of their publications or various relationships with Olivia. When I finally got inside, the Only Way is Essex girl group Lola were being ravished by a pack of pervy photographers screaming their names. To my left was Danielle Lloyd, an intriguing shade of orange; to my right, Jason Gardiner sat in a booth surrounded by a harem of orange honeyz. Konnie Huq was there. What the hell was going on? I was completely baffled. We’d featured Olivia in the past – I adored her artists-inspired collection, but I had no idea she had such an, erm, orange following.
There were no seats available – the show was to take place on a precarious plinth around the main area of the club, with guests littered around the plinth in sunken seats. I positioned myself by a wall and necked a cocktail. Whilst waiting for the show to start, I Twittered and checked my emails, slightly aware of somebody standing next to me but not looking up to notice. Hilariously, it was contributor Lauren, who had been stood there for a good ten minutes without either of us realising. This is the kind of thing that happens to your brain during fashion week. I could have been stood next to Naomi Campbell and wouldn’t have noticed (not that Lauren isn’t gorgeous herself).
The show began to rapturous applause, with the first model coming out from behind a make-shift backstage area right behind where I was standing. It was difficult to know where to look, and I missed the first few outfits due to glaring at the audience and being mesmerised by Jalouse’s crystal ceiling.
Olivia has quickly risen up the fashion ranks with her playful, vibrant prints using a whole load of inspiration. This time was no exception – brick patterns, speech bubbles, floral prints on silk and animal prints were all on display under the glittery lights. The shapes and cuts seemed a little more sophisticated this time around – Olivia’s staple playful dresses were still there in vibrant colours, but the addition of figure-hugging jersey tops and cropped trousers added a new, demure look. Lace details had been added to some pieces, sexing them up a little. Jersey and silks had been married for great effect. Sexy translucent shirts worn over lace underwear add even more kink to this fab collection.
Illustration by Jaymie O’Callaghan
Illustration by Madi Illustrates
Many of the pieces featured wrap-around details that flatter the figure – not that any of these hot models needed any flattering, but I imagine that sweeping necklines and pinched waists can be pulled off by even the most Rubenesque figure. Longer, almost floor-length numbers with vibrant graphic patterns closed the show – the final walkthrough leaving me on edge as these glamorous girls in vertiginous heels swaggered around the raised plinth.
One of the Only Way Is Essex birds, illustrated by Lisa Stannard
After the show, me and Amelia enjoyed a cocktail or two and had a bit of a gossip, keeping one eye on the attendees. We stood near the official photo point, me with my camera around my neck – one of the guests asked if I could take her picture. She didn’t ask why I was taking pictures or which publication I was from, she just wanted her photograph taken. Well, why not? Here she is – I hope she sees it (and likes it, obv).
Danielle Lloyd and Konnie Huq, illustrated by Lisa Stannard
Olivia Rubin’s show was to be held at Jalouse in Hanover Square – a place I’d hear of but never actually ventured in to. It was to be my last womenswear show (although I didn’t know it at the time, such is life!) and after a long, grueling day I needed a big drink. Luckily, these were on hand.
Outside, glamorous ladies and gents queued to get in, all throwing their tickets into the air, shouting the names of their publications or various relationships with Olivia. When I finally got inside, the Only Way is Essex girl group Lola were being ravished by a pack of pervy photographers screaming their names. To my left was Danielle Lloyd, an intriguing shade of orange; to my right, Jason Gardiner sat in a booth surrounded by a harem of orange honeyz. Konnie Huq was there. What the hell was going on? I was completely baffled. We’d featured Olivia in the past – I adored her artists-inspired collection, but I had no idea she had such an, erm, orange following.
There were no seats available – the show was to take place on a precarious plinth around the main area of the club, with guests littered around the plinth in sunken seats. I positioned myself by a wall and necked a cocktail. Whilst waiting for the show to start, I Twittered and checked my emails, slightly aware of somebody standing next to me but not looking up to notice. Hilariously, it was contributor Lauren, who had been stood there for a good ten minutes without either of us realising. This is the kind of thing that happens to your brain during fashion week. I could have been stood next to Naomi Campbell and wouldn’t have noticed (not that Lauren isn’t gorgeous herself).
The show began to rapturous applause, with the first model coming out from behind a make-shift backstage area right behind where I was standing. It was difficult to know where to look, and I missed the first few outfits due to glaring at the audience and being mesmerised by Jalouse’s crystal ceiling.
Olivia has quickly risen up the fashion ranks with her playful, vibrant prints using a whole load of inspiration. This time was no exception – brick patterns, speech bubbles, floral prints on silk and animal prints were all on display under the glittery lights. The shapes and cuts seemed a little more sophisticated this time around – Olivia’s staple playful dresses were still there in vibrant colours, but the addition of figure-hugging jersey tops and cropped trousers added a new, demure look. Lace details had been added to some pieces, sexing them up a little. Jersey and silks had been married for great effect. Sexy translucent shirts worn over lace underwear add even more kink to this fab collection.
Many of the pieces featured wrap-around details that flatter the figure – not that any of these hot models needed any flattering, but I imagine that sweeping necklines and pinched waists can be pulled off by even the most Rubenesque figure. Longer, almost floor-length numbers with vibrant graphic patterns closed the show – the final walkthrough leaving me on edge as these glamorous girls in vertiginous heels swaggered around the raised plinth.
One of the Only Way Is Essex birds, illustrated by Lisa Stannard
After the show, me and Amelia enjoyed a cocktail or two and had a bit of a gossip, keeping one eye on the attendees. We stood near the official photo point, me with my camera around my neck – one of the guests asked if I could take her picture. She didn’t ask why I was taking pictures or which publication I was from, she just wanted her photograph taken. Well, why not? Here she is – I hope she sees it (and likes it, obv).
Olivia Rubin’s show was to be held at Jalouse in Hanover Square – a place I’d hear of but never actually ventured in to. It was to be my last womenswear show (although I didn’t know it at the time, symptoms such is life!) and after a long, stuff grueling day I needed a big drink. Luckily, these were on hand.
Outside, glamorous ladies and gents queued to get in, all throwing their tickets into the air, shouting the names of their publications or various relationships with Olivia. When I finally got inside, the Only Way is Essex girl group Lola were being ravished by a pack of pervy photographers screaming their names. To my left was Danielle Lloyd, an intriguing shade of orange; to my right, Jason Gardiner sat in a booth surrounded by a harem of orange honeyz. Konnie Huq was there. What the hell was going on? I was completely baffled. We’d featured Olivia in the past – I adored her artists-inspired collection, but I had no idea she had such an, erm, orange following.
There were no seats available – the show was to take place on a precarious plinth around the main area of the club, with guests littered around the plinth in sunken seats. I positioned myself by a wall and necked a cocktail. Whilst waiting for the show to start, I Twittered and checked my emails, slightly aware of somebody standing next to me but not looking up to notice. Hilariously, it was contributor Lauren, who had been stood there for a good ten minutes without either of us realising. This is the kind of thing that happens to your brain during fashion week. I could have been stood next to Naomi Campbell and wouldn’t have noticed (not that Lauren isn’t gorgeous herself).
The show began to rapturous applause, with the first model coming out from behind a make-shift backstage area right behind where I was standing. It was difficult to know where to look, and I missed the first few outfits due to glaring at the audience and being mesmerised by Jalouse’s crystal ceiling.
Olivia has quickly risen up the fashion ranks with her playful, vibrant prints using a whole load of inspiration. This time was no exception – brick patterns, speech bubbles, floral prints on silk and animal prints were all on display under the glittery lights. The shapes and cuts seemed a little more sophisticated this time around – Olivia’s staple playful dresses were still there in vibrant colours, but the addition of figure-hugging jersey tops and cropped trousers added a new, demure look. Lace details had been added to some pieces, sexing them up a little. Jersey and silks had been married for great effect. Sexy translucent shirts worn over lace underwear add even more kink to this fab collection.
Many of the pieces featured wrap-around details that flatter the figure – not that any of these hot models needed any flattering, but I imagine that sweeping necklines and pinched waists can be pulled off by even the most Rubenesque figure. Longer, almost floor-length numbers with vibrant graphic patterns closed the show – the final walkthrough leaving me on edge as these glamorous girls in vertiginous heels swaggered around the raised plinth.
One of the Only Way Is Essex birds, illustrated by Lisa Stannard
After the show, me and Amelia enjoyed a cocktail or two and had a bit of a gossip, keeping one eye on the attendees. We stood near the official photo point, me with my camera around my neck – one of the guests asked if I could take her picture. She didn’t ask why I was taking pictures or which publication I was from, she just wanted her photograph taken. Well, why not? Here she is – I hope she sees it (and likes it, obv).
I’ve been a big fan of Pai Skincare for some time – and it seems I am not the only one. This small ethical beauty brand has quickly garnered a huge celebrity following that includes the likes of Natalie Portman. All products are certified organic and formulated in house by inspiring founder Sarah Brown. I asked her to answer a few questions:
You were inspired to start Pai Skincare after suffering from your own skin allergies. What were you doing previously and how did you set about creating the brand? ?? I was previously PR Manager for E & J Gallo Wines. ??The inspiration for Pai came from my personal battles with difficult skin and my disillusionment with the lack of transparency in the natural beauty sector. ??I came to the task with the mindset of a frustrated customer and fixed all the things that bothered me about the other products I’d tried on my aggravated skin and rejected. ??I’d always harboured ambitions to develop my own brand – there is something profoundly rewarding about creating something meaningful from nothing but your own hard work!???
Pai Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream.
And how does it differ from other beauty skincare brands on the market???
The complete Pai range is certified organic by the Soil Association and is designed specifically for people with sensitive skin. ??We formulate all our own products, approved so we’re experts on ingredients and don’t compromise by adding irritating chemicals or alcohol. All the manufacturing is done in-house as well. So many other natural brands use contract manufacturers to formulate and make their products, so I think they don’t have the same connection with their products as we do at Pai.?? We also list all ingredients in plain English so you know exactly what’s in the bottle. We’re still the only beauty brand to do this. Most ingredient lists appear in the obligatory Latin, which we don’t think is particularly reader-friendly!???
What have you learnt along the way and what has been the hardest part of setting up your own business???
Stick to your principles, don’t compromise and keep striving for perfection. ??The hardest part has been lack of money – the recession hit just when some investment would have been useful to get things moving. However, it has meant that Pai has been profitable from day one and it is really satisfying to have built both a brand and a business.
???Where do you source your ingredients from??
We try and source the majority of our ingredients from Europe to keep our moisturiser miles to a minimum. Some of the more unusual plant extracts do come from further afield.
????One of your latest products is the wonderfully named Fragonia and Sea Buckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream. Why did you decide to formulate it with these ingredients, and how did you find out about their properties?
??We designed this therapeutic cream for particularly dry, sensitive and chapped hands. ??Fragonia is an exciting new ingredient from Australia that is similar to Tea Tree oil. It has the same anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties but without the irritation. It is far kinder on the skin and has a softer, sweeter aroma. ??Sea Buckthorn is bursting with anti-oxidants and carotenoids which nourish and regenerate damaged skin.?? What’s clever about this product is that it absorbs instantly. My central aim was to create a cream that packed a punch (from a skin conditioning perspective) but without leaving the usual greasiness you get with hand creams. I like to apply a hand cream and be able to hold a pen afterwards!???
Your website is really clean and easy to use. How important are online sales to you???
Pretty important – it helps to give us a voice and international distribution in markets where we don’t a have physical store presence.?? We built the website ourselves to keep costs down, and manage it all in-house. We have just opened our US West Coast warehouse to make delivery a bit quicker for our fast-growing US customer-base.???
You’ve had a lot of high profile celebrity endorsement – why do you think this is (apart from your brand obviously being very good)? Do you have a high profile marketing strategy, or is it merely word of mouth?
??I think it’s a combination of marketing, word of mouth and a bit of good fortune. We have a number of make-up artists who swear by our products so word has spread quickly in Hollywood and Pai is now a regular fixture on a lot of film sets. Our Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream is a great base for make-up.???
Which celebrity would you most like to be using Pai Skincare in the future, and if they were reading this blog now how would you persuade them?
??Natalie Portman has recently declared herself a fan of our products – particularly our Chamomile & Rosehip Cream – so for me it doesn’t get much better than that. ??Kristen Scott Thomas would be a great customer to have – she seems suitably discerning. And Simon Pegg because he’d be a fun ambassador for the brand… and real men need organic skincare too.
? ?Why is a good night’s sleep in the dark so important? ?
Total darkness stimulates the brain’s sleep chemical, melatonin. So results in a higher quality of undisturbed sleep.
???You keep a wonderful blog – how is this important in promoting the brand and keeping in touch with what customers think and want??
My blog is really important as it gives me the chance to talk about wider skin health rather than just plug my products. I write about all sorts – from why chocolate really does give you spots to natural remedies for cold sores. Anything that interests me, and that I think (or rather hope) might be interesting to others too.
???What retail outlets can people buy Pai Skincare in???
We’re stocked in a number of specialist beauty and health food chains throughout the UK e.g. the lovely CONTENT in Marylebone and Whole Foods Market. People can also buy online from our website – www.paiskincare.com.???
What is keeping you busiest at the moment, and what new ideas or products are you working on???
Ideas for new products always keeps me busy. We have some great new products in the pipeline – keep an eye on our website for more details soon. Or check out our Facebook page – for a little sneak preview.??
Don’t forget to check in with Sarah’s wonderful blog – there are some real pearls of wisdom on there, especially if you suffer from skin problems.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday March 4th, 2011 3:40 pm
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, viagra 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.
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, rx 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.
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.
From the wonderful scents to the gold leaf that floats glittering in the top of the wax, 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.
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.
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. I have since discovered that these candles are made by ecological candle makers True Grace. You can find a whole host of flavours online for a very reasonable price here.
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.
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.
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.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday December 22nd, 2010 2:51 pm
