Daria Hlazatova – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: Ashish

Ashish A/W 2011 by Erica Sharp.

Outside the BFC tent I noticed a strange character wobbling towards the entrance in huge pink platforms. It was only when she de-robed inside that I realised it was in fact Paloma Faith – dressed in a suitably over the top manner. Apparently M.I.A. was there as well, information pills pharm having provided the suitably edgy soundtrack.

Paloma Faith at Ashish by Kellie Black.

I haven’t been to an Ashish catwalk show – this despite him being amongst my very favourite designers of all time. He featured in the first ever issue of Amelia’s Magazine and I always used his clothes when I was working as a stylist. Needless to say I was very excited about attending this show…

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011 by Antonia Parker.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011 by Erica Sharp.

Ashish describes this collection as an ode to the “archetypal poor little rich girl”, sickness the kind you might find slumming it in Dalston courtesy of mum and dad, decked out in posh clothes that have seen better days. In practice this meant lots of his signature sequinned garments, oversized tartans, ripped jeans and moth eaten jumpers.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011 by Antonia Parker.

I loved the press release, replete with descriptions of a “layabout laird” who mixes “detritus with deluxe”. Hers is a London punk aesthetic thrown against Scottish Highland heritage. It’s a story that the industry can surely relate to: there’s a reason why so many people working in fashion come from the upper echelons of society. Unless you hit the big time it certainly won’t make you rich, so another source of support is often standard requirement.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011 by Daria Hlazatova.

Models were expertly cast: lanky girls with greasy dip-dyed hair and bored expressions. Spiderwebs crawled across the knees. Boys wore DMs and girls sported black and white patterned brothel creepers. Statements, Teen Idle and Hard Times, were appliqued on frayed jumpers that had been attacked by killer moths. My favourite pieces were undoubtedly the supremely wearable sequinned jumper dresses, but to be honest I adored it all.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Ashish A/W 2011 by Madi.

You can see more work by Erica Sharp, Antonia Parker and Kellie Black in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Saturday March 12th, 2011 2:49 pm

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Antonia Parker, ,Ashish, ,BFC, ,Brothel Creepers, ,dalston, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Erica Sharp, ,Highland, ,Jeans, ,Kellie Black, ,M.I.A, ,Madi, ,Madi Illustrates, ,MIA, ,Moths, ,paloma faith, ,punk, ,scotland, ,Somerset House, ,Spiderwebs, ,Tartan

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: Ashish

Ashish A/W 2011 by Erica Sharp.

Paloma Faith at Ashish by Kellie Black.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011 by Antonia Parker.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011 by Erica Sharp.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011 by Antonia Parker.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011 by Daria Hlazatova.

Ashish A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ashish A/W 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Ashish A/W 2011 by Madi.

You can see more work by Erica Sharp, Antonia Parker and Kellie Black in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Saturday March 12th, 2011 2:49 pm

Amelia’s Magazine | Keiko Nishiyama: Ones to Watch S/S 2015 London Fashion Week Preview

Keiko Nishiyama by Sarah Rossignol.

Japanese born fashion designer Keiko Nishiyama is another LCF graduate, whose work I fell in love with last year, so I am super excited to see her new collection on the Fashion Scout Ones to Watch catwalk tomorrow, where she will debut her S/S 2015 collection.

Keiko Nishiyama by Daria Hlazatova.

Keiko Nishiyama S/S 2015 mood board.

When did you first begin your love affair with print design?
I really grew to treasure the way that print could be used on my MA course at London College of Fashion, but I have always loved colour and painting. My parents took me to museums on many occasions and gave me painting tools when I was young, so I have been surrounded by creative inspiration since I was child.

Keiko Nishiyama S/S 2015 mood boards.

What inspirations have influenced your new collection?
This season the collection is inspired by the themes of Aquarium and collections of objects known as Wunderkammer, or Cabinets of Curiosities. These have again become a forward-looking movement in museums today, with the creation of interesting, odd collections or rooms that are designed to provoke people’s curiosity. The S/S 2015 collection’s iconic model is a mermaid that was inspired by the film Night Tide, directed by Curtis Harrington.

Keiko Nishiyama A/W 2013 collection by Ema Koshigoe.

What were the highlights of studying at the London College of Fashion?
The LCF MA course gave me a chance to become accomplished in my style and techniques of creation, as well as teaching me time management as a professional designer. Through my final collection, I learned how to minimise and balance my garment silhouettes with the print design. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to go on this course and gain so much experience in fashion.

What are your hopes for the future?
I want to create collections that feature highly ornate design, especially where the print of the textiles is concerned. I hope that my designs will give women the chance to gain another dimension and confidence both introspectively and physically. In the future I want to help women coordinate my print world in both their clothing and lifestyles.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday September 11th, 2014 4:43 pm

Categories ,Aquarium, ,Cabinets of Curiosities, ,Curtis Harrington, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Ema Koshigoe, ,Fashion Scout, ,interview, ,japanese, ,Keiko Nishiyama, ,London College of Fashion, ,London Fashion Week, ,Night Tide, ,Ones To Watch, ,preview, ,S/S 2015, ,Sarah Rossignol, ,Wunderkammer

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Oak fine fairtrade jewellers

Illustration by Faye West

The inspiration behind Oak jewellery is evident in its name. Delicate leaf motifs, cialis 40mg woven twigs and acorn designs abound, all inspired by the mighty Oak tree. We fell in love with their designs, adding them firmly to our one-day wish list. But when we discovered that Oak use fairtrade gold we realised that there’s more to this jewellery than first meets the eye.

We caught up with Oak over a virtual cuppa and talked all things Gold (“Gold! Always believe…” Sorry…)

Can you introduce oak to us in one sentence?
OAK is a Super-Luxe, ethical, fine jewellery brand with heart.

Illustration by Natasha Thompson

Who are you and what floats your boat?
Oak is run by myself, Jo-Anne Owdud and my partner Parul Tolentino. Parul and I are quite different in our styles; expressed through our clothing or our homes. But we always seem to love what the other is into. Parul is currently into her Papier-mâché antelope head, taking pride of place in her bedroom whilst I am frequenting Victorian fireplace graveyards on the hunt for the perfect reclaimed fireplace! Family is also a big part of our lives, especially our children. We are secretly trying to arrange their marriage after their first moonlight river stroll on Valentines. They are 1 and half and 2. We don’t think this is extreme!

How did Oak come about?
We both worked in the fashion jewellery world for some time. Then, when Parul moved south of the river it meant we saw each other a lot more, particularly when we both had our first children. One fateful day we were having a very nice pub lunch when the journey of OAK began. Many more pub lunches followed; this time with sketch books in hand! It has been a long journey but a steady one. It’s taken us around 9 months to get us to the position to launch.

Illustration by Daria Hlazatova.

What are your design inspirations?
We love objects that have a story to tell, whether that’s with a sentimental meaning, or perhaps something unexpected. Historical references play a big part in what we love to explore and our surroundings are a huge inspiration. The Richmond Park collection was inspired by the sentiments of family and life, conveyed through the power of nature and our namesake; the ‘Oak’ tree. It’s also our favourite playground.

I am a big tree lover (!) and have noticed a lot of tree inspired designs in your jewelry. What is it that appeals to you about them?
We took our name from the mighty Oak tree because it evokes strength, beauty and a sense of the elegance of British heritage. We also love the thought of ‘if trees could talk’. What would they tell us about all they have seen over their years?

Where do you see your shop in 5 years time?
We aim to be at the forefront of ethical luxury jewellery and to be a recognised global British brand.

Illustration by Avril Kelly

Some might say that it was brave launching a new business, especially a luxury jewellery company, in a recession. How have you found it? What have been the best and worst moments?
Starting a new business is such a huge task and a risk in any climate but we both found ourselves in a position to start OAK that we couldn’t let pass. Our best moment was receiving our finished collection at 7.15am one-weekday morning. The worst was when we were looking for British manufacturers to work with and we were met with so many disheartening stories about the recession. This led to a lot of reluctance from people not wanting to take the risk with working with new designers.

Do you have any advice or tips for any other aspiring entrepreneurs?
We spent a lot of time discovering and defining what we wanted OAK to be. This helped us believe in ourselves, and to know who we are. Also it has been helpful to take a step back at times and assess where we are. This has led to a few positive directional changes. We also haven’t been afraid to ask for help in some areas. Our blog has been quite cathartic too for us and we used it log our journey leading up to our launch.

Illustration by Avril Kelly

What are your ethical motivations? ie what are the issues that get you fired up?!
With all the information available these days with regards to ethical business it just seems irresponsible not to act on it. Who would want to receive something with love if someone has sweated tears over it?

Can you tell us a bit about why you chose to use fairtrade gold?
Fairtrade monitors and regulates the production of gold. This is important to us and for our customers to be reassured. We also feel that using ethical gold is important to the sentiment of heirloom pieces. Luxury jewellery is an investment for the future and we feel that part of its value is that it is made in an ethical way. Our gold is from Oro Verde, which has been awarded Fairtrade status. We are awaiting our own license.

Illustration by Natasha Thompson

Thank you Oak Jewellery! To see more of their work, or visit their shop, see their website here.

Written by Hannah Bullivant on Thursday May 5th, 2011 2:06 pm

Categories ,Avril Kelly, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Ethical Shopping, ,fairtrade, ,Fairtrade gold, ,Faye West, ,Forest, ,Hannah Bullivant, ,Jo-Anne Owdud, ,Natasha Thompson, ,Oak Fine Jewellery, ,Parul Tolentino

Amelia’s Magazine | Dem Collective: designed in Sweden by Annika Axelsson and Karin Stenmar

Ciel S/S 2011 by Jo Cheung
Sarah Ratty of Ciel was one of the first designers to engage in ethical practice in the UK. She set up the label Conscious Earthwear in the early 90’s before creating the Ciel brand in 2005. She currently also works as a design consultant and advises the Soil Association on sustainable issues.

How do you design your garments?
Each collection has its roots in the way I have developed as an eco fashion designer over the last twenty years. I usually start with fabrics, buy information pills then I think about what garment shapes will best fit into the current zeitgeist and I combine these with my own influences from contemporary art, travel, history and nature. I use as many innovative approaches as I can in fabrication and cutting techniques, as well as using the naturally diverse fabrics from a range of indigenous locations, which are made and developed in situ.

What is the best way to design ethically?
Within eco design there is inevitably some compromise but I always do my best to find the best materials to achieve the desired outcome. I use fairtrade materials and organic fabrics from factories in Europe and South America, all of which comply with fair labour laws as set out by Labour Behind the Label. We use azo-free dyes, which do not use harmful metal mordants to fix the colour. Heavy metals are highly polluting and contribute to toxic soil runoff if not treated correctly. We have recently started to bring some production back to the UK and we conduct a lot of our work via Skype to reduce our carbon footprint.

Ciel S/S 2011 by Jo Cheung.

Sarah Ratty set up the label Conscious Earthwear in the early 90’s before creating the Ciel brand in 2005, viagra buy which we profiled in the print version of Amelia’s Magazine. She currently also works as a design consultant and advises the Soil Association on sustainable issues.

How do you design your garments?
Each collection has its roots in the way I have developed as an eco fashion designer over the last twenty years. I usually start with fabrics, pilule then I think about what garment shapes will best fit into the current zeitgeist and I combine these with my own influences from contemporary art, travel, history and nature. I use as many innovative approaches as I can in fabrication and cutting techniques, as well as using the naturally diverse fabrics from a range of indigenous locations, which are made and developed in situ.

Sarah Ratty set up the label Conscious Earthwear in the early 90’s before creating the Ciel brand in 2005, and which we profiled in the print version of Amelia’s Magazine. She currently also works as a design consultant and advises the Soil Association on sustainable issues.

How do you design your garments?
Each collection has its roots in the way I have developed as an eco fashion designer over the last twenty years. I usually start with fabrics, diagnosis then I think about what garment shapes will best fit into the current zeitgeist and I combine these with my own influences from contemporary art, travel, history and nature. I use as many innovative approaches as I can in fabrication and cutting techniques, as well as using the naturally diverse fabrics from a range of indigenous locations, which are made and developed in situ.

Read the rest of this interview with Ciel in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, alongside interviews with 44 other ethical fashion designers and 30 fabulous fashion illustrators. You can buy the book here.

Ciel S/S 2011 by Jo Cheung.

Sarah Ratty set up the label Conscious Earthwear in the early 90’s before creating the Ciel brand in 2005, information pills which we profiled in the print version of Amelia’s Magazine. She currently also works as a design consultant and advises the Soil Association on sustainable issues.

How do you design your garments?
Each collection has its roots in the way I have developed as an eco fashion designer over the last twenty years. I usually start with fabrics, viagra 40mg then I think about what garment shapes will best fit into the current zeitgeist and I combine these with my own influences from contemporary art, ampoule travel, history and nature. I use as many innovative approaches as I can in fabrication and cutting techniques, as well as using the naturally diverse fabrics from a range of indigenous locations, which are made and developed in situ.

You were founded in 2004, nurse with the aim of becoming a profitable company that treated people and environment fairly. How have you put this into practice?
We are very close to the whole production chain, sildenafil from the cotton fields in Gujarat to our ready-to-wear garments. We have also started our own garment factory in Sri Lanka, where we can ensure good salaries and working conditions. All our fabric is fairtrade certified and eco labelled.

What defines a Dem Collective garment?
The design is very important – we make good-looking clothes that customers want. To be frank, the least environmentally friendly garment is the one that no one wants to wear… so our clothing is basic, timeless, and of good quality. We are happy that our customers call us and tell us that a t-shirt they bought five years ago is still in use, and hasn’t fallen apart, or gone out of fashion.

Dem Collective by Michelle Urvall Nyren.

Who are the designers you work with? How do the collaborations happen?
It is an important part of the Dem Collective ethos to work with a string of different designers; Maja Jakobsson, Maria Andersson, Camilla Jernmark. Our latest collaboration is with Josefin Lassbo. Both Karin and myself are very open about our lack of design experience, so we like to work with others. Most of our collaborations start out with the designer contacting us.

Why is it a bad idea to use genetically modified cotton?
There is still not enough data on the impact of genetically modified crops on the environment, the soil and the people. But one thing we do know is that they provide three harvests a year and that is really draining on the soil, which means increased use of pesticides and chemicals. And designer seeds are hugely expensive so farmers are more likely to fall into debt…

Read the rest of this interview and see more illustrations of Dem Collective’s clothing in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, alongside interviews with 44 other ethical fashion designers and 30 fabulous fashion illustrators. You can buy the book here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday January 18th, 2011 3:35 pm

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Annika Axelsson, ,Camilla Jernmark, ,Chemicals, ,Cotton Fields, ,Dem Collective, ,Designer Seeds, ,Eco fashion, ,Ethical Fashion, ,fairtrade, ,Gujarat, ,Josefin Lassbo, ,Karin Stenmar, ,Maja Jakobsson, ,Maria Andersson, ,Michelle Urvall Nyrén, ,pesticides, ,Ready-to-wear, ,Sri Lanka, ,sweden, ,Timeless

Amelia’s Magazine | Two wheels good: London’s Borisbike cycle hire scheme proves its worth

Kotki Dwa gig
london borisbike by daria hlazatova
Illustration by Daria Hlazatova

To be honest, remedy I was skeptical of the idea of a bike rental scheme before the launch. If we are going to spend £140 million on cycling I’d rather see we build more bike lanes, cheap I thought. London needs to make roads safer for cyclists, and in my experience, this is the number one reason why people are put off getting bikes.

But in the weeks since 30 July’s launch, when 6000 solid, bright blue bikes where installed in 315 docking stations, my objections have been put to shame. Now, as I roll into London Bridge every morning on my trusty hybrid bike, I invariably find myself accompanied by city workers scurrying around on rental bikes. And I swear the number of ‘regular’ bikes have increased as well – the profile of cycling has shot up as everyone loves the ‘Borisbike’.

Borisbikes by Mina Bach
Mayor Boris Johnson by Mina Bach

While the need for more bike lanes prevails, there is safety in numbers as every extra bike on the road makes it safer to cycle. Over a million rides were made on the Borisbikes in the first three months, the Greater London Authority declared as it held the first appraisal of the scheme on 12 October. Once implementation costs are covered within three years, the scheme is expected to become profitable – in fact it will then be the only London transport system not to run at a loss. Only five bikes have so far been stolen, a fact the Police Cycle Task Force attributes to a sense of ‘community ownership’ among Londoners. And I think that’s true – having spoken to numerous people about this, there is a feeling that these are ‘our’ bikes. In a sometimes very anonymous city like London, where being spoken to on the tube by a stranger can actually feel intrusive, the bikes are becoming a symbol that after all, we are all Londoners.

london bike rental by genie espinosa
Illustration by Genie Espinosa

Mayor Boris Johnson‘s introduction of the bike scheme grants London a place in a worldwide club of bike rental cities. But the Borisbikes, and the the 12 cycle ‘superhighways’, were actually the suggestion of former mayor Ken Livingstone, following a visit to Paris to see the city’s ‘Vélib’ cycling scheme. This is the biggest in the world with 17,000 bikes, suggesting this is only the beginning for London’s 6000 bikes. Our numbers are soon to reach 8000, however, as the system expands beyond central London to cover all of Tower Hamlets and more of Hackney, in time for the 2012 Olympics. The bikes themselves are identical to Montreal’s ‘Bixi’ rental bikes; 23 kilos would be excessively heavy for a regular bike, but for a rental it makes it a very stable and durable ride, plus very unattractive to steal. Vandals are further deterred as most of the wires have been placed inside the frame, and the bikes also boast extra-strong tires and dynamo lights.

London bike scheme by Carla Bromhead
Cycle superhighway by Carla Bromhead

So as Londoners get on their bikes – here’s a quick guide to safe cycling in traffic:

* Claim your space. Make sure drivers can see you, and ride a good foot’s distance from the kerb. Signal clearly and look behind you before turning, and they will respect you for it.

* Watch out for cars turning left. If you see vehicles indicating to the left, stay behind, or, if there’s time, get far in front where they can see you.

* Overtake on the right if you can. Instinct will have you overtake queuing vehicles on their left – this places you in a blind spot so only do this if there’s plenty of space.

* Avoid lorries. Stay behind, or overtake on the right. But as statistics dictate that if you get injured while cycling it will be from a lorry, it’s best to just steer clear.

* Follow the traffic rules. Cyclists who plow into pedestrians to get ahead give us all a bad name. But every now and again, it might just be safer to get ahead of heavy traffic by jumping a light. But be extremely sure before you do this – and mind those pedestrians.

Mayor Boris Johnson by Daria Hlazatova

Sign up for the London bike hire scheme here. Read more about the scheme in Amelia Wells’ article about the launch, or have a look at our tips for getting ready for winter cycling here.

Written by Jessica Furseth on Monday November 22nd, 2010 9:07 am

Categories ,bike rental, ,Bixi, ,Boris Johnson, ,Borisbike, ,Carla Bromhead, ,cycle superhighway, ,cycling, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Genie Espinosa, ,Greater London Authority, ,hackney, ,Ken Livingstone, ,london, ,Mina Bach., ,Montreal, ,Olympics, ,paris, ,Tower Hamlets, ,Vélib

Amelia’s Magazine | Valentines oh Valentines…

Lili Vanili Valentines Cake

Illustration by Daria Hlazatova

It’s February. Which means, sale you know, stuff Valentines day. I have a tourettes-like response to it’s mere mention. A gag reflex and an overwhelming desire to shout obscenities at strangers.

I don’t know why this is. Perhaps it has its roots in the hell that was secondary school love angst. (Will I get a card?.. Shall I send a card… Will somebody post dog poo through my letter box?.. OMG I GOT A CARD *phones all friends*… Oh. Its from my Dad…I HATE MY DAD….*sits on inflatable chair and cries into Leonardo DiCaprio poster*)

Illustration by Ellie Sutton

This aversion to all things Valentines is odd for me because at any other time of year I’ll use any excuse to celebrate. Passed an exam? Brunch! Had a shit week? Fry up! St whatsists day? Party! Commiseratory dinners, cialis 40mg congratulatory afternoon tea’s, pity parties and apologetic lunches; whatever the occasion (or lack thereof) I’m there with balloons. But for some reason, Valentines grates on me.

The traditional options are not great. If you’re single; you could get hammered alone or with other single friends. Or watch a Richard Curtis film whilst curled up in the fetal position in flannel pyjamas. Or if you are in a relationship; try and book a table in a restaurant only to find that they are ALL booked and/or extortionately expensive. Then spend the evening looking around at the other couples who are sat within spitting distance whilst the staff incessantly sell you expensive wine and champagne with James Blunt warbling away at you in the background.

Illustration by Alison Day

Sound good? Thought not. (I sound like a love Scrooge, I definitely have issues)

I banned my mister from engaging in any form of commercial Valentines celebration right at the start of our relationship, and we’ve ended up with a fish and chips dinner tradition instead, which I am actually quite fond of.

But if you MUST release your inner schmaltz, here are some alternatives to cheap chocolates and teddybears. Don’t get me started on teddybears.

Illustration by Ellie Sutton

Firstly, if you are in a relationship, probably best not too buy a card from the supermarket. Or the corner shop down the road. Or the petrol station. It takes very little effort to make something and its much more thoughtful. How about writing a letter? It doesn’t have to be a love letter, and its nicer than a brief scrawl in a card. Or what about a stick man comic strip or a flip book? We can all draw stick men. See? No excuse.

If you hate the idea of making something yourself, there are a whole host of talented illustrators and makers out there who will happily fulfill all of your home spun looking Valentines needs. Check out some ideas in Amelia’s article over here.

I discovered via Twitter that Abby Illustrator and her boy are having a living room picnic, which sounds lovely to me and much nicer than the aforementioned Blunt-warbling-restaurant-nightmare.

If you are planning on buying flowers for a loved one (it could be a friend, your lover, your mum..) then … think again. Sorry for the eco rant but growing and transporting flowers uses a huge amount of carbon, especially if they are from overseas. If you must indulge in some floristry delights then look up British grown flowers.

Or, heres a wee crafty idea; give someone a pack of wildflower seeds. Decant into an attractive envelope, sew (or glue) on to a piece of card and illustrate with an appropriately cheesy message. (as this grows it’ll be a symbol of my love. PUKE. My love is like this red red rose. VOM. etc etc)

And for a healthy alternative/addition to a box of chocolates, pretty up a punnet of red fruit and decorate with little flags.

Cook a pink dinner. Beetroot soup to start. Rare steak with a tomato salsa dressing. Kir Royals or Rose wine. Red velvet cake for pudding, or pink macarons or strawberry angel delight… This would be lovely for one, two or twenty two.

Make cookies. Just for the hell of it. Give to colleagues, friends, family members. Or, of course, your loved one. Dust with icing sugar for a chic minimalist finish or get into an e- number frenzy with coloured icing. Home made and cheap.

Go to see Grayson Perry talk about kinky sex. Hold on to your hats.

Send a You’re rad/I like you/love note to your friends and family. Last year I sent mini valentines cards to the female members of my family just to tell them that I think they are rad, and the reasons why.

Illustration by Alison Day

Visit Love from Darkroom, an exhibition raising money for the brilliant charity Kids Company. All of the art pieces are under £150 and it runs till 14th February. Read Amelia’s full listing here.

Host a horror night. My mister and I are planning on spending the Saturday before Valentines working through some early horror films (Nosferatu, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Birds, Night of the Living Dead…) Nothing like a bit of flesh eating Zombie action to get you in that Valentines mood.

Join the Craftivist Collective in hijacking Valentines day and show some love for your global neighbour. Write letters to strangers and make a Tatty Devine key ring then leave them for strangers to pick up. (see separate listing here)

Keyring

Why not send your loved one an anatomically correct bleeding heart cake by Lilli Vanilli; the creator of the fabulous ACOFI launch party masterpiece? They are made from red velvet sponge, cream cheese frosting and blackcurrant & cherry ‘blood’. I love them and they are a steal at £7.

Image via Lili Vanilli’s blog

Watch Fuck. Not the real thing, gracious no, unless that’s your thing. I’m talking about the documentary which features interviews with the world’s best swearers including Billy Connolly and Ice-T. Hurrah for obscenities!

Visit the Valentines exhibition at the wonderful Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising. This is one of my favourite London museums and this exhibition is all about the culture and history of valentines cards.

Take your loved one on a ‘haunted london’ ghost tour instead, and see the grizzlier side of Londons history…

Go on a night safari with the Natural History museum: You can choose either one of 2 experiences, depending on whether you think Valentine Day is a pleasure or a pain. Both look at the different aspects of Love in the Natural World.

See? Valentines doesn’t have to be a pile of sick. There’s lots of fun stuff to do whether you are in a relationship or not. Or there’s always the pyjama option too…

And so, even I, say to you Happy Valentines day!

Written by Hannah Bullivant on Wednesday February 9th, 2011 11:11 pm

Categories ,activism, ,Alison Day, ,Baking, ,craft, ,Craftivists, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Darkroom, ,earth, ,Ellie Sutton, ,Fruit, ,Fuck, ,Grayson Perry, ,Hannah Bullivant, ,Haunted London, ,Horror Films, ,Josie Long, ,Lili Vanilli, ,Museum of Brands Packaging and Advertising, ,natural history museum, ,Tatty Devine, ,Valentines

Amelia’s Magazine | The Porridge Cafe opens in Old Street, featuring TWWDNU and True Romance prints on the walls

Porridge Cafe Review
The much hyped Porridge Cafe opened at 70 Paul Street in East London this week: the healthy antidote to the equally hyped Cereal Killer Cafe which is just a stones throw from where I live on Brick Lane. The Cereal Killer Cafe has been ridiculously successful, with queues around the block on busy days, but surely Londoners would like something a bit more tasty and nutritious for breakfast? Step forward Nik and Elly of the Porridge Cafe. Their street food business began in 2013 as the Bow Street Kitchen, specialising in feeding the hungry tech hordes of Hoxton and the surrounding environs. Having concentrated on the provision of modern ‘British’ comfort food: think bacon butties and steak and mash, they decided that a logical next step would be to set up a (slightly) more permanent base with a pop up cafe dedicated to the most healthy comfort food of all. Plus they knew it might be a savvy move, what with oats and porridge so much in vogue.

Porridge Cafe-TWWDNU artwork
We went along to check out the cafe today, which is housed in the same pop up space where our TWWDNU prints were on show just a few weeks ago, and I am delighted to report that the very finest artworks (our A2 prints featuring 24 carat gold leaf by Cristian Grossi, Daria Hlazatova, Niall Grant and Mateusz Napieralski) are now on the walls of the cafe alongside some of the True Romance alternative cinema prints commissioned by East End Prints.

Porridge Cafe-parsley aubergine caper risotto
I tried to tempt Snarfle with some porridge mixed with a tiny bit of apple, to no avail, so I ended up paying for another plain portion which luckily he ate when liberally topped with honey (it’s his usual breakfast but we abstained this morning). For my lunch I opted for the parsley, aubergine and caper risotto (above), a colourful and intriguingly flavoured affair. I was left a wee bit hungry – maybe I’ll blame that on being pregnant – but the portions are relatively small, so make sure you top up with one of the delicious sounding fresh smoothies if you visit for lunch.

Porridge Cafe-pepper chorizo chilli barley
Roasted red pepper, chorizo and chilli barley porridge for lunch.

The porridge options for breakfast come with an assortment of fresh fruit, nuts, berries and milk: all of which sound delicious. Busy Londoners are used to splashing out on tasty food so I hope this place will become a success. If the Cereal Killer Cafe can do it surely Nik and Elly can? Make sure you check out our beautiful limited edition prints when you visit.

The Porridge Cafe offers a rotating menu that includes 11 different grains and is open until the end of March. The full menu can be found here. Read more about the story behind the TWWDNU prints here.
Opening times: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 9am-4pm

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday March 3rd, 2015 4:42 pm

Categories ,#TWWDNU, ,70 Paul Street, ,Bow Street Kitchen, ,Brick Lane, ,Cafe, ,Cereal Killer Cafe, ,Cristian Grossi, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,East End Prints, ,Food Review, ,Mateusz Napieralski, ,Niall Grant, ,Opening times, ,Pop Up Cafe, ,Porridge, ,Porridge Cafe, ,Restaurant, ,review, ,Snarfle, ,Street Food, ,True Romance

Amelia’s Magazine | The Very Best Scented Christmas Candles

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

I don’t know what it is about candles that gets me so excited. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I love beautiful smells. My house may be a mess but I quite often spritz my office with a sweetly scented room spray or light a candle to imbue a relaxing mood. I think that this is the nub of what is so brilliant about candles, 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.

willow organics candle

And of course Christmas is all about candles. Since I lived in Sweden as a little girl my family has had a tradition of lighting advent candles during the month of December – and whilst I don’t spend much time at my parent’s home anymore, 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.

Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle by Daria Hlazatova.

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

Willow candle box
willow candle box open

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

Cire_Trudon_by_Megan_Piontkowski
Cire Trudon by Megan Piontkowski.

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

Sinbad the Sailor - Fairy Tale Box - Cire Trudon

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

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

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

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

Jo Malone by Gareth A Hopkins.

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

Categories ,Advent, ,Albam, ,Beauty, ,candle, ,Christmas, ,Cire Trudon, ,Danish, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Diptyque, ,Ellie Sutton, ,Essential Oils, ,Fig, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,gifts, ,Gold Frankincense and Myrrh candle, ,hygge, ,Jo Malone, ,Kings Road, ,liberty, ,Megan Piontkowski, ,organic, ,Pine & Eucalyptus Collection, ,spitalfields, ,Spitalfields Candle Co., ,sweden, ,The Cloud Commission, ,Tocca, ,True Grace, ,Village Classic Candle, ,Willow Organic

Amelia’s Magazine | Did PC Mark “Flash” Kennedy ensure my arrest as one of the Ratcliffe 114 ?

Policeman Undercover by Daria Hlazatova.

One day a few years ago I agreed to go on an intrepid action to highlight the causes of climate change. I didn’t know where or what it would be, but as a climate activist I trust the many people that I know who are willing to invest a huge amount of time, effort and (often their own) money in taking action for climate justice. So it was that I came to be in the Iona School in Nottingham on Easter Monday, 13th April 2009. In a hall packed full of committed climate activists I discovered the sheer scale of the unbelievably audacious covert operation and as I looked around I tried to imagine how we could possibly pull it off: we all suspect that undercover cops must operate within our networks. We were fed, given instructions concerning our target and duly sent to bed in one of various rooms in the school which had been hired out for the weekend. Having made sure that my day pack was ready (warm clothes, a book, some high energy food) I rolled out my sleeping mat, got into my pyjamas, stuffed ear plugs into my ears and settled down for a short night’s sleep before we headed down to Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal fired power station in the early hours of the morning.

Ratcliffe_Disaster_Victoria_Archer
Ratcliffe Disaster by Victoria Archer.

Ratcliffe has been the focus of quite a few climate change demonstrations, not least the Great Climate Swoop, a publicly advertised assault that took place on this huge coal powered station later in 2009. Ratcliffe-on-Soar was chosen because it is one of the biggest coal fired power stations in the UK and it’s owned by E.ON, who were the energy company behind plans to build a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth (now shelved) and who were the focus of Climate Camp actions throughout 2008 and 2009. In the event of a successful shut down electricity for the surrounding area could easily be obtained from other sources.

Ratcliffe by Farzeen Jabbar.

As I went to bed there was an the air of the calm before the storm, especially after we received conflicting reports about a growing police presence near the power station. It just seemed so incredibly unlikely that out of the several hundred people involved in the planning of the action (including drivers, hosts, etc) no one could have let slip our plans. Nonetheless I was tired and soon fell asleep.

A few minutes after I dozed off I was woken by my friend screeching POLIIIIIIIIIICE in my ear. No amount of deeply inserted ear plug was going to stop me leaping into immediate bleary eyed action as I realised that the entire building was surrounded and being battered from all sides. I just had time to struggle into some decent clothing before our room was filled with policemen who immediately handcuffed us all, regardless of our state of dress. I never knew I would find out what it’s like to be treated like a terrorist, but I can now safely tell you that I do. And it was utterly surreal. We were kept in our respective rooms (chosen for the type of action we would be taking) for what seemed like hours. As we waited we could hear people singing protest songs up and down the corridor. Domestic Extremists we might be. Your standard terrorists we ain’t.

abi daker Amelia gets arrested
Amelia Gets Arrested by Abigail Daker.

I was desperately keen to take my belongings with me as we were finally led out of the room – I’ve had previous experience of them being kept by police and I knew how long it would take to get them back (nearly a year as it turned out), but my arresting officer would not allow me to pick them up despite others being allowed to do so: the first sign of a somewhat shambolic operation with far from clear instructions.

Ratcliffe on Trial by Rukmunal Hakim.

Things were shortly to get much more surreal. We were frogmarched two by two – handcuffed to our respective officers – into an impromptu photo studio that had been set up in the school nursery. Our mugshots were taken in front of the kids’ brightly coloured artwork before we were packed off into vans and taken to holding cells at police stations all over the city. I was held through the night and for most of the ensuing day. Being a well trained activist I kept to No Comment throughout my interrogation, though the investigating officer was very interested in my ear plugs (convinced they were a clue that I was headed to the noisy coal conveyor belt) and my Climate Rush badge (at that time I was still involved with the Suffragette inspired group).

My Mugshot by Alison Day.

My DNA was taken before I was eventually allowed to leave, taking none of my belongings. I was simply ejected into the night. With no money and absolutely no idea where I was in Nottingham. Fortunately there was legal support waiting in the station car park and I was scooped up and taken to a safe house. I spent another night sharing a bed with an activist before hitching the first lift out of Nottingham. By this time I was desperate to get back to London because I was worried that my house would be raided – someone else had left a piece of paper with my details on in their wallet and it had been waved at me as evidence in the police station. I spent the next few weeks worrying whether I would be raided when my interns were in the house, thereby putting their computers at risk as evidence too. In the end my worries were unfounded, though many other people were raided.

Ratcliffe Trial by Matilde Sazio.

It has taken nearly two years for this case to come to court, during which time I have not been able to talk about it for fear of affecting the outcome for the 26 who were charged (out of the original 114 activists who were arrested). Many of those spent the better part of December 2010 fighting their case in court in Nottingham. Green Party leader Caroline Lucas gave a statement and James Hansen testified. Despite comprehensive evidence proving that the climate crimes of corporations such as E.ON are way worse than anything we were planning to do, the activists were all convicted and given a mix of fines, conditional discharges and community service. Maybe the jury was won over by the prosecution argument that we would have been better off spending our time getting Cheryl Cole to promote second hand clothing. Bleurgh. The judge did however praise the defendents for their “intelligence and dedication” – climate activists are certainly some of the most clever and interesting people I know.

GarethAHopkins_Police The Community Ignore The Environment
Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins.

Six more activists were due to go to court today with a defence of Not Guilty because they had not yet decided to take part in the action when they were arrested. It was set to be an extraordinarily interesting case that would challenge the excessively expensive largest ever pre-emptive arrest, which in retrospect seems to be have been designed to capture the details of the entire UK climate activist network in one fell swoop. But their plans have at the last moment been thwarted. The reason? Our very own police mole.

Ratcliffe by Gemma Birss.

A few months ago the indymedia networks were rife with the news that a climate activist mole had been unmasked. For seven years Mark “Flash” Stone (so called because he always seemed to have lots of cash) was a familiar face on the activist circuit until he was outed by ‘close’ friends who eventually became suspicious of him. He also happened to be involved in much of the preliminary planning for the April action on Ratcliffe: hosting meetings, driving trucks and planning to lead climbers up the huge chimney stack.

Now it is revealed that Mark has left the police force, apparently ashamed of the consequences of his actions. The Ratcliffe Trial blog states that he was even planning to provide evidence in favour of the defendants he did so much to help arrest back in 2009. However it appears that outside pressures (the police he used to work for? surely not) recently caused him to withdraw his offer. The case was then mysteriously dropped in its entirety after the defence pressed the powers that be for details of Mark Kennedy’s involvement in the initial planning stages of the Ratcliffe action.

Climate Change by Jane McGuinness.

Even before today’s revelations it already seemed a sure bet that Mark’s insider knowledge helped to secure huge funding for the police raid, which cost upwards of £700,000 and ensured that officers were drafted in from across the county on huge overtime wages over Easter. That’s over £6,000 on the cost of arresting me alone. Not to mention the fact that the extremely expensive court case may have collapsed in its entirety had Mark’s involvement been known earlier. I can think of better ways to spend cash, can’t you?

GarethAHopkins_Police The Community Ignore The Environment
Police The Community Ignore The Environment by Gareth A Hopkins.

In the last year Climate Change has all but dropped off the mainstream media agenda and many of our most committed activists have been tied up in lengthy court proceedings. Yet climate change continues unabated. Next month Climate Camp will run a five day long event at Monkton Wyld Court in Dorset called A Space for Change, which will seek to “reflect and re-assess climate justice activism, re-dream what a radical movement can be and re-invigorate ourselves and our network.” There’s never been a better time to get involved in climate activism. You can find out more details here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday January 10th, 2011 12:14 pm

Categories ,A Space for Change, ,Abigail Daker, ,activism, ,Alison Day, ,Caroline Lucas, ,Cheryl Cole, ,Climate Camp, ,Climate Change, ,Climate Rush, ,coal, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Direct Action, ,DNA, ,Domestic Extremist, ,Dorset, ,E-On, ,Farzeen Jabbar, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Gemma Birss, ,Iona School, ,James Hansen, ,Jane McGuinness, ,kingsnorth, ,Mark “Flash” Stone, ,Mark Kennedy, ,Mark Stone, ,Matilde Sazio, ,Mole, ,Monkton Wyld Court, ,No Comment, ,nottingham, ,Paul Lewis, ,police, ,Ratcliffe, ,Ratcliffe 114, ,Ratcliffe On Soar, ,Rob Evans, ,Rukmunal Hakim, ,Suffragette, ,Terrorist, ,Undercover, ,Victoria Archer

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: Ashish

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: Ashish

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | Keiko Nishiyama: Ones to Watch S/S 2015 London Fashion Week Preview

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Oak fine fairtrade jewellers

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | Dem Collective: designed in Sweden by Annika Axelsson and Karin Stenmar

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | Two wheels good: London’s Borisbike cycle hire scheme proves its worth

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | Valentines oh Valentines…

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | The Porridge Cafe opens in Old Street, featuring TWWDNU and True Romance prints on the walls

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | The Very Best Scented Christmas Candles

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | Did PC Mark “Flash” Kennedy ensure my arrest as one of the Ratcliffe 114 ?

Similar Posts: