Amelia’s Magazine | So Long, Sweet Luella, and the rest…

Me & Zena Geek glasses (1)Images throughout courtesy of Me and Zena

Re-engage with your 15 year old self and fall in love with massive ‘Broken Heart’ gold necklaces, buy information pills give in to your inner nerd in the chic ‘Geek Glasses’ necklace, and take the ‘Love-o-meter’ pendant for a spin. If you want to channel Prada then there’s an ‘Atomic Robot’ key charm, or for those greedier customers, why not take the whole shop home in one of the great shopper bags, with ‘You Have The Right To Remain Romantic’ emblazoned on the side. No need to worry those of you who like a bit of matchy-matchy when it comes to accessorising, many of the pendants come in cute charm bracelet form too.

CharmBraceletThis new line of kitsch accessories comes courtesy of the eponymous, up and coming London based designer Zena McKeown. With a BA in Visual Communication from Edinburgh College of Art, Zena moved to London in 2005 to live the dream, and has seen her homemade designs go from their humble beginnings at the Brick Lane Backyard Market to gracing the pages of Vogue. Of her collection she says: “Me and Zena is about satisfying your inner stroppy teenager.”

TV SILVER 300Not only is Me & Zena jewellery easy on the eye, but it won’t break the bank either with key rings starting from £8, bracelets from £10 and necklaces from £14, a welcome relief at this time of year!

DeerBoyGold300You don’t have to go far to get your mitts on a piece of these fabulous designs, with stockists ranging from Ad Hoc, Jules and Gems and Lazy Oaf– and that’s just London. So for a bit of fun, eye-catching bling to make a bland outfit pop, hit up Me and Zena and indulge your adolescent self.
Me & Zena Geek glasses (1)Images throughout courtesy of Me and Zena

Re-engage with your 15 year old self and fall in love with massive ‘Broken Heart’ gold necklaces, cheapest give in to your inner nerd in the chic ‘Geek Glasses’ necklace, website like this and take the ‘Love-o-meter’ pendant for a spin. If you want to channel Prada then there’s an ‘Atomic Robot’ key charm, or for those greedier customers, why not take the whole shop home in one of the great shopper bags, with ‘You Have The Right To Remain Romantic’ emblazoned on the side. No need to worry those of you who like a bit of matchy-matchy when it comes to accessorising, many of the pendants come in cute charm bracelet form too.

CharmBraceletThis new line of kitsch accessories comes courtesy of the eponymous, up and coming London based designer Zena McKeown. With a BA in Visual Communication from Edinburgh College of Art, Zena moved to London in 2005 to live the dream, and has seen her homemade designs go from their humble beginnings at the Brick Lane Backyard Market to gracing the pages of Vogue. Of her collection she says: “Me and Zena is about satisfying your inner stroppy teenager.”

TV SILVER 300Not only is Me & Zena jewellery easy on the eye, but it won’t break the bank either with key rings starting from £8, bracelets from £10 and necklaces from £14, a welcome relief at this time of year!

DeerBoyGold300You don’t have to go far to get your mitts on a piece of these fabulous designs, with stockists ranging from Ad Hoc, Jules and Gems and Lazy Oaf– and that’s just London. So for a bit of fun, eye-catching bling to make a bland outfit pop, hit up Me and Zena and indulge your adolescent self.
Me & Zena Geek glasses (1)Images throughout courtesy of Me and Zena

Re-engage with your 15 year old self and fall in love with massive ‘Broken Heart’ gold necklaces, sales give in to your inner nerd in the chic ‘Geek Glasses’ necklace, capsule and take the ‘Love-o-meter’ pendant for a spin. If you want to channel Prada then there’s an ‘Atomic Robot’ key charm, or for those greedier customers, why not take the whole shop home in one of the great shopper bags, with ‘You Have The Right To Remain Romantic’ emblazoned on the side. No need to worry those of you who like a bit of matchy-matchy when it comes to accessorising, many of the pendants come in cute charm bracelet form too.

CharmBraceletThis new line of kitsch accessories comes courtesy of the eponymous, up and coming London based designer Zena McKeown. With a BA in Visual Communication from Edinburgh College of Art, Zena moved to London in 2005 to live the dream, and has seen her homemade designs go from their humble beginnings at the Brick Lane Backyard Market to gracing the pages of Vogue. Of her collection she says: “Me and Zena is about satisfying your inner stroppy teenager.”

TV SILVER 300Not only is Me & Zena jewellery easy on the eye, but it won’t break the bank either with key rings starting from £8, bracelets from £10 and necklaces from £14, a welcome relief at this time of year!

DeerBoyGold300You don’t have to go far to get your mitts on a piece of these fabulous designs, with stockists ranging from Ad Hoc, Jules and Gems and Lazy Oaf– and that’s just London. So for a bit of fun, eye-catching bling to make a bland outfit pop, hit up Me and Zena and indulge your adolescent self.
Me & Zena Geek glasses (1)Images throughout courtesy of Me and Zena

Re-engage with your 15 year old self and fall in love with massive ‘Broken Heart’ gold necklaces, viagra 40mg give in to your inner nerd in the chic ‘Geek Glasses’ necklace, pharmacy and take the ‘Love-o-meter’ pendant for a spin. If you want to channel Prada then there’s an ‘Atomic Robot’ key charm, or for those greedier customers, why not take the whole shop home in one of the great shopper bags, with ‘You Have The Right To Remain Romantic’ emblazoned on the side. No need to worry those of you who like a bit of matchy-matchy when it comes to accessorising, many of the pendants come in cute charm bracelet form too.

CharmBraceletThis new line of kitsch accessories comes courtesy of the eponymous, up and coming London based designer Zena McKeown. With a BA in Visual Communication from Edinburgh College of Art, Zena moved to London in 2005 to live the dream, and has seen her homemade designs go from their humble beginnings at the Brick Lane Backyard Market to gracing the pages of Vogue. Of her collection she says: “Me and Zena is about satisfying your inner stroppy teenager.”

TV SILVER 300Not only is Me & Zena jewellery easy on the eye, but it won’t break the bank either with key rings starting from £8, bracelets from £10 and necklaces from £14, a welcome relief at this time of year!

DeerBoyGold300You don’t have to go far to get your mitts on a piece of these fabulous designs, with stockists ranging from Ad Hoc, Jules and Gems and Lazy Oaf– and that’s just London. So for a bit of fun, eye-catching bling to make a bland outfit pop, hit up Me and Zena and indulge your adolescent self.
Some questions define a generation: where were you when JFK was shot? Or when the Berlin Wall fell? Or when Luella Bartley announced the end of her label in 2009? Whilst I may be overestimating the cultural impact of the latter, troche for lovers of the British label’s comic-book-worm meets aristocratic-party-girl designs, erectile it was a sad day indeed.

tumblr_kt3kehtXY01qa2mrvLuella SS10, malady image courtesy of Tumblr

In a year that already claimed king of Couture Christian Lacroix, the economy took another bite out of fashion when Luella announced her eponymous brand was to become the latest fashion victims of the recession. The wearable appeal of her clothes combined with a celebrity fan club spearheaded by Alexa Chung was not enough to stop Luella undeservingly and unexpectedly falling by the wayside. Anna Wintour’s inaugural stamp of approval by way of attending Luella’s premature final show suggested the label was heading for even bigger things. The cementing of Bartley’s reputation as a new national institution came earlier in 2009 when she collected the coveted Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards.

christian-lacroix-couture-spring09-gipsyChristian Lacroix Couture SS09, image courtesy of Stylefrizz.

Luella might have charmed the international stage, showing in Milan and New York, but our British capital remained her city of choice. No label out there quite captured the spirit of young London in the same irreverent but indulgent way, and whilst the clothes might be adorned with enough frills and bows to safely cater an equestrian show, there was always a unique edge to the garments that proved they were made for girls who liked to stay up all night.

tumblr_kt3kcd0cHQ1qa2mrvLuella SS10, image courtesy of Tumblr

Collections in the past have seen a nod to Ghost World, Batman, Princess Margaret and a menagerie of mismatched acid brights, but Luella’s s/s10 collection suggests that the rebellious, awkward adolescence has been left behind and from its shadow emerges a lighter feminine appeal. Trademark bows and tulle are out in force but softer 60’s inspired curves, bold polka dots and pastels are the cornerstone of Bartley’s final outing. Luella never fails to capture the imagination and her last London Fashion Week was the perfect time to showcase her romantic vision of the thrown-together-decorum of prom dresses topped with birds nest buns, proving that whilst the Luella girl has grown up she hasn’t forgotten where she’s come from, which now has a certain irony for the label too.

christian-lacroix1_1362766iChristian Lacroix AW08/09, image courtesy of Getty

So what relevance does this have for the fashion industry as a whole, you may ask. Well whilst it’s not a good thing for the industry to have lost one of the godfather’s of Couture in Lacroix, the British fashion industry and fans alike will also be reeling from the loss of one of our best loved labels in Luella. If anything good can come from this it will be that consumers – like me and you – will hopefully be much more aware of the how much money we are spending on luxury fashion, and be mindful of how fragile fashion is at present, much like every other industry.

Whilst we should support fashion in its time of need, there are many things we can do other than buy expensive items. For starters we can always do more to support independent British designers – especially those who produce and manufacture in the UK. We can also steer clear of supporting the other extreme, by not opting for disposable fashion championed at stores such as Primark. So whilst ‘we’ hate to say it, perhaps with the cyclical nature of fashion, this is nature’s way of keeping the industry accessible to designers of all abilities and financial backing. This will hopefully lead to the emergence of several new designers on the scene in the new decade, not replacing those who sadly got left in the 00’s, but honouring them by moving the industry forward as a whole.

Categories ,Alexa Chung, ,Anna Wintour, ,British Fashion Awards, ,Christian Lacroix, ,JFK, ,London Fashion Week, ,Luella Bartley, ,Nina Joyce

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Presentation Review: Orla Kiely

9Images throughout courtesy of Satu Fox

Up a winding staircase, symptoms past the lingerie gallery and through the double doors is a little haven of peace amid all the Fashion Week bustle – the deafening sounds of heels on cobbles and people falling off heels onto cobbles. A far cry from the edgier delights of On|Off or even the main tent, Orla Kiely’s presentation promises a cosy, romantic alternative world, with clothes you might want to wear despite not being Lady Gaga.

orla kiely image 1

In a 70s suburbia-inspired set of mini rooms, some rather desperate-looking housewives/models show off the super-pretty clothes and bags that are Kiely’s forte, but recently the collections have been becoming a little more interesting and a lot more covetable. I used to consider Orla Kiely to be in the Boden stable of clothes; nice enough, but more what you’d wear for a country walk with your granny than for any normal, civilised activity.

orla kiely image 6What is this item of furniture? I want one!

My ears pricked up a little when I saw last year’s crop of mustard-yellow duffle coats and colourful dresses, and things have only got better it seems. Fashion is on the lookout for a crown princess to replace Luella’s deposed Queen of Sweetness, and maybe with a little bit more playfulness, this could be the label for the job. There was also a hint of a nod in Luella’s direction in the velvet-trimmed checked suit. Again, it straighter down the line than Luella would have made it, but if you miss her so much already you feel you want to cry, this could be a place to start drying those tears.

orla kiely image 7

Behind the scenes, the label’s employees, who darted in and out, tweaking things, also looked yummy and I noticed the girls were all in mid-heel strappy wedges in red or tan leather. A bit more manageable than the platforms on the models as the mega-high-heel is one trend that just won’t die (unlike the shoulder trend, which seems to have crawled under a rock somewhere).

P2192453

My approval is not easy to buy but fresh pastries and the offer of a coffee did butter me up a bit, as these items were in short supply elsewhere at Somerset House. Drinks that were available included this ‘pre-tox drink’, which sounds distinctly unhealthy. I’m wondering who I can fob this off onto now as I foolishly carried it all the way home.

orla kiely image 3

Full disclosure: they also gave me some chocolates, some coasters and a nice bag. Orla Kiely World is a very pleasant place to be, unless you are pretending to be a valium-soaked 70s housewife. That doesn’t look very fun. Admittedly, I’d feel a bit awkward if my job was to stand incredibly still while burly men photographed me from surprising angles and random girls munched pastries while staring at my feet. Oh, fashion world!

orla kiely image 4

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Categories ,Boden, ,Fashion Week, ,Lady Gaga, ,Luella Bartley, ,Orla Kiely, ,Satu Fox

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Amelia’s Magazine | Port Eliot Festival 2014 Review: Books, Food, Comedy, Craft & Fashion

Port Eliot Festival by Maia Fjord
Port Eliot Festival by Maia Fjord.

I’ve been meaning to take in Port Eliot festival for several years but it has always been just that little bit too far away. This summer we were able to attend, thanks to a holiday in Cornwall with family.

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Once more we were blessed with a weekend of near perfect sunshine, ideal for wild and muddy swimming in the adjacent river, and the grassy banks were packed when we arrived on Friday afternoon. It’s a relatively small festival, which meant that we could pop up our tent quite close to the action. Beyond the main tented areas we traversed overgrown rhododendron paths, frolicked in a full sized maze and emerged with a spectacular view of the impressive aqueduct beneath which a couple of stand up paddle boarders were dwarfed.

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Port Eliot is not your average festival; here the usual music takes a back seat to other offerings: literary, foodie, comedic, crafty and fashionable. Thanks to some well placed connections it has built a bit of a reputation as the fashionistas’ festival, and despite the distance from London the big names return year after year. It was telling that (in comparison to my adventures at Green Earth Awakening) all the people I ran into on the site were friends I know from working in fashion.

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I liked the mix of activities, but it took awhile to get used to the workings of this festival, where queueing is a prerequisite for popular talks and workshops (I am very bad at queues, and never more so now that I have a toddler in tow). My partner tried to hear Martin Parr speak on several occasions (about his new film, which was also showing) before we finally tracked him down on the Sunday at the Dovegrey Reader tent, where the audience could sit out on the grass (and knitting is de rigeur). Lucky then that Martin Parr was speaking so many times! And obviously taking the opportunity to snap away at this most middle class of festivals. The favourite thing I took from his talk was his admission that he takes huge amount of photos, because most of them are crap. I have always believed it’s all in the edit so it was good to hear that Martin thinks so too.

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I didn’t have so much luck joining an Anthropologie workshop, having arrived at the allocated time to book a class, only to find they were already full. Instead I learnt how to crochet (at last!) with Ros Badger at The Badger Sett.

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Plenty of authors were on hand to talk about and then sign books but I only caught small parts of many talks due to toddler demands. Viv Albertine talked very engagingly about her new book Clothes Clothes Clothes Music Music Music Boys Boys Boys which I am desperate to read (Luella Bartley spotted in the audience), and I enjoyed listening to Richard Benson talk about rural life and his new book The Valley, but not so much Gruff Rhys on his US adventures (he didn’t engage). Susie Bubble was front row for a chat with fashion designer Simone Rocha and I bought a signed copy of Babette Cole’s new children’s book, inspired by her lodger, pictured above in dreadlocks and bunny ears.

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In the beautiful Walled Garden the fashion set held arty sewing workshops and a catwalk show for tweenies. I admired a clever bunting made from colourful hair weaves and the dexterity of The Flower Appreciation Society, ensuring that many ladies at the festival sported beautiful real floral headdresses.

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Every time we tried to get to the kids’ Hullabaloo area I got lost in the winding labyrinth of paths. Once there we discovered plentiful crafty workshops, theatre productions, a bouncy castle, puppet shows and comedy. Speaking of which, I managed to contain Snarfle for long enough to hear most of Robin Ince’s genius set.

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The main house was home to displays of crocheted tea cosies, cakes, flower arrangements and scarecrows. We didn’t visit the foodie tent but admired the stage set up from afar. Instead we frequented the Hix pop up in the Orangery, with food supplied by Fortnum & Mason. It was a pricey meal but we enjoyed the incongruous silver service. Elsewhere we dined on Cornish seafood, wood fired pizza and local ice cream. Food was a definite highlight!

Port Eliot Festival 2014 Review-the odd folk
Port Eliot Festival 2014 Review-love nor moneyy
Port Eliot Snarfle and Sheepie
In the early evenings Snarfle and I headed to the smallest music tent, where he jumped around to the ramshackle and rather brilliant The Odd Folk one night and electro powered drum n bass anthems from sister act Love Nor Money on the next. He is now obsessed with ‘rock guitar’ as well as banjo. Thank goodness his Sheepie doubles as a guitar/banjo/ukelele stand in.

Categories ,2014, ,Anthropologie, ,Babette Cole, ,books, ,Clothes Clothes Clothes Music Music Music Boys Boys Boys, ,comedy, ,Cornwall, ,craft, ,crochet, ,Dovegrey Reader, ,fashion, ,festival, ,Food, ,Fortnum & Mason, ,Green Earth Awakening, ,Gruff Rhys, ,Hix, ,Hullabaloo, ,knitting, ,Love Nor Money, ,Luella Bartley, ,Maia Fjord, ,Martin Parr, ,Orangery, ,Port Eliot, ,review, ,Richard Benson, ,Robin Ince, ,Ros Badger, ,Sheepie, ,Simone Rocha, ,Snarfle, ,Susie Bubble, ,The Badger Set, ,The Flower Appreciation Society, ,The Odd Folk, ,The Valley, ,viv albertine, ,Walled Garden

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