organic

Amelia’s Magazine | Pai Skincare: Organic Products for Sensitive Skin

by

Danielle Lloyd and Konnie Huq, treatment 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, 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.


Illustration by Fritha Strickland

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).


Illustration by Michelle Urval Nyrén

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).

All photography by Matt Bramford

See more of Lisa and Michelle’s illustrations in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

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.


Illustration by Fritha Strickland

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).


Illustration by Michelle Urval Nyrén

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


Illustration by Maria Papadimitriou

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).

All photography by Matt Bramford

See more of Lisa and Michelle’s illustrations in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Danielle Lloyd and Konnie Huq, troche 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, 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.


Illustration by Fritha Strickland

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).


Illustration by Michelle Urval Nyrén

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


Illustration by Maria Papadimitriou

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).

All photography by Matt Bramford

See more of Lisa and Michelle’s illustrations in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.
Sarah Brown Pai by Danielle Shepherd
Sarah Brown of Pai Skincare by Danielle Shepherd.

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
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!???

Pai Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream bottle
Pai Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream bottle.

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.

Ilustration by Erica Sharp
Illustration by Erica Sharp.

???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!???

Pai Skincare by Abigail Daker
Pai Skincare by Abigail Daker.

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.???

Pai Skin Care by Karolina Burdon
Pai Skin Care by Karolina Burdon.

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.

Pai by Gilly Rochester
Pai by Gilly Rochester.

???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

Categories ,Abigail Daker, ,Beauty, ,Chamomile & Rosehip Cream, ,Content, ,Danielle Shepherd, ,E & J Gallo Wines, ,Erica Sharp, ,Fragonia, ,Fragonia and Sea Buckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream, ,Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream, ,Gilly Rochester, ,Hollywood, ,Karolina Burdon, ,Kristen Scott Thomas, ,Marylebone, ,Natalie Portman, ,organic, ,Pai, ,Pai Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream, ,Pai Skincare, ,Sarah Brown, ,Sea Buckthorn, ,Simon Pegg, ,Skincare, ,Soil Association, ,Whole Foods Market

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Amelia’s Magazine | Shea Alchemy: Natural Handmade Skincare

by

Joe Worricker by Karina Yarv
Joe Worricker by Karina Yarv.

Joe Worricker was indeed wearing stars on his face, generic as declared on twitter twenty minutes before I arrived at his gig. I could hear Joe’s idiosyncratic voice even as I raced into this industry thick showcase at new venue XOYO, buy located just behind the main Old Street thoroughfare. He was also wearing the same clothes that he sports in his Finger-Waggers video (digital download out this week, sales though as Joe was only too happy to admit, easily downloadable somewhere online for free.)

Joe Worricker-XOYO-Photo by Amelia Gregory
Joe Worricker at XOYO. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Joe Worricker by Sarah Ushurhe
Joe Worricker by Sarah Ushurhe.

A whole 45 minutes later I was still somewhat struggling to describe Joe, who sings with a session-type band that wouldn’t look out of place on the X Factor – but then this is the lad who auditioned for that very show… and was turned down. “I think they were scared of my voice” he told me in our earlier interview. And he does indeed have an almighty set of curiously old-fashioned lungs, somewhat at odds with his outwardly trendy demeanour.

Joe Worricker by Fay Morrow
Joe Worricker by Fay Morrow.

He swung through a set which included some slow tempo tales of weddings and fairytales, before returning to his trademark upbeat tracks. “We’ve got two fun ones now, don’t worry,” he told his many friends in the audience, including what I can only presume was his granny sat pride of place in the front row, and another relative who was doing his best impression of the funky chicken.

Joe Worricker at XOYO. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Joe Worriker by Sarah Ushurhe
Joe Worricker by Sarah Ushurhe.

Joe Worricker is an intriguing proposition for Rough Trade. He’s poppy – he fronts a band without an instrument – dance-y, and a whole lot of soulful. Who knows where he fits into the current market place, but that distinctive voice paired with some jaunty tunes could well make him the next big thing. One thing’s for sure, anyone who puts their granny in the front row at their debut gig gets my vote. And bless, being the polite lad he is, he even thanked me on twitter.

Joe Worricker XOXO granny

Go check him out. And read my interview with him here.
Joe Worricker was indeed wearing stars on his face, about it as declared on twitter twenty minutes before I arrived at his gig. I could her Joe’s idiosyncratic voice even as I raced into this industry thick showcase at new venue XOYO, viagra 100mg located just behind the main Old Street thoroughfare. He was also wearing the same clothes that he sports in his Finger-Waggers video (digital download out this week, though as Joe was only too happy to admit, easily downloadable somewhere online for free.)

A whole 45 minutes later I was still somewhat struggling to describe Joe, who sings with a session-type band that wouldn’t look out of place on the X Factor – but then this is the lad who auditioned for that very show… and was turned down. “I think they were scared of my voice” he told me in our earlier interview. And he does indeed have an almighty set of curiously old-fashioned lungs, somewhat at odds with his outwardly trendy demeanour.

He swung through a set which included some slow tempo tales of weddings and fairytales, before returning to his trademark upbeat tracks. “We’ve got two fun ones now, don’t worry,” he told his many friends in the audience, including what I can only presume was his granny sat pride of place in the front row, and another relative who was doing his best impression of the funky chicken.

Joe Worricker is an intriguing proposition for Rough Trade. He’s poppy – he fronts a band without an instrument – dance-y, and a whole lot of soulful. I’m not entirely sure where he fits into the current market place, but that distinctive voice paired with some jaunty tunes could well make him the next big thing. One thing’s for sure, anyone who puts their granny in the front row at their debut gig gets my vote. Go check him out.

Being the polite lad he is, he even thanked me for coming on twitter.

Joe Worricker was indeed wearing stars on his face, this site as declared on twitter twenty minutes before I arrived at his gig. I could her Joe’s idiosyncratic voice even as I raced into this industry thick showcase at new venue XOYO, recipe located just behind the main Old Street thoroughfare. He was also wearing the same clothes that he sports in his Finger-Waggers video (digital download out this week, though as Joe was only too happy to admit, easily downloadable somewhere online for free.)

A whole 45 minutes later I was still somewhat struggling to describe Joe, who sings with a session-type band that wouldn’t look out of place on the X Factor – but then this is the lad who auditioned for that very show… and was turned down. “I think they were scared of my voice” he told me in our earlier interview. And he does indeed have an almighty set of curiously old-fashioned lungs, somewhat at odds with his outwardly trendy demeanour.

He swung through a set which included some slow tempo tales of weddings and fairytales, before returning to his trademark upbeat tracks. “We’ve got two fun ones now, don’t worry,” he told his many friends in the audience, including what I can only presume was his granny sat pride of place in the front row, and another relative who was doing his best impression of the funky chicken.

Joe Worricker is an intriguing proposition for Rough Trade. He’s poppy – he fronts a band without an instrument – dance-y, and a whole lot of soulful. I’m not entirely sure where he fits into the current market place, but that distinctive voice paired with some jaunty tunes could well make him the next big thing. One thing’s for sure, anyone who puts their granny in the front row at their debut gig gets my vote. And bless, being the polite lad he is he even thanked me on twitter.

Go check him out. And read my interview with him here.
Joe Worricker was indeed wearing stars on his face, story as declared on twitter twenty minutes before I arrived at his gig. I could her Joe’s idiosyncratic voice even as I raced into this industry thick showcase at new venue XOYO, story located just behind the main Old Street thoroughfare. He was also wearing the same clothes that he sports in his Finger-Waggers video (digital download out this week, buy information pills though as Joe was only too happy to admit, easily downloadable somewhere online for free.)

A whole 45 minutes later I was still somewhat struggling to describe Joe, who sings with a session-type band that wouldn’t look out of place on the X Factor – but then this is the lad who auditioned for that very show… and was turned down. “I think they were scared of my voice” he told me in our earlier interview. And he does indeed have an almighty set of curiously old-fashioned lungs, somewhat at odds with his outwardly trendy demeanour.

He swung through a set which included some slow tempo tales of weddings and fairytales, before returning to his trademark upbeat tracks. “We’ve got two fun ones now, don’t worry,” he told his many friends in the audience, including what I can only presume was his granny sat pride of place in the front row, and another relative who was doing his best impression of the funky chicken.

Joe Worricker is an intriguing proposition for Rough Trade. He’s poppy – he fronts a band without an instrument – dance-y, and a whole lot of soulful. I’m not entirely sure where he fits into the current market place, but that distinctive voice paired with some jaunty tunes could well make him the next big thing. One thing’s for sure, anyone who puts their granny in the front row at their debut gig gets my vote. And bless, being the polite lad he is he even thanked me on twitter.

Go check him out. And read my interview with him here.
Shea Alchemy by Cat Palairet
Shea Alchemy by Cat Palairet.

I am a big fan of cottage industries – after all, cialis 40mg I am one myself. In the first of an ongoing series that will profile ethical skincare and makeup brands, let me introduce you to Shea Alchemy founder Sally Mumford. Having discovered her creams some years ago (at a market) I can indeed testify that they are very yummy… Here she talks about how she set up her business and why it is possible to avoid spending a fortune on good quality natural skincare.

Shea Alchemy founder Sally Mumford by Charlotte Hoyle
Shea Alchemy founder Sally Mumford by Charlotte Hoyle.

What did you do before you set up Shea Alchemy?
I was marketing manager at Random House publishers. Absolutely nothing to do with skincare. After having my kids I wanted to be around at home more so I went freelance from home as a graphic designer and copywriter. This all sounds totally unrelated but has actually helped me set up the business as I haven’t had to pay designers or marketing people which would have cost a fortune and I did know about running a business.

Shea Alchemy pots

What prompted you to set up shop? Where did you learn how to make skincare products and where would you recommend that budding skin magicians go to train?
I went to stay with a friend in the States when I was a freelance designer and met a woman who was really into natural skincare who told me all about all the rubbish that is in so many commercial skin creams. I was pretty horrified and bought some ‘natural’ creams made by a company called Arbonne. I loved them but they were INCREDIBLY expensive. When they ran out I looked at the ingredients list and, being a practical kind of person, (and miserly), I thought I’m sure I could make this myself and save myself £100’s. So, I bought a natural beauty recipe book from Amazon and with Claire, my daughter, I set off to Neal’s Yard and spent a fortune on natural ingredients (far more than £100 in the end) and came home and had fun in the kitchen. We squashed beetroot through sieves, blocked the sink with melted beeswax and made all kinds of weird and wonderful concoctions. That was just the beginning but I got hooked on it. I did loads of reading, experimenting and talking to various chemists and toxicologists. I researched ingredient properties and finally, once I had decided I wanted to sell my creams, rather than just giving them to friends and family as I had been – I went on a course run by Aromantic in Fulham to find out how to make sure they didn’t curdle or go off and to learn about the legal side of things.

Shea Alchemy by Alison Day
Shea Alchemy by Alison Day.

Why Shea Butter? Do you ever feel tempted to throw another substitute product in the mix?
On that first Neal’s Yard trip in 2003 we bought some shea butter just because it was in one of the recipes I fancied making. I really liked its texture and the feel of it on my skin. When I read about its properties I decided to make it the theme of my creams. Shea butter is fantastically good for the skin and has been used for centuries in Africa as a natural skin moisturiser. It helps heal scars, offers natural sun protection, soothes eczema and a whole range of dry skin conditions and is also used as a hair conditioner. We mix it with other ingredients though as in its basic unrefined form it is hard and wax like and needs warming before use.

How do you source your shea butter? What led you to Ghana?
We get our fairtrade, unrefined shea butter via a child rights organisation in Ghana called Afrikids and it is made in a woman’s fairtrade cooperative. Ghana is the main place for Shea butter and as a friend of mine had some Ghanaian contacts it seemed the natural place to head for.

SheaAlchemyBottleIllustration_by_JessGu
Illustration by Jess Gurr.

What other products do you add to the shea butter and where do you find these?
We use organic oils such as olive, apricot kernel, thistle and avocado, aloe vera, horse chestnut extract and cocoa butter. We use spring water which we get from my cousin’s farm in Northants where they have a natural spring. They bottle and sell their water and I am sure this is why our creams are so good for sensitive skins because our water is SOOOO pure. We use an emulsifier – cetyl alcohol, which comes from coconut oil – to blend the fats and the water together. We scent the creams with organic essential oils. All our ingredients are sourced from different companies.

Can you explain a bit of the process behind the making your products?
It’s a cross between cooking and chemistry! Lots of heating, cooling, whisking and stirring. Heating has to be very precise and timing is crucial. In the early days we had loads of disasters with curdled messes in saucepans but now we have it down to a fine art. The cooks in the company are Prue (my sister), Emma (my oldest friend) and me. Emma has a science background and that helps a lot.

Shea Alchemy by Karina Yarv
Shea Alchemy market stall by Karina Yarv.

Why is selling in markets so important to you, and which markets do you sell in?
Selling at markets is great because it really keeps you in touch with the people who buy our stuff and what they want. We love the feedback and because we are a tiny company we can actually act on it. If people say they love the smell of geranium for example – we go and get organic essential oil of geranium and add it to stuff. If people show interest in hemp oil for example or blackcurrant seed or blackseed oil etc (as they have done) we can add it to products. We do have to get every recipe toxicology tested though before selling it so its not totally ad hoc. We sell at Broadway Market in London Fields every Saturday and Brick Lane Upmarket in the Truman Brewery on Sundays. We also do one off markets in York (we are there loads over Christmas), Suffolk, Brighton etc. Our website is regularly updated with our plans for the next month and every Friday we confirm our venues via twitter. I chose Broadway and Brick Lane as regular markets because they are GREAT venues and I love being there! Lots of people, lots of great stalls and really friendly stall holders. If I am going to spend my weekends working I want to make sure I am going to enjoy myself.

How do you work between Crouch End and York?
I am based in Crouch End and make stuff in my kitchen and sell at markets in London. Emma makes it in her kitchen in York,  services most of the web orders and sells at York markets. My sister, Prue, makes creams in her kitchen in Northants and brings batches of cream up to me on a weekly basis.

SheaAlchemy by Reena Makwana
Illustration by Reena Makwana.

What are your new products?
Our new products are Cyclists’ Sore Bits Cream and Cyclists All Weather Face protection because we have had loads of cyclists asking for specialist creams – particularly on Broadway market. We also do a blusher and tinted moisturiser because it is simple to just add mineral tints to our existing creams. We don’t have plans to extend the make up range but these two products fit comfortably with the rest of our products.

All your products come in distinctive little tins and pots – why have you decided to package them in this way and what inspired the distinctive bright design?
I just liked the idea of tins because they are really practical, unsquashable and have a kind of basic honesty about them – no fake bottoms here. I did some basic market research before becoming a Ltd company and the results of the survey I did showed that people wanted something a bit different that would stand out from the endless white boxes. I design all our packaging myself and I love bright colours. I looked at lots of Ghanaian batiks for inspiration and the borders of all our tins are based on a batik I liked.

Shea Alchemy Stall by Charlotte Hoyle
Shea Alchemy Stall by Charlotte Hoyle.

Why are gift boxes such a good idea for a small brand like yours?
I think people like to buy presents that are packaged in some way so it made sense to put combinations of creams together. I have to admit I love little bags, boxes, tissue and ribbon so it gave me a great excuse to go and spend loads of money at the packaging factory!

What are your dreams for the future of your brand?
Oh wow … Well, I think we want to stay small. This company is a lifestyle for us rather than an ambition to make mega bucks. We like messing around in the kitchen and making lovely products. If we were to go into shops and get big, our recipes would have to be made in a factory, we would need a distribution network and a production line and who wants to spend their days dealing with all that hassle and the stress of borrowing large amounts of money? If we just sell online and at markets the other great thing is we can keep our prices very competitive because our overheads are massively reduced.  We do want to make a bit more money than we do at the moment though … I think online sales are the way to go. So check out our website www.sheaalchemy.co.uk and start doing your christmas shopping!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday November 17th, 2010 4:07 pm

Categories ,Afrikids, ,Alison Day, ,aloe vera, ,apricot kernel, ,Arbonne, ,Aromantic, ,Avocado, ,Brick Lane, ,Broadway Market, ,Cat Palairet, ,Charlotte Hoyle, ,Chemistry, ,Cocoa Butter, ,course, ,Crouch End, ,cycling, ,fairtrade, ,ghana, ,horse chestnut extract, ,Jess Gurr, ,Karina Yarv, ,Kitchen, ,Market Stalls, ,Neal’s Yard, ,Olive Oil, ,organic, ,Random House, ,Reena Makwana, ,Sally, ,Sally Mumford, ,Shea Alchemy, ,Shea Butter, ,Skincare, ,Sunday Upmarket, ,Thistle, ,Truman Brewery, ,York

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Amelia’s Magazine | Shea Alchemy: Natural Handmade Skincare

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Shea Alchemy by Cat Palairet
Shea Alchemy by Cat Palairet.

I am a big fan of cottage industries – after all, I am one myself. In the first of an ongoing series that will profile ethical skincare and makeup brands, let me introduce you to Shea Alchemy founder Sally Mumford. Having discovered her creams some years ago (at a market) I can indeed testify that they are very yummy… Here she talks about how she set up her business and why it is possible to avoid spending a fortune on good quality natural skincare.

Shea Alchemy founder Sally Mumford by Charlotte Hoyle
Shea Alchemy founder Sally Mumford by Charlotte Hoyle.

What did you do before you set up Shea Alchemy?
I was marketing manager at Random House publishers. Absolutely nothing to do with skincare. After having my kids I wanted to be around at home more so I went freelance from home as a graphic designer and copywriter. This all sounds totally unrelated but has actually helped me set up the business as I haven’t had to pay designers or marketing people which would have cost a fortune and I did know about running a business.

Shea Alchemy pots

What prompted you to set up shop? Where did you learn how to make skincare products and where would you recommend that budding skin magicians go to train?
I went to stay with a friend in the States when I was a freelance designer and met a woman who was really into natural skincare who told me all about all the rubbish that is in so many commercial skin creams. I was pretty horrified and bought some ‘natural’ creams made by a company called Arbonne. I loved them but they were INCREDIBLY expensive. When they ran out I looked at the ingredients list and, being a practical kind of person, (and miserly), I thought I’m sure I could make this myself and save myself £100’s. So, I bought a natural beauty recipe book from Amazon and with Claire, my daughter, I set off to Neal’s Yard and spent a fortune on natural ingredients (far more than £100 in the end) and came home and had fun in the kitchen. We squashed beetroot through sieves, blocked the sink with melted beeswax and made all kinds of weird and wonderful concoctions. That was just the beginning but I got hooked on it. I did loads of reading, experimenting and talking to various chemists and toxicologists. I researched ingredient properties and finally, once I had decided I wanted to sell my creams, rather than just giving them to friends and family as I had been – I went on a course run by Aromantic in Fulham to find out how to make sure they didn’t curdle or go off and to learn about the legal side of things.

Shea Alchemy by Alison Day
Shea Alchemy by Alison Day.

Why Shea Butter? Do you ever feel tempted to throw another substitute product in the mix?
On that first Neal’s Yard trip in 2003 we bought some shea butter just because it was in one of the recipes I fancied making. I really liked its texture and the feel of it on my skin. When I read about its properties I decided to make it the theme of my creams. Shea butter is fantastically good for the skin and has been used for centuries in Africa as a natural skin moisturiser. It helps heal scars, offers natural sun protection, soothes eczema and a whole range of dry skin conditions and is also used as a hair conditioner. We mix it with other ingredients though as in its basic unrefined form it is hard and wax like and needs warming before use.

How do you source your shea butter? What led you to Ghana?
We get our fairtrade, unrefined shea butter via a child rights organisation in Ghana called Afrikids and it is made in a woman’s fairtrade cooperative. Ghana is the main place for Shea butter and as a friend of mine had some Ghanaian contacts it seemed the natural place to head for.

SheaAlchemyBottleIllustration_by_JessGu
Illustration by Jess Gurr.

What other products do you add to the shea butter and where do you find these?
We use organic oils such as olive, apricot kernel, thistle and avocado, aloe vera, horse chestnut extract and cocoa butter. We use spring water which we get from my cousin’s farm in Northants where they have a natural spring. They bottle and sell their water and I am sure this is why our creams are so good for sensitive skins because our water is SOOOO pure. We use an emulsifier – cetyl alcohol, which comes from coconut oil – to blend the fats and the water together. We scent the creams with organic essential oils. All our ingredients are sourced from different companies.

Can you explain a bit of the process behind the making your products?
It’s a cross between cooking and chemistry! Lots of heating, cooling, whisking and stirring. Heating has to be very precise and timing is crucial. In the early days we had loads of disasters with curdled messes in saucepans but now we have it down to a fine art. The cooks in the company are Prue (my sister), Emma (my oldest friend) and me. Emma has a science background and that helps a lot.

Shea Alchemy by Karina Yarv
Shea Alchemy market stall by Karina Yarv.

Why is selling in markets so important to you, and which markets do you sell in?
Selling at markets is great because it really keeps you in touch with the people who buy our stuff and what they want. We love the feedback and because we are a tiny company we can actually act on it. If people say they love the smell of geranium for example – we go and get organic essential oil of geranium and add it to stuff. If people show interest in hemp oil for example or blackcurrant seed or blackseed oil etc (as they have done) we can add it to products. We do have to get every recipe toxicology tested though before selling it so its not totally ad hoc. We sell at Broadway Market in London Fields every Saturday and Brick Lane Upmarket in the Truman Brewery on Sundays. We also do one off markets in York (we are there loads over Christmas), Suffolk, Brighton etc. Our website is regularly updated with our plans for the next month and every Friday we confirm our venues via twitter. I chose Broadway and Brick Lane as regular markets because they are GREAT venues and I love being there! Lots of people, lots of great stalls and really friendly stall holders. If I am going to spend my weekends working I want to make sure I am going to enjoy myself.

How do you work between Crouch End and York?
I am based in Crouch End and make stuff in my kitchen and sell at markets in London. Emma makes it in her kitchen in York,  services most of the web orders and sells at York markets. My sister, Prue, makes creams in her kitchen in Northants and brings batches of cream up to me on a weekly basis.

SheaAlchemy by Reena Makwana
Illustration by Reena Makwana.

What are your new products?
Our new products are Cyclists’ Sore Bits Cream and Cyclists All Weather Face protection because we have had loads of cyclists asking for specialist creams – particularly on Broadway market. We also do a blusher and tinted moisturiser because it is simple to just add mineral tints to our existing creams. We don’t have plans to extend the make up range but these two products fit comfortably with the rest of our products.

All your products come in distinctive little tins and pots – why have you decided to package them in this way and what inspired the distinctive bright design?
I just liked the idea of tins because they are really practical, unsquashable and have a kind of basic honesty about them – no fake bottoms here. I did some basic market research before becoming a Ltd company and the results of the survey I did showed that people wanted something a bit different that would stand out from the endless white boxes. I design all our packaging myself and I love bright colours. I looked at lots of Ghanaian batiks for inspiration and the borders of all our tins are based on a batik I liked.

Shea Alchemy Stall by Charlotte Hoyle
Shea Alchemy Stall by Charlotte Hoyle.

Why are gift boxes such a good idea for a small brand like yours?
I think people like to buy presents that are packaged in some way so it made sense to put combinations of creams together. I have to admit I love little bags, boxes, tissue and ribbon so it gave me a great excuse to go and spend loads of money at the packaging factory!

What are your dreams for the future of your brand?
Oh wow … Well, I think we want to stay small. This company is a lifestyle for us rather than an ambition to make mega bucks. We like messing around in the kitchen and making lovely products. If we were to go into shops and get big, our recipes would have to be made in a factory, we would need a distribution network and a production line and who wants to spend their days dealing with all that hassle and the stress of borrowing large amounts of money? If we just sell online and at markets the other great thing is we can keep our prices very competitive because our overheads are massively reduced.  We do want to make a bit more money than we do at the moment though … I think online sales are the way to go. So check out our website www.sheaalchemy.co.uk and start doing your christmas shopping!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday November 17th, 2010 4:07 pm

Categories ,Afrikids, ,Alison Day, ,aloe vera, ,apricot kernel, ,Arbonne, ,Aromantic, ,Avocado, ,Brick Lane, ,Broadway Market, ,Cat Palairet, ,Charlotte Hoyle, ,Chemistry, ,Cocoa Butter, ,course, ,Crouch End, ,cycling, ,fairtrade, ,ghana, ,horse chestnut extract, ,Jess Gurr, ,Karina Yarv, ,Kitchen, ,Market Stalls, ,Neal’s Yard, ,Olive Oil, ,organic, ,Random House, ,Reena Makwana, ,Sally, ,Sally Mumford, ,Shea Alchemy, ,Shea Butter, ,Skincare, ,Sunday Upmarket, ,Thistle, ,Truman Brewery, ,York

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Amelia’s Magazine | Sustainable Fashion – an oxymoron?

by

J Maskrey shone through at London Fashion Week as one of the most individual shows I saw during my time there; no doubt a favourite. Producing a collection of ‘body jewellery’ is no doubt an original idea, treatment but the works of art presented were so much more than that.
P2200136

Stunning creations combining leopard print, more about names, symbols and glitter swept down the catwalk in an array of twinkling designs and pumping music. Clothing-wise black dominated the colour palette, whilst the sparkling jewels added a playful, brightening edge. Statement shoulders popped up once again, as did pleating, incorporated into waist tied and bandeau mini dresses. Menswear combined huge fur headdresses with little else except J Maskrey’s stunning compositions of crosses, hearts, stars and more; all made up of the same shimmering body art. One item that caught my eye was a cute ‘love’ and ‘hate’ set that had been carefully presented across one of the female models’ hands.

As J Maskrey’s inspiration was primarily a 1932 film called, ‘The Mask of Fu Man Chu’, it came as no surprise to see aspects of the geisha tradition. Extravagant head pieces in the nature of fans dominated the second part of the women’s wear pieces, alongside major aspects of the sheer trend and a mini skirt with an incredibly manipulated hem. Where menswear consisted of a little more coverage there were black, cosy jumpers combined with elegant golden chains and clasps holding the front together. As the show progressed out came small 1920s style sequin caps, and what appeared to be strips of plastic around dresses that accentuated the female form. This was juxtaposed strongly against softer pieces, with heavy knitwear influences and aspects of crochet.

A female torso decorated with body jewellery that looked like splatters of dripping paint, and a rather revealing leopard print strip mini dress that glistened away throughout the finale were definitely outstanding pieces. J Maskrey’s originality is definitely something that many designers lust after, after all nobody wants to be the same. It was one show that definitely caught people’s attention, and as the show came to an end it was clear many had seen nothing like it before.

J Maskrey shone through at London Fashion Week as one of the most individual shows I saw during my time there; no doubt a favourite. Producing a collection of ‘body jewellery’ is no doubt an original idea, abortion but the works of art presented were so much more than that.

P2200136

Photography throughout courtesy of Camilla Sampson

Stunning creations combining leopard print, view names, buy symbols and glitter swept down the catwalk in an array of twinkling designs and pumping music. Clothing-wise black dominated the colour palette, whilst the sparkling jewels added a playful, brightening edge. Statement shoulders popped up once again, as did pleating, incorporated into waist tied and bandeau mini dresses. Menswear combined huge fur headdresses with little else except J Maskrey’s stunning compositions of crosses, hearts, stars and more; all made up of the same shimmering body art. One item that caught my eye was a cute ‘love’ and ‘hate’ set that had been carefully presented across one of the female models’ hands.

P2200109

As J Maskrey’s inspiration was primarily a 1932 film called, ‘The Mask of Fu Man Chu’, it came as no surprise to see aspects of the geisha tradition. Extravagant head pieces in the nature of fans dominated the second part of the women’s wear pieces, alongside major aspects of the sheer trend and a mini skirt with an incredibly manipulated hem. Where menswear consisted of a little more coverage there were black, cosy jumpers combined with elegant golden chains and clasps holding the front together. As the show progressed out came small 1920s style sequin caps, and what appeared to be strips of plastic around dresses that accentuated the female form. This was juxtaposed strongly against softer pieces, with heavy knitwear influences and aspects of crochet.

P2200111

A female torso decorated with body jewellery that looked like splatters of dripping paint, and a rather revealing leopard print strip mini dress that glistened away throughout the finale were definitely outstanding pieces. J Maskrey’s originality is definitely something that many designers lust after, after all nobody wants to be the same. It was one show that definitely caught people’s attention, and as the show came to an end it was clear many had seen nothing like it before.
We’re telling you, treatment this Pam Hogg review nearly didn’t happen. The tickets were hierarchically graded in insidiously gradual decline from two gold stars, information pills one gold star, silver, bronze, green, red and right down to a paltry black dot, and then nothing at all. And THEN there were even those without the very tickets themselves– a sort of complex modern-day feudal system testament to the patience of the On/Off staff dealing with a practically feral audience desperate to catch a glimpse of Peaches Geldof, or at least what you could see of her beneath those Rapunzel hair extensions of hers.

Illustration by Jenny Robins

Illustration courtesy of Jenny Robins

We got in eventually, though, and squeezed in at the back next to a cosy concrete pillar and spotted Nick Cave, Pearl Lowe and Nick Knight hidden amongst the throng of transvestites and somebody dressed as a giant inflatable woman in a Union Jack dress, presumably sweaty as hell. Featuring a front row resembling the entire cast of a Terry Gilliam movie gone to Ascot, the venue was rammed to maximum capacity by a crowd in such close quarters that it wouldn’t have been surprising if we’d all begun absorbing into one another via osmosis.

Images courtesy of Catwalking

lingerie

With a typically spirited collection, Hogg proved that romance in fact was not dead, even if it looked like it had been hacked at with a pair of scissors by Catwoman: here was a vision of sumptuous naughtiness with furry collared tulle capes, girly sequins and white bows combined with platform heels, bondage straps, sheer panels plunging right below the midriff – and neat little fluffy merkins (yep). Catsuits came in gold and silver metallics paired with mean-looking hooker boots, which evolved into chic cocktail dresses that you could comfortably man a spaceship in, a dual purpose of course characteristic of Hogg’s designs that has made her the favourite of wacky dressers across the land. We particularly liked the iridescent black trenchcoats, and goggled at the pants constructed entirely from ribbon.

HOGG_AW10_0131

HOGG_AW10_0239

The raucous applause that followed might have been led by celebrities letting the rest of us know what jolly good mates they are with Hogg, but purely as a brand, Hogg’s energetic vision – in an industry increasingly bereft of leaders – is pretty valuable to fashion lovers everywhere. Even if we could only see half the catwalk.
Diamante2

Illustrations by Zoe Barker

Sustainable Fashion, viagra 60mg what does that mean? This was the question posed by Vanessa Friedman at the beginning of London Fashion Week’s Estethica guide. I approached LFW with a fair amount of scepticism. Despite wearing my UK Press Pass with the secret pride reserved for a total LFW novice like moi, more about bien sûr, and being in total awe of how much work our fashion ed Rachael, all the writers, photographers and illustrators had put into it all, I was hesitant.

Handle_with_care

Is fashion that great? One part of me thinks it’s essential to be constantly re-inventing and changing things, challenging what we take as a given and celebrating new creativity. And that fashion is another form of individual and social expression and even a tool for rebellion against restrictive archaic norms. But another part thinks that the fashion industry is responsible for an attitude that waste is OK as long as it provides a fleeting moment of self-centred happiness, and that we need to be constantly re-inventing the way we look. That fashion stands for endless buying, and the sanctioning of a kind of mass egomania. Alternatively, it means the production of things that are so well made they will last forever, but which are destined for an elite few whose monthly wages allow for it. So should this kind of thinking now be greened and made sustainable? Hmm…it doesn’t really appeal. And, while it admittedly takes a very narrow view of fashion, I loved Tanya Gold’s blunt, honest piece on ‘Why I Hate Fashion’ in The Guardian a few weeks ago. It does raise the question though: what does fashion, let alone sustainable fashion, even mean?

The concept of eco-fashion has always grated a bit, probably because my purse-strings don’t stretch so far (and of course never will do if I try to pursue writing as a career), but also because, at the upmarket end, it smacks of elitism and the opportunity to not only redeem yourself, but to then preach to others about how fantastic it makes you feel. Oh great, we can still carry on buying loads of expensive crap, because now it’s ‘organic’. Dear 90% of the planet, don’t worry! We will save you with our brand new ethical consumer habits! One fabulous certified organic fair-trade handbag at a time. It’s a typical voting with our credit cards kind of scenario, and it leaves those that can’t or don’t want to buy into the consumer ‘revolution’ (i.e. the vast majority of human beings on the planet) somewhat disenfranchised.

Make_do

Once upon a time I used to make and wear almost all my own clothes. Charity shops on the high street near my school were my Topshop. My thinking was, I can spend a fiver and get lots of unexpected random things from the clearance rail of a charity shop, have some fun cutting it up and sewing it back together, and wear it with pride even if it’s falling apart, or spend £30 (which represented a whole day’s work in my Saturday job) in Topshop on something made in a sweatshop and that there are 20 identical versions of on the rail. A battered old Singer sewing machine helped me to produce most of my 6th form wardrobe, and, admittedly, a trail of fashion disasters whose only purpose became household rags.

I loved sitting at my sewing machine, attacking things with scissors, making bags out of skirts, skirts out of dresses, dresses out of huge shirts, going to the bargain haberdashery stalls at markets and hunting out what I needed that week. None of my creations were planned or measured, so it was hardly difficult! My sister and I put on a crazy fashion show at school which consisted of t-shirts with massive holes, paint splodges, mini skirts made of tracksuit bottoms, dresses made of old saris, ripped tights, and asked our friends, our catwalk models, to just dance to The Hives album we decided would be the full volume soundtrack to our show.

Our music teacher loved it, but I think the rest of the Senior Management Team would have preferred something a little more conservative. Only recently have I discovered that what I was doing could technically have been called upcycling, and that an increasing amount of designers are turning to it, with much greater skill and expertise than I had when I was 16, clearly. There were a few designers using upcycling that I really liked in the Estethica rooms. Notably Goodone who collaborate with Heba Women’s Project, and Lu Flux. Kudos also to Izzy Lane with their beautiful wares and their strong animal welfare message (they use wool from sheep that have been saved from slaughter), extending our concept of equality beyond the human realm.

Britain generates 1 million tonnes of textile landfill every year. Textile recycling companies like LMB in London and I and J Cohen in Manchester collect between 170 and 200 tonnes of unwanted clothes and materials each week! Humans have been ‘upcycling’ since the beginning of time, making do with what’s there and improving it if need be. But it’s only recently that we have the opportunity and need to deal with quite such vast mountains of junk. So having it officially adopted as a fashion movement is a no-brainer, really. Companies will soon be jumping on the bandwagon left right and centre trying to prove that they have included a scrap of reclaimed materials in their collections.

This is why it is important, in my opinion, to remember that this should be an opportunity to move away from normal fashion consumption. One of the reasons I like upcycling is that it means we can be involved in the evolution and life cycle of an object rather than just being consumers of it. The designer also gains a much broader significance. This should definitely be an opportunity to get more people interested and able to partake in the production of clothes, rather than purely their ‘consumption.’

Upcycling, on a small scale, isn’t an expensive venture. Hopefully more people will be inspired to stop looking at products as a finished thing that can be bought, used, then thrown away, whether by DIYing and attending workshops, or supporting designers for whom upcycling and recycling is a central issue. Upcycled fashion is ecologically and socially conscious without being righteous or moralistic. It challenges our perception of waste and shows how it can be transformed into something beautiful and useful. It is a way to reclaim ‘fashion’, rethink our notion of eco-fashion, and bring ecology into yet more creative hands, rather than leaving it as an issue to debate over while scientists, politicians and lobbyists bicker it out to infinity. We don’t have to go far to find these ecological textiles, they are in recycling centres, charity shops, and our wardrobes and cost next to nothing. And second hand sewing machines aren’t hard to find either. For now though, I leave fashion writing well and truly to the pros. 

Written by Zofia Walczak on Thursday February 25th, 2010 1:27 pm

Categories ,diy, ,Eco fashion, ,estethica, ,goodone, ,Goodone Clothing, ,Izzy Lane, ,Junky Styling, ,London Fashion Week, ,Lu Flux, ,organic, ,Sewing machine, ,singer, ,Somerset House, ,Sustainable Fashion, ,Tanya Gold, ,The Guardian, ,Upcycling, ,Vanessa Friedman, ,Zöe Barker

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Amelia’s Magazine | A Look into the Herby World of Tea

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Illustration by Nina Hunter

I went travelling this summer and it was an amazing experience…but don’t worry I’m not going to bore all readers with stories of finding myself whilst contemplating life on the top of a mountain. One thing I did do though, pilule was visit a tea plantation in the Cameron Highlands. It was the Boh plantation and I was taken on a nice little tour of the factory and the fields – it all looked very pretty and appealing. I realise now that the tea they were growing was more than likely sprayed with chemicals and had extras added once it had dried.

Tea is big, stuff competitive business, especially here in the UK. Pukka Teas are one of the few companies to recognise the new demands consumers are making on what they drink, for example where it has come from and what good it will do to the body. I spoke to founder and herbologist Sebastian Pole to find out why he has developed the fairtrade, organic company.

The press day was a very relaxed affair at the Crimson Bar in the Soho Hotel, with every tea from the range available plus a lovely selection of cakes and biscuits. After settling down, Sebastian explained the ethos behind the business to me ‘I didn’t just want to sell, there are enough companies out there looking for sales’. A herbologist by trade, making money in the big bad world of business is far from his mind, ‘I wanted people to start looking for quality when they buy their tea. Any tea that is not organic is likely to have been sprayed and there is no reason for this’ he told me.

Illustration by Laurie King

At the moment the majority of the range is tea, but they are expanding. With health supplements proving to be successful, Sebastian told me that he is using his contacts in India and Sri Lanka to source more sustainably produced supplements. Based on foods (such as new superfood mushroom) instead of chemicals, the nutrients they release into the body last much longer.

Already making ripples in the consumer market, Pukka Teas has picked up a celebrity fan in the shape of supermodel Erin O’Connor (star of M&S campaigns, read our interview of their illustrator here). She was so keen on the teas she set up the sanctuary spa at London Fashion Week 2008 as an area for the models to relax and unwind with Detox teas. For the moment, Sebastian is working on getting all of the teas certified as fair trade, and will continue to practice the brands lifestyle choice of ‘ayurveda’, the art of living wisely.

Sebastian founded the Pukka Teas company with Tim Westwell in 2001

Written by Florence Massey on Thursday November 4th, 2010 2:48 pm

Categories ,Erin O’Connor, ,Fair Trade, ,India, ,Laurie King, ,London Fashion Week, ,M&S, ,Nina Hunter, ,organic, ,Pukka Teas, ,Sebastian Pool, ,Soho Hotel, ,Sri Lanka

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Amelia’s Magazine | Akamuti: natural organic skincare from Wales

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[IMAGE] Reeds

Laura Ward has both striking portraits and moody black and white landscapes in her portfolio, viagra but what initially drew me to her work was her‘mirror’ set on Flickr. It’s a very low-key selection of random and sometimes a bit blurry shots, more about taken in a plethora of shiny surfaces. The photographer is always in the picture, generic half-hidden behind the camera, and you can practically hear her going ‘ooooh, shiny!’ as she goes for a quick snap in a car mirror, shop window or water-stained bathroom.

But don’t get me wrong – Laura takes ‘proper’ photos too. This includes some really excellent portraits, skillful and professional but always with a slight quirk. Then there are the airy landscapes and the soft, abstracts shots of female figures, not to mention the surprising plays with layers and light. Laura’s long list of previous exhibitions, past, present and future, demonstrates that this girl isn’t just talented, she also has drive and passion in spades. I think we will be hearing more from Laura – lots more.

[IMAGE] Self-portrait (2)

Your new exhibition with photography group Effra FC is showing now in Camberwell. Tell us a little about Effra please.

Effra FC is a South London collective of photographers, with varying levels of skill and styles, who meet once a month in a local pub. Over the last few years it’s grown from a handful of strangers into a 90+ group. Effra has favoured low-fi (ie free) techniques to show work in the past. Mark from Sun & Doves invited us to put on our first professional show and 16 members opted in. It’s a wonderfully eclectic group of people who don’t take Effra FC too seriously. I think that is what makes it work. I’m really proud to be a part of it.

[IMAGE]
Ponies, on show now with Effra.

Effra started as a Flickr group. It seems to me everyone who uses Flickr adores this site. What is it about this site that resonnates so strongly with its users?

The simplicity of Flickr is one of the reasons that we’re all photographers now. I remember the excitement of taking my pictures out of a static website and having this new interactive audience at my fingertips. Having strangers comment on your work is a thrill. It’s also a huge source of inspiration and reference as it’s saturated with so many impressive photographers and ideas.
[IMAGE] Self-portrait (1)

Your CV of photography exhibitions is impressive. Could you tell us about a favourite project please?

Thank you. I tend to favour projects that take me out of my comfort zone. That said, my favourite project is one called ‘Unthought’. I work on images collaboratively with Belgian photographer Stefan Vanthuyne. We don’t discuss how we do it and quite often it doesn’t work, but that is part of the process. Photography can be very isolating, so ‘Unthought’ is a very happy friendship. I also worked on ‘The Apollo Project’ with Jonny Hughes where we took over a shop for a month and turned it into an art/music venue. I could write a book about that month, so that was definitely significant. As soon as those doors opened, it belonged to the community.

[IMAGE] Unthought

Your previous show was the group exhibition ‘Send me a postcard darling’. What was the thought behind this, and how did you get the enchanting Melissa Auf Der Maur to participate?

I decided to book The Red Gate gallery in south London with the aim of doing something similar to shows in Nottingham and New York. SMAPD evolved into its own little thing thanks to the people that got involved. Postcards are such an accessible format for everyone to produce but it’s a size that can challenge you. A couple of established artists commented on how difficult the format was to work with. I remember seeing one of Melissa’s photographs many years ago which I was really drawn to. It was a self portrait called something like ‘When I’m sad, my nose bleeds’. She’s so supportive of creative projects like this so I just asked her. Having established artists like Melissa Auf der Maur, Chad Van Gaalen and John Riordan means more people might come along and take a look at the work of home studio heroes.

[IMAGE] Autumn

Is there a new project coming up which you can tell us about?

I’ve started planning a new project which is partly inspired by the film ‘The Double Life of Véronique’. At the moment it’s a portrait series of 10 people who lead double lives, or those who do one thing to fund something else. I’m really interested in layers and mystique in subjects and they’ll probably be multi-exposed. I’m also hoping that 2011 takes me out of my comfort zone, which is why I’m taking part in Sonny Malhotra’s ProAm Project.

You have an international background. Do you consider London your home? How does taking photos around London compare with photographing other places?

I’m 32 now and having lived in so many places, I can make anywhere feel like home but London is the one place I feel comfortable. I like diversity, uncertainty and the fact that I have friends from all over the world in the same place. I live in Herne Hill which is a wonderfully friendly little melting pot of the best of all worlds and I can’t help but take photographs of it. That said, I need to get out of it fairly regularly to be able to appreciate it. I’ve done very little London life photography this year and I’d like to get back into it.

[IMAGE] She makes war

Your website and Flickr stream has an impressively wide range of photos and styles. You have these amazing, intense portraits as well as the really fun, playful stuff. What kind of photography is your favourite?

I’ll take photographs of almost anything I prefer an element of surprise and untidiness. I don’t really favour studio lighting, and I try not to plan too much. My favourite kind of picture is a soft abstract female shot. I love Francesca Woodman’s work so if I could take more images akin to hers, I’d be happy. Though I’d never want to rip her off.

I really love the set of pictures taken in mirrors and shiny surfaces – I have one of these myself! But tell me, what’s the deal with these pictures?

It’s the depth, layers and the light! Puddles, mirrors, windows are so much fun. Taking photographs through layers is also great, whether it’s a layer of plastic, water, and even cling film. Despite having photoshop, I use these pre-digital techniques all the time.

[IMAGE] Mirrored

How did you get into photography? What is it you love about it?

I have absolutely no formal training. I started in my teens when my parents allowed me to go travelling to Italy on my own and my dad gave me a Pentax. I was still hoping to be a decent writer back then, but I quickly realised that taking pictures was much easier. I can never find the right words.

What do you do when you’re not taking pictures?

I’ve worked for charities for many years now. My day job is very much focused on numbers and organising – analysis, strategies, reporting, reconciliation and fulfilling appeals. I definitely get a kick out of working both sides of my brain but it’s not easy managing creative projects and having a day job. Having said that, I don’t think I could do one without the other.

Laura Ward’s work is showing now with Effra FC – on until 25 January at the Sun and Doves in Camberwell, 61-63 Coldharbour Lane, London SE5.

Laura Ward Reeds
Reeds

Laura Ward has both striking portraits and moody black and white landscapes in her portfolio, find but what initially drew me to her work was her‘mirror’ set on Flickr. It’s a very low-key selection of random and sometimes a bit blurry shots, ampoule taken in a plethora of shiny surfaces. The photographer is always in the picture, troche half-hidden behind the camera, and you can practically hear her going ‘ooooh, shiny!’ as she goes for a quick snap in a car mirror, shop window or water-stained bathroom.

But don’t get me wrong – Laura takes ‘proper’ photos too. This includes some really excellent portraits, skillful and professional but always with a slight quirk. Then there are the airy landscapes and the soft, abstracts shots of female figures, not to mention the surprising plays with layers and light. Laura’s long list of previous exhibitions, past, present and future, demonstrates that this girl isn’t just talented, she also has drive and passion in spades. I think we will be hearing more from Laura – lots more.

Laura Ward Self 2
Self-portrait

Your new exhibition with photography group Effra FC is showing now in Camberwell. Tell us a little about Effra please.
Effra FC is a South London collective of photographers, with varying levels of skill and styles, who meet once a month in a local pub. Over the last few years it’s grown from a handful of strangers into a 90+ group. Effra has favoured low-fi (ie free) techniques to show work in the past. Mark from Sun and Doves invited us to put on our first professional show and 16 members opted in. It’s a wonderfully eclectic group of people who don’t take Effra FC too seriously. I think that is what makes it work. I’m really proud to be a part of it.

Laura Ward Ponies Effra FC
Ponies, on show now with Effra.

Effra started as a Flickr group. It seems to me everyone who uses Flickr adores this site. What is it about this site that resonnates so strongly with its users?
The simplicity of Flickr is one of the reasons that we’re all photographers now. I remember the excitement of taking my pictures out of a static website and having this new interactive audience at my fingertips. Having strangers comment on your work is a thrill. It’s also a huge source of inspiration and reference as it’s saturated with so many impressive photographers and ideas.

Laura Ward Self 1
Self-portrait

Your CV of photography exhibitions is impressive. Could you tell us about a favourite project please?
Thank you. I tend to favour projects that take me out of my comfort zone. That said, my favourite project is one called ‘Unthought’. I work on images collaboratively with Belgian photographer Stefan Vanthuyne. We don’t discuss how we do it and quite often it doesn’t work, but that is part of the process. Photography can be very isolating, so ‘Unthought’ is a very happy friendship. I also worked on ‘The Apollo Project’ with Jonny Hughes where we took over a shop for a month and turned it into an art/music venue. I could write a book about that month, so that was definitely significant. As soon as those doors opened, it belonged to the community.

Laura Ward Unthought
Unthought

Your previous show was the group exhibition ‘Send me a postcard darling’. What was the thought behind this, and how did you get the enchanting Melissa Auf Der Maur to participate?
I decided to book The Red Gate gallery in south London with the aim of doing something similar to shows in Nottingham and New York. SMAPD evolved into its own little thing thanks to the people that got involved. Postcards are such an accessible format for everyone to produce but it’s a size that can challenge you. A couple of established artists commented on how difficult the format was to work with. I remember seeing one of Melissa’s photographs many years ago which I was really drawn to. It was a self portrait called something like ‘When I’m sad, my nose bleeds’. She’s so supportive of creative projects like this so I just asked her. Having established artists like Melissa Auf der Maur, Chad Van Gaalen and John Riordan means more people might come along and take a look at the work of home studio heroes.

Laura Ward Autumn
Autumn

Is there a new project coming up which you can tell us about?
I’ve started planning a new project which is partly inspired by the film ‘The Double Life of Véronique’. At the moment it’s a portrait series of 10 people who lead double lives, or those who do one thing to fund something else. I’m really interested in layers and mystique in subjects and they’ll probably be multi-exposed. I’m also hoping that 2011 takes me out of my comfort zone, which is why I’m taking part in Sonny Malhotra’s ProAm Project.

You have an international background. Do you consider London your home? How does taking photos around London compare with photographing other places?
I’m 32 now and having lived in so many places, I can make anywhere feel like home but London is the one place I feel comfortable. I like diversity, uncertainty and the fact that I have friends from all over the world in the same place. I live in Herne Hill which is a wonderfully friendly little melting pot of the best of all worlds and I can’t help but take photographs of it. That said, I need to get out of it fairly regularly to be able to appreciate it. I’ve done very little London life photography this year and I’d like to get back into it.

Laura Ward She Makes War
She Makes War

Your website and Flickr stream has an impressively wide range of photos and styles. You have these amazing, intense portraits as well as the really fun, playful stuff. What kind of photography is your favourite?
I’ll take photographs of almost anything I prefer an element of surprise and untidiness. I don’t really favour studio lighting, and I try not to plan too much. My favourite kind of picture is a soft abstract female shot. I love Francesca Woodman’s work so if I could take more images akin to hers, I’d be happy. Though I’d never want to rip her off.

I really love the set of pictures taken in mirrors and shiny surfaces! But tell me, what’s the deal with these pictures?
It’s the depth, layers and the light! Puddles, mirrors, windows are so much fun. Taking photographs through layers is also great, whether it’s a layer of plastic, water, and even cling film. Despite having photoshop, I use these pre-digital techniques all the time.

Laura Ward Mirrored
Mirrored

How did you get into photography? What is it you love about it?
I have absolutely no formal training. I started in my teens when my parents allowed me to go travelling to Italy on my own and my dad gave me a Pentax. I was still hoping to be a decent writer back then, but I quickly realised that taking pictures was much easier. I can never find the right words.

What do you do when you’re not taking pictures?
I’ve worked for charities for many years now. My day job is very much focused on numbers and organising – analysis, strategies, reporting, reconciliation and fulfilling appeals. I definitely get a kick out of working both sides of my brain but it’s not easy managing creative projects and having a day job. Having said that, I don’t think I could do one without the other.

Laura Ward’s work is showing now with Effra FC – on until 25 January at the Sun and Doves in Camberwell, 61-63 Coldharbour Lane, London SE5.
Laura Ward Reeds
Reeds

Laura Ward has both striking portraits and moody black and white landscapes in her portfolio, side effects but what initially drew me to her work was her‘mirror’ set on Flickr. It’s a very low-key selection of random and sometimes a bit blurry shots, taken in a plethora of shiny surfaces. The photographer is always in the picture, half-hidden behind the camera, and you can practically hear her going ‘ooooh, shiny!’ as she goes for a quick snap in a car mirror, shop window or water-stained bathroom.

But don’t get me wrong – Laura takes ‘proper’ photos too. This includes some really excellent portraits, skillful and professional but always with a slight quirk. Then there are the airy landscapes and the soft, abstracts shots of female figures, not to mention the surprising plays with layers and light. Laura’s long list of previous exhibitions, past, present and future, demonstrates that this girl isn’t just talented, she also has drive and passion in spades. I think we will be hearing more from Laura – lots more.

Laura Ward Self 2
Self-portrait

Your new exhibition with photography group Effra FC is showing now in Camberwell. Tell us a little about Effra please.
Effra FC is a South London collective of photographers, with varying levels of skill and styles, who meet once a month in a local pub. Over the last few years it’s grown from a handful of strangers into a 90+ group. Effra has favoured low-fi (ie free) techniques to show work in the past. Mark from Sun and Doves invited us to put on our first professional show and 16 members opted in. It’s a wonderfully eclectic group of people who don’t take Effra FC too seriously. I think that is what makes it work. I’m really proud to be a part of it.

Laura Ward Ponies Effra FC
Ponies, on show now with Effra.

Effra started as a Flickr group. It seems to me everyone who uses Flickr adores this site. What is it about this site that resonnates so strongly with its users?
The simplicity of Flickr is one of the reasons that we’re all photographers now. I remember the excitement of taking my pictures out of a static website and having this new interactive audience at my fingertips. Having strangers comment on your work is a thrill. It’s also a huge source of inspiration and reference as it’s saturated with so many impressive photographers and ideas.

Laura Ward Self 1
Self-portrait

Your CV of photography exhibitions is impressive. Could you tell us about a favourite project please?
Thank you. I tend to favour projects that take me out of my comfort zone. That said, my favourite project is one called ‘Unthought’. I work on images collaboratively with Belgian photographer Stefan Vanthuyne. We don’t discuss how we do it and quite often it doesn’t work, but that is part of the process. Photography can be very isolating, so ‘Unthought’ is a very happy friendship. I also worked on ‘The Apollo Project’ with Jonny Hughes where we took over a shop for a month and turned it into an art/music venue. I could write a book about that month, so that was definitely significant. As soon as those doors opened, it belonged to the community.

Laura Ward Unthought
Unthought

Your previous show was the group exhibition ‘Send me a postcard darling’. What was the thought behind this, and how did you get the enchanting Melissa Auf Der Maur to participate?
I decided to book The Red Gate gallery in south London with the aim of doing something similar to shows in Nottingham and New York. SMAPD evolved into its own little thing thanks to the people that got involved. Postcards are such an accessible format for everyone to produce but it’s a size that can challenge you. A couple of established artists commented on how difficult the format was to work with. I remember seeing one of Melissa’s photographs many years ago which I was really drawn to. It was a self portrait called something like ‘When I’m sad, my nose bleeds’. She’s so supportive of creative projects like this so I just asked her. Having established artists like Melissa Auf der Maur, Chad Van Gaalen and John Riordan means more people might come along and take a look at the work of home studio heroes.

Laura Ward Autumn
Autumn

Is there a new project coming up which you can tell us about?
I’ve started planning a new project which is partly inspired by the film ‘The Double Life of Véronique’. At the moment it’s a portrait series of 10 people who lead double lives, or those who do one thing to fund something else. I’m really interested in layers and mystique in subjects and they’ll probably be multi-exposed. I’m also hoping that 2011 takes me out of my comfort zone, which is why I’m taking part in Sonny Malhotra’s ProAm Project.

You have an international background. Do you consider London your home? How does taking photos around London compare with photographing other places?
I’m 32 now and having lived in so many places, I can make anywhere feel like home but London is the one place I feel comfortable. I like diversity, uncertainty and the fact that I have friends from all over the world in the same place. I live in Herne Hill which is a wonderfully friendly little melting pot of the best of all worlds and I can’t help but take photographs of it. That said, I need to get out of it fairly regularly to be able to appreciate it. I’ve done very little London life photography this year and I’d like to get back into it.

Laura Ward She Makes War
She Makes War

Your website and Flickr stream has an impressively wide range of photos and styles. You have these amazing, intense portraits as well as the really fun, playful stuff. What kind of photography is your favourite?
I’ll take photographs of almost anything I prefer an element of surprise and untidiness. I don’t really favour studio lighting, and I try not to plan too much. My favourite kind of picture is a soft abstract female shot. I love Francesca Woodman’s work so if I could take more images akin to hers, I’d be happy. Though I’d never want to rip her off.

I really love the set of pictures taken in mirrors and shiny surfaces! But tell me, what’s the deal with these pictures?
It’s the depth, layers and the light! Puddles, mirrors, windows are so much fun. Taking photographs through layers is also great, whether it’s a layer of plastic, water, and even cling film. Despite having photoshop, I use these pre-digital techniques all the time.

Laura Ward Mirrored
Mirrored

How did you get into photography? What is it you love about it?
I have absolutely no formal training. I started in my teens when my parents allowed me to go travelling to Italy on my own and my dad gave me a Pentax. I was still hoping to be a decent writer back then, but I quickly realised that taking pictures was much easier. I can never find the right words.

What do you do when you’re not taking pictures?
I’ve worked for charities for many years now. My day job is very much focused on numbers and organising – analysis, strategies, reporting, reconciliation and fulfilling appeals. I definitely get a kick out of working both sides of my brain but it’s not easy managing creative projects and having a day job. Having said that, I don’t think I could do one without the other.

Laura Ward’s work is showing now with Effra FC – on until 25 January at the Sun and Doves in Camberwell, 61-63 Coldharbour Lane, London SE5.
Laura Ward Reeds
Reeds

Laura Ward has both striking portraits and moody black and white landscapes in her portfolio, order but what initially drew me to her work was her ‘mirror’ set on Flickr. It’s a very low-key selection of random and sometimes a bit blurry shots, taken in a plethora of shiny surfaces. The photographer is always in the picture, half-hidden behind the camera, and you can practically hear her going ‘ooooh, shiny!’ as she goes for a quick snap in a car mirror, shop window or water-stained bathroom.

But don’t get me wrong – Laura takes ‘proper’ photos too. This includes some really excellent portraits, skillful and professional but always with a slight quirk. Then there are the airy landscapes and the soft, abstracts shots of female figures, not to mention the surprising plays with layers and light. Laura’s list of exhibitions, past, present and future, demonstrates that this girl isn’t just talented, she also has drive and passion in spades. I think we will be hearing more from Laura – lots more.

Laura Ward Self 2
Self-portrait

Your new exhibition with photography group Effra FC is showing now in Camberwell. Tell us a little about Effra please.
Effra FC is a South London collective of photographers, with varying levels of skill and styles, who meet once a month in a local pub. Over the last few years it’s grown from a handful of strangers into a 90+ group. Effra has favoured low-fi (ie free) techniques to show work in the past. Mark from Sun and Doves invited us to put on our first professional show and 16 members opted in. It’s a wonderfully eclectic group of people who don’t take Effra FC too seriously. I think that is what makes it work. I’m really proud to be a part of it.

Laura Ward Ponies Effra FC
Ponies, on show now with Effra.

Effra started as a Flickr group. It seems to me everyone who uses Flickr adores this site. What is it about this site that resonnates so strongly with its users?
The simplicity of Flickr is one of the reasons that we’re all photographers now. I remember the excitement of taking my pictures out of a static website and having this new interactive audience at my fingertips. Having strangers comment on your work is a thrill. It’s also a huge source of inspiration and reference as it’s saturated with so many impressive photographers and ideas.

Laura Ward Self 1
Self-portrait

Your CV of photography exhibitions is impressive. Could you tell us about a favourite project please?
Thank you. I tend to favour projects that take me out of my comfort zone. That said, my favourite project is one called ‘Unthought’. I work on images collaboratively with Belgian photographer Stefan Vanthuyne. We don’t discuss how we do it and quite often it doesn’t work, but that is part of the process. Photography can be very isolating, so ‘Unthought’ is a very happy friendship. I also worked on ‘The Apollo Project’ with Jonny Hughes where we took over a shop for a month and turned it into an art/music venue. I could write a book about that month, so that was definitely significant. As soon as those doors opened, it belonged to the community.

Laura Ward Unthought
Unthought

Your previous show was the group exhibition ‘Send me a postcard darling’. What was the thought behind this, and how did you get the enchanting Melissa Auf Der Maur to participate?
I decided to book The Red Gate gallery in South London with the aim of doing something similar to shows in Nottingham and New York. SMAPD evolved into its own little thing thanks to the people that got involved. Postcards are such an accessible format for everyone to produce but it’s a size that can challenge you. A couple of established artists commented on how difficult the format was to work with. I remember seeing one of Melissa’s photographs many years ago which I was really drawn to. It was a self portrait called something like ‘When I’m sad, my nose bleeds’. She’s so supportive of creative projects like this so I just asked her. Having established artists like Melissa Auf der Maur, Chad Van Gaalen and John Riordan means more people might come along and take a look at the work of home studio heroes.

Laura Ward Autumn
Autumn

Is there a new project coming up which you can tell us about?
I’ve started planning a new project which is partly inspired by the film ‘The Double Life of Véronique’. At the moment it’s a portrait series of 10 people who lead double lives, or those who do one thing to fund something else. I’m really interested in layers and mystique in subjects and they’ll probably be multi-exposed. I’m also hoping that 2011 takes me out of my comfort zone, which is why I’m taking part in Sonny Malhotra’s ProAm Project.

You have an international background. Do you consider London your home? How does taking photos around London compare with photographing other places?
I’m 32 now and having lived in so many places, I can make anywhere feel like home but London is the one place I feel comfortable. I like diversity, uncertainty and the fact that I have friends from all over the world in the same place. I live in Herne Hill which is a wonderfully friendly little melting pot of the best of all worlds and I can’t help but take photographs of it. That said, I need to get out of it fairly regularly to be able to appreciate it. I’ve done very little London life photography this year and I’d like to get back into it.

Laura Ward She Makes War
She Makes War

Your website and Flickr stream has an impressively wide range of photos and styles. You have these amazing, intense portraits as well as the really fun, playful stuff. What kind of photography is your favourite?
I’ll take photographs of almost anything I prefer an element of surprise and untidiness. I don’t really favour studio lighting, and I try not to plan too much. My favourite kind of picture is a soft abstract female shot. I love Francesca Woodman’s work so if I could take more images akin to hers, I’d be happy. Though I’d never want to rip her off.

I really love the set of pictures taken in mirrors and shiny surfaces! But tell me, what’s the deal with these pictures?
It’s the depth, layers and the light! Puddles, mirrors, windows are so much fun. Taking photographs through layers is also great, whether it’s a layer of plastic, water, and even cling film. Despite having Photoshop, I use these pre-digital techniques all the time.

Laura Ward Mirrored
Mirrored

How did you get into photography? What is it you love about it?
I have absolutely no formal training. I started in my teens when my parents allowed me to go travelling to Italy on my own and my dad gave me a Pentax. I was still hoping to be a decent writer back then, but I quickly realised that taking pictures was much easier. I can never find the right words.

What do you do when you’re not taking pictures?
I’ve worked for charities for many years now. My day job is very much focused on numbers and organising – analysis, strategies, reporting, reconciliation and fulfilling appeals. I definitely get a kick out of working both sides of my brain but it’s not easy managing creative projects and having a day job. Having said that, I don’t think I could do one without the other.

Laura Ward’s work is showing now with Effra FC – on until 25 January at the Sun and Doves,61-63 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London SE5.
Why did you decide to set up business?
 
Akamuti grew out of my passion for plants! I’ve always been interested in their role in tree medicine, page herbalism and aromatherapy so it feels very natural to work with all these wonderful ingredients. Akamuti began in 2003 when I was only 20 years old and keen to start my own business. I think that being home schooled from the age of 10 instilled in me a very independent outlook on life and this streak has grown with me! The business started off in a really small way, advice mixing up tiny amounts of creams & balms from raw ingredients – always using only the best natural ingredients that we could source. Then I would set off to the local health shops with my little box and try to sell them. It was really exciting to get a positive response and this spurred me on to set up a website so that people could order online. From these humble beginnings the business slowly but surely began to grow. Nowadays the whole family are involved in the business, troche with five of us working together. Our combined enthusiasm for a holistic way of living, eating and healing keeps our creativity focused, ensuring that our products reflect our ethics.

Why is being part of a family business so satisfying?
Its good to work together because you have people you know that you can rely on in a crisis. We understand each better than anyone else and thankfully we all seem to rub along nicely so we make a good team.

How did you train yourself to make skincare products?
When I was 17 I did a herbal medicine course that taught me how to make balms and macerated oils, which was great fun to do in the kitchen. I loved drying herbs, hanging them from the airer so that they made a mess on the floor. I experimented, researched and got my hands dirty until I found a recipe that I was happy with. I’ve also worked in aromatherapy for many years so I know my ingredients inside out.

How is your organic vegetable garden, and do you grow any of your own ingredients?
I really love gardens and I’ve been trying my best to grow veg for years. This year I managed to coax some lovely potatoes out of the ground as well as salads, tomatoes and a million cucumbers. Sadly, my onions and garlic didn’t even get chance to see the sunshine this year (slugs!) but I plant them every year because it feels wrong not too! We have plenty of space so it’s been a dream of mine to grow our own ingredients for a few years now… I just need to find the time. 
I’m hoping to plant a lavender and rose garden at some point so that I can make a small amount of my own rosewater!  
 
Can you describe the set up in Wales?
We work from our workshop in a beautiful valley in south west Wales overlooking the Brechfa Forest. We have a smallholding so it’s not only home to us but a few unruly animals as well. It’s a truly inspirational place to live, with nature literally on the doorstep and natural beauty around every corner. I love the peace and quiet here, it really nourishes the soul.   

When you have visitors where do you take them out?
I would take them to our little town of Llandeilo to shop for organic bread and homemade ice cream, then we would visit Carreg Cennen Castle, dramatically perched on a limestone outcrop. I’d make sure we visited the seaside where there are countless coves to choose from, so we might just do them all. And to finish, we would end up in our local pub which has the best beer garden in the world!

What are the benefits of being in Wales, and the pitfalls?
I love the wild side of Wales most. It’s great to nip out the door and within minutes you can be in a forest, a meadow, or on a mountain. I love the trees and fields, the castles, the coastline, the views out to the Brecon Beacons, the stunning drive through the Towy Valley. There is a strong craft community here, we have several community run shops, and there is a lot of great food and farm produce about too. The pitfalls… what pitfalls!?
 
Been anywhere else lately?
I’ve just got back from southern Snowdonia where I stayed at the foot of Cadair Idris. There is a beautiful lake there which I love. It is very cool and quiet – you could be anywhere in the world. I’ve also recently discovered the New Forest – I particularly like all the animals wandering freely through the villages.

How do you source your fairtrade organic ingredients?
Thankfully the internet makes this very easy. We find new suppliers quite quickly and many come by word of mouth. A lot of the time I stumble across people doing amazing things which I note down for the future!

What is the first thing you do when you want to invent a new product?
I make myself a coffee, find a comfy spot, get my notebook out and start writing. I think of what I want to achieve with the product and what I would like to go in it and then I start putting them together. I also brainstorm with everyone else. A bit like planning a garden, the best part is picking the plants! 

What exciting new products are you working on at the moment?
I’m working on a flower based perfume at the moment, so I’m playing around with sandalwood, rose, jasmine and a number of other oils to get the best combination. I’ve decided to keep the perfume as an oil, much like the ancient Attar perfumes, which were based on sandalwood oil. I am a big fan of eastern aromatherapy and I like the way the scents make me drift away to the ancient lands of Persia or Anatolia in my mind.  

What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why?
I’ve got a few favourites but I’ll try and narrow them down. My first love is definitely Rose Otto oil – it works so well for many physical and emotional problems, as well as smelling beautiful. I also love working with Neroli essential oil because it is so uplifting. If an oil could have the quality of kindness then this is the one! 

Why should people buy your products?
Because they are good for the skin and the soul! They are made with 100% natural ingredients from start to finish without any additional rubbish, and we try our best to harness all of the natural goodness of trees, plants and flowers in each product so that our customers get the very best we can make. Our products are people and planet friendly, and they are affordable too.
 
Akamuti by Jenny Lloyd
Akamuti by Jenny Lloyd.

I first became enamoured with Akamuti skincare products when I discovered the brand in 2008 and subsequently interviewed them for the last print issue of Amelia’s Magazine. A family run business in Wales that creates gorgeous organic fairtrade products – what’s not to like? Time to find out what founder Lindsey Hedges is up to these days…

Why did you decide to set up business?
Akamuti grew out of my passion for plants! I’ve always been interested in their role in tree medicine, information pills herbalism and aromatherapy so it feels very natural to work with all these wonderful ingredients. Akamuti began in 2003 when I was only 20 years old and keen to start my own business. I think that being home schooled from the age of 10 instilled in me a very independent outlook on life and this streak has grown with me! The business started off in a really small way, mixing up tiny amounts of creams and balms from raw ingredients – always using only the best natural ingredients that we could source. Then I would set off to the local health shops with my little box and try to sell them. It was really exciting to get a positive response and this spurred me on to set up a website so that people could order online. From these humble beginnings the business slowly but surely began to grow. Nowadays the whole family are involved in the business, with five of us working together. Our combined enthusiasm for a holistic way of living, eating and healing keeps our creativity focused, ensuring that our products reflect our ethics.

Akamuti skincare by Karina Yarv
Lindsey Hedges, founder of Akamuti. Illustration by Karina Yarv.

Why is being part of a family business so satisfying?
It’s good to work together because you have people you know that you can rely on in a crisis. We understand each better than anyone else and thankfully we all seem to rub along nicely so we make a good team.

How did you train yourself to make skincare products?
When I was 17 I did a herbal medicine course that taught me how to make balms and macerated oils, which was great fun to do in the kitchen. I loved drying herbs, hanging them from the airer so that they made a mess on the floor. I experimented, researched and got my hands dirty until I found a recipe that I was happy with. I’ve also worked in aromatherapy for many years so I know my ingredients inside out.

Akamuti-rose & marshmallow beauty mask
Akamuti’s Rose & Marshmallow Beauty Mask.

How is your organic vegetable garden, and do you grow any of your own ingredients?
I really love gardens and I’ve been trying my best to grow veg for years. This year I managed to coax some lovely potatoes out of the ground as well as salads, tomatoes and a million cucumbers. Sadly, my onions and garlic didn’t even get chance to see the sunshine this year (slugs!) but I plant them every year because it feels wrong not too. We have plenty of space so it’s been a dream of mine to grow our own ingredients for a few years now… I just need to find the time. I’m hoping to plant a lavender and rose garden at some point so that I can make a small amount of my own rosewater. 
 
Can you describe the set up in Wales?
We work from our workshop in a beautiful valley in south west Wales overlooking the Brechfa Forest. We have a smallholding so it’s not only home to us but a few unruly animals as well. It’s a truly inspirational place to live, with nature literally on the doorstep and natural beauty around every corner. I love the peace and quiet here, it really nourishes the soul.   

Akamuti-by-Nina-Hunter
Akamuti by Nina Hunter.

When you have visitors where do you take them out?
I would take them to our little town of Llandeilo to shop for organic bread and homemade ice cream, then we would visit Carreg Cennen Castle, dramatically perched on a limestone outcrop. I’d make sure we visited the seaside where there are countless coves to choose from, so we might just do them all. And to finish, we would end up in our local pub which has the best beer garden in the world.

Carreg-Cennen-Castle-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Carreg Cennen Castle by Yelena Bryksenkova.

What are the benefits of being in Wales, and the pitfalls?
I love the wild side of Wales most. It’s great to nip out the door and within minutes be in a forest, a meadow, or on a mountain. I love the trees and fields, the castles, the coastline, the views out to the Brecon Beacons, the stunning drive through the Towy Valley. There is a strong craft community here, we have several community run shops, and there is a lot of great food and farm produce about too. The pitfalls… what pitfalls!?
 
lindsey_akamuti_darren fletcher
Lindsey Hedges by Darren Fletcher.

Been anywhere else lately?
I’ve just got back from southern Snowdonia where I stayed at the foot of Cadair Idris. There is a beautiful lake there which I love. It is very cool and quiet – you could be anywhere in the world. I’ve also recently discovered the New Forest – I particularly like all the animals wandering freely through the villages.

Cadair Idris by Karina Yarv
Cadair Idris by Karina Yarv

How do you source your fairtrade organic ingredients?
Thankfully the internet makes this very easy. We find new suppliers quite quickly and many come by word of mouth. A lot of the time I stumble across people doing amazing things which I note down for the future.

What is the first thing you do when you want to invent a new product?
I make myself a coffee, find a comfy spot, get my notebook out and start writing. I think of what I want to achieve with the product and what I would like to go in it and then I start putting them together. I also brainstorm with everyone else. A bit like planning a garden, the best part is picking the plants! 

Akamuti-buttered rose & almond hand cream
Akamuti’s Buttered Rose & Almond Hand Cream.

What exciting new products are you working on at the moment?
I’m working on a flower based perfume at the moment, so I’m playing around with sandalwood, rose, jasmine and a number of other oils to get the best combination. I’ve decided to keep the perfume as an oil, much like the ancient Attar perfumes, which were based on sandalwood oil. I am a big fan of eastern aromatherapy and I like the way the scents make me drift away to the ancient lands of Persia or Anatolia in my mind.  

What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why?
I’ve got a few favourites but I’ll try and narrow them down. My first love is definitely Rose Otto oil – it works so well for many physical and emotional problems, as well as smelling beautiful. I also love working with Neroli essential oil because it is so uplifting. If an oil could have the quality of kindness then this is the one. 

Why should people buy your products?
Because they are good for the skin and the soul! They are made with 100% natural ingredients from start to finish without any additional rubbish, and we try our best to harness all of the natural goodness of trees, plants and flowers in each product so that our customers get the very best we can make. Our products are people and planet friendly, and they are affordable too.
 
Akamuti-replenishing rose facial oil
Akamuti’s Replenishing Rose Facial Oil.

What do you expect to top your Christmas bestsellers list this year?
At the moment, our Replenishing Rose Face Cream is selling very quickly so we are making lots of it to try to keep up with demand. Over the winter the skin tends to dry out much more (I know mine has!) so your skin will really appreciate a good, rich moisturiser to put back all the goodness which the cold weather takes out of it. Replenishing Rose Face Cream is a welcome treat for tired, hungry skin because it is very rich and softening, combining nourishing raspberry, precious pomegranate and rosehip oils with luxurious Rose Otto oil. I expect all our face creams and exotic butters to be the bestsellers over Christmas because they make lovely, unusual presents that are totally natural and ethical.

***************************

I recently chanced upon a bottle of Kalahari Watermelon Body Oil that had been kicking around in the back of my bathroom, and let me tell you it is a glorious treat after a brief interlude of using a cheap Superdrug moisturiser. It smells utterly heavenly and soaks in really well, leaving a delicate waft of essential oils in its wake. You too can shop with Akamuti on their website and at independent retailers across the country.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday December 1st, 2010 3:28 pm

Categories ,Akamuti, ,Aromatherapy, ,Attar perfume, ,Beauty, ,body butters, ,Brechfa Forest, ,Brecon Beacons, ,Buttered Rose & Almond Hand Cream, ,Cadair Idris, ,Carreg Cennen Castle, ,Darren Fletcher, ,face cream, ,fairtrade, ,Health, ,Herbal Medicine, ,jasmine, ,Jenny Lloyd, ,Kalahari Watermelon Body Oil, ,Karina Yarv, ,Lindsey Hedges, ,Llandeilo, ,Neroli oil, ,New Forest, ,Nina Hunter, ,organic, ,Persia, ,Pomegranate, ,Raspberry, ,Replenishing Rose Face Cream, ,Replenishing Rose Facial Oil, ,Rose, ,Rose & Marshmallow Beauty Mask, ,Rose Otto oil, ,Rosehip, ,sandalwood, ,Snowdonia, ,Towy Valley, ,Tree Medicine, ,wales, ,Yelena Bryksenkova

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Amelia’s Magazine | Beautifully Green – a round up of ethical beauty brands for Christmas!

by


Andrea Garland, capsule illustrated by Cat Palairet

If you’re struggling for Christmas gift ideas, sales or just sick of giving and receiving those dreaded ‘smellies’ gift sets produced by high street chains (which are then consigned to live out their days in the ‘present drawer’) then check out several green beauty brands that are lovingly made with natural ingredients, are adept at soothing parched winter skin and – most importantly – care for the planet.

Andrea Garland
Handmade in her Hackney home, aromatherapist Andrea Garland’s organic beauty balms are presented in gorgeous vintage tins and compacts which she sources from all over the world (and are cleaned and sterilised before the balm is poured in.) Her Rosy Beauty Balm for the face contains shea butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin E and rose geranium – making it perfect to slap on during the winter months (expect many ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ when the pretty compact emerges from your handbag!) All ingredients are ethically sourced and Garland even offers to re-fill the vintage compacts once they are emptied at a fraction of the price, resulting in no excess packaging and a pretty keepsake.
Rosy Beauty Balm is £32 for a medium-sized compact (refill £12) available from AndreaGarland.co.uk

Moa – The Green Balm

Illustration by Karolina Burdon

This gorgeous green gloop was created by Icelandic herbalist Thury Gudmundsdóttir from a recipe handed down by her grandmother, who used to concoct her beauty remedies by boiling herbs in a pan over her stove. Made with 100% natural and organic ingredients which include tea tree oil, beeswax, coconut and sweet almond oil, not only does it keep skin on both the face and body renewed and radiant but it can also be used as an aftershave balm, a baby massage and a barrier to protect the skin in extreme cold weather. A very little of this balm (which melts instantly on contact) goes a very long way, making it an essential winter handbag staple.
Available at £5 for 20ml at Lovelula.com

Balm Balm

Illustration by Darren Fletcher

With numerous endorsements from celebrities to The Soil Association, Balm Balm has gained somewhat of a cult following since its creation five years ago. Founded by aromatherapist and perfumer Glenda Taylor, the 100% organic balms come in recyclable packaging and target sensitive and irritated skin types. The shining star of the range has to be their much-hyped lip balm – which contains jojoba oil, beeswax and shea butter for super soft lips, and can be used on other dry areas too. They come in rose geranium, tea tree and fragrance free flavours (the last of which won a Green Beauty Bible award) and make perfect little stocking fillers.
Lip Balm is £2.99 for 7ml from Bath and Unwind

Burt’s Bees

Illustration by Leeay Aikawa

One of the more well-known brands, Burt’s Bees haven’t abandoned their environmental commitments despite their global success – their products contain on average 99% natural ingredients and all use recyclable packaging. Starting out in 1984 selling honey from his beehive and wondering what to do with the leftover wax, Burt Shavitz teamed up with Roxanne Quimby and began selling it in the form of candles at local craft fairs in Maine, USA. Through word of mouth, the brand grew and the now famous beauty range was born after Roxanne stumbled across a 19th century book on homemade beauty remedies. An ideal hand treat is their 100% natural Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme packed with lemon oil perfect for nourishing brittle fingernails, and with its kitsch little tin how could anyone resist?
Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème is £5.99 from burtsbees.co.uk

RMS Beauty

Illustration by Joana Faria

Created by celebrity make-up artist Rose- Marie Swift, this is the first make-up range made from natural raw ingredients that interact and ‘create a dialogue’ with the skin. Her reasoning behind the range is that unlike other ingredients contained in many ‘natural’ cosmetic brands, hers aren’t heated to high temperatures and therefore retain their beneficial nutrients which are so great for the skin. The Mineral Cream Eye Shadows contain natural mineral pigments and also double up as an eye-cream to nourish the delicate skin around the eyes. These cute little pots come in a variety of warm, earthy colours, and use recyclable glass and metal packaging. A perfect way to revamp your make-up bag for the New Year and treat your skin at the same time.
RMS Beauty Mineral Cream Eyeshadows are £18 each, available from CultBeauty.co.uk

Written by Viola Levy on Monday December 6th, 2010 10:13 am

Categories ,andrea garland, ,balm, ,balm balm, ,burt’s bees, ,Christmas, ,compacts, ,Cream, ,Darren Fletcher, ,Gift, ,hackney, ,High Street, ,Karolina Burdon, ,maine, ,miss ballantyne, ,moa green balm, ,Natural, ,organic, ,rose-marie swift, ,Skin, ,Soap, ,stocking, ,tins, ,usa, ,vintage

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Amelia’s Magazine | Beautifully Green – a round up of ethical beauty brands for Christmas!

by


Andrea Garland, capsule illustrated by Cat Palairet

If you’re struggling for Christmas gift ideas, sales or just sick of giving and receiving those dreaded ‘smellies’ gift sets produced by high street chains (which are then consigned to live out their days in the ‘present drawer’) then check out several green beauty brands that are lovingly made with natural ingredients, are adept at soothing parched winter skin and – most importantly – care for the planet.

Andrea Garland
Handmade in her Hackney home, aromatherapist Andrea Garland’s organic beauty balms are presented in gorgeous vintage tins and compacts which she sources from all over the world (and are cleaned and sterilised before the balm is poured in.) Her Rosy Beauty Balm for the face contains shea butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin E and rose geranium – making it perfect to slap on during the winter months (expect many ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ when the pretty compact emerges from your handbag!) All ingredients are ethically sourced and Garland even offers to re-fill the vintage compacts once they are emptied at a fraction of the price, resulting in no excess packaging and a pretty keepsake.
Rosy Beauty Balm is £32 for a medium-sized compact (refill £12) available from AndreaGarland.co.uk

Moa – The Green Balm

Illustration by Karolina Burdon

This gorgeous green gloop was created by Icelandic herbalist Thury Gudmundsdóttir from a recipe handed down by her grandmother, who used to concoct her beauty remedies by boiling herbs in a pan over her stove. Made with 100% natural and organic ingredients which include tea tree oil, beeswax, coconut and sweet almond oil, not only does it keep skin on both the face and body renewed and radiant but it can also be used as an aftershave balm, a baby massage and a barrier to protect the skin in extreme cold weather. A very little of this balm (which melts instantly on contact) goes a very long way, making it an essential winter handbag staple.
Available at £5 for 20ml at Lovelula.com

Balm Balm

Illustration by Darren Fletcher

With numerous endorsements from celebrities to The Soil Association, Balm Balm has gained somewhat of a cult following since its creation five years ago. Founded by aromatherapist and perfumer Glenda Taylor, the 100% organic balms come in recyclable packaging and target sensitive and irritated skin types. The shining star of the range has to be their much-hyped lip balm – which contains jojoba oil, beeswax and shea butter for super soft lips, and can be used on other dry areas too. They come in rose geranium, tea tree and fragrance free flavours (the last of which won a Green Beauty Bible award) and make perfect little stocking fillers.
Lip Balm is £2.99 for 7ml from Bath and Unwind

Burt’s Bees

Illustration by Leeay Aikawa

One of the more well-known brands, Burt’s Bees haven’t abandoned their environmental commitments despite their global success – their products contain on average 99% natural ingredients and all use recyclable packaging. Starting out in 1984 selling honey from his beehive and wondering what to do with the leftover wax, Burt Shavitz teamed up with Roxanne Quimby and began selling it in the form of candles at local craft fairs in Maine, USA. Through word of mouth, the brand grew and the now famous beauty range was born after Roxanne stumbled across a 19th century book on homemade beauty remedies. An ideal hand treat is their 100% natural Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme packed with lemon oil perfect for nourishing brittle fingernails, and with its kitsch little tin how could anyone resist?
Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème is £5.99 from burtsbees.co.uk

RMS Beauty

Illustration by Joana Faria

Created by celebrity make-up artist Rose- Marie Swift, this is the first make-up range made from natural raw ingredients that interact and ‘create a dialogue’ with the skin. Her reasoning behind the range is that unlike other ingredients contained in many ‘natural’ cosmetic brands, hers aren’t heated to high temperatures and therefore retain their beneficial nutrients which are so great for the skin. The Mineral Cream Eye Shadows contain natural mineral pigments and also double up as an eye-cream to nourish the delicate skin around the eyes. These cute little pots come in a variety of warm, earthy colours, and use recyclable glass and metal packaging. A perfect way to revamp your make-up bag for the New Year and treat your skin at the same time.
RMS Beauty Mineral Cream Eyeshadows are £18 each, available from CultBeauty.co.uk

Written by Viola Levy on Monday December 6th, 2010 10:13 am

Categories ,andrea garland, ,balm, ,balm balm, ,burt’s bees, ,Christmas, ,compacts, ,Cream, ,Darren Fletcher, ,Gift, ,hackney, ,High Street, ,Karolina Burdon, ,maine, ,miss ballantyne, ,moa green balm, ,Natural, ,organic, ,rose-marie swift, ,Skin, ,Soap, ,stocking, ,tins, ,usa, ,vintage

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Amelia’s Magazine | Earth Listings

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jessypemberton1.jpg

You can’t help but smile at the sight of Jessy Pemberton, viagra treatment all rosy cheeks and red lipstick bold and bright, discount she is the picture of wholesome. The industrious girl with her fingers in many home-baked pies, bustled in to meet me for a quick juice in Fresh and Wild and talk ghosts, the weird and wonderous activities of the Pemberton clan, and illustration of course.

Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in knitwear design, Jessy has worked with the likes of Paul Smith and Jockey; exhibited alongside Tracy Emin and Mike Figgis; and worked with Cath Kidston on her book ‘Make!” – to name a few achievements. But it is when you come to look at her own illustrations that the world of Jessy Permberton springs to life, a fabric of its own woven together with home-made videos, a boundless imagination and a child-like sense of fun. I soon find that the simple question, so where do you get your inspiration from?, opens a window to this world, and all I am required to do is sit back, listen, and enjoy. By the time my carrot and ginger concoction gets to the lumpy bits, it is luckily only in my head that I say, ‘erm, adopt me?”

saving_the_day.jpg

Take Harold the Ghost; pictured above with younger twins Chloe and Amelia. He comes to aid of children in times of need, asking only a small payment by way of some toast. One story involves a boy who gets bullied for having big ears. The boy calls on Harold, by post, who comes to the rescue with a heavy dose of bully medicine by giving them gigantic ears … But the initial genesis of Harold came from one of the many home-made movies (featured below) made by the Pemberton siblings, on one of their annual trips to the Welsh countryside. It’s also worth looking at their very own zombie film, apparently inspired from watching Braindead a million times over in early years.

The illustration of below is mother Pemberton, who does not drive and is accustomed to going to and from antique sales with her bike and trailer; a habitual collector to which Jessy has followed suite. The French Girl and Cakes comes from another story, Bella and the Sky, into which her family appear in various guises, and the last is a drawing of her dad in younger years, who apparently is the only member of the family that does not partake in their creative activities, thank you very much.

mum_trailer.jpg

french_girl_and_cakes.jpg

young_dad.jpg

As the world of ghosts comes up against the straight-faced world of publishing we hope that Harold and friends will find thier way to tables and shelves soon. Jessy is also currently working on a top secret project with Rubbish Magazine. Keep your eyes peeled for her name during London Fashion Week.

Feel your modern cynicism just fall away as First Aid Kit‘s new EP begins. Drunken Trees summons folk songs of yesteryear and golden-tinged days-gone-by, hospital the ultimate antidote to credit crunchiness and war. The Swedish sisters have a knack of lulling you with their sweet sound until you wake, medicine revitalized by smart lyrics and a punchy chorus. Here they are at their harmonic best. The seven songs that unfold are the sort heard around bonfires with stars twinkling above, visit this site melody and words perfectly aligned.

First-Aid-Kit.jpg

The emphasis is on storytelling, playful one minute, subdued the next, ‘Little Moon’ gathers you around with ‘There’s a city at the top of the mountains…I used to go there as a child’ and the narrative rolls on from there. Each track melts into another and the enchanted tales keep coming. And with such song-writing, Joanna and Klara demonstrate a maturity beyond their teenage years. The balmy ‘Tangerine’ (lyrically reminiscent of Regina Spektor) is a gorgeous blanket of sound, recorded at home; ‘Jagadamba, You Might’ is notable as sing-along, dance-along folk.

It’s no wonder they’ve already earned a sparkling reputation in Scandinavia and are rapidly gaining a fan-base over here. Inevitable comparisons are with Joanna Newsom, and the girls cite influences as varied as Bright Eyes, Devendra Banhart and Vashti Bunyan. Listen carefully and their vocals actually owe more to Stina Nordemstam, albeit poppier and younger. There are low points: ‘Pervigilo’ is pretty, but on the dull side and overlong, the tunes are syrupy and won’t satisfy those with more savoury tastes. Many of the songs fade away rather than burn out. But these are matters of personal preference.

Drunken Trees is bulging with extras, a bonus track, a much You-Tubed Fleet Foxes cover and a DVD of three songs recorded in a Swedish forest. Plenty to satisfy devotees, and an album and UK tour set for later in the year. If this taster is anything to go by, it’ll be full of pure, natural sound and mysteries you’ll just want to keep unravelling.

Tuesday January 27th

Every month, buy Future Shorts host a world cinema festival to celebrate the latest and greatest in global talent. This Tuesday at Favela Chic, pharmacy they will be looking back at the best of 2008. Highlights from the programme include music videos for Chemical Brothers, Gnarls Barkley and Utah Saints, Oscar nominated ‘I Met the Walrus,’ the animated illustration of a 14-year-old’s interview with John Lennon in 1969, youtube favorite ‘Peter and Ben’ and Rodeon Brodsky’s eccentric and warm ‘Tolya.’ It starts at six and costs five pounds.

futureshorts.jpg


Wednesday January 28th
The Alan Cristea Gallery at 31 & 34 Cork Street are putting together a group show of four artists under the age of thirty who use film and photography as a source of inspiration for elaborate works on paper in other media. Katie Atkin for instance makes large-scale, intricate pencil drawings which she thinks of as slow-paced ‘re-enactments’ of what is shown in a photograph.

katy.jpg

Thursday January 29th

Henry VIII’s Wives is a collective of artists who met in Glasgow in the mid 90′s, now based all over Europe. Their first London show begins this week at the Pump House Gallery in Battersea Park. They are presenting two time-based installations; My Hysteria, and The Returning Officer. Although both projects are very different in approach Mr Hysteria informed and inspired the development of The Returning Officer, paving the way to an experimental use of narrative.

pumhousegallery1.jpg

Friday January 30th

Drifting Through the Ruins is the first solo show from Laura Oldfield Ford, beginning today at hales gallery. Oldfield Ford has become well known for her politically active and poetic engagement with London as a site of social antagonism. The main focus of this show is more than one hundred ink drawings that she has recently produced as part of an ongoing project chronicling the impact of regeneration on London. Her work has developed from the cheaply produced Zine, entitled Savage Messiah which has become a regular vehicle for her psychogeographic explorations of the metropolis.

driftingthroughtheruins1.jpg

Saturday January 31st

New Art from the MIddle East is a new exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery bringing together 20 of the region’s most exciting artists in a survey of recent painting, sculpture and installation.

Kadder_Attia.jpg

For the next four months you can head down to the Design Museum in London and acquaint yourself with the work of fashion designer Hussein Chalayan, generic pictured below at his exhibition:

hussein-chalayan.jpg

In the 16 years since he graduated from the prestigious Central St Martins School of fashion and design, he has wowed with his innovative ideas and concepts that go far beyond making pretty clothes. He was twice (in 1999 and 2000) named British Designer of the Year, and his credentials were cemented in 2006, when he was awarded an MBE for services to the fashion industry.

Quite fitting then that he should have an exhibition dedicated to his career. For this, Chalayan picks key pieces from his collections throughout the years and demonstrates the thought process behind each one. Showcased is his cutting edge approach to embracing new technologies and his exploration of many disciplines to inspire the final garment, including architecture, science, philosophy and anthropology.

Below are examples of the stunning pieces from his work throughout the years:

hussein-chalayan-4.jpg
(from Panoramic A/W 1998 – collection explores losing individuality to the environment)

hussein-chalayan-5.jpg
(from Before Minus Now S/S 2000 – explores the relationship between mankind, technology and natural forces)

hussein-chalayan-3.jpg
(from Temproal Mediations S/S 2004 – collection explores genetic anthropology)

hussein-chalayan-2.jpg
(from Airbourne A/W 2007 – explores our fears of morality linked to weather cycles)

As well as fashion designing, Chalayan’s skills as a short film-maker are also displayed, Place to Passage explores the implications of speed on our psyche and looks at ideas of displacement. It involves an imagined journey from London to Istanbul. Being of Turkish-Cypriot origin, Chalayan frequently references his homeland in his work.
Another film, The Absent Passage was used by Turkey to represent the country in the 51st Venice Biennale, an international art exhibiton, it features the actress Tilda Swinton and explores issues of paranoia surrounding terrorism.

This exhibiton truly showcases Chalayan as a highly conceptual and unique design talent, who is refreshingly thought-provoking in his approach to fashion. A very interesting exhibition, which challenges us to consider more than just the final piece when we view a collection, this is one not to be missed.

Hussein Chalayan: From fashion and back
22 January – 17 May 2009
Tickets £8.50 / concessions £6.50 / students £5.00
Tuesday 27th January

Soil not Oil. An evening with Dr Vandana Shiva and Patrick Holden.

chipkomovement.jpg

The director of The Soil Association Patrick Holden joins Dr Vandana Shiva in discussion for the launch of her groundbreaking book ‘Soil not Oil.’
Patrick Holden is a champion of organic farming. He has been a spokesperson for the organic movement for over thirty years and he has the longest-established organic farm in Wales.
Dr Vandana Shiva has long been a major figure in environmental activism starting in the 70′s with her involvement with the non-violent Chipko Group who coined the term ‘tree-hugging’. Her latest book explains the connection between food insecurity, order peak oil and climate change. Condemning industrial agriculture and industrial biofuels, try she demands a return to core agricultural principles in order to achieve a ‘people-centred fossil-fuel-free future.’
Tonight looks to be a very interesting evening and a unique opportunity to hear two of the environmental movement’s most instrumental figureheads.

6.30pm at Hampstead Town Hall, medications 213 Haverstock Hill, NW3 4QP.

Tickets £10 Booking Essential.

Saturday 29th January and Sunday 1st February

The Big Art, Design and Handmade Sale hosted by Of Cabbages and Kings.

craft%20fair1.jpg

craft%20fair%202.jpg

Bargains in store and nick-nacks gallore. Lovingly made bits and bobs from Dainty Pretty Things, Off The Hook and Laurafullalah among others. Buy yourself something nice (a hairclip made out of popcorn perhaps?) or treat a friend to another bangle or simply goggle at stall after stall of sugary charms at cut-down prices.

10.30am-5.30pm at Abney Public Hall, 73a Church Street, Stoke Newington.

Saturday 29th January-Sunday 1st February

Climate Camp National Gathering

climate%20camp.jpg

Whether you have attended a camp or not, anyone interested in direct action against climate change is invited to attend a fun and productive weekend in the Oxfordshire countryside. An E-On face off and The Copenhagen Climate Conference will be among issues discussed as will plans for the annual summer gathering. Come along to learn more about such issues and to take an active role in the decision-making for the coming year’s agenda. Indoor accommodation is provided and wholesome vegan food will be on offer so I’m sure even the most accustomed townie will feel at ease (tents not necessary).

East Oxford Community Centre.

Written by Lucy Jones on Monday January 26th, 2009 2:40 pm

Categories ,Climate, ,Earth, ,Earth Listings, ,Organic

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Amelia’s Magazine | The Best of Bust Magazine Christmas Craftacular, London 2010

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Bust Craftacular
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

My ability to get out and about has been seriously curtailed over the past few weeks by the need to get my new book finished, ambulance but last weekend (but one) I was pretty determined to make it along to the Bust Craftacular at Bethnal Green’s York Hall, page if only for a mad dash around the stalls.

Bust Craftacular-Bethnal Green

Inside the old Victorian hall it was absolutely heaving with craft enthusiasts – mainly women (many with small children in tow) but also a small peppering of arty looking boys. It was like entering a multi coloured kaleidoscopic alternative universe where crafting & handmade reigns supreme – bright things everywhere vying for my attention amidst a frantic din enhanced by a backdrop of very loud music.

So, buy I whipped around the regimented rows of stalls as quick as I could, taking notes of the best stuff I found so that if you didn’t manage to make it along you’ll be able to sniff out the best stuff online. Keep in mind those last minute Christmas gifts you might need to buy as you take a gander through this little lot:

Vic Lee

Vic Lee makes printed scenes of well known hipster (can I say that in the UK?) London districts such as Broadway Market and Kingsland Road. Perfect for the East End man in your life – because let’s face it, most of them feature East London. The limited edition prints are produced on cotton paper and screen printed with environmentally friendly water based acrylic inks. They look really stunning up close, and also caught the eye of Jessica Furseth when she visited the East London Design Show.

Bust Craftacular-Xiang Zeng

Xiang Zeng is a textile designer who has produced a range of lovely printed cushions and make your own soft toy bear kits. Really cute, they look pretty easy to make so would also be perfect for and a crafty friend or even a handy older kid.

Bust Craftacular-seaside sisters owls
Bust Craftacular-fabric nation

I picked up a business card for Seaside Sisters at the Fabric Nation stall… so I am not entirely sure who to credit these wonderful owls and cushions to. Their stall was a brilliantly over the top feast for the eyes in an already overwhelming place. Loved the stuff they make from old vintage fabrics.

Bust Craftacular-andrea garland

Andrea Garland fills old tins with natural skincare goodies: what an amazing idea but no doubt a huge amount of hard work to find all those fab tins. She’s a trained aromatherapist who makes all her products from scratch in Hackney with as many organic and fairtrade ingredients as possible and I am very pleased to learn that none are tested on animals – but I guess that scenario is far less likely when using these kind of ingredients anyway – just one more reason to buy natural beauty brands. She sells at Liberty, Urban Outfitters and at Tatty Devine, and Viola Levy also gives her a mention in her run down of top natural beauty brands earlier this week. What a find – it goes without saying that her stall was very busy.

Bust Craftacular-shop jill

Looking for a nice little purse, or perhaps a unique oyster card holder? Jill makes the perfect thing: I was utterly transfixed by her beautifully laid out stall, featuring an array of charming goodies with graphic printed animal designs that would suit a man too. She also did a nice line in limited edition screen prints.

Bust Craftacular-Dot your Teas and Cross your Eyes

Dot your Teas and Cross your Eyes is a fashion and accessories designer by the name of Chloe. Her bold spotted print designs embellished fabulous silky dresses and she also makes some fabulous recycled fabric pom pom fascinators.

Bust Craftacular-urban cross stitch

Now for the craft loving man in your life: Urban Cross Stitch create cross stitch Star Wars kits. A wonderful meeting of 80s pop culture and the noughties crafting craze: what better way to inspire a bloke to get into this most relaxing of traditional techniques.

Bust Craftacular-James Ward plates

Last but very much not least, just as I was rounding the corner to leave I chanced upon James Ward’s plates, featuring an assortment of friendly animal characters accompanied by immortal phrases such as ‘I eat my cake in my pants’. Perfect for the parents who have everything but would nevertheless quite like to add to their piles of amusing kitchen ware.

Bust Craftacular cakes
Gratuitous cake photo…. yum yum. Now what are you waiting for? Step away from the High Street and support these talented artists and makers this Christmas… they are only a click away.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday December 8th, 2010 3:00 pm

Categories ,andrea garland, ,Beauty, ,Bethnal Green, ,Broadway Market, ,Bust Craftacular, ,craft, ,Dot your Teas and Cross your Eyes, ,East London Design Show, ,Fabric Nation, ,fairtrade, ,James Ward, ,Kingsland Road, ,liberty, ,organic, ,owls, ,Seaside Sisters, ,Shop Jill, ,Skincare, ,Star Wars, ,Tatty Devine, ,Urban Cross Stitch, ,Urban Outfitters, ,Vic Lee, ,vintage, ,Xiang Zeng, ,York Hall

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