Amelia’s Magazine | Joanna Cave: luxury ethical jewellery made in Greece from recycled silver

Les Antliaclastes by Stephanie Thieullent
Les Antliaclastes by Stephanie Thieullent.

Hilum opens with the ominous popping of corn, recipe patient stealthily reaching a crescendo before the pan jerks off stage to reveal an oversized scullery into which emerges a gremlin fairy creature. It’s like a creepy abandoned nursery of the netherworld, with recognisable objects and sounds mutated into the stuff of children’s nightmares. Almost immediately I fear for the dreams of the young children seated in front of us.

An array of wonderful grotesque puppets tumble and play, their strings pulled by the humans that tower above them in creamy lace outfits that resemble nightgowns. Their faces are covered, crocheted protrusions dangling trunk-like as they bend forward over their proteges, interacting with and manipulating them at the same time.

Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins
Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins.

But in this strange world full of curiously humanoid critters it is not the giant ogres that control the tale – such as there was one – but the rhythm of the washing machine cycles, underpinned by an evocative soundtrack. From crackling bleeps, to old time lullabies and the delicate tinkling of a glockenspiel as a pathetic little mermaid creature made from pearly buttons meets its death, it is an integral part of creating the atmosphere.

Hilum by Gemma Smith
Hilum by Gemma Smith.

Hilum by Abigail Daker
Hilum by Abigail Daker.

Towards the denouement things take a more surreal turn still, with the washing machine upending itself in a frenzy to reveal a furry trapdoor which after a bit more shaking gives birth to a baby washing machine, covered in a placenta like ooze. A real man appears with a loud toy gun, a large humanoid skull spins grinning inside the washing machine. A huge chicken creature strides on stage as a snapping oversized finger clatters around.

Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins
Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins.

As the shutters closed on this bizarre otherworld I felt oddly bemused. Hilum by Les Antliaclastes is a beautifully conceived project but with no real outcome, other than the guarantee of some very odd dreams, for adults and children alike.

But as we admired the stage shutters on our way out I felt very glad that creative endeavours such as this are staged during events like the London International Mime Festival. We are lucky indeed to live in this place and in these times, where creativity can be expressed in so many different and unique ways.

Hilum shutters ICA
Hilum shutters ICA
Hilum shutters ICA
The wonderfully decorated stage shutters for Hilum at the ICA.

Hilum was put together by puppeteer Patrick Sims and runs until Wednesday 26th January 2011 at the ICA as part of the London International Mime Festival. You can read another good review of this show by Matt Trueman on Carousel of Fantasies. The Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011 – see other events here.
Les Antliaclastes by Stephanie Thieullent
Les Antliaclastes by Stephanie Thieullent.

Hilum opens with the ominous popping of corn, advice stealthily reaching a crescendo before the pan jerks off stage to reveal an oversized scullery into which emerges a gremlin fairy creature. It’s like a creepy abandoned nursery of the netherworld, with recognisable objects and sounds mutated into the stuff of children’s nightmares. Almost immediately I fear for the dreams of the young children seated in front of us.

An array of wonderful grotesque puppets tumble and play, their strings pulled by the humans that tower above them in creamy lace outfits that resemble nightgowns. Their faces are covered, crocheted protrusions dangling trunk-like as they bend forward over their proteges, interacting with and manipulating them at the same time.

Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins
Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins.

But in this strange world full of curiously humanoid critters it is not the giant ogres that control the tale – such as there is one – but the rhythm of the washing machine cycles, underpinned by an evocative soundtrack. From crackling bleeps, to old time lullabies and the delicate tinkling of a glockenspiel (as a pathetic little mermaid creature made from pearly buttons meets its death) the music is an integral part of the atmosphere.

Hilum by Gemma Smith
Hilum by Gemma Smith.

Hilum by Abigail Daker
Hilum by Abigail Daker.

Towards the denouement things take a more surreal turn still, with the washing machine upending itself in a frenzy to reveal a furry trapdoor which after a bit more shaking gives birth to a baby washing machine, covered in a placenta like ooze. A real man appears with a loud toy gun, a large humanoid skull spins grinning inside the washing machine. A huge chicken creature strides on stage as a snapping oversized finger clatters around.

Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins
Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins.

As the shutters closed on this bizarre otherworld I felt oddly bemused. Hilum by Les Antliaclastes is a beautifully conceived project but with no real outcome, other than the guarantee of some very odd dreams, for adults and children alike.

But as we admired the stage shutters on our way out I felt very glad that creative endeavours such as this are staged during events like the London International Mime Festival. We are lucky indeed to live in this place and in these times, where creativity can be expressed in so many different and unique ways.

Hilum shutters ICA
Hilum shutters ICA
Hilum shutters ICA
The wonderfully decorated stage shutters for Hilum at the ICA.

Hilum was put together by puppeteer Patrick Sims and runs until Wednesday 26th January 2011 at the ICA as part of the London International Mime Festival. You can read another good review of this show by Matt Trueman on Carousel of Fantasies. The Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011 – see other events here.
Les Antliaclastes by Stephanie Thieullent
Les Antliaclastes by Stephanie Thieullent.

Hilum opens with the ominous popping of corn, visit this site stealthily reaching a crescendo before the pan jerks off stage to reveal an oversized scullery into which emerges a gremlin fairy creature. It’s like a creepy abandoned nursery of the netherworld, with recognisable objects and sounds mutated into the stuff of children’s nightmares. Almost immediately I fear for the dreams of the young children seated in front of us.

An array of wonderful grotesque puppets tumble and play, their strings pulled by the humans that tower above them in creamy lace outfits that resemble nightgowns. Their faces are covered, crocheted protrusions dangling trunk-like as they bend forward over their proteges, interacting with and manipulating them at the same time.

Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins
Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins.

But in this strange world full of curiously humanoid critters it is not the giant ogres that control the tale – such as there is one – but the rhythm of the washing machine cycles, underpinned by an evocative soundtrack. From crackling bleeps, to old time lullabies and the delicate tinkling of a glockenspiel (as a pathetic little mermaid creature made from pearly buttons meets its death) the music is an integral part of the atmosphere.

Hilum by Gemma Smith
Hilum by Gemma Smith.

Hilum by Abigail Daker
Hilum by Abigail Daker.

Towards the denouement things take a more surreal turn still, with the washing machine upending itself in a frenzy to reveal a furry trapdoor which gives birth to a baby washing machine covered in a placenta like ooze. A real man appears with a loud toy gun, a large humanoid skull spins grinning inside the washing machine. A huge chicken creature strides on stage as a snapping oversized finger clatters crazily agains the walls.

Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins
Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins.

As the shutters close on this bizarre otherworld I feel oddly bemused. Hilum by Les Antliaclastes is a beautifully conceived project but with no real outcome, other than the guarantee of some very odd dreams, for adults and children alike.

Nevertheless, as we admire the stage shutters on our way out I feel very glad that creative endeavours such as Hilum are staged during events like the London International Mime Festival. We are lucky indeed to live in this place and in these times, where creativity can be expressed in so many different and unique ways.

Hilum shutters ICA
Hilum shutters ICA
Hilum shutters ICA
The wonderfully decorated stage shutters for Hilum at the ICA.

Hilum was put together by puppeteer Patrick Sims and runs until Wednesday 26th January 2011 at the ICA as part of the London International Mime Festival. You can read another good review of this show by Matt Trueman on Carousel of Fantasies. The Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011 – find out about other events here.
Les Antliaclastes by Stephanie Thieullent
Les Antliaclastes by Stephanie Thieullent.

Hilum opens with the ominous popping of corn, order stealthily reaching a crescendo before the pan jerks off stage to reveal an oversized scullery into which emerges a gremlin fairy creature. It’s like a creepy abandoned nursery of the netherworld, site with recognisable objects and sounds mutated into the stuff of children’s nightmares. Almost immediately I fear for the dreams of the young children seated in front of us.

An array of wonderful grotesque puppets tumble and play, ambulance their strings pulled by the humans that tower above them in creamy lace outfits that resemble nightgowns. Their faces are covered, crocheted protrusions dangling trunk-like as they bend forward over their proteges, interacting with and manipulating them at the same time.

Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins
Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins.

But in this strange world full of curiously humanoid critters it is not the giant ogres that control the tale – such as there is one – but the rhythm of the washing machine cycles, underpinned by an evocative soundtrack. From crackling bleeps, to old time lullabies and the delicate tinkling of a glockenspiel (as a pathetic little mermaid creature made from pearly buttons meets its death) the music is an integral part of the atmosphere.

Hilum by Gemma Smith
Hilum by Gemma Smith.

Hilum by Abigail Daker
Hilum by Abigail Daker.

Towards the denouement things take a more surreal turn still, with the washing machine upending itself in a frenzy to reveal a furry trapdoor which gives birth to a baby washing machine covered in a placenta like ooze. A real man appears with a loud toy gun, a large humanoid skull spins grinning inside the washing machine. A huge chicken creature strides on stage as a snapping oversized finger clatters crazily agains the walls.

Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins
Les Antliaclastes by Gareth A Hopkins.

As the shutters close on this bizarre otherworld I feel oddly bemused. Hilum by Les Antliaclastes is a beautifully conceived project but with no real outcome, other than the guarantee of some very odd dreams, for adults and children alike.

Nevertheless, as we admire the stage shutters on our way out I feel very glad that creative endeavours such as Hilum are staged during events like the London International Mime Festival. We are lucky indeed to live in this place and in these times, where creativity can be expressed in so many different and unique ways.

Hilum shutters ICA
Hilum shutters ICA
Hilum shutters ICA
The wonderfully decorated stage shutters for Hilum at the ICA.

Hilum was put together by puppeteer Patrick Sims and runs until Wednesday 26th January 2011 at the ICA as part of the London International Mime Festival. You can read another good review of this show by Matt Trueman on Carousel of Fantasies. The Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011 – find out about other events here.
austra by anko
Austra by Anko

It may have been a typically miserable Monday night in January, viagra 60mg but we were safe from the elements within the hallowed hall that is the Windmill in Brixton. This unassuming little pub just off the busy thoroughfare of Brixton Hill (and in the shadow of a real windmill, pilule the only one remaining in London), has seen many upcoming bands and surprise appearances from old faces grace its stage over the years. My favourite music venue in London (and my second gig there in 48 hours), I’ve had a lot of nights at the Windmill that have been great (including my second New Year’s Eve in London), hazy (ditto) and just plain bizarre.

elena tonra by ellie sutton
Elena Tonra by Ellie Sutton.

The evening began with some haunting acoustica from Daughter, aka Elena Tonra. Plucking at an acoustic guitar, and backed by some subtle electric guitar washes, Tonra’s hushed vocals delivered some daintily dark lyrics that drew the onlookers in. As the Windmill began to fill up, Viv Albertine took to the stage with her new band, Limerence. Once the guitarist and co-songwriter with iconic punk band The Slits, Albertine had been off the music scene for over 20 years after pursuing a career in TV and film directing, but she recently made a return to the stage (indeed, her debut was here at the Windmill) and has gone on to release an EP on the label of Sonic Youth’s very own Thurston Moore.

Viv Albertine by Karina Yarv
Viv Albertine by Karina Yarv.

“Limerence” was a term coined to describe a near-obsessive form of romantic love, though Albertine joked that her songs were generally about pretty much the opposite. Limerence the band is a loose collective of musicians – I’d seen them play at the George Tavern in Stepney last year with pretty much a full compliment, but tonight it was just a pairing of violin and a combo of keyboard, guitar and ukulele. Musically, Albertine has moved on from the reggae infused sound of her old band, though her guitar is still as distinctive as it was on songs like Typical Girls. If anything, there’s a hint of Syd Barrett about songs like Fairytale and the twisted pop of Never Come, and the lyrics are as witty and spiky as you’d expect. Void references a darker part of her punk past, and was introduced with a few reminiscences of 1976. The paired down line-up actually gave an extra edge to Albertine’s songs, highlighted on the unsettling set closer, Confessions Of A Milf, which descended into a one-chord riff on suburban paranoia.

Canadian headliners Austra have been causing a bit of a buzz of late. Hailing from Toronto, and centred on vocalist Katie Stelmanis, with Maya Postepski on programming and Dorian Wolf on bass, they recently renamed themselves (having previously been going under Stelmanis’ moniker), signed to Domino and currently have a 12” single out, with an album in the pipeline for later this year.

Austra gig at The Windmill by Laura Godfrey
Austra gig at The Windmill by Laura Godfrey.

For the UK leg of a whistle-stop European tour, starting tonight, Stelmanis and co were joined by a drummer, keyboard player and two extra vocalists. There was a bit of a shaky start with a technical hitch before things got into their stride. It would be easy to make comparisons with Fever Ray and Glasser (especially as I’d seen both live fairly recently), and Austra do fall into that category of brooding female vocals over dark electronic beats. However, they’re not as dense as Fever Ray or as spectral as Glasser, especially live. I’d read somewhere that Austra were like “Fever Ray gone disco”, which actually isn’t a million miles off the mark. The single, Beat & the Pulse, is distinctly dance-friendly, and while Stelmanis’ vocal delivery may be reminiscent of Karin Dreijer Andersson, the general vibe is more akin to the early to mid 80’s indie-dance crossover. In the confined space of the Windmill, Austra’s songs become much more organic, with the live drums and bass giving an added kick. There was also plenty of theatricality, with Stelmanis and her sidekicks whirling and dipping during each song.

It was a typically great and varied mix of bands and styles tonight, another in a long line of great nights that I’ve experienced at the Windmill, and another one I’m sure that the venue’s legendary Roof Dog would approve of.

Joanna Cave S/S 2011 by Naomi Law
Joanna Cave S/S 2011 by Naomi Law.

Jewellery designer Joanna Cave makes delicate pieces for the self confident and elegant woman. She met PARTIMI designer Eleanor Dorrien-Smith at London Fashion Week and the pair clicked instantly. For S/S 2011 they have collaborated on a special collection.

Has your Greek upbringing influenced your designs?
I believe that our surroundings influence us a great deal and my Greek upbringing has definitely played its part. My latest collection was purely influenced by the surroundings where I designed it on the Greek island of Tinos, salve so amongst my inspiration was the beautiful Cycladic landscape and deep starry nights.

Why you currently based in Athens?
I studied in London but after many years I felt I needed a change, drug and Athens seemed like a pretty exotic destination after a cold and cloudy summer in the UK. It can be difficult since I’m part English and absolutely love London, viagra approved but Athens has a great tradition in jewellery and it is full of charming little workshops that have been operating for generations. It all kind of fell into place.

Have you always been ethical in your approach to design or did you have an epiphany, and if so what prompted that?
I’ve almost always used recycled silver. One year I used coral for my collection which is terribly bad – as soon as I found out how endangered coral is and how much damage is caused by extracting it, I completely banned it from my production. That prompted me to find out more about where my materials come from, and I started to look for ethically sourced pearls…

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

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Athens, ,Coral, ,Eco fashion, ,Eleanor Dorrien-Smith, ,Ethical Fashion, ,Greece, ,Greek, ,jewellery, ,Joanna Cave, ,London Fashion Week, ,Naomi Law, ,Partimi, ,Pearls, ,Tinos

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Amelia’s Magazine | Joanna Cave: luxury ethical jewellery made in Greece from recycled silver

Joanna Cave S/S 2011 by Naomi Law
Joanna Cave S/S 2011 by Naomi Law.

Jewellery designer Joanna Cave makes delicate pieces for the self confident and elegant woman. She met PARTIMI designer Eleanor Dorrien-Smith at London Fashion Week and the pair clicked instantly. For S/S 2011 they have collaborated on a special collection.

Has your Greek upbringing influenced your designs?
I believe that our surroundings influence us a great deal and my Greek upbringing has definitely played its part. My latest collection was purely influenced by the surroundings where I designed it on the Greek island of Tinos, so amongst my inspiration was the beautiful Cycladic landscape and deep starry nights.

Why you currently based in Athens?
I studied in London but after many years I felt I needed a change, and Athens seemed like a pretty exotic destination after a cold and cloudy summer in the UK. It can be difficult since I’m part English and absolutely love London, but Athens has a great tradition in jewellery and it is full of charming little workshops that have been operating for generations. It all kind of fell into place.

Have you always been ethical in your approach to design or did you have an epiphany, and if so what prompted that?
I’ve almost always used recycled silver. One year I used coral for my collection which is terribly bad – as soon as I found out how endangered coral is and how much damage is caused by extracting it, I completely banned it from my production. That prompted me to find out more about where my materials come from, and I started to look for ethically sourced pearls…

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

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Athens, ,Coral, ,Eco fashion, ,Eleanor Dorrien-Smith, ,Ethical Fashion, ,Greece, ,Greek, ,jewellery, ,Joanna Cave, ,London Fashion Week, ,Naomi Law, ,Partimi, ,Pearls, ,Tinos

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Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2013 Review: Best Soft Furnishings and Homewares

plate by Louise Wilkinson
Bone china plate by Louise Wilkinson.

As usual there was a plethora of new and exciting designers to discover at Tent London 2013, showing alongside some familiar favourites that I look forward to catching up with each year. Here is my round up of the best soft furnishings and homewares brands I found. Wall art, furniture and lighting will follow in my next blog, though this delineation is pretty arbitrary since many brands happily encompass all aspects of interior design.

Tent London Cushions Melanie Porter
This outrageous outsize knitted cushion is by Melanie Porter, who was trained at Central Saint Martins and turned her hand to soft furnishing design after ten years working as a designer for international fashion brands. Melanie became a mum in July, so good on her for staying up to speed and putting on such a great show at Tent this year. Those of us running our own brands don’t get much time off!

Chocolate creative cushions Tent
Geometric prints were everywhere at Tent London this year. I love these cushions by Chocolate Creative.

Tent London Melody Rose plate boxing
Tent London Melody Rose plates
I spent some time chatting with Melanie Roseveare of Melody Rose ceramics whilst Snarfle marvelled at her new collection of printed plates. Melody started out upcycling vintage fine china – adding her own designs on top of vintage ones such as the blue plate above (which features a picture of her dad, an amateur boxing champion). Now she has launched her own bespoke range that includes this artfully placed classical nude. I love the way she has arranged these plates to make the most of the design.

Honeycomb geometric print cushions from Room 39
These honeycomb geometric print cushions are by Petra Green of Room 39, a Slovenian designer now settled in the UK who excels in the use of bright colours and eye catching prints on unusually shaped cushions. Some of her designs are made up in a family run factory in Slovenia, some are made up by the Working Well Trust (which provides opportunities for those with mental health difficulties) and some are manufactured in her East London studio space. She aims to marry craft techniques and modern technology in as sustainable a way as possible – I like her production style!

Tent London Sian Elin Thomas abstract cushions
Tent London Sian Elin Thomas cushions
I first admired work by Sian Elin at New Designers this year, but didn’t cover it at the time because my photographs did not do the collection justice. Her wonderful cushions feature abstract designs (and the fab peacock patterned design above) in a range of luscious colour combinations.

elephant print cushion Rachel powell
Since I discovered her at New Designers in 2011 Rachel Powell has gone from strength to strength, and it’s so nice to see a recent graduate doing well commercially within a few years. My favourite thing in her new collection is this bold retro inspired elephant print that would look lush in a kid’s room. The design also comes on fabric that can be purchased by the metre – what a brilliant idea for all those crafters out there!

Magnetic porcelain train - Reiko Kaneko
What fun – this magnetic porcelain train for eggy soldiers is by the Japanese born designer Reiko Kaneko. Having graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2007 she set up her own studio in London’s east end, but has since relocated to Stoke-on-Trent in order to integrate design and production in the home town of English bone china.

The Staffordshire University Flux ceramics
Speaking of fine bone china, the Staffordshire University student collaboration Flux Stoke-on-Trent continues to impress with beautiful ceramic designs. This project is an example of collaboration between a teaching establishment and industry – forging new bonds that will lead to viable careers in an industry which can be notoriously difficult to infiltrate successfully.

Brushes by Swedish brand Lofstrom
These beautiful brushes by Mikael Lofstrom of Lofstrom skilfully make use of the natural shape of tree branches, which are paired with upcycled thistles.

Etelka Meixner of Hungary; pearl embellished chinaware
Etelka Meixner of Hungary has tapped into a very current theme with her luxuriously decorative pearl embellished chinaware.

Townscape design by Maxine Sutton
I had a long chat about the joys of living in Thanet with Ramsgate based designer Maxine Sutton, who has recently overhauled her shop in the centre of the newly vibrant Margate to become a stand alone store for her homewares range. This graphic townscape design perfectly showcases her style.

Kristine Five Melvaer -Norwegian design showcase
Over at the Norwegian design showcase I was most taken by these jewel coloured stripe pots from Kristine Five Melvær. Kristine works in glass and china to produce objects of exquisite beauty.

Fine china by Louise Wilkinson
Ceramic jug by Louise Wilkinson
Finally, I am just a little bit in love with fine china by Louise Wilkinson, an illustrator and fashion textile designer turned homewares designer who is inspired by Japanese design. I think her unique creations also owe a slight debt to the cute animals so often featured in 40s and 50s children’s book design: no wonder I find them so delightful. In fact we promptly bought a jug and matching mugs for some soon to be married friends and I am just a little bit envious.

You can share my discoveries as I find them by following me on instagram here.

Categories ,2013, ,Bone China, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chocolate Creative, ,Etelka Meixner, ,Flux Stoke-on-Trent, ,Homewares, ,Hungary, ,japanese, ,Kristine Five Melvær, ,Lofstrom, ,Louise Wilkinson, ,Margate, ,Maxine Sutton, ,Melanie Porter, ,Melanie Roseveare, ,Melody Rose, ,Mikael Lofstrom, ,New Designers, ,Norwegian, ,Pearls, ,Petra Green, ,Porcelain, ,Rachel Powell, ,Ramsgate, ,Reiko Kaneko, ,review, ,Room 39, ,Sian Elin, ,Slovenia, ,Snarfle, ,Soft Furnishings, ,Staffordshire University, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,Tent London, ,textiles, ,Thanet, ,Upcycled, ,Working Well Trust

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Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2013 Review: Best Soft Furnishings and Homewares

plate by Louise Wilkinson
Bone china plate by Louise Wilkinson.

As usual there was a plethora of new and exciting designers to discover at Tent London 2013, showing alongside some familiar favourites that I look forward to catching up with each year. Here is my round up of the best soft furnishings and homewares brands I found. Wall art, furniture and lighting will follow in my next blog, though this delineation is pretty arbitrary since many brands happily encompass all aspects of interior design.

Tent London Cushions Melanie Porter
This outrageous outsize knitted cushion is by Melanie Porter, who was trained at Central Saint Martins and turned her hand to soft furnishing design after ten years working as a designer for international fashion brands. Melanie became a mum in July, so good on her for staying up to speed and putting on such a great show at Tent this year. Those of us running our own brands don’t get much time off!

Chocolate creative cushions Tent
Geometric prints were everywhere at Tent London this year. I love these cushions by Chocolate Creative.

Tent London Melody Rose plate boxing
Tent London Melody Rose plates
I spent some time chatting with Melanie Roseveare of Melody Rose ceramics whilst Snarfle marvelled at her new collection of printed plates. Melody started out upcycling vintage fine china – adding her own designs on top of vintage ones such as the blue plate above (which features a picture of her dad, an amateur boxing champion). Now she has launched her own bespoke range that includes this artfully placed classical nude. I love the way she has arranged these plates to make the most of the design.

Honeycomb geometric print cushions from Room 39
These honeycomb geometric print cushions are by Petra Green of Room 39, a Slovenian designer now settled in the UK who excels in the use of bright colours and eye catching prints on unusually shaped cushions. Some of her designs are made up in a family run factory in Slovenia, some are made up by the Working Well Trust (which provides opportunities for those with mental health difficulties) and some are manufactured in her East London studio space. She aims to marry craft techniques and modern technology in as sustainable a way as possible – I like her production style!

Tent London Sian Elin Thomas abstract cushions
Tent London Sian Elin Thomas cushions
I first admired work by Sian Elin at New Designers this year, but didn’t cover it at the time because my photographs did not do the collection justice. Her wonderful cushions feature abstract designs (and the fab peacock patterned design above) in a range of luscious colour combinations.

elephant print cushion Rachel powell
Since I discovered her at New Designers in 2011 Rachel Powell has gone from strength to strength, and it’s so nice to see a recent graduate doing well commercially within a few years. My favourite thing in her new collection is this bold retro inspired elephant print that would look lush in a kid’s room. The design also comes on fabric that can be purchased by the metre – what a brilliant idea for all those crafters out there!

Magnetic porcelain train - Reiko Kaneko
What fun – this magnetic porcelain train for eggy soldiers is by the Japanese born designer Reiko Kaneko. Having graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2007 she set up her own studio in London’s east end, but has since relocated to Stoke-on-Trent in order to integrate design and production in the home town of English bone china.

The Staffordshire University Flux ceramics
Speaking of fine bone china, the Staffordshire University student collaboration Flux Stoke-on-Trent continues to impress with beautiful ceramic designs. This project is an example of collaboration between a teaching establishment and industry – forging new bonds that will lead to viable careers in an industry which can be notoriously difficult to infiltrate successfully.

Brushes by Swedish brand Lofstrom
These beautiful brushes by Mikael Lofstrom of Lofstrom skilfully make use of the natural shape of tree branches, which are paired with upcycled thistles.

Etelka Meixner of Hungary; pearl embellished chinaware
Etelka Meixner of Hungary has tapped into a very current theme with her luxuriously decorative pearl embellished chinaware.

Townscape design by Maxine Sutton
I had a long chat about the joys of living in Thanet with Ramsgate based designer Maxine Sutton, who has recently overhauled her shop in the centre of the newly vibrant Margate to become a stand alone store for her homewares range. This graphic townscape design perfectly showcases her style.

Kristine Five Melvaer -Norwegian design showcase
Over at the Norwegian design showcase I was most taken by these jewel coloured stripe pots from Kristine Five Melvær. Kristine works in glass and china to produce objects of exquisite beauty.

Fine china by Louise Wilkinson
Ceramic jug by Louise Wilkinson
Finally, I am just a little bit in love with fine china by Louise Wilkinson, an illustrator and fashion textile designer turned homewares designer who is inspired by Japanese design. I think her unique creations also owe a slight debt to the cute animals so often featured in 40s and 50s children’s book design: no wonder I find them so delightful. In fact we promptly bought a jug and matching mugs for some soon to be married friends and I am just a little bit envious.

You can share my discoveries as I find them by following me on instagram here.

Categories ,2013, ,Bone China, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chocolate Creative, ,Etelka Meixner, ,Flux Stoke-on-Trent, ,Homewares, ,Hungary, ,japanese, ,Kristine Five Melvær, ,Lofstrom, ,Louise Wilkinson, ,Margate, ,Maxine Sutton, ,Melanie Porter, ,Melanie Roseveare, ,Melody Rose, ,Mikael Lofstrom, ,New Designers, ,Norwegian, ,Pearls, ,Petra Green, ,Porcelain, ,Rachel Powell, ,Ramsgate, ,Reiko Kaneko, ,review, ,Room 39, ,Sian Elin, ,Slovenia, ,Snarfle, ,Soft Furnishings, ,Staffordshire University, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,Tent London, ,textiles, ,Thanet, ,Upcycled, ,Working Well Trust

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