B A S S O & B R O O K E

Completely forgot to post that I finally went to the Basso & Brooke exhibition!

Was actually a little disappointed though, I think I'd built it up a fair bit in my head that it was going to be a highly extensive look into their work. Don't get me wrong though -the work that was there was amazing but there were only 6 garments. I was so excited to have A: found the Design Museum in the first place and B: remembered to take my camera that the high of seeing two garments by a set of stairs and 4 in a box frame outside paled in comparison.

However as small as the collection was it was still pretty awesome to see some of their work up close!

C A M D E N MARKETS

Yip been marketing it up again, this time at the Camden Markets, came across more great stuff but to be honest most of the stalls repeated themselves every 4 or 5 AND a lot of it was cheap and poorly made clothing... I've come across this jewellry (below) -I first thought it was grad or student work but now I'm not so sure as I've seen it at a few stalls now, it's rather interesting -a kind of etched metal, plus the rings are great

F L O W E R S

Again with the flowers!

Yes I've been playing around a bit again with the flowers and trying them out as garments and fashion illustrations....

Would love to get a few things digitally printed with them... hmmmm must explore this further I think! Perhaps it is cheaper and easier in London town?

Vintage filtering

Okay one more post for the day...

I've seen some great 'vintage' photos recently, new ones made to look vintage using photoshop and I really wanted to have a go, turns out there are quite a few ways to do it. I googled it a bit and came across a great blog with excellent advice here.

So I had a go with a picture I took at the Portobello Rd Markets today, I think it went okay -will def be trying it again!

Before (Above)

After (Above)

Delicate Mayhem

Whilst pushing and shoving through the Portobello Rd Markets I came across an exceptional illustrator, Laura Jordan who draws these great views of London. Check out her site but to be honest her work is soooo much better in person, (website images are a little disappointing), the detail you get up close really makes it count, so head to the markets and find her out!

WAIT! I just came across a site selling her work and they have much better images so go here!

P O R T O B E L L O RD

Went to Portobello Rd Markets for the first time today, golly there were A LOT of people...

Some very amazing things on display though, especially loved the great stalls full of graduate and crafters work -absolutely great! (see next blog for an incredible illustrator!)

Particularly loved the enamel cuffs above but couldn't decide on what one or size, did happen to buy a couple of London charms for my charm bracelet though and found an awesome stall with vintage scarves for 1 pound each! (did buy a couple... okay four).

Also came across a couple of stalls selling these crazy little bird rings which I predict may become quite popular... they did sit up quite far off the finger but are just extreme enough for the hardcore trend setters to wear.

(Sorry for the terrible photo).

Horrockses? Now as much as I like to keep up with fashion styles and trends I'd no clue as to what this word refered to -my mind instantly strayed into halloween costume territory, certainly nowhere near the feminine garment styles of the 1950's. However this became apparent as I wondered through the latest exhibition at Londons Fashion and Textile Museum. The exhibition showcases a brilliant display of garments selected from the fashion manufacturer Horrockses, with floral and simple yet almost tribal like motif patterns placed upon tailored sundresses and gowns made to last. Old style glamour designed to show off the female hour glass figure with cinched in waists, slimline belts and cropped jackets. I would definitely reccommend you go see it if you too love the 40's 50's style!

If I had to choose one of todays modern style icons who perfectly fits within it's realms Zooey Deschanel (whom I've spoken of previously) would be the one. Talented actress, folk singer/songwriter, Zooey never disappoints. She manages to take a fresh outlook on the classic 50's style and make it her own effortlessly. Ahhh the jealousy.

Horrockses fashion images from London Fashion and Textile Museum exhibition August 2010

The walking cliche...

London is an amazing place full of great individual tastes and style yet some people can get a weeee bit carried away with trying to top all the lastest trends proposed. For example... walking though the mall yesterday a hapless victim wondered past me, ordinarily I wouldn't voice my opinion as each to their own but this girl had every one of the lastest fads going on -3/4 length leggings paired with a long snug fitting nylon/lycra 90's floral tunic which had the new in style puffy sleeves a cut out back with a bow at the neck, large hoop earings, a quilted Chanel look-a-like tote, strappy gladiator sandals and a pair of bug-eyed black sunnies perched on her head.

This may not sound so bad but you had to see it all together to get my point, or I could just be entirely too judgmental...

Bright side however is that there are so many more brilliant fashion styles here that I myself can not wait to try out -have seen some pretty gorgeous heels at Kurt Geiger... not to mention the ballet flats at French Sole... oh to be rich!

Hipsters!

Watched a spectacular movie on the plane over here called Hipsters it's a Russian musical set in the 1950's about two opposing groups of Teens, the politcal soviets who adhere to strict communist rules and grey drab dress codes vs the Hipsters -a group doing their own thing, straying in the opposite direction, rebelling against the communist authority dressing in wildly essentric rockibilly ways. It's a great movie, one I would love to own but could be sure New Zealand would never get it on the main screen.

I definitely reccommend it!

(Apologies the trailer is in Russian, couldn't find it with subtitles!)

Dry The River

Great band new to me I discovered today on trust youtube thanks to LondonLuci and the music accompanying her illustrations!

Dry The River are a talented bunch of musicians from England! Which of course makes it so much easier for me to see them now that I am indeed in L O N D O N!

Arrived last Friday and am proud to say I am becomming quite the seasoned tube user. The public transport here makes NZ's look like a joke.

Have joined several recruitment places this week, applied for my NI (National Insurance number), bank account set up is on Monday, Tomorrow am off to the V&A to spend glorious hours in their textile dept! Basso and Brooke may be on Sunday, or possibly early next week.

I worked a random temp shift through one of the recruitment places today at Top Shop (clothing store) on Oxford St of all places! Absolute horror as it was sale time and I had to restock the racks... Never again, women can be vicious shoppers!