The power of making at V&A in London

Next Friday I ll be in London. I can t wait to go and see the exhibition "the power of making" at V&A.

It showcases 100 exquisitely crafted objects and explores how materials can be used in imaginative  and spectacular ways,

The exhibition is structured in groups of objects that share certain attributes. Some have been created using related techniques or materials. Others are connected by their appearance, or by their makers’ motivations.

There is no set path to follow. Power of Making is intended to encourage exploration and imagination, in the open-ended spirit of the works on display.

I am so much looking forward to seeing it!

www.wam.ac.uk

Frieze Art Fair, 2011

A must see event for anyone interested in finding out what's what and what's to be in contemporary art, Frieze Art Fair is one of the world’s biggest and most influential contemporary art fairs and brings with it an international focus to London's dynamic art scene. It took place from the 13th to the 16th of October in Regent’s Park and1000s of artists and 175 galleries were there.Last year it was estimated that the fair housed about £235 million worth of art.
This year’s commissions include a living “scoreboard” of rotating quotes and phrases operated by assistants to Dutch duo Bik Van der Pol, an aquarium that’s the stage for a “performance” by an ecosystem of sea creatures by Pierre Huyghe and a luxury yacht that can be purchased as an original Christian Jankowski “artwork.” Other participants in the program were Oliver Laric, the London multimedia collective LuckyPDF, Peles Empire, Laure Prouvost and Cara Tolmie.

I haven't been there...but a friend of mine said the parties and side events were better than Frieze itself...

Sculptur by Kiki Smith, Seer (Alice II)




Sculptures by Tom Friedman, Circle Dance, 2010



Jonathan Monk - Do Not Pay More Than $60,000

Picking tools from Fruit City website

Ok, this may have little to do with fashion, but I love the fruit picking tools you can see below.

They have been designed byVahakn Matossian who has developed a series of objects for the urban forager.
The long range extendable fruit picking device and  the fruit collecting basket are just lovely and useful.
They are both on sale on http://www.fruitcity.co.uk/
Fruit City is a growing map and network of all the fruit trees in public spaces in London. Logged and mapped by the Fruit City team and citizens.
Fruit City is not just a Map of trees, but an initiative to wake people up to the nature on their doorstep. To re-engage folks with the wild and goodness around them and to get local community orchards planted.In theory every Londoner could get all the fruit they need from the city streets right now and through the year....

London Fashion Week and the London Style Collective

I spent 3 FANTASTIC days in London... and again I was soooo busy to go from one place to another ...that I neglected my blog :((
I was invited to a vernissage in a friend's gallery (http://mews42.com/) in South Kensington, I spent almost a whole day at Somerset House visitng the stands and little pop-up shops at the London Fashion Weekend, I saw friends I had not see in ages....
Here is a pic of the entrance at the London Fashion Weekend at Somerset House

And here are some pictures I took at the London Style Collective ppo-up shop in Duke of York Square, close to Sloane Square. The Collective is a group of young and talented British  and international designers (and I'm soooo glad my friend Sarah Hutton from S(he) rocks it  http://smhutton.tumblr.com/ is part of it!!). They design and create fabulous, funky and trendy clothes made with different materials (rubber above all) and colourful fabrics.

 

and here is Sarah's collection of scarves called PROTECTION. If you are interested in buying them (they are all hand made and super beautiful) pls get either in contact with Sarah or me (prices vary according to the models).

Well I could not resist the temptation to try one of Sarah's creation on...ah ah..I look like a warrior :) with a union jack i-phone cover and a floreal skirt (I know, I can do better than that :)

Pls pls visit http://thelondonstylecollective.com/contact/

Vintage Treasures in London

I was reading one of my favourite fashion magazine yesterday when I stumbled in an article about vintage fashion in London...the journalist was mentioning in her article Judith Michael as one - or probably the best- vintage shop in London.Since I had not heard of it...(I know it's terrible :)) I checked the website and found some itneresting information.
Judith Michael and her daughter are running a vintage shop in Primrose Hill in London, close to Camden Town. It does seem to be an interesting place and almost everything is on sale (scented candles, accessories, jewels)..I ll probably hit her shop next time I ll be in London....
Have a look at www.judithmichael.com in the meanwhile...

Acts of kindness on the underground in London

Just yesterday I posted some pics of people I took in the tube..and today while I was reading the newspaper I came across the news of a project recently launched by the London Underground.
Passengers and staff are invited to send stories about acts of kindness they received on the undeground: such stories will be displayed on the Central Line. Artist Michael Landy will be doing the poster art work.
“Sometimes we tend to assume that you have to be superhuman to be kind, rather than just an ordinary person,” says Michael.

The first Central line stations to receive the Acts of Kindness stories include Holland Park, Holborn and Liverpool Street.
This is such an interesting idea..we are all fed up with stories of violence and crime..we need some positive news (and actions!)

People watching in the tube

I have always been fascinated by people sitting together in a wagon and sharing in silence part of their journey..it's about diversity, creativity, different personalities crossing their paths for some moments..it has a sort of mistery and at the same time a sense of magic...

Spitafields Vintage Market in London

The reasons why I haven t posted anything in the last few days are many:

1) I was quite busy attending my course at the Central Saint Martins (and now I do regret having taken no pics of my colleagues and of Erica, our teacher of Fashion Design and Marketing)

2) to find a FREE wifi spot in London is a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!! Come on Boris, do something about that...Budapest is much much much better than London in terms of wifi connections in bars and restaurants

3) I was too busy living, watching people (my greatest source of inspiration!), learning, talking, listening and yes..also shopping

Here I want to post some pics I took last Monday at the Vinatge Fair in Spitafields close to Liverpool St Station. I loved the market, the atmopshere and the people at the market..so this post is a tribute to all the beauty and extravagances I have seen.

MacCulloch & Wallis in London

 MacCulloch & Wallis sells fine fabrics and trimmings. The store still looks much the same as it would have done in the decade before (it was established in 1902).
I just happen to visit this shop today. It is located in central London, in 25-26 Dering Street, so just off Regent Street...I happened to see it just by chance...and I love it..I wanted to buy a jar of buttons...but I ended up buying beautiful fabrics...

Fashion Design and Marketing -Central St Martins here I come!!!

Thank you for booking a course at Central Saint Martins. We are pleased to confirm that you have been successfully registered on the following course:

Course:	Fashion Design And Marketing - (Summer)
Date:	30/08/2011 - 02/09/2011
Time:	10:00 - 17:00
Location:	Southampton Row (Click here for a map)

Right, yes, tomorrow I am starting this course in London at one of the best fashion schools in the world (I have landed at Stansted a few hours ago)..can't wait to start this new adventure!!

London Fashion Week - if not there, where?

London Fashion Week is an apparel trade show held in London, England twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.
This year it will take place between the 16th and the 20th of September.
If you have a look at http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk you will see the long list of designers taking part to it and all the main events that will be organized during those days (most of them take place at Somerset House in London).

The London Fashion Week is mainly for buyers and the fashion industry.
Consumers can attend the Vodafone Fashion Week and purchase tickets for the week end 22nd-25th of September.

Vodafone London Fashion Weekend uses the same exhibition and catwalk venue. Vodafone London Fashion Weekend is essentially a designer shopping event, where members of the public can shop from designers of London Fashion Week calibre, from the high profile to the emerging, at reduced prices.
Here are some pics from the last fashion week.

I ll do my best to go to the London Fashion Week (I just need to make sure my boss and my husband are ok with that :)))

Elizabeth Lau - Romantic Creations

I was searching for information about the London Fashion Week that will take place in September in London and came across a British designer, Elizabeth Lau.. I got trapped and enchanted by the beauty of her romantic clothes!!! (well, yes, my style is a bit more aggressive but I like to mix different pieces).

On the London Fashion Week website her creations are described as “happy”, “mignon” and “kawaii”. Elizabeth’s aim is to dress women in her fun and feminine vision, but in a way that is relevant to a 21st century lifestyle. She designs with this in mind and has consistently designed easy to wear dresses, coats and knits which dress you up in an instant.

Her signature attributes include surprise details known only to the wearer, hand finished embellishments, Liberty of London prints and love heart motifs. Elizabeth’s approach is fresh but unmistakably British in flavour.

If you time go and visit her website at www.elizabethlau.com, you will not repent it!!

Elizabeth Lau used to have a pop-up shop in London at at 2 Ganton Street W1F 7QL, Carnaby Street...I have to check if this is still there!!!

Traid - Remade in the UK

Today I was walking in Camden Town, London, when I saw this shop...and I was attracted by its window.

I have found out that TRAID is a chain of shops (there are 10 of them in all London) which sell high quality and hand sorted secondhand, original vintage, brand names and designer clothes, shoes and accessories reclaimed from the UK public via  the Clothes Recycling Banks. 

I think it's simply a great and sustainable/environmental friendly idea!..and to support the shop I bought a pair of black second hnad All Star for 13 pounds..what a bargain!!

Bansky - the art of street art

In the last few years many graffiti have appeared on the walls in Bologna.

In some cases they are creative and beautiful decorations ...but more often they have nothing to do with street art and are just images or letters scratched with misterious meanings (at least for me).

Interesting enough, the first known example of "modern style" graffiti is to be found  in the ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. Today graffiti  are considered a form of street art and New York city and London are the cities with the greatest number of graffiti.

Personally I love the graffiti made by Bansky, an anonymous British graffiti artist, political activist, film director and painter. According to some, Bansky was born in 1974 and raised in Bristol, England, but nobody has ever seen his face (which is something really fascinating).  In his "paintings" Bansky deals with political and social themes. I love what he wrote down in Wall and Peace, the book he self-published.

"Bus stops are far more interesting and useful places to have art than in museums. Graffiti has more chance of meaning something or changing stuff than anything indoors. Graffiti has been used to start revolutions, stop wars, and generally is the voice of people who aren't listened to. Graffiti is one of those few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make somebody smile while they're having a piss."

Below are some Bansky's graffiti (all to be found in London)

If you have time, have a look at www.banksy.co.uk
Some of Bansky's most interesting works are on his website!