My Favourite things this Xmas

ILLAMASQUA- British, Independent flippin AMAZING colours..also for BOYS!

Obviously Illamasqua has been around coming up to a year now, with shops in Selfridges and Beak street! But I really haven’t really had a  proper chance to see close up. So SHOCK, SURPRISE at the press event of Lucy in disguise I was introduced to the PIGMENTS by the hand of Clare one of their chief make up artists!(she is based at the Beak street shop). WOW!  Certain to rival MAC. Made by Kryolan the German Giant for makeup artists who in their 60years of being have not tested on Animals once! Policy!
Not sure where to begin.......... Foundations long lasting with complete cover!  Silver, Gold metallic eye shadow intense!
Colour ranges extensive and bright. Pricing starting at £14 upwards so pretty affordable!
But my favourite really are the eyelashes (check Clare`s above) they’re really hitting the spot,  had to rush out at buy for all my  gorgeous girls !

Finally SNOW! my Plasticana Hemp wellies stand the test!

With their gorgeous caramelly colour my fantastic Plasticana wellies certainly are eye catching! Plus they are seriously comfortable! No chaffing what so ever!! Developed by the amazing French genius Andre Ravachol mixing hemp fibres with into a recycled vinyl concoction! (note technicality is not my forte) they are beautiful!
Also amazingly cheap and can be picked up (at the moment) at the N2 concept store in Covent Garden,73 Monmouth Street, WC2H 9DJ and  just for £45!



LOVE GOD HATE RELIGION- My favourite tee for this Xmas

I am just so loving this new addition to the family of THTC tees that I GOT ONE! £22 for this fab  organic tee! Which does make you stop to think  `More blood is spilt in the name of religion than any other cause`.

NEED I SAY MORE! except that this Saturday only, THTC have an amazing sample sale where most tees will be down to £10 (ok maybe not this one) and jeans from £100 to £30. Last minute Xmas shopping anyone????

Party night at Lucy in Disguise for VIP suite Launch

GREY GOOSE cocktails were flowing,  JAZZTOGO was singing, nails were being WAH painted and ILLAMASQUA eyelashes were fluttering.
And then there was the show - gorgeous girls wearing even more gorgeous
cloths from the shop itself!  Fell in love with the fabulous all in one sparkling number (2nd picture).

But there was sooOOO much more flapper dresses, 60`s and 70`s and grab for accessories like Chanel and Emanuelle Kahn sunglasses. Yep a  total treasurechest of style!

The VIP room can be hired for parties of 8 or more. £10 will get you an hour, an assitant to style + reviving tea and biccies + voucher. EXTRAS to go include , nails,hair,makeup,music and cocktails!

Lucy in disguise is my kinda shop!

Angel Christmas Fair at Candid Arts in Islington

A fun fair going on for 1 more day till Sunday 12th December at the Candid Arts Galleries behind
Angel tube in London.
2 gorgeous designers jumped out at me from the many showing!

Sagen ( 1st image) is a swedish designer working in Malmo since 2007 she has been collecting old bits of beautiful china from flea markets and shops which she breaks and then incases in silver to create beautiful jewellery. particularly loved her rings which have a clever fastening which allows the wearer
to alternate on fingers! She also does some really beautiful solid cufflinks which at a starting price of £70 good quirky male Xmas present!!

Betty`s Revenge (2nd image) are designed and handmade by Cathy Hoste a surface designer specialising in printed textile using screen, digital and hand painted mediums. Crazy about her mamoth shopping
trolley (tucked in corner) and her cute printed purses with Flamenco and Burlesque themes! She also has designed some great flamenco cards just for Xmas !!

How could I possibly be in the vecinity of Angel and not check one of my fave shops My sugar land... so I did and fell in love with a pair of fantastic GOLD vintage shoes..... there was a magnetic pull and they and me could not be parted!!!  So I will be wearing them with my monkee jeans tomorrow. Gosh I love Xmas!! especially when its early for me!

Fun Frolicks and loads of lush IF YOU PLEASE lingerie

 
Stunning designer and e-tailer Amber Thomson picture above left launched her own label If you Please
at the heaving Movida nightclub last night.

 What a way to launch the label not only were the welcoming male contingent present treated to lots of gorgeous ladies in a selection of serious underwear pieces from Ambers e-shop but us girls were wowed by the likes of some great burlesque performers, notably the amazing Banbury Cross. 

And so to the label this gorgeous limited edition, vintage-inspired lingerie, using delicate floral lace from Nottingham is also manufactured in the UK. The range  features a soft cup, underwired bra, which is decorated with a ribbon-adorned lace trim across the cups, a sheer lace, four strap suspender belt and a retro sheer lace brief with a seam to the rear and a ribbon trimmed modesty panel at the front.  Available in black with grey or pink trim, these aren’t going to be around for long at £50 a set! I think in fact I nabbed the last set in grey so it’s a question of rush to get now, or wait!!!

Forget green,eco, sustainable, ethical ... Intelligent fashion is the NEW Word on the block!

I am really not sure if its all the green wash going on, or the fact that I have seen too many righteous academics,  maybe just simply my natural sense of rebellion, but the word Ethical has just got to me!! 
So it was just glorious and refreshing at the Estethica press day at Somerset House yesterday to hear Lucy Siegle coin the phrase Intelligent Fashion! 

The Estethica Press follows a format , brunch, preview of  Estethica designers summer sun collection, then announcement by British Fashion Council of the new recipients of the Estethica mentoring scheme, supported by the London Development Agency followed by a lively Q&A with a theme 'Sustainable Fashion from Conservation to Innovation,followed by tea and and the protocol carriages!

Lucy Siegle formed part of the panel which included, Jessica Brinton (Sunday Times Style), ,Christopher Raeburn, Dilys Williams (Centre for Sustainable Fashion), Claire Hamer (Eight) and Orsola de Castro (Co-curator, Estethica). 

There is always a bit of an attack on the panel by lets call it for the moment the non believers, or maybe the cynics might be a better word! I mean I know that nothing is perfect and the Ethical brigade can get quite precious once in a while! But really no one can take away the total commitment and perseverance of Orsola de Castro and Filippo Ricci, plus they re not really interested in grabbing the limelight! Whenever I see Orsola she says she is counting the days till march when she can just slide back into being a designer. poor darling wondering if anyone will let her!

Anyhow it was HERE that Lucy Siegle uttered the words intelligent fashion! Right on!
I mean who the hell doesn't want to consider themselves that! Its a marketing dream, translatable in every language, which I am going to make full use of!!

Debbie Little at the Cockpit Arts Xmas Open studios

The Amazing Debbie Little has been showing at the Cockpit arts studio in Holborn... In case you didn’t manage to catch up with her, there is  still a mini possibility that she might have something left at the Open Studios in Deptford this coming weekend!  

Her parachute dresses are gorgeously feminine flattering and amazingly easy to pack ... in fact I know one fashionista that got a white one for her wedding in Turkey and carried it in her bag ... wash and dried it in her bathroom ( parachute material  drip drys in a couple of hours) and wore it again  rushed short in the evening...def the must have piece for the travel crowd!!

Me and Marionkihogo, jewellery gasping! At the Fashion Business club event at Swarovski Elements listening to the AMAZING Yasmin Sewell

The Yasmin Sewell talk at the Fashion Business Club was amazing not only was I able to catch up with some inspiring bloggers (check out the fab Marion!) but also to catch Yasmin Sewell  being interviewed by Lauretta Roberts of WGSN. I have followed Yasmin career with awe and excitement, not only is she a truly stunning woman but incredibly bright and clever too!

 I know, I know, some girls get it all! But she deserves every weeny bit she has worked so so so hard. Starting in real estate in her teens, then onto opening her own boutique in New York, then on to Browns and then the successful transformation of iconic London department store Liberty, which she achieved with the addition of around 70 new designers and a fresh design aesthetic, leading to the store reporting its largest half-year profit in 10 years. She now runs her own consultancy for the top of the tops in retail! She does believe in intuition and energy!

 A truly fantastic and inspirational persona, more of Yasmin PLEASE more !!!

Courvoisier the future 500 debate!!

Taking place at the future gallery in Newport Street Covent garden this Thursday last was the Courvoisier future 500  the sustainability race  debate which  took place on a very long table in a terribly white space that was flowing with gorgeous Courvoisier cocktails my favourite being Courvoisier and ginger ale  with a slice of lime!! Potent!!

Timothy Han creator of Timothy Han London, a range of handcrafted luxury pieces for home and body chaired the debate with the help of Orsola de Castro the designer owner From Somewhere and  organiser of Estethica !! Orsola will be launching exclusively at Selfridges a fantastic  collection made from LZR Speedos ( the costumes that were recently banned from most competitive race events in the world).  The debate was lively and terribly well organised and attendees included....... dignatories such as Joe Oliver, Monique Forrest, Chris Roche, Leonora Oppenheim and the dynamic Nicola Alexander founder of Daisy Green magazine!!

Sally Farmiloe - glamorous and stylish in By Stamo

I styled Sally Farmiloe socialite and compare extraordinaire for her Angel party last Thursday at Amika to raise money for Tricia Walsh Smith new musical `change the day`  I dressed her in the most glamorous long  strapless dress with rushed hem and tail  By Stamo...  in silk marocain with silk lining.

Totally glorious and glamorous very very SALLY!

Christopher St James - causes Xmas havoc at 14 Goodwin Court

Christopher St James  Xmas windows are up... well almost nearly!!! He has more pieces and loads more lights!! The fantastic masks were designed especially for him by some imminent artisan in Italy.

Christopher says that this year he is going completely out! I await with mouth agog how much more can he sparkle.

With his own studio in Paris which he travels to almost every week on the Eurostar, his shop is a little treasure of delight in London's dark dungeon months!! But not everyone is happy down the back streets of Covent Garden... there is a lot of tut tutting... is it too early? some say! A Xmas window in November?? oh my my ... but Christopher is having none of this and I agree... a little bit of fantasy, glamour and glitz is just what my doctor ordered!  

So go and support! Prices start from £20 and go way up for some of the vintage jewellery.

Source4Style- best kept designer secret in town

The forever beautiful model Summer Rayne Oakes and her gorgeous team mate Benita Singh were playing host at Next Models offices in the depth of Clerkenwell.To fully launch their B2B website Source4Style.com. An online destination for designers and retailers to search and source the world’s leading sustainable materials and services from a network of global suppliers. A big promise but the site works like a dream and if you check out her team they are pretty academic and techy!!
Caught up with Summer and happy to hear she will be gracing our shores from Jan for a while! So will be seeing the sustainable message spread on all hot covers like Vogue and Tatler for sure!! People helping her celebrate Lucy Tammam, Jocelyn Whipple,Minna,Anna Orsini,Orsola de Castro and a group of very pretty things!!

Still at the Moose bar with Kiss me deadly and Playful promises and some gorgeous pin up girls

Kiss me deadly new made in the UK suspender line, worn here by Missy Fatale with prices starting at £25 , they have 6 garter tabs, all metal, so there is absolutely no way stockings are going to fall down, they are worn here with cervin pure nylon 50's style stockings. Zut alors!!
Kiss me deadly will be showing @bigswishlondon on the 11th november and using these clever suspenders and fabulously decadent Cervin Nylons we are ALL going to learn how to put these up for Xmas!!

Loubylous cupcakes at the Moose with scrumptious lingerie

made from organic flower, butter and cream by Lucy Taylor in Reigate she sources all her ingredients from the Uk. They are melt in the mouth calorie gorgeous. Luckily they come in 2 sizes mini me and greedy ME!!
Order on line and they will be with you in a jiffy!! well as long as it takes to get from Reigate to wherever! www.lubylouscupcakes.co.uk

Scrummy underwear at Moose Bar with cupcakes,pinup pics et al

fantastic and inspired by nature Ayten Gasson colours for SS11 are a water colour of british spring flowers sweet pea,cerise fescia white, peachy rose and black orchid
in gorgeous silk and lace trims sourced locally from old lace mills in Nottingham.
New pieces for next season balcony and padded bras and skirted tap pants but if like me you love her kimono bed jacket and sleepwear bras check out her website quick
there are some bargains to be had!!

Stephen Johnson at 100% design

Happy Happy new range by Stephen Johnson at first look is a kind of shock. You kinda of cant believe it exists, I mean these are the things which you see in the backs of shops gathering dust. But then comes take 2 and you are compelled to look at them in fact your mind becomes fascinated by the whole trapese effect. Still not sure whether its love or hate but there is definitely a reaction!! Stephen does source all the pieces so they are recycled and they are put together, sculpted, engineered by him personally. Prices start at £1450 and of course each one is unique!
www.stephenjohnson.biz

100% Design at Earls Court

UncleOswaldismyhero.com
fantastic speakers for Mp3 with a fantastic story.. with a master mind Jinsop Lee behind it.
Henry Dreyfuss was a fellow industrial designer and quite famous in his own right. His most enduring design is a series of wonderful phones used the world over for 50 years. Unfortunately, these phones are made of Bakelite, a material that is so strong that it never biodegrades. Ever. There are landfills filled with mountains of these phones.

Jinsop redesigned the handsets to be used as a stereo speaker system for MP3 players. As an added bonus, the speakers sound brilliant.

“Our goal was to design a product that people would covet not because it was recycled, but rather because it was a decent looking product that worked well, and just happened to use a recycled component.”

The outcome they have managed to get a production company interested but they need 30,000 to fund it. They will be charged at £85 a piece but they are amazing I think they should just raise the money from people who want to buy it and then put it in to production themselves I am game.
www.uncleoswald.com

Haute Hippie Pop up shop

For sexy, sophisticated basics and chic separates that offer a designer aesthetic at an accessible price point,(maybe not mine though) this is Hautehippies ethos, plus a nod to Glam boho chic from YSL! Discovered the brand on my way up to the office in Covent Garden.
This American label has a pop up shop till the end of October at the St Martins Lane hotel. Most of the Cotton pieces are made in America and the sequin tops are made in India,apparently sweat labour free. But the ones that I would wear are the Alpaca knitwear pieces hand knitted by a cooperative of ladies who sign their name on each piece. Pricing starts at £1495, dear I know, but they really are so amazing. Never seen Alpaca worked this way. Definitely worth popping in for a gawp!!!

London Swimwear Show for Summer 2011 Underlines

Wegener the german hat company that is responsible for making the hats for Bruno Banani and Bugatti are now making the hats for Pink the British shirt makers. Barry the Uk agent for the brand told me to keep an eye out for the Harris tweed trilby's lined with pink silk. Available from autumn onwards at the shops! Men's fashion is becoming more yummy by the minute!
huit8 has just been bought out by Eveden which is good news for all my bustier friends as their organic cotton knit bra now comes in a size DD cup they have 3 styles as well as 3 briefs the string, the Brazilian and the boxer short, available in London at Rigby and Peller, Sloane square!
Key trends for summer 2011 are Sailor (classic preppy nautical stripes), Ocean Waves (textured swimwear fabrics), Tropical Paradise (hot house flowers),Ocean Deep (intense colourways) and Natural Nuance( animal prints with metalics!!

Ethical Just got fabulous one more day left! Hurry before it all goes.

Only open till tomorrow the 27th June this fabulous little fair is chock a block with fantastic bargains! With this blistering heat its just what the doctor ordered. If you have the figure why not buy one of Luva Huva nifty little hemp cami tops and french knickers they are, although briefer then a playsuit, great festival material.
Another great find is bamboo sunglasses from Colin Leslie, there are 3 shapes, classic aviator, wayfarer and are down from £120 to £80.. a steal
Both Miksani, Nancy Dee & Frank and Faith had sale pieces starting from a ridiculous £2.Not sure if they are going to be around tomorrow though! A cooling juniper spray from Great Elm Physick Garden to fend of the heat from was bought for me by my long suffering companion! Amishas lovely collection of silk and recycled silver ankle bracelets adorable have been put most definitely at the top of my hit wish list!
On show too are 2 of this years graduates Natalie Rae and Karishma Shahani exciting,to be watched for sure!

From Somewhere POP UP SHOP 24thJune-03rdJuly

Flush from the winning of the Ethical Observer awards Orsola is having fun with a pop up shop this month! she has teamed up with a great gang of gorgeous designers to compliment
her summer pieces! Sun glasses from Kayu designs and bags from Sonya Kashmiri together with the romantic dresses of Minna who by the way has become the darling of the chelsea set.
Understandable when you check her gorgeous summer dresses, floaty dreamy and terribly wearable. Did I say that there were fab reductions to be had as well as bargain hunting samples!

London Jewellery - go shop at Treasure Victoria House

Jewellery week started with an enormous pzaz at the opening party at Victoria house . Essence the ethical part of the show hosted by Cred but featuring a dazzling array of ethical jewellery brands was just overwhelmed by press industry glitterati and of course jewellery
Lovers of which I consider myself a feverent member. Upbeat was the tone seen, Greg Valerio founder of Cred and catalyst of the fair trade gold label launching next year, racing around in a glorious fashionista pink shirt, he's hosting a debate on Saturday which should not be missed. Not to be outdone Philip Levine who wears his art on his head strutted his stuff touched by all! But to the serious stuff, JEWELLERY!. Oria, fantastic pieces in Andean 18ct gold a recionistas dream with a pair of Bibbi Aqua bead hoop Earrings at £197 for starters,they have also just moved office and their new studio space means there is more room for visits! Leblas www.leblas.com/ stunning signature filigree collection now comes in rose pink ideal for cooler complexions + Their Gold-plated Filigree Links Necklace now comes in a longer version , SWOON SWOON. As I love my gold fab news they're going to be launching an autumn winter oro verde collection,so can't wait. Plus they are showing at LFW do these gals ever stop!! Fifi bijoux www.fifibijoux.com fantastic little acorn pendant 18 ct gold with 10% profits going to a child sponsorship in Uganda is an adorable and truly worthy staple. Avasarah www.avasarah.com/, has a lovely recycled Earth Angel collection delicate little trinket necklaces with uplifting and inspiring sentiments on a disk which you can then customise with a fun range of coloured gems and add on charms, def on the I want list!! See more on Daisy Green Magazine

Blistering weekend and Rachel from Annie Greenabelle

Gorgeous Designer Rachel.. looking happy although hot at her sample sale in Bethnal Green.
Although we battled through the Mela that was taking place last weekend on the green,we and a couple of 100 others managed to pick up some gorgeous bargains starting at £10upwards. You bet it was worth it. Her sweet organic cotton prints though might be still available at Top shop if you hurry!

The Westbourne Grove shop is the first of a series of ‘Mary’s Living and Giving shops for Save the Children’

Following the success of ‘Mary’s Living and Giving pop-up-shop’ in Westfield Shopping Centre London last year the charity rumours of a permanent ‘Mary’s Living and Giving Shop for Save the Children’ opens tomorrow! The fashion industry has totally responded and donated press samples and end of season stock for the store launch. All money raised will help save children’s lives around the world. The shop has been designed by the creative geniuses behind Yellow Door interior & looks to create a truly unique shopping experience.
Save the Children is appealing donations and for local volunteers to work in the shop. To donate stock or to enquire about volunteering visit our website at http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/westbournegrove or call 020 7012 6400
‘Mary’s Living and Giving Shop for Save the Children’ 177 Westbourne Grove, W11 2SB

Flaming May brings the elephants!

Although a couple of gorgeous days managed to filter through at the beginning of May, the only fantastic colours are from the flamboyant array of elephants scattered through the capital.



No, I’m not going crazy! Check out my truly smart local one painted by Tommy Hilfiger, located just outside Sheekeys restaurant in Covent Garden. It’s part of an event organised by elephantfamily.org trying to keep the Asian elephant from extinction.

On 3 July they are all going to be auctioned off, but there are loads of events including a meet the artists day on 22 May so visit elephantparadelondon.org and download a route map and timetables.

Talking about the streets and stuff, getting your heels stuck in icky chewing gum might be a thing of the past if Chicza has their way. Available in most health food stores, it’s made from latex from the Mayan rainforest. It’s organic, biodegradable and doesn’t stick. Sadly you can’t blow bubbles but it’s a small price to pay for helping to save one of our most precious resources, the rainforest. The sap is harvested by cooperatives of chicleros and is the first certified organic, 100% natural and biodegradable chewing gum ever made! Visit chicza.com

Karim from Potassium store, potassiumstore.co.uk, not content with having an exclusive with Elle Mcpherson’s fave Laundry Maid jeans, they’ve managed to bag the new diffusion line by Matt & Nat. The pioneers of vegan bags, their back pack Apollo (£105) is to die for (all linings are made from recycled plastic bottles).

I am loving the muse bag and it comes in green and black too! Karim has been delightfully persuaded to extend his 20% discount, when you spend £50 or more including sale items in store and on line. Lasts until 15 May 2010 – Quote ‘Daisy Green offer’ at the checkout both in store or on line.

Did I say vegan or vegetarian? It seems to be the kind of month for both. Check the Beyond Skin bottle top pumps which are now on sale on ASOS exclusively! Also Irregular Choice’s manga inspired, gingham or outer galactic designs in their SS/10 Vegetarian Collection, available in store and online… wicked! Terra plana, terraplana.com, have a fab non-Leather range. £1 from the sale price of every pair sold will be donated to Greenpeace in support of their ‘Slaughtering the Amazon’ campaign.

I am particularly fond of the Marti range which features a Choolips print in light brown. There is a 10% offer on Bourgeois Boheme for the new summer range, check out the cute Sri blue pumps! bboheme.com

Can I extract myself from the whole accessories thing…rather!

Check out Daisy Green for rest of article

Eloise Grey Summer launch at the The Hepsibah Gallery

Paying a homage to Vita Sackville West.. Eloise's Garden collection is a covetable affair!.. Starting with her Vita garden coat in Hemp at just £490 woven in Romania.
Her Vita breeches the perfect smart summer linen pant from Belgium the material gets softer the more you wear and wash but still retains that classic line and oozes romance! A steal at £180 nicer then jeans any day!
Both her shirts are gorgeous and have a modern Saxon twist very wearable and for all shapes and sizes. Cant forget her shoes, which I tried ,they are in collaboration with CarreDucker the bespoke shoe maker! Winkers and my rather wide feet are a match in heaven! I tried them with the pair of skinny jeans i was wearing and I looked, at least calf downwards a dream of sophistication! lordey lord I really am going to need to get the new plastic card terribly soon. Should I even mention the hats? They are by Jayne Hepsibah out of retirement, do hats make you swoon! Gosh gosh! These do!
What a divine space and collection.. if you're lucky to make it, Eloise will be showing till Wednesday 12th May . Go! and be prepared to try on and spend!!

holland

Its grey again ! Oh my gosh and its raining can I get it together again.

Down to breakfast and treat myself to whole carb fest, sultana bread chocolate

syrup sugary tea is downed quickly to forget the inevitably I am sure I have

said somewhere no rain, no cold , no yuck cloths. Decide to check the flower and

bulb market in the rain, there are some gorgeous neat blooms and every colour

and sized tulip imaginable there is another market nearby selling cloths and

food with cheese wheels the size of lorry tyres do people buy this or do the

cheese stalls just cut off the pieces they need! Photographer hungry again and

wants to try pancake we find the only pancake restaurant in Utrecht and I sip a

tea

and have major bust up with photographer can't do the rain! No not another 57km

Cheer up with a couple of second hand cloths shops not as good as London mind

and I don't spend to much time cause photographer wants to get going

So looking like I am going to the Northern hemisphere I start peddling!

Cycling Holland

We are there its today its 7.30 and I feel sick and I am sure its not with

anticipation its more like flipping petrification is my body going to do this

for me cause sure as hell my mind isn't! And yes its not weird that all business

people congregate in one area on eurostar its just that coach 5 snd14 are the

only ones with power points.Photographer has decided to start casual no pictures

yet thankgod! 2 hours gets you into Brussels midi for train connection to

Rotterdam. Ok first picture taken wish I had decided now on full make up.!But

wearing my NV London Calcutta bag my vintage Palladium boots and Kuyichi jeans,

instead of waiting 2 whole hours for the connection we have managed to get onto

an earlier train, weird being able to do that to another country!Taking a

forced pee stop and first encounter with clean efficient loos for 50 centimes

these are working machines that will take your change and convert to 50 centimes

the stern but friendly staff explain everything in a variation of languages and

signs! Camera man off on pizza hunt ugh this early its only 0900!!

1.45 hours on and we are already through Antwerp gorgeous sunny day and through

the train windows I have taken a peak at the cycling confederation and thank

god they're not wearing lycra, more like cords and flowery dresses but there

does seem to be a code of some sort all very orderly.

After a swap of trains at Rotterdam we arrive 1500 at Amersfoort having chilled

on the train and checked that yes the land is perfectly flat I am brought back

to reality by just the sheer volume of bikes! A quick respite as we re told at

the information bureau its Queens day tomorrow and there are some major

festivities in town! That's more like it and the idea of meeting tulip tour bike

man becomes a hazy reality! Sitting in the middle of lieve vrouwe kerkhof square

sipping a very very cold blonde beer with a slice of lemon and a gorgeous feta

salad I forget totally why I am here. Amersfoort is truly gorgeous medieval town

and the centre has remained more or less intact. A pilgrimage city , an

important beer brewing town and a trading crossroads have coloured its history!

Were staying at NH hotels and meet bike man who runs the company with mieke his

wife and the bikes. Actually. They're gorgeous and I fall in love

With mine the gears work, the sadle is great and its got every possibility of

carrying me through to the end!after opting for every possible insurance we

go on to enjoy queens day evening free concerts and loads of drink! It makes me

feel like a skiing trip!

And for a first day its all good good!

Alternative Fashion Week 2010

Colour explosion - Heidi Wikar
The paparazzi were out in force at the first and glorious sunny day of the Alternative Fashion Week shows at Spitalfield Market.

Somewhere in the middle of it all was our lovely photographer Shelley that managed to take these pictures!

Designers that stood out were Heidi Wikar (heidiwikar.com) – with her collection Singing Silence 2010/2011 – a gorgeous juxtaposition of colours and materials; orange and cream, smooth and sleek versus volumes of crumpledness.

Her collection is a statement on environmental changes in northern Scandinavian winter due to global warming where the usually snow-covered white frozen landscapes are melting and evaporating. The collection is feminine and glamorous and ‘can be packed into a 20kg rucksack’.

Chloe Haywoods (hatastic.folksy.com) showed some fun fascinators, hats and hairpieces – made from finds and remnants in boxes.

Anne Wilkinson’s knitwear used traditional handknitting techniques with mustard turquoise tones and vintage British styling.

Richard Evans–Lacey’s collection, made in Bethnal Green, showed off kilts for men. Floral, Camouflage City, Nationalistic and even one with more than a little hint of bondage. The kilt in its new form is mashed up with English town and country and the sporrans have been transformed into removable game pockets and army boots into lace up shoes!

Not sure if the city guys are ready for this but me and the rest of the crowd were!

Have said it before will say again the boys seems to be getting more of the hot designers. Colchester School of Art designs fantastic recycled jackets were amazing!

see full article on www.daisygreenmagazine.co.uk

Natural &Organic products show- and wow what a show

Not sure what happened but I did not stop eating there were so many delicious things!
From Flaxfarm.co.uk snacks fabulously made brownies to seedsstacked.com sugarless sweet temptations and a couple of raw chocolate thingies..and Daaz beer and loads of stuff made out of Hanuka honey.
In fact I was saved by Daniel at Chicza chewing gum who proffered a lifeline in the form of a pack of this sensible chewing gum, by which means no food could enter my mouth.In fact Chicza is an amazing story its origins are in the Mayan rain forest and the chewing gum is the first organic certified and biodegradable gum world wide.
Also it doesn't stick to anything it goes hard when you get rid of it, and as my blowing bubbles days are over the fact that you cant worries me not one bit.
You can get at Waitrose all the Natural food stores and a couple of indies too!

Think Act Vote: Eco T-shirt Design Competition Winner Announced

JESSON YIP!



The winner was decided by the Think Act Vote judging panel, made up of some of the best-known faces in ethical fashion and design, including ethical hero Katherine Hamnett, celebrated illustrator Daisy de Villeneuve and the original ‘anti-preneur’, Cyndi Rhoades.



In partnership with ethical fashion label Komodo, Think Act Vote ran a search for their carbon neutral Think Act Vote t-shirt from up and coming designers, artists and illustrators. The only proviso was that the design included the words “Think Act Vote



Jesson Yips tshirt was totally awsome coming in two colours and at £20 is available online from www.komodo.co.uk/thinkactvote

Hurry Sale Period 26th March-04th April

Spring has sprung and Easter Bunnies are running riot! And in the madness Bourgeois Boheme have decided to have a 70% clearance sale to make room for their gorgeous Summer arrivals!
Not only that but Alicia has decided to have a cup cake extravaganza on the 10Th April....its a bit of a trek to Richmond but I reckon the boots and cakes well make up for it!

NEW ONLINE ACCESSORIES BOUTIQUE CREATES A SEQUEL FOR RECYCLED CLOTHING

An online boutique for a new ethical accessories brand launches this month (www.sequellondon.co.uk), offering a range of leather bags created from recycled leather jackets, discarded silk ties and unwanted curtains.

Set up by cousins Laura Queening and Claire Baigent to reduce waste and encourage sustainability in fashion. The pair select unwanted clothing from Oxfam’s Wastesaver warehouses, and recycle the material to create contemporary accessories which can be used for another generation.

No two bags will be the same. The whole range is available in black leather, with some styles available in either black or brown.

Check out there webiste for gorgeous accessories