Thursday 28 April 2011

RMV (Rock My Vintage) set to revolutionize Vintage the way Net a Porter has Fashion







































Pucci







































THIS WEEK  founder Beth Mcshane  will  give up LAW; and devote herself entirely to her life and passion Vintage!

The website launching next month sells a mix of vintage and retro inspired dresses and accessories fron designers such as I LOVE LOWIE and  NANCY DEE  both so on my  total I Love list!

But this is not just any old vintage newbe website this is something quite different.............

Offering an opportunity to replicate both classic and current trends either by owning a piece of fashion history or collating from a contemporary range of vintage inspired dresses and accessories.

Now you can get why I am so excited!   So be prepared to shop!

www.rockmyvintage.co.uk  

launches the 14th MAY

Wednesday 27 April 2011

My TRUNK on the Ecologist by Julia Nelson







































Another expert upcycler is top ethical fashion stylist and founder of Ethical Heaven, Lupe Castro. ‘If a beautiful chair is missing a leg it doesn’t make it less beautifuI,’ she explains. ‘I feel I need to sort of help it along by maybe using a rolling pin covered in material or a varnished brick, a marble bauble or part of an iron balustrade. The trick is to give it a new but beautiful twist.’ The latest pieces she’s been refashioning are some travelling trunks that she found tucked away in her new apartment. She describes them as ‘a little bit worse for wear’ but says they’re evocative of a bygone era where train travel, painted faces and cocktails at six were de rigueur. ‘I took the trunk and stuck an old mirror in the flap and covered the rest with leftover materials that both my mother and grandmother had knocking about, and have used them as dressing table. I love boxes and ribbons and secret nooks and crannies – every time I open the trunk I feel like I’m jumping into another time and it makes me so happy.’When it comes to sourcing furniture, Lupe swears by the Salvation Army shop in Wandsworth, flea markets and small town auction houses, although she admits that some of her best finds have come from skips on the street..... read all the article at
http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/home/855347/upcycling_2011s_greenest_decorating_trend.html

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Veja -AW press day favourites!




From project 1 (shoes)The Domingo `80's reborn running shoe at £105. In vibrant naturally dyed suede.





From project 2 (accessories and small leathers)The new shoppers in 4 colours so smart they're almost an Hermes!




In case you can't wait this summers
Mediterranee a cross between a sneaker boat shoe and espadrille in navy, red, royal blue, grey, organic cotton canvas at £45 available from May at Selfridges.

Monday 18 April 2011

Finally an END to Yucky Boy Smells with JACK STUBBS UK made candles.

Bluebelle woods British Countryside fragrance .. infintely better!

Green Moss & Ferns and Wild Rhubarb a sort of school canteen touch...............



Stumbling on the Jack Stubbs candles at Canoeinc press day was like a godsend! Umpteen times I have had to put up with the MAN poo poing my exotica aromatherapy candles in the bedroom! Remarks such as ` Christ Lupe , I am going to faint! inhaling this !` to ` I am totally allergic to this, I cant breath, blow it out`. Even the ultimate extreme of ` I am not sleeping with you in this pong`. Means I have had to do secret lighting's when he is away. 

Having discovered Jack Stubbs, my life has become pink again!  Each Jack Stubbs candle is made from 100% renewable rapeseed wax. They are also presented in totally ungirly distressed tin cans.  The scents themselves are reminiscent of the British Countryside, such as Bluebell Woods, Green Moss & Ferns and Wild Rhubarb totally comprehensible in men's speak!

They also purport, (being created in the heart of rural Staffordshire) to being the only `low fragrance miles` candles currently available in the UK and at £9.95 its a pretty good deal too!

Thursday 14 April 2011

Matt and Nats A/W collection def winner in the style stakes!


The hopper £120 . Diaper,Gym bag and girl around town carry all


Ella Velvet bag £135 amazing looks better than faux fur?




The Manchester Lupes weekend bag!  £140

Great selection of  bags for this A/W from Matt&Nat. They have all be snapped by Asos and UrbanOutfitters so they're going to be easy to get hold of hurrah!. Just to remind ourselves the bags linings are made of at least 21 recycled plastic bottles and their innovative materials include a tangy 80`s look from Japanese paper,as well as cork, canvas and velvet.











Wednesday 13 April 2011

Sagen porcelain jewellery at Soho`s Secret Tea Room








































A delightful array of delicious retro china  with Sagen Bersa white titbits.




I have been following Sagen avidly since it came to LFW a couple of seasons ago where I met
Elin who creates these gorgeous gems from discarded pieces of porcelain and china.
They are mounted on recycled or stirling silver and they are just heavenly.
Seeing the collection again at this little Secret Tea Room above Coach and Horses on greek street was like beeing let loose into a little treasure trove.
I love the way each little ceramic piece has a provenance and holds true to Elgins beliefs
to make handmade, nostalgic and yet timeless jewellery that lasts forever. 
Prices start at £75 for the earings and £210 for the vintage bracelets available at Fenwick.


Monday 11 April 2011

A Pleasure Garden in your own home from Darkest Star at Coco de Mer


Voila the Pleasure pillow £300

Pleasure gardens were all the rage in the Victorian era, they were gardens open to the public
for strolling and listening to bands, some were a little more circumspect and played  home to harems and delightful exploits. So it was  with a little bit of intrepidation that I ventured into Coco de Mer  on Draycot place  to see the Darkest Star Pleasure Garden. I mean I know of the Coco de mer Salons who doesnt!

The Pleasure Pillow is luxury personfied, Darkest Star designer Sam Cook calls it ` Entry level bondage` for people who want to try a little bit of a  play at  bondage. Its amazingly beautiful and the silk orchid print is an art nouveau inspiration!
Sam is up for doing one off commission  pieces too. Now I wish, wish, and wish  that I would be the lucky lady to get one of those!

This supremely talented lady also created the beautiful dress below and some lovely chiffon bondage dog collar pieces exclusive to Coco de mer.




Sunday 10 April 2011

CRAFTY FOX MARKET FAIR 16th April Brixton + free entry







































A rather hidden event but for those in the know its a treasure trove of locally designed pieces. Its actually sponsored by the craft event site etsy so there is going to be creatives in abundance!

As is the norm there will also be workshops such as the art of cup-cake decoration, cross stitching and brushing  up on your photography (much needed for me as, I really try getting a grip on picture taking for some good images on twitter!). Crafty Fox Tea Room will be the ideal place to do my  liquid lunch and there will be DJ’s , spinning some fun and funky tunes throughout the day.

Course I will be checking the Galavant jewellery store and saying hi to Sinead who has some amazing inspired vintage at rather incredulous prices. Oops might have let the cat out of the bag! But am sure will get to her before anyone else!

Monday 4 April 2011

OUTSIDER-pops up at POTASSIUM in Store Street.

Yeah it looks like summer is finally here  and a great treat in store for all of us looking at these gorgeous pieces. 

On the 19th April Noorin Khamisani creative director and the tout behind the Outsider brand will be dishing out styling tips between 12.30 - 20.00 . There will also be drinks and nibbles too, plus a 20% discount on items purchased on the day.  Guess you know where I will be!

Potassium 29 Store Street Bloomsbury London WC1E 7QB

Sunday 3 April 2011

Natural&Organic Products at Olympia gets me back into chewing Gum only GLEE gum of course!









































A beautiful sunny day always is a good start to thinking about what you put on your skin and into your body.

It was a glorious day in London and my body and me went to Olympia in search of the latest organic products. I think every person in London and outside was thinking the same it was PACKED.

These are some of my favourites TODAY;-

The Source toothbrush  is made from recycled Dollar bills,flax fiber or recycled wood that has been
blended with recycled polypropylene. They have replaceable heads that last at least 3 months and the handles are designed for either left or right hand users & made to keep forever. The Radius range also boasts travelling cases in 4 different colours which are made from 50% recycled plastic  for toothbrushes,soap,razor,condom small and full tampon.  Plus bestus of all  the products are manufactured and designed  in a solar powered facility in Kutztown PA.

The Yes baby box new product launched by the organic masters of lubricant to help couples conceive.
To my horror I learned that traditional lubricants kill sperm, so the pack contains 2 lubricants one sperm friendly and the other vagina friendly. Since 70% of couples experience vaginal dryness when trying to conceive Yes baby has been formulated to great the ideal  scenario! Thank god! Yet another thing that I WAS NEVER TOLD!

Joyous by Antipodes is a  Protein-Rich Night Replenish Serum. It fantastically restores elastin and collagen and contains all these goodies, Himalayan goji, New Zealand Blackcurrant  and Raspberry seed oil, Hibiscus and Kiwi oil. It feels gorgeous and smells even better! And my poor skin was screeching for it!

Saturday 2 April 2011

Dirtypretty all the way from BIRMINGHAM for one week at Mswandas POP UP






















Dirtypretty designer(above) and other fabulous upcycling talent like RoundLondon and QueenieandTed are holding court at the Fabulous Misswandas at 3-5 Whitechapel road E1 together with Sweetnotions. The latter being the purveyors of my latest handbags
at the ridiculous prices of £10 and £5.

Duly impressed with MsWandas pledge of only wearing vintage and upcycled for a whole year! Although only seen for a fleeting second she looked truly fab in her specially made silk 20`s dress.

Rewardrobe star Veronica Crespi is running one of the workshops throughout the week catch her if you can!