Swoon - Fashionably cool paper art.

Fashion hides in many guises, one being unconventional art. I adore the literal "cut out and paste" aesthetic to Swoon's graffiti. Her form of art is definitely not pedestrian but on the pavement is where her audience hides. Her work becomes part of its surroundings, as the paper discolours and curls, it decomposes into part of the street. I have posted before about the Parisian wonder that is Fafi; her art moved into collaborations with major manufacturers. Her New York counterpart, Swoon, may currently resist commercial temptation but I predict it won't be long before Swoon's design talent is channeled away from the street. Swoon's site is under construction, until it's up and away read an interview with her here.

Caravan - A Gem in Spitalfields.

Caravan is a gem of a boutique in Spitalfields, one of my favourite areas of Londinium. I was lucky enough to meet its founder in her vintage Citroën H-Van - what an inspirational retail guru. Emily Chalmers was kind enough to take time out to tell me all about her shop and the ethos behind her stock choices. Her shop is a modern day Aladdin's Cave, littered with eclectic joy; if it weren't for the fact I arrived there at 5.30, just before the 6pm closure, I would have gladly spent the day on a super rummage. The Caravan "van" is a thing of childhood dreams. A kitsch menagerie of loveliness, guarded by some seriously menacing crows. Click to feast your eyes on the enlarged versions of my photographs or take a closer look at Caravan's delights here. My favourite product...has to be the little mechanical, movement sensitive birdy below; I have a funny feeling its tweeting would be pleasing to both myself and my cats!

Brogues become appealing.

I worry about surcoming to all news trends...but I'm afraid the myriad of brogues available have truly sucked me in. Above left, are pairs from Office, relatively reasonably priced at £60. Urban Outfitters offer a more expensive but no less stylish version, at £100 - their main appeal for me is the colour, glorious grey (a rather juxtaposed phrase for some!) So one new trend definitely has my support.

Ten Again at 100% Design - Unusual Sunglasses.

In 2006, designer Chris Jackson invited Ten London based designers to illustrate their views on the subject of sustainability within the capital. The designers were restricted to work within a 10KM radius of their studios to utilise resources and scavenge materials, with a budget of £10. The resulting objects diverse and fresh, were displayed within 100% Design. After rave reviews and two awards, the same 10 designers reformed for ‘Ten Again’ 2007. Under the same theme of sustainability, the designers produced 10 objects for 100% Design.

Of this group, Stephen Bretland offered us these sunglasses. At first glance, above, they are simple cardboard specs (in the style of the old 3D glances). On further inspection a more dark, ingenious, design element is revealed...each is made from a Stevie Wonder LP cover! I found myself in a state of quandary - yes, Monsieur Wonder is well know for wearing sunglasses but to disguise/aid his blindness, quite a juxtaposition in ideals! Therefore, are these glasses ironic fashion genius, or do they hold a darker, more twisted edge! Keep up to date with Stephen's work here and make your own mind up! Click on the images to enlarge.

A rare beauty post but Lipstick Queen is a rare beauty.

I rarely post about the beauty industry but the strong design ethic behind Lipstick Queen has convinced me to change my ways. Poppy, the lady behind the Queen, began the brand after a fruitless search for lipsticks, aged just 18. I always feel a greater respect for those that reveal their inspiration, especially in pictorial form, as Poppy shows us here on the left. Poppy's products are intriguingly named - Saint, Sinner and Oxymoron (one of my favourite parts of speech!) Read Poppy's story here, and in the U.K. shop at Space.NK

What an easy style to immitate! Thanks to Vera.

Merci beaucoup Madame Wang! I adore layering...but have never doubled up on a cardigan. Vera Wang is offering us the "double cardigan" for a rather hefty £485 on Net-a-Porter but the inspiration behind the design...free!

Miss Geschick & Lady Lapus - disasters become fashion.

At the Designer's Block one stall that really stood out was Miss Geschick & Lady Lapus. This German duo's "hairy" underwear shocked my eyes slightly, definitely sparking my interest! The products I truly love are above, aptly named "Chewy Beauty" (hair clips and badges) and "Disaster". Another favourite you must check out is kotztierchen - they are puking pets; not an attractive prospect but what a cool name! I think it is my inherently clumsy nature that attracts me to making an eventful incident into a piece of fashionable art! See their e-store here and marvel at their concept below.

Monacca - Natural Japanese Design

Yanase cedar offers many design opportunities but who would have thought handbags would be one of those possibilities. At the 100% show, Monacca's stall was a wooden oasis in a dessert of new plastics. The stall was made up of raised wooden paneling, mirrored by their designs. See their design aesthetic here.

Block - Acrylic designs.

Here's another one from 100% Design...Block, designs in acrylic. My eye was drawn to their very quirky stall, see photos below (click to enlarge); their use of traditional frames, filled with modern, hazy images. Block's website showcases all their acrylic products, as well as stockists. Above is their full colour spectrum and my favourite products - their rings and bracelets. My visit to Block's stall was also my first experience of "trade snobism". At the 100% Design show, you had to wear a badge, stating whether or not you were a trade stockist or "civilian visitor". As a blogger, I was not trade and definitely treated accordingly. When asking for leaflets, stall holders would first, very blatantly check out my badge, before handing whatever was nearby. "Trade" badge holders received a very different level of care, to some extent understandably, as the economic future of the brand rests in their sales. I felt though that some stall-holders should definitely treat all visitors in the same way, as you never know what "power" the civilians may wield (I am not referring to myself here, just other well-respected bloggers in general). Small rant over ;) !

English Summer - Giant Jewels perceptive design.

This little piece of loveliness by Giant Jewels really bought a smile to my face at 100% Design. A very perceptive piece of jewellery by Angela Muldoon - especially considering the type of summer we had here in the U.K. Excuse the blurry quality of the photo, there are much better shots on the Giant Jewels website.

Mr. Jones Watches...time to live by.

Here's a little discovery from the Designer's Block - Mr. Jones Watches. These amazing timepieces not only offer hours and minutes but also a statement to live by, decision making help and an extra conscience. My favourite has to be the Mantra which alternates between, a very positive statement (e.g. you are amazing) with a very negative one (e.g. nobody likes you). Its aim is, "to make the arrogant person more humble and the humble more confident." A modern day self-esteem equaliser for your wrist! Above are my own pictures (click to enlarge) from the Designer's Block, where the watches were displayed incredibly effectively - in a darkened corridor, within huge light boxes. A note to the lovely Clarice - I think this is the very watch you are looking for.

Each piece is a unique, numbered limited edition, offering a true air of exclusivity. Below are some of my favourites from their previous LCD collection - "Remember you will die" would surely help you to Carpe Diem!

Kokon to Zai...keep an eye on the site.

Kokon to Zai, the amazingly psychedelic, eclectic shopping experience; with stores in Paris and London, is launching it's online store soon. Keep an eye on the URL...I personally can't wait to see what wonders they have in store.

American Apparel...a disappointing online experience.

I have extolled the virtues of American Apparel from the rooftops (see my many posts here)...but I have been let down by my own retail experience with their UK online branch. I received a fab, lapis colour, zip up sweat fleece 2 weeks ago, only to realise I had been charged twice for the item. Fine, an easy mistake to make...but getting in touch with American Apparel in the UK is as easy as finding vintage Chanel in Oxfam. I have left 4 telephone messages, sent 2 emails via their online contact form and emailed the .net address they quote on their answering machine. Almost 2 weeks later and still no response! Frustrating and annoying...yes, very!

100% Design - Takumi's brand of kitsch.

There were lots of innovative fashion finds at the Earl's Court show - one of my favourites were the hairglasses by Takumi (Headbands in the shape of sunglasses). The reason behind this choice, a personal quibble. I am not a fan of sunglasses as a headband and I cannot fully explain why. I often see people struggling to focus in the bright light, while wearing their sunglasses as a hair restraint OR the opposite, winter gloom with sunglasses on head. It's irrational, I know but inexplicably annoying. I think it stems from some stern, over-repeated advice from my childhood optician..."never wear your glasses/sunglasses upon head as it will loosen them, gradually damaging the arms." He said he'd be able to tell if I'd been misusing my eye-wear and would refuse to fix it! So here comes Takumi's design - sunglasses that are not sunglasses but hairglasses. A £10 piece of genius and a solution to my irritation.

My weekend...so much blog material, so little time!

I've been at The London Design Festival with Mr. Things of Random Coolness. We visited the Designersblock and 100% Design exhibitions, so I have plenty of cool stuff to share this week.

Are they "art" or simple scarves? All I know is that they're truly beautiful.

Antoni & Alison always astound me with the originality of their product. These new scarves are no exception. An abstract creation and a still life, both reproduced on silk scarves, fill me with delight. I very rarely leave the house sans-scarf, so it is refreshing to see some unique designs, that would be equally at home around the neck or hung on a wall. Art and fashion collide with Antoni & Alison.

The "Hindmarsh Effect" just keeps on spreading.

Almost every retailer is riding the coat-tails of the "This is not a a Plastic Bag" phenomenon. They are all realising how great this can be for: a. the environment, b. their profits and c. free publicity. I do like this version by American Apparel. It is simple, personifying their style ethos but eye-catching and is, at least, the same shape as a normal plastic bag. Check out A.A.'s environmentally friendly offering here.

Bangles by Jessica Ka - true objects of desire.

I have no information on Jessica Ka but I do know that I love these bangles. My favourite has to be the iconic Supercalifragilistic, etched lovingly in black. Both are available from Browns. Any details on the elusive Jessica Ka would be much appreciated.

Bertie's Fall Campaign - I'm rushing out to buy some wool tights tomorrow!

Bertie's new wintery ad campaign, coupled with the erratic British weather, have set my mind to "cold" dressing. My tights are only ever of the opaque variety but I haven't donned a pair for quite a few months now - the grey wool on show in Bertie's new ads have rekindled my love of the tight, so a pair shall be purchased soon. Bertie have also shown me the way forward in footwear. My feet have been free all summer, contained only by the narrowest pieces of flip-flop leather, so the prospect of imprisoning them again can be slightly daunting. Bertie have offered several glimmers of hope, in the form of their ankle boots. See all on offer at the Shoe Studio.