Backstage Brighton

After spending the summer refining the cover design for Backstage Brighton, a book from publishing company 'Queen Spark Publishing', it was finally printed and launched on Tuesday 5th October. Waterstones will be presenting it at the end of this month and there will be a window display and everything!

100 Days of Active Resistance

Over the summer Vivienne Westwood released an open brief to send in a photograph/slogan/piece of artwork which supported her campaign of active resistance. A different submission will be chosen each day and at the end of the project will be exhibited. I entered a piece which focused on diminishing culture, and it was chosen for day number 9!

You can visit the gallery here

DETOX

So...if we were to invest a little more into the 'Fashion-as-Health' metaphor, (which is relevant because everything this summer has been surgery related - have you seen the Stella McCartney cape from her AW10 Collection? And did you know that your prescription will take 2-3 days?) then you could say that fashion is experiencing a much needed detox. It seems really, since the photographic pixelated prints of Autumn/Winter 09 and the drawn out horror of completely unnecessary sandals, that we have been undergoing a bit of a fashion breakdown. Basically, Spring Summer'10 had an overdose and sympathetic designers and buyers have sent her packing to an exclusive 'retreat' where she, Grace Jones and possibly 'H' from Steps will reflect on bad habits whilst drinking white tea over muslin tablecloths.

Anyway, the important thing is that the detox is underway. To most people, this means a time of discipline after a period of over-indulgence. You cut out carbs, drink a lot of nettle tea and eat copious amounts of spinach. The fashion equivalent follows the same principle. Strip back to things that are good for you. Perfect tailoring, classic archive pieces that have been tried, tested and applauded, fabric that speaks for itself and items that don't need 200 studs and a zip on each shoulder to look designed.

Meeting Manolo

One queue, one book, one purple suited spaniard.

shutters of lakones

Just returned from exploring greek villages in paleocastritsa. Three of the things I've learnt on my greek adventure are that decaying, run down buildings are much more beautiful than slick perfection, european supermarkets are more exciting than words, and if you bring three books, two thought provoking intellectuals and one trashy stiletto-emblazoned front covered follow on from the Devil Wears Prada, you will always read the later. And then pine for trash for the rest of the holiday. Lesson learnt.

in the summer time when the weather is fine

I thought I should post these lovely summer photos of my grandmother, red setter Kelly and classic car Morgan with amazing interior. It contrasts nicely with the welly boot weather we're experiencing outside. Today I plan on knitting, writing, wet weather walking and hopefully going to meet a puppy. Either that or wasting time in comfies all day. Happy Rainy Day!

epidemic.

I've just finished eating up August Vogue. It tasted like steak and mushroom pie in a smokey-oak pub whilst wearing as many woolen things as possible. Its this sort of time during summer when I am completely content, but occasionally, whilst lying in the garden or on a wander, I let myself think about wearing thick socks, sitting in front of fires and eating a lot of soup.

Winter welcomes the return of classics like trench coats, tailoring and tweed with open cable knitted arms. Summer is a bit of a slut in that respect. She doesn't have long, meaningful relationships with her wardrobe, taking her wool coats to dry cleaners or protecting jumpers from moths. She buys viscose maxi dresses from primark, wears them with a giant brown plastic belt slung round the hips and then throws it away at the end of August. This year, Trend has been affecting Brighton like never before.

This newly developed strain of the Trend virus has been quietly mutating since about last July. It doesn't survive the winter well, but once the temperature creeps up it begins to infect the vulnerable (people who get their legs out at the first hint of March sunshine) and the symptoms start to appear in early July.

The main indication that someone is infected is if they are decked out in full current-New-Look-window-must-haves regardless of whether it looks good or not. Examples this year is a studded and or cuffed gladiator sandal paired with brain scrambling printed tiered maxi dress, wide belt (ergh), cropped denim jacket and some kind of hair accessory.

The cure? Pry copies of Look/More/New/Now/Style from their fingers, and maybe set up some kind of NHS emergency phone line for advice. The lady with the kind voice on the other end of the phone will tell you to drink plenty of fluids and to please stay inside. It's very contagious.