Couture and stars at Claridge's

I was impressed by my old friend Nicholas Oakwell’s debut couture show, held in Claridge’s elegant French Salon on Monday. His first collection, inspired by the scenic designs of Robin and Christopher Ironside, was unusual without being overly showy.

Sophisticated designs in luxurious fabrics such as cashmere, chiffon, lace, leather and silk jersey incorporated draping, pleats, ruffles and beading. Large collars and exaggerated shoulders were very much in evidence – and bang on trend for the coming season.

As the team who’d put so much effort into creating the collection and presenting the fashion show relaxed backstage, I managed to sneak a few ‘behind the scenes’ shots. I was rather taken by the dramatic Ironside print cape…lined with feathers – and the classic chiffon gowns, with beading and delicate starry motifs.

Talking of stars, we’ve a lovely pair of vintage, star shaped clip-on earrings at ShopCurious. Delicately embellished with mother of pearl and iridescent rhinestones, they’d probably work rather well with Nicholas’s designs.

I wouldn’t mind one of the dresses either, though I’m curious to know the price…

Are you?

Woodland wonders

It no longer matters if your home furnishings are a little bit rough around the edges. Unfinished interiors are all the rage. We feature some of these in our Curious Trends blog today in an article that also focuses upon sylvan style.








Woodland colours, wooden objects and leaves are going to be very much in evidence in decorative art, interior design and fashion accessories over the coming year or so.






This fabulous pair of vintage 1950s jewelled clip-on earrings from ShopCurious epitomize the leafy green look, and would make a perfect gift for Mothers’ Day.

And, talking of woods, did your mother always ask you to try not to get dirty when you played outdoors? Unfortunately, dirt is an occupational hazard of being human – and it’s the subject of my column today at The Dabbler, where you can read about all manner of filthy things. I bet that’s got you curious…

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Perennial Summer style

At this time of year, it’s nice to wind down and relax in the sun, but in the Caribbean the sun shines all year round, and the curiously slow pace of life is a major attraction for tourists.

Looking out over London’s cloudy grey skies, I’m dreaming of the lazy days I spent a few months ago at the charming Antiguan resort of Galley Bay – a beachside paradise that’s a haven of eco-friendly style, with smiling, helpful and warm-hearted staff.

One day, I was soaking up the sounds of the sea over lunch, when a fashion show suddenly popped up in front of me. How refreshing to see naturally beautiful models of all shapes and sizes wearing swimwear, sarongs and brightly coloured holiday fashions.

It’s hardly surprising that the Caribbeans are so big on colourful clothing, what with all the amazing colours of nature in and around their stunning tropical islands.
































Anyway, I thought it would be rather fun to show the Maggio sisters’ handcrafted recycled jewellery from ShopCurious alongside the outfits I saw on the uniquely Caribbean catwalk.



The hand painted earrings with scenes from Italian gardens are curiously complemetary - but for a pretty finishing touch you could also add a locally picked flower, worn as a corsage.








By the way, the dresses are from a boutique in Heritage Quay, St John’s, called ‘gingerlily’ that specializes in casually elegant clothing for women, using cool and comfortable fabrics like linen, cotton and silk. And the menswear is available at a store called Nautica.

















And, how about some floral holiday nails too?




















I’m not entirely sure about these as men’s accessories – perhaps this single blossom earring might work… What d’you think?













Do you?

Cupid's accessory of desire

Call him Cupid or Eros, this little devil often strikes when the weather hots up. With temperatures reaching at least 30 degrees centigrade in London today, and people strolling around town semi-naked, Cupid’s probably working overtime with his bow and arrow.

As sunbathers take to the parks, the fashion conscious are probably looking for unique accessories to give added allure to skimpy beach attire. Earrings are a popular choice, as they don’t interfere with the sun-tanning process.








.. And, never mind the arrows, we’ve got Cupid’s earrings of desire at ShopCurious. This one-off vintage pair of curiously cute clip-on Cupids will set your heart on fire, without burning a hole in your wallet.










May I also suggest something suitable to read in the park: If you’ve a passion for poetry, Aphra Behn’s The Willing Mistriss seems rather appropriate.

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The gold that got the cat

I was just waiting to hear the last part of Keith Floyd’s autobiography, Stirred but not Shaken, on BBC Radio 4. I've so enjoyed sharing Floyd's curiously all consuming passion for food and drink over the course of the week. In the process, I caught the end of Desert Island Discs, something I usually go out of my way to avoid, mainly due to the off-putting opening music. Thankfully, all I heard was Julia Donaldson being told by Kirsty Young that she couldn’t have a cat on the island.

At around the same time, I received an email with a link to this very curious ‘Cats for Gold’ website.

Am I hallucinating, or is this for real?

I’ve often thought it would be rather nice to have a big fluffy cat around the house, though not in exchange for my jewellery! However, in case you’re looking for some gold to swap for a feline friend this Christmas, we’ve got some fabulous necklaces, earrings, bangles and rings at ShopCurious. Check out these stylish designs by Marcelle Lawson Smith and Sarah Bond. Actually, never mind the cat, any of these pieces would make a suitably unique and unusual gift for Christmas... and I think even Floyd would have approved of Ornella Iannuzzi's golden fruits de mer.

Do you?

Fruits de mer

I remember going on holiday to Brittany as a student – the seafood was to die for (in fact one of my colleagues had some bad mussels and almost did) ... I lived on crab and langoustines for a couple of weeks, though it was a shame about the weather and the accommodation, as I was sleeping on a bathroom floor to avoid paying for a room. Since then, I’ve enjoyed fruits de mer the world over and I’m happy to say that now you can even find spectacular shellfish platters in the UK – especially in our great culinary capital, London.





I love razor clams – the best I've ever had were probably at The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall...Very garlicky with breadcrumbs on top, presented in a stylish heap that oozed the understated charm of traditional English seaside holidays. Ummm… I can smell them now.




I like seafood that’s quite simple – some nice chargrilled squid with chilli oil – they do this really well at Le Caprice (served with perfect pommes allumettes, ahhhhh…), though my favourite version of this dish was in Ischia at an authentic little restaurant overlooking the sea called Alberto’s – not sure if it’s still there?





Having worked for a Japanese company many moons ago, I’m still curious about the Japanese fondness of sea urchin...








a taste I have never acquired and I wonder if this curious sea creature could have been the cause of the mysterious collapse of George Bush senior at a state dinner in Japan in 1992?






Curiously though, I adore whelks with lashings of fresh mayonnaise - something of a rarity at restaurants in London. I’ve had many a punnet on promenades and piers at seaside resorts – and would definitely recommend Southwold as a destination for all serious whelk lovers. Anyone know where I can find these in my home town?




If you’re a fan of abalone, or any other of these seafood delicacies, I have a feeling you might also appreciate the stunning creations by talented jewellery designer, Ornella Iannuzzi, that are currently available at ShopCurious.








Her beautiful pieces include precious sea drop earrings, precious coral earrings and pendants, a ‘merveille oceanique’ sea-urchin inspired ring and unusual Tahitian pearl and red coral ‘Sarnus Metamorphosis’ earrings.



These unique accessories are very special and timeless in their appeal, as well as being collectable as pieces of fine jewellery - and they could also prove to be a very good investment for you and your children.




All this talk of food has left me feeling really hungry and I’ve a rather overwhelming urge to go out to eat. Before I go, I’ll leave you with this image - more Jacques Cousteau than Rick Stein, but this illustrates how much I'm inspired by the natural beauty of marine life... when I’m not eating it.

Are you?

Authentic safari style

If you’re an animal lover, you should definitely visit an authentic African game reserve. I’m usually quite timid around animals, especially when confronted by those pesky little dogs that nip at your ankles when you’re out jogging in the park - but this completely blew my mind away (though thankfully not my body).






In October, I spent some time at Singita Lebombo lodge in South Africa, which is named after the Lebombo Euphorbia (slighty different from the Candelabra Euphorbia, as pictured in the previous blog).






The safaris were out of this world, though not for you if you don’t like an early start, as you’ll get a wake up call at around 4.30ish every morning. The best thing is that you’ll see big game animals from as close as a few feet away in an open-topped jeep, or even on foot if you’re ballsy enough to walk through the bush.





The rangers are certainly brave, but also very experienced and, if you follow their instructions carefully, you’re unlikely to be pounced upon by a wild animal that’s feeling overly territorial, hungry or hormonal (men, does this remind you of anyone?)




There’s luxury accommodation at the lodge and the rooms are really stylish with floor to ceiling windows. You can relax in the enormous bath and watch the hippos dancing in the river before you eat a superb meal in the comfortably laid back surroundings of the open air restaurant.


I wasn’t certain about sleeping on the bed that was beautifully made up outside on the terrace - just not quite sure what was lurking in the undergrowth, but the outdoor shower was certainly very refreshing and welcome.





Of course, the whole reserve is totally eco-friendly, right down to the natural products used in the bathrooms and the spa – and there are even a couple of chichi little boutiques selling safari-style fashion and exotic African curiosities for the home.







I was lucky enough to see all of the ‘big five’ game animals apart from the leopard – though we do have a unique hand painted leopard pendant at ShopCurious, along with other handmade safari-inspired pieces of jewellery, like this giraffe necklace and the rather original dangly zebra earrings (above).




One day we travelled about 100 miles out to get a view of some black rhino near the border with Mozambique, which was very dangerous for a number of reasons. I’ll definitely go back, especially as I’m curious to spot that damned elusive leopard, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for other rare flora and fauna too.

Will you?