A winning wardrobe

I haven’t watched any of the Paralympic Games yet, but I hear we’re winning lots of medals. On the night of the opening ceremony, I was out at an event launching something entirely different – the new BuyMyWardrobe pre-loved luxury designer fashion website.

I stayed long enough to hear owner, Kai's speech about the "luxe recycling revolution," and to do a little bit of networking.

I met the lovely shoe blogger Sabrina Johnson of Sabrina Suggests and bumped into Stella of Stella’s Wardrobe (check out the cute new illustrations on her blog).
 

 

In honour of our paralympic athletes, I thought I’d wear my Union Jack dress, teamed up with a recycled vintage bag from ShopCurious. I wasn’t the only one dressed patriotically: A curiously charming kilt-wearing milliner insisted on having his photograph taken with me.

Then I dashed home to catch the remainder of the Paralympics opening ceremony. Read my review (including views on the Paralympic uniforms) in today’s post at The Dabbler.

Will you?

Art, medallions and men's summer fashion

My escort for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition Preview Party was charming young interior designer, Romanos Brihi, who was seeking works for his clients, and for his own collection.

In addition to possibly being a good investment, I suppose owning a unique piece of art is a way of showing off your taste or wealth, or both - even if you don’t choose it yourself? Art has become so much a part of the luxury lifestyle that the line between art gallery and concept store has become somewhat blurred (see my latest post at The Dabbler): I’m sure it’s all good for the UK economy, but I do think there's too much focus on pure materialism. Should there be such a symbiotic relationship between contemporary art, interior decoration, high-end fashion and designer goods?

Talking of which, I spotted some finely dressed men at the party. Apart from the Olympics, it’s not everyday you see chaps wandering around wearing medals on ribbons around their necks. The Royal Academicians have different coloured ribbons according to their discipline eg red for painting, green for sculpture – and (I think) grey for architecture.

These gentlemen are wearing the red ribbon. I do hope Anthony Eyton (on the right) remembers inviting me to lunch at Brixton Market, the subject of one of his paintings in the show (see below).

Stephen Cox, whose daughter is the first RA poet in residence, models the green ribbon here, rather dramatically set off against a royal blue linen suit.





















His granite and gold leaf masks work exceptionally well with greige, rendering them an instant hit with interior designers the world over.

Elsewhere, other smartly dressed menfolk included cocktail waiters in buttoned-up black, Gareth Pugh in a curiously gothic cutout suit,

Nicky Haslam in a wall-matching grey number... and this jolly fellow in vintage-style pinstripes.

There were sunglasses and hats..I wore recycled vintage cotton lace with a feather bolero - and I borrowed a Bakelite butterfly bag from ShopCurious. Plus, there was one elderly gent who wasn’t wearing anything at all.






















Towards the end of the evening, as paparazzi and punters clamoured to get final photographs on the red carpet, things became a little crazy…

 
You’ll have to visit the show yourself to see the art.

Will you?

Snapshot of famous French style

I’ve been dabbling at photography again and couldn’t resist sharing this Paris perfumery photograph which, for me, sums up the old-fashioned elegance of French luxury style.

Also, I'd just like to mention that we’ll have some more vintage Hermes silk scarves in stock at ShopCurious very shortly. Sign up to our monthly newsletter for the first opportunity to see and purchase these.

Will you?

Brace yourself for Fathers' Day

Now the Summer season is upon us, men are jazzing up their outfits with all manner of curious accessories. I’ve seen bow ties, quirky cufflinks, Panama hats, patent shoes – and quite a few pairs of designer braces.

Braces, also known as suspenders by our American friends, are often worn by the sort of men who love to be the centre of attention. They were popular in the 1920s and '30s – I’d imagine Jay Gatsby was big on braces. Gordon Gekko in the film Wall Street was single handedly responsible for a lot more suspenders in the City from the late1980s. More recently, the new Dr Who, Matt Smith, also appears to be quite a fan of trouser braces.





If your father’s the extrovert type, a pair of braces may be just the unusual sort of gift he'd appreciate. Of course, the braces would have to be suitably original – and I think we’ve got just the thing at ShopCurious…

Our curiously unique Boa Brummell braces by ORWOT! are made by Albert Thurston of Leicester, the oldest braces manufacturer in the world.





Handcrafted in England, the luxury braces are embellished with a real gold or silver snake - individually hand embroidered by the same firm that has worked for the last eight Kings and Queens of England.

Each pair of bejewelled Boa Brummells comes with a choice of button hooks, or specially engraved clips. What’s more, the snake’s eyes are made from real precious gem stones that twinkle in the light, which should set off Dad's evening attire a treat.... And they're guaranteed to hold up his trousers too.









Order now and we promise a pair will be with your pere in time for Fathers’ Day - 20th June. Go on, make it a day he'll never forget.

Will you?

Castaway couture, or wot?

Entrepreneurs, senior executives and trade bodies representing the luxury goods industry will meet in Barcelona tomorrow for the 12th Annual Prestige Brands Meeting.

Europe has always been considered the main producer and market for premium products, with European brands accounting for around 75% (approx. $229 billion) of the global luxury market, according to figures from the Boston Consulting Group.

However, the Financial Times reports serious concern regarding the erosion of specialist skills such as dressmaking, watchmaking and perfume creation in the European luxury goods sector, combined with a shift in production to emerging markets in Asia and eastern Europe.




Guy Salter, deputy chairman of Walpole, the British Luxury alliance claims that “All young people want to be designers and very few, makers." He says, "We want to try and change that by promoting craftsmanship in the luxury sector" adding, by way of example, "only a handful of small manufacturers in the UK are now making bags and leather accessories, compared to over a hundred factories only fifty years ago."



Some brave souls are already taking their own action to help preserve traditional skills and crafts for posterity, amidst a rapidly changing global marketplace. StyleCurious featured Mark H, a personal victim of UK manufacturing's demise, has made it his mission to turn adversity to advantage in a bid to save British craftsmanship from extinction.

Mark says, “There are still people alive, but only just, who remember England as the Workshop of the World, making everything from corsets to a silver condiment train for the Maharaja of Jaipur.” He adds, “We were busy making things: inventing, tweaking, fumbling, making fools of ourselves – the world’s eccentrics – in garages and small workshops all over this green and pleasant land. To achieve a Royal Warrant to supply members of the British royal family was a licence to export products to every part of the globe.”





In order to help prevent the UK’s industrial heritage from being totally “squandered”, Mark decided to establish his own curiously eccentric new luxury brand called OR WOT! to capitalize on ‘the finest components, skills and crafts that England can muster.”







The story behind OR WOT's ‘Castaway Couture’ collection is highly symbolic. Mark imagined the only survivor from a luxury British cruise ship, marooned on a desert island. Key pieces in the collection are inspired by the survivor's luggage, together with flotsam and jetsam from the shipwreck and the animal and reptile life on the island.












An eclectic range of handcrafted luxuries for him and her, plus a selection of beautifully handmade curious gifts and things for the home by OR WOT! is now available exclusively at ShopCurious.







Each product is made in England, has its own tale to tell and is intended to be a family heirloom that will last for generations to come. What’s more, the skill and craft involved in the making of every single item will be passed on to future generations too.

Curiously crazy, curiously clever, OR WOT?

I'm curious to know what you think.


Do you?

Have a curiously happy and healthy Easter!

Lest you think you’ve stumbled upon one of those strange sites selling all sorts of curious and unmentionable devices that are usually kept hidden away in a bedside drawer, don't be mistaken - this is just an alternative Easter blog post. If you’re the curious type, you may have noticed the current fashion for luxury erotica. Even so, I was rather surprised to find a lady selling designer sex toys at London Fashion Week.




In these times when everything seems to be reduced to the lowest common denominator, little shocks any more. Women’s magazines indulge us in graphic descriptions of basic bodily functions and popular prime time TV programmes include the likes of Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies. Is this mere voyeurism for us hitherto stiff upper lipped Brits, or are we taking the lead from our fellow Europeans, like the Dutch and the Scandinavians, in becoming more open and direct with regard to our physiology?



Compared to many, I’m probably considered postively prudish, but my curiosity was aroused by Shiri Zinn's decorative glass eggs, now available to order at ShopCurious.

It’s recommended that we keep fit in order to live a long and healthy life. However, some parts of our body are more difficult to workout than others – mainly because we can’t localize them easily. This is the case with the lower pelvic floor muscles which, without regular exercise, weaken and lose their resilience. Aging and childbirth also reduce the flexibility and sensitivity of this area.

The eggs come in three handy sizes, of varying weights, and can be used to train those parts that can’t otherwise be reached. It’s suggested that you start with the lightest egg. In fact, the instructions are curiously amusing:


- Always wear knickers while training…This is because the solid eggs are heavy and can fall out onto your toes or break if they hit hard flooring;

- Eggs will always come out naturually if you laugh, sneeze, cough or push gently in a similar manner to making a bowel movement;

- A woman that practices regularly can learn to use two eggs in opposite directions until they hit each other gently. The vibrations can be heavenly.





It’s an added bonus that the ornamental eggs are also tasteful enough to double up as pretty objets d’art for your dressing table or mantelpiece. Anyway, if you’re on the lookout for unusual gifts this Easter, these curiously erotic eggs may just hit the spot.

Are you?

Mum's the word... vintage Paris on the cheap

A trip to Paris with your mother may not be the most romantic option for a weekend break. However, if you’ve a penchant for designer vintage fashion, you’ll find plenty of things for both of you to fall in love with in this city of couture and quality craftsmanship.

Paris is the world renowned centre for luxury lifestyle products – though, these days, brands like Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton are more likely to be associated with the celebrities who promote them than the city from which they originated. If you're not quite rich or famous enough to be invited to the couture shows, a well planned visit to Paris still offers the chance to see traditionally made, stylish French fashion - simply by exploring some of the quirky vintage stores dotted across town.





A ‘luxury’ shopping trip to Paris doesn't require a second mortgage either - it's quite possible to tour vintage Paris on the cheap:

There are many inexpensive travel options. If you book far enough in advance, standard Eurostar tickets (from London) are available for as little as £29 each way. Once in Paris, the best way of seeing the city is most definitely on foot. When your legs get tired, or if you need a faster way of getting around, just grab an eco-friendly bike at one of the generously stocked bicycle stations, conveniently located across the city centre.








Save your pennies in Paris by finding a reasonably priced hotel. Browse the internet for sites offering special rates for hotel rooms. The Hotel Louvre Bons Enfants, for instance, is just a stone’s throw from the Hotel de Louvre, with rooms available at a fraction of the price. There are even interesting views from the windows – including curious sculpture and architecture… Plus, there’s free Wi-Fi and affordable champagne in the mini-bar.





To the occasional visitor, eating out in style can present a challenge - but, rather than trying to avoid the tourist traps, why not use them to your advantage? Ask the hotel front desk to suggest a restaurant nearby. If you’re in the centre of town, the restaurants are bound to be foreigner friendly, even in Paris. You’ll most likely find yourself in the company of fellow tourists, which should make for an amusing evening, especially if you’re alone - or with your mother.




Le Petit Machon, recommended by the Louvre Bons Enfants, has a great atmosphere and the traditional Lyonnais food, though rather bland tasting, is reasonably good value.








Alternatively, if Mummy's paying, mix with the locals at chi-chi restaurants like L’Avenue in Avenue Montaigne, where by midday, the black dresses, fur coats, models and media crowd are already queuing up to secure their table for lunch.




The food is well presented and actually rather delicious, even if it’s served up barely cooked, three minutes after you sat down. But what you’re paying for is the view; just remember to ask for a table near the window, where you can sit and watch le tout Paris mincing past – and get an eye full of the Eiffel Tower at the same time.






Shopping is taken very seriously in Paris – and the city is bursting with smart boutiques. Rather than fighting over flea-bitten bargains in vintage markets, why not shop in classic Parisian style? Look no further than Didier Ludot’s fabulous emporium in the Palais Royal.




The only problem with this establishment is that, in all the times I’ve been to Paris, I’ve never once found it to be open.

Never mind, however curious the opening hours, there’s absolutely no need to go inside, as this is probably the best place in the world to window shop for high quality designer vintage collectors’ items.







Take a look at some of photographs here of pieces exhibited in the window during Paris Fashion Week – including couture Chanel and 1960s Paco Rabanne chain mail. Some of the other shops in the Palais Royal are also worth exploring, although the prices can be somewhat off-putting (unless one wanders a few doors down to Marc Jacobs and realizes that everything’s relative).






The winding streets of the Marais district are also great for rare and precious vintage finds, with some charming examples of vintage Chanel and Hermes – all at a certain price, which is just fine… so long as you’re only window shopping.





If the mere prospect of seeing fabulous vintage clothes and accessories is too much of temptation to splurge, you can always stay at home and order a Chinese... Just add some shell chopstick holders from ShopCurious for a perfectly stylish and authentic experience - and check out our designer vintage clothing without going anywhere.






And, if you're UK based and celebrating today, I hope you enjoy a happy Mothers’ Day... whatever you choose to do. Do let us hear about it.

Will you?

Sending love in style

In this age when so many of us are curiously self-obsessed, there’s still a chance to prove that genuine love is well and truly alive. Valentine’s Day may seem to you like a commercial conspiracy, but it’s also a rare opportunity to express our appreciation of and affection for our loved ones.

Valentine greetings can be traced back as far as Medieval times, but Valentine cards were first made in Britain in the early 19th century. Since then, all manner of cards, gifts and curios have appeared on the market. Last year, our custom made curious pop art rings were very popular - these were mainly requests from girls ordering miniature paintings in their likeness on the rings to give to their husbands and boyfriends.





There was also one memorably romantic request from a man wanting us to replicate his image, (from a photograph), on a ring to give to his girlfriend when he proposed to her. Fortunately, she accepted, and we’re very happy for both of them. He also told us that his portrait on the ring bears an uncanny resemblance - and that his girlfriend wears her curious Valentine ring, with his picture, all the time. How sweet!







If you’re not quite ready for a personalized Valentine ring, or a piece of statement jewellery - a card, perhaps even a postcard - should suffice. At ShopCurious, we’ve some lovely old-style postcards, adorned with rather stylish vintage brooches, that will make the perfect gift of love. They’re especially useful if you’re not quite sure what to buy, as they’ll serve as a Valentine’s gift and a card all in one.




Valentine’s Day is a time to indulge in a little nostalgia – and an original, vintage brooch will add a touch of unique colour to your day. The weather (at least here in London) is depressingly grey and gloomy at this time of year, so why not brighten up an existing outfit with a stylishly unusual embellishment? It’s less expensive than buying a new set of clothes – and the association with a loved one will make this small and inexpensive gift more precious than any luxury designer accessory.










Alternatively, you may prefer to treat yourself to one of these beautiful brooches. With or without a partner, some of us will always be romantic at heart...

Are you?