The fashion for all things freaky

No matter whether it’s Halloween, have you noticed the tendency for artists, musicians and designers to want to shock their audiences?

A couple of months ago, Alice Cooper held a macabre evening of horror at the London Dungeon to choose freakish acts for his Halloween Night of Fear shows at the Roundhouse in Camden. The winners included a very unique ballet routine, where the dancer stuck needle-mounted feathers into her arms. Another winner was a cabaret style performer, who hammered a nail up her nose and put hooks with weights attached though her eyelids.

A further winner went one better – and used a drill to bore through his nose. Then there was a man who lifted barrels of beer using hooks through his arms, who also put his tongue in a mouse trap.

On the art and design scene, we’re continuing to see all manner of morbid fashion accessories and weird taxidermy, like Alex Randall’s Rat Swarm Lamp (as shown above).


The current focus on our mortality is fueling an obsession with death and disease. Medical curiosities, anatomical models, pickled body parts and freakish pathology inspired installations are increasingly being incorporated into the work of emerging artists and designers.

With this in mind, we thought we’d tempt you with our own freak of nature – a dicephalic, two headed teddy bear called Ted and Eddy that’s now available at ShopCurious, courtesy of our most curious friend Viktor Wynd and his Little Shop of Horrors. Just the thing to cuddle up to in bed.

Hope you don't get nightmares?

Do you?

Beyond love

What lies Beyond Love?
For Love never dies.
Love lasts forever.
Love transforms.
Love multiplies.
In the Lover’s eye,
ascending,
transcending mortality.
In the dance of the butterflies,
an ethereal coronation,
the perfect union.





Described by L’Officiel magazine as “one of the most original jewellery designers of her generation”, London based Brazilian, Marcelle Lawson-Smith is also something of a poet. Her verse, as well as her latest collection of digitally printed leather cuffs, are inspired by love’s power to transcend mortality.









Marcelle’s wedding to her English husband, twelve years ago, was an “unusual and elaborate celebration, with pairs of butterflies as its central theme – to represent eternal love.” One wall was covered by two thousand butterflies and Marcelle’s dress, the invitation and the wedding cake were all covered with pairs of butterflies.





Marcelle was also influenced by the symbolism of Victorian mourning jewellery when creating the vibrantly coloured pieces in her new range, which are available online, exclusively at ShopCurious.

In Victorian times, secret messages were sometimes hidden in small accessories. Butterflies, symbolizing resurrection (as in the metamorphosis from a chrysalis), were often depicted in sculptures and on cemetery headstones in Victorian graveyards.






Lover’s eyes were also popular as pieces of mourning jewellery, but some debate surrounds the details of their initial introduction to the UK. It is thought that they were originally used by secret lovers in the late 18th century – the Prince of Wales and Mrs Fitzherbert being widely cited. A unique collection of antique Regency curios, including lover’s eyes can be viewed on the romantic novelist, Candice Hern’s website.

Marcelle Lawson-Smith’s lover’s eyes are also based on William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 55:


“Not marble, nor the gilded monuments
Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme;
But you shall shine more bright in these contents
Than unswept stone, besmear'd with sluttish time.
When wasteful war shall statues overturn,
And broils root out the work of masonry,
Nor Mars his sword, nor war's quick fire shall burn
The living record of your memory.
'Gainst death, and all oblivious enmity
Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room
Even in the eyes of all posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.
So, till the judgment that yourself arise,
You live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes.”


Will you?

Time capsule trends

‘Too fast to live, too young to die’ - the curiously appropriate final declaration of Malcolm McLaren’s life, daubed punk-style, along the side of his coffin... Seems like death has become the ultimate style statement.

Curious trends aside, we asked members of our group at Are you ShopCurious? on Polyore to create a digital time capsule to commemorate their life, reflecting their individual style, personal achievements, wishes and dreams. We were totally stunned at the response to our contest and the amazing standard of entries. The time capsules include favourite people, places, fashion, art, design objects, films, books, music, curiosities, feelings and the things most special to each creator.

Our mortality may seem a rather unusual thing to dwell upon, but none of us is immortal. So what’s the message you’d like to leave behind? Is the unique brand you've created on your website, blog, Facebook page, or through your tweets, how you would like to be remembered for posterity? Or perhaps you already have your own time capsule…

Do you?

Remember: love is timeless

In these fast-moving times, there's rarely an opportunity to sit back and spend a moment reflecting on what really matters: probably our family and our dearest friends.

Occasionally, we fall out with loved ones, or find ourselves distanced from those we’re emotionally close to. At some stage in life, it’s likely we’ll suddenly lose someone we love and realize we haven’t said all we really wanted to. Perhaps we’re rushing around so much, we forget how important it is to express our feelings … until it’s too late.




Recording feelings, thoughts and memories can be surprisingly rewarding, which is why, at ShopCurious, we’re offering a selection of journals to help you do just this. ‘From You to Me’ journals make really precious gifts – simply ask your loved one(s) to answer the questions in the book and return it to you, full of personal nostalgia and stories you’ve always wanted to know. Capture the memories and anecdotes of times spent with those special to you - and receive your own gift of love and friendship back again.








One of the journals, called These were the Days, is especially appropriate for anyone who’s leaving and moving on to pastures new. Whether you're graduating from school, university, taking up a new job, or moving abroad, this journal provides an opportunity to capture key memories and experiences from the people you've met along the way.








Alternatively, you may want to reflect on good times spent with your partner - or even an old flame, someone overseas, a mentor, or person who’s had a key influence in your life... Or, you may simply wish to recall experiences shared with a friend, relative or colleague you particularly admire, as a record for posterity.

It’s worthwhile taking a moment to remember those special to us. The gift of love is timeless.

Will you?

Gifts of love and remembrance

Love is enduring: love remains, after all else has gone...

The inspiration for Hannah Whyman’s beautifully handmade curios, currently available at ShopCurious, comes from Victorian memento mori jewellery. These curiously unique accessories, often in the form of ornamental lockets, included photographs of the dearly departed, sometimes with carefully preserved furls of hair.







The Latin phrase memento mori literally translates as, “remember you must die” and, in past times, served as a reminder of our mortality, of human frailty and the awful consequences of wrong-doing, or transgressing the moral code of a religion. The concept has been a motivation for art and artefacts, including jewellery, since antiquity.





The prospect of death emphasizes the transience of earthly pleasures and achievements, and the ultimate emptiness of life’s luxuries and fleeting indulgences. The enduring power of love in the face of otherwise insurmountable obstacles, forces of nature - even death - is a common theme of many great literary works and cinematic masterpieces, like one of my all time favourites, Dr Zhivago.

What better gift than a special keepsake to remind one of the lasting strength and beauty of love? These exquisite, individually handcrafted pieces are made with loving care, from recycled miscellany - like antique postcards, glass flowers, curiosities, charms, Victorian lace and vintage Valentines. What’s more, they make the most wonderfully romantic Valentine gifts - full of quirky, homespun charm and precious memories. If you’re looking for a timeless, heirloom gift, for future generations to cherish, then look no further.

And remember - true love is forever...

Will you?

Back in London, city of snow...

Last night I sat snuggled up in a warm cinema and, amidst a symphony of snivels from the audience, was mesmerized by scenes of sunshine pouring over the parched coastal terrain of Southern Australia. It was a harsh reality to wake up to snow in London this morning. Apparently, last night was Canberra’s warmest in 27 years...









I had a meeting in the City, so used the opportunity to take a few snaps of London, as I travelled along – it looked really beautiful in the snow. I might even use one of these for next year’s ShopCurious Christmas card.







Anyway, in case you’re curious, the film I saw was The Boys Are Back, and is based on the memoirs of journalist, Simon Carr. It stars Clive Owen as a sports reporter and father, struggling to bring up his young son, following the death of his wife. It’s essentially a film about the grieving process and the psychological effects of abandonment and bereavement upon children.

As funny as it is moving, the film, due out shortly, is definitely worth a visit to the cinema for - especially if it’s nice and cosy inside. Wrap up in warm clothing, buy some popcorn and escape to sunnier climes – but do remember to take your hankies.

Will you?

Ultimate style statement?

Where do you store your memories? Do you have a box of old photographs in your attic, or is your life uploaded for all to see on Facebook? Have you ever written a diary? Do you have a secret place where you stash away the most treasured keepsakes from your past? If not, each of these beautiful ceramic sculptures by Fabienne Auzolle, available at ShopCurious, has a hidden compartment for mementos and cherished pieces of personal history.

You've probably heard enough of my memories, but before I introduce a new theme, I’d just like to take a brief look at a huge topic with so many avenues and permutations I can feel the wires in my brain starting to fizz.



Everyone is different and we each have our own contribution to make to life on planet earth. We all like to have our individual say and to consider ourselves unique in terms of our style, clothing, personal taste and preferences. However, there are so many of us that we usually fall into certain categories in terms of our likes and dislikes. Some of us prefer rock music, others jazz, or classical; Some of us are vegetarian, whilst others are rampant carnivores, or suckers for seafood; Some of us choose to shop at chain stores, others buy only original vintage accessories, or nothing but the latest designer handbags … and so on.





The one thing that’s different about each of us, is the eclectic mix of tastes and experiences that goes towards creating our own unique set of memories. Whether you jot things down in a notebook, write your memoirs, or squirrel souvenirs away in a special hiding place, the person your memories have most significance to is you. That being said, these days there’s a trend towards sharing everything – memories included. The proof of this is in the sheer volume of celebrity autobiographies, photo-caching, video broadcasting and the like.



Could this be part of a major revolution, not just in the way we choose to express ourselves, but also in the way we wish to be remembered by future generations? Modern innovations such as ‘digital time capsules’, like Diary of Mankind, the one I set up a few years ago, are seen to be ways of preserving our thoughts, wishes and memories for posterity. But will evidence of our mass online collaboration, our creative efforts and our achievements outlast us, let alone immortalize us for centuries to come? And, if so, what about the mistakes we made, will they be there for all to see as well?

Our current fascination with family history, ancestry, antiques, old photos, curiosities and all things retro reflects our appreciation of the memories, style, taste and contributions of previous generations. As for our own legacy, well, what do you wish to be remembered for …

the children you gave life to, or brought up, the work you did for charity, the money you left behind, the cars you owned, your final blog post, the book you wrote, your favourite celebrities, your sporting achievements, the pupils you educated, the parties you went to, the best film you ever made, the people you helped, the bands you liked, your fashion sense, the extraordinary things you invented, the meals you prepared, your size 8 figure, your creativity, your charm, your uniquely eccentric approach to life, your inimitable style, the huge stone angel at your graveside?

What sort of statement will you make with your life?

Please do send your thoughts and comments.

Will you?

Fashion in mourning

We thought we'd seen the back of it, but could there be a deep and meaningful reason why we’re suddenly feeling the need to wear black? I'd like to suggest it’s not just the recession that’s making us seriously sombre, but that a big trend is gaining momentum - a curious fascination with all things to do with death and dying.










I spotted this a few years ago when, in 2006, I wrote a book - ‘Trends Beyond Life: In Search of Immortality’. I said that that Victorians’ obsession with death would return – “Ornate headstones, ornaments and all sorts of vintage paraphernalia will appear alongside graves, in crematoria and remembrance parks.” I also mentioned that old scents and “smells that remind us of our forebears will gain renewed popularity. Sepia photographs, domed displays of waxed flowers, ornamental urns and treasure boxes of our memories will reappear…”





The Victorians knew how to make the most of their mourning rituals, with strict codes of behaviour and dress that also made good economic sense for businesses specializing in areas as diverse as funerals and fashion. The elaborate Victorian commemoration of death disappeared with the onset of two World Wars – mass death in such tragic circumstances hardly provides great cause for celebrating the lives of the departed.







More recently, our curious concern with fame, fortune and everlasting youth are once again putting the spotlight on mortality: Michael Jackson’s life and death certainly captured all of these obsessions… and an untimely death is always a reminder that this is something which happens to us all.

How long will it be before baby boomers are regularly gathering around a coffin in the living room to show off their most stylish mourning gear? If so, we’ve got just the thing at ShopCurious - some wonderful black beaded and jet embellished vintage dresses, along with a selection of ultra-dramatic embroidered velvet capes.






Rare, old fashioned clothing that’s in limited supply is going to be much sought after, as we become more acutely conscious of our own unique part and place in history. I’d suggest you snap up as many of these collectable items as you can now, to pass on as heirlooms - or you might be gone before they are.

Will you?

Memories of maharajas

If you’re in London this weekend and looking for something worthwhile to do, you might find it difficult to choose between the gazillions of things on offer. However, if you can get in, I’d recommend the new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum: Maharaja - The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts.










Maharaja means ‘great king’ - and the curiosities on display certainly show the wealth, power, and cultural influence of this stylish, princely ruling class – as well as their observance of ‘rajadharma’: the duties and behaviour appropriate to a king. Apparently, the vision of a king in all his splendour is believed to be auspicious – there's even a term, 'darshan', the propitious act of seeing and being seen by a superior being.



Some of the highlights on display include a procession scene that includes a life-sized elephant, complete with ornamental chair … plus the elephant sports its own ultra-dangly stylish silver earring. Another centerpiece is an original Rolls Royce 'Phantom I' car that is stunningly huge, with magnificent sweeping lines – a veritable style icon, and suitably fit for a maharaja.






There is also the gloriously glittering patiala necklace, a ceremonial piece that was re-set by Cartier for the Maharaja Bupindha Singh and would have even Mr Graff drooling. There are several quite extraordinary saris belonging to maharanis (maharajas' wives), including one in divine satin with spider-like coral sequin detail - bang on trend, though almost a century old … And there's a fabulous Art-Deco mirrored men’s Cartier dressing table set that’s to die for. The vintage fans with peacock feathers and exquisitely enamelled handles are awesome. By the way, the peacock is the national bird and is thought to provide a watchful eye over the people of India.





The exhibition covers the life of the maharajas during a period from the end of Moghul rule in the early 18th century up to the partition of India in 1947. There is plenty of evidence of the generous patronage provided by the maharajas, including some curiously contemporary modernist pieces of furniture by Eckart Muthesius, the architect of the most recent palace, commissioned by the Maharaja of Indore in 1930 – along with portraits by the French artist, Bernard Boutet de Monvel.




Although their cultural heritage and traditions are still appreciated to this day, due to escalating costs and dwindling incomes, most of the Indian princes have sold off their assets, transformed their palaces into hotels, or even opened their own museums.








We’re not suggesting that you attempt to follow in their footsteps, but, if on visiting the V&A, you acquire something of a fondness for elephants and jewels, we’re sure you’ll like this rather charming and totally unique Indian silver lucky elephant charm necklace with semi-precious stones that’s available at ShopCurious.



Do you?

Enchanted garden?

The other day I was fortunate enough to see a preview of the new Brideshead Revisited film. I don’t want to offend anyone, as I’ve neither read the book nor seen the TV serialization - but with fresh eyes and an optimistic outlook, I found it curiously insightful and brilliantly done.

Yes, the settings are beautiful, the actors rather cute, the 1920s and '30s style costumes and accessories are totally fabulous and having a glimpse into the quirky haute-boho life of lazy luxury of the British upper classes is somewhat amusing. But looking beyond the stylish fashion and glitzy surroundings, this production has much more to say:

Not only did the film fuel my own curiosity (I love deep and meaningful stuff that you can spend hours trying to get your brains around), but at the very core of this story is man’s innate curiosity and search for meaning. For instance, when the self-proclaimed atheist Charles is invited to a Catholic religious service he’s ‘curious enough to come along’. He seems equally curious in other areas – and unsure as to whether it’s Sebastian or Julia he wishes to bed.

Although his views are well formed in some fields ('photography captures the moment, but art reflects your feelings'), Charles still has a lot to learn about Catholicism and how sin can be offset by confession. He's told that the Italians are a lot better at accepting forgiveness for lapses in the human condition than the guilt ridden English Catholistocracy, whose resulting hang-ups provide plenty of material for this film.

Charles is totally fascinated with Brideshead, which becomes a symbol for the struggle with his own spirituality. He’s fallen hopelessly in love with the Brideshead lifestyle and has travelled a long and often baffling ego trip, until death strikes and the question of faith suddenly becomes all too relevant. Perhaps our own mortality, values and beliefs are worth a little more consideration?

Whatever your thoughts about the meaning of our existence, there’s one certainty in life and that’s why one of the curiosities featured on our website is an eco-friendly receptacle for human ashes. We’re not suggesting that you 'buy one now while stocks last', just asking that you appreciate the organic form, iconic design and practical purpose of the acorn urn – and remember that it’s available at ShopCurious.

Will you?