Timeless textiles

QR codes remind me of the classical inspired look of former RCA graduate (now honorary fellow and visiting professor), Sue Timney, whose work was recently on show at London’s Fashion and Textiles Museum.

Back in the early 1980s, finding someone to buy your designs meant trekking half way around the world – in her case to Japan, where her printed silk scarves, shirts, ties, ceramics and stationery were snapped up by luxury retailers, enabling her and ex-partner, Grahame Fowler, to expand their Timney-Fowler business in the UK. Since 2001, Timney has concentrated mainly on private and commercial interiors projects, and is known for her distinctive monochrome styling. She’s also designed restaurants and styled Joseph’s interior shop, ‘Pour la Maison.’








































The exhibition featured a lot of her 1990s work, which was developed for fashion and interiors, using images recurring throughout the cut out work of Timney Fowler – statues, architectural details, cutlery, furniture, clocks, musical instruments, animals, heraldic symbols, kitchen implements and decorative frames.







































Clocks and clock faces have been something of a trademark of her style between 1985 and 2010. Many of the clock images are based on an original art deco railway clock, which was also on show at the exhibiton. Astronomy is another theme she’s interpreted in her uniquely bold manner.





























Emma Shipley’s printed textiles, currently on display at the RCA show, are equally stunning. Her drawings are inspired by botanical illustrations. Some are drawn by hand using graphite pencil on hot pressed paper to assure a ‘quiet asymmetry’, and other designs are developed using a computer, programmed to incorporate a random element into the process.



























As it happens, founder of the Fashion and Textiles Museum, fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, is also an RCA graduate. And, if you’re looking to invest in a piece of vintage textile design, we’ve a curiously collectable 1970s Zandra Rhodes painted lady silk scarf at ShopCurious.

Are you?

Vintage motherly style

For a curiously classic, grown-up look, there’s no accessory that signifies responsible, motherly style more than the traditional silk twill Hermes scarf.

Princess Anne has always been a fan and is often seen wearing one when cheering on her daughter, Zara, at show jumping events.









Margaret Thatcher used to be a great headscarf wearer too, especially when addressing a large audience at an outdoor venue.






Then there were the leading ladies – movie icons like Audrey Heburn, Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly, along with famous First Lady, Jackie Onassis. And not forgetting the most regal wearer of all – Her Majesty The Queen.









If you’re feeling particularly generous this Mothers’ Day, I can think of nothing more appropriate as a gift than one of the selection of collectable vintage Hermes silk scarves at ShopCurious.








You can always borrow it too - and if you don’t fancy the traditional look, there are plenty of other ways of wearing a scarf. Just make sure you remember to return it to Mum afterwards.

Will you?

Grace Kelly style: timeless with a quirky twist

Last May, we featured retro fashion and accessories from the 1950s and ‘60s. I was so surprised when I visited the Grace Kelly: Style Icon exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum to discover that some of the pieces on offer at ShopCurious are uncannily similar to those worn by the late filmstar and Princess of Monaco.

Take a look for yourself:











One of the exhibits on show is Grace’s classic black dress, designed by Edith Head for Rear Window (see above). Our original 1950s lace version, left, looks almost identical.






She carried her pet poodle Oliver everywhere, so it’s hardly surprising that one of Grace’s signature pieces of jewellery was a poodle brooch, The fine gold one on display in the V and A’s exhibition (left) is every bit as quirky as our charmingly curious vintage costume pooch.










In this photo, Grace wears creamy white framed sunglasses, just like ours.











And our vintage lilac net skirt looks remarkably similar to this dress, designed by Helen Rose for Grace Kelly in the film High Society. The princess loved pastel shades – and now they’re back in fashion once again.

We’ve even got some opera gloves in the style of those worn by Princess Grace - plus a selection of snakeskin handbags, exotic kaftans and printed silk scarves – all items favoured by one of the most stylish and glamorous Hollywood stars ever.

Grace Kelly simply oozed timeless elegance, but her personality and sense of fun were expressed through unique accessories and touches of individual embellishment. I call that style with brains.

Do you?

PS Look out for our Grace Kelly giveaway - coming soon.

Art Deco accessories

Here’s a 21st century synopsis of some reasons why you might consider investing in rare and beautiful Art Deco accessories:

Buying vintage is an eco-friendly form of recycling. Just look at this fabulous original 1920s belt (right) that’s made from hand painted seeds.



Most pieces from this era are 100% handmade, using totally natural materials – and even today, it's not too difficult to source items that simply scream 'style with brains', if you're curious enough to seek them out.



Vintage is often much less expensive than its modern equivalent – take this authentic 1930s quilted python skin bag (left) and art deco clutch (right) from ShopCurious, for instance – curiously cheap and chic compared to most of today’s designer snakeskin bags.




Unique accessories from any era are highly collectable and can be a great investment too - especially well designed, high quality items of jewellery and stylish silk scarves that have timeless and lasting appeal.

There’s no denying it, Art Deco style is curiously cool – whenever, wherever ... have you seen Bebaroque’s Cleopatra tights and this amazing rhinestone encrusted headpiece? You're not drooling ...

Are you?

Motherly love

Not long until that special day when we can give back a little something in return for all the years of unconditional love from our mothers. I’ve come up with a few suggestions for some unique and unusual gifts from ShopCurious that you might like to consider for Mothers' Day

For the very proud parent, who’s spoiled you silly and sent you to all the right schools (and just look how you turned out!), how about a precious piece of jewellery like a pretty marcasite butterfly brooch, which can also be worn as a pendant. It’s such as shame you had to fly away from home, but there you go.



If your mother’s the natural, eco-aware type, how about a useful recycled folio. You know she’ll never get around to using a computer, so she can use this to keep all her reminder lists and pictures of you as a baby. If you do ever remember to send a postcard, she can keep it there too. For the arty Mum, how about a hand painted mother of pearl pendant? She’ll love the fact that it’s handmade and as totally individual as you.


For the country-loving, traditional type you might consider a vintage silk scarf – even better if you can find one from the year that you were born (that’ll bring a tear to her eye no doubt).

If your Mum’s always running around, something pampering and relaxing may be just what she needs. Exotic bath salts from Mad et Len smell divine and they come in a beautiful and old-fashioned style bottle too.





For the nature-lover, a stylish silk corsage is a bit more original than a bunch of tulips. We've one that's really versatile: you can wear it in on your clothing, or as a bracelet - and these make fabulous hair accessories too … plus, you never know, she might even let you borrow it.






Of course, there are some things that all mothers will appreciate – like a nice big hug in return for all those hours of story-telling… and don’t forget to put ‘lots’ of love on your Mothers' Day card. Why not add some extra kisses too…

Will you?

Hot dish

I'm not at all interested in the antics of so called celebrities (nor their media-clogging diet regimes), so not sure if I dare admit that I just happened to be watching Celebrity Come Dine with Me earlier this evening ... But it was funny to see Jimmy Osmond looking like one of his much older brothers - was it Wayne? Yes, I know it was way back when having 'celebrity' status still required a modicum of talent, charm and professionalism.



How wonderful to see that Jimmy is still as charming as ever and still demonstrating a healthily human approach to eating - as well as paying ongoing attention to his spiritual well-being: he certainly appeared to be emotionally better adjusted than some other of the eclectic mix of guests.



I noticed that fellow diner, Nicky Clarke, was wearing one of those ultra-stylish scarves, though his penchant for colourful trousers was rather curious. Perhaps he chose them to match his face after a liberal application of chilli pepper? Judging by his gravity-defying hair, he must rub chilli into that too... look out for a new secret recipe spicy formula shampoo on the shelves of your local supermarket soon.





Talking of the fashion for red ingredients, I read something in a newspaper today about lypocene – the substance that makes tomatoes red and gives some other vegetables their rich colour. Did you know that storing red-coloured fruit like tomatoes at room temperature rather than in the fridge doubles the level of beta-carotene and boosts the food’s content of cancer-fighting lypocene by 20%? Apparently, at Ohio State University in Columbus, they even created a unique orange coloured ‘tangerine tomato’ that allows one to absorb more than twice the level of lypocene than from standard plum tomatoes. Oh, and it's said that cooked tomatoes provide for a better absorption rate of lypocene than when eaten raw...



Which brings me on to the subject of the rather original hot tomato dish available from ShopCurious… a quirky, ripe-red retro piece, (probably around the same vintage as Jimmy O), that would certainly make for an unusual gift. You could always use it to serve up crudités and seasonal nibbles at your pre-Christmas drinks party – just fill with saucy lypocene-packed salsa and so long as the guests don’t eat too much, their faces shouldn’t turn orange.

Will you?

Paris party people

I took a whirlwind trip to Paris for the end of Fashion Week. It was even shorter than I’d planned due to problems with the Eurostar and endless taxi queues. I did find time to squeeze in the odd party, though.

Here’s top mover and shaker (hence two photos!) of the French fashion fair scene, Xavier Clergerie, who hosted a ‘premiere classe’ bash. I love the way he looks so stylishly French. And the arty vintage silk scarf looks totally fabulous.

I noticed that quite a few of the men in Paris were wearing rather distinctive silk scarves – like the wonderfully charming New York based singer, Faze, pictured left. The multi- talented Mike Sylla of Baifall Dream, who made the most delicious mint tea for us, was also sporting his own trendy scarf.

I hope they all know that we’ve got a wide selection of vintage silk scarves for sale at ShopCurious, as well as quirky vintage ties and curiously English recycled vintage silk cravats.

There were lots of party people I didn’t know, but they all looked to be having a great time – and in some cases they were really letting their hair down (or shaking it up as the case may be). Do let me know if you can identify any of those pictured here, including the flag-wearing Brit … and apologies if you were caught unawares.

I later bumped into this curiously dressed chap in black designer PVC. Perfect attire for Friday 3^rd October - la nuit noire peut-etre?

And I finally met up again with the elusive M. Bonnet, pictured here in his workshop the morning after the night before (hence the uber-cool dark glasses). He kindly informed me, as I snapped merrily away, that I had become like the Japanese - some of whom, I have to admit, do seem to have bizarrely obsessive relationships with their cameras, especially when it comes to fashion.

But I was just soooo curious to see all the fascinating stuff in the hub of creativity that is his studio. It reminded me of one giant art installation with unusual hidden treasures like this unique, neigh(!) iconic sculpture... I think Crazy Horse might be an appropriate title?

Do you?