Head On at the London College of Fashion

The exhibition space at the London College of Fashion is somewhat limited in size, yet one room and adjacent cabinets are certainly used to maximise impact in the new millinery show: Head On.

"While contemporary society no longer dictates the daily use of hats, the appetite for millinery on the catwalk, in editorial and even on the high street, continues to flourish," says the preamble. Focusing on decorative millinery, the exhibition features mannequins styled to incorporate headwear as part of a total look. 

Dress by AF Vandervorst, hat by Stephen Jones

Dress by Giles Deacon, millinery by Stephen Jones

You would probably get very odd looks if you wore any of these outfits - and the curious headwear doesn't look to be very practical. However, ShopCurious drew attention to the emerging trend of promoting fashion as art some years ago.

Dress by Gareth Pugh, headwear by Philip Treacy

Dress by Yiqing, headpiece by Paul Stafford

The show runs until 23rd March, so do pop in to see the display if you are in the Oxford Street area. 

Will you?

Fashionably busy? Bring back the past...

“I do hope you'll offer some commentary on LFW. I feel somehow so out of the fashion week spirit this time around! I need a jolt of inspiration,” was Style Porn’s comment on my previous blog post. 

That was a few weeks ago. Since then I’m sure there’s been tons of coverage on every fashion week everywhere. I can’t quite manage to keep up. In the past few weeks I’ve been to countless fashion and design events in London and Europe, whilst continuing to follow what’s happening elsewhere in the world online.

Anyway, after a lecture earlier this week by Kerry Taylor (of whom more later) on 1960s style at the Fashion and Textiles Museum, I was inspired to take an online trip down memory lane.

Can’t repeat the past? But of course you can (see simple geometric prints and styles by MaxJenny above - and video below). 

         


And we should expect to see much more of then past, as the present becomes curiously complicated... and the future a little too worrying to contemplate.  Read our latest Curious Trends post for a taster of what's to come.

Will you?

To be continued...

Flowers, frills, feathers and fans

 

The Queen was dressed simply, in powder blue, for the first day of Royal Ascot. My own curiously cobbled together outfit comprised of faded pastel shades – I customized an old pair of Top Shop shoes with ‘found’ floral embellishment, which I’d purloined from a vintage hat the night before. Thankfullly, I found a pair of 'nude' tights before I left too...

I wore one of the 'mad hatter' creations from my extensive millinery collection, along with a Missoni (thrift shop) dress, a vintage couture jacket and a 1950s beaded bag,which was borrowed from ShopCurious. Amazingly, I didn’t spot anyone wearing anything similar…

Along with the inevitable red, white and blue, hat and dress trends on Tuesday seemed to fall into several categories: Floral hats – ranging from modern, nature inspired to old fashioned bathing cap style.

Frills (and later in the day spills) were spotted on hats and dresses alike.

      
































Feathers were everywhere – occasionally getting in the way.

One lady couldn’t get enough of them and took a spare hat along, just in case her companion didn't turn up for afternoon tea.

Flying saucer hats were also in evidence, like the ones worn by retro girl-band, The Tootsie Rollers (below right). 

And there were Far Eastern style fan-pleated numbers too.












As well as fitted trouser suits. One woman sitting under an escalator reminded me of Diane Keaton. Whilst another seemed to be wearing her pyjamas.

Then there were the fashion mavericks – like Tracy Rose, who never conforms to any style but her own. 

I also noticed a couple of girls with crazy tattoos. And, from afar, saw a fabulous pair of striped-heeled sandals.

    

After a fun day of fashion spotting, I pirouetted back to the car park. Next time I might even watch the races..

Will you?

PS check out men’s racy Ascot fashions in today’s post at The Dabbler.

Curious Fashion Weekend

We’re having a bit of a fashion moment this weekend… In my post at The Dabbler last week, I considered the myth and madness of the catwalk fashion show. Private salon style events have recently been popping up all over the place and trends indicate that these are rapidly becoming a more exclusive alternative to the traditional designer runway presentation.


















Some of the more intimate fashion events I’ve attended recently include Nicholas Oakwell’s couture show (albeit on a cosy catwalk) at Claridges, where jewel-themed canapés echoed the inspiration for the collection… See ShopCurious’s exclusive video of the finale here:

And a Fashion Fringe presentation, featuring Alice Palmer and other designers at the Corinthia Hotel, hosted by silver-tongued fashion journalist, Colin McDowell, coincidentally pictured above top (who informed me that he's hoping to start posting on his blog again soon). The event was also a showcase for two of the hotel’s most prestigious penthouses (see images in today’s post at The Dabbler).










Anyway, if you’re not off to London Fashion Weekend, here’s an alternative suggestion: Why not visit the UK’s biggest J-culture event, Hyper Japan, at Earl’s Court? There’s a Japanese street fashion show at 2.0 pm today, followed by the official World Cosplay Summit UK preliminary. I may go along out of curiosity.

Will you?

Retro design revival goes analogue

The other day I spotted a rather curious biscuit tin at Sainsbury's. The lid was painted to look like an old fashioned radio.








I guess it’s all part of the latest retro-progressive, analogue-inspired design trend – as reported in ShopCurious’s latest Curious Trends post.








Read more about analogue design in my post at The Dabbler, where I consider the advantages of vintage versus digital television sets...

Will you?

Arty angels and celestial Christmas curiosities

Have you noticed that we’re surrounded by angels at this time of year? Excuse the rather blurred photograph on the right, but this is the sort of thing you may have seen in shop windows lately…










Much as I adore ecclesiastical carvings and sculptures of angels, it’s sad that a fair few of those sold at antiques fairs and auctions have been purloined from churches over the years. However, it’s great to see that contemporary craftspeople and home accessory designers are once again turning to angels for inspiration - as featured in ShopCurious’ latest trends post.





Anyway, I’m looking forward to hearing choirs of angels singing at the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, on Christmas Eve.

Incidentally, after that, at 8.20 pm, during the interval of Handel’s Messiah on BBC Radio 3, there’s a programme called Angelology. For twenty minutes, The Reverend Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James's, Piccadilly, will explain that angels aren’t always as sweet or cherubic as they are often seen to be…








I suppose that probably goes for some of the choristers at King’s College too?

Do you?

Does happiness have a price?

Curiously, the Royal Academy of Arts isn’t making too much of a fuss about the Haunch of Venison Gallery's Krug Happiness Exhibition. Leading designers and celebrities are donating items for sale - all proceeds going to the Academy's coffers (and all publicity to the sponsors and donors).

So is happiness really a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes? Is this what we are striving towards... the stuff of our innermost dreams and desires? Really?

With global economic problems affecting all of us, we may not think there’s much to look forward to in 2012. But the New Year is a time for resolutions - and making the right changes can help us to live happily ever after... yes, even without the luxury designer trimmings.

It’s not just our financial system that’s changed dramatically in recent years, social structures have been smashed up too – without recourse to moral or familial ties. Rules and responsibility don’t seem to exist any more. We feel like we’re victims… but aren’t we actually the culprits?

Why can’t we be accountable for our actions? And why don’t we work together to help make the world a better place for all of us (so long as we can agree on exactly what that entails).



It’s never too late to start over again, but changing directions is always going to involve taking some risks. And we have to be brave…

I’ve read a lot of personal development books in my time and, after a while, they all start to sound the same. However, this book (left) takes rather a unique angle – helping us to develop “the habit of curiosity.” Did you know that curiosity is both a cure for boredom and the key to discovering what we really want? Georges Philips' book is full of useful ideas and exercises to help us crystallize our ideas – and, most importantly, to put our plans for the future into action.

For those curious to become happier and more successful, we’re giving away a signed copy of this life-changing book. To enter the draw for a free copy of a signed edition of Georges Philips’ transformational book, simply email us at info@shopcurious.com, quoting Change Directions by 31st December.



Oh, and do take a look at the Action for Happiness website too - their video says that, in terms of happiness, we're stuck in the '50s - well, I suppose we can always sell our memories:-)

Will you?

PS I’ll let you know shortly what new directions ShopCurious will be taking in 2012…

Bags of classic vintage style

I recently went to dinner with Bruce Oldfield. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just me, but a select gathering of Fashion Group International members...

Coming from his Barnardo's background, Bruce is an advertisement for all that is achievable from a combination of nothing more than raw talent and hard work. Oh, and it helps that he’s a real charmer, who claims to be able to “sell ice to Eskimos.” Plus, he also makes proper party dresses.

Citing Sam Cam’s mother, Lady Astor as his “first nob client,” Oldfield later became couturier to the likes of Princess Diana. He says that Charlotte Rampling is his favourite customer, and Queen Rania of Jordan is someone he’d most like to dress. Curiously, X-Factor judge Tulisa has also been seen wearing some of his rather retro looking frocks, with petticoats underneath for added volume.




Oldfield says he doesn’t pander to fashion trends, “though you have to nod to what’s going on.” The idea of fashion as art leaves him cold. According to Bruce, “fashion should never become an academic subject… it’s just something to make people look gorgeous when they go out in the evening.”

But the times are ever a-changin’… and fashion offerings now range from (un)wearable art and design-led pieces, right through to disposable high street and celebrity inspired items, with some rather nondescript, mainstream stuff in between. Of course, there’s vintage too – which is all the better because it’s recycled and has that much more charm and provenance.




Bruce Oldfield certainly has plenty of classic vintage style, much like these bags from ShopCurious. They’re perfect for Christmas parties (or as unique gifts) – and, much like Bruce, they have the added appeal of a bit of history.

Do you?

Let them eat Dodo cake...

Last night’s Experimental Food Society event at the Victoria and Albert Museum was full of surprises – even for ShopCurious.

Curious culinary trends included food landscapes and architecture, vegetable cupcakes and edible fashion.

But it was remarkable sugar artist and cake sculptor, Michelle Wibowo, who stole the show. Who would ever have imagined that a curiously cute kid with a passion for baking would grow up to create a severed head cake for a Halloween birthday party?


























Wibowo's latest curiosity cake creation was a giant Dodo, made especially for the Experimental Food Society’s annual ‘Spectactular’ in London last weekend. I say was, because last night we ate it.

And here she is performing the cutting ceremony:

I bet you want to know what Dodo tastes like?

Do you?

Toying with arbitrage in contemporary art

Contemporary artists are increasingly using retro toys and recycled curiosities to make a statement, like Joe Black, whose work is shown here (photographed at Scream Gallery’s stand at the Moniker Art Fair last week).

Similar plastic toy soldiers are used to convey a different message, at fraction of the price (...though admittedly the scale is not the same - and the density of soldiers used is lower) in Love Not War by Dinah Dufton (bottom right), whose work can be seen at London's Affordable Art Fair.































Read more about bargain hunting in the art world in my latest post at The Dabbler.

And see more curious collages from the fair, along with work by street and graffiti artists in ShopCurious's Curious Trends posts today.

Will you?