New designers?

At part 1 of the New Designers exhibition in Islington's Business Design Centre yesterday, I was totally overwhelmed by the extraordinary wealth of talent displayed by young designers from around the UK. I was also stunned by the incredible array of stuff on show, from the huge selection of exquisite and professionally produced textiles to some rather primary school inspired ceramic pieces.

I was curious to spot the emergence of any design trends, but was hard pushed to find anything totally new. I did notice that some of the prints are more intricately patterned and that a paler colour palette/more floaty theme is in evidence, after last year's bolder and brighter look. Some of the woven textiles are utterly fabulous. In fact, there are so many wonderful fabrics, wallpaper and applied designs on display that they probably deserve a book rather than a blog - you'd better go and see them for yourself!

As for the rest of the exhibition - it's certainly an eclectic mix. There's a big 'handicrafts' type feel - think arts and crafts, William Morris and basket weaving. Here are some of the things I spotted:










The Middlesex stand (no reference to Lords cricket ground intended) featured some curiously colourful accessories, furnishings and art installations. The upholstery (see above) was very Designers Guild meets Roche Bobois, if you're into that sort of thing.

There was a Barbie-inspired wardrobe (left), the stuff of dreams if you're a six or seven year old girl ... and a rather rude-but-amusing tartan affair (right) which should be x-rated, so email ShopCurious with proof of your age if you want to see a larger-sized version.

I found the enormous jewellery offering rather uninspiring. I am in no doubt as to the exceptional quality and precision of workmanship in some of the fine jewellery pieces, but there was little that really stood out from the crowd. Some of the quirkier items included a couple of twisted metal trees (as shown), which the designer, Jennifer Millar, described as 'communal jewellery'. How long do you think they'd survive in your local park? And there was the delightfully suave and deliciously photogenic Patrick Mavros (pictured here) with his resin and gilded metal rings, necklaces and bracelets some of which light up at night... a bit like Star Trek's Eymorg control bracelet - beam me up Scottie.

Several people have used bits of plumbing equipment and taps to create weird and wonderful sculptures. Richard Tarek Doss from the Royal College of Art has incorporated oxygen cylinders into one of his pieces (see above right and right). Molly Harwood (left) uses cast glass and metal components to "represent vital organs within our body.... visual metaphors that aim to challenge emotions surrounding our inner workings and mortality."Could this be the start of a hot new trend, or is it just the outward manifestation of some bizarre fetish?



On to glass and ceramics, where again I felt I'd seen it all before - for instance this banana style chandelier (left), though I did quite like the familiar looking ceramic Madonna with child by Rebecca Kindred from Swansea (right).







Much more commercial, and fun too, is a range of plates (see right and below) printed with pictures of left over dinners - Britain's Dinners II by Damaris Booth - you can choose from Roast Dinners, Chinese, Curry, Fish and Chips, Pizza and Bangers and Mash. I do detect a whiff of patriotism creeping into some of the designs...






My verdict on part 1 of the New Designers exhibition - it's a veritable dog's dinner. If you've been along, or are planning to visit, I'm curious to hear your comments too.
Will you?

Life's a picnic - Act I

I went to see L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi at Glyndebourne - a cleverly staged production with baroque style music that is very easy on the ears, especially with the sublime voices in this performance - in fact I love any beautiful music, combined with an overdose of drama and the most wonderful costumes .. not only on the stage, but in the audience too. People normally dress up - like Shirley and I, arriving Ab Fab style (left) and the conductor of the Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment, Emmanuelle Haim, on the first night with her Westwood-cum-Edwardian style bustle skirt (right, from behind). At Grange Park Opera (GPO), I saw Bluebeard - a bit too curiously staged even for me - and then La Fanciulla del West which was memorably awesome. I'm not the world's most fervent fan of opera, nor Puccini, but Grange Park has a way of doing curiously quirky yet very clever productions that are fun, but also make you think - and even I manage to stay awake throughout. As with all these things, there's a lot of competion, not only with the outfits, but with the picnics too. There are beautiful gardens at Glyndebourne (left), but it can get a bit chilly in the evening, so the less hardy tend to decamp to the opera terraces, where tables are laid out in style (right). It's fascinating to observe which supermarkets people have visited to stock up for the occasion. Some are more original than others and, looking out for the curiously original, I spotted one opera-goer tucking into some wasabi peas (below left) and, dahling, it's absolutely imperative to have one's parmesan knife to hand, it could turn out to be very useful... Grange Park has the most magnificent setting, with dramatic classical architecture and mood setting cedar trees, and becomes even more stunning at twighlight (left). There's even an old GPO telephone box with a light inside, creating a focus of illumination in a nearby field - much like the telephone box lamp available from ShopCurious. You can hire a little tent - reminiscent of the ones seen on the boundaries of medieval jousting tournaments in the days when men were knights and women were ladies. You can even take your own fountain if the fancy takes you - only joking! At ShopCurious, we have some really useful stone placemats and coasters that are great for outdoors - they don't blow away when it's windy and you can leave them out in all weathers - they make an unusual gift too. If you don't like the idea of upmarket al fresco dining, the Grange Park caterers do seriously delicious food that you can eat in the very elegant (and dry) confines of the main house, which post-refurbishment, is considerably less dilapidated than was formerly the case. So, what do you do if it rains... well, us Brits are used to braving the elements and you will see opera goers scurrying around with their picnic wares in all weathers. And with their umbrellas too. But, gradually, as the afternoon turns to evening and the night sets in, the lawyers, hedge fund managers and assembled glitterati tend to forget about the weather, as everything becomes more relaxed and a bit less focused on the rigours of life in the City...la lutte pour la vie. It's all a blur of lights and umbrellas, Ms Haim's other half has rather appropriately developed a halo of enlightenment and there's a very pleasant feeling that everyone has had an extremely nice evening together, whatever their differences. As everyone is... Are you?

Hats off to the blind eye

I didn't go out looking for fashion faux pas at Royal Ascot the other day, but did you notice any obvious flouting of the new dress code that was to be so strictly enforced?

There were plenty of fashion trends in evidence, like puff ball skirts, as disported by these two fillies (left) - perhaps they were hiding their hats underneath ... I had a good look, but can't spot them anywhere, can you?




Flouncy fabrics were also popular, as seen on the cool young things in the pic above right - love the cute little tiered skirt for the leggy look - obviously the stewards were momentarily distracted...

Elsewhere, curiously quirky accessorizing seemed to be the order of the day (see left).








Joline, a Canadian who has recently taken the British citizenship test, patriotically jazzed up her outfit with a couple of flags - a look which inadvertently attracted the attention of a particularly jolly, though not entirely welcome fellow.





There were some curiously chic ensembles too (from left to right below) a rather natty nature-inspired hat worn by fashion designer, Sangita Khan, love it; a couple of ladies looking cleverly uncoordinated with the help of a gentleman's morning coat and a cigar box bag - and finally, a bit of Italian style boho a go-go from this sultry cell phone and cigar wielding signora with a ffffffffffascinating bandana.


I also saw a few ShopCurious hats on display, dressed up with flowers (below left) and plain and simple (below centre and right).





Now that Royal Ascot's over for another year, I thought it would be nice to offer you these hats at a very special price. They're great for holidays too - you can simply squish them up and stuff them in your suitcase.
Will you?

Racy lady

I hear they are clamping down on the dress code in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot this year - better put the ra-ra skirt on hold and get out a bolero to cover those naughty shoulders.


'Her Majesty’s Representative wishes to point out that only formal day dress with a hat or substantial fascinator will be acceptable.

Off the shoulder, halter neck, spaghetti straps and dresses with a strap of less than one inch and / or mini skirts are considered unsuitable. Midriffs must be covered and trouser suits must be full length and of matching material and colour.





Gentlemen are required to wear either black or grey morning dress, including a waistcoat, with a top hat which must be worn at all times when you are in the Royal Enclosure.'


So if you're wanting to look special and stand out from the crowd, how do you find something suitably original that isn't going to scare the horses?


Kate Middleton pushes the code to its boundaries with her ffffffffffffascinating hair accessories. It used to be the case that one had to cover the crown of one's head. It seems that this rule at least has been relaxed.




I suggest you play it safe on the dress front and express yourself with curiously quirky accessories. - like this horsy handbag, available in the UK exclusively at ShopCurious. I took one of these to a polo match recently and got photographed by Country Life, who zoomed in on my handbag... let me know if you see the pic.






Or perhaps you could wear an unusual pair of shoes - but do make sure you choose a pair that you can walk comfortably in on a variety of terrain - from soft to firm depending on the weather. You don't want to be having to ditch your shoes half way through the day... Not sure if it even mentions footwear (or baring shoeless feet) in the dress code though?
Are you?

Summer wedding

Did you know that in Victorian times, June was considered the luckiest month for a wedding - hence the tradition of early summer weddings? June has always been the most popular month, as it is named after Juno - the Roman goddess of marriage. She would bring prosperity and happiness to all who wed in her month. Practicality was also a consideration since, if married in June, the bride was likely to give birth to her first child in spring, allowing her enough time to recover before harvest time. June also signified the end of Lent and the arrival of warmer weather, so it was time to remove winter clothing and partake of an annual bath! April, November and December were also favoured months, as they didn't conflict with peak farm working times. October was an auspicious month too, signifying a bountiful harvest. May, however, was considered unlucky. 'Marry in May and rue the day' says an old proverb, but 'marry in September's shine, your living will be rich and fine'. The Victorians were very superstitious about weddings, resulting in many traditions that have since fallen out of favour. Around the turn of the century, it was customary to create a marriage globe in the form of a collection of precious things from the special occasion, usually the bride's wedding crown, flowers and other family momentos inside a large glass dome. The items chosen to put into the dome were highly symbolic, for instance:

• Oak leaves to represent the longevity of union

• Sheaves of wheat to symbolise the gift of life

• Rectangular mirrors to signify the years of engagement

• Diamond shaped mirrors meaning fertility

• A large central mirror symbolic of the reflection of the soul

• Clusters of grapes standing for prosperity

• Roses or daisies representative of love

• Cherries seen as protection from bad fortune

• Ivy indicating attachment to each other

• Chestnut tree leaves signifying links to others

We have a couple of original antique wedding domes available at ShopCurious. These are beautiful pieces of history and would make a totally unique and very romantic wedding gift. Alternatively, you might simply want to invest in one as a curiously collectable heirloom for future generations, or to decorate your abode in opulent Victorian style? Perhaps you're even inspired enough to make your own modern day version. Are you?