Remnants of Christmas

I love Christmas (as if i haven't already said that before) and I always get a bit sulky post New-Year's when the tree has to come down and all the decorations get put away. All the stores lovely Christmas windows also seem to disappear straight after Christmas, and are replaced by ugly, boring red 'SALES- 50% OFF!!!!!' signs filling up the store fronts.

With this in mind, I was delighted when shopping in Denver on the first few days of January to see the beautiful Christmas windows of jeweler Tiffany & Co. still there, and still clinging on for dear life to the last few days of the festive season. The windows were a multi-layered paper-crafted delight, and you had to get up close to see all the detail. All the diamonds and other expensive finery were draped over the paper models and scenery, although a special mention has to go out to the sleigh-driving elf, who is really working the whole ring-as-a hat look.

There's a Big Blue Bear in Denver

As I'm still in the USA (and won't be returning to my beloved London until the Summer), I decided to spend New Year's eve in Denver. It was pretty low key on the night itself due to the dreaded post-Christmas cold I was suffering with, but I got to spend the first two days of the year having a good look around the city, and found several great places which I hope to go back and see.

My best find however, which, incidentally was totally by chance, was Lawrence Argent's "I See What You Mean" public art installation. As you can see by the photos, its a giant blue bear, peering into the glass front of the Colorado Convention Center. What the photos don't show (very well) however, is the fact that the bear is made up of hundreds, well probably more like thousands, of triangles. It looks even more beautiful and unexpected in person, and a must see if you are in the area, especially if you like giant blue things.

Billboard bracelet vs. Patricia Field bracelet

Fashion inspiration can come from the most unusual of sources. Take this Billboard for example, which I took a photo of during my recent NY trip whilst taking a taxi ride from JFK to the hotel. The advertisement which is for Grand Marnier, features a lady (with gorgeous shoes) reclining in a chair and offering her cocktail glass up to be refilled. What drew my eye however was the chunky gold chain bracelet engulfing her small ladylike wrist. Consequently, over the next few days (and still continuing now..) I found myself searching Manhattan and the internet for a similar bracelet.

Sadly, during my stay in NY I didn't get to find a bracelet like this one, but did however find a totally different (but equally pleasing) one in the Patricia Field store.

 The search continues.......

Here's one I made earlier (very badly)

Another favourite shop which I discovered during my recent time spent in New York is M&J Trimmings which has every kind of ribbon, tassle, bead, applique, stud, buckle, lace, sequin....(the list goes on), that you can imagine. Sadly, whilst I was there I was so overwhelmed with the sheer vastness of the collections there (and I had to hurry back to the hotel to go and get ready for a swanky dinner) that I only made a couple of purchases, one of which was the black applique above. I shall be attaching it to the neckline of a boring plain tunic dress that I own, but for the interim, I found a gold chain lying around, sewed it on, and bingo! I now have a big, bold necklace.

Bergdorf Goodman Christmas Windows NYC

One of my shopping highlights on my recent trip to New York, was the Christmas Windows created by the stores. Top of the list however, had to be Bergdorf Goodman, whose highly detailed and intricate displays made you want to stand there and study every aspect of the designs. The Alexander McQueen inspired window above was by far my favourite, not just for the boots (see below close up in the rather rubbish photo taken by me) but also for the miniature doll beside the main mannequin wearing a tiny coordinating outfit.

Here are the rest. My photos didn't turn out that great, so here are pictures (and accompanying text) of the windows from the Bergdorf Goodman site:

Prada Soho NY, and a Christmas gift to myself.

Ok, so everyone knows how cool the NY Soho Prada on Broadway is. Despite being there since 2001, however, this was in fact my first visit to the store, and it was visually even better in person, than in the pictures I had previously seen in architecture and design magazines. Please excuse my pictures therefore for not doing it justice, I was trying to be discreet and not to look too touristy.

The central feature of the store is a zebra wood wave that undulates through the store from the street level to the basement level. There are also, motorized hanging display cases that can be moved across tracks in the ceiling, and a flip-out stage for in-store events and parties. I also loved the giant trunks used as display cases downstairs in the women's shoe department, and the amazing luggage selection which was displayed as you entered the store. Designed by Rem Koolhaas/OMA the store also features an annually-changing block-length wall completely covered in a specially designed wallpaper.

Whilst in the store, apart from all the beautiful clothes, I found myself lusting after the large hat boxes, wishing that the money fairies would deliver me enough $ (or any other currency) so I could get my paws on one. My purchases however were restricted to a pair of shoes (not for me, but for my significant other), and as I had been meaning to get a copy of the Prada book, I thought now was a good time, to treat myself, what with it being Christmas (nearly) and all.

The book, whilst rather expensive, is well worth the money. It covers everything from the history of the brand, collaborations with artists, the future of the label, and pictures of collections and ad campaigns from previous seasons up to 2009. Here are a few of my favorite shots of inside the book, which again, do not do justice to the real thing.

Shoes glorious shoes!

designs under construction

nude dress S/S 2005

Fall 1991

Clutches Fall 2007

Pink Shoes S/S 2006

 See-through trench Fall 2002

 Fall 2002

S/S 1991

Happy Christmas to me!

John Galliano for Claridges, and other designer christmas trees

Being a huge fan of Christmas, nothing gets me going more than the sight of the good ol' Christmas tree. Shame then, that I'm not in London today for the big unveiling of the John Galliano christmas tree at Claridges. Naturally, the tree is not your run-of-the-mill tinsel and shiny bauble extravaganza, but more of an icy blue and white frozen tropical tree (see above photos and initial design sketch below). Erected overnight, the 20ft tree is constructed out of papier mache, polystyrene and paper, and featured amongst the branches are a handmade leopard, some parrots and a dragonfly.
Like my own (not nearly as impressive ) christmas tree, it will be on display until the twelfth night (January 6th).

Other designer christmas trees will be on display in Paris from December 8th-14th at

'cite de l'architechture' as part of the city's annual 'Les Sapins de Noel des Createur' event. Designers ranging from Paul Smith, Hermes, Gaultier, and Louis Vuitton (to name but a few) will be designing one-off trees which will be auctioned off to raise money for the charity 'Sol en Si' (Solidarite en SIDA) which helps young people affected by AIDS. Last year, 44 stunning creations raised a total of 101,000 Euros for the charity, so hopefully this year will also bring much festive cheer and charitable proceeds. Just because its December 1st, here's a few shots from last year's trees to kick start the Christmas Spirit.

Gaultier

Louis Vuitton

Gucci

Norman Foster

Chanel

Christian LaCroix

Valentino

Signat Case

This weekend I was hanging out in Denver, Colorado. Seeking shelter from the very (and i mean VERY)cold weather, I found myself in the Cherry Creek shopping mall. The mall itself, was the usual mix of upscale, high street stores, with a few Luxe retailers thrown in for good measure. Anyway, I stumbled upon a Samsonite store which was closing down and had everything greatly reduced. Here, I found this Matthew Williamson Signat case, which I had seen in several magazines ages ago when it was released back in 2006(I think) as part of one of the Samsonite Black Label designer collaborations.

The bag (which I love for its nerdy, geek-chic appearance) comes in a silver and pink strapped carry case, and includes a small makeup pouch. The true joy however, is when you open up the little briefcase itself, and see the very williamson-esque printed cloth interior, in all its technicolour glory. At a mere $50 (reduced from $360) I just couldn't help myself.

Urban Picnic Spots #1

Brown Hart Gardens, W1

Much as we all love London, we do often find ourselves needing to take a moment to chill the f. out. At times like these, particularly when I find myself caught up in the horrors of Oxford Street on the way to/from Selfridges, I make my way up the steep stone steps into the tranquil surroundings of Brown Hart Gardens. The perfect spot to just sit and nibble on a snack from any of the numerous surrounding eateries, or meet friends on a break from work. Relatively tourist - free, the gardens, comprise of a private, raised terrace, with large colourful flowerbeds, and seating on benches, and in little alcoves, carved into the stone. During the Summer months the Gardens host a series of free outdoor concerts - perfect coupled with a lover (or good friend, if you must) and a bottle of wine.

P.S. There's also a rather nice sculpture by Lorenzo Quinn entitled 'Volaire', which fits beautifully within the gardens. 

Map showing how to get to this Urban Oasis:

Belated Summer Review

Being as i'm posting this in November, this isn't relevant as to what is going on in London right now. I don't care though, as even though its cold and dark outside now, i'm still obsessing over some exhibitions I had the pleasure of attending during the Summer. Top of my list, as it probably was for many others, was the Hayward Gallery 'Walking through my mind' exhibition, featuring works and installations from ten international artists, including; Charles Avery, Thomas Hirschorn, Yayoi Kusama, Bo Christian Larsson, Mark Manders, Yoshito Nara, Jason Rhoades, Pipilotti Rist, Chiaru Shiota, and Keith Tyson. 
Who could help but raise a smile when walking onto the outside sculpture terrace of the gallery, which had been transformed into an astroturf field of bulbous red spotted mounds and skittle-shaped towers, courtesy of Yayoi Kusama's 'Guidepost To The New World'. Looking down from the terrace you could also see the polka-dot covered trees lining the banks of the Thames in her work 'Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees'.

Moving on then, to the Serpentine Gallery, and both their stunning 2009 Summer Pavillion designed by SANAA architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa , and the Jeff Koons 'Popeye Series' exhibition.

The Summer Pavillion, a beautiful and elegant mass of shiny, reflective metal, meandered its way around spaces which included a cafe, general seating areas, and an enclosed area in which the Gallery's Park Nights series of talks took place. I know the whole point of the Pavillion, is the structure itself, but for me, it was all about the Chairs. Cute little, bunny-ears chairs in lemon yellow, bright pink, white, and natural wood colour. (Incidentally, if you can read Japanese, the chairs are on sale at online store Maruni.)

Chair obsession aside, into the gallery itself, and the "Oh wow!, it looks like inflated plastic, but WAIT...Its actually metal!!" genius of Jeff Koons.

The Popeye series, which was the first major series of Koons's work to be mounted in a public gallery in England, consisted of sculptures and paintings from 2002 onwards. Famous for casting inflatables, throughout his career from Lifeboat (1985) to Balloon Dog (1994-2000), Koons, in Popeye, turns his magic to inflatable childhood plastic toys and replicates them in painted aluminium. 

But for the scary looking gallery staff, you REALLY wanted to reach out and touch them, just to check. Thank you Mr Koons for such a great exhibition. x

Image Credit: Jeff Koons, Caterpillar Ladder 2003, polychromed aluminium, aluminium, plastic, 213.4 x 111.8 x 193 cm, c. 2009 Jeff Koons.

P.S. Random celebrity sighting in the Gallery -  David Hyde Pierce (played Niles , in the TV series Frasier)