I took this picture on the way back from the Christian Louboutin live talk, held at the design museum London.
The city can be so beautiful when it wants to be. As much as I complain about London at times, having traveled to a few places I haven’t found anywhere else I would rather be. I love London, warts n all.
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I very briefly recall going past this shop a while back, and in my attempt to confirm what I was seeing in a moving car, my neck almost did an exorcist style 360 spin. However as with most interesting things you see in passing, I didn’t take a picture or write a note to myself to check it out, and thus forgot all about it.
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Several months later I saw the shop again whilst browsing on Tumblr, and I figured, well if this isn’t a sign for a great blog post then I don’t know what is. So I grabbed the picture, and decided to give the people behind this bodacious building a call *bodacious should be pronounced in American surfer dude accent*.
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I spoke to a very cool guy who sent me even more pictures of their other shops, which are just as *accent*…bodacious!
[Me] As you know…completely in awe of your shop design. How long have you had it like this?
[Cool guy over the phone] We’ve had it this way since 2008, and have also developed our other two stores with a similar style, one for drums and the other for acoustics
[Me] How did you come up with this idea, what was the process?
[Cool guy over the phone] Well it was the owner of the business; but it started from us sitting in a car outside of the shop one day when the shutters were down, and randomly thinking “hey, the shop looks like an amplifier” … and really from there we got a team together, which consisted of a local graffiti artist, builders and designers; and here it is!
As I mentioned, the cool guy over the phone who I now know is called Ed kindly emailed me some pictures, which are even better than the one I found on Tumblr, so I hope you enjoy.
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THE GUITAR STORE 62 COMMERCIAL ROAD SOUTHAMPTON HAMPSHIRE SO15 1GD
High-res version
Yesterday I went to the last day of the Sundance Film Festival, an American annual film festival which showcases new work from American and international independent film makers. This was the first time the Sundance Film Festival has travelled outside of the United States, taking place at the London O2 between the 26th to the 29th.
From the moment Robert Redford announced that the festival would be held in London, I knew I had to attend. I booked tickets to see the eagerly anticipated film LUV, written and produced by Sheldon Candis, and starring Common, Michael Rainey Jr, Danny Glover, Meagan Good and Michael Kenneth Williams.
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Let me start of by saying what an amazing movie this was, touching upon so many issues, from how young people can get trapped into a lifestyle which becomes impossible to get out of, and the pursuit of manhood. Sheldon describes this movie as an ‘Adriller’, a dramatic film with undertones of a thriller, and I believe his casting for this film was so perfect. Common’s style, appearance, background and storytelling tone of voice was made for this story, along with Michael Rainey Jr, who completely blew the audience away (many of whom where in tears) with such an mature and authentic performance for his age.
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In the Q&A session, we had the honour to speak to Sheldon Candis and gain an insight into his inspirations for the film. Sheldon Candis further describes how the movie is a fictional tale inspired by a relationship that he had growing up in Baltimore, with his uncle who at the times was one of the city’s most infamous and feared drug dealers.
“Love is a dysfunctional love story between an 11 year old orphan boy (Michael Rainey Jr) and his recently returned home from prison uncle (Common), who this kid loves, revers and looks up to. Over the course of a day, this young boy finds out that his uncle is a really bad person. The movie explores what happens when a child is exposed to violence for the first time”
One of my favourite questions from the audience was by a man in a blue shirt who asked “you have a fantastic cast, how did you manage to get everyone together to take part in the movie, with what I can image wasn’t a Hollywood blockbuster budget?”
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Candis answered by stating how he had got to know some of the cast having met the David Simon, writer and author of the HBO drama series, The Wire’, and through that met Michael Kenneth Williams (who played Omar Little in The Wire.; a made that stayed with me was that, it’s pretty much a given that independent film makers start of with next to nothing, but “if it’s a good story the right artists will get on board”. I found that quite endearing as all too often, we look at our barriers, before just getting on with it and opening ourselves up to potential opportunities.
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Here are some pictures from the night.
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I am so behind on blogging, don’t even tell me about it! I have been shacking and jiving all around London this month, that it’s only now I can sit down, tackle my blogging backlog and fill you in on what I have been so busy doing.
First on my blog list is some feedback from the raved about documentary that has got the fashion, blogging and photography scene raving, Bill Cunningham New York.
The documentary is an insightful journey about the most adorable, modest and world renowned photographer Bill Cunningham; the Renaissance man for street style photography, and the person whom without, the fashion blogosphere would not be what it is today.
In the documentary Bill is seen as a humble 83 year old man dedicated to showcasing the beauty in clothes and the women who wear them on the streets of New York. We see his contribution to fashion and our relationship with fashion over the years, touching upon his work with the Tribune to Vogue, and now the Times. The most striking element of the documentary is the contrast between his occupation and personal life, as we see him dine with the finest A list celebrities and yet reside in a tiny one bedroomed apartment in Carnegie Hall which does not have a wardrobe, kitchen or even bathroom.
Known for his trademark bicycle and camera I watched the movie at an exclusive screening at one of London’s trendy bicycle bars ‘Look mum no hands’. Located between Old Street and Barbican station, I have often walked past and thought what a fun and quirky name for a bicycle café, as some our earliest memories of riding a bike goes back to us shouting back to our parents ‘Look mum/dad no hands!’ before we bash into the neighbours hedge. The event was organised by Cycle Love, a site dedicated all that makes cycling great, and celebrating the diversity of cycle culture. Run by designer and photographer James Greig, Cycle Love aims to change the way readers think about cycling in London and urban transport.
The audience was comprised of photographers, fashion bloggers, bike fanatics and it was a fantastically informal evening which brought an array of people with different backgrounds and interests together to laugh and enjoy a great film.
Here is the trailer for the documentary and some pics from the screening, they are the first set of photos since having upgraded from a Sony compact camera to a Nikon SLR, so I hope you see a difference in quality. I highly recommend both the venue and the documentary.
Website: Cyclelove.net
Email: info@cyclelove.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cyclelovehq
Twitter: @CycleLoveHQ
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This is the amazing work of emerging photographer, designer and entrepreneur Fatou Wurie. Fatou tweeted me a link to her Flickr albums which I found to be so authentic of rural African life and touch upon important issues of education, literacy, poverty, politics and social mobility.
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These are some pictures taken from the album ’60% photography’
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“THE 60% based on Sierra-Leone’s illiteracy rates, which according to World Bank figures, is at 59%. The illiteracy rates we used are based on the percentage of total people ages 15 and above, and although we rely mainly on World Bank figures, other reputable sources such as UNDP Sierra-Leone and UNICEF Sierra-Leone figures vary slightly in illiteracy rates, hence we chose to round the figure to 60%. THE 60% based on Sierra-Leone’s illiteracy rate is a deliberate choice because we come from the belief that poverty is further generated and perpetuated due to lack of proper education. We are also of the belief that in order for development to truly transform the social, economic and political climate, Sierra-Leone needs an educated society. With education comes the freedom to dream, to think independently and to compete with the rest of the globe. This is the philosophy that guides our decision to entitle our photography exhibition based on the country’s illiteracy rates.
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Communities Photographed are spaces of inspiration for us. Some of the photographs depict the average Sierra-Leone on their daily living, others we spent time speaking with and hearing their stories. With their gracious invitations into their homes, we were given first account of their daily reality and privy to their worries, concerns, hopes and dreams.”
A Russian street artist who created a giant pair of spectacles from a streetlamp has been dubbed ‘the Russian Banksy’. The mysterious figure, known only as P183, creates eye-catching works around Moscow. P183 reveals little about himself except that his name is Pavel, he is 28 and that he studied ‘communicative design’
Buhle Mguni (accessory designer and stylist); Me (Afroblush); Botwanese designer Augola; Chantelle (BlackPearlPR)
[From the left] ]
With Art Director Ola Shobowale, better described as the “go-to grandfather” for insight to African fashion.
With Korean designer and winner of the BFC International showcase, Minju Kim
With designer, writer and blogger Terrance Sambo aka One Nigerian Boy
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Between the 11th-29th of February the British Fashion Council will be hosting the International Fashion Showcase, exhibiting fashion from around the world. The event is being held in light of London winning the Olympic bid and showing that “we honour the Olympic valus of international respect, excellence, equality and friendship”.
Each country had been asked to present a selection of emerging designers whom they feel most represents the future of fashion in their region. Sarah Mower MBE, BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent and Contributing Editor to US Vogue, was to chair an advisory panel that will judge each piece of work, with an award given to the country that presents the best emerging fashion talent showcase.
The winners of the International Showcase was Korea, it was a fantastic exhibition, their designs were fresh, innovative and just completely out of the box. I was very pleased to Korea win and I will be posting pictures from their exhibition later on today, plus highlights from the Award Ceremony that took place at Somerset House on Sunday as part of London Fashion Week.
I feel encouraged and excited to see African fashion move forward from gaining its repertoire exclusively from print design, to being recognised for its contemporaneousness, innovation and tailoring. My favourite from the collection is the sequined pattern sleeveless dress, which boasts of colours that instantly take me under the spotlight of city lights. The dress immediately makes me feel like pinning my hair up and finding some ankle strap pumps. The detail of the dress also tells a story; if you look on the inside of the dress (see gallery) you can notice how the designer used an African print as a stencil for the embroidery, so although on the outside it looks like it would be worn by someone confident and cosmopolitan, inside there still remains the essence of Africa. This I believe represents the identity of the new generation Afropolitan fashionista’s and misters.
For now, here are the pictures from the three African countries that exhibited as part of the International Showcase, I had the pleasure of meeting the designers at the award show (pics following shortly), and was very proud to see the quality and evolution of work coming out of Africa.
Here is a list of the designers:
Black Trash, Botho Chalebgwa, Beryl Phala, Buhle Nguni, Thato Tlhagwane, Sela Motshwane
*Presented by Style House Files and the Nigerian High Commission*
Anita Quansah, Banke Kuku, Bridget Awosika, Eva Sonaike, Jewel by Lisa, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, Maki – Oh, Pegwell Hill, Sunny Rose, Vintage Colette
Salone Fine
Kazan Neckpiece by Anita Horsfall
Anita Horsfall trained as a textile designer at Chelsea College of Art and Design, London. The discovery of her Nigerian grandmother’s store of shimmery embroideries’ laid the foundation for Anita’s accessories. Her handmade pieces, with a juxtraposition of previous everyday materials earned Anita the ‘Best Accessory Designer of the Year’ at the 2011 Fashion Finest Awards in London.
3D Dress by Beryl Phala
Beryl Phala is a fashion design graduate from the University of Salford, Manchester. A Batswanan national based in the UK, Beryl has retained links with her homeland through her bespoke womenswear designs. These incorporate Botswana’s traditional leteitse cloth, also knows an German Cloth, which she sources directly from Botswana.
Perla Maxi Cluth Bag by Maureen Okogwu Ikokwu
Maureen Okogwu Ikokwu is a self-taught accessories designer of handbags and jewellery. In 2011 she launched her womenswear collection, Bird’s Eye, at the Spring Summer 2011 Lagos Fashion and Design Week.
Click on the images to enlarge and view the whole gallery.
Yesterday I did a Holborn Walk for the first time, which is a free historical tour around parts of London, the theme for the day was Charles Dickens in celebration of what would have been his 200th birthday. Ashamedly, besides the story of Oliver Twist I don’t remember much about the Charles Dickens novels, but luckily for me I was certainly not the only one. Nevertheless, once we were all together, Aly (our assigned and assertive tour guide) set us on the path to discover the areas of Holborn where Charles Dickens once worked, lived and based his novels upon. I have been living in London for over 20 years, and working in Holborn for coming up to two.
It is so typical to take such opportunities for granted, at times it’s the things that are the nearest and easiest to do that we put off the longest- damn my human nature!
So with that in mind I look forward to doing more random activities in the bosom of the this buzzing city.
Three random things I learnt about Holborn- (in a randomised order):
As always, I am never without my camera, so here are some snaps from the walk.
The journey covered a number of sights connected to the life and works of Charles Dickens. - who wrote about the perils of debt, financial crises and social inequality making him highly relevant today.
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Recently I find myself being attracted to all things cubist, I think it may be it’s aesthetic undertone of simplicity, modernity and freshness that often comes with the spirit of the new year.
In cubist artworks, objects are broken up, analysed, and re-assembled in an abstracted form—instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context.
I encourage the notion that we are always reinventing ourselves, adapting, or evolving (whichever way you want to put it), and the great thing about cubism is that although the object may remain the same, how we see it is open to interpretation as often the surfaces intersect at seemingly random angles, removing or adding a sense of depth.
Here are some of my most recent cubist inspired accessories from the high street, when I saw them, I fell in love with their randomness, angles and their ability to create a space for interpretation.
(From the left)
-Large triangular earrings- TOPSHOP (Sale) £3.50, Smaller triangle earrings in black and white-PRIMARK £3, Pentagon silver earrings and silver cube earrings- H&M £3.99
H&M Silver circular earrings £3.99
White and silver necklace H&M £10.99 (I think)
It never ceases to amuse me when people use the word ‘chic’ after a word, how it automatically becomes fashion friendly.
Anyways, love these techno trend accessories by Go Pantone’s Freestyle blog. CTRL the Ring v.s Watch the Game
As reiterated by the Guardian “street style is nothing new to the world of blogs”, but on this occasion Ari Seth Cohen’s Advanced Style blog, brought something old, and yet something new, uber trendy and super decadent to the street style and fashion blogging arena. He brought “Advanced Style”.
Advanced Style is a fresh, quirky and timeless fashion blog dedicated to capturing older women and men who grab his attention with their “sartorial excellence”. Looking through the pictures, it is evident; you’re looking at the pioneers of style, the grandfathers of funk and the women who do not only have swagger, but who ARE swagger.
Contemporary fashion culture thrives on post-modernity, we thoroughly enjoy seeing traditional or classical elements of history reintroduced with modern contexts or practices, and although it does well in recycling and showcasing the iconic style of past generations. Unfortunately, the original faces of that era are replaced with the young fresh faces of today, meaning many older fashionisters and fashion-misters get sidelined and excluded from the fashion world.
My point is that the Advanced Style blog is beautiful, it showcases some of the most stylish men and women, who unfortunately aren’t always given the limelight in a society that only drinks from the fountain of youth. Personally, I will certainly be taking a leaf out of the Advanced Style book, and whilst I am at it, I would rather have a well aged wine any day; the fountain of youth is way to over-rated anyway, and rarely does it quench ones thirst!
Buy the Advanced Style book from Amazon
I would proudly like to introduce the new AfroBlush blog site.
Over the last couple of weeks the site has gone through a thorough ‘cleanse’ and after what has been quite an intensively creative process; I am finally happy with the results. I had two reasons for choosing to redesign my blog and they are as follows:
1) “Simple but not simpler”- Albert Einstein. The AfroBlush blog is a space for my thoughts and an online showcase of my interests, furthermore, somewhere where like-minded people can interact and share their thoughts and interests with me. What it is not, is a website or a tool for profit. Slowly I could see my blog turning into something I was trying to sell rather than something I was trying to share. So I stripped away the big social media logo’s, banners and riff raff around the edges and have endeavored to bring it back to something, modern, clean, authentic and organic. #QualityOverQuantity
2) I am not THAT girl- Quirky Stylista, the beauty that was the face of my blog is not me. As lovely as she is, she was simply a ‘look’ that I felt expressed the style and tone intended for my blog. I have been quite sensitive about posting myself all over the my blog, but you will see me dotted about in the blog posts, About me and Contact page.
