Friday 28 May 2010

THE END OF AN ERA / BEGINNING OF A NEW

MARK MCNAIRY

Over the past 5 years legendary designer and master of Engineered Garments, Daiki Suzuki has developed some stunning pieces of fashion work as the Creative Director of the Woolrich Woolen Mills label. Exposing both the roots and heritage of the Woolrich brand and classic american workwear whilst adding his own superb attention to detail and modern fit, spring 2011 will see Daiki's final collection for the brand. But do not fret, because along with the main man himself Daiki, Woolrich (WP Lavori) have been working tirelessly to find a suitable successor to the WM brand and they have finally released the details!

Whilst Daiki came on board a Japanese man with a love of traditional American outdoor workwear, his successor MARK MCNAIRY is the American man with the understanding and and background working within the Japanese market. And lets face it when it comes to interesting tailoring and shape in classic menswear clothing - the Japanese and the Japenese market know their shit!

Whilst we have been told that the collection will remain to build upon its already great classic collections, the buffalo check (which has become synonymous to the Woolrich brand) isn't at the forefront of Mark's collection“It’s not going to be red-and-black buffalo check — that I can tell you,” McNairy said. “I think I’ll end up adding a military aspect and some Ivy League. In the late Fifties and early Sixties, Woolrich had a sportswear collection that wasn’t necessarily geared for the outdoors and was more about the piece goods like Ivy League styles, duffle coats and things like that. It’s going to be a mixture of the things I love.”

Daiki's collection for 2011 looks set to be just as stunning and whilst i have loved all his work for the brand over the years i can't wait to see the new collection and find out what Mark has up his sleeve....i just hope there is some womenswear up there somewhere!!!

Wednesday 26 May 2010

CHUU CHUU....WELCOME TO FINSBURY PARK


THE SILVER BULLET

So the BF has just moved to the area of Finsbury Park. Never really explored of world of the north of London, i since moving to my abode in East London became a bit snobbish and disregarded anything but the East End - i soon realised that i was becoming a Shoreditch hoe, living and breathing the East End because thats 'where it was happening' for me and my work. This is no longer the case and in fact while i still love it im getting over it and am soon realising its maybe not for me! SO loving the fact that the other week i discovered an area (i am beginning to love) was finally to get a decent and pretty exciting new venue....The Silver Bullet.

Branded as the First 'Pop up Music Venue' its already got Moshi Moshi, Rough Trade, eARmusic and loads more involved and planned for its 7month stint in Finsbury Park. Infact its got so much going on there is too much to write here. But basically its looking pretty smart presenting a host of nights and events across different genres in music, film and art in its intimate 180 capacity!

Check out all the things they have going on and all the people behind the idea over on the site and then get yourself down there for the opening nights this weekend!

Two bands i have been loving are playing the opening night - Safari and Foreign Office so maybe see you (or be squished next to you) on the dancefloor.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

The Apple Cart


THE APPLE CART
SUNDAY 25TH JULY 2010
SHOREDITCH PARK , LONDON

While Glade may have just announced its cancelled, have no fear because Apple Cart is here! Okay so this is going to be a whoooollllle lot different from Glade - completely different but whilst some of the bigger festivals may be suffering it seems that mini one day boutique festivals are having a bit of a moment.

Apple Cart is a new festival brought to us by Tom Baker of EatYourOwnEars and Marcus Weedon (the partners behind Underage and Field Day) and the instantly loveable name of it aside, the line up and boutique creative vibe they are presenting (in the baron but all the same loved Shoreditch Park) is appealing to a whole host of people.

From what we know so far it seems to be offering exactly what its saying on the tin. A festival that "brings together some of the most forward thinking creative minds in the UK, with an agenda to enthrall and delight all your senses" If its family day out you want its sorted, if its under the radar cool music and good vibes its sorted. Expect music, comedy, art, cinema, magic and spoken word from the likes of Saint Etienne / Edwyn Collins / Steve Mason / Clinic / Gilles Peterson / Shappi Khorsandi / Josie Long / Kevin Bridges / Doc Brown / House Of Fairy Tales / London Word Festival / members of The Magic Circle / Lunatic Scientists and Hula Boy. So wether your looking for a family day out, a chilled sunday with likeminded people over cider, soaking up culture, checking out some alternative sounds or nursing hangovers from the 1234 Festival the day before i suggest you get down there!

While this looks set to be a good day to nurse my 1234 hangover and divulge in something new and interesting, i am expecting yummy mummies half pissed on cheap fizz and East london Fash Wahs prancing around because "culture is cool yah" - Its in Shoreditch Park after all!

Becoming Real


Becoming Real
Like many acts/artists and so forth, Becoming Real apparently 'Doesn't exist'. A some what over used persona at the moment, it would normally have put me straight off this artist. While i love the fact music is moving away from the image and now becoming more about the music, its layers and its creativity this has become a somewhat favourite persona for many producers/artists - wanting to appear they remain unknown and underground but actually they have a Pr, label, management etc etc. So normally i would have been put straight off seeing this phrase appear infront of me on their myspace, but i actually quite like them. Discreet persona aside Becoming Real is the musical persona of one british producer - location unknown but i imagine its london. A young aspiring creative, he channels the sense of sight through the sense of sound, filling your lug-holes with beautifully laid layers of futuristic sounds and grimy synths to express the vision of the world around him. Its slightly strange but instantly listenable, sexy with a touch of dirty underground, heavy and light at the same time. Its a pulsing blend of sounds, bleeps and skitz from an exciting young producer....check it out.

Friday 7 May 2010

Dancing Curtains



Louise O Connor

Sometimes i love what i do, i can spend all day looking on the internet for new and interesting people and am lucky enough to find and talk to a host of amazing individuals. However sometimes this is very depressing. Meeting such amazing people just kinda makes you think - should i be doing more with my life? I am however a bit of a lune and get bored very easily and i'm sure if people knew everything (here comes an arrogant comment) i did they may just be jealous of me!

Off subject once again i'm here to talk about and present to you just one of the amazing people i had a brief flirtation with Louise O Connor, her work and most importantly her dancing curtains - i think its the future of happiness!
Louise
An absolutely incredible mind who is doing a host of weird and wonderful things. Louise is a 'multidisciplinary artist' - (basically that means she can do loads of crazy stuff and get away with it) who is fixated on the relationships between sound, music and the physical. As she says herself 'My work tends to be a mixture of playful interaction, absurdity, and I hope - a dash of thoughtfulness. I also really like it when I am able to genuinely involve the audience in some way'

Louise in front of her amazing ' Fred and Ginger's dancing curtains' that open and dance about when you sing to them, encouraging you to start the day with a song! Im not sure if you can buy these - but if you can i suggest everyone has a set in there house!

http://www.louiseoconnor.com/

WIld Nothing

Wild Nothing

There isn't too much that is wild about Wild Nothing but none the less im a liking it. The solo project of one Jack Tatum from Virginia. He's bringing us his debut album 'Gemini' via Captured tracks on 1st June and is heading over to the UK. Yes maybe another one man band wonder but right now he's offering us something enjoyable and interesting. Its got a lightness and a gritty homemade feel both at the same time - every track on the new album is like a breath of fresh air, each track a breath you know you have breathed before but each inhale seems to hold something different.

Its a kinda youthful warped sound of The Cure and Johnny Marr guitars, spiralling melodies and and big bags of sugary poppy loveliness that wrap you up in a fuzzy blanket and seep through you. Okay that sounds like its really wet music - but its not. Its a slightly more mellow choice than my normal friday choosing, but been wanting to blog him up for ages...so here it is . ENJOY.