Scrapbook: Sydney; Church near Cook and Phillip Park

Garment of the Week: Tela Bags

Not quite a garment, I’ve become rather taken with Tela Bags, a Portuguese eco accessories label recently exported to the UK. Launch back in 2006, Tela pride themselves on transforming trash into trends, designing bags for the fashion conscious and eco-friendly, recycling discarded PVC banners, left over newspapers, magazine covers, and even linoleum floor coverings. Individually hand-cut and crafted, each Tela bag combines innovative eco-friendly materials with witty design, incorporating acid hues, bold prints and geometric shapes into their chic range of handbags and stationary.
Prices range from £10 to £200, and are available both online and at a number of nationwide stockists.

Scrapbook: Sydney; Heart

Scrapbook: Sydney; St. Andrew's Cathedral

Art-iculate: The Halcyon Sculpture Trail

Images throughout courtesy of the Halycon Gallery - Lorenzo Quinn; 'Vroom-Vroom'

If you’re at a loss for something fun, free and outdoor-sy to do on this forthcoming second of three bank holiday weekends in the next six weeks, then I might have just found a solution. This spring the Halcyon Gallery are hosting the Halcyon Sculpture Trail, which has seen the gallery arrange for the placement of six monumental sculptures by Simon Gudgeon, Mauro Perrucchetti and Lorenzo Quinn at sites dotted around central London.

Mauro Perucchetti; 'Jelly-Baby-Family'

The public sculptures placed by Halcyon Gallery include The Jelly Baby Family by Mauro Perucchetti and Isis by Simon Gudgeon. Sculptures featured by Lorenzo Quinn are Volare in Cadogan Place, Finding Love at One Hyde Park, the new luxury residences from Candy + Candy, Vroom Vroom on Park Lane and The Force of Nature II in Berkeley Square.

Simon Gudgeon; 'Isis'

Map of the sculpture trail

Scrapbook: Sydney; 'To Sail, To Stop'

Scrapbook: Sydney; 'Research' by Tom Bass

Scrapbook: Sydney; Trees in Hyde Park

Scrapbook: Sydney; Chinese Gardens

Scrapbook: Sydney; Chinatown

Garment of the Week: DIRTYloves

Imagery courtesy of DIRTYloves

Instead of writing about a favourite garment this week, I’ve thrown caution to the wind, instead opting to write about the launch of new platform DIRTYlove’s online shop which is set to launch this Easter Sunday. Stocking an inspired and beautiful collection of own brand women’s wear and accessories in addition to collections from Sugarhill Boutique, this new UK-based e-tailer will offer the latest fashion trends and will be the go-to shopping destination for fashion savvy, on trend, cool hunters.

To celebrate the eagerly awaited launch, DIRTYloves have partnered with Toni + Guy to offer the first 50 customers a special gift of hair products from T+G with a few other goodies thrown in for good measure.

The first DIRTYloves own brand, womenswear collection includes a selection of affordable, youthful dresses, playsuits and separates with average price points ranging from £32 - £55.00, with accessories starting at £10.00. So what are you waiting for: LOVE IT, CLICK IT, WEAR IT!

Scrapbook: Sydney; Gold Tree and Monks in Chinatown

Scrapbook: Sydney; Spicy Panda

Art-icluate: Ida Kar Bohemian Photographer 1908-74

Sylvia Syms by Ida Kar, 1950s © National Portrait Gallery, London

A good few weeks back I attended the press view of pioneering photographer Ida Kar, who is currently being immortalised in all her glory in a retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery. Comprising the first exhibition in 50 years solely dedicated to the work of Kar, Ida Kar: Bohemian Photographer 1908-74, presents just shy of 100 photographs from her extensive archive, including dozens of glorious vintage bromide prints. Theatrical photography at its best, Kar deployed her flair for drama; telling a story through each portrait, narrated by her signature use of shadow, expression and props.

Often found at the heart of the creative avant-garde, Kar was the go-to photographer of her day, capturing all the luminaries of her era, paving the way for subsequent portrait photographers such as Cecil Beaton and Norman Parkinson who would in turn be propelled to the same celebrity status as their sitters. In this glittering exhibition striking portraits of artists such as Henry Moore, Georges Braque, Bridget Riley, Man Ray and Le Corbusier and writers such as Iris Murdoch, TS Eliot and Laurie Lee offers a fascinating insight into the cultural life of post-war Britain.

Gustav Metzger, 1962 by Ida Kar © National Portrait Gallery, London

My favourite portraits exhibited were those of artists depicted in their studies in front of works in-progress, all posing for portraits looking directly at the lens – expressing a genuine trust and bond between sitter and subject. Through these works I believe that Kar explores the boundaries of internal space with an underlying ambiguity as to whose studio has set the scene; presenting a puzzle unsolved.

Russian-born and of Armenian heritage, Kar Worked for prestigious titles such as Tatler, travelling extensively capturing revolutions and environmental issues on her way. A true legend in her own right, Kar was instrumental in encouraging the acceptance of photography as a fine art when, in 1960 she became the first photographer to be honoured with a major retrospective in London, at the Whitechapel Art Gallery. If you haven’t seen this stunning exhibition yet, I genuinely implore you to do so.
Ida Kar: Bohemian Photographer 1908-74 is open until 19 June 2011

Scrapbook: Sydney; Spanish Quarter

A Point Of Design: Saxon Leather

Scroll Chair and Ottoman in Vele Red

A massive fan of the chesterfield suite, I always make it my business to sniff out a good replica or modern alternative, where a sexy vintage chesterfield or chaise longue isn’t available. A brand I’ve recently discovered who certainly know they’re way around a piece of leather are Saxon Leather, who offer a striking range of high quality classic suites in a wide array of colours. With each piece created within their factory in Bolton, all production is UK based, including their bespoke service, offering customers the opportunity to create any chair they so desire.

Scrapbook: Sydney; Blue Reflection

Scrapbook: Sydney; so many souvenirs they built a shabby warehouse...

Scrapbook: Street Project, Melbourne (part VIII)

Scrapbook: Street Project, Melbourne (part VII)

All of the below images - with the exception of the final one - were taken in the toilets of outdoor bar Section 8. The toilets were located in old portacabins and the seating area was comprised of old palettes - a very hip venue on the outskirts of Chinatown indeed.

 

 

 

Garment Of The Week: Yoox.com's 'We Love Japan'

Image courtesy of Yoox.com

Today’s Garment Of The week is for a fantastic cause so was a no brainer. Stylish fashion website yoox.com has united eight international fashion brands to show solidarity for Japan in wake of the recent nuclear disaster. Ann Demeulemeester, Antonio Marras, Dsquared2, Kitsuné, Maison Martin Margiela, Marni Moschino and Y-3 have each created unique one-off designs for a special T-shirt collection that will be sold exclusively on yoox.com.

100% of all sales proceeds will go to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan. Revolving around the motif “We Love Japan”, each brand’s interpretation is quirky and unique in its own way, while sending the message of unity towards Japan in this time of adversity. Please support this great cause!

Scrapbook: Chinatown (out of focus)