B in the Making

On my Radar: Fenton Art & Etoile Home. Interior Design

B in the Making — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 10:34:59 +0000

It’s all fair and well-looking cool and crisp on the outside with your threads but what about the home. This area I don’t have much knowledge in, but these two companies came to my attention. Fenton Art + Design run by Steven & Cherry Chapman as like me they also like to champion the new talent and indies, and the other is Shani Beadle’s Etoile Home as she is in my East London manor and has a good selection of adults & kids furnishings. So good for me as I don’t have far to go when I need new additions for the home and even better for you as Etoile has great stockists dotted around London.

Fenton marries fine art and graphic design in a new and exciting brand. Each year, Cherry and Steve scour the UK’s graduate fine art shows looking for fantastic new talent to inspire their fabric design.

Etoile home was launched in 2006 by fashion and interiors photographer and stylist Shani Beadle. étoile was born from the rich colours, textiles and prints that inspired her during her travels around the world. Combining a line of housewares that are fun and eclectic.

Is it true love when…

B in the Making — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:23:01 +0000

You are able to sit with a wonderful home cooked meal, flowers and candles and have a very funny conversation about WAR on Valentines Day? I say Yes! It is! We even discussed about how we would defend our home. It came out that we would be OK considering we were a semi-detached house surrounded with a ten feet high brick wall. Being ‘The Man’ he would be able to defend the front of the house and our cat would only have to defend the patio door. To top of a great evening, the first episode of Channel 4′s Big Fat Gypsy Weddings had as rolling in laughter followed by I leave you to your own imagination. Hope you had a good one too.

A visit to London Shows Pure & Scoop International

B in the Making — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:01:13 +0000

A week prior to London Fashion two major London are hosted. Pure London and Scoop International.

Pure London held at Olympia is the 1st point of call for many UK boutiques hosting an array of clothing, footwear and accessories so obviously with Amanda it was our first destination. Busy as usual and bumping into many familiar faces all doing their best to get around the vastness of temptations. In the Premium Section I liked the dresses and coats of TBA To Be Adored and loved the ‘Parisian 60′s chic of Mademoiselle by Tara Jarmon. A quick scoot over to Scoop International at Saatchi Gallery provided more inspiration. Not just because of the great Gesamtkunstwerk: New art from Germany that is currently on, but how all the 180 brands were nicely curated around it such as Ali Ro‘s wonderful print dresses, Robert Clergerie shoes designed by Roland Mouret and Lie Down I think I love You accessories (cool name). Get your passes and go!

Casting is hard work!

B in the Making — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:59:41 +0000

Casting ‘normal‘ people for a well know brand is no joke! It’s hard work. The brief’s requirements was pretty easy and we headed off to Westfield Stratford to find these great people. We naively expected to have a queue of people ready to sign up and willing to do 3 days paid work to be in a TV commercial.

Oh! Hell NO! No’s we received by the bucket load and you can add cold to that sad mix. Even though Angelo and I did get some takers it is an experience I would think twice to offer my services of aid again in any near future.

On my radar: Margareth & Moi

B in the Making — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:08:12 +0000

Paying a Saturday visit to the endearing Anthony at his new enviable showroom AMF just off Brick Lane, I hardly sat down to finish my green tea. I was too distracted with the brand line ups he had for the coming FW2012. Presented were Lako Bukia (I have a soft spot for Lako), Persephoni accessories and Charkviani’s kick as boots and shoes that are soon to shot by Steven Meisel & styled by Lori Goldstein for Vogue Italia amongst others.

Then BANG! There it was. Magarethe & Moi. My ‘discovery delight‘.

I could wear nearly all of this collection which is very rare for me. Magarethe & Moi‘s ingenious subtle cuts and colours had me pulling them off the rails just to stroke. Gildas Pennec incorporates the ‘couture spirit’ of Paris fashion into this lux ready-to-wear womenswear brand and he has done it Oh so well! Stocked and sold well in the best overseas stores, it needs to be over here. For aren’t ‘We‘ the fashion hub of the world!

If you want statement pieces with class London, put your money where your mouth is and treat yourself.

Super for Elton John Aids Foundation

B in the Making — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:01:27 +0000

Finally officially announced.

As well as playing a part of Super’s Liberty prints collaboration, I am very happy to have been involved in this one too! Even happier when I received mine hot off production last year!

RetroSuperFuture/SUPER statement:

‘We are very happy to announce that Super sunglasses was invited – and accepted with great pleasure – to participate to the 2011 edition of Elton John’s White & Tiara Ball.

This event, launched in 1999 by Sir Elton John and David Furnish, is a successful fundraising ball organized by the Elton John Aids Foundation and is set amongst thirty-seven acres of rolling English countryside next to the Windsor castle. Since its birth the event has raised over £40 million that have been entirely devoted to the research and evolution of the fight against Aids.

Sir Elton John himself invited RetroSuperFuture to participate. Following his career-long passion for eyewear, Super created a spectacle specifically made to underline Elton’s flavor with astonishing artesian and skillful techniques. Our People silhouette is hand covered in fine Italian white leather and in contrast with a unique Carl Zeiss electric blue faded lens, created especially for this special project. The soft yet sturdy matte silver arms complete the piece, and carry the signature RSF Limited Edition mark on one arm and the Elton John for EJAF description on the other.

Read the entire news here‘

Me in my Elton John Super Shades

My pair!

Digging the Afros

B in the Making — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:27:38 +0000

My own hair is a life long, repetitive episode. Wash, condition, steam, blow dry, moisturizer, wrap, straighten, style. Going to the hairdresser would mean a good part of the morning or afternoon gone. Over the years my crown and glory has had many adventures weaves, wet looks, extensions, short crop, long, mid-length, relaxed, plaits, all enhanced with a rainbow of colours. I’ve played at being blonde, black dark red, blue/black and dark brown. The only style that I have not tried since as a child is having full Afro. So I have been looking at Natural styles. Whether I do go ‘au naturale’ will be another matter, but here are my inspirations in the meantime that I have highly enjoyed discovering.

Sources: Tumblr, Life Magazine

Prints are mint

B in the Making — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:01:44 +0000

Get ready for it. Enjoy it. Play with it. Prints are mint so freestyle it. I will be.

Sources: Stylorectic.blogspot.com, Streetetiquette.com, Streetstyle by Marie Claire, Kundaliniart.co.uk, Mary Katrantzo bag for Longchamps, Matt Wisniewski, Streetfsn, Stolengirlfriendsclub Tumblr

Bubblegum and Prints

B in the Making — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:18:47 +0000

Each time I come across prints such as these I think of Hubba Bubba or Bubblelicious chewing gum. Strawberry and Cola were my flavours. Every Saturday morning without fail was cartoons until we were peeled away from the TV moaning about having to go food shopping or happily go play out.

As stated before prints and colours are going to the fashion flavour for year 2012. These examples below are a bit ‘young‘ for me now but none the less, fun and original.

One to watch for vintage retake designs. Camiseta Fresca

Source: www.sexier-sweaters.tumblr.com, tumblr, www.streetfsn.blogspot.com www.camisetafresca.tumblr.com

Be your own Alchemist. BLING yourself!

B in the Making — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:13:39 +0000

Yes! This trend is back ‘Full Force and getting busy one time’ (sorry for the slight song reference pun!) Editorials are paying homage to the 80′s hip-hop culture, taking the inspiration from the street culture and flipping it on a wild style. So dig out the old Sovereigns, gold rings and Belcher chains, mash it up with new, and BLING! You are good to go.

Ref: IMOGEN BELFIELD, FUSION KELVAR, TUMBLR