As I said many times before I do like when graphic designers branch out into other creative outlets. It has to be said that normally we end up putting our designs skills onto t-shirts, which is the obvious route, but it's nice when we put the old graphic brain into gear and think of something different to apply our skills.
Well turns out the lovely peeps at Glasgow design agency, O Street, have done just that and created...toilet tiles. Yup, that's right, that'd be tiles for yer toilet.
It's a bit student-y and silly, but really rather funny! They have also worked with Show Pony to create a limited run of long and short boards as well as the obligatory t-shirts, of course.
In the Kingdom we do like designers who don't take themselves too seriously. Plus they actually had the decency to reply to my email so they are not on my ever growing list of Design Agencies Who Are Arrogant Twats.
My collection of headpieces seems to grow daily yet I still find myself continually hunting down new possibilities for things to put on my head.
Without a doubt I am currently in a very hard edged phase, which shows no signs of waning just yet but I'm sure it will at some point.
As much as I really love the idea of a head of horns, a la Vanessa Traina above in her wonderful Givenchy creation (image from Jak & Jil), I am still looking out for all things feathered. It was whilst hunting out feathers I came across Tiffy Tart. Tiffy does a pretty feather but it's her cupcake headband that made me really smile. I think it's our god given right as cake loving Queens to have one of these!
Of course since I am in my somewhat dark phase I think I'd wear her skull headpiece rather alot.
But I do suddenly have the urge for cupcakes...Anette where are you?!!!!
Scottish designer Graeme Armour certainly worked his magic on his SS10 collection, with those glorious ruffles seered into my brain forever more, leaving me feeling as if my own life is empty without gold ruffles! Well, perhaps not empty exactly, but certainly my life might be little bit cheerier if I had some. Actually scratch that, I think I'll take the sheer black ruffled dress instead or the shorts. Either will do Graeme, thanks!
Armour is originally from the East End of Glasgow and graduated from Central St Martins with a Masters in Womenswear. He went on to assist the likes of Alexender McQueen.
His latest collection doesn't move dramatically away from his final year collection which drew lots of exceptionally positive feedback, instead concentrating on honing his already advanced technical skills. Armour is a man who obviously like clothes to have an element of the casual and sporty, yet mixes it up with dramatic and luxe details such as the ornate ruffles and gold.
I received the images of Rachel Freire's SS10 collection and what a glorious arrangement of images. She continues in her style of historical meets sci fi/fetish. I love the set used in these images.
Very excited that the new Stolen Girlfriends Club collection has finally arrived at Pixie Market. I have my eye on the one shouldered, cropped, mesh top. It is so simple yet has so many styling options.
Avert thine ears Sir Midas because you are about to be horrified!
The thing about being unenemployed is that naturally you have lots of time on your hands, so for me that means listening to music really loudly to pass the day, which may or may not involve dancing around the house in a head shaking, frantic manner.
As much as I love my electronic and techno there is only so many bangin' mixes one can listen to of a day without either a/ wanting to go clubbing right there and then or b/ your ears starting to bleed. So yes, I have been digging around my old musical haunts in an attempt to bring some variation to the party. Now, once you have openly admitted to liking Faster Pussycat then really the only way is up from there, so confessing my enjoyment of Kasabian really isn't any worse than listing Don't Change That Song as one of your all time favourite tracks.
So let's set FP as the benchmark for comparing levels of embarassment and bare that in mind when I admit to liking another band which I've had a secret fondness for since they first appeared on the scene via MySpace. I could put it down the Sheffield accent, for which I have a fondness, or it could be that they are actually really very good. The Arctic Monkeys. I love 'em! The ManBitch says they just sound like a northern Chaz & Dave which I naturally had to argue with! The fact they look about 12 years old just makes them all the more adorable.
Alex Turner is also a wonderful lyrics writer, encapsulating one of my favourite lines in a song ever "could all go a bit Frank Spencer" - genius! I laugh at that every time every time I hear it (most non Brits won't know who Frank Spencer is but trust me when I say that when the character is being used to describe the boys' nervousness at talking to a beautiful girl, then it's very apt!).
When it comes to design I like my graphics dirty, as I made reference to in my previous post. The dirtier the better. Sadly it's not often you get a client who requires dirty, distressed design so I rarely get to do it. I think I came to love this style of design because of my love of fanzines when I was young.
The haphazardly sliced, diced and roughly photocopied style of fanzines is raw and honest and is an artform in itself. There aren't many fanzines around any more, well certainly not in that style now most people have computers and digital printers.
My personal favourite was a skate fanzine which came out of Bristol called Skate Muties From The 5th Dimension. This fanzine was infantile hilarity on paper. It was total genius.
I hunted high and low for old copies of it but never came across any. Luckily I did find an amazing blog dedicated to fanzines and Skate Muties was on there. Thank to Punks Is Hippies who has created a downloadable version of the issues. What a the trip down memory lane!
I remember my friend Kirsteen buying a pair of their More Tea Vicar shorts which had a print of a vicar drinking tea over them. Oh how we laughed every time she wore them. I think I'd rather like a little dress with vicars printed on it! So if any of you old SM5D boys are out there - could you knock me one up please, size 8. Thanks!
In my experience of hanging out with friends' bands, band practice is always a Tuesday for some reason, so a streetwear/t-shirt/jeans label called Tuesday Night Band Practice makes me nod in agreement. Yes, band practice usually takes place on a Tuesday.
It's a menswear label and seem to do a mighty fine rock tee, cliches and all. I would of course happily wear any of the t-shirts myself, but I must admit it was the design of their website that had me pretty hooked first and foremost. Good old fashioned dirty graphics done really, really well. I bet All Saints wish this was their website.
I can't say for sure but the t-shirts look like they are made of the softest cotton and would be perfect for buying in extra large and turning into dresses. Yes, I only think of myself.
The third and final pair of Black Milk leggings I received were the amazing Lace Spartans. Lazily I just wore them with my Obesity & Speed customised tee, Ashish for Topshop wedges, leather suspender belt and DIY feather headpiece.
Black Milk leggings and these wedges just seem like a match made in heaven.
100% Certified Organic Cotton. Collaboration with Borders&Frontiers. Hand Printed. Halftone Print. Cream Shirt. Size S/M/L. Size chart here. Unisex. Made to order. £26, shipped from 2 weeks worldwide (please be aware delivery times dependent on location)
