London Fashion Week to be a gender-neutral event on a digital platform

On announcing that London Fashion Week will go ahead as a digital-only event between 12 and 13 June, merging menswear and womenswear on a “gender-neutral platform”, Caroline Rush, the chief executive of the British Fashion Council (BFC), said in a statement: “The current pandemic is leading us all to reflect more poignantly on the society we live in and how we want to live our lives and build businesses when we get through this. The other side of this crisis we hope will be about sustainability, creativity and product that you value, respect, cherish.”


The digital platform www.londonfashionweek.co.uk will relaunch and be for both trade and consumer audiences; embracing the cultural commentary, creativity and humorous spirit for which British fashion and London are known for.


London Fashion Week June 2020 will put storytelling at its heart and give a voice to British fashion businesses and creatives, allowing them to tell their stories in these extraordinary times by tapping into London’s cultural zeitgeist and highlighting its position as a global multi-cultural city.  Bringing the fashion community together, the platform will host exclusive multi-media content from designers, creatives, artists and brand partners, enabling collaboration and bringing together fashion, culture and technology.

Denim Premiere Vision Milan moved to 2021; Berlin event to go ahead in November this year

After a successful edition in London last December, Denim Première Vision was due to take place in June in Milan, the centre of Italian fashion capital.  But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, that is of course not going to take place, and organisers have announced that the Milan event would now take place 26 & 27 May 2021.

Exhibits during Denim Premiere Vision in London held

December 2019.  Photo by Lucia Carpio.

Meanwhile, a new Denim Village will be set up as a highlight at the upcoming Première Vision Paris scheduled for 15 to 17 September “to give an additional opportunity (for visitors and companies) to meet  suppliers and discover their creative collections,” says Guglielmo Olearo, Denim PV director.

Another Denim PV to be held this year will be slated for 24 & 25 November at the Arena Berlin,  offering full business opportunities for the whole denim and fashion community.


Monsieur Olearo adds, “The Denim Première Vision teams are working closely with the suppliers to make their collections available on the Première Vision Marketplace. Please make full use of this relatively recent online platform, which is a particularly useful way (for companies) to communicate with suppliers at this time.”

“I would like to end with a huge cheer to the entire fashion industry, which was so responsive and supportive in facing this international health crisis over these past few weeks. I want to add, on behalf of the entire Denim PV team, that we are very proud to be part of such a great industry, and to play an active role in bringing these men and women together. We continue to pay close attention to (the industry's) needs, (we are) fully mobilized to support the industry and continue, to further the development of creative fashions.”

Face masks using Polygiene ViralOff anti-viral technology launched by Majola and other brands

Plans on how we will emerge from a lockdown are not unified among different Covid-19 affected countries but one thing is for sure: regular citizens will be wearing face masks on a daily basis in the foreseeable future when we are allowed to leave our homes, perhaps even voluntarily, and especially  when one is using public transport and visiting retail establishments or attending events.
This new habit has inspired many companies with proven technologies to launch new applications that give citizens of the world the protection and confidence they need during these challenging times, until a viable vaccine is available for mass use.
For one, Polygiene, the Swedish global leader in branded odour control and stays-fresh technologies, is partnering with a number of brands including German sportswear brand Maloja that will be launching functional face masks using Polygiene's ViralOff anti-viral coating treatment that is capable of reducing more than 99% of virus in a two-hour period
(according to ISO18184:2019 standard).

Maloja's masks are manufactured at VioModa, 
a subsidiary of Maloja in Bulgaria and
 at two partner companies in Portugal.

The Maloja sports and streetwear brand has transferred its know-how of functional clothing for cycling, cross-country skiing or ski touring to the development of its own reusable face mask which will be available in several colors at a price of 50 euros in a 5-pack from the beginning of May at stationary Maloja partners and in online shops.
More masks with Maloja's own signature print designs will follow in mid-May.

Klaus Hass, one of two managing directors at Maloja, said they have worked intensively to develop the new three-layer face masks made of breathable functional fabric, which is equipped with a fleece insert as a droplet filter and the new ViralOff finish from the Swedish hygiene specialist Polygiene. In an interview with ISPO.com, Haas said their face masks will come in two styles, starting with  a three-layer reusable mouth-nose mask made of breathable polyester fabric with a nose clip and elastic bands for a comfortable positioning around the head and neck. The mask will completely seal the face and is suitable to wear with glasses and hearing aids. It will be available online and in select retail stores globally and available in several colours at a price of 50 euros retail for a 5-pack.  Later in May, Maloja will have an additional offering with the Reusable Mask 3.0 that will include their well-known and loved pattern making designs.

Maloja has noted that the same effort that goes into developing the face masks can be transferred to other functional clothing, and believes such as applying a 3-layer construction with a ViralOff finishing on top.

Another Polygiene partner, Spain's General Tactic which provides apparel and textiles for first responders in Spain and North America, has adapted and produced ViralOff treated masks for frontline workers in those countries. Elsewhere in Europe, Germany's Everbasics has launched a scarf design that will provide coverage for the nose and mouth, and Poland's Lekko has adapted the ViralOff technology on a number of options to suit different environments where one needs to have protection. Others include Spira Protekta from Germany and UK provider Screenworks that will launch a facemask and neck gaiter option.

Outside of Europe, Polygiene has worked with Litume in Tawain and new brand Airgill in South Korea, as well as JCT Limited in India where ViralOff is used in personal protection equipment and facemasks. In North America, partner ASRV has switched their apparel production to fulfil the need for masks and for every mask sold, will donate one to health care workers and first responders. Over 12,000 have already been donated.
With many more partners in the pipeline and continuous requests and inquiries, the volumes projected to grow.

UK department stores, brands and designers produce essential scrubs and gowns for NHS

In the face of a pandemic crisis, many fashion retailers, designers and luxury brands have stepped up to the occasion and demonstrate their leadership that is so required at these challenging times.

While management executives are prioritizing the safety of employees and customers and putting new health and safety protocols and crisis-response activities in place, many are taking the opportunity to show they care and offer services that do good to the community, which can only score positive points in the eyes of their customers when things do finally go back to normal.

John Lewis image.

For one, department store John Lewis has re-opened its textile factory, ‘Herbert Parkinson’ in Lancashire to make protective gowns for the National Health Service (NHS).  This follows its recent initiative to create a wellbeing area for staff at the newly set-up NHS Nightingale hospitals in London and Manchester and working with the British Medical Association to deliver 60,000 essentials to key NHS staff.

The Herbert Parkinson factory which normally produces bespoke blinds, curtains, cushions, pillows and duvets, will this week begin making around 8,000 washable, clinical gowns for the Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust.  In addition, John Lewis will also be donating more than 20,000 metres of cotton fabric from its haberdashery department and distribution centres to two groups making scrubs for the NHS - ‘For The Love of Scrubs’ and ‘Scrubs Glorious Scrubs’. It is expected that this donated fabric will produce some 6,000 scrubs.

Elsewhere in the UK, fashion luxury brand Mulberry has switched its handbag factory in Somerset to making 8,000 gowns for NHS workers in Bristol.  
Homewares chain Dunelm has also turned its curtain factory into making scrubs for NHS workers, while home and fashion brand Laura Ashley’s factory in Carno, Powyrs, in Wales have also been making scrubs.
A few weeks ago, luxury brand Burberry announced it was underetaking a series of measures, including using its global supply network to deliver 100,000 surgical masks to NHS workers, and dedicating its trench coat factory in Yorkshire to manufacturing non-surgical gowns and masks for patients in British hospitals.
Separately Fashion Roundtable, the secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Textiles and Fashion, announced that it had brought together designers, manufacturers, the UK Cabinet, the Department for International Trade and several brands with the aim of supplying PPE to the NHS and additional protective products to the general public.
Make It British is also uniting UK manufacturers to produce PPE for frontline staff, while British designer Phoebe English is leading a team of independent UK designers – including Bethany Williams and Holly Fulton – to produce non-frontline protective clothing with the Home Office’s Emergency Designer Network. 

Paper Dreams support #FeedNHS campaign

Paper Dreams have joined a long line of companies and retailers to do their bid to support the National Health Service, the NHS.

Throughout April (extended whilst the lockdown continues into May), Paper Dreams will be supporting the #FeedNHS campaign by donating £5 from the sale of any product from their ‘Rainbow’ range.

Paper Dreams Striped Fans are made in Europe 
from high-quality FSC certified tissue paper. 

They are incredibly eco-friendly and can be recycled after use. 
These Striped Fans come in two sizes and are hand-dyed, 
giving them their vibrant rainbow colouring. 
Each fan comes with a hole for hanging and can be used to create beautiful 
backdrops,  or stunning overhead displays.

Products from this range are reflective of the rainbow motif that has been adopted by people to show hope and positivity throughout this difficult and challenging time.

Standout items like the striped rainbow fans are a hero product of Paper Dreams and have become synonymous with the brand.
To order, go to the Paper Dreams website.

Paper Dreams Honeycomb Ball Garlands are made in Europe from high-quality FSC certified tissue paper. These Garlands are hand made using a mixture of different sized honeycomb balls 
in various bright colours and are 160 cm in length.

The #FeedNHS campaign aims to get 6,000 meals a day into London hospitals for critical care staff and then hopefully across the nation to feed the NHS. The aim is that everyone will get one hot meal a day.  

Waitrose and John Lewis launching superhero-themed bear designing contest to support NHS

Waitrose & Partners with John Lewis & Partners are launching a competition, calling children in the UK to help designing a superhero-themed bear to grace their shelves this Christmas. All proceeds will go to the National Health Service, the NHS, in support of all their incredible work, especially during these challenging times when many communities throughout the country are affected by the Covid-19 outbreak

According to its announcement, “The competition launches Feel Good Friday from @WaitroseAndPartners and @JohnLewisAnd Partners to help bring the nation together for good.

From mindfulness and cookery classes to arts and crafts, we'll be working with Partners, celebrity experts, charities and the NHS to support the nation through it all."

To enter, children are called to simply draw, sketch and design their SuperBear using the template which is available to download from the dedicated website.
Entries are encouraged to share designs by email to designyoursuperbear@johnlewis.co.uk by 5pm on Friday 8th May 2020.

The winning teddy will be sold in John Lewis and Waitrose shops later this year, with 100% of the profits going to the UK's much valued NHS.

Full details, click HERE.

Austrian companies form new joint venture to make protective medical masks; production to reach 12 million pieces a month.

During these unprecedented challenging times posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, what was known as regular or normal no longer exists.  With conventional trade more or less come to a halt for many businesses, suppliers and manufacturers around the world are looking outside their normal business dealings and restructure their operations.

Thus with day-to-day operations in jeopardy due to cancelled orders, delays and strict lockdown measures, many businesses have to think and act outside the box in order to survive or find new causes for their existence.

Masks produced by Hygiene Austria

Many are responding to the call of medical professionals, health care workers and service providers decrying the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), including gowns, masks, aprons and other items that help to protect medical and frontline staff from infection while treating coronavirus patients or handling items that may  be contaminated by the virus.

Now, two Austrian companies, both leaders in their fields, have gone one further by forming a new company to answer the surging demand for high quality medical-grade masks for their domestic and European markets as from May 2020.

"Masks will continue to play an important role in our daily lives and we are proud that we were able to achieve our goal of an industrial production so quickly together with our partner Palmers,” says Lenzing AG's CEO Stefan Doboczky.

Lenzing AG, a producer of specialty fibres made from renewable raw material wood, and Palmers Textil AG, a well-established brand of lingerie, have joined forces to found “Hygiene Austria LP GmbH”. The joint-venture is a multi-million-Euro investment in which Lenzing AG holds 50.1% and Palmers Textil AG holds 49.9%, encompassing a modern production infrastructure with secured  raw materials for protective masks production, according to a press release today.
To start off, in a significant move to help combat the Covid-19 pandemic while ensuring a long-term supply of critical products of high quality.  The new company will be producing the so-called mouth-nose protective masks (MNS) and surgical protective masks of class EN14683 with plans to increase its capacities to over 25 million masks per month over the coming weeks eventually to expanding geographically in due course.
In the announcement, top executives of the two respective companies explained that in order to sustainably secure domestic supply now and in the future and to strengthen the business location at Wiener Neudorf, the two companies have now set a milestone with their own competence centre for hygiene based in Austria.
“We decided to pool our knowledge, network and experience in a competence center for hygiene together with our partner Palmers. The aim of this joint venture is to provide the citizens of Austria and Europe with the best possible protection through locally manufactured, high-quality products,” says Stefan Doboczky, CEO of Lenzing AG.
Luca Wieser, member of the Board of Palmers, says Palmers and Lenzing complement each other perfectly.  “We have many years of experience in the manufacture and distribution of textile products.  Lenzing brings its technological experience in the hygiene sector, the know-how regarding procurement and raw material and knowledge in the field of plant engineering.“
“We are not only connected by textile experience and “made in Austria”, but also by the will to act quickly now and to do something for the protection of citizens - we see this as our duty to society.  We are entrepreneurs and we are proud of our country,” continues Tino Wieser,another  member of the Board of Palmers.

Mariah Carey’s single: HERO chosen for Band Aid style charity drive for NHS in support of Covid-19 appeal.

UK’s National Health Service (NHS) frontline staff – doctors and nurses from across the country - have teamed up with celebrities ALEX REID, AMANDA BARRIE , BOBBY DAVRO, SANDRA MARTIN, NICHOLAS MCDONALD, ANDY ABRAHAM , LADY C, DAPPER LAUGHS  for Band Aid style charity.  Chosen single is Hero by Mariah Carey.  
All funds raised will be donated to NHS Charities Together in support of the COVID-19 appeal.

London creative agency Perq Studio and sustainably focused A.M. Custom Clothing raise funds for the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal. and encourage the British public to “wear and share” their designer t-shirts and tote bag now available to purchase via www.perqmeup.com, with 100% of proceeds going to charity.

The chosen track, Mariah Carey’s ‘Hero’, will be engineered and produced by Ed John of Apple Acre Studios, who has recently worked with Busted, and will see the aforementioned stars joining Goggle box’s Sandra Martin (who has recently lost two family members to Coronavirus) and Sandi Bogle, Ex on the Beach star, Jess Impiazzi, Coronation Street actress, Amanda Barrie, Benefits Street star, Dee Kelly, ITVS Dapper Laughs, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here Lady C, X Factors Andy Abraham , British boxing manager and promoter, Kellie Maloney, and Big Brother’s Simon Gross – the brainchild behind this incredible collaboration.

Simon (Gross), whose original idea has brought this array of talent together in support of the NHS explained: “My aim was to bring together a fun, eclectic and diverse line up of celebrities from across the UK’s most popular TV shows and give something back to the NHS at this extremely difficult time.”

He added: “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone involved for donating your time to be a part of this amazing project, and to Universal for allowing us to use the track, and, of course, not forgetting our fantastic NHS working so tirelessly around the country right now to look after us all. Let’s hope we can raise lots of money for this wonderful cause with the help of the general public.”

NHS doctor Maria Walters of Elthorne Park Surgery, Ealing, one of the singers taking part, and passionate about raising money for the NHS, said that she was “thrilled” to be involved with the charity single and loves nothing more than singing!

Ellie Orton, Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together, said: “This is a great initiative and I urge the public to get behind it and download the single. The proceeds from it will go directly to NHS charities in every part of the country and help provide essential support to NHS staff, volunteers and patients.”

You can download the single via I Tunes, Amazon Music, Spotify and all major downloads from 1st May with all profits going to NHS Charities Together.

New Non-GM cotton seed breeding project to protect soverignty and bio-diversity on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day

To mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Fairtrade Foundation has announced today that it has launched a three-year programme in India to grow non-GMO cotton seeds, benefitting the environment, farmer’s health and command a higher price.

Nearly two thirds of all cotton grown worldwide is now GM (genetically modified), which means that it is difficult for farmers to have access to non-GM seed varieties, which must be used to grow Fairtrade and organic cotton.

Fairtrade is working in partnership with Pratibha Syntex, a sustainability-oriented, vertically-integrated manufacturer of knitted textile to pioneer the seeds, and the project is funded by TRAID, a UK charity working to tackle and solve the problems caused by producing, consuming and wasting clothes.

The objective is to develop new non-GM hybrids that have the exact cotton fibre parameters that the fashion and textile industry needs. The resulting seeds will be commercially produced and made available to farmers, allowing them to have more choice over how they farm.  

The breeding programme is led by a professional seed breeder and has already produced some strong results following the initial pilot phase, when around 1,500 cotton farmers were given access to 9,200 organic seed packets produced by their own co-operative. The second phase of the project will see the development of new parent lines.   Several seasons on and the farmers have produced their own packaged seeds for sale which have been developed with input from the project’s ‘star’ members who have trialled the seeds on their farms.

The seeds are sold for Rs600 a packet; the equivalent packet of GM seeds costs Rs730, 30% cheaper and has led to a 25% reduction in overall costs for farmers. The seeds have been bred to be pest resistant, drought tolerant and to grow plants that will be easy to harvest.  

Subindu Garkhel, Senior Cotton and Textiles Lead at the Fairtrade Foundation said: “Our relationship with the Earth and the environment needs to be one of respect, as nature had always intended it to be. Without that, we cannot expect to have healthy soil and waterbodies. It is also important to future proof organic and Fairtrade cotton farmers, especially in these difficult times.

“Having access to non-GM seeds will bring all the environmental and health benefits of growing organic cotton, plus a higher price, as the farmers can access the high-value Fairtrade markets with their cotton. By avoiding toxic pesticides, farmers avoid health problems and deaths common in non-organic cotton production. It also reduces their production costs.”

GM seeds that are available to farmers are bred for high-input agriculture which means farmers need to use expensive synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation. In India alone there is a 95% monopoly on the seed market, making it almost impossible for small-scale farmer who want to cultivate Fairtrade or organic cotton to source non-GM seeds.

Maria Chenoweth, TRAID's Chief Executive said, "We are very proud to support the work of the Fairtrade Foundation to enable Indian cotton farmers to grow organic. Increasing organic cotton production makes a significant contribution to reducing the environmental impact of the fashion industry, while reducing the use of hazardous pesticides. In the not too distant future, we hope every day will be Earth Day." 

Fairtrade is a member of the Climate Coalition, and is working alongside other organizations to protect the people, places and life we love.

Kingpins24 online event returns on June 23 - 24

KINGPINS24, set for June 23-24, will target the US-based denim industry and expand on the features introduced for the first online event held in April.

Andrew Olah, founder of Kingpins Show and Transformers Foundation, said this digital event will not take the place of the cancelled Kingpins New York event originally scheduled for June 2/3, but will build upon the success and momentum of the first KINGPINS24 event, which drew nearly 10,000 visitors to its website (with 3,500 viewers tuning in to the livestream) during its April 22/23 run and saw nearly 29,000 views of its on-demand content, including more than 13,000 views during the show and in the following week.

“It will never replace a Kingpins Show, but KINGPINS24 has proven to be an idea that the denim industry responded to and found valuable,” said Olah. “We’re incredibly humbled by the success of KINGPINS24 and have identified ways in which we can improve on our concept. Our goal remains to be the platform where the denim industry gathers to share information, ideas, innovation and inspiration. We’re excited for what comes next.”

One key change that will be made to the June KINGPINS24 event will be that members of the denim supply chain that are not Kingpins New York exhibitors will be allowed to apply to join the online event as exhibitors.

The updated KINGPINS24 concept will also include a more streamlined livestream, with a focus on webinars, interviews, panels and conversations. The livestream will go live at 9AM EDT on both days of Kingins24. The livestream will once again be hosted by Olah and Vivian Wang, Kingpins’ managing director and head of global sales, and will include a larger cast of co-hosts and interviewers.

On-demand content will return with a wide variety of content produced by Kingpins, Kingpins exhibitors and industry partners.

Kingpins Trend x Denim Dudes will also screen the F/W 2021 denim trend forecast film during KINGPINS24 for a US$35 fee per viewer. But, it will be screened multiple times on June 25, the day after KINGPINS24 wraps up. As before, all other KINGPINS24 content remains entirely free. https://kingpinsshow.com/shows/kingpins24-2/

Sustainability is one of the main themes of Kingpins24.
Brazilian denim specialist VICUNHA Textil was one of the participants of Kingpins24 to use the virtual platform to stay in contact with customers, to address them directly and to communicate the USPs of its products. This will be carried out using individual tools: video, a specially developed webinar and an interview on the topic of sustainability with the company’s Director of Operations, Marcel Yoshimi Imaizumi. Vicunha's Responsible Brazilian Cotton programme (ABR), with smart water consumption is among its latest developments.

VICUNHA TEXTIL is setting international benchmarks as a high-volume producer 
with an output of more than 20 million meters of fabric per month.
Photos from VICUNHA TEXTIL.

Deborah Turner, VICUNHA's Marketing Manager for Europe, says: “Weaving mills all around the world are finding themselves in the same position right now. New developments in particular have come to a grinding halt and fabrics and garments are stuck in factories that are now closed. We are focusing on our strengths so we can continue moving forward as soon as the situation eases.”
She adds that one of VICUNHA’s major benefits is direct access to their two very well stocked warehouses in Colombo/Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. "As soon as things start to pick up again, it would be possible to make deliveries within 7 to 10 days. Even if the factories in Ecuador, Argentina and Brazil remain closed, goods could be offered immediately after trading resumes."

Landscapes of South Downs National Park

If you’re looking for inspirational images to offer you calming joy during these crazy times, Tom Shaw’s latest works may be the answer.

Brighton Road Print by Tom Shaw.

Award-winning British photographer Tom Shaw is known for his large format images of coastal scenes and mountain landscapes.  During the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Shaw has made use of his government-mandated daily exercise over the last few weeks by exploring the sparse, rolling hills of his local landscape – on the edge of the South Downs National Park near his hometown Lewes (and my hometown of Eastbourne), and taken a series of photographs to showcase the beautiful landscape at dawn and dusk.
The 22 landscape photographs in prints are now launched by Another Country* in sizes of 600x800mm or 750x1000mm.  They can be enjoyed online or you may wish to acquire and hang one of them in your home.

*Another Country is a company founded in 2010 that designs and makes furniture and accessories for the natural home. Their designs are inspired by archetype, calling on the familiar and unpretentious forms of British Country kitchen style, Shaker, traditional Scandinavian and Japanese woodwork for inspiration.

Curtain Startup on a mission to save UK seamstresses

Stitched.co.uk, a London based curtain + blind startup, has moved quickly to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak. It is now on a mission to do more than make beautiful curtains and blinds, it's out to save an entire industry, according to its co-founder Elinor Pitt.

Made-to-measure curtains and blinds being milled.

Following the temporary closure of its curtain making partner, Stitched.co.uk was determined to keep customers orders flowing and started to contact local makers and small workrooms throughout the UK to see if they could help plug the gap.
"The response was overwhelming with lots of quality local makers keen to take on the work." says Elinor "Social distancing and the UK lockdown has hit some of the smaller workrooms and independent makers hard as they’re not set up to sell online and rely on visiting customers' homes.”

The team has moved quickly to plug local makers into their supply chain, keeping Stitched customers’ orders flowing and helping local workrooms and makers stay afloat.

Curtains in 95% virgin wool, 5% polyamide (with non metallic dyestuffs) available on Stitched.co.uk.

Allison Drury, a Surrey based curtain maker now working with Stitched, said: 'When the country went into lockdown new orders dried up, working with Stitched has really helped to keep the order book full and workroom lights on at a difficult time for everyone'.

The company is proudly still stitching and is working hard to vet and onboard more local curtain makers to support as many of these small businesses as possible. And there are a lot of them, the UK spends £1.5bn on curtains every year.
Stitched is also offering up free video consultations for all customers who need help with measuring and design advice.  So if curtains and blinds are on your agenda during this Coronavirus lockdown, check out stitched.co.uk or search 'Stitched' on the appstore.

“Wear and share” - New Urgent Appeal initiative to support NHS

The National Health Service (NHS) the healthcare system in the UK is our pride and joy and during these challenging times, it needs our support more than ever before.  Here’s an initiative jointly organised by the London integrated creative agency Perq Studio and sustainably-focused A.M. Custom Clothing to raise funds for the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.

Perq Studio and sustainably focused A.M. Custom Clothing  are encouraging the British public to “wear and share” the designer t-shirts and tote now available to purchase via www.perqmeup.com, 
with 100% of proceeds going to charity.

The royal blue tees - available in men’s, ladies' and unisex kids' sizes – are emblazoned with a heart on the front and a dual message of #ThanksHealthHeroes and ‘Stay Home’ on the back. For those socially distanced trips to the shops, a canvas tote expresses ‘Thanks Health Heroes’ on one side, and a heart on the other.  

Both the tees and the tote are made from high quality, Fairtrade cotton, according to founder of Perq Studio Laura Giffard who says,”Just like the rest of Britain, the Perq Studio team has been overwhelmed by the level of commitment our NHS heroes are demonstrating day after day as we navigate this crisis. We were racking our brains trying to find a way we could show our support, while honouring their requests for us all to stay home.

“We may not be key workers, but creativity and design are our superpowers; it’s how we bring value.  Just as #clapforourcarers raised spirits, and positive media outreach smashed the NHS Volunteer numbers, we’re hopeful that our ‘Wear and Share’ initiative will earn valuable funds for the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal. Plus, by sharing images and videos of ourselves wearing the items on social media, we can all contribute to a sense of community in what can feel like a very disconnected world at the moment.”

Item design and website hosting has been provided pro-bono by Perq Studio and A.M. Custom Clothing have generously donated their products and labour at cost price. A transparent cost breakdown of where the GBP20.23 for tees and GBP21.03 for totes is available on the site.
Also be sure to show your appreciation to your delivery person when the package arrives.

Free Art Activity pack from Hello Print Studio; and visit Picasso and Paper virtually at the Royal Academy

Paper is a versatile and tactile medium for handicraft and creativity. Now Hello Print Studio in Margate, Kent (UK) has released a set of five characters arranged with wood block letters and type icons that you can print out onto A4 size paper and use as colouring sheets.

Hello Charlie - a colouring page on NatMaks.com

They have also released an assembly kit of wood block letters and icons which you can download, cut out, arrange however you like and create your own characters - faces, robots, animals and more.

These activity kits named "Hello Prints" are free to use and will be perfect for you and your whole family to explore and have fun with while self-distancing at home during the lockdown.

Characters above and below are created using woodblock icons and letters.

All available on their website: natmaks.com​
NAT MAKS is Natascha Maksimovic, a German designer & illustrator based at Resort Studios in Margate, Kent, UK.  After studying at Camberwell College of Arts, Natascha went on to work for Ridley Scott within the film industry and has since set up her own illustration and print studio working on various commissions, creating paper and homeware products, all made in England.

Meanwhile, to further immerse yourself in the world of paper, you may wish to join the Royal Academy website which is offering an insider virtual tour of their "Picasso and Paper" exhibition.

While the RA in London remains temporarily closed during the lockdown, it is putting a weekly dose of art online, delivering “a little bit of inspiration, escapism and creativity”
straight to patrons’ inbox”.

The RA's “Picasso and Paper” exhibition this week brings together more than
300 works on paper spanning the iconic artist’s 80-year career.

“For Picasso, paper was a material with limitless possibilities,” said the RA. The artist experimented with everything from newsprint and napkins to decorative wallpaper.

Through the virtual tour, in the comfort of your home, you can admire Picasso’s works, from studies for Guernica to a 4.8-metre-wide collage.

RA’s Summer Exhibition rescheduled to autumn

The Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of London has been an annual event ever since 1769. However this year, the event, originally due to run 9 June — 16 August, will be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic causing widespread disruption to society and everyday life. The RA says the rescheduled new dates in the autumn will be announced in due course.

Photo © Lucia Carpio

The Summer Exhibition is billed as the world’s largest open submission art show, and each year, a committee of diverse artists chooses an array of art in all mediums – prints and paintings, film and photography, sculpture, architectural works and more – for the show for everyone to enjoy.
This high-profile event on the art show calendar traditionally features work by leading artists, Royal Academicians and household names, as well as new and emerging talent you might not know, according to the RA.
Proceeds from sales of artwork help fund RA’s non-profit-making activities, including training the next generation of artists in the Royal Academy Schools.  

What will be the true meaning of luxury post-Covid-19 crisis?

After the Covid-19 crisis is finally over, will many of us realise that the real luxuries in life are ways to maintain good health, to have love and compassion for fellow humans? And will all material luxuries that we own, used to own or yearn to possess become just collections put on display in museums and galleries?

Content Editor Lucia Carpio visited The Wallace Collection, London in June 2019.

The Wallace Collection in London is housed at Hertford House in Manchester Square, a stone’s throw from Oxford Street and a few steps from Selfridges.  In this townhouse, a former home of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford (was open to public until the lockdown), in its 30 galleries was an extensive collection of fine and decorative arts from the 15^th to the 19^th centuries, including a prized collection of French 18^th century paintings, and ornate furniture of the time, arms and armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings.

Shoes – Remember them? Let’s reminisce on Manolo Blahnik’s memorable exhibition at The Wallace Collection

Got sad news today that iconic Italian shoe designer Sergio Rossi has died at age 84.  Announced in a statement by Rossi’s son Gianvito, the shoemaker contracted Covid-19 and had been hospitalised in Cesena, Italy.  May he rest in peace.

No doubt we are all in it together.  When news of fatalities hit home, we can't help but think about how fragile humans are and the world that we have known will never be the same again.

With lockdown still in place, and all manner of public spaces shut in the UK and many countries around the world,  I try to remember when was the last time I could put on a pair of beautiful shoes to go out, except for my trainers to go for a little walk near our home.  Even before the lockdown, busy modern life required us to go for everyday comfort and convenience, thus trainers or sneakers along with Chelsea boots or bikers had been the norm of the day.

Here’s one of the memorable exhibitions I had visited in 2019 at The Wallace Collection in London.  In An Engaging Mind, celebrated shoe designer Manolo Blahnik who understands femininity, luxury and attention to detail had put on display more than 100 of his beautiful ladies' footwear spanning a 50-year career.  He said he has been immensely inspired over the years by the gallery’s collection of paintings, furniture and porcelain.  Adorned with flowers and ribbons, some of the designs were possibly inspired by gardens and sunny garden rooms.

Blahnik’s greatest shoes were intimately on display alongside and amongst the masterpieces of The Wallace Collection, inside bell-shaped jars, illustrating them as objects of desire to be admired. 

The Wallace Collection, comprising an extensive collection of fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries with important holdings of French 18th century paintings, furniture, arms and armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings arranged into 30 galleries, is housed at Hertford House in Manchester Square, London, the former townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford.

The galleries of unrivalled 18th century collections form a sympathetic backdrop for a carefully curated selection of Manolo Blahnik's exquisite shoes.  Note the intricate detailing, laces, appliques, sequins and diamentes.  The feminine touches are testiment that the designer understands how to entice women.

Photos by Lucia Carpio, at The Wallace Collection, London, UK, June 2019.

Towner Art Gallery Exterior - Dance Diagonal - to remain until Spring 2021

Content Editor Lucia Carpio's selfie outside the 

Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne

So thrilled to learn that artist Lothar Götz's large scale artwork Dance Diagonal, covering the exterior façade of Eastbourne's iconic art gallery the Towner (one of my favourite local hangouts) will continue to be on display for another year until Spring 2021, announced the Towner.

If you haven’t had the chance to visit the rainbow coloured outdoor commission, or if you’re missing it, the good news is it will still be there to enjoy.

Once life can get back to more normal again, it is a good reason to visit the Towner in the lovely town of Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Lothar Götz who lives and works in London and Berlin, is famous for his specially commissioned
site-specific wall paintings and artworks, room-sized spatial installations, paintings and drawings.
 
While the Towner Art Gallery is temporarily closed, their website provides up-to-date news, articles and digital materials, including a film on one of the gallery’s major exhibition: Alan Davie & David Hockney: Early Works. Sara Cooper, Head of Collection and Exhibitions, explores the convergence between these two major figures of post-war British painting.  Another film is on the exchibition BRINK in which politician, cultural advocate and environmental campaigner  Caroline Lucas MP tells us more about curating her first ever exhibition, selecting from the 5000+ works in Towner's Collection.

Catch “V & A Secrets of the Museum” on BBC iplayer

The V&A Museum's blockbuster exhibition in 2019: Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams 

Photo: Lucia Carpio

If you missed it the first time around, you can still catch up on this six-part documentary – Secrets of the Museum – a unique behind the scenes series filmed at the famous London museum of art, design and performance - the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A).


Great programme to find out more about Pumpie the Elephant, a comforting favourite from the V&A Museum of Childhood, or an exclusive look at the extensive preparation that went into the sell-out blockbuster ChristianDior: Designer of Dreams exhibition.