Castellano, the bag and accessories brand showcases unique Colombian craftsmanship

To the untrained eye, these bags and bracelets from the London brand Castellano (seen last week at the Scoop trade fair in London) are beautiful in their exotic colours and unique craftsmanship.  But to the indigenous women of Colombia – the Wayuu and the Arhuaca people, they represent a cultural heritage characterised by patterns and colours unique to their tribes.  Each item represents a unique time-consuming weaving technique embedded with ancient tradition and symbolism.

"Each product is one of a kind, handwoven with love, energy and life from an ethnic culture which is proud to maintain its traditions," according to founder Daniella Castellano.

Each of the bags are handwoven with a single strand of thread which makes them very tight and strong. While the vibrant patterns are unique to their tribe, the shoulder strap of each bag is in fact adopted from a unique woven belt called si’ira, a tradition of the Wayuu tribe of Colombia and Venezuela which are used to adorn loincloths worn by their men.

Many of the bags and accessories are embroidered with Swarovski crystals too to add a touch of luxury, while he limited-edition backpacks are handcrafted and trimmed with soft leather.

 

These luxury bracelets woven by the skilled Wayuu artisans are embroidered with Swarovski crystals.

London-based designer Daniela Castellanos has founded her own brand of fashion bags and accessories (made mainly in sheep wool) based on these unique craftsmanship to help support the Wayuu and the Arhuaca people while promoting their unique craftsmanship and preserving their cultural heritage and skills.

Upon completing her degree in Journalism and Communication in December 2013, Daniella embarked on a spiritual journey throughout her native Colombia which led her to some of the most remote areas in the desert and north coast of her country.

Fascinated by the life and unique weaving artisans she had discovered, and after spending weeks learning from and sharing with these communities, she decided to launch her own fashion brand to share her passion with the world.  Daniella said part of the proceeds from the sales will go to support the manufacturers and empower local women.  Each product has its own story and its personal manufacturer’s name is known.

There is much to learn about Castellano project and details of the tribes can be obtained from her website.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Meanwhile, if you want to know more about the Si'ira belt (used as shoulder straps for the Castellano bags), Netherland-based author Mirja Wark has taken a detailed look at the history and geography of these indigenous people that form a backdrop to the central role played by textile crafts in their daily life.

This book tells the story of the si’ira and the women of the Wayuu from the dry and windy Guajira peninsula of Colombia and Venezuela who weave them to adorn loincloths worn by their men and sons.  \on the simplest of upright looms, they manipulate their warps and wefts to produce the bold designs.

The book also gives an extensive collection of woven line and pattern designs but whilst new designs are being added to this living craft, much information is often lost and interestingly the Wayuu weaver is found to work from example or memory.

The book ends with a practical guide on how to weave your own si’ira, with all its twined and pleated binding cords and colourful pompons.

Mirja Wark is an enthusiastic weaver, weaving teacher and organizer of textile tours and has written numerous articles and short notes about weaving and related subjects.

Clothing with Cheeky messages to raise funds for charity at an upcoming trade show

A range of clothing with cheeky slogans by the charity Papworth Trust will be available at the Autumn Fair at Birmingham’s NEC in September.

The fun pun-based Can Clothing range for adults and children have been a big hit since its launch last year, having been exhibited at the BBC Good Food Show and Gardener’s World Live where they won the backing of celebrity chefs including James Martin and Tom Kerridge and the public alike – with cheeky cooking and gardening phrases like ‘I’m ganaching my buns’ and a baby range which includes ‘Don’t mention my soggy bottom’.

The Can Clothing range is packaged in reusable cans, and proceeds from the sales will be used to provide essential care and support to older and disabled people and their families.

Annette Angell, fundraising manager at Papworth Trust, said: “We wanted to create a quirky and different way to fundraise – where donating wasn’t just about giving money.

“Instead you would be getting something you really loved, safe in the knowledge that all proceeds go to supporting disabled people in the UK.

Some 1,400 exhibitors and an estimated 29,000 visitors from the UK and overseas will be expected at the Autumn Fair in Birmingham which runs between 6-9 September.

UK’s freshest new models to compete in world event in China in November

The winners Chris Tydings and Charlotte Corn will go on to compete for the UK
at the Elite Model Look World Final in November held in China.

Meet new models Chris Tydings and Charlotte Corn (above) who have been selected at a special competition hosted by the Elite Model Look and British fashion brand Superdry.   The two young models will compete for the UK at the Elite Model Look World Final in November in China.
While it was in its 7th year running, it’s the first time that Superdry had teamed up with Elite Model UK as their official Fashion Partner. 

Ten finalists took to the catwalk at Superdry’s flagship store, on London’s Regent Street, to showcase the latest Superdry Collection in front of a panel of judges, which included fashion experts from the teams at Elite, Superdry and, fashion designer, TV personality and Elite Model Look UK ambassador, Oliver Proudlock.  

The event started with a champagne reception where fashion advocates, bloggers and editors were among some of the many guests who were entertained with beats from Femme while sipping on uniquely mixed Perrier based cocktails. 

The stiff competition that took place a couple of weeks ago also resulted in two extra surprise winners - Kofi Morris Heather and Elli Jordan - who will both feature in the next Superdry collection campaign.  Congratulations to all the winners.

The 10 finalists outside Superdry's flagship store at Regent Street in London.
Over the last few months, both Superdry and Elite teams scouted the UK in pursuit of finding the freshest faces to take part in the competition.

Superdry is renowned for their portfolio of critically acclaimed models, including Cindy Crawford, Ming Xi and Gisele Bündchen, and was said to be thrilled to be involved with Elite, helping young men and women enter the competitive world of fashion.  

Forget designer bags, a cool road bike is the latest must-have, says Olympic champ Trott

Judging from the enthusiasm shown over the weekend for the London-Surrey bicycle races, one can be forgiven to conclude that cycling has become a favourite national sport and the attitude to riding bicycles has certainly changed dramatically since the London 2012 Olympics.

 

Versatile folding bicycle from Dukebike

Take it from Olympic cycle champion Laura Trott in an interview last week with the Evening Standard, the image of road bikes has transformed and is today a status symbol to rival the designer bag.

Trott said when she started cycling when she was a kid, it was not popular and she felt “almost embarrassed” going down the road on her bike.  She thinks today things have certainly changed, and it has become “a craze” and considered to be “cool”.

“It’s like a designer handbag.  You spend all that money and you don’t want to ruin it.  It’s the same kind of thing,”  said Laura Trott.

Now if you’re seeking something contemporary and handy, almost as light as a handbag, cool Italian label Dudebike have created a collection of vintage folding bikes which are very on trend and awesome.

The retro-inspired but light bike with a frame made in steel is perfect for anyone who wants the freedom to take off into the countryside or fly through the city streets.

With 20 inch wheels, the Dudebike which comes in 5 colours can be easily stowed in the car or taken on public transport, and at only £275 it’s cheaper than many designer handbags.

Now available at limelace.co.uk

Sales of Bike Accessories outstrip sales of Bikes, says Mintel

La Tour de France 2015's champion Chris Froome of Great Britain in yellow jersey, winner for the second time,  with his Sky team mates cycling to victory on the final day on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on July 26th.

Speaking from the experience of a concerned wife whose husband has lately exchanged his own car for a bike as his regular commuting vehicle, I can relate to a new research just released by Mintel, the world market intelligence agency, that for many cycling loving Brits, owning a bike is simply the tip of the iceberg as today’s cyclists are splashing out more on the accessories than bikes themselves.

The Trophy Bull Bike Rack from Outline Works, is designed in the silhouette form of an iconic bull head, made from solid steel with a soft touch coating, now available at Bear & Bear.

As the report reveals, it all starts with the bike, but for some, before very long this will be swiftly followed by skin tight shorts, gloves, sunglasses and a whole host of other must have gadgets.

Indeed, the UK market for bicycle accessories, or ‘PACs’ (which Mintel defines as including bicycle parts, accessories and clothing) was valued at £1.25 billion in 2014, running rings around the £956 million Brits spent on bikes in the same year.

Vintage styled 21L durable canvas double pannier bag by Alban with multiple carry options, easily fastens to the back rack of a bicycle, but is also easy to carry thanks to a robust leather handle or detachable shoulder strap. It is constructed from durable 20oz water-resistant coated canvas that will protect the bag and its contents from any weather,
now available at Bear & Bear. 

What’s more, while sales of bikes are set to top the £1 billion mark by the end of this year, Brits will spend an even more impressive £1.35 million on PACs. Over the past five years, sales of PACs have outstripped that of the bicycles market, increasing 28% between 2010 and 2014. Meanwhile, bicycle sales have increased 23% over the same five year period. This year, the average spend on PACs among all 15.8 million cyclists is set to reach £79, while the average spend among the 11.85 million cyclists who ride once a month or more often will reach a wheel spinning £106.

While MAMILs – middle-aged men in Lycra – still rule the roads, there are an increasing number of women now taking to the saddle. Overall, over a third (36%) of Brits ride a bicycle rising to four in ten males (41%), compared to 31% of females, but the number of women taking to two wheels is gaining speed. In 2014, just over a quarter (26%) of women were cyclists. Meanwhile, one in twenty (5%) Brits ride every day, a fifth (21%) mainly cycle at the weekend and some 13% cycle to their place of education or workplace most days.

Michael Oliver, Senior Leisure and Media Analyst at Mintel, said:
“Cycling is no longer regarded simply as a cheap means of transport, a bicycle is now regarded as a lifestyle accessory, an expression of an individual in the same way as driving a premium sports car or belonging to a golf club. This is positive news for accessory suppliers, because it means that many of their potential customers are not buying on price alone, instead brand, quality and product features are also key factors influencing purchase. Ahead, the prospects for the market look extremely positive, given the expected easing of pressure on household incomes and the expectation of further growth in cycling participation levels.”

Magnetic Bicycle Indicators - waterproof
bike lights by Cycl, available at
Bear and Bear.

Amongst current cyclists, lights (27%) and locks (26%) are the most popular bicycle accessory to have been bought in the past year. These are followed by puncture repair kits (23%), water bottles (22%) and spanner or multi-tools (13%). While more specialist accessories such as cycle computers and GPS’s were purchased by one in ten (11%) cyclists, this rose to a fifth (21%) of frequent cyclists who ride most days or at least 2-3 days per week. The same was true of action or helmet cameras which were purchased by 8% of all cyclists, but twice as many (16%) frequent cyclists.

In terms of clothing, the top five purchases amongst current cyclists are: cycling helmets (22%), hi-vis jackets (18%), cycling gloves (18%), cycling shoes (13%) and cycling longs or leggings (13%). Again, purchase rises considerably amongst most frequent cyclists with almost twice as many of these cyclists buying cycling shoes (25%) and cycling gloves (33%).

Exhibition focuses on how Huguenots silk weavers inspire East London textile and fashion designers

From one common source - the rich heritage of the Huguenots silk weavers, 14 designers from East London have been inspired to design and craft unique materials and techniques to demonstrate their creativity and talent in a myriad of ways.  

Latex dress by House of Harlot as seen at the Fabrics of the City exhibition, The Cass.

The result is an exhibition called Fabrics of the City currently being held at The Cass, London Metropolitan University in Whitechapel (a stone's throw from Spitalfields and Brick Lane).  The designers were invited to participate in this unique project by Cass lecturer and curator, Gina Pierce, whose own rug design was also on display at the exhibition. 

Gina Pierce, The Cass Textile Design course leader and Fabrics of the City curator,
standing in front of her own rug design

Fabrics of the City, The Cass - until July 31st.

This Fabrics of the City exhibition – on until July 31^st – is very modest by comparison to the elaborate Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (which finishes on August 2^nd) concurrently on show at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London’s prestigious Knightsbridge, although much of these designers’ creative work at The Cass would not be out of place at the V&A event.   McQueen’s extraordinary talent to combine tailoring with cutting-edge techniques is well-documented gaining him the accolade as one of the most celebrated designers of his generation.  The common ground that these designers at The Cass exhibition have with McQueen is their ability to push boundaries and taking something historical into the contemporary world.

Close-up shot of one of the "Blankets" designed by Alison Willoughby on show at the Fabrics of the City, The Cass.

To help these designers understand well the legacy of the Huguenot Weavers, they were given first-hand access to archive material from the V&A as well as from Museum of London.  And the result is a broad spectrum of work exhibiting the breadth of their creativity and demonstrating how each designer could take different aspects or stories associated with the Huguenots' life and skillfully develop the ideas into unique pieces of work.  Enhancing the displays are photographs taken by The Cass' own resident photographer Steven Blunt showing the designers at work in their own studios.

Close-up of one of the designs by Rentaro Nishimura using 3D printer.

All Pictures by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

All the designers are based in and around Spitalfields and its neighbourhood.  Spitalfields was where the Huguenots escaping from religious persecution in France during the 16^th and 18^th centuries had settled down during the reign of Elizabeth I because they found food and housing here were cheaper, and there was more freedom from the economic controls of the guilds, according to historians.  And they brought with them their many valued skills, the Huguenots were silk weavers, silversmiths, hat makers and craftsmen of other expertise. The level of design, the range of techniques and skills and the heritage of the area continue to influence and inspire a new generation of design talent.

To read our full story on the Fabrics of the City exhibition, click HERE.

Fabrics of the City is held at The Cass, London Metropolitan University until July 31st 2015.  
It is one of the events during Huguenot Summer 2015 organised by the Huguenots of Spitalfields charity.  To find out more, click HERE.

Pre-paid card expert provides guide in time for the Summer Holidays! And travel in style with Stow London.

Topaz blue see-view pouch from Stow London now available at Harrods
and on line.

Now that school is out and many of us Brits are preparing for a holiday away, we are deciding on what form of travel money should we be purchasing.

One of the latest form of travel money currently on the market is prepaid travellers card, but how to pick the right one?

The International Currency Exchange has warned travellers to check the terms and conditions of Fx cards although experts say prepaid cards provide a safe, secure and convenient way to take your money abroad and travellers may benefit from the best exchange rate available. As with any financial product, it is still a case of considering how you will use the card and reading the small print.

In a bid to aid this process, prepaid card expert Helen Child has released a guide just in time.  If you interested in this, you can view and download Helen's guide.

Please note: The information in this guide does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research  on top to ensure it’s right for your specific circumstances.

Travel-size leather goods for ladies from Stow London.

Meanwhile if travel in luxury is your plan, Harrods is now exclusively carrying the full Stow wander-luxe collection in the Knightsbridge store. 

According to Stow London's Founder and Creative Director Carol Lovell, their wander-luxe designs are conceived in England and handcrafted by master craftsmen and artisans in Europe: butter-soft Spanish leathers in jewel tone hues, united with deep luscious Italian suedes in contrasting colours. 

Men's leather travel accessories from Stow London. 

With unique signatures and an attention to detail, each design incorporates a trademark leather zip pull in Stow orange, and includes a small separate "stowaway" envelope for secret keepsakes and mementoes.