Brazilian brand Havaianas presents six Mediterranean themed flip-flops with three designers

Warm summer months conjure up images of loose casual dressing and airy footwear.  Nothing is more summer than slipping on a pair of flip-flops and enjoying time in the sun.

Among my favourite pass-times is lazying around the pool or kicking up sand along beaches in a pair of Havainans, the go-to Brazilian brand for stylish flip-flops.  They are always packed in my holiday bag for destinations around the world.

Now I hear Havaianas have launched a special project called Local Soul whereby local artists in 3 Mediterranean destinations, notably Ibiza, Tel Aviv and Mykonos, are given the opportunity to use Havaianas as a canvas to showcase their design and inspiration.

The brand will also be taking over a beach venue in each place for the whole summer to bring a touch of Brazil to the Mediterranean, with a special music session each week, and one very special headline event in each location over the summer.

All 3 locations have been chosen because of their vibrant landscapes and atmosphere, their beach location and their cool vibes.

Each of the artists brings a different art form and take on the project to showcase the three destinations.

Rafi Perez from Tel Aviv, a native of this city and is known for his colourful artworks focusing on the city itself and the lively LGBTQ community who live and visit the city, present landscapes of the city in vibrant colours.  His designs are shown above and here on the left.

Athenian Marina Vernicos, however, takes her photographic inspiration from the beauty of Mykonos whose seascapes, architecture and landscape all serve as muses for her work. Her works are shown here on the right and below.

Finally, fashion and textile designers of the World Family Ibiza who focus on embroidery play on the warmth of the island and the iconic xyz rock as seen from the beach where Alok and Merel first met over 30 years ago.   Their designs are shown on the right and below.

The 6 pairs of Havaianas  flip-flops (2 per location - all shown here) are only available to buy from selected retailers in either Ibiza, Tel Aviv or Mykonos – so if you are lucky enough to be visiting these special places over the summer one of these could be an exclusive souvenir of your trip!

Havaianas has been producing flip-flops in Brazil since 1962.

Mary-Ann Watt features her unique paintings on desirable homeware and gifts

British artist Mary-Ann Watt has launched an online shop selling a selection of homeware and gifts featuring her unique paintings of realistic flowers.  By concentrating on presenting close-ups of a single flower or a bud about to blossom or a flowering branch, her paintings are intimate yet bold, giving her range of products a contemporary style.

Explained Mary-Ann, "Long before I started my business I was always looking for homewares that would complement the soft greys and greens of my home but I could never find anything.  And I knew from speaking to friends that I was not alone.  So using my paintings as a starting point I decided to create my own range which would be stylish, very high quality, but above all, really beautiful - things tht people would want to have in their homes.  I am incredibly proud of the results."


Having studied art
at school,  Mary-Ann focused on building a home and a family in her 20s and 30s and it was only until in her late 30s that Mary-Ann started dabbling again, painting large, contemporary bold an colourful pictures she could hang at home.

Fine bone china mugs, hand decorated and fired in Stoke on Trent, feature images of beautiful pom pom flowers

by Mary-Ann Watt. 

Cotton cushion individually hand-painted with pink blossoms by Mary-Ann Watt.

It was an obvious leap she made from her paintings to a range of homeware including placemats and aprons, cushion covers, trays, fine bone china mugs and jugs as well as greeting cards and postcards. If you like her art, framed prints and original paintings are also sold in her website.

Mary-Ann has now enlisted her marketing consultant husband to look after the sales and marketing side of the business so she can concentrate on the creative aspects.  Now business is flourishing and she has plans to extend her range of products.  She said the majority of her suppliers are small UK businesses as the personal relationships an the high quality of their work are both key to maintaining the signature look and feel of the artist.

Twisted Twee's parent and child matching Tees form a perfect pair

Father's Day is just round the corner! 

The picture of an ice cream is completed when parent gives
their offspring a piggy back. 
It is hand printed using flock fabric that feels
textural on 100% organic t shirts.

Although I find dads generally are not so difficult to please, it can still be tricky to find the perfect gift for Father’s Day.

For the inseparable father-and-child, Twisted Twee founder Suzi Warren has got just the right idea and she has cleverly captured her new piggy back twinsets with these fabulous pics featured on her Twisted Twee website.

Suzi took the pics herself and says it only took her 10 minutes to do the shots in Oxford with friends - toddler Sky and Chichi - modelling for her.  They are images of happy bonding doing great every-day fun things, like stopping by the ice-cream van, going to the playground and shopping.

The parent (or grandparent) and child Tee shirts match up to form a complete picture when the infant sits on its parents' shoulders.

In this parent-and-child series are the Balloon and String, Ice Cream and Cone, LO and VE, and a swarm of bees and a hive.

The picture of a hive is completed with a swarm of bees when dad or mum gives their offspring a piggy back. 

The organic Tees are hand-printed using flock fabric that is textural and will also retain its colour while lasting countless washings, says Suzi who founded Twisted Twee in 2003, and is known for creating “original, surprising, witty, well-made gifts.”

The team is made up of a bunch of lovely mum friends working out of a garden shed in Camden, London, according to Suzi, who are "Responsible for such marvels as Political Nappy Covers, Vintage IKEA bags, Bad Bunting and PMT Pants."


Suzi who's also the designer at Twisted Twee adds: "Orders are packed for free inside a reusable cotton gift bag and on request we are happy to write personal messages on beautiful V&A Museum cards at no extra cost."

UK's Elephant Head partners with charity Aham Bhumika of India to help rural women artisans make a self-sufficient living

'Gond deer' hand-embroidered cushion cover  in cotton with tie-back fastening from The Elephant Head.The design is inspired by gond art (a tribal art form of Central India), and hand embroidered by rural women artisans, supported by the charity Aham Bhumika, in Bhopal India.

Self sufficiency and a better future for rural women artisans.  That is the aim of  UK-based online store, The Elephant Head, which  is committed to promoting sustainable working practices in India by partnering with Indian charity, Aham Bhumika.

'The turbaned Indian man' hand embroidered cushion cover.
 It is inspired by a Kisan, a stereotypical, bidi-smoking farmer
 with a big turban and exaggerated moustache.

The homeware and artisan craft store is offering a range of cushion covers, each hand-embroidered by an artisan from a village on the outskirts of Bhopal, India, as part of The Embroidery Project, an Aham Bhumika initiative.

Based in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh in India, Aham Bhumika is a Non-Government Organisation that works to equip underprivileged women living in rural areas with the skills they need to earn a living and become self-sufficient. So far, The Embroidery Project has taught more than 30 women to create products such as saris, tote bags and cushion covers which they can then sell to generate an income, according to The Elephant Head founder Arathi.

'Sadvi- the lady monk' hand embroidered cushion.

''Our homeware blend in with contemporary homes while respecting authentic and traditional art and craft. All our products, created by independent, small-scale artisan groups, co-ops and workshops, are practical, beautiful and crafted with love using local materials and time-honoured skills. That’s certainly the case with the Aham Bhumika charity-made cushion covers. And, we believe our customers will love them. Their quality and attention to detail make them a wonderful and unique addition to any home, or business." said Aarathi.

There are ten different designs of cushion covers to choose from, each measures 16 X 16 inches, made from cotton, and has a tie-back fastening so it can be easily removed for washing.
Many of the designs on the cushion covers are inspired by Gond art, a tribal art form of Central India.

Vintage Cushions showcasing The Botanical Collection at "Make It British" in London

Vintage Cushions, launched by Nichollette Yardley-Moore, whose bespoke cushions are made from vintage fabrics are often described as "art on your couch", will be showcasing a range called The Botanical Collection during the Make It British Live event at the Islington Business Design Centre in London on May 29th and 30th.  

The Botanical Collection have been created from fine silk in an opulent range of complimentary colours with a spirit of fantasy for a  whimsical or naturalistic backdrop.

Nichollette's collections feature an eclectic range of original vintage fabrics alongside complimentary and contemporary trimmings. She has sourced a wealth of original fabrics, ranging from mid-century textiles to some very rare silk scarves for her unique cushions. 

Each comes with a personally hand written luggage label describing the fabric used, along with its year of manufacture and the provenance, whilst on the reverse side are the care details and instructions.

"Many of the cushions would feature mis-matched opposite sides, offering a subtle or striking alternative," according to Nichollette.

"Gardening will Save the World" explored the importance of sustainable urban farming at Chelsea Flower Show

While food is a crucial part of everyday life, one of the ways to help us maintain a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle while not wasting food is to grow plants and vegetables in our own home.

“Gardening is unique in its universal appeal and its transformational power. Without plants and more planting, we are all in trouble,” said Tom Dixon.

Showing at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show which took place 21 May 2019 – 25 May 2019 in London, British design guru Tom Dixon's design and innovations agency - Design Research Studio, in collaboration with Ikea showcased what could be the future of urban farming.

In order to find solutions that can be used to grow plants and vegetables at home and beyond, they  designed and realised an experimental model for growing plants in the urban environment.

The garden - split into two levels and featuring over 4,000 plants - demonstrated how people can contribute to the movement of growing food at home and make a difference to reducing food waste, as well as communicating the beauty and functional importance of horticulture, through both traditional knowledge and the latest in growing innovation.

The base layer was a horticultural laboratory where hydroponic technology was implemented, and the raised garden was a botanic oasis with a natural aesthetic for visitors to immerse themselves in.

Tom Dixon says, "Aiming to give back to cities and create productive landscapes within urban zones, the garden includes a raised modular landscape with edible and medicinal plants and an enclosed based garden fuelled by hydroponic systems and controllable lighting.’

The exhibition also offered an exclusive look at some of the first prototypes that Tom Dixon has designed on urban growing, which will be available globally at IKEA stores in 2021.

Grown vertically around a central stem, vegetables, herbs and salad leaves are grown with aeroponic technology where nutrient-rich water is sprayed on the roots.

After the Chelsea Flower Show, the garden is to be donated to the charity Participatory City and moved to Barking and Dagenham in East London.

Italian sculpter Lorenzo Quinn's Building Bridges in Venice.

This impressive sculpture named Building Bridges by renowned contemporary Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn has been installed in the basin of the Arsenale in the Castello District of Venice.

Lorenzo Quinn's Building Bridges, Venice Biennale 2019 on May 10, 2019 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Halcyon Art International)

Building Bridges is composed of six pairs of monumental arms with touching hands,  each pair measuring 15 metres high and 20 metres wide. Billed as the pinnacle of Quinn’s artistic expression to date, the spectacular sculpture speaks to humanity’s commonality, with an emphasis of bridging differences in all aspects of life – geographically, philosophically, culturally and emotionally, according to the artist.

The official unveiling of Building Bridges took place in Venice on the evening of 9 May 2019 with the extraordinary participation of Andrea Bocelli, a musical performance by pianist Lola Astanova, and the presence of the Mayor of Venice, dignitaries and the general public.

Lorenzo Quinn's Building Bridges, Venice Biennale 2019
unveiled on May 10, 2019 in Venice, Italy.
(Photo by David M. Benett
/Dave Benett/ Getty Images for Halcyon Art International)

Lorenzo Quinn, whose work is inspired by such masters as Michelangelo, Bernini and Rodin, said: “Venice is a World Heritage City and it is the city of bridges. It is the perfect location to spread a message of world unity and peace so that more of us around the world build bridges with others rather than walls and barriers.”

“Each pair of the sculpture’s hands celebrate one of six universal human values: Friendship, to build on the future together; Wisdom, to make mutually beneficial decisions; Help, to cement lasting relationships; Faith, to trust in your heart and self-worth; Hope, to persevere in worthwhile endeavours; and Love, the fundamental purpose for it all.”

Presently Quinn has a one-man exhibition - Possibilità  - at the Halcyon Gallery on New Bond Street, London, which is open to the public until 30 June 2019.

President of Halcyon Gallery Paul Green said: “Lorenzo Quinn has always spoken a universal language, wherever in the world his artwork is placed it creates an immediate impact, whether it be in Mumbai, Venice, New York or Shanghai. Building Bridges is his most ambitious project to date both in scale and thought, and will send a unifying message of hope around the world.” 

The Halcyon Gallery has represented Quinn’s work for the past twenty years. With three galleries in London, Halcyon specialises in modern and contemporary art, and works closely with emerging and established international artists to produce world-class art exhibitions that translate to a global audience.