Furious Goose launches new "the Planets" collection

In a year when planet Earth celebrates the 50th anniversary of Man landing on the moon, Brighton-based British accessories brand Furious Goose launches a new collection called simply "The Planets" to celebrate the "majesty of the solar system and planetary science in geometry, colour and pattern."

The collection of unisex cosmic scarves will have sci-fi fans and futuristic fashionistas getting all excited, featuring celestial themes ... from Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system to the auroras of Jupiter, right down to the individual statistics of each celestial body.  Made in the UK, each design was developed through pen and ink sketches, then digitally and meticulously drawn and then refined with bright colours achieving double-sided print.  Each scarf is available in 100 cm in fine Merino Wool and in 65 cm in silk twill, and also in 42 cm square allowing one to use them in a variety of ways, from silk pocket squares,  to neckerchief and headscarf, or for wrapping around a handbag's handle.

Furious Goose was founded in 2016,  created by fashion and graphic designer Patrick Morrison.

UK INDEPENDENT RETAILERS JOIN GLOBAL BRANDS IN ONLINE “FLASH SALE”

Payments innovator Clearpay - UK arm of global payments innovator Afterpay Touch Group - holds first online discount event on three continents 

Independent retailers on local UK high streets are to reap the benefits of global e-commerce this week, offering exclusive online deals alongside top fashion and retail brands in a “flash sale” for UK shoppers, according to a press release from Clearpay.

At a time when many UK high street retailers are seemingly struggling to compete with the growing popularity of online shopping, Clearpay is holding a UK flash sale this Wednesday and Thursday when discounts of up to 60% are on offer to shoppers who pay with Clearpay, and consumers can spread the purchase price over two months in four debit payments.

The UK sale will run alongside Afterpay Day in the US, Australia and New Zealand – making this one of the first exclusive online shopping events with global brands to run across three continents, with over 30,000 retailers and four million consumers.   

Clearpay is an entirely new way to pay, being interest free, quick and easy to sign up and requiring only a debit card. Since launching in the UK two months ago, a host of UK retailers have adopted it for their customers, with almost all the biggest names joining, said Clearpay.

#ClearpayDay will be a 36-hour online sale for retailers offering Clearpay to customers, including many big names like Urban Outfitters and Boohoo. Deals on offer will typically give between 25% and 30% off, but some are much higher – with Pretty Little Thing offering 60% off all Clearpay transations and Nasty Gal discounts of 50%. 

UK shoppers will also find deals from local stores and boutiques via Down Your High Street, an online marketplace for independent retailers.  Down Your High Street is offering a discounts on all purchases made with Clearpay at over 600 small high street shops.  

“This is an innovation which levels the playing field in e-commerce, giving smaller independent retailers the same opportunities as top global brands to reach millions of consumers online with great deals,”  said Carl Scheible, CEO of Clearpay. “#ClearpayDay is game-changer – the first step in making the benefits of global e-commerce available to all.” 

Clearpay’s UK roll-out is part of a rapid international expansion by Afterpay Touch Group, working with a host of global retail partners. The group’s online store directories, more established and much bigger in Australia and the US, have become a shopping destination in their own right, says the Group, referring new customers to brands using the service, adding that both referrals and overall retailer sales are boosted by its flash sale events. 

Its ambition is for consumers to buy goods from any retailer in the world on its platform. Cross Border, launched in March, allows customers to pay in their local currency, for products then shipped from oversees by the retailer. Currently on trial in Australia and New Zealand, the intention is to roll this out internationally.   

Bex Parkin's new silk scarves in tropical style

One can never have too many scarves, especially when packing for a summer get-away, so I welcome British artist Bex Parkin’s beautiful new collection of 100% silk scarves in her tropical illustrated style.

A selection of 100% silk scarves by Bex Parkin.

Bex is well known for her prints of exotic jungles and animals, often with botanical elements, using luxury fabrics with her bold, colourful illustrations.

Bex Parkin's "Prickly Pear" 100% silk scarf.

The idea for the new collection came from wanting to provide an alternative to traditional scarves with fun patterns juxtaposed with quirky images, sometimes seemingly random patterns, other times in symmetrical arrangements.

Bex Parkin's Circus silk scarf.

Bex Parkin's "Cheetah" silk scarf.

As a freelance illustrator and designer, based in rural Staffordshire, Bex had previously worked in various artistic jobs in London but it was her work sourcing vintage and antique textiles for the fashion industry that really sparked off her love of print, pattern and colour.   Bex is also happy to take on commission work.

Each scarf is made in the UK and measures 63cm square and comes in a gift box with a giclee print of the design inside, all available on her website. 

A Botanical Leopard giclée art print by Bex Parkin is shown here.

Memorabalia from The Shining on show at Stanley Kubrick, The Exhibition at the Design Museum

Apollo 11 jumper - the original worn by Danny Lloyd who played Danny Torrance, the young boy in The Shining, the thriller  directed by Stanley Kubrick.  Descriptions at the Design Museum exhibition credited the sweater to American director Lee Unkrich, who lives in Kentfield, California.

Photo by Lucia Carpio.

CafePress has 2019 adult versions in sweatshirts and Tees, named after Danny, currently available on Amazon. 

As we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Man landing on the Moon, it was wonderful to see this hand-knitted sweater - featuring an Apollo 11 rocket - worn by young Danny Lloyd who played Danny Torrance (son of Jack Nicholson's character) in the Stanley Kubrick 1980 thriller The Shining.  It is one of the many exhibits on show at the Design Museum in London, in the magnificent Stanley Kubrick, The Exhibition currently running until 15 September.  The memorable scenes in The Shining feature 5-year-old Danny in the Apollo jumper riding his tricycle in the haunting corridors of the Overlook Hotel when suddenly he encounters the ghosts of twin girls who had been murdered in the hotel. 

Dresses and shoes worn by Lisa and Louise Burns as Grady's daughters, from the Stanley Kubrick Archive, University of the Arts London.
Picture taken at an exhibition at the Design Museum, featuring original costumes used in
Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, and all of the great director's great movies.

Photo by Lucia Carpio.

Further research revealed that according to British actor Leon Vitali, who was personal assistant of Mr Kubrick at that time, Danny's sweater was knitted by a friend of award-wining costume designer Milena Canonero, who had worked with Kubrick on a number of movies including The Shining.  Vitali said in a 2017 interview in The Guardian that  Canonero thought the jumper was "just the sort of thing that a kid that age would have liked."

Tom Dixon to launch "TouchySmellyFeelyNoisyTasty" hub during London Design Festival in September

Between September 14 and 22 2019, one of London's foremost shopping and cultural destinations at the regenerated King’s Cross will be an official London Design Festival (LDF) Design District and is set to be one of the top destinations during the festival with an array of exciting events and activities open to the public.

British designer Tom Dixon, whose headquarters is in the distinctive Coal Office of King's Cross (shown above), will be introducing what he calls "TouchySmellyFeelyNoisyTasty" as he turns his hub into a multi-sensory lab with a series of talks, workshops, events and parties taking place in the shop, factory, restaurant and gallery.  While sight is not included in his headline, it is a sense that is implicated through the design of the products that will surely enrich our life experiences.

Tom Dixon briefing members of the press at his headquarters in July, introducing his new range of fragrances.
The scents have been crated to capture the essence of travelling, trading,
and the nostalgic past within the future of British life.

Tom Dixon will be launching new products to his vast range of interior designs, among them two new fragrances: Underground and Alchemy, the latest additions to the bestselling Eclectic collection, a range of fragrance started a few years ago structured around the exotic smells of London, Royalty and Orientalist.  

This year, they refresh the vessel form with an elegant, new slim "waisted" metal container formed of copper, nickel and brass, and have added two more refined perfumes under the names of Underground and Alchemy.

The range will be on display in the ‘Perfumery’ Arch in September. 

The candles will be available in a range of new sizes, including mini ones in a gift set. 

A talk and workshop led by Tom Dixon's fragrance partner, International Flavors & Fragrances, will take place in the Perfumery and will offer an insight into the processes behind creating the new scents and the inspiration behind the ingredients.

‘TouchySmellyFeelyNoisyTasty’ will take place from the 14th – 22nd September at the Coal Office and will be open to the public with free entry. Private events will be by-invitation only.

Photos © Lucia Carpio 2019

Sailor Jerry X Bad Monday collaboration is now Live!

Congratulations to Sailor Jerry and Bad Monday.  Their collaboration Tees, sweats and hoodies have only recently launched and they are selling well.  

British brand Bad Monday teamed up with Sailor Jerry rum to design a capsule collection for this summer, which is inspired and designed with sketches reminiscent of a by-gone era with a twist of Bad Monday.  

Many of the sketches for the prints call to mind the work of an American tattoo artist Norman Keith Collins, who was known for his sailor-themed tattoos.

As for Bad Monday,  founded by Mark Avey and wife Alice, they have made their name by working with and evolving the “traditional” tattoo style on their Tees, featuring eye-catching, colourful and blocky designs, while their slogan “Inspired by Ink” leaves scope for adaptation in design genre leaving them plenty of room to evolve and expand as well.  The brand was started in their garage in leafy Hertfordshire, UK.  

All products can be found on Sailor Jerry's website.  Just make sure you are of the ripe old age.

Colour comes in many forms, by way of Pad Lifestyle at Harvey Nichols

Scottish boutique Pad Lifestyle has set up a concession at Harvey Nichols, bringing a profusion of carefully curated design-led home and interior décor finds to the heart of London luxury shopping of Knightsbridge.

Among the wide selection of designs set up on the 4th floor of the department store are home products from Jonathan Adler
such as this pop-art cum counter-culture quirky cushion.

This LSD cushion above features hand-beading on linen ground crafted in an artisanal workshop in India where a master beader took nearly 100 hours to create. Beads of varying heights and patterns within patterns create a sense of depth and dimension. The result is part pop art, part textile triumph.

Also wonderful are these fine Espresso cups and saucer sets in bright colours from Dutch brand Pols Potten, made in glazed porcelain, as well as coordinating mix-and-match cake plates in similarly eclectic pattern.

Meanwhile from Reflections Copenhagen is a selection of crystal table wares, such as these T-light/candle holders in bold geometric shapes, interplaying different gem colours to bring a sense of luxurious elegance to any homes in the city.

All  Photos © Lucia Carpio 2019 at Pad Lifestyle, Harvey Nichols. 

Sccop London draws European brands such as Mhudi and Kyomai

London is an aspirational market for emerging European brands.

At Scoop, held at Saatchi Gallery this week (until July 23)  in the heart of London, Italian label Mhudi's designer Francesca Passeri hopes her own range of headwear made with selected fabrics will bring Italian know-how, culture and crafts from to London, a city she loves.  Her speciality lies in her ability to choose coordinating or contrasting fabrics for reversible designs which would give the wearer flexibility.  Some of the designs are shaped like a beanie hat, another is like a turban with interesting twisted fabrics and decorations.  Others are like headbands.


Another brand eyeing the British market is French label Kyomai, which uses traditional Obi belts or sashes to created clutch bags handmade in France. 

Nicolas Amouroux, president of the company, had lived in Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital, for some years and was a collector of the Obi fabrics worn traditionally with kimonos.  Since his return to France, he had decided to turn his passion to good use.

His communication manager Julia Drouet was happy to showcase a couple of designs to coordinate with her kimono-inspired jacket she was wearing at Scoop.  The bags come with a chain for added functional flexibility.

Each Obi belt features uniquely jacquard silk woven with gold, silver and platinum threads.  One belt can be transformed into 3 - 5 clutchbags.  Each bag is also numbered and thus limited editions thus ideal as collector's items.

All photos© Lucia Carpio 2019.

FatFace launches new Sustainable Swimwear range this summer

Just the answers for this heatwave we are having in the UK and much of Europe, if you  can get away to somewhere nice to take a dip and keep cool.  And they are kind to our planet too. 

UK multi-chain retailer FatFace has launched an eco-friendly swimwear range made from recycled fibres.

The printed and colourful swimwear - designed to flatter the wearer from pool side to the beach - are produced  using a special fibre from Korean company Hyosung. 

Its MIPAN® regen fibre is made from recycled nylon  which significantly reduces energy consumption.

MIPAN® regen is a reclaimed nylon yarn made by recycling pre-consumer waste, an eco-friendly product that has acquired CONTROL UNION's Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification.  

MIPAN® regen is one of Hyosung’s portfolio of sustainable nylon, polyester fibres, energy saving products to meet the consumer’s need for multi-functional and eco friendly clothing.

FatFace presently has more than 200 stores and a fast growing e-commerce website to serve domestic as well as international markets.

All photos from FatFace/Hyosung.

Saying it with Fairtrade flowers!

This bouquet from ethical florist Arena Flowers, mixes peach and yellow roses with hot pink carnations 

and elegant eucalyptus, projecting a vibrant summer vibe.

Every order received is arranged and hand-tied by their florists to create a unique bouquet.

Photo by Lucia Carpio

Received recently a lovely bunch of flowers of which I was told was provided by Arena Flowers, a UK ethical florist that carries an official FAIRTRADE mark which means they adhere to strict Fairtrade Standards on economic, environmental and social requirements.

For more than a decade, Arena Flowers has been working directly with growers in UK and the world and only sources ethically to bring flowers that is Fairtrade, or British, or directly from the farmers themselves to their customers.  The company has been ranked as the UK's most ethical florist, with a perfect 100 score in 2019 on the Ethical Company Index.  And for every bouquet sold, Arena Flowers plant one tree in countries experiencing deforestation.

Floor cushions inspired by Moroccan terracotta tiles

Silk twill and velvet zellige print Moroccan floor cushion

BIVAIN, founded by Megha Lohia and Rachel Fong, are celebrating the rich culture of Morocco by capturing the distinctive patterns of Moroccan terracotta tiles on silk Zellige Indigo tasselled cushions featuring coloured circle overlays on the zellige design.

The design was inspired by Moroccan Zellige floor tiles.   The cushions comes in three colourways. 

With dimensions of 25” x 25” (63 cm x 63 cm) the cushions can be used as floor cushions or oversized cushion

Irregular shade variations and geometric flaws in the tiles give character to the pattern.

Founded in 2016, BIVAIN is a contemporary interior and accessories brand offering objects of desire with an edge, according to the Central Saint Martins-trained designers Megha Lohia and Rachel Fong, who worked for brands including Agent Provocateur and Zac Posen prior to launching the London-based brand BIVAIN  derived from the words ‘to be vain’

Specialising in cushions and pocket squares, the collections are exclusively produced by highly-skilled craftsmen using the finest materials, said the designers who "draw inspiration from the sensory experiences of international wanderlust."

Madrid Fashion Week from 5 - 10 July was a festival of Spanish fashion

A new edition of the  Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid held 5 - 10 July was regarded as the great festival of Spanish fashion, organised by IFEMA, bringing together the best of current Spanish design. This year the event includes 42 leading designers and Spanish brands- including Palomo Spain, Devota&Lomba, Maria Escoté, Maria Ke Fisherman and Oliva -  and three emerging international firms, which for six days will star in a veritable celebration of Spanish fashion, highlighting their different aesthetic approaches, as well as their richness and creative diversity.

The event will be held at IFEMA-Feria de Madrid and at other venues in the city. It will start on 5 July with events in different parts of Madrid, and from Saturday 6 July to Wednesday 10 July at IFEMA-Feria de Madrid Pavilion 14.1, with almost every day ending with shows in other locations and the direct participation of leading designers and brands, as in previous years. On Sunday 7 July the IFEMA designers' shows will begin

Among the new attractions this year, the growth and internationalisation of the Samsung Ego platform stands out, giving room to three brands, two of which are international, a benchmark in the world of fashion for their ground-breaking proposals. 

On 5 July the shows and presentations will be held in different parts of the city, while from 6 July IFEMA-Feria de Madrid's Pavilion 14.1 will be the main stage, with each day concluding with presentations in other locations. 

Among the highlights, the Samsung EGO shows will open the catwalk calendar on Saturday 6 July at IFEMA Pavilion 14.1.  On July 8 at 1:45 pm, MBFWMadrid will pay homage to Leonor Perez Pita, better known as Cuca Solana, the recently deceased catwalk director for over thirty years.   Another development is the implementation of the L'Oréal Paris-Because You're Worth It, that the cosmetics firm will stage to celebrate 20 years of support for Spanish fashion. The winning designers from these two decades of the Awards will be taking part.

Premiere Vision Paris takes over the reins of TexSelect to support textile creation and design

Premiere Vision Paris takes over the reins of TexSelect to support textile creation and design

Première Vision Paris attracts some 60,000 trade visitors, fashion and textile professionals from around the world and international members press and media to each of their bi-annual seasonal events.
The next PV Paris will take place 17 - 19 September 2019 in Parc des Expositions, Paris.
Photo by Lucia Carpio.

A couple of  months ago news got out that the not-for-profit organisation TexSelect (previously known as TexPrint) was to  wind up after more than 40 years of nurturing, mentoring and supporting British-trained textile and design talents due to funding challenges and the retirement of long-standing management executives. 

Now industry professionals can feel a sense of relieve with the announcement that the Paris-based Premiere Vision Group, organiser of the world's leading sourcing events for fashion professionals, will continue its support for emerging textile designers through an agreement with TexSelect that will build on the talent search programme's legacy with an international perspective from 2020.

The P.V. Group will take over as champion of new graduate talent when TexSelect completes its voluntary winding up at the end of the year.  Further announcements will be made about the future structure of the talent selection scheme under Premiere Vision's auspices during the September 2019 edition at Premiere Vision Paris in Parc des Expositions.  The two organisations have run in parallel for nearly 50 years, share a common objective of supporting creativity in textile design.

"Both Premiere Vision and TexSelect view knit, print, weave and mixed media innovators as being a vital, creative force in the advancement of textile and apparel design, "says Gilles Lasbordes,  (at left) managing director of Premiere Vision Group.  "Premiere Vision is committed to giving new designers space and support between university and the launch of their professional practice."

Barbara Kennington, TexSelect's honorary chairman (at right) explains:" Over recent years, we have had a tough time raising the funds required to run the scheme.  At the same time, many of our loyal management team are retiring."

"As a major sponsor and host of the TexSelect design village, we spoke with our colleagues at Premiere Vision about our intention to windup the charity at the end of 2019.  We are delighted that Premiere Vision has been so forthcoming and will create new opportunities for young designers when TexSelect in its current form closes."

Premiere Vision Group is the global leader in upstream, creative fashion trade shows.  From 15 Lyon-based weavers in the early 1970s to more than 2,000 exhibitors at PV Paris today, the group's strategy has remained to support the development of the international fashion industry and major market evolutions through its services and 12 events per year, to which has been added a unique online sourcing tool:  Premiere Vision Marketplace, managed by the company's subsidiary, Premiere Vision Digital.

The next PV Paris will take place 17 - 19 September 2019 in Parc des Expositions, Paris.  The show encompasses textiles, leather, yarns, fabric design, haberdashery and accessories,  knits finished goods and manufacturing. 

All photos by Lucia Carpio.

Li-Ning on the international stage at Paris Men's Fashion Week

In China, Li-Ning is an iconic  and successful sports brand named after their star Olympian.

China's iconic sports brand Li-Ning, named after the Chinese star Olympian,

will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2020.

And now its ambition is to conquer the world, especially after a successful introduction in its home country at retailers like Lane Crawford. Li-Ning’s elevated runway collection, now in its fourth season, continues to expand its global distribution at a range of high-end retailers and specialty sneaker boutiques including KITH, SSENSE, LN-CC, Slam Jam, END Clothing, Oki-Ni, Selfridges, and END Clothing to name a few.

The sports brand has now presented for the second time at Paris Men’s Fashion Week. This season the event was in a show space inside the Lycée Turgot in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris.  Within the custom set, graphics from the collection adorned the hyper-colour, multi-layer walls; with seating arranged in a maze-like format.

Models walked the labyrinth to an eclectic Chinese soundtrack, ’90s hip hop, and abstract Jazz, revealing the collection to a front-row crowd that included world champion skier Eileen Gu, Chinese performer Ayunga, singer Can Chengyu, and Lucas Jagger, as well as Mr. Li-Ning himself, who took in the show alongside his daughter Xiaoyan.

Mr. Li-Ning at the Paris catwalk alongside his daughter Xiao-yan.

Li-Ning finds the inspiration for its latest collection in ping-pong—or simply known as table tennis in the West, the Chinese national sport that commands a fervor greater than basketball, baseball, or soccer and one in which China has won 28 of 32 Olympic gold medals since its introduction in 1988.

For Spring/Summer 2020, the simple ping-pong polo informed the design direction of the entire collection, which offers easy shapes and voluminous silhouettes cut away from the body.

For an airy look, Li-Ning has used a set of new, ultra-lightweight fabrics for an array of coats and shirts, trousers and shorts, bags and accessories and footwear. 

In its styling and coloruways, the collection fused nostalgia and futurism.

SS20 highlights include deconstructed, zip-away Mackintosh coats trimmed in contrasting piping and affixed with patches, layered paperweight anoraks in contrasting tones of khaki and yellow, oversized polo—short or long-sleeved, striped, patterned, patched, piped, open V-neck, or zip-neck with vintage-inspired circular pulls. The breezy look carried through to the women’s range: females wore long tennis dresses darted with contrast stitching, as well as zip-away track coats and waisted track dresses. And for all genders, Li-Ning reimagined its signature garment—the track suit—in a wild range of colors, materials, and techniques, each of them at home on the ping-pong courts of yesterday or today.

Across all apparel, Li-Ning made strong use of vintage-inspired graphics including repeating paddle prints, abstract collages, comic book sketches, and the critical number 11, which was assigned to Mr. Li during the 1984 Summer Olympics.