Kitsune Maison meets Ponystep Magazine

Bound to be a fabulous dressing up box extravaganza, the bank holiday event at Heaven by french fashion and record label Kitsune in conjunction with Ponystep Magazine is one not to be missed. Not a house music fanatic myself, but looking forward to special guest Roisin Murphy! Definitely a fantastic excuse to get super duper dressed up! Destined to be brilliant people watching material. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157143421011764

The Poachers Pocket

After having caused a massive storm with their pop up restaurant at the Towner & Hoxton Gallery last year, The Poachers Pocket are back with a unique dining experience themed around a country lodge style setting! Their bank holiday dinner event parties are bound to be fabulous, so get your walking boots on, or don your best tweed. I will be sure to report back following a visit. What the guys at the Puppet Masters say about it... In days gone by, when times were hard, country folk would forage and poach to feed their family. We’ve taken these traditions, fused them with all of the best things Hackney has to offer and created The Poachers Pocket. Come and taste our game based grub and sample our cocktails straight from the poacher’s flask. There will be lots of surprises, unique activities and you may even get a story straight from the poacher’s mouth.

Shakuhachi Lovin It!

Totally loving some key pieces from the label Shakuhachi, their denim mixed tone corset top, wood print heel boots and suede flare shorts are really doing it for me! Check out the collection on Nasty Gal http://www.shopnastygal.com/brands/Shakuhachi.html

House of Hackney Pop Up Shop

Thursday evening felt like Spring had finally arrived, lots of people in the streets and a generally lovely atmosphere. I had a really nice day too, after going to Milton Keynes for a meeting, It was late in the day so rather than going back to work, I met some colleagues and friends and headed over to Stoke Newington Rd for the House of Hackney Pop Up Store, really unusual and fabulous marketing idea, the East London interior design and homeward brand House of Hackney, had made over a vacant victorian home into a beautiful static display of furnishings and decor. No wonder the likes of Vogue editorial team, and Henry Holland graced its opening event. Downstairs in the basement floor was an eclectic victorian style tea room hosted by artisan baker Lilly Vanilly. The passionfruit fruit tar was scrumptious and the absynth ice-cream was unusually delicious. Pomegranate tea was also a treat. 


H O U S E O F H A C K N E Y reworks and subverts the concept of traditional British homewares product with playful and irreverent in house collections. Described as ‘Colfax and Fowler on acid’ House of Hackney breaks the traditional rules for interiors and fashion rules are applied instead. The inaugural collections Dalston Rose, Queen Bee and are inspired by Victorian Hackney in modern times. 


You can visit the shop until Sunday April 3, open 10-7. 76 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 7XB

www.houseofhackney.com

Minx Nail Art

Recently came across this very exciting new nail trend... Minx! Basically these are nail wraps, and are available in a multitude of prints and block colours. In addition I have heard you can upload your own designs and came them sent to you! The nail wraps are heated then adhered easily to the nails, and the excess wrap is then simply filed off for a long lasting high gloss nail patterned look! I am already thinking of lots of different designs I would like to create myself such as an aztec print and cute little images of rainbows, hearts and stars. To get me started I have purchased some cheetah print minx wraps on bay, along with a 'hoof slick', I hear from a video tutorial that the hoof stick is key to achieving a good result. You usually are supposed to use a specialised infrared light to heat up the wraps, but I actually intend to cheat as I have been told that actually a hairdryer does the trick. Minx nail wraps start at about £10 but I hear that they last around 6 weeks, or even longer on toes.

Rock the Belles

Last Friday night the 25th March, I joined some of my lovely friends and co-comittee members from the Shoreditch Sisters W.I and we organised a vintage makeover area to raise money for Japan at East Village's new night Rock the Belle's, an all female DJ night. You can see me in the middle in the photo, I was really liking my ethically made dress, but I can tell you now it was a big mistake to wear a wooly dress in a packed nightclub! We weren't the only attraction at the events, we were joined by Rock the Belles photoshoots, Wah Nails did nail art, live female PA's from Scarlet and of course a great crowd, and nice venue (great decor since they renovated, there was even an old seven 11 wall).  Was lots of fun, despite the makeover area we had being a bit dark due to a general lack of lighting, Tara Starlet did some really cool 50's style hair-do's as well which were super popular! Shoreditch Sisters is a W.I which has much younger members than the traditional W.I's do, and yet still loves to organise traditional activities such as sewing, crafts and baking! In today's current economic climate, it makes sense to make your own things though, from hair accessories to fabric painting, there's so much one can do to jazz up an old item that was destined for the charity store.  In fact we recently make old vintage books into notebooks by covering the inner pages with scrap blank paper and decorating the covers, was lots of fun and made a very unique journal! The meetings are held every 4th tuesday of the month at Concrete (under pizza east, at the tea building, shoreditch) and are open to members and non members (non members pay £3) so if it sounds like your cup of tea, you should join us, but come early as meetings get jam packed (excuse the pun!) also, worth checking out our Facebook group by searching for the shoreditch sisterhood.

Mrs Jones Wants You

I was at the Mrs Jones fashion sale and party yesterday, and had an amazing time looking through the beautiful vintage statement pieces, having a drink of some really delicious fruity punch, and enjoying the view from the rooftop of the eclectic hidden location, vintage emporium located on St John's Street, just round the corner from my agency off St John's Sq actually, so I stopped by after work.  Didn't stay for long, and now just can't wait to return and actually try on and buy some glamourous items from the fabulous selection on offer by Fee, the mastermind designer behind outfits worn by the likes of Kylie.  The most impressive items included sheer playsuits, amazing jackets (there was an aztec one I can't stop obsessing over now!) and a truly unique selection of vintage sunglasses. Also, was excited to see that there is now also hair styling on offer, what a perfect place to get ready for a night out! 100% have to return asap. Mrs Jones is located at 71 St John's Street, Clerkenwell, and the nearest tube is Farringdon, totally worth a visit!

Elnaz Niknani and Tara Starlet

Two of my beautiful friends, but far more importantly, two fabulous designers to watch. Elnaz Niknani is an upcoming designer luminaire whose staple stud and crystal adorned leggings and jackets have been named as must haves by the likes of Alice Delal and Russian Vogue! While Tara Starlet is the face and brand of vintage inspired label which, designed by mother and daughter duo from their hackney studio, graces the rails of topshop and the bodies of celebs such as Duffy! Both are looking fantastic in this snap photo taken at the Alex Noble show. Tara's outfit is a perfect example of how the maxi pleats trend, combined with this season's 'can't live without' item, the silk blouse, make a perfect daytime combo.  The camel coat adds balance and wearability.
I'm also loving Elnaz's clownesque neckline in juxtaposition with her trademark adorned jacket and leggings. Her leggings collection, full of fabulous studded and sheer affairs is available to purchase at the asos marketplace, though at only 100 pounds a pop, those leggings while fly off the shelves in no time!  Check out http://elnazniknani.com/ and http://www.tarastarlet.com/

Sent from my HTC

Ponystep Magazine Launches

East-end legendary club promoter - founder of boombox - and online magazine Ponystep, Richard Mortimer, is going print, with what is set to be a firm coffee table favourite magazine, an eclectic fashion spectacular with a focus on eccentric personalities!

Read more at http://fashionsmostwanted.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-magazine-youll-want-to-read.html to find out why new glossy bi-annual magazine Ponystep is the new must have to accompany a good cuppa and guilty chocolate bar. Loving Jerry Hall on the cover in YSL too!

Pastel Palette S/S

Just loving the off kilter nudes, and pastels cropping up as stand-a-lone's or complementary partner's to some of S/S's more daring brights and primary's. This painting by a fairly unknown artist; Manasse, who I stumbled upon online, fuses a fabulous assortment of some of my favourite shades. Worn head to toe, or married with an in-your-face red, fuchsia, tangerine or purple, a soft pastel is your best friend this S/S.

Amazing fusion furniture

Just a quick post to shine the spotlight on a must watch interiors trend... fusion furniture.

Where old bureau's and chests of drawers are gutted, and up-cycled to create fantastical storage gems! I can't wait to start my own home made fusion furniture project but in the meantime, feast your eyes on this beauty I saw while reading Harper's Bazaar at the hairdressers!

Alex Noble show LFW off Schedule at St Martins Crypt

LFW 2011: Alex Noble's off schedule show, at St Martins in the Crypt.
Fabulous show, created like an installation inspired from Manhattan's meat packing district, only with an anatomical and ethereal fashion spin. External vertebrae and nude tu tu lemons with subtle ballet like nods in the form of leotardesque bodies adorned with grecian draped detailing were enough to wet the appetite of even a fashion veggie. The dark wood walls in the Crypt, the meat cleaver metal hooks, and the soundtrack of a beating heart only added to the moody atmosphere, orchestrated primarily by models wearing exoskeletal unitards poised gracefully on top of navy blue fuel barrels. Overall, an atmospheric and royal collection with a dark and cheeky edge, definitely one worth watching: Alex Noble.