Hairywood In London

Hairywood? Don’t you mean Hollywood?

There is something strange in Covent Garden.

It looks a little like a huge brown box with a room with a window on top. Very strange indeed.

But this is in fact an art installation focused on different views, especially of Covent Garden.

 Take a different look at Covent Garden Piazza and the surrounding area by stepping up a level.

From the 20^th of June the Hairywood, a 6-metre urban tower designed by Eley Kishimoto, will take up residency in Covent Garden Piazza.

The tower plays with the idea to changing space and redefining it in new ways. This tower allows visitors to climb up and have a new perspective over the Piazza.

Definitely something different.

This instillation is part of Skin + Bones at Somerset House, an exhibition that parallels the relationship between fashion and architecture.

So check it out for yourself and take a different look at Covent Garden and London.

Hairywood at Covent Garden London, June 20^th – July 20th

ParkVogel’s new Spring/Summer 2008 collection is everything you new.

This unique LA based label has hit London hard in the must-haves department for relaxed, chic everyday living. All are total essentials.

Their motto: to create luxury ‘wardrobe essentials’.
And this is excatly what Vanessa Vogel and Julie Park have done, perfectly.

Using high quality materials like fine cashmere and Pima-cottons ParkVogel has created simple but luxurious must-have basics – tees, cardigans, dresses, tops and hoodies which are accentuated with Signature Butterfly and flower buttons, latticework collars and made from environmentally friendly fabrics.

Conscious minded in so many ways.

www.parkvogel.com

Ah, the 1970’s, the decade of E.L.O., unemployment, flares and awful hair. Still it’s not all bad, great things were possible despite all the Nylon, Spandex and John Travolta. Starsky & Hutch, Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith were all there as well, although given their lifestyle you probably know more about it than they do. As ever retro is cool, whether it’s furniture, clothes or cars you don’t have to look far these days to see something that was at least partly inspired by the 70’s.

The folks over at Nokia reckon they’ve created the perfect hybrid of Seventies and Noughties, the Roller Disco that in this case is more Roller than Disco. On the 11th, 12th and 13th July South Bank will be transformed with a specially created roller-rink (complete with glitter-ball) for the ‘Skate Almighty’ event.

Tickets are free, and all you have to do is log on to www.nokia.co.uk/musicalmighty and get a ticket texted to your phone for an hours skate (be warned, the website isn’t live at the moment).

Music lovers will be pleased to learn that no Aretha Franklin, Chic or Bee Gees will be around, instead music will be provided by, among others, Hot Chip, Norman Jay and Zero 7 who will perform live.

The ‘Skate Almighty’ event will move on to Birmingham for the 18th July and Manchester for the 25th with 3 days at each location.

If you need to get your dance moves sorted out prior to the event then one helpful soul has published the 1979 Disco Handbook online.

Jasper Garvida won Project Catwalk 2008, hosted by Kelly Osbourne, was because his collection was just simply…….. Amazing.

Every piece was elegant, sophisticated with a wonderful twist. They were bold, simply, rich, fluid and beautiful all at the same time.

His collection for the final looked unbelievably professional, as though he had been doing it for years, and he stood out from the rest of the designers by miles.

Zandra Rhodes commented on his work by saying, ‘I can’t believe the detail in Jasper’s workmanship, it’s knockout!’

And it was.

But now Jasper is going on to join Oli (www.oli.co.uk) as its new capsule collection designer.  He will join other Oli Fusion designers like Jasmine Guinness, Jodie Kidd and Katie Price.

‘Katie Price?’ I hear you say. Yes, that is The Katie Price, in other words Jordan.

She designs underwear for the company.

Jasper will be designing and creating an Oli Fusion capsule collection which, as they put it, ‘takes the core elements of his catwalk pieces and transcends them into a wearable and affordable high street collection.’ Now, ‘affordable’ I understand, but ‘wearable’? I thought they all ready were wearable.

The reason his final collection on Project Catwalk was so stunning was because he designed for a woman. His look was structured and tailored but glamorous and sexy with fitted sequin skirts, puffball skirts and silky sheer blouses. His materials were luxurious in deep colours and texture.  The passion that he has as a creator and as a person was evident throughout his work.

Some things are just meant to be luxurious and expensive. That’s the point.

So, it will be interesting to see if his statement look can transcend into £22 blouses, £27 skirts and £30 jackets.

Unfortunately we are not going to be able to see his A/W 08 collection until July when it will be available on-line. www.oli.co.uk

But in the meantime you can check out another young and talented designer, Thomas Vicary, who after graduating from St Martins created a collection for Oli. Reportedly this collection was a huge hit and was ‘extremely successful for Oli and sales have exceeded expectations.’

We just hope the same will be for Jaspers A/W 08 collection.

www.jaspergarvida.com

Bling, Bling.

But elegant bling, bling.

Just to make sure the girls don’t feel left out Asprey is introducing a new ‘dazzling’ ladies watch. Dazzling may be the wrong word, possibly blinding is better.

This glittering jewellery watch is inspired by the Asprey Daisy jewellery collection which is one of the most iconic collections of the House.

This watch features a rhodium-plated 18ct white gold round case framed in a beautiful border of diamonds. But the best part is the watch strap which is a stunning bracelet of daisy flowers which consists of a total of 142 marquise and brilliant cut diamonds totalling 11.0 Carats.

Wow!

Quite an impressive accessory and time piece.

So is the price tag.

But one can’t put a price on beauty, can they.