Friday perks

the weekend is upon us ...

I bring you a new label of love this Friday. 

A wonderful collaboration of father and daughter team combine generations, experience, and a love for quality and knitwear.

Buffy and her father Columba Reid have put their various areas of expertise (his being a wealth of knowledge in sales a production, hers in business and style) to produce new knitwear label '& Daughter'. 

The product is very true to what they set out to achieve and I think a lot of people will relate to the values. It emulates the idea of inheriting jumpers from siblings, barely being able to part with your favourite to wash it, borrowing your fathers till he asks for it back and always being able to justify another jumper purchase because you'll never find another like it. 

Featured in Januarys Vogue and online, one to watch. 

The Beanie cable £195

The Merino mohair slouch knit £195

The Patchwork aran £195

The ribbed cashmere socks £45

The Aran knit £195

http://www.and-daughter.com/

London trimmings

or the left overs ...

Just a few pictures from the London venture ... short and sweet ... i'll be back.

The wharf buildings leading up to the back of the Design museum ...

The design museums new collection on permanent display, showcasing some of the most interesting and maybe overlooked products invented. Think the Sunday Times Style magazines ''History of the Modern World in 100 objects' piece but in 3D.  

Fun looking creations ... all completely different with different inspirations.

Visit the Design Museum ... http://designmuseum.org/

The Deptford Fire station ... I couldn't just simply walk on by. The date given above the doors is 1903, I hope buildings like this still exist in another 110 years time.

Hello

my name is Paul ...

Paul Smiths exhibition at the Design Museum is my kinda exhibition. Really inspirational, easy to read, not overly informative (where you just stop taking it in), relevant and FULL of pictures!

It was like walking into a picture book about a fashion office. I walked around trying to keep my jaw together, he's remains true to his philosophy, to his beginnings and general design ethos. 

My camera worked overtime as well as my brain ... frantically trying to absorb the rooms. 

I recommend this to anyone interested in business, design, fashion, success stories, learning and definitely if you love a stripe .... who doesn't!? 

Just to give an idea of how the rooms looked ... the pictures were all taken from the design offices, where they normally hang in various rooms. It was explained that these ranged from bought works to gifts given from friends and admirers/fans. If he likes it it goes up.

As hard as I tried to take in all the images, it's near impossible. A brilliant representation of how Pauls head works and what makes him tick ... 

Onto the design office ... the desk he never uses because it's always covered in things but there's a huge wooden table that is constantly used by the team instead.

Screens arranged in a way that keeps your eyes jumping. 

A paper mock up of Pauls Smiths first sales room ... in a hotel room in Paris, the collection was mens only and minimal...

How a true design studio functions ...

Making use of the pattern blocks ...

Some examples of Paul Smiths collaborations, including Roberts Radio and Mini...

A button wall ... why not?

A selection of key pieces lined a walkway that led into a t.v. room where you could watch the lead up to the Mens SS14 show earlier this year. Some of these selected pieces didn't seem the obvious choices to me but showed the versatility and inventiveness of the brand...

Needless to say ... it's gone straight onto the list ...

London bound ...

and back again ...

being the lovely sister that I am, I ventured to London with brother dearest's left over furniture he had yet to move. 

Seeing an opportunity to be had I did me a little sightseeing, exhibition going and my fair share of walking .... my preferred method of transport when in London.

Taking in the views from the Southbank, never a chore to do this walk ...

Contrasts in architecture, colour and shape ...

The last few leaves hanging on ...

Exhibition pit stop 2 ..

Mira Schendel ....

Continuing my London escape I popped to the Tate modern. I haven't visited the Tate Modern in a rather long time, always on the best intentions list but never get around to it. So I made the venture this time as I'd seen the 'Mira Schendel' exhibition advertised. 

I will admit, I 'saw' it before I 'read' it. I was drawn to the sketchy scrapbook looking image and went for it.

Pat on the back for me a my book cover judgement (at times).... this was a treat. 

Showing the largest collection of her work to date, Schendel was self taught and begn her painting in Brazil in the 50's right up until her death in 1988. Born in Zurich, grew up in Italy, stripped of her nationality due to her Jewish background in 1938 and forced to end her studies in Milan. In 1949 she emigrated to Brazil and began exploring her theories as an artist. 

From her early paintings to her later installations, you really get a sense of what Schendel was exploring and you get a really good feel for her though process.

They have her sketchbooks and sculptures on display too, giving the visitor another dimension to the exhibition.

My favorite pieces being what drew me in initially, her rice paper works, where she began to introduce type and then later her 'graphic objects' where she began combining acrylics.

  

What drew me in ...

The Graphic Objects, moving the rice paper works on ...

On till the 19th of January, introduce yourself ...

That time of year again ...

4 days in ...

I have fully acknowledged the scary fact that we are in advent calendar territory. 

In an attempt to seem more organised I've been ear marking present ideas over the past month or so, however my bigger plan is to actually attempt making all of mine or as many as possible this year!

However, for those of you who like to splurge a bit more here's a few gift ideas, directed at the males as they are the most difficult. 

1. Custom made leather wallet - you can pick the leather colour and thread - Guarded Goods on Etsy - $95

2. EDC Kit 2 - essentially a stylish deconstructed swiss army knife, you can even build your own - Kaufmann Mercantile - approx £63

3. Giving more - Pitango Bikes allow you to customise your bike, including frame colour and type - Pitango bikes - £375

4. ION conversion turntable - giving you the option to turn your LP's into MP3's - John Lewis - £60

5. For the unbearded gentleman - Concrete shaving cup and brush - Folklore - £70