off to see orla!

Just in case anyone's reading this in time: I'm heading to Oxford Street to meet Orla Kiely at UNIQLO for an exclusive interview. I'm the only blogger doing this apparently - got friends in from California, trying to keep things simple while juggling everyone's schedules - it's all good.

Typing this in haste but I wanted to give you a head's up: you can meet her from 12:30 - 1:00, UNIQLO, flagship shop, 311 Oxford Street: customers will receive a posy of flowers when they buy two items from the collection. Which comes packaged in limited edition Orla Kiely tote bags. I can't wait: I'm a huge fan.

I caught this shot of her the first time I met her - LFW Sept 2009. Enough chit chat, sorry, must dash.

starman

Yesterday I had the privilege to be invited to a press preview of the British Design 1948-2012 show, opening this Saturday at the V&A. If you click below, you can have the full experience, as this section of the show played music from that time:



All set? Great.



This is just one of several HUNDRED items in the show - at this rate, I will be devoting my blog to it all year (provided I post once a day). This was one of David Bowie's stage costumes, designed by the Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto (whose recent show I also had the privilege of seeing - at the V&A!). Bowie had commissioned Kansai to create the wardrobe for his Ziggy Stardust character. Kansai had - admiringly - described Bowie at the time as 'neither man nor woman.'

He was, in fact, such an icon, that when I saw his first show - in college, with a group of friends - I remember some cute guys from school driving us in a van across the border to Canada, very thrilling! - and so psyched we were - in the mid/late 70s, this was - to be seeing Bowie live, that even I had my most glittery glam outfit on (always the Virgo, it was a simple, fitted, long sleeved plain glitter tee: as minimalist as you could get back then).

But that's the thing about being an icon: you've always got to be moving forward. David Jones, aka Bowie, played that night to an audience of kids all glam rocked to the hilt - in a soft, grey, vintage suit. Ziggy Stardust was gone. It was the dawn of the Thin White Duke.

Some other versions of the song, for your viewing pleasure. And a rare find of the original video of Space Oddity.
















BRITISH DESIGN 1948-2012: INNOVATION IN THE MODERN AGE at the V&A opens this Saturday, March 31. Thank you, Charlotte, for inviting me: it's a wonderful show, and I can't wait to come back.

the cat's pyjamas

First: it is glorious here in London. Unbelievable. We went SWIMMING - outdoors - this weekend, in Surrey. Or rather, I did. He lounged in the sun, like a cat.

Sod's law: lately when I'm out, deliberately not bringing my camera, just enjoying real life, but the sunshine, and the way people are dressing.. it's really hard to shut fashion off. Don't you find? Like last Monday - week before last - I was walking home from Jak's (Walton St: it's like Ground Zero for style - I've been meeting friends there a lot again lately - it's ridiculous, the ratio of great looks beats fashion week, because they're not trying so hard) and I passed Joseph. My favourite shop. I love the staff, and they've got the best of everything, in a clean, easily accessible environment.

And there in the window: these pyjamas.

I shot them with my phone, and thought that would be the end of it. But, no: all week it's been nagging at me. Who made them? Will we really see them on the street? (I gather there were a bunch at fashion week - but that's like Halloween. That doesn't count). And then I started thinking of my own white on white stripey pyjamas. Made by The White Company. Cameron Diaz wore them several seasons ago, in the film Holiday - at the start, in LA, when she storms out of her house being all cute and breaking up with her boyfriend (and, incongruously, wearing a bra under them. As if 'I'm gonna break up with you, honey, and storm outside, but first, hold on, let me put on my bra'). At that moment, I became obsessed. I had to have them, but the White Company had stopped making them. But - bizarre twist of fate!- I found the perfect pair, on eBay. This was pre-blog, of course, and I hadn't used eBay before, and I blew it. I bid too soon, and someone named Mr. Millionaire outbid me.

But then in a SECOND twist of fate, a few days later, the same pair were re-released. By Mr. Millionaire himself! I had a whole story in my head: he bought them as a gift for his girlfriend, but they were the wrong size... no, they broke up.. and he put them back on. And I got them! At a lower price than he bought them at.

So yesterday, I was passing Joseph again, and I stopped inside. Took a look around, loved everything I saw. Asked after the PJ's in the window - because I didn't see them on the racks. 'It's Celine,' smiled the lovely saleswoman. (Of course: EVERYONE knows that. This just shows you how consciously out of the fashion loop I've been for the past months - perhaps always.) I've since quickly got up to speed, and I'm very impressed with how Phoebe Philo oozed quiet confidence in Paris this season. But then again: I've been impressed with everything Phoebe has done, from the start - when she first teamed with Stella. 'They're sold out,' she said, 'but we can take them down for you, if you'd like to try them on.'

I thanked her, but declined. I've got my own, in white on white. I'm daring myself to wear them out on the street. I guess the secret is, you have to wear them with great heels, otherwise people will assume you're breaking up with your boyfriend. Incidentally, I found a similar pair on eBay - Saville Row, in blue and white stripes - sixteen days to go. I mean - I hate trends, I really do - it annoys me, in fact, when things I always wear become trendy - like pastels, my wardrobe year round is pastels, and now I feel I have to justify and apologise - but that's for another post. What I'm wondering now is, is anyone out there, in the real world, wearing their PJs on the street?