dress me up in elber albaz

Those of you who knew me way back in November 2009 might remember how excited I was about the Dress Me Up charity thingy at Topshop. I posted on it a few times (for example: here). Our favourite celebrities and designers donated their dresses for charity, and people were able to rent them for their Christmas parties, with the idea that later, the dresses would be auctioned off.





Anyway, the auction is now happening, thru the wonderful Kerry Taylor Auctions. (The Christopher Kane 'Atomic Bomb' resort dress, for example, starts @ £50). By bizarre coincidence, I went to their Audrey Hepburn pre-auction viewing. Which I posted about a few times. I didn't realise that Kerry Taylor was doing the auction for Dress Me Up as well.



(I should add: Topshop doesn't get anything for this, and neither do I: it all goes to charity for Age Concern, and since we're all headed in that direction if we don't manage to get ourselves killed first, I feel it's a pretty good cause).




The auction is Tuesday March 16th at 10.30am, with viewing open to the public on Sunday 14th 12-4.30pm and Monday 15th 9.30-5pm. It's too large to be held in their Pall Mall space, so it's out in Dulwich at their warehouse: 40 Martell Road, West Dulwich, London, SE21 8EN
Just go to their site, or via Invaluable. Should be great fun, I'm going to try to make it on Monday, so maybe I'll see you there. If not, please spread the word!




As you can see I'm in a kind of sea green/nudes sort of colour mood today, altho I've shot a ton more than I'm showing here. From top to bottom: Patricia in Kate Moss's Lanvin by Elber Albaz, Nicola Robert's custom made tour dress, Olivia Palermo's Armani frock, Kimberly Stewart's beaded number by Antik Batik, Richard Nicholl's print dress + Christopher Kane's Atomic Bomb resort dress (starting price: only £50!!), Jourdan Dunne's Herve Leger, me trying to stuff myself into said Leger, and back full circle to Patricia in Kate's Lanvin dress.



No wonder she's smiling. I bet Kate's got plenty of happy memories in this dress. Have a lovely weekend, everyone. Hope you're busy making your own happy memories.

nini's friend natasha's theory of recession fashionista economics

Mr. Dot is getting antsy.

He wants to go to the Tate Modern (my husband has recently decided to become a conceptual artist and damn, he's good. And I'm pleased as punch because I always thought I'd end up marrying an artist). And loathe as I am to knock Mystery Girl down a post position, that is the nature of a blog, and I want to get these Shopping Tips to you because it's 11 a.m., Greenwich Mean Time, which Means that those of you in the greater London metropolitan area might be waking up, lounging around drinking your coffee & considering what you'll do today.

I have two seemingly opposite, but connected suggestions.



First: head to Topshop, Oxford Circus, lower ground floor, for the last day of the Dress Me Up charity event. I've talked this to death, if you're new to my blog, the links are on the top of my sidebar ('spotlight on'). This is Patricia, one of the delightful coordinators of the event, who you'll probably see there, in Kate Moss's Lanvin dress & Topshop booties.



Second option: in Camden Lock, in the outside part in a spot called Middle Lane (it's tricky: it's not on google map, but if you go to the market, you'll find it) is a wonderful small stall run by a guy named Derek, I believe. I wanted to photograph him as well as his clothes, but he said 'You don't need a photo of me'.




He's lovely. And his clothes are inspired, original, and... well, you just have to see them. I've seen something similar in Spitalfields Market, but each of these is one of a kind and really considering the original garment. It's like seeing a Couture collection, crammed into a little outdoor stall. These are bespoke garments, hand tailored, made with respect and whimsy from quality men's clothing. For women. And at prices ranging from £40 to £55, tops, he's practically giving it away for free.

He doesn't have a website yet, just an email address: bohema@london.com, and a simple paper tag that says 'Bohema: reuse recycle'. And, because everything is connected, he reminds me of a Joni Mitchell song (just click below) and uncannily, the wonderful Photodiarist just posted something on this very idea: one image, and far less words.



I was up all night thinking about things I've read recently on Nini's blog, on recession fashionista economics, and on Jordan's ('throwaway fashion: trends into trash?'. And it's true what he said: expensive designer clothes ARE better in every way, and as I've known from the few items I've owned, or from even trying them on - as you can do today @ Topshop, and even wear one to a party - there is something indescribable about wearing designer goods, like this Herve Leger dress donated by Jourdan Dunn. Granted, a few steps from the Dress Me Up dressing room, Topshop are selling a similar concept at very affordable prices, but without Leger conceiving the idea, where would the cheaper imitations come from?



Which is why we MUST keep our designers alive. Luella's plight is a wake up call, and now Christian Lacroix.. but we all need to re-think the way we consume and discard.

Which is why I'm lumping these two posts together: because each fashion option is embracing the idea of valuing that which already exists. If that makes any sense. It's all about being wabi sabi. Which I shall talk about, I promise, another time. Mr. Dot is getting antsy, and it's time to go see some art.