One Night Stands in Farringdon

             Pop-up shops: they come, they go, but they never fail to make a lasting impression during their short-lived timespan. One such pop-up shop at the Clerkenwell Gallery in Farringdon left me dreaming of gold, gems, and jewels. I was invited to a clandestine viewing of 12 designers and one artist that occupied a slot for a mere few hours on a Thursday evening. With complimentary beer from Peroni and coconut water in flavors various, a seamless evening appeared to be on the cards.

             Out of the assembled, while clothing was also on show, the brands that really caught my eye were of the jewelry variation: SMITH/GREY, Tessa Metcalfe, Pearl & Queenie, Kasun London, and Gogo Philip Vintage Bijoux. As an added bonus, I was introduced to artistic talent, Domenico Cordua, and was able to catch up with Laura Smith of the LAURASMITH line, whom I met for the first time during this year’s London Fashion Week.

             The Clerkenwell Gallery seemed at first glance a rather odd venue to show off bespoke pieces due to its cramped interior, but it is that same interior that also made every designer stand stand out. Although jostling other patrons became commonplace, the up-and-downstairs areas were inviting, with the collections taking center stage. The stalls were overseen by most of the designers themselves, offering a unique opportunity to interact directly with the creative minds behind the products laid out in front of us.

             As I headed to the bottom floor, Smith, as ever the delightful and unassuming designer of the room, greeted me at the bottom of the stairs. As we chatted, I fawned over her coral sheers and tried-and-true blacks just as I had fawned over her golds and lilacs at London Fashion Week. Smith wore the X Dress - Silk and Jersey from her Autumn/Winter 2013 collection, epitomizing what it means to keep things simple, but still standout. To avoid repeating myself, have a read here of my interview with Smith during London Fashion Week for more on her inspirations, what she has in store for next season, and an overview of her line, its trademark being Nottingham lace.

The two Lauras; pictured with Laura Smith and her Autumn/Winter 2013 collection

             I was immediately awestruck by Kasun London, the jewelry range consisting of what could be considered dark fantasies, or guilty pleasures. I couldn’t resist trying on the Black Vampire Bite Ring, a gilded and fanged showstopper encasing synthetic onyx. It originally reminded me of a shark’s powerful grip, but considering the stake cross, vampire heart, and silver bullet pendants, it soon became evident that the blood-sucking creatures were the intended focus. I later learned that the collection was called “God Loves Fangs,” featuring skulls, claws, and jaws aplenty, treasures that would act as the perfect conversation starters. My infatuation was running dangerously deep and I had to admit that I had been bitten by the brand, placing that dazzling ring high up on my wish list.

             Still sticking with the theme of skulls, except of animal rather than human origin, Pearl & Queenie’s delicately quirky Longhorn Herding Necklaces were next on my fixation radar. Taken from the Equestrian Treasures collection, expect to also see hunting coins and horseshoes. All of the jewelry is handmade and paired with engraving and symbols of love, luck, and fortune, with credit owed to best friend duo Becca Hulbert and Kathy Dyton. Romance and sentiment dominate the rest of the jewelry in bridal, gypsy, and love story collections. Stamps of “Sweetheart” and “My Heart is Yours,” pearls, cameos, fortune teller hands, charms: this is the stuff of nostalgia. Pearl & Queenie captures the no frills, unapologetic personal meaning of jewelry and how that meaning translates from person to person.

             Back upstairs, more designers were bound to draw me in, and through familiarity, I immediately recognized Tessa Metcalfe’s pieces, which I had first encountered during this year’s London Fashion Weekend. It would actually have been harder not to take notice with a dead pigeon as the focal point of the table’s layout. Speaking to Metcalfe, she revealed that taxidermy was responsible for her designing direction. Indicative of this is the recurring pigeon claw that appears in her rings, necklaces, and earrings. I guess that would explain the bird on the table then, which actually was a wearable hat. Metcalfe’s goal was “finding beauty in the gutter” and she certainly did that by creating her own distinct kind of jewelry, formulated from perhaps an unusual, but nonetheless inspired, idea.

             The running theme of the night actually leant towards that unusualness, that atypical quality. Birgit Marie Schmidt and Sofus Graae, the masterminds behind SMITH/GREY, weave together rugged utilitarian pieces that are chunky and bold (especially for the men) with whimsical horses, bulls, and roses, reminiscent of a fantastical merry-go-round that is just a little “off” upon closer inspection. The roses still protrude with thorns, giving the collection an edgy prettiness, and the horses meld together in succession, but their faces are not always on view, replaced instead by torsos and suspended, dangling legs. The Fighter Ring, a gold plated bronze knuckleduster, is my devilish pick, with tusks that thrust upwards. The SMITH/GREY website says that their jewelry is used as a “narrative medium to unlock the imagination and awaken curiosity.” Mission accomplished.

SMITH/GREY designer, Birgit Marie Schmidt, reflected amongst her roses (top)

             To wrap up on the jewelry front, we have Gogo Philip, founded by Georgi “Gogo” Philip Pecenikov in 2007. Think chains, chains, chains. A chain is a go-to, never out of style accessory, and there is always one swinging from my wrist and most likely my neck in this classic design. Gogo Philip is a surefire “forget-me-not” brand, drumming in the mantra that bigger truly is better. During the night of the pop-up shop, I actually was wearing a heavyweight chain-link necklace and I caught the Gogo Philip vendor taking a look at it as if to nod in accordance with the choice. The clasps are also less discreet than those seen on regular necklaces, projected as part of the whole ensemble. The half gold, half rhodium chain would be my choker of choice, but Gogo Philip makes it difficult to choose just one. Like a magpie attracted to all things shiny, I lingered over the stand, silently desiring.

             Last, but definitely not least, the walls of the Clerkenwell Gallery were filled with limited edition illustrations from Cordua, each representing a darker rendition of someone famous. His psychedelic colors and elegant caricatures are eerie yet very fashion forward. Cordua’s website shows just a handful of what he is capable of, including, to my surprise, an illustration of Madison Montgomery (played by Emma Roberts), a character taken from American Horror Story: Coven, one of my favorite television shows. This is just further evidence of Cordua’s all-inclusive scope. If you have a favorite celebrity, it is highly likely that Cordua has depicted said celebrity in his work, so that he or she may become pride of place in your own household. The streaky results are one-offs fresh from the paintbrush of Cordua, the kind of art we all wish we were making when we blindly tampered with watercolors.

             Well, there you have it; the naughty inside gossip of my one night stands in Farringdon taken straight from my little black book. They were every bit as risqué, gorgeous, and pleasurable as you could imagine. It would seem that I have been a very busy girl, so next time some one night stands come knocking, don’t you be afraid to “get busy” either.

             Discover SMITH/GREY here, Tessa Metcalfe here, Pearl & Queenie here, Kasun London here, Gogo Philip here, Laura Smith here, and Domenico Cordua here. You’ll thank me later!

London Fashion Week: A Taster

             Every September and February, the illustrious London Fashion Week spawns a team of elite designers, models, and spectators alike. They maneuver catwalks, showrooms, and events without even so much as a hair out of place. Let us also not dare mention a wardrobe malfunction, especially when outfit choices are seen as marks of distinction to be placed under public scrutiny. Despite how cutthroat it sounds, everyone wants in on the action, myself included. I was invited to the Wolf & Badger Showroom Sunday launch brunch for Spring/Summer 2014, more than ready to face and join the geniuses, critics, and professionals of the fashion world.

             Retailer Wolf & Badger allocates itself to selling various brands and the one I was hunting down is located on Dover Street in the district of Mayfair. I was eager to arrive a little bit more than punctually, desperately hoping my stylistic prowess would pay off when I arrived. A few people were milling around when I approached the store and I instantly noticed steps leading downwards to a space dubbed, “The Gallery,” by electric blue neon cursive.

             Like a moth to a flame, I ventured down towards that neon glow of the sophisticated underground. I turned a corner and a long room emerged, revealing food nibbles and hangers upon hangers of clothing. The room was abuzz with a perfect blend of chatter and fabric. I was overwhelmed and in sensory overload, but in the best possible way. I could wax lyrical about all of the designers’ unique flairs and what I thought of their pieces, but in all honesty, I could not cover them all in a succinct manner and do them justice. Over 20 brands were represented, providing a range of jewelry, clothing, and accessories. This is why I will focus on just two designers and pepper in photos to tell the visual side of the story.

             My first stop was clothing brand MAYKA, formerly known as Love Mayka. Exuberant designer, Maya Finkelstein Amrami, exuded bubbliness, and as we bonded over our similar shoes, she quickly made a living mannequin out of me, dressing me in one of her blazers. She allowed me to wear it around the showroom for well over 20 minutes. I was honored to be sporting the erratic lines and graphic black and white/color infusion so central to her collection.

Wearing a MAYKA Spring/Summer 2014 collection blazer with the designer herself, Maya Finkelstein Amrami

             MAYKA’s aesthetic revolves around sheer, flowing material and slick tailoring that is flattering to the human form and inspired by Royal Ballet dancers. Later on, one of Amrami’s models even sported pointe shoes with MAYKA ensembles, just like the model in the MAYKA look book for Spring/Summer 2014. Amrami was very much an artist at heart and even brought along some of her prints, making the brand’s tagline, “art to wear,” more than apropos. The rest of Amrami’s team was friendly and inviting and we enjoyed Buck’s Fizz and salmon mini bagels together before I caught up with designer, Laura Smith.

A MAYKA model wowing in Amrami’s creations

             Hailing from Nottingham, England, Laura Smith has done very well for herself with her women’s line, LAURASMITH. She graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2007, and by 2012, she already had her own label. She didn’t stray far from her roots; one of her signatures is incorporating Nottingham lace into her designs. Her levelheadedness and calm put me at ease and Smith was truly charming to speak with. Her responses to my questions just reflected her talent for her trade.

              I would like to give a big thank you to Rosie Burn and Laura Smith for making this interview possible.

Laura Smith posing with her LAURASMITH line

Laura Rutkowski: Your clothes are very feminine, but with an edge. Did you always envision your line to look a certain way?

Laura Smith: Yeah, I think when you start designing and pulling things together, it always has that element of “you” in it and I think that’s that feminine edge. Whatever I do always has that understated femininity, just a little detail, and I think that also comes from the Nottingham lace that I use, so even if it’s just a really plain, simple, maybe boyish silhouette, a touch of the lace adds that understated femininity. 

LR: How does London Fashion Week compare to Amsterdam Fashion Week?

LS: Well, they’re very different. Amsterdam was great, because it launched the label and it’s obviously a completely different environment because of the language and also the way people dress and see fashion is quite different over there. They have a different sort of street style, but it was really cool to get involved with it. I think it’s nice to be back in the United Kingdom and be part of London and I think it’s just got a certain buzz about it that you don’t get anywhere else.

LR: What can we expect from your Spring/Summer 2014 collection?

LS: Well, I think it’s quite different to Autumn/Winter in the fact that it’s just a bigger collection and I’ve expanded it into knitwear ranges and brought the Nottingham lace into the knitwear. I’ve just really tried to make it a collection that you can pull really key pieces out and the color palette’s very simple and easy for buyers to pick out key pieces.

LR: My favorite piece of yours is the coral Rangers shirt.

LS: Oh yeah! That’s from Autumn/Winter. I wear that all the time, because it’s got the see-through bits with the lace coming through which really shows that off to the best. 

LR: How would you describe your own personal style and its influence on your line?

LS: I think it has had a big influence. I think moving to the Netherlands, being part of that quite laidback sense of style which the Europeans have, that really suits the way I dress. I do really love luxury pieces and I obviously look at the way things are made and I can be quite picky in that respect, but I like to feel relaxed in something. I tried to put that laidback luxury into the collection, so the fabrics feel luxurious, the quality’s there, but you don’t feel like the garments are wearing you almost.

 LR: What advice would you give to up-and-coming designers who want to break into the industry?

LS: I mean, it is very tough, but I think you’ve just got to have perseverance and keep going with it and you’ve really got to make sure you’ve got a handle on all the different elements that are going on, but just keep sticking at it. Once you get your signature, just run with that and know what you’re about and stick at it.

LR: What is your ultimate dream to achieve with your brand? When would you say, “I’ve made it?”

LS: Ooh, I think that would be really difficult, because I think with fashion it’s such a never-ending cycle. As soon as you finish one season, you’re on with the next, but I just really want to see the brand in small boutiques supporting an independent level of retail and still supporting British manufacturing and suppliers, so I think as long as it’s out there in the shops, especially in the U.K., I think that will be a big achievement for me. 

LR: What would your go-to piece be from the new collection?

LS: Well, I think it has to be pieces like the white dress here [shows me dress], just really summery and relaxed, but I also think it’s great with some of the knitwear. I’m really pleased with the knitwear this season. It just adds a different element and, as well as in the woven garments, I’ve tried to put lace patterns into the knits. 

LR: I love this color. [referring to a radiant gold top]

LS: Yeah, the golds and the lilacs work really well together. For spring, it’s just a really nice mix with the whites as well. The color palette came from looking around stately homes and the gold gilding on some of the panels and the ceilings and everything, so that’s where the gold came from. It’s really worked well as that sort of special touch in the collection.

LR: Do you think you’ll always incorporate lace into your clothes or do you think you’ll branch away from it?

LS: I think I’m going to try and keep it in. I think obviously each season lace can be more in fashion than other seasons, but as a detail, I think you can use it really well. Some seasons it might be all over a dress, and then other seasons, for instance with the trousers, just have a tiny little bit or as an internal detail on the inside of the hems so you don’t always have to see it, but I think I’d like to keep it there as a memory of my hometown.

LR: What prompted your move to the Netherlands? That’s quite a drastic change.

LS: Yeah, it was great really. I’ve been working in fashion and my boyfriend has been working really hard in his job. He got the offer of a year contract in Holland and I just decided that instead of just doing my fashion part-time when I get the chance, I was just going to go for it and try and market myself over there. I knew about their fashion week, so I thought it’d be a good opportunity to just put myself in at the deep end and give it a go. 

LR: Has that been a bit of a learning curve?

LS: Yeah, completely. I mean, everything’s different, obviously the language and the connections that you have. It’s sort of starting from scratch, but I think it really helped me put myself out there and get talking to the right people and there’s a really big fashion scene over there that’s quite a network to know and get into. It’s fantastic, so I’m really pleased I did it, but it’s also nice to be back.

             After conversing with Smith, I slinked my way over to one of the tables serving brunch for the occasion, all catering provided by Quail London. I couldn’t stay away from the mango and strawberry sticks and gave in to temptation in the form of a pain au chocolat. The table at the front of the room served Bloody Marys, coffee and tea, Buck’s Fizz, and champagne. The table at the back, on the other hand, included a spread of quail eggs, croissants, fruit sticks, and grapefruit juice. Sounds like the right way to kick start any late morning if you ask me!

             As I munched on a mango chunk, I was able to survey the rest of the room and observe the dynamics taking place, which was fun in itself. Immense passion existed in the room and I enjoyed being among people who embodied that passion. As the afternoon rolled around, the atmosphere only intensified and, often times, I had to press myself up against clothing rails to allow others to pass. Photographers with their swinging London Fashion Week passes scoped out their perfect shot while the models pouted and posed their way to that perfect shot. Designers gesticulated and motioned to their clothes to enthusiasts nodding emphatically. Overall, there was a creative dominance that empowered everyone attending. 

             When it came time for me to leave, I looked down the line of clothes and noted just how different everyone’s personal styles and contributions were. There would be no mistaking one brand for another and that’s what makes fashion one of my greatest loves. It can be radically different to anything else ever done and it can be visionary and it can be fresh every season with the emergence of new trends and designers. I slowly walked back up the stairs and stole one last glimpse into the showroom through a murky window. 

             I proceeded to visit the very sleek Wolf & Badger shop, which I had just been directly below. I recognized many of the products from downstairs and came across more luxury items. I bid my farewells to some of the familiar faces from earlier, and after a few more snapshots on my Nikon, I tore myself away. I was feeling full and satisfied, and not from the food, but from my first very yummy taste of London Fashion Week.

Umbrellas from Archer Adams in Wolf & Badger

             Monday the 16th and Tuesday the 17th were dedicated to appointments, where potential clients visited the showroom to view the designers’ gear. London Fashion Week wrapped up on Tuesday. This weekend, in its place we welcome London Fashion Weekend, which is open to the general public with a purchased ticket, whereas London Fashion Week is invite-only. Details on London Fashion Week can be found here. Browse Laura Smith’s collection here and the MAYKA brand here.

A Krystof Strozyna mannequin

Begum Berdan of the mother-daughter brand, DB Berdan 

Taeseok Kang and his array of “notice me” bags

Golnaz Ashtiani with her Ashtiani collection