Ester Kneen

2011-08-21T18:22:00.004+01:00

2011-07-02T15:27:00.003+01:00

2011-06-29T22:02:00.000+01:00

2011-06-29T21:43:00.000+01:00

Come visit my tumblr blog.

2011-05-30T10:49:00.003+01:00

Follow me with Blog Lovin'.

http://esterkneen.tumblr.com

Etsy Seller- Illustrated Ink

2011-05-16T22:34:00.000+01:00

Just received an exciting package from one of my favourite etsy sellers, Illustrated Ink. This girls got talent! I've been following her work for over a year now and every time I see it I get so excited! Her old school tattoo and day of the dead aesthetic appeals to me, (by now everyone should know this) and her style and execution is unique.
I would thoroughly recommend you check out her shop!

Here's what I bought;

Thanks Leila!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Check Out my Etsy Shop online...

2011-03-18T16:23:00.000Z

I've just listed some treasures I picked up on my trip to India.
Check out the vintage door knobs!

Supermarket Sarah at Selfridges piece for Amelias Magazine

2011-03-18T11:22:00.000Z

A little late, but we take a look at Supermarket Sarah's launch party at Selfridges, starring Gabby Young! Illustrations by Madi Illustrates, Sam Parr and Danni Bradford

Written by Ester Kneen

Gabby Young at Selfridges, illustrated by Sam Parr

The ‘Supermarket Sarah’ pop-up shop opened last month in Selfridges stationery department, I attended Friday’s opening night to check it out. Press, designers and shoppers celebrated the opening with Campari cocktails whilst enjoying an energetic acoustic set from Gabby Young.

Back in December 2009 I visited Poke Design Studios at The Biscuit Factory for Supermarket Sarah’s Christmas Extravaganza, on behalf of Amelia’s. A year on and Sarah has had wide press coverage, and has celebrity followers such as; Lily Allen, Lindsay Lohan, Tinie Tempah and La Roux. ‘Supermarket’ Sarah Bagner seems, however, unphased by all the attention and continues to do what she does best; sourcing an eclectic mix of quirky vintage finds and indie crafts, and displaying her discoveries in an inspiring and creative way. Starting out in her home in Portobello, Sarah would beautifully arrange her own walls with items to buy and serve customers tea and cakes. The launch of her website expanded her work outside of her living room and has allowed her to exhibit in a variety of locations. Using the website, customers can browse through the items displayed on real walls as part of styled stories.

Illustration by Madi Illustrates

The retro-inspired Selfridges store layout holds shelves of vintage china trinkets, playful plastic jewellery and quirky gifts and accessories, all organized into the walls four sections; Super Stuff, New Designers, Vintage and Gallery where Sarah presents a designer she admires. Currently the Gallery space presents the work ofEley Kishimoto. The collection of printed accessories include; iPhone covers, textiles, limited edition screen printed books, and even a skateboard.

Sarah’s hand-picked selection of designers are given the opportunity to have items displayed in the Supermarket-style ‘gallery’. Carefully thought out curation and styling mean each piece compliments each other, contributing to the personal nature of the ‘Supermarket Sarah’ shopping experience. It was great to see the interactivity at play between customer and product; this interactivity is also achieved on the Supermarket Sarah online platform.

Illustration by Danni Bradford

My favourite pieces included; cross stitch badges from Ma Magasin, Mell Elliot’s Lady Gaga paper doll and Strawberry Creme Nouveau’s rubber moulded biscuit brooches. John Booth’s eccentric bag charms, Nick White fake tattoos, Katy Leigh’s painted egg cups, and YCN’s ‘Light up your mood’ light switch stickers, all also deserve a mention. And other great designers involved include Tatty Devine,Patternity, Donna Wilson, Lynn Hatzius, Swedish Blonde Design and Rina Donnersmarck.

All photographs by Ester Kneen

Bringing a sense of Portobello Market to London’s central shopping location. ‘Supermarket Sarah’ at Selfridges gives tourists a sense of what the London vintage and craft scene is all about. Congratulations to all involved!

Written by Ester Kneen on Tuesday March 15th, 2011 11:27 am

Tags:
Campari, Danni Bradford, Donna Wilson, Eley Kishimoto, Fake Tattoos, gabby young, John booth, Katy Leigh, Lady Gaga, Lynn Hatzius, Ma Magasin, Madi Illustrates, Mel Elliot, Nick White, Patternity, Portobello, Rina Donnersmarck, Sam Parr, Sarah Bagner, Selfridges, shopping, Strawberry Creme Nouveau,Supermarket Sarah, Swedish Blonde Design, Tatty Devine, vintage, YCN

Originally published here.

MENSWEAR TRENDS: ECLECTIC ECCENTRIC

2011-02-23T10:58:00.000Z

MENSWEAR TRENDS: MONOCHROME

2011-02-23T10:56:00.000Z

MENSWEAR TRENDS: ARTISAN

2011-02-23T10:55:00.000Z

R.S.V.P Papier in Mitte Stationers, Berlin

2011-01-27T15:33:00.000Z

On a work trip to Berlin last week two collegues discovered the R.S.V.P Papier in Mitte Stationery shop. Imagine brown parcel paper labels suitable for your inkjet printer, traditional lino cutting sets, and masking tapes in amazing colours. Yum!

Heres some products from their website.

It's also worth mentioning that Urban Outfitters are also selling the 'MT Japanese Sweet Tape' pictured above, £12 for 5 and they come in 2 colour options. Buy them here.

My latest tattoo

2011-01-25T20:54:00.000Z

I've been spending some time at Frith Street Tattoo shop in Soho lately as Emiliano Liberatori is working on my sleeve, check out his new work on my arm, I love it! It's not quite finished yet though, and I'm sure I'll be adding more and more.

Ps. I'm adding these photos out of the kindness of my own heart and because I want to share some luscious tattoo work with you. If you take my photo, print my photo and take my photo to a tattooist I will be dreadfully upset! And so will Emiliano. So get your own ideas!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Frith Street Tattoo

Sunday brunch

2011-01-25T20:42:00.000Z

Had Sunday brunch with some girlfriends on the weekend. Brunch at The Breakfast Club in Hoxton was a lovely veggie fry up with American pancakes and maple syrup. Yum. Although I was slightly jealous of Miri's French toast with apple and cinnamon.

Sadly standard TFL bullshit meant my friend Colet didn't make it time to enjoy brunch, so once she arrived we headed over to The Food Hall for the next round of coffee.

Conclusion of the weekend- must have brunch with girls more often. Now I've blogged it I have to stick to it!

The Breakfast Club;
2-4 Rufus Street
Hackney
London
N1 6PE

The Food Hall;
374-378 Old Street
Hoxton
London
EC1V 9LT

Window Shopper

2011-01-25T20:37:00.000Z

Can't believe I've only just come across this blog. Thank you Window Shopper, I feel like I've been looking for you for some time!

http://www.thewindowshopper.co.uk/

Punk Wedding Photoshoot FILM!

2011-01-25T20:12:00.001Z

Here's a great film of it too!

Punk Rock Wedding // Super 8 + HD from Tampa Wonderworks Films on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/16248028

Punk Wedding Photoshoot

2011-01-20T12:55:00.000Z

Check out my temporary tattoos used in this Punk Wedding Photoshoot for rocknrollbride.com... You can buy your own here.

Photography Credit: K&K PhotographyStylist: MMD Events & Every Last DetailVenue: Tampa Armature Works BuildingVideo: Tampa WonderworksBride’s Dress: Thrift Store
Bride’s Shoes: Model’s Own
Bride’s Headpiece: DIY
Bride’s Jewellery: Model’s Own
Groom’s Outfit: Model’s Own
Bridesmaid Dresses/Shoes/Accessories: Thrift Store
Cake: Cakes With A KickFlowers: MMD EventsBand/DJ: Elvis ForevermoreHair & Make Up: Femme Akoi
Temporary Tattoos: Ester Kneen
Place Holders & Table Numbers: Lauren of Every Last DetailStationary: Theresa Hawk DesignsCandy Display: Chic SweetsRentals: Signature Event rentalsCatering: Good Food CateringLinens: Connie Duglin Linens

http://www.rocknrollbride.com/2011/01/a-dia-de-los-muertos-punk-rock-wedding-shoot/#more-65432

Natural gas commercial

2010-12-12T18:58:00.000Z

Drawing in Fashion

2010-11-17T15:35:00.001Z

Really glad I braved Fridays cold and wet weather to see this! Some beautiful illustrations and a well curated exhibition. I would have appreciated a little more for my £8 ticket price though. Still worth a visit!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Design Museum London

Vogue - Brought to Heel

2010-10-18T09:56:00.000+01:00

Really enjoyed Vogue Mag's 'Brought to Heel' piece this month. It celebrated the sheer magnificence of shoe couture this season.
Look in awe of McQueens 'breathtaking golden platform' that references the work of Grinling Gibbons, master woodcarver.
RIP Alexander McQueen, you genius.

Another Website Refurb...

2010-10-15T18:57:00.000+01:00

www.esterkneen.com

Check out my newly updated website.
And tell all your friends to look too!
It's coming up to Christmas now and I know you want me to start making stuff for you guys!
Orders Please!
x

Trend Track: Faux Real- Exploring Fantasy and Escapism

2010-10-15T18:53:00.000+01:00

Economics often inform and formulate trends. As we begin to experience recovery following a depression we can begin to reflect on its impact on design. By turning to fantasy and escapism and exploring false realities have been one of the ways designers have approached designing for a market in times of recession. The exploration of the Faux Real provides means of escapism.

Tom Binns' recession-busting jewellery line 'Faux Real' was the designers’ first collection of affordable costume jewellery providing an alternative to diamonds, rubies and emeralds. As precious metals and stones become even more of a commodity the consumer has sought alternatives. Binns' latest collection "Get Real" for Colette, Paris, is made from collaged photographs of jewellery pieces from magazines, which are then laminated in plastic.

"Now you can get your diamonds, emeralds, and ####," (Tom Binns)

Balenciaga’s deliberately inexpensive looking bracelets challenge perceptions of value. The expensive metal pieces are painted in bold colours and are subsequently made to look like their cheap, acrylic counterparts. The luxury pricetag however re-establishes the authenticity of the product.

From WGSN.com

These principles of counterfeit luxury puts into question the creditability of luxury brands. However a perhaps unexpected outcome is those high-end brands seemed to benefit in times of recession. We saw the consumer turn to quality and reject cheap fast-fashion.

In tough times there is a consumer desire for escapism, and many designers offer ‘the fanatasic’. Steven Meisel's shoot for Vogue Italia can be seen as a reaction to the prospect of cutting back in times of austerity. The model appears doll-like in an awkward position and heavily decorated from top to toe. Even wearing sparkly shoes, lots of jewellery and covered in temporary tattoos that appear drawn on, the model is overwhelmed by the eclectic mix of prints in the image’s background. The whole image screams for attention and offers an alternative reality to that of economic depression.

Temporary tattoos were also seen in the form of tattoo printed stockings on Chanel's Spring/Summer 2010 catwalks. The tattooed jewellery printed on hosiery is another form of decoration rejecting the need for cutbacks. Interestingly playing into the current massive tattoo trend reinforces the longevity of the brand. Chanel has traveled from a tradition of boucle wool suits and Audrey Hepburn to tattooed garters.

More literal uses of false realities include Skoda’s ad campaign for the Skoda Fabia in which the car and all of its components have been modelled completely out of cake. The ad sees the life-sized creation assembled by a team of bakers to the soundtrack of Julie Andrews singing ‘My Favourite Things’. The advertisement creates feelings of nostalgia and appeals to the child in everyone; it offers a lower-priced car brand the opportunity to appeal to a market hit by recession and plays into a hand-made aesthetic that is currently so appealing.

Matthias Hubner and Robert Klanten’s book ‘Tangible: High Touch Visuals’ also plays into this hand-made aesthetic. This giant McDonalds meal made from corrugated cardboard highlights the concept of mass consumption when placed in an exhibition context, the recycled, hand made aesthetic contrasts with the McDonalds branding that saturates the media.

This trend is about taking the opportunity to be innovative and about adaptation to current political and financial climates. Strong brands are always flexible to change and it will be interesting to see how design adapts to post-recession consumer.

Written by Ester Kneen

Boxfresh hearts my jewellery....

2010-10-03T18:17:00.003+01:00

http://www.myboxfresh.com/2010/09/27/i-heart-ester-kneen-and-jewellery/

Here's some lovely Boxfresh lovin' from the almighty journo Kieran Yates.

I HEART ESTER KNEEN.AND JEWELLERY.

I love jewellery as much as the next girl- Fake dress up gold chains, hoop earrings from Peckham that say ‘Babe’ in the middle, and inappropriately large rings on my fingers- hell yes to all of the above. (After all, half of being a woman is adornment.) Recently though, I’ve been falling in love with the work of designer Ester Kneen, who does an amazing range of brooches/rings/earrings etc that are a little bit more simple and stripped down than my usual attire, but still amazing.Take a look:

(Rollerskate brooch)

Bicycle brooch

And my favourite (obvs, I’m a writer)

Inkpot earrings!! Anyway, you’ll see me donning the above alongside the gold-

(GOLDHOOPSFILIFE)-dressing up is fun fam!

Check Ester out on www.etsy.com/shop/esterkneen

Kieran x

@kieran_yates

posted by KIERAN on September 27th, 2010

Wallpaper Magazine's BEAUTFUL 'Handmade' Issue

2010-10-03T18:11:00.001+01:00

I should have posted this so long ago, this is Wallpaper's 'Handmade Issue', it was full of amazing, sexy shit from cover to cover.

Check it out!

Crafty Tutorial: Customise a jumper with some amazing elbow patches!

2010-09-15T08:29:00.001+01:00

This week I discovered there are simply not enough elbow patches in my wardrobe. The horror.

So I decided to do something about it.....

I had this great checked shirting fabric that I thought would make a lovely addition to a plain dark grey marl sweatshirt I had bought from Topshop.

I lined the fabric with a white cotton, you could use interfacing if you have any.

I also made myself a template for an elbow patch and did this purely by trial and error, cutting shapes and pinning them to a jumper i was wearing.

With my elbow patches cut out I planned their position.

The easiest way to do this is wear the jumper and use pins to mark where your elbow is.

Then pin you patch down and attach securely (I used bondaweb iron-on adhesive)

I then took my new jumper on the bus to work so I could finish attaching my patches in a decorative way. I just used a blanket stitch in a silver grey embroidery thread.
So take a plain sweatshirt, add some strategically placed patches of shirting fabric and this is what you get;

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ps. Although I LOVE the fact I can blog on my iphone 4 I'm wondering if the quality of these posts are high enough?
I think I should probably apologise for the dodgy quality of the photos.

La Galette to stock my wares!

2010-08-20T01:25:00.000+01:00

Im pleased to announce that La Galette in Tarragona, Spain (thats near Barcelona) will now be selling my jewellery.
Yay!

http://www.lagaletteonline.com

Posted using BlogPress from
my iPhone

Amelias- An Interview with Masha Ma

2010-08-09T20:58:00.000+01:00

Womenswear label Masha Ma have announced their debut at this year's London Fashion Week, so we caught up with Masha for a chat…

Written by Ester Kneen

Masha Ma, AW 2011, illustrated by Holly Exley

Womenswear label Masha Ma, described as “semi-couture”, features fabulously chic and powerful silhouettes with a contemporary yet elegant feel. The stunning structural tailoring is shown beautifully through dramatic styling and inspirational photography.

Masha completed her MA in Womenswear at Central Saint Martins in 2008, where her collection was selected to be shown at London Fashion Week and went on to be bought by B Store. She then went on to win the ‘Mouse Ji Best International Innovation’ Award at 2009’s China Contemporary Design Contest.

This year she will also be presenting her collection at the Palais du Louvre duringParis Fashion Week in October. And with publications such as Vogue, Elle, Pop,Harper’s Bazaar, AnOther Magazine, Cosmopolitan, L’Officiel and even French Playboy featuring the label it seems well on it’s way to global success.
I caught up with Masha during her busy schedule…

Images from Masha Ma AW 2010/11, Resort, courtesy of Masha Ma

I love your latest collection, there are some stunning silhouettes and the styling and photography is beautiful! What was your inspiration?
The collection was inspired by Nancy Sinatra’s song, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The garments had prints with bullets on them and safety pins as embellishments all in combination with soft feminine fabrics.

How would you describe your design principles to anyone who wasn’t familiar with your work?
Chic, modern arrogance, semi-couture with designs that are bold yet intricate and focus on the unraveling of the female form.

You must be excited for your London Fashion Week debut as well as your up coming collection presentation at the Louvre. How has the preparation been?
It is an incredibly exciting time now and even though it has been so busy, my team and myself are having a great time working towards it.

What shows are you looking forward to seeing at London Fashion Week?
We’re so busy with our own show, I don’t think I will have time to see any other shows.

Is music important in your studio? What’s been on the stereo recently?
Our studio has a very eclectic sound coming out of it; with so many different people working together we have all sorts of different music playing all the time. From Lady Gaga to Nouvelle Vague and Rachmaninov, we’ve got all areas covered.

Masha Ma, SS 2010, Illustrated by Aniela Murphy

What advice would you give to anyone with the dream of pursuing a career in fashion?
Stay focused, work hard and don’t forget to have fun.

Are there any blogs you read religiously? Or any you find interesting or inspiring?
I try to read as many blogs as possible; it is such an amazing new media you just can’t ignore. It would be hard to pick a favourite but I have been reading Amelia’s magazine for quite a while!

And finally, what’s your next goal?
Right now all the focus lies in creating the new SS11 collection. I guess my immediate goal would be, successfully getting through our London Fashion Week show and our trip to Paris.

Written by Ester Kneen

See the original article here.

Trend Track: Dior Rose

2010-07-24T21:59:00.000+01:00

Maison Dior have created a new breed of rose, named The Jardin de Granville. The rose will be a key ingredient in the brand's Autumn Skincare Range Satine.

The rose hybrid, grown completely organically, descended from a favourite wild rose of Christian Dior himself. The beautiful pink tinted petals, and the rose's tall, and almost thorn-less stems reflect Christian Dior's design aesthetic, flowers were a main source of inspiration;

"The Dior woman is a queen among women, just as the rose is the queen among flowers."

The Jardin de Granville Rose in early bloom.

The perfect petals of The Jardin de Granville Rose.

Dior evening dress. Spring/Summer 1948.

Original Christian Dior sketch. Autumn/Winter 1947/48

Images courtesy of WGSN.

Bloomsbury Retro Bowling Alley

2010-07-24T21:14:00.000+01:00

Went to Bloomsbury Bowl recently, it was so fun!
I would definitely recommend a visit.

Welcome to my new and improved blog!

2010-07-24T20:58:00.000+01:00

Hope you like the make-over!

I'd like to thank you for reading... now please tell everyone you know about my blog!
Cheers lovelies
xxx

I heart Mel Elliott!

2010-07-23T13:46:00.000+01:00

At the Supermarket Sarah event I recently reviewed for Amelias Online I was very pleased to discover amazing illustrator Mel Elliott. Her installation was a large illustration with pockets of felt tips included to encourage some good old colouring in!

Mel's 'Colour Me Good' range makes great presents. You can check out i love mel products on her blog.

Wireless Festival 2010

2010-07-20T11:19:00.000+01:00

Jay Z at Wireless was AMAZING. The man is a god!
(Gotta love a bit of Lily too)

Design Details: TREND TRACK Oversized Knits

2010-07-18T18:35:00.000+01:00

Part of my study into craft practice in my graduate year at Goldsmiths was based around the concept of collaboration. I made giant knitting needles out of curtain rails and encouraged users (it needed more than one person to knit) to collaborate in their practice and work together. The size of the knitting produced provided spaces for security-a crafty hideout. It was a joy to do, with the weight of the knit and the physical action of knitting using your whole body was a great experience.

So understandably I was thrilled to discover oversized knits are a huge current trend in interiors.

Christien Meindertsma’s urchin pouf has been a popular talking point within the world of design with notable mentions from Elle Decoration and WGSN to name but a few. Recent exposure at Design for a Living World at Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum has not only propelled the brand into the limelight, but has identified a huge oversized knit trend throughout interiors.

Dana Barnes’ work at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair 2010, uses a selection of bright colours blended into a tactile, plaited look with a retro feel, particularly seen in her felt ‘Granny Squares’.

It is this tactility that I find so attractive in knitting. For me, knits have a power of persuasion, making it impossible not to engage with the texture. This engaging power of knitting has been brought into a contemporary sphere through pursuits such as guerilla knitting also known as graffiti knitting or knit bombing. Guerilla knitting groups such as Knitta have been operating for a few years now, bringing knit projects into the public domain, and decorating our urban landscapes. Last year’s I Heart Kings Crossgraffiti knitting project in Sydney did just that, wrapping trees in an open area of Kings Cross with colourful knitted shrouds.

Knitting isn’t restricted to yarns and wools, shown here in ‘Phat Knits’ foam seating by Bauke Knottnerus.

And the fun doesn’t end in knitting, there’s mega crochet too! Jean Lee of Ladies and Gentlemen’sMega Doily uses rope to construct an amazing rug. Heins Home’s huge doilies also made from cotton rope, and photographed here against a harsh, industrial surface beautifully contrast with their surroundings.

And as for a bit of wearable giant knits Tanya Aguiniga’s rope knot bracelet with a dip dye effect that’s right on trend is amazing.

Author: Ester Kneen
Images courtesy of/ depicting (from top to bottom): Ester Kneen, Christien Meindertsma, NY Times, Dana Barnes, I Heart Kings Cross, Bauke Knottnerus, Ladies and Gentlemen, Heins Home and Tanya Aguiniga.

This Article can be found on The Hub Magazine Website

Red or Dead Bloggers Breakfast

2010-07-08T13:10:00.000+01:00

Earlier this month I joined some fellow bloggers for a lovely breakfast at Quintessentially Soho. The event was hosted by Red or Dead and Chase PR and was a chance to see Red or Dead’s new collections. The brand is perhaps most commonly known for it’s footwear, (sold at Schuh) and eyewear (sold at Specsavers) however the brand has some great new ranges of swimwear, hosiery, handbags, footwear and also a bicycle in collaboration with Raleigh.

The 'Rescue Me' swimwear line has some fabulous retro nautical pieces, the 'Vintage 1-Piece' (available in red or turquoise) has a fantastic shape and the prints in the 'flora' collection are great too. The ‘Rescue Me’ theme based around ‘Blackpool pleasure beach meets Essex seaside chic’ is a fun and fresh take on the nautical trend we’ve seen so much of. Look out for the ‘Penzance’ postcard clutch bag, a great casual clutch for sunny day trips. Team it with a pair of ‘Lolly’ clogs and you’re well on your way to summers hottest look. Another of my favourite products is the ‘Addy’ tights from the ‘Glorious Gussets’ range (available at tightsplease.co.uk) with a wide back seam.

The British brand was set up in 1982 by Wayne Hemmingway and his wife, Geraldine. It’s foundations lay in accessible and affordable fun fashion and won ‘Street Style Designer of the Year’ in 1995, 1996 and 1997. Current Creative Director Katie Greenyer is a lovely lady with bright pink hair and a passion for her pooch, her bicycle and her houseboat and it was easy to see how passionate she is about the brand’s latest collection, check it out at www.redordead.com

Images courtesy of Red or Dead

The Papered Parlour - Taster Event

2010-06-27T16:38:00.000+01:00

The Papered Parlour are hosting a free taster event on July 4th from 2pm until 5pm. Head on down for some crafty fun! Check out the website for more information.

"Join the Parlour Girls for frivolous fourth of July fun including American Style Quilting, Andy Warholesque Printmaking and Yankee Doodling for children! We’ve got all-American live music from finger-picking folkies playing Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and other traditional tunes from across the Atlantic. Plus there’ll be genuine North American Parlour Girls serving up red, white and blueberry cakes, hot apple pie and cold lemonade..."

The event is being held to mark the final day of voting for the Barclays take one small step award.

"Over 3,600 people have entered the Barclay’s Business competition for the chance to win £50,000 to give their business idea a boost. The Papered Parlour are proud to announce they have been selected by the panel as one of 3 finalists for the South London region. Now it’s down to you! The winner is decided by public vote and polling opens 7 June - 4 July. We have a 1 in 3 chance of winning so please, please, please vote Papered Parlour and help us to win £50,000 to put towards the development of The Paperd Parlour! "

Text PARLOUR to 87222

http://www.thepaperedparlour.co.uk/

Red or Dead Bloggers Breakfast

2010-06-16T12:41:00.000+01:00

This morning I enjoyed a huge breakfast at Quintessentially Soho with Red or Dead. I had so much fun, we got shown the new line, I was particularly impressed with the swimwear and excited to see Red or Dead's new bike, a collaboration with Raleigh! I'll let you know what went down in my piece for Amelia's Magazine shortly.

http://tweetphoto.com/27470260

Tacita Dean's Craneway Event

2010-06-15T12:46:00.000+01:00

Tacita Dean’s ‘Craneway Event’, (2009) is showing at the Frith Street Gallery this month and I recommend a visit. The feature length film documents the last work of choreographer Merce Cunningham (1919-2009) before his death on July 26th of last year.

The viewer observes the rehearsals of Cunningham’s dance company in a beautiful 1930’s Albert Kahn building, previously used as a Ford motor assembly plant. The building is glazed on three sides revealing the busy port of San Francisco Bay, thus contributing to the stunning backdrop. Birds and boats glide past seemingly choreographed in time with the dancers in the foreground. Cunningham often used spaces not typically designed for dance events, and in 2003 used the Tate Modern’sTurbine Hall. Cunningham composed the accompanying music for his events alongside his partner John Cage and the dancers would often hear the accompanying score for the first time during the performance. The soundtrack of the film is therefore made up of sounds of speech, shuffling feet and distant external noise.

Sadly Merce Cunningham died during Dean’s editing of the film leaving the artist questioning her approach to the piece, looking back on the life of her subject until she realized the potential to not only record his last work but continue his legacy.

“Although I lost the pleasure of imagining him watching the film, I gained a different sort of Muse. Merce’s joy in the process was steadfastly there and his enthusiasm seemed to have a directional force. I began to feel that Merce had set up the components that make up the film- the building, the dancers, the light, the ships and the birds, because he knew they would not fail him in absentia.”Tacita Dean

The piece is dedicated to Merce Cunningham 1919-2009

‘Craneway Event’ (108 minutes) is showing at Frith Street Gallery until 26th June, with three showings every weekday and two on a Saturday (by appointment only).

Frith Street Gallery, 17-18 Golden Square, London W1F 9JJ

Words and images by Ester Kneen

Published at:

http://thehub.c-hab.com/2010/06/design-details-craneway-event/

yum yum

2010-06-08T19:06:00.000+01:00

Wonderful Workspaces

2010-06-08T16:48:00.000+01:00

I've been thinking (as I often am) about redecorating/reorganising/rejigging my house and as ever the question of my workspace/studiospace comes up...
I then randomly cam across this blog from Unplggd.
This is quite possibly the sexiest workspace I've ever seen.

Amazing isn't it.
I've gotta say I do like a little bit of mess too, organised mess however! (you'll see my space and understand.) I think it's nice when a workspace shows a collection of things that have inspired you, understandably even the best of organised workspaces get cluttered with bits and bobs from time to time. A workspace can be like the mind, a collection of boggled ideas mixed with some tools to make them happen!

Now I'm gonna get a little obsessed with spotting cool interiors, and I'll blog what is bloggable. If you have an amazing space you want me to cover leave me a comment/e-mail me and I'll get back to you.

x

Design Detail - Quilts 1700-2010

2010-05-25T15:41:00.000+01:00

Here is my latest Design Detail Column for The Hub Magazine...

Design Detail - Quilts 1700-2010

This month’s Design Detail is ‘Quilts 1700-2010′ , currently showing at the V&A. I visited the exhibition knowing I had something to be excited about, as I am a lover of all things crafty, and love to use quilting, patchwork and embroidery in my work. However I couldn’t prepare myself for being quite so blown away. Yet again the V&As research team have failed to disappoint.

Through the ‘excavation’ of various quilts from as early as 1700 they have discovered little gems of information. One quilt, a ‘Coverlet with Aesop’s Fable’ (made in England between 1700-20 with additions and repairs from 1780-1830), recorded reading habits and used imagery from stories. When investigated, paper templates made from a newspaper from 1705 were found within the quilt’s layers.

The exhibit, curated by Sue Pritchard, was divided into sections through the themes of, ‘The Domestic Landscape’, ‘Private Thoughts and Political Debates’, ‘Virtue and Virtuosity’, ‘Making a Living’ and ‘Meeting the Past’. These themes effectively blended the old, with the new and linked them conceptually.

The ‘Alphabet of Love and Courtship’ from 1875-85, (by an unknown artist) was a humorous and quirky piece illustrating the stages of a relationship through the letters of the alphabet. Beginning with A for Admiration, B for Beauty and C for Cupid and later Q for Quakings and R for Refusal.

More contemporary areas of the exhibit included a film by Nicola Naismith ‘Between Counting’, 2009. The film shows the journey of the needle from mass production to the solitude of the stitchers hand. One thousand ‘between’ needles (designed for hand stitching) became one. The piece is part of a project called ‘en-mass’ which explores “globalisation, trade and cross cultural skills” and the “relationships between mass production and hand dexterities.”

Diana Harrison’s ‘Box 1 and 2’, 2010 takes quilt construction to an alternative place recreating a corrugated card effect.

“The final construction of this ‘quilt’ appears unstable, seams left open, flaps falling and curving suggesting fragility. The time taken to make a large textile piece inevitably becomes connected to personal life events at the time of making. The time-consuming and repetitive stitching of this work acted as a therapeutic distraction to otherwise destructive events.”

Caren Garfen’s ‘How Many Times Do I have to repeat myself’, 2009 is an illustrative and colourful piece exploring various women’s issues such as domestic roles. The quilt is a collection of screen-printed illustrations of domestic objects such as phones, irons and washing machines with overlaid embroidered commentary. The quilt is stuffed with ‘a bit of fluff’ from tumble dryers collected by a collection of women who are all named in a label sewn on to the quilt.

The ‘Fine Cell Work’, 2010, project included a quilt made by prisoners of Wandsworth Prison, and an accompanying film. This project was a highlight of the exhibition, and speaking to other visitors it was clear this piece was a popular one. Based on a hexagon shape, to match a tiled floor within the prison, the piece records contemporary prison life, exploring “stitching as an act of commemoration and remembrance.” The quilts charm is owed to the “work of many hands” and statements such as “I didn’t do it Guv!! Honest!” ‘Fine Cell Work’ operates in 26 prisons across the UK and interestingly 80% of participants are male. The organisation’s mission is “to rehabilitate prisoners by giving them the opportunity to earn and save money and the chance to reflect on and rebuild their lives through craft and achievement.”

Photograph Credit: Nils Jorgensen / Rex Features

Jennifer Vickers’ project, ‘The Presence of Absence’ 2010 is a patchwork quilt made up of 38,000 blank, white paper squares measuring 1cm x 1cm². Each square represents Iraqi civilian deaths since the start of the war on Iraq in 2003. Among the blank paper squares are 100 which bear the faces of British casualties in the same period of time. This dramatic piece hammers home a powerful political statement, a statement that is made so effectively through the medium of patchwork.

Another piece that succeeds in making a political statement is Grayson Perry’s ‘Right to Life’, 1998, commenting on American abortion debates. Embroidered illustrations of fetuses in a repetitive print formation celebrate the quilt as traditionally decorative through politically and emotionally charged imagery.

Tracey Emin’s ‘To Meet My Past’, 2002 concludes the exhibition with a beautifully crafted installation of a bed draped with textiles telling a story. Emin’s traditional appliquéd and embroidered execution of illustrations drew a crowd of people all trying to read the text.

“Making quilts isn’t just a graphic process, wrapped up with the production of sewing. It involves a lot of thought and love. Just in the time involved in the process means many things are discussed and considered concerning life.”

The V&A succeeded in offering an exhibition exploring traditional craft practice within a contemporary realm, and commenting on contemporary issues.

Quilts is showing from March 20^th until July 4^th 2010.

Details of all events, seminars and courses can be found on the V&A website. The V&A are also boasting a Quilt of Quilts page, which allows members of the public to upload images of their own quilts. There is also an Amy Butler quilt pattern available to download.

Author: Ester Kneen

All photography courtesy of the V&A Museum.

article can be found at: http://thehub.c-hab.com/2010/05/design-detail-quilts-1700-2010/

Topshop Make-Up

2010-05-18T09:30:00.000+01:00

Topshop's new Make-Up range launched recently with huge success, so I went to the flagship store to investigate...

The graphics and packaging had a quirky yet sophisticated simplicity that I loved.
I'm ALWAYS sold on packaging! I came away with a nail polish in the 'gone fishing' shade, (which is the closest match to Chanel's Jade no. 407 I've seen, congratulations Topshop!) and a lip polish in 'Coral'.

The nail polish colour is fab, as it's rare to see a jade green shade done well. I wasn't however overly impressed with the strength of the polish, it chipped easily and sadly is one you have to carry in your handbag for emergency top-ups. With a cost of £5 I wasn't expecting miracles, however being a fan of Barry M nail polishes (especially at £2.95) I didn't notice any better quality coverage.

The lip polish is a nice little handbag item, with a tiny, but very handy mirror. The coral shade is lovely, and it's priced fairly at £6. The polish works more as a tinted gloss than a lipstick and its texture means you're never going to get a strong shade.

So all in all a couple of good little products, however some improvements could be made. Take note Topshop!

Quilts 1700-2010 at the V&A

2010-05-17T14:45:00.000+01:00

Visited the 'Quilts 1700-2010' at the V&A recently. It was AMAZING!
I'm reviewing it for my 'Design Detail' Column for The Hub magazine, so keep a look out!

Wrangler Menswear - Latest Website

2010-05-14T13:44:00.000+01:00

I just came across Wrangler's latest website, it's next level user interactivity!
I love it! It gave me a pang of excitement that few websites have ever given me.
The particularly exciting bit for me is in the BlueBell brand section.
Not only does it give you an insight into the possibilities of website design (I believe all web based media should pull the user in through involvement and interactivity) but you get to tug on the clothing and even undress a lovely looking man!

Check it out here.

Charlotte Mann

2010-05-11T21:49:00.000+01:00

Illustrator Charlotte Mann has been widely talked about over the last year, I never got round to being one of those to mention her, so maybe this is a little overdue but she deserves a mention!

What better way to decorate your home than a made-to-measure or rather measured out and drawn on illustrated wall? These fun illustrations quite literally, add another dimension to a space. They're like a place you want to visit but can't. The intricate illustration makes you want to investigate each little line.

The 'Peter Jensen Resort' project was a set created for a photoshoot.

"The collection was inspired by Diane Arbus. Every aspect of the room I drew is taken from a Diane Arbus photograph, except the wallpaper, which is pure Peter Jensen, and every single bunny drawn freehand."

Her website has a section called 'Other Drawings' where I found some treasures, I love this fashion illustrations.

www.charlottemann.co.uk

Joetta Maue

2010-05-10T11:07:00.000+01:00

This week I discovered the work of textiles artist Joetta Maue. "An artist who loves fiber, lace, embroidery, stillness, sunshine and pickles..." apparently.

Her 'Desire to be' embroidery piece caught my eye on Creature Comforts, a favourite blog of mine.

Check out her blog for more beautiful embroidery works.

http://littleyellowbirds.blogspot.com

Design Detail - Alternative Fashion Week

2010-05-10T10:50:00.000+01:00

I now have a monthly column, 'Design Detail' for The Hub Magazine.
Check it out!
Here's the first installment....

This year’s Alternative Fashion Week saw over 70 new designers present their work to an estimated audience of 10,000 visitors keen to see emerging talent. With 14 or more catwalk shows each day the event had a jam-packed schedule and attracted visitors from all over the world. Hosted by Alternative Arts – a publicly funded arts organisation – they aim to ‘present fashion as an exciting and original art form’. Alternative Arts strive to raise environmental awareness and actively support recycling and ethical sourcing in fashion. “We invest in innovation and ideas. This is fashion on the edge, risky, experimental, fashion for the future.”

Alternative Fashion Week acts as a middle ground between graduate fashion shows and the mainstream fashion industry, and helped launch Gareth Pugh’s career, when he was invited byFashion East to show at London Fashion Week in 2005. The event is free to all participants and visitors alike and for this reason is hugely competitive as only 70 designers are chosen from over 500 applicants.

Alternative Fashion Week is also a great opportunity for those wanting to break into the modeling industry. All models are unpaid volunteers and many attend choreographer Rosie Whitney-Fish’s six-week modeling course prior to the event. Model scouts visit the event hoping to discover new talent.

Spitalfields Trader’s Market houses the event involving not just catwalk shows but also a fashion stalls exhibiting clothes, textiles and accessories. The atmosphere that filled the market was invigorating. The high-energy, quick-paced shows attracted flocks of people. ‘The Really Tight Corsettes’, a contemporary jazz band, accompanied each of the catwalk shows and in no small part contributed to the lively atmosphere. The excitement and energy could also be felt backstage where models were preparing and designers were making last minute adjustments.

Laura Fox’s ‘Rural Renaissance’ show was a highlight. The ‘British Heritage, Harris Tweed and Oilskin’ inspired collection presented oilskin dresses, tapered trousers, bold prints in yellows and greens and pheasant feather fascinators. Resulting in a ‘Country Life’ meets ‘Good Housekeeping’ feel with a contemporary and wearable outcome.

Kim Soeghee’s show ‘Another 7th Day’ played upto the current biker trend with emo and gothic styling, architectural tailoring and oversized, open knits. The well-selected group of moody-faced models with attitude perfectly complimented the collection. It was ‘guyliner’ galore!

Sarina Hosking’s fairytale inspired collection ‘Sarina Poppy’ was introduced as “Beauty and the Beast; where Red Riding Hood is in love with the Beast”. The concept was weakened by a little fairytale confusion, but dramatic corsetry and creative posing gave the collection a magical feel. The fabric choices caused a little more confusion with polka dots placed with velvets and lace, however this eclecticism was also the collection’s strength.

Additionally Laura Panter’s ‘A Collection that cries Adolescent with Womanly Curves’ showed interesting structural silhouettes with beautiful pastel shades and sexy feminine styling. Sophie Biddulph’s work for Chelsea College of Art and Design’s ‘Modern Folk’ collection was a beautifully styled sophisticated outcome with a stunning charcoal grey animal skin effect print in a delicate fabric.

The event was an insight into work that may soon be seen on the catwalks of London, New York, Paris and Milan fashion weeks. The atmosphere was inspiring and I’ll definitely be visiting again next year! Visit the Alternative Arts website for more information.

Author: Ester Kneen

Images courtesy of Natalia Kneen. From top to bottom: Sarina Hosking, Laura Fox, Kim Soeghee, Sarina Hosking, Laura Panter and Sophie Biddulph.

Design Details - Alternative Fashion Week

2010-05-09T18:56:00.000+01:00

I now have a monthly column with The Hub Magazine called Design Details.
This is my first column covering Alternative Fashion Week.
Thanks to Natalia Kneen for the photography.

http://thehub.c-hab.com/2010/05/design-detail-alternative-fashion-week-in-full/

I'm not Wasted

2010-04-28T16:53:00.000+01:00

Here's a photo of me setting up my stall at the I'm not Wasted event in Hackney on March 23rd. Before the the badge-making madness that occured that evening. I look very calm, if only I'd known how MAD it was soon going to be! Still very fun.

Check out my online shops to buy badges made from reused fabrics.
www.esterkneen.com/reclaimingcraft
www.etsy.com/shop/esterkneen
www.folksy.com/esterkneen

Alternative Fashion Week

2010-04-28T11:23:00.000+01:00

Last week I visited Alternative Fashion Week at Spitalfields Market.
I was very impressed with a lot of the up and coming talent.
I reviewed the event in detail for The Hub Magazine as my first article for my monthly 'Design Details' column. The article will be up next week.
Check out The Hub for my other articles.
And as ever thanks to my sister Natalia Kneen for excellent photography!

Microchic - the lowdown.....

2010-03-30T17:22:00.000+01:00

Heres an article I wrote for Amelias Online
http://www.ameliasmagazine.com/fashion/future-human-lectures-fashions-microchic-shake-up/2010/03/30/

Future Human Lectures: Fashion’s Microchic Shake-Up

Bad Idea Magazine hosts the latest in their series of 'Future Human' lectures, debating on the influence of the internet on global and British fashion...

Written by Ester Kneen

The latest in a series of events from Bad Idea Magazine, ‘Future Human’ explores a new topic each month and hosts an evening of discussion and debate at The Book Club in Shoreditch.

This month’s topic ‘Fashion’s Microchic Shake-Up’ pondered on the impact of the internet on the global fashion market we see today. Prior to the invention of the internet, origins of fashion trends could be pinpointed to say, a specific youth culture, a political movement, or a new music trend. Times have changed; the way we see fashion has changed. The serge of information made accessible to us via the internet has created a new breed of consumer, a fashionista in his or her own right. Hello Microchic.

The term Microchic is used to describe fashion today – fashion derived from a variety of new, and inspirational sources. A style influenced by social networking sites, trend blogs and small cult labels adopted by highstreet clothing lines. A Microchic consumer knows about fashion and demands individuality, quality, innovation and fashion-forward appeal.
Ben Beaumont-Thomas began the evening with ‘The Great Microchic Shake-Up: A Primer’, in which he defined microchic as a ‘hyper-personal multi-faceted look’. The internet allows us to cherry pick fashions, it’s no longer about subcultures showcasing specific looks but about a consumer being able to choose a look for that day without the commitment. London’s fashion-forward hubs like Shoreditchaccommodate many a microchic fashionista and, it seems what used to be ironic now just ‘is’. In order to track cult fashion movements on the streets of London, Paris, Milan, New York and Tokyo big brands subscribe to online global think tanks and trend forecasting services such as WGSN. These think tanks track fashion movements all over the world. Data is collected to give information on a global scale. Sales figures, market research, on-the-street trend spotters, and research into new manufacturing techniques all form a hub of information essential to any brand that wants to survive. It seems clear; the Internet has played a huge part in turning the way we think about fashion around.

So began the evenings debate; “Can the British High Street compete with Microchic?” The audience were able to upload thoughts in real-time via a live twitter feed which was displayed on stage for debate interaction. Guests Iris Ben David, CEO of Styleshake, Helen Brown, founder of Catwalk Genius and Ruth Marshall-Johnson, senior editor of WGSN Think Tank also shared their thoughts, prompting further debate. A particularly interesting point made by @cushefootwear via twitter was “Internet is to clothes what microwaves are to food”, prompting us to question the importance of ‘experience’ and ‘sensation’ when buying fashion.
Alterations in consumer shopping patterns have led to many interesting technological developments. Innovative systems are being designed to meet new sets of consumer demands.

www.styleshake.com

Styleshake allows a user to build a look within an online interface. The idea is, the user can create the garment they have in their head (you know, that absolutely perfect dress you wonder if you’ll ever find) through the selection of various characteristics, such as fabrics, necklines, and detailing. After you’ve designed the garment you can have it made at very reasonable prices.

Catwalk Genius is an innovative creative platform in which unestablished and up-and-coming fashion designers can sell their ranges. It’s a great resource for those looking for something ‘not on the High Street’. Users can also invest in emerging talent by buying shares in a designer’s next collection.

Perhaps a more extreme example of innovation is Augmented-Reality Shopping in which tools such as 3D scanners are used to replicate the body shape and look of a user, allowing him or her to see what they would look like in any chosen garment.
Emerging trends are all about the involvement of the consumer. The consumer is part of the process. Innovative systems like these are designed to combat consumer frustrations such as differentiation in sizing between brands or inability to find a specific item or size, while offering an alternative consumer experience. Many consumers would be happy to do away with the days of long queues, sweaty changing rooms, rude salespeople and traipsing round shops all afternoon. By adopting an online shopping sphere, however, we lose out on the interactivity, the social nature and the tactility of shopping the High Street. Retail brands will need to facilitate technical developments such as 3D scanners (eliminating the need for changing rooms) to compete.

H&M Garden Collection

The competitive nature of the High Street has resulted in a cycle of mass production of fast-fashion garments and large amounts of waste. In contributing to our throw-away society the highstreet fails to represent the ethical edge that can be found in Microchic. However the High Street favourites H&M’s Garden Collection made up of organic cotton and recycled polyester represents a change in attitudes from big brands.

So what does the future hold for the British High Street? Join the Debate!

Written by Ester Kneen on Tuesday March 30th, 2010 5:10 pm

Tags:

Bad Idea Magazine, Catwalk Genius, fashion, Garden Collection, H&M, High Street, internet, shoreditch, Styleshake, The Book Club, WGSN