Tuesday 28 February 2012

Barcelona...

Just a few remaining highlights... Las Ramblas market, Montjuic hill, Romanesque art at MNAC, beach at sunset and some yummy tapas!

Barcelona: What I Wore

Had such dreamy weather - definitely packed too many clothes!

Gaudi in Barcelona

Casa Batllo is on the Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona, and stands out as one of Gaudi's most magnificent Art Nouveau domestic houses. The organic and skeletal structure has earned itself the local name of 'House of Bones'. The interior lacks any straight lines and each room flows into one another, with numerous large oval windows that bathe the building in sunlight. The exterior is covered with bluey greenish mosiacs creating an amazing fish scale quality. This was definitely one of my Gaudi highlights of Barcelona - well worth going inside too!

Park Guell is situated on the top of El Carmel hill and has stunning views across Barcelona. Gaudi lived in the bottom right house for almost 20 years, although it was not built by him. The main terrace is surrounded by undulating mosaic covered benches designed by Gaudi, similarly containing no straight lines. A forest of columns support the main terrace from underneath with repeated mosaic patterns on the ceiling. The flowing designs of Gaudi's buildings fit with the natural topography. Lovely to sit and have a picnic, with the surrounding calming fluidity of Gaudi's work.

The Sagrada Familia is a wonderful forest of Gaudi's modern design within the innovative space of a Roman Catholic cathedral. Spiked shapes and impressive relief sculpture cover this vast space. Although much of the church was designed by Gaudi, only a quarter of the building was finished by his death in 1926. Visually, the interior is stunning, everywhere you stand you get a different view of the magnificent structural feat that was carried out. Still to this day there are numerous works being carried out on the building and there is an anticipated date of 2026 for full completion of the cathedral. It is a true spectacle!

Monday 20 February 2012

Mary Katrantzou for Topshop

Pretty much all sold out now...but lots being put on eBay. Loving the mixed patterns of each piece, enough to brighten up anyone's day!

Sunday 19 February 2012

Thursday 16 February 2012

♥ Valentines Day, dinner at Bon Vivant, Thistle Street (highly recommend - great food and price). Wore new Toast velvet dress, red lippy and was a very spoilt girl!

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Working with Karen Cole at Pure, London

Pure is a three day Fashion Trade Show held twice a year in February and August. Buyers from boutiques and department stores go there to choose and order their Autumn/Winter 2012 collections. I worked with New Zealand designer Karen Cole, who creates lovely pieces aimed at older women although many pieces I would wear myself. One of my favourite items was her possum fur poncho, SO cosy and possums are pests over there so it is ok to wear one! Her SS12 collection includes a zingy floral print skirt, great to wear with a lemony yellow cardigan in the Summer.

There were roughly 300-400 stalls including Young Fashion, Womenswear, Accessories and Footwear. It was fascinating to see the wholesale prices of the items which are then more than doubled for the retail price. Catwalk shows took place throughout the three days as well as explanations of trends and pieces by stylists and other inspiring designers such as Zandra Rhodes. It was great fun and a new experience viewing the fashion business from a buyers perspective!
Own photographs

Sunday 12 February 2012

Seashell (strawberry in this case!) salted caramels

So yummy and so easy! Find the recipe here.
Worn at Tate Modern: sequin jumper, Topshop; scarf, Zara; maxi skirt, Urban Outfitters; sunglasses, Max&Co.

Saturday 11 February 2012

Yayoi Kusama at Tate Modern

The retrospective exhibition of the Japanese artist Yayoi Kasuma opened a couple of days ago at the Tate Modern in London. It is on until 5th June and I highly recommend going!

Much of her work is a reflection of her unique vision of the world through hallucinatory experiences. She was a major figure amongst New York avant-garde artists including Andy Warhol and Joseph Cornell. She is now 82, and after checking herself into a mental hospital 35 years ago, she now resides there permanently. Kusama is often quoted as saying "If it were not for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago."

The room-sized installations really stood out for me. I'm Here, but Nothing displayed a room and all its furnishings covered in fluorescent spot stickers which in dim light glow under UV. And the final room, called the Infinity Mirrored Room - Filled with the Brilliance of Life is her largest installation created specifically for this exhibition. The walled mirrors reflect the colour changing light bulbs creating an experience of the infinite, inviting the viewer into a space echoing Kusama's ongoing journey of self-obliteration. To find details of the exhibition, visit the Tate Modern website here.

Thursday 9 February 2012

Aqua by Aqua

Sale now on! Just ordered the Black Flapper Mini Dress.. Have a look at the collection here

Sunday 5 February 2012

Anthropologie, Edinburgh

One of my favourite shops, the display makes me want to buy everything..!
Own photographs