Tag: #london

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The V&A and the Tower of Babel

I was so excited to see this piece – The Tower of Babel –  displayed at the V&A. Consisting of 3000 bone china shops (each around 10 cm high), this exhibit by the artist Barnaby Barford, went on public view just a few days ago. I love the way each tiny shop represents a real shop in London and that you can buy one of them too! I have to confess I have bought one or two.
Each is glazed with a photograph of a shop spanning everything from derelict shops to buildings like Harrods. I would recommend you visit it soon – the crowds were building whilst we were there today. You can get up close to the ‘shops’ – which is your favourite?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you get a chance to see it. The exhibition is on until 1st November 2015.
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At Jessie Chorley’s shop with friends

Yesterday had been a date in my diary for quite some time. It was the launch of Jessie Chorley’s new book in her newly decorated shop. Jessie’s open invitation had flocks of us turning up all morning. The book launch party was celebrated with cake served on vintage plates and glasses of Prosseco and Elder-flower fizz.

It was so lovely to meet the ladies from Hope and Elvis again, and to bump into my Facebook and Instagram friends – to finally put a face to the name. I am so lucky to have friends as barmy about textiles and I am.

Her shop has changed dramatically since my last visit a few years ago.  She has redecorated the interior with a coat of white paint which sets off her work beautifully. The shelving is made from scaffolding boards and all her goodies for sale are displayed in pre-loved china and vintage furniture.

 

The shop’s exterior decoration always makes me smile. Jessie puts out her hand decorated textile ‘flags’ and decorations each day, regardless of the weather. The shops’s window dressing is constantly changing. This weekend, there was a celebration theme – ‘Celebrating 10 years in business’ –  even the window pane had been decorated.  On the pavement trestle tables were full to bursting with cake, books and flowers, and there was a bench for visitors to rest or to sit and sew.  The whole shop had a wonderful warm buzz about it.

My visit to the shop was the first port of call as part of a day out in London with my DH. He popped into the shop and saw my eyes light up as I drooled over one of Jessie’s framed pieces of work – he bought it for me as a gift for our Silver Wedding Anniversary. I’m a lucky girl. There are very few things in life  that I have a real weakness for (apart from Pistachio ice-cream and nougat) . I am not really a handbag, shoe or jewelry kind of girl – textiles  are my weakness and this piece I adore. Thank you my DH.

 

Jessie Chorley’s  creativity and enthusiasm is so contagious. I went home with my head buzzing with even more ideas and I just had to sew!  Thank you Jessie for inviting me and for the very generous goody bag.

Jessie Chorley’s shop is at 158a Columbia Road, London.

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Shoes: Pleasure & Pain – the fabulous V&A Exhibition

The latest exhibition at the V&A is pleasure and pain all rolled into one. If you are a lover of shoes, or embroidery, or historical costume, or boots or are a collector of shoes (as I am sure a few of us are) then this is the exhibition for you.
The exhibition displays the fabulous, exquisite pieces like sweets in the window of an exclusive Parisian Chocolate shop. Each pair staged to be admired.
The shoes are grouped in collections, each inspired by a theme of – ‘fashion’, ‘obsession’, ‘cinema’, ‘showing a bit of leg’, ‘shoes to entice’, ‘fit for a king’, ‘Royalty’. All truly yummy. Here are just a few of the enticing goodies on display. Enjoy.

The Glass Slipper from the 2015 Disney Movie ‘Cinderella’, as worn by Lily James.
Designed by Sandy Powell.
The red ballet shoes as worn in the 1948 movie ‘The Red Shoes’

 

Shoes fit for a king
Men’s Mojari shoes, India 1800 – Cotton, silk, gilded silver thread embroidery.
Possibly owned by the Nawab of Awadh.

Such tiny shoes for an adult not a child.

Shoes for Bound feet, China 1740 – silk, sequins, metal thread embroidery, linen and leather.
Popular footwear in Han Chinese society.

Here are some shoes worn by British Royalty – Queen Victoria and the Duchess of Cambridge; the French Royalty or rather the mistress of Louis XV; and Celebrity Royalty – Kylie Minogue’s Prada killer heels and Carrie’s famous Jimmy Choo’s from Sex in the City.

Shoes fit for a Queen, a future Queen and Carrie’s from ‘Sex in the City’

There is something for everyone. I visited with the notion that I was about to spend a few hours looking at lots of scrummy shoes, but it was so much more! I left, my mind buzzing with embroidery, textures of fabrics and leather, colour combinations and beading. Visit if you can. The exhibition is on until the 31st January 2016.