Summer 2012 has been the most uplifting and jubilant season, starting with the Diamond Jubilee celebration in May, and followed by the London Olympics in July and August. As national pride surge, the Beautiful Britannia elements are creeping into the latest fashion and product design. The Union Jack’s red, blue and white is no longer … Continue reading »
Cycling is fast becoming the nation’s favourite sport after Tour de France 2012. SWXX speaks to Richard Gibbens, founder of Proud to Ride Classic, a bicycle refurbishment workshop based in Lancaster. He is also an accomplished photographer who documents the scenic landscapes along his cycling routes. Gibbens explains how he manages his passion and enjoy … Continue reading »
One the best window displays in Fulham is the Cissbury souvenir shop on Wandsworth Bridge Road. This weekend, the shop captured the Diamond Jubilee fever through fabulous selections of souvenirs made by English craftsmen and British designers. The theme of the shop display changes to mark every important celebrations, which pleases passers-by on the tree-lined … Continue reading »
The British Library curators have unearthed a Medieval cookbook containing recipes for hedgehogs, blackbirds and even unicorns. The book is believed to have been written by chef Geoffrey Fule, who worked in the kitchens of Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England (1328-1369). Queen Philippa, an extraordinary lady of her time, had given birth to fourteen children, and outlived … Continue reading »
Edwina Ibbotson’s hat boutique in Battersea is a rare jewel in British fashion. She is one of few independent milliners in the country, with loyal followings from the design community. I was invited to photograph her millinery studio not long before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding. My good friend, Myriam Lengliné, was an … Continue reading »
Don’t miss the Ceramics gallery at V&A. Far from being chintzy and old-fashioned, it holds an exciting collection of titillating earthenware. Such as these ones. Look out for the Dresden figurines and colourful Caligula bust by Angelo Minghetti. Courting in the 19th century must have been very interesting. The restrained and corseted Victorians expressed their … Continue reading »
This winter, Guinevere has most arresting window display on Kings Road. The sight of the red deer antlers chandelier has stopped me on my track quite a few times. It is a daring lighting concept. It looks almost like a crown of thorns. The shop was founded by Genevieve Weaver, a French milliner who moved … Continue reading »
At night, Tindle lighting shop gleams like a jewelled-encrusted crown in the middle of Wandsworth Bridge Road. Tindle was a family business founded in 1987 and acquired by Dernier & Hamlyn Holdings twenty years later. Dernier & Hamlyn has been supplying lightings for public buildings, palaces, super yachts and cathedrals since 1888. There is a high … Continue reading »
I was pleased when Saatchi Gallery moved to Chelsea because it makes Sloane Square a bit more edgy. In summer I took this photo two girls with John Baldessari’s sculpture Beethoven Trumpet. Last month it was selected to be featured on the cover of Listening to Public art catalogue for the Department of Museums of … Continue reading »
