“VIP event at G.H. Bass & Co. hits high note!”

So, I’m struttin’!

Not quite, Danny Zucco, but I could give him a run for his money, in a Zoolander-style face-off!

….And I’m singin’!

…Not quite Bee Gees, but “me and my ‘Weejuns’, walking down the avenue”, consistently reverbs around my mental recording studio, waiting for release!

With nonpareil London as my runway, I am taking in some of the fashion and fayre of designers in our glorious city, en route to a very special event… and after patiently waiting, all lovingly pre-polished and wrapped in their ‘G.H. Bass & Co.’ box, the night hath arrived upon which my “Penny Stardoms” have their moment to shine!

“They see me strollin’ but they’re not hatin’!” now pops up, as the next remixed track in my ever-expanding mental E.P.!

As I engage upon my window-watching style-sweep, I have to say, I’m loving what I’m seeing! From South Molton, via Regent, through Carnaby and finally, to Beak Street, illustrious brands sit side-by-side, with crackling come-up talent and I am enamoured with it all! ‘Browns’, ‘Berenice’, ‘Hobbs’, ‘Hill and Friends’ effortlessly envelop, as heritage hits abound, with ‘Aquascutum’, attached to ‘Barbour’ and ‘Barker’, ‘French Connection’ connected to ‘COS’ and ‘Karl Lagerfeld’, only to turn-on-a-penny (loafer, if you will!), to find ‘Liberty’, presiding over the edgier end of the shopping district, with a select edit of artisanal offerings and collaborative graduate installations, from future trend-setters of the London College of Fashion!

Carnaby continues to cut a distinctive dash, with a multi-faceted lay-out of names, carving out back-catalogues of creative culture, whilst impressing the ever-changing moods of the current. Mod meccas, ‘Pretty Green’ and ‘Ben Sherman’ hang-out with skater-staples ‘Vans’ and ‘size?’…. whilst ‘We Built This City’ adds a cool artistic flair, no less in keeping with the understated chic of such a fashion-forward thoroughfare…

…the end, of which, is just the beginning of an evening, which encapsulates the perfect combination of venue, vibe and VIP!

Home of the loafer, ever my dream footwear destination, G.H. Bass & Co. and I are reunited…and it feels so good…. And why not?! If they were good enough for the genius of Michael Jackson to have thrilled us all with his trademark Moonwalk, then they’re great enough for my two-stepping!

“It’s been a long time (since fitting for my ‘Stardoms’)… I shouldn’t have left you…” cranks up to Eric .B. and Rakim… but the welcome is, as ever, super-warm, with hugs all-round! You see, for me, this is more than a shop. More than a generic footwear retail establishment, implanted on a trendy side of town. For me, it’s walk-in wardrobe goals! A penny-loafered-palace, a tasselled boot-ique, with variations on a theme, and then some! In its location for two years, the discerning and diverse amassed following is, not only, well-deserved, but well-won, due to the incredible hours, input by a truly dedicated Bass Europe Team.

Tonight, the set-up is an extension of its unique visual merchandising, comprised of wonderfully-worn wooden floors (suggesting the loafer’s Norwegian roots), juxtaposing metal corrugation, historical artefacts, (displaying its celebrity provenance), contrasting with contemporary periodicals and, bien sûr, an array of outstanding, hand-crafted icons…

As bespoke cocktails flow and script-flipping ambient house music fills the atmosphere, tonight is affording guests the opportunity to check out new additions to the collection and have their Bass ‘Weejuns’ personalised, by the immensely-talented illustrator, Anastasiya Levashova. From a subtle selection of custom options, including ornate monogramming and/ or delicate flora and fauna, her precision-painting ensures that each pair is transformed and set apart from any other marque, let alone, house style!

With no more need for internal audio accompaniment, I find myself, instead, using the brainpower to question “What would Pauline Black do?!” She, the dynamic lead singer of Ska supremos, ‘The Selecter’ and  maven of Mod…. which design would she… select?! I mean, in a world where shopping lanes seem laminated with labels, G.H. Bass & Co. is comfortably a cut-above…the beauty being that with every pair, whether customized or not, their idiosyncratic pedigree guarantees that you feel exceptional, too…

“So”, I continue to muse, ”how do you add to perfection?!”

Thrownback to the eclectic typography of the many a-maz-ing two-tone bands to which I was exposed as a growing fashionista (think, ‘The Beat’, ‘The Specials’…), I had to go for the monogram… and in less time than it takes to sing a verse of “Too Much To Young”, my top-notch two-steppers had become hype, hot-steppers… and as the party wound down, with more goodbye hugs shared, I made my way into the remainder of the awaiting night, with the hit Ini Kamoze track blaring, stereo, in my mind… and a bonafide, one-off experience indelibly-etched upon, both, my swaggerific shoes and my super-happy heart!

 

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

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G.H.Bass & Co. UK & Europe

35 Beak Street, Soho, London, W1F 9DP

Twitter: @GHBass1876   Instagram: @ghbass1876   Facebook: GhBass1876

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A_F_R_O_W-Applause and Appreciation to Team G.H. Bass & Co. UK & Europe, on hosting a night, as totally one-off, as your incredibly bespoke brand!

 

“Add first-class Crafts Council exhibition to your 2018 #Collect-ion!”

“Don’t look at it.”

“Do not look at it.”

“Do. Not. Do. It!”

… I hear my inner self repeat, with increasing urgency…

It, being the gorgeous bumper edition of gallerists and artisans represented in the exhibition programme, for the Craft Council’s 2018 edition of “Collect”.

Had I so done, I should have missed my raw and undercooked responses to the copious amounts of brilliance, staged within the haven of the ever-immersive, ever-metamorphic, Saatchi Gallery.

Had I succumbed, I should never have wandered, gawping and wide-eyed, with childlike wonderment, at the genius on show.

Thus, I resisted, and the urge fled, swiftly replaced by internal utterances, released upon sighs of creative satisfaction, at the indescribable, maker-to-viewer, virtuous circle.

It’s as if I didn’t know I needed to eat, until I was eating…. and I’m ingesting a one-time-only, Ossobucco-risotto-of-artistry, garnished with lightly-grilled garlic and flitting flakes of taste-bud-tingling, bites of bacon… Followed by dark, decadent, cherry-chocolate Eton Mess with a flourish of glistening sauce and a scintilla of snow-iced sugar!!

Yes! We’re talking, transcendence of levels!

The restless wresting of pre-determined vocation and preternatural aptitude, with optically chiasmic outcomes that shatter mythological starting or finishing points… Instead, impelling you simply follow that which is vanishing.. because, therein dwells the actual point where true art begins…

Sow “SEE-DS” at the turnstile of this mixed-media manifestation, where concrete and polystyrene form alliances with resin and styrofoam…Witness the wonder of woodwork-tradition holding hands with its technological progeny, under the watchful eye of Sarah Myerscough and see it transformed, in all of its spine-bending glory, at the “Designer Bookbinders” locale, where delicate iterations abound and a deluge of the literary, literally seeps beyond the covers, throwing down the gauntlet, as you dare walk past! No sooner do you grasp, than are your fingertips glazing luxuriant ivory leather, eye-line entranced by piercing palladium and leaves of glittering gilt. At the hands of Annette Friedrich, Virginia Woolf howls orders that you re-direct your discerning glance, in appreciation of a seven-year expedition to visually express her stellar text. Willingly observe, for here you will find a pass-the-parcel of encasement, elevating the elegance of prospective presentation into an exhileration of reception!

“The Bishopsland Educational Trust” invites you to continue their quarter-century celebration, with the gift of silver. Exquisite interpretations of argentum adorn the space with a dazzling display of decorative designs, balancing the conceptual and the practical with distinct ease. Search diligently “Among The Trees” to find a fine “Fractal Wrap Bowl”, the faithful incarnation of a “Silver Leaf Pen Tray” and an “Undercliff Walk Dish, Looking out to Sea”… All, of which, are, in the estimation of one, justifiably-impressed attendee, “entirely Insta-worthy”! Take time to daydream there… you will soon be in concurrence!

“MadeInBritaly” Gallery makes a mighty ‘stand’ for outlandish ostentation, with a gregarious presentation of the works of Shakespeare! The height of ‘peacocking pottery’, it is an adaptation of extreme abandon…The height of embellishment, its contemporary portrayal of the “Bard”, in ceramicist Sunday Best, with all of the trimmings, is akin to an anarchist fashionista, beholding herself in the mirror, whom, rather than removing her last string of pearls, will add another ten, plus a clutch of brooches, for even greater measure of lasting looks!

The chorale of complementary ceramic appeal on offer in the domain of acclaimed gallerist, Cynthia Corbett, is undeniable. Riotous in regurgitated Royal Doulton, fair, smashed to smithereens by creator, Sandra Shasou, about-face and come face-to-face with a bewildering rendering of glaze-dripping desserts, which, subliminally induce the childhood feelings of having over-eaten, when the innocent tin of chocolates has been left ajar and becomes a Pandora’s box of tempting treats! Equally, in real-time adulthood, be prepared that you might wish to leave but, like the best of delectable delights, will somehow, be unable to tear yourself away…

…and yet, extricate yourself, you must, for the prospect of deeper emotional alignment awaits…

…in the constellation of the “London Glassblowing Gallery”…

which is mind-blowing!

Never… I repeat, NEVER, have I experienced such perceptibly perplexing prismatic soul-stirring… It’s impossible maths, made plausible!

Shapes and undulations are, initially, recognisable… cuboids and spheres, for instance… until a plenitude of pyramids come into view, seeming to subdue the perfect storm of internal, ice-blue vortices. Not over. Etch-encrusted forms appear and, that which you cognitively know to be glass, beguiles you, enough to override synapses and believe, definitively, otherwise! Still not over. Empowered by the ethereal, Sabrina Cant certainly can and does mystify, with dichroic treatments. Think, solidified lustre-dust, contracting the Saatchi surrounds and transmuting them into the pitch-black counterpoint of a hand-held kaleidoscope. The Gallery becomes a galaxy, the longer you stare.

Not over, still, for the pages of their studios are as open books, to visitors wishing to become immersed within the library of pursuit of such high creativity.

I register reverberation around my inner ear… “Is it all too beautiful, too rare?” I recognise the refrain as, altogether, fallacy. In rebuke, I answer. “It is undeniably necessary, to be present amidst oeuvres which overwhelm the senses, nay, fundamental in re-igniting the inherent comprehension of the infinitesimal ends to which these master-artisans will reach, in order to give existence to the extraordinary.” Mic dropped…reverb silenced!

“Collect” is intrinsically thus.

The Crafts Council has enclothed the Saatchi Gallery with an unswervingly spirited assemblage of objets d’art, as much conversant with each other, as with the active onlooker. Their resonant, idiosyncratic idioms tuck and taper into the concave chambers of the heart, until, out of the many, emerges one, universal level, that being, the harmony of Human Connection.

On this, the final day, I encourage you to add the unique beauty of your voice to this indelible creative experience and realise, first-hand, the fortifying dynamics of its uncompromisingly unifying, Universal soul-song.

 

 

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

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“Collect”, The International Art Fair For Contemporary Objects, presented by The Crafts Council, which ends today (25 February 2018)!

Social Media:-

CRAFTS COUNCIL

Twitter: @CraftsCouncilUK ~ Instagram: @craftscouncil ~ Facebook: @CraftsCouncilUK ~ Website: www.craftscouncil.org.uk

SAATCHI GALLERY

Twitter: @saatchigallery ~ Instagram: @saatchi_gallery ~ Facebook: @saatchigalleryofficial ~ Website: www.saatchigallery.com

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Profound @A_F_R_O_W-Appreciation to Jill and Maria from the Crafts Council, for organising my incredible visit to the one-of-a-kind experience of “Collect”!

 

 

 

 

 

“The Power and Glory of Balenciaga!”

“Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion” at the Victoria and Albert Museum, is a veritable rhapsody.

A rapturous round of applause to the unmitigated guile and talent of a supremely-gifted tailor and cutting-edge innovator.

Laid out over two amazing floors of crystal-clear creativity, a culmination of past, present and future clauses of the highest quality design are seamlessly-rendered, through quintessential craftsmanship and ground-breaking technology, as only the V&A can do!

From the tenderest beginnings of a Cristobal, who is born in País Vasco, Spain, raised against the backdrop of a consummately-skilled dressmaking Mother and instructed under the tutelage of only the very best in their respective fields of design, to the Master Couturier, in his own right, it is an utter delight to quick-unpick and unpack the realm of raiment which would see him thrust into the fashion foreground and remain there.

Breathless, at every turn, am I. Inspirational in every era of his existence, was he.

Moreover, this exhibition is a power ballad to sartorial intent…

…the curation process, of which, began in 2015 and reaches its maturation in an assemblage which extends beyond the ‘comprehensive’, but is deep-dyed in its sensitive depiction of a uniquely imaginative and inventive world.

From the lab-coat efficiency of pattern-cutting precision (which we might now call ‘minimalist’), to the command of experimental flights-of-fancy (which we might now call avant-garde), the genius of Balenciaga is honoured, with the finely-tuned accuracy of the Maestro, himself. It is effortless glamour-on-demand!

Rather fitting, then, that the ground-level should be sprinkled with the glitter of socialites and movie-star patrons, such as Anne Bullitt Biddle, Elizabeth Parke Firestone and Ava Gardner.

…Toile-to-attire, the entire archival lay-out is akin to the ultimate ensemble…

Yet, not to be outdone by such levels of haute grandeur, the inclusion of C21st advancement is employed, with distinct aplomb. Not only do dress-making demonstrations adorn expansive HD screens, but, on ascending a staircase as grand as the pinpoint pick-ups of a couture wedding gown, they continue to be displayed upon the vast columns of the V&A, itself. Further revelations of the boning construction which lies beneath the gowns, are discovered through inspired collaborations between The London College of Fashion and X-Ray photographer, Nick Veasey, respectively. Each technique serving to enlighten the creative process in all of its methodical glory, acting like a hand-through-time in enlisting modernity to mirror and reflect the labour of love which it took to create, then, and disseminate Balenciaga’s originality, now.

 Earnest testimonials from couturiers and contemporary designers throughout the timeline, signify pertinent reminders of the extraordinary profundity and reach of Balenciaga’s influence. As if his, own, dextrous fingers had extended through history into the gloves of their giftings, such stand-out creators as Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha, Josep Font and J.W. Anderson recall, not only, his pure innovative power, but the exact point of departure for its impact in their own lives, let alone practice… although, it soon becomes clear-cut, that the two are, most definitely, one-in-the-same…

… which brings a romantic reciprocity to the story… for the glorious Balenciaga blueprint is bold and beautiful…the perfect parure… an unmissable suite of style, woven into every echelon of fashion finery, from menswear to womenswear… and echoing through functionality, from sportswear to eveningwear, with architectural sensibility.

All-encompassing proof, if proof were necessary, to “[re-assert] the fact that he’s not just shoes and handbags, he’s so much more”*…

…and always will be.

 

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

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“Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion” is on now, until Sunday 18th February at the V & A.

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Quotation Credit: * Cassie Davies-Strodder (Curator)

 

 

“Five Guys” party leaves you wanting “Moe”!

“I’ll never forget the excitement with which my musicals-mad Brother burst into the house, words spilling swiftly from him and filling the atmosphere with pure exuberance!

He had just returned from seeing the original presentation of a hit show, intriguingly entitled “5 Guys Named Moe”… and, for a moment, I truly believe that he, himself, had been dusted with dance-steps, as he couldn’t stop moving and enthusing about it…

The West End had been bowled over by an infectious party vibe, simply oozing the epitome of slick, combining hi-energy music, movement and accomplished acting!

I, meanwhile, was desperate to get a slice of the pie, which had my big Bro spinning like the proverbial top…. and, so began an affection for what the Arts could inspire, in just one evening!

Roll on a few decades and I find myself the one who has been swept up into the pre-show anticipation for, yours truly, would find herself in unique edifice of The Marble Arch Theatre, in-the-round… urging the artists to get the 2018 party started!

Yes, it was my turn to see the new 5 Guys!

Now, being so close to Mayfair, it was a thrill to take in a gentle sojourn within the eclectic environs of ‘Boisdale Restaurant’… How wonderful to be ensconced in this Scottish family-owned establishment, where the intimate atmosphere is one of front-room privacy, with an open-door policy to all-comers. How refreshing to be descending an LP-lined stairwell and shown the cavernous lower deck of “The Vinyl Bar and Groove Room”, where guests can while away the hours to shellac-soaked DJ sets, re-surface to live music and then, turn a corner, to encounter a splendid, split-level dining scenario. An amalgamation of secret worlds, hidden in plain sight, it is the perfect dessert island for a sweet-tooth, such as I! Were it not for the prospect of fulfilling a childhood dream, I would have reclined further into the arms of my comfy corner…yet, parting held less sorrow, due to the jazz, jazz, jazz that was jumping through the air… which would be quite the intro into my next musical milieu…

Matinée this may have been, but, as with the best of creative experiences, the time makes no difference, the audience number makes no difference (although, as far as the eye could see, it was a sell-out!)… when the lights go on, you’d better be ready to turn up for the business of show!

… And that, dear friends, is exactly what took place!

The one-and-only Clarke Peters, (he of the, seemingly, endless, stellar acting resume!) and former member of the original dazzling incarnation, which had so many in a spin, adds to his credits, by taking the directorial helm. The influence of his multi-disciplinary artistry is passport-stamped throughout the journey of the production. It is as if his soul were integrated with every fibre, of every number… his spirit inscribed in every dance routine!

The action was to take place in ‘The Marble Arch Theatre’, a location akin to a flat-pack, fold-out template, except of ‘Tardis’ proportions… But Ikea, this ain’t, honey! Oh no… this is the height of ‘purpose-built’, for a very definitive reason!

The deceptively-sparse, speakeasy set was amphitheatre perfection, in drawing the audience closer to the action. In order to accentuate the 360-degree effect, a great visual point-of-reference was a circular travellator-stage which rotated between inner and outer seating circles… meaning that, cleverly, the concept of ‘rows’ simply didn’t register. It was a superb mechanic with which to suspend reality, unite us all, and facilitate us swivelling in our seats, as if in trendy upmarket office chairs!

I relished the fact that, at no point, did I feel as though I were simply an observing part-of-the-furniture!

Quite the opposite, since, at this all-encompassing gem of a jamboree, we all felt part of the production, which upped-the-ante, where audience participation was concerned… From semi-skatting ”The Calypso BeBop”, to the collective conga, any nerves were assuaged by the excitement of lyrics literally falling, confetti-like, from the rafters accompanied by a rousing Caribbean rhythm, respectively.. and that was just Act One!

Notwithstanding the twenty-minute interval, this theatrical train rarely, if ever, decelerated.

As for the actors, they were swan-like… Hardly pausing for breath, they appeared to glide through proceedings, as smoothly as their dance sequences! Show-tunes were, at once, belted out with grit and gusto, whilst wistful with vocal reminiscence, so as to project pain and pathos, with tender poignancy. The clarity of narrative being served, par excellence by a company of players, both, front and back of house, at the apex of their collective game, optimising the entire arc of the engaging plot…

…which begins with our protagonist, “Nomax”, who is a washed-up, maxed-out drunk, becoming increasingly beholden to his vices. The worse for wear after yet another stint of night-life and libation, he is still intent upon continuing to party hard… Enter stage left, right and centre, five guys named ‘Moe’, with a short, sharp, shock of an introduction, determined to stop the downward spiral of women and wine, with song and dance… hopefully leading to redemption with Lorraine, the real love of Nomax’s life.

Edward Baruwa portrays the vexed, perplexed and dishevelled soak with distinct aplomb. The 5 Guys, “Little Moe”, “Know Moe”, “Big Moe”, “Four-Eyed Moe” and “Eat Moe” played by Idris Kargo, Dex Lee, Mykal Rand, Adrian Hansel and Emile Ruddock, sparkle like the best, vintage champagne, with soul-filled melodic recitations, as warming as a far-flung beach destination and as crystal-clear as the blue sea lapping upon the shores of their vocals.

Snazzily-dressed in the sharpest of threads, the Guys cut-a-cool-dash, in outfits, beautifully reflective and celebratory of the era, in a rainbow of coloured and textural references. For example, such bespoke stylistic touches as a punchy plaid for “Know Moe” and luminous lime-green circular spectacles on “Four-Eyed Moe” customized each quirky character trait with class and distinction. Synthesizing this attention-to-detail towards apparel with that of the choreography also made for impressive visual imagery. The finesse of Fosse under the spectrum spotlights gave way to full-on, Nicholas Brothers, at fever-pitch! The moves weren’t just slick, they were oil slick… and the more experimental they became, the better! Often weaving about the space with the ease of a shuttle through an antique loom, physical theatre was playfully explored, to powerful comedic effect. Yet, for all of the eye-catching clowning, moments of mimicry and mime, innovative transformation of props, the artistic intention was nailed, with every well-honed high-kick and picture-perfect pose, worthy of, undoubted, hours of relentless rehearsal!

Binding together this colossus of an ensemble endeavour, was the, simply stellar, jazz band… Silhouettes, but ever-present, behind intricate curtains in Act One, they dazzle during the overture in Act Two. No longer the exuberant, yet, enigmatic shadows, they become the main attraction, delighting us with samples of scintillating solo virtuosity, before receding, once more, into the ether of the energetic Louis Jordan-filled score… Out-of-sight, perhaps, but never out-of-earshot!

This put me in mind of another late, great Louis…namely, Armstrong, who once said “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know!”* Well, forget what you think you know, because, mark my words, you will get right-royally schooled by the majesty of this five-star musical… Compact, yet languid, fresh and free, this was total, high-impact theatre, awash with innovative twists and turns…

Yes, believe the hype, friends, and get down to The Marble Arch Theatre because I love, love, LOVED the rip-roaring rollercoaster ride through the age, with the 5 superfly Guys Named Moe and a standing ovation of satisfied, fellow theatre-goers emphatically agreed!

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

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Click through for booking information about the smash hit show “5 Guys Named Moe” !

Deepest A_F_R_O_W-thanks to:-

Boisdale Restaurants, Team @Bubblz_Gigglz, Chloe at G-Gee PR and The Marble Arch Theatre for organising this outstanding, interactive experience!

(*Quote taken from www.brainyquote.com).