MARSHALL GOES ‘FACE-TO-FACE’ WITH KATE, AT IMITATE MODERN!

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be cradled in the arms of a rainbow?

If so, then you’ll find the answer ensconced within the arc-of-screenprints, in “40 A Kate Moss Retrospective”, by ultra-talented artist, Russell Marshall, currently showing at the enchanting ‘Imitate Modern’ art gallery!

On one level, your eyes race to absorb the high-definition, technicolour dreamscapes which coat the walls. Time flits by as fast as you can blink, whilst you remain transfixed by the neon shocks of sherbet-pink and acid-yellow, bouncing like laser-beams from a New Year’s Eve disco-ball! Quick-as-a-wink, you are compelled to follow the spectral-story wherever it leads and begin to register shades which resound like a chromatic scale… Prints in-the-key of shimmering-silver and incandescent-pearl are laden with outlines of indellible impressions…

Fully-acquainted with the cornucopia of exceptional colour-charts, you then begin to focus-pull onto the subsequent layer of visual stimulae, present in the undoubted recognition of, not only a face, but ‘The Face’ of Kate Moss, staring back, as if to guide you from one incarnation to another.

It is at this point, that your heart-rate evens out…

 The ‘pop’ which Russell has told me he would like the palette to have, has been achieved and so begins a new narrative, of taking a visual tour around Kate’s career, through the viewfinder of the former journalist and editor. The immediacy of being subjectively engaged at such a rapid rate, yields to a futher immersion, into a state of ‘objectivity’, yet it is neither stereotypically cold nor separate. It is, in fact, replete with a distinct clarity, founded in true warmth and admiration for a woman of real character, who has eclipsed the notion of ‘celebrity’ and, rather, re–defined and re–valued it. This facilitates a deeper connection to the potent colour-combinations, which serve to highlight the myriad facets to her own, vibrant personality. Furthermore, Russell’s editing sensibility is masterfully employed, in exhibiting specific screenprints which, at once, reveal the wide-eyed potential of a young girl, spotted at the age of 14, whilst also uncovering her scintillating, Bardot-èsque vulnerability, her ethereal elegance, swathed in full-length gowns and floral-sprays and an haute couture-regality, resplendent in Vivienne Westwood!

An added spin to the retrospective, it that of the journalistic element, for as the walls have Kate’s eyes, they also have her words! Quotes such as “Never complain, never explain” quietly indicate a certain pragmatism, whilst others celebrating the ‘girl-about-town’, like “I haven’t partied since last Friday”, positively scream from the rafters! Displayed alongside columns of biographical copy, by Amy Watts, the twist of presenting silk-screens, which constitute a statement as to the real definition of celebrity, in a 3-D newspaper format, is both witty and entirely evocative of the wondrous days of the old-fashioned handprinting-press! Encompassed by musical soundwaves dripping with Britpop, the White Stripes and Primal Scream, the audio-visual, launch-night mind-meld, completes the journey!

In essence, “4o A Kate Moss Retrospective” is a startling adventure with the ability to engage the viewer, by transporting them through the career life-cycle of a living legend. From the girl-next-door, whose diminutive stature should have ruled her out of the modelling industry, but which actually set her apart, to the celebrated Mother, Supermodel and Designer, Russell Marshall is a maestro of multi-dimensional expression. The single plane of a screen is doused in prismatic vibrance, which facilitates an optical appreciation of beautiful images…Yet, in accompanying them with written and quoted content, Kate’s joie-de-vivre becomes even more apparent. What with each of the ten works being a limited edition of one (the variations of which can be chosen from ten unique colourways), the concept of honouring individuality, is perpetuated. According to the artist, himself, there might even be a gentle ‘tap’ of the frame during its production, just to add a perfect imperfection, which is undetectable to the naked eye, of course, yet, intrinsically embedded within each wonderful work!

It is this eloquence of embracing the idiosyncratic and the courage to express it, which, almost a week after the private viewing, still echoes within. Whether or not you find yourself in the spotlight, the truth of who you really are, will always enable you to shine. Such an enduring and empowering message was shared by Russell Marshall on Kate Moss’s 40th birthday and I wholeheartedly encourage you to do the ‘grand tour’ for yourself, because the writing’s on the wall… this incredible show is an undeniable hit!

“40 A KATE MOSS RETROSPECTIVE” RUNS FROM: 17TH JANUARY > 15TH FEBRUARY 2014 AT: IMITATE MODERN, 27A DEVONSHIRE STREET, LONDON, W1G 6PN ~ MON>FRI: 10a.m > 6p.m ~ FREE!

www.imitatemodern.com ~ www.beautifulcrime.com

©AFROW2014-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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FACEBOOK FEEDBACK FROM RUSSELL MARSHALL!

‘Great review by Afrow… thanks..’

LCM: THE HEAVENS OPEN AT TOPMAN’S AW2014 SHOW!

Dark. Dank. Devoid of sound.

Booooom!!!

The edgy power of John Cooper Clarke cuts through the ether…His weighty words, doused in a Lancashire accent, darting rhythmically about like vocal strobes.

The spoken word hits a crescendo, his last line held in the air, embraced by nothingness.

Within seconds, action ensues, as mist-for-lighting announces the dawn in Topman’s LCM showspace. An industrial location is revealed, with a concrete catwalk, dressed, intermittently, in pools of water and as deep, electronica replaces the solo, the first model, with already-drenched hair, turns the corner into this brick-clad world of ‘Wuthering Heights’, breaking the modern-day barrenness with an opening AW14 look.

Black literally set the tone, represented by substantial, single-breasted, over-sized, overcoats, such as the duffel, with a popular toggle-fastening and their double-breasted counterparts in waist-hitting jackets. PVC bonded to ‘notch’-lapels, patch-pockets and block-hems, added textural impact to the round-shouldered silhouettes, which skulked the pass. ‘Wet-look’ variations-on-the-theme would be presented in high-shine, lacquered-leather separates, impressively accentuating apparel in shape, form and line, whilst also defining details through such simple, yet effective, techniques as piping. Within this section, the colour propostions mirrored the autumnal palettes of moss-meadow green and mushroom, with red-based plaid shirts and tassled jackets (echoing the cowboy-themed SS14 motif), acting as the flash of sunlight, breaking free upon the moorland.  Knitwear was rugged. At times, no-nonsense, with exaggerated, chin-cupping roll-necks, in open, cable and honeycomb weaves, resembling stylised fishing-nets…At others, given lozenge-beading and bouclé, to revisit pops-of-colour and to add surface characteristics.

Yet stronger spectral statements flooded onto sumptuous, full-length coats, in blazing orange, with matching, ‘jazzed-up’, ‘zoot-suit-style’ pants, voluminous and billowing against the strength-of-momentum with which the models strode through the venue. The pieces were also to be reprised in baby-blue pastel, a further homage to the tonal story, which has played a starring role in the sartorial spring/summer repertoire of many a design-house. The next seasonal trend-transition to be encapsulated, was the see-through mac, of long and short dimensions. Layered alongside these key advents into eye-catching shades, they complemented the story, with a revealing twist. Signature tailoring, for which the brand has become so higly-recognised and revered, featured in juxtaposed fashion to the drop-shouldered, full-pant ensembles, instead shown as straight-lined, straight-legged, suiting, in shipyard-slate and charcoal-greys, ever-echoing the ‘working-men’ of the past.

With the last look of black roll-neck, oversized, three-quarter length, matt, PVC coat and glistening liquid-look trousers, the Topman AW14 Collection had brought us to the end of our tour-of-the moors….or so it seemed…The last hurrah was an indoor downpour of rain, which fell upon the models as they walked the finale! It was an other-worldly end to a show which was typical of a collaboration, headed by the ebullient Gordon Richardson, and backed by an amazing design-team who know exactly who their ‘man’ is. To me, he’s a powerful, passionate, hardworking, salt-of-the-earth, modern-day Heathcliff and he wants his clothing to express that!

In the inimitable words of John Cooper Clark, ‘There’s apparel, Jim, but not as we know it!’* and when this distinctive collection hits the stores, you’ll see exactly what he means!

  http://www.londoncollections.co.uk/ ~ http://www.topman.com/

*Excerpt from ‘TOP MAN’ by John Cooper Clark

©AFROW2014-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

‘MATT FORSTERs A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH WATERCOLOUR!’

Entering the ‘Über-Painting’ watercolour-world of Matt Forster, is akin to being surrounded by a hall of the most divine mirrors. You’ll find no tricks nor deviations, no jokes at your physical-expense, simply a wall-to-wall reflection of light and shade, masterfully manifested from his soul to your own. Something of the enigmatic follows your every move, at first, present in the means by which the colour seeps into the skin of the paper, then, subtly doing an ‘ole blue eyes’ and sliding beneath your own. In short, his pieces are, quite literally, a breathtaking testament to how intensively enmeshed Matt is with each one and a certain precursor to their effect upon the viewer.

My first Über-experience happened on a day of firsts, at ‘The Other Art Fair’*, whereupon, my inquisitive nature all but galloped a domino-falling tirade of questions, regarding how he did this and why he did that! Indeed, how he managed to answer anything fully, remains a mystery, but answer them, he did…I recall being rather surprised at the candid nature with which he revealed the intricacy of his ever-developing technique…  His website describes it thus, ‘An überpainting is like a silk  screen print in watercolour as they consist of between three and five layers of different coloured paint applied  independently and sequentially darker in tone. I mix colours from a  primary base and it is the application of these successive layers that  provides the images with the startling three dimensional impression.’** In real-time I was becoming further absorbed into the vortex of porous, primary-colour distinctions being reworked and, somewhat, wooed into place by the fluidity of its transparent, watery home. I came away, excited to see a similar aesthetic of simplified line, form and colour, in a new setting, as well as, feeling humbled by such a prolific ability to do so.

My most recent encounter was at ‘The London Illustration Art Fair’, yet another first of its kind! Underneath Hoxton Arches, gorged-to-the-gills with personifications of artesanal collaborations, it was a pleasure to revisit the British Isles through Matt’s viewfinder and, once again, become mesmerised by the works which, this time, seemed more pointedly abstract. But, as I was quickly shown-and-told, there was so much more where they came from, and goodness me, did I see some absolutely incredible examples! Now, I know that you’ll want me to select a favourite…but, quite frankly, I can’t choose just one! Instead, I’ll say that the more abstract, the better, in my book…purely because there is less room for cognitive predictive-processing and rather more space to ‘Sherlock’ the scenes. Just as the white spaces facilitate a void, so too, are you gently guided to feel, think or sense, or not, in your own time…That’s the best you’re going to get!

What I’ll go on to say, however, is that you cannot forego the chance to stand before Matt’s art. It is Über! Not only this, but the guile with which the movement is addressed, from wine-glass (naturally, for mixing purposes), to brush, to full-bleed hue, is so vividly witnessed within each vignette, as to encapsulate the rise-and-fall of a breathing planet. In the Über-painting studies, we have a journal of a Britain which is constantly in flux, thus a keepsake for our unique Isles and an intensely open-book, which grips you, from beginning, to end!

I am truly looking forward, with great expectation, to the next exhibited volume!

**www.mattjforster.com ~ www.facebook.com/MJForsterGallery ~ twitter.com/Matt_Forster/media

 www.thelondonillustrationfair.co.uk/

*afrow.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/an-east-end-love-affair/

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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TESTIMONIAL FROM MJ FORSTER

‘Here is a review of an exhibition of mine in London last month. Written by a very talented blogger…Thanks what an amazing article. You really get it! I’ll cut, paste and share it everywhere I can…’

‘SPOTLIGHT ON: THE WALKING-WORKS-OF-ART OF ‘KWEKU CLOTHING’!’

…So, by now, you might have detected that I am, somewhat of, a voracious Creative-Arts-lover…and that I am especially passionate about using my own platform to promote the excting results of multidisciplinary cross-fertilisation.

Well, fresh from my EC1 and 2 jaunts and the social-media coverage, thereof, I have noticed that I am being ‘followed’…. by a steady stream of funky, new designers on the fashion-block! The most recent label to become a member of the fashion-fabulous Afrow-Family, is that of ‘Kweku (pronounced Kwayku!) Clothing’. The eponymous clothing-line of Ghanaian-born, London-raised, Goldsmith’s graduate, Kweku Quagraine, this is a brand which majors on making purse-friendly, wallet-welcoming pieces of boldly artistic sartorial statements, yet, without the merest mention of a word! So, naturally, yours truly has seized-the-day and taken up the mantle to spread it for him!

At first glance, his menswear and womenswear pieces are striking! Heavy with symbolism, Quagraine thrives on incorporating his Socio-Political scholastic background into his craft and excels in channelling these influences through the joint-conduits of art and fashion-design. For example, the ‘Trigon’ signature, is a triangular motif, in reference to the map of Africa and in deference to his native roots, whilst ‘The Krypt’ is an intriguing metaphor alluding to the differing perspectives, regarding regional identities. His distinctive flair for originality also comes to the fore in the ‘Tribal’ print, in which heritage-patterns from the Ghanaian Ashanti and Ancient Mayan traditions are beautifully-balanced to produce a new KC hallmark. The geometric ‘Colour’ graphic displays a fearless and insistent use of the spectrum, which draws inspiration from unity-in-diversity, as manifested in the London Olympics of 2012. However, Quagraine finds the Natural World as much of a catalyst as that of the Human, evidenced in ‘The Hive’ honeycomb-logo, itself, a nod to such solidarity and unity, in bees.

It is this effortless meandering through parallel universes, which sets Kweku Clothing apart from many others of its emerging counterparts. Will you find such on-trend silhouettes as the ‘body-con’ dress in midi/maxi-lengths? Undoubtedly. Is there a broad choice of sweatshirts, t-shirts, crop tops and vest-tops? Absolutely! But you’d be hard-pressed to find the same capability for siphoning so many global topics into the fashion-world, in such modern, affordable and accessible ways and furthermore, to do so with such a Fine-Art sensibility!

For all of theses reasons and more, am I championing Kweku Quagraine and urging you to WAKE-UP TO ‘KWEKU CLOTHING’….STANDARD!

www.kwekuclothing.com ~ www.facebook.com/KwekuClothing

©AFROW 2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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TWITTER-TESTIMONIAL FROM KWEKU CLOTHING (@KwekuClothing)!

‘…Thanks very much for such an eloquent and flattering write-up!!’

‘STYLE HAPPENS SOONER, ON ‘LATER’!’

We have a lot to thank Mr Jools Holland for! Not only does he bring us the most eclectic of live, global musical offerings, from established and emerging artists, alike, but with them, come a plethora of stand-out, sartorial selections, from the style-spectrum! For instance, you’re as likely to see and hear the hauntingly melodic, ‘Amadou and Mariam’, bedecked in bold, traditional Malian dress, playing in the-round, as you are the infectiously-anthemic synth-pop of ‘M.T’, in their eponymous multi-coloured, tie-dye-tees!

Case-in-point has to be a recent episode, featuring, Goldfrapp, James Blake, Franz Ferdinand and Kanye West!

 Backlit in a pure-gold aura and engulfed, full-length, in a column of black chiffon-drapery, the ever-ethereal, Alison Goldfrapp, held the audience, spell-bound with her melifluously reed-like, vocal perfomance of ‘Annabel’. The timeless gown, simultaneously, captured her effortless, idiosyncratic grace, whilst also paying homage to SS14 runways, with its pintuck-peephole bodice.

The unnervingly-talented James Blake delivered an equally-classy rendition of the stunning ‘Retrograde’. With hair, windswept, in defiance of the stillness generated by his unfolding-wall-of sound, he was an example of understated style, surrendering to sonic substance. In a ‘1-800 Dinosaur’ T-shirt-and-jeans ensemble, Blake also seamlessly combined product-placement of his new record label and a pinpoint performance, with ease and flair.

In stark juxtaposition, was the riff and quiff-friendly, Franz Ferdinand. Already well-known for their unique fashion statements including the sharpest of Savile Row-silhouettes, the band showed that they had lost none of their couture-creativity, teaming the gusto of, lyrically, ‘right words’ with the ‘right action’ of donning fashion-forward Hawaiian-prints with rock-a-billy attitude! Very D-Squared-2!

Kanye West’s performance of ‘Bound To’, with the outstanding ‘Uncle’ Charlie (Gap Band) Wilson, more-than-referenced the fact that he had graduated, magna-cum-laude, from the School-of-FROW! The ‘College Drop-Out’ star stamped his artistic authority on the programme, with all of the swagger for which we have come to love him. Punctuating the pitch-black studio with dramatic spotlighting, which served to accente his choice of a laid-back, layering trend, a play-on-neutrals of black ribbed-tee and low-slung, loose-fit, trousers, was complemented by a three-quarter length, khaki parka and desert boots in a pop-of-camel-colour. The entire look was topped-off by the trademark, heavy-gold, diamond-set, belcher-link chain, de rigueur for ushering in SS14’s metallic forecast! Uncle Charlie was certainly in-the-house, with his own, distinguished, take on double-denim, accessorizing with shades, as blacked-out as the windows on a one-off, customised Bugatti! It was, undoubtedly, a fitting backdrop to the soaring, silky-smooth, vocal-runs and devastating musical prowess of such a living-legend of U.S Funk/R&B!

So, the next time you tune into ‘Later… with Jools Holland’, keep an eye out for a new class of ‘artist-interpretations’… I think you’ll find that, on closer inspection, they are, in fact, rather more original!

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

MFW: I’M READY-TO-WEAR ‘ERMANNO SCERVINO’!

Picture it…

…Backstage, models sit calmly, hair being tailcomb-teased, face being made exquisitely, Terry Barber-ready, whilst front-of-house, conversations clatter like talking-typewriters! Suddenly, a cry of ‘EHH-OHH!‘, loosely-translated as ‘SILENCE!‘, splits the air into pin-drop reverence…

 Now, imagine a host of supermodels, amongst them Alek Wek and Karolina Kurkova, leading a runway of risng-stars, with the aplomb of their 90’s predecessors and you’ll understand the significance of the Scervino brand. If you even dared to blink, you would have missed an almost endless-string of timeless looks, worthy of their own reference encyclopaedia! Whilst we had seen the ‘Pastel/ Metallic/ Midi-Maxi Length/ Column-Hourglass/ Embellishment’ stories, favoured in the vestments of fellow MFW designers, Scervino interpretations seemed to renew them.

For example, skirts took on ice-skater-like proportions, pleats were more than couture-concertinas, reframed as flitting-gaudets… and embellishments, whilst beaded and embroidered, were off-set in position and oriental in theme. Metallics were not simply silver, but gunmetal and gave a more experimental edge when used in conjunction with the traditional silhouettes. Yes, lemon, taupe, mint, black and white all featured, however, peacock added strength to blues and something in the way that peach was colour-blocked, gave it the power of a full-on-primary. Fabrics perused PVC, took a departure into denim, suede injected a new joie-de-vivre to the vestments and silk-taffetta was accompanied by satin-trim, which was a signpost, not only  to the superb eye-for-detail on display, but also an attention-to-distinctive-detail.

It is with this in mind, that I take you on a whistle-stop tour of the most unique moments.

PVC won my ‘Return-of-the-mac’ prize for being a funky piece of outerwear, printed in lemon-hued houndstooth! The award for ‘Best Use of Embellishment’ was a split decision between a taupe, tailored-jacket with cluster-beading, set on the inner-edge of the tuxedo-collar (which, incidentally, did win ‘Best Placement of Embellishment’), and a stunning gun-metal-coloured sweater, with a silver-bead-encrusted accent around the crew-neck.

The ‘Prize-for-Prettiest-Pleating’ had to go to an amazing, chalk-white, column-dress, gathered from shoulder-to-waistline, with its pleating gathering pace to the hem…all cunningly-accompanied by a thigh-high split, for epic Grecian glamour! Coming in a close second, was a black, hour-glass gown with crystal-embellished gaudets at the tail.

‘Best Floral Motif’ was shared (I know, I know, there should only be one winner..but, my made-up competition, my rules!)…. The two stand-out creations were an oriental spray-of-orchids, perfectly-placed upon a strapless peach dress, in a diagonal formation, from empire-to-hemline and a peacock-blue, fitted, scoop-necked, mini-dress, with florals, off-set, on either side of the bodice, spilling into the skirt. ‘Best New Silhouette’ was a shoe-in, for a black, lace, nehru-collared cape with asymetric-opening and credit for ‘Best New Fabric’ could only go to……DENIM!!! The ink-blue offerings of v-necked crop-top, short-pant and denim-lined, white jacket were utterly irresistible!

We’re nearly there now, so, drum-roll please… because it’s time for ‘Best-In-Fashion-Show’…….which was…wait for it……the glorious  Jackie-O-inspired, midi-length, silk dress and collarless-overcoat ensemble, both in that lightning white, effortlessly worn by the magnificent Alek Wek!!!! Congratulations!!!

So, there you have it, fashion-friends….A  whirlwind tour of a tour-de-force collection, which gave us a collation of attire, reprising the traditional with a directional twist.

It’s safe to say that I absolutely adored what I saw…and if you want to reconnect with looks of vintage-modernity, then the designs of Ermanno Scervino are a great place to start!

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED