Thursday 29 July 2010

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Istanbul streets

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Telephone Wires, by Tina Modotti (1925)

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Kids playing football, and the path into town, Bellagio

Wednesday 28 July 2010

Purple


Some wardrobe inspiration
(style.com)

Fishbone Braids


From Japanese Vogue, July 2010

Tuesday 27 July 2010

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At the markets in the medina, Marrakech

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Guinevere Van Seenus for Jil Sander SS 1996, photographed by Craig McDean

Monday 26 July 2010

Majorelle Gardens

When we were in Marrakech in April, we visited the beautiful Majorelle Gardens, which were created in the 1920s by the artist Jacques Majorelle, when Marrakech was a French protectorate. The gardens have been owned by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge since 1980, and when Yves Saint Laurent died a memorial was created there for him.


The cobalt blue which is used throughout the gardens is also known as Majorelle blue. There's a wonderful collection of succulents.



YSL at work.
(last image via tumblr)

Thursday 22 July 2010

BP Portrait Award

I went to the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery last weekend. It was a bit of a mixed bag. It seemed to me that most weren't painted from life, and there was a little too much photo-realism for my taste, but here are some of the works that I liked:


Sandy Watching, by Alex Hanna. There was a softness to this that I liked.


iDeath, by Michal Ozibko. This is photo-realism at its best. I'm not usually a fan (because it seems more like an exercise in copying than anything else), but this was beautifully executed.


Quena, by Eliot Haigh. My favourite work in the show.


Paul, by Nathan Ford.


Le Grand Natan, by Daniel Enkaoua.

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Natalia Vodianova by Craig McDean, for W, September 2006
(fgr)

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Two-Tone Hair


(hfgl)

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I seem to be a bit fixated on black-and-white at the moment, but these are heaven! By Miu Miu.
(net-a-porter)

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Enchanted Palace






These were snapped at the "Enchanted Palace" - installations in Kensington Palace. Actually quite magical, and definitely worth a look. They've asked 6 British designers to create installations, themed around some of the princesses who have lived in the Palace. There are guides wandering around who can fill you in on what it's all about. A lovely way to spend a Friday evening.

The pink dress on the staircase above is by Vivienne Westwood.

A little bit of Royal trivia I learned was that when Prince Charles takes the throne, he is likely to change his name to George. The name Charles is considered inauspicious, because Charles I is the only member of the monarchy to have been executed (in 1649, after the English Civil War, brought about the short-lived republic under Oliver Cromwell). Charles II, the son of Charles I, returned to the throne at the Restoration in 1660, after spending 18 years in exile overseas, but was mocked as the Merry Monarch because he had a string of mistresses, including the orange-seller Nell Gwyn. There is also some sensitivity about Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender (who was known as Charles III by his supporters), who launched the 1745 Jacobie rising, the last Scottish campaign on English soil. It would also be a tribute to his grandfather if Prince Charles took the name George VII.

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Abbey Lee by Alexi Lubormerski, for Vogue Germany
(fgr)

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I think this might be the winning desk chair: from Heal's