The Bookseller has announced that British imprint Constable is to publish my book Malcolm McLaren: The Biography.
Design
Five extraordinary pieces: Barney Bubbles furniture designs come to light
// 5 x Barney Bubbles designs, 1981/2. Photo above: Nina Sologubenko//
Last week I had an exciting encounter with the rare and adventurous furniture designs produced by the late graphics master Barney Bubbles in the early 80s.
Continue reading Five extraordinary pieces: Barney Bubbles furniture designs come to light
That’ll Be The Day: How Ringo ended up in a Teddy Girl’s drape jacket from Let It Rock
In the autumn of 1972 the small King’s Road boutique Let It Rock, which had been open for less than a year, received a fillip when the owners Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood were asked to contribute costumes to the production of 50s Britrock movie That’ll Be The Day.
Ben Kelly aka The Photo Kid outside Sex, 430 King’s Road, World’s End, 1975
I’m featuring this image of designer Ben Kelly in his persona of The Photo Kid in my presentation about the design history of 430 at the symposium Dead Or Alive: Popular Culture & The Interior, which takes place today at London’s ICA.
Continue reading Ben Kelly aka The Photo Kid outside Sex, 430 King’s Road, World’s End, 1975
430 Kings Road: In the back of Mr Freedom, Paradise Garage + Let It Rock 1969 – 1972
Preparation for my paper at Ben Kelly’s interior design symposium Dead Or Alive has coincided with the refurbishment of the Worlds End shop at 430 King’s Road in Chelsea.
The address is the subject of my talk; I’ll be detailing the history of 430 and how and why it was an important social and cultural locus over a number of decades.
Started in 1986, recently completed portrait of Thea Porter celebrates show at London’s Fashion & Textile Museum
There’s a nice story behind this portrait of the late fashion designer Thea Porter, whose talents are celebrated at the just-opened exhibition at London’s Fashion & Textiles Museum.
During preparations for the exhibition and the accompanying book, the curator and fashion historian Laura McLaws Helms visited British artist Penny Slinger, who had made feathered masks and modeled in a catwalk show for Porter in the early 70s.
Continue reading Started in 1986, recently completed portrait of Thea Porter celebrates show at London’s Fashion & Textile Museum
Talking Interiors with The Photo Kid tonight: International Orange – When Attitudes Become Form
Looking forward to this evening’s lecture by designer Ben Kelly at his alma mater, the Royal College Of Art.
Continue reading Talking Interiors with The Photo Kid tonight: International Orange – When Attitudes Become Form
Homage to Ben Kelly’s Seditionaries facade in Vuitton’s High Tech A/W 15 show
Amid the references to the late Christopher Nemeth in today’s Paris show of the Louis Vuitton A/W 15 menswear collection (see my last post), artistic director Kim Jones used the staging to pay subtle homage to the two great maverick figures of London street culture – namely Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood and specifically their 70s punk store Seditionaries.
Continue reading Homage to Ben Kelly’s Seditionaries facade in Vuitton’s High Tech A/W 15 show
Astounding Barney Bubbles rarity: An amazing Hawkwind drumhead
A rare design by the late graphics master Barney Bubbles has come to light after four decades; the psychedelic sci-fi drumhead was painted for Hawkwind when the space rocking Sonic Assassins undertook tours around the world following their success with the Silver Machine single in 1972.
Continue reading Astounding Barney Bubbles rarity: An amazing Hawkwind drumhead
Desirable ties + lots more from East London’s exuberant EsDes
I’m really proud of my niece Esme Bradbury, whose exuberant handmade designs via her label EsDes have received a boost with inclusion at the Craft Council’s Established East London pop up shop at Westfield Stratford.
Continue reading Desirable ties + lots more from East London’s exuberant EsDes