Carréducker Bespoke Shoes

I've just completed a course in making handmade bespoke shoes with Carréducker. It was an intense two week course, where Deborah Carré and James Ducker taught me everything I need to know to make my own shoes. Back in July I spotted a small article in Elle Decoration about the course, and that I could see Carréducker shoes in Gieves & Hawkes. So I visited Gieves & Hawkes in Saville Row to see the shoes and while I was there, I was allowed downstairs to the workrooms, to see where the shoes are made for their clients. I then arranged to visit their studio at Cockpit Arts near Holborn (see below) - I was hooked.

I decided "in for a penny, in for a pound" and ordered my own bespoke laste, as I knew I would want to make more than one pair. I chose a pointy toe which is more my style at the moment and the last can be slightly reshaped if I wish at a later date.

I had chosen to do the course because I make my own clothes and some accessories, but I've never made my own shoes. I was warned by Deborah that it would be really hard work and it would ruin my hands - and she wasn't wrong!

There were three of us on the course, where we learned something like 200 procedures including  hand-stitching the layers of leather sole with our own twisted hemp threads. You can read more about the course here. It was very tiring but by the final day, I really didn't want to leave. Hand stitching shoes is very therapeutic and at the end you have something so unique to you. I feel very privileged to have had this opportunity - absolutely the highlight of my year! 

Polishing up the almost finished shoes.

London Design Week

 Things I loved at last week's design shows.......

Louise Wilkinson's exquisitely naive fine bone china at Tent

these wonderfully considered utility products from Turner and Harper at Design Junction

and the beautiful upholstery fabrics from Eleanor Pritchard, also at Design Junction

Farrow & Ball new colours

I recently attended the launch of Farrow & Ball's new colours, pictured here are my two favourites"Mole's Breadth" above, and "Stiffkey Blue" below.

World Interior News asked me to write up my take on all the new colours - you can read it here:-
http://www.wantoday.com/interiorsblog/farrow-balls-new-colours-for-2013/

A recent photo shoot

 

I've just done a photo shoot of some of my recent interiors, with photographer Leigh Simpson. I love working with Leigh because I have an excuse to play around with the styling, as he likes to shoot the detail as much as the overall interior.

These pictures are from two kitchens I've worked on for male clients. I find that men like very functional kitchens with lots of clean lines; my female clients prefer a softer look; so plenty of scope for styling these photos. With this grey kitchen I thought the deep mauves of figs, aubergines and beetroot would work well.

The client for this white kitchen, wanted an uncluttered look with no visible electrical sockets or appliances, with the exception of the minimal hob and oven - so here I've added textural leaves.

But this is my favourite; I like the earthiness of these potatoes and mushrooms against the sleekness of the straight clinical lines.

A life less ordinary

One of my favourite shops in Brighton is the i gigi General Store. So when the owner's Zoe Ellison and Alex Legendre bought out their book, a life less ordinary, I just had to get a copy.

It is full of beautiful images from their store, homes and personal inspiration. The store opened 10 years ago, and it's interior and products have always concentrated on an intense neutral colour palette. There is always a wonderful mix of old and new, lots of layering of texture and colour levels.

As Zoe and Alex say in the book "We love to reclaim old things and put them in a modern space. Such places offer a story and a history, and bring a sense of individuality." It is interesting to see how this has translated through into their own homes. Very inspirational!

Wabi Sabi

I really love this summer's trend for all things Wabi Sabi, from the beautiful Miu Miu coat above, styled and photographed by Damian Foxe, to my favourite scarf of the moment below -

the fabric for this came from The Cloth House in Soho. The term Wabi Sabi refers to the Japanese aesthetic of finding beauty in imperfection, but to me the rawness and simplicity of these print effects are perfect. The trend is as strong in interior design as fashion, with these great wallpapers from Harlequin

Brighton Festival

All this week I've been watching as Brighton's Clocktower gets shrouded in mens shirts. To begin with I wasn't convinced! However as it neared completion, I started to see the graduation of colours from dark to light, with some sections depicting seascapes.

Then I poped into Fabrica to see The Blue Route, and saw this incredible instalation, now I understand what's going on. Kaarina Kaikkonen, the artist, has been commissioned as part of Brighton Festival 2013 to create these artworks. The installations are assembled from second-hand shirts, donated by Brighton & Hove residents, which will in turn be donated to Oxfam when the exhibition finishes.

  Kaarina uses simple everyday objects to create large scale installations that articulate the architectural or open spaces in which her work is sited - 'A shirt is the closest to the heart, so that is why I use shirts. The person is there'. Well I think this is magical!