Chelsea Archives -

gilhoolie is definitely getting out lots this month which is great for the soul! I think now my kids are older and more independent I’m realising I have a lot more freedom to go into London for inspiration; it’s only 30 minutes away after all and there’s so much to see and do on my doorstep, it just takes a bit more effort and planning.

I can’t say I know much about fashion designers from the 60s, or fashion designers full stop really but I’m definitely interested in textiles and clothes so I thought the Mary Quant exhibition at the V&A was worth a trip. (Thanks for the recommendation Sam!) It makes a change from all those hours I’ve spent with two small boys in car, tank and aeroplane museums (anyone with boys will empathise).

The ticket said to allow an hour but we were so absorbed in the display that nearly 2 hours passed in a flash. We wandered around looking at the many beautifully dressed mannequins in original outfits (sometimes with a photo of the owner) and black and white photos and films telling the story of Mary Quant. From her beginnings opening a small boutique ‘Bazaar’ on the Kings Road in Chelsea in 1955, to mass production all over the world. I loved the V&A curation of the display and the way it described the story of the Mary Quant brand. It must’ve been so exciting to be a young woman in the 60s, empowered by this new bold fashion.

I also didn’t realise Mary Quant had a line in makeup – below is a cartoon strip that was published to help girls see what they should be buying to add to their makeup collection and keep up with trends. Love this!

This dress ‘Alice’ was bought at the Chicago department store Marshall Field in 1971. It is made out of co-ordinated fine wool prints from Liberty and retailed for around £20 (about £150 today). I really like the cut, the sleeves and the length of this one. There were so many dresses I could see myself wearing today and ‘Alice’ is one of them.

Below are some of the shots I took on our visit. The exhibition finishes in a couple of weeks, so hurry if you want to take a look. You can read more ‘gilhoolie gets out’ blog posts here or subscribe to the blog by clicking the follow button on the right. Thanks for reading!

Love the red A line dress and the stripes too

Last Friday I visited Handmade in Britain with a friend. I’ve never been before so it was good to go and have a nose around (and visit Heal’s and the Conran Shop afterwards!) I have to admit, I didn’t see that many stalls I was really drawn to but here are a few I did like.

We came across Anya Keeley’s work towards the end of the visit; always good to save the best until last as her work is stunning. We stood and stared for a few minutes, always a good sign I think. It’s hard to explain what she does but her website says:

A compendium of curious creatures & whimsical wonders discovered during explorations and adventurings. Prepare to be bewildered, bamboozled & beguiled. Here you will find mischievous mammals, botanically bemusing birds, frolicsome fairies, mesmerising mermaids & much much more. All specimens are one-off artefacts using wire, reclaimed and found objects.

We were both really mesmerised by her duck sculpture but I can’t find any images of it so here’s a picture of Henry the Puffin instead, isn’t he adorable?!

As usual there were a few lampshades dotted around, nothing inspiring unfortunately, although I did like Offkut’s bare bulb lights for their simplicity.

In terms of textiles, I really liked the colours and style of this print by Michele Oberdieck.

Michele Oberdieck fabric – like the chair too!

Oh, and the embroidery on Ekta Kaul’s cushions (this one is a section of a map of Chelsea) and you can buy it from Miratis.com:

Finally, just because I love looking at old buildings, I thought the architectural models by Chisel & Mouse were pretty clever, especially the one of the Art Deco Hoover Building in London.

We did see some lovely jewellery too and were particularly tempted by a ring by Sonia Cheadle, shame they start at £25,ooo!!!

Tag: Chelsea

Mary Quant at the V&A

Handmade in Britain12