take me away

After a rainy English summer and without our usual trip to home to Cayman, Mum and I got scheming and splashed out on a last minute holiday to Faro, a small fishing town in the Algarve, Southern Portugal.

We booked the hotel through a really great website that my friend Helen introduced me to a while ago. It's called www.splendia.com and it offers some truly beautiful boutique hotels at fairly reasonable prices - much cheaper than phoning up the hotel directly (I'm sad and checked).

 Here is a luxurious hotel in Marrakesh for example.

The Algarve is pretty renown for fabulous beaches, 5* hotels and scorching summer sun. 

However, we didn't really want to go on holiday and end up surrounded by Brits so instead we gambled and stayed in Faro which is without any major beach. Within the marina of this small fishing town, we discovered beautifully quaint shopping streets and vast wetland marshes, enjoyed various boat trips to neighbouring beaches and towns along the coastline - which also has a train line running along the water's edge, and watched storks snacking on sardines in the harbour amidst plenty of glorious sunshine...you get the picture. It was lovely.

 Seeing as I'm slowly becoming a bit of a camera nerd, I'm considering starting some new projects - without realising it, I seemed to develop a bit of an interest in doors....thrilling I know, but actually there were some pretty interesting and colourful examples in Portugal. If only I could of met the characters behind them! Watch out Todd Selby...ha.

What do you reckon? A feature on homeowners and their doors? Hmm...not too sexy is it. no.

Here are some close-ups of a few other Portugal features. I think I'm going to make a conscious effort to take a picture of objects very close-up or in 'macro' as I love all these textures. Bit of a guessing game what some of them are!

As expected a lot of my pics are fishing related. There really were some great sights - battered boats with peeling paint and old local fishermen that look like they've carried out the exact same fishing routine all their life. My Spanish helped a bit but would of been great to of spoken more to them, maybe Portuguese is next on the (ambitious) to-do list.

Georgia Nash: one to watch

When Lydia and I stumbled into another vintage indoor market off Brick Lane the other weekend, we were lucky enough to come across the lovely, and extremely talented designer, Georgia Nash.

Georgia Nash is a Middlesex Fashion graduate with Saville Row training, a Phillip Treacy internship and tutoring from Marios Schwab under her belt already. Most recently she showcased her ‘The Nut Was Too Hard to Crack’ collection at the Alternative Fashion Week - which I hear was a great success! Her work is clearly influenced by her time spent in Paris as she elegantly reworks classic feminine tailoring with more modern and striking materials.

 The lady herself..

The day we met her, Georgia looked stunning with pale, porcelain skin, bright red lips and an elegant french braided up-do. (Unfortunately I stupidly forgot to take a pic of her, so above is one found elsewhere) It seems her style is based on 1950's glamour and she really does pull it off well. It makes me want to scour my wardrobe for all those vintage/wacky/statement pieces I never actually wear out the door!

Here are some items from her two collections

 

My pics probably don't do her justice but her and 10 other up and coming designers have been selected to sell items from the fashion website, The Closet Box, so check her out at the link below.

http://www.closetbox.co.uk/shopping/women/accessories/832/

I also found this interview of Georgia and the Guardian's assistant fashion editor Simon Chilvers so have a read if you fancy learning a bit more about her:

Is this a typical look for you? - YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO DREAM UP AN OUTFIT HERE, SORRY!
I don't really have a specific style. I'm quite classic, I love the 1950s shape, big dresses and I like to look quite girly.


Do you pre-plan outfits the night before?
Clothes are constantly in my head, so most nights I will sit there and go, "What shall I wear tomorrow?" If I am in the studio all day, I might dress quite casual. I can be quite boho but I always tend to dress it up with a little Chanel bag.


Where is your bag from?
Absolute Vintage in Brick Lane. My sister bought it for me as a present. It's my darling. It's my favourite bag in the world. It's falling to pieces but I love it.


How many bags do you own?
I have no idea. Probably around 100. I love shoes and bags. I think they can really make an outfit. With an expensive pair of shoes or an expensive bag, even if you are wearing a T-shirt as a dress, you can make it work. I probably have about 60 or 70 pairs of shoes. I wear heels all the time, and because I am constantly on my feet, I think you have to have to have good shoes so your feet don't get damaged. Like these heels - everyone goes, "Oh God how can you wear them?" but they are so comfortable because they're made well. These are Alexander McQueen - I got them a few years ago. I love the gold heels.




Your heels match your belt - do you coordinate?
I tend to never coordinate stuff. I'll wear a black outfit with blue boots. I always wear some gold, though. I love big gold belts and I am obsessed with gold shoes.


Is your hat vintage?
Yes. I love vintage. The thing I love about it is that you are not going to walk down the street or go to an event and see someone else wearing the same thing as you. It's also cheap. I love charity shops too. If you know how to customise or sew things, you can make things look good.


Tell me more about your outfit.
This is a jacket from my last collection. It was based on worry dolls and it looks a bit different from tailored jackets because it's got these panels in it. The shirt is vintage and I have a body-con dress underneath, which is from Zara. I must admit I don't shop on the high street very much because, as we say, Primark killed the fashion star. Zara is probably the best of all of them. They have beautiful fabrics.


Is the cinched waist a signature style?
Most things I design have small waists and then sort of kick out. My friends always take the mick because I say, "I'm wearing a dress that kicks out." I feel very feminine with a cinched waist.


When did you think you looked your best?
When I went to Paris while working for London Fashion Week. I got this dress from a shop called Come On Eileen, which is just fabulous. There are mounds of clothes everywhere - it takes your breath away. I found a dress in the corner, it was green, 50s-style with a big collar, cuffs and big cufflinks. I wore it with a little straw beret with a bow, a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes and a Chanel bag. A guy stopped me in the street and told me I looked amazing and very Parisian even though no one dresses like that there.


Whose style do you admire?
I don't really admire people's style but I admire people's work, like Patricia Field's. She just has this knack of dressing a person so that it works with their style as much as hers. I love Viktor and Rolf's work too, particularly their silhouette.


Is there anything you would never wear?
Flip-flops. The noise they make and the way they look.


Do you have a grooming routine?
Yeah. It's very strange. In the morning, I get up, have a shower and put cream on my body and on my feet. Then I put on little slippers or socks and while the cream is drying I eat my breakfast in silence.

Pretty darn qwirky but I like her and her clothing a lot, here's some more.

London calling

  

This weekend I had the pleasure of popping down to London and catching up with various buddies. However Master Jack Cullen was the main feature and I was made very welcome in his (and Jenny's) Finsbury Park flat.

The first night we toured Brick lane, attempted some drinks at 'the BIG CHILL' and various other bars/clubs...my attention to detail here is as hazy as you'd expect. We bumped into many old Oakham faces - it appears London is one big 00 fest so that was an added bonus.

Here are some of the pre-drinks - outfit camera testing - strutting around to Kelis - snaps.

 Topshop dress

Primarni Heels

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Jack's/Naomi's fabulous room

And now for Jack himself...

Follow him and his life at http://www.jackcullen.blogspot.com/

For Saturday daytime, I met up with Lydia and dragged my hungover self round many of the vintage markets near Spitalfields. Lydia was spoilt with my boozey/blurred wit and struggling body...apologies ;) NOTE for the London tourist like moi, Spitalfields is CLOSED on a SATURDAY...bummer, still lots to check out around and about the Brick Lane area.

Night two was always going to be a struggle for me and my one hit wonder hungover going out stamina but it was great. Jack and his pals Paul, Rob and Marie took me to G-A-Y and then onto Heaven to see the Saturdays sing....cough cough, well that was the idea. Anyways who knew how bloody hot gay guys are - good lord! Seriously, they all strip off at about 12am and the bods on these pretty boys are unbelievable! But yes, regardless they are still gay....you lucky chaps! I have now lost my gay clubbing virginity...what an experience!

Urban Outfitters body
Zara white high waist shorts
Chunky black heels


G-A-Y ready

Introducing my beautiful friend, Vicky.

After not seeing each other for an entire year, I've finally got to spend some great time with my super duper friend Vicky. 


Now I'm back in England for good, it's so nice to catch up with all my lovely pals who have been so so supportive in so many ways. ROBYN, JACK, LYDIA, ALISON, HANNAH, KATIE and SARAH (to name but a few!) have made the last week just great and I'm very thankful! 

In Vicky, I really couldn't ask for a better friend and am so glad we're finally back in the same country! Enough soppiness. Here she is, posing beautifully, for me and my photography experiments.