Step inside my showroom...

As promised darlings, I can now reveal my newly re-styled showroom which excites me enormously! 

A few weeks ago, my chums at Proportion London and I got together and threw a fabulous breakfast soiree for the launch of MADEMOISELLE (Proportion's latest female mannequin range). Clients and friends came and admired the re-style and all of the product so perfectly presented in the art gallery like space. As we nibbled on French toast and drank champagne, it dawned on me that my stunning home should be shared with my friends across the world! So I hereby give you an exclusive tour (and also a cheeky selfie or two)!

Mademoiselle - the lady herself!

The MADEMOISELLE range exudes an incredible freshness with refined elegance. She embodies contemporary romance whilst hinting at a cool nonchalance - in short, she is my kinda gal! Adding to her prettiness, she is styled in crisp white with accents of luscious violets, cool blues and tranquil greens. The full range consists of ten dynamic figures, each position created with defined yet understated movement and delicately expressive hands, which capture eloquent mid gesture poses - enhancing her characteristics further. An abstract head with ghosted back features, plus a semi-realistic version are available on all figures, whilst sculpted hair pieces and a headless upholstered option complete the range.

headless mademoiselle in repeat

sculpt hair and realistic mademoiselle

a candid shot of me!

Mademoiselle's delicate and expressive hands   



Mademoiselle with wooden articulated arms - ideal for handbag presentation 

the Mademoiselle girls, en masse

another candid shot of moi

Mademoiselle, featuring sculpted hair and semi-realistic face

THEORY male and female mannequins stand tall on mirror boxed plinths - adding drama and contrast to the space. Finished in monochrome matt and gloss graphics, this range provides ultimate impact. The versatility of the collection can be mind blowing - for instance, by adding wig and makeup or having a headless version, the same range of figures can have endless looks. Genius! 

Theory male and female mannequins

Making a special appearance for a limited time only, is the thought provoking artwork and photography by Roger Miles and Fraser Carr Miles. Their work documents the decommissioning of my old factory home through a series of images and objects which capture the beauty and craft of mannequin production. The pieces are on sale, so if you have your eye on something make sure you enquire quickly!

Vintage style bustforms and harlequins showcased alongside Roger Miles artwork and photography

Roger Miles' cyanotype bust forms 

Capsule bust form range

Of course some of the all time favourite collections are on show, such as COMPONENTS, RAW, VINTAGE and BESPOKE, but what I would really like to show you is the revamped BOUDOIR range. This irresistible collection of bodies and accoutrements is designed specifically for the presentation of lingerie and hosiery type merchandise. And I think it looks especially stunning in its new sophisticated palette of rose gold, and muted berry colours. Simply divine!

Foot forms from the Boudoir range

upholstered bra forms with rose gold metalwork - from Boudoir

the loft has been transformed into a stunning boudoir space  - every girl's dream!   

Darlings, my door is always open, so do feel free to visit me and see the new showroom with your very own eyes. Just let me know when you plan to come over, so I can put the kettle on!  Tel: 0207 749 1300 Showroom address: 65 Leonard Street, Shoreditch, London, EC2A 4QS

Roger Miles - artist in residence at Mannequin Towers

Cast your mind back, my darling readers, to my January post on my good chum and accountant – turned – artist, Roger Miles.  For four weeks recently, Roger took up residency at Mannequin Towers, delving his way through our bits and bobs, in search of things that inspire him to create.

Intrigued by Mr Miles artwork and his new found career, I managed to slip away from my busy window-gazing schedule to ask him a few questions….

Has the transition from being an accountant to an artist felt peculiar to you? Working in an environment of routine and structure, but now having the freedom to do whatever you like, must feel rewarding. Tell me what is a typical day for you?  

I don’t really have a typical day these days, there is much less routine, but I feel just as busy.

The biggest challenge from accountant to artist was changing from getting it right to there being no such thing as right.

I still use many of the skills I acquired as an accountant, especially project management and logistics - art is 30% creativity and 70% project management and admin.

You stopped being an accountant in 2009 and completed a BA in fine art at Chelsea Art College. Is this something you have always wanted to do? What stopped you before?

I knew I wanted to have a second career when I got to 40 but I didn't know it would be art.  I used a life coach to help me work out what to do next and I had found out by the time I was 50 (it takes some time to make this type of change).

Doing a degree a second time around was invigorating and rewarding - this time I could really focus on the course and not be distracted.

You have taken up residency in several places, what exactly is involved in being an artist in residence? How do you select the places you wish to work in?

Choosing an unusual location helps to challenge you as an artist and hopefully leads you to make work that you wouldn't have done just based in the studio - it also gives you some structure to your day.

I chose the residency location to be places where you wouldn't expect to find an artist i.e. the local dump!

What are you making at the moment? Can you explain some of the processes?

Cyanotype prints from photos taken at the factory and experimenting with cyanotype on paper mache forms. I am also collecting odd items from the ‘ to be disposed of’ area and will make sculptures / collages from them.

What inspires you?

Live music, contemporary art and my family.

Who are some of your favourite artists?

The boyle family, Jeremy Deller and Elisabeth Price.

You recently created a window for Selfridges and have now taken up residency at Proportion's factory. Is visual merchandising something that interests you, do you think you would explore more in this area?

There seems to be an increasing merging of the two art forms i.e Damien Hirst for Lalique and Yayoi Kusama for Louis Vuitton and Roger  Miles for Selfridges ...

Do you have any other projects in the pipeline, if so what are they?

My degree piece ‘resonate/generate’ was a 1970s record store in a mobile library,  I am recreating the record store at a show at Gallery Different in Percy St off Tottenham Court Rd from 23rd April to 28th May, as part of Keith Haynes art pop show - he makes art from vinyl records and I will playing visitors choices of music from rock and punk from the 70s.

 

If like me you are fascinated by Roger's artwork, do stay tuned as Proportion plan to showcase his pieces at an upcoming event. In the mean time you can checkout his website by clicking here

Ciao for now
x

Christmas window finale

And so we come to the finale my darlings. So far we’ve seen some outstanding Christmas window displays, however, it would not be complete without a stroll down London's busiest retail streets (Regent and Oxford) ending in grand style at the daddy of Christmas for the people; Selfridges. 

Surreal fairytales and children's storybook classics, have been the inspiration for this years Selfridges windows, leaving you to explore a world of wonder and enchantment inside the bronze portals….  

First up though, is Anthropology who captured shoppers attention with a stunning oversized artisan crafted robin.

Anthropology

Hackett

Gant

Liberty

John Lewis

John Lewis

Marks and Spencer

Selfridges

Selfridges

Selfridges

Selfridges

I have to rush off now, as have a Christmas party to host, but from moi and everyone at mannequin towers, we do hope you have a fabulous Christmas and New Year. xx

The glamour of Italian Fashion ....Bellissimo!

As you would expect from a siognee fashion plate such as yours truly, I am always interested in the latest collections coming off the catwalk. In the fibreglass world of style I inhabit, many are the hours we models have conversed on the minutae of fashion whilst gazing out serenely along the high street of a high end boutique near you.

Given this mild obsession, I recently visited (with some excitement), the V&A’s newly opened exhibition “The glamour of Italian Fashion” bumping into my good friend Author Jonathan Baker on the steps of that hallowed institution!

Installation image of the Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945 - 2014 at the V&A. Copyright the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 

 From the moment I glided through the entrance of the show it was apparent that luxury and impeccable detail were the order of the day; Italian fashion being synonymous with elegance, quality and style. Understated opulence marked out the show – set against skyward marble backdrops and images of countless contessas parading in 1950s ballrooms. Jonathan and I spent the morning discussing fascism, the Marshall plan and of course the many merits of the frocks on show. I may be a fibreglass doll, but I’m an intellectual one!

Installation image of the Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945 - 2014 at the V&A. Copyright the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

The Italian fashion industry thrives on a particular reputation which differentiates itself from Paris, London and New York  by virtue of certain subtle attributes. Where one would expect to see sportswear par-excellence in New York, chi-chi ultra feminine looks in Paris and rebellious streetwear in London; Milan exudes a controlled elegance, whether subtle as at Armani or in-your-face as at Versace. Behind it all is a reputation built on a heritage and history that can be traced back hundreds of years.

There is much discussed in this exhibition about Italian fashion that would not be apparent from a mere glide through your local department store taking in the everyday high-end Italian brands on display. Did you know, for instance, that Italian Fashion Week originated in the 1950s as a series of small, exclusive Florentine catwalk shows called Sala Bianca. These soirees were organised by Italian businessman Giovanni Battista Giorgini and panned out over some days, punctuated by balls and cocktail parties. Giorgini saw the potential for rebranding the Italian fashion industry and the possibility of building international export if he could encourage international buyers to visit the country. Hugely successful; his take on luxury and elegance was much adopted by the Hollywood Glitterati of the day, which further fanned the frenzy for Italian style. Who could fail to recall the glamour of 1950s film-making without reference to Fellinis glamorous heroines, most especially the luscious Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita; who must surely be the epitome of gorgeous Italian sophistication.

The textile history of Italy is discussed in great detail. Area after area of the country are documented as specialising in different artisinal skills and materials, which when put together make up a formidable powerhouse of high-end manufacture and design. Leather, fur, tailoring, knitwear and workroom skills along with a certain precise styling are shown off with examples of outfits by many designers; both well known and obscure, who make up a lexicon of the county’s most exportable designers.

Image copyright to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 

The story comes right up to date with a new modern era which took off in the late 60s, when a new breed of designer stepped forward, becoming the template for international super-brands as they are known today. Included here are Armani, Versace and Missoni and more recently Prada, Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana. Interestingly the only non-defined area of the show, was the thought of what the future holds for this country within the jostling pack of international cities vying for the fashion crown. Apparently of uncertain and confused direction, we wait to see the outcome … but we know it will always be with particular attention to the studied style and glamour that the Italians are known for worldwide.

Italy, I am donning my latest Dolce and Gabbana as I salute you – bellissimo, Dear readers!

Installation image of the Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945 - 2014 at the V&A. Copyright the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

For more on this story and the mannequins displaying the outfits please see the Proportion London website

Miss Mannequins Festive Christmas Window Display Tour ....

Christmas is my favourite time of year, not only because of the parties, giving and receiving of luscious presents and spending quality time with my fibreglass loved ones, but also because of the magical displays our nations most fabulous retail stores create.  Bright lights, designer trees, steam trains, giant bottles of champagne and animals ingeniously made from domestic appliances are just some of the 2013 trawl of Xmas displays that will make you want to jump for joy!

This year, luxury Knightsbridge department store Harrods takes us on a magical journey on their Christmas express train; carriages oozing glamour and indulgence, filled with festive treats and gifts suitable for a never ending wish list; including an £80,000 gown dripping in jewels (not that I’m hinting Santa)     

Harrods

Harrods

Just down the road, Harvey Nichols are merging high-end fashion and fantasy to create eye-popping displays bursting with brightly coloured stars and snowflakes. 

Harvey Nichols

Harvey Nichols

Whilst in this part of town I also got the pleasure of catching up with a few of the girls (my darling friends from proportion london) Elegantly gracing the windows of high-end lingerie brand, Rigby and Peller. The fluid range  girls also looked uber stylish in H&M    

Rigby and Peller

H and M

Adding a little bellezza Italiana (Italian beauty) to Mayfair’s most prestigious hotel Claridges; designer duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana created a traditional Sicilian Christmas themed tree. What a grand place to stop for a sherry and marvel at this magnificent showstopper.

Claridges

Fortnum and Mason almost brought tears of nostalgia to my eye with their wistful window displays, featuring children playing in the snow and many festive goodies. I managed to stop myself blubbing after suddenly remembering it would likely ruin my new petal pink paint finish (post on paint finishes and fabrics coming in the New Year)

Fortnum and Mason

They say big is not always best but in this case it certainly helped… Selfridges stopped shoppers in their tracks with giant bottles of Ace of Spades champagne, Charlotte Olympia slippers, YSL bag and a snow globe which pays homage to the store.  These are just some of the witty displays which demanded passers-by attention!

Selfridges

Selfridges

Selfridges

Selfridges

Now there is no denying that the competition for best Christmas window is very competitive this year - but one stands out by a mile for pure genius - and that is John Lewis. The touching advert which tells a story of a bear and a hares relationship is continued throughout their window displays, using household objects and everyday appliances. Bunnies made from hairbrushes, deer from dyson vacuums and a hibernating bear from leather cushions; all have you standing in awe and utter amazement. Well done to this clever team for breaking away from their usual safe theme - the effort was well worth it - judging from the attentive shoppers lingering on the street. 

John Lewis

John Lewis

John Lewis



John Lewis



Believing in the 'magic and sparkle', Marks and Spencer’s flagship store at London’s Marble Arch has brought to life a modern day fairy-tale following on from their ad campaign within their windows. Windows featured mannequins (from the SERIES range by proportion) which resemble the characters from their multimillion pound advert and a lavish dinner party that I for one would be delighted to attend. 

Marks and Spencer

Marks and Spencer

Marks and Spencer

One of London’s oldest leading department stores; LIBERTY, has star bursts of product bringing the frontage of their iconic tudor building to life this year.

Liberty

Before heading back to mannequin towers I couldn't resist taking to the cobbled fabulousness of Carnaby Street where the robins were definately rocking!

Carnaby Street

Well my darlings, i'm off home to massage my weary feet and plan my outfit for the proportion office party! I do hope this Christmas post has you well and truly in the festive spirit and if like me you agree that the visual teams of London have done a spectacular job this year, then raise a glass to the sheer creativity and effort they have put in .... and wish me luck - as i tuck myself into a bubble-wrapped export box and zoom off to Heathrow to bring you my next blog...a round up of the Xmas windows in New York....Oh the glamour x