Category: Hats

September 13, 2017

Hattention x

Laters, Kate x

January 26, 2016

An Update: House etc..

Yesterdays fascinator experiment went well..I was thinking of you Julie (hattitude) as we marshalled in the sinamay into shape! Could’ve done with your skill!!

No real finished ones to reveal yet..(the first official creative coffee is on Wednesday) but I think we’re a bit more prepared..

(It’s great stuff just to let loose and play with..I recommend it.)

On the house front, there’s no longer a broken neck risk checking out the cellar…we now have stairs!..

Upstairs…could that actually be a sink in the kitchen??!

To the unknowing eye, this all just looks like mismatched piles of wood..

To me, it’s the light at the end of the tunnel..(even knowing, once it’s made it’s coming out (sob!) to be painted (and so the floor can go down))..but this is pure progress. We may even have a working bin soon – the excitement, the luxury!

Laters, Kate x

January 25, 2016

Hats Off…

It’s the trial run today for our termly creative coffee morning for the mum’s in Charlie’s class…we’re making fascinators to be worn at our class party the following week. Cross your fingers – I’ve only ever been a pupil before, never the teacher, hence the need for a few guinea pigs, but I was treated to a class just before Christmas….and found it fascinating…here’s hoping for luscious lilly’s..

The odd rose…or two..

Big bows for those that want..

And just letting imaginations run free…

Pics to follow…

Laters, Kate x

November 24, 2015

Hats Off!

Hats are having a moment..the humble bobble is back big time..so maybe there’s hope for the rest hitting the mainstream again.

It would be fun. Hats may not speak, but they say volumes about an outfit.

All of these tempting delights are by the talented Karen Henriksen, a milliner working in London who’s perfected the tightrope between modern and timeless.

(All pictures Karen Henriksen and Pinterest)

Oh to have a few precious hours trying them all on and pouting in a fetchingly foxed antique mirror. Such stuff dreams are made of.

Laters, Kate x

October 5, 2015

Another Garde x

One of the great joys from this daily ritual of Blogging are the people you meet, drawn together from across the world through the magic of the internet and the love of great design. It’s how I met Soumountha – a very funny, fearless and edgy French-Lao-mum-to-3-kids-slash-blogger-and-entrepreneur who’s been looking for the perfect vehicle to focus her creative high energy, because Soumountha is a tigress with a deep motherlove who knows that to feed herself spiritually she needs that creative outlet. And now, with a perfectly executed flying kick, she has leapt into the fray with her own online boutique for emerging fashion brands: Another Garde. I wanted to know more…so we in between her hectic schedule we sat down, dressed in our imaginary finest with the perfect bottle of virtual wine to cut to the chase on the latest about her new fashion baby…

I’m so excited you’ve opened your own online boutique! I looove you’re style – so tell me, Soumountha, do you have an imaginary woman you’re selling to?

Yes. She is the unflappable woman. I like to describe her as ‘a complex, witty, mature, free and confident woman who breaks ceilings and kicks out of boxes, screams and smiles, has chipped nails and remains elegant and wonderfully modern.’ I like to think that she is owning her imperfections with inner and quiet confidence and a ‘so what?’ attitude.

What do you think she would she eat for breakfast…and where??

She would probably not eat anything for breakfast because she hardly had the time to comb her hair, but then would have a hearty omelette and a cappuccino – her strong espresso days are behind her – around 10.30am. She would eat this at work or at her local bodega trying to sort out the beautiful mess that is her life with her IPhone…hahahaha! I’m getting deja vu!

What did you look for in your emerging designer’s?

That’s a tough one. It is a very complex process that includes both tangible and less tangible factors.

Another Garde wants to develop partnerships with brands that are interested in releasing styles throughout the year – just like we are doing with our private label, Another Garde. The designers, Enda (Enda.us) and Moses Nadel (mosesnadel.com) on our site fall also into this category. The biggest challenge is to stand out in the crowd and I feel that as a group, we increase our chances of success if we leverage our resources and collectivize our risks etc. So being a team player is a key aspect of being part of Another Garde 🙂

That does not mean that we do not work with brands that are operating within the Fashion calendar – some brands are too amazing not to work with.

So more generally I think –

– their aesthetic needs to hang well with other designers’ viewpoint. I do favor a somewhat unaffected elegance, feminine and feminist silhouettes, great details and finishes, and minimalist cuts.

– I like designers who have an acute understanding of who they are and who they are not and what it is they are saying to the world. Schai (schaischai.com), a brand that we will soon feature on our site, is a universe in itself . You get drawn into it through her designs but also her words, her imagery, her story and her personality. The moment I set my eyes on her creations I fell in love full stop. She is also a pretty kick ass woman #swoon

– I love designers who are creative and resourceful from a marketing perspective to a design development perspective. For example, I have been stalking Linie (linienyc.com) for a while now because the designer is excelling at zero waste pattern making.

– And last but not least, I only work with designers who share our values when it comes to mature and confident women i.e. Designers who celebrate these women’s needs, their achievements and aspirations and understand what ageing with grace means and requires. In short, there is an underlying feminism behind what we do at Another Garde so I would probably not work with creatives who do not get it. (At this point I have to stand up and applaud..woah! woah! woah! finally!)

How did you find your designers? can anyone approach you?

We are doing a lot of scouting to find brands and also get referrals so YES anyone can approach me soumountha@anothergarde.com

The fashion industry is notoriously tough – do you think the young/new designer of today has the time to learn the ropes of this industry or are they, with the level of competition out there, expected to hit the ground both perfectly formed and running?

Because it is such a competitive industry, I feel that there is a general acceptance that there are more and more valid and legitimate journeys to own and run a label: from launching your first collection straight after fashion school to having a full time design job in a major house while experimenting with your label on the side to returning to work for an established company, if your label is struggling or relying on private orders only.

However, from the customer perspective, mistakes are not easily forgiven. It is competitive out there and it is so important to build trust with your clientele. My take away so far is this: make less creations but make them perfect for the people who really matter to you.

So my answer is yes designers have the time ,if they take this valuable time and develop A, B and C plans in their overall journey as creatives. At the end of the day, you are a creative and there is no lesser way of being one.

Do you see yourself as a mentor?

Since we are releasing our own collection for the first time, I see myself more as a peer who is experiencing the same journey as some of the other designers on our site: handling cash flow challenges, weighing the pros and cons of bypassing the fashion calendar (on a daily basis but still sticking to my guts for now), going through the ups and downs of collection design and development etc.

Having our own collection is our way to walk the talk but this has also become a truly humbling experience. We are just another brand working hard at finding our women.

Because I want to do my best at articulating partner designers’ vision to our target customers, I do ask a lot of questions. I hope these questions do help them to think hard about their brand, their positioning, their pricing, how they produce and sell etc.

Whose wardrobe do you lust over?

Phoebe Philo. Clean lines, feminine and masculine silhouettes, chic tonal palette; it is never boring but most importantly it ALWAYS authentic. There is a quiet rebellious character in her wardrobe.

And she is British, so that’s the icing on the cake 🙂

You’re based in New York..Will you be shipping internationally?

It’s something we’re hoping to introduce very soon – watch this space!

(All Photography by Carolina Palmgren, Styling is Another Garde)

What’s the last thing you bought…and why?

The Zoe dress by Brooklyn-based Swedish designer H.Fredriksson (Hfredriksson.com) (pictured above) who works with sustainable fabrics and creates very modern and perfect silhouettes for women like me who are trying to come to terms with the various changes in their bodies. All her prints come from her personal drawings and paints. Zoe’s print is a special one because it is a drawing from her late husband who passed away before or during collection development. I was already in love with the dress but when I learnt about the heartache and strength behind the creation I just had to buy it. Helena has kids so this has really touched me: I just cannot imagine what she has been through. Every time I wear it, I feel her strength.

As we feel yours Soumountha! This pocket rocket warrior woman is fighting the couture clash with her flair for the international all beautifully moulded together by the wit and gristle of the streets of New York City and personally…I love it! Go Soumountha!

Laters, Kate x

October 1, 2015

Cover Story x

They’re fitting our two storey steel frame today and cutting off our electricity, gas and water, which also equals no internet. So I think to myself..do you think that would worry these characters?

Hell no!

Laters, Kate x

PS It’s OK Mum – they’ve promised to have some back on by this evening…

April 3, 2015

Day Out x

I had that typical middle-class adult dilemma this week – is it kitsch that my kids favourite activity is shopping? As soon as I mention it, I see the bright gleam in their eyes, the excitement..the quickening heartbeat and I know it has them in it’s tight, materialistic jaw..

We had to step into the lion’s lair this week to re-stock on socks and pants for school. But I went attempting a new regime..

I told them exactly what I was going to buy. Then anything over had to come out of their pocket money/christmas money/birthday money which they had to have in cash..no loans. Anything big and desirable went on birthday (not long till Charlie’s) or Christmas list.

The hardest thing is that I have to stick to the plan too – there’s lots of stuff I’d love to buy them. But what message does that give? I limited the extra’s to looking for a top for Charlie and a dress for Bella, both for Easter Sunday when we’re seeing relatives.

I know that if I think back through the mists of time, I can still remember that feeling of stepping into the equivalent of a sweetie shop – the seduction of it. And too often, when dealing with kids, you look at a situation through the knowing eyes of an adult, forgetting the journey it took to get there. It can’t be skipped just because you know the answer.

However, both my children have a fair amount to learn..money burns a hole in their pockets and the magpie tendencies are strong..

Though Charlie did boost his cash reserve by eating a clam. Bella refused. But it was their choice.

Naturally, they blew everything they had – Bella on stationary, Charlie on a puzzle toy and a hat..

We found him a brilliant top in Next for Easter – £14.99 and it looks like something by Ralph Lauren, and is beautifully lined in grey marl. He wanted to wear it straight away..the resulting mash-up amply demonstrates the preppy look his mother would love him to embrace..and the secret clubber within..

Bella bought a dress from Marks and Spencer that fluttered her mother’s heart..black with a peter pan collar. I’ll take a picture on Sunday.

Of course now, for the lesson to be fully learnt, having blown all their money, I have to take them shopping again so they can know what it’s like to want something and not be able to buy it. That big gulf between need and want. That special emotion that can be one of the world’s best motivators…you want it, you earn it..you save for it. You spend it on what you really want, not the fluff inbetween..learn the difference between the diamonds and the fools gold…you want more? Find a way..work hard..make it happen.

Laters, Kate x

April 15, 2014

Coachella 2014

Coachella: A place for people to unshowily declare themselves.

To turn up and have fun like a wild drive through the night whilst still standing in a circle of friends.

To sing, play, dance and listen and put a distance from the real world. Just for a little bit.

Personally, it’s the Coachella Art Studios that would have my name on them – the craft themes this year are: Paper, re-cycled materials, fashion, camp improvement (!) and a banter booth!

You can make a head wrap, get stuck into clay and even draw stranger portraits – love this: Sit down on opposite sides of an artists easel with a stranger and draw each other – get to know the other person through the process by using provided interview questions to break the ice..or just chat! The result is a portrait each and a new friend..result!

The Afterlife is a place to go to give birth to new objects from old…a broken inner bicycle tube? It becomes a wallet. Plastic bags? material! I’d never leave..

For the first time ever there’s even a Quiltchella..a communal quilt in the making..they need you Kerry and Nikki!

(All photos by Annie powers from Style.com)

The next Festival is 18-20 April…only in my dreams will I be there….But one day, when the kids have flown the nest and I’m in my dotage I’m going to dress up in flowing purple robes and a mighty turban and laugh and dance and do it all till the sun rises again…Promise.

Laters, Kate x

February 10, 2014

The Sapeurs.. xxx

Suave and sophisticated, the title Sapeur comes from la SAPE, an abbreviation of Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes – The Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People. Over the past twenty five years it’s emerged as a brightly coloured African subculture inspired by the myth of Parisian elegance and Dandyism.

Mostly centred around Brazzaville and Kinshasa, the adjacent Capitals of the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively, the Sapeurs cultivate their refined gentility amid their countries war-torn, extreme poverty.

But despite this nations history, Sapeurs are pacifists – for them style is about being respectful with a pure attitude and impeccable manners.

Creativity is paramount – although many will spend whatever they have on clothes, it’s not about the money, it’s about style and being flamboyant in oneself, despite the circumstances.

(All the pictures above by Baudouin Mouanda)

They are ordinary people, with ordinary jobs who break free by transforming their dusty pavements into fabulous fashion runways. But the truth is these characters are teachers, creatures of spirit with a powerful, requisite flair and passion.

(Photo by Hector Mediavilla)

Sharp and sly, like poetry in motion with their hearts turned to the sun, they demand that there can be great riches in small spaces..their irresistible sense of pride says you can be whatever you want to be…and sometimes we all need that fairytale.

(Photo by Hector Mediavilla)

A very short documentary – worth watching! x

To those that say their style is part of a legacy of cultural imperialism and a post-colonial carry-over they say:

‘White people invented the clothes..but we turned them into an art form’

Personally, I doff my bright yellow trilby to them.

Laters, Kate x

December 4, 2013

A Bright Shining Star..

Tzaporah Salamon hits the wall and drives straight through it, exuding a ferocious energy and defying you to suggest that ‘old’ is a bad word – to be old is to have had the time to amass a life-times wardrobe put together with wisdom and experience. A true visionary in her ability to salvage and re-invent, she dresses like she does for the sake of her soul.

And I love her. Yes, it’s five minutes of your life..but you won’t regret it.

Promise.

Laters, Kate x