Category: websites

February 2, 2015

Finery London x

There’s a new label on the cyber-street..Finery London, led by Caren Downe who’s high street pedigree and gene pool includes buying director at Top Shop and ASOS.

She left ASOS disillusioned with the emphasis on commerciality rather than creativity…and has returned to fill what she sees as the glaring gap in the market: Women that know their style and want something more considered in the £40 – £250 price bracket, that magical hybrid of excellent design and affordable prices – and she’s certainly talking my language…

It’s a range cleverly jigsawed together – there’s a sense of calm and knowing, rare in the heart of the retail storm, with warm, welcoming air that gently blows you across the threshold..

The shoes are incredible..

With a rich current of ideas running under simple shapes, that cunning mixture of cool statements and strong balls.

Forensically clear with a sense of attentive stillness, but still authentic and heartfelt..I’ll be following this story with interest..

Laters, Kate x

January 31, 2015

For the Archers in my life..

Laters, Kate x

December 22, 2014

The Magic starts here..

The Elf-on-the-shelf has been a stroke of genius to the spirit of Christmas in this house – so much so we had to find him a female companion (mind out of the gutter please….) so Bella had her own elf too (At eight she’s on the cusp of not believing) – their presence has been totally embraced with homemade presents and letters regularly being left for them (generally saying the other has been up to no good!). The other tradition that underlines the children’s belief is their annual message from PNP Santa..it’s a beautiful dose of pure nostalgia – there’s a choice of a free message – which really works if you have young children or only one so you don’t get a repeat..or pay £2.99 for a longer message, more photos and a choice of story..this year, for the first time, I upgraded..it was so worth it, particularly as there was an option for the Elf to get a special mention..how perfectly magical? There’s no denying their power now!

The basic concept is that Santa speaks individually to your child and looks at photos of them through the year in their special book..then they find out whether they’re on the good list…or the naughty list..with the option of behaving better before the big day…it’s very, very, clever and utterly seductive. And it’s not just limited to children..there’s an adults version too with true mirth in hearing this Santa mutter ‘I hear you regularly fart in bed’ and other such gems..

I’ve uploaded Bella and Charlie’s messages to Facebook if you want to see the quality of the messages for yourself, and just for posterity, I videoed their reactions this year:

…Once you have laughed and once you have loved this Christmas..the rest is just background noise..

Laters, Kate x

November 25, 2014

Great Bones..

There’s something utterly majestic, breathtaking and impressive about a herringbone floor..

But the bullion cut? More expensive..but it’s still a temptation, particularly when you know you’re only laying a floor once..

In fact choosing a floor is like crossing all sorts of boundaries..width of wood, colour, type, durability..mix into to that the cost and it’s a potential minefield..

So excuse me if I feel a little bit chuffed in finding Edward Oak Floors (OK. My mother found them first) But you know you’re on to a good thing when the showroom in is a remote part of London, in the middle of an industrial estate, attached to it’s own factory.

And because it’s all made on site, they can smoke, wax, colour, distress the wood to any colour you want – and any size..and if they lay your floor, it’s guaranteed for 15 years..me likey.

The distressing machine..it’s riveting..

But they really do have the ability to transform the mundane..

So that’s one thing ticked off…now there’s just the rest of the building works to plan..ho hum

Laters, Kate

September 11, 2014

Photo Shoot x

Many, many , many years ago (when I was seventeen: Long time) we were staying at my Grandparent’s house on the Greek island of Spetses when there was a terrible forest fire. The sun was blocked out by the smoke and falling ash and our only escape was to be evacuated by boat from the beach to the safety of the mainland where we sat and watched the island burn.

Our biggest regret was that we hadn’t thought to rescue the family photographs…my Grandmother had died in the Easter and my Grandfather had been killed in a car crash when I was two so these were some of the only photos we had, virtually everything else was replaceable..

As it happened, soon after we left, the wind blew back on itself and our enclave was saved. The fire started up again at dawn but by that time the sea planes had light enough to see and could put out the flames with sea water, although it took another 10 days for the fire to really stop burning – Spetses is a pine island and the sap in the trees keeps on burning.

But what it taught me was the value of photos – that moment caught in time? – utterly priceless.

Which is why, each year since Bella was eighteen months (the months before passed in a haze..) my Mother’s day present has been a family photo session with the highly talented photographer, Alexandra Joseph. We even did a session of me pregnant with Charlie – and then him at just 5 days old, all curled up and pink. How precious?

Charlie looking at our previous books – this one when Bella was a toddler..in a world of digital everything to be able to hold something tangible has it’s place.

Him as a baby..

These are from this years session..the books they’re turned into rank amongst my most prized possessions..

Alex has this utterly natural, spontaneous way of not only taking beautiful photographs, but of capturing moments.

This is how Charlie will look when he’s a bored teenager telling me I’m wrong again!

She works without lights or any paraphenalia with simple honesty and incredible skill.

She’s so peacefull and relaxed, you have no idea what you’ve got..

Till she sends you her tantalising previews..

I’ve learnt my lesson – once lives our safe, the next thing to save would be my photo books – and I can’t wait to hold my next one.

Laters, Kate x

August 11, 2014

Dream Team x

Young British Designers started with a small group with a real thirst to pursue a brave new vision for design and has kept on growing.

It’s pure British design with it’s inbuilt ability to understand the rules..and then break them with a smile.

They don’t care about age – you could be 70 and a new designer with flair, the youth is in the brand. They acknowledge there’s limited experience, but YBD want to give young designers a chance on a retail stage.

And it gives us the chance to see the emerging talents – even spot them – before their ascension to the land of Fashion Gods and silly money.

Which means there are loads of things to look at – men’s included – it’s not about one voice, one style but a rich smorgasbord of everything brought together, everyone made stronger by the other’s presence.