21 January, 2015

The DRG Antwerp shopping guide

T Koetshuish Antweerp vintage store

I had a very naughty start to the year, choosing to bunk off LCM and go on holiday instead. Tsk indeed! I definitely recommend it though. We picked Antwerp for our city break, our flight was half empty and the three days dawdled by at a pleasantly snail-like pace. We went with no great plans other than to mooch around flea markets, eat moules and just enjoy some we-time. OK, we didn’t have much luck on the flea market front but I did discover a wealth of brocante vendors, vintage boutiques and fancy goods emporia to satisfy my shopaholic tendencies. Here then, is my DRG shopping guide to Antwerp…

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I advise catching the early Friday flight from City airport so you arrive with a whole day stretched out ahead. Taxis are a bit of a faff in Antwerp so we decided to do everything on foot, taking the scenic route from our posh B&B (the beautiful BOULEVARD LEOPOLD, separate post coming soon) in the Jewish quarter. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 1 Comment Design, Retail concepts, Shopping accessories, Acne Studios, Antwerp, APC, Boulevard Leopold, Chanel, Delvaux, design, designers, Dries Van Noten, heritage, hotels, luxury, retail concepts, travel, vintage, Walter van Beirendonck

15 January, 2015

Celebrating the ‘retirement renaissance’ with Selfridges’ Bright Old Things

Bruno Wizard and Stephen Jones

This month I’m looking forward to a second viewing of The Heart Of Bruno Wizard, a truly heartwarming documentary about one of London’s unsung creative spirits. 64-year-old Bruno Wizard is a one off and his story is a colourful one. (The story of how the film came about is pretty cool too, you can read it here.)

Bruno was a resident of the legendary Warren Street squat (look out for fellow squatters, Stephen Jones and Marilyn in the film) whose bands The Rejects and The Homosexuals performed perfect three minute punk songs and never sold out – unlike some of their contemporaries. Bruno seems to have umpteen lives as the film narrates his many ups and downs throughout the decades. We arrive at the present day in which his spirit is unbroken, his mind as lucid as ever and his character charming but always unpredictable.

The film is out on DVD this month which you can now buy at Selfridges. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 1 Comment Art, Brands, Design, Events, Films, Menswear, News, Retail concepts, Shopping, Trends art, Bruno Wizard, design, films, Molly Parkin, retail concepts, Selfridges, Stephen Jones, Sue Kreitzman, Tatty Devine

30 December, 2014

Painterly packaging: Jo Malone My Wanderlust by Charlotte Stockdale

Here’s something a bit different from Jo Malone London. Charlotte Stockdale has been the brand’s style editor for a while now but her influence isn’t always evident. But here it is in this home fragrance line called My Wanderlust. The fragrances reflect travel and the joy of exploration and the line includes a scent diffuser, candle, linen spray, soap and ‘square scents’ (for placing in drawers, wardrobe, luggage etc). (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 0 Comments Brands, Design, News, Retail concepts, Trends Charlotte Stockdale, design, home fragrance, Jo Malone London, news, packaging, shopping

29 December, 2014

Introducing Atelier Vlisco RTW SS15

Atelier Vlisco SS15

Bold plans are being forged at Vlisco, the Dutch textile company whose wax prints have been the toast of African fashionistas for over a century. If you don’t know the name, you’ll undoubtedly recognize the prints. They’re what we consider traditional ‘African’ prints even though they orginated in Indonesia before being adopted by the powerhouse that is the Vlisco manufacture, based in southern Holland.

While the prints have traditionally been sold by the yard to be made up by personal tailors into one-off garments, the brand is moving into off the peg territory. (more…)