Pork Tablecloth Stainer

I find culinary books warm and cheerful but when you find a Mexican cooking book from the 60s it's triple cheerful. The colours are saturated to the extreme but the print quality is soft and friendly. Will definitely try to cook Mancha Manteles de Cerdo (pork tablecloth stainer) mm… sounds yummy.

A gift of a bird’s nest.

Last weekend I received the most beautiful gift I’ve ever received. It was a gift from my mother-in-law without any particular cause but I guess she couldn’t wait till Christmas and she knew I am the right person to appreciate her impatience. 

McQueen jeans.

McQueen jeans, book from and a car from a charity shop.

Kimonos

When I go through racks of clothes in charity shops I am never quite sure what I might find. When I stumbled across these two fantastic kimonos I was surprised for a moment by such an unusual discovery. The misplacement of these beautiful garments with their square cut are so completely deferent from anything the western world designed; I must have them I thought.

Naomi Campbell for POP magazine, H&M shower curtain, kimono

Naomi Campbell for POP magazine, H&M shower curtain, kimono

Constable country.

Last weekend we went to Dedham to catch a glimpse of English sun and see iconic landscapes. Things haven’t changed since The Hay Wain except perhaps the wain itself; we didn't noticed anything like that in use, but the river, the trees, the clouds and even the farm animals are still around.
The cows in particular have fantastic patterns on their coats so much so that I photographed them instead of the iconic landscapes. 

Taillights.

When two people live together sometimes the most unexpected things get mixed up especially if these two people have opposite interests. Sometimes I find my husband’s car parts irresistible, and feverishly incorporate them into my work; some times he finds my clothes irresistible...!

Armani trousers from a charity shop and taillights belong to my husband. 

Calvin Klein dress from a charity shop and taillights belong to my husband. 

White McQueen & black boots.

Twice a year Alexander McQueen holds a sample sale at The Old Sessions House. Twice a year my friends and I stock up on some fab frocks but this year I decided to hold back and buy something sensible which is possible to find, even at McQueen. “You can’t go wrong with a white top,” I said to myself going through rows of bright pink leopard print. 

Flying dervishes and moustached ladies.

Sometimes you wonder why somebody wants to get rid of something as fabulous as this collection of dolls I stumbled across the other day during my regular inspection of local charity shops. I wouldn’t give them away, even for a very good cause. Their clothes are delicate and expressions dreamy. They certainly come from a different world where colours are sober and moustaches adorn every face.

Lost Shoe

Beauty and the Moustache

Big hand and Angel

Pants Song

When the weather is better in London some people go for a walk on a lunch break but some sunbathe on the banks of the river wearing practically nothing.
Performance near Tate Modern shot on iPhone

The Queen.

On the jubilee day I wanted to photograph all the things English to celebrate with the nation.  The tea, the biscuits and let's not forget the jelly! What would you nominate as quintessentially English?

I would say the rain. And it rains today. Hooray! As it rained on the Queen's wedding day and her coronation day 60 ears ago.

Mini or maxi?

Summer and the skirts are competing. Mini or maxi, mini or maxi I am asking myself every morning. Why can’t we wear both?

Marc Jacobs and L.K. Bennett skirts. All from a charity shop.

Ethnic skirt (not sure from which country), cowboy boots print skirt. All from a charity shop.

Grand Sale

On the 11^th of May, Dover Street Market with COMME des GARÇONS came down from the heavens with a grand sale.  Pilgrims from all over the world came to London for the occasion and, oh joy, we all have such an otherworldly experience. For mere mortals, t-shirts were offered for sale for as little as 10 pounds.

When The Pig was little.

When The Pig was little she had many friends but it’s not in a cat's nature to keep in touch so they never exchanged any letters or e-mails and their stories would remain unknown to us.

Kitten socks

Various socks

 

That’s all I can see just cats everywhere.

I decided to continue with cats because The Pig still needs our support. Maybe I should publish a calendar or create a fund?

White silk NW3 blouse, amber heckles and
a vintage flower. 

D&G shoes, Agent Provocateur garter belt, blindfold and some newspapers.

The Pig

We have a cat, her name is The Pig. It doesn’t mean that she is trying to be someone else, she is happy to be a cat. It’s just that she thinks The Pig sounds stronger and gives her some authority.

She hasn’t been well recently and I am hopping to cheer her up with my pictures. Not that she cares much about them but she definitely gets exited when I put designer clothes, hats and old bags around the studio.

Straw bag, silk camisole from Soft Grey, belt by Giuliana Testino found in a charity shop.

Vintage Valentino blouse, veil hat and necklace all from a charity shop.  

I went to see Out Of Focus at Saatchi gallery the other day. Lots of brilliant photos to dive in and enjoy (considering the scale).  However, it is a fashion blog and I am only allowed to publish photos related to fashion; no world problems or overt sex unfortunately.

Marlo Pascual photographed by me (a nod to Thomas Struth)

Mat Collishaw photographed by me.

 

Pinal Yolacan photographed by me. Ladies, this is only 2001; now I know where Lady Gaga got her meat dress from! 

With all the rain falling on us dreaming about exotic holidays. Flamingo-pink sunsets and edible flowers would definitely be possible in a different part of the world, perhaps somewhere near Fiji.

By the time I’d made this post the beautiful Dries Van Noten dress was sold. Thank you all of my buyers.

Bird fascinator from J&B The Shop at Columbia Road market. Various rings found at car boot sale. 

London 23.04.2012 

Protesters outside Russian embassy in London showed their solidarity with arrested Tolokonnikova Hope, Mary and Catherine Alekhine Samusevich from "Pussy Riot".

(For those of you who don’t know http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRu3r4xoSKo )

Я также присоединилась к протестующим несмотря на нелётную погоду.

In a romantic mood with all the flowers from the Columbia Road I’ve made this lovely couple. He’s definitely lost his head over her but she is undecided.  

he

Prada trousers and Vero Moda vest found in Oxfam charity shop. Carnations are from Columbia Road Market.

she

Jewelry case from a car boot sale and silk Halston Heritage blouse from a charity shop. Flowers and small green tomatoes are from Columbia Road Market. 

With an intense smell of spring in the air, Columbia Road Market celebrations

are in full bloom.The flower venders scream loudly, "last daffodils!" as if there is no future. I am joining the crowd in a quest of filling my house with flowers but the competition is fierce. I have to retreat with only 6 bouquets of different sorts and an extra two bunches of pink out of date carnations found abandoned on the pavement.

Last weekend we’ve tried for a third time to find Horsey Island. Third time wandering around the same area looking for something that is not on a map but it’s there, we’ve been told. Following the coast line from Walton-on-the-Naze straight to marshes and a muddy creek called Dardanelles. A history lesson springs to mind, was it in England though? Back and forth, inside and out, but still no luck; perhaps horsey was gone. 

Feeling dizzy and confused couldn’t help but pick the blue fishing net and some seashells, a pair of Oakley sunglasses in a pretty good condition considering what they’ve been through all from the seashore. A blouse form Mulberry, a bangle (brand unknown) both from an Oxfam charity shop and a face from a Tom Ford

press ad.

Fishing line and seashells from the same shore. Silk green skirt by Stella McCarthney and a bangle found in a Cancer Research shop. Vintage Margaret Rose trinket box found at a car-boot sale and again a face from a Tom Ford press ad.

Long Easter weekend thank God and I am going for lengthy walks along the beach, browsing through some car-boot sales and reading 'One On One' by Craig Brown. In some absurd way Cary Grant meets Elvis, Elvis says hello to Victoria Beckham but Victoria seams to ignore him.