What Heaven!!!!!!!!

Okay, so already we're sitting in the circle at Wilton's Grand Music Hall which is I think the last surviving Music Hall, built by John Wilton in the 1850's, a glorious, crumbling, peeling building where circus acts, original burlesque, opera and choral were performed until 1880. So, good.....in fact fan-freaking spine-tinglingly AMAZING already......

Onstage walks, in fact oozes, Little Annie, who I've heard of but never heard and was a REVELATION to me, like Liza Minelli, Shelley Duvall, Eartha Kitt and Carol Channing wrapped all in a 40's suit and sequinned shoes with this VOICE which is smokey basement bars in New York personified. OMG, please check her out, Nahid's seen her loads of times and was already a fan. In fact talking of Nahid, let me redress the balance from yesterdays pee pee picture and give you a bit of Nahid resplendent in her finery last night B.A.B.E.!!!!!!!!!!

In fact a SNARLING babe!!!

Of course Paul, Nahid, David and I were all there to see Marc Almond, in probably the most perfect setting you could choose....but also we had the one and only Baby Dee, who Superduck introduced me to about a year ago, but I've never seen live and who performed this song before accompanying Marc on HARP and accordian and is GENIUS GENIUS GENIUS!

Wilton's is a wonderful historical relic which they're trying to save I believe from demolition, it is so great that music is still performed here, there was a girl called Celine as first support who performed some original music hall bawdy numbers with no accompanyment at all and it was amazing, the acoustics were perfect.

If you want to do something to make sure this precious music hall doesn't die, find out about making a donation at http://www.wiltons.org.uk/friends/.

I have to say Marc Almond was looking incredible. The last time I saw him sing live he came on stage at the Royal Festival Hall to sing a song with Antony Hegarty and looked so frail, it was his first performance after his near-fatal motorbike accident, but last night he gave his ALL, was in amazing voice and seemed so thrilled to be surrounded by such an ensemble.

Can't wait for his new album......or Baby Dee's......or Little Annie's!!!!

Madame x

Ponystep.com

I trotted along to Sketch last night with Nahid (actually I took the tube and she glided up in a taxi, she's such a lady!), for Richard Mortimer's launch of Ponystep.com. It's his new project after Boombox and is an online magazine which I think goes live at midday today, so be one of the first to log on!! I think I remember him saying that Ponystep comes from either the catwalk style of Honor Fraser or Iris Palmer, they had a very individual lollop.

Anyway there'll be lots of fashion news and more besides and if it's Richard you know it'll be FIERCE! Here is my favourite picture of the night:

I love Nahid, she's so game!!!! We kept pointing out the cracks and flaws in the pod loos, neither of us has been to Sketch for years, I think the last time I went was for the Zoltar launch! But i think the amenities need a little sprucing up...

Bumped into lovely Pam, I'm singing a couple of songs in her "Slinky Salon" at Valbonne on Thursday night, she has the best hair colour of anyone in London....


I've got to run as I've got a power-plates booked and I'm meeting Sarah and Sonja there, we are going to have buns you can bounce pennies off by summer!!!!

Madame xx

DRESSES IN MOTION

And OOOHHH what would you know, I wrote GREET Street! You all know I meant Greek though right? While anyone with any sense has been out in the sun feeling the good vibes from the change of season, I have turned into a creature of the night and been up all night wandering around with a drink in my hand and asleep all day...


Wastemen. And look at the lovely guy in the background who thinks so much of us!

I'm just glad I didn't have a moment as unfortunate as this:



No - that isn't a spur of the moment impromptu pussy cat fancy dress outfit. Believe me. It is what you think it is.

But I blame Madame for starting off this weekend of debauchery - I followed her to the George and Dragon on Thursday night 'just for one' [after making the video above of the A.P.C. and SONIA by Sonia Rykiel slinky dresses] and it was all down hill from there. Nervous Stephen's exhibition, Molly's 21st birthday party, the Real Gold magazine launch... Cava, Warm Kir, drinking from teacups and £2 Whiskey and cokes. I have had the best weekend in a long time tho'!

Despite all that, I haven't been able to get Madame's A.P.C. silver dress out of my mind. Apparently there is a gold one too!



xx Lektrogirl

Just in case...

...yesterday was the sum total of summer, we decided to escape to the coast yesterday and I'm so glad we did..

The sea was so clear...and so cold!...I went in for a paddle and my feet were ACHING so I was super-impressed when the boys all went in...

It was amazing to spend most of the day barefoot and feel the sun on the old bones, plus a bit of trampolining and nutty amusement rides for the boys:

Joe was torn at times between Nanny Van's Nintendo and the sea,

but mostly it was just wonderful to be outdoors all day. Ironically all the rape fields are in full neon bloom and I think I've developed a hayfever or something to that particular crop because I was sneezing all day and my eyes swelled up quite dramatically, as we drove back into the pollution of London my inflamation and sneezing stopped! Still it was worth it to have a mini-holiday....


Madame x

Speaking of Favourites...

Emma and I have a new favourite at Maison Bertaux. You already know of our love for banana and chocolate eclairs and cheese souffles, well, new cake or rather macaroon on the block is this....

It is absolutely DIVINE with a coffee, has a surprise squidge of jam in the middle and is almond JOY!!!

Madame x

Favourites No 4

So I was thinking about which pieces are my favourites yesterday. Thought I'd choose a slinky slithery shiny selection, particularly since I've hardly taken off my A.P.C. silver gymslip since I got it.

(Luckily I had my roots done today...).

I'm going to keep posting people's favourites on the blog because so many of you have said that it was only after you saw us all trying on stuff in my "You're Gorgeous" video that you fancied a certain piece, so if anyone wants to elect a particular purchase from this season and wear it on the blog you are hearby very welcome to do so.

I also love the oversize leopard Sonia dress, it's so oversize in fact that it doesn't initially register as leopard, it's very classy I reckon and feels so gorgeous on the skin too...


And I had to include the satin A.P.C. tunic which is the most classic, almost 1920's looking little number. The pink lines around the bottom look like they've been painted on with a paintbrush, sort of wobbly...


We always have a lot of cotton 'day' things in but I think all these pieces have a bit of glamour and pizazz, don't you?

Madame x

Nobby does Noel Fielding.....

Upstairs in the gallery Tania is continuing the Noel Fielding theme with an exhibition of photographs by Nobby Clark took at the opening of the show of Noel's paintings in December. This is my favourite pinky hued shot of Noel lurking by the miniature cakes....

......and at the opening of Nobby's show the other night Emma, Max and I managed to neck quite a few nibble-sized eclairs, tarts and croissants, in fact we seated ourselves rather near a huge plateful, well to be fair you couldn't get away from a plateful, big groaning platters full of the best of Maison Bertaux's treats, I think I prefer them tiny because it means you get to try two...three....four......five.... or maybe six if you're Max, with ease. Max was popping cakes while doing an uncanny Leee John impersonation as Imagination wafted out of the speakers. I was expecting the Rolling Stones or Razorlight to be the soundtrack to the show but was much better pleased with the best of Imagination!

The show runs for the next two months, grab yourself a creamy confection and a cuppa tea and have a butchers....

Madame x

Annabel's new boyfriend.....

Annabel sent me this picture and I HAD to share!!!!!!! I still don't know her Obama story except to say that "He's so HOT!!!" and i quote. So I have yet to know the wheres and whys but she just looks like she could S**T she's so excited!!!!


Madame x

Favourites No.3

Another of our favourite ladies, Sandra, modelling the brand-new-in madras plaid sundress yesterday. The sun had come out and everyone was feeling chipper and ready to expose their shoulders!

The morning promised so little but yesterday turned into such a beautiful day, AND I had surprise visitors! I hadn't seen Laurence since before Christmas and Andrea in an AGE so it was so wonderful to see them..

And Jack, who worked in the shop over last summer came by and speed-talked me through the last 6 months or so of his busy life at fashion college and plans to move to Milan for his placement...

I was exhausted at 7pm when I eventually locked the door. Tonight I'm djing and maybe slipping behind the bar occasionally at the George and Dragon (2 Hackney Rd), I become a more blowsy version of myself calling everyone darlin' when I get behind those pumps....do come down for a pink gin!!

Madame xxx

The Pond

Proud I am once more after going to see my friend Sonja Philips' beautiful film The Pond at BAFTA last night. It's great when you get on with someone, hang out and THEN get to see what they can create in their other life....in Sonja's case she directed and produced and I think wrote The Pond, a dark story of a childhood dare set around the murky, mysterious depths of the title.

Exquisitely shot, I always knew it would be as I've seen a lot of Sonja's photographs and she's got good eyes this lady....even though she doesn't consider herself a photographer at all, and with mostly children in the cast - brave in itself! - it's a beautifully disturbing tale. I was particularly impressed she managed to find those sandals that ALL the girls at my school used to have in the late 70's!

I don't know how easy it is to see short films unless you go to film festivals or whatever but if the opportunity arises, do see Sonja's film, or indeed her first short "The Knicker Man."

Madame xxx

More Favourites....

Emi came by on Saturday at closing time. I'd had a fine glass of wine from the Coach with Max and was just about to wobble home with the boys but they insisted on choreographing an impromptu dance routine, somehow sensing that Emi is studying dance and would be up for some high-kickery!

When they left her alone long enough to try some of our new goodies, she whipped on the Obey New Wave logo t and the A.P.C. madras flowers blouse....


More madras this week I'm promised.....

Madame xx

Smurfs

Nuno did a Smurf-themed shoot with Joe and Duke and some other children of friends last week. It was wierd to be at the George and Dragon during the day , with Mary Poppins, Spiderman and Flash Gordon belting out of the speakers! The final result is going to be in Androgeny magazine, the boys enjoyed mugging and posing a little too much as usual as you can see....


Don't know where they get their love of the camera from....

madame xx

Favourites....

Here's Joe and Lektrogirl modelling some of their favourite pieces in the shop....

The rounded collar stripe shirt from A.P.C. which I keep thinking I might have to get myself, for those strict executive realness moments.....

And Joe and I were hanging in the shop today while Duke and Max went to Hastings. He was making magazines and conned me into getting him some shiny tights...which looked pretty good with the Eley Kishimoto print maryjanes as it goes....

And if you've not seen the Westwood perspex jewels you're going to LOVE them! This is the necklace and next week we've got brooches coming, in fact I need to do a jewelry special feature because what with the Obey sunglasses rings n things.....


Gotta go, Max and Duke just got back from Hastings and Max needs a DRINK! A day with one of the twins can do that to you......off I go to the Coach!!!

Madame xxx

TRAUMATISED

The Madame A Trois vintage china trios has started to sell and one of my favourites has been snapped up. I didn't think I would get so attached! I'm sure our ladies will have nothing but the best homes to go to. But I remember when I was really little getting quite alarmed that one of my dolls didn't actually have the capacity to breath and I was terrified it would suffocate. Kind of weird I know but I'm over it now.

Also, tonight I spent watching the CSI episodes directed by Quentin Tarantino where Agent Nick Stokes [aka Poncho to his father] gets trapped underground in a plexi-glass box by an evil kidnapper. I was on the edge of my seat watching it. You'd think by the 6th or 7th time I'd watched it some of the edge would have worn off by now...

Less traumatic but definitely equally as exciting is that Flat White the Aussie/New Zealand café on Berwick Street has grown a sister - called Milk Bar on Bateman Street - which is far closer to Maison Bertaux. Now, I will not have a bad word said about the creamy banana eclairs that come out of the kitchens of Maison Bertaux, but I have to admit that I do prefer a Soy Latte from Milk Bar any day of the week. Hopefully as many days of the week as possible. The first day it opened I was there knocking a couple of lattes back just to make sure the new café was up to scratch. I give it 10/10!!

xx Emma

'NERVOUS' STEPHEN FOWLER

I am definitely going to this.

xx Emma

Also meant to say....

Talking of my talented ladies....I was lucky enough to be invited by Jacqui who comes to Maison B for her A.P.C. fix, to see a preview of the Joy Division documentary she produced. It's called simply "Joy Division" and directed by Grant Gee and you should definately go when it's released.

I know you might be feeling that with all the publicity, fashion-shoots-inspired-by and other accompanying hoo hah surrounding "Control" that you'd done Joy Division for a bit but NO! This is a completely different approach, obviously because it's a documentary, but beyond that it really does put Joy Division's influence into a wider, even political context. Manchester itself is given equal importance to the characters in and around the band. The post-war poverty, industrial wasteland, the sights sounds and depression of the city it is suggested could only have borne Joy Division, they personify the city at the time. Plus there's some cracking, moving interviews with the rest of the band, Peter Saville, Genesis P Orridge and even Annick.

Yes, I'm feeling very proud of my ladies today.

Madame c

Beverley

You might have already checked out Bev's blog Iris39 (the link is down the left hand column of this page). First one of "my" ladies, I think we bonded over Miu Miu shoes...."how superficial" you might say (or not, I think alot of you know about shoe desire/envy/lust....I've seen some seriously well shod feet descend that staircase!), but far from remaining shoe-level acquaintances, Bev is now, along with Sarah, one of our Maison B photographers. We also started our own bookclub (membership of three, but it's still our bookclub), Thursday mornings as a rule for anyone interested.....

So Bev sent me some pictures from her archive and I begged to blog them.....



I love them! I love having such talented friends!

Madame xxx

Madame a Trois.

As promised here is the Madame a Trois blog......

So....we're under the jewel that is Maison Bertaux, with the finest cream cakes, croissants and pastries in all of London town! What makes a cake? Why, a cup of tea! A drink's too wet without one don't they say? So it follows that we are fans of the teaset, especially if it's mismatched crockery trios. If you're stuck for the perfect gift we say a pretty trio (teacup, saucer and cake plate), packed in a cake box to go, with a bow on top for £29 will please most ladies.....especially those who we've come to love as "our" ladies!



Gift probs over!!!

Madame x

Andre's back!

I'm very pleased to report that Obey is now instore!! Wait 'til you see the jewelry! The t shirts are, as usual, the best, softest cotton AND bearing the art of Shepard Fairey, who's prints might be out of the league of some of you, but at £35 for a t shirt, you can take your art for a walk instead of hiding it indoors. Anyone new to my blog or indeed who hasn't heard of Obey or Fairey might want to scroll down the left hand side and find all related blogs so you know what I'm banging on about...at the very least you've got to watch my "Obey Women" film which features madame's ladies in a lot of the new styles we now have instore.
Also, go and visit our friends at Obey http://www.obeyclothing.co.uk/ for more info.

Here are a few shots taken on the day of the shoot...




Madame xx

Too little time.....

I'm lookiing forward to a bit of time tomorrow to tell all Maison B news in a less rushed fashion but there's so many reasons to come and pay us a visit!

1. I've just unpacked not only those silver gymslips from A.P.C. you've all been chomping at the bit for....but also some pretty amazing gold ones with a button front which look very Rolling Stones in Marrakesh.....

2. Obey is finally here!!! Don your Andre's and your women of the revolution printed on the softest, most desirable t shirts you can get your hands on anywhere!!! More on Obey tomorrow, I'm djing straight after work so no time for a proper hoo hah!!!

3. Anyone who loves a maryjane shoe will get somewhat excited by the Eley Kishimoto grey/yellow, print/orange combos. I've been wearing mine for 3 days straight since they came in and they are the most comfortable mid-heel, GORGEOUS shoes!

4. Have you seen all the new spring/summer Sonia?! Everyone keeps telling us we've bought stuff they haven't seen anywhere else but you better be quick, the ladies are ready for colour and snapping up those stripes and polka dots!

For a perverse little p.s. here is the film I made when we went to buy Winter A.P.C. it's worth planning your summer buys around maybe what snazzy little A.P.C. jacket or coat you'll be buying this winter to complement it....and it's worth seeing for my Mrs Overall impression alone.....


Madame xxxxx

SORRY TO INTERRUPT

It looks like Madame is on a roll there with her posting of amazing videos and pictures so sorry to butt in. It is just that found this really gorgeous pictures of an old French magazine that was for sale on eBay and I thought I had to post them immediately. I'm sure you will forgive me.









I found them by searching for vintage photos on the Internet - I was actually searching for women who work at the circus with pigeons or dogs - but you know how it is. You either get incredible stuff like the above OR the below:



I mean check out the looks on the peoples faces. I nearly feel off my chair laughing.

xx Emma

I've fallen and I can't get up...

Sarah Lee took another in her series of photos of me dead which started on the occasion of my birthday in december (we didn't question the appropriateness on my special day....) but I think she has improved upon them in this the latest:

Probably better all round since neither of us has had a few celebratory wines, therefore Sarah is on the ball and i'm not trying to sneak a look at her through slightly open eyes, which I'm afraid was all too evident in the dead-but-with-a-squinty-twinkle shots in december. I was soberly concentrating on my temporary death and I think you can see how serious I was about the job in hand.

Sarah is going to become a contributing blogger, not only is she an incredible photographer but she has got to be one of the most hilarious people I know! She's a great teller of anecdotes so we suggested she could chose favourite portraits she's taken and if there's a story to go along with them she will share with us!

Madame x

You're gorgeous!

Thankyou to all the ladies who made this film with me!!!! We have got so many goodies in at the moment from A.P.C. and Sonia and you can see how cracking they look on all of you! You might also notice our new teaset trios in the background which come packaged in a cake box to go, but more of that in another post......which will be called "Madame a Trois....."

Anyway, enjoy your lovely selves.......


madame x

AND IN NEW YORK TONIGHT!!

For all the Shop at Maison B blog readers who live in New York, here is something you might want to go and check out [then report back and let me know how it went...]

Event InfoName: NASTY NETS at NYUFF - DVD release screening!
Tagline: As Nasty As U Wanna Be
Host: Marisa Olson
Type: Music/Arts - Jam Session
Time and PlaceDate: Friday, April 4, 2008
Time: 8:30pm - 10:30pm
Location: Anthology Film Archives
Street: 32 2nd Avenue
City/Town: New York, NY

Nasty Nets has just produced a DVD (with video & data for maximum pleasure!) and we're releasing it in a screening called NASTY AS U WANNA BE at the 15th (and final) NY Underground Film Festival.

Please come and enjoy, and get your discounted dvd's--$5 while supplies last!

Big thanks to RHIZOME for sponsoring the dvd & screening!
http://nastynets.com/dvd.html
http://www.nyuff.com/2008/index2.php?p=arc&s=res&fid=295



Nasty As U Wanna Be
EXPERIMENTAL VIDEO MIN INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
Organized by Marisa Olson & the Nasty Nets with support from Rhizome.org

Identifying themselves as an "internet surfing club," Nasty Nets is an international ensemble representing some of the most active artists working online today. Together their work both celebrates and critiques the internet by employing original and appropriated imagery and audio, such as animated gifs, YouTube hacks, html cheat codes, and other found and edited material, offering a poignant and humorous take on contemporary digital visual culture.

This event will serve as a release party for their new dvd, which features videos for dvd players, copious digital files to be opened on personal computers, and a type-in website by Michael Bell-Smith. Tonight's screening will feature videos from the dvd and additional works by members of this 25-person crew.

Nasty Nets was founded by artists John Michael Boling, Joel Holmberg, Guthrie Lonergan, and Marisa Olson, and includes members Peter Baldes, Michael Bell-Smith, Camille Paloque Bergés, Kevin Bewers- dorf, Brian Blomerth, Charles Broskoski, Petra Cortright, Chris Coy, Paul B. Davis, Michael Guidetti, Britta Gustafson, Travis Hallenbeck, Chance Jackson, Lektrogirl, Tom Moody, Javier Morales, Paul Slocum, James Whipple, Robert Wodzinski, and Damon Zucconi. The Nasty Nets DVD is generously supported by Rhizome. Discs will be sold at a discount to NYUFF ticket-holders, at the festival, while supplies last. - Marisa Olson

My song and video that I made for it THE RESULT is going to be screened. If you want to check it out for yourselves, the link is here, but I would have to say that reports from my friends who work in offices was that they saw the first few moments and said "I think I better finish watching that at home." The video is made from culling other peoples clips from YouTube and editing them together.

xx Emma [aka Lektrogirl]

Drag King

Is it just me but every time I walk through Waterloo Station and see the picture of Duncan James in Chicago I think it's a lesbian doing man-drag! Comments please....

Madame x