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!
I was just flipping through all our Maison B videos this morning [I'm actually waiting for Pippa to get back to me about some further developments for the Maison B website] and I was reminded that the clothes we recorded on the buying trip I went to at A.P.C. are the ones that are in Maison B now. So if you didn't see this video, or need a refresher, check it out now.
I mean, I'm not saying that Pippa and I are good or anything, but neither of us really knew how to use Windows Movie Maker and iMovie at the beginning of last year... Don't forget you can see all our videos on the VIDEO page back on the main shopatmaisonb.com site. which reminds me, I can spend another 10 minutes waiting to hear from Pippa updating that page!
So I made a new video - this time of Pippa's band All About Eve Babitz. One night they performed at Paul Gorman's Lost Society party and Superduck and I filmed it. And another night I chased Pippa around Soho and then left it a few months. Finally yesterday I edited it all together.
This is my favourite All About Eve Babitz song. And I am really pleased with the video. I was on the phone to Superduck last night while he was stuffing envelopes at his high flying desk job and he told me that to edit the video's we shot together would be easy. I didn't tell him that I was actually trying to sync the live performance to an MP3 studio track and that the songs were at different tempos. FYI Nick Abrahams. Then he went on to tell me about bee keeping in Iceland...
Another quick-n-eazee video shot in a few minutes in store at Shop at Maison B. Uploading it to YouTube took longer!! Here is Madame wearing the latest pieces to arrive to the shop from the Eley Kishimoto Spring Summer 2008 Village Fête collection.
The Eley Kishimoto look book poster says about the collection:
Chains and chevrons, organization for recreation. D.I.Y. hyper reality of balloons and bunting superimposed on the field of green. Shelters of stripes roof over the pride of grit and fluff. Rosettes on pumpkins, Ribbons on old junks, Lurid colours on automated horses, A beauty queen in a paper crown. Thrill for frills make perfect sense till the hired generators are turned off.
And yep. The Eley Kishimoto Spring Summer 2008 Village Fête collection looks about as crazy as that sounds!
You will also spot in there the Eley Kishimoto Be@rbrick covered in the Flash Print. You can't buy these from the shop but if you want to come in, give him a kiss or get your picture taken with the bear you are more than welcome! Other designers who have decorated the Be@rbrick are Comme des Garcons, Vivienne Westwood and Karl Lagerfeld. There have also been loads of graffiti artists who have done it too.
And speaking of the Eley Kishimoto Flash Print, the Converse sneakers from Japan are back in stock! There are navy blue and white or red and white to choose from. I personally went a bit nuts when I saw the navy and white ones - but I had to restrain - I'm so poor at the moment.
Oh - and I forgot to say, the music for the video is Chanson D'A by Stereo Total.
xx Emma
And P.S. Ima Doll whispered that there is an Agent Provocateur sale basket in the Berwick St shop with samples in it for bargain prices all sized 34B. She got the Eleanor Bra for less than half price! Jealous!
I'm writing this lying on my bed eating a slice of my mum's christmas cake, a hulking great wodge of which I brought back to London....As I fold back the tin foil and the characteristic christmas smell comes wafting out I feel sad the whole festive hoo ha is over but also optimistic about the year ahead.
Here's Max sweeping up the last of the needles after taking down the christmas tree at the shop...he actually managed, with Superduck's help, to force it into a garment bag, quite impressive when you saw the size of the tree, and then take it to be recycled..... One of my favourite christmas memories is the boys' faces when they opened the costumes Stevie and I made for them( I say I, what my role was was making tea and snacks and sewing the odd oversized wool stitch). There's always the danger with children that you can think you've got the perfect present then their face falls and they look at you as if you're insane for thinking they'd want THAT! There's no sugaring the pill when you're five, no siree, "don't like it!" and on to the next present....but we however, got it spot on with Duke's Jedi and Joe's cat"person" (he's actually obsessed with Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns but we drew the line at a snap-fastening pvc leotard and instead made an androgynous-ish tunic, which looks quite Edward Scissorhands and cat-mask!). Duke the Jedi took up his perfect position under the tree so as to get access to his presents with minimum legwork: They're now obsessed with Stevie's studio, we were in there on Saturday and they were sticking glitter on denim with the promise they can come back and make them into jeans next time....they were trembling at the thought of course and now harbour aspirations in fashion design....
The best thing about starting work is when your mates pop by to say hello again. We had one of those brilliant coffe-morning type gatherings the first day back which was so lovely with Sarah, Superduck and Lucy and I all vying for attention with Sarah snapping away with her brand new camera... So pleased she gave me the soft-focus treatment...I should always insist on it!!
One of my low points over christmas was eating a promotional item as I was SO hungry! Beth very kindly sent me a YMC biscuit of a coat and I hadn't brought my packed lunch that day so....
Well I was tired and hungry and very cold by the look of me in the picture! That reminds me, Michael Murphy sent me a funny thing the other day, a timesaving device that I'm sure we could all do with slipping in our handbags! Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! I don't know how I haven't lived without one frankly!
So, this is the year I get things done, and to prove it, I'm being very regular with my blog as you can see and also exploring other creative outlets....witness if you will the little movie I made during a shoot with Constantine last week....Only last Thursday and already edited and blogged! That's the new me!!!
Three of my most beautiful,statuesque blonde girlfriends agreed to me exploiting them in a shoot Constantine asked me to style....we had so much fun loping about in the basement, dressing up and allowing bonnetising without so much as a murmer! Can't wait to see the pictures but here's an idea......
So big thanks to Alex, Gwen and Johanna, I'm so lucky to have such beautiful friends! And enormous thanks to Stevie who let me pillage the Bodymap archive AND rifle her costume store! Steve and Claire at Rellik for pulling out all the stops and letting me run off with their Laura Ashley stock at Christmas! Nathaniel thanks for being my silent assistant in a hood, and you will notice a smattering of Spring/Summer Eley Kishimoto in there too!!!!
Oh yes, this is the year to get things DONE!!!
If you haven't visited the sale yet, it's all 50% off!!!! See you soon.
This is the full-length version of the trailer I posted last week! Don't madame's girls look H.O.T?! I felt priveleged to be involved in a small way with Andre the Giant's London takeover. Seems like Shepard Fairey didn't sleep much, in fact Andre and Zapatista women are now staring out from many a location, some defy human involvement, I heard Shepard telling of a near-death mission last week where the bricks he was using to scale a wall started sliding out and he realised why there were only a couple of ancient tags to keep Andre company!
Go to the exhibition if you get a chance...it's only someone with BALLS who could be like "yeah, sure, I'll fill this space the size of a CAR PARK with my art, no problem...." I think most would feel intimidated by the enormity of such a quest! Not Shepard Fairy! You can't buy anything as it's all sold pretty much but go and be inspired to follow your dream people.....
Anyhoo, the ladies:
Thanks so much to Simon, Gordon, Roams and Furlong for a great week and to Shepard for letting me lurk about with my camera pre-show, what a long way Obey has come since I was handed a pile of stickers back in 1991 on Denmark Street.....
I haven't finished editing my movie but I decided to do a trailer and finish it over the weekend.....! What a week! Obey asked me to art direct a shoot of their spring/summer 08 womenswear with my "girls" which we did on Tuesday and then I got to take a peek at the work in progress of Shepard Fairey's Nineteeneightyfouria show at the Truman Brewery AND I went to the preview last night...the gallery space is IMMENSE, the show is AMAZING and there's not many artists who could make such a dramatic impression on a place of that scale. Seriously people, you have got to go to this show...i'll tell you more later but i'm just about to run out of the door to go to the official opening...as I said, here's a preview:
As promised I'm doing a running-Fairey-blog! There's a palpaple sense of anticipation about the upcoming Shepard Fairey exhibition at the Truman Brewery which opens next Friday! My Obey-fan ladies have been coming out of the woodwork to get themselves kitted out for the opening night!
Here's some work-in-progress pics.....keep your eyes open around town, there may be some street art appearing....and the one-off pieces Fairey is working on for the show are looking amazing. So get some art on your t-shirt! Haven't had time to do a proper movie but here's me, Lisa and Ima Doll slipping into a few hoodies on Saturday...
I can't believe I haven't blogged since Holly Woodlawn hit the town!!! Still can't get over my luck at meeting her, and today I learned from a link Superduck sent that they'll be laying Candy Darling's ashes to rest this weekend in a special ceremony in america....aaah, love those superstars! Sold my Viva book at Frieze today ('cos I've got 2), or rather Nathaniel did....what's going on in my life? It's like Warhol's doing a tapdance on my grave or something!!
If you're wondering what I've been up to, well...the following video which I've JUST finished, documents Max and my last trip to Paris at the weekend. We went to look at Summer 08 APC which was of course awesome, not least the silver and gold dresses, which have that nautical take that APC have got so down...how do they do that? Anyway, almost as exciting was the new bicycle borrowing system they have installed on the streets of Paris. F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.!!!!! OMG, we spent the whole day riding around and took in EVERYTHING! I see Boris tootling by Maison Bertaux on his bike quite often and next time I'm going to collar him and tell him he'd be well on his way to making me a happy citizen if he would champion the same thing in London! It's perfect for people with no space to keep a bike, it's CHEAP, it's FUN and it's HEALTHY!!!! I'll stop before I start sounding like a commercia!
On to my movie then,.......
I was thrilled to find that we were doing our appointment with Hughes who I LOVE! He usually manages the shop but came in specially for us, so merci beaucoup Hughes! The summer stuff is so great, you can see that I favoured the metallic theme, but also there's some incredible colours which are surprising from APC, simple shirts in schiaperelli pink, yellow cheesecloth, knitted dresses in bright blue edged with red....you're gonna love love love!!!
We did some hula-hooping, under the careful instruction of Nahid (who seems to be able to spin without moving!) to show you the new Sonia clothes, Obey jewelry and a bit of A.P.C. as well.....we just got another delivery of A.P.C. in yesterday as well and the storyboards are already being drawn up....keep a look out for our next escapades! Also spliced into this film is a sneak preview of Eley Kishimoto's collection for next summer - don't say we don't keep you abreast of what's hot in fashion!!!!
No time to chat as I'm meeting Emma to do bookwork so no time to tell about Eley Kishimoto fashion week party....i'll do that tomorrow!!
madame x p.s. go out and buy a hula hoop, it's so much fun, I'm going to!!!!
Went to Obey HQ on Monday for a peek at the men's and women's spring/summer 08 collection...of course it turned into an opportunity to make a movie to show you - also, might I add my first film edited etc on my own!!!! Yes, Simon was operating the camera at times - how else was I going to be able to fulfil my role as star (as well as director, writer, music consultant and overall concept thinker-upper)?????!!!!! But I hope you like the result and a HUGE GREAT BIG THANKYOU to Simon and Gordon who are the most amazing hosts! Caffe Latte anyone?????
So all the stuff in the movie is for next Spring/Summer which gives you something to look forward to....my personal favourites are the jeans (sixty quid!!! You can keep TopShop!), the Obey sunglasses necklace and matching ring and oh, which t-shirt, they're all awesome but Peace Love Obey rocks my world somewhat.....Shepard Fairey exhibition coming soon too, I'll give you details nearer the time but it's gonna be HUGE!!!!!!!
In the meantime, we've had our A/W Obey delivery in and James is modelling two of his favourites here.... Yes ladies and gents, he's looking pretty hot! So get yours while they're still in stock....starting to fly already! No doubt I'll see you soon, we made a movie last night of some of the new Sonia and Eley Kishimoto, so look out for that too!!!! How do we do it????
Put the right bunch of mates on a rooftop with their favourite A.P.C. outfits from this autumn/winter and this is what you get!!!! London at magic hour with a few Maison Bertaux cherry cakes for sustenance! Pick your favourite outfit and come and have a mince in front of the mirror yourself!
There's more to come....let's call this episode 1......and let's marvel at Lektrogirl's editing skills - she's getting tooooo good!!!
I'm saying the weekend started on Thursday night and I don't feel the need to write more - you know the old saying - a picture speaks a thousand words. Here is the lastest home movie from the Shop At Maison B gang about nothing in particular, just hanging out.
Pippa, Emma and Max are in Paris for Le Weekend on a buying trip at APC and a shopping blitz at FiFi Chachnil. The track is Une Bande de Mecs Sympas from TTC's album 3615. Watch out for the rabbit!!
Okay - so now you get to see what the Shopgirls do when YOU aren't in the shop... We try on the things we really want and right now its - THE GIRLY STUFF: it is either the A.P.C. Madras stuff from Jessica Ogden [£55 for a dress!! NO I'm NOT joking!!] OR anything from Eley Kishimoto's Spring Summer collection. THE T SHIRTS: we are picking out the best Obey prints and it's tough - they are all awesome.
The music in this video is the track (Let's Go) Get Lost by Patrick Wolf.
Ladies, don't get sad cause we look so incredible. Trust me - it is the clothes making us that way!! Come downstairs to Maison B and get something hot for yourself from Madame. And upstairs you can pick up a cheesey soufflé which is our new bestie fav for morning tea.
I went into Shop at Maison B to help Pippa make some videos of the new stuff there is in store. Maison B is FULL to bursting but somehow Pippa has even made a little "men's area" in the store. Hannah's glad cause she is in on Saturdays and she says that all the fit guys come in then. JUST FOR EYE CANDY THO' cause she already has her own gorgeous boyfriend. :)
Pippa managed to talk the guys at Cuts into modelling a selection of the new men's OBEY t's for us today outside the salon.
And coming soon: Pippa, Hannah and I all modelling the latest OBEY and Eley Kishimoto Spring Summer stuff!! I just have to get the editing done.
Yesterday was my last official day working for Max and Pippa at their company Shop Inc Limited. None of us know when I started - except we found my hand writing in a stock book once that is now over 7 years old. Other than Max and Pippa, I was the longest serving member of staff there. I can't even begin to tell you about all the things that went on in that time. Some of it was hideous, some of it was so frustrating beyond belief, sometimes we resigned or sacked each other in fits of tears but most of the time it is all looked back on with fits of uncontrollable laughter!!! I still find myself snorting back a laughing on the bus now at things that have happened - like the time Max made me try on a super small mesh Playboy thong over my jeans in Birmingham years ago [don't ask for more details...], Pippa's hangover on the way to the airport for a gig in Germany [ask her for more details!!] an stupid nicknames we have for each other that I never get sick of. [Well I don't really like "Ebola" but again... don't ask.] Because the business has such a small team running it Max and Pippa are like family to me now. I'm sure I will be hanging around and this post will definitely not be the last you'll hear from me.
So what exactly happened on my last day? Pippa and I met in the office on Brewer Street [Louise you still have your box of emergency Tampax hidden under the shelf if you ever need it] and she brough coffee's from Flat White and cakes from Maison Bertaux.
Also fun to do: just listen to the audio on it's own and imagine what Pippa might be doing...
Then we did a bit of work until Max turned up with some very very VERY good news [but top secret] and a present for me from Ladurée - some Anna Sui macaroons! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!! And after Pippa and I had scoffed three each, we were feeling like we had taken HOW WE IMAGINE IT FEELS LIKE on drugs so for our own well being I shared the macaroons round with the other girls before Pippa and I scoffed the lot and ended up in ER. Lisa in The World According To... Cheryl with a cute new Eley Kishimoto blouse for SS07 behind her! And Hannah at Shop At Maison B. Anyway - a super sweet way to finish up at Shop.
In other news:
The other day I was around at the VICE magazine offices and I found where they keep their famous gross jar I didn't dare take a look. There were a couple of boys around and you know how defensive and protective they can be over their secret weird things. Besides, at Shop At Maison B we have our own bigger and better gross jar - THE DRAINS - which I am sure you have read us whinging about before. They are gonna get fixed tomorrow with a CCTV thing on a string and a huge pressure water jet!! I wish I could be there to check it all out. What if they find bones!! I'd have to call Gill Grissom!! Well we actually call this guy He is from M. T. Drains [geddit?] and he has been the dude poking round our passages pulling out all sorts of lovely stinky stuff. He really stinks but he is always smiling.
And I'm off to Australia at the end of April to visit my family and while I'm there I will visit Katrina in Melbourne. I haven't been to Melbourne in years. She will be able to show me her new shop which I'm really looking forward to. The other thing I'm looking forward to is my nephew Sam. He was really into Australian Idol when I was there last and this is what we made together.
Too much to say about the rest of my birthday weekend - a small party at a bar in the West End then off to a rave in Hackney Wick... Here are a few pics:
Then after a whole days bed rest and a day back in the office, I have had time to put together the two videos I promised of Max fresh from his trip in Hong Kong and another of Pippa trying on the new Eley Kishimoto archive collection for the store!!
And as soon as youTube gets it act together and processes Max I will post him up too.
My oh my! LIMOUSINES FOR THE FEET! Pippa came with a van full of boxes after visiting the Eley Kishimoto studios having selected more from the archives. All the footwear is brand new box fresh - with heels, pumps, cowboy boots [if you wanna look like a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader], daps, rubber boots in candy colours, sneakers and glam rock heels. Check 'em out:
And here we have Pippa in some of the new clothes she has picked from the archives: Pippa Lost Pippa Found
Wow - I've slacked off the posting this week. Katrina and I have spent a bit of time meeting up before she goes back to Australia this weekend - vegemite on toasted bagels and coffee for breakfast at Flat White for starters! YUM! But the rest of the time just work work work. HERE IS THE HOT NEWS: Last weekend when I was swanning around Liege with Mash Gordon, Big Pabs was over in Ireland visiting his friends Jacob Ciocci, Ben Jones and Jessica Ciocci, the three artists who make up American collective Paperrad. They guys were over form America installing an exhibition there. Paperrad have been making neon screen prints, spazzed out zines, performing as a variety of different bands [Dr Doo, Extreme Animals], their AWESOME website and now they have recently published a book B.J. and The Dogs and Ben works a lot making videos for people like Beck [I don't rate Beck much, but the video is super cool] and The Gossip. IMHO these dudes have been rocking their neon styles for years and have really influenced a lot of people who are into "neu-rave", unicorns and mystical webdesign. So while Paul had the DV camera out, Paperrad saw Pippa's fashion files [post last week] and were inspired to pimp their own steelo just for us!! COOL!!
Ben tries to convince us he is into neu-rave and DFA... somehow I don't believe him. Jessica looks amazing! And Jacob only wears shoes indoors.
Woohoo! Another Shop At Maison B exclusive! This time we have the new limited edition Bodymap hand knits from Stevie Stewart coming in mid November-ish. Pippa and Stevie have known each other for a long time so I will leave all the gossip and history of Bodymap to Pippa to write about.
Seriously, there will be a waiting list for these hand knits. If you want one email us = madame AT shopatmaisonb DOT com [sorry for not putting a live email link but we don't the spam] and Pippa will get back to you. i-D will be shooting the "Tit Jumper" on Monday. We are super excited cause we love i-D. When I was still at college back in Tasmania I would stalk my local newsagent to get the latest copy [there were only ever a few delivered a month] to the whole state. And even then the issues were 6 MONTHS behind!! Dear lord... I still have every copy back in my mothers house in Hobart and she keeps threatning to sell them on eBay.
So - Pippa and I did the "Tit Jumper" movie earlier in the evening. I have to admit that we were drinking rather large glasses of Blush Pinot Grigio [sp?] from a local establishment [but I can't say which one cause we didn't take the glasses back yet] and we went from silly to stupid quite quickly!!
Here is Pippa modelling her number one favourite dress of the day - an Eley Kishimoto silk tea dress. It is GORGEOUS and a lot of girls have had their eye on this one, and a black one that is quite similar. This dress will also look great in winter with an old Shopgirl long sleeve thermal or something underneath [if you are one of the girls who still have these kicking around - i know I have a few!!]
Oh I would also like to add a disclaimer: I do have a life, it is just that it revolves around CSI [all three series], Law and Order, Criminal Minds and the JEWEL in the crown The Sheild. When these are not on T.V. I am happy to make any kind of mischeif in a Soho basement. :)
And while I have been messing about with our YouTube account, here is another movie I uploaded from Trisha's the other night of Pippa's band All About Eve Babitz performing "Sunset Strip".
Finally - Max and Pippa are away in Paris and get back very late on Monday evening. Let's wait and see what pictures Pippa brings back with her for her Flickr pages!! I await with baited breath till Tuesday!
Today on the way to work I saw a penny on the pavement and I purposefully stepped on it thinking it would make me lucky. I had a pretty good day! I got loads done at work, some nice people visited and then I had Vietnamese for dinner on Wardour Street. Then at 8pm I met up with Pippa.
Pippa's band All About Eve Babitz did a small gig in what they refer to as their "living room" Trisha's the late night bar just down the road from the shop. I wonder how much they all spend there drinking late at night???!!!
I have a few more songs recorded too and I can't wait to make something of them after watching the clips back on the camera. My favourite All About Eve Babitz song is "Strange Idea Of Love" and I think I will make a "proper" video with this one - this song always makes me nearly want to cry when I hear it. Paul B. Davis [my husband - not to be confused with Paul "The Look" Gorman aka Bobby Brown] made a really bizarre recording of Strange Idea Of Love. 10% of the song is a shot of a picture of Pope Benedict XVI on the wall - Daren is in it a bit when he sways into shot. 5% is a couple of tight shots of Pippa's arse in a tight skirt. 15% is James' face studiously playing the piano. The the remaining 70% is just the graphic on the front of Sefton's cool Billion Dollar Boys Ice Cream T. Then when I asked Paul about it afterwards all he could say was he wanted to yell out the whole way through the gig "Show us your tits... ... SEFTON!!" Are guys weird or what?
Paul Gorman is a London writer who has recently released his revised edition of The Look: Adventures in Rock and Pop Fashion. The first version had Pippa and James Dearlove from their old band Shopgirl on the front cover. As part of London Fashion Week, Paul Gorman held a talk, Q&A, book signing at Borders on Oxford Street talking specifically about the history of Soho in his book.
Pippa and Max talked about the new shop and the reason why they started in Soho 11 years ago. Max really defended his corner about the struggle of independent business at the moment with the globalistion of culture and the fact that any city you go to, on the main street now will be all the same shops - H&M, Starbucks, Zara and a gang of mobile phone shops. OR guerilla stores set up with the backing of large businesses as a way to tap into "urban culture." Later on I learnt Max had never been to Belgium - he was trying to pour himself a Duvel beer and ended up with just a glass of foam. I'm gonna take him to Brussels one day.
There was another guy there whose background is that trained on Saville Row but in his fathers tailoring business on the floor above the Spanish Tapas Bar on Old Compton Street as it is now, they made the first new suits for The Beatles, without the lapel and the round neck. As worn in this video for Love Me Do. Paul Gorman said that this record went to number 18 in the UK charts, but I have to say that I checked the Guinness World Records Hit Singles 14th Edition which says that Love Me Do actually reached position 17 and sat there for 18 weeks. I only had to check cause I really hate The Beatles and couldn't remember the name of the song to look for a film clip. This guy, who's name I can't remember busted out a GANG of mega celebrities names that he and his father made the suits for. But they were all celebs I don't really like so I can't remember. Sorry for being a loser. :(
What I did remember was Mark Powell, world famous tailor to the stars, dropped he had been working with Usher for his latest video with the 30's inspired suits. I always like Usher even though he is a bit smooth and he looks great in this video here which we now all know was down to Mark Powell.
Paul Gorman's book The Look: Aventures in Rock and Pop Fashion is a great read - it covers all kinds of weird and amazing stuff. Next time you are in your local book shop you should check it out. And even better - BUY IT!! [Or even order it straight from amazon.com]
Yesterday was my first day working as shopgirl in Shop At Maison Bertaux - only it didn't feel like working cause Michelle from Maison Bertaux kept running down to check I was okay and bringing me some gorgeous asparagus quiche for lunch and tea and coffee through the day. My new friend Lauren dropped in to see me [she was modelling for Katharine Hamnett through the week and that is how I met her] and DJ Mollywood called in as well. Loads of customers came in just to check out the new boutique and I was marvelling with everyone about the concrete door on the fitting room. It is an Eley Kishimoto frill print on a sheet of concrete screwed to the door - and while girls were trying stuff on in the fitting room, their blokes and I were on the outside of the door saying "How does that work? The concrete is only about 8mm thick and those screws are near the edge. Why doesn't it crumble??"
As promised, here is the video from the afterparty, heavily edited I have to say ;) - but starring in order of appearance: Pippa - Business woman, playboy model and super DJ [who can't see] Crowd - Fiona from Eley Kishimoto is the one with the headband Nervous Stephen and PaulB. Davis - Nervous Stephen played the marching band music! Abbie and Lee - girls from Lektrolab Lucy - Her wig has a name and cost £14.99. She also told Mark Eley he smells of lettuce. You won't meet a funnier girl. Paul Frecker - He deals antique photos and looks like the people in the antique pictures. Mo and Jo - I just like that their names rhyme. Mo is a great Italo DJ and Jo Apps sang for Venetian Snare amongst others. Max, Paul Long and Tania - Max is a business man and Playboy! Paul Long is the man responsible for the refit of the new boutique and Tania is part of the family running Maison Bertaux. Paul B. D. - spinning Paul L. - spinning [a yarn] Chris O.C. - telling it like it is [and check the tattoos] Alex - Gorgeous! Pippa - keeping cool - but you should have seen her later dancing to "I've got a loverly bunch of coconuts" Nervous Stephen and Me - discussing DJ or Print Gocco machines Max and Mo Katrina - our Saturday girl who is going back to Australia soon Max - his turn on the decks Paul Gorman and his lady - Paul wrote "The Look" and his lady is also from Australia. You should have seen these two going for it when Pippa played Ying Yang Twins!! Paul B.D. - it was a long night...
Well I told you that there would be some video from the party and here it is! This is the first night I have had a chance to check out what Chris O.C. recorded on my DV camera. Chris only managed to record 5 minutes worth at the beginning of the party. I guess the bottle of Whiskey he hid under the turntables along with the fact he was lovin' the party may have had something to do with forgetting later on... This is just from the first half of the party that took place at the official opening in the new room next door to Maison Bertaux and of course Shop At Maison Bertaux underneath. Michelle from Maison Bertaux served champagne and little strawberry and fruit tartlets la famille de Maison Bertaux had prepared earlier that day.
I'm not sure I can post the video from the "secret" after party at Soho House anywhere online! I'm going to have to show it to Max and Pippa first cause it is pretty mental. A brief description: First Max, Pippa and Paul B. Davis played a ping pong DJ set. Then Nervous Stephen [of red bearded fame] played a weirdo set of carousel music, square dancing and old English pub songs. Everyone in Soho House went insane and were dancing to bongo and brass bands like they all didn't have to get up early the next day [I for one had to get up at 7am to be at London Fashion Week at the Natural History Museum... but that is another story.] It was like everyone was getting more and more revved up - like wind up toys all about to burst a spring. Then the staff at Soho House had a word with Mark Eley and asked us to leave. Mark made a big declaration, "We've been kicked out from our own party for having too much fun!! Come on!! We're all going to Trisha's!!!" And so they all did. [FYI - Trisha's is the basement bar "somewhere in Soho". Or maybe it should be called a drinking den? I don't know - but it is a fabulous place. Pippa had her last birthday party there.] I did not go to Trisha's and nor did Pippa but we sent each other a text along the lines of "I'm SO tired" and something about champagne.
That's enough from me. I got to get up for work tomorrow.
