If it wasn’t for Clerkenwell based hair salon Fourth Floor most of London’s designers would look like badly styled hippies. If you’re in the industry you’re sure to know someone who’s been there at some point over the years. When you walk out of their old school lift into the impressive warehouse space, you can’t help but admire their eye for great design, especially their postcards and the packaging for their product range (these and their identity were created by London based agency North. Now long time manager of Fourth Floor, Conor O’Brien, has taken this admirable creative eye to Norwich and has set up his own salon Flint. A great name derived not only from it’s obvious blade sharpening ability but also from an historical flint wall opposite the premises. Biblioteque partner Mason Wells has created the identity. If you’re in Norwich pop by for a chop and also to admire the creative surroundings.
Dave Brown
Posted on Wednesday, 9th of December 2009 Permalink
For the last year or so I’ve been using the London based coiffeur Mr. Ducktail – the Rock ‘n’ Roll Motherkutter, to get my signature short, back and sides with a razor-sharp side-parting. If your brave enough, Mr. D, or William to his regulars, will sharpen up his flicknife and give you a proper teddyboy razor cut! Whilst having my hair cut yesterday, by more traditional methods – a pair of scissors, he took receipt of his own Mr. Ducktail branded hair pomade (above) featuring the graphics of Vince Ray, he of the 50s tattoo inspired graphic art. Vince will be performing, along with his band The Boneshakers, this weekend at the 7th International London Tattoo Convention that’s being held this year at the Tobacco Dock, Wapping. You’ll be able to purchase Rockin’ belt buckles, guitar picks, books, and of course, the hair pomade. You could even get yourself a tattoo from, some of, the leading tattoo artist in the world.
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Thursday, 24th of September 2009 Permalink
Finding the right glasses can be a terribly difficult process for the fashion conscious myopics amongst us. However, I recently discovered Cutler & Gross, the ubiquitous peddlers of optical fashion trends based in Knightsbridge, London. Divided into two shops – Cutler & Gross and Cutler & Gross Vintage – means that your choice of face furniture is incredibly diverse from Cazals, adored by the 80s hip-hop giants, original Porsche designs (above) to one-offs from the 40s and 50s. In fact the choice would be daunting but for the very knowledgeable people at C&G who are there to guide and advise you into choosing the correct frames.
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Monday, 2nd of July 2007 Permalink
If you haven’t made any plans for Sunday 1st July, then get yourself down to the De La Warr Pavillion, Bexhill on Sea for Midcentury.Modern organised by Showhome. 35 dealers will descend on Bexhill where you’ll be ale to purchase Scandinavian and European mid-century and modern design classics for your home. The design junkies’ definitive seaside trip.
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Thursday, 14th of June 2007 Permalink
Every person in this country uses on average 167 plastic bags a year, thats 10 billion in all, a whole lotta landfill and therefore a whole lotta nasty methane gas. This is why We Are What We Do approached top handbag designer Anya Hindmarch to create a re-usable shopping bag. Anya’s bags usually go for £500+ but this one will only set you back a fiver. The bags were launched last month at London fashion week and will be available to buy at Sainsburys from April. Looking at the picture above from their website, maybe bras are bad for the environment too!
Dave Brown
Posted on Monday, 5th of March 2007 Permalink
Joana Meroz is a dutch based product designer, I recently acquired one of her metal-laced drain plugs, its a beautifully simple idea and so nice it seems a shame to put it down your plug hole! Another of Joana’s superb ideas is to collect discarded, chipped and cracked crockery and celebrate and draw attention to their imperfections by glazing and decorating the breaks. See more of her work at her website the ornamented life, or if you’re in Amsterdam, pop along to 16 Prinsenstraat in the 9 Streets to the superb kitchen and furniture store OP16 where some of Joana’s work is available.
Dave Brown
Posted on Tuesday, 3rd of October 2006 Permalink
Here’s a compilation of the Nintendo DS Super Mario Bros promotional sponsors that are shown during late night comedy shows on Channel 4. Created by Leo Burnett, the sketches involve people dressed in black to blend in with the background while using props and objects to simulate a lifesize rendition of Super Mario and other Nintendo titles.
You may see similarities with a U.S College Student’s talent show entry which became an internet video phenomenon among fans.
Vikesh Bhatt
Posted on Tuesday, 19th of September 2006 Permalink
Now I’m not much of an outdoorsy type but I am partial to the odd camping trip here and there, bbq under the stars, waking up with frost on your face, wrestling with wild animals in your pants. However, wandering around Cologne last week I stumbled upon a store which made me wanna buy all the gear and run into the woods forever. Globetrotter is a multi level store with absolutely everything you could possibly need for life outdoors. A beautifully designed multi level interior including pool to test you kayak/diving gear, all weather rooms where they simulate extreme weather conditions to test your equipment/clothing, climbing and rock areas to test your footwear & climbing equipment. It’s all beautifully designed and the experience is topped off with ambient sound effects of various outdoor locations & wildlife, sounds a little tacky but it works a treat. pictures
Dave Brown
Posted on Thursday, 29th of June 2006 Permalink
I recently wandered into the Carhartt store in Covent Garden, not to buy a camoflaged hoody but to check out the excellent screenprints they had hanging about the place. They are by James Joyce, founder of a new studio called One Fine Day. I visited the site hoping to buy a print and find out more about him and the studios work but it’s not fully built yet, check out the site to see a few more examples or pop down to Covent Garden to see them all for yourself.
Dave Brown
Posted on Monday, 29th of May 2006 Permalink
Habitat have opened a new store in a disused cinema building at 123 Regent Street. The grade II listed building has had a remarkable history – from meat market to Gallery to Cinema to Church. The store design is the first from Habitat’s Non Executive Creative Director Tom Dixon who has been involved with the project at every stage, from the interior restoration to the fittings. A number of original features have been restored, these include the magnificent auditorium and significant remaining features of the cinema including the original gallery space with a vaulted plaster ceiling, Neo-Egyptian light fittings and original Wurlitzer organ. The Film Society held its first meeting at this cinema in 1925. Founder members of The Film Society included H G Wells, George Bernard Shaw and Augustus John. The first show included the feature film The Waxworks (directed by Paul Leni) and Champion Charlie, a Chaplin short.
Infact the building looks so good after the renovation, it’s hard to know which is the biggest draw: the building or its contents.
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Wednesday, 24th of May 2006 Permalink
