Rebel against minimalism...

In an interior world which seems to be awash with varying shades of grey, Leeds College of Art graduate, Anisha Chauhan has off-set this with a colourful array of prints translating from wrapping paper to wallpaper. There were so many gorgeous prints it was difficult to give you a snapshot without showcasing her entire portfolio. We are now re-thinking our own home decor, a different print in each room perhaps?!

If you go down to the woods today...

We've been checking in with one of our original postings, graphic illustrator graduate CM Carter. She's been busy creating a bi-weekly comic book called Cybear. This is a collaborative piece with film-maker Oli Jacobs who works on the scripts for the comic. We've included a couple of illustrations from the to-date publication, which is getting quite a following already. You can check in with updates every Monday and Saturday for the next instalment...if you dare!

I heart NY

Well, as promised, we have compiled a concise list of must see's from our trip to the big apple, it was quite a challenge to break this down, but hopefully if you haven't seen these places already, you get the chance to check them out on your own trip to the city that never sleeps!

Best Exhibition...Alexander McQueen-Savage Beauty...
Currently on at The Metropolitan Museum, this is a definite must-see. Up close, these pieces were simply breath-taking. What stuck us the most was the all-round appreciation for McQueen's work, young & old, from all walks of life, it was just as interesting listening to people's responses as to seeing the work itself.

Best Exhibit...'Bingo' 1974 Gordon Matta-Clark...
Firm fans of his work, this piece currently on display at MoMA was a real treat to see up close, instead of from the pages of a book.

Best Diner...Juniors...
Just off Time Square this diner is THE place for a slice of their famous New York cheesecake and a great American breakfast, whether it's pancakes with sugar-cured bacon and maple syrup, or Eggs Benedict...mmm!

Best Restaurant...Buddakan...
Serving modern Asian cuisine in the heart of the Meatpacking District, the food is stunning and the crowd cooler than cool!

Best Bar...Apotheke...
Tucked away in Chinatown was the perfect hidden gem. A former Opium den, owners Christopher & Heather Tierney have transformed this into the ultimate NY cocktail bar.

Twinkle, twinkle...

We're just back from NYC and are speedily putting together a few highlights which we'll post over the next few days, but in the meantime, another amazing jewellery designer to whet your appetite with. 

A selection from the graduate Emily L. J.Boyd. These simple, yet striking pieces put her on the list as one to watch. We are definitely all about the silver and gold combination, mix this with an angular take on a classic bangle and we are sold!

Taking the rough with the smooth...

Lots of ceramic graduates have been catching our eye this week, there is a vast array of amazing work and talented designers out there, that it was hard to pick, but these pieces by graduate Katy Goldswain caught our eye in particular. We love the fragility and purity of the vessels balanced with, what looks like on first appearance, found objects. The amazing thing is, Katy produces these from ceramic also! We can't wait to see what she does next!

Hand-made, New York style...

With only six days to go, and counting, we have had a number of great places recommended to us to visit...making a short list is going to be hardest thing to do, well maybe the second, after how many pairs of shoes to take!
That aside, we wanted to highlight this amazing furniture store recommended to us by a friend, who returned from NYC only a week ago herself...
The furniture store is called, BDDW and has a beautiful collection of hand-made American pieces by painter and sculptor, Tyler Hays. Inspiration in its purest form, we can't wait to see it in the flesh. Enjoy!

Pretty, Industrial...

                                                                     

We love the structured form, balanced with the fluidity of the oxidised zinc from this table by Gwen Gawthrop, a graduate from Manchester Metropolitan University, making it a true natural beauty! See more of her products here; http://www.gwengawthrop.co.uk/index.html

All that glitters...

On a grey Saturday morning, this jewellery by Lisa J. Murphy has already brightened our day. We particularly like the mix of gold with silver, and the unique graphic intepretation of the pieces...

A Sneak Preview...

We are very excited to introduce the fashion designer, Feben Vemmenby as our latest graduate collaborator. We had a meeting with her yesterday where we were able to see samples from her latest collection...we already want to buy every piece ourselves...But we will resist, for now, and look forward to showcasing the full collection over the next couple of months when the on-line store is up and running...in the meantime, a sneak preview!

Pretty as a picture...

Found these gorgeous illustrations by Gizem Vural, we love their dream-like quality and intend to follow her with interest, find more of this lovely stuff here; http://www.gizemvural.com/index2.html

Start spreading the news...

We are off to New York in a mere 14 days, and extremely excited by the prospect of getting our creative juices flowing with all this amazing city has to offer. Of course we will be posting our favourite finds, from exhibitions, little design shops to galleries and generally anything we think you'll like to see, so we are asking people to add to our already packed week, and suggest any top places to visit, aside from the obvious....the more obscure the better really, in the hunt for all things inspiring!

In Print...

Coming from a fashion and textile background, recent graduate Kimberley Naylor works with free-hand techniques to create one-off and limited edition silks and prints.  Her work has already featured in the fashion styling rooms at Selfridges in London, and we are exciting to be working with her on a collection over the coming months....watch this space!

3D vs. 2D

It's not often you find a designer who can successfully cross over from one field to another, but we think we may have found one. Neil Conley, a graduate in 2010 from Northumbria University School of Design, uses sustainable materials to create these striking pieces, as well as these simple hand illustrations that we'd love to frame and hang on our wall too. There's more to see right here; http://www.neilconley.co.uk/home.html