Regarder, Aimer, Amour...

Ok, so the title is quite possibly the extent of my French which has departed my consciousness since the age of 16, (and I'm sure grammatically I'll get pulled up on it). However, experiencing Paris for the first time with an old friend who spoke the language fluently, and who used to live in the city, made it one of the best trips for quite a while...

The week-long trip was a heady mix of tourist must-sees and back street markets, and all neatly rounded off with some of the best food, which for me, and for most, is the key ingredient of any holiday. Now, I don't want to write a city break guide necessarily, but simply want to share some of my highlights, some of which will be pretty obvious, (The Eiffel Tower), and maybe some less so, (Place D'Aligre market). But the hardest thing to do is really condense it down so as not to share every photo I took along the way.

With that in mind, I'm going to be brutal and simply give you my top ten moments from the chicest city on the planet...

Nombre Dix

Jardin du Luxembourg

Park Life - Parisians don't do parks like we do parks. We're all about lazing on the large expanses of lush greenery that we are lucky enough to have in abundance. The residences of Paris on the other hand want to keep the grass green and untouched, so parks consist of tree-lined avenues, and lakes to sit by, to take in the scenery, and of course partake in some serious people-watching from behind those big Dior sunnies...

Nombre Neuf

Image courtesy of looksharpsconnie.blogspot.com

Vintage Finds - Of course no trip would be without a bit of vintage, and as we were strolling down on Boulevard Beaumarchais, I say, "what we need now is to stumble across a little vintage store..." and as if by fashion magic, Little Box Vintage appeared in front of us! A tiny little clothing and accessory store, its window filled to the brim with vintage Chanel. Inside, a treasure trove, and such a lovely lady helped us play dress-up in our new Parisian walk-in wardrobe!

For a bit of fresh air and a proper rummage, then you have to go early to head down to Place D'Aligre, it had a mix of bric-a-brac, clothing and hidden treasures, all of which you can haggle over prices with the seasoned stall holders...

Nombre Huit

Carousel near Palais de Chaillot

Spinning Around - Something that no doubt will turn into a bit of a tradition on return trips, and please do have a go if you're there, is the classic and beautifully painted carousel poised half-way on the walk from the Place du Trocadero to the Eiffel Tower. Away from the seriousness of the historical legacy of the city is a cheeky fairground ride which couldn't go unnoticed...

Nombre Sept

Piece by Nick Walker

Grit and Glamour - Paris has a reputation of being the city of glitz, but it's as much about the gilded statues and elaborate architecture, as the rawness in a similar vein to London, expect Paris is much more condensed so these juxtapositions literally jostle on every corner. From the Moulin Rouge on Boulevard de Clichy to the Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre, both iconic and both within walking distance of one and other. 

I loved this piece by Nick Walker, perfectly positioned next to the classic street sign...

Nombre Six

A good gossip in Place des Vosges

People-watching - I had anticipated seeing glamorous Parisian's at every turn, but like New York in August, the locals tend to head to their holiday homes throughout the month, so there was much more tourist-spotting than  Parisian chic going on. This did have it's advantages though, as people you may not have noticed on a visit during Paris fashion week in September, came to the fore. I had to capture these four ladies sat in Place des Vosges, on one of our many pit-stops. Deep in conversation, with some definite gossipping thrown in, these life-long friends have probably been meeting here for years...

Nombre Cinq

Merci - Boulevard Beaumarchais

Merci beaucoup - As a designer, there were a couple of stores that were a must for me, and pretty well known by the creative industry. Namely, Merci and Colette. Merci on Boulevard Beaumarchais is a hybrid of all the best design stores, a touch of Habitat, a sprinkling of The Conran Shop and Muji. It's chilled, it's a meeting place, and with it's iconic entrance, this lofty space should be on the to-do list. 

Having a slightly different vibe, and more akin to Dover Street Market, the concept store Colette is like walking into a bar, but with no alcohol. The music is cranked up, but just enough not to interfere, and the all white space highlights its wares perfectly. A shopping experience not to be missed...

Nombre Quatre

Original detailing - Art Nouveau style

Metropolitan marvels - An iconic Parisian view, but unfortunately there aren't many of these beautifully languid Art Nouveau Metro entrances left in the city. A few were saved and remain one of the most recognisable details as much as the London Underground symbol is to London...

Nombre Trois

 

A little bit of Mona time - Now it can't all be quirky corners and cafes on this trip, it did need to be balanced with a touch of tourist activities. And aside from the Eiffel Tower, (we'll get to that,) seeing Mona Lisa was a must for me, and unsurprisingly for millions of people across the globe too.

The Louvre was actually our first stop, and I had no idea it was so big! Reliably informed by my good friend, and personal tour guide, it would take a week-long trip just to see the entire collection of art and sculpture that grace the various wings and rooms of the former palace.

Mona was on a wall all to herself, holding court from behind glass, not shy to the hundreds of cameras constantly capturing her rye smile. I suggest a good zoom on a camera is a must to try to edit out the sheer volume of people gathered...

Nombre Deux

La Belle Ferronniere - Brasserie Parisienne

Nourriture - Now down to the serious business of food! There's always been a bit of snobbery from the French that British food is inferior to their own, and as a lover of our British food, I have to say this statement isn't without warrant. We had talked about going somewhere 'special' and quintessentially Parisian, and after turning down a few along the way, we stumbled across this brasserie called La Belle Ferronniere. 

Typically, locals sit at small tables outside, and not facing their company, chairs are positioned facing outwards to partake in some good old people watching. Words cannot describe how incredible the food and wine was, all I can say is it was a good job we pounded the pavements from morning to night exploring the city in all its glory, and killing a few calories along the way...

Nombre Une

The Tower in all its glory

There's no introduction needed for my number one spot...of course it had to be the Eiffel Tower. I remember my first trip to New York, I loved every second, but it didn't feel like I was actually there until I saw the Statue of Liberty. The same is true of the Eiffel Tower. It's iconic stature is amazing, and whether first thing in the morning with the sun behind it, or as night falls, sparkling and twinkling on the hour, as a constant reminder its still there, it's amazing, and in my opinion, a beautiful beacon wherever you are in the world... Au revoir!

Spontaneous Repetition...

Last week saw the launch of the long overdue retrospective of work by Thomas Heatherwick at the V&A.

After completing an MA at the Royal College of Art, Heatherwick set-up the studio in 1994 as a space to explore all creative mediums from architecture and furniture design, to engineering and urban regeneration. His exploration of structures and surfaces using controlled repetition, as well as the creative spontaneity of an idea through materials, adds balance and a strong thought process.

Tucked away in The Porter Gallery, it felt like a more discreet offering than some of the other exhibitions at the V&A, but certainly didn't detract from the sheer scale, and confidence of some of the pieces on show.

What was really lovely about the exhibition was the emphasis on the 'studio'. The designs might be big and bold, but Heatherwick's ego certainly wasn't evident, as the range of works were all presented as collaborative projects.

At the entrance, visitors are invited to 'produce' their own guide by cranking a large handle which operates a huge engineered reel of paper, unravelling each section to a very satisfying 'tear here' perforation.

The exhibit weaves through the space, tracing the work and thought processes involved, all neatly stacked to make the most of the ceiling height of the gallery. Classic telephone receivers are dotted through the space with interview snap-shots adding another layer, with each area playing with scale and proportion just as much as the work itself.

The exhibition gives an intriguing and intimate insight into one of the country's design pioneers and someone well worth celebrating, the best of British...

Heatherwick Studio - Designing The Extraodinary is on at the V&A until 30th September...

Unlucky for some...

On a leafy street in SE15, set half-way between the grittiness of Peckham, and the affluence of East Dulwich, we set about opening our very first pop-up exhibition on Friday 13th...

We were slightly dubious about the already over-used term of 'pop-up', but in our case it pretty much summed up the two week showcase we had planned, and although one of the biggest storms hit the streets of South London literally an hour before we opened the doors, we couldn't have asked for a better turn-out.

We were joined by five of the six designers, who were on-hand to talk about their work, and celebrate the launch following a good few months of preparation and meetings.

Of course none of this would have been possible without the support of TheHouseWith, offering us the use of their perfectly proportioned space. A former photographer's studio, it has been the blank canvas we have been looking for to show off the curated collection of new designers.

New illustrations by Kayleigh Hadley and CM Carter sit opposite each other towards the rear of the shop, and create a rebellious angst-ridden teenagers bedroom style to the space. 

Silver jagged offerings from Roisin Connolly and Michael Carroll segment the exhibition, and act as a natural pause point before the bold and bright work from Ben Phe and Sandy Powell which add a punchy blast of colour towards the front. 

There was also time for Ben to add our very own over-the-door sign in his signature style, with CM Carter adding her illustrations not only to the window, but to our open/closed sign as well. This was a true collaboration from all involved, making it all the more special for us.

For this first exhibition, we wanted to offer a range of works and specialisms to highlight the cross-section of talent that exists across the country, and from the response from Friday night's launch, everyone was as excited as we were to bring these six new designers to the fore...

Kayleigh Hadley

CM Carter

Michael Carroll

Roisin Connolly

Ben Phe

Sandy Powell

TheHouseWith and Look Like Love present Pop-up People - 14th-28th April - 174, Bellenden Road, London SE15 4BW

Pop-up People...

From the heart of Peckham in the last two weeks of April, we will be hosting a collaborated pop-up exhibition with design company TheHouseWith. We've been dropping hints about who, when and where, but since a meeting with THW last week, we now have our final six exhibitors decided upon.

We presented all designers who applied to be a part of the exhibition, and would like to thank everyone for their interest, but numbers had to be limited due to the space, and we hope you are as excited as we are to host these hugely talented bunch of new designers.

The event is to also coincide with our first year as Look Like Love, and the designers exhibiting are a true reflection of the journey we have had over the last 12 months, as some of the first designers that caught our eye during last years shows, and initial research.

Ok, so enough waffle...here are the six you will be able see next month, some of who you will be familiar with from our support and promotion, who we will be proudly representing in Peckham!

Ben Phe - Illustrator, newest edition to Look Like Love and member of Art School Disco...

Michael Carroll - Sustainable Furniture Designer who we got chatting with at New Designer's 2011 and soon to have pieces available through our shop...

Roisin Connolly - Jewellery Designer from Dundee who uses acid-etching to create her amazing pieces...

Sandy Powell - Textile Designer who works with felt and recycled leather and will add a bit of softness to proceedings...

Kayleigh Hadley - Lyric-inspired and movie-loving illustrator is currently experimenting with lino-prints for a new collection...

CM Carter - Illustrator and all-round doodler, our first blog post, so it would be rude not to include her, and her amazing caricatures into the mix...

We'll be posting more details about the designers, the work you can expect to see, and information about dates and opening times in the next few weeks...our first literal watch this space moment...we cannot wait!

Open/Closed...

On a cold and snowy Friday evening we found ourselves weaving through a myriad of warehouses in Bermondsey. Not our neck of the woods as a rule, but we were making the exception for the one night only pop-up exhibition 'Open/Closed' from art collective Art School Disco.  

We posted about the recent graduates a few weeks ago, and have been following their progress, collectively and individually ever since, so we had to make the trip down and put a few faces, to the on-line names.  

On show was work by all six members of Art School Disco including Ben Phe, Katie Allen, Johnny Ace and Mary Roe. The warehouse setting certainly helped set the scene and added a few dramatic shadowy corners in which to view the work. 

We are already big fans of Ben Phe , having featured his own work a few months back in the post, Just Super Cool, but it was a real treat to see his intricate illustrations on glass up close.  

Katie Allen also had a small collection of illustrative and mix-media pieces, and we couldn't resist buying one of her hand-made postcards. 

What's great about these collaborative showcases is the real sense of creative spirit and coming together. You could literally feel the hard work that everyone had put into the exhibition, and the passion that continually challenges and surprises us as viewers, and appreciators.  

It shouldn't always be about the slick, curated and sometimes clinical exhibitions that see hundreds of people flocking through the doors, for us, it's about the talent, the enduring passion, and playfulness that should be celebrated from some of the UK's up-and-coming new designers...it was definitely worth getting a bit lost and cold for! 

The bold & the beautiful...

Now it might be a typical British Summer day out there, cold, grey & the heaviest rain, but to brighten the spirits we have to introduce you to Annie Rickard Straus. She was brought to our attention by a friend, & we were lucky enough to have a very quick chat with her whilst she was busy working on-site last week on a commission.

As I'm sure you are well aware, anything with either a bit of colour or sparkle tends to catch our eye, & Annie ticks the colour box in this instance. We like her confidence & boldness when it comes to her large-scale murals, as well as the smaller illustrative pieces adding an intimate approach.

Annie told us about her work being on display at Look Mum No Hands this Friday where an exhibition entitled, 'Art Crank' a poster party for bike people is taking place. We are hoping to pop by ourselves, without the bikes I have to add...