Noisettes Project- Tassle Cape Outfit

Been absolutely awol on the blog front I'm afraid as gettign to grips with new technologies- soo
we'll have a new site with lots of new projects uploaded- but for now heres a look over some things weve been up to the last few months...



Shingai Shoniwa at V Festival



Interns Clare and Barbara enduring some intense hand-work

Detail Shots

In a sea of green with Bompass and Parr

Nautical rope knots and green dye have been slipping into our dreams of late as we at Tour De Force we have been making uniforms and accessories bespoke for magic-maker's Bompass & Parr with their latest alchemy with the elements of surprise...

The 'Voyage of Discovery' project involved flooding of Selfridges rooftop, and guiding visitors to reveal the fascinatingly  sweet  Stevia plant, which by the way- tastes like a sherbet sap!

We got a little carried away chewing on the leaves on the opening night, so I may have overdone my chlorophyll intake- but I imagine its good for detox (hopefully?)

 The bearer of Crystals

The trippy printed walls and futuristic set were designed by Studio Toogood- and  the holographic crystal montage wall was just screaming for garment usage to match wall ( a 'Garden State' poster moment)

The Luminous Lake

The Boat Master Hugo got a handle on the whip-cracking technique quick smart.

The Lifeguard

The secret alcove of all-spiced brandy by the Experimental Cocktail Club-

 Here people got perfect little medicinal containers of this stuff- ideal for discreet public alcoholism (irrelevant, though it was really would drink it at any time of day).

During the event I took the Stevia plant on the underground and bumped into a chef I befriended at a party a million years ago, he said had recently been foraging for herbs and started chewing on the leaves. I'm pretty sure everyone thought I was dealing some new organic hallucinatory substance- the whole scenario was a bit like an urban Jurassic park intro... good times.

Abigail's Creatures

Coo Coo, I'm just a sucker for creatures with no heartbeat. Last time I bought a stuffed toy it was a furry donkey, and the eBay seller sent me the history of where it came from and why they loved it- it was all very special and intense.
At the Clerkenwell open studios I met textile artist Abigail Brown's little bird friends, and I am so in love with the flamingo. On the subject of flamingo's the charity-run shop Mama Biashara in Shepperd's Bush's West 12 Mall in London- they sell stunning painted straw flamingo's, its a shame their opening times are a mystery to me, and may a time i have stood outside on a Saturday hoping the shutter will go up (i recommend stalking this shop until it opens)... will take pictures and buy some next time I find it open!

Abigail's Bird Creatures:

Connan & The moccasins Dolphin Love Video

I love this film for Connan & The Moccasins, everyone can relate to a dolphin romance- Who doesnt have a sponscorship certificate in their box of treasures somewhere? Missing the point probably, but since seeing him live at folk fete in Camden,  I would probably have liked any lengthy moving image of Connan, as in real life he does have an other worldly presence- much like a ressurected Pinnochio/ Edward Sisscorhands... and that in itself is pretty fascinating aside from his birdie pipes.

(Talking of Scandanavian Workwear)- Hanna Sager Forsberg - 100 shirts!

Hanna Sager Forsberg is an swedish Central St. Martins graduate who previously worked at PUDEL before launching her own line last year. She has designed an EPIC quantity of shirt styles under her label Sager Forsberg... (on #100 now!)

I love the fact that they are not designed to season, and I wish I had known about them when I got pulled aside in desperation by one of these style paps looking desperately for people wearing silk shirts to reflect the current huge demand-(they were scraping the barrel if they needed a shot of moi).

Anyways I would have told them to google this label down- as Hanna is also super modelesque herself...

PLUSH GARMENTIA!

Keith Tyson & Mother of Pearl AW11

I still remember the instance in the 90's stumbling across Keith Tysons Artmachine project on his website BACK IN THE DAY when I still had a 'fluffybunny16' hotmail account... the concept of breifing people to recreate a sculpture using only written specifications and exhibiting the results. I think I sent Keith Tyson an email about it at the time- how embarrassing considering  I was a high school kid with a pornstar email address.
The collaboration of Keith Tyson's artwork in print form- with Mother of Pearl is like an opportunity to own something on a level of Dali for Shiaparelli!!!!.... stuff getting tickets for the Olympics, Im going to start a penny jar for AW11 to come along and this collections to hit Liberties, as to own one of this is a 'once in a generation' type thing. It does help that the clothes are beautifully simple, with those kind of  scandanavian workwear details that equal comfort under the guise of elegance.

Mother of Pearl  is the product of designers Maia Norman and Sue Foulston, and as Maia is Damien Hurst's partner she must know Keith Tyson pretty well, and has worked with him to create beautiful placements. (SIGH OF WONDER)