Now, we couldn't wave goodbye to 2010 before highlighting a few of our favourite posts of the year. Over the last twelve months we have posted three hundred and something times but below are a selection of the very best...
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Style Salvage Speaks To...Hannah Martin - We set out to learn more about her and the craft of jewellery design and what better way than to visit Hannah Martin at her studio for a cup of tea and a chat. Here we talk to the designer about her work placement at Cartier, Russian gangsters, the influence of Count Saint Germain on her next collection and seeing her at LFW through her collaborations with Carolyn Massey and Hannah Marshall.
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Dr Martens: The craft of an iconic shoe - On April 1, 1960 the first pair of Dr. Martens was produced by the Griggs factory in the village of Wollaston in central England. Eight eyelets, ox blood red with distinctive yellow stitching, the design was dubbed "1460" after the date of its creation. More than one hundred million pairs of Dr. Martens have been sold since that first pair was unveiled 50 years ago. To help celebrate reaching landmark Dr. Martens invited a few of us bloggers up to their Wollaston factory to help cover the event.
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The Craft of Cheaney - Cheaney represent the height of English Bench Made shoe making. It takes eight weeks to make a pair of Cheaney shoes, it involves around one hundred and sixty hand operations, from cutting the leather through to finishing, combining the best of contemporary design with superb quality. Given how much of a factory pervert I am, you can only imagine how many photographs I took as William Church guided me through and in to the nooks and crannies of this well oiled assembly line of true craftsmanship.
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Experiencing Harris Tweed - The story of Harris Tweed is one of a remote island community that lies between the Highlands of Scotland on the north west tip of Europe and the North Atlantic Ocean. I have lusted over this truly unique fabric and have longed to visit the beautiful setting in which it is created for some time now. Thankfully, the launch of the Nike Air Royalty Harris Tweed meant that myself and Susie were invited up by the sportswear giant.
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Nigel Cabourn's Studio - Nigel Cabourn has worked in the fashion industry for forty two years, yet his clothing has very little in common with most people’s understanding of fashion. Cabourn is a designer who is driven by his longstanding passion for vintage clothing, fabric and details. He has collected vintage clothing since the 70s after falling for their charms on visits to Portobello Road with Paul Smith. Since then he has amassed an archive of over four thousand pieces. It is this ever expanding vintage collection that is the cornerstone of each collection, not a response to a particular trend or demand. Each collection has a real story, is grounded in history and integrity underpinned by the highest level of quality.
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Style Stalking...Imelda Matt - You might think that the phrase 'style stalking' is an exaggeration, but this time you'd be wrong. Ever since we laid eyes on Imelda Matt in a gold suit we knew we just had to get him to do a style diary for us. After months (no, really) of chasing, cajoling and downright begging, he agreed to let us showcase seven days of Imelda style.
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Style Stalking...Ca - After a few months of fruitless voyeurism we finally stumbled across an old favourite who has thankfully resurfaced on the blogosphere. Ca's previous blog, The Cablog, was a constant source of inspiration and it was a sad day when he decided to pause blogging. A number of months later and Ca has returned and we are pleased to declare that he lost none of his style. Ca is a man who knows how to use colour and play with textures to make truly wonderful, multi faceted outfits. He is a man who knows how to balance vintage, high street and labels in such a way that the admiring observer has absolutely no idea where he shops.
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A Visit to Trunk - The year has seen a number of exciting menswear stores open their doors in the capital but Trunk Clothiers is something quite special indeed. Located over two floors on Marylebone’s Chiltern Street, Trunk introduces a much needed new style to the menswear retailing scene in the capital which I was able to experience for myself. The seventy square metres brings together a carefully curated selection of the finest menswear and accessories from across the globe. Trunk is a store that sets the standard for gentlemen seeking modern classics of the highest quality matched with impeccable service.
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