Isn’t it funny just how much the dating scene is run by the power of three? If in doubt wear your LBD, make sure you don’t have VPL, never be or dress OTT, on the lead up to a date don’t eat too many BLT’s and you may just bag your MOD (aka. the Man Of your Dreams…). Admittedly I may have made that last one up. But my point is still noteworthy: an LBD could in fact bag you a date whilst 15 BLT’s could  instead bag you a Saturday night date with the sofa. Although with the new series of ‘Take Me Out’ fresh upon us I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing.

Like De La Soul so truthfully sang in 1990, three, it seems, could very well be the magic number. An LBD with minimal VPL is your bait to attract a juicy catch. There’s also the age old saying that you’ll only have three great loves in your life. But before we move onto that scary prospect, (one step at a time and all) we have to learn how to get the date, and importantly a successful date, first. When it comes to dating and relationships, no one wants to be a tri-hard. And yet we’re persistently inundated with dating do’s and don’ts so much so that many will stay in instead of heading out for dinner in fear of not, say, holding the wine glass the right way to show a man you’re interested but not easy. A tricky move to master.

Those tiring articles that abound our magazines: ‘The 10 Steps to Impressing your date’, and, ‘What men like in Women’ have, rather than providing helpful instructions, put the fear of god into vulnerable, prospective daters. So why don’t we instead make up our own rules? Even if I instructed  the council to incarcerate every BLT within a 10 mile radius of my home, wore an LBD every day (into the library, on my weekly Morrisons food shop and on my way to the bank), showing as minimal VPL possible, I still wouldn’t be able to bag Ryan Gosling. And my relentless, bordering on insane, pursuit of the man himself is likely to end up being alerted to America’s Ministry of Defence – not necessarily the MOD I was hoping to catch the attention of.

Rules are there to be broken. So I say, instead: date by the power of free. All of those qualities that don’t cost a penny: confidence, humour, sex appeal and charm are much more likely to get a man than those we constantly read of in magazines. Although a little slinky number, we think here at Studio 8, doesn’t hurt. And what I also think women have to bear in mind is that this isn’t a one-sided game. In order bag your (insert name of dream celeb crush here), there has to be one out there for the taking. For I would argue that as of late, the manly men that dominated our cinema and TV screens and we would see walking down the street have all turned into boys.

Over the past few years we’ve seen film and television icons go from strong and burly (here I refer to Gerard Butler in 300 – like how I incorporated another 3 in there?) to, like Cheryl Cole’s hair without the extensions and multi-million L’Oreal campaign deal: weak, limp and lifeless. A great example of this would be the film Social Networking, dedicated to the geek god himself Mark Zuckerberg. Take a look around and we have ostensibly a lot less ‘manly’ men abounding all aspects of the media and our local pubs and high streets. Easier to catch? Yes. But worth it? Probably not. What’s a skilled fisherwoman without her prospects of catching a hearty fish?

by Jess West

A rare need breed of Mamil caught on camera for the first time

Yup I look like a berk but it has it’s advantages when doing 230kms – less wind resistance and the perfect body temperature. You drink, you eat a biscuit, you pedal, you drink some more, eat a sweet and pedal. In nine hours of riding, 8000 calories get devoured by your hungry body and the trick is to know when to back off and be gentle on your knees and thighs. And when to hammer it! Like when you hit beautiful, smooth, flowing flats and hills through wooded glades and shady downs. Hitting 50 and the sounds are a blur, legs delivering power to a machine (the bike…not me) that really knows how to use it.

I only started ‘road riding’ six weeks ago but I’ve ridden bikes my whole life. Since I was three. Hell, my daddy got me a motorbike at four. But push bikes have always been my love. And I’m fast. Faster than I was aware of. Not drug addled pro fast, but quicker than most people you will come across. Big lungs are genetic. My father was a deep sea diver with a strong chest and I once heard a doctor say he had the biggest lung capacity he had ever seen. Bigger than Mike Tyson. I remember when I was a nipper saying to my da’ that if he could hold his breath underwater for four minutes I would run around the block naked. He came up at 3.56 I’m sure just to be nice.

I’m driven by the quest to constantly understand how the body ‘feels’. To experience, interpret and discover the essence of movement. How all movement is connected and to play with using it in its most efficient, poetic and beautiful way. We all mimic movement from early childhood. How to hold a fork, how to walk, use our hands. So if I try and move on a tennis court like Roger Federer, or imitate Boris Becker’s serve in my body, then I will experience something new. And that will give me a greater understanding of myself. And it’s fun to feel a sensation that Boris has spent a life exploring. He’s a master after all. The more I have watched, copied, tried, felt, analyzed the feeling and tried again, the faster I get at learning a new movement. Something we inherently are all capable of doing…it’s just that I have kept that channel pretty wide open. After riding a bike as a youngster, being a strong sportsman at school, then doing a degree in classical guitar, followed by five years under one of the great living Aikido instructors, Minoru Kanetsuka, a diploma in cranial-sacral therapy, single figure golf in two years, surfing all over the world and about twenty other things I don’t want to bang about cos it just sounds like I am being arrogant, I seem to have a knack for finding the essence of movement!

my dolls house framing the gorgeous eddy

So back to my bike ride. I started it the other day (bike riding – ok, six weeks ago), when my mate Steve wanted my vintage watch. He gave me his Cinelli aluminium racer. I rode it, but whilst it was quick I immediately sensed something was up. It was rigid. Uncomfortable. Now, I’m just a beginner (albeit with a rapid learning curve) and my body was telling me something. The first I had said to Steve was “ok..I have your bike now I need some mileage..where do I go?” Not bloody up and down Oxford Street. So he tells me Richmond Park. 15 miles there. 7 around. 15 back = 37 miles. Richmond Park…what a revelation…loads of Mamils, but beautiful. Deers, trees, winding hills and some speed. I’m overtaking 98% of the peeps on the road, something I have always done as a urban rider, but here in the world of lycra, where I expect to encounter fast guys I am still going past them. Odd methinks, but I’ll take it.

Next weekend let’s give it three laps. 50 miles. Full throttle. 2 hours 46. Steve said I had the computer set up wrong on the bike. I must have measured the wheels in wrong. But nope…it was just fine.  Admittedly I was buggered, in bed the whole day, but when I recovered and asked a couple of proper riders if that was an acceptable tonk, they were encouraging as to my beginners capabilities.

The following week my vintage Eddy Merckx that I had spent three nights trawling Ebay to find, arrived. In mint condition. Shag the aluminium. I had cross examined every poor bike shop mechanic, sales rep, Steve, Deniz from Hadron and more on the steel vs aluminium vs carbon vs titanium vs lace vs petrol. Ok maybe not the last two but the intranet is awash with fools and timewasters, cycle geeks and anoraks, debating the benefits and cons of each material. Steel is real and you can bash it with a hammer if you come a cropper so I opted for Eddy. And what a decision. Now that it’s here and I’ve blasted it to Brighton and back I would definitely take Eddy over me mum.

brrrr it was pretty cold (especially in lycra)

Having competed my half century (50 miles) I now wanted a century and Brighton seemed like a decent place to go to get it. I teamed up with me old pal D who happened to bell me during the week where every fourth word leaving my mouth was either Eddy or Merckx. He was straight on the Ebay tip and kept mailing me to say he too was now hooked on bike porn. Within 17 hours he was mounted on a racey blue 70′s Pinarello and was gunning to join me on the Brighton sojourn. Steve lent us his Garmin sat nav and suddenly the front of Eddy had more technology mounted on the handlebars than Darth Vader has in his bathroom. We were off.I kept telling D were were nearly there (also neglected to tell him that we seemed to also add an extra 8km loop around a field) and at 90kms when I was sure the beach would come into view around each corner we stopped to ask a truck driver where the hell the sandy cove of Brighton was. His answer of 24 miles down the road left D slightly perturbed that we were a slightly more ambitious outing than we had planned for. We rolled into town with 120kms on the clock and me hungry for The Largest Spaghetti Vongole You Can Make Please With Extra Garlic Bread and A Big Coffee.

Needless to say D had had enough and hopped on the train home as I set off to see if the hairs on my chest were legitimate. The first 50kms back were up seemingly endless hills as I attempted to try a more direct route. Having had not a clue really what the Garmin was telling us on the way down I now tried to take more control.

The sat nav gave out 80kms from home and so I plotted as direct a route as I could using the Iphone and after encountering hell on a hill at Reigate Hill just outside the M25, I hit the A23 for some miles of blistering 50km speed, amongst the fast moving traffic.

very famous location called Horse In A Field Wee Stop

Finally central London beckoned and only on Park Lane did I finally experience some cramps in my thighs. A quick stretch next to the bus stop and home I galloped to collapse on the floor and begin 5 days of continual, inexhaustible, hamburger eating hunger and trough drinking thirst.

2 chevrons apart please M25

What next? I am not sure but something madcap beckons, such as a quick pop up to Paris. Possibly a tilt at a Half Ironman triathlon. It’s still taking shape in my skull dome.

What did I learn from this 229km experience.

1. It’s free to ride…after having spent numerous £40 every time I entered a bike shop for the previous two weeks.

2. Wearing lycra is something only to be done in areas where no-one knows you.

3. No-one recognizes me in Lycra anyway, so it may be suitable attire for a bank robbery.

4. Lycra makes me look like a total prat, but you should see me in my mankini. I look like a skinny russian wrestler

5. You don’t need to enter a bloody race, or charity ride to ride. Just open the front door and go.

6. Steel is stunning to ride as a material and Eddy Merckx factory makes an effin masterpiece

7. Nothing in cycling ever costs less than £40

8. You can’t eat enough spaghetti.

Anyway…couple of piccies here of things I LOVED at Paris fashion week recently

bit too much wine

damir doma...the new king of the Antwerp school

Gary Graham...a genius

awesome with hunks of parmesan

mcnairy

and again

Last Thursday we had the amazing Nigel Cabourn come down all the way from Newcastle to our shop in London to talk about his passions, inspirations, aspirations, obsessions and everything else. How Paul Smith worked for him, how he owns all the first edition books on the 1912 R. Scott’s expedition to the South Pole and how he’s doing a new shoe with Converse. If you missed it, it went more or less like this:

Simon Savage: So how did it all start? How did you actually go about getting things made in the beginning?

Nigel Cabourn: Well it wasn’t that hard, I just asked around who could make this,  and who could make that… I have a training as a fashion student, but I couldn’t cut patterns because I wasn’t  interested in that, just in the design and selling, so just by word of mouth I found a local manufacturer. She was actually a lady about 60 at that time; she would be around 110 if she was alive today. She took me under her arm and helped me to start manufacturing my own product. One of the first things I made properly in 1971 was a budgie jacket based on Adam Faith. He had quite a famous programme in the early 70′s called Budgie where he wore a little hit jacket. And of course, I was very inspired by the pop music in the late 60′s, so I made loom pants. So that’s how I started, with the loom pants and the budgie jacket.

Of course, being 17 in the 1967 was just fantastic. Anyone who was 17 in 1967 probably was so lucky, as anyone who was 17 in 1922 was very lucky. You know, being born in 1949, then being a kid in the late 60′s with all that Pop music, the way it really was with the flower power, you are so privileged. Although other people probably don’t realise it, but for me it was full of inspiration to do what I am doing today.

In 1972 I met Paul Smith with Harold Tillman at a tradeshow where I was showing. Harold was a quite famous guy at the time; he’s probably famous again today, as he owns Jaeger and Aquascutum. Harold was showing at the exhibition too and I was pitched in a little room next to him. So we got talking and he introduced me to Paul and then Paul came over to look at my few things that I was doing. He said, look I love what you’re doing, I’ve got a shop in London, which of course I didn’t know about in 1972. He asked me if I was selling to London, which I wasn’t, I was selling to the whole North East of England, so he suggested selling my stuff for me and so that’s how I have got into London shops.

In 1973 I was making a lot Harris tweed three-piece suits. Funny thing is that a lot of things I was 35 years ago I am making today. And I think that’s what’s stuck with, so when we started the Everest thing it was the easiest thing to keep regenerating and doing it differently. I was at this at this peak of interest in history and there wasn’t very much influence on me as fashion student, because it was all about ladieswear in those days and there was no real menswear in Newcastle. There were only two of us menswear students.

SS: One of the things that really stand out for me for someone who walks the floorboards is your use of colour.

NC: Well obviously, that is a real point of difference for us. I’m fabric driven first of all. Design is very important for me, but even more is the fabric. I have always had this big interest in fabric right from the beginning and it was a big inspiration for me. And in 1970′s when I started my business it was a whole different world. You could buy beautiful British fabrics. There was a fantastic mill in Manchester, I would go there and fill my car full of fabric – it was so easy. Lancashire was still thriving, it was starting to dive, but there still was a big industry there. That was a big advantage to be able to see all the local fabrics and the knowledge I have taught myself in the 70′s has actually stood me through all my life.

Fabric is the key, and because the fashion kids these days don’t know much about fabric, it gives me a big advantage. Also, if you are interested in fabric, you must be interested in colour and texture. And obviously, if you are interested in mountaineering, you have got to like orange, if you’re into nautical things, you have got to use a lot of yellow. I love naval things; so navy, royal blue, white, grey are the colours.

SS: Do you actually care about trends at all?

NC: No, no, definitely not. I’m not interested in trends at all; I don’t consider myself a fashion designer. I just like doing a bunch of old things, I like things that really work and I love making stories up.

SS: What else are you into besides your work?

NC: Well, actually, I am the real Forrest Gump, I’m a big table tennis player, I practice all the time. When I had the windmill, the table was in the middle of the room and I use to play nonstop. I also like biking, but that’s about it because work takes up all of my time. I start working early, because it’s better for colour, I love looking at things early in the morning when it’s light. I do not like working late; I’d rather go to work at 6 am in the summer and finish around 6 or 7 pm. You know, it is very difficult as designer working in the dark.

SS: Next year is the Antarctica expedition centenary. What are your plans regarding that?

NC: Well, it’s obviously fantastic for me, I have been waiting 5-6 years to do this. We have done a collection on Edmund Hillary and the 50th anniversary of climbing Mount Everest, so now it’s Robert Scott’s turn, we are going to base a whole limited edition on him and his team. There are going to be twelve limited edition pieces. I also have got Scott Polar Institute at Cambridge helping me with all the research. So I’m busy with that now; it is very time-consuming and a quite stressful project on top of everything else. But anyway it’s my hobby so I just go along with it.

SS: How much do you know about the footwear that these explorers wore? And also what are your plans regarding shoes? Are you going to have your own line?

NC: I was very privileged to be taken down to the archives in Scott’s Polar Institute and I have actually held Scott’s and Shackleton’s shoes in my hands. They were unbelievable. Actually, I am doing a collaboration on one of Scott’s shoes with Viberg, we are going to do a shoe based on what Scott wore in 1910. I had to teach myself about shoes, like about anything else really, because I didn’t learn much in college. It was all about ladieswear and once they tried to teach me about childrenswear, so I had to teach myself about the men’s.

Also I am doing collaboration with Redwing next year; it’s they first time they are doing collaboration with a designer, it’s going to be sold worldwide. What is more, I am doing collaboration with Converse, they asked me to do a special shoe, so I am doing a British P.E. shoe based on one from the early 40′s.

SS: So who made Scott’s and Shackleton’s shoes?

NC: Actually, none of the shoes have any brand names. All of Scott’s smocks are made by Burberry.

SS: That’s what we do all day when I go up to buying… Talk about this.

NC: I have about 4000 vintage pieces, which I have been collecting since 1978, and that’s been a backbone of everything I do now. Where people buy library boks, I buy old garments. And I also buy first edition books – I have all the Mallory books, I have all the books from Antarctica from 1903.

Member of the audience: Did Mallory actually get to the Everest first?

NC: I think so!

M: Any evidence?

NC: No, not yet, but there might be soon. I’ve actually had Mallory’s clothes all in my hands, what’s left of them. I’ve seen his neckerchief – navy blue neckerchief, which he used to tie around his head, still caked in blood from 1924.

M: Can you tell a bit about spring/summer collection?

NC: S/S12 is huge and colourful, a lot of linnen, a lot of camo. We’ve got some fantastic camo, which is based on the British camo that they wore in the early 40′s. I had to get that camo fabric made especially in Italy, it was a big expense; it’s about £22 a metre.

M: Your things have a very distinctive hands-on quality which is what’s so charming about them. I am wondering about from the execution from the idea to the manufacturing.. Have you got one workshop where you do everything?

NC: Basically, if you are manufacturing today, you can’t successfully manufacture all the products in one factory. What you have to is you have to go to specialists. So I’ve got a specialist outerwear manufacturer, I’ve got mackintosh manufacturer who’s Nelson in Lancashire, I have got a factory which is making the jackets in London, I have a factory manufacturing sheepskins in Scotland… Nigel Cabourn Authentic is all made in UK, that’s the whole purpose of the brand. And I’ve got to tell you, not many people manufacture in England these days.

I travel a lot; it’s normal for me to 500-600miles in a day. We would do 3 or 4 factories, set out at 5am in the morning and return late at night. It’s the way we work, we go to all the factories, we have everything specially made and we are very hands on.

M: What do you do in your Japan collections?

NC: Japan collection is all designed in Newcastle. I go to Japan 5 times yearly. As well as designing, I go to source all the local fabrics in Japan and visit quite a few of the mills around the Tokyo, and go to factories to see things being made. So I spend about 10 weeks a year in Japan, but it’s no problem for me, I love Japan.

We export the Authentic collection to Japan too, because I have two standalone stores there in Tokyo and Osaka.

M: Have you ever thought about opening a shop in UK?

NC: Well, at the moment we are opening a store in New York and we are talking about opening a shop in London, but we still don’t know.

M: Why New York?

NC: Just because we have got a big following there. We have just got about 12 accounts in America, but they love our product. And, to be honest, there aren’t that much great stores in New York, so we think it would be a great place for us.

So this was a great night at Studio 8, the first of the series of talks we are going to have with various designers and interesting people. Keep one eye out, we are going to do another one soon.

I know we keep banging on about Nigel’s gear at www.studio8shop.com but it really does stand out. It ‘pops’ as we like to say. His use of colour is always risky and adventurous and fun and he manages to straddle function, fashion and workmanship of the highest order without actually following fashion at all. He just does his thing, believes in it totally and combines his product knowledge with a brilliant understanding of how to present the product so that it has maximum impact – he is a marketer as well as a fashion designer and there can’ t be many of those about.

Here is one of my favourite examples of Nigel’s sense of humour

And I completely loved this piece with its raw edges

The new winter Cabourn collection should be arriving any day now and will be available at www.studio8shop.com

The Japanese make such wonderful fabrics, have fantastic attention to detail and are experts at washing and treating cloth so the finished product is always such a delight…even if they are obsessed with americana!

I am a sucker for indigo and that shirt underneath ain’t too shabby neither.

Some of the denim washes. The Japanese craft the best jeans in the world. Spun on traditional narrow looms creating a selvedge that gives it a stronger finished weave.

"Jeeves hand me my 3 iron there's a good chap"

Whoops…this one ain’t from the buying trip but had to sneak it in there. Me top to toe in Nigel Cabourn on a recent golf trip to the west of Ireland. My shoes are some Footjoy Classics..the Tricker’s of golf shoes. I found them on the street after someone threw them away. Hand stitched calf leather! Yes I know I need a haircut but I’ve since shaved it all off to a number 2.

OK back to business. Some pics from my Junya Watanabe buying appointment.

Yes please...I'll one of dem!

This parka is the best piece of the whole collection I reckon!

"Where shall oi put the hay sir"

dungarees were central to this collection. Bargain at £490 a pair!

Finally a beautiful blazer

This is the most beautiful cashmere scarf I have seen in a long time by an Italian brand called One Else. It is meant to feel like a Shatoosh – the softest hair from a Tibetan cashmere goat. Loving the print on it as well. We also have one in camouflage.

Yours truly giving it a little whirl!

Aggy and I went to Spitalfields market last week to see if there was anything interesting and we came across this amazing 1950′s Canadian Airforce Coat. No bargains to be had down there though. Vintage is the new designer

Bit of a dodgy look as I am wearing my bike cleats and glasses. Not the done thing in trendy Shoreditch!

Recently went on a surf trip to South Africa where we had amazing waves for 5 days straight.

Ouch that's gonna hurt

Future Studio 8 Board of Directors

Can I help you?

A piece of fantastic Irish Donegal Tweed I recently fondled

Love this tweed jacket

Sexy and classic Stefania, sleek and sharp Joelle, romantic and ethereal Chantal and an eye catching patent leopard print creation called Margot are all beautifully designed wedges and heels by Opening Ceremony all the way from downtown Manhattan.

Opening Ceremony is an international creative forum that brings together emerging American talent with both young and established designers and artists from abroad to produce some original and unique pieces of clothing, footwear and accessories. So very happy to have them here in Studio 8!

Load of newness comes from another American brand Rag & Bone.



Coats, shirts, bow ties – all handmade in England! We are the first to be stocking this label in the whole bleedin’ universe.

“The Hawthorn racing uniform was complete: dark blue helmet with visor; white shirt with bow tie, covered by a green jacket; driving gloves; white linen trousers which buttoned at the ankles; socks and a pair of battered old brogue shoes. …Only rarely did he ever alter this outfit, once or twice doing without the jacket and occasionally using goggles instead of the visor”

Hawthorn, the legendary racer and a fun loving dapper young man , always raced in his everyday clothes, usually a sports jacket and a tie. Later a bow tie became his trademark, the French called him “Le Papillon” – The Butterfly.

In 1959 his Jaguar skidded off a wet corner and 29-year-old Mike Hawthorn was killed. If not for the unfortunate accident, 83 years old racing hero would probably be getting his shirt and bow tie supplies from Studio 8.

This got me thinking about how my dad used to drive classic Jaguars. In fact he grew up with the Jag factory over his back yard in Coventry. When I was 14 he bought a rare 1963 3.8 litre E-Type in British Racing Blue which originally had been specially built for a duke. It was one of the first 500 ever made.  The brakes were totally useless after a mile but it could accelerate as fast as a Lamborghini. I used to nick it for joy rides when he wasn’t looking.

Here is a piccy of me wearing the AMAZING waxed trench coat. As used in WW11. Alexander Boyd’s head cutter learned his trade at Gieves and Hawkes and his son just came 5th in the world in The Golden Shears competition – the Oscars of tailoring world.

I love Haversack. Go too overboard with it you look like a complete berk! But, to all the guys in the trade it is a standout label and it was first mens label we ever sold at Studio 8. The quality is unparalleled, the detailing superb. It stops everyone in their tracks but so few people buy it as it is a risk. We are going to be stocking it again from AW2011.

He promised me doesn’t dress like this in real life!

At Pitti everyone dresses like a peacock. It’s a fashion show for buyers, by buyers and there are many photographers shooting for blogs, magazines etc. One of the days I was strolling along and thinking to myself…”no one ever takes a picture of me, I’m obviously not cool enough”. Three seconds later a Japanese guy taps me on the shoulder and asks if he can take a picture of my Bedouin bag on my back. So my bum is now more famous than me and somewhere out there in the world there will be a great picture of my back! Oh well…one eats humble pie sometimes.

Nigel Cabourn on his stand chatting with the guys from Eddie Bauer a premium outdoor sporting manufacturer from the USA. Nigel and Bauer have done a collaboration for next AW2011 with some heavy duty luxury parkas. Our SS2011 Cabourn delivery should be in the Studio 8 store very soon.

Wikid outdoor boots by Italian brand Diemme. Had to have ‘em

And last but not least we bought into Engineered Garments. Daiki Suzuki who is a bit of a legend is the designer behind this cult label. I really got excited by this one. Some beautiful detailing and fun ideas.

So besides eating and drinking myself sick on great food and wine I also went for a long run one morning while it was still dark. I ran so far I actually left Florence and ended up in the next town! I thought maybe then it was time to turn back. That’s it for now…Paris next week for Comme des Garcons and Rick Owens and more. Until then..

My father was a professional deep sea diver in the 60′s and 70′s and Enicar was his choice of time keeping instrument in those days. He regularly worked at 600ft under water! Ridiculous…and highly dangerous it was a prized profession amongst ex special forces guys and general crazy people. Enicar was one of the pioneers of Super Compressor watches – watches that are designed to work at extreme pressure and are unique for having an internal rotating bezel which is turned with a separate crown found on the case. This Enicar however is not a Super Compressor but rather a DRIVING watch as it has a tachymetre, which is used for calculating speed over distances.

This Jaeger Lecoultre Polaris Super Compressor is a stunner. They are very rare and only produced about 600 in the 60′s. They then reissued another few hundred in the early 2000′s, but who wants a reissue? Note the internal bezel and external crown.

This watch had the unique feature of being the only automatic diving watch with a mechanical alarm: excellent for being audible underwater as it goes off like an electric toothbrush having a fit. If you manage to find one of these beauties, prepare to be parting with £10,000 or so.

By the way here is a pic of the exact watch my dad used…The Enicar Super Dive. You can see the similarity between the two Super Compressors. Simple clean lines, rugged construction and highly visible markings for working in reduced visibility.

This would have been my dad’s get up for work in those days. Check the 40lbs lead boots

We used to have three or four of these amazing brass helmets lying around in the garage when I was growing up. They were really heavy and claustrophobic. My dad would spend three weeks at a time out on the rigs, would dive using compressed air mixed with helium and often would have to live in a saturation chamber when on board the rig because decompression took around 3 days!

Loadsa room!

It’s just a short step from these dodgy shorts to a horological obsession with Super Compressors.

This is a snap from a shoot we recently did where we decided to put a few looks together. Our model refused to get out of bed for less than £4,000 a day so we could only afford 3 pictures before we risked bankruptcy and eating stale, cotton wool buds for dinner, for the next 3 years. Luckily though, no-one had given her any work for 17 years so for us, she was willing to work for just a little less than the minimum wage (plus stale bread and a cup of recycled PG tips).

We have secured a couple of new labels for next season. You probably won’t have heard of some of them but that’s the whole point – we want to source and introduce you to things your neighbour next door will not have heard of, until they beg you to do that thing which is really hard, unless you are double jointed – reaching around the back of your head and extricating the (handwoven by organic (yes again) Lilliputian mastercraftsdwarves) label and enlightening said nosy neighbour into your heady world of artisanal couture.

you can't afford me dahhling

That said…most of the punters in Primrose spend half their lives in Triyoga doing wheels, bridges and flippinhardasanas anyway so the reverse double pike label twist should all be in a days work. My personal fav (other than Rick Owens the Prince of Darkness) is Gary Graham…you can do your homework here. Gazza has a background in costume design and develops all his own fabrics using vintage materials for each collection. I would put his stuff just a bit above a good plate of egg and soldiers with Marmite.

On another note..our store is looking really beautiful these days. Egle (when she actually comes to work…poor thing is finishing her degree in Spatial Design and is too busy pulverizing her fellow students into the ground with her brilliance) has been doing an amazing job on the windows and in store display. The feedback from visitors to the store has been constant and positive.

Anne Valerie Hash…another label we picked up for SS2011:

To be continued soon I promise…time to don my razor sharp ice skates and find a way home without coming unstuck under the wheels of a jack knifing articulated juggernaut on the way home….

I’m sure you will agree that the appointment of Annabelle was a brilliant idea (see pix) and you can reach her on wizardsgallery@gmail.com

Studio 8 South Africa is pleased to announce that we are offering a lot of exciting new labels – Vanessa Bruno, Etoile by Isabel Marant, Rag & Bone and Acne to name but a few…

and that we have a fabulous ‘secret’ room in store – just follow the yellow brick road to find it.

]]> http://www.studio8darkside.com/fashion-woman/studio-8-johannesburg-gets-a-facelift/feed/ 1 http://www.studio8darkside.com/general/mad-fashion-blog/ http://www.studio8darkside.com/general/mad-fashion-blog/#comments Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:55:30 +0000 admin http://www.studio8darkside.com/?p=433 It’s been three weeks since the last post and we have been super busy at Studio 8. There has been a lot of new deliveries and we are about to have our Autumn Winter launch in Primrose Hill. We have some AMAZING pieces here this season and there is more to come. We also sent out our newly designed newsletter yesterday. Here is a little peek at what is getting us going at the moment:

These will last 100 years at least

Trickers are the oldest shoemakers in the UK. Founded in 1829, these are their legendary, hand made, chunky Stow country boots. These have leather soles and are in the colour espresso brown.

These are a pair of 120 year old fabric shears found in a skip by Simon. They totally inspired him and he has now decided to go and spend some time learning a few tricks from an old East end tailor! On close inspection the scissors were made by a company called Richard Melhuish and Sons established in 1828. They were highly renowned in their day as tool makers and these scissors are probably over 100 years old.

Maybe a spot of sharpening is in order.

Here is an old poster of Melhuish and Sons, he found on the net

Maybe with these scissors we could make one of these rough and ready Heritage Research jackets we have just got into the store. This is the US naval deck peacoat. Love love love! All their products are hand made in England. Horn buttons, Ri-Ri zips (the best in the world) and cotton cambric linings.

Aaah isn't Jack handsome?

You can even shop the latest Heritage Research collection by clicking on this filthy *&^% sign

Moving on…part of Studio 8′s plan to become the best boutique in the world (after Studio 8 Jo’burg..which has just had the most incredible makeover we have ever seen  – more on that in a blog to follow soon) we have hired two new creative/visual merchandisers: Egle from Lithuania and Wakana from Japan.

put this here, hang that there, more to the left, where's my lego set?

Wakana

Loving this bright red Parka by Marithe. It’s called the Baloo. No-one knows how or where they come up with the style names at Girbaud by they can sometimes be pretty imaginative. You can see this parka in more detail by clicking on the finger repository here

We have also had the first half of our Rundholz delivery. The rest of it should be on the way soon. To see what we have had so far you can click here

And finally. We have had a delivery from a new label from Italy called Lost & Found. Their scarves are unbelievable. They are photographs screen printed onto very large pieces of cotton, cashmere and silk. The clothing is dark, mysterious and made from very soft, beautiful fabrics.

You can view the gorgeous Lost & Found by Ria Dunn here

That’s it for now….coming soon: vintage Barbour, Lilith, Comme des Garcons, Acne and more

don’t forget to have a look at many of our latest thingameebobs here

xxxxxxx

If you would like to find out more about Space in Between then click here

Please remember to sign up to the blog to receive notification of the latest posts. Aim your highly trained index finger here to go to the sign up page and enter into the 8Darkside permanently.

This strange square was hanging from the ceiling. It had light shining through it and was strangely hypnotic. The space was terrifying and one could only imagine what it must have been like being down here during bombings. It was also extremely damp.

Any more of the dungeon and I’m scared we might need some Prozac!

If you need cheering up then this should do it

wahoooooo

Until next time….cheers

Simon

So…the point? I have teamed up with a friend of mine called Wendy Meakin, who is a pretty serious watch collector. And she has sourced a few choice pieces for Studio 8 to stock online…not the kind of things you can pick up anywhere. These are mint condition, collectors items (but in the fairly affordable bracket) that suit my taste for the aviator, explorer, Nigel Cabourn thing!

This is a 1940′s nicely faded, stainless steel dato-compax Breitling. Obviously the face is round and not oval (still getting the hang of handling a blog and minimizing photos etc. It has a Valjoux 72 movement that is in perfect working condition.

This one is a lovely Heuer and I have to say is my favourite. It is in such good condition and has a simple, yet beautiful balanced look about it. I also like the moon shaped crescent that frames the day of the month on the outer edge of the dial.

It is also stainless steel and uses the same Valjoux as Rolex. It is a mechanical winding triple calender chronograph and was originally made for the German market hence the days of the week in German. These watches are all now available on our site here

The final piece in this little trilogy is Wendy’s favourite. It is a LeCoultre vintage automatic Memovox, with a mechanical alarm, stainless steel tonneau case. Everything is original on this watch and it is pretty unusual for such a prestigious brand to create such an unusual shape. Makes it a very special piece.

If you look very closely you might even see the reflection of my ugly mug staring back at you in the face of this unlucky design masterpiece!

This is one of the most exciting projects I have been dreamed up in a while…basically cos I LOVE watches. And Wendy is fun to talk with as well, as she is passionate and very knowledgeable on the subject.

To view this amazing Tweed jacket by M Tokyo Japan then click here

This alien jacket by Rick Owens is as well as the tweed above are hanging in our windows at the moment and are stopping passers-by in the street.

Click here if you  would like to view more details and other Rick Owens pieces

Currently we are down in Devon conducting research on the permeability of grass and its capability of storage megalithic quantities of downfall!

Don’t forget to become a face in Fanbook of Studio 8 and you can find us on Twits as Studio8shop

And join the Studio8shop mailing list here to get updated of new products.

More Bedouin bags coming soon at a cinema near you.

Peace

Please feel free to join our online store mailing list to be regularly updated of new arrivals. Click here to join http://bit.ly/bcDzQG ….go on you know you wanna…and we will love you forever. And ply you with Tangfastics when you come and see us! Maybe Nik Naks too (the South African ones obviously as they are the best….and can glow in the dark too).

Another choice piece:

click here to go straight to this well nice cardi innit! It’s even got Go Faster gold stripes! http://bit.ly/dmfc8N

That’s it for now as I have a hangover and need to go for a swim to clear the sawdust out from in between me cauliflower ears! All this bloggin and tweetin’ surely can’t be good for one. Oh yes by the way… I am supposed to tell you to become on a face on Fanbook. I mena a fan on Facebook…we are called Studio8shop and follow us on Twitter as being a Twit is soooo cool doncha know…I guess someone who knew how who add 29 other links now.

Laters

Speaking of which..here’s a piccy of it!

Honestly….Oli makes a crackin’ shirt! The blocks he uses are always great and he throws in little details that give them a difference. All the latest styles of of Oli’s collection can be picked up at www.studio8shop.com

Who you lookin’ at? You lookin’ at me? Oxford cotton button down shirt in burgundy…Man it’s too good

The legendary Marithe X-Bracket jean….this is the most successful pair of jeans we have ever stocked. Straight – kinda skinny cut that suits about 90% of women. Get ‘em while you can cos we can’t get our grubby mitts on any more this season www.studio8shop.com

Another piece we love is this coat. It has fantastic detail on the front but is very classic at the back. So flattering yet obviously making a bit of a statement. A killer coat

The buying team at Studio 8 are always looking for different ways to approach buying. Sometimes we have felt that Girbaud can over-embellish details. This is our minimalist approach to the collection

The Rick Owens Lilies collection is one of three lines that he designs. There is the main line which is full of very fine knitwear, leather, footwear and accessories. DRKSHDW is the denim collection and Lilies is mainly jersey cotton based.

These pieces are all available from www.studioshop.com

Shame the model they use doesn’t look very happy! There’s a DRKSHDW hangin’ over her!

Another great jacket.

North Pole...nah mate....I'm warm as toasty me

Nigel Cabourn actually owns the original Edmund Hillary coat used in the successful attempt on the Everest summit. This parka – his most iconic piece is a replica of that coat using only the best materials. It is filled with duck down, the outer fabric is ventile (a type of densely woven cotton, developed in the 1930′s for military use, it is very light, very durable and breathable, whilst being warm), the hood is coyote trim, sheepskin lined and all the buttons are hand made form wood.

This next jacket is called the Cameraman. It is based on the jacket of the photographer who accompanied Edmund Hillary on Everest. The top half of the jacket is authentic Mackintosh from the famous Scottish outerwear company. The bottom half of the jacket is authentic Harris tweed. Buckles are remakes of WW11 clasps and the buttons are hand made from wood.

If I slide in amongst the apples maybe no-one will see me

Another epic piece we love. The DB Peak from the mainline. Boiled wool, ship captain’s peacoat. View these and more at www.studio8shop.com

Where's my pipe...14 degrees starboard

James is showing some of his drawings next week at the Hannah Barry Gallery, 110 New Bond Street. The exhibition runs from June 23 – August 4.

Much of his artistic inspiration comes from the late, great. American, earth moving inventor Robert Gilmour Letourneau.

Letourneau designed and built some of the worlds largest and most powerful machines used in all kinds of extreme situations, from working in quarries to oil rigs, to (unfortunately) tree crushing and logging.Check this beast out….although strangely there is something beautifully sculptural about it. I know this is a completely random blog – but I am inspired by meeting James

Yummy Mummy’s won’t be parking this beast in Primrose Hill:

Using the pinball action of my brain I then came across this random website http://www.gilbeck.net/scaleday/scaleday-morning.html which gives new meaning to the word Blogger…as it’s Blog by a logger!

Looking at this photo makes me think of all those fantastic images of things in America that you see in movies or on posters: Vending machines, massive trucks

This is a MAN blog!

1. Secret hangout

The Candid Arts Cafe hides just behind Angel tube station in a run down warehouse building. Velvet sofas, Rubenesque ladies on the walls, chocolate cake and wine, can’t get much better than that. A good little secret. Shh…

2. Holiday Hotspot (literally)

Inspired by Iceland Video from Inspired By Iceland on Vimeo.

Although that is what has put Iceland on the map lately, the island is not all about lava spewing volcanoes!

3. Accessories with dual purpose

Create your own percussion instrument with multiple bangles from Roberto Collina. Emily is also wearing Marithe & Francois Girbaud Groove Denim Jacket and Shoechou dress.

4. It is not all about football…

Absolutely stunning photography in this amazing coffee table book by Michael Poliza and friends. A real treat for the eye!

5.  Exciting blog

Tie that scarf around your head this summer! This girl with a flare for vintage certainly knows how to rock that 40′s style!

6. Perfect for those exciting summer dates!

Lovely, traditional pub, The Fox, so close to the busy Shoreditch scene but without the Shoreditch crowds. Check out the secluded roof garden!

7. The smell of leather…

Pure luxury! Leather case for your iPhone from Il Bussetto, great gift for fathers day!

Studio 8 celebrated it’s 5th birthday this weekend and we had a little party to celebrate. Kari being serenaded…something tells me she was enjoying it!

The Laurence duo brought the place to life with 30′s swing music and the whole of Primrose Hill stopped by to listen

“Here you are madam…that will be £45697.69p please…” The lovely Tashi wrapping up someone’s goodies.

These guys were absolutely brilliant

although Toni-Rae may have found them a little scary at first!

saying that….would you trust your daughter with either of these two?

Kari’s beautiful homemade biscuits and muffins. Lots of champagne was consumed…mostly by us!

Thank you to all our customers. Much love. The team at Studio 8

10. Inspiring Location – Mljet Croatia

anyone know where the nearest cashpoint is?

Beautiful remote island of Mljet in Croatia. Odysseus was shipwrecked nearby and spent seven years on the island as the lover of Calypso, daughter of Poseidon, god of the sea.

9. Inspiring Luggage – Calabrese @ www.studio8shop.com

Hand made leather and canvas bags by third generation, family owned Calabrese from Napoli. The workmanship  of all the pieces, from their toiletry bags to the shoppers, totes and doctors bags is stunning. This holdall has been turning heads wherever it is seen.

8. Inspiring Book – Magnum Magnum – www.magnumphotos.com

Magnum is a collective of some of the worlds greatest photographers. This book brings together some of the grand masters and the rising stars in a beautiful edition. Well worth having…

7. Inspiring London Venue – The Willow Shoreditch – www.thewillowshoreditch.com

Scrumptious cakes and stunningly beautiful flower arrangements. Perfectly decadent combo

6. Inspiring Brand for Men – Comme De Garcons

Rei Kawakubo the design genius behind one of the most influential brands in the world  – Comme De Garcons. Studio 8 Shop will be stocking this for AW2010 and this multi-coloured patch jacket is one of the pieces we cannot wait to get our hands on.

5. Inspirational Blogger – Scott Schuman AKA The Sartorialist

The Sartorialist blog has inspired legions of fashion crazed fools to snatch up their Nikon’s and get snapping. Magazines and blogs everywhere now try to emulate Scott’s site and inspiring pics of punters, who have the knack of putting their togs together.

4. Inspiring Figure – Helen Bamber – http://www.helenbamber.org/

A lifetime dedicated to helping others. Her foundation specializes in helping survivors of gross human rights violations, to rebuild their lives.

3. Inspirational Artist -Deborah Turbeville – www.deborahturbeville.com

Genius American fine art photographer. No relation to Tess! We don’t know that much about her, we just love her photos.

2. Inspirational Musician – Bon Iver – www.boniver.org

Sponsored by Gillette

Lives in a hut in the hills (he is fond of the cold). Plays all his own instruments, even builds some of em hisself. Uses bits of junk he finds on the floor for sound effects. His debut album was actually meant to be a demo but was really successful.

1. Inspirational Brand for Women – Rick Owens – www.studio8shop.com

Subversive avante-garde American designer, fits perfectly with direction Studio 8 are moving in. Launches in our store for AW2010. Rick Owens will also be found at www.studio8shop.com

Oli hard at it...

Oli is one of our favourite designers for men. His collections are based on classic tailoring but always with a twist. We decided to interview him for the blog. He has an interesting mix of creative and entrepreneurial skills and is always generous with his knowledge and time…something we find refreshing.

For a bit of fun we decided to do a Q & A. So here goes…

S8: Tell us a little about yourself and how you ended up in fashion?

OS: As a teenager I was totally into sport. I still am for that matter. I have always been quite driven and competitive and at the age of 21, my current business partner and I suddenly came into a huge quantity of really interesting fabrics which we began turning into waistcoats for our mates. It went from there really. I am good visually and have an ability to communicate what I want very well. I am heavily dyslexic which means I operate a lot in the left side of the brain – the creative aspect. I am married with three kids, ride a bike and also own a tailoring business called Favourbrook.

S8: Who or what inspires you?

OS: Paul Weller in the Style Council days. I am on a strong 80′s English and French workwear tip at the moment.

S8: Any particular visual images that spring to mind with regards to the French workwear thing?

OS: The film Roman Holiday

S8: What’s your favourite food and restaurant?

OS: Japanese food, but I love the River Cafe

S8: What do you like most about you work?

OS: Doing what I like to do and working for myself. Being my own boss.

S8: What do you dislike most about your work

OS: Sometimes the cash flow pressures and being frustrated by the governments misunderstanding of how important small businesses are. Things like the increase in PAYE are annoying. We are too heavily taxed as a nation

S8: What’s the fastest you have ever driven a car?

OS: 150mph

S8: (with impressed look on face) Where and what were you driving?

OS: Audi Quattro in Germany

S8: What’s your weirdest trait?

OS: Hmmm? I can’t think of any. I like salami on toast for breakfast. No wait…I’m not happy with that answer. Hmm?

S8: You should definitely add Marmite to that. And a slice of good cheese.

S8: Fav band

OS: Talking Heads

S8: Any advice you would offer to teenagers looking to get started on their career paths as young entrepreneurs?

OS: Always give 100%…and be persistent. ‘The squeaking wheel always get oiled’. If you do something, do it properly and follow it through. If you stay true to yourself you will get ahead.

S8: So we know you have that combination of creativity combined with an entrepreneurial streak. Do you have any weakeness?

OS: My concentration sways quite easily

S8: OK…point taken…this interview’s over!

Find the latest pieces from Oliver Spencer at www.studio8shop.com

I'm sure the zip goes here somewhere...

Lost and Found from Italy….coming next season

Lavender mountain

Acne

World cup warm up

my granny knitted this…not

umm anyone got any reception round here?

the sunset’s the other way mate…I know this is your good side but…

I told you…I like it al dente

Lost and Found for guys….coming down AW2010…down girls!

There must be some fish here somewhere

Rick Owens Lilies…also coming AW2010 to www.studio8shop.com

How do you focus this darn thing

I swear…my boss allows me to come to work dressed like this

The new ‘must have’ accessory

Can one ever get enough of Nigel Cabourn

Likin these…

highwaisted wide leg Rundholz jeans with great wash

My favourite piece...asymmetrical hem detail

www.studio8shop.com

The classic Superga deck shoe

In 1911 in Italy, Walter Martiny began production of the brand he named Superga

In 1925 he included vulcanized rubber soles in his designs and the great Cotu Classic was born. During the war, Superga shoes were employed by the deck hands in the Italian navy due to their fantastic grip. The Cotu Classic has remained the classic throughout the history of the brand and has long been the chosen beach footwear of the Italian people.

Aah beautiful Torino

Superga’s can be washed like your favourite jeans to create your own vibe and it is recommended you wear them without socks! They come in 47 trillion different colours and are made for women, men and bambinis. To shop the latest Superga click on www.studio8shop.com

I recently went to see a show by the theatre company Shunt of which my friend Dave is one of the directors – see www.shunt.co.uk

They are a group of performance artists who produce shows in derelict or abandoned buildings around London. Very industrial. Their work is usually pretty dark and visually confronting, yet inspiring. I loved some of the lighting they used in the play and so decided to do a little experimenting of my own during our last product shoot.

In the next couple of weeks when we get our delivery from Studio Rundholz – a fashion label from the darkside – I think we may take this a few steps further and do a darkside location shoot.

Emily wears: shirt and shorts by Acne, scarf by Oliver Spencer. Available at www.studio8shop.com

I recently got booked for speeding. The first time they ever threatened to put points on my licence! To avoid getting the points, the yellow box speeding men gave me the option of attending a speedsters course in Bristol. After being warned that points on ones licence, greatly increases insurance costs, I decided to attend. It worked out well…

I took my bicycle on the train and ended up having to cycle 10 miles along the river Severn to the course location. Got some nice pics for my troubles. These prints are limited runs and are available fully-framed from www.studio8shop.com

Helen Benigson is a young London artist we have had our eye on recently. She is finishing her Masters at the Slade art school and mixes mediums such as photography, film, food and performance.

Simon recently went down to her latest exhibit in Hoxton, where she had created a cube using transparent butcher’s curtains and using the alias of Princess Belsize Dollar, performed some hip hop. We love some of Helen’s work so much we are going to be selling her art at www.studio8shop.com soon.

At www.studio8shop.com we are mad for Nigel Cabourn.. Until recently, Nigel worked out of an old windmill in Newcastle. But he moved…..to a cricket shed!

Nigel has an archive of incredible vintage military, naval and workwear which he fastidiously reinterprets with modern fabrics and touches, whilst remaining faithful to the original pieces.

Nearly everyone in the fashion industry is watching what Nigel is doing at the moment. Quality is not spared and his Everest inspired collection and Burma collection are unbelievable.

Shop the latest Nigel Cabourn at www.studio8shop.com

This season we are excited to be representing Acne in our stores. This cult Swedish label is really going places. We often try to put our finger on where we think it sits in the market, but it seems to have its own identity: sexy, punk, chic.

Besides the great fashion, the other thing we love about Acne is their chef! During the buying appointments in Paris, he always brings out the freshest food, homemade biscuits and an incredible mint water with bamboo straws. He also does all the flower arrangements and selects all the weird and wonderful sculptures for the showroom.

Shop the latest acne at www.studio8shop.com

Welcome to the new Studio8darkside blog

Here we want to keep you up to date on everything we are getting up to, from buying for www.studio8shop.com to other things we are constantly looking at for inspiration and fun.

We have just returned from a hectic buying trip to Paris. We were there to source many of the labels for Autumn Winter 2010. With Studio 8 going online seriously now, we have really gone for it on the product for the winter season with a far wider selection of what we think are the best labels out there. And now that the Primrose Hill store is really engaged with men’s fashion, as well as women’s, the buying season seems to go on forever!

So welcome, read on, discover and hopefully enjoy yourselves.