Thursday, 14 January 2010

Research

Despite a fresh fall of white stuff yesterday morning (anyone else sick of it by now?) I pulled on my thermals and fur lined boots and ventured out on the train to London where I met Vintagerockchick. We were off for a visit to the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey. Not a fun day out you understand... purely research for my fashion module. The current exhibition (open until 24th Feb) is about Foale and Tuffin, young 1960s fashion designers... and I can thoroughly recommend it for anyone with a remote interest in Fashion.

Lots of lovely original fashion drawings by Sally Tuffin.

Lots of exhibits of the clothes, like this fabulous lace dress. Gill and I both thought we'd love to wear it until we really thought it through... scale up the size to fit us and we'd look like a pair of lace curtains...mmmm, maybe not then.

Upstairs they have recreated their workroom with the original cutting tables, sewing machine, paper patterns and sample books.

I especially liked the boxes of buckles under the work benches.

But my favourite thing of all... this gorgeous knitted jacket designed by Marion Foale. I would have loved it anyway but the fact that it's called the Gina Jacket... well, it's clearly made for me don't you think?

I loved this detailing that creates the shaping. After a rather posh bowl of soup in a fancy coffee house on Picadilly we ventured up Regent Street... to do a little more fashion research of course! And it would have been foolish not to have checked out the new Anthropologie shop wouldn't it?

We were amazed by this whole wall (spanning all three floors) of living plants. I personally thought it looked like an ingenious solution to a damp problem.

And there were a whole collection of these amazing chandeliers made from old plastic bottles. In fact the whole shop was amazing. I don't usually enjoy shopping but I could have spent hours browsing around this shop. And I couldn't leave without just one tiny purchase...


I fell in love with this printed and embroidered tea towel. Stupid price for a tea towel but I don't think I'm going to use it for drying dishes. So after such a fun packed day of research... I've now got to get back to my workroom for some serious work!
It was a great day out Gill... thank you!

30 comments:

karen said...

Oh I LOVE those tea towels and bought myself one in America. They are so gorgeous It took me ages to choose. Don't use mine for drying dishes either!!

Jodie said...

I think I need to do some research ......

Mavis said...

Just a thimbleful.....

Oh I love that place, I feel another visit looming to make full use of my rail card. I bet we have all got a pile of special tea towels we do not dare to use, but like all fabric, it is nice to gloat over and stroke!

Menopausal musing said...

Anthropologie is on my "hit list" for next visit to London..... sigh........ Are you feeling the teatowel envy flying through the ether? YOU SHOULD BE! :O)

Jan said...

Yes I too am fed up with the white stuff ,you were brave ventuing up to the 'smoke' for the exihbition ,it looked exciting ,thankyou for sharing ,anmd yes the red jacket is delightful ..love Jan xx

Katy said...

I love that store too - the wall of plants is amazing!!!

Penny said...

What a great day out! I want that chandelier...

island sweet said...

i first discovered anthropologie in n.y a couple of years ago and now there is one in toronto - a little closer to home. i'll be revisiting it when i return there in march. love it when shopping can actually be inspiring and not just annoying. and inspiration is free!

Chrissie said...

Gosh Gina, the sacrifices you make in the name of research!

JuliaB said...

I need to go there ... SOOOON!!! xx

Textile Art Showcase said...

The Anthropologie shop looks very interesting and well worth a visit!
I have visted the fashion and textile museum several times when Zandra Rhodes owned it. We were not allowed to take any photos of any exhibits - it was really nice that you were able to. I hadn't realised that it still had exhibitions that were open to the public. I will have to keep my eye on their website.

vintagerockchick said...

It WAS a lovely day wasn't it. I really enjoyed the day out and your company. And, following the comments from Karen and Mavis, maybe us bloggers should have a show-and-tell on the theme of "Tea Towels I will never use".

Julie said...

Love the T towel and the little red jacket. Anthropologie looks well worth a visit.

Thimbleanna said...

Sounds like a perfect day out Gina. And that red sweater IS amazing. Could you work out the details and post a pattern for us? ;-)

wonderwoman said...

what a fun way to do research - must see that store on my next visit to London!

xxx

jennyflower said...

What a lovely day out! The tea towel is amazing- let's call it a wall hanging? x

pebbledash said...

What a great day out in the name of research. I used to have some Marion Foale leggings - the most flattering leggings ever. I used to be quite 'with it'. A dim and distant memory!
What are you going to do with that gorgeous tea towel?

silverpebble said...

Oh what an enjoyably virtuous day you both spent. Goodness, that exhibition looks truly fabulous - back in the days of yore I was rather interested in the 'f' word. The designs must have been so exciting to see!

Your teatowel. Oh your teatowel. I can quite understand why you had to give it freedom. I need to train our garden robin to do that.

Heather said...

You couldn't dry dishes on a cloth as lovely as that! What a super day out. That red jacket is gorgeous and I love the wall of plants. I never imagined that plastic bottles could be made into something so attractive as that chandelier. Pity our ceilings aren't higher!

Angela said...

Sounds like a wonderful day. I'm with you I think the Gina jacket is gorgeous.

Robin Mac said...

Ooooh, I wish I wasn't on the other side of the world. Your day of research sounds just fabulous. I love the red jacket and of course you couldn't possibly dry dishes with that tea towel! Cheers, Robin

pam said...

Wow sounds like great day out - the red jacket is super - Who uses Tea towels whats wrong with dishwashers!

Moogsmum said...

I just love the Anthrologie shop. Had a lovely browse in there with Mrs Pebble and Trashy and came home with the most gorgeous cup for my morning coffee.

The exhibition looks fab - especially the 'workroom'. I think you're going to enjoy researching this module :)

xxx

Lucy Locket-Pocket said...

Oh! That tea towel! It's gorgeous!!! Lucy x

Jacky said...

I couldnt have resisted that tea towel either...so beautiful and what a little treasure.
The chandeliers made from recycled plastic bottles are amazing too.
Great day out by the looks!

Jacky.

PinkCat said...

What a fab day out! I keep meaning to go to the museum as it looks so interesting. The tea towel is great. I do wonder how people get the idea to make something so ordinary interesting! x

Miaou said...

oooh, looks like a wonderful time was had! I particularly love the vintage fashion plates and the bottle chandelier (and the teatowel looks divine!)

Pomona said...

I am so glad that you are warm again - I only wish I were! The Anthropologie shop sounds amazing, as does the museum, which I did not know about.

Pomona x

Sandra Scott Textile Artist said...

What fantastic times you have, I can't wait to see what you will create next. Great tea towel!

Sherri Levek said...

Oh, I really like your blog! Anthropologie is awesome, isn't it? I can't tear myself away, either, when I visit. The displays, the products, the inspiration--so dreamy! They have a catalog available to order on their website--it, too, is filled with great pictures and inspiration.
*Sherri*