I was reminded today of a great photographer that I haven’t thought about for a while — Inge Morath. You might know her best for this picture;
But there’s more to her work than llamas and taxis, honest.
The Austrian photographer started out life as a journalist, but during a holiday in Venice she picked up the camera herself, and a glittering career as a photographer followed. There’s more to it than that, but if you want the history lesson you can read it elsewhere.
The friend who reminded me of Morath’s work was talking about how she intended to take inspiration from these ladies this week;
Personally, I’m planning on channeling this young lady. Mask and all.
Tomoko Igarashi is a designer I came across in New York a few years ago, and who I promptly fell a little bit in love with. I’m so predictable, I know. Wap a skull on something and I’m all for it, but there you go. It makes me easy to buy for, right?
Anyway, every now and then I think about buying some more Tomoko, but it’s nye on impossible to buy any of her stuff anywhere. She does have a website, but apart from being a little tricky to navigate, it doesn’t appear to have any suggestions of where to buy. I’ve come across a couple of boutiques flogging odd pieces, but there’s nowhere consistently selling stuff. Maybe Tomoko is no more? I have no idea. I hope not! Still, until she ups her game and starts selling regularly in one place, at least I have these pieces to lust over.
In the run up to New York Fashion week, it’s come to my attention that yet another party I should be attending isn’t going to be happening… Cast your eyes, if you will, over this motley crew (I still struggle to not spell that Mötley Crüe);
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Yes, that’s a party hosted by Chloe Sevigny, sponsored by MAC, in association with Self Service Magazine, with a guest appearance by the Slits. And no, I’m not invited. Considering I’m obsessed with all of the above to at least slightly deranged level, I’m offended.
Assuming you’ve been missed off the guest list too, appease yourself with this;
Whenever people ask me who my style icon is, I respond Ronnie Spector. This is largely because a lot of people don’t know who she is, and it makes me sound cool. It’s also because no matter how nicely dressed they are, Audrey Hepburn, Gwen Stefani and Carrie Bradshaw are pretty cliché answers. But the main reason I answer with Ronnie is because she’s my hero.
If I’m being brutally honest, I don’t think I’d wear much of Ronnie’s wardrobe. Not because it’s not totally bitchin’, but because mini-skirts and leggings are not things I choose to adorn myself with. Still, Ronnie does it with sass, and indeed class. To educate the uneducated, Ronnie, or Veronica to give her her proper name, was the lead singer of the Ronettes. If you’re unfamiliar with them, what’s wrong with you? They’re only the baddest (by which I mean, uh, goodest) girl band of all time.
When they launched in the 60s they were pretty revolutionary – the first really successful all-girl group, they were also widely regarded as the bad girls of pop. With towering beehives, caked-on black eyeliner and the miniest of mini skirts, they had the look perfected, but they also had the attitude to match. Pop culture fans take note; Ronnie and the gang were the first female vocalists to sing in the first person about sexxxin – that is to say that instead of singing about how their desired young man might be feeling, they told us just what they wanted, and how they were going to get it.
Don’t be afraid baby,
Ya know I’m gonna give it to you.
… Stretch out your arms, little boy, you’re gonna get it
However the real reason Ronnie is a hero is her lifestyle. She survived an incredibly (physically and mentally) violent marriage to Phil Spector, reinvented herself as a heavy metal singer, and was best buddies with Joey Ramone. What a gal!
And finally; here’s a clip of Ronnie and the girls performing at their (long deserved!) induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame last year. Still rockin’!
My taste in jewellery is, like my taste in most things, a bit all over the place. One of my favourite designers is Bittersweets, who I originally came across back in NYC. My favourite pieces by them have always been the more sinister pieces, and when I discovered Toy Me’s collection this week, I felt the same foreboding feelings of fancy. Maybe it’s because I’m a lover not a fighter? I rarely ever raise my voice, let alone get physical — perhaps this a way of living out my inner Patrick Bateman fantasies? Anyway, Bittersweets and Toy Me are not alone in their weaponry collections — in fact there’s very similar looking pieces popping up all over the place…
Toy Me Sterling Silver Trapper Bracelet, $382, 80spurple.com
Bittersweets NY Sterling Silver Dagger Earrings, $80, bittersweetsny.com
Bittersweets NY 14k Gold Sword Necklace, $425, as before
Girlprops Dagger Pendant (looks familiar), $5.99, girlprops.com
He’s a brilliant illustrator, who is perhaps most famous to the likes of us for Jimbo (above). Jimbo is the ultimate punk cartoon character, with his Henry Rollins biceps (swoon) and buzz cut. Jimbo made his debut in hardcore ‘zine, Slash, and it’s there that I first saw him. Although I should make clear that I didn’t see Jimbo for the first time in 1979, when this cover first appeared. I’m not quite that old. Nevertheless, this cover is one of my favourite pieces of art, particuarly Jimbo’s speech bubble. For the less eagle eyed, our hero is informing us that, ‘The World Don’t Deserve This Good of a Magazine!!!’ When I was putting together my MA magazine, Jimbo was my wallpaper, and his message (probably) spurred me on. One day, I will suck it up and pay the $100 this edition of Slash costs. Until then, here’s a little look at some of Panter’s other work, which I have spent most of today perving over.
And check out these totally trippy children’s rooms that he created!
A couple of months ago a reader asked me for advice on vintage shopping in my hometown of Sheffield. I finally returned to the motherland this weekend and took the opportunity to do a bit of shopping… all in the name of research. Sorry for the shit pictures, people in Sheffield seemingly get weirded out [...]
Hi guys! This page got deleted when I moved over from my old blog but after some extraction work down at the coal face, it’s back in its rightful home. This guide is now… several years old so undoubtedly some stuff is out of date and I guess a lot of places will have closed. [...]
