It’s London Fashion Week next month and an off-schedule fashion show will feature emerging and independent designers from across the globe. The line-up includes Amato Couture (recently commissioned by Heidi Klum to design a range for Germany’s Next Top Model), Jonathan Liang (awarded the Most Promising Malaysian Designer accolade) and Mr Lipop (as featured on Project Catwalk).

I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to Furne One of Amato Couture about preparing for catwalk shows, his influences and design inspiration.

“I’m a hands on kind of a person, so I collaborate closely with everyone involved, from the choreographer, hair and make-up, lights people, set / stage designers to make sure I get the desired effect that would complement the look and feel of my designs. Also, I pay special attention to music that will be used. I select the songs myself, as well as various audio enhancements. Every aspect should work together as a single unit to produce a great catwalk show.”

Furne draws inspiration from some unlikely sources including music, films, gothic art and vintage images. But what happens when the inspiration stops flowing? “I suppose every kind of artist experiences a ‘block’ of some sort every now and then. Based on my experience, whenever I get one of these creativity block attacks, I travel. I immerse myself in the sights and varied cultures that I see and experience. Sooner or later, the block just goes away.”

Amato Couture’s latest collection is inspired by England’s golden age and the reign of Elizabeth I. “I have noticed that I am mostly influenced by strong women,” explains Furne. “And by that, I mean either real life historic ones or ladies created by pop culture. I suppose I share some kind of kinship with them.” The silhouettes are classics and structured, and the overall look and feel is grand and majestic. A palette of soft and light earthy tones have been used, with intricate embroidery beadwork, crystal embellishment and hard painted images.

Tickets to the catwalk show are £20 each and include a champagne cocktail on arrival and a goody bag bursting at the seams. Tickets are limited to the public and so make sure you book soon to avoid disappointment.

What: A La Mode International London Fashion Week Show
When: Friday 17 and Saturday 18 September at 7.30pm
Where: Charing Cross Hotel, London
Book Online: www.lagenevenorthevents.co.uk/alamodeschedules2010.html

The next Levenshulme Craft Fair takes place on 14th August at Levenshulme Library. This is just round the corner from where I live. I love it when that happens.

Eight local designer makers (four in the morning and four in the afternoon) will be selling their wares and providing craft demos. The library will pick out relevant books that demonstrate each of the craft techniques on display.

Products for sale will include jewellery, cards, paintings, marmalade, soap, bags and clothes.

What: Levenshulme Craft Fair
When: August 14th from 10 ’til 1 and 2 ’til 4
Where: Levenshulme Library, Cromwell Grove, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 3QE
More Info: Levenshulme Craft Fair Facebook Page

Making zines became a mass movement in the 1970s, inspired by the DIY ethos of the punk movement and the arrival of cheap photocopying. Zinemaking has now become an affordable way for artists and writers to self-publish their work.

With sites like Etsy and Folksy bringing the DIY word to a new generation of creatives, there’s never been a better time to try zinemaking for yourself. Zinemakers and illustrators Marceline Smith (Asking For Trouble) and Jen Collins (hellojenuine) will host a relaxed and informal zine workshop at Welcome Home this Sunday for anyone who wants to find out more. They’ll give you the lowdown on zinemaking, answer your questions and help you make your own mini zine. You can also browse a selection of zines from the last 20 years or buy some contemporary zines and self-published books from Welcome Home’s special display.

What: Glasgow Craft Mafia presents – Zine Workshop
Where: Welcome Home, 19 Keith Street, Glasgow G11 6QQ – www.welcomehomestore.co.uk
When: Sunday 8 August 2010, 2pm-4pm
Cost: Free Entry
More Info: Email Marceline at hello [at] askingfortrouble [dot] org

I wish I lived a little closer to Glasgow. I’d definitely go along to this.

Made in Newcastle is collective of around 20 independent designers, makers and artists. In just a month they have transformed a four storey empty store into a thriving pop-up shop / gallery in the heart of Newcastle.

Primarily a retail area, Made in Newcastle offers a good selection of work by local designers / makers. It boasts an informal meeting area, exhibition space and a generous workshop area for creative events, workshops and classes.

“We have loads of interesting workshops and events planned for the next six months,” said illustrator / designer Lucy Farfort. “Including Leona Baker founder of the cult brand Lady Luck Rules OK attending to give her Trade Secrets Talk in August.”

She went on to talk about the shop decor, “We didn’t have enough money in our budget for the shop furnishings so each member of the collective provided a piece for display purposes. This has resulted in the fittings and furnishings being an eclectic mix of found, reclaimed and charity shop bought goods, which work together beautifully. For example we have a baby blue vintage till which was found thrown out lying in a back alley.”

Made In Newcastle can be found at 22 Nun Street, Newcastle City Centre, NE1 5AQ and is open Tuesday to Saturday. For more information visit www.madeinnewcastle.blogspot.com.

On a rainy Saturday afternoon jewellery makers, designers and small business owners gathered in Fred Aldous’ basement studio, to listen to Lady Luck Rules OK owner Leona Baker share the secrets of her success.

From 2003 to 2010 Lady Luck Rules OK led the way in pop art jewellery, winning admiration from press and shoppers around the world. In a humorous and inspiring three-hour session, Leona talked us through her years as a jewellery designer, from her early days on Portobello Market to the opening of her Brick Lane shop and studio, Superette. A display of LLROK jewellery through the years provided examples and visual references.

Topics covered included building and running a small creative business, dealing with PR, selling online, wholesale, manufacturing and trade shows. About half way through we were treated to a demonstration of Lady Luck’s production methods and each attendee got to make their own printed necklace.

The afternoon flew by and we received a surprising amount of information. Talking to a few of the attendees after the event, the mood was high and the consensus was that the it had been a useful and inspiring few hours.

What wasn’t covered in the talk but came across through Leona’s examples was her sheer determination, enthusiasm and minute attention to detail. Working into the early hours, continually revising and updating production methods, rejecting sample after sample until the result was worthy of LLROK shoppers are qualities that can’t be taught. But hopefully a little of her dogged determination rubbed off.

Lady Luck Rules OK closed earlier this year. To find out what Leona does next follow her on Twitter.

And for the tour the next stop is Birmingham. To view all venues and book your ticket visit www.ladyluckrulesok.com.

Today sees the launch of Life in a Day, an attempt to capture one day on earth, on film. A sort of video time capsule. The director is Kevin Macdonald. The producer is Ridley Scott. The film maker could be you.

On 24 July you’re invited to capture a snippet of your day on film. You then have until 31 July to upload this to the Life in a Day YouTube Channel. The most distinctive and compelling footage will be produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin Macdonald as part of a global user-generated feature film.

The film will premier at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2011. If you make it to the final cut you’ll be credited as a co-director and you could be one of the 20 contributors brought to the film festival with Kevin Macdonald.

Ridley Scott on Life in a Day

Kevin Macdonald on Life in a Day

For further information and full guidelines check out the Life in a Day YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/lifeinaday.

Following the success of cult indie brand, Lady Luck Rules OK, and her subsequent sell out talks and workshops, Leona Baker is hitting the road to share her coveted techniques and trade secrets with the crafty folk of the UK. At five different venues Leona will provide oodles of inspiration and a wealth of knowledge to help you transform your ideas into designs.

Topics covered will be how to start, run and grow an independent creative business; how to successfully sell online; PR, marketing and social media; wholesale and trade shows and how to deal with the tough stuff like competitors and copycats. Leona will also reveal her unique production methods and cover the importance of sampling, working with manufacturers, where to source and practical tips on how to achieve the best results.

Leona’s London talks and workshops have been attended by a wide variety of people from artists, graphic designers and illustrators to jewellery designers and boutique owners. Students have travelled from as far as Paris and Italy to attend the events. Check out some of the reviews here.

The first event takes place in Manchester and is run in association with Indie Quarter – yay! I’ll be there too so come and say hello.

What: Jewellery Workshop and Trade Secrets Talk
Times: 2pm ’til 5pm

Saturday 17th July, Fred Aldous (with Indie Quarter) – Manchester Bookings

Sunday 1st August, the Custard Factory (with Creative Open Workshops) – Birmingham Bookings

Saturday 21st August, Bristol Folk House (with Soma Gallery) – Bristol Bookings

Sunday 22nd August, Norwich Art Centre (with Cherry Cherry) – Norwich Bookings

Saturday 28th August, Made in Newcastle (with Newcastle Craft Mafia) – Newcastle Bookings

Sunday 29th August, Aunty M’s Cake Lounge (with Made in the Shade) – Glasgow Bookings

These events will sell out quickly so don’t delay!

It’s fascinating to watch an artist work. On Tuesday I went along to Manchester Craft and Design Centre to see Debbie Smyth installing her exhibition, Threadbare.

I was intrigued to find out how she creates her beautiful thread work and the processes she goes through. As you can probably imagine a lot of research goes into each installation. Photographs are taken and sketches prepared. The final sketches are projected onto the space before she begins adding pins and thread to reconstruct the scene. The process is painstaking and meticulous and the result is stunning. Images jump off the wall, bringing characters and landscapes to life.

In the following video Debbie talks about the exhibition and her work.

Further Information

www.debbiesmyth.blogspot.com
www.craftanddesign.com/exhibitions/debbiesmyth
www.project-ten.co.uk
http://curatedplace.wordpress.com

Manchester Craft and Design Centre is launching an intriguing and fascinating new exhibition, called Threadbare, on July 3.

Textile artist Debbie Smyth was awarded the inaugural Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair award back in October, when she was chosen from 140 other designer-makers. Her prize was the chance to exhibit her work at MCAD for four months.

Kate Day, director of Manchester Craft and Design Centre, said: “We selected Debbie’s work because her technique is so original, and the images have an infectious energy about them.

“Her fresh use of materials brings a new dimension to the centre’s exhibition programme, as she blurs the boundaries between textiles / installation / contemporary art practice.

“I’m really excited about her wall installation based on street scenes around the Northern Quarter created especially for the show.”

Debbie uses pins to plot very precise points and joins them with thread. After two recent trips to Manchester to take photographs and make sketches, Debbie’s work in Threadbare will take its inspiration from the Northern Quarter’s urban landscape.

Debbie, who lives and works in Cheltenham, said: “Visiting Manchester is always hugely inspirational for me and exhibiting with MCAD is the perfect opportunity to showcase my fascination with Manchester’s Northern Quarter. By capturing the charm of the mundane streetscapes with the simplest of materials – pins and thread – I hope to give my installation the buzz and life of its unique surroundings.”

The exhibition opens on Saturday July 3. However, visitors will be able to come to the Craft and Design Centre and see Debbie installing her work, from Monday June 28 to Friday, July 2, from 10.30am to 5.30pm.

There will be an opening event on Saturday, July 3 from 2-4pm, with live music from up and coming singer / songwriter Jo Rose, free refreshments and the opportunity to help Debbie add the finishing touches to the installation.

And if you want to learn more about Debbie’s techniques, join the masterclasses on Saturday, September 4 and Saturday, October 9 from 10 ’til 4.

What: Threadbare
Exhibition Dates: July 3 to October 30, 2010
Installation: Monday June 28 to Friday, July 2, from 10.30am to 5.30pm
Opening Event: Saturday, July 3 from 2-4pm
Masterclasses: Saturday, September 4 and Saturday, October 9, 10-4pm
Where: Manchester Craft and Design Centre, 17 Oak Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 5JD
More Info & Bookings: www.craftanddesign.com

More on Debbie Smyth: http://debbiesmyth.blogspot.com

This September Angel will be transformed into an eclectic hotbed of creativity for three days as Fashion Diversity pops-up.

Now in its third year, Fashion Diversity returns with a new edge, new partner and a new and exciting venue! Several designers will join the showcase with catwalk shows and pop-up boutique spanning the three day event where London Fashion Week meets the London Design Festival. Expect catwalk shows, boutique, frock exchange, honorary awards and the Student & Graduate Competition final.

What: Fashion Diversity
When: 16 to 18 September 2010
Where: Islington Metal Works, 7 Torrens Street, London, EC1V 1NQ
More Info: www.londondesignfestival.com