Style Scanner: October 2010

I love MEN

The backdrop by artist Celeste dupuy-Spencer kept us entertained while we waited for MEN.

I love that bands who play Glasgow's Captain's Rest always tell you what they've eaten that day. Last night, Brooklyn based MEN informed us they'd had haggis for their dinner... in Livingston. (If I remember correcty, Comanechi tried square sausage, should be taking notes!)

Och what's not to like? Entertaining punky disco reggae with some DEVO-esque antics and a wee sprinkling of jangly New Order at times.

Credit Card Babie$

Ginger Brooks Takahashi (LTTR)

JD Samson (Le Tigre) and Michael O'Neill (Ladybug Transistor).

Turns out John and Fraser are also fans of MEN.

DJ Fraser Bone and JD Samson.

The Captain's Rest bar was fully embracing the spirit of Halloween.

MEN

We Know What You Did Last Night

Tanya and Photographer Chris James.

Chris James really is a prolific photographer, he documents London's club life for his infamous site, We Know What You Did Last Night. We usually cross paths at some point during Fashion Week and after catching up at the Jean- Pierre Braganza after-party, he kindly invited me along to his own LFW party. The party venue was a completely enclosed Soho Churchyard, jam packed with 'fashion workers' and spookily lit mature trees.

Fashion designer Alexandra Groover, who presented this film of her s/s 2011 collection at the event.

"Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before".

When, straight out of the darkness stepped a most familiar face.

It's my friend Mark Dorrian! Over a vodka and cranberry, we start trading our respective fashion week gossip so far. (He'd had a surprise tap on the shoulder at the Pam Hogg show and was hastily ushered into a font row seat!)

Mark made this T-shirt himself. He told me that when his trouser button pinged off earlier in the evening, a well meaning friend made him the offer of a safety pin...

Angela Brandys, BA Womenswear student at London College of Fashion.

Left to right, Mark Dorrian, Carys Hughes, George Scott, Angela Brandys and Samuel Collins.

Phil Dirtbox of Gerry's Bar in Soho, he's also a familiar face at The French House and truth be told, I've been hoping to get a snap of him for a wee while now.

Chris invited guests to have their picture taken in the crypt, it was actually really dark so I wanted to try piggybacking on his powerful flash. It took 12 attempts but I managed it on this one of George and Samuel.

Here's the same shot from Chris' perspective...

Photo by Christopher James weknowwhatyoudidlastnight.com

Come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever seen Chris in daylight, perhaps he does all his picture editing through the day or is simply of a vampiric persuasion. Either way, I have to apologise to him and everyone I met that night for ordering Brandade from the Arbutus pre-theatre menu shortly before arriving, I swear there's a look on everyone's faces in these pictures that gives away what must have been heinous garlic breath. Now you know what I ate that night, sorry.

We Know What You Did Last Night.

Obscure Couture - The Fashion Show

Last Friday night, in a superb catwalk show, Glasgow based label Obscure Couture unveiled their outstanding debut collection "Flesh & Bone" at their new base, The Barras Centre. Each piece is limited edition, hand made and individually numbered.

Founders and designers of Obscure Couture, Lyndsay Pagan and Jenn Coyle put on a super-slick event, kicking off with live performances from Homesick Aldo, Any Color Black and Schnapps while the Halleluwah Hits boys DJ-ed late into the night.

Their shared aesthetic and hard graft has won 'House of Obscurity' a coveted Starter For Six grant. These girls are utterly impressive.

The 25 year olds describe their first collection as being: "Inspired by the exuberance and sickness of the Victorian period with highlights of punk rock rebellion."

An exclusive collection of witty acrylic jewellery has also been created to compliment the collection in a collaboration with Bonnie Bling.

Brilliant in-joke for anyone familiar with 'pattern construction'...

The finale!

A jubilant Lyndsay and Jenn!

Esca, who's just taken over the cafe at The Barras Centre.

Knitwear designer Kaye Springham with her sister Holly. Kaye took care of all the knitted pieces in the collection. The Obscure Couture girls knew she was destined to become part of the team when she turned up with knitted spikes on her biker gloves!