"VERY MACHINE-A..."

The man behind the machine, owner of MACHINE-A, Stavros Karelis, who had just told me "It's not Fashion Week until I've seen you Marina".
Awe, the feeling's completely mutual Stavros (yes this is a total love-in and I'm making no apologies!). He then confides that something really exciting's being planned for the business... but more of that later.

Image via MACHINE-A

It's only two years ago that MACHINE-A (Digitaria) popped up, totally left-of-centre, in an old tailor's shop in Soho and quickly blindsided everyone with its conceptual, imaginatively curated yet utterly intelligent fashion. Even Lady G's now a fan.

Designer clothing should look unlike anything else, forget 'pretty', it should be relevant and meaningful and thought provoking and challenging... Think that's why I have such a soft spot for MACHINE-A, both the shop and the extended collective of emerging talent. Can't articulate precisely why but this shop gives me a flutter of excitement in the pit of my stomach.

Like everyone else, I'm still struggling to 'label' the brand's unique sense of editorship - this pleases me greatly because that's the point.
"Oooh, very MACHINE-A" was the best I can do. Coincidentally and completely independently, lovely Michael at Anastasia and Duck blog recently used that very same expression! 

I'll eat my Lina Osterman studded collar if this isn't a Charlie Le Mindu haircut. The hair architect does a regular pop-up salon in the MACHINE-A shop.

What other independent boutique has a shop front like this? Piers Atkinson for MACHINE-A starring Aaron Frew.

Can now reveal that secret... As of today, MACHINE-A also have an ONLINE shop!!! Styled by the inspirational Anna Travelyan, click the image below to see the site.

Lots more MACHINE-A people and pics still to come...

MACHINE-A Soho shop
MACHINE-A Online shop

Spotted @ Somerset House - London Fashion Week

Look who I bumped into at on Menswear Day at Somerset House...It's Stavros Karelis and Paul Joyce from the Digitaria party the night before, looking as fresh as daisies. Sweet Jesus these guys are professional.

Style Scanner @ Digitaria London Fashion Week Party

This is Stavros Karelis, Creative Director of Digitaria, the designer boutique, gallery and performance space in what was a tailor's shop in Soho.

Karelis, in collaboration with Greek fashion designer Eleftheria Arapoglou, launched the Digitaria label. Given the success of the Athens showroom, they've now brought the concept to London. Performance artist Scottee is the current curator.

Digitaria also work with lots of talented new designers and help them to promote their collections. Garments can be made to measure and designer collaborations abound.

In the silver jacket beside Stavros is stylist Paul Joyce who is the buyer for Digitaria

Yes it's Johnny Blue Eyes.

Scarlett forgave me for not knowing who she was...whoops!

This headpiece was extraordinary and I'm kicking myself for not trying it on, it even has blinkers for God's sake. I'm sure I heard someone say the plume is real human hair which can be dyed. Pieces like this are a stylists dream. Just imagine, boring & boring have asked you to style their next ad campaign for a good few pony, you normally "only do editorial stuff" but what the hell, it's a bit quiet this time of year anyway. Stick this on the model wearing the company's best selling (most boring) 'hacking jacket' and things start to get a bit exciting.

This freaky Wallpaper was designed by illustrator James Unsworth.

Hope you stuck some mothballs in there Scottee!

I tried the pom-pom headband on, just in case it was fabulous on me. See below for the general consensus...

No shortage of hospitality in the basement either, Paul mixes up some crazy Thai cocktails to get the creative juices flowing - that's the second time I've encountered a graffiti wall in 2 weeks, didn't see that coming or I'd have practiced!

I've always found the fabric shops on Berwick Street really helpful and friendly, I'm normally pestering them down the phone from Glasgow - " When you say 'ivory' is that like a 'creamy ivory' or more a 'cool off white'?...great, and can you get that to Glasgow by tomorrow A.M.?" They always do. So I shouldn't have been at all surprised that this collective, who've made Berwick Street their base, was one of the friendliest and forthright I'd encountered in fashion for a while. Not at all cynical or 'distant' like some of the bigger names at fashion week. Very refreshing.

Not sure if it was the Thai cocktails or the 'buzz' from all those marker pens but the sentiment was there, right?

I took some film for atmosphere.

σας ευχαριστώ για τη φιλόξενη μεταχείριση

(Thank you for your hospitality Digitaria)

Digitaria

60 Berwick St

Soho

London

WIF 8SU