Nomination at Argento

Charm bracelets; lovely idea, totally impractical to wear with their snaggy dangliness. Wouldn't it be nice if someone designed a charm bracelet that incorporated the sentimental angle with clean practical modernism.  Well someone has, an Italian brand called Nomination which is stocked by my lovely friends at Argento.  

First you get a stainless steel starter bracelet which is made up of 19 links, then you start choosing your charms, a huge variety of them in a variety of materials and a variety of prices, you get the picture..  You then swap the charms for the links in the bracelet (a bit fiddly if you have an utter lack of dexterity like me), and hey presto you have a piece of jewellery individually tailored to what is meaningful to you, and no blinking snagging either. 

A lovely idea for a gift to someone special or just to collect yourself because why not?

And here is mine, all the charms I have so far are from the rose gold collection, as are the above.  I have to be honest here I've not taken it off since I got it, it goes with literally EVERYTHING

Cannes

Red carpet fashion normally leaves me cold, the exception to this is Cannes.  All the famous people seem to up their fashion game at Cannes, maybe it's the French influence.  Have a nice scroll through my favourites from this year.  Special shout out to the Chinese girls who absolutely bossed it.  All photos nicked from Vogue BTW.

The Artist is Absent

It seems that these days most people sadly want to be famous, whether they are a chef, a singer or simply for just existing (see The Kardashians and TOWIE et al).  Superstardom is the ultimate raison d'etre.  This is just as true in the fashion world, this is the industry which gave us Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano and Yves St Laurent for crying out loud.  Even the designers who like to keep a low profile, such as Phoebe Philo are idolised, probably even more so for their reticence.  Martin Margiela takes this to a new level.  There is famously only one unverified fuzzy photo of him in the public realm.  Just like Daft Punk, we've never seen his kipper, let alone been party to his life and thought processes. Yoox have made this short film of the hugely talented and enigmatic designer, have a look it's boss.  Oh and no, he still doesn't show his face.

Uterqüe

Occasionally during my incessant trawls through the fashion end of the internet, I come across a brand which genuinely excites.  Uterqüe is one of them, clean and modern with a tight, well thought out offering.  Part of the Inditex Group, owners of the reliable if huge Zara and the increasingly improving Massimo Dutti.  Uterqüe started life as a retailer of jewellery and accessories but now has a ready to wear collection which sells at mid range (High St) prices.  Have a gander if you are after some stunning statement jewellery or basics with a bit of flair and lovely textures.

Argento

Last Friday I was lying in bed with a stonking cold and feeling very sorry for myself, then the postman knocked.  I very grumpily got out of bed to open the door where I was handed a large box.  Back in bed I tore it open to find a bunch of promised goodies by Argento  Now I see all your cynical smirks, I like most bloggers get loads of these emails from PR companies asking for write ups on their products in exchange for some trinkets.  Most of them I ignore because I'm not selling my soul with this blog for a bit of tat.  Those that make it through you can guarantee have impressed me and that why I am now going to sing the praises of Argento and encourage you chaps to click on their website to have a look.

Argento is a veritable cornucopia for jewellery and watches.  Brands include Pandora, Michael Kors and Hot Diamonds, but they also stock smaller brands that cover all tastes and prices.  I dare you to go on here and not find a ton of items which you will then spend the rest of the evening day dreaming about.  Special mentions goes to the Argento collection, pretty nice I must say and reasonable prices and then there are the Olivia Burton watches.  I'd like all of them please.

Olivia Burton Midi White and Navy Watch £70.

Argento Lapis Double Ring £20

 Argento Pull Through Leaf Earrings £15

A Belated Transmitting Andy Warhol

Well first of all apologies for my tardiness in getting this blog post up, two months in fact, that's quite good for me really.  Now if you have forgiven me can I wish you all a happy, prosperous and stylish new year?  OK now that's out the way shall we have a little look at what Tate Liverpool currently have on show until the 8th February?  It's only the first major solo exhibition in the North of England of the master of popular culture himself Andy Warhol!

You would be hard pressed to find anyone in Britain who has not heard of Andy Warhol, recognises his screen prints or uses the quote 'In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes'.  It was his belief that art should be for everyone, and from my way of thinking this was his greatest achievement.  He was instrumental in finding new ways to spread art, via his paintings, film, Interview magazine and most intriguingly lifestyle.  The Factory was one of the most iconic hangouts of not just the 1960s but the 20th Century.  Frequented by a vast array of people from all backgrounds, it gave birth to the Warhol Superstars and one of the most influential bands of all time, The Velvet Underground.  All were ways in which he democratized art.  Using easily recognisable images, and serial repetition 'transmitted' his ideas into the public consciousness.

The exhibition is not just a display of these well known paintings, there is a vast array of the other media which shows the breadth of his work.  The most special for me is the recreation of the Exploding Plastic Inevitable.  As a youngster I wanted to be Edie Sedgwick, all leotards and big earrings.  I devoured anything I could get my hands on which related to her and the Factory, which was not easy in those pre internet days.  I would have given several digits to have experienced the 'total art' environment, to have seen the Velvets live and to have lived that debauched glamorous lifestyle.  Now on a November evening down at the Albert Dock I got my chance, and it was boss.

I will leave you with some of the great man's quotes which I hope will leave you both smiling and thinking.

"My fascination with letting images repeat and repeat, or in films case 'run on', manifests my belief that we spend much of our lives seeing without observing".

"I think everybody should like everybody".

"Art is what you can get away with".

"Isn't life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves".

"I have Social Disease.  I have to go out every night.  If I stay home one night I start spreading rumours to my dogs".

Transmitting Andy Warhol is on till 8th February 2015 at The Tate Liverpool, go you won't regret it.