Wow a chance to blog. I am so excited. I have been telling Karen that we had to do this and now we have an audience for our words. We never run out of ideas and this is a great vehicle to voice our opinions from both sides of the Atlantic. How Great!
The summer months here in London have proved both creative and inspiring. As well as beginning ideas on the new collections -- I have been kept very busy! In July, I travelled to both Poland and Italy. I was honoured to serve as a juror at two fashion events -- the Warsaw Fashion Street Awards and the ITS Awards in Trieste.
While in Warsaw I was surprised and delighted to receive an award for Erickson Beamon's contribution to fashion. The ITS Awards (International Talent Support Awards) are a global design competition spanning fashion, accessories and photography. This year a jewellery category was added for the first time and partnered by Swarovski Elements, who provided the crystals for the finalists' pieces. I enjoyed the experience very much and was inspired to see such talent in our young designers.
My next trip was a little closer to home -- the Port Eliot Festival in beautiful Cornwall! Known as the "festival of ideas," this highly regarded literary festival is an annual celebration of creativity! Now in its 9th year, it attracts an incredible array of performers and creatives from high-profile names to local talent. I was asked by Sarah Mower to participate in the wardrobe department alongside fellow fashion folk Stephen Jones, Anna Sui, Luella Bartley and Meadham Kirchoff. My "Trash to Treasure" master class proved so popular we had to instigate crowd control!
Friends often ask me to rework pieces they have grown bored of or inherited. My workshop showed how to re-work old pieces slightly to create a new, fresh look. Port Eliot was an amazing weekend -- with so many interesting things going on. I loved wandering around watching events unfold before me and look forward to returning next summer.
I had a quick dinner with Hamish from American "Vogue" as he was passing through London with Mario Testino on their way to Ibiza. The great press coverage we have received in August and September's British "Vogue" is also exciting. The August issue featured a stunning portrait of Kate Moss shot by Mario Testino and Lucinda Chambers.
Kate wears a pair of earrings from our Autumn Winter collection "Eclectic Moghul." The September issue features our "Victorian Voodoo" ring on the front cover as well as credits in Mario and Lucinda's stunning story -- "Master Class."