Wow Magazine

Thanks to my girls at Wow for this and to Mat for taking the pictures!

Tina Kalivas

I was hoping to take these pictures under blue skies or the pale pastel perfection of a London sunset, a bluesy piano and lazy “Summertime” vocals floating in the air. Instead I had to deal with the unpleasantness of a typically unsettled English weather: sun, wind and rain battling with each other incessantly. Well, it was wild and it was messy but I had fun. The motivation was definitely there. The idea was simply to show a Tina Kalivas piece I own and adore. If you read this blog, you’ll already know that I’m a huge fan of her work. I love the way her clothes always evoke a certain complexity and fragility while looking exquisite. A close friend of mine always refers to her garments as glorious works of art. I have to agree. The fashion world can be a restrictive place but occasionally you’ll come across a fearless character who is focused on staying completely free to create. Tina Kalivas is that person. Her sensibility is broadly ethnic, perhaps influenced by her origins, I’m not entirely certain. Her clothes definitely have an emotional and intellectual breadth but it sits comfortably in a fashion context. Seeing her collections is like a blaze of pure visual excitement and pleasure. The fabrics, textures, precise and satisfying shapes, mastery of radiant colours and neon accents are all strong and create an invigorating experience. History and reality collide in new ways.
The trouble with certain brands is that one is lucky to see a tiny percentage of their collections. This used to be the case with a lot of great Australian names. Here, in London, we’re lucky to have Yasmin Sewell. Liberty has benefited from her exceptional vision and it has marked the beginning of a new era for the department store. She also gradually launched a kind of capsule division of Australian designers showcasing their aesthetics, infusing a little bit of her country cool into the British institution. And then there is the Robinson Pfeffer agency, which presents a great blend of people including Tina Kalivas and Arnsdorf (another firm favourite).

A huge thank you to Tina Kalivas and the Robinson Pfeffer team for making a dream come true!

Pictures by Mat & Jaja

I'm wearing a Tina Kalivas bustier, stripy Charles Anastase cardigan, black vintage embroidered cardigan, Levi's shorts, Burberry platform booties, jewellery by Pamela Love and vintage Dior

A journey of enduring love

Write what you know. Isn’t that what aspiring novelists are told? Well, I’ll take the advice this summer. I won’t write a book but I do love words and hope that mine can capture a time and a place with precision. My enthusiasm for France is insatiable. Discovering its landscapes and meandering through the streets of small villages and towns, experiencing delicious food elaborated in great simplicity, the architecture, the artistic explorations the country has on offer, the café culture and absurdly grumpy waiters, the old ladies always evoking a sort of Chanel like stylistic consistency, the literary high life, Nouvelle Vague films, the beautiful boys and girls and the sometimes dynamic conservatism of its population. I’m making an album of snapshots and mini narratives on this blog to keep things as clear and fresh as yesterday.
A journey of enduring love.

I took the pictures in Normandie and the South of France

Ellen Rogers for Wow Magazine

I wrote this small article for the excellent French magazine Wow!

Summer

I walked the streets of a fetid, dirty, raw and poor town in the sweltering summer heat, a place filled mostly with toothless Moroccans and Algerians with tired eyes, all drinking coffees by the sea. La Ciotat reminds me of Barcelona’s Barrio Gotico in the 40s. Its gloomy alleys have a scent of debauchery and history. I love it.
I watched the turquoise water of Port-Miou slapping against the rocky edges of the Calanques, I fell asleep to the calming sound of cicadas and got hooked on the beauty of the spectacular views. I felt dizzy with excitement when Mat and I discovered a dusty and abandoned Western theme park, mysteriously planted in the middle of a rural area, surrounded by tall grass and trees threatening to cover the place entirely. I wore the same clothes almost every day for three weeks, Prada gladiator sandals, Levi’s denim shorts and a vintage embroidered peasant shirt. I kissed the lonely horse in the evening sun and sat in the shade of umbrella pines dreaming, dreaming, dreaming. Oh, and we got ludicrously excited about shaving my beautiful Emilie’s hair!

I took all my pictures using a G11

Wendy Bevan

I’ve often wondered what it is that makes Wendy Bevan such a wonderful fashion photographer. I came across her short film “Starless Night” this morning on Test and once again fell madly in love with her searching and melancholic style. Her work is a form of poetic theatre filled with passages of breathtaking eloquence. The choreographic layout is inspirational. A concoction of dancing, silent movie mime scenes and circus-like movements. I watched it several times and the hypnotic and seemingly seamless flow of arabesques felt magical viewing after viewing. It’s a spectacle of pure pleasure, evoking a bygone era in which the notion of dramatic unity and stylistic consistency was paramount. An exotic-scented fairy tale. It’s difficult to express the true essence of this film into words. Watch it. It deserves an ovation!
Oh, and the haunting tune accompanying “Starless Night” is interpreted by Wendy Bevan herself!

Click here to watch the film: Starless Night

Film and images by Wendy Bevan courtesy of Test