Burning the midnight oil

"Having both the main line in Opening Ceremony as well as the capsule collection is great," Lou Dalton beams proudly over the Internet. "Both are very different, each say something different without compromise," she excitedly exclaims. Joining forces with the rousing retailer, the design talent takes our hands again, leads us across the border once more and we fall for the charms of her imagined rig of Zetland Oil all over again. Through Opening Ceremony's youthful filter, her autumn/winter 13 collection's sartorial sharpness softens and becomes that bit more sportier. As with her own collection, the collection's personal narrative falls seductively from the lips of the designer but here it feels like a fresh tale.

Having first been approached by Opening Ceremony for a series of London based designer capsules around the 2012 Olympics celebrating the store's arrival in the capital, Dalton chose to explore cycling and intricately incorporated house signatures into the sport whilst making a point of it feeling a little more commercial and easy-to-wear. Unsurprisingly, the collection went down a storm and with this in mind she approached Opening Ceremony earlier this year to do something similar and this latest collection evolved from these speculative conversations.

"I enjoyed creating a fictional Oil Company called "Zetland Oil" for autumn/winter 13. 'Zetland' is an old Nordic term for Shetland. Shetland is such an inspiration to me. As you know I met the Haigh there (Justin Haigh, Lou's fella of 10 years) who just so happens to work for an oil company that has an oil port in Shetland. The other logos used within the designs are all inspired by oil company branding from in around the late 70s mid 80s but re-worked and all carrying reference to Lou Dalton, either the year I was born or Shetland itself.

When I first discussed the ideas for the range with Opening Ceremony and the t-shirt prints in particular, we all agreed on the idea of making them take on a sporty mood. I looked at making them appear quite Motor Cross branded. For me, it was integral to incorporate the store's branding into the capsule as much as my own. As the collection was to be a little easier-to-wear and even more accessible than the Lou Dalton main line, I kept it easy and quite relaxed. However, I did want to give it a strong reference to the Lou Dalton main line and did so by introducing one of the fabrics we had used on the autumn/winter 13 mainline which was a particular favourite of mine, this being a cloth that I refer to as Bobble. This cloth came in a whole ray of colours but for Opening Ceremony, we kept it to a tomato orange, bordeaux and black. Throughout, this collection felt very natural. I always believe that if it feels forced then you should just leave it and move on. Opening Ceremony are so great to work with, they understand and appreciate design and its end use without it becoming to banal."

The capsule collection includes caps, t-shirts, jogging bottoms and sweatshirts.

Opening Ceremony's ever evolving relationship with some of my favourite London design talent, mixing straight main line season buys and really considered capsule collections, the fruits of which manage to balance the aesthetics of everyone involved perfectly, shows the way for other stores to follow. Meanwhile, Lou Dalton is sketching a fine blueprint that other designers can look to for inspiration. Since launching her own line in 2005, Dalton has refined a well crafted reputation for rebellious English sportswear with a keen eye for and attention to detail whilst establishing herself as the real shining starlet of British Menswear. As London menswear has demanded an ever increasing presence at London Fashion Week and respect far beyond the perimeter of the capital, evolving from an afternoon in to three full days of shows, presentations, previews, installations and exhibitions under the umbrella of London Collections: Men, she has matured in the spotlight, built a brand and helped pave the way forward. Long may Lou Dalton continue to strive forward and here's hoping more follow.

Style Stalking (Snapshot).... House of Hackney

Ever since we first peered through Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle's kaleidoscope of printed furnishings and finery a few years ago, we've been transported to lavish landscapes filled with fair florals, marvellous menageries and the fanciest of fantastical flights. Continuing to challenging a minimalist world of beige, House of Hackney's evolving empire of playful prints has seen it open the doors to its East London retail home, an enticing emporium on Shoreditch High Street. As Susie searched the seductive, sensory shake-up of a space, I soon followed and dived into dizzying daydreams, softened by feathers, petals and palm leaves whilst sweetened by candy stripes and eccentricity. As one member of its team built a beautiful bouquet of Wild at Heart blooms wearing a Palmeral printed t-shit (of House of Hackney's soon to be launched menswear offering - stay tuned) and camouflaged by a printed plantation of palms and inked sleeves, I couldn't resist taking a quick snapshot... 

House of Hackney's Jay standing outside of the store wearing... 
a Palmeral t-shirt and tribal necklace from World Archive at Dover Street Market.
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Details... Kente Kaleidoscope

There might have been a time when Trine Lindegaard's colourful cocktail of a spring/summer 13 collection left me intimidated  No longer. I'm obsessed by its combination of traditionally hand weaved Kente, technical mesh and knits. After a recent trip to Other / Shop I teamed up her Rubino t shirt with a sheer, short sleeved white shirt from U - Handmade in England.

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General Eyewear's Inner and Outer Space Collection

"Eyewear has gone from being a specialised niche product to being almost tediously ubiquitous – every brand and every designer has an eyewear collection. And this, along with a few other factors, has led to a general flattening out of what’s on offer," Fraser Laing fervidly expressed on one of my previous visits to his great gem of Stables Market. General Eyewear has concentrated on developing its own distinctive values and ideas without paying too much attention to what anyone else is doing. His wide, passion filled eyes are focussed on providing something more, something better. Now, as we sit inside his emporium of eyewear, he introduces me to the latest development, the Inner and Outer Space Collection. A long considered range that breaks free from the tedium and emerges on the recently unveiled Discover Boutiques.

Chatting over a concerto that echoes throughout the vast retail space, Laing becomes increasingly more animated as, one by one, he proudly places each of the nine frames on to the desk. As ever, his eternal enthusiasm and perpetual passion is as infectious as it is justified. From the 40s inspired but wonderfully contemporary Metz to the uncompromising Tanaka, each frame, which is handmade in England by their master spectacle makers using the very best components and finest vintage Italian acetates, is named after a Science Fiction writer. "We made a long list of science fiction writers and began honing it down to find the perfect fit for each style," Laing explains. Playing with the author's different characteristics, what they represent or conjure up and even just revelling in the name themselves, from phonetics to onomatopoeia. "For example. I know Lem quite well, he's a Russian science fiction writer and I just had this feeling of what a pair of glasses might look like, heavy and ponderous. For another frame, the Ostrander we just felt that they needed a strange name without knowing too much about the author, after a little research we found out that he penned the original Star Wars screenplays. The name just felt right because they appear older, mysterious and austere." Some of the names will be familiar, others might stump even the most arden of SF fans but what is certain, their latest incarnations are taking eyewear to new heights. Now, making use of the beautiful product photography that Discover Boutiques uses to present the stock from its partner stores, let me introduce the collection to you...

From the Lem to the Saberhagen to my personal favourite the Metz.

"The starting point was that they are built around classic shapes but evolved to become borderline unusual. We've been raiding our archives. From as far as I know, no one, in London at the very least, has anything quite like it. It is really coming in to its own now as we developing styles from it. None of these styles will be in people's minds, they are all slightly unusual doing slightly different things. It was about matching up the shapes we wanted to make with the right plastics. For the time being, we are sticking with one plastic per shape. The idea is that each frame becomes a brand in its own right because they are such distinct styles. Of course some might fade away but the hope is that these are a starting point and variations will follow, always looking to improve."

The considered collection has evolved from and takes advantage of the attributes that really set General Eyewear apart from anything else out there. The frames have evolved from an alchemy of form and function from favourites from the archive to the components, from the alluring acetate to the finest hinges possible, and craftsmanship that come together to make them. Laing's museum level stock consists of tens of thousands of unique pieces from the nineteenth century right to now. Inspiration is at every turn, inside every drawer and waiting to be found in an unmarked box.

 "We started offering custom made frames very early on but we were very limited by the lack of acetate available in the UK. I embarked on a mission to buy surplus stocks of acetate from the more historic factories that I knew about in France and Italy. The fact that I was able to find so much of it means that the selection of different materials we’re able to offer in the shop is unique. Today, there's only really one factory that produces plastic for everyone because it is highly, highly specialised but the history of it is so much more varied. Italy has always been associated with the development of plastics, it is of course a comparatively recent invention, reaching its peak in the 50s. This one factory that began in the early twentieth century were building everything up, providing all of thee amazing plastics for all sorts of uses, and then in the beginning of the 90s and it must've come as a shock to them, the world just stopped wearing plastic glasses. Armani, Ralph Lauren... every brand that you can think off was making little metal frames. Today, the current catalogue just doesn't have the same choice, the same variety. However hard you look, there's nothing in the direct line of those fantastic marbled ball point pens of the forties and fifties and it's such a shame."

Thankfully, Laing managed to accumulate close to four tonnes of the acetate that continues to excites today and give it a new home at General Eyewear. Some of it might be fifty years old but it is far more interesting than anything on the market now. Up until now Laing's vast collection of acetate has only been used for commissions but they wanted to do something more with it and the Inner and Outer World collection is one of the finest ways to breathe new life in to it.

"The reaction, even before we put them on the website has been great, we have put one of two out on the shop floor and they instantly attracted attention." The frames are limited. They begin with a limited run of just five and a number of the frames have sold out but with in a week or two more can be made and be on the shop floor (both in Camden and the virtual one thanks to Discover Boutiques).  "The aim is to continue to have this flagship collection made in the UK and we can be very ambitious with short runs, spinning everything around the acetate. The logistics have been tough. Very few people make anything in Europe because it is not easy," Laing reflects as a wide grin spreads across his face and a glint or two flashes in his eyes. The results, at least in this instance show that it is all worth it.

Treasured items... Goodhood

Located just an eyelash flash away from my office, I often find myself drawn to Goodhood's treasures on a lunch break. Always innovative, always exciting, the backstreet boutique has continued to breathe fresh life in to London's retail scene ever since it first opened its doors in 2007. Now housed over two floors and with an additional space on the other side the road, the contemporary concept space showcases an international cocktail of independent and rare brands. With Spring/Summer 13 deliveries from the likes of Junya Watanabe, Wood Wood, Yuketen and Soulland welcoming the sunshine, I found myself drawn to the ever inviting store once more. As I admired the rails, I could not resist asking Goodhood's very own Kyle Stewart and Adam Tickle to partake in a spot of show and tell. Given that their store affords the discovery of future treasures at every turn, it was only fair that they revealed their own cherished items. Here, co-founder and owner Stewart dips in to his pocket for his Grandfather's pocket watch and jack of all trades Tickle turns to his turntable.,,  

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Kyle Stewart and the tank driver's pocket watch

"The Services Pocket Watch was my Grandad's and was issued to him when he was in the army during WWII. This one was made in Great Britain by the Anglo-Celtic Watch Co. Ltd in Wales. He drove a tank during the war and never gave anything away about what happened during that time. I think it was quite a shocking experience and he always kept tight lipped about what he has seen. He was a real gentleman and lived a very simple life. This and a book of Robert Burns poetry are my only heir looms, and needless to say are very treasured." Kyle Stewart.

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Adam Tickle and the vinyl verification from Slim Gaillard's Tutti Frutti

"I picked this record up from Haggle Vinyl in Angel. I say picked up but it was not that simple. Haggle is amazing store is run by a mega eccentric old raver, he looks like he's lived a  good life. I've been popping in for three or four years now and every time there's this sense of him clocking you but he ignores you, he doesn't give you too much time. On one occasion he was playing this record. I told him that I liked it and asked him what it was but he just replied, 'Oh, you're too young to listen to that and it's not for sale.' I just thought he was being really difficult. However, he did point me in the general direction of something similar and offered a few suggestions of labels. I picked up five records, took them to the till and he told me that he'd do a deal for them, £10 for the lot. It was only when I got home that I realised he added this record. So, for that entire awkward shopping experience he was just playing with me. The record itself is from the 40s and by an improvised Jazz and Blues singer called Slim Gaillard. If I could save just one record from a fire, it would be this one. It's wicked. I've had it three years now and listen to it loads. It's great for a chilled after-party. It's a late night favourite." Adam Tickle

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Treasured Items... Fraser Laing

Located in the labyrinth of curiosity that is Stables Market, General Eyewear is an independent opticians with a difference. Selling a curated selection of frames and sunglasses from 1750 to 1990 whilst designing and producing its own limited edition collection of frames and sunglasses, it affords discovery at every turn. I've gladly lost countless hours in the absorbing space, admiring all manner of frames and chatting with its ever inspirational and knowledgeable proprietor, Fraser Laing. For him, frames are far more than commodities, they are exciting and at times mysterious artifacts. Given his enthusiasm for craftsmanship and diverse design, I just had to ask him to show and tell his most treasured possessions. Here, he tells the tale of two seemingly unrelated flea market finds.

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Fraser Laing and the essential market kit...

"Given the logo I think it is Swiss. It's not that old, from only 1975. I've googled the markings but can't find out anything more about it. So I can't tell you who used it or where it came from for sure but i has been suggested that it is either Swiss Army or from one of the other military services. It has got a metal base that makes it quite heavy but it's so sturdy, I can't imagine anything going wrong with it. I picked it up in a flea market in London. For me and a flea market, it was quite expensive at fifty pounds, even the guy selling it knew that it was an extraordinary thing. It's been well worth it. Despite its weight, I use it all the time. When I go to markets it is essential that I have my hands free to look at things and with some bags there's a chance that you could leave it behind but I wouldn't forget about this one."

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... and the surprising fellow flea market find

"My second choice is quite different on first sight but I actually picked it up in the same place, just at a different time. I go to this market in Wimbledon religiously on a Saturday morning. It always manages to throw up the totally unexpected, it's not edited or anything so it is always surprising. Basically, this item is a case for a sugar bowl and a spoon. It manages to feel menacing yet is made from papier mache, is cheap in terms of materials yet would have required a great deal of labour.  It is the essence of what design should be. Functionality is never enough. If it were just a matter of functionality then the world would be a dull place. 

It is the dichotomy between the outside and the inside that fascinates me.  It is very conscious of itself, the designer wanted to make this hard black shell. Both choices are designed object. That's what interesting to me. It got me thinking fashion going back to industrial design. For me, fashion is industrial design. It's just that the objects desire level has to be greater in fashion, that's the only difference. There's always going to be more razzmatazz around a handbag than a train." Fraser Lang.

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Style Stalking (Snapshot)... Andrew Green

Perfectly nestled inside a railway arch just off the creative hub of Kingsland Road, Primitive is a boutique, gallery and intimate event space, stocking underground designers from London and Tokyo. from the mind of Lui Nemeth and Andrew Green, this ever surprising space strives to showcase the most innovative and original creative talent through a myriad of mediums and projects. Both Nemeth and Green lived in Tokyo in a past life and the moment you walk through their giant red threshold, you feel as though you've been transported to Aoyama or Koenji. Last weekend we popped over to have a good nose through the likes of Cassette Playa, Ambush, Cottweiler and Nadir Tejani and couldn't resist shooting Andrew because he brings the rails to life...

Andrew Green outside his arch wearing... 
cap by nukeme, sweatshirt by Cottweiler, shorts by Cassette Playa, leggings and a pair of Nike Airmax Sunsets.
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Reading... Vintage Menswear

Formed in 2007, the destination showroom and one of a kind resource that is The Vintage Showroom, was the realised dream of two fanatical enthusiasts of vintage clothing. Founders, Douglas Gunn and Roy Luckett, spend countless months of every year trawling through dilapidated barns, warehouses and outhouses all around the world in order to add to their vast collection of rarities. They enjoy the hunt, the romance, and the deliberate utility found in each garment. Their shared unquenchable thirst for sartorial artifacts has led to The Vintage Showroom becoming one of the leading resources for vintage menswear in the UK, with the ever growing archive covering the early mid 20th century and specialising in international work, military and sports clothing, classic English tailoring and country wear.

Whilst their own inviting Earlham Street store continues to receive accolades and awards, their definitive collection has become a must see destination for fashion designers and stylists from around the world. It is is available to purchase or hire from as preferred, however no photography or sketching is permitted. Appointments are necessary and limited. However, last month a selection of the archive was published in the title ‘Vintage Menswear – A Collection From The Vintage Showroom.’ Joined by freelance style writer Josh Sims, Gunn and Lockett offer unprecedented access to a rare collection in a beautifully presented hard back. No appointment necessary.

Featuring one hundred and thirty of the most influential examples of twentieth century European, American and Asian utilitarian tailoring and design, the book is divided in to the three subsections of sportswear, workwear and militaria and covers everything from 1940s flying jackets to polar exploration suits, Phantom Racing jackets to Native American Varsity jackets and Japanese peasants Boro jackets to vintage French denims. These are items that reflect real lives of real people. With holes and patches they each tell a story. They are precious and genuine artifacts of what men wore in the early 20th century to work, to war, and to play. Thanks to the stunning photography each selection showcases the designs in concept, shape and cut. Below are just a few of the pages that caught my eye...

In addition to being a valuable resource and inspiration, 'Vintage Menswear' is a book to get utterly lost in.