Tag Archives: accessories

Hot on the Highstreet Week 130 – 30 Years of Bernstock Speirs

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Down a side street near Oxford Circus I spied an eclectic display of hats, ordered neatly on the wall. On entering it was soon apparent that these accessories were exhibited as works of art, a carefully curated show to celebrate the 30th anniversary of London’s iconic milliners, Bernstock Speirs.

Paul Bernstock and Thelma Speirs met whilst studying Fashion/Textiles at Middlesex University and in 1982 established the label Bernstock Speirs. Inspired by the underground club and music scene, they began creating hats for men and women, all the time challenging the traditional ideas of millinery.

A new generation of hat wearers were seduced by the witty, fashionable and innovative styles. Today, the spirit of the brand remains vibrant and youthful. The hats are sporty and fashion-forward using unconventional fabrics and techniques, crafted into unique designs with an emphasis on detail and quality.

In 2004 the first Bernstock Speirs hat store opened on Brick Lane in Shoreditch, the heart of London’s East End where Paul and Thelma have lived, worked and partied for the last twenty-five years. The shop is a treasure trove of hats, caps and head pieces and also allows an enticing glimpse into the atelier situated behind.

For limited time only, in the Fred Gallery at 17 Riding House Street, the most exciting and pivotal pieces are on display along with information and press cuttings explaining the magical milliners’ journey. Along with their familiar headwear, a special edition black bunny hat is for sale for £75, and a small section of red hats designed specially mark 30 years of the brand.

Bernstock Speirs count many celebrities among their loyal customers including: Kirsten Dunst, Marion Cotillard, Karl Lagerfeld, Victoria Beckham, Will Young, Ralph Fiennes and Sharon Stone, and also occasionally pair up with designers to create collaborative collections.

The brand manages to evoke a fun and youthful vibe, whilst also offering accessories made from the highest quality fabrics, ensuring long lasting wear. I particularly loved the glittery pastel coloured caps… vibrant and eye-catching, one would be the perfect festive party piece, for indoor and outdoor accessorising.

Bernstock Speirs 30 runs from November 13 to 24 at Fred London, 17 Riding House Street, London W1.

http://www.bernstockspeirs.com

Hot on the Highstreet Week 117

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I have wanted to write about Charlotte Cory for a while now… this quirky artist has a gallery in Greenwich and is constantly popping up across London… currently her work can be seen at the Globe and Sir John Soane Museum.

Charlotte has recently designed some scarves that suit my Hot on the Highstreet feature perfectly. These delicate fine printed silk accessories are high quality and very on trend. The design of these tantalizing printed silks is taken from the endpapers of Charlotte Cory’s recently published monograph, You Animal, You! which explores her enchanting world of reworked 19th Century imagery in which the animal kingdom is clearly in charge.  The design features a cleverly worked collage of the elaborate printed backs of Victorian photographs with their attractive, very ornate typography, medallions, coats of arms and mottos which reveal the high-flown seriousness and aspirations of the photographers working in this new art.

You can appreciate the gloriously nostalgic Victorian compositions – or have a good read of all the little extracts that illustrate the history of early photography when pictures required five minute exposures and entailed a magical process that was new and exciting.

I love silk scarves and adore these Charlotte Cory designs, they are so wearable but also very special and unique. The large scarves are £250 and the small scarves are £150. The handkerchiefs are £30 for large and £25 for small. The perfect gift for an artistic man or stylish girl.

Visit Charlotte Cory’s website here.

http://www.charlottecory.com/

 

Hot on the Highstreet Week 116

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While wandering the inspiring streets of Berlin, I discovered many exciting new designers – my favourite was Sabrina Dehoff. This Berlin based jeweller graduated from the Royal College of Art in London in 1996 and went on to work for numerous fashion designers before launching her own brand in 2006.

The jewellery collections are playful and fun while ornamenting the skin elegantly and artistically. Each range has a different focus… thick soft chord bracelets in rainbow colours and the finer gold jewellery were my favourites. Sabrina uses Swarovski crystals a lot: impressive rings with giant gems and necklaces with colourful stones. The pieces will add a touch of colour and hint of fun to any outfit.

I bought a beautiful bracelet, a thin chain, 23 carat gold plated, with two delicate pendants on… a small gold palm tree and a neon pink encased crystal. It has been the perfect bracelet to wear with almost any piece of clothing and for any occasion. I usually find it tricky to find bracelets that fit my unusually small wrists so I am delighted that the Sabrina Dehoff chain bracelets are adjustable to any length you require.

Prices vary but most pieces cost around £100.

Sabrina’s collections are now stocked worldwide, testament to her universal appeal. Buy yourself a little treat online here.

http://www.sabrinadehoff.com/