We are delighted to introduce Bill Skinners SS2012 Jewelry collection.
When Mr Skinners work attracted critical acclaim in the 80's, he started working with Butler & Wilson and began a close relationship with the world famous jewelry house that still continues to this day.
After working as a jewelry pattern cutter for big names such as Vivienne Westwood and Roland Mouret, Bill Skinner has this year released his own first collection.
The collection gathers inspiration from wildlife and nature, with gold and semi precious stone beasts, insects and forest fauna.
Now that its finally stopped raining - what better way to celebrate than a bit of summer sparkle.
A new month is here and we are having our monthly Super Saturday as always, with lots of new items out, 10% off all stock and complimentary drinks! We have some great new pieces in, Alaia, Burberry Prorsum, and Issey Miyake to name a few. We are excited to have Bill Skinners SS12 jewellery range, a great new collection with new pieces being introduced weekly. The roadworks on Broadway Market have finally moved up the street, and the market is gradually getting back to normal. So make sure you come over on Saturday for a chance to pick up some great designer and vintage pieces!
We recently received a huge collection of Issey Miyake's iconic Pleats Please label that is now up for sale in our Broadway market shop. The collection features lots of different items such as jackets, shirts, trousers and bags! We also have a couple of new items from the infamous Japanese designers mainline collection, including a fabulous beige linen & hemp jacket featuring a shawl and beautiful embroidery. A great chance to get your hands on a Issey Miyake piece for a good price, so make sure you don't miss out!
Quorum, founded by Alice Pollock was one of the biggest hot spots in London during the Swinging Sixties. Alice Pollock opened the shop in Chelsea 1964, and was soon to be joined by designer Ossie Clark and is wife Celia Birtwell after meeting the designer at a party on Kings Road. Alice Pollock immediately placed a big order of Ossie Clarks dresses that sold out immediately , but she wanted Ossie Clark to produce garments that had a more organic feel to them, so she commissioned Celia Birtwell to create unique fabrics for his next collection. By doing this, one of fashions most famous collaborations was born with Ossie Clarks designing garments and Celia Birtwell producing textiles and designing prints.
1. Editorial by John Kelly, Vanity Fair May 1970
Dress by Ossie Clark for Quorum.
2. Black maxi dress by Marie France for Quorum.
In 1969 Quorums controlling interest was sold to Alfred Radley, who was the founder and owner of the infamous "Radley" fashion house, due to increasing debt of the Quorum house. But Pollock, Clark and Birtwell remained as the creative force of the shop and kept on producing clothes into the 70's.
Whilst Ossie Clark designs for Quorum remained a huge success, Alfred Radley started stocking and promoting several other designers such as Betty Jackson, Shelagh Brown, Sheridan Barnett and more.
During the 70's Quorum was also very known for their spectacular shows, with huge productions that attracted London's most star studded audience, including David Hockney and The Beatles.
All this attention made Quorum's retail business expand and Ossie Clarks brand for the house was distributed to several leading retailers around the world.
1. Image from Vanity Fair editorial, published in the June issue of 1970.
2 Quorum, crepe printed blouse with black details and buttons
1. Celia Birtwell sketch
2. Betty Jackson for Quorum teal symmetrical jacket with gold thread trim
In 1969 Quorums controlling interest was sold to Alfred Radley, who was the founder and owner of the infamous "Radley" fashion house, due to increasing debt of the Quorum house. But Pollock, Clark and Birtwell remained as the creative force of the shop and kept on producing clothes into the 70's.
Whilst Ossie Clark designs for Quorum remained a huge success, Alfred Radley started stocking and promoting several other designers such as Betty Jackson, Shelagh Brown, Sheridan Barnett and more.
During the 70's Quorum was also very known for their spectacular shows, with huge productions that attracted London's most star studded audience, including David Hockney and The Beatles.
All this attention made Quorum's retail business expand and Ossie Clarks brand for the house was distributed to several leading retailers around the world.
Beyonce Promo for her "I am... World Tour", here in vintage motorcycle dress by Thierry Mugler
In the late 1970's, which was the starting point of Thierry Muglers career, the mainstream fashion was highly affected by the disco style, dominated by platform boots, flared trousers and jumpsuits.
A new decade was about to begin and Thierry Mulger started his career and created over the next couple of years his own very identifiable style. Other designers like Claude Montana appeared in the industry, and these two alongside with other designers were to create the style that today is so iconic for 80's and early 90's fashion.
Campaigns by Thierry Mugler, 90's
New feminine silhouettes, where shapes and curves were emphasized by the strict cuts, taking inspiration from the hourglass silhouette and corsets of the 19th century. With time there were more and more designers making sexy and glamorous clothes for women, accentuated the waist, with often big sharp shoulders and curved silhouettes.
In 1992 The French Couture Syndicate officially invited Thierry Mugler to present a couture collection during the haute couture collections calendar, he created his first haute couture show the same year.
Over the next couple of years the house became internationally recognized, and Mr. Muglers collections garnered much commercial success.
Video from Thierry Mugler's Haute Couture
Spring/Summer collection of 1997
During the 90's Thierry Mugler also released perfumes like A-MEN and Angel that instantly became huge hits and are today classics still available on the market.
In the beginning of the new millennium Thierry Mugler more or less retired from the fashion industry and left his post as creative director for his house, but was working on many other projects such as costume creation, stage designing, photography and fashion directing.
In 2009 Thierry Mugler worked as an artistic adviser to Beyonce for her "I am... World Tour, not only creating costumes for the pop star but also designing sets and giving his artistic advice on the choreography for the shows.
The first Mugler womenswear collection with Nicola Formichetti as creative director. Here Photographed with Sébastien Peigné and Lady Gaga who also walked as a model in the show.
In September 2010, after many months of rumors, it was announced that Nicola Formichetti, who is the main stylist for Lady Gaga, was to be the new creative director of the house. After shorting the name of the brand to "MUGLER", Mr Formichetti took in designers Sébastien Peigné for womenswear and Romain Kremer for menswear and has since created several shows, the most recent one being showed in Milan only two days ago!
1. Thierry Mugler Haute Couture, 1999 2 . Dark blue "Hourglass" fitted two piece suit, Thierry Mugler late 1980's
1. Hot pink bondage inspired dress with hardware details, Thierry Mugler mid 90's
2 Black fitted "Hourglass" Silhuette blazer, Thierry Mugler late 90's
Over the next coming weeks we at Strut are going to create one "Designer Profile" blog post a week, a small introduction of some of our favorite designers out there! A little post about the designers history filled with pictures of both memorable moments of the designers career and images of our own pieces for sale!
First out is Japanese designer Atsuro Tayama.
ATSURO TAYAMA
Detail from the ATSURO TAYAMA collection of Autumn Winter 2009
Born in 1955, Kunanoto Japan, Atsuro Tayama studied Fashion at the Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo.
When he finished his studies in 1975 he moved straight to Paris to start his work as Yohji Yamamoto head design assistant, which became a long partnership that lasted for eight years and helped mould what Atsuro Tayama is today. After finishing his work with Mr. Yamamoto in 1982, Atsuro returned back to Tokyo to start his own label, which he named A.T. after his initials.
1. Black deconstructed wool dress, mainline Atsuro Tayama.
2. Black three quarter length wool coat, A/T by Atsuro Tayama
Mr Tayamas aesthetic was strongly influenced by his work with Yohji Yamamoto, where you can see elements of the infamous designer's ability to create simple clothes with influences such as 19th century fashion. Atsuro Tayama also embraces the avant-garde which the Japanese designers do so well, frequently creating designs that are far removed from current western trends.
Mr Tayamas clothing also sometimes has hints of Yohji's signature oversized silhouettes in black, draped in varying textures clashed with extremely well tailored pieces. In 1986 Mr Tayama moved back to Paris and took his brand with him, opening his first shop in Europe, and in 1991 he made his first prét-a-porter show in Paris, introducing his mainline for women "Atsuro Tayama".
1. Atsuro Tayama campaign by Jean Baptiste Mondino Autumn Winter 99-00 2. Black deconstructed floor length skirt, mainline Atsuro Tayama, with pleated wrap detail.
Another fresh new year is here! This Saturday will be the first market day on Broadway Market for 2012, and we at Strut are celebrating it with a special event! Pop by the shop this Saturday (7th of January) for our Super Sale, with discounts on all items, clearance stock and much more! The sale is only on for one day, so don't miss out your chance to get some designer bits and vintage goodies for an amazing price!
See you there!
