On Tuesday last week I was invited by Lulu Kennedy (founder of Fashion East and one of the industry's top talent spotters) to be in a shoot with Richard Nicoll, Jonathan Saunders, Louise Gray, Henry Holland and the guys from Bistrotheque, to celebrate 10 years of Fashion East. To be listed among the designers whose careers started with Lulu's faith in their vision was a real honour and I was thrilled to have been invited. The only downside was my diary that day -- the shoot clashed with a meeting and I ended up running hours late. It was a very hot day and I had to sprint across town in massive heels, just in time to run straight into shot, looking sweaty and flustered, with no makeup and no hair, whilst everyone else looked wonderfully cool and relaxed. Not a good look on my part. So whilst I'm incredibly happy to be in the photographs, I'm not looking forward to their release for obvious vanity reasons.
Other than that, my days and nights have been geared towards my new collection, which I'm so excited about. It's really coming together and it's looking great -- weird but great. Max, my fantastic stylist who's been working with me for a few seasons, has been sourcing interesting curiosities - he really is a superstar! I've also been researching for my hats and Stephen Jones is of course, an incredible source of inspiration. His Fosters hat, for instance, is very 1990s but I really like the shape and the mixed media concept. I've also included some snaps of things that have caught my eye whilst out and about.
On Thursday I went for dinner with a very old friend of mine, Richard Sloan. We went to Andrew Edmund's on Lexington Street in Soho. The evening, as it often does when Richard and I get together, started very demurely, with a beautiful dinner and a lovely bottle of red, before quickly progressing to tequila espressos and very dirty, in fact filthy, martinis at Groucho's. Ouch.
Martine Rose A/W 09 collection
I love this fabulous neon 'Exclusive' sign, taken from a black hair salon in Paris. I particularly enjoy the play on words with the ‘So white’ sign next door.
Images that reveal my interest in different textures and materials used I menswear: leather, rubber, flannel and nylon.
Martine Rose and the Timberland design team discuss ideas
Timberland fabric examples
Selection of zipper colours
Martine Rose and the Timberland design team discuss ideas
Selection of zippers
Martine Rose and the Timberland design team working on CAD drawings
Timberland mock up of Martine Rose signature design
Martine Rose shirt from AW 09 collection - inspiration for the Timberland garment
Martine Rose interview for Wallpaper.com
Timberland menswear pieces
My inspiration wall
This etching hangs above my computer desk. It’s called Clothing as Houses by Eric Gill
The notebooks of William Burroughs are wonderful sources of inspiration…
…as are the collages by Peter Beard
One of my best friends, Patrick Waugh, signing copies of BOYO at the Self Publish, Be Happy exhibition at the Photographer’s Gallery
Insects are inspiring colour references
Insects are inspiring colour references
This hat by Stephen Jones is very 1990s but I really like the shape and the mixed media concept
Timberland colour swatches
The signature Martine Rose detail
Dean and I working on the jacket
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The concrete origins of Philippine brutalismPhilippine brutalism is an architecture subgenre to be explored and admired; the brains and lens behind visual database Brutalist Pilipinas, Patrick Kasingsing, takes us on a tour
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Taschen’s sexy record covers are hitting all the right notesTaschen has been through 50 years of album art for its latest tome, ‘Sexy Record Covers’
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In Wales, Michelin-starred Gorse celebrates the country’s abundant larderGorse is the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Cardiff, putting Welsh cuisine on the map. We speak with chef and founder Tom Waters about the importance of keeping culinary traditions alive
