Visual Collector. Swimwear Hoarder. Accessories Lover. Modern Jewellery Magpie. Pattern and Colour Obsessor. Vintage Fancier. Craft Advocate. Sunseeker. Jodi Muter Hamilton.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Lovely Leopard


I do like a bit of Leopard and this Melissa Obabash kaftan doesn't disappoint. Not sure if my budget allows a purchase though.. £610...

The Winter of Moombahton


Mad decent blog offering up a download to a DJ Melo moombahton mix tape. Get downloading......

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Nicki Minaj / Jessie J




With her alter ego's, love of barbie pink, Lil Kim esk style, top hitting song "Your Love" Nicki Minaj has come to the forefront again for her image. V Magazine shows her with a striking combo of boobs and tribal make up. I neither like or dislike the pictures but I think its good to play with imagery, and self image and not take things to seriously.



In contrast to Nicki Minja, who's image I feel is perhaps stronger that her music, Jessie J packs a punch from both sides. Her unique sleek, powerful, slighly street style and amazing singing voice certainly stands out from the crowd. I have to admit I do like her big hit 'Do it like a dude' however I think she sets the stage on fire when she sings a cappella. Jessie J flys the flag for the UK big time!! I'm really looking forward seeing what she's got in store for 2011.

Love Brixton, Love Rosie's



Since moving from Brixton I still visit friends southside, and I have to admit it I still think out Brixton as my home, I'm yet to acclimatise myself to the west. I miss the hustle and bustle, bright fabrics, music, market and of course food that Brixton has on offer. Rosie’s Deli Café, 14e Market Row, Brixton Market, London, SW9 is right in the heart of Brixton market. Rosie Lovell has been serving delicious wholesome food long before Brixton Market was in the floods of its regeneration. With a smile and genuine love for food Rosie offers home made soups, sandwiches, quiches, cakes, and my favourite sausage rolls. You can also buy a variety of store cupboard items to brighten up your home cooking. A 'pop up' evening restaurant over Christmas, early breakfast club, and her first book 'Spooning with Rosie' all add to the Café's unique appeal.
You can find some great recipes on her blog...

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

MARCUS ROSS PHOTOGRAPHY

Marcus' mail send out today very kindly had a lovely word to say about BLACK NEON!!! Thanks Marcus, and thanks again for your work on BLACK NEON. Keep and eye for more exciting developments from Marcus in 2011!


Marcus Ross began his career at i-D Magazine, reaching the position of Fashion Editor which he held for three years. Feeling the need to return to his visual arts roots, Marcus began working towards becoming a professional photographer. With no formal training, he soon began working with a broad range of clients including fashion magazines, newspapers, record labels and brands.
Marcus is recognised for his naturalistic approach inspired by historic portrait and documentary photography. Always looking to keep the 'human' element of his subjects, he never over-complicates a shoot.
Below are some highlights from the last year and some forthcoming projects.


TWEEN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN S/S11
Having shot the previous season campaign, Marcus was again asked to shoot the S/S11 campaign.
Working with the boxing theme of the collection, Marcus took inspiration from the Stanley Kubrick film "The Day Of The Fight." Shooting at a real gym, formal pieces from the collection could be incorporated. Like the film, the idea was to cast two brothers to model the collection who could play off each other and express a sensitivity that could have been lost in such an environment.
Marcus pays close attention to casting, inspired more by an 'attitude' than an identikit idea of photographic beauty and proportion. Louis and Claude Simonon, from Storm Models, fitted Marcus' vision perfectly.


TWEEN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN A/W10
Tween's A/W10 collection was inspired by the Teds. Having seen his previous work, which is often inspired by historic youth cultures and shot in a naturalistic style, Marcus was approached by Tween to photograph the campaign.
In order to retain the look and feel of the Teddy Boy culture, Marcus suggested photographing the whole campaign on 35mm film using only the ambient light; a bold suggestion in today's environment where most fashion imagery is shot digitally and extensively retouched. Fortunately, the client felt that this would lend itself to some strong, yet accessible, images, interpreting the collection well.


BLACK NEON LOOKBOOK
Black Neon is an exciting young swimwear brand that clearly understands the need for fashion-orientated swimwear for a hip and stylish market. Whether in Miami or Ibiza, Black Neon understands that the beach is as much a fashion parade as the city.
With a limited budget, Marcus worked with the brand to create a series of images that could be used across various platforms, from a lookbook to web images to press images.
With this in mind, Marcus decided create a simple studio shoot with a white background. He chose to work with a model with a strong yet feminine physique to present the sex appeal of the clothing and a healthy image of a woman.


NIKE SPORTSWEAR ADVERTORIAL
Marcus' working relationship with Nike extends back over a decade. Through this relationship, Nike are very aware of Marcus' interest in cultural details and historical accuracy concerning fashion.
It is with this in mind that Nike approached Marcus to create a series of images for their NSW Destroyer jackets, a collection of jackets influenced by the classic Varsity/Letterman jacket.
Marcus researched the origins and history of the jacket. He also looked at the cultural influence of the jacket beyond the confines of the American "jock." Through this he created 8 images to represent each decade since its invention in the 1930s.


LONDONBIKESTYLE BOOK
LondonBikeStyle is a personal project Marcus has been working on for over 5 years. Photographing a broad range of Londoners with their bicycles, the idea is to present the diverse range of people who ride bikes. The project also touches on notions of community and tolerance.
Shot in a 'street photography" style on 35mm film, each person has chosen the location where they have been photographed. The series of images will create a unique homage to London itself.
Brooks Saddles recently approached Marcus to create a book which will be released later this year.


LEWIS LEATHERS/59 CLUB EXHIBITION
Regarded as the definitive biker brand, Lewis Leathers has dressed everyone from Marlon Brando in The Wild One to the original Rockers to Paul Simonon of The Clash.
Marcus created a series of portraits of true fans of the brand shot on Polaroid 665 negative film. (Some of the last still in existence in the world!!).
He has been asked to exhibit these images alongside documentary photographs of the 59 Club 50th anniversary he has taken at YouthClub, a new gallery space in Soho, which owns image agency, PYMCA.


JOCKS&NERDS MAGAZINE
Last year, Marcus launched his own online magazine, Jocks&Nerds which explores men's fashion through history and culture; themes that Marcus is passionate about and ones that he believes are the driving force behind male sartorial decision-making.
The magazine is a platform for fashion shoots (often shot on film), video interviews, film and book reviews, music events and anything else that takes his fancy.
The magazine has been lauded by a diverse range of fans including Nike, L'Uomo Vogue, Oki-Ni and Red Wings Shoes, to name a few. Jocks&Nerds is looking forward to an exciting 2011