Found this little beauty in the Crystal Palace warehouse of vintage furniture goodness. Picked it up for a steal so obviously not eames, well definitely not, but looks nice anyways an much better than anything new.

Last Saturday I took a trip to my fave south east london vintage emporium, Cenci. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular which is always when I pick up an absolute gem (last time in Brick Lane it was a kimono).

Now the difference with Cenci is that a visit is also an education. An education in fashion, quality clothing manufacture and history. The older Italian gentleman owner and the cool older American ex cheerleader owners are AMAZING. They haw encyclopaedic knowledge of vintage garments.

I got to learn about the honour of keeping your college sweater letter and was shown how to read a college sweater to determine how active that person was in their team and what grade they were in. I also had the privilege of the lady getting an original cheerleaders outfit out of storage to show me. They are so rare because people weren’t allowed to keep their outfit. Once you’d stopped being in the squad you had to hand it over and it got passed down and worn out til it had to be replaced.

Then we got into taking about varsity jackets (again, decent ones are rare and small because of the age of the kids wearing them) which led on to sailor tops after I was talking about a Junior Gaultier denim sailor style jacket I almost bought (vintage shopping in Manchester this time).

So we got out a selection of original 1940s US sailor tops which I loved especially after hearing about the details. They were made so they were hard to get in and out of, so sailors couldn’t take them on and off and so had to wear constantly. Because of this, some sailors had zips fitted in the side seam. Every stripe or badge indicates some status, they don’t automatically have stripes around the flap at the back. Some sailors, stationed in the far east, would embroider dragons on the inside cuff to discreetly personalise their top.

So I bought one. And I love it. And I love this store. Because vintage clothing was made with skill, good materials and function at its heart. And each piece comes with a story and some history. Just like the jeans store in Austin Texas selling jeans where you could determine their age because of the shape of the snuff tin worn into the back pockets of the cowboys that had worn them.

And this my friends, if why you shouldn’t shop at Primark.

The Dash Snow exhibition is on here

I guess I like his work because I like his story. Not the tragedy of it of course, but just the wreckless abandon that seemed to fill his life. The intimacy of his work I admire, that reduction of barriers between his friends and portraying himself. Though I always admire that in artists, them just laying their soul out for all to see.

Years ago on my first visit to NYC I took a picture of his giant Sacer tag, high up on a building, I can’t even remember where now. I didn’t even know about him then, I just liked the balls of getting his name up so big and so high. His death was very saddening. All the best die young. RIP Dash Snow.

Image featured is:

Dash Snow
Untitled, 2001 – 2009
polaraid
Courtesy Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin
Photo: Jochen Littkemann

My friend Nino has an exhibition and film screening showing his documentation of a Thai tuktuk race he and his friend took part in. He showed me the trailer and I was immediately jealous because it looks soooooo much fun. This will hopefully be coming to London soon but in the meantime, if you’re in Cape Town go check it out … Nino rocks!

I’m meeting the Ferret Crew shortly but getting in a little bit of work time sitting with a coffee before they arrive. It’s much easier to think in a cafe than it is to think at home. Dunno why. Maybe there isn’t laundry to distract me here. Or Lindt chocolates. Or knitting.

Quite a few things popped out this issue.

This lunch time I hung out with Takashi, Andy, Tom, Cy, Dash, Julian and Robert

Swoon.
Just got an email from LNCC with this little beauty, just in. Ahhhhh, if only.

I’d love to wear this to work, I think it would confuse some people, in a good way.

I also live the way it’s Spring Summer 12 but it’s black and it’s fake fur.