Art Repeller

Life imitating Art. Yesterday's Art visit took place at Cubitt, a not-for-profit space in the Angel for a show curated by Morgan Quaintance, by the artist Dean Blunt. This show was all about repelling the viewer and an insight into an art movement that I feel is bubbling under at the moment. Look at Banksy and his “Dismaland” - a fairground full of miserable people.

Bemusement Park

We then went onto the Parasol Unit gallery, where the young artist Julian Charriere produced a show that was in part made of Salt blocks. Which is where my story begins. I don't eat any food containing MSG or salt as for me this causes a very bad reaction to my face and body. My eyes and mouth swell, my skin itches, and it induces in me a coma-like sleep that I am unable to combat. So I strictly monitor my food intake - if not quantity, definitely ingredients! So it was. I left the studio fine, but in the knowledge that there were huge amounts of salt in the air. Then it happened! In the car my eyes started to itch, my mouth swelled and my face became uncontrollably itchy. My lunch date was cancelled, an antihistamine taken and my bed in place. I had been repelled by art - amazing but true!

I'm 98% better today, but truly scary. As I write this from my bed so no Pinning, but the thought of Repeller art brings me to Repeller fashion - Man Repeller to be precise. This is a site founded by Leandra Medine producing looks that do exactly what they say on the tin. Man Repeller (or at least that's what she used to do). She's an FRW stalwart and really more into Fashion with a capital F. But back to Man Repeller, which brings the question - who do you dress for? Yourself, your man, other women? All three at different times or none of the above?

A step too far

I wore a totally winning (for me) outfit last week to a ladies lunch. Slightly bonkers with a soupçon of chic. On entering the room someone looked at me and then asked if I thought this outfit looked good! I laughed - yes I thought it looked good. Ah but, she then said, she remembered when I dressed in a more acceptable, normal uniform of trousers, mink jacket, flat Roger Vivier shoes. Time moves on and so does style. Well, my style anyhow… I no longer have a brown straight Bob - I have blond curled messy hair and pale blue nails and a smile. I'm more individual, more daring and more exciting. Less perfect but more perfect! And I wear ankle socks... Lots!! But oh no! What happened as I strutted around in heels of my normal height of 10cm?! My left foot hurt! Oh No!! Is this the end of heels for me?! Oh no can't be. Surely the pain will go away soon and heels will once again be part of my dressing repertoire! Well the pain is still there a little, and I'm worried. I'm still not wearing high shoes and am going to cancel the purchase of last week's high heels (for the moment). 5cm heels may be the order of the day from now on. Is it arthritis? A bunion? Did I bang my foot? Will the doctor have the answers? I hope so…
Some days later the pain is gone!

Reasons to be cheerful. One... Two... Three...

Sorry - you caught me Pinning. I was just looking at the Couture shows and I want to ask a question - maybe you can help me with the answer. What happens to the clothes from the Couture shows that aren't made or sold? And if I stopped eating, could I get into them and then buy them at a huge discounted price? There must be a Bicester for couture, No? Who knows the answer?!

Now we all know that the polo neck is having a moment, so I had my black polos from my Dolce & Gabbana days cleaned and I wore one today. And do you know what? I hated every moment of wearing it! The neck itched so much it was too awful, so I took it off as soon as possible. But of course it looked very current, but this look is not for me. I did try a pink polo cashmere jumper on a few months ago and the exact same thing happened. So there you go - the polo is a style to far for me.

Awards season continues! The SAG awards took place this weekend. Again the line up of awful dresses was on show. I saw two great dressers and that's it! One by Louis Vuitton and the other (purely coincidentally) Dior! Even stranger - they were both covered in sequins and I thought sequins had had their day. But I'm obviously wrong.

The surprise of sequins

Just returned from a fun evening out - the Dior Summer Show and drinks party with all my "Saturday On The Couch" Dior friends! The last Raf collection… So is that good or bad - to buy or not? Lots of Victorian-styled underwear and actually one of the prettiest evening dresses that sort of shimmers, in a pale pink and white chiffon. Except I'm not sure what it would look like with my body in it. I may be just too womanly for it?! Will try and report… I wore a sombre black suit with my black socks and white John Galliano Dior shoes from 8 years ago. Actually the first piece of Dior I ever bought! And still loving them and the best news - my foot didn't hurt! Plus, had loads of complements on my "sock" style. That's great, but I will be taking it easy on my high shoes. Which in turn, has lead me to re-evaluate my shoe buying style…

Lots of talk about the new Maison that's opening in Bond Street in June - I can't wait. Although I'm not sure I'm going to give up Sloane Street so easily. We'll just have to see…

Also talk about the Times article on couture shopping. Who does it, how they do it and is it relevant? OK you know my feeling on this - Couture is so needed! It is the air that ready-to-wear breathes! It is where the high street looks with a half-closed eye. One friend said when I said “This is what I would love to do - buy couture or at least go to the show!" He replied that he thought I already did! Who could possibly think that I buy couture?! But I hope to one day and I would buy daywear more than evening because what could be better than stepping into couture on a daily basis?…

Francine's Fantasy Daywear

Happy Shopping

F   XX


PS: On combining Art with Fashion… What (I wonder) would happen if fashion houses at ready-to-wear levels acted as some galleries do - vetting clients and actually deciding whether or not to sell to them? Could that day ever come? Just a thought…

PPS: I know I'm late with this, but if you haven't already seen it go and see The Big Short!