Silent Storyteller

Alex Ceball

For more information on one of my favourite contemporary illustrators, visit his site:  Alex Ceball

'The Haunted Wood'

 

"There is a border-land between the grave and the gay, the tragic and the comic, as between the sublime and ridiculous, in which Mr. Pettie is as much at home as when he confines himself to the domain of the more purely dramatic. He generally , however , shows a relish for the sensational, and the picture we engrave  from the Winter Exhibition at the French Gallery is a happy and amusing example of somewhat special faculty, as well as a good specimen of the artist's clever  and facile execution. No painter conceives a subject like  this better than Mr. Pettie.' 

 

The Illustrated London News Jan 20, 1872

Temptation....

As the Talent for Haiti auction is coming into full swing. (It starts next Thursday) The flow of magical treasures has been disturbing my sleep  with the temptation to start bidding on so many beautiful things. 

One of the generous donors, who also happens to be one of my favourite people on this planet, Peter O'Brien, as posted here and here and here...(I've probably embarrassed him enough by now..)

Smart, funny, candidly truthful (a rare quality I seriously admire) and with incredible taste, he has donated a couple of his fabulous illustrations.

I have the honour to be their temporary guardian until they are sent to the very lucky winner of the auction, should I not be the highest bidder.. ; )

 

  

 

Sphere One by Lucy Downes

For some time I have wanted to feature a post about Lucy Downes. She's not only a brilliant designer but is one of my best friends in the real world.

For many many seasons we have travelled to Paris together for fashion week, so I guess she's always been there to celebrate or to console....

She uses the finest yarns in the world and her designs are incredibly ingenius

 
To see the wonderful handknitted cashmere cardigan that she donated to our cause Talent for Haiti....Lucy Downes Sphere One Donation.

And to see more of her beautiful pieces check www.sphereone.biz

Are you talented?

 

You have, no doubt, heard of the awful tragedy in Haiti.  

Myself and some other Irish designers are organising an online auction to raise funds.

 

We have lots of ideas and some amazing things already donated, but thought I would ask you my talented readers for input, any original thoughts ?.

 

Donations will be accepted in Bow boutique, Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin 2, Ireland (you can post them too)  up until  Tue, Jan 26th

Auction will be live

Thurs Jan 28th (I'll post when it's up with a link)

We have set up a Facebook page called Talent for Haiti with details and updates.

You can contact me with any questions either here, in the comments section, or email me at

 

info@eilisboyle.com

If you could pass on the word we would really appreciate it.

picture of Shirley Temple from tvtropes

(original post snatched from the very talented Helen James)

Dresses

 

 

   
Head piece from my friend Helen James  

Models: Niamh and Nasrin from Morgan 

Kiichi Asano

 

 

 

 

  

The taming of the shrew...

 
There are fewer people on this planet who are further away from being a domestic goddess than I am. 

It's not because I'm not interested...I would love to cook  a gourmet dinner in 15 minutes as many of these 'personalities' do on TV .

I'm not sure why? It could be due to my incapacity to multi task if one of these requires timed attention.

But also growing up in Spain, were I was part the first generation who was liberated from male imposed obligations and consequently resisting any responsibilities that our mothers and grandmothers may have had. 

Whilst at school the theatre group, ironically,  produced the The Taming of the Shrew...and yes... guess who played Katherina...?  Is it a case of life imitating fiction?

Many years later and still not domesticated...

I do love cooking, it's like therapy, but when FEDEX  is at the door and both phones ring at the same time..the chances are the fire alarm will set off within minutes...as it does every other week.

From next week I'll be posting on my adventures and misadventures in the kitchen....if you have any challenging recipes let me know

bon appetit...

A Visual Feast

Yesterday, with heroic efforts (due to the adverse arctic weather conditions) Mr Postman delivered another breathtaking book. 

 

Lillian Bassman: Women by Deborah Solomon has now officially been taken off my never ending wish list on Amazon. 

I was relatively familiar with her work. But to have so many of her masterpieces collected in one astonishing book, is simply a visual feast and a 'must have' for anyone who appreciates fashion photography at its best.

My heart rate has increased considerably since its arrival.

Let the images speak for themselves... 

 

  

 

Think Colour

This season is the celebration of my 10th collection.

So much has happened and it does make one look back at the past 5 years.

 It is time to start planning what one should do looking forward. Specially now that the fashion world has experienced a  couple of whirlwind seasons and no one really knows what the future holds. However the uncertainty of this business is partly why I find this industry so fascinating. I'm always up for a challenge.

The first season  I ever did was Winter 2005. It was a distinctively colourful winter collection, there was not a single thread of black used. Those who have known my work since couldn't even imagine what I was up to then...

Ten seasons later the whole collection is black.  Is it a sign of the time or have I truly found my visual identity?

I hope neither of the above.  

For sometime I have decided to confront my ever growing fear for using colour. And considering colour probably sells 10 to 1 one over black or grey  in the shops, it is finally time to take action.

This is the mood in the studio today...I will keep you posted..

Here comes the bride....with umbrella

January is the wedding month in Ireland. I'm not sure why, but as Christmas and New Year's Eve go by,  brides-to-be start knocking on my door again.

Looking out the window today, the setting would be prefect for a Winter Wonderland or Snow Queen theme, but the reality is that in  Ireland the chances are, it will probably be more like Waterworld than Narnia.

Laura and Ryan's wedding via Once Wed

As many new ideas are on the drawing board, I have started on my first brides for 2010. I found these photographs by Braedon which are not only  incredibly inspiring but also very relevant to our weather conditions. 

Cold and rainy most of the year, I find nothing more beautiful than a woman wearing a gown wrapped in a heavenly cashmere wrap. 

Isn't the black umbrella an incredible prop for a wedding ???

All I want for 2010 is time

 

'Time is a brisk wind, for each hour it brings something new...

but who can understand and measure its sharp breath,

 its mystery and its design?'

 

  Paracelsus

 

Photograph by Eduardo Macias. Clothes by Yours Truly 

Harvest Cook Eat

In December 2008 Mr. Silent and myself became the proud tenants of a little piece of land in County Meath, Ireland.

I'm not sure there was a specific reason for our desire to commit to some madness and a lot of pleasure, but  a combination of being more in touch with nature and growing our own vegetables could  have contributed to the decision.

Our lack of experience has resulted in a year where my skin started turning purple in June, after overdosing in beetroot, food poisoned by Jurassic Park sized courgettes (zucchinis) and eating spinach everyday for 4 or 5 months.. (Popeye would be proud)

I hope this year will result in a smarter harvest and I have to thank Helen James who has been my 911 call when I'm not sure if things are edible or not... I have a feeling our conversations will be even more frequent this year...

 

View of our allotment on the 1st of January 2010

 

Nature's creatures helping themselves to their share of the deal...

 

Our little helper is unaffected by freezing temperatures or snow..

 

Who, when and why?? Another rant about my wonderful fashion world..

I could use all my fingers and most of my toes to count the years I've worked in the fashion industry. 

My mother reminds me of events in the past that only confirm that it was a path I was destined to follow. (At the age of three I teared a dress off because it wasn't to my liking)...stubborn and determined..not much has changed..

 Alfred Eisenstaedt

I have written before about my incompatability and disagreement with many of the industry's manners and games. 

There is a basic logistical issue which I simply can't get my head around and have debated with many as to who, when and why did the season deliveries become a reflection of the lack of commonsense that my industry seems to operate by...

Last year one of my Japanese buyers asked for a Winter delivery in May!

I wasn't surprised as it just seemed like the next step in the ladder,  and in this business... the higher you go up the retail end, the earlier the delivery should be....even though you end up delivering 100% handknitted cashmere to New York in June.

Since August, I have become a retailer myself so for the first time I can experience and act on what it is pe0ple want...

Today is the 3rd of January, it's snowing and probably -3 degrees Celsius (26 Fahrenheit). I anticipate I will not sell a bikini in the shop until April..and what is flying out the door??...knitwear, coats and anything waterproof or thermal...

If I follow the industry standard I should be 'in sale' when the consumer requires my product the most... and I should be holding Spring Summer stock since the end of November....absurd absurd absurd..

I think for too many years the industry has been bullied by  financial advisers and bankers with their computer charts and excel sheets  instead of following the customer's real wants and needs... 

Commonsense and fashion may not go hand in hand but I am determined to continue my 'war dance' through this circus and just hope the gods will listen.....

English Women

 

As I start the year working on a new online trove...The Silent Gallery...where my collection will be sharing space with treasures and inspiration..

 On the 31st of December the postman delivered an incredible brown paper wrapped package, it included a first edition of Edith Sitwell’s book English Women. 

 

Mrs. Siddons by Sir Thomas Lawrence

 

This tiny hardback has a pencil written note inside saying:

 

 ' Joan,

 with love,

Siye

 XMas 1943

 

This little treasure briefly depicts the life of brilliant and beautiful English women from Emily Bronte to Florence Nightingale 

I anticipate many of their stories will be shared in this space  soon......

 

Dame Ellen Terry by George Frederic Watts

Starting the year with a smile

 

Peter O'Brien posted this video earlier and I couldn't think of a better way to start the day, and the year, than sharing this sketch of pure genius comedy.

 

The divine Anne Bancroft.....