A.P.C. SS11 First Drop

The excitement created by the arrival of an A.P.C. delivery seems to be at odds with the cult Parisian brand’s minimalistic approach, but often it’s the simplest things in life that makes us most happy…

For almost a quarter of a century A.P.C. have been responsible for effortless and understated dressing, expertly combining obsessive emphasis on fit and fabric with rock n roll and military undertones. The result is devastatingly cool wardrobe essentials that transcend age and occasion while screaming ‘Parisian chic’ louder than almost any other label we can think of.

In our first drop from the women's A.P.C. Spring/Summer 11 collection we have received a number of classic t-shirts, perfectly cut with cropped sleeves and a wooden button fastening at the neck in versatile navy, white and grey, along with a red polkadot heart t that strikes the perfect balance between cute and cool as only A.P.C. can...

Keep your eyes open for more new arrivals from A.P.C. at Coggles.com over the coming weeks.

Coming Soon - Repetto Shoes

Bridgette Bardot in her trademark Repetto flats at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival, courtesy of The Independent

Repetto was created in 1947 by Rose Repetto, who at the request of her son – dancer and choreographer Roland Petit – began making ballet shoes in a tiny workshop just a minute away from the National Opera of Paris. Twelve years later Rose opened her first shop at 22 Rue de la Park in Paris and before long it became the place to go for Prima ballerinas from across the world, with Bejart, Noureev, Barychnikov, Carolyn Carlson, the kirov from the “Folies-Bergeres” all wearing Repetto ballet shoes.

But it’s not just ballerinas who have fallen in love with the French dance shoe brand. Bridgette Bardot, Serge Gainsbourg and Kate Moss are just a few of the brands more revered ambassadors.

So, what’s behind all this adoration? The secret of Repetto’s light and flexible shoes? Since day one Repetto have used a “stitch and return” method, stitching under the sole before turning the shoe inside out, stretching the soft leather upper over a last and stitching it to the thicker leather sole inside out. When the shoe is turned the right way, the left foot becomes the right and vice versa. This results in a near-invisible join between the shoe and the upper – and an extremely comfortable fit too!

More than just comfortable though, Repetto make some of the prettiest footwear you’re likely to find; For Spring/Summer 11 we have bought a series of dance shoes from classic ballet pumps to fiery salsa heels in a colour palette of navy, cream, grey and scarlet.

Repetto will be available at Coggles.com in January.

Robert Montgomery - Words in the City at Night

Part poetry, part enquiry into our collective unconscious, Robert Montgomery’s ‘Words in the City at Night’ project hijacks advertising space in the city replacing brands with melancholy, intimate messages that encourage reflection.

They are intended to be encountered by commuters who do not know that they are art, and attempt to describe in public space what it feels like to live now.

Robert Montgomery works in a public melancholic post-Situationist tradition. Since 2005 he has carried out his WORDS IN THE CITY AT NIGHT project where, echoing the Situationist concept of detournement, he hijacks advertising space in the city, often illegally. He covers illuminated advertising billboards with austere black posters with white letters, which assume the colour of the ad posters underneath and take their light, parasitically. His texts are part poetry, part an enquiry into our collective unconscious. They are intended to be encountered by commuters who don’t know they are art, and an attempt to describe in public space what it feels like to live now.

For more from Robert Montgomery check Dazed Digital for an interview, or robertmontgomery.org where you can find a biography and selected works.

Florence Welch: Letter from LA

From Nowness comes a Short Film Exploring Life on the Road With Florence and the Machine's English Songbird.

Tabitha Denholm's "Florence: Letter from LA" is a sunny meditation on pop stardom, premiering exclusively on NOWNESS today.

It captures Welch during her fall 2010 American tour for her debut album Lungs (which earned her a Best New Artist Grammy nomination). We see the flame-haired British songstress swimming in pools, driving on highways and marveling at the surreal nature of fame and the places it has brought her. "I wanted to record this unique time in Florence's career because I knew it would be a one-off," explains Denholm, who co-directed several of Welch’s early music videos with Tom Beard, notably for the single “Rabbit Heart.”

This new short film is one in a three-part series collectively titled Letters From America, which also trails Welch to New Orleans and New York. "Florence has this energetic whirlwind side, and then this incredibly quiet introspective side," Denholm reveals.

Welch says she decompressed from touring by taking in the country on foot: “I saw so much beautiful American stuff—the bewitching buildings of New Orleans, a crazy Halloween in Boston. If I wasn't playing a gig or flying somewhere, I was just walking; constantly lost, constantly overwhelmed by the beauty of what I was seeing." 

Click through to Nowness to watch Florence Welch: Letter from LA.

Drapers Top 100 2010

Coggles.com Creative Director Mark Bage has been named the 40^th most influential person in fashion by Drapers, the fashion industry’s bible.

Mark Bage’s endorsement - or rejection - of a brand makes the rest of the industry sit up and take notice, so it was no surprise that Bage and his team won this year’s Drapers Award for Buying Team of the Year.

Sarah Coggles, the premium boutique he owns and runs in York, also took the prize for Best Independent Retailer, as it has firmly established itself as one of the leading stores - of any sort - in the country.

Affable Bage is recognised by his peers in both the indie and the multiple sectors for his detailed product knowledge, an uncanny ability to spot a successful new brand well ahead of the pack and his knowledge of wider market issues. He has also created one of the best indie etail operations in the business.

Click here to see who else featured in the Drapers Top 100 most inflential people in fashion. 

Modernist Cuisine: The Art of Science and Cooking

A revolution is underway in the art of cooking... Borrowing techniques from the laboratory, pioneering chefs are blowing through the boundaries of the culinary arts, incorporating a deeper understanding of science and advances in cooking technology into their culinary art.

In Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Maxime Bilet - scientists, inven­tors, and accom­plished cooks in their own right - have cre­ated a six-volume 2,400-page set that reveals science-inspired tech­niques for prepar­ing food that ranges from the oth­er­worldly to the sub­lime.

It is an indis­pens­able guide for any­one who is pas­sion­ate about the art and sci­ence of cooking.

Howl

 

Composed from court records, interviews and Allen Ginsberg’s infamous and incendiary poem, Howl stars James Franco as Allen Ginsberg – the young poet, counter-culture adventurer and chronicler of The Beat Generation.

The film takes us on a journey that recounts the road trips, love affairs and the search for personal    liberation that led to Ginsberg’s controversial Howl and the court case that followed its publication.

Howl is released in the UK on the 25th February. Click here to see the trailor.

 

The Grand Anarcho-Dandyist Ball

The Chap Magazine, in association with Bourne & Hollingsworth, puts its best brogue forward to stage the year’s most dapper shindig.

The Grand Anarcho-Dandyist Ball will give partygoers a chance to don their most splendid threads and jitterbug/Charleston/pogo the night away in London’s finest Art Deco ballroom. Entertainment includes an eleven-piece swing band, hip-hop sensation Mr B and table-top horseracing.

The event takes place on 4th December and requires a dress code ranging from 1890’s decadence, through to 1920’s villainy and 1930’s glamour.

Click through to The Chap for more info and to buy tickets.

Beyond Biba

Barbara Hulanicki will always be remembered for BIBA, the shop that changed the face of UK fashion in the 1960’s and 70’s.

This film provides a rare insight into the woman herself, her memories of her father’s murder, the impossible glamour of biba, the impact of her husband Fitz on her life, her thoughts on modern America, and her refusal to give up and live in the shadow of the past.

The film focuses on these elements, and more, to create an all access portrait of an overlooked and elusive artist.

Somewhere

Somewhere is the latest offering written and directed by Sofia Coppola and winner of the Golden Lion at the 67th Venice International Film Festival earlier this year.

The story is of a successful but bored Hollywood actor (Stephen Dorff) who spends most of his time drinking, smoking and womanising. That is until the arrival of his 11-year-old daughter (Elle Fanning) who is unexpectedly dumped in his care and accompanies him on a trip to Rome to promote his new film.

Well made, beautifully shot and superbly acted, Soewhere has gorgeous cinematography throughout and is truly in keeping with Coppola’s previous releases.

Mary and Max

From the creators of Academy Award winning Hervie Krumpet, Mary and Max is an animated feature film that tells the story of a pen-friendship between two very different people – Mary, a lonely 8 year old living in suburban Melbourne, and Max, a 44 year old with Aspergers Syndrome living in the chaos of New York City.

Innocent but not naïve, Mary and Max takes us on a journey that explores life’s ups and downs, addressing issues of friendship, autism, psychiatry, alcoholism, sexual differences and where babies come from…

With a string of awards already to its name, Mary and Max is well up there with this year’s best films and we whole-heartedly recommend you go and see it. Click here to go to the Mary and Max microsite where you can watch trailers and find out more about the characters.

Warpaint - The Fool

Warpaint’s debut album has been a long time coming but it was worth the wait.  

Recently signed to Rough Trade Records, the all-girl LA band are far removed from what that normally entails; sweet their vocals may be but they are dangerously seductive too, pulling you beneath the surface of dreamy psychedelic rock and into darker, turbulent territory that’s definitely worth exploring. 

Head over to Rough Trade for more on Warpaint.

Joy Division by Kevin Cummins

Arguably the most important music photographer of his generation, Kevin Cummins started out documenting the bands of 1970s Manchester. His photographs contributed significantly to the rise of the city’s music scene and led to a 25 year association with NME and 10 years as their chief photographer, shooting bands such as the Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Smiths and Joy Division – who, despite releasing just two albums in their short run remain one of the most revered and influential bands of all time.

Here, Cummins presents the band in full page black and white, set against the backdrop of an austere winter Manchester, along with intimate portraits of individual band members, their instruments, set lists and flyers.

Marina Aurora - Food Photography

Food styling really seems to be taking off at the moment. We found these great looking shots on Wildfox Couture’s photo blog (full of all sorts of inspiration and eye candy).

Interesting ingredients and vibrant colours stylishly put together make for great looking photos that make us want to cook.

To see more from Marina Aurora diverse portfolio click through to marinaaurora.com

Damien Hirst - The Souls

Damien Hirst’s latest exhibition sees the Paul Stopler Gallery transformed into a butterfly house with 120 white framed foil blocked butterfly prints lined in grids all over the walls.

The show explores similar themes of morality and spirituality that has underlined most of Hirst’s most famous work, but the subject matter here is one of delicacy and frail beauty.

The Exhibition is at the Paul Stopler Gallery, London until 13th November and is certainly worth a visit.

Guest Editorial - Brian Ferry

Photographer Brian W. Ferry is this weeks guest editor at Coggles.

Brian is highly regarded for his photoblog The Blue Hour where he explores interests such as Talking Heads, British Ales, vintage film cameras and simple functional clothing.

Having moved from Brooklyn NY to London last year, Brian has most recently collaborated with the clothing label Albam and his photographs have been published in small art book collective Lines & Shapes. His work can also be found on sites such as Selectism and Kitsune Noir.

You can see Brian's selection for Coggles here and browse his portfolio at Brian W. Ferry Photography.

Heartbeats - Xavier Dolan

Heartbeats was written, directed and starred in by 21 year-old Xavier Dolan.

The story is of a pair of male and female best friends who both fall for the same boy. As the duo try to work out whether he is gay or straight they all form a close friendship, but jealously gradually pulls them further apart.

This is an extremely stylish arthouse comedy-drama with gorgeous set design and a wonderfully eclectic soundtrack.

Lee Price Paintings

Realistic to the point that it's nearly impossible to tell that they are not photos, American figurative realist oil painter Lee Price paints intimate scenes of women, usually surrounded by food and from an aerial, voyeuristic perspective that has the effect of suggesting secrecy and obsession.

Lee Price is currently exhibiting at Re-Presenting The Nude, Evoke Contemporary Gallery in Santa Fe and at Women Painting Women at Robert Lange Studios in South Carolina, alternatively you can see the rest of Lee’s work on her website here

Guest Editorial - Chi-San

Last week we asked stylist Chi-San to pick her favourite pieces from the Autumn/Winter collections at Coggles as well as a few of her favourite non-fashion related things too.

Chi has worked with the likes of The Editors, Robbie Williams, E4, i-D and GQ so in case you missed her excellent selection including pieces from Our Legacy, Nigel Cabourn, Heritage Research and Grenson, here's another chance to take a look... 

Click here to see Chi's Coggles selection and here for more on Chi at her website.

Knife & Saw Bike Shelf

Knife and Saw designer Chris Brigham’s latest creation perfectly captures his pragmatic and creative approach to design. Filling the void for elegant bike management, the Bike Shelf elevates your pride and joy to the status it deserves, at once showcasing your bike and acting as a shelf for books, bike accessories or whatever else takes your fancy.

Each shelf is made by hand in either Walnut ($300) or Ash ($270) and are designed to fit most bike frames, although custom orders can be placed if needs be. For more information check out Knife&Saw.