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.

Brian Ferry Photography

London based photographer Brian Ferry’s portfolio is full of seemingly unremarkable scenes transformed into beautiful and captivating images.

With an observant eye and the ability to ‘paint with light’ his photographs manage to capture the energy and atmosphere that often surround ordinary places and ordinary things.

As well as contributing for magazines and blogs such as Selectism and Manhattan User’s Guide, Brian’s skills have been enlisted by retailers and brands that recognise that often the most powerful aspiration is to be found in authenticity and understatement.

To see more from Brian click through to his blog or portfolio.

Natural Selection Autumn/Winter 10 Collection

For Autumn/Winter 10 Natural Selection adds to its core denim offering with shirting, trousers and jackets. 

New for AW/10, chinos feature white selvedge and a buttoned waist for use with braces, while shooting jackets are made from wool, mohair and alpaca for warmth. The new collection has a strong heritage aesthetic that stays true to the brand’s evolutionary identity and compliments the premium denim perfectly.

Here’s a look at some of our favourite pieces from the collection:

Natural Selection River Blazer in charcoal tweed made from wool, alpaca and mohair. The jacket features a double button cuff and a single rear vent and is unlined with chambray bound seams.

Natural Selection Tide Shirt in denim and linen blend finished with dry scraped areas, contrast corduroy collar and two button down chest pockets and curved cuffs.

Natural Selection Smith Jeans with a straight leg, 14oz bruised, hand finished selvedge denim from the Kurabo mills, Japan.

The Autumn/Winter 10 Natural Selection collection is available now at Coggles.com

WIN A Colour-Customised Bike!

Coggles have teamed up with Sweden's Bike by Me to offer you the chance to design and win a single-speed colour-customised bike!

Here's what you need to do to enter:

* Click through to Bike by Me and design your bike - http://www.bikebyme.com/en/
* Copy the URL from your designed bike and paste it in the comments box on our Facebook Page
* We'll announce the winner from random on September 28th

Good luck!

M - Autumn/Winter 10 Collection

Japanese label M, designed by keen mountaineer Mitsuo, is one of the best kept secrets in men’s fashion and available in just a handful of select retailers worldwide.

Manufactured using traditional techniques in a small workshop in Japan, natural dyed cotton is washed in the rivers by the workshop and dried under the sun on the riverbeds before being put into production; this ancient Japanese tradition is used by very few designers today.

As well as their beautiful design and construction, M garments have an element of purpose to them; integrated backpacks on shirts and hand warmer pockets on coats make M just right for trekking in the foothills or surviving a harsh urban winter.

Here’s a look at some of our favourite pieces from the AW10 collection:

M brown check Penny collar shirt featuring a single and twin chest pocket on pocket and asymmetric rear hang loop.

M slubbed tweed shooting jacket featuring a contrast shoulder guard, elbow patches, darted elbow seam, notched lapel and three vented flap pockets.

M beige hooded two way jacket in a pre-washed, creased finish. and with a triple button funnel neck, half length two way zip front, handwarmer pockets and two hip pockets with leather re-enforced vents. The jacket can be worn full length or shortened via the buttoned hem and waist.

M brown puppy-tooth check shirt with a working integrated backpack and detachable waist and shoulder straps.

To view the AW10 M collection in it's entirety click here

Maripol: Little Red Riding Hood

French born photographer, stylist, art director and designer Maripol moved to New York aged 19 in 1977 where she quickly established herself as a luminary of the underground scene, hanging out with the likes of Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

In her remarkable career she worked on videos for the likes of Cher, Elton John, D’Angelo and most famously, Madonna, who she introduced to the word in a flurry of lace and sex in Like a Virgin.

Maripol: Little Red Riding Hood is a collection of her photographs, sketchbooks and other inspirational materials, telling the story of one of the most exciting and fascinating chapters of recent history.

Acclaim Magazine - Coggles X Take Ivy

Reflecting on contemporary street culture from around the world, Acclaim Magazine is a perfect mix of style, art, music, and…girls.

For their Friends issue, we worked with Acclaim to reimagine the varsity look seen in Japanese photographer Teruyoshi Hayashida’s iconic and just re-released Take Ivy, with exclusive spreads from the book and apparel from the likes of Nigel Cabourn, A.P.C. and Our Legacy.

Click through to Acclaim Magazine to see some more Coggles X Take Ivy.

Corrine Day

Last week brought with it the sad news that Corrine Day, one of her generation’s most talented photographers, passed away aged 48.

Her controversial photographs of a young Kate Moss heralded a new era of fashion photography, a move away from high-octane aspiration towards brutally honest documentary style shots that captured the spirit of youth culture and inspired a new generation of photographers.

While Corrine Day may well have pushed the boundaries of ‘acceptable’ with her often uncomfortable photographs, perhaps her greatest contribution, and lasting legacy, will be bringing fashion down to earth; and we should all be grateful for that.

Elizabeth Lau - AW10 Collection

Born and raised in London, Elizabeth Lau embodies the style, spirit and diversity of the city in her quirky approach to fashion, aiming to dress women in her fun, fresh and feminine vision, but in a way that is relevant for a 21st century lifestyle.

Every season she consistently designs easy to wear dresses, coats and knits that have the “dress you up in an instant” factor, and AW10 is no different, full of the brand's signature style of contrasts - sweet with a sassy edge, cute with the right amount of chic. As always, lovehearts feature throughout the collection, tempered by subtle menswear details.

The collection was shot by acclaimed fashion photographer Jackie Dixon and in the looks above you can see the Agatha black and white dress, the Lottie red cardigan and the Aurelia black coat, while the rest of the AW10 ELizabeth Lau collection can be found here .

Nigel Cabourn - AW10 "Saving the Nation"

Few collections generate as much excitement and anticipation as Nigel Cabourn when they arrive through the door, and this AW10 was no different – things pretty much ground to a halt when we were unpacking and photographing the collection. But now that the dust has settled and our excitement has turned to obsession we thought we’d take a closer look at a few of our favourite pieces from the "Saving the Nation" collection:

Everest Parka - first made for the Ascent of Cabourn collection in 2003, this iconic design is inspired by the parka worn by Sir Edmund Hillary on his Antarctic and Everest expeditions. Made from 100% Ventile proofed cotton (British Military cotton woven so tightly that it is waterproof) and hand filled Norwegian duck down, considered to be the best and the warmest available.

Cameraman Jacket - inspired by a jacket worn by Wilfrid Noyce on an Everest expedition, the Cameraman jacket has an upper made of Mackintosh, and a lower made of Harris Tweed, to keep the wearer warm in extreme conditions. It features specially made metal clips, and waxed cord in the hood and hem.

US Clip Grey Jacket - based on a US Navy WW2 sweat coat in grey marl woven jersey with curved patch pockets and an army clip fastening – an attachment developed in the late 1930’s for the Army as a functional, strong attachment.

Reversible Repeat Red & Ivory Check Shirt – made from premium Japanese cotton with a reinforced placket.

More from the "Saving the Nation" collection here

Lulu Guinness - "Kiss and Make-Up"

First sold through Liberty’s of London in 1989, Lulu Guinness has become synonymous with old school girly glamour. Awarded an OBE in 2006, many of her pieces have become highly sought after collectible items, with the Florist Basket and the Violet Hanging Basket just two of the designs which have been included in a permanent fashion collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

To this day Lulu Guinness has remained true to her original philosophy: why keep all your most glamorous things for special occasions? Her AW10 collection themed “kiss and make-up” certainly delivers on the glamour, with inspiration coming from vintage handbags, porcelain dolls and 60’s model Peggy Moffit.

Lips, as ever, feature prominently in the collection, with eyes getting a look-in too, especially on the Doll Face and Eyelash Tokyo bags and purses. It’s another wonderful collection full of the glamorous and very British essence that we have come to know and love.

To see the Kiss and Make-Up collection in its entirety click here

Alex Prager Photography

Alex Prager was born in Los Angeles in 1979. Her interest in art began in adolescence, but it was in her twenties that she began to focus on photography after being inspired by the work of William Eggleston. Her first solo show came in 2007 and introduced her as an emerging talent. Several solo and group shows have followed.

Her images are dramatic, taking the look of 1950’s film stills using bright colours and pretty girls dressed in vintage clothing and wigs. Her most recent show entitled ‘Week-end’ opened in Los Angeles, New York, London and Japan this year, while from September she is exhibiting for the first time at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the New Photography exhibition.

To view Week-End and other projects from Alex Prager click through to alexprager.com

Red Wing Shoe Company - Inventory Magazine Visit

When the Red Wing Shoe Company first started making boots, people still rode horses to work. While much has changed in the century or so that Red Wing has been trading, the core values that characterise the company remain the same; quality, craftsmanship, durability and comfort.

Taking its name from the company’s home, Red Wing City in Minnesota, Red Wing was built on America’s great promise; if one worked hard enough one could achieve anything. So when Charles Beckman, a Red Wing main street shoe merchant could not find footwear that met his requirements he decided to make his own, and in 1905 the Red Wing Shoe Company was born. Today, a third generation of employees are located just around the corner from the original Red Wing site, applying a modern interpretation to classic boots, still designed to withstand the rigours of hard work and the brutality of harsh weather.

Inventory Magazine recently took a trip around the Red Wing factory, providing a glimpse into the production process and their closely associated leather tannery.

You can view the full spread over on Inventory Magazine and the AW10 Red Wing collection on Coggles.com

Photo Of The Day: 1979-1997

This is the remarkable story of Jamie Livingston, who in 1979 while studying at Bard College bought a Polaroid camera. Upon realising that he was taking about one photo each day, he made a point of continuing to do so until finally succumbing to cancer in 1997 on his 41st birthday.

In order to keep the project alive, his friends Hugh Crawford and Betsy Reid digitally photographed the Polaroid’s and reproduced them for an exhibition at Bard. The photos have also been loaded onto a website so that Jamie’s 18 year journey can be experienced in its entirety.

It is a stunning and very moving account of a man’s life and death.

Offset Festival, Hainault Forest London - September 4-5

Back for its third year, Offest Festival was set up as an antidote to the proliferation of overly commercial and unimaginative festivals. With a booking policy that joins the dots between the best new bands and the artists who influenced them, Offset has already gained a reputation as The UK’s best alternative festival. Playing this year include Atari Teenage Riot, Caribou, festival favourites Mystery Jets, Mount Kimbie and many more – over 150 in total – across 7 stages.

Set in beautiful Hainault Forest just 30 minutes from London on the Central line, Offset makes for great weekend escapism with camping, organic food stalls, art, a funfair, kids areas and a rare-breeds farm adding to the excellent lineup.

For more details click through to the Offset website

Belstaff - AW10 Collections

Way back in 1924 Belstaff was first to create a waterproof and breathable fabric - a waxed cotton with which they made their all-weather motorbike jackets. With patrons such as thirties motorross legend Sammy Miller, revolutionary Che Gevara, Lawrence of Arabia and film idol Steve McQueen, it's little surprise that Belstaff has become one of the most iconic brands of all time.

Both men's and women's new season collections are arriving here at Coggles.com now so here are a couple of great options for the girls this autumn/winter:

Bradford - Belstaff's 3/4 length shooting jacket with quilted paisley lining

Triumph - The iconic leather motorbike jacket in an aged, vintage finish

Trialmaster - Handcrafted leather motorbike boots with a distressed, waxy finish

Roadmaster - The classic motorbike jacket in 8OZ waxed cotton

 

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

This is the 3rd album from Canadian ensemble Arcade Fire.

It was always going to be a difficult task to follow two of the most inventive and extravagant albums of this decade - Funeral and Neon Bible - but it has been accomplished in a way that is unlike either of its predecessors. The Suburbs highlights just how impressive this band really is. Violins, xylophones, harpsichords and brass accompany guitars and drums to add depth to a truly signature Arcade Fire sound, but assembled in a way that takes you in a different direction than before, while the sincerity and craft in every track make it easy to follow and even easier to thoroughly enjoy.

The CD is available in 8 different covers, all allocated randomly. More details on the Arcade Fire website.

Universal Works AW10 Collection

Founded in 2008 as an antidote to everything “fashion”, the Universal Works brand is stripped down to the single most important element – the product.

Inspired simply by great British workwear and outdoor clothing, Universal Works is about good honest menswear, never over designed but with an attention to detail and emphasis on quality that speak volumes.

Favouring natural yarns and dead stock fabrics where possible, Universal Works garments are brought to life by highly skilled people working in factories that have stood the test of time; crafted, not mass-produced, the sense of satisfaction derived from Universal Works comes from the silent exclusivity of the label – stylish because the wearer makes it so.

The AW10 Universal Works collection is one of our favourites form the season: fairisle knits, check workshirts and pocket t's in colour palette of navy, grey and maroon, as well as our favourites - the Norden waistcoat and the Todmorden jacket - make for an easy to wear and very handsome Autumn wardrobe.

The AW10 Universal Works collection is available now at Coggles.com

Bompas and Parr - Jelleymongers

Blending desserts with architecture and performance art, Bompas and Parr design spectacular food adventures to blow the minds, and taste buds, of all that experience them.

Formed in 2007 by old school friends Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, Bompas and Parr made their name making jelly, inspired by the 19th century culinary eccentricity from the likes of Agnes B Marshall, who from as early as the 1890’s was using liquid nitrogen in the kitchen. This creativity, mixed with cutting edge technology and Parr’s architectural background result in spectacular jellies, like miniature St Paul’s cathedrals and a jelly map of the USA.

More recent projects include a vast glowing jelly installation for San Francisco MOMA and Alcoholic Architecture - a walk in cloud of breathable G&T , while this weekend at the Big Chill festival, Bompas & Parr is building the Ziggurat of Flavour, a pyramidal installation containing a cloud of breathable fruit. Visitors will be able to contribute to their five-a-day just by breathing.  

“The Ziggurat of Flavour will be a monolithic structure on the hills overlooking the Big Chill Festival. After negotiating the dense mist of vaporized fruit, visitors emerge onto a slide at the top of the structure. As they slide back down to the festival their kinetic energy will be harnessed to make the cloud even denser.”

Head on over to Nowness for more on Bompas and Parr and a glimpse inside their studio.

Our Legacy - AW10 Collection

Swedish label Our Legacy started out in 2005 with a small t-shirt collection that quickly gained recognition from Scandinavia’s top stores. Three years later Our Legacy founders Christopher and Jockum launched their first full collection, their easy to wear, ‘thrown together’ style appealing to effortlessly cool Scandinavians and style conscious customers further away from home in The US, Europe and Japan.

Rather than be led by seasonal trends, the Our Legacy starting point is to focus on classically designed pieces constructed from the best fabrics, which are typically sourced from Italy, Portugal and The UK. There’s a strong heritage feel which arises from the choice of fabric and classic design, yet playful and irreverent deconstruction gives Our Legacy a relaxed, almost nonchalant appeal that is contemporary in every way.

For AW10 Our Legacy maintains focus on the simple wardrobe essentials: perfectly cut t-shirts, relaxed sweats and great outerwear in a suitably subtle colour palette of blues, creams and browns. One of our favourite labels of the moment...

Bike By Me

Bike By Me allows you to build the bike you really want.

The colour of practically every element of the bike, from tyres and rims to frame and even the chain can be customised to suit your style.  At the moment the bikes only come in one model, but within this are thousands of variations for your customising pleasure - all for a very reasonable €499.

Click through to Bike By Me to have a go yourself!

Foto8 Summershow 2010

Whittled down from over 2500 images, the final selection for the Foto8 Summershow comprises 156 prints now hung floor to ceiling on the walls of London’s HOST Gallery. Famous names and unknown photographers alike submitted work covering a wide variety of genres, including landscape, portraiture, fashion, street and conceptual.

“If one identifiable change has occurred since last year’s judging took place, it would be that the idea of what constitutes ‘good photography’ is changing, as is the industry itself, and the people who populate it. No longer do practitioners feel they have to emulate the great and the good of yesteryear. Contemporary image-makers are creating a new aesthetic, one that is less formal, perhaps, and harder to define”.

A slideshow of all 156 images can be found on the Foto8 website here