retro magazine issue five
TRANSCRIPT
RETROClassic Influence. Contemporary Style.
Issue Five
Uma Turan
Visual AcousticsThe sculptured photography
of Julius Shulman
Martyn wareHeaven 17’s electric icon
Hats off to the UK’s leading theatrical milliner
Modern EnglishContemporary fashion statements
Inspired
32 julius shulman38 art deco bride44 contemporary mod54 uma turan58 party tarts64 weekend breaks74 my cool caravan78 martyn ware
4 top five12 gadgets16 lifestyle20 fashion26 motoring
We’ve just returned from Vintage atGoodwood - a theatrical manifestation ofan abundance of subcultures, genres,fashions, quirky nuances and althoughwe left with one hell of a hangover wewelcome an elegant festival with sartorial elan to the social calendar.But aside from frolicking with polka dot-clad women in fields, Retro has been busy producing yet another jam-packed issue for you to feast yourgluttonous eyes on. Here in these pageswe unveil the magnificent, sculpted photography of the late, great JuliusShulman from the critically acclaimedfilm Visual Acoustics. We delve underthe bonnet of the uber-talented UmaTuran, the UK’s leading theatricalmilliner. Rev up your Vespas and rejoicein our take of the very ‘modern’ man aswe shoot some pool, dressed in highfashion. We also chat to one of Goodwood’s curators and Heaven 17’sMartyn Ware about his love of all thingsItalian and why he did a runner from aflat in his youth and if that wasn’tenough, we tip you the wink aboutJames Bond’s Aston Martin DB5, drivenby Sean Connery in Goldfinger andThunderball, being up for sale at auction.All from Retro with love.
ED
ITOR’S
LETTE
R
Features
Hello Retroites,
julia Brandon bruce hudsonCo-editorsRetro [email protected]
&
publisher and& men’’s editor: Bruce Hudson
women’’s editor: Julia Brandonart director:
Graeme Coopchief sub-editor:
Danielle Colyeradvertising director:
Jerry Halls +44 (0)7970 422 437
CONTENTS
64 58
38 32
44
Cover Photo: Merry Phillips
fivethe top
1 The stylish collaboration between DitaVon Teese and Wheels & Dollbaby occurred a few seasons ago, it soldout immediately and finally Wheels & Dollbaby are able to bring back a special Limited Edition run of thecardi’s in Peach, Black and Red.
Wheels & Dollbaby Dita Embroidered Cardi $198 (AUS)
www.wheelsanddollbaby.com
fivethe top
Pinel and Pinel’s designs are made for today’s lifestyle and alternative travel trends. The range features an i-Trunk, which includes a fully-equipped office; the Krug Trunk, the ultimate inluxury for eccentric picnickers; and this rather fantastic GameTrunk which is described as being ‘the celebration of parlourgames: some privileged moments of sharing that remain engraved on our childhood memories’. There are around fortygames including the 1935 1st edition Monopoly set, the 1970 1st edition Clue and for the younger folk there’s a Nintendo DSand even a bit of Triv for the whole family!
Pinel & Pinel Game Trunk €39,500
www.pineletpinel.com
2
Left: Oxidation Painting (in 12 parts)1978. Acrylic & urine on linen.
Andy Warhol: The Last DecadeExhibition at Brooklyn Museum
www.brooklynmuseum.org
fivethe top
3
fivethe top
4Russian-born designer Igor Chak would like to introduce you to “an old friend that kept trying to take
over Earth but retired and became a couch.” The couch is leather, with two glass surfaces, linedwith memory foam for extra comfort. He is currentlytaking custom orders through a local manufacturer
in Los Angeles.
Space Invaders Couch£POA
www.igorchak.com
Mikael Alacoque was initially trained as a traditional figurativesculptor and mould maker but is now looking for new meaningand relevance in old, outmoded techniques. Recent works'Gnome Kone' and 'Bad Babysitter' are part of a series ofsculptures concerned with the playfully sinister bastardisationof familiar objects. The pieces have an initial feeling of innocence but on closer inspection seem more bizarre and unsettling and be warned, whatever you do, don’t show theseto your family pets.
‘Etruria and Florence’ by Mikael Alacoque £POA
www.gggallery.co.uk
5
InspiredNew products Classic influence
Following on from the success of the Wild, which made espressos with Easy Serving Espressopods in 2007, the Domepod has been released to make real ground coffee espressos. Fantasticfor a pick-me-up on the go, the portable machine comes with a 50ml water reservoir and becauseof the hand pump which releases pressure upon the coffee, you get a work-out to boot. Perk-tastic.
Handpresso Wild Domepod$145 (CAN)
www.handpresso.ca
gadgets
The CFD-A110 has just been released in Japan and comes with an integrated CD player, a cassette tape player and an AM/FM radio tuner.If you fancy a warble there’s a built-in microphone for recording and youcan switch between your favourite stations with the two-way buttons.But being honest if you buy this baby your dial is going to be locked toonly one station and that’s Retro Radio!
Sony CDF-A110TBC
www.sony.jp
gadgets
Forget hi-energy sports drinks these headbands will definitely heighten your performance. The SB2 Sportsband introduces the option of CD-quality music performance and comes with apt-X on board, which cleans up and adds depth, bass and treble over Bluetooth. The design takes cues from the 80s so if you feellike ‘getting strong now’ then whack on a pair and head off to the gym.
SB2 Sportsband £TBC
www.jaybirdgear.com
InspiredNew products Classic influence
The Two Timer clock illustratesthat even with different timezones we are of one-world andaccording to its designer SamHecht: “It’s as if everyone thesedays has come from, or is goingto, somewhere else. Two Timeris a useful expression of thismodern condition, merging twodifferent time zones into oneclock.” I guess this isn’t the time,or the place, to make a gagabout two-timing.
Two Timer Clock £246.98
www.scp.co.uk
Pure Evoke-1S Marshall£119.99
Pure have remodeled the original radio produced in collaboration with Marshall andreleased the DAB Evoke-1S.Nicely finished with texturedblack vinyl covering, rubberhandle, plastic corner protectors, white Marshall logoall set off against a rather lushgold control panel. As a tie-inwith the radio station PlanetRock, the default is set to thatstation when you turn the radioon. Does it go up to 11? Do youreally need to ask?
www.hmv.com
lifestyle
Michelle Thompson Artwork Prints£150
These fine prints by British artistMichelle Thompson include a uniquecombination of mark making, collageand photography combined with digitalprocesses. Pictured is “Everything”which can be found among many othersfor sale on her website.
www.michelle-thompson.com
Flow sideboard by Kay + Stemmer £1995
Inspired by 1950’s design, thiswalnut and oak sideboard combines luxury and functionwith the highest standards ofcraftsmanship. This perfect addition to any living room mayset you back a fair bit, but isworth every penny.
www.heals.co.uk
InspiredNew products Classic influence
Chesterfield by Squint Ltdfrom £4800
Want the fine luxury and comfort of a classicChesterfield sofa, but also want to add a splash ofcolour? Look no further than the brighter-than-lifedesigns by Squint, with a range of furnishings allwith patchwork style finishes, guaranteed to be aneye catching addition to any home.www.squintlimited.com
Newgate Cube Clock£35
This simplistic Cube Clock with sharplines and 60’s feel is available in blackor red. It may be square but you’ll behip with this beauty in your home.www.utilitydesign.co.uk
InspiredNew products Classic influence
Originally used in telephone exchanges,there are less than 100 of these telephones in existence. If these were a bit before your time, or you just fancya trip down memory lane then checkthis out: http://bit.ly/9aSCdl Yes, siree, that familiar chirp was indeed the 746 in action.
Reconditioned Transparent 746 Telephone £POA
www.pedlars.co.uk
Where to Darlin'?£95
www.artrepublic.com
Dan Innes’ work is inspired by theeveryday events he encountersalong with a more subversive look atdepicting the current world climatewe live in. This work reflects a softerside with a 30" x 23" Silkscreensigned limited edition of 50, on whitetextured 100% cotton paper, signedand numbered by the artist.
lifestyle
There is something veryEnglish about this. It’s aslightly wonky lamp...duemainly to its height and thefact that the main poleslots into the wheel assembly. As these lampshave been assembled fromvarious different bits andbobs, some reclaimed,some which are brandnew, no two are preciselythe same. So this image isonly a representation ofwhat you will receive andat Retro we like the idea ofordering this and waitingfor the day when a random, rather lanky,wonky lamp turns up at our home.
Tall Lamp on Wheel£350
www.pedlars.co.uk
The Masters Chair, designed by Phillippe Starckfor Kartell, is a tribute to three classic chair
designs, and their designers, of the twentiethcentury. With his own interpretation he’s paid
homage to the Series 7 Chair by Arne Jacobsen,the Tulip Chair by Eero Saarinen and the DSR
or Eiffel Chair by Charles Eames.
Kartell Masters ChairPack of two from £216
www.utilitydesign.co.uk
fashion
Fancy yourself as the queen of nouvelle cuisine,but hate to look dowdy in the kitchen? Well fret nomore, ‘cos this retro-style buttoned lace and cotton pinny is the answer to all your BettyCrocker woes. Available in fuchsia pink or steelygreen, it will add flare to any flambé, and haveyou looking the very picture of cutesy kitsch.
Buttoned lace apron£22
www.anthropologie.eu
Made with all natural ingredients, and available in over 40 fabulousflavours — including The Boys Love Coconut, Voluptuous Vanilla,
Gimme Grape, and Peppermint Twist — these super stylish lip balmsare a treat for the eyes as well as the lips. And each balm contains a
conditioning formula made up of avocado oil, beeswax, apricot kerneloil and vitamin E to keep lips nourished, moisturised, and of
course, sexy.
Pin Up Lip Balms$4
www.pinupbalm.com
InspiredNew products Classic influence
A treat for all you geek chic lovers outthere, these chunky framed, black tinted
shades are the perfect summer accessory to fight off those style-meltingsun rays. And at a pinch for just £10.99,they’re not going to burn a hole in your
pocket either. Genius.
Men’s Retro One Stripe shades£10.99
www.phixclothing.com
InspiredNew products Classic influence
Imagine if you could take your plain old,generic, white headphones, and dip theminto a pool of rhinestones instantly transforming them into a functional pieceof jewellery. Wouldn’t that be cool? Well,that’s exactly what the clever people atBless have done, so take out all that cashyou’ve stuck in a back drawer for a rainyday, and blow it on some bling!
iPhone/iPod jewellery by Bless£204
www.farfetch.com
fashion
She’s trend-setting fashion royaltyadmired and respected the world
over, so what better place to makeall your detailed annotations on the
latest A/W fashion collections (or justdoodle) than this fabulous Vivienne
Westwood quilted gold-pattern fabricnotebook. Along with branded pencil
and paper, and adorned with a Westwood orb, you can project both
brains and beauty. Fabulous!
Vivienne Westwood quilted notebook with pencil
£115
www.farfetch.com
Treat yourself to a pair or two of Babette Wasserman retro-inspired cufflinks. Classicallytrained in jewellery design at London’s Central St Martins College of Art, Wassermanhas been creating collections of exquisite jewels and cufflinks under her own label for12 years. We think the Neptune design with its mother of pearl ‘scales’ and the Fibonacci links said to be inspired by the famous Fibonacci curve linking nature andmaths are just fab.
Men’s Babette Wasserman cufflinks £45 Neptune, £49 Fibonacci
www.little15jewellery.co.uk
fashion
While expanding geographically, Eucalyptus clothing has also celebratedthe successful launch of its sister label,Friday On My Mind this year.Spring/Summer ‘10 has seen the 50spin-ups and rockabilly fashion rangequickly take its own identity within Eucalyptus branding. The collection hasplenty of frilly dresses, shorts, playsuitsand tops in denim, checks, ginghamsand polka dots with details such asheart shaped pockets and buttons. The idea is to keep you going duringthe week with that fun expectation of awicked Friday, dressed in sweet naughtiness. There’s no need to get the Monday blues anymore: now thatthere’s Friday On My Mind.
Friday On My Mind clothing Prices vary from £25 to £90
www.eucalyptusclothing.co.uk
InspiredNew products Classic influence
This matching pair of Frog Prince jewellery formspart of an exciting collection from renowned costumejewellery designer Simon Harrison. The hand carved24 carat gold Frog Prince brooch combines coloured
enamels with tiny cabochon stones and Swarovskicrystal. Close attention has been paid to even thefinest detail, where the frog has handmade glasseyes, and on the underside the frog wears a tiny
waistcoat with a shirt and bow tie. The gentle curveof the 24 carat gold Frog Prince earrings highlights
the textural surface, and skilful details, including theplayful crown and tiny frog on the inside.
Simon Harrison jewelleryBrooch £275, Earrings £75
www.frenchsdairy.com
This stunning bracelet by Anton Heunis features four cameo and intaglios set in
decorative antique bronze mounts, in a similarstyle to the fashion made popular around 1910
by the designer Renee Lalique. The glassstones have been hand carved in Bavaria by
designer Stefanie Freydont. The bracelet ishandmade in Northern California, measures
20cm by 4cm and fastens with a toggle.
Glass intaglio and cameo four-part bracelet
£465
www.frenchsdairy.com
HMC Hidalgo
motoring
Swiss Helvetic Motor Company will be using a Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG as the base for the soon to be launched HMC Hidalgo. Already looking like a modern classic, with a
cheeky nod to the Bugatti Type 57, the car has been designed by a team of engineers with F1 experience amongst their ranks. The Hidalgo will have a 355-horsepower (265-KW,360-PS) V8 engine, although if you want to give it a bit more grunt you can pay extra. Only six cars will be produced annually, with a starting price of around €310,000.
o
Aston Martin the real james Bond movie carcomes up for sale at auction
The Aston Martin DB5 driven by Sean Conneryin Goldfinger is up for sale by auction. The carcomes with the full complement of famous
Bond ‘gadgets’, fitted by the Factory, including machine guns, bullet-proof shield, revolving numberplates, tracking device, removable roof panel, oilslick sprayer, nail spreader and smokescreen — all controlled by toggles andswitches hidden in the centre arm-rest.
Two Aston Martin DB5swere used on screenfor the production
DB5
of the timeless 1960’s James Bond classics,Goldfinger and Thunderball. The other car wasreported stolen in 1997 and is believed to havebeen destroyed.
Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 and its gadgets werethe brainchild of Oscar-award-winning special effects expert John Stears, also of Star Wars andChitty Chitty Bang Bang fame.
The FMP 7B was the 'Road Car' used inGoldfinger and featured in various locations andwas given substantial screen time, most notablythe scenes at the Stoke Park Club and iconicallywhen Bond was spying on Mr. Goldfinger fromthe picturesque Furka Pass in Switzerland.
For Thunderball, FMP 7B was to have most ofthe screen time, so it was fitted with the full complement of gadgets. Its specification has notchanged since its appearance in Thunderball andvirtually all its distinctive gadgets remain intact.
Sold in 1969 to American Mr. Jerry Lee — FMP7B’s first ex-factory and remaining owner. Mr. Leepursued FMP 7B and eventually negotiated itspurchase from the Aston Martin factory for$12,000. For a time, Mr. Lee agreed to allowAston Martin to continue to use FMP 7B for promotional purposes in the USA. FMP 7B enjoyed record-breaking crowds at exhibitions onnumerous occasions throughout the 70s, until the
RM Auctions is the world’s largest collectorcar auction house and holds four of the five
world record prices for motorcars sold at auction.
www.rmauctions.com
car was pulled from public life in 1977. Theodometer shows approximately 30,000 miles,mostly, one presumes, from its tour usage.
Proceeds of the sale of FMP 7B will be used tofurther the charitable work of ‘The Jerry LeeFoundation’, a multi-national initiative dedicated tosolving social problems associated with poverty,with an emphasis on crime prevention.
RM Auctions ‘Automobiles of London’: 27 October, 2010
Visual Acous
In need of vintage photos of San Francisco, EricBricker was led to the work of Julius Shulman.Not only did a great friendship ensue, a film of
the world’s greatest architectural photographerwas released, celebrating the career of a manwhose images brought modern architecture intothe American mainstream.Retro Magazine, in this pictorial celebration, appreciates why the film’s director was so inspired by Julius Shulman.Julius Shulman captured the work of nearly every modern and progressive architect since the 1930s including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, JohnLautner and Frank Gehry. His images epitomised thesingular beauty of Southern California’s modernistmovement and brought its iconic structures to the attention of the general public. The film VisualAcoustic: The Modernism of Julius Shulman is testament to the evolution of modern architecture andas the filmmaker Eric Bricker said: “Few people havehad such a profound impact on my life as he has.Two things were apparent to me upon my initial meeting with Julius in the spring of 1999. First, thephotography created by the man is nothing short ofastounding, and second, Julius himself is equally impressive as the work he created.”
stics
All photographs by Julius Shulman, taken from Visual
Acoustics, an Arthouse Films release 2009. CopyrightJ. Paul Getty Trust.
Visual Acoustics has picked up an array ofawards since release, including the Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best
Documentary at the Palm Springs InternationalFilm Festival, the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Austin Film Festival, andOutstanding Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking at the Newport Beach Film Festival. As Eric Bricker’s passion for filmmaking grew, sotoo did his art consultation firm, Artistic DesignsUnlimited, formed in 1996. It was through developing an understanding of his clients’ spatialneeds and translating those specifics into original
works of art that enabled Eric to develop agreater visual vocabulary and sense of design.But it was only after discovering Shulman’s workthat all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.“Few people have had such a profound impact onmy life as he. The true defining characteristic of aShulman photograph is that vibrant, uplifting, profound energy that transcends the two-dimensional space.”Prior to filmmaking Eric was active in music andtheatre in St. Louis, Missouri, but with a grandmother who took him to countless films,Eric knew that Los Angeles was an inevitable
move. However, before moving toLos Angeles Eric went on to graduate from Indiana Universitywhere he received his B.A. inEnglish Literature with a minor inTheatre. After graduation Ericspent the next few years actingwith the California RepertoryCompany and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Uponsettling in Los Angeles, Ericturned his focus towards film andtelevision production where heworked with such notable talentas Jerry Seinfeld, Alec Baldwinand Danny Aiello. Meanwhile,Eric explored his affinity formusic, playing percussion withthe likes of Lula & Afro-Brasil andPerry Farrell at Coachella Festival. It was during this periodthat Eric started producing anddirecting his own film projectsthat lead to Visual Acoustics. “It isan honor and privilege to work ona project possessing such depthand distinction; I do so with the
utmost passion, determination and humble appreciation. When viewing one of Julius’ ‘constructed views’ I am reminded of the potentialfor greatness inherent within each individual andthen usually driven to a state of bewildermentknowing that within the Shulman archive is 8000+projects dating back to 1927 when Julius started
photographing with a Brownie Box Camera. Iconsider Julius my mentor and my friend. Thephotography however is only half the story; Juliushimself is the other. Distilled to its barest essenceit is this: Julius is a humanist. His genuine lovefor people, culture and the arts preserves my 98-year-old friend as an eternal youth.”
Julius Shulman died last yearaged 98, two and a half monthsbefore the release of Visual
Acoustics: The Modernism of JuliusShulman. In an obituary, his goodfriend Ron Field wrote: “Driving through Los Feliz last year,I pointed out a building to him. Invintage Shulman fashion he answered, ‘You don’t need to tell methat — I know everything’.” And when it came to modern architecture nobody would arguewith that.
For details about Visual Acoustics:
The Modernism of Julius Shulman
go to www.juliusshulmanfilm.com
Monumental This Art Deco bridal shoot took place at Eltham Palace in London. The fabulousdresses including ‘Valerie’ by Sarah Arnett, ‘Kristene’ by Claire Pettibone and twodresses by Olivia Couture were provided by Blackburn Bridal and were all chosen toreflect the Art Deco nature of the building and the shoot.
Photographer: Sarah Gawler
Make up: Adjhani Barton
Hair: Nathan Gooding
Occasion
describing her thoughts behind the shoot, Sarah Gawler says: “There were a fewmotivations for the shoot. I wanted to show off the Art Deco design of the ElthamPalace and I felt that our model’s look really encapsulated the decadent spirit of
the 1920s which was perfect. The dresses were also chosen according to the venuewith the exception of the Olivia Couture swirl dress, which was shot in an Italian styleroom adjacent to the iconic circular entrance hall. The soft, vintage styled bouquetworked well with all the dresses and the final shots with the black bobbed wig werean homage to Louise Brooks, the Art Deco pin-up herself!”
Modern EnglishModern English
Photographer: Simon Eldon
Hair & Make Up: Adjhani Barton
Models: Jaime Docherty at BM Models and Duncan Copeland
Venue: Rock & Roller - www.rock8roller.co.uk
Brown Check Suit £325, Button Down Collar Shirt £45,Slim Silk Tonik Tie £19 all byAdam of London, availablefrom Adamoflondon.com
Tonik Suit £350, Button DownCollar Shirt £45, Silk Tie £19 allby Adam of London availablefrom Adamoflondon.com
Navy Monkey Jacket by Madcap England £34.99available from AtomRetro.com;White Polo by Ben Sherman £40 available fromScootssuitsandboots.com; Bukta Flight Bag by Bukta Vintage £28.99 availablefrom AtomRetro.com
on left) Sunday Morning Polo by Madcap England £34.99; (on right) Saturday Morning Cardigan by Madcap England £39.99.Can also be purchased as a two piece matching set at £64.99 from AtomRetro.com
Racing Coleridge TurtleNeck Jumper by MadcapEngland £39.99;Cavern 59 Black Jeans byMadcap England £29.99.Both available fromAtomRetro.com
Chequered b/w Shirt by Ben Sherman £50 available from Scootssuitsandboots.com; (on right) Purple Knightsbridge Shirt by MadcapEngland £34.99 available from AtomRetro.com
Photo: Merry Phillips
Headline Act
Theatrical milliner, Uma Turan, began bystudying etching and sculpture, but dueto her love of fabric and jewellery,
moved on to study theatrical millinery withJane Smith. She completed her formal education in millinery at the Kensington andChelsea College, and then went on to workfor two years with celebrity milliner StephenJones whose work is represented in the permanent collections of the Victoria & AlbertMuseum and the Louvre, and who has collaborated with Vivienne Westwood, Jean-Paul Gaultier and John Galliano for Dior.
Today Uma works from her studio in London, and is dedicated to creating bespokepieces for weddings, the races and social occasions; working with clients to ensureeach piece is as unique as it is astonishing.
Retro: Who or what are your main inspirationswhen it comes to design?
Uma: I love the 1950's glamorous look. When Imake a hat I always imagine that era's modelslike Dorian Leigh, Dovima or Georgia Hamiltonwearing my pieces. When I design I get inspiredby anything that makes me happy and excited, orsad and thoughtful. Love, emotions, friends, art,travelling, history, flowers, objects, (particularlyspecial jewels and gold work), photographs,opera, music and more... it can be anything
Retro: Which design are you most proud of, and why?
Uma: I love my theatrical designs as you can usethe traditional millinery techniques, as well asadding new ideas to the piece.
Retro: Your pieces are often bold and striking, is ityour aim for your hats to surprise, even shock?
Uma: I do love surprises myself so I do love surprising others as well. I hope in a nice way!
Retro: What is your most daring hat to date, andwho/what was it for?
Uma: I designed the most beautiful hat for one ofmy clients, which was totally made out of crystals. I think that was the most daring hat ever.Very recently I made a giant Napoleon Hat forgreat British interior designer David Carter.
Retro: Stars, such as Lady Gaga, have championed fashion that pushes the boundaries.Do you think there is a current revival in theatricalclothing and self-expression via fashion?
Uma: I do think there will always be relation between expressing yourself with fashion. I thinkpeople will always use traditional and past withnew and now!
Retro: If you had to design a hat to wear that
reflected your own sense of style, what would itlook like?
Uma: I love 1950's style button winter berets.
Retro: Which era do you think best celebrated thehat and why?
Uma: Until the end of the 50s hats were alwayscelebrated and worn by nations. I think in the lastcouple of years hats have again made a comeback into daily life. In addition to weatherconditions, I think recent theatrical music videosalso makes a huge impact on young fashion followers.
Retro: What are your favourite types of materials
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to you work with, and are there any limitations?
Uma: I work with a variety of materials. Absolutelyno limitations! I absolutely love working with silk,felt, diamontes and crystals.
Retro: Are your hats more art than fashion?
Uma: I think some of my hats are wearable butmostly on the formal line. This summer I madelots of smart and fun sun hats as well as hats forweddings and races. Some of my pieces are fartoo theatrical to be worn but those rest on hatblocks in my studio that clients normally try on forfun, sometimes asking for a toned down versionto wear. But you can definitely put it on a old hatblock and keep it as an artwork.
Retro: You've worked with the likes of Jane Smithand Stephen Jones — what did you learn fromthat experience?
Uma: Absolutely everything I know. They arewonderful living millinery legends. Also my firstteacher was the wonderful Kirsten Scott, whowas a milliner for Karl Lagerfeld for many years,and I learned many feather techniques from IanBennett who worked on plenty of Queen's hats. I am a very lucky person to know such amazing tutors.
Retro: If you could design a hat for anyone in theworld, who would it be?
Uma: I would love to make a hat for 1950's supermodel Dovima. I think she would carry themrather well.
Retro: If you weren't a theatrical milliner, whatwould you be?
Uma: I can see myself as a potter. I love drawingIznik Ceramic patterns.
To see more of Uma’s work visit:
www.umaturan.com
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Last Sunday morning — and not for the firsttime — I woke up and thought I was a bit ofa tart yesterday. In fact, I was a lot of a tart.
Actually, I’ll be totally honest with you, on Saturday between the hours of 2 and6pm, I was a complete tart.
It’s not usually something I so readilyadmit to, but I’m going to share thewhole experience with you because itwas delicious, delightful and achinglyfabulous.
Tart is a monthly event held at London’s prestigious 40 WiNKS hotel— a venue paid no small complimentby German Vogue for being the “mostbeautiful small hotel in the world”. It’shosted by a holy trinity of glamour: David Carter,interior designer extraordinaire and societydandy; sumptuous pin-up queen Fleur de Guerre;and Vintage Secret’s Naomi Thompson.
The invite promised an afternoon of “fun, fashion and frivolity” for girls who’d like somevaudeville glamour in their lives, but also camewith the slightly intimidating dress code of “Drop
Dead Gorgeous”, further qualified by“absolutely no jeans or you will be senthome in tears”. Yowsers. So, dressed toimpress even the most discerning ofGlamazon bouncers, I tottered purposefully up Mile End Road.
The event was sold out, as always, toa galaxy of femme fatales ranging inage and reason for being there, including a hen party, a 40th birthdaycelebration and a mother and daughterday out. Some had even travelled from
as far afield as Milan just to attend this event — so my intrigue was well and truly piqued.
All of a sudden, Master of Ceremonies, DavidCarter, burst through the front door, asked us
QUEEN OF HEARTSRetro’s roving reporter, Nadine Sharma, experiences a curiouserand curiouser Saturday afternoon as she unlocks the door to a
veritable vintage wonderland
“I’ve fallendown a rabbit
hole in themiddle of
East London,and it feels
great”
outright if we were all tarts, and then grandly welcomed us in. I felt a sudden rush of bling tothe head as I excitedly bobbed in and out of lavish rooms filled with sparkly jewellery, heavenly hats, vintage dresses and more make-up than a girl could dream of. It’s that initialsense of disorientation muddled with anticipationthat adds to the magic of Tart. All of a sudden,you’ve fallen down a rabbit hole in themiddle of East London, and it feels great.
And if 40 WiNKS is the rabbit hole,then David Carter is definitely the MadHatter. Naughty, flirty and fun, hedishes out compliments as though theywere sweets, and lets loose his acerbictongue whenever he sees fit. All in all,the perfect host for a surrealist’s pleasurable Saturday afternoon.
Each ticket costs £80, which is a fair old chunkof a girl’s hard-earned cash, so I was keen to seeexactly what Tartlets get for their money. Forstarters, each guest has access to unlimitedcocktails specially created for the event — wehad a yummy concoction of gin, elderflower andpressed apple juice. The truly brilliant outfit Vintage Patisserie (you may have seen DragonsTheo and Deborah wowed by them in the Den
recently) had tailor-made a decadent spread ofsmoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches,cakes, sweets and treats. All delicious.
But that was just the icing on the cakes, literally.The entertainment alters each month, and thistime we found ourselves being dolled up by professional make-up artists from catwalkfavourites GlamSpot Cosmetics — a range of
contemporary powders and glosses enriched with vitamin E and jojoba oilthat treats your skin on the outside andin! Vintage hairstylists, Lipstick andCurls, gave us all a ‘do’ Bettie Pagewould be proud of, as well as thechance to dress up in an array of gorgeous vintage outfits.
Then it was on to the tongue-in-cheekeducational element to the afternoon, which haspreviously seen ex-Diary Editor of Tatler, LizBrewer, giving a talk on how to achieve the perfect kiss. Oo-er missus! We had Fleur DeGuerre expounding the various ways we can bemore ‘vintage glamorous’ in our everyday lives,followed by a Hendrick’s Cocktail Making Masterclass, which taught even the mixologically-challenged amongst us how tomake the best Tom Collins in the land.
Renowned angelologist and author, Angela
“DavidCarter askedus outright ifwe were all
tarts”
McGerr, was on hand to give guests angelic lifeguidance. And as if saving the best for last, thetop floor was transformed into a pamperingboudoir where massage specialists, Xhilarate,worked their extraordinary magic using gentlemanipulation and acupressure techniques.
Tart also attracts some fab up-and-coming retrodesigners so you can check out and buy jewellery, hats and accessories from the likes ofPassionate About Vintage, Pauper and Plush andtheatrical milliner Uma Turan — all doing newand exciting things with vintage components.
Amongst the mayhem, I found time to catch upwith the co-hosts and founders of the event tofind out why they felt there was a need for Tart.“We wanted to create an event where ladiescould have a fabulous afternoon,” says David.“No-one has much time to pamper themselvesany more. Tart is a celebration of glamour, styleand of being a woman.”
And then he said something that really rangtrue: “Women today are career-orientated andambitious. But sometimes, showing your womanly side can be seen as a handicap, a declaration of weakness. Tart is somewhere youcan come to be self-indulgent, frivolous andunashamedly girly.”
And it’s true. The last time I’d been this girly and
• A great cheat is to use Babyliss HotSticks to create those fantastic 40’s curls— they take 20 mins as opposed to theold-fashioned pin curls or rollers thatwould have to be in for hours, or evenovernight.
• The Red Lipstick Test — as a generalrule of thumb look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they are purple,you have a warm tone and should go forpinky reds. If they are green, you have a cool tone and should aim for the orangey reds.
• Seamed stockings add vintage glamourto any outfit, and Fleur is a big fan ofones with a nude seam if you want towean yourself onto them, rather thangoing straight in at the deep end with the black seam.
FLEUR DE GUERRE’S
VINTAGE GLAMOUR TIPS
playful I was seven years old, and wildly rummaging through my friend’s make-up anddressing-up box with very little success. But inmy everyday life, there is something that holdsme back from wearing girly hats, high heels, abright red lippy or dazzling accessories. Tart gave me the excuse I’d spent 23 years lookingfor — to spend four solid hours on nothing else.
Not being an exponent myself, I wondered whatit was about the vintage look that got people sohooked. Talking to Fleur, who told me her previous incarnations had included punk androckabilly, I understood she saw vintage as another way to break out of the norm: “Being immaculately dressed is a way of rebelling insome ways. People are fed up of the wash & go,tousled hair and smudgy eyeliner look. I just wantto look pristine.”
As the afternoon drew to a close, I wanderedround the house picking up my belongings thatI’d strewn all around like an impulsive teen duringmy transformation process, and said goodbye to
my fellow Tarts. I could see they’d loved everyminute and they looked fantastic. They told methe best thing about the day was being able toescape from the outside world and just grabsome time to themselves.
All in all, by the end of the four-hour experience,you may have spent £80 but you do feel a milliondollars. This Tart’s not very good at maths, butthat definitely seems like a good deal to me.
Room With A W
hat do an opulent two-room town housein East London, a retro-futurist boutique
in Paris, an ex-gangsters’ haunt in New Yorkand an exquisitely renovated Art Deco hotel inPrague all have in common? Well, they’re all pushing the boundaries of what
to expect from your stay on a weekend city break. Retro Magazine delves into its little black book of favourite haunts and showcases some outstanding hotels that won’t leave you feeldirty after a weekend on the tiles.
View
Image supplied by Design Hotels
Images supplied by The Bowery Hotel
New YorkT
he Bowery’s 130 opulent rooms, stylish lobbyand 24-hour room service don’t betray a
neighbourhood where punk rock and gangstersonce ruled, but this hotel, synonymous with thearea, comes with a colourful history.In 1945 hotel manager Bowery Bill (Shipp),funded by the Barzini crime family, commissionedhitman Aldo Trapani to whack some troublesomeguests (makes note not to oversleep at this
hotel!). After a successful hit Trapani was given a percentage of the hotel's earnings and bought a hotel room on the second floor for $20,000.In 1955, Corleone-family associate Marty Malonethought there was an informant in the hotel leaking information to the FBI. He eliminated the agent, who was guarded by several Barzini thugs, before being revealed as a traitor himself.
For further information about The Bowery visit: www.theboweryhotel.com
ParisT
he overall effect at Kube Hotel is of an oddly comfy spacecapsule. Tucked into a quiet street at the summit of Paris’
Montmartre, Kube fits into a Jacques Tati vision of modernity.1960s sci-fi themed furnishings and décor are punctuated bya cavernous lobby-cum-restaurant-cum-bar at the heart ofKube Hotel with a futuristic, low-lit space and high ceilings,stainless steel accents and a state-of-the-art-sound systemcamouflaged in red ceiling lanterns. The "Ice Kube" bar on the mezzanine features Eero Aarnio’s1968 Bubble Chairs and a vodka-only drinks menu. The 26guestrooms and 15 suites have room access controlled bybiometric-fingerprint technology as well as beds lit from beneath, giving a slightly unearthly edge to the warmth.
For further information about Kube Paris visit: www.designhotels.com
Images supplied by Design Hotels
Images supplied by 40 WiNKS
LondonL
ocated in vibrant and trendy East London, David Carter’s home is an elegant and historic four storey Queen Anne townhouse built in 1717. David is an internationally
acclaimed interior designer with his extensive work generating hundreds of editorialpages in leading interiors magazines worldwide. With two guest bedrooms, 40 WiNKS,is being launched to help give photographers, stylists, art directors, designers, buyers,models and anyone in the creative and fashion industries somewhere fun and differentto stay when they are in London for work or pleasure. The concept is simple. To offer a ‘home from home’... a place where you can hang yourhat or park your suitcase while enjoying a little bit of understated opulence and a largedose of quirky style, all at a very affordable price. But be warned dahlings, if you want tostay here during fashion week, you’ll have to book early!
For further information about 40 WiNKS visit: www.40winks.org
Prague
Originally built in 1914 the Prague Imperial Art DecoHotel has recently been restored to its former glory
providing Art Deco lovers a treasure trove of featurescombined with superb accommodation in 126 luxury, high-ceiling rooms and suites. The hotel is situated in theheart of Prague’s historical, UNESCO-protected city centre, only a few steps away from the Municipal Houseand a short walk from the Old Town Square. Prague Imperial Art Deco Hotel was awarded membershipof World Hotels Deluxe Collection — a select group ofhighly distinctive properties around the world recognisedfor excellent services and exclusive ambience.
For further information about Prague Imperial ArtDeco Hotel visit: www.hotel-imperial.cz
Images supplied by Prague Imperial Art Deco Hotel
Field of DreChris Haddon and Jane Field-Lewis were
musing over their shared love of retro caravans at a farm in Sussex, England
(where they store their caravans), when the ideafor the book My Cool Caravan was hatched.
Chris, a multi-disciplinary designer with almost 20 years experience, has a 60's Airstreamcaravan he has converted into his studio in thegarden, plus a 70's Airstream and a 70's
European caravan which are both used for shortbreaks with his partner and two young children.
Jane Field-Lewis, a London based stylist,working in film and photography, is co-owner of a 70’s caravan which she has re-styled in a retro-modern mix.
Retro Magazine, always keen on a bit of ‘glamping’, picks out a selection of our favouriteimages from the book.
eams
Photograph by: Hilary Walker
The Caravan Club set itself a brief to design an environmentally friendly caravan to put the green into caravaning. The club started with a EuropeanAirstream and installed a wealth of energy-saving features and recycled materials. Power is delivered via roof-mounted solar panels, hot waterthrough a wood burning stove and stored in a Harley Davidson fuel tank, allfinished off with a composting toilet.
Shasta started out makingtrailer homes for the USarmed forces in 1941 and bythe mid-50s the boom in mobile homes and travel trailers made Shasta one ofthe most popular brands dueto their good value and lowcosts. However, by the latterhalf of the 20th Century thebrand had all but disappeared.In 2008, a modern but retro-styled Shasta Airflytecaravan with a state of the artinterior and trademark wings,had been re-introduced intothe market.
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Photograph by: Hilary Walker
My Cool Caravan by Jane Field-Lewis & Chris Haddon celebrates the new wave of interest in modern-retro caravanning. Published by Pavilion RRP: £14.99 www.anovabooks.com
Dutch manufacturer Mostard producedcaravans from 1959 until the late 70s.They are collectors’ items, particularlyin Holland, with clubs devoted to them.The owner of this van, Neil, spotted itin an outbuilding in Holland. “It wascompletely untouched. The owner hadno intention of getting rid of it but aftersome persuasion he agreed to sell it tous. It has since gone undergone acomplete and sympathetic restoration.I have carried out some research andhave found this could be the very firstof its kind.”
Photograph by: Chris Haddon
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Retrospective
Martyn WareMartyn Ware was born in 1956 in Sheffield, UK. In 1978 he formed TheHuman League, then after leaving the band, he formed the production
company/label British Electric Foundation and Heaven 17 in 1980. Martyn has written, performed and produced two Human League, twoBEF and nine Heaven 17 albums. As a record producer and artist hehas featured on recordings totalling over 50 million sales worldwide,
producing among others Tina Turner, Terence Trent D'Arby, Chaka Khan, Erasure, Marc Almond and Mavis Staples.
Heaven 17 have announced a 30th anniversary UK tour of their critically acclaimed 1981 concept album ‘Penthouse And Pavement’
which they will perform in its entirety. Martyn is also a curator at Vintageat Goodwood and produces and presents an ongoing series of events
entitled Future Of Sound in the UK and around the world.
what do you collect?I used to collect American comics; I’ve kept mycollection and I’ll give them to my son and he’llprobably go: “What the hell are these?”. No, hedoes like them, but the funny thing is everybodyis making films of them now. My collection isworth thousands because I’ve got some reallyquite rare things. I used to have a couple of thousand of them but I got rid of some when I moved house. I collect music but more in theMP3 format now...I’ve still got about a thousandvinyl in my studio.
Do you have a 20th century hero?Tony Benn. I was asked to interview ‘My Hero’ fora Capital Radio (London) series. This was in themid-80s at the time of the miners’ strike and wedid a fantastic interview, such a charming guy,absolutely open. He said, “do you mind if I recordthis?”, and so I’m in his room, where he has arecording of every interview he has ever done.Obviously I’m from Sheffield so the miners’ strike
was a big deal for me and he said at the end ofthe interview “that’s one of the most perceptiveand intelligent interviews I’ve ever done about theminers’ strike” — then of course Capital Radiowouldn’t play it!! (laughs) There you go, I’ll neverget played on Capital Radio again.
what is your favourite film of all time?A Clockwork Orange (where both Heaven 17 andThe Human League take their name from). I’mvery fond of Blade Runner and Close Encountersof the Third Kind and those type of Sci-fi films.
what was your first job?I was a trainee manager at the Co-op in Sheffield.I was paid a £1000 a year.
who is your all time favourite actor?Gene Hackman. Everything I’ve seen him in,apart from Superman, he’s been great. I reallyliked him in Eureka by Nicolas Roeg, which is avery underrated and underexposed film. I also
think Leonardo DiCaprio is pretty darn good, ofthe contemporary bunch. He’s a perfect exampleof it being about the roles you choose, he’s verysmart about which ones he selects. I thought hewas excellent in Gangs of New York.
Do you have a favourite song? It’s almost impossible but for all round magic itwould be The Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’, although it’s a very close run thing with ‘You’velost that Loving Feeling’ by The Righteous Brothers.
Give us a record to get the place jumping?Without a doubt itwould have to beJames Brown andprobably, there’s somany to pick from,hhhmmm I probablywouldn’t go for ‘SexMachine’ although itis fantastic. It’s a little bit self-servingbut I often put on‘Dance Little Sister’by Terence TrentD’Arby which I produced. That always gets people going.
And one recordto chill to...I’d put on Mahler’s‘Sixth Symphony’; it’s quite a nice counter balance to all the pop music I listen to. I’m a bigfan of classical music, I go to a lot of the Proms.It’s not like I’m from a posh family, so for meeverything is a bonus when it comes to classicalmusic as it wasn’t part of my life when I wasgrowing up. I acquired a taste for it like fine wine!
what’’s your favourite street market?The fish market at the Rialto in Venice. It’s absolutely staggering.
what’’s your favourite retro shop?Oh god, I can’t remember the name of it, it’s nearSpitalfields [in London] — Beyond Retro, that’s it, I love it. Me and my daughter are always trawlingthrough there for vintage stuff.
Have you lost anything that you reallyregret?My sense of naivety! No...when I was very poorand had to move flats, I did a moonlight. It’s theonly time in my life I’ve done it and of course itdidn’t work and I had to pay it back. Because Ihad done it literally overnight, at that time in theflat I had about a thousand comics and I had to
leave about 700 ofthem and I really regret that. Theywould have beenworth about £5K definitely a falseeconomy...really stupid.
what’’s yourfavourite drink?I’ve just stoppeddrinking but I do havea favourite drink. It’smaking me salivatejust thinking about it.A Hendrick’s Gin Martini with a twist oflemon. Lovely!
what is yourfavourite building and why?I’m absolutely obsessed with architecture... itwould have to be the Doge’s Palace in Venice, Iadmire it greatly.
who or what has been the biggest influence on your life? Music. It’s a bland answer but my life would havebeen entirely different if it hadn’t taken that path.In Sheffield I’m not sure what the alternativewould have been. In the words of the great JohnMiles ‘music was my first love and will by last’.
where did you have your most memorable meal?I think it was when I went to Nobu for the firsttime. I love Japanese food. I love spicy food. I love my food, I hate the word foodie, but I guessI am one. I’m extremely knowledgeable aboutfood, actually I would regard myself as obsessive! (laughs)
which career would you have mostlikely have followed if you weren’’tdoing what you are today?I would have ended up being the manager at theCo-op or possibly have moved into being a computer operative although I never fancied theboring systems analysis work.
what is your proudest achievement?From a musical point of view I’m most proud ofthe album Luxury Gap. That’s when I think we hitour peak of innovation and excellence. From an
artistic point of view I wrote a piece, actually thisis probably my proudest moment, that was performed at the Royal Ballet — I got presentedon stage as the composer by the dancers. Thenyou go down into the Royal Opera [House]’sarchives, that’s a proud achievement for a ladfrom Sheffield.
If you could live in any decade, whichone, and why?I’ve had a whale of a time every decade I’ve livedin. The 70s and 80s were pretty much peak timefor the things I liked. But I’m very fond of themusic of the 60s, not such a Beatles fan, but thelate 60s more psychedelic, when America wasdeveloping with early soul and funk of bands likeEarth, Wind and Fire and Charles Stepney Productions. If I had been a little bit older duringthat period it would have been great to see them.
Have you ever ’splashed’ the cash onsomething big?Yes. My apartment in Venice. It wasn’t that expensive...but I don’t drive, I don’t want a yachtor a power boat. I used to come to Venice a lotand spend a lot of money on hotels and I thoughtit would be fantastic....after Terence TrentD’Arby’s first album I couldn’t think of anythingelse I wanted except a nice flat in Venice. It wasthe best decision I ever made. It’s saved me afortune in therapy! (laughs)
Is there one thing you want to do before you depart the stage?!I would like to take a year out and write a seriouspiece of contemporary (orchestral) music. Itwould be just for the joy of it. If somebody wantsto support me. I need a rich patron! That wouldbe my dream!
The Penthouse &and Pavement tourstarts 22nd November. tickets available from:
www.seetickets.comwww.heaven17.com
OCTOBER 2010
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