A retreat...

Things have been so busy, which is great, but it would be lovely just to take some moments and relax here with a cup of jasmine tea and a good book. And be warm!

Anzu on hit Korean tv drama!

We were delighted to see that our notebooks have been featured on a top show in Korea. It is apparently a kind of male version of Sex and the City.
In the story the heroine discovers a very bad secret in the Anzu Indian bangles notebook, and takes it with her to confront the man with it!! We can't wait to watch it.

Tord Boontje

Whilst walking around Shoreditch/Hoxton the other day I came across the newly opened Tord Boontje shop. Famous for creating the Garland light, Tord creates magical fairytale design pieces for the home. I love the Swarovski chandelier above,

the mythical Icarus light,

charming Scandinavian style pottery,

this stunning icicle coffee table, 

and this fairytale throne (would be quite funny sitting in this at home!).

This was a light installation he did for Selfridges. You can see more here or better still visit his shop in Hoxton!

Just some flowers for you..

Looking at lots of floral images today for inspiration. Above, the illustration from our tropical jewelled bouquet card. Have a great sunny day!

One of my favourite places in the world, the Spanish steps in Rome.

Urban, futuristic and minimal

Although the fashion right now is for embroidered luxe opulence, I am finding myself being drawn to some rather more modern, simple and futuristic images. How amazing is this swimming pool?

The amazing architect Oscar Niemeyer

The futuristic cold glamour of the Gattaca film. The ethos of the film is great too - do watch it if you haven't seen it.

A classic Tom Ford dress from his Gucci days.

A dress from the latest Stella McCartney collection

And that icon of 90s minimal elegance (and poster girl of Calvin Klein) the late Carolyn Bessette.

Celebrating Eid

Earlier this month Saffiah celebrated the festival of Eid which marks the end of Ramadan, (a month of fasting during the hours of daylight centered around the moon). Here are some romantic images she chose inspired by the occasion.

It is traditional to wear something new on Eid, and for women to dress up and decorate their hands with henna and jewellery - we love the necklace below!

Clutch bags

Just some clutch bags we are lusting after in the studio! Above that wonderful circle of blue, clutch bag by Jimmy Choo.

Classic Pucci

Pretend you're Daisy Buchanan with this embroidered clutch from Olympia-le-Tan

I'm a sucker for a splash of bright orange, and love this clutch from Marc Jacobs.

The fantastic range of Allegra neon clutches in the Anzu Pop-up shop Pomp, 2 Hoxton St. Grab one whilst you can - the shop ends on Wednesday!

Dries van Noten set

Love the backdrop for this past Dries van Noten catwalk show. Would make the perfect studio!

The Anzu team time travels

It was strange the other day for the Anzu team to pop to the shops and suddenly find ourselves in the Edwardian period, 1909 to be exact. The first sign was this car.

The African shop had been turned into an all purpose hardware shop.

We then found out we were on the set of the new Itv drama about Harry Gordon Selfridge, which is billed to be the next Downton Abbey. 

Mr. Selfridge reolutionised English retail and lived a glamorous life until he lost all in the Depression, and moved from his grand castle in Hampshire giving up his lavish entertainments to move to Putney and travel on the bus. Sounds like great drama, you can read more about his life in this wikipedia article here

Don't be fooled - this isn't Mr. Selfridge or even an actor but Anzu's very own graphic designer, Ben getting into the spirit of things. Sporting a bowler hat and slightly out of era VE flag, both available at Anzu's Pomp

Snaps around the East End

One of the things I really love about the East End is there are always quirky things going on and it has also been interesting seeing it prepare for the Olympics. Above Olympic graffiti, spotted via Made in Shoreditch.

The beautiful Leadenhall market (which dates back to the 14th century) decks itself in British flags ready for the Marathon.

The Olympic torch arrived in Shoreditch, near the Anzu studio.

In the past week we have seen a man dressed in an astronaut suit holding a giant banana, this character jumping around and a LOT of people in togas.

And of course the Anzu Pop-up shop opened. Yesterday we opened Time Out to see it had been picked as their shopping event of the week! Thank you Time Out.

Meadow posies at Anzu's Pomp shop

Hattie from That Flower shop's bouquets have now arrived in the Anzu Pomp shop!

And even better still Hattie will be teaching how to make her beautiful headdresses in the shop. Email us for details of the evening at info@anzu.co.uk

Hattie's posies of flowers look as if they have been picked from an impossibly beautiful English meadow. 

The hand-tied posies have country flowers, herbs, berries, seed pods and British foliage. Sophisticated yet natural.

Hattie often displays her smaller posies in old jam jars and ceramic pots.

So have an English meadow in your home for only £10-12. Stop by the Anzu Pomp shop, 2 Hoxton St, N1 and treat yourself!

Nelson's hat

Walking through Trafalgar Square today, I was surprised to see that Nelson had a hat on! Reading later, I realised it was a project curated by milliners Stephen Jones and Phillip Treacy. Hats had been surreptitiously placed on various iconic scupltures in the middle of the night! Nelson's hat was created by traditional hat makers Lock & Co. who actually created hats for Nelson when he was alive.

Sir Henry Havelock sports a hat by Philip Treacy

George IV wears a Stephen Jones hat inspired by the Brighton Pavilion.

Franklin D. Roosevelt wears a war time Spam hat. Nice to see it's clearly amusing the pair of them.

This turban designed by Noel Stewart and worn by Beau Brummel was unfortunately pinched, as was Shakespeare's in Leicester Square. Perhaps the thieves had been inspired by the policeman helmet stealing in Wodehouse's book Code of the Woosters!