Thank you to everyone that came to see us at Spring Fair, and especially those that brought my Mum chocolates and biscuits. Don't tell her I said so, but she does a fantastic job and totally deserves it.
And thank you to the Polite Company, the stand opposite anzu, who were entertaining and so helpful. This is Mike Chavez-Dawson doing tai-chi!
Having hated winter for years, I think I'm now learning to embrace it and dare I say, actually enjoy elements of it. Ryma (responsible for the new look anzu brochure amongst other things) is fresh from Brazil, and hates winter with a passion untold, so this blog is dedicated to you Ryma.
- Keep warm and cosy with hot water bottles, roaring log fires and piles of blankets and satin eiderdowns (above image is the anzu hot water bottle, featured on our get well card)
- Smother yourself in cashmere from head to toe, in dressing gowns, socks and gloves
image courtesy of lolita.blogg,se
- Have a snowball fight
- Fill your house with flowers. Just because it's winter doesn't mean your house can't be filled with blossoms - bouquets of black roses, window boxes full of cyclamen, vases of white flowers and pheasant feathers, or snowdrops (which are still grown in convents before being despatched to your local florists).
Folio edition of Rebecca
- Escape with a romantic bleak novel like Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, or the Woman in white by Wilkie Collins
- Distract yourself from it going dark so early, with afternoon tea - a large pot of earl grey, scones with cherry jam and clotted cream, and toasted crumpets dripping in butter. Yum!
- Do as the Scandinavians do, and fill your home with 'living' lights rather than dull electric ones.
I am excited to say that an illustration I did for the Pret-a-Portea is in this month's notoriously hard to get into "Fanfair", in Vanity Fair magazine.
Pret-a-Portea, which has been such a success for the Berkeley hotel is travelling across the Atlantic for NY fashion week and is being co-hosted by the supremely luxurious department store, Bergdorf Goodman.
With everyone from Christian Louboutin to Oscar de la Renta being involved, it has been quite a project and promises to be a real event. I have actually done a brand new illustration, which is yet to be revealed, so keep checking back!
Here is a photo of a few more of our Patchwork range. We shall be at Birmingham from Sunday onwards with the rest of the Patchwork cards and all our new ranges - hope to see you there!
I would like to say a big thank you to my Mum and a very special thank you to the ever charming Saffiah for doing such a great job at the show.
I was excited about all the new designs I had done. However, it is always a little nerve-wracking waiting to see what buyers will make of them. Thankfully the new cards were really well received by buyers so that was fantastic. Next stop Birmingham!
Here is a sneak preview of some new cards we will be launching shortly. Come and see us at Top Drawer Spring, Birmingham Spring Fair or email us at info@anzu.co.uk to find out more!
I'll be giving a sneak preview of the new ranges we have this January later this week, but just thought I'd drop you a quick note to tell you about Top Drawer Spring. Oh my goodness I have been working so hard so there are lots of new designs. I think more than we've ever released at one time. Can't wait for everyone to see them!
I can't give anything away at the moment, but I have been busy painting this, the Chrysler building and a whole lot of cakes for an exciting freelance project. I am looking forward to being able to show the end result!
I just came across this article in Vogue Living Australia, on new architectural suggestions to help with climate change. I love the futuristic almost fantastical look of a lot of the designs. Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut predicts that rising ocean levels will spawn half-aquatic cities with planted housing. Ahove is one of his Lilypads, a floating ecopolis for climate refugees (www.vincent.callebaut.org)
The above proposal by Daekwon Park features stackable modules, which have garden units included.
This is how Seoul commune will actually look in 2026, where towers will become the park (www.massstudies.com). Green roofs, the article states, are quietly but effectively addressing eco-doom and have a variety of benefits including reducing energy use of a building by up to 25%. These real life plans look so fantastical to me though, that they remind me of drawings of Tintin submarines or Studio Ghibli's castles (whether it's from his "Castles in the sky or Howl's moving castle animated films).
Above Studio Ghibli's animated Castles in the sky, and below Howl's moving castle. Could the real thing be so magical? I hope so.
And of course plans such as these couldn't fail to remind of Fritz Lang's incredible vision of the future in his film, Metropolis. He was so ahead of his time in 1927, to me it looks rather like Tokyo!. I wonder what he would be envisaging for the future if he was alive today?
The office has been looking very festive for the past month and I thought I'd post a couple of the photographs. I shall be taking a break from the blog until 3rd January. So see you in the New Year!
Whenever I need inspiration for my Men's cards I head to Jermyn street. The Anzu gigolo card above was especially inspired by the classic style of the shops that can be found on Jermyn street
Jermyn street is one of those places that just seems unchanged by time. The shops are staunchly traditional and English and primarily aimed at the Gentleman's market and I always find inspiration for ideas for my men's cards.
This statue of Beau Brummel, the quintessential English dandy and embodiment of elegant sartorialism stands in pride of place. Brummel famously shopped on Jermyn Street in the Regency period, although he would not have bought his boot polish here. He preferred to polish his black riding boots with champagne!
Whilst Savile row (which I also love) remains the place to go for the best suits, Jermyn Street is the street for fine shirts as well as selling gentleman's accessories be it shoe horns, shaving brushes or cigars.
It also has Paxton and Whitfield, which has great cheeses as well as pickled walnuts!
A few years ago the Peacock as an image almost seemed a little bit outdated, almost a little Victorian to be used on anything. Now it's come back in full force and peacocks seem to be everywhere. I love this amazing photo from google images
Unfortunately, there are reflections on the photo above, but I think it's still possible to see how amazing this peacock is in the current window of Kokon Tozai. I also love the peacock scarves and bags Liberty are doing.
Why not display your Christmas cards by attaching them to a festive wreath? If you have a shop, the rest of your cards can be laid out below, and the wreath can be used just to draw attention to your collection.
Over the weekend I went to Somerset House. It looked magical with the skating rink and specially decorated Tiffany tree. There is also a Tiffanys cafe, complete with Tiffanys cupcakes.
Whoever came up with the distinctive Tiffany blue is a marketing genius!
Jasmine and I in a winter wonderland inside the Tiffany box.
Having hated winter for years, I think I'm now learning to embrace it and dare I say, actually enjoy elements of it. Ryma (responsible for the new look anzu brochure amongst other things) is fresh from Brazil, and hates winter with a passion untold, so this blog is dedicated to you Ryma.
I am excited to say that an illustration I did for the Pret-a-Portea is in this month's notoriously hard to get into "Fanfair", in Vanity Fair magazine.
With everyone from Christian Louboutin to Oscar de la Renta being involved, it has been quite a project and promises to be a real event. I have actually done a brand new illustration, which is yet to be revealed, so keep checking back!
not Yves Saint Laurent (these delectable pumps are available at www.brownsfashion.com)
I can't give anything away at the moment, but I have been busy painting this, the Chrysler building and a whole lot of cakes for an exciting freelance project. I am looking forward to being able to show the end result!
It also has Paxton and Whitfield, which has great cheeses as well as pickled walnuts!
Jasmine and I in a winter wonderland inside the Tiffany box.
