Tout Nouveau Blog

The term ‘craft fair’ infers bohemian hemp fashion and free loving bark rubbings. A little stereotypical perhaps? Cue Manchester and The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair.

As the spotlight fell onto the Northern Capital and its newest hip-quarter of Spinningfields last week, the attention was well and truly hogged by the fair, which defied all preconceived views in a spectacular celebration of quality and innovation.

Every year, The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair attracts over 6000 visitors, and judging by the weary stewards I spoke to on the last day, I think it is a safe to say that this figure had been surpassed in 2010. With over 350 applications whittled down to 160 exhibitors – the fair showcased everything from ceramics, glass and jewellery, to interior and fashion textiles. The category I was most interested to see was the Great Northern Graduates section, featuring fourteen of the best new designers from Northern university courses. I was not disappointed.

On entry, one was struck by the most intriguing illustrative plastic installations by Claire Kox-Bentham – a 3D design graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University. Swirls of fantastically whimsical shapes, drawn by hand and made 3D using EVA glue; implementing a heady visual cocktail of nature, imagination and memory.

Another standout performance came from RCA graduate and new Tout Nouveau stockist – Laura Slater. Laura creates and recreates by using her own printed fabrics to produce interior textile products designed for modern living, including lampshades, re-upholstered chairs and cushions. My favourite piece was Laura’s hand tufted rug, which she conceived through collaboration with Andrew Warburton of Area Rugs. Andrew is a renowned rug maker whose previous collaborations include hand tufted rug jackets for Hussein Chalayan.

I then stumbled across an interesting design concept from Birmingham Graduate, Jess Edwards, who combines the art of photography with stitch to create intriguing multi-genre pieces, which she defines as “embroidered photography”. The combination of elements add a tangible nature to the photography while the box frames restrict the viewer from forming any other relationship with the artwork other than the visual.

As I stopped for a quick refreshment, I chatted with some designers and found that 20 of the stalls’ produce were created just across the city centre in the Northern Quarter, home to the Craft and Design Centre. Visitors can observe the masters at work in 25 open studios and get involved, whether it be in regular classes or art events. Perfect for nurturing the creative minds of the future.

I have to commend the GNCCF organisers and the likes of the Craft and Design centre in sharing Tout Nouveau’s vision to support and cultivate emerging design talent. I thoroughly enjoyed the event and am sure we will be seeing more Northern designers featuring in the Tout Nouveau online store very soon.

By Victoria Loftus

Nationalities from the four corners of the globe descended. 60,000 bodies were anticipated to gravitate towards a national treasure between Wednesday and Sunday. It was that time again, the phenomenon of Frieze Week hit town. Glamourous parties, dosh and more arty talk than you can shake a stick at.

In its eighth season, it’s hard to believe that we ever lived without the whirl wind of auctions and exhibitions that has gained legendary status globally, and in such a small amount of time. The progression of Matthew Slotolver and Amanda Sharps monthly art magazine has really transformed the mark London has on art; and now the event encapsulates the global nature of the market, from which it has derived such strength.

With 2010′s Frieze being the largest yet, 173 galleries and 29 countries set up stall in the bespoke temporary structure in Regent’s Park, the fair is now firmly established, despite rocky times, and is considered to be an unmissable stop-off between Basel and Miami on the global art calendar.

This year’s focus was about consolidating the fair’s unique reputation as a creative hub, as well as an important market place. Alistar hicks, curator at Deutshe bank noted, ‘London needs this vital injection of new art from around the world. The city’s success lies in its ability to be one of the great showcases of what’s new. We can take nothing for granted. The artists are showing us how quickly the world is changing. Today’s hub can be tomorrows heap’.

Keeping up with the art world Joneses, Frieze introduced its own free i-Phone app allowing visitors to navigate the area, browse items for sale by size and price, whilst even pointing out the closest bar. Moreover, in the attempt to impress the greenest of art fans, the event bid to cut emissions by 30 per cent, running the marquees on biodiesel, despite grumbles by insiders that suits would smell of chip fat.

Interactive art was another subtle theme for the week, including a game show with Spartacus Chetwynd, and a poetry and Yoga Haven with Ei Arakawa and Karl Holmqvist. Playing on the idea of art as a commodity, Matthew Darbyshire redesigned the ticket office in lurid pink, a statement act topped only by Gavin Turks bicycles designed for weary walkers at the fair.

With around £230 million worth of art sales estimated to have been made at Frieze, the market appears to be flourishing and buoyant. This stand out fair has captured the attention of press and art dealers worldwide. In my opinion this is for two reasons; Regents Park as a location benefits from having a natural light source which avoids the atmosphere of a trade show which in-turn increases the energy surrounding the event. Secondly and arguably more importantly, this year at Ryan’s bar (run by artist Ryan Gander), one could sup a cocktail invented and mixed by art sensations Fiona Banner, Bob & Roberta Smith and Liam Gillik, which proves, that whatever reasons one had to attend, there was art to be found to suit all tastes, and wallets.

By Victoria Loftus

Podcasts are available to re-capture the finest moments of Frieze at frieze.com. Follow the @friezeartfair and Twitter and become a fan on Facebook for projects and images.

It has been noted that Japanese fashion designers are amongst the most creative when it comes to combining colours with taste and style. And a celebration of this innovative design is now currently showing at the Barbican, ‘Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion’, which acts as a homage to resident leaders of fashion; Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and Rei Kawakubo.

Instrumental in heralding Japanese design, the retrospective commemorates the uniqueness of these designers as not merely being the clothes they design, but their position and status as non-Western fashion outsiders, and how their marginality has ensured they have become treasured fashion legacies.

Looking at the Japanese design culture, which took Paris by storm in 1981 and went on to infuse the whole industry with its mix of confident, playful and beautifully-crafted work, items from rare collections of Miyake and Yamamoto are featured alongside their protégés, who are dressing Tokyo’s chic of today; including Kazuaki Takashima and Tamae Hirokawa.

With many of the specimens from the prestigious and notoriously mysterious Kyoto Costume Institute, this exhibition is made all the more remarkable.

Barbican curator Catherine Ince noted; “These designers have a huge legacy and you can see their ideas throughout the fashion world.”

Displaying prominent Japanese streetstyle developed by Tokyo’s youth, including Hello Kitty and Manga characters featured on ranges from Ohya and Zucca – this exhibition is guaranteed to inspire viewers with a true insight into the design perspectives of artists removed of our culture.

Japanese fashion is explored from the established masters, to the new assemblage of radicals. I applaud the bold approach of the curators for the fusion of styles, which is, ironically, how the designers featured see themselves; a fusion of culture, art and design.

Items which I am most curious about seeing include; the red frill halter-neck dress designed by Jun Takahashi with hundreds of cross and bones intricately stitched together; and another red ensemble by Hiroaki, which magically folds out from a book to reveal a concertina wrapped around the body to create a skirt and top. Both of which, most definitely earn the Japanese a leading-edge status of artistic vision and illumination.

By Victoria Loftus

The exhibition runs from October 15 to February 6, 2011.