Goodstead Blog

Calourette

Nikki — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:02:53 +0000

Calourette (french for ‘little bohemian’) is a unique label from Paris that make whimsical pieces that capture the essence of childhood. Influence has been taken from toys and sweets to anatomy and animals. It would seem that designer Marianne Rautureau can find inspiration in pretty much anything and turn into a delectable piece of jewellery that is not only wearable but fun and capable of bringing an element of whimsy to any outfit. Here’s a wee interview with the lady herself.

This season Marianne took her influence from ghost trains and ghost stories. Googley blood shot eyes, blood stained fangs and garlic bulbs are cast in silver and hang on delicate silver chains. They make for real unique statement pieces. Check them out!

WOOOoooooOOOOOOooooooo!!

Available online and in store now.

Goodstead S/S Look Book

Nikki — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:22:58 +0000

As I made my way to work earlier this week through gale force winds and sleety rain I have to admit my spirits weren’t particularly high, even the beautiful cherry blossom lining middle meadow walk did nothing to lighten my mood.

Thank fully however when I arrived at work and checked my inbox our lovely Alix had sent me over the final shots for our S/S look book and I couldn’t help but feel elated and ever so summery when looking at the vibrant and gleeful images! I’m so happy with how they’ve turned out! Thank you to Nat and Fiona at ‘Pyrus’ for the beautiful Kokedama (Japanese hanging gardens), they really did make the shoot. We’ve really enjoyed working with these ladies. If you’d like to read a little more about their work please have a look at their blog and also here where I explain a little bit more about Goodstead’s current theme ‘The Unlikely Forager’ in an interview hosted by the wonderful Chloe from Miista.

This season’s rails are filled with floral prints, bright colours and earthy tones. We really wanted to capture that feeling of nature and spring in this seasons look book and I think it’s been a success! It was important to us that the look book represented and appealed to the broad spectrum of Goodstead customer so we decided to use friends and genuine customers rather than ‘models’ for the shoot. Thank you to Kenny, Amanda, Cally, Jules and Jordan. You all look awesome!

pic 1 & 2: Kenny wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/men/designers-1/norse-projects/norse-projects-niels-stripe-tee-dark-blue-1/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/men/designers-1/norse-projects/norse-projects-saxpop-solid-5-panel-nap-green-1/

pic 3 & 5: Jules wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/miista/miista-alka-tan/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/minimarket/minimarket-rifa-dress-1/

pic 4 & 5: Jordan wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/men/designers-1/apc/apc-denim-western-shirt-1/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/men/designers-1/nike/nike-bruin-midnight/

pic 6: Cally wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/antipodium/antipodium-rear-window-tee-daffodil-1/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/tba/tba-elsie-trenchcoat/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/tba/tba-jude-trousers/

pic 7: Jules wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/francis-leon/francis-leon-zero-cool-jacket-3/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/miista/miista-alka-tan/

pic 8 Cally wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/henrik-vibskov/henrik-vibskov-vivienne-orange-2/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/humanoid/humanoid-ellan-leggings-2/

pic 9: Kenny wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/men/designers-1/gitmanbros/gitman-floral-print-shirt/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/men/clothing/outerwear/edwin-rail-jacket/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/men/designers-1/norse-projects/norse-projects-aros-light-chino-hedge-green-1/

pic 10: Jules wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/antipodium/antipodium-rear-window-dress-1/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/minimarket/minimarket-cut-out-shoe-multi-2/

pic 11: Amanda wears http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/best-behavior/best-behavior-elodie-dress-1/, http://www.goodstead.co.uk/women/designers/sessun/sessun-argentina-jaune-1/

(I’m afraid there are a few items missing but once we get them online I will pop the links up here. All available in store now)

What do you think? I’d love to hear you comments and if you have any queries about any of the items featured here dont hesitate to get in touch!

Blog obsession:Kingdom Of Style

Nikki — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:29:19 +0000

So here begins a series of interview with bloggers whom i have a little cyber crush on.

Firstly, I’d like to introduce you to Queen Michelle. Based in Glasgow her and her compadre Queen Marie created the Kingdom Of Style to fill the niche they felt was missing in the blogging world, a niche that appealed to their style.

I adore this blog and it was down to Queen Michelle that I discovered one of the newest labels to our brand mix Miista (you can see her sporting a pair of the Alkas that we currently stock).

Please have a wee read and visit her blog and if anyone has any other blog loves that they think I should check out please pop a link in the comment box and I will do just that.

Michelle wears Miista Alkas

Hello Michelle,

So firstly, what influenced you to create the Kingdom of Style?

It was 2006 and fully rounded fashion blogs were still very much in their infancy, and we found the few that were around, weren’t really catering for our taste so that, combined with wanting an outlet to really talk about fashion, led us to start our own blog.

Who do you consider to be the most influential independent stores (online or bricks n mortar) in the UK at the moment?

FarFetch have come incredibly far in the relatively short space of time they’ve been around. The likes of Lookk and LN-CC are also worth watching as both these shops are really going all out to get great labels.

Where do you find inspiration in Glasgow?

I rarely look to Glasgow for inspiration to be honest, well, other than Glasgow weather, because that really does affect your style choices!. Music is my biggest inspiration as it affects my mood massively.

How would you desribe the typical Glasgow girls style? How do you think this differentiates from Edinburgh?

I’m not sure there is a typical style for either city. That said, Glasgow likes a fake tan! I did notice that their is alot of ‘emo’ kids in Edinburgh.

Which bloggers influence/inspire you?

Sadly keeping up a blog, a full time job, a Tumblr, freelance writing and design and studying ballet leaves me pretty much zero time to absorb blogs! I find it quite difficult to find blogs now that aren’t entirely centred around personal style. I much prefer a blog filled with real content, so probably Style Bubble is still the best.

Who are your style icons?

I have none.

Which label in the Goodstead brand mix would you say compliments your style?

I’ve quite a dark, slightly gothic style which can be hard to cater for, in all honesty, but I do love Henrik Vibskov for days I’m not quite so sullen.

How do you feel about the fashion movement in the UK at the moment? Are there any labels you think we should be keeping our eye on in 2012?

There are so many great designers emerging from the UK it’s hard to keep up! Personally, I love London based labels, and designer such as Eleanor Amaroso, Danielle Foster, Inbar Spector and new menswear label Breaks, which is outstanding.

As a blogger how do you feel social media has changed the fashion industry?

It’s definitely opened it up to everyone. Fashion was previously quite a closed industry and blogging, in particular, has allowed people who wouldn’t otherwise get have insider access, actually get to attend shows and really get involved in fashion in a wider context, than just wearing and consuming it.

Has blogging been beneficial to you in your professional career?

Not especially. Rarely does fashion and my day job cross paths. I did design the brands for labels Black Milk and Miista, but that’s about it really. Blogging has given me lots of other opportunites though, outside of my actual career. I’m really thrilled to be a guest designer for Scottish label Jaggy Nettle, for whom I’ve designed a range of plain and cheeky printed tees and vests. I got to do what I wanted so went about designing what I really wanted from a basic, such as a plain white t-shirt. I’m going to be designing a full-on, ‘proper’ collection for them next year too, which I’m nervous about but really excited to do.

It’s interesting that you don’t deal in any form of affiliate marketing. What influenced you in this decision and do you think you and Queen Marie would ever consider developing Kingdom of Style into a business venture?

The designer in me hates the idea of the site being populated with terrible banner ads! Plus, the reality is there is two of us, so any money to be made wouldn’t be worth it once it’s split. We’re not completely ruling out some form affiliate marketing in the future, but for now we’re happy still having the blog as a hobby.

What are your goals for 2012? What’s in store for The Kingdom Of Style and any personal goals?

The Kingdom just just ticks along really, we never plan it. I do want to try and create moving images and film for the blog though. It’s an area I’m keen to get into. Personally, I have lots of ballet exams to sit this year, so that’ll be a big focus for me.

Thank you Michelle. I very much look forward to seeing some of your moving image work and good luck with your ballet exams!

Antipodium S/S 12

Nikki — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:17:02 +0000

Antipodium is a label that’s fairly new to the Goodstead rails. Its origins can be traced to a shop in Melbourne many years ago. That boutique found itself to be home to all sorts of creative types. Owner Ashe Peacock launched the brand in 2006 with former intern Geoffrey J. Finch, and since then it they’ve been quietly growing something of a reputation for an easy going style – a result of their down-to-earth Australian background. We’re loving it more more with each season.

So here we have lovely review of the SS 12 Antipodium cat walk show from blogger Mademoiselle Robot.

‘Antipodium was part of the trio of shows I was properly excited about. This is a label I actually wear, you see. So going to the show is interesting on various levels – it satisfies my curiosity but it also means I can make a mental note of the pieces I want for the next season. I could go on and on about how much I loved the cat and dog print dress or how perfect the colour palette would be for me, but instead I will try and give you a real review. ‘ Click here if you’d like to read on…

The Poor Daffodils.

Nikki — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:28:09 +0000

The poor daffodils, oh god the poor daffies! How will they cope with this wintery onslaught? It’s just not fair on the wee spring trumpets. They sprung to attention letting us know that winters spell was finally broken then BAM!! Mother Nature decides to smack them down for being way too eager! What fools they were to believe that spring could have sprung in April, APRIL! 5 days of sunshine in APRIL?! Madness. They were planted in Scotland for god’s sake, they should have known better. Poor daffies.
However, here in Goodstead we haven’t given up on Spring (tenuous link I know, sorry) and the women’s wear side of the shop is filled with bold colours and seasonal prints to prove it. Maybe these could bring a little sunshine into your lives before the real stuff makes it return.
Here are a few of my favourites…

Antipodium Rear View Dress with exclusive daffodil print by Miriam Ivannoff

Minimarket Isis Shorts

Something Else Night Web Dress with insect print and tangle back

Sessun Kew Gardens Sanguine in fruity Liberty print

Come on sunshine!

Daniel Frost for Norse Projects

iansee — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:09:50 +0000

Daniel Frost is an illustrator currently working in London who has created some graphics for this seasons Norse Projects Tees. I love his work and suggest heading over to his site to check out some of his weird and wonderful characters that he has created.

There is whimsical feel to all of his work and I love his use of colour which is fresh and bright without making the overall work look too “cartoony” or childish.

click here to head over to his site or you can see his tees that he produced with Norse Projects by clicking the links below

Norse Projects Daniel Frost Tee 1

Norse Projects Daniel Frost Tee 5

Yuketen Spring Summer 2012

Gibletto — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:49:57 +0000

Yuketen Footwear Spring 2012

We recently received a new delivery from US footwear artisans, Yuketen.

Yuketen as a brand is a personal favourite of mine, and that’s not just for the obvious reason which is the incredible quality and craftsmanship evident in their finished products. Meeting the people behind Yuketen you get a real sense of how much they believe in what they do and why they do it. It is really refreshing. It’s also worth mentioning that they are probably the politest people I’ve ever met in this business and every time I receive an email from them it’s guaranteed to be a pleasant read. Manners go a long way..

Im also a big fan of their seasonal look book images:

Hard visuals to look at when the March sun is shining and you’re sitting at a desk with your back to the window… Where did I put my tent…

Anyways, the latest arrivals from Yuketen are a nice array of seasonal tones and styles that will see you through Spring and Summer regardless of what kind of canoe you own.

Yuketen Maine Guide Oxford Blue £384.95

Yuketen Johnson Oxford Shoe £329.95

Yuketen Orange Blucher £234.95

Penfield Spring/Summer arrives…

iansee — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:32:53 +0000

“Do I look like Marty McFly in this get-up?”

“I totally do eh?”

“This is gonna be super sweet for the rooftop summer barbeque’s, oh yeah!”

Penfield SS12 available here as soon as we get it live. Hopefully today or tomorrow.

Minimarket SS12

iansee — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:21:49 +0000

Minimarket started out as a shop in Sweden, turning into a brand in 2006.

They won Designer of the year from Elle magazine in 2010.

We started stocking them for Spring/Summer 2012.

Their clothes are lush.

Minimarket Rifa Dress

£175.94

Minimarket Odji Dress

£97.94

Minimarket Nena Dress

£149.95

Minimarket Kasiya Sweater

£116.95

Minimarket Isis Shorts

£94.94

Francis Leon SS12

iansee — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:24:07 +0000

We have had our first delivery of jackets from Francis Leon. All designed and produced in Australia- a lot of the most interesting fashion at the moment seems to be coming from that neck of the woods- they take natural fabrics such as silks, linens and leathers and tailor them masterfully with a streetwear edge. Real nice.

Francis Leon Razor and Blade Jacket

£354.95

Francis Leon Zero Cool Jacket

£354.95