Monday 22 November 2010

Mon 22nd Nov: Alex Cunningham for Cooperative Designs











This season Alex Cunningham's ongoing collaboration with Cooperative Designs focused on a smaller specific detail ........... glasses as props for their installation performance. How blinking (pun intended) cool are they?! Alex invented Bakelite looking eyewear to accessorize the concept of an imaginary film set in a fantasy 1920's Colonial bar in India. "Bollywood Babylon" is a collection of art deco graphic patterns, modernised with abstract proportions and sharp lines. With this in mind, Alex answered the brief by experimenting with lazer cutting perspex and layering sections to assemble her own vision of spectacles. Not only are they cunning little items in their own right but they served an integral function in the presentation as tools for the models to engage in conversation and gesture. I'm very shy about wearing my glasses through ridiculous and unwarranted vanity so I think its great that frames are finding their way into fun high end fashion in this way. Despite being "props" I think the elements could be easily pared down and applied to a range of everyday glasses........... a discerning way to accessorize your eyes............. that sounds right up my street............
Here are Alex's snaps from the process and images from the Look Book which Amy Gwatkin shot live at the presentation against David White's set in The Groucho Club. On entry to the show each guest was requested to sign in by writing their details on an envelope............... a gimmick from those crafty Cooperative Girls......... as these have now been stamped up and sent out with the look book and fanzine of information inside. I wondered why the hell there was a letter on my doormat addressed with my exact hand writing! I momentarily freaked out before hacking into it and discovering this trick! Certainly not one for the junk mail pile.............. infact its gone straight up on my wall as with all the previous season's communications from the girls!

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