The Accidental Curator

Purdy

This beautiful porcelain vase features delicately carved flowers and sparrows in the shape of a cinched corset. Truly elegant and definitely girlie, this vase creates a sweet Edwardian accent.

 

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8303083

Rock-A-Bye

I love this Nelson inspired rocking bench made from ash wood by indie designer Zack Bailey.

 

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7098025

 

Wild Game

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love this pheasant feather and silk head piece form the 1940’s, it has a dignified yet bohemian air about it, sort of James Dean meets Hemingway. This rustic cap would pair just as easily with a formal silk tartan as it would with jeans and a cashmere sweater, perfect for any holiday gathering.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8381865

 

Women in Art

I love this video showing women in throughout art history as they elegantly morph into each other to climatic classical music. There is something familiar about these womens faces, as the film continuous, I start to see the faces of the beautiful women in my life, mothers, friends, teachers and even a little of myself. Thanks Monique for sending this video my way.

http://miraulam.multiply.com/video/item/38

Doggie-san

 

Ok, let me start by saying I am the last one to propose to anyone to dress up their dog. I actively recoil in disgust when I see a poor shaking rodent like breed forced to dress in a costume that few infants are subjected to, usually stuffed in a loudly expensive purse or luxury travel bag. That said…these organic cotton kimonos made especially for Frodo are really cute, and hey, some dogs actually do need a little extra warmth during the winter season, so it might as well be eastern inspired.

http://sckoon.com/organiccottonpetclothes-organic-dog-clothes.html

Models Unite

Models in Britain are banding together to form a union that would give them the same protection as actors in order force the fashion industry to adopt “clearer and fairer working rights.” Models often follow the industries unspoken rule to be seen but not heard for fear that their agencies will drop them if they speak out against the treatment they are receiving. Treatment that includes but is not limited to, long hours without breaks, no say in nude shoots and the application of toxic materials to their bodies. Perhaps the industries cruel behavior towards its own can most visibly seen in recent years as the “size zero trend” has become the norm, with consequences that have models dying on the catwalk

The gaunt, blank eyed, anonymous model that has captured the hearts and minds of designers recently has left me nostalgic for the bombshell supermodels of the nineties. These models were curvy, sexy and powerful, becoming celebrities in their own right. So what happened? Why don’t we want to celebrate women that look healthy? Why instead are we forcing models to put their health in jeopardy in order to look like a holocaust victim? Is it the waning soul of a fat and overindulgent society? Perhaps the anguish felt by the world as we pillage its natural resources and assault its people? Or maybe it’s just that the increasingly homogeneous designer is afraid that their models might become a little more interesting than they are. Whatever it is it can be sure that the treatment we give our models is as much a representation of the ugly side of fashion as it is the society that consumes and celebrates it.

http://fashionista.com/2007/12/models_unionize.php

 

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article3241922.ece

 

I Dream of Hedi

 

No, not

Klum, Hedi Slimane! Celebrity photographer, fashion designer and all around tastemaker has a stunning online picture diary and blog. See what life looks like through Hedi's delightfully troubled eyes.

http://www.hedislimane.com/

Soul of Africa

Soul of Africa is a self-sustaining organization that creates employment and training to unskilled women in areas of Africa most affected by the AIDS epidemic. Initiated and sponsored by Clarks England and Froggie, this program helps to educate women and teaches them new skills, such as how to hand stitch leather soccer balls and shoes, the proceeds of these products help to fund organizations that assist in helping the women and orphaned children in these disadvantaged areas.  All of the women are paid fair trade wages for their labor and the soccer ball produced carries health awareness messages that the children can observe and learn from. The goal of Soul of Africa is "€œto enable the local villagers to make and or repair the product whilst improving the developing community life."

Every other week I will highlight a worthy charity that uses production as a means to empower and educate disadvantaged communities around the world. In a time when much of our consumer products are manufactured using socially irresponsible business practices, it is important to realize that big business can be a vehicle for positive global change, and as citizens of the planet we have a right and responsibility to demand a higher moral standard from the corporations that outfit our lives.

http://www.soulofafrica.org.za/Home.htm

Hoommin

 

This innovative yet simple redesign of the classic trashcan is the vision of designer Hung Ming Chen. Hung has been received multiple design awards including IF and Red-dot, for his efforts in blending furniture and technology and his products are sold throughout Sweden. I love how exposed and unpretentious the design of this wastebasket is, a perfect addition to a home office or bathroom.

http://www.hommin.com/index.html

http://www.designtorget.se/

MIA

My recent disappearance from the world of the internet is because I got the dreaded flu...so beware of this dirty secret surrounding the holiday season and bundle up, take some Zinc and avoid those coughing like the plague!