Repro: Lewis and wood

Cover Image: Mary Katrantzou, 2012, Erik Madigan Heck

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(ISSN: 1742-254X) is published bi-monthly six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by Selvedge Ltd. Registered Office 14 Milton Park, Highgate, London, N6 5QA. Copyright © Selvedge Ltd 2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The editor reserves the right to edit, shorten or modify any material submitted. The editor’s decision on all printed material is final. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Selvedge magazine, Selvedge Ltd or the editor. Unsolicited material will be considered but cannot be returned. Printing: Westdale Press Ltd UK. Colour Origination: PH Media. Web Design: datadial. Distribution: DHL Global Mail, Periodicals Postage Paid at Rahway NJ. Postmaster send address corrections to Selvedge Magazine, DHL Global Mail (UK) Ltd, Mills Road, Quarry Wood, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7WZ. Subscription rates for one year (6 issues): Paper Magazine, UK £50.00; Europe 75.00; USA $75.00; Canada C$135.00; Australia AU$100.00; Japan ¥10,500; Rest of World £75.00

Woodchester Mill, North Woodchester, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 5NN tel 01453 878517 fax 01453 872803 email office@lewisandwood.co.uk www.lewisandwood.co.uk Bias

Contributors

I have been looking out of my window at a bare lavender bed for what seems far longer than a few months. I can’t wait to see the purple flowers with their heady scent filling the garden again. The sight always lightens my mood. We know many of our readers are facing dull days as the economic crisis stretches on and on but this issue we are determined to lift your spirits.

No one sets a better example than the Gentlemen of Bacongo, pg 50 whose gloriously colourful clothing are a visual demonstration of triumph over adversity. Photographer Daniele Tamagni has documented their way of life in images that are alive with optimism. These brave, bold ensembles are a defiant reaction to the terrible conflicts they have witnessed.

In comparison it seems laughable to describe fashion as ‘fearless’ but designer Mary Katrantzou, pg 19 is not afraid to mix patterns and palettes that others might consider dangerous. Her S/S 2012 collection, photographed by Erik Madigan Heck, is a riot of unrestrained colour. Gorgeous though they are we are not all comfortable wearing clothes that catch every eye. Some of us prefer to express a love for colour in our interiors. In Denmark Rie Elise Larsen, pg 63 has created a bright and welcoming holiday home with few resources. This thrifty style is something we can all aspire to and is echoed in our How to, pg 15, vintage dish towel bunting from Nikki Trench. If you enjoy patchwork then make a note that Nikki’s book APassionforQuiltingwill be launched at the Selvedge Spring Fair, pg 7.

By ‘being clever with your hands’ you can transform the world around you – a little curiosity has the same effect. Combine the two and and you can create inventions that put your name in the history books – not always for the reason you intended. Eighteen-year-old scientist William Henry Perkin, pg 38 accidently discovered a vivid mauve dye while attempting to find a lifesaving treatment for malaria. His discovery changed textile production but until recently Perkin was all but forgotten. The Hidden Heroes exhibition, pg 36 at the Science Museum shines a light on influential but everyday objects that are often overlooked; plastic clothes pegs, poppers and zips. These inventions make daily life a little easier though we rarely appreciate their ingenuity. For clothes peg collectors Gad Charny and Yoav Ziv, pg 33 they are much more – they are a route through the mundane to the marvellous. These men find something spectacular in simplicity... that’s probably the best way to brighten your day – every day!

Polly Leonard Editor in Chief

How do you brighten up a dull day?

ALICE PATTULLO pg 75

A clear desk, a clear mind and a clear day with a big mug of coffee can make any dull day brighter – it means I get to do exactly what I want! Otherwise a grey day spent rummaging around the local junk shops always provides a ray of light.

DANIELLE KROLL pg 18

Cooking or baking is a sure way to improve a dull day. Cooking is a great way for me to feel like I’ve accomplished something and it’s completely stressfree. As a bonus, after I’m finished I have something tasty to eat, which always lifts my spirits.

Dr. Joseph McBrinn, pg 71

Bergamot tea, oranges, figs, limes, basil, cooking and baking in the morning, tidying my bookshelves, looking for evidence of spring in my garden. And, occasionally, escaping to Donegal to walk on the beach, under dark stormy skies, watching the mighty roar of the Atlantic.

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