It’s London Fashion Week and, to make it even more exciting, two of our favourite jewellery designers (and Provenance clients) Melanie Georgacopoulos and Fernando Jorge have both been selected to showcase their work as part of the brand new jewellery initiative BFC Rock Vault sponsored by the International Palladium Board (IPB) and curated by Stephen Webster. Very different in their style and approach, we feel they both really stood out and wish them the best of luck, well done guys!
Posted by Maria on February 18, 2012
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Thanks to friends in high places, we were recently able to snag a last minute reservation at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck (a Relais & Chateaux, 3-star Michelin restaurant in the town of Bray on Thames). We are happy to report that the experience lived up to expectations and reputation and more. A 14-course tasting menu, accompanied by an 8-glass wine tasting menu provided some very serious gastronomic fireworks and theatrics. The opening “Nitro Poached Apertif” (unfortunately too quick to be photographed) was particularly fun. The waiter arrived with a cart filled with silver containers and pressurized bottles. He offered a Vodka Lime Sour, G&T or Campari Soda. We took the Campari. He then proceeded to fill a bowl with liquid Nitrogen, dropped a ball of Campari-orange mousse in it, which froze into a ball. He then served the ball to us, while simultaneously spraying a citrus scent into the air. It was a sensory overload! The frozen mousse ball, which we were instructed to eat “at once, and all in one go” was cold and fluffy, taste popping into the mouth, while the citrus fragrance was zesty and fresh. The “Sound of the Sea” – Course 7 – was also quite spectacular, involving an ipod with a sea and seagull recording accompanied by a platter of raw fish served with a sandy substance which turned out to be tapioca. It was served with a fantastic cold Sake from Nagano (Japan). Excellent combination. We could of course go on – the meal lasted close to 5 hours - but this would spoil your fun for your own visit.
Just one more thing: We were also quite amazed by the gorgeous collateral provided, a personalised menu presented in an envelope sealed with a waxed stamp, a bookmark detailing the story of the Mock Turtle Soup inspired by Alice in Wonderland, an adorable menu with a list of candies served at the very end, the “Like a Kid in a Sweetshop” course and a striped candy bag – great use of silver foiling all around. Then there was the packaging of the actual sweets. The Coconut Baccy was presented in a rolling tobacco type envelope, another came in an edible wrapper, and the Queen of Hearts (see photo…not sure what it was, but it was delicious and beautiful) came in a little sealed envelope. Every detail was thought of, and as lovers of printed matter, we were very happy to have many envelopes to open and feel, and keep as a memento of an incredible evening!
Queen of Hearts
Mock Turtle SoupBlack Forest Gateau
Sound of the SeaMock Turtle Soup
Sound of the Sea
Foie Gras
Red Cabbage Gazpacho
Posted by Ilaria on February 9, 2012
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Does the man ever sleep? Not satisfied with just being the creative director of Chanel, launching his own line on Net-a-Porter, shooting campaigns and a thousand other things, Uncle Karl had now turned his attention to newspapers. For one day only, Lagerfeld has taken over Metro, the biggest global newspaper distributed in 100 cities in 22 countries. Apart from articles on Carine Roitfeld and Haider Ackermann Karl also covers current affairs with ironic drawings of Russian prime minister Putin, Queen Elizabeth and Barak Obama among others.
Posted by Maria on February 7, 2012
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We love books at Provenance and were thrilled to find out about the Words Words Words initiative taking over Selfridges from 12 January to 1 March. The store’s UltraLounge has been turned into a library with thousands of books from classic titles to brand new publications and will become the hub of the Words Words Words activities with an exciting programme of workshops, classes and talks. Highlights include handwriting analysis, storytelling, classes by The Idler Academy and a Penguin Classics book club. In addition to the library, 4 of the shop’s windows have been transformed by some of London’s brightest creative talents to get you in the mood.
The full list of events can be found here
Posted by Maria on January 18, 2012
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Provenance is currently working on the lookbook for the incredibly talented jewellery designer Melanie Georgacopoulos, here a little preview from the photoshoot we just art directed.
Posted by Maria on January 17, 2012
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Beauty has no age and our favourite 90 year old style icon, Iris Apfel, proves just that with her collaboration with make up brand MAC.
Taking a lead from the 2005 Rara Avis (Rare Bird) exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the 20-piece line is ‘inspired by a rare bird who has always been ahead of her time’ and perfectly sums up Apfel’s unique style and quirky sense of colour, with lipstick shades such as Party Parrot, a bright matte red, a glossy coral called Flamingo, and nail colours like Toco Toucan and Oriele Orange.
The range goes on sale at MAC stores from January 5 and the beautiful bright colours already make us feel like spring is just around the corner!
Posted by Maria on January 4, 2012
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We have been busy screen-printing our Christmas cards over the last few days, stay tuned!
Posted by Maria on December 7, 2011
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Come get some great stocking fillers at the 5th installment of the Poundshop, this time popping up Downstairs at Mother London. For one night only, you will be able to purchase some amazing products by up-and-coming designers including Provenance’s own FORMA, all priced at just £1, £5 or £10. Apart from being able to get some unique gifts, the event promises to be a great night full of Christmas spirit, music and drinks. If you can’t make it on the night all the products will also be available online from www.thepoundshop.org over just three days.
The event is invite only so please RSVP by emailing rsvp@thepoundshop with the subject line PS5-INVITE.
Posted by Maria on
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On the edge of a parking lot of a shabby looking motel in Jaipur, I was introduced to Pt. D.D Sharma, a Brahmin dressed in white who read my palm and sketched some perplexing graphs on what looked like a doctor’s prescription pad. He told me about my past and future, and what he said sounded about right. But his main point to me was that I didn’t have the best of luck. There were karmic issues, something about Saturn, the line of fate. The remedy: to wear a blue sapphire on my middle finger. He also prescribed a muhurta (auspicious time) to start wearing the stone: Saturday, within an hour after sunrise.
The Astrological Observatory in Jaipur
After this encounter I began to notice how many Indian people were wearing gemstones on odd fingers, and that they were always the same stones on the same fingers: ruby on the ring finger, pearl on the pinky, coral on the index finger and so on. There are nine stones, one for each planet, and depending on your astrological make-up and which planet needs to be “kept in check”, an astrologer may prescribe a ring to wear on a certain finger.
The art of prescribing gem stones for karmic or health-issues is as old as the hills of course, mankind has been mining for gems for thousands of years. A lot has been written about the power of stones, and the talismanic and healing value of jewelry, beginning in ancient sacred Sanskrit texts. But I wonder can this side of gems be harnessed more effectively for commercial purposes? Should it be?
We’ve definitely noticed a trend in the symbolic role of jewelry in numerous of the pieces designed by contemporary jewelers, from Aurora Lopez Mejia to Loree Rodkin. Pippa Small and Carlos Souza, designers we’ve reported on for COUTURELAB MAGAZINE, both make Nav-Ratna pieces. These are jewels (rings or pendants usually) featuring all nine stones in a particular constellation. But are people buying these because they are gorgeous or because they believe in the power of these gems to change their lives?
But, enough of my musings – surely you are wondering if I have purchased a sapphire to wear on my middle finger. The answer is yes. On line from the Natural Sapphire Company, and it arrives next week. Here’s hoping my Saturn will be straightened out soon.
Posted by Ilaria on December 5, 2011
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Walk through parted water, courtesy of Ro Koster and Ad Kil Architects who built this amazing sunken bridge for crossing the defensive fortress in Halsteren, the Netherlands. The bridge sits within the water and slope surrounding the 17th Century Dutch fort and gives visitors the opportunity to walk trough parted waters like Moses.
Posted by Maria on November 21, 2011
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