I AM on my way back from Sketch, one of the coolest London venues — which has a restaurant, parlour, exhibition hall and club — and am on my way to a photo shoot. Sketch is an absolute must if you are in London. I was invited there to check out the preview of the latest Marks and Spencer venture, a ‘Limited Collection’ which will work as a fashion concession within the store, aimed at the younger and more dynamic fashion lovers, due to be launched in September. The truth is, I am pleasantly surprised with what is on show. The accessories in particular are fab: Marc Jacobs style bags in red, pink and chocolate brown cracked leather…
Before making my way back to the studio where we are shooting the fashion pages for a men’s magazine, I decide to stop for breakfast at the Parlour. The room feels and looks French. The décor is very much vintage-chic with pale floorboards and a big white birdcage in the corner behind the cake counter. The menu is extensive and the pastry counter is so beautiful it’s almost not fair to bite into some of the cakes (especially those with the most delicate sugar flowers on them!). I choose some Jasmine tea and a ‘pain chocolat’ and browse through the book section (they have a small book outlet they call ‘The Book Shelf’). I spot a beautiful illustrated hardback by Jordi Labanda called Hay Day and pick up a napkin to wipe some chocolate off the side of my mouth (not a good look). On it there is a scribble, which reads ‘Every time I make love it feels like I am being crusifide’. As I look puzzled, the waitress explains that there is a Tracey Emin exhibition currently showing in their exhibition hall, and that the message on the napkin is in fact printed and part of the promotion!
My phone rings: it’s Helen on her way back from Glastonbury. It’s a bad line and before too long I loose her altogether, but I do manage to hear the words: mud, rain, soggy and tent which confirm the reason I don’t DO festivals anymore. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. These days my requirements include facilities such as showers (power preferably), toilet, and clean sheets. I must say, however, this year the repertoire was impressive, including artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Oasis, The Black Eyed Peas and James Brown… get on down!
Back at the studio and we go through all the looks. We’re shooting the men’s fashion for a September issue, which we are calling ‘Back to Cool’ (rather than school). We’re doing a grown-up school boy look: caps, high top trainers, Fred Perry polo shirt, v-neck vests, college scarves, satchels and reading glasses. It’s coming together nicely, and to top it all off, we have hired an original school desk and chair from a props house (the sort with an ink hole on the corner and a lid that lifts open). They tell me at the hire company that it was previously featured in the TV drama Grange Hill, it looks great! A few hours later and it’s time to go home. For once, the weather is warm, so I decide to walk home from the tube station. An ice-cream van drives past and stops at the end of the road. Children suddenly come out of the woodwork and queue for their treat. I smile fondly as I remember Flake 99s — to this day I haven’t understood WHY it’s called that, but there must be a reason… I remember being like those excited kids, and it was cool, we were cool. Definitely too cool for school.
