A global field guide to design, (life)style and secret finds
est. 2007

Archive: Aug 2008

  1. London shopping: Tracey Neuls

    11 Comments

    Today we’re heading back to Marylebone Lane and the bijou boutique at number 29 which is home to Tracey Neuls and her eponymous collection of shoes.


    I’ve often walked past the window and marvelled at the Canadian designer’s unconventional approach to visual merchandising. Here, shoes are displayed like an installation, hanging in rows from the ceiling.


    The artsy connection doesn’t end there. The shoes really are “pieces” and reflect the designer’s taste for the theatrical. Her premium Tracey Neuls label is beautifully hand-crafted in Italy with extraordinary attention to detail. But unlike a pretentious hands-off gallery, these elegant shoes are utterly wearable, with lots of low hand-carved conical wooden heels and flats (joyous news for this arthritic ol’ birdy!).


    The current Tracey Neuls summer collection (on its way out and on sale with 30 per cent off) features lots of patent leather in ripe, juicy colours like apple green, sky blue and cherry, with distinctive girlish and vintage-inspired details including contrast piping, oversized buttons, duplicate buckles and peep-toes.







    Her other label, TN_29, is made in Portugal and showcases a more muted, neutral palette with a less “produced” quality. I love the soft leather tie-front sandals in tan and black.




    Apart from shoes, there’s a selection of tights and soft, slouchy leather bags in black, red and grey with covetable circular wooden handles. Neuls is also the only English stockist for German designer Girl and the Gorilla’s range of delicate crocheted headbands (£40), cotton crocheted gloves (£75) and wrist bands.


    There’s also a changing line-up of artists taking residence on the shop’s walls, reinforcing the notion of shop-come-gallery.


    Overseas readers w ill be pleased to hear they can purchase online, with the new Autumn/Winter collection hitting the website soon. Stay tuned…


    Tracey Neuls
    29 Marylebone Lane, London
    United Kingdom, W1U 2NQ
    Tel: 0207 935 0039

    Nearest tube: Bond Street

    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

    Opening hours:
    Monday to Friday 11am – 6.30pm
    Monday and Sunday 12 noon – 5pm

    For more shops in Marylebone, click here.
    For more shops in West London, click here.

  2. Shopping online: Atelier WM candles at Colette

    7 Comments

    I'm currently crushing on these surreal hand candles from young Parisian collective Atelier WM, which are based on prints of real hands and are available in three different signs: West Coast, Hard Rock and Star Trek. They're now available instore and online at French store Colette. (My vote? Vulcan, all the way.)

  5. London shopping: Pedlars

    3 Comments

    Back in May, one of my favourite UK online shops, Pedlars, opened for business in Notting Hill. Situated just off Portobello Road and next door to Rough Trade, this London newbie offers a superb range of premium vintage homewares and unique British and European design-led products.


    Pedlars hails from Banchory, Scotland, where it’s been trading for 11 years primarily as a mail-order company. Not surprisingly, the business really took off when they started trading online four years ago. And now it’s translated beautifully into a real bricks-and-mortar shop, with its nostalgic-meets-modern approach reflected in an eye-catching long orange front counter and over-sized pendant lamps.


    One of Pedlars’ major drawcards is its collection of rare vintage Underground signs and iconic Routemaster destination blinds. The one-off pieces of London transport memorabilia are available as framed artworks (from £199 for a Routemaster destination blind) or as expertly-crafted lightboxes (from £285 for a number light box). There’s also an excellent range of framed vintage Underground signs (from £150) and carriage maps (from £225). Specific destinations can be sourced upon request.


    Other unique gems include unused ‘60s Hovis bread tins (£28.50 – they make perfect herb planters), handmade wooden toy battleships (£3 – they’re from a 1940s English fairground attraction), industrial-style Welsh pendant lamps (from £42.50), and vintage Smiths Wall clocks (from £95). There’s also a range of typographical stock including large painted wooden letters (on sale now for £17.95) and vintage printers blocks (from £7.50), adding to the extensive selection of indoor and outdoor homewares, fashion, stationery, games, toys and music.


    It’s one of the best new shops to open in London (surely a shoe-in for inclusion on future “best of” shopping lists?) and the place to head for a unique gift or an authentic vintage London souvenir.


    Pedlars
    128 Talbot Road
    London W11 1JA
    Tel: 0207 727 7799

    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

    Opening hours:
    Monday to Friday 10am-6pm
    Saturday 9am-6pm
    Sunday 11am-5pm

    Nearest tube: Ladbroke Grove

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