Im-Press me

Thanks to the aforementioned Swelle Boutique in my previous post, I have had a few lovely snippets of online press in the last week or so. It was thanks to Denise from the boutique that I found out about 2 of them and the 3rd was a lovely surprise discovery I made myself. The 2 Denise told me about were on Dujour magazine and the blog A change of a dress. Both have written lovely post about the dresses featured in the online boutique and about the label in general. Thankyou to both for their mentions. The links are below.

http://dujourmag.com/blog/designer-discovery-love-rowan-joy/

http://www.achangeofadress.co.uk/2010/06/vintage-lace-dress-at-swelle-boutique.html

The 3rd and most exciting for me was a mention on the Guardian websites fashion statement in the life and style section. I subscribe to the fashion statement column and get it emailed to me every week so you can imagine my surprise this week when scrolling through the articles in it, near the bottom I spotted a familiar photo - one from my spring/summer collection shoot. In the shopping news they had decided to feature the new Swelle boutique and to my joy had used one of my images and mentioned my label. It is my first mention in a national newspaper so even though it was just a little one it was still a great treat for me. Here is the link to it, just scroll down to near the bottom.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jun/17/dress-codes-ascot-american-apparel

Its a very swelle boutique.

Yes folks you can now buy Rowanjoy online, no its not the online shop I have been telling everyone I am going to set up, It is what my online shop will aspire to be. Swelle boutique www.swelleboutique.com has been set up by Denise Grayson who has the wonderful blog www.theswellelife.com which talks about all the gorgeous things in life. This time last year she wrote an embarrassingly lovely post about Rowanjoy and we kept in touch ever since. When she told about setting Swelle Boutique and if I would be interested in being one of the designers she stocked I jumped at the chance. As it was the launch of the boutique I felt some special pieces were most definitely necessary so I created a 3 piece mini collection of the most romantic and pretty dresses I could manage. Turns out that they happen to rank in my top 15 pieces I have made and out of several hundred I think that is pretty good going.

The boutique also stocks a selection of other designers who share the same philosophy of creating beautiful one off or limited edition pieces that have that special quality about them. A fellow ECA graduate and alumni of the Godiva academy of misfits Lu Flux has some gorgeous pieces on sale. My favourite being the Plume skirt made from a gorgeous rainbow of vintage fabrics, scalloped and layered to create the skirt. The label Neue has some wonderfully pleated and tailored dresses which look like the perfect alternative day dress and also look beautifully made.

So go check it out and see the gorgeous offerings Denise has curated for you to spend those pennies burning a hole in your picket on. I also highly recommend a good read of Denise's blog especially if like me you love the pretty things in life - she seems to find them at every possible turn.

Its a wrap, well not really its actually a scarf.

o these were my last minute addition to the stock I took down to London with me. After days waiting for them to be delivered and general harassing of the postman wondering where they were, my bag of vintage scarves got here. I made a very rushed trip down to the tessuti studio to get them printed. This time printing with an opaque version of the green colour on the tshirts and also a lovely pale pink which came up beautifully on the various scarfs. The result of each print varied enormously on each scarf depending on the base colour and print and the fabric each one was made from, some the print has come up really strongly others it has a much more fade effect. Look out for them in various shops and hopefully eventually online.

Block Party

My most recent window display at Pam Jenkins, inspired by A beautiful pair of Louboutins the Bianca sling style with colour blocked sole and heel. Pam has lots of fabulous bright coloured shoes in this season which worked perfectly in the window along with some of the always on trend nude shoes. I'd Like a pair of each in a size 37 please...anyone...anyone?

Spring/Summer 2010 get yourself a floral frock... some new photos

I posted a few weeks ago some behind the scenes photos of my new collection and now I have the real things. Paul has given the photos a lovely washed out treatment which most definitely gives them the feel of one of my favourite photographers Paolo Reversi. I think they suit the feel of the collection perfectly.

Alternative fashion week

For the last few weeks of my life I have been a continual one woman (plus a couple of fabulous helpers) production line. All this printing, sewing and decorating will all come to an end on Sunday when I heave my heavy bags onto the train and head down to London to do the market at alternative fashion week. Alternative fashion week has been running for several years now and is a chance for independent designers to show their work on the catwalk shows that run during the week and sell their work at the market. I will just be at the market this year, hopefully next year they will let my work loose on the catwalk, which runs from the 19th-23rd April from 11am-5pm at spitalfields market. So for any of you down London way that want to part with your hard earned cash, preferably on my stall, it would be lovely to see you.

Shooting the new..

I had my photoshoot for my new S/S 2010 collection yesterday and although I am now shattered I am also very excited as the shoot went super well. As usual I had the fabulous Paul Marr shooting the collection and the wonderful Roy Rogers doing the hair. We had a new addition to the team fiona to do the make-up and a grand job she did too. Our model for the day was a new face Patricia Taylor from Colours agency in Glasgow and she was the perfect girl for the collection. Here are some of my "backstage" shots from the day to give you an idea of what the final shots will be like, I for one cant wait to see them.