Mooshy La La

Saturday, 11 October 2014

Mooshy's Madness for Hats

I recently aquired a consignment of hats, well make that a few consignments of hats - (what do they say about waiting for a bus?????)

I used to wear hats quite a lot in my younger years but somehow never quite require the need, or desire, should I say to wear one now! Saying that - I did don a liberty silk turban at our last Bibalala event, which was quite liberating, I must say, and I intend to make the most of the current trend and add a splash of colour to my otherwise Black wardrobe!

I do love to see a woman wearing a hat, it seams like she's gone that little bit further to perfecting her 'Look' and more to the point - She has confidence!!!! -

Now don't get me wrong there are hats and there are HATS - Pulling a knitted beanie hat over your greasy locks to hide the fact that you got up late, or your roots are an inch long (50 shades of grey has a completely different meaning here!) is not an act of nonchalance - quite the opposite in fact - its - "Make me disappear into oblivion" - But choosing a vintage, crepe, pleated turban (still tucking the crowning glory away) emphasising those arched groomed eyebrows, that smooth flawless 'Mac' veiled skin, those outlined glossy pouting lips gives a whole new meaning to a 'Bad hair Day'

Anyway getting away from turbans and getting back onto the subject of hats, yes hats real hats, and I have many in my little trove of treasures (Mooshy La La's Attique) in fact I have enough to open a hat shop! So I am in the process of photographing each one & describing and dating them to the best of my ability, this may take some time, so please bear with me!

I will list each one as and when I have displayed & photographed them - their ages range from Victorian through to present day!

: Gold silk brocade turban style hat, embellished with old gold ostrich feathers. c.1950

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: Chic 60's fuchsia swirling velvet conical shape with iridescent dark green cockerel feather trim

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: A magnificent statement hat from the 50's in pale cream lush feathers, such a flattering vintage piece, would look stunning on a winter bride!

: Shimmering olive concertina satin trimmed with deep ruby edging form this unusual millinery delight. A "standoutinthecrowd" piece.

BIBALALA

When I first left school in the early 70's I worked for a small independent chain of Fashion Boutiques in Liverpool called "ZAX" We sold labels like Bernshaw, Radley, Aristos/Ariella, Miss Mouse.......just a few from the many I can recall! There were four shops dotted over the city, the main flagship store based in the city centre. I was the window dresser,and the youngest member of staff! I loved it!!!!

: Moi! - in front of my treasured Biba poster

Platform shoes had just hit the fashion scene and buyers were scrambling to get their hands on the highest most colourful shoes & boots, this was before the high street was awash with chain stores, and mass produced fast fashion like Primark, New look and the likes of today! Trends would sell out quickly & waiting lists would be long, & competition between the independents would be ferocious ....I remember once our black six inch heel, platform boots were delivered to a neighbouring competitor ....there was 'warfare' when they would not return our order!!!!!! Hahahaha!!! "I do not jest!!!"

The owners were young & fashionable and used to take me to London on regular buying trips. We would go on the Pullman, this was a luxury city link train, we would have breakfast (No less than silver service on this train!) and a very comfortable first class journey, ready for our hectic buying schedule!!!

And that is when I discovered................

........I thought I had died and gone to heaven the first time I walked through those doors in Kensington High Street......anyone who knows me well will tell you I have waxed lyrical about this magical place ever since & that I can tell you, is a very long time!!! 40 years to be precise!!!

I had read about Biba, in the many fashion magazines I coveted (I would drive Mr Murgatroyd our local newsagent crazy with my obscure fashion magazine subscriptions he would endeavour to track down for me!) So I was on a personal mission to explore this Shangri La Ms Hulanicki had created. I was dropped off at the store while my boss's went off to Vidal Sassoon

My stomach knotted with excitement, I entered! In front of the windows was a low seating area where men lounged, bored & irritated waiting for their partners who had disappeared into the Abyss.

Inside the store was quite dark,with the decor being predominantly Black, but at the front of the store were the most spectacular mirrored counters, displaying cosmetics of every colour of the rainbow!!!! ....AND TESTERS....... out on display!!!! ......for you to use without a sales assistant hovering over you!!!!

I had never seen such an amazing array...

...Lipsticks & nail polish of black, green, purple, blue????????

.....& plumes & plumes & plumes of thick lush ostrich feathers, fit to crown any Bluebelle Showgirl at the Lido de Paris!

More mirrored alters displaying tights of every conceivable hue...then
...shoes, bags, belts.

Dresses & suits in beautiful sludgy aubergine, olive, saffrons & teal, all hung from bentwood hat stands!! Where were the clothes rails????

......had I found my Utopia?

I spent the next hour or so discovering more of the wonders of this magical place, absorbing this Art-Deco/Bohemian fusion of decor. This cocktail of styles that would eventually influence the way that I would display my surroundings in each home I would create from then on!

On returning back to Liverpool after my first visit I set about creating my own version of this wonderland I had discovered.

On a previous trip we had purchased the most amazing Adel Rootstein Mannequins for the windows I was on a roll..... I persuaded June my boss to take me to 'Swainbanks Rialto' a huge antique warehouse formerly a cinema, and we bought a large victorian chiffonier/dresser, I can remember it clearly to this day with its carved gothic style posts, I painted it black & decorated it with plumes of feathers and hung the jewellery from it. I painstakingly decorated black wooden box seats with tiny mirror tiles & topped them with red velvet cushions trimmed with tassels I had made myself all finished off with the obligatory fake palm plants......

Wow how proud of that project was I!!!!!!

..Anyway all these years on I now have my own little trove of bohemian glamour, strongly influenced by my BIBA memories!

To celebrate those wonderful times spent in that 'Wonderland' I had a little event aptly named "BIBALALA"......We shared stories and memories and transported ourselves back to those early bohemian years in the 70's with Velvet Underground & Mark Bolan, Babycham & Twiglets ...& a good time was had by all!!!!!

: Me,(Sue Gannon-Kendrick) adding the finishing touches to my lovely BibaLaLa model. Elle Keogh.

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Louis Rousselet Paris

Louis Rousselet (1892-1980) was born in Paris and apprenticed at a young age to learn to manufacture lamp-work beads. In 1922 in Menilmontant, a Paris suburb, he began manufacturing glass and Galalith beads as well as faux pearls in. The pearls were created from glass beads coated with essence d’Orient, a fish-scale compound. All of his beads were hand-wound and polished. Workers had to train for six or seven years to learn his techniques. By 1925, Rousselet employed 800 workers and shipped his beads all over the world. Production of pearls ceased in the late 1960s. Glass beads were manufactured until 1975, when the last trained worker retired.

Rousselet also designed sautoirs, necklaces, pendants and other jewelry, using glass beads in a wide range of colors and styles. His pieces were worn by Josephine Baker and other stars of the Folies Bergères, Casino de Paris and Moulin Rouge, as well as clients of couturiers such as Chanel, Jacques Fath, Pierre Balmain and Robert Piquet. Rousselet’s daughter Denise designed many of the firm’s collections from 1943 until she took over as designer in 1965.

Most of Rousselet’s pieces were signed only on a paper tag. Jewellery with the “L.R.”mark is rare

A rare unsigned Rousselet puzzle necklace. 17 inch. Amber glass round graduated beads with small glass bead spacers and brass ornate rondelles incorporated with four of Rousselet's famous hand crafted puzzle beads in amber bakelite and marble galalith. Strung on fine brass chain with brass barrel clasp marked

'Made in France' Weight:58g