They don't make them like they used to....

http://owni.eu/2010/11/08/top-48-ads-that-would-never-be-allowed-today/

Wish Wellingtons

Take FIN to Tokyo

A letter to my love.

Dear Alcohol,
I hate to do it like this, but I think we ought to go on a break. It's not you, it's me. I just really need some space right now. Things have been pretty full on lately and I can't handle the intensity of our feelings towards each other. If I'm honest I think you should start seeing other people, I just don't think I can be who you want me to be right now and you deserve so much better. I understand that this might all come as a shock to you (especially after Monday night) and I really don't want to hurt you but you'll thank me for it one day. Everything happens for a reason, you'll see...

Your Daisey

Shoes and Shades

Animal and jungle prints are this season’s trend.

Keeping abreast of developments in the fashion world isn’t easy, so here are a few helpful pointers.

NOW that the summer is in full swing, fashions have clearly become more revealing and more daring. Yet the unpredictability (and brevity) of summer – and the fact that ‘trendy’ does not always equal ‘wearable’ for most of us – means staying afloat in the fashion world is not all plain sailing.

The fashion industry is notoriously fickle, but its fast pace does have its advantages. Trends switch from haute couture to high street quicker than you can say, “Kate Moss”. So, if you’re not keen on splashing out on the latest must-have item only for it to go from ‘hot’ to ‘not’ in a micro-second, then the high street is your friend. We’ll make a fashionista out of you yet!

Fashion buyers Suzi Brown-Hovelt and Charlotte Cheyney recommend sunglasses and shoes as safe and easy ways to tap into a trend and make a risk-free statement.

“The key influences this season are “glamazon”, tribal and safari. Animal and jungle prints, beading and tassels are easy to incorporate into your wardrobe,” says Brown-Hovelt. “Bright block colours are huge. The pastel and nude fabrics all over the catwalks are perfectly complimented with edgy accessories and shoes,” adds Cheyney.

Make a bold statement against a sun-kissed complexion with your sunglasses. “Over-sized and vintage shapes, and retro classics like the Ray-Ban Wayfarer and Aviator that never go out of fashion, are updated with bright colours and bold prints,” explains Cheyney. How about a heavy dose of 1980s irony with fuschia pink, lemon yellow and electric blue? Or whimsical, bohemian printed frames? With H&M’s fluorescent frames and Gina Tricot’s printed ‘Maya’ frames for under 20 euros, you can have your cake and eat it too! There’ll be enough change for an ice cream and no more heart attacks induced by losing 150-euro Ray-Ban or Pucci frames!

The same trends are also adorning our feet. “Shoes can really make an impact and make or break an outfit,” advises Cheyney. The clog has already been established as 2010’s most directional shoe. What if you’re of the opinion, however, that only the Dutch can do clogs any real justice? “Platforms, chunky wedges and leg-extending nude shoes are great alternatives,” Cheyney adds.

Ticking the ‘wedge’ and ‘print’ boxes are Christian Louboutin’s animal-print ‘Carino’s’, setting you back 350 euros or, try Helsinki’s weekday store, with their ‘Pump Animal’ for just 50 euros.

Oversized and vintage shaped shades are now in fashion

“Casually, the gladiator sandal still wears the crown. Embellished, beaded, lace up and knee high,” says Cheyney. “Or patterned brogues.” Paul Smith’s ‘Watercolour Floral’ brogues come in at 250 euros, so perhaps Monki’s ‘Ella’ brogues for 20 euros are more alluring?

“Changing your shoes can transform an outfit. Wear a block-colour Maxi dress with gladiator sandals by day, add a waist-cinching belt and a pair of patterned wedges for the night,” suggests Cheyney.

Brown-Hovelt agrees: “There’s no need to buy an entire wardrobe for our most fleeting season! Think bright and playful for your shoes and shades, they’ll continue to shine even after the sun has gone!”

Even if investing in a few key pieces means you can splash out, choosing cheaper alternatives offers a chance to experiment and give the more daring and probably more fleeting trends a go. Remember that the cardinal rule “accessorise, accessorise, accessorise!” reigns supreme and you’ll be a hit this summer!

Lehtikuva
DAISEY CHEYNEY
HELSINKI TIMES

Read more:  Shoes and Shades 

Seeds of Change

Guerilla gardens created in Helsinki concentrate mostly on vegetables and herbs.

Seed bombs and secret vegetable patches - guerilla gardening aims to make the urban world a better place.

THE RAPID urbanisation of the world’s population has resulted in a lack of space, yet an increasing demand for gardens has sparked an enthusiasm for reclaiming neglected land. Urbanisation is lending itself to help create resourceful cities that respect ecological systems as well as encouraging socially and aesthetically pleasing environments. On the frontline of this phenomenon is “guerilla gardening,” the “guerrilla” term reflecting its adventurous, albeit illicit facet – the garden-less’ horticultural incursions and surreptitious cultivations on private land.

Guerrilla gardening’s roots go back to the 17th century when Christian radical Gerrard Winstanely cultivated common land in Surrey, England during the English Civil War. In recent years, predictions centred on the inadequacy of present industrial agriculture to meet the demands of future generations has sparked interest, as have spokespersons such as Briton Richard Reynolds, who has helped popularise the movement further with the help of blogs and online communities.

Regenerating urban wastelands is a simple solution to the more complex alternatives such as skyscrapers harnessing solar and wind power, as well as rooftop and vertical gardens. Because smaller land areas harbour dense habitation, community gardens are an ideal solution. In New York City it is estimated that there are over 600 common gardens developing community cultivation. Sunflowers and lavender are notoriously easy to grow, as are pumpkin vines. Urban plantings can thrive even in surprisingly difficult conditions, making reclaiming verges, lay-bys and parking lots ideal.

A popular weapon for “gardeners-without-boundaries” is “seed bombs.” Often specifically designed for the local environment, enthusiasts can forego their usual twilight stealth missions and leave it to nature. With one toss, any neglected area can be enhanced. A mixture of fertiliser and seeds, the “bombs” take many forms – from stuffed egg shells to condom-filled versions. One Los Angeles-based company even sell their “seed bombs” via renovated coin operated candy machines, demonstrating perfectly the beauty of alternative activism.

In Pasila lies a hidden guerilla garden that offers free vegetables for those who are lucky enough to find it.

Planting positivity

The phenomenon is still relatively new in Finland but leading the revolution is the grassroots non-governmental organisation Dodo. Established in 1995, Dodo aims to explore our shared environment and urban development as they shape the future. Dodo members meet regularly around the country to discuss, and more importantly act, upon a whole variety of issues that may be affecting our future, bringing together people from different backgrounds to exchange expertise, experiences and ideas.

“You can make an impact with a fork, a bicycle, a blog, in a workshop or at work, whether it’s in a courtyard in Kallio or in a forest in Madagascar,” say Pauliina Jalonen, Dodo’s chairwoman, and Pinja Sipari, co-ordinator of their urban farmers. “It is about positive change; it’s about making our cities more happy and ecological,” the pair says.

Finland’s “everyman’s right” concept that gives wider public access to private land does not extend to gardens or the immediate vicinity of people’s homes. The legality, therefore, understandably raises questions of responsibility. “As far as we know, Dodo is the only organisation in Finland that does guerilla gardening openly. What we do does not harm other people or their property. We make the space more beautiful. That is being responsible. It’s about having an impact in the environment you live in. Not just waiting for the government to sort things out, or commenting someone else’s plans. The feedback we get is in general very positive. The media seems to love us and many people appreciate our work,” the Dodo team explains.

Guerilla action

One established example of Dodo’s guerilla action can be found by Pasila’s railway sidings where they have created a burgeoning vegetable plot. “We also have a few other guerilla gardens in Vallila, Viikki and Ruskeasuo,” Sipari and Jalonen reveal. “The guerilla gardening we do concentrates mostly on edible varieties. We hope it makes people think about the food they eat. Hopefully it would make people want to change their eating habits into more ecological ones. We have guerilla gardens also in Tampere and we also do guerilla gardening ‘attacks’. These are not that evident yet, but we are hoping there will be a sea of sunflowers in Helsinki later this summer,” hints the Dodo team.

Guerilla gardening is a perfect example of activism that doesn’t revolve around mere politics and angry sign-waving. “We have (or should have) the right to shape our everyday environment into what we want it to be,” declares Dodo. Action ranges from pranks to more serious challenges of property rights, but the objective is maintenance and upkeep rather than stunts. The instincts go further than being simply subversive; it’s an opportunity to change the public’s perception of their urban surroundings.

Dodo hopes that soon the guerrilla prefix will be rendered obsolete. “We hope that practices and land use regulations will change so that everybody would have the possibility to cultivate fresh vegetables without having to commit even tiny illegal acts. We are already renting a space for that in Kalasatama and we’ve helped build seven container gardens in backyards and kindergartens. That’s a small but good start.”

Unlike a lot of activism, political agendas can be brushed aside here. As Sipari and Jalonen remind, “Everyone can take a seed, water it and see how it grows.” I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone opposed to utilising neglected spaces for something more sustainable, resourceful and satisfying.

Daisey Cheyney

Midsummer Madness

IN CONTRAST to the thronged streets of vappu, Midsummer, aka juhannus, sees Finland’s towns and cities deserted. Signalling the start to many summer holidays and the opening of the season of fresh Finnish vegetables, fruits and berries, juhannus is probably Finland’s greatest festival of the year.

The celebration of the summer solstice dates back to pre-Christian times when Finns celebrated Ukon juhla, the feast of Ukko, the pagan Finnish god of weather, fertility and growth. After Christianity entered Finland, the festival became known as juhannus after Johannes Kastaja (St. John the Baptist) and was traditionally celebrated on his commemoration day, 24 June. After labour organisations’ efforts in 1955, juhannus now falls on the Saturday between 20 and 26 June with modern celebrations a mix of pagan and Christian traditions.

Midsummer is the turning point at which the days begin to shorten again; an event that historically raised fear and uncertainty about the future and thus giving cause to various religious and superstitious beliefs. Today the burning of Karelian bonfires, or kokko, provide warmth through the cool summer nights, though they were originally lit as protection from the evil spirits that were thought to roam freely as the sun turns southwards once again. It was also believed that plants and water had special powers during Midsummer night and superstitions included picking seven (or nine) flowers which were placed under girls’ pillows so they would dream of their future husband.

Nowadays, juhannus tends to focus less on the supernatural and more on simple nature with those who don’t manage to escape to the countryside gathering at Seurasaari. Here, the biggest Midsummer festivities in the greater Helsinki area are held with traditional music, costumes, dancing and a Midsummer wedding. Regardless of location, town or country, the traditional veritable feasting is guaranteed. Salmon and herring served with boiled potatoes in dill and parsley butter, grilled sausages with strong mustard, fresh strawberries and cream – yum!

Daisey Cheyney


Midsummer is celebrated on 26 June.
http://sixdegrees.wm.fi/6d/index.php/starters/36-starters/256-midsummer-madness

My Finland is international

THE power of the fastest growing social network in the world is being harnessed as a catalyst for social change.



Finnish celebrity Tino Singh is just one of many tapping into Facebook’s social power with his group Minun Suomeni on kansainvälinen - My Finland is International. “I got tired of all the xenophobic writing on the web and lately in mainstream politics,” he states. “I needed to reach out to those who live in the same Finland as I do.”



The group provides a platform for supporting and participating in an international Finland. Using practical grassroots work to defuse tension and increase cultural knowledge within people, the aim is “to get people involved and use it for a positive change…shifting the focus from hating to supporting.”



Whilst Facebook’s influence on society has already been proven with the success of Rage Against The Machine for the UK Christmas Number One 2009 campaign, the network’s revolutionary capabilities are limited. “Most groups with large numbers are not usually very serious ones,” Singh admits. “However, if you can easily reach tens of thousands with your message and crowd-source people while doing so, it indicates that you certainly have a chance to instigate change.”



Accumulating over 31,000 members in just ten days is encouraging, but how to progress from here? How can the reciprocal right to have one’s own cultural values and practices respected whilst respecting others’ cultural values and practices be successfully reinforced? “I would increase cultural sensitivity training both ways. For immigrants but also for Finns,” Singh suggests.



I suppose the real test will be to activate the group outside of Facebook. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will an international Finland, but we can start!



Daisey Cheyney
http://sixdegrees.wm.fi/6d/index.php/starters/36-starters/261-my-finland-is-international

Comfy Couture

FROM haute couture to canine couture, just when you thought you’d seen it all, along comes comfy-couture. Leading the revolution is Kotihousut. Hailed as an indoor “Hel-Looks”, the home-couture blog showcases the clothes you wear when no one’s watching.

Non-statements become statements in this new fashion democracy, with an invitation to send your own photo plus a short text to model your abode-attire choices. Whether it’s a serious attempt to challenge conventional thought about fashion or more tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at fashion victims, Kotihousut is reflecting the zeitgeist.

Aside from the cornerstone of comfy-couture being, well, comfort, there’s a definite penchant for woolly socks with a hint of (albeit accidental) experimentation and edge thrown in. Wearing whatever you want has never been so hot.

”I’m very precise about my style, also about what to wear at home. I favour good quality and long-lasting materials because I want my wardrobe to last long. I try not to wash my clothes too often – washing is really bad for the textile, most of the times you just need to brush them. This has been my favourite home wear for many years. It´s inspired by the 80s heavy metal mullet dudes. The classic combination of black and grey get´s a fresh, updated look with the colourful details.” (Uploaded by Xberg)

Oscar Wilde once claimed that: “Fashion is what one wears oneself. What is unfashionable is what other people wear,” and it seems that this is truer than ever. Staying in has become the new going out, so it’s only logical that fashion follows suit. Never has there been such freedom in fashion. Kotihousut is all about shaking off those hidebound notions and embracing the new expressive and emancipatory fashion evolution.

Style bloggers are increasingly being acknowledged as bringing fashion to the masses, so is it possible that Rihanna’s recent choice of attire at an LA recording studio was inspired thus? The international R & B star was spotted (in broad daylight) dressed in a hooded, skeleton-print romper suit. Her previous style declaration “I like to put things together in my own way” even sounds like it came straight from the blog.

It wouldn’t be the first time such modest beginnings contributed to the high altar of high fashion. Trends are renowned for being inspired by functional attire. With the countless re-workings and reincarnations of military chic and equestrian chic, is it time to bring a new trend out of the closet and onto the streets, or should we preserve our last remaining sanctuary and just keep this one to ourselves?

Daisey Cheyney

Read Comfy-couture @SixDegrees
Koti Housut Blog

My designs in Panic In Paradise photoshoot

My bunny ears featured in Panic In Paradise's new shoot.

Panic In Paradise Webpage
Bunny Ears by Daisey Cheyney available at

Practical Prostitute  

Tarkk'ampujankatu 16

Helsinki

Finland

Opening Times:

Tuesday- Saturday 12:00-19:00

Sunday-Monday Closed.

Pop-Up

AS PARADOXICAL as it may seem, closing down in order to stay in business is fast becoming a popular business strategy. Temporary trading is no longer the preserve of liquidators or seasonal shops; the day-glo signs and megaphoned rouser that once seemed to epitomise such shops have scarpered. Appearing in unexpected locations for indefinite amounts of time and with no ridiculous overheads, the reinvention of the vacant units in our recession-battered shopping centres is boosting the economy and diminishing the power of ruthless landlords. To open and close in the blink of an eye is the key to success in our high-speed, short attention-spanned and fad-driven society.

Retailers from Gucci to GAP are using the concept to create a sense of exclusivity. In March Gucci opened its London IconTemporary pop-up shop, dedicated to their exclusive, limited-edition range of trainers. IconTemporary will pop-up in different cities, making its way across the globe. ‘Limited-Edition’ hype is well tried and tested.

Generating a buzz and instilling people with a sense of haste and ‘get it while you can’ urgency is something we are all too familiar with; the psychology of sales shopping takes over and your spending spirals out of control! But when you add to that the pop-ups’ novelty factor, even a bargain-indifferent shopper can come unstuck! If the idea of a capricious, chameleon-like high street in the wake of the recession and our corporate cloned high streets fails to enthuse even the most despondent consumer, I’ll eat my limited-availability hat.

Daisey Cheyney
Click HERE to read Pop Up and more @ SixDegrees

Wish you were here (again)

YOU could be forgiven for thinking that postcards are just an envelope-free greeting card, but to many, they stand for so much more. For a deltiologist (a postcard collector to you and I) they are a hobby, or even a profession. To participants of projects such as PostSecret, where anonymous postcards tell a previously untold secret, or Postcrossing, a worldwide postcard exchange project, they can be inspirational and empowering.

When university separated my best friend and I, our mutual love (read: addiction) to bacon sandwiches was sustained with postcards. Any swine-related postcard was sent across the country to offer comfort when eating a bacon sandwich alone. With post-graduation emigration putting the North Sea between us, the tradition continued. Now, after five years of entertaining postal workers with postcards addressed to the likes of ‘HRH Queen Pork’ and ‘Daisey McPorkchop,’ I have the definitive collection of swine mail (probably).

Our theme may be unusual but the form of communication is not. Over the past century billions of postcards have been sent across time zones and war zones, and today, in an era of instantaneous communication, receiving real mail is a splendored thing.

Sat 10 & Sun 11 April Postcard days Post Museum, Helsinki

Thankfully the novelty of sending a holiday ‘gloating’ using 21st century technology has not yet consigned postcards to the sands of time. The quintessential seaside holiday staple is enjoying a renaissance as the more personal and intimate greeting choice (banal “wish you were here’s” are optional). There really is nothing better than making someone’s day whilst practising the dying art of handwriting too!

Daisey Cheyney

Click HERE to read Wish you were here (again) @ SixDegrees

Practical Prostitute Opening

Friday night marked the opening of Karoliina and Mirja's 'Practical Prostitute' shop on Tarkk'ampujankatu, Helsinki.

Shop, gallery (currently showing Janne Martola's work), arts, crafts, design.. and more!

Go and see all the wonderful wares for sale.... including my "Bunnybows"....

Practical Prostitute Pants 

 

SimonN jewellery

Practical Prostitute  

Tarkk'ampujankatu 16

Helsinki

Finland

Opening Times:

Tuesday- Saturday 12:00-19:00

Sunday-Monday Closed.

SimonN's Blog
All Over The Shop

BECOME A FAN of PRACTICAL PROSTITUTE

The best of both worlds

Commencing yet another battle of 'need' versus 'want'....


Lomo have only gone and fused the best of both worlds. All the magnificent vignettes, colour-bursting effects of the Lomo LC-A,  in an instant. Heaven.

http://shop.lomography.com/cameras/lc-a-cameras/lomo-lc-a-accessories/lc-a-instant-back

And Disney Couture has gone and made a Mad Hatter's dream a reality with their necklaces.... 

What I made today...

I love headpieces. Fascinating fascinators, beautiful bows and now...inspired by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton Fall 2009...

Made from 1.3mm wire and black silk.. and my trusty sewing machine!

The photographic art of ‘Don’t think, just shoot’

The photographic art of ‘Don’t think, just shoot’


Recent interest in old Soviet cameras has sparked an entire art movement: the Lomography movement. One little camera in particular, the LOMO LC-A, has revolutionised photography ideology, serving as a reminder of what art should be about.

RUSSIAN manufacturers Leningrad Optical Mechanical Amalgamation (LOMO) first produced their Kompakt Automat (LC-A) in 1982. Allegedly it was originally intended for espionage, but the quality of the images meant that the technology was sold to the public instead.

The LC-A’s production would have ceased in the mid-1990s were it not for two Viennese students. In 1991, Matthias Fiegl and Wolfgang Stranzinger were holidaying in Prague when they stumbled across the LOMO LC-A in a junk shop and used the camera to document their trip. The results were astonishing and unexpected. Their passion and the demand that ensued led to the foundation of the Lomographic Society International and the formation of the “10 Golden Rules.”

The revolutionary ten commandments of Lomography serve as a reminder not to be a slave to traditional photography techniques. Introducing rules for a philosophy that prides itself on photographic anarchy becomes clear with Rule 10: “Don’t worry about the rules.”

“It speaks for itself,” exclaims Lomographer Will Cheyney. “Lomography is a chance to capture the ordinary and make it beautiful - something people want to look at.”

The 10 Golden Rules
1. Take your LOMO everywhere you go.

2. Use it anytime - day or night.

3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but a part of it.

4. Shoot from the hip.

5. Approach the objects of your Lomographic desire as close as possible.

6. Don’t think.

7. Be fast.

8. You don’t have to know beforehand what you’ve captured on film.

9. You don’t have to know afterwards, either.

10. Don’t worry about the rules.

Share the LOMO love

Cheyney was introduced to Lomography in 2008. “A friend at work introduced me to the LOMO. I was attracted by the seemingly unusual use of 35mm film - something I hadn’t used since college.”

The unusual effects in a LOMO are the result of the camera’s single 32mm wide-angle lens and typically include oversaturated colours, light leaks, blurring, distortions and vignetting. The LC-A’s only automatic function is its exposure. Its light-sensitive meter adjusts the shutter speed accordingly and allows the LOMO to function in all light conditions, something usually reserved for higher-spec cameras.

Expecting the unexpected is a fundamental part of the philosophy, and the camera’s unreliability is a positive for Lomographers, as Rules 8 and 9 remind. What traditional photographers might class as disasters are considered happy accidents by Lomographers. Methods such as using expired film or processing the film in a chemical solution intended for a different type of film – a procedure known as cross processing, are relished.

“Cross processing film is my favourite trick. Processing colour transparency film as if it were a negative gives you the classic LOMO grain, saturation and strong contrast as seen in ‘30 St Mary Axe’ and ‘Windmill’. Agfa’s Precisa CT 100 is my preferred film choice; it gives amazingly strong colour results.”

Hip to be square

Cheyney recommends getting creative with the shooting process too. “I often experiment taking photos from all sorts of different viewpoints. A ‘rats eye’ is when you place the camera on the ground when you take a photo (A deserted Moorgate), try photographing scenes to show what it’s like looking through your eyes (Tuk-Tuk from the Airport) or shoot ‘from the hip’ without looking through the viewfinder.

Shooting towards the sun with the subject blocking the sunlight’s path creates great halos and strong vignetting (Shaking it Off Like a Dawg), and unusual crops are a great way to add some dynamism to a photograph (Moo!).

Every Lomographer has a favourite LOMO-moment. Mine is when I stopped on a street corner in Manchester to shoot a street sign against a cyan sky. A passer-by muttered “nice camera” gesturing towards my LC-A+. I mistook this comment as ignorance on his part, until he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an identical one! Oh, what comradeship!

Cheyney’s moment is one of a small world and of great minds thinking alike. “Last summer I visited the Tate Modern in London and shot some LOMOs there. When I posted the results on the photo sharing website, Flickr, one of my Flickr friends spotted himself in one of the photographs. We almost met!”

Tempted to add some analogue to your digital life? LOMO’s vast camera range includes the medium format Holga, with a colour wheel that tints your exposures with yellow, red, blue or clear light, and the Action sampler that uses four lenses to capture four different photos on one frame and many more! “Just stick with it!” offers Cheyney.

“Shooting film (particularly with a LOMO) doesn’t offer any of the extras that we take for granted with a digital camera. For example, there are no auto-focus or ISO settings, so sometimes you’ll miss a great shot because you’ve got the wrong type of film loaded for the situation, or you mess up the focal distance - but it will make the good results much more satisfying.”

www.lomography.com
www.flickr.com/photos/willcheyney
A Lomographer’s future is analogue. Is it yours?

Daisey Cheyney
Click HERE to read this article and more @ SixDegrees

Writers...

"All writers are tell-tales, sneaks. All writing is a denunciation, a betrayal. I can't see the point in writing a book if it's not to spill the beans. It so happens that I've seen some things in my time and incidentally I know an editor mad enough to let me tell my story"
Frederic Beigbeder in '£9.99'