New Scarf Launches at KG London

Throughout the rest of June and July we'll be showcasing our scarves at Kirsten Goss's eponymous accessories shop in West London. The showcase, which has previously played host to brands such as Esska Shoes will open this Thursday the 13th of June and stays open late until 8pm. 

Kirsten, a talented jewellery designer in her own right, has worked with names like Liberty London and owns stores in both London and South Africa.  She now lives in South Africa, running her successful label and  goldsmithing studio out of her home city Duban. Kirsten regularly travels to  London for events such as the June-July showcase.  So mark the occasion we're launching a new design inspired by Ali's own Southern African childhood memories. We couldn't resist!

The scarf is called Magic Balloons and was inspired by my childhood in Lesotho, Southern Africa. As kids my sisters and I used to sit on the roof staring at the huge blue sky and imagining different types of flying machines and balloons. We also watched the swallows migrating from Europe to South Africa and enjoyed seeing them swoop across the sky in large numbers, having crossed thousands of miles.

 Ali

The event will also include bags by M Hulot, another British Made brand,  which we are most definitely lusting after, especially the bowling bags. Join us on the Thursday the 13th for some fizz and accessory ogling!

Age of Reason and M Hulot Showcase

13th June - 30th July

at

Kirsten Goss

29 Holland Road

London W8 4NA

Age of Reason AW13 Photo Shoot

We recently shot our AW13 scarf look-book with London fashion photographer Claire Pepper who works in a bright attic studio in the East End.  The collection "Mutiny" has a defiant feel to it. Our designer Ali describes the essence of the collection: 

This season we celebrate rebellion, tipping the balance between anarchy and order. The collection marries sharp geometric lines with orderly stripes, juxtaposed against manic, chaotic drawing; furious scribbles and scrawls. There's too much obedience in the world. Rage against the routine, don't conform, and certainly never surrender your individuality! 

For the look-book shoot Ali worked with Claire on the idea of hiding the model in the silk and wool scarves. 

 I wanted to focus on the scarves over things like hair and make-up styling by shooting them in fun, fluid ways, which concealed Cecilia our model. The idea came from the punk tradition of using a scarf to hide your identity, combined with the image of a classic pantomime ghost.  (I'd have liked to have cut little holes in the scarves for Cecila's eyes but I don't think that would have gone down too well with my hard working seamstress! ) In a funny way hiding behind something like a scarf draws more attention to a person.  The pictures have a sense of humour and playfulness, which is really important to me. 

Ali 

Behind the scenes Claire  used a rather industrial looking fan to aid the movement of the silk and wool scarf collection. 

AW13 Press Day at IPR London

This April we showcased our Autumn Winter 2013 silk and wool scarf collection to press at IPR London's AW13 press day. The event was held over 2 days is their cavernous warehouse space near Liverpool Street, decked out with chic modern mirrored icebergs and merchandised to minimalist perfection.

  

We loved the simple meat-hook style display our scarves were hung on, which showed off the colours and the contrast between our silk pieces and new wool scarves. Press feedback was positive, with fashion journalists picking up on our Made in England credentials and the non-traditional feel of the brand. We're looking frward to seeing some of these pieces at Young British Designers in the autumn.

  

Monica Beatrice of The Elgin Avenue Age of Reason

Marie Claire Blog Awards winner Monica Beatrice of the Elgin Avenue blog recently posted pics of herself wearing our Zulu scarf. We've never seen it worn this way, twisted to reveal only the border, and it reminded us of the never-ending versatility of the humble scarf. One minute intricate and elaborate, the next minute graphic and simple. We love the colour combinations she chose to accompany it. Roll on SS13! 

Style Photography by the talented Lea Salomone http://www.leasalomone.com/

Product Photography by the mysterious Capture Factory  http://www.capturefactory.co.uk/

Age of Reason in Suitcase Magazine

This beautiful Far Eastern shoot in Suitcase Mag features our "Key to My Heart" scarf alongside Alexander McQueen, Nicholas Kirkwood and Atsuko Kudo.

It reminds us of Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge


"In Xanadu did Kublai Khan
A stately Pleasure-Dome decree,
Where Alph, the sacred river ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.

So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers was girdled ’round,
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery."

Read the rest by clicking here.

You can also view the entire shoot, credits and a Suitcase making-of video here  http://www.suitcasemag.com/post/oriental-valentine-271/

Valentine Exclusive at Coco de Mer

This week our darkly romantic "Key To My Dark Heart" scarf hits Coco De Mer's Monmouth Street shop as a limited edition exclusive. 

The scarf was inspired by Susanna Clarke's lavish novel "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" set in 19th Century England. An antique key on a ribbon sits at the centre of a wreath of roses bordered by bees and a darkly gothic floral border. Twisted roses intertwine on a deep burgundy red silk background, with half the blooms thriving and half becoming twisted thorns. As subtle Union jack motif hides behind the main image, retaining Age of Reason's signature Brit-punk look.

This scarf may sell out before it becomes available online, so customers are advised to call the shop to check availability or reserve. http://www.coco-de-mer.com/ 0800 011 6895

Sketching

I normally work in pen and ink and thought I'd try combining it with some other materials. I've been using oil pastels in this mixed media experiment, with mixed results. The process is challenging because the oil naturally repels the ink, (which can help or hinder). I based the image loosely on my pirate queen character, and while I really don't think it has the poise or attitude of the original we use on our scarves, I like parts of it. Blues and vermillion reds are going to crop up in future collections I'm sure!

   

MEN'S FASHION WEEK - THE POCKET SQUARE

To celebrate Men's Fashion Week in London this week we're praising the pocket square; that small square of silk, which transforms mundane to elegant with just a few folds and a tuck. While there are conventions in pocket square styling, we like to think there are no rules. 

 What we love most about the humble, and affordable pocket square, is its ability to convey a little personality onto a very plain suit jacket or blazer. Our "Orgy" square below is intentionally cheeky but it takes a second glance to notice the saucy print. We were delighted at Best of Britannia when Grey Fox took to this one with such enthusiasm and styled it on his excellent blog. As you can see we've taken a little inspiration from the rakish folds he created.

Pocket hankies are a great way to add a dash of colour without looking like a children's TV presenter. Keep the suit or jacket muted and opt for a striking hue in the pocket square like our God Save The Queen square here.

Learning to fold pocket squares can be really satisfying. Silk works best for the louche, soft folds shown.  For crisp lines try cotton or linen options (we'll be making some of our own cotton versions next season for AW13).  There are some great online video tutorials on how to wear pocket squares and this blog post has one of our favourite collections of photos of dapper chaps wearing them. 

Enjoy! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM AGE OF REASON

Happy New Year from Ali and Charlie at Age of Reason! We're looking forward to another creative year, looking forward to being quintessentially us and nothing else. We Will Never Surrender.

 Here's to 2013. 

A MONTH IN PICTURES- DECEMBER 2012

It's been an absolute whirlwind this month, with party planning, gift wrapping and pop up shops a-plenty. Festive preparations, from tree decorating to hand making hundreds of gift tags were the order of the day, with our annual pre-Christmas sample sale in Brighton taking centre stage. We've been blown away by the number of people lovingly choosing our scarves as gifts for friends and family.  It's the ultimate in satisfaction for us.