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. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM AGE OF REASON

Ali and Charlie wish you a fabulous Christmas! We're so delighted that many of you will be finding Age of Reason scarves under the tree this year.

Thank you for all your support in 2012! 

AGE OF REASON AT WOLF & BADGER

We're pleased to announce that our Owl and Pirate Queen scarves are now available at  Wolf and Badger's shop in Notting Hill. 

Wolf and Badger is a beacon of cutting edge designer talent, stocking labels like Bex Rox, Fury Shoes and  Helen Ruth  so it's an honour to find our scarves amongst its treasures. We hope that some of you will make it down to Ledbury Road for a spot of Christmas shopping. 

Don't forget to have a look at our gentleman's pocket squares too! 

Wolf and Badger Ledbury Road, Notting Hill. 

https://www.wolfandbadger.com/shop/designers/age-of-reason/

020 7229 5698

A MONTH IN PICTURES- NOVEMBER 2012

November was the month of the pocket square! We released Dark Horses opposing black and white pocket squares and snapped Sir David Attenborough wearing our owl pocket! There was also flurry of artwork at Age of Reason HQ, with Ali working on final designs for AW13. 

Age of Reason Wraps it Up

Throughout the year we wrap our scarves in natural brown paper and hand-stamp each package with a gold Age of Reason Galleon ship representing quality and adventure. This Christmas we're adding our signature Russian doll  ceramic tags to all orders for large and medium scarves. 

We'll also be offering a gift subscription from Monday Dec 3rd, which includes 3 scarves to be shipped throughout the year.  Order by Dec Tues18th to receive them in time for Christmas

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ALEXIS KNOX ROCKS AGE OF REASON

There are few things as poppy, as whizz- bang boom, and as downright colourful as celebrity stylist Alexis Knox's Tumbr. Recently she's been enjoying DJ-ing, styling uber model Viktoria Modesta to perfection, and wearing Age of Reason scarves. All fun at Knox HQ then! Her page reminds us of Vogue's current POP issue, which is also worth a look. 

Image Copyright Alexis Knox 

http://alexisknox.tumblr.com/

AGE OF REASON FOR DARK HORSES

We're very proud to have created these collaborative silk pocket squares for Dark Horses, a Brighton based UK band who've just released their debut album 'Dark Horse Black Music'. http://www.darkhorsesmusic.com/

With discerning fans such as Beck, Sigor Ros, and airtime on BBC 6 Music including a stunning live set with Nemone,  Dark Horses are a band we think are worthy of a listen.

The pocket squares are 100% silk and Made England, they come in two opposing colour ways.

They were designed to be sold at Dark Horses memorable shows as part of their current tour, and are also available online here.  www.age-of-reason-studios.com  

http://www.darkhorsesmusic.com/

A MONTH IN PICTURES - OCTOBER 2012

Participating in the first ever Best of Britannia show was the hands-down highlight of October. Ali had fun sampling Claire English's silver bubble blower and wearing Age of Reason "Karl be Nice" badges. We've  done some market shopping in Spitalfields and purchased a Blythe doll who looks great in our Jubilee pocket squares. Closer to home, we've visited Fashion and the Flag at Brighton Museum to gawp and gasp at various union flag inspired creations from the likes of Dame Viv Westwood and Alexander McQueen.