Tuesday 14th May 2013, 11.51
Trish McEvoy has long been a popular resident in our beauty hall, but now the cult American beauty brand is available to buy online in just a click!
If you’re not familiar with Trish McEvoy cosmetics, then let us introduce you to the iconic US make-up artist. An innovator and driven entrepreneur, Trish launched her eponymous brand at 25, turning it into a global success by the age of 30. She changed the face of beauty through teaching the ‘Power of Make-Up‘, creating a set hand-shaped brushes and tools for professional results, and developing her infamous Make-up Planner and medically designed skincare systems.
Known for her high quality products and merging science and beauty with her technical genius, Trish McEvoy has changed the way women apply make-up all over the world, a power that has made her one of the most prominent women in the beauty industry and of a generation. Trish is often called upon by many of Hollywood’s biggest stars, such as Angelina Jolie and Dame Judy Dench, as well as various popular US TV shows, to share her make-up expertise and talent.
We caught up with Trish to find out about her most popular products, how to get started with her make-up essentials, which three make-up pieces she can’t live without and discover her tip for effortless summer beauty.
For those of us who have never tried Trish McEvoy before, which product should we start with?
I believe beauty begins with great looking skin, and my skincare line is dermatologist-designed out of my New York medi-spa to be easy-to-use, results-oriented, and deliver immediately visible results. For a woman who has never tried my brand, she should definitely start with my Even Skin Beta Hydroxy Pads for the exfoliating step in her skincare regimen. She should also try my Beauty Booster Serum made with the maximum percentage of hyaluronic acid which enables skin to attract and retain maximal moisture while enhancing any moisturiser’s performance. If she wants coverage and skincare in one, my tinted moisturiser and Beauty Balm deliver beautiful coverage, anti-ageing treatment benefits and advanced sun protection in one.
Your Make-Up Planner system is a signature of yours, why does every woman need one?
Oh my goodness…my Makeup Planner is the difference between having a million compacts jumbled together in a cosmetic bag, and having a streamlined, permanently refillable book of makeup. The patented magnetic pages designed to hold pans of colour make it totally customisable and eliminate excess packaging so you fit way more into much less space. With secure brush sleeves you are able to literally keep all your make-up and tools in one place at your fingertips and visible at-a-glance. It zips up like a tidy binder and is equally serviceable at home and on-the-go. The benefits are endless.
Tell us the 3 beauty products you can’t live without
Concealer— I’ve had dark circles since I was a little girl and they make you look tired even if you’re not!
Foundation— Even Skin is the foundation for healthy, youthful beauty.
Mascara— if you have nothing else, a full lash line defines the eye and instantly perks and dresses up the face.
Can you offer a tip for easy summer beauty?
Here’s two:
Dot a waterproof liner like my pencil form gel liner, Intense Gel Eye Liner, between the lashes (not on the waterline). It gives a look of totally natural definition and will not budge through sport, swim, anything, until you deliberately remove it.
In summertime you just have to have coverage, shine control and SPF. Summer is all about quick fixes and a natural look. My Beauty Balm does it all in one step and improves your skin while you wear it.
We’re delighted to have Trish McEvoy here in the Liberty beauty hall – what do you love most about Liberty?
Where to begin? Liberty is pure class with a modern edge. The service is magnificent and totally in line with the customer care approach I have sworn by my entire career. Liberty is beautiful inside and out, and I’m so excited for my first personal appearance with you this fall!
Shop from 200 + Trish McEvoy products online today!
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Saturday 27th April 2013, 11.00
Susie Rushton, editor of The Independent Magazine and the book Fashion Now 2, had her first child last year. She’s just returned to work so we caught up with her to find out how she’s coping and what her top 10 Little Liberty picks would be for her daughter.
You’ve just gone back to work, how are you feeling and managing?
I’m feeling good! The first week was tricky, but I think the point is that we spend years working, then a few months on maternity leave, so the return to work quickly becomes the new normal. I put a lot of effort into finding the right childcare, so that’s made a monumental difference.
How has life changed since having a baby?
The day starts at 7am, whether I want it to or not. But thereon in, it’s fantastic.
What is your perfect mother-daughter day?
The weather is fine enough to be outside and we both have pasta bolognaise for lunch.
How do you find time for yourself?
It’s not about that anymore!
Susie shares her 10 picks for baby girls and boys from the Little Liberty collection online.
1. Hooded jacket, Stella McCartney Kids 2. Boidley diamond print bloomers, Caramel Baby & Child 3. Floral pleated dress, Liberty London 4. Cashmere trousers, Liberty London 5. Tiger print T-shirt, Stella McCartney Kids 6. Bahar houndtooth trousers, Gold 7. Polle dot print sunhat, Gold 8. Willows garden print swimsuit, Liberty London 9. Appledor knitted cardigan, Caramel Baby & Child 10. Chive print trousers, Liberty London.
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Tuesday 9th April 2013, 15.25
London-based brand Antipodium is a known favourite of the fashion pack, artists, photographers, DJs and celebrities. Their cool contemporary cuts, addictive prints and arty influences are what make them the go-to label for the hottest trends and seasonal wardrobe staples. This spring summer 2013 the brand continues its playful yet sophisticated aesthetic, with creative director Geoffrey J. Finch‘s imaginative take on futuristic feminism; ‘How to Affect Robots and Influence People‘ – taking inspiration from technology, taboo subjects such as cosmetic reconstruction and the humanisation of science. Focussing on five wardrobe power classics, the collection refreshes each one with luxurious fabrics, unexpected textures and all the signature Antipodium wit and wearability.
We caught up for five minutes with Geoffrey to find out more about the spring summer collection, his three signature pieces and discover that Dolly Parton would be his ideal dream client.
What inspired you to design your Spring Summer 2013 collection: ‘How to affect Robots and Influence People?
The resort 2013 ‘Emoji’ collection was all about synthetic emotions and it got me on a techno-bent. I became obsessed with “affective computing” (robots with emotions) and plastic surgery delivering android-like perfection. The spring summer 2013 collection looks at these colliding worlds of perfection and malfunction.
There’s a sense of androgyny about the collection with the hard lines, shirt collars and tailored blazers. Was this intentional, or does this play into your theme?
This season I really wanted to examine alpha garments – the white tee, the blazer, the party dress, the biker jacket – and then reboot them and really play with their proportions. Call it Siri’s spin on sartorial classics!
One of the features of the collection is the surgical markings on two of the shirts. Why did you decide to use these, and do you think this is a message that will strike a cord with women?
We’ve had a marvellous response to the Markings print! Every season we collaborate with artists on our prints and this season it was all about artists of different varieties. This particular gem is by the genius, Dr Tim Goodacre, president of BAPRAS (British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons). In a big, bad Kardashian world why not look at plastic surgery, and its impact on our society, in greater depth?
Which are the three signature pieces of the collection?
I love the Vector dress in orange – it’s bold, modern colour and texture play at its best, the Facet skirt – a pencil skirt with a built-in fanny pack, and the Pointillize twinset – a delightfully wrong-but-right mix of lurex check jacquard and perforated cotton knitwear.
If your collection had a soundtrack, which three songs would feature prominently?
The lovely Lauren Laverne curated the music for our show. Check out these gems:
Sunbeam Melts the Hour – RM Hubbert
Her Fantasy – Matthew Dear
Do You Remember – Ane Brun
Who would you most like to dress and why?
Dolly Parton. Who wouldn’t want to dress the woman behind lines like “I’m old enough to be that boy’s lover”?
Do you have any tips for dressing this spring summer?
Expand your fabrication horizons. Embrace washed foil with nappa trim, silk Crepe de Chine and nylon power mesh, permanent pleat georgette and patent leather – you’ll feel all the more modern for it.
What are you loving in Liberty right now?
I’m a sucker for the men’s sock department.
Can you give us a hint at what to expect for Autumn Winter 2013?
My techno-bent turns towards surveillance cameras, social media and Sharon Stone (of course) with ‘Sex, Lies and CCTV’…
Shop the spring summer 2013 collection in store, and online here.
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Saturday 6th April 2013, 10.00
Leaping Fish, bronze – limited edition of 12
This month our shop front window displays have been paying tribute to Henri Rousseau, taking inspiration from Memphis design and Africa along the way. The presentations combine some of the latest fashion and homeware trends now available in store, and celebrate the beautiful pieces from our newly opened Arts & Crafts and Eastern Objet & Antiquities departments on the 4th floor. The result is a modern and highly graphic recreation of Rousseau’s work that has married the similarities of kinship, coloured patterns, layering and wild animals with vivid effect. An artistic display that highlights our flagship store’s arts and crafts history and connection to eastern wares.
One of the artists featured in our avant-garde window displays is sculptor and illustrator Joseph Paxton. The Welsh-born designer is known for his pensive cast bronze animal sculptures and charcoal illustrations, which he uses to evoke human emotion through focusing on each of the creature’s characteristics and movements that appeal to him. After originally getting in touch with Liberty for the 2010 Best of British Open Call, he suggested working with our talented window dressers to create a truly enthralling display that would reach out to passers by. We spoke with Joseph to find out more about his work and the inspiration behind it, who he’d like to collaborate with and what’s hot on his wishlist from Liberty.
Giraffe, bronze – limited edition of 12
What inspired you to use animals for your sculptures and illustrations?
I grew up surrounded by farmland on the borders of Wales, so I suppose I have always been around animals and nature. I instinctively depicted the living creatures I saw around me in my art as a way of expressing what was a large presence in my life, something very familiar to me. Understanding and observing nature in this way has almost become a part of who I am; depicting the living form and capturing its energy in both sculpture and drawing is now so ingrained I think it would feel strange not to do it. I find that trying to capture the energy and dynamism of a creature with a piece of charcoal or plaster feels very natural, like humming a tune. Maybe it’s something that’s innately human, interpreting and recording the sights and sounds we see around us as a way of processing our emotions and harmonising with nature.
How do you go about creating your designs, from conception to completion?
In terms of the sculptures, this is often a fairly haphazard process for which I can’t say there is any real formula. Sometimes after an undefined period of subconscious and conscious thinking, and the piecing together of various forms I see, I create an image in my head of the ‘perfect’ form of say, a hound, which I want to create. I start gathering various images that express all the elements of that form as I envisage it in my head.
I am, if you like, creating a hybrid form that expresses the movements, weight and lines that I see as the essence of that certain animal, or its defining characteristics as I see them. I look for the emotion it expresses to me most strongly through its form and behaviour.
My sculptures then usually start with a welded steel framework (armature) which is pretty complex and detailed. This allows me to draw out the form in space, almost like a line drawing in three dimensions, before I start sculpting over the top using plaster and straw. The complexity of the frame allows me to build up the plaster and straw loosely, which maintains energy and dynamism in the piece whilst giving the work enough strength to support its own weight. Nearly all of my sculptures are cast into bronze, giving some permanence and strength to the fragile nature of the original sculpted material and creating a counterpoint between strength and fragility.
What materials do you like to work with?
For drawing I have always liked materials with which I can create bold and expressive lines. Charcoal has been an obvious and easy material for me since I started creating art at school; I love the variation of mark and line that can be created simply by using charcoal and a rubber. A rubber is a great drawing utensil once you have a layer of charcoal to work over. I also love to use Indian ink, using either a pipette, a sharpened stick or sometimes making my own rough version of a quill using feathers. The haphazard quality of line you get with these drawing implements gives great energy to the work, which helps the piece to take on a life of its own.
To sculpt with, I like plaster. Once mixed it dries fast and becomes solid, forcing me to work very quickly and to make bold gestures and decisions. This energy transferred from me into the material is in essence then frozen in time and becomes visible in the surface texture of the sculpture. Like molten lava that cools in motion and leaves evidence of its turbulent past.
Hang Dog & Lurcher, bronze limited editions
Growing up, did you keep any pets of your own?
We always had dogs and usually chickens which would roam free. There were doves as well as swallows which would come back from Africa every year to nest in the barns; I loved seeing the swallows coming back for the first time each year and thinking how far they had flown across the world to end up in a woodshed in Wales. Probably one of the largest influences on my love of the dog form as a subject was Mulligan, the dog who I grew up with from birth. He was an English Setter and an amazing animal.
Have you used your designs for any campaigns or worked with anyone on a project?
In 2010 I had the opportunity to design and create one of the elephants for the Elephant Parade London; London’s largest ever public sculpture exhibition. My creation, ‘Julia’s Elephant’ was outside the Royal Festival Hall for the summer before being auctioned off by Sotheby’s to raise money for the Elephant Family – a UK charity working to protect the Asian Elephants. Then in 2011 I created a work on canvas for HAIRraising, a fundraising appeal founded by John Frieda to raise money towards building new operating theatres at Great Ormond Street Hospital. My work was auctioned off by Christie’s alongside the other creations by artists such as Tracy Emin, Marc Quinn and Terry Frost.
This year I created artwork for a book project with Friends of The Earth which contains works by 20 other artists, including Turner Prize artist Jeremy Deller, Quintin Blake, poet John Hegley and comedian Stuart Lee to name a few, and will be launching some time during 2013.
I really enjoy the opportunity to work to a given brief as it’s a little different from the way I usually work. It is fun to be set a task and to give oneself new challenges out of which all sorts of ideas and processes can blossom.
Owl – original charcoal drawing
Who would you most like to work with if the opportunity arose?
I am very interested in the merging of creative processes and collaboration between artists, designers, musicians, architects and really any creative or design field. In one way or another we are all influenced by the physical world around us and I think by blurring the boundaries of our craft, we can come up with some really exciting results. I would love to work with a fashion designer to create textile prints using my dynamic charcoal or ink animal drawings, and would be interested in working with an ethical designer with a flair for bold patterns and print.
Sculpturally, I would love to work with the Southbank, placing works in locations on buildings and architectural spaces. My vision is that the works are placed just out of reach of the public as if on the edge of things, not quite in the human realm but looking on, observing, bringing a new dynamic to the space as an ‘other worldly’ presence.
If I get the chance, I would love to work alongside Japanese and African artists as I think I could learn a lot from their strong, stylistic heritage and the techniques they use in their art. I love the simplicity and economy of lines used in Japanese painting and drawing techniques.
Will your future projects involve the animal form, or is there another shape you would like your designs to take on?
Now that I live in London I do not have that same connection to the animal world and have less opportunity to observe animals in my daily life. I have found recently this has changed the way I work with the subject. I am really interested in blending the human and animal form; taking the instinctive movements and behaviours they both have, looking at their shared attributes and characteristics to create non-specific creatures. I feel that I am becoming more interested in stripping the work right back to create something more abstract, more reduced and more simplistic in its ability to portray an essence or meaning.
Hound Over Stag, limited edition print
How did you get involved with designing one of our window displays?
I first got in touch with Liberty about a year ago when they were advertising for the Best of British open call. I have always been interested in showing my sculptural works in interesting settings and environments not just the traditional white walled gallery space, and it struck me that Liberty might be interested in collaborating with a sculptor to create one of their unique window displays. It would be promoting another area of British creativity and the arts, whilst adding a unique angle to the window scheme. I like the idea of bringing art to new audiences who ordinarily might not get to see it in galleries. Originally, we had planned to use more of my large bronzes in the display. Sadly, however, we ended up having to change plans due to the large scale of my works and the limited size of the window spaces.
Where can people view and buy your work?
My sculpture ‘Sight Hound III’ is currently on display outside number one Grosvenor Square in London for another month. I have bronzes in an exhibition at a gallery in America at the moment, and until last month, I was exhibiting bronzes and drawings at the Royal West of England Academy in an international show called ‘Reigning Cats & Dogs’. All my works, including limited edition prints for sale, can be viewed on my website at www.josephpaxton.com where you can also find information on projects events and exhibitions.
Wet Lurcher & Fleigh, limited edition prints
Name three things hot on your wish list from Liberty:
I think it would have to be a few things from menswear to smarten up my act when I am not in the studio and covered in plaster and dirt. So number one would be a new watch, because I don’t even own one, I like the Rose Gold Finish 152 series wrist watch by Uniform Wares. Secondly the beige O’Hare Woven Cloth Canvas Tote bag by Want Les Essentiels de la vie – I am quite into African print and design at the moment and I think this bag is pretty cool. And thirdly a dark red Owen print scarf from the Liberty London collection because then I would have at least one thing with Liberty’s own unique print design!
If you were an animal, what would you be?
I suppose given that such a large part of my work to date has focused on hounds, I should have a go at being one myself. Perhaps a Wolfhound, they look very cool, seem pretty amiable characters, are fast, get to play outside a lot with their friends, do a lot of resting and plenty of eating. It sounds like a dog’s life to me.
Joseph Paxton’s designs are available to buy from www.josephpaxton.com or by emailing paxton.joseph@gmail.com. Those wishing to join his mailing list and to receive invitations to exhibitions and can also email this address with the subject line: ‘Joseph Paxton Mailing List’.
Follow Joseph on Facebook and Twitter.
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Wednesday 3rd April 2013, 11.47
One of the most sought after fragrance launches, a collaboration between Frédéric Malle and Dries Van Noten has just arrived at Liberty.
Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten began selling Frédéric Malle’s Editions de Parfums collection at his Modepaleis store in Antwerp in 2002. The designer then opened his first Parisian store in 2007, and for the first time the French perfumer’s collection was sold outside his Editions de Parfums boutiques. But it was in 2010 that Malle had the idea of becoming a link between perfumers and artists specialising in other disciplines. He wanted to create a collection of fragrances that translates the essence of a talented individual into a unique scent – and so, XXXX par Frédéric Malle was born. The approach was pure and uncompromising; the process was focused on the perfume itself, instead of marketing and consumer tests, and without the restraints of time or cost. This new collection is also Frédéric Malle’s answer to the many requests for bespoke perfumes that he has always refused, and is a series of olfactory portraits of extraordinary individuals.
Find the fragrance in store now, or online here.
Watch the interview with Frédéric Malle and Dries Van Noten on the creation of the first edition in the French perfumer’s second collection.
Find the fragrance in store now, or online here.
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