Top Drawer and Tattoo Style

Happy New Year one and all, yes, Ive been a bit tardy of late in blogging, to be honest I have been very lacking in motivation over the holiday period and am often feeling very blue by January. It's hard to keep your energy and motivation up when you are self-employed and I do think that the dark wet days don't help either, hibernation has set in and knitting has ensued.

But everyone else has battled on back to work and time waits for no man, so it's January and in retail that means the big buying shows for the coming Spring and summer with all the major trade shows being held.  

Top Drawer at London's Olympia also incorporates Home and is a great showcase for the shop suppliers and wholesalers/makers to display the coming trends in gifts and interiors. The show is so vast that I decided just to feature the things that I feel fit into my Tattoo Style ethos.

the perfect presents for your tattooist at Temerity Jones

It pleases me enormously when items which were once thought creepy and maybe too gothic, seep into the mainstream. Some of my personal favourite pieces of victorian, circus, steampunk, crossover can be illustrated here.  Firstly, Phrenology heads and palmistry hands.  

Temerity Jones

Seletti

Phrenology dates back to the Greek era when it was thought that certain areas on the head were responsible for specific functions. This is clearly laid out on the phrenology head but we now see that being tweaked into a more fun object.

Alphabet lights were on several stands, they vary from the large rusty statement pieces akin to old theatrical signs,  to smaller more kitschy ones which would be fun in a kitchen or teenagers bedroom.

temerity jones

PAD Home

Filament light bulbs and cage shades are also hot news in interiors and I welcome the regression away from horrible energy efficient bulbs, sorry but thats the truth.  I love that the lightbulb is a beautiful thing in its own right, now being shaped in a variety of ways and the filaments larger than before like some victorian scientific apparatus.

temerity jones

NKUKU

These look great grouped together and offer a good alternative to areas where a fabric shade would be impractical. 

i-bride France at PAD home

Van Asch Sweden

Victoriana and steampunk, skulls, lace and animals in period clothing, whats not to love. Above you can see how these quite gothic subjects are transformed into something quite delicate and feminine. 

Temerity Jones

temerity jones

Mercury glass is the name for this silver aged effect on glass objects, it is reminiscent of how old mirrors crackle and mist. Personally I love old mirrors, and when buying antique and vintage ones I actually prefer the imperfections. Mercury glass has started to form another of my collections and it looks particularly elegant used at Christmas. For me this look fuses the ethnic style from India with a victorian feel and I love a good fusion. Nkuku has been mentioned by me many times before, for me they are the perfect wholesalers of fair trade products with their eye for mixing country rustic with ethnic whilst hinting at scandinavian cool. I should buy shares in them !

nkuku

Top Drawer is only for shop owners and buyers, not for the public, but I thought it was still worth mentioning these companies either because you may have a shop or you could track down your local stockist. I hope to be bringing you some of these stockists soon as I may be working with a few shops in the future on styling and sourcing.  

www.temerityjones.com
Nkuku
Van Asch
PAD Home