Monday, January 26, 2009

Future and flashbacks

Here's a little visual summary of my trip to London (kind of) recently.

I finally got to see the Cold War Modern exhibition at the V&A. I picked up this book in the museum shop 'Fear and Fashion', a funky 'molecule' massager and a gold prism ring (worth its weight in plastic).

The book is full of great pictures, this being one of my favorites. It's from the Daily Mail Ideal Home exhibition in London in 1956. Quoting the book: "The architects Alison and Peter Smithson presented their 'House of the Future', a prefabricated home fashioned entirely from plastics, featuring all the components of imagined 'Space Age' living: artificial sunlight and climate control, electronic remote-controlled appliances, a self-cleaning bathroom. The intended inhabitants were a young and childless professional couple, and the intended 'future' was 25 years hence, in 1981." They predicted a lot, but how about equality at home? Hubby sitting down reading the paper while the little wife is in the kitchen? The fashion designer for this futuristic imagery wasn't quite spot-on either – look at those thights on the bloke... (click on the image for a larger picture).

Having said that, the 80s are definitely back in fashion, which does focus a lot on thights (but not so much for men) and I had a real flashback to Flashdance when I entered the shop American Apparel on Oxford Street... I don't think I've seen so much lycra and spandex (in every color imaginable) in my whole life. Even the shop interiors was like stepping back into the 80s. Had it in fact been the 80s and I'd been 14 again, I would have thought I'd come to heaven... I could never get all that dance gear back then. This time I think it's more about fashion than dance, however. Makes me feel rather old. It was great, though. I kind of regret not buying that peach colored sweat band :-)

Here's me during shopping. I couldn't resist the little Jack Russell holding the Union Jack in the corner there. Also, the writing on the window (In Britain for over 20 years) seems rather fitting - it's just over 20 years since my love(-hate)relationship with England started. Can't remember the name of the shop, but they sell sofas on King's Road.

Keeping with the futuristic theme – I've been wanting to get my son a robot for some time. I was more than pleased when I found this cool red one at Heal's. Unfortunately (for my son) I didn't read the text on the box before I got back to the hotel: "Caution! For ages 15 and up".... Only 12,5 years to go, then! Meanwhile I'll probably get it out of the cupboard every now and again to play with it myself after he's gone to bed.

1 comment:

Francesca said...

i was in american apparel the other day. also made me crack up...total time warp! and the sales assistants are so into it. but i did find a great little dress perfect for a growing bump.