In Expansive Mood at London Fashion Week

You may recall from an earlier posting, Earl of Bedlam was in exalted spirits to be invited to exhibit at the Lord Mayor of London's Georgian palace, Mansion House, in the City of London. This was part of an installation entitled "Expansive Mood", a project curated by Dr. Paul Ryan, our friend and fellow Ovaltino (an adjective that suggested itself to me just this week and with which I am so pleased, as proud resident of the Oval, that I intend to wear it out). "Expansive Mood", to recap, is the term given to the stage of Bi-polar, the psychological state of extreme mood swings, that is most grandiose, when one believes anything is possible ("What's so grandiose about that?!" asked Diane), confident one can ford that river, climb that mountain, win that girl. Paul thought we represented that can-do character in clothes and accordingly asked that we create four outfits to match the mood. As it happened to be the weekend of London Fashion Week we could not have been more willing.

Les, one of the lovely Mansion House staff, with Dr. Paul  ryan who created the exhibition

We drove the wrong way up Walbrook only to see...

On Wednesday September 14th we went there to install our contribution. We screeched up to the door to be informed with impeccable politeness by Les, pictured below, that I had driven the wrong way up the street. Paul is wearing one of the "Expansive Mood" t-shirts that Mr Wesley designed for the occasion.

This plaque stopped us in our tracks. For if you consult recent postings you will be acquainted with our latest gang of interns, Tiny Tim, Merinda and Mary. They sing in harmony as they go about their chores and having spent one lifetime in the music industry I couldn't help but remark, and neither would you, on Mary's outstanding talent. Turns out she got through to the last sixteen contestants in the "Boot Camp" on X-Factor a series or two ago only to be asked to leave when she became "tired and emotional" (an old Private Eye adage) at the hotel. When Mary had to go back to college a few days before our Mansion House event she again got a bit beside herself and is now indisposed, actually taking a rest at Bethlem Royal Hospital (can you credit it?). Accordingly this event will pass without her sweet presence. Now generally Mary doesn't like her surname being revealed for although it is spelt "Haw" it is pronounced "How" but ignorant people insist on saying... well, you can imagine. So we screech up the wrong way, park in the VIP bay as directed by Les the lovely doorman, get out and see this plaque on the side wall of Mansion House. Our blessed little songbird Mary Haw's namesake was worshipped here on this spot. And so we dedicate our part of the exhibition to her and take it as a sign that in time her name will be remembered.

In the weeks running up to the show we worked with Maria P-K, wife of one of the Oval Lounge owners, our neighbouring bar-resto, to create hats for the outfits. We now deem her the Greek goddess of millinery and hope to create many more pieces with her. Maria's teacher is one of the most respected in her field and did all the hats for the movie "Jane Eyre" which is out at the moment. Mr Wesley and I had a lovely tutorial ourselves with Maria, choosing the petersham ribbon for the lining and outer hat band, and the pheasant feathers for the green felt at the Milliner Warehouse on Ebury Bridge Road near Victoria Station http://mail.millinerwarehouse.com/. My mama provided an Edwardian swoosh for the blue hat, and I must ask Antony Price, expert in all things avian, to identify them. Most of Philip Treacy's feathers come from Antony's collection of fancy fowl. If you wish to contact Maria, here is her email: naki_maria@yahoo.com

So with all the components together, including some of the finest bespoke riding boots and ankle boots you could ever find, courtesy of Jason Amesbury, formerly of Lobb & Co., we assembled the mannequins in an ante-room ready to be moved to the grand hall at the end of the week. Word got round the staff that something cool was afoot and one by one ushers and footmen appeared to sneak a peek.

Mummy Butler tries the High-Top Derby for size, having provided the fine black feather swoosh to set it off

Mansion House staff came in to sneak a peek

From left-to-right, "Top Dog" with a Lock & Co. high top "Coke" hat; "Green Indian"; "Hot Wire"; and "Dapper Fox" - the latter trimmed with the pelt of the same, having been dispatched by old age

When we went back early Saturday morning, the mannequins were in place in the fabulous hall on the first floor of the palace.

Edward VIII, the uncrowned King of England, who as Prince of Wales and then Duke of Windsor was the  style-setter for men's fashion (with the odd garish Palm Springs golfer moment), sits on "Hot Wire"'s shoulder

Bespoke riding boots, black corduroy trousers, and "Top Dog" overcoat in 100% finest "Elysian" English wool

Tiny Tim and Mark printed the cloth for the heads with the same script used on our new t-shirts "Beware, prostitutes and pickpockets operate in this area". Prince Albert looks straight ahead.

"Dapper Fox" over coat trimmed with a London fox dispatched by old age

It had been quite hard for our crew to get their heads round having to give their names for an appointed hour for an escorted viewing of the exhibition and palace. So those that did earn our special thanks. We had a rolling conveyor of VIP clients, colleagues and pals come through that included designer Anne Barclay, Frin from Vanner silks, Peter Wallis (pka York of GQ, Harpers & Queen and "The Sloane Rangers Handbook" fame), Mr Brian Leitch (who wrote the movie "Pret a Porter" amongst other many and varied achievements), Andrea Carr of the V&A, Mei, menswear buyer from Browns and Simon Burstein, CEO of that star-maker store and son of Joan Burstein. 

The Lord Mayor's sword and mace

Edward VIII mans our t-shirt table

Mr Wesley does one last security sweep

Light touch paper and stand well back  - the scorching style duo that is Mr Wesley and Mr Wallis (aka Peter York, style correspondent for GQ, Harpers and Queen and general legend). Between them is Nick Bailey's "Magic Missile" one of the artworks on exhibition

Our darling benefactors Mr Martin White and Mr Philip Pittack flanking the Green Indian mannequin, for whose outfit they sponsored the fabric as they did for all four outfits

With what pride I write this caption! Mr Martin White; The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor Michael Bear wearing the Earl of Bedlam's "Dapper Fox" overcoat and his chain of office; Mr Philip Pittack and Mr Mark Wesley.

Needless to say when no one was looking we misbehaved and indulged in some cheeky aggrandisement, plonking ourselves in the Lord Mayor's throne. Michael Bear is the 683rd Lord Mayor of the Square Mile:

My favourite picture from the event - Mr Wesley, Mr White, Green Indian, myself and Mr Pittack

As well as thanks to Paul Ryan we must doff our feathered hats to Lady Barbara Bear, the Lady Mayoress and distinguished sculptress herself. It was her initiative during their term of office that had the palace filled with contemporary art and she who invited Paul to make this happen. Here she is between us as Top Dog and Dapper Fox stand sentry:

In case you have admired the jacket Mr Wesley is wearing, and if you hadn't, now is your opportunity, we should tell you the story of that. Our friend Alexander Lewis is the head of Brand & Business development at E.Tautz http://etautz.com/, that won the British Fashion Council's Menswear Award last year http://www.britishfashioncouncil.com/ So we were lucky enough to be invited to the sample sale and picked up the beautiful pheasant eye tweed he is wearing. Alex told us that when they went to Scotland a scrap of it was found in a barn, attached to which was a yellowing bit of paper bearing the legend of the client's name and year it was woven - 1970, Yves St. Laurent. And so they rewove a bolt and much admired by all comers was Mr Wesley's rig out. Here he expresses his delight at the discreet zips concealed in the sleeves of his own design, the Dapper Fox:

The gorgeous ankle boots and riding boot donated by Jason Amesbury, bespoke shoemaker

More of Jason's bespoke footwear

Close up of the Green Indian in Donegal tweed with diametric patch pockets and green lozenge buttons

Close up of the buttons made from mussel shells on Hot Wire. We used them the "wrong" way round so that the ridges would work with the weave

In addition to the people thanked above we must commend the outstanding helpfulness of the staff at Mansion House. While Lord Mayors may come and go, they are the warp and weft of the upkeep of the palace and all it represents regarding the glory of London. Everyone there was so kind to us but we will name check John Davis the funniest of the guides, with whom I did a double-act turn when he would invite me to say some words to the visitors about our clothes, and William Chapman, who is Private Secretary & Chief of Staff to the Lord Mayor.

Talking of Private Secretaries to the Highest in the Land, the postman brought a letter to the shop a few weeks ago and I remarked with some relief its white crispness, a welcome change from dull brown bills. Next I noticed the smart scarlet flash of the franking and asked our friendly posty if that was the Royal Mail's new look. He took it back off me and examined it. "No. You've got a letter from Buckingham Palace," he announced. McCrikey! And so it was. And this is why - when we had our opening party, the blessed Elisabeth, my godmother, who was another sponsor of our Mansion House exhibit, and without whose assistance we could not have achieved what we did, regretted she could not attend as she had to have lunch at Highgrove with Prince Charles that day. She doubted she would be back in time or have any energy left if she was (being ninety years of age). To compensate for her absence she asked if she might take something of Earl of Bedlam to present to His Royal Highness. I wracked my brains but didn't think there was anything particularly a propos. But then inspiration alighted and I thought a-ha! how about one of the Royal Wedding tees for Prince Harry, the one depicting Will and Kate as Sid'n'Nancy with MC Harry Wails on the mic at the post-nuptial party?! As that looked a little lean, we wrapped and presented it in an EoB duffle bag. Lo and behold, now here was a lovely letter of thanks from the young Prince's Private Secretary! This has been duly framed and hung on the wall and later I will investigate the etiquette of posting you a picture of that.

For now, ladies and gentlemen of every rank and class we take our leave of you with a sweeping bow.