Saturday 6 September 2008

the free art fair 2008

the free art fair
the art fair where all the art work is given away
13-19 October 2008
Portman Village

once again, potassium will be supporting the free art fair. http://www.freeartfair.com

sign up to the potassium facebook group for information on the launch event

maximise your potential

"Create your own products Work with suppliers to create your own label products. This is not necessarily margin driven. West End independent retailer Potassium created their own brand t-shirt. Selected by “101 things to Buy Before you Die”, it won its place over all those massive chains; quite an achievement for a one-off store.

http://www.topdrawerautumn.com/grafix/guide.pdf

trends now animals inspired design #4 head trophies

Toujours dans notre tour d'horizon du design inspiré du monde animal, et pour terminer la semaine sur une note décalée, voici un petit aperçu de ce que les designers ont imaginé en matière de détournements des traditionnels trophées de chasse. Enjoy !

Animal Trophy £149 Melvin Makaba for Potassium

http://www.trendsnow.net/trends_now_/2008/08/animals-inspire.html

man's needs

Marylebone has become something of a women's fashion mecca in the past couple of years, but if you look hard enough, you can also finda few bits and pieces for the male of the species. These are our favourites...page 46

http://www.themarylebonejournal.com/downloads/TheMagazine.pdf

fashion 156 shaymoki at potassium

Fashion 156 coverage of the Shyamoki launch at Potassium Shyamoki

What do you get when you cross intricate Indian prints with daring tailoring? London-based label Shyamoki is what you get.

Designer Shyamoki Das and her partner in crime produce some of the most interesting pieces I've seen in a while, and it's the skirts that take centre stage in this carnival of colour. East meets West as patterns dance through voluminous rushes of luxurious fabricWorking with NGOs (non-government organisations) in India, Shyamoki looks to traditional Indian handicraft to create their pieces; intricate embroidery, skirts made of tiny dresses once used to clothe Rajasthani puppets, wedding bunting attached to tops – the list goes on. Further information: Potassium, 2 Seymour Place, W1 (020 7723 7800.)

http://www.fashion156.com/blog/view_entry.php?id=463

bbc.co.uk/thread

Konnie Huq gives Seth an eco make over at various places including Potassium for his jeans...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/thread/video/index.shtml?video=male-makeover

Tuesday 18 March 2008

meringues on the shoulders...stylebubble.com

http://stylebubble.typepad.com/style_bubble/2008/03/meringues-on-th.html

15 March 2008
Meringues on the Shoulders?
You know, I do need to indulge in my food passion somewhere here and if it's not a 'What did I eat today' blog in manner of the wonderful This is Naive (her photos make me drool on my keyboard...'nuff said...), I'm just going to have to relate fashion to food.
Well then, I'll have to be blunt and say that Ivana K's latest AW08-9 collection is like creamy heaven. I'm afraid I'm going to have to go into Nigella Lawson language and say it's slinky, oozing and voluptuous. The lookbook was already appetising enough but when I went to the collection preview at Potassium (shame on me... the SOLE stockist of Ivana K in London and a store that I have never heard about.... ) last week, it was quite literally drool everywhere. Think 'soft mounds' as per what you need for mousse in dresses that drape, glide and have volume worked into them ever so discreetly. Soft and marshamallowey padding (and I mean VERY soft!) adorn the shoulders of dresses but not in a way that cries out Joan Crawford. The foundations of the collection though are still Ivana's directional tailoring that carries all this measured softness. The tactile qualities in all the pieces are a result of Ivana's judgement in fabrics so as embellishment goes, there is very little because it's not needed..... behold the soft creamy mallow-like goodness...




Of course, on person, the soft volume is even more obvious...




Now, where is my fluffy-centred meringue (hard, chalky meringues are just wrong on so many levels).... ?
Posted by susie_bubble on 15 March 2008

Thursday 6 March 2008

ivana k...vip launch 12/3/08











you are cordially invited to preview the autumn/winter 08/09 collection by ivana k on 12th march 2008 from 18:00 to 21:00 at potassium, marble arch

"ivana k has created soft structures that aren't intimidating but are fierce in their own way" Stylebubble.com
RSVP vip@potassiumstore.co.uk

Monday 25 February 2008

call for submissions City Showcase Music & Fashion Festival


"City Showcase is a great concept. Getting exposure in different ways to the norm could be a launch pad for the lucky few. The fact that City Showcase provides ongoing advice from industry experts also helps to keep expectations real - something rare in this business. London needs to support and provide a platform for new talent if it is to remain one of the world’s cutting-edge fashion capitals. City Showcase does this, and it’s great to see London leading the way for promoting raw talent.” Wayne Hemingway Fashion designer and design commentator

City Showcase Seeks Talented Designers.

City Showcase, London’s leading festival for new music, is now looking for up-and-coming designers to take part in its annual event, in 2008 held between 2-6 June.

City Showcase launched in 2003 to help emerging musicians and designers move into the commercial world. With six successful events behind it, City Showcase’s reputation is now firmly established as the festival to see tomorrow’s talent today.

Previous acts that have played at City Showcase (and subsequently gone on to make their names) include Newton Faulkner, Keane, Seth Lakeman, Razorlight, Amy Winehouse, Hot Chip, Sway, Scouting for Girls, Panjabi Hit Squad, N-Dubz, Ray LaMontagne and Lady Sovereign. City Showcase covers all types of music – from classical to pop, from rock to urban. And all types of performers – from bands to singer songwriters, from solo artists to DJ’s…

Past designers have included Hannah Marshall, Julia Clancey, Oliver Goddard, Lucy Hanks, Tonic T-shirts, Luis de Gama, Lucy Duffield, Matthew Dainty, Ross Jenkins, Gwen Ash, Craven Gene and Born in ’72. City Showcase is also looking for designers to be part of the 2008 event.

This event provides public exposure and advice, plus the crucial contacts that aspiring talent needs, and culminates in a series of live events in venues in London’s West End

If you are successful, we will ask you to consider a short-list of musicians (whose styles most closely fit your designs) for you to decide who you would like to dress. The musicians will wear your designs in-store during the daytime during their performances and could lead to strong long-term collaborations.

There are plenty of festivals that devote themselves to showcasing “emerging” artists, musicians and performers. But there are few with the track record of City Showcase. Metro 2006

In addition, City Showcase continues its partnership with exclusive boutique Potassium and in 2008 City Showcase will host an exclusive evening in Seymour Place with Potassium and other Seymour Place boutiques and restaurants. This will include “dressed” performances and an evening event at Potassium for fashion designers to meet the public.

This is a great opportunity to dress emerging musicians with your fashion designs, and to sell your products at Potassium. As well as valuable exposure to the buying public, a number of stylists regularly use Potassium as a resource. Such collaborations have resulted in products being placed in WGSN, Elle, Vogue, Harpers & Queen and GQ as well as national press. Designers are also fed back the reactions and comments from shoppers which is invaluable to help develop future collections.

"tucked away behind the chaos of marble arch is the electric blue shopfront of potassium... the shop showcases a diverse and unfailingly cool collection of clothes, furniture and homeware (and) stands out for its commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability..." Time Out London Shopping & Services Guide

Want to be part of City Showcase?
If you want to take part in this exciting festival, and showcase your work, please send a web link (if you have one), a brief biography, a photo and some illustrations/photos of your designs to City Showcase, PO Box 2212, Pulborough, RH20 2XJ. Clearly mark your envelope as a City Showcase Fashion application.

Deadline for applications is 31 March 2008

For further information:
http://www.cityshowcase.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/cityshowcase
email@cityshowcase.co.uk 07765 665161

Saturday 9 February 2008

think pink...





so if you didn't know already, pink is the new black and for those that know the store yep it's pink!




and pink's not just for the girls. Come summer watch out for many a man sporting a pink shirt or polo.




of course our range of vegan bags by matt & nat are flying out already particularly in the pink and bitte kai rand's silk and cotton knitwear looks just as good in a very wearable coral colour. get the new season look complete with a pair of jeans by kuyichi now in store.




with the pink in the store the store looks completely different and feels it too. so much so that we've christened the season "the house of love..." our window change this week for valentines is a timely homage to love featuring the Delicious Love Ring by Izzy (Isabelle Bricknall) The mixed media piece of art features the words we've stuck on the window and the idea is you need to read it left to right as fast as possible.


created on acetate, we've wrapped Izzy's art piece around Sebastian Wrong's Spun T1 table lamp priced at £1720 for this unique item
whatever your doing on february 14th this year make time to visit the house of love...

Wednesday 9 January 2008

style conscious...



although it's a little chilly outside, there is the sweet smell of spring in the air. new products have started to arrive including a new range of faux leather bags and knitwear from our favourites bitte kai rand.





our run of 6-week rail new designers continues with new introductions from Ivana K, Oliver Goddard and Shyamoki. Come back next month to hear more about these.





we're also very excited to be launching kuyichi a great Dutch denim label that uses organic cotton denim and works with its Peruvian manufacturers fairly. These people put their money where their mouths are, and have created a type of co-operative so that the workers "own" the company.

Kuyichi is a style conscious jeans brand.
They create style. They are conscious of how they create it.
Kuyichi is an innovative jeans brand for contemporary and cutting edge styling.
They believe in choosing fashion with a conscience and a purpose.
Set apart with a style that’s strong, sexy and provocative.
Put together in a chain of Fair Trade.

Kuyichi was founded in 2001 to introduce organic cotton and fair trade jeans wear. They were 1st for organic (yep well before Levi's Edun and the rest). Kuyichi stands apart from most other fashion brands, since they manufacture pure, organic & fair trade. They create jeans & fashion with a super cool, sexy and street wise look & feel. Put together with respect to the people we work with. It is what we call Style Conscious. A conscious approach is more real to them. Being fair. Being real. It’s their philosophy.
Although we haven't received our deliveries of kuyichi we've already got a waiting list of previous kuyichi clients for both the men's and women's ranges, and it's not just the buying team who are waiting.
To find out more about kuyichi check out http://www.kuyichi.com and then contact us at sales@potassiumstore.co.uk and we'll e-mail you as soon as the rainbow gods shine on us...

Thursday 3 January 2008

caution! falling prices...

FALLING PRICES!
UP TO 70% OFF SELECTED LINES
STARTS EPIPHANY
IN STORE & ON LINE
MATT&NAT-ORIGINAL PENGUIN-CRAVEN GENE-R.U.-POTASSIUM-ISIS CASHMERE-CHARGE CLOTHING-BC POTTERY-GARY RHODES COOKWARE-IITTALA STELLA GLASSWARE-CINO CANDLESTICKS BY BLOMUS-BITTE KAI RAND-RAND JEANS-CLAUS PORTO BODYCARE