potassium elements for living

party on...

2011-11-20T20:43:00.000Z

I can’t quite believe that it’s one year that we’ve been in our pop up space. Much has changed in the fortunes of Potassium and we seem to have reversed the downward trend we were experiencing at our old location. At the time of writing our numbers are higher then 2009 and close to pre-recession levels of 2008.

Store Street is not just a better location it’s a great location – still with the community feel of our previous store but on a bit of a larger scale. We have not only returned to our original program of events, but the KGBs are still rocking the house too with some familiar faces and some that are newer.

Much of this could not have been achieved without the support of our supplier base. Their flexibility has meant we have been able to refresh our stock and introduce new lines. In addition we’ve partnered with some new labels in particular OUTSIDER who has been a great addition to our mix. Other notable names are Plane Clothing, introduced to us by one of our new friends Rassami, Monkee Genes, Soomin, NV London Calcutta and recently Darlings Little Treasures and Nancy Dee. Underpinning each of the new additions to our assortment is an open honest relationship that creates ethical and eco friendly products for the modern man and woman.

One of our more recent successes has been the introduction of our “Mid-Week Market” which is an extension and development of our original “6 Week Rail”concept. Mid-Week Market has allowed independent ethical/eco designer/makers to set up a stall outside our main shop front. The crowds that appear when Tilt& Wonky’s Vintage Emporium are here are amazing. The smiles on men’s faces as they pass by Darlings Little Treasures make great people watching. Only Miss D can make these guys smile with her South London via Manchester banter. We would like to continue with the Mid-Week Market, so if you or someone you know would like to pitch a Wednesday or Saturday stall tell them to get in touch.

So what’s the plan for 2012? Ideally we would like to stay in our current location although it is a little big for us. The question is what we do with the additional space. If you have ideas, do let me know.

On a global scale I am cautious. There are some real issues in the global economy. Paradigms were set to change after the crash of 2008 but clearly they had not run their full course. Today the banks suggest they are sympathetic but I hear from too many other people in business that they are not. All too frequently they change the rules and the charging tariffs along with them, which puts a huge pressure on independent business – we don’t have deep pockets like the majors, but the reality is that without us there will be no growth. Independent businesses that survive do so because they remain flexible. I feel that Potassium has always been like that adapting to what essentially people want. For independent businesses their strength is to be able to respond and react far quicker than the wheels and cogs of a large corporate and I say this because of a conversation I had recently with a new wine shop that I know. Although a chain of 12 the point they have missed is one I practice; “Think Global Act Local” Listen to your customers and your colleagues. If as an in-store customer I don’t know that you offer a case discount you need to find a way of telling me rather then relying on me searching on your website.

Store Street is signed until the end of January and I’m hoping that we’ll be able to stay beyond that. New products for Spring Summer 2012 have been selected and now I’m thinking how we can celebrate all that London and the UK has to offer in what will be “the greatest show on earth” If the forthcoming season is as strong as this current season has been so far, Potassium will be able to re-launch our much sought after and cherished private label collection.

More imminent than the re-launch of the new Potassium line, is the need to update our website to encompass technological changes. Although currently a miniscule part of our business our web offer is a great way to extend our customer base. Those that have shopped with us on-line have often come back and shopped again - impressed not only with what we sell but how we sell it too. Service after all is where we can make the difference. Our web-shop aims to be as functional and seamless as possible, compatible in all formats including “e” and “m” What we need input on is how to replicate the in-store experience on-line. If you have ideas then do let me know.

So far we’ve concentrated on engaging via social media tools Facebook and Twitter and have seen our followers grow four-fold in six months. These pages don’t just tell you about new arrivals and events but also link to articles that we think may be of interest to those interested in the ethical, the ecological, and the fashion-forward. We like to think of it more as a magazine rather then a “please hand over your credit card” tool although…we don’t mind that either.

Wishing you all a great start to the festive season, and many many thanks for your continued support. By way of thanks I do hope that you will be able to join us for a little celebration on 1/12/11 from 17:00 at the shop. RSVP@potassiumstore.co.uk or via our Party On… event on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=113222175457892

K+

SUSTAINABLE SUMMER...

2011-04-12T13:14:00.001+01:00

The summer of sustainability is upon us! Refresh your wardrobe and rejuvenate your skin with Outsider women’s wear and Arbonne's Premium, SWISS & SAFE personal care and wellness products at Potassium. Free trials of the BEST, Natural Anti Aging on the market! Join us on Tuesday 19th April between 12:30 and 20:00 at our Bloomsbury store and meet the people behind the products.

Short presentations by Outsider and Arbonne will unco...ver why ethical and sustainable fashion is key to our future and how natural, botanically based, beauty products are so much better for your wellness and your existing skincare may be Aging you!

Get styling tips from the Creative Director of Outsider Noorin Khamisani and free beauty consultations from Independent Consultant & Executive Area Manager of Arbonne, Katie Young.

In the secret gallery, join Stacy Darling for a jewellery workshop and learn how to make “darling’s little treasures.” Perfect for accessorising the summer of sustainability.

Refreshments will be served throughout the day and regular priced purchases will enjoy a 20% discount.

Tuesday 19th April 2011
12:30 – 20:00
Potassium
29 Store Street
Bloomsbury
London WC1E 7QB
http://www.potassiumlondon.com

with thanks to The Bedford Estates, Coverdale Davis, Outsider, Arnonne UK, and Stacy Darling.

LIFE'S A BEACH...

2011-04-12T13:09:00.000+01:00

This season ethical/eco store Potassium celebrates the advent of spring at its pop-up shop in the heart of Bloomsbury. New Spring/Summer 2011 clothing collections from favourites Matt & Nat, Original Penguin, Komodo, Trousers London and Laundry Maid Jeans sit alongside new introductions of ethically sourced bamboo salad and serving bowls in vibrant colours, essential garden accessories for "the thoughtful gardener" and picnic a...ccessories by Nina Jarema's inspired "Folklore" range.

The British seaside inspired event on 23/3/11 will feature Sea Sirens swimwear made in England using colour therapy luxe fabrics to "cultivate your inner goddess TM" The evening will include a catwalk show. An interactive exhibition entitled "Sea Art by Isabelle Bricknall" will continue throughout the day in the secret gallery underneath the store
closing with a live DJ from legendary nightclub Cargo in the evening.

Look out for candy-floss, seaside rock, and lashings of ginger-beer and a bumper 20% off regular priced items on the day.

RSVP is essential rsvp@potassiumstore.co.uk

With thanks to The Bedford Estates, Coverdale Davis, Sea Sirens,
isabelle-bricknall.com, Lisa Greenhalgh Events, DJ Michaels, TCF
Photography and Katie Young from Arbonne

END OF PART ONE AND THE BEGINNING OF PART TWO...

2011-02-12T15:31:00.006Z

It’s been a while since I last posted on the blog but I think my lack of posts can be justified by what has transpired these last five months. Read on and be enlightened.

Back in 2009 I wrote about the need to support independent shops particularly in these uncertain times. What even I did not foresee was the vigour with which this recession would take hold and affect each and every one of us in habit changing ways. Unfortunately a number of casualties large, small, and teeny tiny ensued and Potassium felt the rapid decline in sales as did many other retailers. This would be the survival of the fittest, and for that read largest with the clout to hammer supplier prices and terms with a rather large mallet. Many of the teeny tiny guys hung on, and with sheer tenacity continued to serve their customers.

Potassium started as an eclectic mix of modern men’s and women’s fashion, home-wares, and furniture. The press liked us even more so for the fact that we sourced ethically and were environmentally conscious right from the start in 2005. Product from Brazil made by women’s co-ops to avoid the downward spiral of prostitution, re-designed everyday objects by British designers to avoid land-fill, a helping hand to new young fashion designers entering the market, these were just some of the things that led to us being labelled a green pioneer. Moreover, we had destroyed the hippy image of anything remotely eco-conscious because the store presented these ethical and eco products in what was described as a “curation of ideas.” The thing was when I presented the Potassium concept to various banks – none of whom supported the concept financially incidentally – or even to business advisors, family and friends the ethical/eco stance was never mentioned. For me this was a given. It was the standard unequivocally. What I had underestimated was that this was part of our USP that was part of our “elements for living.” It was the press that helped me see this.

In 2011 black is now a shade of green. Everyone and everything considers the environmental impact whether through legislation, corporate responsibility or just out-right marketing ploys to make the company and consumer feel better. Better late then never I suppose. I continue in the meantime to stand by the original ethically sourced and wherever possible eco-friendly mantra. This developed in 2009 to sourcing locally made goods with a season of new “Made In Britain” collections to add to our already locally sourced ones. I am pleased that only this week the Arcadia Group has announced a drive to do the same, perhaps Marks & Spencer will follow and revive the ubiquitous St Michael brand?

So what really happened these last five months I hear you ask? In 2010 I had to make a decision about the store location. Our lease was due to expire in November and I remembered that before starting the company I had agreed with myself to give it five years and see what happens. Having learnt that our locality was about to become a building site (again) I decided not to renew the lease and to take the company forward solely on-line. After all that would eradicate rent and spiralling business rates – Potassium’s Business rates had escalated by 93% which let’s not fool ourselves are another form of taxes collected by Her Majesty’s Government. Fate dealt me a blow and on 22nd October at 15:30 our then landlords decided that they would not grant me a six week extension to Christmas and so we went into closing down mode and on 30th October had planned our “Bring and Bye Buy Sale”

Fate decided to strike again. In 2005 when I returned from Toronto unable to move in to my home because of sitting tenants, my sister and her husband allowed me to stay at their home. My brother-in-law, Hanif, had started his own business some years earlier and I witnessed the stresses and strains, joys tears and laughter he endured from running his own company. Hanif’s vision was simple: outstanding customer service could only be delivered from an engaged and happy team. He never actually said that verbatim, but it is what I gleaned from our conversations. He encouraged me to try running my own business and both he and his company Saffron Interactive (www.saffroninteractive.com) helped in those early days. Unexpectedly, Hanif died on 28th October aged 42, leaving my sister who was due to give birth in seven weeks time to twins.

Still in shock, in between funeral arrangements and trying to come to terms with Hanif’s absence, but with the support of many dear friends and fantastically loyal customers the Bring and Bye Buy Sale went ahead. Saturday 30th October 2010 was Potassium’s biggest trading day – thus far.

Strike three but not quite out. 9:30 Sunday 31st October 2010 I received a telephone call to say that my sister had gone in to labour. One lovingly crafted breakfast sausage sandwich later I was en-route to Chertsy and welcomed my two nieces Eve and Sophia at 12:20 that afternoon. Mother and babies were doing well but were confined to ICU as is customary with pre-terms. I’m happy to say that Eve and Sophia are doing fantastically well and regularly hang out with their uncle at work.

The next twenty-two days were spent packing up the store and painting it before handing back the unit to the landlords. Most would have left the shop without repair but as an ethical company I did not believe that would be the just thing to do, Ogre-some landlord or not.

As I moved the stock to a storage site I received a call. Would I like a pop-up shop for two months over the Christmas period? “Happy to consider it” I replied and I met with the agents within 48 hours. Before I knew it I had signed a licence agreement for two months at 29 Store Street off Tottenham Court Road. Vastly different in appearance from the old shop and in a neighbourhood I had left ten years earlier when I had moved to Canada the shop was to mark the start of part 2 in a way I had not foreseen. I got the keys on Friday 3rd December 2010 and again with the help of my fantastic friends and supporters of Potassium the doors opened to our new public on Tuesday 7th December at 11:00

At the end of January our licence expired but our new landlords who appreciate what we bring to the street have asked us to stay for another six months. I am delighted to. I am still cautious, the economy is not quite surging the way policy-makers would like us to believe, but for now part two is looking like it could be even better then part one.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the untenable support of family, friends both near and far, and of course our customers.

Without you all I could not have done it.

K+

In memory of Hanif Sazen. A man who inspired, encouraged, and was always good to share a couple of bottles of wine with.

A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS AN OLDER-YOUNGER MAN...

2010-10-09T13:05:00.002+01:00

A Portrait Of The Artist As An Older-Younger Man.

By Lloyd Rundle

A few hours spent in award-winning artist Peter Meacock’s company is exhausting – naturally, I mean that in a good way. Some artists might bore you with self-publicity but Peter’s conversation is quite different. He moves seamlessly from the artistic to the philosophical to the scientific, skipping from childhood memories to adult experiences in a flash as if his life was being played out in his mind all at once.

Like his art, Peter is an enervated mass of ideas, firing on all cylinders. In a matter of moments our discussion moves from his admiration of the Surrealist movement – especially Salvador Dali - to quantum physics to he and his friends’ failed attempts in the early seventies to call America for free using a complex (and perhaps mythic) beep code on coin-operated payphones. Apparently that was just to hear what people on the other side of the Atlantic might actually sound like. But it also illustrates his tireless questioning nature.

BabyBabyBaby, Peter’s first solo art exhibition, is an expression of this rambling, seemingly chaotic thought process which in our conversation shoots off in all directions, but in his work it is brought keenly into focus. His chat may be complex, but simplicity is key to Peter’s art – a singularity of concept and thought on the origins of the universe.

Held at Potassium – a chic, environmentally responsible boutique near Marble Arch which has previously supported a number of arts’ projects – BabyBabyBaby is an exploration of what Peter likes to call, ‘the birth of the megacosm’. An ambitious theme for a first exhibition but then, at 52, Peter is no spring-chicken and while the Big Bang, quantum physics and the nature of the insurmountable life force which births us, binds us and ultimately tears us apart might be daunting for some, Mr Meacock approaches his subject matter with a touch of schoolboy glee.

The man himself towers over me like a bear. Not a Grizzly one, of course - more a giant Teddy bounding about the room with ceaseless energy, his eyes bright with anticipation for anything new and exciting; the only sign of his age a shock of curly and neatly coiffed grey hair with the salt and pepper speckles of its original dark hue. His glasses remind me of Harry Potter and as Peter expounds on the unstoppable forces of the universe I can’t help but think of the boy-wizard’s wonder at the discovery of magic. But Peter’s ideas and concepts revolve around an altogether different form of alchemy.

The exhibition comprises of three works – Goose Baby, Baby and BabyBabyBaby - in which he has spread 10,000 specifically moulded golden bullets over dense uniform black reflective surfaces, to represent points of light shooting forth into the dark nothingness of space at the moment of the Big Bang to form foetal constellations. For Peter it’s the simplest of concepts – the babies depict an origin we all share unquestionably – that are the most profound.

“A lot of modern art has been about death and our mortality,” he says. “That’s a subject in art that I’ve never really pursued. I started at the point of life, a baby, which is a more important question. Go and stand at the end of the conveyor belt and you’ll see that people are dying all the time. But they are being born too. All that naval contemplations until death is pointless because whatever you do, life will continue around you anyway.”

From here, he launches into the beginnings of a political rant about Iraq and the war. “We bombed Iraq,” he tells me. “And yet there are still babies being born there.” Pointing at the thousands of intricately placed golden pellets that make up Goosebaby, he adds with a winning smile: “Babies from bullets.” Then as swiftly as he moved onto contemporary politics, he moves onto something else - new, different and seemingly unrelated. I wouldn’t be surprised if I found myself back at the gates of Baghdad an hour hence, as if we had been discussing it all along. Sometimes it seems as if his mind works like a telephone-exchange, a multitude of dialogues going on at one and the same time which he can tune in and out of at the drop of a hat.

Peter grew up on stud farm near Selbourne, in the Hampshire countryside which he cosily calls ‘Gilbert White’ country. He always felt the creative impulse, he says, but initially he was drawn towards architecture – “a great art form” – and started his career in 1977. However, his creative impulse remained and in 2006 he was commissioned to produce the sculptural installation Atom in the Lake District. The project, launched by the late-Tony Wilson (of Factory Records fame), was finally set in place in the hills near Pendle in 2008 and won the Civic Trust that same year.

A bronze-coated glass reinforced concrete shell which a viewer can comfortably sit inside and be part of, Atom represents the space within and without those building blocks that make up our universe. Atom can be seen as Peter’s first attempt to marry the world of art with scientific theory in a unified whole but, as he is keen to emphasize, he’d been dabbling in science for some time, as much for personal reasons as out of professional interest.

“I did a lot of research,” he says. “A lot of that was because my late-brother William was mentally ill. But also because I had friends who were scientists at Bristol University. It always interested me. I have always followed up on these things, always been talking to scientists.”

His brother’s death in 2006 was evidently a turning-point, which inspired a series of smaller sculptures, among them William and Babybones which are on display at Potassium. These sculptures, forged in his kitchen at his current home in Bath out of modelling clay are overlaid with gold leaf. They set the stage for the BabyBabyBaby exhibition, forming a kind of prologue to the main body of work. Each one is a golden globe, set on a tripod with a baby’s head and wings atop, representing the Earth and the upward motion of, perhaps, the human spirit.

“With my brother’s passing, I was forced to confront where somebody goes when they die,” he says. “It thrust it at me; whatever I did or he did – nature or nurture – he would have died anyway.”

But he’s keen to emphasize that his brother’s passing wasn’t some kind of spark that lit the creative fuse. “I’d already done that,” he says with a jovial smile. “I was making it before William passed away and I dealt with his passing through it. But through the making of this art, I became incredibly excited. It was cathartic, yes. And it was also hysterical. I was in fits of laughter all on my own. It was enormously entertaining.”

Still, William evidently remains an integral part of Peter’s life and work. Goosebaby is, in part, the recreation of a childhood memory of him, depicting a baby surrounded by geese. “We used to have geese as guard dogs,” says Peter. “When William was a little boy he used to hide from us and we’d find him in the Duck house surrounded by bantams, ducks and geese.”

Although Peter is keen to distance himself and his life from his art, they form an intrinsic part of his work – his late-brother especially. As Peter notes on his website (petermeacock.com): “I think of [William] every day and I do not wish him back. I know he is recycled somewhere in somewhere in the Universe.”

Peter cites Salvador Dali and the minimalist artist Donald Judd as his central artistic inspirations. He adds that it was a visit to the Catalan surrealist’s summer house at Port Ligat, in June 2008 that brought his vision into focus. Dali’s humour and creative ability set him on his way. But Peter’s art is altogether more influenced by science, notably the theories of the physicist Stephen Hawking. You don’t need to know quantum physics to understand BabyBabyBaby – but it adds a new dimension to it, if you do.

Hawking's attempts to unlock the mysteries of the universe and his study of black holes revolutionized the scientific world in the 1970s and forced their way onto the public consciousness with the publication of A Brief History of Time in 1988. Peter had always been a fan of science. He remembers the moon landing in 1969 with childlike excitement. “To see that happen was amazing,” he tells me, “I refer back to that all the time.”

And he was an avid fan of the BBC science programme Tomorrow’s World. Hawking's efforts to provide one unifying theory on the origins of the universe may seem quite a jump from there but in Peter’s mind at least, it was a natural progression.

“It’s the breakdown of the idea of man at the centre of universe, integral to Renaissance art,” he says. “From there we had to accept that the sun was at the centre of the universe and we revolved around it. Then suddenly we were at the edge of the universe and now with quantum physics and string theory we’re into multi-dimensional universes. Where does that leave us?

“Understanding the science through the eyes of Hawking’s clearly proffers a new relationship with the maker and even disregards the significance of it by an extremely deft observation. Spontaneous explosion! The Universe is bigger than anyone can even really put a finger on. And a lot bigger than anyone who gets in its way!”

And that for Peter, is what he has attempted to capture in his work – the spontaneous, explosive energy of life bursting forth from a single point of creation. Unstoppable and insurmountable, the stars shooting forth as represented by the golden bullets in each piece to form the image of a baby or babies – an image which unites us all in its simplicity but fragments and breaks up at the edge of the shiny black surface as we might shift off of this mortal coil only to be reborn, to give form to something else. He calls it ‘apoptosis’ defined as the controlled destruction of cells in the growth and development of an organism.

“It’s like the baby in the womb,” he explains. “The hands form as clubs but the cells between the fingers are programmed to die to create the spaces between the fingers. It’s all part of the cycle of life – birth and death – to create form. That’s the nature of life and we are just constituent elements, part of a greater whole.

“I had to go back to the point of origin – that’s what’s important,” he continues. “It’s like Picasso and his drawing of a dove. People said it was simple, that a child could do it. Picasso replied that he had to work all his life to be able to do it – to get that simplicity right. That’s what I’m trying to do. To go back to the point of origin to get it right!

“Now, I’ve got to get back to Bath, I’ve got to get on, I got things to create.” And with that he's off again like a spinning top, shooting out sparks of ideas in all directions but at the point of origin simple, unified and ceaseless.

BabyBabyBaby will run at Potassium until 30th October.

UPCYCLED IS THE NEW RECYCLED...

2010-09-29T13:23:00.003+01:00

Autumn Winter 2010 sees ethical brand Laundry Maid in a resourceful mood with the introduction of Laundry Maid Upcycled; a small collection of jeans, bags and a skirt all innovatively recycled from existing styles into newer directional garments.

Developed to sit alongside the label’s core form flattering range of skinny, tailored and tapered leg fits, the concept minimises waste, cuts down on unnecessary consumption of raw denim and introduces exciting new product areas to the line.

A tailored chino in stone has been painstakingly unpicked to rescue knee patches and the brand’s unique uplifting back panel, which have then been applied to a signature tailored jean in slate grey denim. Excess stone fabric has been further utilised to make Jodhpur riding patches for the label’s current favourite, the high waisted skinny jean. Nothing is wasted and excess stock is converted into new seasonal items.

Jeans styles have been further adapted to form a snap fastened fifties style handbag and a slouchy cross body bag, each featuring a base and strap handles made from the legs of the jean. In keeping with the label’s ethos, all items are designed, manufactured, laundered and customised in Britain.

Due to the rarity of supply, Laundry Maid Upcycled is numbered and available exclusively at Potassium...

BabyBabyBaby...

2010-08-16T15:19:00.003+01:00

BabyBabyBaby

Exhibition of new artwork by Peter Meacock

Potassium, 2 Seymour Place, London, W1H 7NA

23/09/2010 - 30/10/2010

Mon - Fri 11:00 to 18:00 Sat. 11:00 to 16:00

Contact: Peter Meacock, petermeacock.com, peter@petermeacock.com
Contact: Karim Ladak, potassiumlondon.com, karim@potassiumstore.co.uk

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye." Antoine de Saint-Xupery.

Peter's work is constructed of 8,894 golden dots framed, distributed and floating over three dense uniform black surfaces. The physical substance of the golden dots is precise and yet minor in comparison to intensely dark and seemingly endless surrounding space. Specific points hover to form braille like fragments of information to allow the whole substance of the image to form within the mind and imagination. There is a specific relationship between the points and the surface that creates the illusion of substance temporally and emotionally; cerebrally and sexually. Then, if you see a Baby in the image, you could see the colour of it's eyes; know it's name; know where it will travel in it's life… As if, when you were looking up at the darkest sky, you saw a man or woman dancing through space.

The Elements that have been identified are caught in a series of intriguing and complex reactions, driven by a relentless and profound energy. The material substance of these Elements, from which all things are made, is so evanescent in the Universe that the average matter density, when taken over all space, is effectively zero to a very high degree of precision. A little does indeed go a long way. In the universe light is absorbed by all things and the part that isn't illuminates our brains through the retina, distinguishing it from the next. Yet in a thing there is substance and that cannot be conveyed by what we see. As the presence and substance of the subject is derived through our consciousness and experience. A baby is a baby, and also there are pictures of babies.

The element Potassium, like art and fashion, is essential for the proper function of all cells, tissues, and organs in the human body. It is also an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity in the body. It is crucial to the function of cellular life. Apoptosis (programmed cell death), shows us that some cells are born to die to allow life to take its many forms. These dead cells do not decompose but are recycled and the Elemental components are redistributed into new forms. It is this process of re-use and re-distribution that has become important to us now that we come understand our world more intimately.

Peter Meacock's first solo exhibition is set in a world of innovative ethical fashion and design. Potassium, always at the forefront of thoughtful and environmentally responsible chic, invited Peter to be the featured artist for the new Autumn season because of his elemental reflections on the way we live on our planet, together. In the Victorian Apothecary pharmacists made potions and pills. At Potassium, Karim Ladak combines 'elements for living,' to inspire, inform and articulate the modern ethical lifestyle. Potassium continues through this exhibition to support the visual arts and local community, having previously supported Art in Marylebone, The Free Art Fair, The Serpentine Gallery, and Westminster City Council’s Edgware Road Action Plan.

Please contact Contact: Peter Meacock, peter@petermeacock.com for further information regarding this Press Release.

Separate images are available on request.

TIME OUT LONDON'S BEST SHOPS

2010-08-05T17:32:00.004+01:00

Time Out London's Best Shops Edition 15:

"It's stylish, modern and - its USP - all of its unique products are ethically sourced and environmentally friendly. There's a collection of clothes for men and women, accessories, such as the vegan friendly leather look bags and wallets from Canadian brand Matt & Nat, candles (including own-brand soy can...dles made in Canada as part of a return-to-work programme), glass and kitchenware, bathroom objects, and more. Owner Karim Ladak - who earned his stripes working for Habitat and Polo Ralph Lauren - is friendly and informed, making shopping here a memorable experience. Also look out for classic and sustainable womenswear by designers such as Bitte Kai Rand - known for its natural fibres such as merino wool - and Frank & Faith , with a stylish range of dresses made from bamboo. Menswear includes the covetable Original Penguin polo tops, while unisex Dutch line Kuyichi has proved a big hit becuase of its stylish, fairly traded denim"

Buy the Time Out guide in store or on line £9.99

INTRODUCING: TROUSERS LONDON

2010-07-03T15:07:00.005+01:00

Potassium adds to our stable of ethical and organic products this season Trousers London Men's Organic Cotton Denim.

Founded in 2008, Trousers London has already established a cult following in Japan, and includes Matthew Williamson and Tinie Tempah as fans.

With sustainable foundations, Trousers London has created a series of coveted men's jeans in organic cotton, promoting the collectible fashion trend - the opposite to the disposable fashion attitude of the noughties.

The team behind Trousers London come from diverse backgrounds including architecture, advertising, business, design and social media marketing. Not having follwed the traditional route to fashion means their unique methodology and approach is balanced and progressive.

The range is crafted with patience and skill in small batches calling on the expertise of Italian tailors. Each new style is numbered in order of its design and to ensure exclusivity each pair of jeans is individually numbered.

Distinctive, directional, designed denim, with quirky details like exposed buttons on Trousers Nine, and vintage silk and check linings throughout the collection make this covetable denim. By using raw premium organic cotton indigo denim, the wearer personalises their jeans adding to the story of each mans jeans...

time for a window change...

2010-07-01T15:26:00.004+01:00

Our window change this week, is a break from the usual visual fest. Words, words, words, to make you stop and think - and so far it's stopped quite a few passers by...

"Time for change….

So you probably pass by here quite regularly. Well thank you for taking the time to stop, pause, and read. For the last few weeks, months, maybe even years, you’ve been wondering what goes on in there.

How do they survive? Thankfully we have a great collection of friends and supporters who for the last 5 years have supported the original independent ethical shop in central London.

We sell an eclectic mix of modern fashion for men and women as well as home accessories over 2 floors (yes there’s a huge downstairs too!) Alongside established sought after brands, we offer a leg up to independent designer/makers and emerging artists which means you could be buying the next Tom Ford.

Often better value then the megalith stores on Oxford Street, our offer is built on service – something you probably have not experienced much off recently. We don’t bite, we don’t force a sale, we don’t hassle. In fact you’d probably think we’re quite relaxed, making shopping what it should be… pleasurable.

If you don’t believe what you’re reading check our Face Book page and see the reviews from the press – we’ve been listed as one of the top 10 Most Ethical Retailers in London (Time Out), one of the 100 Best Things in the World (GQ Magazine) Designers with the X-Factor (Evening Standard) and we’re even on You Tube!

In our five years we’ve partnered with The Portman Estate to build Portman Village, Westminster Council on the Edgware Road Action Plan, The Marylebone Association for Art in Marylebone, and The Free Art Fair.

So what are you waiting for? Go on, take a risk, be daring and come in for a browse. Be the change and support your local independent…"

margin meets potassium...

2010-07-01T15:04:00.007+01:00

Centrally located a stones throw from Marble Arch, Potassium on Seymour Place provides classic mens and womens clothing such as Original Penguin alongside ethically-sourced emerging labels, including Frank & Faith, Laundry Maid Jeans, Credau, Kuyichi and Komodo, who have all exhibited at Margin London. With limited-edition homewares, gifts and furniture, Potassium is a true concept store in the original sense with each lifestyle item handpicked.

Click on the title to view the video...

http://www.potassiumstore.co.uk
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl5BKgz1HkE

SUMMER LOVING WITH KOMODO AT POTASSIUM...

2010-03-24T12:31:00.007Z

This summer sees the launch of another great ethical range at Potassium called Komodo.

Inspired by an Indian summer, Komodo has created an homage to to its traditional brand heritage. The spring summer collection features an array of vibrant colours with nuances of coral, soft pinks and blues all carefully edited by Potassium.

Bold Japanese designs reminiscent of a master of print; Pucci, are printed on flowing cotton voiles and eco-friendly rayons. Embellishments include sequins and tie-up belts that can be worn with or without to create your own unique look.

Since its launch in 1988, Komodo has pioneered ethical and eco-friendly clothing. The brand was born from the Acid House Summer of Love which allowed it to express feelings about the wonderful places and faces involved in production. By using natural and eco-friendly fabrics, dyes, and artisan's skills, Komodo spreads positive fair trade messages to its consumers. Komodo is certified by MADE-BY an independent organisation that monitors the social, economic, and ecological conditions involved in garment manufacture.

Potassium is privileged to be associated with a company that shares its own ethical stance. Prices range from £49-£89 and is available in store and on line...

MADE IN BRITAIN: LAUNDRY MAID JEANS...

2010-03-24T11:48:00.008Z

LAUNDRY MAID is a new British brand of women's premium jeans.

Laundry Maid jeans feature a tailored construction and a signature back panel that subtly lifts and shapes the rear, creating a super-smooth side seam free fit.

Laundry Maid’s second season of premium jeans, all designed and made in the UK, continues to offer the essential fit whilst retaining a focus on flattering the rear and accentuating body lines.

To show off this collection Laundry Maid scooped up-and-coming face Rachel Rutt into their new ultra skinny skinnies, favourite tailored classics and slouchy wide leg jeans for the new season’s photography.

Black waxy super skinnies, with sophisticated dark wash high waisters and a sharply tailored cigarette jean in the season’s cement grey satisfy the everlasting demand for super slim, while the brand’s signature tailored jean appears in organic cotton milled to a smooth, flat finish with added lycra. Further direction is provided by a pintucked wide leg and the new tapered slim ‘carrot’ jean all available in a variety of finishes from subtle shadow blue through slate and grey to deep blue black.

Laundry Maid jeans are all designed, maunfactured and laundered in the U.K and are genuine limited editions. They combine the best of true British attention to detail with a low carbon footprint manufacture.

Already a favourite of Elle Macpherson, Laundry Maid jeans are now available at Potassium in store and on line so they can become your favourites too.

All jeans retail at £150 and shorts retail at £120.

MADE IN BRITAIN: DIG FOR VICTORY...

2009-10-15T16:29:00.008+01:00

Dig For Victory is a sustainable fashion label which creates one-off pieces from vintage fabrics. Designer and maker Eleanor Callaghan selects vintage gems from antique fairs, charity shops and flea markets to create a palette of intense colours and patterns to work with in her Brighton Studio. A self taught pattern cutter, Eleanor plays with contrasting colours and textures of fabric to create panelling which accentuates the curves of the body in a playful take on traditional femininity.

Inspired by the dressing up box she loved as a child, Eleanor takes inspiration from the many different eras of fashion represented in her vintage finds. The Dig For Victory collection for Potassium is based on the bold shapes and colours found in 1960's pop art, cut from a palette of linen, cotton and crepe. Working with vintage fabric gives each piece a history and individuality while also avoiding the potential negative impact of modern textile production.

Dig For Victory has an affinity with the stage, as Eleanor began by making dresses for herself to perform in with the ukulele tweecore band The Bobby McGee's, and has since gone on to make outfits for eccentric songstress and fellow brightonian Bat For Lashes. From bold structural designs to theatrical harlequin costumes, Dig For Victory is made for women and girls who still love to play dress-up!

MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN: FRANK & FAITH

2009-09-24T14:40:00.002+01:00

FRANK adj Open, honest, and sincere about where their fashion is made

FAITH noun To keep the faith, a strong belief that socially conscious clothing is possible

As part of our MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN series we bring you Frank & Faith... Based in Dorset the company is committed to using organic, recycled, or sustainable yarns and fabrics and preserving the textile manufacturing heritage of our fair isle.

This season we've selected a range of knitwear made from 100% bamboo. This eco fibre has a smooth silky handle ideal for the beautifully draped styles designed by Frank & Faith. From our point of view this is an ideal range: modern, ethically made, environmentally sound, and well priced. To see the collection visit us in store or view on line...

http://www.potassiumstore.co.uk/b-frank-and-faith.shtml

celebrate 25 years of london fashion week

2009-09-23T10:59:00.004+01:00

celebrate 25 years of london fashion week with 25% off regular priced clothing and accessories in store and on line until 27/9/09...

great collections from Original Penguin by Munsingwear, Kuyichi, Matt & Nat, ToBeTupi, Bitte Kai Rand, Frank & Faith, Credau, PDE, E&KO, Jaya Accessorize and Block...

organic fortnight 5-20 september 2009...

2009-09-09T11:57:00.005+01:00

The World Health Organisation attributes 20,000 deaths and 3,000,000 chronic health problems each year to the use of agricultural pestcides in developing countries. Much of this is attributed to cotton production.

As more and more pesticides are used the fertility of the soil is compromised encouraging farmers to use more chemical fertilisers which in many cases forces them into debt.

Once harvested cotton goes through a series of processes including washing, bleaching, dyeing and printing to make a tee shirt or pair of jeans. At least 8,000 chemicals are used which are classified as "hazardous" by WHO.

The California Cotton Ginners & Growers Association estimates that one pair of jeans requires 987 gallons of water in production.

Startling information and this has not even addressed the ethics of cotton production and garment manufacture.

At least you have an alternative...organic cotton.

Our organic cotton tee-shirts are certified organic cotton which ensures a sustainable and profitable life for our producers. Reduced pesticides, azo-free dyes, waste water management all ensure the t-shirts are safer for you and better for our environment. And if that's not enough, our Potassium tee was awarded best t-shirt in 101 Things To Buy Before You Die in both the UK and USA editions beating some of the bigger brand names out there.

To celebrate Organic Forthnight, until 20/9/09 the Potassium Organic Cotton Tee is £7.99(regular £12.95) and all Kuyichi Organic Cotton Denim has 20% off. Offer is available in store and on line...potassium organic cotton men’s and women’s tees.

Potassium my favourite shop for men

2009-07-15T11:32:00.002+01:00

Snuggily wedged between Oxford street and Edgware road Potassium has got be the easiest to shop menswear destination around. Not only that but the owner who is pretty chilled out and cool Karim is seriously helpful with sizes and styles... He has the best range of Kuyichi jeans for men in London and has his own great tees in the most luxury ethical cotton for £12 pounds a pop
fab fit even for those with even the littlest hint of pecs!!

MADE IN GREAT BRITIAN: CREDAU

2009-06-17T14:24:00.003+01:00

Potassium is pleased to announce the launch of Credau, a unique men’s wear line made in Great Britain with a touch of French panache.

Credau is not just a label; it's a style motto, with a responsible and skilful approach to product. Standing against the throwaway culture, we focus on the long-term and embrace the idea of 'new decency.’ We believe in integrity and longevity through quality work and recycling.

Blending Gallic elegance with a Saxon spirit, the collection is stylish and timeless. Our designs explore the new possibility of casual tailoring with a dedication to fine, functional details.
Opting out of mainstream, we make inspirational clothes dyed in a unique and expressive palette of muted darks and brights. We combine clean high-tech digital printing with rough traditional garment dyeing. The colours will age and fade and grow a unique character over the years. It's our freestyle approach, a touch of raw on engineered designs and computerised prints.

Created by French designer Aude Lesur, Credau is an east London based label with manufacturing in the historic textile area of London. Colour dyes are mastered by London based professional dyers ensuring all products are garment dyed with unique colour recipes that are safe on the environment. Only 100% cotton is used for the main body of the garments and fastenings are metal rather then plastic, with occasional silk trims for cuff linings or hanging loops. Credau believes in minimising carbon footprint by sourcing fabrics from West Yorkshire, and digitally printing in Wales. Digital printing uses 50% less water then traditional screen printing. Care labels are woven in Pembrokeshire to continue the support of traditional British manufacturing. Paper packaging and even office supplies are sourced from recycled materials and poly bags to protect garments in transit are biodegradable.

Credau is available in store and on line now with prices ranging from £26 for an appliqué tee-shirt to £164 for a tailored jacket.

Credau was recently worn by eco-artist Jude Smith of The Phoenix Rose along with other items from Potassium.

Credau is part of Potassium’s autumn winter 2009 focus “MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN.” Other labels being launched shortly include Julia Smith and Frank & Faith women’s wear.

it's been a while...

2009-06-01T12:55:00.008+01:00

I guess it's been quite a while since the last update. Since then it seems that lots and lots of weird and wonderful stuff has happened.

Today we appear to be living in a very different world to that of 12 months ago. The phrase "credit crunch" entered the zeitgeist of the noughties and adjectives like "merchant banker" fell in to the realm of expletives. House prices fell as did interest rates, unemployment rose, and the Great British Pound suffered a severe knocking. For the latter I only quite realised during a trip to France for a couple of friends' wedding when suddenly a packet of ciggies became expensive. This has prompted me to cut down on my 40 a day habit and wear patches - cheaper and better for my lungs. Bonus!

As yet it feels like the dust has not completely settled. It seems no-one wants to spend or rather no-one should be seen to be spending. Everyone has suddenly become quite frugal switching pints or even pubs because they are cheaper. I myself have been buying the "value" ranges at my local Morrison's because suddenly it's not that the quality is really any different but the excessive beautiful, often non-recyclable packaging, is no longer enough to make me spend sometimes double that of the "value" range. Dining in is the new dining out, and 3 for £10 offers on quite quaffable wine has replaced the 3 bottles of wine at the bar philosophy.

Is this all a bad thing though? From a business point of view don't get me wrong it is. Business is tougher then I have ever known in my 20 years in retail. But I'm hoping that there will still be a few things that will encourage people to come in and spend in the store, thereby helping me pay my mortgage and the mountain of debt involved with any small business.

The first is of course product. Ranges by Original Penguin, Kuyichi, and Matt & Nat continue to push the creative envelope. The ethics and materials employed by these labels speak to a longevity in terms of design and lifespan. They replace the disposable attitude we were encouraged to adopt in the nineties and noughties, and replace this with long-lasting quality at a fair price. A price that covers the rent rates and expenses of retail, wholesale and manufacturing operations. The global shift in the attitude to credit means we are more likely to spend only what we have in our wallets and purses and to spend wisely on investment pieces.

The second is "service." I hope that everyone who visits the store or buys on-line enjoys their time with us and leaves feeling appreciated. Last month we opened our website to international business and have since shipped to Greece, France, Austria, Canada, Austrailia and the US. We aim to dispatch orders the day that we receive them and quite often people notice that the store shuts for 5 minutes just before 3pm when I run to the postbox to make sure as many as possible deliveries get there the next day within the UK. In store, there is no pressure to buy. If something really does not look good I promise I will tell you. I would rather that you left happy with what you bought rather than unsure. Somewhere I'm doing something right because a number of you return, and frequently, often bringing friends in too. It's important in this day to spread the word, it's a way for small independent businesses to survive.

Thirdly, price is of major importance not just to our shoppers but to us too. We look at products and price them based on what we as consumers would pay for them, not just standard margins to make the accountant happy. We keep our overheads to a minimum, cost-cutting wherever we can on our expenses so that the savings can be passed on to you. Sounds like a a big corporate speaking - the difference here is that we are not screwing the manufacturer or wholesaler on price, because our relationship with them is one of trust. On a recent "recky" I noticed that prices in some of the larger department stores are as much as 12% higher then the same item in our store, which just goes to show it's always worth while supporting your local independent store.

Forth is location or position. Three and half years ago we committed to a quiet little back street in London's West End. The appeal was the "vision" of The Portman Estate to refurbish and regenerate an area christened "Portman Village." Some time later the work is almost complete, well at least the major projects. The street caters, literally, for those wanting French, Lebanese, Iraqi, Austrian, or Mauritian foods, serving ales from a small brewery and some big name boys. From the street you can fly around the world, get groomed before you go, resolve any tax and accounting issues, and even redecorate your home. With the pop-up art galleries you can adorn your walls with unique inspired pieces and at Potassium you can clothe and accessorise you and your home with modern men's and women's ranges, all with an Eco or ethical flavour. What all of the small businesses here need though is your continued support. Like us they have great product, fantastic service, and offer real value for money. Perhaps this is a different time, but the interesting thing is that we really have gone back to values that once upon a time made us a nation of shopkeepers and shoppers.

the free art fair 2008

2008-09-06T13:25:00.002+01:00

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

2008-09-06T13:22:00.001+01:00

"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

2008-09-06T13:21:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-06T13:19:00.000+01:00

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

2008-09-06T13:17:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-06T13:14:00.001+01:00

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

meringues on the shoulders...stylebubble.com

2008-03-18T12:43:00.001Z

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 Permalink

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

2008-03-06T13:30:00.006Z

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

call for submissions City Showcase Music & Fashion Festival

2008-02-25T12:53:00.002Z

"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

think pink...

2008-02-09T11:28:00.000Z

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...

style conscious...

2008-01-09T14:35:00.000Z

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...

caution! falling prices...

2008-01-03T13:56:00.000Z

FALLING PRICES!

UP TO 70% OFF SELECTED LINES

STARTS EPIPHANY

IN STORE & ON LINE

http://www.potassiumstore.co.uk

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

the only shop in the portman village...

2007-12-04T11:54:00.000Z

apparently one of Daffyd's best kept secrets is the Portman Village Christmas Shop.

Situated at 14 New Quebec Street, London W1, the Portman Village Christmas Shop is an emporium of fantastic gifts from La Masseria, The Ritual Rooms and of course Potassium.

Sumptuous hampers filled with the finest foods from Italy, exquisite body care from Paris, and the chicest decorations to deck your halls this season. An amalgamation of the best of the best in the village!

Opens Wednesday 5 December 2007 to Sunday 23 December 2007. Daily 11:00 am to late.

Sorry Daffyd, we may have just outed you!

love to you on your journey...

2007-12-04T11:49:00.000Z

inspired by the oceans and her creatures, these oracle cards are embedded with affirmations and advice to improve your personal and environmental health. using colour therapy original artwork influenced by celtic heritage, the mercarina oracle cards appeal to your mind body and spirit. designed and printed on recycled papers with toxic-free inks, in britain, the cards combine the work of celebrity holistic beauty therapist carina coen and artist and designer isabelle bricknall.

potassium will be launching the mercarina oracle cards on friday 14 december 2007 from 18:00 to 20:00 at potassium marble arch. RSVP at vip@potassiumstore.co.uk

carina coen will be offering complimentary oracle card readings in the evening, alongside an exhibition of original artwork by isabelle bricknall.

each pack of 33 cards including the fabric compass rose map are gift packaged priced at £23.99. a donation from the sale of each pack will be made to http://www.marineconnection.org/

pure desire...

2007-11-01T09:34:00.000Z

PURE DESIRE

Casal de Rey rings have been sighted, and sought after, in Paris, Milan and Ibiza but their launch in the UK by ToBeTupi is the first time a specially designed and branded collection has hit the European market.

ToBeTupi is launching an exclusive collection of rings in the UK. Created by renowned Brazilian fashion designer Roberto Casal de Rey each ring has a unique style and personality.
Casal de Rey rings represent a fusion of eco-chic with top quality modern design. Inspired by a ‘salvage ethos’ Roberto collects buttons, beads, pearls, steel wire and semi-precious stones and transforms them into shining objects of desire. To see a collection of Casal de Rey rings is like stepping into an attic where each abandoned item has been turned into a jewel.

Well-known to Brazilian actors Roberto spent several years creating and selling clothes and accessories for the cast of soap operas and various other programmes produced by TV Globo, Latin America’s largest television channel. He also honed his talents by designing carnival sets, a role which allowed him to be both creator and interpreter of modern Brazilian culture.
Casal de Rey’s Preview Collection for Spring-Summer 2008 is available at Potassium http://www.potassiumstore.co.uk/

Casal de Rey rings represent individual vision in a world of the mass-produced. Innovative use of materials often rejected as ‘scrap’ give each ring a complexity which speaks to customers on a personal level. Faced with an intricate, woven topknot of multi-coloured stones and beads do you see the neon lights of Rio or the iridescent shell of a rainforest beetle? Visit Potassium and decide for yourself but be warned – to see is to desire. Brigitte Istim

Pure Envy Launch Event
Wednesday, 21 Nov, 6-8pm
Potassium
2 Seymour Place
Marble Arch
London, W1H 7NA
Tel.: 020 7723 7800

http://www.potassiumstore.co.uk/

RSVP: vip@potassiumstore.co.uk

Play list: Arnaldo Baptista’s solo work (former leader of Os Mutantes) +
20 minutes of the best 1980’s Brazilian rock & pop & punk +
Cool Brazilian music
Selection by Sonia Maia – ToBeTupi’s founder.

For more information about Casal de Rey Rings and ToBeTupi, please contact Sonia Maia at:
Tel.: 07910 550 173
tobetupi@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.tobetupi.com/
Images available by request

For more information about Potassium
Karim Ladak
079 7727 0755

END

new.est press release...

2007-10-20T13:02:00.000+01:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
London, October 2007

An elegant wall-mounted cocktail bar forms part of a showcase of compact “apartment furniture” to be featured at central London concept store Potassium next month. Sitting on the wall with a fascia of sculptural steel curves, the Wall Bar is part of the New.Est collection by London-based designer Leonhard Pfeifer.

Known for coming up with “big ideas for small spaces” Pfeifer has integrated innovative storage methods with functional designs to ensure that each piece in the collection is well suited for everyday compact living. This attention to detail is matched by the manufacture, combining organic waves of metal that contrast against the warmth of the timber.

The Wall Bar draws on these elements to create stunning wall-mounted art that conceals a storage space perfectly sized for bottles and glassware, as the bar-lid folds forward to create a serving shelf. An essential piece for dinner parties and entertaining, the Wall Bar is complimentary to the Wall Table and provides an ideal solution for small living spaces.

Suited to a modern lifestyle, the New.Est collection was inspired by the natural landscape of Pfeifer’s homeland of New Zealand. The range includes an occasional table that also stores on the wall; as well as a coffee table with a hidden storage compartment.

The entire New.Est collection is on display at the Potassium flagship store, Marble Arch. A VIP reception will be held on Wednesday 7 November, from 6pm until 8pm. Please contact Karim at Potassium to confirm attendance - karim@potassiumstore.co.uk

Potassium Store, 2 Seymour Place, London, W1H 7NA, Tel. +44 (0) 20 7723 7800
www.potassiumstore.co.uk

For more information, images or samples of the New.Est collection, please contact Karla Thompson on +44 (0) 7904 196 327 or karla@leonhardpfeifer.com. The range can also be viewed at www.newestfurniture.com
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101 things to buy before you die...

2007-10-16T11:38:00.000+01:00

“Potassium organic cotton t-shirt: the classic t-shirt wins our seal of approval for several reasons: its simple wearable shape is neither too boxy nor too tight. It’s made from organic cotton that helps reduce the need for insecticides (harmful to both humans and the environment); and it is available in almost any shade you can dream of from cornflower blue to fire engine red as well as classic black and white.” 101 things to buy before you die. October 2007.

The potassium organic cotton t-shirt is available in limited quantities for men and women in store and on-line...

the mermaid, the devil & the poet...

2007-10-05T11:49:00.000+01:00

After a few weeks of hard work, Isabelle and Gary got to work. The result? "Best shop on the block..."

potassium free art fair

2007-09-28T11:06:00.000+01:00

As part of our think global act local philosophy, Potassium will be exhibiting a selection of works by Isabelle Bricknall and Gary Porter from 8th to 14th October as part of the Free Art Fair on Seymour Place. To close the exhibition, Aidan Andrew Dun will perform from his epic poem “Vale Royal”

The Free Art Fair is an art fair where work is given away at the end. People will have the chance to own a piece of art by artists from the Saatchi Collection or who have exhibited at the Tate. For once instead of art going to the highest bidder or those who can afford it, someone who really loves an artwork will be able to have it for free.

"I thought we should do something different from what everyone else is doing at this time of year and non-commercial, and something that excites people and values art not selling. This gives anyone the chance to own a serious piece of art." (Jasper Joffe, founder The Free Art Fair)

ISABELLE BRICKNALL is an artist, designer and adventurer in the arts. With an MA in Fashion & Textiles she had a prolific career in Haute Couture. Bringing together performance, costume, photography, mixed media and digital, she fearlessly dives into the visionary deep. Living a luridly colourful life on her voyage to creating the piece being shown. “The skulduggery, ducking and diving into the deep waters of London’s nightlife, meeting the divine creatures who inspired me to work this way. I thank every one of them; the good, the bad and the ugly! Or as an art angel Andy Warhol puts it…its more fun to be with people who are doing things…”

GARY PORTER was born in Zambia of Northern Irish, Protestant parents and grew up in South Africa in the last decades of apartheid. He studied art at Ruth Prowse in Cape Town before settling in London, 21 yrs ago. He found creative success through, what he refers to, as “disposable art for the street” – window displays; founding Elemental Design, the London based, visual communications & retail design company. His work is vividly coloured with conflict, duality, repression, self-reproach, and ultimately, healing. Gary is exhibiting “Lucifer’s Limousine”, a self -portrait.

AIDAN ANDREW DUN grew up in the West Indies, returning to London as a teenager before travelling around the world for more than a decade. His first epic poem Vale Royal, (Goldmark, 1995) was launched at the Royal Albert Hall, and led to him being dubbed as the 'voice of King's Cross'

Isabelle and Gary will be in attendance at the opening on Monday 8th October 2007 from 18:00 to 20:00. The closing event will feature Aidan Andrew Dun reading from his epic “Vale Royal” at 16:00 followed by the art give away at 18:00.

For full details on the Free Art Fair see http://www.freeartfair.com/
For further information on Isabelle, Gary, Aidan or Potassium, please e-mail karim@potassiumstore.co.uk

End

new.est...

2007-09-24T11:47:00.000+01:00

we like bringing the new to you and we're quite excited about New.Est a collaboration by London based New Zealander Leonhard Pfeifer and Woodman of Estonia. Hence the name "New.Est"

this new range of furniture in either urban walnut or comfortable oak is designed with functionality and space saving in mind. not forgetting that the woods are from sustainable sources and the solvents used to bind the mdf carcasses have a reduced toxicity level, not quie toxin free, but very close. we're also working to eliminate the toxins completely using a 100% eco-friendly bonding.

the mini-bar in particular has been a favourite amongst our clients but now that a larger selection of show-room models in on display, we're sure the other pieces in the range will prove just as popular.

leonhard will be appreaing at an instore event on 7/11/07 at the store. to receive your invite e-mail us to be included on our "dosage instructions" newsletter.

fashion, furniture and a whole lotta art...

2007-09-21T16:10:00.000+01:00

Trust me there are times I don't like September. It all starts with a round of trade shows that culminate in a mountain of paperwork that ensures that all the new lovely things for spring summer are booked.

Next comes fashion week where the press fall over themselves to photograph, capture and inform us all as to what we will look like next year - they do a great job and they help reinforce some of the decisions we've already made.

At the same time the London Design Festival kicks in and I spend at least 1/2 an hour feeling like I just don't know where to start after flicking through the guide, there's just so much to see; 100% Design, Tent, Designer's Block and a multitude of happenings around this great city.

And then just when you thought you could afford a day off the art-pack start getting ready for the annual art fest; frieze.

Last year apparantly art sales at Frieze totalled £23M. That's M for million by the way. Not bad for a Sunday afternoon in the park with George and friends. Dealers and Art Dealers as well as many an art enthusiast travel to London to converge for one of the most important dates in the art world calender.

What's struck a cord with is though is a new show http://www.freeartfair.com/ not just because it gives away the art free (yes you read correctly) at the end of the week long show, but that it happens to be happening in our manor.

From 8-14 October 2007 5, 8 and 21 Seymour Place will exhibit art by artists who have previously shown at the Saatchi and Tate galleries. On the Sunday prepare to queue from 6pm and request the piece of art you like the most. More details are on the Free Art Fair website.

At Potassium we like a bit of culture too. This week our window change is an homage to Denis Bowen. Probably not the most recognisable name in art but Denis was responsible for launching the New Vision gallery which happened to be next door to us at 4 Seymour Place. Sadly Denis died last year but we hope that our window makes sure that his vision continues during this key time. For more information on Bowen and the New Vision Gallery see www.denisbowen.com

Our next window will coincide with the launch of the Free Art Fair on Seymour Place and will feature work by Isabelle Bricknall and Gary Porter.

We'll be hosting an event on Monday 8 October 2007 from 18:00 to 20:00 with the artists at the store and invite you to visit us and the other spaces on Seymour Place showing art.

new store new site...

2007-09-07T18:57:00.000+01:00

So the seasons are changing and this time London seems to be getting warmer rather then cooler. Sure there may be a global warming issue here but I have to say that this is probably the first full week I've been able to wear my shorts and not freeze...

At Potassium, we've given our store and our website a bit of a makeover going back to our roots of simple modern ethical design. Matt and Nat bags are literally flying off the shelves as is our new men's wear line Rand jeans; little brother of Bitte Kai Rand, this ethically produced line combines the style of the Danes with exceptional detailing and beautiful fabrics. This is a line for the confident discerning man so if you're still trapped by fire or like to imitate a large black puma don't even bother.

Our furniture has come again to the foreground and we're looking forward to layering on the New.Est collection by Leonhard Pheifer which introduces urban London scale lifestyle in to the mix. (If you want a sneak preview go to the furniture section on our website and have a snoop around) Coupled with the sleeker look in store which some (mainly me) would say reminds us of when the store opened in December 2005, means that for the first time in a while you can actually see all the product. Of course I had help from Simon and Izzy, but trust me our work is not done and whilst the store looks phenomenal now (and that's what some of your have said) we're pushing the boat out and want to shock and surprise throughout the season. How would I best describe it? It's a work of art constantly evolving.

We made friends recently with some rather nice chaps in Worcester. Despite having been affected by the summer flooding in England, Chris, John and Simon managed to deal with getting our website up and running in a couple of days. Don't worry though we were gentle and I hear that Chris still had time for the llama's, John got to strum his guitar at a festival or two and Simon had a star date...

The result of the Potassium/Phase 8 collaboration is pretty impressive from what we've heard, and the website has been nominated for an award. Tell us what you think. Take a look at http://www.potassiumstore.co.uk/ and let us know.

season finale: the serpentine gallery, a new website, and our seasonal clearance...

2007-08-19T14:53:00.000+01:00

Well here we are week 2 in the new world. A few interesting things happened last week. Apart from new products coming into the store, our new website went live with around 300 products from the current collection on line. Over the next few weeks more and more will be added so keep checking www.potassiumstore.co.uk

Also as part of our "THINK GLOBAL ACT LOCAL" philosophy, we are linking up with the Serpentine Gallery to partner on a new art initiative, focused on our local area. Art celebrating the rich history and diversity of the neighbourhood is something we are quite excited about. If you would like to participate, please contact us. The project is in the initial stages so this is a great time to influence and shape the projects evolution.

So the Season Final sale got off to a fine start on Thursday. Come 19:00 on the first day we were feeling a little parched and so KGB kicked in with customers shopping until 22:00

green is the colour of money...

2007-08-13T14:46:00.000+01:00

but not if you're from Sri Lanka, India or Bangladesh and you work for the Arcadia Group. So Sir Philip Green has been rumbled. This time it's not for his services to the British Empire or is it? Apparently an article in The Sunday Times (it is the Sunday papers you know!) on 12/8/07 reported that migrant workers in South Asia are being duped by agencies employed by Green's Arcadia Group with the promise of better wages for working in Mauritian factories. The report found that "better wages" amounted to less then £5.00 for a 12 hour work day 40% less than the average local wage. Of course Green (with envy) has vowed to investigate claims immediately.

This is not the first time Arcadia or any other major High Street brand has come under fire for unfair pay and conditions. But what can we really do about it and how can we create change? Time Out listed Potassium as one of the 10 most ethical retailers in an article in April 2007 and in the Time Out Shopping Guide commented on us "standing out" for our commitment to environmental and ethical sourcing.

Trust me this is not easy, particularly if you're a 20 month old business. In my previous life my corporate employers worked as much as they could to ensure that a fair price was paid for product and that working conditions were regulated. Having travelled to a few factories in my time, I was able to see first hand what my employers' endeavours tried to accomplish. Factory reports were filed, boxes checked, and random QC inspections undertaken. What it all boiled down to at the end however was the price and ultimately the margin after all that's what made the company work and ensured my pay check came regularly.

Now I'm in a different position completely. I haven't had a pay check since March 2005, but I am still committed to working fairly with our "partners." I always pay our invoices on time particularly where the vendor is an individual or new designer/business. I ask vendors for their policy on ethical and environmental sourcing (it's amazing how many people stumble in the first sentence on this one - which is always a sign) and I have been known to challenge a vendor or two on their pricing looking at it purely from the point of view of the customer - sure there's luxury but there's also blatant theft.

And the sustainable issue is an interesting one too. "Let's create a sustainable Eco-friendly, green, low carbon emission, recycled, thing!" So was the cry of many last year once they realised that green really is the colour of money. Strange though that when you really look at a "green" product it's quite often only partly so. Potassium has done limited product development but I am proud that our organic cotton tee-shirts are soil association certified, and that our soy candles are in a recyclable tin that arrive by sea not plane, and are made by an organisation that promotes a return to work for physically/mentally challenged individuals.

So what do you make of the whole Eco/fair trade vibe that's in the market. Are you prepared to pay a premium for product that is ethically and environmentally sourced, and which of the two are most important to you? Do you trust the High Street to deliver the goods in the right way and is green really the colour of money?

virtual retail therapy...

2007-08-13T13:03:00.000+01:00

so during this rather quiet time in w1 what have I been doing? well after a number of requests I've decided to change our magazine led website in to a good old fashioned shop. you can view the work in progress at www.potassiumstore.co.uk but please note that it's not quite "live" yet. thanks to all the friends and family who took a look and offered suggestions. if you'd like to comment please feel free to let me know your thoughts.

New product has started flowing through for the autumn winter season now, which we're calling at Potassium "Yoshiwara" The season is inspired by Japan but in our tradition we're giving it a modern twist. Yoshiwara an old suburb of Edo was know as the "pleasure city" which as we get closer to Christmas you'll see even more of at the store.

In the meantime I'm hoping our Season Finale sale which starts on 16/8/07 will clear the decks for our store transformation at the end of the month.

The new brand launch for the season is Rand Jeans. The little brother of Bitte Kai Rand, Rand Jeans uses the same luxury materials and fine detail associated with this Danish fashion institution. Jeans with Danish style sit alongside chunky cable knit jumpers and cardigans in a blend of alpaca and merino. As well as brilliant black (yes it's back and did it ever really ever go away?) the blue I'm calling Japanese Blue as well as great cowboy cut shirts in the softest cotton ever.

Well talk about flow, literally just arrived and out on the floor and selling already is the new range from Matt & Nat. I'm very excited about the new fabric they call Japanese Paper. This fabric that ages with time comes in a gloss finish in plum, blueberry, or coffee in two styles; Interpol and Vicious. These you have to see...

welcome to potassium

2007-08-13T12:47:00.000+01:00

welcome to potassium...

OK so we could run you through all that we do but the fact that you've found this blog probably means that you've already come across us some where some time some how. If not check out http://www.potassiumstore.co.uk/

I decided to succumb and start writing because a number of friends have told me that I should and then another friend Crimson Girl (see http://www.crimsonclothes.com/) who has a fab shop in W2 showed me how to do it. So here I am ready to share with you all the elements that help me live.