Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!We want to Thank you for all your support over 2011, and can't wait to see you all in the new store early next year!
So this is Christmas, and what have we done? For the Renegades, this year has been quite a year indeed! If moving to a new flagship store wasn't enough, we have been working hard on finding a range of new labels to introduce to you. One of the most exciting new designers we have have come across (and yes we have the collection exclusively in Manchester) is Stine Ladefoged knitwear. Check out our previous post for a full introduction to this label.
Another label we are still really excited about, is HEMYCA - an emerging luxury British Design Label comprising beautiful garments whose heart is ethical and whose pulse is exquisite skilled tailoring. Having first spotted them on the catwalks at London fashion week in 2008, we snapped them up for Renegade Marmalade and have stocked them ever since. It's been wonderful getting to know Myra, Helen the girls behind Hemyca - theirs is a way of working that we really admire and we've taken every opportunity to see how the creations take shape. We hope you'll have a look behind the label a little bit and see exactly what goes in to each piece.
On our adventures this year we've had one eye on beautiful things with which to furnish our new Manchester store. It was during a visit to New York we found inspiration in fine art. Lori Earley is a contemporary surrealist artist - a leading female contemporary master painter. With her signature femme fatale portraits, she is a girl after our own hearts. We just love her work and cant wait to hang one of her pieces in our new store.
Keeping fixtures and fittings in mind, we found ourselves on the search for all things dark and beautiful, in keeping with our collections. We wanted something stunning visually which allows you to immerse yourself in the experience that is Renegade Marmalade. We absolutely fell in love with this beautiful Gothic mirror; with its traditional arched top - something about this mirror gave us a chill that both intrigued and excited us. Now we're just thinking of places where we can put it.
We always have our ears to the ground when it comes to discovering pioneers in fashion, however we had to make an exception when we kept coming across the name 'Aesop' during our travels. So when we were in London last week, we went to see Aesop skin care products for ourselves. We have tried, tested and put our Renegade Marmalade stamp of approval to these products, so much so that we are considering bringing the Aesop range to our Manchester store! Made using the finest plant-based ingredients and non-botanical elements such as anti-oxidants. All ingredients are carefully selected for the benefits they bring to your skin or for their ability to improve the performance of the product.
Another thing we must mention. Its fair to say we have been and seen most of Europe whilst visiting shows. These visits rarely go without a dabble into the local nightlife. However one of our favourite haunts this year is a little closer to home - Sketch is a destination place, for food, art and music over two expansive floors in a converted 18th century building, which creates a labyrinth of fun! So next time you find yourself in London with a night out on the cards, head to Sketch and watch out for the infamous cocoon toilets (as pictured) in a white wash room with 1940's style maids waiting on!
2011 a year of highs but also lows, February saw the loss of the great Alexander McQueen and we at Renegade Marmalade mourned the loss of a fashion god. In May this year The Costume Institute exhibited and celebrated the late Alexander McQueen’s extraordinary contributions to fashion. With that, a book entitled 'Savage Beauty' was created, which depicts some of McQueen's best work, along with personal commentary by the man himself.
Not wanting to end this post with sadness, we thought we'd mention our new jewellery collection, available in the new year. We found the Bjorg jewellery label while visiting Tranoi during Paris Fashion Week. Theirs is an unpredictable aesthetic - seeking always to find the beauty of imperfection; balancing the fine and the raw. We love the idea that every piece is tells a story in its own right, but is also part of a bigger adventure. The Bjorg collection, along with all new collections will be premiered at the opening of the new Manchester store early next year.
