Colour & Pattern By Stephanie Oliver

I was both intrigued and inspired by 'Tangled Yarns', a solo exhibition by East London-based artist Alke Schmidt. Currently on display at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, the series of paintings are layered over traditional textiles to a striking effect.

http://www.wmgallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions-43/alke-schmidt

October 31st this year was a diverse combination of activity. Thrown into a state of seasonal confusion by the 24 degrees temperature, I spent the morning sitting in Trafalgar Square before going to Stylist magazine's exhibition 'Supermodels and Suffragettes'. Coinciding with the publication's 5th birthday, The Strand Gallery venue provided a neutral backdrop to display of some of the most innovative covers featured since the magazine's inception. Completely free (like the magazine) and with a complimentary giant programme and Lena Dunham-themed badges, this was one of the most well-curated and informative exhibitions I've ever been to. Unfortunately it closed today, so for anyone who didn't get to visit here's a few photos:

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Earlier this week I visited Fashion SVP, an annual trade show at Kensington Olympia, where The Sustainable Angle showcased a selection of innovative and sustainable fabrics from their global database of environmentally conscious production companies. On the stand, fabric samples are available to feel and study (including the particularly soft and spongy 'mushroom leather', a material still being refined), with some greatly detailed explanations of the processes used throughout the supply chain, and the contact details and history of the companies. I also attended a couple of seminars put on by the organisation, and would highly recommend anyone interested in the future of textiles to go to this event next year, and visit the website http://www.thesustainableangle.org/ in the meantime.