IT'S SHOWTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

images: alex cornes: http://www.acornphotos.co.uk
Oh jeeeeeez...once again, here do I start.....so many months of work then finally the unleashment all squeezed into one tiny blog.....well...I'll warn you now...it's unlikely to be a short one....
So...my show opened with an extra special performance of "How Much is that Doggy in the Window?" by my all time favourite performance artist SCOTTEE...I actually love him. Dressed in a dapper dog suit accompanied by the wonderful Jordan on his violin...the crowd was treated to this rendition before the beaut of a track especially produced by WARBOY kicked in......
oK...now to the make-up..which is one of my favourite bits!
.
images Thom Will: www.megamegamega.com
This season saw a romantic and whimsical twist to the make-up with oil painted complexions and delicate dolly features trimmed with a couple of select "Prince Lancelot" inspired glittered jousting masks. Make-up creative direction goes to the amazing Rachel Wood using Benefit and her great team of artists from AOFM!

Next up is the amazing locks... Charlie Le Mindu was creative director of the hair for my AW09 showcase seeing beautiful, chunky Rapunzel inspired plaits and princess like fluffy crimps....oooh bravo....I LOVED the hair!!!!!!!!!

images: alex cornes-http://www.acornphotos.co.uk

All about accessories......
We were honoured to have incredible footwear from Terry De Havilland gracing the catwalk....the shoes were awesome and a perfect combo for this collection....I fell in love with each and every pair!!! (big thanks to Terry and Eskimo PR!)

Our hosiery was sponsored by a totally divine Texas, USA based brand called "Celeste Stein"...I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE fan so was over the moon when they hopped on board!!! They are truly something else...the most amazing tights I have EVER encountered in my whole entire life!!!




WOOOOFF WOOOFFF!!!!
It was a huge privilege to also work with the super talented Finch who created the magical accessories!!! check out www.finch-uk.com....this guy rockssss!!!!


photo:billa-billabaldwin.com
Ok....so before I launch in with a million credits and before I let the show pics roll....I want to say an extra BIG special thanks to the amazing superstar stylist Alexis Knox....who worked incredibly hard alongside me as Creative Director of the show....She is a super hero.....ETERNAL THANKSSS PUFFY!!!!! (can I just explain the puffy thing right now....or it just sounds weird and scares all the hot boys away....to cut a long story short...our old housemate rocked in one day and called us both puffycakes...in a french accent...it was amazing....and we laughed...a LOT. 'Nuff said...innit?!?!?!?)
Anywayzzz....
Get your chops around the show picssssssss!!!!!!!



photos:billa- billabaldwin.com


photos: alex cornes-www.acornphotos.co.uk

And there you have it...
Now...I have endless THANKS to say to all of those people involved and who made everything possible!
MAJOR THANKS to Alexis Knox!!!
Rosie Llewelyn, Emma Box, Catherine Mudford,Richard Bell (my special little brother who helped with the perspex stuff!!!)Hayley Griffith, Alana Cobb, Richard Kellett for his amazing painting talents,Alan and Linda Bell, Scottee, Jordan,Jim Warboy, Ollie Hastings, Naida, Nikki Rodgers, Maartje, Michelle, Klaudia, Cyn, Liam Gleeson, The Notion Arts Foundation, David at "Outsider Tart", Selina@ mytights.com, Martyn John and the team at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Rachel Wood, Charlie Le Mindu, Gina Davison, Jodie Harsh,Jonathan Lipman Ltd, Sam and Amanda Marchant, Finch, Softlips, Rubicon, Vagabond...gosh...I really hope I've remembered everyone!!eeek really sorry If I've slipped up on someone!

And I think that's it!
Love and Showtime!
Emma xxxx

"I'm Saving the Dogs"...EMMA BELL AW09

image:www.animalearthhuman.org

oooh where to start.....where to start....
So, this week saw me unveil my brand new collection for AW09 titled "I'm Saving the Dogs".....
As I'm sure you can imagine the past couple of weeks have been absolute mayhem and there is many a tale to tell....from me almost taking out half of Kingsland Road with a ball of wool and my favourite mug....to my eyes turning grey....tra la la....
but I'm going to start with letting you in on the concept behind my new collection......
"Following a magical adventure around South East Asia Emma Bell came back with a backpack bursting with
painted folk masks, local handicraft skills under her belt and a tattered copy of Lord Tennyson’s poems.
Emma’s AW09 collection sees a plethora of inspirations deriving from the Medieval realms of Camelot,
the romantic tragedy of Ophelia, the utilitarian value of Chinese communist military wear, and the brutal
realisation of cruelty to dogs in East Asian cultures.
AW09 uses block printing and bold knitwear pattern formation influenced by traditional batik techniques.
Woollen embroidery embellishment, hand painted fabrics of illustrated, urinating canines, freehand quilting
and pixellated intarsia. Using a colour palette of brights, neon pastels and her signature metallics.
Constructions of Perspex shapes, printed jerseys and quilted PVC’s."
So there you go.....!
It has been amazing being able to learn new techniques and I have really enjoyed creating this new collection with all of my heart!
My recent trips to Asia over the past year have really inspired my work...and i really wanted to express a more in depth insight in my personal values on such issues. During a trip to China last year I witnessed in the space of one day seeing about 15 dogs crammed into one cage in one of the most traumatic markets I have ever visited in my life....(but to get to the sparkly buttons I had to plough through it...) later that day I saw a dog killed by bashing it's head against a wall in the street...and the pinnacle of the day saw me sitting at the same table as a girl tucking into a banquet of dog....this all got me thinking having been a vegetarian for ethical reasons for 20 years...and my thoughts were re-affirmed on this during my most recent trip to Asia. Whilst I appreciate that poverty in such countries leaves little option to what they whack in a pan...at the same time animal cruelty is something that I can never endorse.
I paid homage to the dogs in the form of beautiful headpieces constructed by the amazing Finch as well as incredible acrobatic pissing dogs painted into the fabric.
Another inspiration derived from the utilitarian value of Communist military clothing in China. People buy ex military garments opposed to new as a result of the local economy and also because the clothes are well made and durable. This idea pushed me to look at shape and silhouette and allowed elements such as conical outlines and broad rounded shoulders to seep into the collection. Epaulets in the form of beautiful hand painted Vietnamese masks collected on my adventures and mimicked in my signature quited PVC's.
Tennyson remains one of my all time poets ever since reading the tragedy that is the "Lady of Shallot"...I wanted to incorporate a whimsical and romantic twist into my new collection which was translated into the wool embroidered florals, tiny hearts sequined into garments and the robust blanket stitched yarns.
So....I hope that my bit of spiel there gives you a bit of an insight into the ideas behind my collection for AW09.....................
Love and "I am kinda scared of dogs...but lets not be mean to them",
Emma
xxxx

Photographer and Film maker opportunities

hiya

as you know Tuesday 24th February sees my Autumn/ Winter 2009 showcase at London Fashion Week. We currently have a couple of opportunities for photographers and film makers to be part of our amazing team.

if you are interested in this please email Rosie@emma-bell.com please note these spaces are very limited - so get in there quick!

Love and sparkles

Emma

xxx

FASHION WEEK AND BEING A HERMIT!

It's the final countdown....dur dur dur dur...dooodle ooh do do...

(yes...that is the song they used to play at the ice hockey when I was a teenager and had a season ticket for the Newcastle Cobras/Riverkings/Vipers!!!I was obsessed with Shaun Johnson who played number 8....it even went as far as me whipping out some form of Fererro Rocher for Valentines Day...I'm a loser!) FYI:

So yes....you get the idea....2 weeks till fashion week...see above schedule...and NO I HAVE NOT DONE A PEREZ....my photoshop is simply playing up and with my limited time....it's paint or nothing bitches....


I am officially a hermit....I've gone through 16 cans of Relentless this week...had about 2 seconds sleep...but it's awesome and I wouldn't have it any other way.....I'm VERYYYY excited about my AW09 collection....and I have an amazing team and some very special tricks up my sleeve....it's all good....


At the same time...the furthest I have been is a battle between Tescos, the corner shop and the Vietnamese up the road.....oooh BRANCHING OUT.....

On an exciting note....not sleeping and being a hermit has it's perks....as I sit chained to the sewing machine mystical gifts keep appearing.....
so far in the past week or so lovely people have brought me:
an amazingly SICK....and super gay Men in Uniform calender....
Yummy Charbonnel and Walker Pink Champagne Truffles...
TAKE THAT DVD...Yes Please!
Some beautiful white flowers (which are kinda dying now which is sad....:(
a corker of a gingerbread lady in a bikini....
a huge bag of chocolate and licorice from the parents....
errrmmm so yes...i like presents!!!
Aside from that, I would like to give you some juicy gossip...but I don't have any!!!
And with that...there is the explanation of my lack of writing shizzzz and that!!!
So roll on fashion weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkk!!!!!
Love and now Ive made myself want to go and watch ice hockey....
Emma
xxxxxxxx

BUCK MAGAZINE!

hello hello hello hello......
oooh CHEEEKKKY!!!
have a gander at this beaut of a piece that popped up in BUCK magazine....oooh a lovely spread (and no, not of the buffet variety) of what went down at "Emma Bell's Vault for Vauxhall"....nice...very nice!!!i love it!
Love and Bucking broncos......
Emma
xxxx

London Fashion Week!Win tickets!!!!

OOOOOOHHHH IIIIIIIIYYYYAAA!!!!

Ch ch check the vid to see the extravaganza from last season......want to be in with a chance to win GOLDEN tickets to my show later this month at London Fashion Week???

Tuesday 24th February sees my AW09 catwalk showcase....and it's set to be SUPER HOT!!!! There are plenty of juicy tricks up my sleeve for this season....so it's set to be a CORKER!!!It's a strictly invite only event so tickets are a must!!!

I'm giving you dudes a chance to win a pair of tickets.....

Fancy your chances??....then hit up my myspace: www.myspace.com/dollydressup

and go and leave a comment on the blog on there as to WHY you would like to get your mitts on a golden ticket!

What are you waiting for....drop it while it's HOT!

See you there???

Love and Catwalk action,

Emma XXX

OOOH CARNABY STREET ACTION!!!!

oOOOOOH......cheeky!

You can now go and buy a juicy bit of Emma Bell here in London!!! Irregular Choice opened their London flagship store on Carnaby Street a couple of months ago...so you can now rock on down and get your sticky mitts on a piece from my special collaborations with Irregular- "Emma Bell for Irregular Choice" !Get it while it's HOTTTT!!!!

eeeekkk....look...theres some of my beauties hanging on the rail in the London Paper....LOVE that!

Irregular Choice London

39 Carnaby St

London

W1F 7DT

UK
Tel: +44-207 494 4811

Also...FYI.....I have yet ANOTHER new hair colour....it is now a tropical shade of pink AND yellow....kind of looks like a Tequila Sunrise cocktail....courtesy of Mr Le Mindu....I love it...it looks like toy hair!!!

Love and Cocktailios

Emma

xxx

Do The Loco-NOTION......

Evening crumpets....

So....that time of year tells the reason for my lack of gossip and posts.....yes...it is London Fashion Week next month....this season has come round quick...I must be getting old!Time flies when you are having fun!!! So as I sit here covered in paint and gawping at the magical new pieces for my AW09 collection I thought I would squeeze in a little update session and a cup of Chai! After all...it is a Saturday night....as I sit here burning the midnight oil to the sound of a load of drunken hooligans outside.....grrrrrr!

Have a look at a bit of new press....in the latest issue of Notion!!!

Love and I want to be Barbie,

Emma xxxx