The Journey of a Wardrobe and Oliver Clegg

Another genuis feat by Louis Vuitton where art is fused with commerce in such a way that in my opinion embraces the reality that the two cannot exist too long without one another.

In this case, it is The Journey of a Wardrobe series which Louis Vuitton Malletier commisioned Todd Selby to do that is so true to the spirt of travel which is totally Louis Vuitton and also that of adventure and discovery in hidden corners in Paris, London, NY, Tokyo and Shanghai that is so charming and engaging. The Journey of a Wardrobe is a visual dialogue between Todd and certain individuals, be it designer/actor Waris and hotelier/man of great vision Andre Balazs in NY or an artist/good friend of mine :)Oliver Clegg in London.

Todd has managed to capture Ollie at his natural, cheeky yet intense best - you get to see Ollie as an artist, his work and his inspirations.

At the same time, Vuitton is selling the wardrobe and luggage that the clothes should come in. Wonderfully effective, and visually very pleasing - not just Todd's photographs but the drawings and the whole website. And to think, this is a little travel guide and a look book . . .

It certainly is a Journey of a Wardrobe, a lovely journey and how lucky it is for that Wardrobe to be in the hands of Todd Selby.


http://press.louisvuitton.com/TheJourneyOfaWardrobe/

Photos by The Selby courtesy of Oliver Clegg

Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow

My friend, Oliver Clegg is an artist, now he is also a surfer and has moved from London to Cornwall . . . he is without any doubt an extremely talented young British artist. 

The picture of the beautiful brunette was at the Distortions group show at the Venice Biennale . . . the second one is his latest work called Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and was what he showed at Frieze last week . . .  

Leaving aside the fact that I was sadly not at Frieze this time,(Olly did rub that in a little bit), from the image he sent me, I felt that the painting is haunting, poetic and definitely nostalgic of a time past.  I love that he painted on dismantled old school desks, his use of colour is childlike yet precise and innocent with an undertone of something darker and more grown up - perhaps it is about tomorrow and thus a loss innocence.  

I find that as Olly matures as artist, his works become more haunting and more effective and clearer in its message.   Perhaps that is part of what happens when we grow up, we shed our innocence somewhat and immerse ourselves in a world that is darker, yet hopeful for the future.