Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories

've had a bit of a break from the old personal work front so I decided what better way to start the New Year than by entering the book illustration competition for Angela Carter's 'The Bloody Chamber and other stories'.

It was quite a feat given I allowed myself only one week to produce all four illustrations. I went with a very simple graphical style given the amount of time I had and I actually really like the resulting style, I think I will carry on working and refining this way of illustrating.

The book itself consists of a fair few short stories, 'The Bloody Chamber is the main story and is loosely based on the fairy tale of 'Blue Beard', the other stories to be illustrated were 'Puss in Boots' and 'Company of Wolves'. I really enjoyed reading these reworked fairy tales and will be dipping into more Angela Carter books as a result. Here are my finished illustrations, each is accompanied by a short text caption from the story.

The Binding

The Bloody Chamber

The very first key I picked out of that pile was, as ill fortune had it, the key to the room he had forbidden me

Puss-in-boots

Instanter I draw my new boots on over the natty white stockings that terminate my hinder legs.

The Company of Wolves

See! Sweet and sound she sleeps in granny’s bed, between the paws of the tender wolf.

BARBARA HULANICKI for TOPSHOP collection

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it..... The Barbara Hulanicki for TOPSHOP collection is due to launch next Tuesday, I've already picked out what I like, have you?
I just love the illustrations too.... and the fact that they've been used on the fabris. I bought all the Biba catalogues I could find on ebay for the gorgeous photo's and illustrations quite some time ago, was just a little bit gutted I missed Barbara's Illustration exhibition last year.

BARBARA HULANICKI for Topshop

One of Barbara's designs for Topshop

I have often daydreamed of browsing the big Biba store picking up deco inspired dresses, turbans and marabou feather Boas as I please, so upon hearing the news BARBARA HULANICKI is to design a collection for Topshop my day dream could become just a little bit real.

Here is the article featured in the telegraph magazine this weekend.

" Designed by Barbara Hulanicki of Biba fame, Topshop’s new designer collection includes body-con dresses and palazzo pants plastered with supersize animal prints; wide-leg catsuits with cutaway shoulders (a Hulanicki trademark), cute, printed silk chiffon blouses and three-quarter-sleeve suede jackets. Given that this is the woman behind the cult label largely considered to have defined the Swinging Sixties and louche Seventies, the collection looks set to rock the late Noughties. Barbara Hulanicki’s 20-piece collection will be available nationwide from April 20. Prices from £20-£120"

My mum owns a seventies Biba dress which is gorgeous but alas I am going to have to loose some weight if it's ever to fit me, I'll put some of my biba images up at a later date.

One plea I have is that I hope Topshop don't schrimp on the fabric quality as they often do with these collaberations.