Here's another tip off for people who aren't doing the whole Somerset House thing. Head over to Fred Butler's new pop-up store on 53 Monmouth Street in Covent Garden, as it's only open for the duration of London Fashion Week. It's an Instagram-haven of pastel rainbow geometrics, which goes hand in hand with her new A/W 13-4 collection "Wham Bam Tangram Famalam" - quite possibly the best name to say outloud ever. Her seasonal presentations have always been about presenting a wholly uncommercial vision, something that makes for great photos but leaves you scratching the head as to what product could Butler manufacture from her extraordinary paper, card and paint skills. For the first season ever, she has made real products. Perspex jewellery inspired by ancient Chinese tangram puzzles combined with her love of vivid primary hues. She's developed prints that can be boldly applied to iPad, laptop and iPhone cases as well as silk scarves, totes and rucksacks. The merch list goes on as there are even greeting cards and stickers. All the better to draw both the tourist and the home crowd into this busy stretch of Seven Dials, to discover more about one of London's most eclectic and talented multi-disciplinary creative forces.
Product hasn't weakened Butler's signature style at all as she also creates more statement pieces that dress the windows of the pop-up store. It's the coming together of all the different collaborative elements that makes this such a joy to see and shop. Once again, Butler gets together with Rosy Nicholas for some cosmic platform shoes as well as EDE London on shrimp/banana-coloured scarves, crop tops and mittens. One of Butler's collaboration highlights for this season has to be the cut-out perspex adorned beanies and caps, created with young milliner Keely Hunter (seen wearing the red perspex beanie). Oh, and Pomp de Franc was also on hand again to create some bespoke cupcakes for the opening last night. It's Memphis mayhem happening on Monmouth Street and is only with us for a fleeting moment so go on down there if you can.
