Categories / Art and Photography

Alpha print from James Brown

Alpha

There's an abundance of retro alphabet prints that we've featured of late, but this Alpha print from one of our favourites James Brown, goes one step further.

The striking 4 colour lithograph should prove invaluable in these days of telephone banking and such. The letters of the alphabet are accompanied with their appropriate nautical flag and phonetic pronunciation. Hang it in pride of place for textbook enunciation worthy of a tweed-clad ex-field marshall.

£15 from the General Pattern Big Cartel store.

Categories / Bags, Men's Fashion

Puma Bluebird 80s-style sweatshirt, t-shirt and reporter bag

Puma1

Remember that Puma Bluebird trainers reissue we featured at the back end of last week? Well, Puma has dropped a bunch of accessories to go with them, specifically the Puma Bluebird sweatshirt, t-shirt and reporter bag.

Very much sticking with the 1980s theme, the sweatshirt is a cotton / poly blend and features elasticated ribs and a 'Bluebird' tribute print on the front. It sells for £49 and is pictured above. You can get one here.

Pictured over the page is the t-shirt in a bold yellow, made of 100 per cent cotton, with the same front print, a branded sleeve tag and gold foil detailing to the rear. £25 for that, which is available here. Finally, the bag (also pictured over), which retails for £35, has a large zip compartment, dual zip closing, Puma zip pulls, an adjustable strap and an internal zip compartment and divider. You can get that here.

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Categories / Homeware

Exchange Storage Bench by Alex Bradley for Heal’s Discovers

Exchangeseat 
Until I saw this Exchange Storage Bench, I didn’t realise that this is exactly what my home is missing – a stylish place to perch while I make my weekly phone call to my mother.

Designer Alex Bradley has taken his inspiration from the 1950s telephone seat, both in the idea and the form with its midcentury style splayed legs. As well as being a seat and telephone table, it offers an additional piece of storage as the seat lifts up and the side section has a shelf for books or magazines.

It costs £795 from Heal’s.

Categories / Gadgets and Tech

Red Retro Radio

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In these days of digital and internet radios, this Red Retro Radio is old-fashioned in just being an FM radio as much as for its vintage shape.

It is being sold by Urban Outfitters who provide very little in the way of information about it, but a closer look at the packaging reveals it has hi fi sound and automatically scans for FM radio stations. It isn’t going to replace your existing radio equipment, but it could be good to take to the beach or on picnics.

Buy it from Urban Outfitters, priced £12.

Categories / Food and Drink, Homeware

Jonathan Adler Brass Muse Bottle Opener

Mo openerWhat-ho chaps! It may still be 2 months until Movember, but that's no reason not to celebrate the well coiffed facial furniture.

Show your appreciation for the mo' with this frightfully dapper Brass Muse Bottle Opener from Jonathan Adler. As part of a new range of brass acoutrements designed to age gracefully, the bottle opener handle is a hand-cast brass curly moustache that is bound to add a touch of the debonair to your dinner table. There are other moustachioed goodies available on the site to match, including salt & pepper shakers & a vase.

The Brass Muse Bottle Opener is $98 from the Jonathan Adler website.

Categories / Books, Design and Interiors, eBay watch

Celia Birtwell book by Celia Birtwell and Dominic Lutyens

Birtwell

Interestingly, no one has written a book on Celia Birtwell, so it's about time one turned up. Which happens to be this Celia Birtwell book by Celia Birtwell and Dominic Lutyens.

Part life story, part feature on her work, Celia Birtwell features personal photographs and sketches of Celia, her family and friends, especially from her 'bohemian' life in the 1960s and 70s and images from her long association with David Hockney as both friend and muse. Of course, the flipside is Birtwell the designer, with the book also offering up a multitude of examples of her fashion and home fabrics.

Quadrille publishes the 208-page book in hardback from 3rd October 2011, with Amazon doing discounted pre-orders for £20.99. Also, look out for Celia Birtwell: In Conversation at the V&A, which takes place on Friday 23rd September. Who knows…you might get a signed copy on the night.

Find out more at the Amazon website