One of our aims at Clearsilver is to ensure that all the team take advantage of events and exhibitions, whether that be on our doorstep or further afield.
As well as being fun – and a good opportunity to take time away from our desks – it’s important to spend time in the sectors we work. Not to mention the tasty food samples, health and wellness products and goodie bags that we come away with!
Kathryn is a keen sewer and maker and loves all things craft focussed; Abby reports back on bars and restaurants both in Leeds and London; Amanda makes time to visit the latest design and art shows, whilst Victoria keeps us posted on family and children’s activities, including frequent farm visits and activity days (but then she is steeped in Yorkshire tourism experience).
On a recent break in London, the highlight was a visit to the V&A Museum to tour the Mary Quant Exhibition. It was simply fabulous. Whilst I am (just!) too young to have partied my way through the swinging sixties, I can clearly remember the iconic daisy logo.
The exhibition tells us how this logo was one of the first ‘brands’ in the fashion arena, featuring the simply sculpted daisy in a variety of colours. It’s clear that having created not only an unforgettable identity, the success of the brand was all about the marketing, led by Quant’s business partner and husband, Alexander Plunkett Greene.
Brilliant video stories run throughout the exhibition – including the story of the make-up range; introduced because the ‘Mary Quant’ look was so different to anything prior. The face also had to be different – soft and natural – leading to innovations like the ‘Jeepers Creepers’ eye shadows and the unforgettable Cry Baby Mascara.
The Mary Quant retrospective reminds us of the simple freedoms of the mini skirt, as well as of the era. Quant’s enduring achievement was to introduce the first ‘fast fashion’ in a move away from couture that introduced the Chelsea set to several ready to wear brands all available from Bazaar in the Kings Road.
What strikes visitors to the show is that we could all wear the collections from the 60’s and 70’s this summer, whether that be at this week’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show or at the Reading Festival later this year.
With so many wonderful events on our doorstep, we couldn’t possibly visit them all. But, take some time out this Spring and explore more than just your office space.