Green Goddess

Emerald green is one of my all time favourite colours. I have spent my life searching for the perfect emerald green handbag and the perfect emerald green shoes. So far, no luck. I saw a great handbag in LA last year in a vintage shop, it was perfect. I missed it thanks to a bad dose of blood sugars! I was in this amazing shop in Long beach surrounded by so many fantastic things, hadn't eaten for hours and couldn't focus. So off I went in search of food, and when I came back it was gone! Not meant to be... I always say that to try and make myself feel better! Anyway, I found this beautiful photo on the web. The shape of the swimsuit is lovely but I think it's of the itchy bri nylon fabric variety, which would probably date it to the late 1950's, but I love the colour palette and the composition of the photo. Maybe I'll introduce a bit of emerald into a future collection!

And another thing...

I forgot to say that all Flying Fish cotton swimsuits are limited editions. I only source a few dozen metres of each fabric, so once it's gone it's gone!!! If you see it and you like it, better buy it, otherwise you might regret it later! Byeeeeeeee!

More from Flying Fish

Hellooo! As promised I am slowly filtering pictures of the collection onto the blog. Here's our lovely Sara looking absolutely gorgeous in a cotton one piece from the 'British Seaside' collection. This swimsuit is one of the few in the cotton range that doesn't have shirring (elastic panelling) on the back so we have used a zip for a super snug fit (see back view). I love this fabric so much. It's such a shame that vintage style conversational prints are so hard to come by now. Over the years I have collected bits of original fabrics and stacks of images and books all about the prints. I find them really inspiring for many different projects. At the moment I am working on an embroidery for a pillow case. I have taken the design from an original 1950's Alfred Meakin Parisienne street scene that I found on a plate! I'll post the results when I find time to finish it, and much more to come about easy embroidery projects later. Any questions about the collection please contact me on mail@flyingfishoriginals.com

Graffiti Gangsta's

Graffiti Knitters

Back in 2005, two frustrated knitters from Houston, Texas came up with an idea of how to put all their unfinished knitting projects to good use. The ladies (who shall remain nameless) formed a rogue knitting group called 'Knitta' Please! and began tagging various locations around Houston. Within weeks their wooly marks were appearing all over the city on trees, lamp posts, railings and monuments. Since then, several copy cat groups are following their lead world wide and knitted graffiti has been found in many far flung places including the Great Wall of China and Notre Dame in Paris.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that we have our very own Graffiti knitters at home in Whitstable... or should I say 'Knitstable'. They call themselves 'Inkogknito' and have already begun marking lamp posts, letterboxes and even pebbles on Whitstable beach. I found the bicycles above parked out the cheese shop. Apparently they arrive in the dark and leave in the dark and nobody knows to whom they belong! Well, I think they are fantastic, good one ladies. Erm... if you are reading, I wouldn't mind a jumper or two for the winter??? I hear aran is very 'in' this season.

Vintage Swimwear - 1940's Fashion

Curvy Fish

This is one of the swimsuits from the 'Silver Screen' collection that will be available in plus sizes. It is comfortably constructed with tummy support, boning in the bust for that welcome uplift and a zip up the back to ensure a snug curve hugging fit. For more information please contact Katy at mail@flyingfishoriginals.com

Curvy catwalk

Here are some images that give an example of how size in fashion is changing. I will be really interested to see what happens at fashion week this autumn.

Images are from Prada A/W 2010, Mark Fast A/W 2010, and Lily Cole modelling for Sonia Rykiel for H&M 2004.

A matter of size

One of the hottest re-occuring topics of note in the fashion industry today questions the issue of size on the catwalk. A few brave designers like Mark Fast, Marc Jacobs and Prada have stepped forward and begun to use larger than average models to showcase their collections, but overall there still remains some conflict on the subject.

Knitwear designer Mark Fast lost two of his employees after they walked out upon hearing his decision to use size 14 models in his A/W 2010 show back in February this year. This walk out was blamed on "creative differences", but in my opinion and from my experience of the fashion industry, there are still too many people who believe that big is not beautiful and that size doesn't sell.

My response to this would probably result in me being banned from blogging, but let me tell you now, I have spent months researching this subject and talking to women and believe me, fashion has got it so wrong.

For example, statistically, the most common size for women in the UK is a 16, but a high percentage of these ladies are over 60, most of whom aren't in the market for high fashion. So, bringing the average age to say, bullseye 25-50 years, this brings our statistic to a shapely size 14. Ten years ago this was a size 12. And as a result, we are a nation of women who are literally growing in size. More than 6 million women here in the Uk have weight issues, causing a boom in the plus size clothing market.

Research has revealed that providing garments for this market so far brings in £3.8 billion a year and that figure is rapidly on the rise.

Here at Flying Fish we are pleased to announce that we will be manufacturing swimwear up to a size 14/16 and will take special orders for sizes 18 and up. All of our designs have been carefully constructed to maximise support and to provide a boost in body confidence. Our swimsuits will look as fantastic on a size 16 as they would on a size 10. In the next couple of months I will be exclusively previewing pictures of some of our plus size swimsuits on this blog, so watch out ladies! There is no excuse to hide away under those cover up's any more, get Flying Fish, get on the beach and get CONFIDENT! Celebrate your curves...OK???

mail@flyingfishoriginals.com

A life in pictures

Here are my great grandparents on a trip to the seaside at Great Yarmouth. I think the picture was taken around 1920. They have made such an effort and look so smart! Imagine how fascinating it would be to turn back time and spend a few hours listening to their stories. Well, at least we have the pictures. I will always treasure them.

I have begun collecting vintage photographs which I buy at boot fairs and antique markets. It makes me so sad to think that these people and their stories really existed and now, here they are gathering dust in tins and boxes and being sold for pennies to strangers. I love my photograph collection and treasure the pictures just as much as the ones of my own family. Over time I will share my favourites with you.

Mavis Plume swimwear exhibition

Now I always thought that my vintage swimwear collection was, at about 60 pieces, pretty impressive, but then I read about Essex pensioner Mavis Plume.

At the ripe old age of 84, mavis has been collecting vintage swimwear for over 50 years. In that time, her collection has grown to over 500 pieces dating back as far as 1850. Impressed? I was... and just a touch envious too!

Her collection has created a fascinating record of social history, and after years of keeping the swimsuits stashed away in boxes in her attic, her son David has convinced her to share them with the world in an exhibition at the Southend Central Museum.

Mavis' first swimsuit was bought during a visit to a vintage car rally just after she got married. Her husband asked her to pose by a car for a photo wearing her purchase, and so the idea was born. Swimsuits began to arrive from every direction. Her neighbour donated a wooly piece from the 1930's, she begged her mother-in-law to part with her treasured 1920's suit, and she even managed to acquire regulation swimwear from public swimming baths that would have been rented for a few pence a go. She must have had such fun. These days original suits are becoming as rare as hen's teeth due to the deterioration from wear in sea water and chlorine etc, so how wonderful that all these pieces have been loved and preserved by Mavis, and now we can all appreciate them. I will be going to see the exhibition in the next couple of weeks and can't wait. This truly is the most exciting way for me to pass a day! I am indeed a swimsuit geek.

The exhibition is showing at the Southend Central Museum until 2nd October 2010.

Mavis looking Marvellous

Step back in time

I am very lucky indeed. A costume designer friend of mine acquired a rather tasty pair of shoes on a video shoot last week, and knowing that they were my size and that I would absolutely love them she has kept them for me. I can't wait to try them on! I have a couple of original pairs with this kind of 40's shape and I absolutely love them, and now Office have produced their own version. They are called 'Friendly Bow' and come in black or fuchsia suede. I have to say, as far as I can see the shape looks brilliant, even the heel looks vintage. I think these will fly out. They retail at £82.