The Live Issue

I was kindly invited to an evening at The Future Gallery in Leicester Square last night to the launch of The Live Issue. This was a chance for the reader to become the spectator in a live magazine, walking through the rooms as you would browse through the pages. First page, rude bouncer at the door who was strict with a one in one out policy, as I got there fashionably late of course, then into great photographs of Rachel Freire's new collection across the walls. Rachel Freire is a new designer that I've been watching and also loaning from for my own photo shoots. Her pieces are so intricate with detail like reflective strips, leather tassles, and embellished accessories, but also have the great look of simple, classic pieces too. As well as her images on the wall in the main room, there were a few of her outfits on mannequins entwined in VHS tape woven through her garments and spat up all over the walls behind. It was dark, messy and exactly what I would've imagined from her.

My Sony Ericsson camera phone really caught this reflective stripe body suit! I love this..I also really need to invest in a camera.

The main room also showed a film by Gabriell Gettmans of the label Two Weeks, live blogging by Sketchbook Magazine and live art from Illustrator Nikki Farquharson.

There was also a main feature room and intimate interview with Pam Hogg, my ultimate favourite lady and excellent host of this room. Her editorial shoots framed around the room, TV screens with her latest catwalk show and some vintage footage of her catwalk shows from the 80's. There were mannequins around the room dressed in her latest collection too. I was quite giddy in there.

She even had her own "Mini Hogg" babes walking around, speaking to everyone in the room and talking about the work and the evening in general. It was all very nice. The wall in the background was covered in photocopies of people's faces, asses, hands, glasses and eyeballs that you were free to have a go on and everyone was getting much more adventurous after a few free drinks.

But this is the money shot, after a few glasses of free rum and coke I plucked up the courage to speak to one of my life-long icons, and got very giddy when she said she liked my shoes and agreed to a photograph. I have never met such a down to earth, sweet, talented and gorgeous lady. Happy much? Yes.