Michelle Mason’s “Construct” Shades feature a very 1960s op art pattern, but the architectural print was actually inspired by a multi-storey car park in London.
Available in a choice of turquoise or grey and in either tall or drum shape, the shades can be used on both ceiling fittings or on a lamp base.
The Construct Shade costs £59 from the Hidden Art Shop.
Not to be confused with the Eero Aarnio version, the Pierre Paulin Mushroom Pouf is actually an earlier take on the fungus shape.
It’s actually companion piece to the Mushroom Chair, designed in 1960 as a smaller, cheaper and slightly more quirky mushroom-shaped seat and now back in production via Artifort. The whole structure is cushioned, with a wide choice of boldly-coloured fabrics to choose from to finish things off.
It stands around 380m in height, with a diameter of 460mm, selling for £383.
Stamp collecting might just become cool with the introduction of the Royal Mail’s British Design Classics postage stamps.
Launching on 13th January 2009, the stamps feature 10 icons of British design from the 1930s to the 1960s, including the likes of the Mini, the mini skirt, the Penguin paperback, Concorde, the red phone box and the London Underground map, all stylishly printed on a stamp with designer’s name underneath.
Well, Polaroid has departed the instant photography market, but that’s not the end of the technology – Fuji is taking over where Polaroid left off with the Fuji Instax Mini 7S camera, also known as the Cheki 7.
These super-cool limited edition cameras use Fuji Instax film to produce shots sized around 54 x 86mm (the actual photo sized at 46 x 62mm). No tweaking of your shots, no printing and immediate memories. The camera isn’t bad either, packing an automatic built-in flash, simple exposure control, infinity focusing and a high quality Fujinon lens.
Take your pick from brown and white, with prices starting at around £63 from the Lomography shop.
The corsage has quietly been making its way back onto the UK high street, but no use is more effective than on evening shoes. These Schuh Beauty Rose courts might contain something of a mishmash of retro influences, but they make for a great result.
The mid heel, sloped and sculpted, combined with the overall rounded shape is a more modern touch. The rest of the shoe, however, is clearly heavily influenced by the 1940s and 50s. The cut outs make this pair for me, with a leftover 30s motif that was still popular in forties footwear. Topped by the rose detail, these are far from ordinary black high heels.
Get them online from Schuh, or in shops, for £49.99.
Sleek lines and handsomely coloured leather are something of a mainstay in 60s and 70s design, especially that of bags. This pair of Click Clack handbags are by Diane von Furstenberg, proving she’s still got the sensibilities that made her famous.
Whether in this burnt orange or stark white, this bag looks expensively made and wonderfully simplistic. It’s something of a rare find to see a retro styled bag without embellishment, so one of these is worth it for staying power alone.
Get a Click Clack bag from Matches Fashion online for £487.
