Love Shines, the BBC Four/HBO feature film about Canadian singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith, directed by our own in-house video director Douglas Arrowsmith, has received 3 Canadian Screen Award nominations, including for ‘Best Arts Film’ and ‘Best Direction’!
The film is an atmospheric quest-journey about the Canadian balladeer, following him through the making of his last record “Long Player, Late Bloomer” with legendary producer Bob Rock. It’s currently broadcasting on HBO Canada (feat. Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, Kiefer Sutherland, and Feist). The Gala takes place in Toronto on March 3rd.
Along with the videos for ”Total Control” and “Illusions” (feat. Bryan Ferry), Doug will also be directing Nicky’s upcoming video for the track “Real Live Girl” which will be shot in London very shortly, and will feature some very special cameos! The album “Midnight Matinee” and the video will be released online in March 2013.
It was thrilling, last month, to receive a call from Margaret Russell, the Editor in Chief of ‘Architectural Digest’, telling me the secret news that I had been selected by the magazine as one of the 100 greatest designers in the World……
Secret that is until Margaret’s recent dazzling party at the Guggenheim Museum on 5th avenue in New York, for the other 99 nominated. Every dec was on hand to celebrate, from the greats like Stephen Sills and Juan Montoya to David Collins and John Porson, the other Englishmen on the 100 list. It was wonderful to see my beloved friend Aileen Mehle, whose ‘Suzy Knickerbocker’ column was required reading all the years I lived in Manhattan, and Martha Stewart who so sweetly had me on her show when my autobiography “Redeeming Features” was published, and Mario Buatta who used to come to my ranch in Arizona a lifetime ago.
My partner, Colette van den Thillart who’d flown in from Toronto where we are setting up a North American office, turned heads by wearing a velvet dress printed with the glistening stones of a grotto, appropriately surreal in such a setting as the Guggenheim 100.
I’m nearly faint with excitement….Anderson and Sheppard, the most brilliant tailors on the planet, have just delivered the evening suit they have made me, in the twinkling of a needle, for my cabaret performance at the Savoy Hotel this coming Sunday evening. I asked Mr Hitchcock if he could use a Topman suit of mine as a starting point and reinterpret it with a unique Anderson and Sheppard twist, and the result is sensational, at least on the hanger, as its so crisp and immaculate I hardly want to try it on. The jacket is a kind of short black flannel blazer, with patch pockets and black grosgrain lapels, and the pants are matching black grosgrain (‘That’s the stuff the Prince of Wales always chooses’ Mr Hitchcock whispered), cut horizontally. He also told me that when he showed the finished article to his boss, Anda Rowland, she thought for a minute and said “Well, I suppose one would call it a Cocktail Suit”. Which is fine by me, as my cabaret is at cocktail time.
How Anderson and Sheppard made this masterpiece for me is a mystery as at the same time they were making the suits that the four Ferry brothers wore to their dad Bryan’s CBE at Buckingham Palace. Looking at those handsome kids, the tallest and most handsome my Godson Otis, with their mile-long legs makes me wonder if my cocktail suit should stay on ice: but what the hell, break out the shaker and pour me a double. With a twist. Anderson and Sheppard’s unique twist.
Decorex draws closer and the NH Design team are working overtime to complete the spectacular entrance as envisaged by Nicky. Decorex opens on Sunday 25th September and will be open to trade from 10am. Those who are unable to visit, here is a small preview for NH Design blog followers. More pictures will follow!
It’s not easy being a pug these days. People too easily dismiss these pedigree pooches as noisy lapdogs that snore, bark and guzzle every morsel with relish, without perhaps understanding that these traits (which cannot be denied) are only a small glitch on what is essentially a large character in a small coat.
Once the Royal dog for the House of Orange, they are also immortalised in Meissen, having been the accessory of choice for the Freemasons in Germany in the 18th century. Then of course they have crept into high society through famous individuals such as Valentino, Princess Lee Radziwill and of course the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Now it seems if you want to get ahead get a pug, and we are very proud of the NH Design office pooch Bertie, who has found himself on the cover of this week’s Country Life magazine. The magazine was founded in 1897 and is a weekly magazine focusing on architecture, the arts, gardening and property and they wanted to feature an article on pugs and their owners. Who else could they call upon but NH Design!
Bertie was groomed and preened and ready for his close up. Despite such fame for a small dog, he has remained grounded and will still saunter through the office at lunch finding titbits to eat, he’s not fussy, but as long as its foie gras on Bonio he is happy.
