The September Issue

I moved to London to do a placement at British Vogue and was not sure if I would be here for a month, a year or 10 years. Now 11 plus years in, married and with a baby on the way loads has changed but what hasn't is that one off my favourite things is a crisp new issue or Vogue British or American will keep me well entertained for a few good hours.
Tonight, I went to see the September Issue with my great friend Claud, who I met during that placement at Vogue. I thought seeing behind the scenes, with access to Anna Wintour was fascinating. Grace Coddington has always been a stylist I hugely admire but now she is my new hero. She holds her own with Anna and isn't afraid to slag off her decisions, behind her back of course. She truly cares about her images and creating fantasy, her vision is amazing. Most of the images that inspired me to where I am now are hers. I never got to work full time at a magazine but I had the chance to create images for over 13 years first in Canada, then here for the Evening Standard, The Sunday Times, and lots of indy mags. Now, I do still art direct which I really enjoy and I love creating the images for étoile.
Until tonight, I hadn't been to the cinema in ages but writing this blog is inspiring me to get inspired again. Being pregnant has slowed me down considerably and I find it hard not to be able to do everything I used to do but I am going to keep trying. If you have anything to share with me that you have found interesting lately do let me know. It could influence our 2010-2011 collection. S

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the étoile home blog. The reason I decided to write a blog is to share the crazy adventures of running a small business etoile home in London amongst all the great talent that exists in this city. I also want to share the things that inspire me and my business directly and indirectly.

I have just come back from doing back to back trade shows in Paris and London. Things feel more positive in the market place and we managed to pick up a few new stockists including one in Geneva and Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant Gift Shop in Padstow. Maison et Objet in Paris is hard work 5 long days on your feet and I am always itching to look around and see what everyone else is doing but the show is so huge that it is difficult to see much when you have to stay and man your stand.

We ship the samples and the fixtures for our trade shows by road then meet them there to build and dress the stand. I usually do all this on my own but luckily I had the help of my great friend Nicole this time. I really thanked my lucky stars she was there when my tools to put together and hang the shelves, tables and rails failed to show up and she keep me very calm. The logistics company had no idea what happened to them and could only suggest I go and buy new ones. Which we did and lost 2 hours of set up time. We borrowed a drill from a neighbouring stand and when we finally finished the set up at 9pm we took the drill with us for safety. In our haze of exhaustion, we left the drill on the RER train at Gare du Nord but didn't realise it until it was too late. We were gutted, we had been so happy to finish and now so sad that we lost their drill with little hope of ever seeing it again. The next morning we enquired by chance if anyone had turned in a drill and a very good Parisian Samaritan saw we had left it, took it with him to his stop and handed it in. We were so unbelievably happy and amazed by our luck.
This my first blog and it will have some tweeks and amends. We are looking for your feedback, on the blog, on our website, the products, your experiences, what you are looking for for your home and anything you think relates to this blog or our website. S