The Scarf with a Heart!

Get into the Spirit!

2010-10-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

We're in the last stages of preparation for our first exhibition starting on Wednesday...Come and visit us this week at "The Spirit of Christmas Fair" at the Olympia in Earl's Court...drop by stand C85 early enough before all the sweets run out! x

The Other Fab Four!

2010-10-22T00:59:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

We've just launched a new Autumn/ Winter capsule collection of four Winter Wool scarves that have been inspired by the characters from SATC. Namely, The Manhattan, The Park Avenue, The Soho and The Brooklyn see if you can match the names to the characters...here are some snaps to give you a little help...

The Park Avenue

The Manhattan

The Soho

The Brooklyn

SCENTSATIONAL PRINTS FOR SS11!

2010-10-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick snapshot of our SS11 styles- in part inspired by art deco fragrance bottles. Featuring elegant greys and nudes with contrasting hot fuschia and indigo shades the full collection will be up in the Spring xxx

LFW has two new guests...

2010-09-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when all fashionista's eyes are closely trained on the goings on at Somerset House where designers will be unveiling their new collections. It's not only the established labels that will be showing but also new emerging talent.

We have just completed a collaborative collection with David Longshaw- one of the rising names exhibting at LFW and one of the winners of the BFC/ Elle Talent Launch Pad- you can see his past collections on his site www.davidlongshaw.co.uk. Known for his quirky (and frankly sometimes a little strange!) stories and illustrations, we worked with him to produce a range of scarves that pay tribute to LFW... combining our signature retro prints and David's illustrations, the London Collection charts the journey of tween fashion blogger Selnec and her blogger alter-ego Poppy on their travel around the capital! With names like the Mayfair and the Portabello the London Collection has already been featured in the Daily Express and will hopefully be soon adorning the necks of many a fashionista in London and beyond! x

We Heart Manchester!x

2010-07-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hi there and apologies for the delay in this post- we've been busy little bees recently :) Being a Manchester based label we thought it was time for a quick spout about some of our fave style destinations in this wonderful city... it's time that Manchester was known for something other than football! Based right in the heart of the city centre does mean that sometimes it is easy to succumb to a little retail therapy and when there are such great hidden gems about the temptation is even greater (you know those times when you're only "nipping to the post office" but manage to come back with an absolutely essential new pair of heels) so where do we go for our fix...

At number 1 is the cult vintage shop "Rags To Bitches" selling a gorgeous selection of vintage clothing and accessories along side some beautiful "own label" pieces that they will tailor make to fit like a glove.

Then comes the fantastic Manchester Craft Centre http://www.craftanddesign.com/ which I have been a fan of since my student days- housed in an old market building it is bursting to the seams with creative talent from jewellers to fashion labels selling their wares whilst you can watch them in action.

If it's high-end glamour you're after then look no further than Selfridges and Harvey Nicks which gives Mancunians access to labels hard to find outside the capital - namely Lara Bohinc (see below) who has recently unveiled her new shoe range in HN...definite wish list items. Then of course there are the more niche boutiques such as Poshu which stocks a great range of Lulu Guinness bags and its next door neighbour Lucile- the lingerie destination with a great heritage (and some fabulous scarves!)

So whether you're looking for purse-friendly steals with a story behind them or unadulterated luxury...this shopping haven has it all- speaking of which, just off out to the post office...

the prevailing style icon!

2010-06-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

From the dawn of time women have used clothing and fabric as a means of adornment and decoration, not just function. In its most basic form, the scarf is essentially a raw piece of fabric and women all over the world wear it in its various guises for reasons of warmth, culture, religion and of course...style. Trends can be a fleeting thing but looking into the recent past it seems that the scarf is one staple accessory that won't tire. From rock to royalty women favour the scarf as a trusty companion to any look and it's versatility as an accessory means that it can become as much a part of your daily look as a handbag...

The icons of yesteryear may have flaunted their silks as headscarves, whether to maintain a perfectly coiffed "do" or shield themselves from the prying lens of the paparazzi whereas today the stars tend keep it traditional whether its to snuggle up in an oversized square scarf or to wear it untied a la the queen of pop herself.

Fashions and style leaders may change over the passage of time but no matter how you rock your scarf it will always be an icon. x

IT TAKES TWO BABY!

2010-06-09T05:15:00.000-07:00

At the moment we're working on an exciting new collaborative project with womenswear designer David Longshaw- who featured in our blog a couple of months ago. A range of scarves combining our vintage style prints and David's eclectic illustrations will soon be arriving so watch this space!

In the past few years there have been some style collaborations that have proved to be great hits in proving that two heads can be better than one when it comes to design. Whether it's a high-end designer/rock star bringing their look to the high street (think of the countless H & M ranges from Madonna to Viktor & Rolf) or even style icon Kate Moss allowing everyone to get a piece of her look via fashion mecca TOPSHOP- it seems we can't get enough of collaborations.

What really is a growing trend is the number of labels/ brands that are lending their designs products other than garments...such as Cath Kidston's remake of the Roberts radio or the more risque luggage collection that the late Alexander McQueen designed for Samsonite.

The future looks bright for collaborations with Matthew Williamson launching a handbag range for luxury goods company Bulgari and jewellery designer of the moment Lara Bohinc teaming up with Tanqueray gin to produce the last word in chic beverages.

If exciting design can spice up an everyday item like a suitcase then collaborations get our thumbs up- after all why choose between use and ornament?

The Sweetest Thing.

2010-05-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Starting off a new business from scratch is always going to be a tough process and a steep learning curve so it's great to meet others in the same boat- especially when there are cakes involved!

Melissa Seger is a baking aficionado and the director of Cupcake Palace http://www.cupcakepalace.co.uk/ which specialises in bespoke cupcakes and other sweet treats than can cater for the most decadent of tastes and add an indulgent magic to any occasion. With a flair for design and colour, Melissa ensures that her cupcakes look as good as they taste and her talent has seen her provide tailor made delights for a wide range of events from gallery opening nights to vip fashion launches.

Based in Manchester with an office in London, the Cupcake Palace can cater for any order, big or small and all of the cupcakes are made from the finest quality ingredients with mouth watering flavours from Pistachio to French Vanilla. Melissa will bake for the most unusual of whims and has even created Jack Daniels and Coke flavoured fancies for those who like a rock n' roll edge to their confectionary!

I can testify from first hand experience that not only are these cakes mini works of art but also taste heavenly with melt in the mouth sponge and delicious frosting. If you want to sample before placing an order then you can go along to the Manchester Markets most weeks, meet the Queen of Cupcakes herself and treat yourself to one of her creations!

Keeping it local!

2010-04-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

Finally after what seemed like an eternal Winter, Spring has sprung and to mark the start of a new season we have launched our collection on a fabulous website www.go-british.co.uk . An online boutique specialising in quintessentially "British Chic", Go British houses established UK names such as Vivienne Westwood alongside smaller niche brands and new designers. One that really caught our eye is a brand called Tamielle that produce gorgeous hand embroidered handkerchiefs with vintage prints, read about their fantastic production setup at http://www.tamielle.com/.

Go British is perfect for our "homegrown" scarves and we think that there are plenty of reasons to look close to home for production nowadays. All of our scarves are digitally printed in the UK and whilst it has to be seen in the flesh to be truly appreciated, this is really reflected in the quality of the prints and intensity of the colour. Being a North West based label, we've managed to find one of the UK 's leading fashion and textiles printers right on our doorstep: R.A. SMART (http://www.rasmart.co.uk/) and having printed for leading international fashion houses we're definitely in safe hands!

Once printed, our scarves are all handfinished using traditional methods that result in an exquisite luxury accessory- all made in beautiful silks. There are so many skills and manufacturing capabilities still available in the UK that it's great to be able to tap into local resources wherever possible- especcially when the end result is so gorgeous!

On that note, have a lovely bank holiday, enjoy the lighter evenings and remember to Go British!xxx

David Longshaw: Master of Puppets

2010-03-31T04:56:00.000-07:00

This week "The Scarf with a Heart" spoke to David Longshaw, one of the rising talents of the fashion world. Fresh from his emergence at London Fashion Week's "Vauxhall Fashion Scout" where he was cited as one of the "Ones to Watch," David's unique collections incorporate his quirky illustrations that are as integral to his signature as his designs.

Having graduated from Central St. Martins before completing his masters at the RCA, David quite literally cut his cloth working for MaxMara and Alberta Ferretti before launching his own label last year. His illustrations have contributed to a number of publications and the characters and stories are used as a starting point for his collections.

David's latest collection entitled "Escaping Emily" follows the curious tale of an abandoned puppet discovered by Emily, a rather disturbed fashion designer who resides in Marignano, a picturesque Italian village. Despite the charm of the place, Emily becomes homesick and when she stumbles upon a peculiarly proportioned puppet in her apartment, she begins to tell it tales from home. The tales become ever more wild as do Emily's re-enactments of scenes from her past and soon the puppet is thread-bare and badly damaged. In an attempt to protect itself, the puppet tries to fashion some armour out of whatever it can get it's paws on but ultimately what it had to do was......Escape Emily.

This seemingly dark tale has resulted in a beautifully tailored collection of high-waisted trousers, exaggerated shoulders and intricate prints. To read the full illustrated story and view the entire "Escaping Emily" collection, visit http://www.davidlongshaw.co.uk/

With a natural talent for both story telling and fashion, David has managed to seemlessly incorporate his illustrations into his collections and this unique approach is what secured his place at LFW- so far the personal highlight of his career. Looking forward, alongside growing his fledgling label, an expansion into accessories could be on the cards but whatever changes lie ahead, you can bet his quirky characters will remain a constant.

ppartment

A Vogue Idea!

2010-03-21T01:51:00.000-07:00

The Neckerchief- one of our six looks as seen on vogue.co.uk!

It has been really exciting this week to see our collection featured on Vogue.com- the last word in online fashion news. They covered our scarves in a "How to Wear" feature which was put together to show different looks that you can achieve with a silk scarf- highlighting how easily they fit into your wardrobe.

To read our article and browse our "Look Book" follow the link:

www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/100318-dominique-moseley-how-to-wear-scarv.aspx

I came upon the idea for this article after meeting Dolly Jones, editor of vogue.com last year at a talk in Manchester. She said she was a fan of silk scarves but never knew how to wear them. With the recent craze of scarves in the market- for all seasons, there is still a connotation that silk scarves are the preserve of an older generation or as one journalist wrote "air hostess chic" This couldn't be further from how they are worn now- thrown on with jeans and a tee or used to embellish your handbag. Different accessories become "must haves" over time and with the credit crunch signalling the demise of the "It-Bag" it's time to make way for one of the most established and wearable accessories- the scarf!

The Original Scarf with a Heart!

2010-03-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

Newsflash!!! As of today our signature Boudoir scarf in Pink becomes the accessory that makes a difference!

All online sales of this striking design will help to raise money for "Against Breast Cancer" (www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk) by donating 10% of all sale proceeds to the charity. Having been able to help to fundraise for this charity before (albeit in a far more strenuous way by running the London Marathon!) it was clear to see what a worthwhile organisation they are. ABC (as they are known) are a research charity who carry out pioneering work at University College London and are innovators in their field in the attempt to find a vaccine and reduce the secondary spread of breast cancer.

So have a look at www.dominiquemosley.com/shop/boudoir-pink for evidence that looking good and doing good can go hand in hand!

The Prologue.

2010-02-22T04:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first entry of "The Scarf with a Heart!" This is the blog for the new luxury scarf label, Dominique Mosley which you can view on www.dominiquemosley.com . Having worked as a handbag designer and had a long standing love affair with print design, in late 2009 I decided the time was right to set up my own label. The first collection has been made entirely in the UK from start to finish and the label embodies the motto, "Style with a Sense of Fun!" as fashion isn't to be taken too seriously!

So, what will this blog be about? Since being a teenager I have loved reading Colin McDowell's weekly "Fashion Moment" in STYLE magazine (The Sunday Times) and along with the digitised version of his column, a selection of these iconic musings are now immortalised on his website: http://www.colinmcdowell.com/ Henry Holland's blog meanwhile, as featured on VOGUE.COM http://www.vogue.co.uk/blogs/henry-holland/ echoes his tongue in cheek slogan T-shirts ("Get your Freak On, Giles Deacon!") What matters though, is that both of these writings ring true for their authors.

On that note, "The Scarf with a Heart" will be mainly about fashion but not solely. I'd like it to be interesting but fun too. I'd like it to contain features such as interviews with "industry insiders" and news about innovative new brands, not to mention the latest updates about the label. But most of all, I'd like you to read it! x