THE OLD FLIGHT HOUSE

Calling all vintage, antique and interior lovers! If you are planning a day out in search of unique hand-painted furniture, beautiful vintage pieces and antique treasures, then head to The Old Flight House near Oxford. I visited the spacious gleaming white emporium at the beginning of the year and was really impressed with the eclectic mix of the different traders' units. I came away with a clear glass Chippendale trophy vase that became a favourite fruit bowl over the summer. In fact I loved The Old Flight House so much that I put my name down for a space and finally moved in earlier this month.

My unit at The Old Flight House

I've collected vintage clothing and accessories since I was a teenager and I also had a stall at Camden Market when I was at college and we were all running around in Victorian lace bloomers and nighties - we must have looked mad! Fast forward several decades and I've started to sell some of my collection at select vintage fairs, such as the fabulous Wanstead Vintage & Brocante Fair (LoveVintage) - one of the few fairs still offering true vintage.

STEPHEN JONES

Here's an image I took during London Fashion Week on leading milliner Stephen Jones' stand. His ethereal designs for his eponymous collection pay homage to the sea and the artist colonies at St Ives next season and perfectly sum-up the mood for Spring/Summer 2012.

Featherlight confections by Stephen Jones

I've watched Stephen Jones' collections evolve over the years and was fortunate to interview him for The National Newspaper in the UAE when he co-curated his exhibition, Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones, at the V&A in 2009.  The show was a huge success and paid tribute to many of the ground-breaking millinery designers and silhouettes, including Elsa Schiaparelli's surreal shoe hat from 1938, inspired by artist Salvador Dali, plus Stephen Jones' quirky mini-top hats that he often designed for the Italian fashion maven, Anna Piaggi, who sadly recently passed away. 'I've been wearing hats all my life and Stephen knows I want something light,' Anna Piaggi told me at the exhibition's lavish launch party, 'He's very perceptive and understands what's going on in my head.'

I'll post the full interview shortly.