SQUAREONE: SUMMER STYLE

SquareOne Fashion

by Caitlin Rattray

The time has come to cast out our winter woollies, shed our layers and turn our attention to the trends that are emerging as this year's summer essentials; a selection of classic trends reworked for 2008:

Floral

Summer = flowers. Not exactly ground-breaking stuff you might think, but this year's offering is a little darker than the pale, flimsy floral of the past. Inspired by the Luella’s punky prints teamed with printed tees and laced up boots at London Fashion Week, the high street has firmly latched on, offering a selection of cute little numbers. Add black accessories; tights, belts, or better still, sling a skull and crossbones around our neck to put to rest any comparisons with Hyacinth Bucket.

Find it at: New Look

Nautical

Never really out of fashion, nautical is a god-send considering how easy it is to achieve. The key is not to go overboard (no pun intended) by dressing top to toe in a barrage of stripes and gold buttons thus running the risk of looking like Popeye. For a fresh take, mix it up with stars, to create an American influenced look courtesy of Chanel’s Paris shows. Go for navy as opposed to royal blue in striped tees, splashes of red. Any sort of naval headwear is strictly forbidden but blazers and straw bags are welcome additions.

Find it at: Topshop

Safari

A softly, softly take on the classic look has emerged as one of this season's favourite trends. This time around, the muted colour palette of the past - cream, beige, khaki and brown - has been mixed with floaty silks and chiffons to create a romantic take on safari. Go for belted khaki jackets and waistcoats, slouchy shorts, complete with a pair of well-bronzed pins. Accessorise with Gladiator sandals, lots of chunky wooden bangles, splashes of animal print and why not add a straw trilby in recognition of everybody’s favourite explorer.

Find it at: Gap

Photo by Camila Martins

PICK UP A PICASSO

SquareOne Entertainment

by Atholl Simpson














Ever thought you would be able to buy a Picasso for under 900 pounds, or a work by Dali for under 7000 pounds? A recent auction at Christie's in London was offering art enthusiasts just that.

The Impressionist and Modern Art auction - which took place last week at Christie's South Kensington branch - offered a selection of ceramics and sculptures by the influential artists.

“Dali and Picasso are two of the biggest names when you think of 20th century artists” Deborah Park, Christie's Head of Department at the branch, told SquareOne. “They are instantly recognisable. People can see the piece and know it's by them.”

A Picasso ashtray was sold for 850 pounds while a sculpture representing Dali's Melting Clock auctioned off at 6500 pounds. Other pieces included ceramic plates - one of them representing Picasso's Don Quijote - and bronze sculptures made in the artists respective workshops.

Park said the works of art were made in editions of up to 450, which explains their low auction price. It was a chance for these artists to make their work more accessible to the public, especially for Picasso.

“He wanted to make his work more affordable to the masses,” said Park. “Back then people would pay for them with the money they had in their pockets, sometimes as little as 30 francs (3 pounds)!”

Park said Picasso moved to the South of France in the mid 1940's, where he continued making ceramics in a workshop in the small town of Madoura until his death in 1973. Dali would create a master cast of his sculptures and instruct how many were to be reproduced.

She said that the works of art were very popular among the buyers and are considered collectables: “It would be a good investment, one for the future. The sale price seems to be increasing."

The auction also included works by Jean Cocteau, Marcel Dyf and Marc Chagall. The most expensive piece sold was a painting by George Rouault, "La Sainte Face", which went for 60,500 pounds.

The next edition of this auction is in December, so you better start saving your pennies . . .

Photo AJ Fischler