MILK's Money Managers, Stylish Wallets For One and All

How do you carry your money? Do you like your coins jangling in a pouch, or your notes folded and tucked into a discreet wallet? Perhaps you've eschewed cash altogether and looked to the future, carrying only your cards. Whatever your preference and personal style, MILK are excited to present wallet solutions for you, from the hyper-minimal to the embellished!

FOR THE ART LOVER

The Fornasetti brand has become more prolific than ever, expanding from the classic wall plates to bold furniture and sophisticated home fragrances. Selfridges dedicated a Wonder Room to Fornasetti in September, testifying to this cult label's increasingly desirable status as collectible works of art. This Fornasetti leather wallet, £320, is a perfect example of the brand's ability to seamlessly inject surrealistic design into everyday objects. The perfect gift for art aficionados.



FOR THE MINIMALIST

Saskia Diez's ingenious use of Tyvek--a lightweight, waterproof, tearproof synthetic paper--has created a collection of 'papier' wallets and travelling bags so minimal that it is practically invisible. Deceptively durable, these wallets will hold the thickest wad of notes and withstand the lengthiest of bar-stool sessions. Ideal for the person who wants a barely-there but reliable way of carrying their money. Saskia Diez Paper Wallets, £37



FOR THE ZEN HYPER-MINIMALIST

...and for the hyper-minimalist, Japanese label Corga's card wallet, £40 has just the carrier for the individual who prefers to go cash-free. Prefer to carry just your credit and debit cards, perhaps with some business cards or travelcard? Corga's leather designs will fit seamlessly into your life, existing only to hold everything together in the most subtle and understated manner.




FOR THE SOPHISTICATED LADY

Fashion lovers will be delighted by Patrizia Pepe's grey-beige wallet, £105. This compact beauty opens up to present a surprisingly roomy interior, with plenty of pockets for cards, ample room for crisp bank notes, and a coin pouch to hold change and loose buttons! The ambiguous nature of the leather's colour--it's either grey or beige depending on how you look at it--only adds to its multifaceted and super-stylish appeal.




FOR THE MAGPIE


And for lovers of all things shiny and reflective, it doesn't get sparklier than this! Felix Rey coin purses, £62 are completely covered in sequins, and you can add a crystal keychain from the range (the dark silver purse already comes accessorised with one). A purse to catch the light and the eye of even the most discerning of magpies!

Keep your money safe,
MILK

x

Stocking fillers to Statement pieces, MILK gift ideas for every budget

Hello all! As the calendar creeps steadily towards Christmas (2 weeks to go!), many of us are already on the hunt for presents. There's also a hint of competitiveness in the air, with many subconsciously seeking gifts just a little more interesting and thoughtful than the next person's (it's ok to admit it!).

Whether it's cheap and cheerful stocking fillers, extravagant statement pieces, collectible artwork, MILK is sure to have something for you! Also, because of a common misconception that concept boutiques tend to be expensive or unaffordable, we feel compelled to show you otherwise. From £2.50 to £2500, MILK has something for everyone.We've also generously thrown in some Christmas bargains with some special prices, so there really is no excuse to pick up your creative thoughtful gifts for your holidays!

UNDER £25

1. OPS! watches was £29 now £18.

2. Aoyama Japanese Citrus soap, £15 .

3. MILK luxury socks, £12.

4. Graziani lacquered candle, was £28 now £23.

5. Mathilde M Bath sugar set, was £22.50 now £13.

6. Mathilde M scented ceramic heart set, was £22.50 now £13.

7. Aoyama hand cream, £18.

UNDER £50

1. Gervasoni paper lamps, from £39-£48.

2. Bean bag spotlight, was £55 now £45.

3. Diamantini & Domeniconi Cucu Mignon clocks, £39.

4. Codello winter scarves, from £39.

5. Cowparade 'In The Mood For Love', £52.

6. Corga leather card holders, from £25.

UNDER £100

1. Fornasetti cushions, £75.

2. Christian Zuzunaga cushions, £74.

3. Cor Sin Labe Doli ceramic bowtie, from £89.

4. Diamantini & Domeniconi wall clock, was £119 now £98.

5. Kishu Binchotan water purifier with bottle, £68.

6. Baobab candles, from £45.

7. Charge N' Fruits charging station, from £60.

MONEY NO OBJECT

1. Fornasetti 'Adamo' wall plates (set of 12), £2500.

2. Blue cowhide rug, £280.

3. Catellani & Smith wall lamp, £229.

4. Fabio Novembre Nemo chair (lacquered red), £2500.

5. Baobab Platinum candle, £320.

6. Fornasettti Lampadina lamp base, £560.

7. Fornasetti Occhi console table, £3700.

Much festive love, and happy shopping!

MILK

x

An Apple A Day

We are no strangers to the benefits of fruit. How can one ignore the advertising reminding you to eat your 5 a day? And of course the famous saying, 'An apple a day...' Perhaps with this in mind, Art In The City have brought us a new way to enjoy fruit, with their Charge 'N' Fruits electronic charging stations.
MILK's picks for Christmas--festive colours of Red and Green. Also available, Apple For Life (striped), Gold, and Black.


The apples are compatible with practically every mobile phone and mp3 player within the dimensions of 66 mm width x 15 mm depth. These hand painted poly-resin beauties are a novelty way to display your gadgets while they're being 'nourished'. Why should we have all the fun? Our electronics deserve some fruity goodness as well. The perfect gift for your Apple enthusiast friend's iPhone and iPod...

The Apples from Charge N' Fruit by Art In The City are now available at MILK! http://www.milkconceptboutique.co.uk/ChargingDocks/

Much love,
MILK x

MILK's festive look

We're feeling festive at MILK, so we gave our website a touch of Christmas. We didn't forget our boutique either, we have a little festive fireplace filled with some of our favourite things!

Remember to join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

http://www.milkconceptboutique.eu/

Love, MILK x

Cushion for the pushin'

Pardon the poor pun...but we at MILK had to somehow get these adorable cushions on this blog! The faces are by the ever-recgonisable Fornasetti, and the pixel cushions are Christian Zuzunaga for Kvadrat. Available in the boutique, look out for them hiding inside Novembre's Nemo chair!

Fornasetti cushions £75, Zuzunaga for Kvadrat £85.

Love, MILK x

Shoreditch Christmas Triangle

click to enlarge

For your late-night shopping and perusing pleasure, MILK will be open till 9pm every Thursday and till 7pm on weekends! Enjoy your Christmas shopping with complimentary champagne and swiss chocolate, and take advantage of our free gift wrapping service. Whatever you're looking for, be it rare Fornasetti pieces, beautiful fashion by designer both established and independent, or stylish home accessories, MILK's eclectic selection of objects are sure to make for an original and thoughtful gift!

Much love, MILK x

Baobab Collection; candles for the sophisticated

Among men, the common conundrum faced with buying candles is that the market is swamped with feminine, twee scents that are less 'distinctive gentleman' than 'old lady with a house full of cats'. Lavender candles and rose petals are all fine for some, but what about the man who wants a candle whose scent is intense yet not particularly saccharine, and a design that is sophisticated yet simple?

Enter Baobab collection. Baobab collection was born from Belgian designer Valerie Bietlot's experiences living in South Africa. Inspired by the majestic landscapes of Tanzania with its intense colours and enchanting perfumes, Baobab underlines its African heritage with fragrances such as White Rhino, Serengeti Plains, Masaai Spirit, and Miombo Woodlands.

White Rhino, Serengeti Plains, Masaai Spirit, and Miombo Woodlands in Max 10. 1ocm high, 50og, 60 burning hours.

Encre De Chine and Cuir De Russie in Max 16. 16cm high, 1.2kg, 150 burning hours.

Other evocative scents beyond the African plains include Encre De Chine (India Ink) and Cuir De

Russie (Russian Leather), the latter of which would be very much suited to a masculine study for a gentleman or at home to a bachelor's pad. One can already imagine which cigar to complement the candles with, or what colour suit would perfectly match the inky depth of Encre De Chine's matt black body.

Baobab Platinum in Max 40, 16, 10. Max 40 is 40 cm high, 7.5 kg, and 800 burning hours.

The platinum range has the same exceptional finishing and perfect lines of its glass brothers, with an extra touch--it quietly oozes luxury with the high shine of platinum, a metal far rarer than gold.

BAOBAB Collection at MILK Concept Boutique

Hudson's directional footwear for winter

Milk are excited to present to you our selection of Hudson's latest footwear for men and women! Winter in London is a perpetual state of rain, occasional hail, and it is quite likely we will be seeing some snow in the coming months. No other nation understands tempestuous temperemental weather quite the English do, and

with this knowledge English shoemaker Hudson have designed their Autumn/Winter 2010 line with this in mind.

Ladies and gentlemen can now stomp stylishly across city pavements, town cobblestones, and country pastures in these luscious and sturdy offerings. Hudson are famous for the strength yet softness o

f their leather--one customer has commented that the Hillman feels like 'butter on her feet'--and their suede shoes are no less durable, having been specially treated to stand up against rain and water. Other clever tricks to make their footwear last a lifetime are to tint the tip of their shoes a slightly darker shade to conceal inevitable staining that comes with constant wear, flexible leather whose appearance improves with wear, and creases in the curve of the top of the foot to allow for stretching.

Aesthetically, there is no need for many words--these pictures (complete with colour palette) aptly demonstrate the beautiful yet hard-wearing nature of Hudson's directional footwear. Although these pictures

really don't do them justice--you have to see them in person, or better still, slip them on and realise why these shoes are for life!

Hudson for Men. L-R: Napier, Angus (also available in black), Alaska, Dylan, Hughes

Hudson for Women. L-R: Kai, Jescot, Lowe, Chantilly, Honiton

Hudson footwear for Men and Women available and coming soon on MILK!

Much love from MILK

x

Natural Purification for your home, by Sort Of Coal

This modern age has seen two great advancements in the history of mankind. One--the development of science and technology. And two--unless you have the good luck to live somewhere where the air and water is pure--pollution. If you live in a city, you'd understand how acrid the air can be on the lungs and how harsh the water is on your throat, and let's face it, our bodies aren't build to be constantly assaulted by man-made filth!

Short of buying a lodge and moving to the Swiss Alps, purifiers are the solution. We at Milk have banished unsightly mechanical monstrosities and have instead turned to nature.

Enter Sort Of Coal. Sustainably-farmed wood from the mountain forests of Japan and Korea are transformed into nature's most effective purifiers by a controlled burning process based on a traditional Japanese method. The result is White Charcoal, composed of microscopic pores with the ability to adsorp. Adsorption is different from absorption by not releasing impurities again but eliminating it.

Sort of Coal's range of products include cubes of White Charcoal for fridges, Kishu Binchotan stems for purifying water, and beautiful Hakutan sculptures for cleansing the air in your home. They serve not only to enrich the freshness and clarity in your daily life, but as beautiful decorative objects that remind us of the power and beauty of nature.

Read more about Sort of Coal and shop their incredible prodycts on our new Life&Home section here!

Here's to wellbeing and purity,

Love, MILK x

Take a Bow

The holidays are approaching, and with it the inevitable party season. With the Christmas lights already on display in London, there's no ignoring the festivities--and this is even before one considers Halloween! Naturally, these occasions require one to put their best foot forward, after all one does not want to look anything but their best. When faced with the conundrum of looking elegant, while remaining insouciant and effortless , the sartorial solution is to look to the classics--the TIE.
Ceramic knot ties and ceramic bow ties by COR SINE LABE DOLI
A fresh twist to a classic style, these papillons (french for bow tie) are made of the finest quality ceramic, and available in a variety of colours and textures--our personal favourite is the Shiny Black with Gold Stain Corner. These ingenious designs ensure you'll not only stand out in a crowd full of traditional silk bow ties and ties, but also save you the time, hassle, and stress of making those complicated knots and loops. Just slip them around your neck, and walk out the door--a godsend for gentlemen and ladies with too many occasions, and too little time!

For those who want the traditional feel and shape of the classic silk tie, but want to display their sense of humour and discerning taste, there can be no better choice than Fornasetti's latest designs. Already a cult designer, Fornasetti's instantly recognisable artwork can now be worn as a neckpiece--surely a great conversation starter. More so, these silk ties are collectibles, as are all of Fornasetti's works of art.

Inventive and bold as these bow-ties and ties are, it is great to remember that these are classic accessories that you can wear for a lifetime, not just special occasions and parties. Go ahead, update your wardrobe with these beautiful statement pieces--your better half (or future better half) will thank you for it!
Happy holidays, MILK x

The Importance Of Being On Time by MILK

Punctuality must surely be one of the most underappreciated virtues in these modern times! These days, a 'small' amount of lateness is acceptable; commonly about ten or fifteen minutes in the Western world, whereas in cultures such as Japanese society, or in the military there basically is no allowance. In this time and age there really is no reason to be late or keep anyone waiting, not when you can be on time with these stylish timekeeping pieces. MILK presents a selection of wall clocks and watches, available to buy from our boutique and online--

WALL CLOCKS
Left to right--Fornasetti Wall clock, Diamantini&Domeniconi clocks; Arcoiris Cuckoo clock by Raffaele Darra, Cotton wall clock by Carlo & Benedetta Tamborini, Blue wall clock and Pink wall clock by Giovanni Levanti, Red Hooked clock by Pascal Tarabay

OPS WATCHES
L-R: Black, White, Yellow, Aquamarine, Red, Purple, Dark Blue, Blue sky
TOY WATCH
Row 1, L-R: Chrono Gun, Black, Stardust, Sugar Candy
Row 2, L-R: Amethyst, Golden Time, Mustard
Row 3, L-R: Green Apple Jelly, Yellow Lemon Jelly

Happy perusing, and be quick to follow us on Twitter and join us on Facebook!
With love, MILK x

Fornasetti Profumi per la Casa at MILK

MILK is delighted to announce that Fornasetti's new range of home fragrances, Profumi per La Casa, are available in the boutique and our online shop!

First, an introduction--There are few artisans as prolific as Milanese artist Piero Fornasetti. Painter, sculptor, interior decorator, engraver of books--and now, his son Barnaba, custodian of the Fornasetti legacy, has turned his attention towards the notion of home fragrance. The first collection of Fornasetti Profumi per La Casa, celebrates the Fornasetti ceramic heritage in combination with both well-known and less familiar decorative images. Together they make up a desirable group of iconic objects and decorative pieces that are at once collectable and covetous.

Fornasetti has taken a new step in home fragrance, one that transcends the obvious and transforms it into the truly magical. Architectural details, butterflies, facial expressions, suns, owls and monkeys all vie with one another to capture the imagination and open the realm of dreams.

The collection encompasses various home scenting devices from the ubiquitous scented candle and boxed incense sticks through to room sprays and ceramic globe diffusers for incense, perfumed oil or scented rocks. Each object has a clearly defined purpose and can be re-used, given an alternative use, or added to a Fornasetti collection. Fornasetti Profumi per La Casa will be a constantly evolving range of decorative objects and limited editions. Subsequent collections will explore other avenues within the Fornasetti world, fragrances and ways of experiencing scent.

Fornasetti is celebrated as being one of the most original creative talents of the last century. During his long career he perfected his art and made use of a rich visual vocabulary that is instantly recognisable and constantly engages. Fornasetti designed a magical dream world, saturated in rich of imagery and filled with whimsical humour. And now with the addition of Profumi per La Casa, the Fornasetti experience has been expanded beyond tactile and visual, and entered the realm of scent.

Experience the new dimension of Fornasetti's whimsical and magical world at MILK Concept Boutique, from 13th October!

Love, from MILK x

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Fabio Novembre Him and Her Chairs

Fabio Novembre has been called Italy's most flamboyant interior designer, and
his colourful and vibrant aesthetic is immediately apparent in the colour range of
the iconic Him and Her chairs. Red, aquamarine, violet, matte, lacquered, all
are now available at MILK and ready to order from our online shop.

We at MILK are excited to announce that Novembre's latest creations, a
glass-like clear version of the Her chair will soon be arriving to and gracing the boutique!
Lightness and sensuality come together in the latest version of
Novembre's Her chairs. Continuing research into new
chromatic effects lead to the development of a new production method
which in turn, has given birth to a new transparent, glass like version.
The chairs are created using rotational moulding technology combined with
transparent polycarbonate. The form of the seat itself comes from a 3D replication
of an original plaster sculpture of the female form.

The clear versions are also available to order online, delivery to the UK is
only 1-2 days.

Conveniently, the Him and Her chairs are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Allow these pictures to demonstrate and inspire---




Remember to follow MILK on Twitter and 'like' us on Facebook for
updates as we acquire more beautiful things for your home. Happy
looking, perusing, and shopping!

Love, from MILK x

Images 1&2 © MILK, images 3-6 © Fabio Novembre

MILK Concept Boutique have teamed up with The London Design Festival 2010 to bring you a milkshake of exciting art, fashion, and design from 3 artisans both established and independent.

"For this occasion MILK is proud to represent 3 artisans and a selection of their work as varied yet exclusive as the eclectic curation of the boutique itself—Barnaba Fornasetti, Debra Franses Bean and Walter Raes."

Read more about the artists and their works here.

The London Design Festival is from 18 September, 2010 (All day) - 26 September, 2010 (All day). MILK will be hosting a special event and drinks reception, attended by the artists themselves, at the boutique.

The opening times are MILK Concept Boutique Special Event--Tuesday 21 SEP, 5pm - 10pm. London Design Festival--MON/TUE/WED 11am - 7pm, THURS 11am - 8pm, SAT 11am - 6pm, SUN 10.30am - 6pm

For more details, check out our profile on the London Design Festival website at http://www.londondesignfestival.com/events/milkshake-ingredients-piero-fornastti-debra-frances-bean-walter-raes

Remember to follow us on Twitter, and join our Fanpage on Facebook for regular updates, exciting news and offers, and for more MILK goodness!

Much love from MILK x

MILKShake Summer sale