All Mix Blog

Here's a sneak preview of something that we intend to read over the weekend. There is little available online about the history of Design for Industry magazine so once we have reviewed the content we will post something further. For now, please enjoy this cover from May 1959 and the subscription card that was enclosed with the issue.

We received some very welcome post yesterday in the form of an envelope containing the new issue of Old Town's Evening Star newspaper. The editorial is both witty and informative - a rarity in these days of plenty it seems. After spending twenty minutes flicking through it last night our highlights include; Mystic Reg (he's seen the future, and it includes clothing featuring pylons and bi-planes), the return of Cooper (the heavyweight font is the 'new Gill Sans') and a feature on The Brilliant Sign Co . One thing that really struck a chord was the adverts - each one having its own appeal. Maybe its down to the vision of Old Town's creators that this is the case - they know their audience so well that they can be confident of the other brands they promote. If you would like a copy of the Evening Star then please do get in touch via the Manufacture & Industry Facebook page. True to form, they sent us a couple of extra copies. First come, first served. Thank you ...

We highly recommend this tome on the history of Savile Row by James Sherwood (Thames & Hudson.) Beautifully designed and impressively in-depth the book is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest shopping streets in the world. (Pictures from Savile Row: The Master Tailors of British Bespoke - RRP £45 but available for a lower price on certain online retail sites)

The second issue of our favourite womens' magazine, The Gentlewoman , is out this week and we were delighted to come across an interview with Meena Pathak of the eponymous (minus the 'h' for ease of pronunciation according to the article) curry sauce brand. What really caught the eye was the images taken (by Daniel Riera ) inside the Patak's factory in Leigh, Lancashire (see pages 122-123 of the magazine.)

For images of this handsome programme in full see our new Flickr

Open publication - Free publishing - More tenue de nimes Whilst away this week I was handed the latest issue of Journal de Nimes. Focussed entirely on garments made in Britain, a brief flick through has whetted my appetite and I will soon get round to reading it from cover to cover. More to follow but in the meantime it can be read in all its (digital) glory here .

In 1886 Birmingham photographer John Collier documented the Exhibition of Local Manufactures and Natural History. The selection of exhibits was limited 'to the leading manufacturers in their respective branches, or to any firm producing a speciality, with the view of showing the great variety of trades, and the excellence of work produced.' We were very disappointed to learn that we missed a mini-retrospective of the original exhibition last year. However, the accompanying booklet, created by Brighton-based Studio Makgill , is enough to whet the appetite.