The Fableists: Big and Little

Big and Little

I Love this picture for three reasons.

One, because it is a gorgeous snap of my lovely daughter Amelie (with her not so beautiful father!).

Two, because this was a monumental day, one in which the amazing Sam Robinson shot our first ever collection in east London over 3 locations. We can’t wait to see the results.

And three, because it happened that our stylist and designer decided to put Amelie in our French Chore Coat, Breton Shirt and Dark Denim Jeans for her first look and it mirrored what I was wearing (and kind of always do). I think it proves beautifully how these classic clothes can look so much better on kids than their parents and also how the clothes look equally as good on a girl as they do a boy. Most of our first collection is gender neutral; ideal for passing the clothes on. Now that can save you some cash!

I love the snap. The outfit I am wearing is what inspired the style of The Fableists and it was a complete coincidence that we had the same stuff on.

It will all be ready for sale shortly and seeing the kids in the clothes was just so exciting for us yesterday. The kids worked the clothes pretty hard!

Beautifully designed clothes, made well in a totally sustainable way.

Matt Cooper, Founder

On Set of our Look Book Photo Shoot

Brothers and Sisters have pulled together an amazing team for our Look Book photo shoot. Today we’re under the masterful direction of photographer Sam Robinson. We can’t wait to see The Fableists’ clothes in action!

Camping with The Fableists’ Tees

Summer holidays = camping. Right?

Another great opportunity to show off some of the artist-designed t-shirts from The Fableists. And what better test drive than wearing the same clothes for several days (and nights) to really put them through the wringer? These tees have been slept in, they’ve been fishing, they’ve swung on rope swings out over the river, been cooked in, biked in and had mud pies made whilst wearing them. They’ve been rained on and shone on, they’ve enjoyed ice cream, daily ketchup lashings – and lived to tell the tale.

(PS – A cold water wash with a hearty helping of white vinegar got the chocolate and mud stains out!)

Refusing to show her top for the photo!

 

 

The Fableists’ First Fashion Shoot

Breton Top and Denim Skirt

Hello Fableists!

One week from today, we will be having our first official photo shoot for The Fableists. Some of the outfits that we will be featuring in our look book are featured above and below.

Western Shirt, Classic Jeans and Crispin Finn-Designed Tees ‘Dress Good’ and ‘Made to Wear Well’

Fashion photographer extraordinaire, Sam Robinson will be calling the shots. Sam is owner of The Shop Studios, a photography and film studio in North London and a founding partner of The Shop Productions, home to a collective of filmmakers, each with different skills. We are thrilled that he has agreed to work with us. Our models are excited and can look forward to a great day on set and lots of fun. In Sam’s own words, “My photography is about honesty. It’s about seeing: colours, characters, moments, people, personalities and stories. It’s about fun, friendship and feelings.”

Smock Top and Denim Skirt

We can’t wait to see the results and share them with you.

Shore Coat, Classic Jeans and ‘Wear Me Out’ T-Shirt Designed by Anthony Peters

The First Lucky 13 Tees

They’re here! Imagine our excitement yesterday when we received the first 13 t-shirts. We are very proud of this first collection of limited edition, artist-designed tees – the one that will launch The Fableists. Our web site will be live in a few weeks and these t-shirt will be the first items available for purchase.

The first collection features the work of four artists:

The Fableists’ T-Shirts Designed by Crispin Finn

The Fableists’ T-Shirts Designed by Crispin Finn

The Fableists’ T-Shirts Designed by Sami Viljanto

The Fableists’ T-Shirts Designed by Gregori Saavedra

The Fableists’ T-Shirts Designed by Anthony Peters

This is the sizing chart for the t-shirts:

Age Range	3-4Y	5-6Y	7-8Y	9-10Y
Height	98-104 cm      38.5-41”	110-116 cm      43.25-45.5”	122-128 cm      48-50.5”	134-140 cm      52.75-55”

And a few more shots because we couldn’t resist!

Fashion is a Sign of the Times

Fashion and history are linked. Changes to the styles and fashions of the day usually coincide with changes in they way people think and what is happening around them.

So let’s think about the fashion that we best want to represent us to future generations. At The Fableists, we’re opting for clean, simple, practical designs and tried and tested styles that don’t leave a legacy of waste, poverty and disease. We want to be part of a change in the way people think about their purchases.

Make your fashion choices wisely because they will represent how we lived, how we thought & felt and what was happening.

Put Down the Iron: You’ll Thank Us!

For those of you who are (blissfully) unfamiliar with the practice, ironing is the use of a heated tool (the iron) to remove the wrinkles from cloth. When the cloth is heated, it loosens the bonds between the molecules of the fabric, making it easier to reorient. The weight of the iron then makes the fabric lie flat and when it cools, it stays that way (sometimes).

The electric iron has been around since 1882 but actual iron, heated over a fire or stove has been used since long before that. So we have been slaves to this obsessive-compulsive behaviour for hundreds of years. A perfect example of how evolution isn’t all about strengthening the species. And ironing-fever shows no signs of waning.

How many of you currently have a pile of ironing that is awaiting your attention? Do you have friends who claim they never iron and who still look acceptable? Do the clothes you put on your kids look as though they have never been near an iron within minutes of wearing?

Same here. And I can’t seem to stop. Some people claim they find ironing relaxing. I guess I can sort of see that but at the same time, I can think of at least a thousand ways to relax that are more fun.

Ironing also uses energy (your own and electrical) and all that softening of fabric bonds will eventually deteriorate the fabric. Another thing to dislike about ironing.

We at The Fableists think it’s time to stop this madness and we want to help you break this crazy habit using a simple, 4-step programme. Let’s do it together:

1. Be pro-active about avoiding ironing. You do have to stay on top of your drying clothes. Leaving them = wrinkling them.
2. Hang your clothes or lie them flat to dry. Be sure to shake them out first so that they don’t dry with creases where you don’t want them.
3. Take the clothes off the line/rack when they are slightly damp, fold them along the creases and hang them up, or pile them on top of each other. The weight will help press out wrinkles.
4. Put them away promptly. Leaving a large pile of unfolded clothes waiting will just wrinkle them.

If you miss your window of opportunity at the ‘slightly damp’ phase, try spraying your clothes lightly with water and carrying on. If all else fails, try hanging your clothes in the bathroom with you while you shower. This will help remove wrinkles as well as odours.

They may not be exactly the same as when you were ironing but what is the point in wasting all that energy and breaking down the fabric of your clothes just so they look pin sharp hanging in your closet? After 10 minutes of wearing, they will look the same – ironed or not.

So get out there and enjoy all that time you were wasting on ironing!

PS – Obviously, some of your clothes will still require ironing but a few items is much more manageable than baskets full, right?

Director Olivier Venturini Talks About The Fableists’ Film Project

We have an exciting project in the works: Olivier Venturini will be heading up The Fableists’ first film advertising campaign.

Olivier Venturini

Olivier is an established commercial director. He is known for stunning visual work as well as his character development and comedy. He began his career in 1996 in Los Angeles. He then moved his family to London where he has completed work for high profiles clients such as Adidas, Playstation, BBC, Scottish Power, Coca Cola, Cartier, BMW, amongst others.

Olivier is represented by Great Guns.

The Fableists > Welcome to the Fableists’ fold! How did you get involved?
Olivier > Laura Gregory thought of me and I was dreaming for a long time of getting involved on less client-driven projects with more creative opportunities. So I literally jumped on the occasion. The beauty of working with a startup is that everyone is genuinely excited, there is no history or established rules yet and you get to discuss ideas and concepts directly with the key people. No politics, no egos and even if we might have slightly different agendas, we all understand the work needs to be outstanding to be noticed.

Otrivin – Castaway 2

The Fableists > What is your film making style like?
Olivier > I like film-making that appeals to your intellect as well as your emotions, I am always impressed with the efforts directors make to strip down the story to what really matters, I like unsettling time-jumps, I like realism and I hate anything explanatory. I am totally fascinated by actors capable of conveying emotions without doing much. I dislike loud film-making that calls too much attention. This is what I aspire to and hope I can achieve one day.

The Fableists > What do you think about The Fableists’ mandate for these films?
Olivier > It is brilliant, universal and yet unique. Turning our attention to kids anywhere in the world that have absolutely nothing in common but the fact that they best represent the Fableists’ philosophy is a concept with a great potential and exactly the kind of things I would love to see for a kid’s brand. Regardless to where these kids come from, whether they are poor, rich, going through a tough time or live a happy life, all that matters is that they impress us by how driven, how passionate, how courageous or how talented they are.

Still from Olivier’s work

The Fableists > How did you get your start as a director?
Olivier > I started as a runner, grew up in production companies and did all sorts of jobs before I got a chance to direct. The first chance I got was to direct a commercial for the Burkina Fasso in Africa. It was supposed to take place in a small remote African village and we ended up shooting people bare-chest in a Fontainebleau sandpit on a grey and cold day of February. A very exciting time of my life indeed.

The Fableists > What type of work are you best known for?
Olivier > I don’t know. [The Fableists: very modest answer!]

MTC – Christmas

The Fableists > Do you have a favorite job that stands out from your whole career to date?
Olivier > Nur Die or William Lawson perhaps.

The Fableists > Tell us a bit about what you have planned for The Fableists’ films?
Olivier > We want to create a series of documentaries directed by Great Guns talents with only a few key elements in common to the platform. The rest is left to the directors’ interpretation. Our guidelines are still in discussion but I suggested that we don’t use voice over or any explanatory device, that we are never judgmental or melodramatic no matter how controversial the subject might be and that we have indeed consistent titles. We also want to keep it fairly short although we haven’t discussed a duration yet. To make it cost efficient, we will try to take advantage of the trips the directors make when on jobs and shoot with lightweight equipment, most probably the 5D. We want to also record sound and use a score. It is all in gestation.

France Telecom – Ball

The Fableists > How will this appeal to both kids and their parents?
Olivier > If we find the truly fabulous characters we are after, it will hopefully talk to the adults and shall also grab kids’ attention. We certainly don’t want to make this marketing driven and rather reflect what the brand truly is at heart.

The Fableists > Where do you get your inspiration for the work you do?
Olivier > I watch lots of photos and other people’s work. I always listen to lots of different music when I write and that’s mainly where my inspiration comes from: it seems to open my emotional valve. It doesn’t always work though.

Lovable – Zerogram-3

The Fableists > Do you mostly win work through an advertising agency? Or via the client directly?
Olivier > I am a director, I am open to anything, really.

The Fableists > What do you suppose your kids, or the kids you know, will think of The Fableists?
Olivier > It is hard to say. I have 2 teenagers and a little girl in the Fableists’ age range. They have their own taste and I am curious to see what they will make of all of this.

L’Oreal Elvive – Mexico