currently on sale in New York‘s Macy’s department store. Ichi-Ne-San in Glasgow will also shortly be stocking some examples. They make reproduction ‘in the Mackintosh style’ mirrors with a new method ofcold casting as well as furnishing pubs. shops and cafes with unusual curios. bric-a-brac etc. In a months time Bridges is opening Studio Hoffmann at the corner of Candleriggs and Ingram Square. which will sell privately designed furniture from designers all over Britain including one-offs.
It is, however. their ‘post modernist. post civilisation' interiors which are capturing most attention. With their use ofburnt steel. plaster and glass they have created a look which is at once novel and timeless. ‘The aim.‘ according to Bridges. ‘is to capture a moment in time that will never be unfashionable.‘ Their designs. he explained. mostly come from imagination and from careful scrutiny of design going back decades so they can see ‘what lasts and what doesn‘t last.‘
Bridges is another who subscribes to the idea that Glasgow is a place to watch in the future. ‘There‘s an amazing buzz about the place. Without doubt the Merchant City is going to be the place to be. There are people like Marcatre’ moving into Glasgow and they don‘t move in for no reason - they know what‘s going on.‘ He also feels that Scotland and Glasgow should have a united front as regards design. fashion. art etc and become as much a Mecca for designers as. say. Milan. ‘Ben the Press was a great example of what can be done. With some help from the SDA or someone we could all get together and form some kind of
united association. which I strongly feel can and should be done.’ (Graham Caldwell)
ARTISTIC LICENCE
Currently designer and co-mine host of Willi‘s Bar and Grill. Ron McCulloch could be described as the man with the original Midas Touch. For the past ten years he has been actively involved in most of Glasgow‘s licensed success stories. He trained for four years at Glasgow School of Art but left without taking his degree to ‘learn the licensed and cateringtrade'. His first entrepreneurial venture was with the Rock Garden which came about when a deal to buy the original Rock Garden in Covent Garden fell through. McCulloch returned to
l I
Glasgow and thought. ‘bugger them I'll build my own.‘ The rest. as they say. is history. Riding on the punk boom of the late Seventies. the Rock Garden rapidly became the place to go in Glasgow and spawned a score of imitators.
With the restlessness which has been his hallmark. McCulloch moved on to create a succession of ventures. each one more successful that the last. The Cul-de-Sac. De Ouincey‘s. Henry Afrika's and now. Willi‘s. ‘I enjoy the challenge. the creating something out ofnothing.‘ he says. ‘Willi‘s has been the first place I’ve been involved in that I want to remain with.‘ There has been no continuous theme to any of his ventures; from the Americana ofthe Rock Garden through the tiled
Nicoi's Pour Le Branche by the GIasgowArt Factory
elegance of De Ouincey's to the mirrorand steel ofWilli‘s. ‘l‘ve always been a much-travelled person.’ he explains. ‘and most of my ideas come about through that . . . and in some places the layout or look of the place pushes youin a certain design direction.‘ He agrees that Glasgow has a lot going for it in this particular field. ‘(ilasgow is lucky that is has this entrepreneurial talent willing to put a lot of money into places. Breweries aren‘t interested. Places like Edinburgh and even London don't take advantage of the scope they've got. For example we get a lot of record company people in here when they‘re in Glasgow and they can't believe what's going on here compared to London.‘ (Graham Caldwell)
LISTINGS
EXHIBITIONS
0 New Lights in Glasgow Third Eye Centre (Gallery 2) (see above). 21 Oct-1 Nov. Described as a ‘provocative and singular‘ show. this exhibition features both commercially available and experimental pieces. but all are unusual. Designers include Stephen French. Derek Brown who worked on Caravaggio. Janice Fitzpatrick and Geoff Bonner. A catalogue, priced 40p. is available.
0 Accessories Third Eye Centre
FASHION
0 Fashion Show Third Eye Centre (Gallery). 350 Sauchiehall Street. 332 7521/4. Wed 22—Sat 25 Oct 8pm. Matine’e Sat 25 Oct. 2pm. £3.50 (£2.50). Box Office Tue-Sat 10am—5pm; Sun 2—5.3()pm; and during events. tickets on sale in bookshop. Perhaps the centrepiece ofthe Glasgow Style Exhibition. this nightly fashion show is directed by James Runcie. Assistant Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company and its strongly theatrical setting will
feature linking sketches written by Liz Lochhead. The original music is by David McNiven (Acropolis Now. City Lights). Terry Neason. star of the acclaimed Piafwill be singing. set design is by Minty Donald. lighting design by Veronica Wood and choreography by Liz Ingram and Cheryl Strong. The compere will be Alison Forsyth.
The fashion performance will feature around 150 designs from such people as Gillian Cowie. originator of London’s Design Station studios. who has worked for Marks and Spencer; Lynda Robertson whose designs have been chosen by the Next chain, and Rhoda McKinnon whose theatrical costumes won acclaim in London earlier this year. A souvenir brochure (50p) is available and information about stockists can be had from Bait Modes. 7 Wilson Street. 041 552 8050.
0 Fashion Show City Hall. Candleriggs. 041 227 5014. 21 Oct. 7.30pm. £5. Not part ofGlasgow Style. but on at the same time is this collection ofAutumn and Winter Wear presented by A&M Productions. Described as one of the biggest and most original ofits kind,
it is touring major cities all over Britain and features. as well as hundreds of designs and fashions. light shows. music and dancing. (Foyer) (see above). 21 Oct—l Nov. With some ofthe items featured in the fashion show. Finely detailed hats, gloves. bags. scarves. jewellery etc.
0 Inside Glasgow Third Eye Centre (Cafe/Bar) (see above). 21 Oct—l Nov. A photographic displayof interior designs ofpubs. cafes and other buildings in Glasgow featuring work by people such as the Glasgow Art Factory (see Feature).
0 Young Scotland ’86 The Scottish Design Centre, 72 St Vincent Street. 2216121.Mon—Fri 9.30am—5pm; Sat 9am—5pm. Until 25 Oct. Also unconnected with Glasgow Style and not solely Glaswegian either. but an exhibition of knitted garments and accessories which reached the finals of the Scottish Woollen Publicity Council‘s competition, Scottish Yarn into Fashion Knitwear. It features the work often finalists from institutions such as Glasgow School ofArt. Edinburgh College of Art, Duncan ofJordanstone College of Art in Dundee and Galashiels‘ Scottish College ofTextiles. It
includes the Mexican—influenced designs ofcompetition winner Jill Christie. currently in her final year at Glasgow School of Art.
0 The Festival Collection Scottish Design Council (see above). Until 30 Oct. Four garments by four of Scotland's leading designers as commissioned by the .S'r'utsman Magazine. The designers are Sheila Mary Carruthers. (‘hris (‘lyne. Linda Robertson and Moira Withers.
MUSIC
0 The Styng Bites and Beat Poets Third Eye Centre (see above). 'I‘hurs 30 Oct. 10pm. £3 (£2). A fun pop group and the ‘only group in Glasgow not afraid to have nothing to say.‘
0 Fini Tribe and The Boy Hairdressers Third Eye (‘entre (see above) Friday 31 Oct. 10pm. £3 (£2). Fini 'l'ribe are as much performance artists as musicians. although they probably won‘t appreciate me saying so.
0 BMX Bandits and The Pastels Third Eye Centre (see above) Sat 1 Nov. 10pm. £3 (£2). The Bandits are one of the most hyped bands about and take Edwin (‘ollins‘ nai'vete to extremes.
The List l7— 30 ()ctoberTI-3