Dress - Smart Conscience

Dear hearts,

You have all shared Miss Mich's thoughts on mass consumerism and are intimate with her own personal financial crisis (where did I put that former life and black Amex?). It must be said that, even if I could find the Amex, and there were decent shopping in the far far North, Miss Mich now has the wisdom of Mies van der Roe singing in her head...Less is More. I have referenced this before as it is one of Miss Mich's favourite mantras (along with Roy and HG's classic “when too much sport is not enough”...obvi...and that other chestnut...”just one more cocktail thank you...”)

With this in mind it heartens Miss Mich to hear that the maven of modern design, Philippe Starck, has made his way into the world of ready-to-wear clothing. Whilst Miss Mich is not so sure about the seriousness of some of the pieces designed for Alessi, one has to smile at the humanness of his kitchen utensil designs. It seems this same sensibility has been applied to the clothing collection produced in collaboration with Ballantyne. It is a logical fit really, an edgy urbane Frenchman and a Scottish company with “ancestral know-how”(!), this Starck's own words. Miss Mich loves Starck's ideas of responsible clothing and intelligent cashmere (it's waterproof!..)

If only Miss Mich had known this was all to come when at 12 her darling Grandmother the Opera singer brought back from Bonny Scotland a sensible wee beige sweater from the Ballantyne shop somewhere in the Scottish Borders..

Miss Mich is now inspired to conduct a brutal cull of the Cottage wardrobe. Out will go anything with an IQ of less than intelligent, except those really cute dippy frilly knickers..Only the really smart cotton and silk intelligensia will be given hanging space. Anything vaguely leopard will be given its marching orders and the colour purple, although regal will have to state its case convincingly to keep its place in the fash pack of Miss Mich's New Fashion Order.

Miss Mich may even go so far as to commission the lovely Imps to design a range of custom pieces to inflate and expand Miss Mich's pea all in order to help you, Dear hearts, not only look good, but sound intelligent as well.

Intelligence is a very attractive thing. And one of Miss Mich's favourite Capital Letter subjects.

Whist Rene Descartes may stand by his idea “I think therefore I am”, Miss Mich proposes this: “I dress intelligently, therefore I am”...I suspect Philippe would somewhat agree.

Enjoy Tuesday.

With love and smart cashmere
Miss Mich