The Revue, July 2020

We greet the start of July with another round of recommendations, handpicked from across the virtual globe. This month we walk through the history of Japan’s most iconic garment, admire a collection of mind-bending hotel carpets, and listen in as chefs talk resilience and resourcefulness on the London lockdown restaurant scene.

watch: Service Abnormal – James Cochran of 12:51

Film series Service Abnormal catches up with a London restaurant scene attempting to find its feet during a turbulent three months. ‘Through the windows and doorways of London’s adjusting food scene,’ the crew take a socially distanced approach to conversation, with proprietors and chefs walking us through the creative ways they’ve been forced to adapt, as well their plans for a world post-lockdown. In this episode, James Cochran of Islington’s 12:51 discusses his speedy transition from fine dining to fried chicken.

visit: Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk – A Virtual Tour

The V&A opens its virtual doors for a curator’s tour of Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, an exhibition tracing the history of the Kimono from the 1660s to present day. Anna Jackson leads us through the galleries in a five-part film investigating the garment’s ‘sartorial, aesthetic and social significance,’ highlighting the incredible craftsmanship and storytelling behind both textiles and finished piece. Rare and unseen kimonos sit beside contemporary interpretations, while the mechanics of pattern making and construction are unpicked.

read: The New York Times – Who was Carlo Scarpa?

The New York Times shines a light on the lesser-known residential work of famed modernist architect Carlo Scarpa. Best known for breathing new life into some of Italy’s most treasured medieval buildings, including Castelvecchio Museum in Verona and Venice’s Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Scarpa’s fondness for organic forms and niche handcrafts set him apart from his more machine-minded contemporaries. Here, the NYT Style Magazine takes us on a tour of his smaller-scale creations, all soft concrete curves and warm wood panelling.

read: Hotel Carpets, Bill Young, Hoxton Mini Press

American pilot and amateur photographer Bill Young channels his fascination for weird and wild old school carpets into this cheerful paperback. From Las Vegas to Lille, Tokyo to Texas, Young has amassed an impressive collection of images focusing on the fine (and often bizarre) detail found in lobby carpets. Hotels being one of the few acceptable venues to display these eye-popping creations, Young’s years spent checking in and out of sprawling corporate chains have been put to good use.

listen: Palo Alto, Thelonious Monk

Impulse! Records announce the first-time release of Thelonious Monk’s 1968 Palo Alto High School performance. A benefit concert staged in an unlikely venue, the show aimed to bring local communities together in the wake of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination. This incredible 47 minute show has been described by Monk’s son T.S. Monk as ‘one of the best live recordings I’ve ever heard by Thelonious.’ Check out this trippy visualiser for a taste of what to expect. 

product focus: Multi Stripe Linen Spread Collar Shirt

It’s linen season and what better way to mark the arrival of warmer weather than a spread collar shirt in washed out stripes. Incredibly comfortable, suitable for both shorts and suit, mother of pearl buttons are joined by brushed floating interlining and a single breast pocket. A cheerful classic that only improves with wear.