Portrait of a London Tailor: Joe De Mennato

Joe De Mennato has been a tailor since 1969. Working behind the scenes of the famous Savile Row, he has a top floor work space in the heart of Soho.

Creative Director and Producer Olly Cooper had the pleasure of meeting him to make a micro documentary about him and his work for Cricket Productions. He sent me a link to the video thinking I might be interested.

I am. It is beautifully shot and edited and fits in perfectly with what I want to achieve with LLO – which is looking at London from the view of people who live and work here, the secrets and hidden gems. I think Joe is probably one of those gems.

Enjoy the video:

Thanks Olly!

60 Photographs of Londoners: Part 2

Carrying on from Tuesday’s part 1 post, here’s the other 30 photographs of Londoners!

Photo: Xanthi is here from Greece studying Music Management – photographed on The Kingsway by stretch1000 London Faces

Photo: The Real Thing by John Kortland

Photo: Bass Player Lewis from London band La Shark in Bourchier Street, Soho by Pete Zelewski

Photo: Keeping Warm by John Kortland

Photo: Suzette and Charlotte from South and East London respectively by Jonathan Campenni

Photo by Fish&Chic

Photo: Brick Lane street portrait by Justin Sneddon

Photo by Fish&Chic

Photo: Can we talk? by John Kortland

Photo: Carrolynne on her way home from the gym, photographed on Charterhouse Street, Smithfield by stretch1000 London Faces

Photo: Cavendish Square by Richard Stern

Photo: Character by Steve Reed

Photo by Fish&Chic

Photo: Well, one at least! by John Kortland

Photo: Jake at the Heygate by Becky Frances

Photo: Rock on by John Kortland

Photo: Repairs and alterations, Walworth by getintheshot

Photo: Sun effect in St. James Park by John Kortland

Photo: Valerie June? by r3cycl3r

Photo by Fish&Chic

Photo: Chakrin is from Thailand and is working in a Thai restaurant in London to support himself while he completes a degree in Financial Management, photographed on Little Portland Street by stretch1000 London Faces

Photo: Exit strategy by John Kortland

Photo: Seeking enlightenment by John Kortland

Photo: Red, Green and Yellow by Steve Reed

Photo: Ten? Bishops Square, Spitalfields by John Kortland

Photo: Get Comfortable by Steve Reed

Photo: Off to the Side by John Kortland

Photo: Self love by John Kortland

Photo: Brick Lane street portrait by Justin Sneddon

Photo: Brick Lane shop fronts by Astrid Tontson

Leave your faves in the comments!

60 Photographs of Londoners: Part 1

Occasionally, street photographer John Kortland and I meet up for tea and a lunch break catch up. I realised when I saw him last week that it’s been ages since I last dug into the valuable resource that is the LLO Flickr pool. So today I give you a good old Londoners post followed by a part two next week and coming shortly also from the Flickr pool, we’ll have street art post and a few other interesting snippets of London life. Thanks to all the photographers who continue to contribute to the Flickr pool!

Photo: Careful coiffure by John Kortland

Photo: Colourful by Steve Reed

Photo: Kofi, a musician in the band Kofi and the Mandem on Great Chapel Street, Soho by stretch1000 London Faces

Photo: The i-Hide App by John Kortland

Photo: Father’s Day at The Red Lion Pub, Leytonstone by Jan Rockar

Photo: Extra highlight by John Kortland

Photo: Brick Lane street portrait by Justin Sneddon

Photo: Bernard, a student of fine arts, walking across The Strand by stretch1000 London Faces

Photo by Fish&Chic

Photo: Not Telling by John Kortland

Photo: Alex is Italian, in London to visit his girlfriend who is temporarily living here photographed by H Matthew Howarth

Photo: Street portrait for Which? by Pete Zelewski

Photo: World Naked Bike Ride, Waterloo Bridge by Jan Rockar

Photo: Mandy on Great Portland Street by stretch1000 London Faces

Photo: Personal police escort on St. Martin’s Lane by John Kortland

Photo: Saved by Steve Reed

Photo: Peter on The Mall by John Kortland

Photo: Rim, from Japan, works at a vintage store and is in London to learn English. He’s photographed here on Drury Lane by stretch1000 London Faces

Photo: Trio by Steve Reed

Photo: Just a jealous guy by John Kortland

Photo: World Naked Bike Ride by Jan Rockar

Photo: Street portrait for Which? by Pete Zelewski

Photo: Sitting on the Fence by John Kortland

Photo: Basking by Steve Reed

Photo: Bus/boy by Becky Frances

Photo: The Shoe Mender’s Customer by getintheshot

Photo: Can’t do a thing with it! by John Kortland

Photo: Trafalgar Square by Richard Stern

Photo: #5 by Becky Frances

Photo: Street portrait for Which? by Pete Zelewski

Favourite shot from the bunch? Leave it in the comments. Look forward to 25 more on Thursday! If you have your own shots of Londoners to share, add them to the pool.

A Lovely Bunch of Londoners

As someone who spent the first 23 years of her life in a small suburb upstate New York where people make small talk with strangers, chat with their neighbours and smile at everyone in the streets (and possibly utter a “good morning” in passing), one of the biggest challenges I had when I moved to London back in 2007 was adapting to the people.

They’re really a warm bunch when you get to know them, but being a big city of some 8 million faces from hundreds of countries, the need to carve out a personal bubble is understandable. You get used to it after a while, though, this lack of eye contact, the awkward closeness on the tube, the reluctance to speak to strangers.

Despite this, for me, the people are the greatest part of London – the languages and accents, the diversity in every sense of the word, the fashion, the expressions of creativity, etc. When someone lets you into their bubble, as people do when I interview them for LLO, you get a real sense of what this city is made of and what you find is something truly inspiring.

Other times, it’s fun to sit back and observe life in action. It’s been a while since I’ve posted a series images of Londoners from the Flickr pool. I’ve missed picking out my favourite shots as well as sharing the talent of London’s fabulous street photographers. So that’s what I’m going to do now:

Photo: Matching nicely by John Kortland

Photo: Rows and rows by John Kortland

Photo: Sensible shoes by John Kortland

Photo: Black and white in colour by John Kortland

Photo: Yami Gautam, Bollywood Actress by John Kortland

Photo: For richer, for poorer by John Kortland

Photo: Happy face by John Kortland

Photo: People of Soho: The fashion retailer, Lorna, in Bridle Lane by Pete Zelewski

Photo: Exhaust fumes by John Kortland

Photo: Tahnee-Barbican by Becky Frances

Photo: People of Soho, the celebrity hairdresser – with a client list that includes Sienna Miller, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kiera Knightley and Johnny Depp it’s hairdresser Johnnie Sapong in Marylebone Passage by Pete Zelewski

Photo: Don’t Try It At Home, George by John Kortland

Photo: People of Soho: The creative artist, Spanish Graphic Designer and Illustrator Adriana in Nottingham Court, Covent Garden by Pete Zelewski

Photo: Up against it by John Kortland

Photo: Having a nibble by John Kortland

Photo: Senior rasta by John Kortland

Photo: 3D View by John Kortland

Photo: Diane Abbott MP by John Kortland

Photo: Face in the crowd by John Kortland

Photo: Victoria Park Portrait by Becky Frances

Photo: Father and Son by Darren Johnson

Photo: Taking a Break by Graham F Kerr

Photo: People of Soho: Makeup artist Rose from cult British beauty brand Illamasqua in Bridle Lane by Pete Zelewski

Photo: Figurehead by John Kortland

Photo: Glamorous by Steve Reed

Photo: Wrapped up against the cold by John Kortland

Photo: Pink and plugged in by by John Kortland

Photo: Blue mood by John Kortland

Photo: Well studded by John Kortland

Photo: London underground by Jiro

Photo: Curls by John Kortland

Photo: Ring tones by John Kortland

Photo: Aya by H Matthew Howarth

Street Style at London Fashion Week AW 2013

Following yesterday’s post, photographer Frederique Rapier has kindly offered to let me share some of her street style images from this last week’s A/W 13 London Fashion Week. All of the photos in this entry, along with caption, are hers. Here we go!

Photo: Green light, red light – Somerset House

Photo: Bold colours against dark skin – a delight. – Somerset House

Photo: Oh the luxury – Somerset House

Photo: Clean and classic – Somerset House

Photo: Vintage and granny chic – Somerset House

Photo: In a league of its own – Somerset House

Photo: There were some glorious beards and finely dressed gentlemen on display at Somerset House

Photo: Pops of colours and textures to brighten up the winter at Somerset House

Photo: Geek chic and fab hair – Somerset House

Photo: Glamour and opulence is to be expected – Somerset House

Fantastic, aren’t they? Such a great time of year for people watching in London!

See more photos from Frederique on her website.