Maison is Where the Art is…

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This week Harvey Nichols isn’t quite like it normally is, this week it’s a home, more specifically a Maison.

Maison 20 is a collection of artists, bloggers and designers that all work together to form a collective that allows more reach and exposure to each of their individual skills and crafts than would be possible if they worked alone, they’re like the Borg but nothing is futile and for now they have invaded Harvey Nichols.

A large part of the casual wear department now contains a selection of uniquely designed t-shirts all created by the 20 artists who make up Maison 20, their delicious daubings can also be found on the nearby walls.

Extravagantly long interwoven cable thick hairs bend around parts of the store leading on to what appear to be scales that form an aquatic skin along the sides. Spinning feathers stroke neo-gothic balustrades and part formed movements caught in a mono scribbled moment tickle and look to reach out at the shoppers that walk by.

Dora Marr on one part of the wall appears to be pulling Pete Burns this is my particular favourite but as a permissive Picasso pervert it would be hard for me to like anything as much as this illicit pair cuddling up in public view.

The t-shirts are eclectic and it is only really the label that pulls them together such is the varied disparity and breadth of the artistry and artists involved. I’m a t shirt fan, it’s hard to  imagine any urban city dwelling man could claim anything other than having a fetish for the simple yet bold carriers of our daily message to the world, and as a fan I can particularly say this is a great collection, whenever I’m looking for a t-shirt I look for something different, which is hard to do when you are dealing with only a 40 by 40 cm nylon polyester canvas, but here it is achieved and the reason they are unique is because this brand is a collective it’s not a large over branded multinational, it’s not a company trying to make profit for profits sake, its not a greedy entrepreneur trying to make his name sit above all overs, it’s artists helping each other out for the common good and in doing so giving us something funky to own.

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