We are in a festive mood!

We are in the festive mood down at The Secret Arcade - with a feast of beautiful objects waiting to be devoured! Whether its an amazing Christmas outfit or a special gift for the significant adults and children in your life you need look no further for your Christmas shopping this year. From original art to gorgeous designer fashion to sumptuous home interiors and contemporary craft ideas the odds of finding the perfect present are extremely high! Put your feet up, pour your favourite tipple and wander through the winter wonderland at your leisure - enjoy! http://www.thesecretarcade.com/

The Shopkeeper of the Week - Juno Says Hello

This week we are in conversation with Rebecca Rose the founder and owner of the amazing Juno Says Hello boutique.

Question 1. How would you describe your company?

Juno Says Hello is a London-based online boutique selling luxury vintage fashion. We select exquisite pieces that complement a contemporary wardrobe.

Question 2. Who/what are your biggest influences?

The world of cinema is a huge influence on our collections. Many of our dresses follow the classic 1950s Grace Kelly nipped-in silhouette, others are more decadent evening gowns. We recently acquired an original 1960s dress that was the same as the design worn by Julianne Moore in Tom Ford's 2009 film A Single Man. We also like to make sure that our collections follow current trends - the appearance of 1970s-inspired goddess gowns (as seen on the AW11 runway at Gucci and Marc Jacobs) meant that we sourced several original 1970s dresses that corresponded in style.

Question 3. Where is your favourite place to visit for inspiration?

Inspiration is all around - whether it's curling up in front of an Old Hollywood movie on the television, losing yourself in a Truman Capote novel or simply admiring the style of a passer-by.

Question 4: What is your favourite item from your current collection?

We love this Original 1960s handmade shift dress Pale peach lining with black lace overlay - just on trend with the likes of Kylie wearing the Dolce and Gabbana 2011 version!

Question 5. Do you have any new items/collections about to be launched?

We launch a new collection four times a year, although we can usually source specific requests within two weeks. We love these new in 1960's Mambo trousers - fabulous colour!
Question 6. What do you enjoy most about being one of the shops in The Secret Arcade?

We are thrilled to be part of The Secret Aracde as we are surrounded by like-minded businesswomen and receive great exposure through their website.

Visit Juno Says Hello in Shop No2 in the Fashion Passage

Shopkeeper of The Week - Lilies and Dreams

This week we are talking with JoJo Hernandez - the owner of the fabulous Lilies and Dreams boutique.

1. How would you describe your company?

Lilies & Dreams is an Individual and Unique Boutique offering Handbags, Luggage & Accessories.

2. What are your biggest influences?

Well made pieces, carefully designed and crafted, not readily found on the high street.

3. Where is your favourite place to visit for inspiration?

I love Markets, Craft Fairs, and even Trade Shows for inspiration as to what people are buying and where influences lie.

For design and creative inspiration, there’s nothing better than being by the sea.

4. What is your favourite item from your current collection?

From the stock we have now? I have lots of favourites, generally one from each designer.. However if I had to pick an overall, I would say our Vintage Reworked Jewellery Range from Eclectic Shock. Louise is great to work with and creates amazing one off designs.

5. Do you have any new items/collections about to be launched?

We have just received the first parcels for our autumn line from many suppliers, so yes. Very exciting are the new Bags from Makki in sumptuous Eel Skin, as well as the Winter Hide collection from Owen Barry.

............ and of course, our Swarovski Crystal Jewellery range always causes a stir!

6. What do you enjoy most about being one of the shops in The Secret Arcade?

The diversity of us all - It’s a fantastic way to combine aspects together, without having to trawl for hours (and through various cities) to find Designers and Boutiques with that little some extraordinary.

To view the full collection visit Lilies and Dreams at Shop 3 in the Fashion and Accessories passage at The Secret Arcade.

The Secret Arcade in The V & A magazine!

We are delighted to see The Secret Arcade advertised in The V&A Museum Autumn Winter 2011 magazine. Holding a prominent position nestled opposite the 'Exhibitions' page we are certain to catch the attention of its 30,000 + design savvy readers! Each of our wonderful designer shops are individually named to give equal exposure and will surely attract attention throughout the shelf life of the magazine which covers the run up to Christmas and into Spring 2012.

We are particularly pleased to be on the same page as The V&A's brilliant 'Power of Making' exhibition listing which is also been screened on BBC 4 as part of The Handmade in Britain series - very apt for us! If you are interested in contemporary art or craft then a visit to The Secret Arcade is an must.

Visit all of the designers at The Secret Arcade here

Shopkeeper of the Week, Natural History.

This week we are in conversation with Sarah Lidwell -Durnin, the founder/owner of the unique Natural History Ltd, a company which takes the art of homemaking to a new level.

(A tile from Natural History's 'Gertrude Jekyll' design range )

Question 1. How would you describe your company or work?

Natural History is a young but multi-faceted business, with both retail and design activities going on all the time, which makes it very exciting to run! My work can encompass design, buying, sending out orders and working with outside designers on collaborations all in one morning and I absolutely love it.

Question 2. Who/what are your biggest influences?

My biggest influence is the Museum of Natural History in Merrion Square in Dublin. Every day after school I was brought to Merrion Square itself or to the museum, depending on the weather, and Dublin being quite rainy, I spent a lot of time in the museum! I grew up loving the worn and faded taxidermy, reading the tiny inscriptions from the the donors, some dating back to the early 1800's. The mysterious things in jars, the Victorian display cases, the unique musty smell - all filled the voices of all the other children who were brought there every day too - these are all very strong memories and have been a fantastic influence in my work.

Question 3. Where is your favourite place to visit for inspiration?

I live in Oxford now, so the Natural History Museum and the Pitt Rivers Collection are great places to visit - not specifically for inspiration so much as to recharge my aesthetic instincts.

(Natural History's 'Beetle Tea Towel')

Question 4. What is your favourite item from your current collection?

I love the set of tiles that we are about to launch featuring our bestselling blue hummingbird and cage.

Question 5. Do you have any new items/collections about to be launched?

Yes! Our gorgeous new Bees, Butterflies and Botanicals range is being launched in September.

Question 6. What do you enjoy most about being one of the shops in The Secret Arcade?

Long before I joined the Arcade I was a huge fan of the carefully curated feel of the site. I also love the arcades themselves of the 2nd Arrondissement in Paris, so to be a part of such an elegant collection of boutiques is quite a privilege! To view all of Natural History's stunning objects visit Shop No. 2 in the Home Interiors Passage at The Secret Arcade.

Names to watch!

We are so excited to welcome three new artists to The Secret Arcade - Claire Brewster, Helen Musselwhite and Justine Smith. All three create brilliant pieces primarily using paper as their chosen medium - from discarded maps, richly coloured papers and discontinued bank notes. If you are interested in collecting contemporary art then we urge you to consider any of these incredibly talented artists who are gaining a substantial and international following.

Claire Brewster

Claire Brewster's work is about retrieving the discarded, celebrating the unwanted and giving new life to the obsolete. Claire uses old and out of date maps and atlases as her fabric with which to create her intricate, delicate and detailed cut outs. The image above shows 'Demanding East' 2010 - a cut page from London street atlas, pins, foam board, box frame 44 x 34 cm. To view or purchase the work visit Claire Brewster at Shop No. 1 in the Art passage at The Secret Arcade.

Helen Musselwhite

By the use of bold colour, strong graphic line and familiar images Helen creates highly individual and visually appealing pieces of art that make an instant impact. Her work has a distinctive hand crafted quality that pays respect to all forms of mid century design, folk and ethnic art, as well as current and future trends. Each piece combines the hand cutting, folding and scoring of a wide range of papers and card that are further worked on to create patterned and textured surfaces. They are then used to build scenes in box frames which are often complex and consist of many layers. To view or purchase the work visit Helen Musselwhite at Shop No. 2 at The Secret Arcade.

Justine Smith

Paper has always been a primary material in the work of Justine Smith. Her current work is concerned with the concept of money and how it touches almost every aspect of our lives. She is interested in money as a conduit of power and also in the value systems with which we surround it. On a physical level a banknote is just a piece of paper, but it is what a banknote actually represents that is central to Smith’s work. Through her collages, prints and sculptures she examines our relationship with money in a political, moral and social sense, whilst also exploiting the physical beauty of the notes. To view the work visit Justine Smith at Shop No. 3 at The Secret Arcade.

New Home and Interiors shops at The Secret Arcade

There are three great new homewares shops to browse at The Secret Arcade. Whether you are searching for unusual wallpaper, stylish cushions or bespoke textiles you will find something to tempt you!

Turner Pocock Cazalet
Turner Pocock Cazalet create incredible wallpapers that use a wide range of motifs from jumping zebras to vintage cricket bats and tennis rackets. What all of their designs have in common is a great stylishness that works incredibly well in both contemporary and traditional contexts.

Lynsey Jean Henderson

Lynsey Jean Henderson is inspired by the flora and fauna of the Scottish highlands and lowlands creating her uniquely quirky designs that she transforms into fantastic wallpapers and textiles - her shop is a must for all lovers of unusual interiors.

Natural History: Origin Of Style
Sarah Lidwell-Durnin is the power house behind this fabulous store. Influenced by her childhood visits to the Natural History Museum in Dublin, Sarah has curated an amazing collection of decadent homewares and uniquely quirky accessories.

To view all of the shops visit the Home and Interiors Passage at The Secret Arcade.