Smell the CHOOLIPS...

You guys KNOW I LovE my 'crazy-sexy-cool' clobber...especially when I'm performing (flashback to face covered in glitter lol)! But when it came to choosing costumes for the Roofhop Series I needed a simple look. Something to compliment the raw nature of the acoustic performances...yet retain the kooky character that defines AA!! Thank god I smelt the roses...or should I say Choolips lol?! Of all the clothes/designers I've ever worn I found in Choolips the ultimate solution to looking 'different' with minimal effort!! Just PUT IT ON lol!

Annegret Affoldabach (designer and founder of Choolips) has weathered many a storm as she strives to bring stylish and ETHICAL clothing to the fashion/retail world! All of Annegret's garments are lovingly designed in her London Studio, before being hand made/printed using traditional Batik techniques, on the Gold Coast of Ghana. And did I mention that it's all ethical? Thats right...Choolips works on a genius Fairtrade system which sees entrepreneurial Ghanaian trailblazers, local batikers, tailors and seamstresses earn more than fair wages for their work. *Two fingers Primark!*

By working closely with African communities (and with a network of other collectives on side) CHOOLIPS has introduced new technology and print design to sustain this ancient Batik technique. And looking at the results it's easy to see why retailers such TOPSHOP and online fashion giants ASOS have jumped at the chance to stock Choolips' hand-perfected designs!! Annegret really has 'put the sunshine back into the high street' and as a budding fashionista myself it's impossible not to love her work!

Thanks soo much to Annegret for letting me wear the SS11 collection for my Roofhop Series. There still maybe some bits left in stock?! so if you want a whiff of Choolips check out the website or click HERE - for SS12/AW12 collections...you'll be sitting pretty all summer :D - Scarves and all!!

@sh.x

Roofhop Taster - Coldplay Yellow...

So, what's a 'Roofhop' right?!  Well it's simple really...take a girl (that's me), a guitarist, 2 camera-men and a driver to cart them all around.  Chuck in 6 rooftop locations and a hand full of amazing guest artist - then cram them all into ONE day!  Et voila!!

When me and this trusty team hit the road roof-hopping in August 2011 we weren't sure what this day of musical madness would bring...and let me tell ya we weren't disappointed!  I've chosen my favorite 3 videos to share with ya'll over the next 6 weeks :D  and because I know you guys LOVE a bit of suspense I just uploaded this little taster to give you an idea of what to expect...

Funny Fact:  just before we shot this we (or should I say gravity) fractured the neck of Gibbi's guitar :o!  He was VEX as you can imagine lol...but after patching it up with a bit of electrical tape (we're rock'n'roll like that you see :P) we rocked on!

Massive thanx to my crew and to Choolips for my amazing costumes (more about them later).  Thanx to Rhian Fox (from Payroll) on guest guitar/ backing vocals...and of course BIG UP Gibbi Bettini for playing his fingers to the bone for 8hrs straight!

The next installment SOON COME .....

@sh.x