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Thursday, 17 November 2011

Liberty Print by Edwyn Collins





I totally understand why Obama didn't want to wear an Hawaiian shirt at the APEC meeting this week. There's something quite tragic about men in party shirts. Like David Miliband's attempts to look nonchalant (in Paul Smith) after losing out to brother Ed - trying to signify fun, sartorially, often looks desperate. Having said all that, I'm prepared to make an exception for this lovely Liberty print shirt. The ornithological drawings are by the fabulous Edwyn Collins, 52. After suffering a double brain haemorrhage six years ago - with the help of his wife and manager Grace Maxwell - Collins made a slow recovery. Paralysed and unable to speak, walk or use his right hand, he started drawing, re-learnt all his songs and finally went on tour again. So, much respect for Edwyn Collins and for Liberty who have turned his drawings into a print for spring/summer 2012. The Jackdaw shirt is from Barbour's Heritage collection and will be available from My-Wardrobe.


And here's Edwyn Collins, with his band Orange Juice, singing Rip it Up:





Photo: www.edwyncollins.com

12 comments:

  1. I had no idea that Edwyn Collins had gone through so much. What a remarkable recovering he has made, and what talent as an artist. I loved Rip It Up back in the day. Still a great song. Great shirt, and one which could be a good Christmas pressie for the Huzz who is a keen ornithologist.

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  2. That's an amazing story of recovery. The brain is an amazing thing. He certainly has some visual artistic talent as well as musical. Cool print!

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  3. Wonderful and inspiring story of recovery, and how stunning that someone could have so much talent in two different fields. I can think of a few bird-watching guys who might like this shirt.

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  4. Love Edwyn Collins – From memory I think there was a TV documentary about his recovery - very inspirational.

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  5. oh i love this. i also read that part of his recovery was to draw a bird a day. this designer whom i'd never heard of but you prob know, created a line of dresses and shirts from the liberty print also. i so love them. xo


    http://nadinoo.bigcartel.com/product/aw11-pixie-s-bird-a-day-dress

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  6. You had me dancing in the kitchen at 9am! What more can I say.

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  7. I really admire Edwyn. Saw his perform at a small venue with Teenage Fanclub last year and he was fantastic. xx
    We Shop Therefore We Are

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  8. Wow, fantastic to hear that song again. What an amazing recovery - he's obviously an incredibly strong person.

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  9. I love Edwyn's drawings..I did hope that they might make it on to fabric at some point!
    He's a brilliant bloke. I loved Orange Juice back in the day and he's a brilliant performer.
    xx

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  10. Wonderful music! I love that shirt so much, but showed it to my hubby and he said it's "not his style" : < Maybe I will wear it.

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  11. I adore that bird print, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  12. Inspirational story. Well done to Edwyn for overcoming adversity and Grace for helping. This song really reminds me of an art teacher I had at Uni. If he didn't lke what we were doing he used to rip up our work and tell us to start again. We used to think this song was written for him. Xxxx

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