citylikeyou — Fifth Avenue Shoe Repairers — London by Pernilla Ohrstedt

London / Shop

If they only could mend me like they mend my shoes. A three generation family business with its origin on Cyprus via Fifth Avenue, New York. They can do magic. I have been going there since I moved to London 12 years ago. One day soon I am going to have them make me a brand new pair of brogues. I will design the holes.

Website
fifthavenueshoerepairs.com

Address
Fifth Avenue Shoe Repairers, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repairers, London, United Kingdom

Architect

Current city: London

pernilla-ohrstedt.com

Shortlisted as Emerging Woman Architect of the Year by Architects Journal,‘new talent’ by the Guardian and ‘one to watch’ by Wallpaper’s Editor Tony Chambers in 2012. Pernilla Ohrstedt was born in 1980 in Stockholm. Her design output has been both in the UK and abroad, spanning the disciplines of experimental art, architecture and curatorial practice. In 2011 Pernilla set a collaborative architecture partnership with Asif Khan. She has collaborated on several celebrated projects with Asif, including Future Memory Pavilion 2011 for British Council and Royal Academy of Arts in Singapore, Cloud 2011 for Design Miami Basel and Colette, Paris. Pernilla & Asif are currently designing Coca-Cola’s pavilion for the London 2012 Olympic Park. The 1000sqm Pavilion is an experimental building called the Beatbox. Collaborating with the music producer Mark Ronson the pavilion seamlessly integrates innovative sound technology and experimental design into a piece of architecture that the visitor will be able to play like a musical instrument.

More Places in London 471

London / Library

The St Bride Foundation is the home of the St Bride Library, an incredible resource of printing history, in the form of books, printed ephemera, and tools from the trade. It also hosts many fantastic talks each year – check their website for details.

London / Gallery

At the end of the Victoria line at the Walthomstow station, and then a 15 minute walk through some suburban streets with some lefts and at other times rights is an industrial estate. Through the gate and buried at the very end of the units where you are convinced you are lost and doubting it's existence at all is God's Own Junkyard. It's a worthy pilgrimage and actually sort of where you expect God would put a junkyard. The warehouse is a monument to neon and the life works of the late Mr Neon, Chris Bracey. It's littered to the rooftop with cables, plug sockets and choice words with neon epigrams, the whole collection is stacked, I suppose how a junkyard of the sort would be. Full of sex, religion, americana, sci-fi and nostalgia that all blend together surprisingly well, It's a visual feast that you can take in with a coffee and an open mouth. It is a gem of a place. It is really great.

London / Place

One of the main sources of inspiration for my work are unusual objects, vintage toys and tools. A great place to find them is this genuine car boot sale, which is clear of 'bargain' toilet paper and questionable cosmetics. Another plus are the comparatively sociable opening hours. (it starts at noon… )

London / Shop

It’s coming up to Christmas and if you’re like me, i.e. like to avoid the hustle and bustle of a jam packed Oxford Street to find that perfect item for that special someone why not check out Folk Clothing which is tucked away close to Central St. Martin’s near Southampton Row and surrounded by some really interesting shops including the People’s Supermarket.

London / Library

There are libraries full of screaming children and strip lighting, and then there are libraries like The London Library. Whenever I’m there it’s hard to believe I’m not caught inside a wonderful dream, because everything about this place is so perfect as to be almost unreal.