Darkroom has also launched their own line of beautifully made cotton bow ties and pocket squares in oversize gingham and vibrant African fabrics.

We have lots of man bags instore ranging from utilitarian canvas and leather pieces by R6/Kenneth Mackenzie [6876], beautifully simple leather satchels by French label Isaac Reina – who previously worked at Hermés as head of men's accessories, black leather luggage by new Italian label A_I and weekender bags made from Tyvek – a tear and water resistant paper by German designer Saskia Diez. 

Collaborations include H by Harris for Darkroom – a range of laptop skins made using Nubuck leathers unique to Darkroom, each lined with fabrics from our own collection of vintage African cloths. Celebrated milliner Noel Stewart who designs hats for the likes of Hussein Chalayan and Marc Jacobs has created a range of one-off hats each made with wax printed African fabrics.

Darkroom has also launched their own line of beautifully made cotton bow ties and pocket squares in oversize gingham and vibrant African fabrics.

We have lots of man bags instore ranging from utilitarian canvas and leather pieces by R6/Kenneth Mackenzie [6876], beautifully simple leather satchels by French label Isaac Reina – who previously worked at Hermés as head of men's accessories, black leather luggage by new Italian label A_I and weekender bags made from Tyvek – a tear and water resistant paper by German designer Saskia Diez.

Collaborations and pieces designed exclusively for Darkroom by: CORRIE WILLIAMSON [Jewellery] DAVID DAVID [Framed prints and cushions] DESPINA CURTIS [Framed prints] FLORIAN [Jewellery] FRED BUTLER/BRIE HARRISON [Jewellery and headpieces] H by HARRIS [Bags] LIZZIE FINN [Wall-hangings/organisers] MICHELLE LOWE-HOLDER [Jewellery] NOEL STEWART [Hats] + New accessory collections by DARKROOM [Cushions, wallets/purses & bags]

We have two styles of shoulder bags in his signature thick but super-soft black leather, finished with heavy brass fittings and the same bags in this season's beautiful pale grey colourway. Also instore are the jointed cuffs made from separate leather pieces fixed together with brass studs. The Darkroom girls are already proudly sporting theirs.

Elle Decoration – February 2010 issue NIGHT CROSSING New design store Darkroom is a stylish crossover between interiors and fashion. There aren’t many shops where the boundaries between design and fashion are so beautifully blurred as Darkroom. At the new concept store in London’s Bloomsbury, cool interiors labels such as Moooi, Minimalux and Thomas Eyck sit cheek by jowl with cult accessory brands like Fleet Ilya, Stærk (both specialists in leather goods) and Medecine Douce (avant-garde jewellery). There are outsize necklaces that double as wall-hangings, chunky plaited wool scarves that resemble eiderdowns, and rope-like gems reminiscent of curtain tie-backs. Items are grouped to create interesting contrasts, not by genre, so you might find a handbag next to a cushion or a vase teamed with a metal chain bracelet. The shop is the creation of Rhonda Drakeford, co-founder of graphic design practice Multistorey, and textile designer Lulu Roper-Caldbeck. The pair have previously collaborated on cushions and rug brand Themselves, and have also contributed their own colourful graphic prints, stationery and vintage-fabric cushions to Darkroom – as well as ranges of indigenous African art, for which they share a passion. The shop’s USP, though, is its original display concept: striking pedestals designed by Brit design due Frank show off wares, while the dramatically dark decor tuns the ‘white cube’ cliché on its head. ‘Lots of shops – especially interiors ones – present everything in a very minimal way, and we wanted to move away from that,’ says Rhonda. Black walls are cosy and approachable as well as being modern – I’ve got them in my own home, and they’re actually really relaxing.’ Finally, it seems that black is the new black!

The Archive is described by those who work there as 'a place for material that describes a universe out of kilter, not in balance – a kind of laboratory, where experiments take place'. Draft asked artists, academics and photographers to visit the Archive and curate a selection of images. The result is Draft 006 who's cover houses a reproduction of the darkly humoured Jake and Dinos Chapman's watercolour 'If Hitler Had Been a Hippy How Happy Would We Be', and includes selections of images from the last days of Alcatraz by Jeremy Deller, photographs of the interiors of private aircraft from the 1970's selected by Martin Parr and radical Women's Liberation images and posters from the 60's and 70's selected by Journalist Astrid Proll.

Draft is a beautifully produced publication that shouldn't be sullied with the term 'magazine'. Printed in a limited edition of 1500 and available now at Darkroom for £15. Image shown above: Between 1990 and 1998 Lu Zhongguang was a soldier in the Chinese People's Liberation Army. He subsequently became a journalist for the army department of Guangdong Province, and devoted much of his time to photographing soldiers in basic training and making photographs for recruitment campaigns such as those seen above.