janette - ProfilesArchive

About Me

I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)Janette Swift's life for as long as she can remember has revolved aroud design. Growing up in Leeds surrounded by a family to whom the sewing machine was second nature, began designing at 12. At 18 she moved to New Orleans and began a career in costume design and began designing clothes for bands. Three years later in 1981 uninspired by her surroundings,Packed her bags and drove cross country to L.A.Here she found likeminded artists and musicians with whom to commune,Jewellery designer Connie Parente, filmaker penelope Speriss, Artist Mark Gash, The Chilli Peppers, Psycom (later Janes Addiction) K.F.K., writer Bruce Kalberg and many others too long a list to mention, L.A. was a hotbed of talent. Starting her own clothing Label "Izzy Swift' she began selling her collestions on Melrose ave, and two shops in New Yorks East Village. L.A. offered Janette the opportunity to continue styling,working for Warner Bros on various video and photo shoots.In 1986 after a brief spell in New York she moved back to London to initiate "Reactivart' an art group dedicated to environmental issues. 120 likeminded artists collectively working for the same cause all using recycled materials.in 1991 she approached Oxfam with a business plan to open the first recycled designer clothing outlet , Selling designs by fashion students she named it NoLoGo. The outlet spawned designers such as Mathew Williamson, Jessica Ogden, Vexed Generation, Roger Grant and Debbie Douglas.1995 saw Miss swift launched into an unexpected T.V. career( and book launch , Rooms from remnants) working on programmes such as Capitol Woman, Frocks on the box, This morning and Good Morning and finally a ten part series named 'Scrapmates' with Sarah Cawood on B.B.C. choice. In 1997 with husband Finlay Cowan and friend Nathalie Tate opened 'Cafe 1001' in the Truman Buildings, Brick Lane, this initiated a career in interior design which she is still pursuing today. She is currently working on 5 projects within the truman Buildings, including two restaurants, a nightclub, piazza and possible bijou hotel. she divides her time at present between her homes in London and Le Marche italy where she lives with her husband and 9 year old son 'Tyler'.

My Interests

Interior and furniture design, Painting, Designing clothes, Yoga and meditation, Reading (especially history),Gardening, Dancing, music and art.

I'd like to meet:

Me at 20 so I could shortcut all the crap I've done and swerve my mistakes.

Music:

I grew up on funk and northern soul originally, but punk stole my heart along with David Bowie and Iggy, in L.A i fell in love with the chilli peppers,the cult, Janes addiction, New York Dolls, Bauhaus, The Cramps.Psychedelic Furs, Virgin Prunes, Killing Joke, Alan Vega, Nirvana,cocteau Twins and Aerosmith, later Foo Fighters, Queens of the stoneage , stone temple pilots, Soundgarden, Audioslave, P.J. Harvey, White Stripes, Blur and Gorrilaz, Atomizer, portishead,B.E.P. Kraftwerk,Residents,Suicide, Massive Attack,B.R.M.C, Kelis,Outkast, Juliette and the licks,Hip Hop and dance music generally

Movies:

Matter of life and death,Withnail and I,Orlando, Liasons Dangereuse, Fisher king, Ridicule, Before sunset, After sunrise, Ice cold in Alex, Seven, Night Porter, Toy story, Shakespeare in love, Twelve monkeys, Blade Runner, fifth element, Silence of the lambs,Amadeus, Brief encounter, Snatch, Gladiator, Naked tango, Departed, Casino, goodfellas, Taxi driver, Clockwork orange, Madness of King Gerge, Cinema Paradiso, Pirates of The Carribean, Chocolat, Sophies Choice, Devil Wears Prada, English Patient, Fear and Loathing, Big Fish, Trainspotting, Shining, Wild at Heart, Drugstore Cowbot, Leaving Las Vegas, The Aviator, Thelma and Louise, Awakenings, Apocalypse Now, Godfather, Deer Hunter, Meet Mr Black, Surviving Picasso, Howards End, The Piano, Basqiuat, Hairspray, Bridge on the River Kwai, HairUnder a sheltering sky, Muriels Wedding..

Television:

Mighty Boosh,Grand Designs, Rome, Dr House, and documentaries and History channel,Ed, Edd and Eddie.The rest of it I can do without.

Books:

Candide, Grapes of wrath, Aphrodite, Easy Riders and Raging Bulls, Rape of europa, Scramble for Africa, Distance Hunger, The alchemist, Sabres of Paradise, Perfume,To have and have not, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, 100 years of solitude, Meetings with remarkable men, Under a sheltering sky.About a boy.The Prophet.

Heroes:

People with hutzpah