Valentino exhibition - Somerset House - London

Valentino.

Taking a trip from Brighton to London I got myself to the Valentino exhibition at London's Somerset House. 

The fabulous 52 metre long catwalk full of Valentino dresses was created to celebrate 50 years of his work.

As you walk in your are presented with the timeline on the wall, and from the start you get a sense of the tremendous work of Valentino and just how many bodies he has dressed over the years, and how many people he has inspired.

The designers of the exhibition chose to use different coloured mannequins to represent the different decades, the amount of sweat and time has gone into creating the project.

Before I visited the exhibition I watched a three part series of 4 minute videos about the exhibition and the work that went into it, on crane.tv. They were really inspiring and learnt a lot about the background and what happens behind the scenes, which just made me appreciate being at the exhibition so much more. One video was an interview with the co-producer, he worked with various people to research two archives of Valentino's. Alistair O'Neill, in the video said, 'we very much hope the exhibition will educate people to the great contribution Valentino has made to the definition of the 20th century couture, and also hope we can unpack some of the specialised techniques that unpin some of the amazing outfits that are going to be shown'

And that they did, you won't be able to understand the impact of the exhibition until walking into it, you become to understand just how inspiring Valentino's work really is, Valentino said himself at the grand launch 'I don't show it but I am very happy, seeing all the dresses here I have become very emotional' 

The first part of the exhibition consists of glass cabinets full of personal paper based materials such as letters, thank you cards, press cuttings, personal photography and even some original sketches, which has not been seen in public before; offering a glimpse into the world of Valentino and the world of Italian haute couture.

The upstairs gallery houses the 130 couture dresses along the formed catwalk, with the coloured mannequins dressed along both sides, with name tags on elegant white leather chairs giving the appearance they were reserved for the guests, and the visitors were the models being watched along the catwalk, creating a interactive sense to the exhibition. 

The lower gallery in the third room there was a show piece wedding gown designed and worn by Princess Marie Chantal of Greece. A spectacular pearl-encrusted ivory silk wedding gown with a four and a half metre train and 12 kinds of lace, made in 1995 by 25 of Valentino's seamstresses. Couture is all about being hand made and bespoke so you can just imagine the amount of time it would of taken to design and make.

The last gallery was full of large glass cabinets housing samples of fabric giving a close up view of some of the different sewing techniques used in the garments – some of which are exclusive to Valentino’s atelier.

On the wall of first gallery was printed a quote from Valentino saying, 'My private world is a simple world. I thank heaven for the life it has given me. I have great appetite for splendour, but at the same time very simple taste'

This just goes to show how Valentino may describe his life as simple but simple if not what he creates, he creates inspiring and amazing work that will live for a life time, the exhibition was not just educational but enjoyable and recommend to anyone.

'fabric samples'

'personal paper cuttings'

'Valentino with the 130 pieces'

'show piece wedding gown'

'the catwalk'

Tim Walker exhibition - Somerset House - London

Tim Walker.

After visiting The Tim Walker exhibition at Somerset House in London, its clear to say, Tim Walker seems to be living in Alice’s wonderland, riding unicorns, old ladies in flying saucers and models becoming mechanical dolls. His mind works in wondrous ways, but no one can complain when he is photographing fashion and producing magic.

When walking round looking at the various extravagant photos it felt as if you were walking through a fairy tale, with models such as Lindsey Wixson being kicked by a giant doll and Audrey Marnay dressed as a doll playing with a mechanical man; he creates such creepy imaginative photos but you cant be frightened by them only captivated.

Walker creates a story in every picture, whether it be Helen Bonham Carter drinking a can of coke or Kirsi Phyronem wearing a red jelly mould as a hat, there’s a story there, however he still manages to capture the viewers attention and draw it towards the fashion aspect, making you stop and think and have to concentrate on the image not just walk past it or flick the page when seen in the magazines.

      Printed on one of the walls in the exhibition was a quote from Walker saying, ‘I don’t want to sound mystical but sometimes when you take a picture something takes over and leads you’ Which is what must of happened when he was photographing Malgosia Bela for Nini Ricci and put her ‘under the spell of a giant skeleton.’ The photo sees Malgosia Bela being shadowed by a huge over sized skeleton; the story of the image speaks out saying, your inner body is more dominant than what you portray on the outside, hence the skeleton being bigger than the outer body in the photo, yet you still manage to be staring at her bright red dress when thinking about the background behind it.

Walker has claimed he only photographs what he loves and is not that interested in taking the photo and the lights and the gadgets, he simply holds the camera up and clicks to get a perfect picture. When at the exhibition I managed to have a brief conversation with a couple of the staff who knew their facts on Walker, they told me; Walker always uses film and never digital also never uses photoshop. His art depends on the use of imagination and the ability to create such bizarre sets, but by not using the up to date technology on his photographs, Walker manages to create magical art not just the normal art.

Walker’s work is unmistakably original and inventive, seen in the video, which accompanies the exhibition filmed by Cathrine O’Gormen, you get to see first hand how Walker works on set being involved and how he often references fairy tales to create his own mystical tales.

Audrey Marnay;
'Stepping out with little man'
Fashioning Moschino
Glemham Hall; Suffolk
2001

Malgosia Bela;
'under the spell of giant skeleton'
Fashioning Nini Ricci;
King Seeds; Colchester Essex;
2009

Linsey Wixson;
'giant doll kicks Lindsey'
Fashioning Louis Vuitton;
Eghingham Hall; Northumberland;
2011

1960 – 1969

1960 – 1969

Yves Saint Laurent | Pierre Cardin | Courreges | Paco Rabanne

 

 

The 60’s was an evolving century for fashion, it has given us some of the most iconic piece and is still be used in new designs today. A youth dominated era that was all about originality, and gave us the space-age! Designers began to experiment a lot more using new shapes and synthetic fabrics, it was a generation which gave freedom to fashion and people began to buy disposable fashion buying new garments all the time rather than looking for investment pieces, however the designers kept up with the demand and created new pieces which are still being used in todays styles.

 

YSL (1936-2008)

In the words of the man closest to him ‘born with a nervous breakdown’

Even so he was probably the most influential fashion designer of the second half of the twentieth century, no?

I would say he was among the first couturiers that did not just stand around while his ideas were copied he got down to it and produced his own ready-to-wear boutique line. “I wanted to create a scandal” is what he said when posing nude for the picture to advertise his own men’s scent. Doing things like that allows the target market at that time to build a opinion of him as a person as well as his designers; when I first found out he had done that I automatically thought he really was down to earth and loved his work not just having someone else do everything for him and just put his name on it!

During the 60’s Saint Laurent brought such a range of iconic pieces which will for ever be remembered and re-used in fashion today and the future; The Mondrian (1965), with its bright blocks of colour; The pop-art (1966), inspired by Andy Warhol; The African (1967); The Safari (1968); The Marlene Dietrich inspired collection (1969), when he introduced the mini and the tuxedo.

YSL was recreating fashion week by week, when there was a bad week of shows, he would save it with a memorable show.

When Dior died in 1957 Saint Laurent took over the designer for the house of Dior in 1962, from then on he created an empire and continuously stunned people, how fortunate were those who first saw that Dior collection he designed, or the ones who wore the clothes?  He once said ‘Clothes must be at the service of women’ and that’s what he stuck by.

Pierre Cardin (1922-)

When asked to describe himself in one word, he answered, ‘As a sculptor’

Although what came to my head when reading that was that he would have replied with the word designer, however there is justice to his statement, his styled was titled as futuristic, as his designs have always had a sculptural quality agreed? He gave us the bubble dress; the cocoon coat, the trapezoidal cut; enormous circular collars and sharp edged asymmetric cuts using materials like vinyl and Perspex.

He once claimed, ‘success came because you were creative, now it is because you are commercial. I was both’

I agree with his claim, as he creates pieces that are like no other yet stay within the trends like collars we want them but we want them to be different not just plain and simple but with a exclusive something to make them stand out. Yes? No?

André Courrѐges (1923-)

Courrѐges created many key styles but always stuck to his word, ‘The clothes float. You don’t feel them. I don’t emphasise the waistline because he body is a whole. It is ridiculous to treat the top and the bottom parts of the body separately’ And that he stuck too. 1964 the year of Courrѐges, inspired by the space race & the first man in space, in 64’ he launched the ‘Space Age’ collection, which in my opinion became one of the most identifiable fashion stories of the decade, agreed?

Then came his unusually limber, active, athletic models wearing the clothes. Many of the outfits which were worn without bras and had midriffs cut-outs and bare backs, all accessorised with white boots, goggles and helmets all of which were astronaut inspired.

This iconic collection I feel has arisen again in today fashion, with many collections being designed with cut-outs on the hips, waist, back and thigh, who I feel can be worn and suit the female body not matter what shape you are which shows how Courrѐges not only influenced the cut-out but using the non-typical model has also continued with the style.

Paco Rabanne (1934-)

His career fist began with creating jewellery for Givenchy, Dior and Balenciaga. Once he was more educated and confident he started his own fashion house in 1966.

For me when buying new clothes and difference in fabric will catch my attention, and that how Rabanne became known when he started his own fashion house he choose to use unconventional materials such as metal, paper and plastics for his bizarre and loud designs.

When I think of the name Paco Rabanne what comes to my mind is fragrance, Rabanne has a perfume factory in France, which is a reason for his fragrances being so huge, his hit of range ‘1 million’ is the most advertised and successful fragrance in Spain, being Spanish himself is a great achievement. 

 

 

 

 

PICTURES ARE NOT WORKING

MY PHOTOS ARE NOT UPLOADING FOR MY LAST TWO POSTS BUT AS SOON AS IT STARTS WORK I WILL UPLOAD A BUNCH OF THEM SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE ALL MY NEW PURCHASES THAT IM GOING ON ABOUT I GOT WHILST AWAY OVER CHRISTMAS, THANKS AND SORRY FOR THE DELAY

fur or no fur?

What are your thoughts on using real fur for fashion?
I find that when I touch real fur products it does make me cringe a little, however when I was away I saw such a gorgeous fur jacket and feel in love, and I always say if your still thinking about it when you go to leave the shop you have got to buy it, so I did, although I am not the biggest lover of using real fur I just thought it was such a lovely jacket and know it is an investment piece which I will have for a very long time.

my belated update about time in tenerife

diary from the reef.

I arrived in Tenerife on the 17^th and just went for diner and went to bed, however when I woke up in the morning I was faced with my home for the next few weeks!

On the first proper day I just wanted to explore the shops, look at the difference in the Spanish fashion to London fashion and even how similar it can be in the shop we have the same like, Zara and Pull and bear, which I got some new things but they’re for Christmas so your see those later!
One shop I did love was Bershka was great, it had such a variety of styles, which I got a top from and a simple but great crucifix bracelet!

A crazy thing about what people are wearing out here is the layers. Although it is so hot reaching the high 20’s which is bikini and shorts weather for me, it is still winter here for the local residents so the shops are still selling winter clothing and it is cold for them this time of year they’re wearing scarfs, hats and coats when all I wanna do is sunbath it’s crazy!!

Walking the streets!!

Along the main shopping roads here, there is many men who carry around watches, handbags, bracelets and sunglasses, which they try and sell to you on the street at cheap prices, their selling techniques may be very crafty; stopping you, making convo, getting you to try the stuff on so you fall for it and pay the money after a bit of hustling which they always go for. All the products are fakes, rip offs of real designer brands, in which I thought was hilarious how they change the names not to get sued, I just had to get some for the fun of it, so I purchased some nice new black ‘ReyBeris’  for 5 euros, yep not RayBans but ReyBeris.

Time to get Straight.       
I realised I forgot to bring my straighteners out with me, and I’m someone who has bushy hair and I like to just shove it up in a bun so simple it’s great, but now and again I like to give a good brush and straighten so I just had to get some new straighters you know what it’s like right? So I ventured out to the store ‘Worten’ which is kinda like a Spanish Comet selling all sorts of electricals, and got myself some new fresh Remingtons for only 25 eruos!

MORNING!

Today I decided I wanted to catch some rays but knew I would be popping out and whatever else so just shoved on a plain black skater skirt with a black bandeu, so I could sunbath and be ready to go out with the dog.
What you think of planes; interest you? Well they interest my Dad, and theres me trying to sunbath and he gets the hose out starts annoying me so we got the binoculars and caught the planes going past;  and yep my dad has real RayBans not no ReyBerris

 FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Christmas day was strange for me this year being in Tenerife I sunbathed and went swimming when usually I would have been freezing cold wearing new wolly jumper and socks! How was everyone else’s Christmas the same? Different?
pictures below of what I got when i went shopping and I even got a few surprises!

Zara knit dress with camo print, with a Courreges style of a tunic not body hugging but still compliments your shape.

Also from Zara got a great pair of black velvet shorts which I feel in love with, their black, high-waisted and shorts you can’t go wrong really can you? Put them with and top and it’ll go, I love simple black clothes!

Also in the clothes department I got a great flowing cropped top with a great image. It’s from the shop Bershka which I love, I find it’s a lot like Pull and Bear which they also have here but is a little more daring with their ranges.

Then comes the accessories which ever girl wants, I love to have a range of costume jewellery to make a plain outfit come to life, or change it form a day outfit to a night outfit, or a great bag to compliment the outfit or pull the eye towards the oversized bag if I’m wearing a really plain outfit.
Got bracelets from a Spanish shop called Stradivarius, again it’s a lot like Pull and Bear, I liked it and would recommend I think they have an online store so have a look.

Also got this amazing collar from there for only 9euros couldn’t resist, it’s got hand sewn embellishment of false diamonds, pearls and silver birds, can’t wait to wear it with one of my plain black outfits and them have this just standing out!

A bag is an essential for some days, you may disagree if you’re a pocket person, which I am some days but for most days at uni I need a good sized bag so just had to get a new one ay’ again got this from Zara;

I also have a Thomas Sabo bracelet and lost my charm so I got a new charm, I love my bracelet never take it off hence why it has gotten so dirty; it’s not the usual silver one it’s just an elastic one with the original Sabo ring in the middle which the charms connect too;

Finally every girl loves a perfume, I have wanted this one for ages and finally got it out here in a gift set (even better) it’s Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf I love it smells lush and lasts all day!

Some more of my Spanish purchases, a green cardigan which is from a shop called ‘entreuo’ a great shop for basics and it has only just opened!

I then did a trip to a market which is well known in Tenerife, and it was huge I got a couple of great studded bracelet’s and a Jack Daniels printed tee which I brought big so it was longer and I can cut and rip the sleeves off too make it into a casual day dress.