Daphne Guinness at FIT
Posted: October 3, 2011 Filed under: Couture, exhibitions, fashion and art, New York, style icons | Tags: Alexander McQueen, Azzedine Alaïa, Chanel, Christian Dior, Daphne Guinness, Fashion Institute of Technology, FIT, Givenchy, Hogan, Karl Lagerfeld, Massaro, Nina Ricci, Rick Owens, Valentino Leave a comment »Two weeks ago I went to preview Daphne Guinness’ exhibition at the FIT Museum. Approximately 100 garments and accessories from her personal collection are on display, completed by films, videos, images and a very beautiful hologram.
Alexander McQueen catsuit and cape, Massaro navy satin and rhinestones platform shoe
After checking in I made my way downstairs into the exhibition which is spread out over two rooms. In the middle of the first room a catsuit and cape by Alexander McQueen set the mood. Walking around the mannequin, some of Daphne’s most ravishing shoes are displayed in glass cases. Between those cases photo slide shows give you the first idea of the creativity that Daphne herself contributes to the projects she works on. At the end of room 1, a video traces her transformation into the style icon she is today.
Daphne's shoe collection at FIT
While I was watching this video the FIT’s PR came downstairs and said something that left me and the people around me guessing. Did she just say Daphne will come downstairs in a few moments? Or did she say Daphne will be upstairs? Nobody seemed sure so I ventured into the second room and thought I’d see what happens in a few minutes.
Inspired by menswear
Inspired by menswear
The pieces are arranged according to the various themes that inspire Daphne’s choices. It starts with menswear and then progresses into evening, day, armour etc. I would say the majority of pieces on show are by Chanel, McQueen and Dior with the occasional Valentino, Alaia, Gareth Pugh, and Hogan thrown in for good measure. It was hardly a surprise that I loved her Chanel pieces the most. But I don’t really want to play favourites here because all pieces were outstanding. I walked around, took photos, watched Tribute to Alexander McQueen which was directed by Daphne, and got mesmerised by the hologram floating in the middle of the room. So mesmerised in fact that I didn’t notice that everybody but the security guards were gone. After finishing up I went upstairs and realised that Daphne had indeed been upstairs to talk to the press but I had missed her. Although I would have loved to hear what she had to say about her own exhibition, I was OK with it. I have seen her in the flesh before when we were on the same flight back to London after the Met Costume Institute Gala in May and I can report that she is tiny and tries hard not to draw attention to herself. I also had the exhibition basically to myself for a while, being snapped out of my fascination only briefly to talk to a female guard who took the opportunity to take a few snaps of the clothes as well.
Unfortunately, I’m not the most talented photographer so we’ll have to make do with whatever my camera could manage:
Azzedine Alaïa black wool jacket
Alexander McQueen jacket with eagle epaulets, black silk taffeta and silver metal (worn over a navy Christian Dior evening dress)
Hogan leather jumpsuit and modified Nina Ricci boots
Alexander McQueen short evening dresses
Alexander McQueen coat dress with grey iridiscent paillettes
Detail: Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel black wool crepe jacket with metallic net and sequins
Alexander McQueen for Givenchy silk satin kimono-style evening dress
Detail: Alexander McQueen evening dress with kimono-style sleeves
Rick Owens sleevesless evening coat with high collar in pale grey silk faille (worn backwards over) over Daphne Guinness short evening coat with silver and black metallic paillette
Alexander McQueen catsuit and cape
Alexander McQueen white sheared fur jacket and grey sequins leggings
Valentino black lace and feathers dress
Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel ivory sequins on silk net jacket with white feathers
Alexander McQueen off white silk chiffon gauze and rhinestones dress, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel ivory silk faille jacket with embroidered stone rim, Alexander McQueen fuchsia sequins leggings
Christian Dior pale pink silk charmeuse dress, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel black silk satin dress with rhinestones
I highly recommend visiting the exhibition. Especially if you’ve been to and liked Savage Beauty. You get a closer look at the garments and how they are made which really makes you appreciate their beauty and the craftsmanship that went into them. There’s nothing like seeing couture up close! Just don’t head straight into the next H&M afterwards. That might make you cry.
The exhibition runs until January 7, 2012 and is open Tuesday-Friday noon – 8pm and Saturday 10am – 5pm but closed Sunday, Monday, and legal holidays. Admission is free and open to the public.
Simeon Farrar x Fulton Umbrellas
Posted: September 15, 2011 Filed under: accessories, fashion and art, London Fashion Week | Tags: fashion, Fulton, Fulton umbrellas, LFW, London Fashion Week, Simeon Farrar, umbrella Leave a comment »In my never-ending attempts to surprise you, I decided to write about Fulton Umbrellas two times in a row. Ha! This is just a quick one, though. I was still pondering my umbrella dilemma, when Fulton’s PR made it even harder by throwing this limited edition umbrella designed by Simeon Farrar exclusively for London Fashion Week AW11 into the mix.
Simeon Farrar for Fulton: It's Raining Cats and Dogs
Fulton was obviously discussed at length in my last post but Simeon Farrar, a three times New Gen winner, has also made his debut on theses virtual pages before. I’m undeniable a fan of his prints and love his cats and dogs too. Decisions, decisions… But I have a feeling that I will miss out on that one anyway because I’m not in London right now and it is, as previously mentioned, a limited edition. So I guess they will all be sold by the time I go back to Blighty.
Fulton latest collaboration, along with Farrar’s SS12 collection can be seen at Simeon Farrar’s London Fashion Week Stand 8, located in the Embankment Galleries at Somerset House.
Surface To Air comes to New York
Posted: September 9, 2011 Filed under: autumn/winter, easy style, fashion and art, New York, retail | Tags: fashion, Federico Masotto, Jérémie Rozan, Kid Cudi, Leigh Lezark, Mr Rager, Surface To Air 2 Comments »On Wednesday night French brand Surface To Air opened their first stand-alone store in the US. I went to check out the space and, as a fan of the brand since my days at Browns, to ogle the autumn collection.
Accessories display at Surface To Air's New York store
The store was designed by architect Federico Masotto and reflects Surface To Air’s aesthetic by using materials such as marble, concrete, wood and slate. To the left, the menswear section is outfitted in black marble, while the women’s area down the right of the shop features a whitewashed brick wall. A huge slab of concrete in the middle serves as a display for accessories (there’s also a jewellery display hidden in the back) and modern seating furniture completes the look. The overall design is the perfect mixture between gritty and sleek and works very well within its New York setting.
Kid Cudi in Jérémie Rozan's video 'Mr. Rager'
Next door a video directed by Surface To Air founder Jérémie Rozan featuring Kid Cudi and the S2AxKid Cudi leather jackets played. The rapper and actor fights a gang wearing his jackets to his song ‘Mr. Rager’. To be perfectly honest, I still have no idea what was going on in that video apart from the collaboration being promoted. Visually, the short film is very interesting and beautifully shot. My personal feeling, however, was that it was a bit style over substance. But do you know what Kid Cudi looks like? Exactly. That’s why I’m really not complaining at all.
What I'd like to borrow from the boys
Wishlist item #1: red leggings
Wishlist item #2: red wedge booties
Lastly, the autumn collection. As always on this blog, I’ll ignore the menswear for the most part. This is because as a stylist I rarely do menswear which results in me not knowing enough to comment. There also may or may not be a discrepancy in interest between the two. To put it in the proverbial nutshell: I WANT IT ALL! Pretty much. Just like previous collections this one consists of pieces that are basic and a bit tough at the same time. There’s not much print, which I personally like, but lots of texture otherwise. Red is not a colour I wear that much (mentally going through my closet, no, nope, not a single piece) but I desperately fell in love with red leggings with leather appliqué and a pair of red wedge booties. I also found their hammered silk dresses lovely, as well as a beige coat that I didn’t manage to photograph well enough to post, unfortunately.
Surface To Air boots: Yes, please!
Surface To Air shoe designed by Leigh Lezark
Time to get ready for Bloggers’ Night Out now! It’s still a bit unreal that apparently I’m a blogger now. When exactly did that happen?
Don’t forget to check out the new Surface To Air store at 27 Mercer Street, New York!
Paris Couture Fall 11 – My Favourite Looks
Posted: July 13, 2011 Filed under: Couture, fashion and art, Paris | Tags: Armani Privé, Azzedine Alaïa, Chanel, couture, Elie Saab, fashion, Giambattista Valli, Givenchy, Paris, Valentino 3 Comments »Ah, couture! The stuff that dreams are made of. Mine at least. I think this was a very strong season. Some shows really stood out to me. How gorgeous was Givenchy? Yes, it didn’t feel entirely new but really, who cares when the end result is so beautiful. The first look in particular felt like an evolution of the lilac and yellow (or was it gold) dress Cate Blanchett wore to the Oscars earlier this year. I also loved the fact that all the dresses were some shade of white. The collection looked sensational in the group shot.
Givenchy, look 1
Givenchy, look 5
Of course, Chanel never disappoints either. Apparently, Uncle Karl wants us to wear peplum skirts. Who are we to contradict?
Chanel, look 22
Chanel, look 32
Chanel, look 36
Chanel, look 41
Chanel, look 47
Let’s not talk about the dog’s dinner the Dior show was and move right on to the much lauded Armani Armani Privé collection. Honestly, I don’t see it. For me Armani didn’t feel fresh and that’s what I expect from couture. I don’t want to see something that’s been done for ages, only now done by Armani. I do understand that he had very personal and noble reasons to put out a collection that gives Japan the spotlight it deserves. Sadly, it’s not working for me visually. I find it far too literal, almost costume-y. On a positive note, I do like the silhouettes and there was the odd look that looked good.
Armani Privé, look 12
Armani Privé, look 27
Then there was Azzedine Alaïa’s first ever couture show. Very beautiful, very Alaïa but with new techniques and materials. The industry was excited beforehand and was not disappointed. He might also have scored a few points last week for being so outspoken and frank about certain issues in the industry. I absolutely admire that Alaïa seems to ignore the system to a great extent and let’s his talent and creativity speak for itself.
Azzedine Alaïa, look 23
Azzedine Alaïa, look 24
This was also the first couture season for Giambattista Valli. The Italian put out a ravishing collection that reminded me of his first few RTW collections. But in a good way! The drama was back and the feathers and I remembered why I was so taken with his work in the first place. The following look is not quite typical for the whole show but I loved it!
Giambattista Valli, look 18
To finish off, let’s see what couture routiniers Valentino and Elie Saab were up too. As always, Elie Saab was just made for the red carpet. In fact, the show looked like the best RC in the world! I loved the soft colours, the transparencies, the details. Valentino seems to have explored transparency as well this season and while the result is in places quite different to Elie Saab, it’s just as pretty and exciting.
Elie Saab, look 2
Elie Saab, look 36
Look at this amazing cut-out front! This I can see reappearing in RTW a few years from now. Also, velvet was a predominant material this season.
Valentino, look 18
Valentino, look 38
(Style) Icon: Patti Smith
Posted: July 1, 2011 Filed under: fashion and art, New York, rock 'n' roll, style icons | Tags: ATP Festival, Because The Night, fashion, Horses, Karl Lagerfeld, Marianne Faithfull, Mick Jagger, Patti Smith, Punk, style icons, The Rolling Stones, Uncle Karl, Watusi Leave a comment »
Godmother of Punk
Last night I happened to watch the episode of Ab Fab where Marianne Faithfull plays God. Today is Kate Moss’s wedding day. This got me thinking about women in rock (although KM technically isn’t IN rock but she counts anyway) and inevitably led me to the girl who invented it all. The Godmother of Punk, Patti Smith. Considering how kick-arse this woman is, I manage to get really cheesy the way I keep proclaiming my love for her. You’ve been warned! I love that men and women like her equally. She’s a style maverick and she’s a huge inspiration to me in that department. She keeps cropping up in my mood boards and research for shoots. She’s on top of my celebrities-I’d-love-to-meet-list (Not a very long list. It’s her, Mick Jagger and Uncle Karl.) Curiously, I don’t remember when I discovered her music. It must have been early on because it feels like she’s always been a point of reference for me. I do remember hating that bad ‘Because The Night’ cover in the 90s, though. Blasphemy! Patti on the other hand did some amazing Rolling Stones covers (I love the Stones on their own. Imagine how much I love the idea of them plus her!). I saw her performing some of those covers live at the ATP Festival a few years back and it was a revelation. This woman is a study in taking no bullshit and being smart and kind at the same time.
OK, I’ll take my fangirling elsewhere and will leave you with one of her songs that I really, really love. Do the Watusi!
How far can you take ‘natural beauty’?
Posted: June 29, 2011 Filed under: challenges, fashion and art | Tags: art, fashion, Hannelore Knuts, Lernert & Sander, make-up, nowness Leave a comment »
Natural Beauty: Hannelore Knuts by Lernert & Sander for nowness.com
I rarely check out Nowness but good I just did. They posted a video in which Dutch directors Lernert & Sander give model Hannelore Knuts 365 layers of make-up in one go. The idea is to pile on what you would usually wear in a year and see how much make-up was needed to to transform a natural look into a grotesque one.
The video is time-lapsed and took 9 hours to shoot.
To see the original article with the video (sorry, embedding it proved IMPOSSIBLE on this occasion *grrrr*) and for some additional info on how the video was shot, go to nowness.com.
Open for business! My very own Amazon bookstore
Posted: June 14, 2011 Filed under: blogkeeping, fashion and art, travel | Tags: Amazon, art, books, fashion, travel Leave a comment »
My Amazon bookstore is open for business!
I’m a shopkeeper!
Of course a virtual one because my whole life seems to happen online these days. Sign o’ the times! I’m a huge fan of books, the printed variety. Mostly pretty ones like coffee table books and anything I can use as inspiration or reference. My wishlist on Amazon is HUGE. And although I secretly want a Kindle for reading fiction, I absolutely want my art, style and history books on the shelf right where I can see them. They appear to be more accessible this way and I quite like how they look around the house.
Over the past few weeks I had a lot of fun browsing Amazon on and off and adding bits and pieces and I hope you will enjoy my selection too. You will find lots of books on fashion and photography but there is also ‘Fashion on Film’ for those flicks that are and were somehow important to fashion and ‘Travel’ which features some of my favourite travel guides, The Hedonist’s Guide and The Wallpaper Guide to Fashion Cities.
To have a peek, visit my Amazon bookstore:
Should you feel the sudden urge to visit my store (or, gasp!, buy from it) in the future, I have oh-so-cleverly placed a link to it in the right-hand column.
Let me know what you think! What would you like to see in the shop? What are your favourite fashion and art books?
EDIT New York’s two part lecture series by Cynthia Nachmani
Posted: June 6, 2011 Filed under: fashion and art, New York, retail | Tags: ALC, Alissa Emerson, art historian, art history, Calvin Klein, Cynthia Nachmani, EDIT New York, fashion, Fendi, J Brand, Jason Wu, lecture, Lexington Avenue, Little Edit, Proenza Schouler, PS1, UES, Upper East Side, Valerie Feigen, women in art Leave a comment »
EDIT New York hosts a two part lecture series by renowned art historian Cynthia Nachmani
About a month ago a very interesting invitation arrived in my inbox. Would I like to join EDIT New York for a two part lecture series by renowned art historian Cynthia Nachmani on ‘Women in Art’? That’s a resounding YES from me. Fashion on its own usually is enough of a lure for me but throw art history into the mix and I just can’t resist. So off I went to Manhattan’s Upper East Side one Thursday last month. The boutique was closed to the public during this two hour lunch time event, sandwiches were served, and owners Alissa Emerson and Valerie Feigen were on hand to chat with their guest and move the occasional bench to accommodate everyone before Cynthia Nachmani’s talk. I have to admit I had no idea who Cynthia was (Hey, I’m new in town!) but a quick search on Google revealed that she is a very well-known art historian who teaches private art classes and and gives tours and lectures on art and film at the MoMA, Met, and the Guggenheim. Pretty impressive so far.
EDIT New York occupies a beautifully renovated townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side
I started by browsing the clothes since it was my first time at EDIT and I wanted to see what they were all about. As the their name may suggest, the boutique is beautifully and tightly edited: lots of Proenza Schouler, Fendi, Jason Wu and some – believe it or not – very interesting Calvin Klein pieces. The focus seems to be on classic shapes and colours. Not that this means their selection is boring, no. But EDIT’s buyers seem to be keen to avoid the latest it-designer who might not live up to expectations in two seasons time. You will, however, find very trendy items like the slouchy PS1 or sky-high Fendi platforms. The section upstairs houses denim and more casual pieces (think J Brand and ALC) and the most adorable selection of apparel and accessories for little girl’s sizes 0 to 6 called Little Edit. Still impressed.
Upstairs at EDIT New York with Little Edit in the back
Cynthia started her lecture by explaining that she was originally asked to speak for about 20 minutes but this was impossible for her so it will be longer. I didn’t mind that at all because it became very clear even within her first few sentences that Cynthia was one of the most compelling speakers I’ve ever heard and that we were in for quite a treat. Stylishly dress in a simple white t-shirt and a printed skirt, she was very funny, eloquent and exuded warmth. Obviously she has a great knowledge of all things art but what makes her so unique is her ability to communicate with her audience. Listening to her talking about iconography is more like listening to someone telling you a very gripping story. Girl-crush!
The first lecture covered the representation of women from primitive to the 19th century across various genres and how women are represented clothed, nude and based on cultural needs. I now know such amazing details such as Mary Magdalene is always the one with loose hair while everyone else (especially Mary) is wearing theirs up because, obviously, loose hair equals a loose woman or how to tell my Athena from my Nike. The second lecture later this week is titled ‘The Spectacle: where shopping began’. There’s no doubt that it will be as much fun as the first one and I shall return to tell you lot how it was. Fingers crossed I think of taking a camera with me this time around!
You can find EDIT New York at:
1368 Lexington Avenue (at 90th Street)
New York, NY 10128
or online at www.editnewyork.com
