Fashion in Motion: Olivier Saillard’s Show

Part fashion, part mime and part dance were the combination of performance styles present at the Olivier Saillard V&A’s Fashion in Motion event on Friday 20th January. The half an hour show, named, ‘Models at Work’ was created by the Paris based museum director, Olivier Saillard. The concept behind the show was how models have posed on the catwalk and how this has changed over time.

Entering the show arena you were greeted by V&A ushers wearing hats illumined with vibrant orange V&A initials on their heads. It added a whimsical edge to the atmosphere and appropriately prepared you for the show. Once everyone had been ushered into their places, (MSL was privileged to be seated in the FROW) the lights went up and five famous French models from various age groups were standing upstage. Saillard had followed most of the usual conventions of a catwalk show such as the music, lights and outfit changes; but with the use of some of his own avant – garde interpretation of the model’s poses and walk.


Courtesy of V&A

During part one a model held her shoes aloft in her hands rather than wearing them on her feet. Bright clothing was omitted from the performance, using only the minimal black and white. In another part of the show the models changed into white coats over a black body that resemble part of a doctor’s uniform. It was evident that the creator wanted the attention to be drawn to the models’ actions and poses as they were almost stripped down to the bare essentials like actors in rehearsal. Towards the end of the show the models performed the act of dressing, making it feel as though you were part of something illicit or private. Sailliard was revealing the undercurrent of the model’s behaviour by revealing moments that would not occur in a designer’s show at Fashion Week. He wanted the backstage to be bought to the forefront of the show.

The model poses of the eighties were fairly easy to spot in the show as the music changed to electric pop and the models walked faster into the transition of a power strut. The models were strategically placed in a conveyor belt style down the middle of the catwalk at all times, in different stages of a particular pose converging into point where art, drama and fashion meet.

I was transfixed throughout the show and bounded out of it reeling on the high of an experience that was fun yet highly courageous.

Caroline Barnes

http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/30/fashion-motion-olivier-saillard%E2%80%99s-show/

The First Lady of Fashion Journalism

Felicity Green is a diminutive person in height but certainly not in personality. The reason I know this is because MSL attended Susie Stone’s In Conversation Event with the good lady herself, last Thursday evening. She was the first woman to work her way up as an editor of the Daily Mirror in a male dominated sphere. During her time there she was responsible for launching the fashion houses of Mary Quant and Biba.

It was an intimate audience, held in the environs of Susie Stone’s studio, who were lucky enough to be parley to Green’s natural wit and words of wisdom. She stood up to reveal her trademark top to toe black and started to tell her story of how she became such a strong influence on a national newspaper in the sixties. She began by telling us that she did not see herself as a fashion journalist; but foremost a journalist who enjoyed writing about style. It was refreshing to listen to a woman with so much prestige being so very self-deprecating about her impact on the women’s movement. When asked specifically about this she responds: “It was nothing.” She feels there is still a long way to go before women are equal to men in the workplace and that we have not even dented the ‘glass ceiling’.

It was quite an eye-opening experience to be given an insight into her job as a fashion journalist in the swinging sixties. Although it was the philosophies on life that left more than a lasting impression on team MSL. Green believes that it is not right to ‘demolish people as you will get the best out of that person’ and she says that the best way to be is ‘honest’ and ‘kind’. In the dog-eat-dog modern world it is good to hear that traditional values are being campaigned to the young. I asked Green what was the highlight of her career. She responded by telling a story of how she gave Mary Wilson, wife of the board of trade, Harold, a perm whilst dining at her Editor’s house when she worked at Woman and Home. Far from Green feeling confident about this task she relates with bathos of how she noticed on the perm packaging it had a helpline number located in Kingston. The story ended happily however with her hairdressing skills deemed a success.

I left the event feeling in awe of someone who has such a strong essence of style from the outside and in.

Caroline Barnes



     
http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/23/lady-fashion-journalism/

Jennifer Siggs: Styles Me Vintage

A complete lifestyle change occurred one day in a jive class for Jennifer Siggs. It was the incentive for her to become a fully-fledged member of the Vintage Mafia. In only a short space of time she has become a successful vintage blogger and model. On top of all this she still manages to find time to juggle her day job running events at the Churchill War rooms. Despite never dressing in what could be termed as conventional, it seems her colleagues do not notice her dressing any differently to them: “Because I have worked in the same place now for some time, no one batters an eyelid when they see me dressed in my full vintage regalia in the office. I like to think it makes things more interesting!” Here at MSL we agree and that is why we took the time to chat to the twenty-something about her fascinating vintage life.



Jennifer’s blog, Yesterdaygirl, has 814 dedicated followers to date. Its popularity is largely due to her being a down-to earth girl who happens to be obsessed with dressing in a retro way. She is very detailed in her advise to readers on where to buy the best genuine clothing from eras past. Her blog has chartered her progressive change to this way of life: “I began to change the way I look, starting with my hair, gradually buying vintage clothes, learning about make up styles and how to style my hair in a vintage way. Within a year, my wardrobe was 90% vintage and I was an expert at vintage hair styling and dressed like this everyday! I also started writing my blog at the beginning of my vintage adventures and met so many friends and like-minded people that way.” One person that she did meet was her partner, a photographer who takes pictures of Jennifer modelling vintage fashion. It seems they are well – matched pair: “My partner is a photographer who uses vintage cameras and film, and so we get to work together on lots of modelling projects. Its great to work with someone that understands the aesthetic that I love and can create the image that I have in my head.” The perfect partnership of modelling and writing has managed to make her a ‘go to’ in terms how to achieve the perfect pin- up look.



Jennifer lives and breathes the vintage way of life from the clothes she models to attending many Vintage events which she describes as being like ‘vintage house parties’: “I run an event with my female comrades, The Vintage Mafia. The Ric Rac Club is a night for vintage aficionados and newcomers alike and the next club night is also the launch of one of the Mafia’s books ‘Style Me Vintage – Clothes’ in which we all feature.” As any fashion blogger worth her salt Jennifer has a treasured item that she cannot live without; her item happens to be a pair of reptile skin 1940s platform shoes with the CC41 utility label printed inside. “They are incredibly uncomfortable and don’t fit me very well at all, so I mostly only wear them for photo shoots and such, but there is something very special about them and I will never sell them.” And does Jennifer have a tip for us at MSL? “Invest in good underwear. Great foundation garments make you stand better, walk better, make your clothes hang well and ultimately make you feel good, even before you’ve put your clothes on!” This is a great tip for every woman who wants to achieve great style whatever the era.



Caroline Barnes

To read Jennifer’s blog visit: http://jennyjenny-yesterdaygirl.blogspot.com/

http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/25/jennifer-siggs-styles-vintage/

Jolie struck gold at the Golden Globes

It was a night to be remembered for some dresses and a night to forget for others at the Golden Globes award ceremony on Sunday night. Jolie’s sensational atelier Versace dress divided critics however there is no doubt that it made the tattooed actress look elegant and graceful; not unlike the Hollywood glamour of a bygone era.

It was a look that was reminiscent of Lauren Bacall at the height of her fame as a confident smouldering starlet with full red lips, a satin cream dress and scarlet red panel slashed to reveal her thigh. This accompanied with her cream peep toe heels made it a classic choice that was definitely worth an award. Jolie’s ultimate accessory of the evening was her husband, Brad Pitt who she said was ‘prettier than her’ despite him walking with the aid of a cane at the event. His outfit did not disappoint as he wore a Salvatore Ferragamo tuxedo, making them the unrivalled best-dressed couple on the red carpet. Unfortunately their sartorial success was not reflected in their career achievements as they left empty-handed.

As is typical of this annual event in the fashion calendar, it was not just Jolie who managed to sparkle and shine on the night. Charlize Theron, looked angelic in a white Dior gown that was tied at the waist in a bow, secured with a sparkling diamond cluster. The matching hairband and clutch completed this statement outfit. Other women who shone whiter than white were Kate Beckinsale in a strapless Roberto Cavalli matching it with a stunning smile and Elle McPherson in a fishtail corseted Zac Posen dress, which accentuated her incredible figure.

The Globes are known for their gowns but it is a select few who can make an outfit radiate with true beauty. The happy smiles on the women’s faces showed that no matter what, behind the seams they were having a good time.

Caroline Barnes

http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/17/jolie-struck-gold-golden-globes/

Access all areas at the Fashion and Textile Museum

You have got your ticket, you have attended the show and even managed to get into the designer’s after show party, but what you really want to know is what happens behind the scenes at Fashion Week?




For those images you did not get to see in your favourite magazine, take a stroll down to the Catwalk to Cover: A Front Row Seat at the Fashion and Textile Museum. Pop music, bright lights and curtains, you would be forgiven for thinking you were at a show. It captures all the atmosphere of fashion week whilst including the politics, history and celebrity. The whole experience of walking through the exhibition is designed to make you feel part of the catwalk process. The ground floor enters you into where all the action happens at the front row, then you can strut (or walk) through to the catwalk in the main section, up a level into the exclusivity of the backstage, muse over model’s style and then finish with how catwalk fashion has converted onto the street.



A poignant moment of viewing the gallery of front row images is a snap of the late Heath Ledger at a Marc Jacobs. It makes you realise how many of these photographs on the walls are immortalised in fashion history. Everywhere you look you are given opportunity to gaze at another tantalising spectacle; images appear like models as they hang with fluidity yet with uniformity in the main room. Another key quirk of the exhibition is the quotations from the fashion pack describing their personal experience of a catwalk show. It is not all glitz and glamour, as you do come away receiving an education on the very first catwalk show and how it became the most sought after event in the Fashion calendar. Did you know that Fashion Week started in America in 1940 because it was impossible to travel to Paris to watch the shows?

A Prada montage show video plays on loop as you leave. It is a whimsical treat and like any good show it ensures that the feeling of lightness after being entertained is carried with you beyond the confines of the Fashion and Textile building walls. A place where you get to see a Kate Moss hologram, a shot of a bodyguard helping a model down from the catwalk and an archive Thierry Muglar image from 1983, what are you waiting for? Lights, camera, fashion, get ready for your close up.

Caroline Barnes

http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/09/access-areas-fashion-textile-museum/

Focusing in on Eve Arnold: Gone But Photography Not Forgotten

Often, when you think of the most influential photographers of all time, a man’s name usually springs to mind: Mario Testino, David Bailey, Nick Knight, Cecil Beaton or Terence Donovan. It is interesting how we forget about the women who have managed to capture some of the most enduring images of all time.

Eve Arnold was some such woman. She did not fear entering a male dominated sphere. Arnold was one of the first women photojournalists to join Magnum Photography Agency in the 1950′s. It was the pictures she took of Marilyn Monroe that have made her world-renowned. However, it was almost fated that Arnold should take pictures of a woman who was known for her relationships with men. Arnold’s perspective of Monroe in the Nevada desert on the set of The Misfits was one of a sweet, innocent and apprehensive young woman dressed down in a white shirt and denim jacket. In other pictures by Arnold, Marilyn appears naturalistic, without the usual epithets of her Hollywood self. Is it possible that Arnold lifted some of Marilyn’s mask by capturing her without an adoring audience?

thejc.com

She was a strong advocate of women and capturing their relationships with each other. Her other famous photographs include ones of the Civil Rights Movement in America, the Queen and a front row filled with women at Fashion week in Paris in 1977. It is often said that a picture tells a thousand words, with Eve Arnold, a story is communicated far beyond the lens. Her photography forces you to engage in the subject’s world. There is a powerful black and white one taken by Arnold; known as Bar girl in a brothel in the red light district, Havana, Cuba, 1954, showing a girl in a thoughtful repose with her head resting on her clenched hands and an almost empty bottle of liquor beside her on the bar. It is a moment that resonates as it portrays a women’s issue that is still a hot topic today.

The female photographing pioneer, Eve Arnold, may have left us but her pictures certainly have not.

Caroline Barnes

http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/11/focusing-eve-arnold-photography-forgotten/

The Technicalities of Future Fashion

Lady Gaga and Katy Perry may not be the style icons that you would try to emulate for your everyday look but are their red carpet choices the iconic dresses of the future?

Fashion Week is fast approaching and here at MSL we are on the look out for the latest trends. Team MSL have noticed that the use of technology is becoming more and more prevalent in modern fashion design. It was inevitable that our everyday gratification for technology would start to spread into our wardrobes. Fashion styles have always been indicative of epoch, for example after the Second World War women drew lines on their legs as they could not afford stockings. In the Sixties hemlines became shorter to reflect how women were becoming emancipated from their traditional role in society. At the Grammy Awards in 2010, the artist, Imogen Heap wore a ‘Twitter’ dress. Her black sheer gown on the outside appeared like any other dress worn on the night, yet it had an oversized necklace feature that acted as a receptacle for her fan’s tweets. Inside her gown a router was hidden to transport the twitter feed and each time one was received a light would flash.

atlargeinc.com

It is easy to think that technical fashion is merely a concept touted out to the rich and the famous but think again. Cutecircuit are an online store based in London dedicated to wearable technological fashion. They are responsible for creating an award-winning ‘hug’ shirt which enables the wearer to send a sensory hug across the world as there are sensors inside the fabric which recreate the warmth, feel and even emotion of human contact. It promises the same ease of sending a text message to your friend. They stock the ‘K-dress’, a similar design to the one they made for Katy Perry which she wore to the MET gala. It features LED lights embedded in the silk and taffeta bringing new meaning to the idea of ‘lighting’ up the room with your presence.

Even though at the moment these dresses are still a commodity it looks as though soon your staple LBD will become an in-house entertainment centre, computer and mobile phone unit all in one.

Caroline Barnes

http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/19/technicalities-future-fashion/

A Dash for Fashion and Art

The fashion elite was out in force last Wednesday night for the private view of work in progress by the MA students at the Royal College of Art. Wandering around for only a few minutes you could not help but be drawn into the melee of excitement surrounding these young artists. The evening was entitled: Fashion; Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork & Jewellery; Painting; Sculpture; Textiles ensuring that there was lots on offer for a visitor to the exhibition.

It was clear from the multitude of exhibits (there were designs ranging from intricate bags to canvas boots) that you were part of the first few to witness the creative talent of the future. I was particularly drawn to a cream denim jacket with a blue fur trim hood and multi-coloured flowers emblazoned around the arm sleeves. The creator, Alex Mullins, had made this piece for a Menswear collection. I believe this item could be worn by both men and women as it appeared to be a cover up that would be extremely wearable. The jacket included a drawstring toggle feature at the bottom and encompassed the comeback of the denim jacket this season.

Royal College of Art Image

The evening focused on celebrating the talents of the artists in the most innovative of mediums. A screen played a video of the students discussing the process of how their ideas came to fruition. Another interesting use of technology was the use of three televisions stacked on top of each other that showed the three sections of a model wearing a luminous jacket. It was a delight to see how the students came up with ingenious ways to display their work in an entertaining way. At one point, two women walked through the exhibition in identical swimsuits, soaked to the skin. To catch a glimpse of the work at the Royal College of Art, the exhibition is running from 12-18 January. For this exhibition expect the wonder of the unexpected.

Caroline Barnes

http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/16/dash-fashion-art/

    

Trend Report: A Head For Hats

This year forget about the rabbit, pig or cat. This is the year of the hat. This can seem a daunting prospect, especially if you do not have a head for hats. However, here at team MSL we believe this trend can be mastered due to the plethora of styles on offer. There is a hat to suit every woman’s style. The New Year sees the return of the classic fashion accessory and here at MSL we believe it has the ability to transform your confidence.

Headgear is having a fashion revival. The current nostalgia for the forties, sixties and seventies glamour sees the re-emergence of the pillbox, beret and fedora. There are some who can hit the high notes with their hat; for others it is an extension of their personality and the rest a key signature style. MSL particularly loves the way Rosie Huntington - Whiteley has single- handedly put the flirt back into fedora. It is a look that has been updated for the 21^st Century; primarily seen tilted coquettishly over Twiggy’s elfin features. Rachel Bilson has adopted the perfect balancing act, wearing her beret slanted on the back of her head, updating the style of Faye Dunaway in Bonnie And Clyde. The vintage paragon, Dita Von Teese, is often seen sporting a spectacular pillbox in homage to the forties. The fashion editor Isabella Blow was never seen without an eccentric plumage attached to her head, making it a lasting tribute to milliners everywhere.

It is little wonder that the designers have taken note and are turning their attention to an iconic hat in their Spring/Summer Collections. Marc Jacobs has opted for the ultra sequin luxury turban worn for the cocktail hour, at Jil Sander the focus was on forties femininity as pillbox hats sat daintily on the models’ heads and at Burberry it was part of a carefully constructed tailored uniform.

http://www.maggiesemple.com/blog/2012/01/05/trend-report-head-hats/

No Longer Pulling The Wool Over My Eyes.

Don't get me wrong I have seriously overindulged on the Christmas jumper this season, but now it is January I feel a restyle is in order. The jumper craze developed for very good reasons which I will  detail: it keeps you warm, it is fulfills our love for nineties fashion, people like The Killing (notice how careful I was by remitting the first person, making my feelings clear about the show) and it gets us easily into the Christmas spirit. However, now the festive season is drawing to a close I feel that wearing the Christmas jumper would be like getting caught naked in the high street fifteen miles from home. You get that clawing sense of humiliation that creeps up your spine making you want to hide away forever. A love affair that, like all good ones must come to an end. I am banishing mine to the back of the wardrobe (I don't want to completely rule it out) and commencing my Christmas jumper detox plan.