Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large
The sun has got his hat on AND it's Friday, hurray! Before we all decamp to the park/ pub here's your lowdown of everything that happened in fashion this week...
We'd have loved to give Prada's new video it's very own blog post, but alas there are only so many hours in the day so it takes pride of place at the top of the week's stories. In fashion terms, Cannes is liable to become a bit of a red carpet overdose. So Roman Polanski's short film for Prada, released as part of the festival celebrations, is a refreshing take on how fashion and film can produce properly exciting projects. We love Helena Bonham Carter's self-obsessed character and the power which her luxurious clothes the pearls, the silk blouse, THE FUR- have on Ben Kingsley as her therapist. Here's an extract from Stefano Francia di Celle's reading of the film...
"The fur represents the agreement that supports the relationship between the director and the fashion designer. Polanski is able to display a world which seems more authentic than the real one, thus interpreting and criticizing contemporary society. Prada creates original and non predefined roles for her work and produces a new language that filters into the recesses of traditional culture and leverages the potential of the new media. She is not afraid to produce what could be interpreted as a parody of the celebration of luxury, stigmatizing the world’s elite, the main target of her products"
Watch the video below to see intelligent fashion at its best...
We're not going to reproduce a million images of Diane Kruger and the like at Cannes- you can
easily find that elsewhere. Instead I've picked out three girls who are rocking an off kilter look which definitely gets them noticed among the sea of perfect hairdos and flouncy gowns.
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| Cassie is pretty convention until you see her half shaven head and mermaid waves. |
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| Lace isn't hard to spot in pics from Cannes, such blatant underwear showing off IS Fiona Scarry |
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| Olga Sorkina works a scary face painting (all images from fashionologie.com) |
Back in Blighty, the country's creative community gathered on Wednesday night for the
Royal Academy's contribution to the Jubilee festivities with their party to celebrate Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne. The event was so star studded that the 24 Dames in attendance had their very own check-in desk. Some of our biggest fashion names including Giles Deacon, Vivienne Westwood, Erdem and Christopher Kane brought along their muses to show off their designs to the Queen. Hockney, who recently had a hit exhibition at the RA produced a drawing for the programme which each guest received. And finally, is it just me, or does Nancy Shevell, wife of Sir Paul McCartney, look like she may be wearing that Issa dress Duchess Kate wore to announce her engagement?
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| Hockney's drawing which was given to all the guests (from www.thislondon.co.uk) |
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| Ozwald Boateng and John Hurt looking mega dapper (from telegraph.co.uk) |
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| Giles with Jessica Gough (image from telegraph.co.uk) |
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Her Majesty, in very on trend silver, chats to Sir Paul, in trainers, and Nancy, in her very K-Mid dress.
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| If there's ANYONE who can strike a pose, it has to be Bryanboy (image from www.zimbio.com) |
Thought there wasn't any particular reason that you should visit the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts? Ever heard of it even? Well, there is now an extremely good reason to visit after I
ris Apfel, couture collector and official 'rare bird of fashion', donated 900 pieces from her fashion archives to their collection. Among the items Apfel explained why she chose the Peasbody to receive her gift, "I think they’re quite cutting edge. This museum is much more cross-cultural than others I’ve worked with and mixes it up a bit". Among the items now added to that mix are 19th century couture pieces and McQueen creations. Oh, to be the lucky curator who'll get to work amongst it all!
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| Iris Apfel with Alexis Bittar (image from ohemgeemag.com) |
Topshop is just keep exciting collabs coming... We've already been spoilt with Mary Katrantzou, Maarten van der Horst and Richard Nicholl this year and it was announced yesterday that
Louise Gray is next up. She will create some simple shaped pieces which reflect her fun, creative and colourful aesthetic as well as make-up- a no brainer really as bold beauty looks are always a key aspect of a Louise Gray show. Louise Gray for Topshop will be available at the end of August- just in time to give us something to smile about in the run up to Winter. Oh, and if there's any room to get in some of Louise's amazing boots then that would be appreciated please, thank you very much Topshop!
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Louise Gray AW12 (from www.catwalking.com)
Recommended read: The first students to take Parson's M.F.A qualification are reaching the end of their course. This article from the NY Times looks at the graduates and examines what's in store for them all. There'll be a show at New York Fashion Week where the designers will be able to showcase their work to international press and buyers. It's a great insight into finding the balance between commericality and creativity, as well as how the school positions itself next to Central Saint Martins. |
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| Work by Elisa Van Joolen, Talia Shuvalov and Carly Ellis- some of the designers who showed their graduate collections at an exhibition last week (image from nytimes.com) |
Agyness Deyn, who is looking particularly amazing of late in my opinion, has added another string to her modelling/ acting bow with a
line of clothing for Dr Martens. The pieces are inspired by 90s couples and the grungy look she's famous for. "I love the style of some of the Nineties' most famous couples, like Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder and Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis. I love that grungy look, that freeness and real vintage vibe" she told Vogue. While some may say that Agyness must have had help from her good friend Henry Holland, she claims that she actually "forgot to tell him".
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| Agyness Deyn models her collection for Dr Martens (image from vogue.co.uk) |
We're used to editorials pushing the boundaries and this week's big nudge came from
Steven Klein and Patti Wilson for Candy magazine who depicted a (we think fake) pregnant male model in bondage gear and holding a gun. Just too much to compute all at once? Genius? A bit of both? What do you think?
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| Chris Fawcett tied up and up the duff for Candy (image from fashionista.com) |
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| Getting the gun out (image from fashionista.com) |
It's sample sale time... Two of the biggies are Erdem and J.W Anderson. Both happening next week...
J.W ANDERSON: June 1, 5-9pm, 73-75 Shacklewell Lane, Studio A007, E8. Cash only.
ERDEM: Tues 29 May (9am-8pm) & Wed 30th May (9am-6pm) at Future Gallery, Covent Garden. AW11 & previous seasons + accessories
And find deets for Jospeh, McQueen, Christopher Kane and more
here from Elle
And video of the week goes to Hot Chip for two reasons. 1- Lara Stone's in it (that's the fashion bit) 2- it's directed by Peter Serafinowicz, the genius behind some of my favourite comedy sketches ever, including
the Butterfield Diet
Now go forth and enjoy the sun in the knowledge you're well and truly clued up on what's happening in fashion.
