The Old Leopard, as modelled by Bet Lynch (image via mirror.co.uk)
Poor leopard, has there ever been a print more ferociously maligned? The very mention of the L word provokes scrunched noses and cries of horror amongst many fashion aficionados who see the animal spots as the very antithesis of good taste, a print reserved for brash items which would never grace the backs of anyone with an iota of class. The completely iconic look of Coronation Street's most famous landlady, Bet Lynch, is a case in point. It's a strong identity which Julie Goodyear carved out for her character but one which more often ends up on some kind of hilarious list of style no-nos than as something to be emulated. However, that may be fashion snobbery speaking too soon because a visit to almost any high street store will show that there is always at least a smattering of leopard print items on offer, which means that leopard must sell however unhappy some fashion editors might be about that. We mustn't forget that leopard hasn't always had such a bad rep; Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe did it in a super sexy way, of course, but it never tipped into Lynch tack territory.
Elizabeth Taylor does leopard (image via desperatelyseekingsparkle.com)
Christopher Kane AW12 (image via catwalking.com)
Now some big fashion players have stepped in to reverse the bad taste connotations of leopard. Catwalk wise, the image overhaul can be traced back to Gucci's AW12 show in which Frida Giannini showed several looks in jewel-hued devore, imprinted with those wild spots, and also to Christopher Kane's so-bad-it's-good shiny purple and red leopard Autumn/ Winter dresses and jackets. It was a stop point between traditional leopard vamp and it newly chic relative. Then came the Resort collections, which tell us a lot about we're really going to be wearing, the new classics to slot into our wardrobes. Phoebe Philo at Celine showed stark, panelled pieces comprised of one part coloured leather, one part unbelievably unbrash leopard. Meanwhile, Stella McCartney went all out on head-toe-leopard coats, kimono tops and sporty trousers. There's a kind of fashion genius in this transformation but if leopard sells then that's as good an excuse as any for a designer to work with it in a challenging retail climate.
Celine Resort (style.com)
Mossy does leopard
Kenzo SS13 (image via Catwalking.com)
The leopard rebirth shows no sign of abating; Humberto Leon and Carol Lim at Kenzo drenched their leopard print with colour for SS13, a look which will surely go down a treat with the army of new fans they are fast accumulating. The new leopard was affirmed last week when Kate Moss wore the print top-to-toe at the signing of her new book. The key to making leopard chic again is shape, anything which is clingy or scanty won't work for the new mood. Think loose and bold. As always, accessories are a great way to do it too, graphic is good.
This could be an interesting week for fashion. After the weekend's flurry of rumour that Christopher Kane would be taking up the Balenciaga post left vacant by Nicolas Ghesquière and his subsequent denial, this lunchtime news came via WWD that Kane was to leave his post designing for Versace's sister line, Versus. Whether Kane goes to Balenciaga or not, this is unlikely to be the last we hear of the shenanigans in the coming days, even if Kane is saying that he is set to devote himself entirely to growing his own brand. On top of all that, US Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington is coming to London in celebration of the publication of her memoirs. In yesterday's Sunday Telegraph, an exclusive extract from the book was published, detailing Coddington's famous and much-examinedrelationship with Anna Wintour. As well as discussing the chronology of their great partnership, Coddington also offers insight into how US Vogue has changed during Wintour's tenure. She says, "Vogue now incorporates the worlds of art, business, technology, travel, food, celebrity and politics. And this is all largely due to her vision."
Sojourner Morrel by Mel Bles
In fact, where US Vogue has led, others have followed, finding their own unique spin on the potential synergy of all the worlds we can possibly inhabit. Centrefold magazine is one such- rather beautiful- example of this, doing its thing on a niche and exclusive level which means so much in our easily over-saturated world. Where a fashion week snap of Cara Delevingne might get hundreds of retweets, or a shot of Jourdan Dunn on the catwalk will be beamed to websites, newspapers and magazines the world over, Centrefold gives us something properly special. For its latest Issue 8, the publication has teamed up with Storm Models and property developers, Manhattan Loft Corporation. Entitled "20 + 25 = 8", a nod to the respective anniversaries of Manhattan Loft and Storm, this is an absolute must-buy for those among you who would like some more exclusive imagery to cherish of your favourite supermodels, from the utterly fabulous Cindy Crawford to new girls like Cara D.
Fashion and architecture complement one another as we see Sojourner Morrel in a shoot inspired by Manhattan Loft Gardens and Elisa Sednaoui posing at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Harry Handelsman, CEO of Manhattan Loft Corporation says, "our buildings are renowned for their incredible style and in this edition of Centrefold where the worlds of fashion, art and design come together our developments are perfectly placed to provide striking urban backdrops for the world’s most famous modelling talent." Meanwhile, Centrefold Editor-in-Chief Andrew G. Hobbs calls his latest issue a "dynamic collision of talent, achievement and creativity". And the cherry on the cake is Kate Moss, arguably Storm's Sarah Doukas's greatest find, in all her supermodel fabulousness on the front cover. A real keeper.
Fashion has long been the haven of some of society's most diverse and original figures. Its reputation for welcoming the weird, the wonderful and the avant-garde goes way back. It's how fashion stays new. So in many ways it's strange that we even need All Walks Beyond the Catwalk, the initiative run by Caryn Franklin, Debra Bourne and Erin O'Connor. But the reality is now that fashion mostly demands models who are very tall, very young, very thin and very white- a narrow ideal of beauty which is just one of the many troubling issues our society as a whole has with body image.
This morning, I went along to All Walks' forum at Graduate Fashion Week where tutors from fashion schools across the country gathered together to tell each other how they're engaging their students in looking at bodies and beauty in a different way. Mal Burkinshaw from Edinburgh College of Art told us about his project 'Body Talk 2012' where he explored the kind of words his students used to describe different bodies represented in art. At Ravensbourne, students have created a site where anyone can upload unretouched images of themselves which they love while in Bournemouth, glamorous older model Valerie Pain has been used in a photo shoot and in the catwalk show of some of the design graduates.
Valerie Pain wearing a design by Johanna Wulf from the Arts College, University of Bournemouth (
This is all fantastic-if sometimes a bit tokenistic- and at least it is positive to see design schools engaging with the concept that the current favourite catwalk model ideal might not be the only option. All Walks is also expanding on the work already done by tutors by launching a competition called Diversity NOW which will enlist students to create campaigns for a wider range of body and beauty ideals. However, for students who need to get a job out of university it's not very practical for them to use a model who's not the norm to show their pieces because they simply won't get a job- if they show their final collection on a size 16 model then they are effectively only applying for a job at Evans. Nobody else will take them seriously. And I'm not making this up- the course leaders at this morning's forum all agreed on that point.
What I'm finding hard to get my head round is apparent gap between the academic research on this subject and what's actually happening. After the forum, I spoke to Dr Phillippa Diedrichs who contributed to the recent government report on body image. She says that an increase in diversity does make commercial sense. "When W magazine did a plus size issue, it sold out immediately" she pointed out. Much has been made of research by Ben Barry whose survey of 3,000 women found that they "significantly increase purchase intentions when they see a model that reflects their age, size and race". A quick google search shows that Barry is the founder of a Canadian modelling agency which represents "diverse" models. He's also written a bestselling book on the subject so has considerable commercial interest himself in making these claims. Nevertheless, the research makes a strong case for the financial rewards of using models of different ages, sizes and races.
Post-baby Kate Moss shot by Mert and Marcus in 2003 (image from www.i-donline.com)
So, is it just too soon for the big changes to have filtered through? In high fashion, the rise of the Asian model has coincided with growing importance of Asian economies as consumers of designer clothes. The brilliant Tricia Jones, publisher of i-D magazine, told this morning's forum that we need to demand realistic images- she cited an exclusive which i-D had of Kate Moss' first shoot after giving birth. She looked amazing- obviously- but was still retouched to erase the evidence of her recent pregnancy, much to Jones' annoyance. "We need real pictures and not the crap they (magazines, ads) are trying to feed us"she argued. I guess the million dollar question is, do we WANT to buy a magazine with a shoot where Kate Moss looks anything less than utterly, unrealistically perfect? I wouldn't mind actually and it'd bridge the gap between retouched shoots and horrid paparazzi caught-looking-a-bit-fat-or-spotty pictures.
We know that plenty of students out there are reading and would love to know if you've had to address body image and diversity in your course and what you think about it being taught.
It's been another busy week in the fashion world, so before we head off to enjoy our three day Bank Holiday weekend, here's the round-up of all the need to know news from the past seven days...
It's the start of the month which means a flurry of new covers are coming in ready for our enjoyment. Kate Moss (who was apparently drinking at The Groucho until 7am this morning-what a woman) is the incarnation of Versace's modern mermaid on the cover of British Vogue's Gold issue. She was shot by Mert and Marcus, complete with very fat rope (previously seen in a Beckham shot) and underwater-esque background. It's the stuff fashion dreams are made of.
Kate Moss on the cover of June's Vogue (image from Vogue.co.uk)
Meanwhile, iD have two particularly genius covers amongst the eight on offer for the Summer 'Lights, Camera, Action' issue. Julia Restoin Roitfeld is not the first woman to show her bump on a magazine cover but this interpretation of the genre is rather kookier than usual- with Julia clutching a teddy and wearing sexy lingerie in a sumptuous boudoir.
Another cover shows newly appointed Dior designer Raf Simons sheltering from the camera beneath a selection of flowers. The image seems just right for the moment, the flowers symbolising Dior prettiness while the grey and Raf's slightly hidden face hint at the newness and rethinking which is surely to come at the label. There's an accompanying interview where Raf talks about his final Jil Sander collection and what motivates him as a designer. The issue is available next week on the iD site and at shops soon after.
Helena Bonham Carter is having a bit of a moment this month. She has modelled some totally beautiful McQueen and Westwood gowns for Harper's Bazaar's June issue... Here's a Behind the Scenes video from the shoot...
Daniel Radcliffe, with whom Bonham-Carter worked on the Harry Potter films, has interviewed her for, er, Interview. Well it's more of a conversation really, with insights into the lives of both actors. They cover everything from the pressure of having an amazing family to Helena having to audition to be in her quasi-husband (they're only not married because of 'laziness' she says) Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd musical to wearing odd shoes to the Golden Globes. My girl crush on Helena Bonham Carter continues.
Helena Bonham Carter styled by Katie Grand, photographed by Peter Lindbergh (from www.interviewmagazine.com)
All 19 Vogue International editors came together this week to launch their new Health Initiative which will mean that they endeavor to only use healthy models (i.e ones who aren't suffering from an eating disorder) who are over the age of 16 on their pages. Alex Shulman writes in her Editor's Letter that 'as one of the fashion industry's most powerful voices, Vogue has a unique opportunity to engage with relevant issues where we feel we can make a difference'. As the FashEd pointed out in a tweet yesterday, we really hope this excellent policy extends to celebrities as well as models. I wrote more about this issue a few weeks ago. Bravo to Vogue for taking a stand.
Excitement is building for Monday night's Met Gala which will open the much anticipated 'Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations' exhibition. Of course, US Vogue is leading the build-up by looking back at galas in years gone by. First up, Andre Leon Talley, the magazine's rather awesome Editor-at-Large, has chosen his top 10 outfits. He seems to have a predilection for black taffeta and frou frou fairytale given his choices. We're excited to see how Miuccia Prada will play the red carpet celebrity dressing next week. Her AW12 collections showed a serious trouser moment so maybe Mr Leon Talley will be disappointed on the big ballgown front.
Andre's favourites: Rihanna in Dolce and Gabbana in 2009
Andre's favourites: Doutzen Kroes in Zac Posen in 2010 (images from vogue.com)
And in case you haven't been invited, Vogue has given us a peek of how our invite would look if we were on the list. For this year's exhibition, they've nodded to Schiaparelli's association with Surrealism with a lip design. I love the image used on the invite for 2010's 'American Woman'.
Will we get in if we print this out and put on some Prada? (image from vogue.com)
The invite to 2010's 'American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity' (image from Vogue.com)
Australian Fashion Week has been taking place in Sydney this week. We've been enjoying Susie Bubble's posts which are a brilliant mixture of catwalk reports and snippets for getting to know the Australian fashion scene. A We Are Handsome swimming costume is top of my summer shopping list so I was very pleased when this image from their show pinged into my inbox.
Speaking of fashion weeks, street style favourite Anna Dello Russo has become the latest H&M collaborator. Fans of the Vogue Nippon editor will get the chance to emulate her style with a selection of blingtastic accessories. There'll be more on this next week on the blog but it's rather fascinating that it was a stylist/ editor whose look seemed the most relevant to H&M to bring to the masses, rather than another big name designer. The range is out on October 4th, just after fashion month ends
Anna Dello Russo modelling some pieces from her collection (image from telegraph.co.uk)
There was a glimmer of hope in the continuing race to save Aquascutum this week as it emerged that exclusive talks were underway to sell the business to Hong Kong based YGM Trading. Unfortunately this doesn't provide much hope for those who were left out of work after the Corby factory was shut. There are separate talks being held to sell that asset. If the brand loses its Made in Britain element, it will be a great shame.
Ellen Von Unwerth and Claudia Schiffer at Guess's 30th Birthday bash (image from THE LOVE magazine's twitter)
The Sunday Times' annual Rich List was released last weekend. It helps confirm what we already know from the trickle of news and figures which we see each week... luxury is still booming but retail is a hard environment. Mulberry owner Christina Ong rose 53 places to 61, but Britain's biggest retail magnate, Phillip Green lost £900 million of his fortune last year, ouch.
Karl Lagerfeld has been brought in to redesign the exterior of the Hotel Metropole in Monte Carlo. Reaffirming that he is a man of many talents, in case there was any doubt. To whet our appetite for the unveiling of the first phase in July, Lagerfeld has released some frescos starring his favourite male model Baptiste Giabconi...
Inspiration for the new Hotel Metropole (image from telegraph.co.uk)
Manish Arora has mysteriously ended his thus far successful tenure at Paco Rabanne it was revealed today. The label had become relevant trend wise as well as gaining attention thanks to Lady Gaga wearing some pieces at the MTV awards in 2011.'Revisiting the Paco Rabanne fashion was a very enriching experience and an exceptional artistic and human adventure. I am, today, happy to have accomplished the mission I was trusted with in order to cast this iconic brand back into the spotlight', Arora told WWD.
We leave you with a gorgeous backstage video from Alexander McQueen's AW12 show... Happy Weekend!
First up this week, huge congratulations to British fashion's Fairy Godmother, Lulu Kennedy who made the trip to visit the Queen at Buckingham Palace to receive her MBE yesterday. Naturally, it was up to former Fashion East participants to dress Lulu for the occasion- it was Michael van der Ham and Roksanda Ilincic for the palace and Jonathan Saunders for the Madhatters tea party at The Sanderson. .
Lulu Kennedy at the palace (image from telegraph.co.uk)
Stella at yesterday's launch in her SS12 pjs, with Phillip Odowu and Jessica Ennis (image from dailymail.co.uk)
In other big British fashion news this week, Stella McCartney has finally unveiled the Team GB kit for this summer's Olympic and Paralympic games- the very first time that a fashion designer has had the role. This was no quiet launch either- a fashion show starring some of the UK's biggest medal hopes including Victoria Pendleton and Jessica Ennis took place at The Tower of London. It's Stella's biggest collection yet, comprising 590 different items of kit catering for over 900 athletes and all their various sports. So far, it is Stella's reinterpretation of the Union Jack which has caused most concern. The Daily Mail reports that 'there is a worrying lack of red from the Union Jack', while Hadley Freeman at The Guardian noted 'the running pants for women with the flag in a gynaecological spot, (are) surely an offence that could result in one being sent to the tower'.
I'm quite a fan of the red trainers myself. Jessica Ennis in her Stella/ Adidas kit
Madonna by Mert and Marcus (image from www.imageamplified.com)
The Mantyhose in action (image from www.imageamplified.com)
You thought all fashion hybrids had been explored? The jegging, the tregging and the shoot (shoe boot) to name but a few. Well, this week Emilio Cavallini and Madonna brought 'mantyhose' to the world. That's 'tights for boys' to you and I. Interesting. The new invention is exhibited in the video for Girl Gone Wild, directed by Mert and Marcus. It's the second single from the forthcoming MDNA album.
Ever since Carine Roitfeld left the helm at French Vogue, it's been great fun finding out about her latest project. We loved her book, Irreverent and now it seems that September will be the next time our Carine radars go into overdrive. She told WWD this week her new magazine will be launched then. They also found out the following...
"Although she couldn’t be pressed on the name, she said it will come out twice a year and resemble a book. There will be no “front of the book” section and its emphasis will be “fashion with a lot of freedom.”
Carine at the Chanel couture in Tokyo this week (image from www.wwd.com)
Karl in the pilot's seat on the Chanel jet plane (from www.wwd.com)
Chanel has decamped to Japan this week for a series of events to big up the brand in the Far East. Remember the airplane created for the January couture show in Paris? Well, that was transported to a Tokyo park for a repeat performance. Also on the agenda was a party to launch Karl Lagerfeld's collaboration with Carine Roitfeld on a photographic exhibition entitled "The Little Black Jacket'. Sarah Jessica Parker, with son in tow, and Alice Dellal were among those who've joined Chanel for the festivities.
Grazia's Paula Reed has been in Tokyo. Here are a few of her best pics...
Karl with his right hand woman, Lady Amanda Harlech
Clemence Poesy with the cherry blossom
A guest at the couture show in the traditional Japanese kimono (all images from Paula's instagram)
Barely a week goes by without some new comment on the photoshopping/body image debate, this week's most lovely contribution comes from The Economist's Intelligent Life magazine which has put Cate Blanchett on its cover, completely free from computer aided enhancement. Like she needed it anyway. This is what Intelligent Life editor, Tim de Lisle, had to say about the cover:
"Cate Blanchett, by contrast, appears on our cover in her working clothes, with the odd line on her face and faint bags under her eyes. She looks like what she is—a woman of 42, spending her days in an office, her evenings on stage and the rest of her time looking after three young children. We can’t be too self-righteous about it, because, like anyone else who puts her on a cover, we are benefiting from her beauty and distinction. But the shot is at least trying to reflect real life. It’s a curious sign of the times that this has become something to shout about"
Image from Intelligent Life
THINGS FOR THE WEEKEND:
Image from www.Vogue.co.uk
Tonight is Sport Relief in the UK. From a fashion perspective, that means Kate Moss, Stella McCartney and David Gandy on our screens in a special episode of Absolutely Fabulous. That has to be worth a donation, doesn't it?
I heard about the Horniman Museum's The Body Adorned exhibition earlier this week and I can't wait to go. I love walking around London, seeing what everyone is wearing and trying to identify all the style tribes. The Body Adorned looks at how Londonders have come to create their own trends and ways of standing out, as well as the history which has impacted on those decisions. Here's the trailer for the exhibition, I'll hopefully be reporting back from there sometime soon...
We can finally see series 5 of Mad Men from Tuesday on Sky Atlantic- hurrah! We love these ads from the 1960s which The New Yorker has dug up to get us even more excited about the return of Don, Joan and co. Have a wonderful sunny weekend!
What would she say about mantyhose?
Pyjamas to rival Stella's (all ads from www.newyorker.com)
Heaven is Real (Kate eyes shut) 1991 by Corinne Day
Heaven is Real (Kate eyes open) 1991 by Corinne Day
In my other life I collect fashion photography. Also in my other life I would have these prints on the wall of my study and looking up at them I would feel happy and soothed by the angelic beauty of the Mossy aged 17. As it is these prints are top of my fantasy Christmas wish list. I gave Corinne Day's gallery Gimpel Fils a quick call just now just to see how much they cost, a step I haven't taken before. I usually just admire them on the website. They cost £10,000 each + VAT.
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity."
We are getting massively overexcited about Christmas here at FEAL HQ today, with plans for a Christmas jumper competition in full swing and festive songs blaring out- I've already heard Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas' approximately 15 times today. However, the world of fashion does not stop for mulled wine and mince pies just yet... Here's the week's news.
Yesterday, the winner's of the NEWGEN sponsorship for AW12 were announced. The FashEd was on the panel and is very excited about seeing the winners' shows and presentations come February. This is how the line-up looks for the ladies...
Backstage at David Koma SS12. Neon plus Maori tattoos= amazing. Image from (lloyd-evans.com)
Catwalk sponsorship:
David Koma Holly Fulton J.JS Lee J.W. Anderson Michael van der Ham Simone Rocha
Presentation sponsorship:
Christopher Raeburn Thomas Tait
Installation sponsorship:
Nasir Mazhar SISTER by SIBLING
Exhibition sponsorship:
Huishan Zhang James Long Lucas Nascimento Palmer//Harding Tim Soar Woman
Gaga in Rocha SS12 (Image from thinkboutthings.com)
Simone Rocha's SS12 collection was greeted with rapturous responses from the fashion media. In the January issue of ELLE magazine, Lady Gaga continues to showcase Rocha's designs (she was wearing a different SS12 piece in London last week). I went to J.JS Lee's presentation at the last LFW and am still thinking about her candy floss inspirations. So the Simone Rocha/ J.JS Lee back-to-back show in February will be penned in ink on our schedule. The FashEd calls the duo 'London's Young Minimalists'.
Image from style.com
While we are still obsessing about Florence in a shell and October's Under the Sea themed show in general, Mr Lagerfeld has moved on swiftly; on Tuesday he unveiled his Paris-Bombay collection for pre-fall at the Grand Palais, transformed from pearlescent sea bed to Maharajah banquet. Pre-fall and resort collections have been touted as the place to find wearable, commercial pieces but Lagerfeld's take on Indian dress poo poos on that idea. However, this DOES show a streak of genius because India is one of the biggest emerging markets for luxury retailers so appealing to them is very shrewd. The beauty which results is a pleasing addition. Sam McKnight worked on the hair for the show and told Vogue that he was inspired by 'Sadhu Holy Men and Rajastani Princesses'
Images from Sam McKnight on Vogue.com
We've been poring over Helmut Newton images all week- look out for more on our Tumblr later. So it was fitting that today we got a peek at the shots which will grace Pirelli's 2012 calendar. Ok, so it's basically lots of models with beautiful bodies, which is something in itself after news came this week that some clothes are now being advertised on digitally created bodies, yes we're talking to you H&M. Lisa Armstrong argues that these pictures are all about promoting a body perfect enough for porn. I agree- especially given that they're for Pirelli, thus blatantly targeted at blokes. But I cannot help but appreciate these images of Kate Moss (who looks divine, but has roundness where many models do not) and Saskia de Brauw. What do you think?
Saskia de Brauw (images from daily mail)
Those McQueen skullcaps seem to have captured the imagination of cover stylists for January. I know I've already mentioned Gaga in Elle but not only is she rocking Rocha but McQueen is the star of the front cover. Gaga is bedecked in the coral gown and eye mask. Meanwhile, Rooney Mara is fully skull-capped for Dazed and Confused. Quite beautiful...
January Dazed, image from www.racked.com
Gaga by Matt Irwin (from fashiongonerogue.com)
They say that economic downturns can be good for some. Given all the pre-sale discounts, you'd think that retail wasn't one of them. On the whole, I don't think it is but there's always one.... and it had to be Mulberry. The luxury accessories company reported a 62% increase in profits to £72m. We can see why too; the firm which originated in Somerset has fashion appeal. Editors and celebrities flock to the LFW show which always has an elaborate theme which is hyped weeks before when invites are sent out and they are so amazing that everyone tweets pictures of them. But Mulberry also has a more classic customer base which is attracted by its sturdily made pieces. A visit to the store could provide a tan saddle bag or purple python piece of arm candy. Somehow, the two sit very happily together. It probably helps that the Princess of Selling Clothes, Kate Cambridge/ Middleton has been spotted many times over the years with a Mulberry accessory. Most recently, setting off for Canada with a navy Polly Push Pocket. Then last week, she wore (yawn, sorry, you've probably heard it all before) Mulberry's teal tea dress to meet key members of the media at Buckingham Palace. With that seal of approval, we don't expect to see profits plummeting anytime soon.
Celebrity and witty design has proven a money spinning combination for Mulberry, illustrated here as Emma Hill, Creative Director poses with Kristen Stewart and Kate (image from elle.com)
Tippi Hedren in The Birds (image from tvrage.com)
You know by now that I find it hard to resist putting up pictures of old school movie stars once in a while. Happily, the news that Sienna Miller will play Hitchcock heroine Tippi Hedren in a new film about the director's obsession with her, is a perfect excuse for another.
Finally, if you'e ever wondered how 12 models are shot for 12 pictures for the world's most famous calendar then watch on...
