The Swelle Life

The Adventures of Captain Mouse: A Steampunk Short Film

Jake von Slatt, a Steampunk Maker, sent this short film to Boing Boing:

"Here's a delightful short from some SF Steampunks I met at Maker Faire. I'm not sure if they are LARPers, but from the appearance of a McIntosh MC240 tube amp and a serious electronics workbench in one scene, I know that these are the sort of kids that Marcus Yallow would've hung out with!"

I don't know what that means either. But I can help with you with a rudimentary introduction to the Steampunk subculture here.

I love the effort that Steampunks put into their costume, which is heavy on the dress and not so much on the hair and make-up. I do wonder - and I'm not making fun here - what do the hardcores wear to the beach? Just have it on the brain considering the subject of my last few posts and the fact that summer is approaching.

Bring Back the Pretty, Pretty Parasol

I'm very serious! I've only seen one person ever on the street using one, it was in Toronto and I believe she was Japanese and therefore she could totally get away with it (not Lolita, just wearing regular clothes and walking underneath it on a blistering summer day). It was several years ago and I thought You are awesome. I want one but I would look like an idiot. That was when I cared what people think. Since then I have pushed a baby out of my nether region in front of an audience and it changes you. From that moment on you do what you please and you don't think twice about it.

The day of reckoning has come, and I reckon I will find myself a stunning parasol and I will use it proudly. I won't just carry it, or simply walk beneath its glorious shade of delicate fabric; I will twirl it 'round, skipping happily down the street. If I encounter a puddle, I may attempt a mighty leap over it, smiling gleefully while clicking my heels to one side. 

So, there are choices - true vintage or antique, or vintage-inspired/reproduction. If you can afford it, there are some antique options (100 years or older) that are so excitingly drool-inducing that I made weird shreiky noises when I saw these particular parasols, all circa 1900 - 1910, UNUSED, from Karen Augusta Antique Lace and Fashion (ed note: I've unlinked the website after my anti-virus detected a Trojan virus warning):

 

 

  

    

 

  

Her website is well worth taking the time to browse, she has everything from corsetry to regional costume, many of the items dating back to the early 1800s.

Another fantastic website I found is Bella Umbrella. Jodell Egbert not only sells vintage and reproduction parasols and umbrellas in a variety of styles, she rents her private collection of 100 vintage styles (how generous is that?).

Here are some of my favourite parasols from her selection (more shrieks!):

 

1940s, light pink silk embroidered, bamboo handle

 

Reproduction, ivory lace, wood hook handle

 

Rental, vintage double layered umbrella, pink resin handle

Note: Yes, Dita von Teese did use a vintage parasol at Coachella to keep her milky white skin from being scorched. However, I kept her and those pictures out of this post so as not to mislead about the source of inspiration, which is really rooted in my long-held desire to indulge in the genteel lady persona in an over-the-top and delightfully fun kind of way. A lovely stroll with a pretty parasol would take care of it, non?

First photo courtesy of Noa Noa, from their Spring 2008 catalogue

Bring Back the Swim Cap!

 After reading a previous post on Noa Noa's fabulous spring and high summer collection, Swelle Life reader (and very Swelle girl) Tammy commented on how much she loves the swim cap/turban look and may be daring to try it. Let's give her a big round of applause!!!! I'll bet with that encouragement she'll not only do it but also send pictures (maybe, possibly??)

To get her on her way, I've looked for online shops that sell the sweet vintage-style caps (I'd go with 'in the style of' rather than true vintage here, we're talking about other people's heads).

The lovely, SPF 250-wearing Karen Elson models a pink petal cap for a Vogue editorial (above) from Headcovers. They also sell a fabric swim turban with a waterproof lining if you're looking for practicality as well as style.

And, well, that's it really! Retro swim caps are very hard to find, my research into it shows this is the one place to find the petal style (unless you want Speedo's multi-colour version which has their brand logo inserted amongst the flowers - yes, really), plus one ebay shop that offers similar petal caps for auction with a starting bid significantly higher than the selling price at Headcovers (with no discernable difference in the cap itself).

UPDATE:  Hot tip just in from Tammy - an editorial feature in the recent issue of Fashion magazine featured some vintage swim caps from Courage My Love, a vintage shop loaded with accessories located in Kensington in downtown Toronto (no website, sorry).

If you're handy with styling you can create some interesting looks with scarves or make your own turbans with some pretty fabrics. Please pass on pics if you do! 

My only experience with the swim cap was school swimming lessons in grade 2. Whereas one of my classmates had luxurious blonde hair so thick it took two teachers grunting and straining to fit it all under the cap while avoiding rubber snapping back in their faces, my hair was so fine I think there was actually room for another head under mine. Then after swimming that day I tried to emulate my hair dresser by putting my cheap, super-hot travel dryer right against my hair while drying it (not realising he didn't really touch it, it was just very close) and it got all tangled in the grate and caught on fire. The two teachers came and smacked me on the head until it went out, luckily it was quick. I enjoyed the smell of burnt hair on the bus ride back to school.

Some inspirations to get you going on your DIY beach head gear:

 And an old advert for those who like the idea of a pineapple with a face:

Lastly, a photo of myself and my Other Half at the cottage last summer:

(Don't) Touch Me Baby, I'm Electric

 This self-defence jacket from No Contact gives any creep who tries to grab you 80,000 volts of low amperage electric current pulses (the equivalent of quickly chugging 6 Red Bulls), causing disorientation, loss of balance, and best of all, pain.

You turn it on with a key in advance (so maybe wait until after you've got off the tube or refrain during torrential rains) and while activated you can actually see the arcing current in the strip near the neck. A rubber inset prevents self-electrocution.

While it's nice to feel safe, I'm not sure this would be necessary to wear on a regular basis unless I lived in a place particularly dense with pervs and muggers.

Just one question - is it still effective if the guy is on PCP?

See the demonstration (narrated in German, I believe, but you can easily follow) of a guy getting it good and the girl really enjoying it:

Source

The Young Ladies and The Sea

Ernest Hemingway's lush Key West home where he lived in the 1920s and 30s sets the mood for the irresistably feminine and romantic clothes from Danish brand Noa Noa. This inspiration translates to a delicately feminine collection of dresses, jackets, accessories and swimsuits for spring and high summer.

It's late in the spring season yes, but I've just discovered Noa Noa and I'm thrilled to bits for it. While flipping through their spring catalogue in a local shop at the weekend, I was transported to the beach scenes from the film Summer of '42 (at least that was the feeling. We live by the sea as well but when our groceries are delivered it's far less eventful).

It's that desire to live moments from a distant past that makes Noa Noa so utterly enticing. Exquisitely capturing the spirit of the early 20th century aesthetic, they also consider today and what's to come, resulting in a wonderful, modern look for women and girls (yes, Noa Noa Mini is for the little girl at her most lovely and adorable, prancing and pretending in easy comfort).

What I love most about the range is the versatility of the individual pieces. You can put together a head-to-toe polished 1920s ensemble of muted blues, pinks and greens, or mix with contrasting items from your wardrobe to create a truly original look that is totally You.

OH! I almost forgot to mention the incredibly reasonable prices. When trying on a few jackets (see below for the one I bought, and adore), I expected at least two times the cost of what I saw on the tag. The range is very well constructed with high quality fabrics that feel as soft as they look.

OH! #2 - Noa Noa's Code of Conduct is used to instruct their suppliers about their firm stand against the use of child labour, concerns for the environment and its protection, and demands for professional health and safety regulations. (We really should be looking into these things when supporting a company, should we not??)

Noa Noa has retail shops across the UK and Europe (check their website above for details) and there are plans to expand into Canada (great news, friends!)

If you can spare a moment for a bit of time travel:

    

   

  

  I have this cropped ruffle-collar jacket, it feels great on (very light and comfy) and looks fantastic over tea dresses or with a T-shirt, jeans and one of their lovely, lovely chiffon rosette hairbands.

Feathers Are Huge Right Now, Everybody's Wearing Them

 The hilarious Candy Kirby created this comparison photo for her Who Wore it Best feature and I had to share, for two reasons:

1. Kelly Ripa appears to be wearing a full-body furry boot:

  

2. That ostrich looks FIERCE in her ebony plumage. And check out the pose - now THAT's the way to show off a look with confidence.

Long Live the Mighty Pencil

          

          

                   

Unless you're an artist or recreational sketcher, you likely see the pencil as somewhat of an antiquity - that thing in the pen cup with the broken point and half-missing/chewed eraser that is useless to you, but for some reason you don't chuck it out year after year.

Sentiments from childhood? Not ready to turn your back completely on the 'old ways' in favour of embracing the stylus? If you want to keep the graphite alive, you may like these sculptures made from the pencil lead in castings of calla lilies, pea pods, spindle shells, asparagus, oak leaf, and hands, among other things. And yes, you can draw with them.

San Francisco artist Agelio Batle offers three collections of the practical sculptures including a limited edition range that features a double-ended finger. (Not so sure I could hold it, I find it hard to even look at it. So, calla lily it is, then.)

Source

Karl Lagerfeld Offers Solution to Miami's Gun Deficit

 Karl Lagerfeld recently debuted the Chanel Resort 2009 collection in Miami and it featured a curious piece of footwear, the 'Miami Vice' pistol-heeled shoe. The killer heel was inspired by an image of a gun Lagerfeld saw (rumoured to be model Freja Beha-Erichsen's tattoo as seen on the Dior Cruise 2009 catwalk, real-or-not debate ongoing) which he then gave to shoe designer Laurence Decade. And bang, there you have it.

I assume Karl's having a laugh with a pun here but who knows, he is drawn to the darker side of things according to some statements he made about the video game Grand Theft Auto (he appears digitally in the fourth version as a DJ):

"I prefer to be in a video game than to play with it. I would love to be a very nasty, politically incorrect character."

Just one thought about the shoe - probably not the best thing to bring along on holiday, airport security may not appreciate the humour.

 Freja and her 'tattoo'

My favourite non-ballistic looks from the collection:

  

Be Careful What You Wish For

Here's a little something I found on Let Them Eat Cake that made me smile for its wonderful style. It's from Selina Steward, a London film director-on-the-verge who's taken inspiration from the silent films of the 1920s for this piece. (Great vanity and chair, too!)

A little Dali/Buñuel-esque as well, isn't it? Very exciting, I'd love to see a series. (Well, actually, there is a version on YouTube that includes another afterward where an unsuspecting lovely gets the 'bee stung' lips she's after, literally, but I posted this instead as the resolution is far better).

I wonder if it's simply a light-hearted poke at women's vanity or a stern satirical finger-shaking at the cosmetics industry for promising such outlandish things? ('Our breakthrough brush gives you lashes 40x thicker!') Or maybe both? It takes two to tango and we really don't learn, do we?

Since we're on the topic of mascara, what I found works best for lengthening and thickening without smudging is £6.95 Rimmel Magnif'Eyes. (When will they run out of clever names for mascaras? I think maybe they already have.) I do use it over primer (Stila makes a great one), but it's still far better than any of the $30+ tubes I've tried in the past (many of which use those awful 'extending fibres' - who wants to look in the mirror after getting home from a date and see LASH DANDRUFF all over your cheek??). 

It's Not Just A Collaboration, It's a Patricia Field M&S Collaboration

(For my outside-of-the-UK friends: the Marks & Spencer food commercial tagline is 'It's not just food, it's M&S food'...geddit?)

The latest news on high street/celeb/designer/whatever collaborations is that Marks & Spencer is teaming up with Sex and The City and Ugly Betty stylist Patricia Field to produce a one-off fashion collection for release this Autumn.

Women will be excited and (straight) men will say 'The chick who made Sarah Jessica Parker's character look like a rich girl playing dress-up with her gran's wardrobe in a dumpster?' My Other Half refers to her style as 'Poho' as he coined it - Posh Bohemian (not bad). He absolutely hates the Carrie character (as most men do) and thinks 'she tries too hard by taking high-end designer pieces and attempting to make them look hippy-ish and low-rent' (she's not real, eh?).

Depends which season I suppose, I can think of a few episodes where I was scratching my head (that yellow Hermes print scarf Carrie wore like a headband with the corner sticking up in the middle of her forehead like a triangle...How? Why? and Why? I was embarrassed for her as she walked down the street looking so silly. That's right, embarrassed for a fictional character on TV).

The Telegraph reports that according to Field she has "conceptualised the line as 'Destination Style New York' and it consists of iconic womenswear including matching accessories. I like to see it as expression of my philosophy of 'the democratisation of luxury'. Other Half would likely say to this, "So, trashy looks for everyone, then?"

I'll admit that I'm far more curious to see what Patricia Field will come up with for the M&S customer than I would be for an independent line. The thing I can appreciate, however, is the way she accessorises and puts pieces together in ways most of us would never consider. It's done bigger and bolder and therefore sometimes a bit ridiculously when it's for television and intended to create impact for a character (it sure put SJP on the fashion map - she's become one-in-the-same with Carrie Bradshaw in the minds of her adoring public) but surely there's something to learn from it all?

So if we think about it with an open mind we can modify Field's unconventional approach for our daily dressing, can't we? Instead of a silk triangle on our foreheads, maybe consider a scarf creatively placed around the neck for a complementary splash of colour to brighten the face? Baby steps. It's incredible what a little thing like that can do.

     

Oh, uh, um.............OH DEAR.

France's First Lady Carla Bruni Still Committed to Her Music

Former supermodel and singer-songwriter Carla Bruni, wife of French president Nicholas Sarkozy is set to release a new album in July, as reported by Vogue. The press is treating the news as a bit of shocker that she would continue to record her music, rather than 'just be' First Lady.

But please, would the woman who posed for a Spanish magazine wearing nothing but thigh-high black leather boots and a wedding band, while engaged to Sarkozy, be content with accompanying her husband on state tours, smiling politely, muting her personality and dressing ambassador-appropriate? She's no Jackie O (well, she did channel her look when they came to the UK but that's where the comparison ends!). Carla Bruni has always done what (and who) she wants and she's not stopping any time soon (referring to the 'what' only here of course).

According to The Guardian, the album will be called Comme Si de Rien n'Etait (As if Nothing Had Happened) after a picture by Carla's photographer brother who died two years ago. Her agent, Bertrand de Labbey, told Vogue that "Ninety-five per cent of the songs on the album were written before she met the president," which may be handy knowledge considering she sings about her 'dope' or 'junk' (so it's not referring to Sarkozy but drugs, apparently. He he).

I can't wait. I've noticed the North American press seems to be naming song titles in English but after looking into it I've (gleefully) found this will indeed be a French-language album, as was her first and absolutely beautiful 2002 release Quelqu'un m'a dit. My two year-old daughter falls to sleep with it every night (she calls her Carla Bloonie). Her second, 2007's No Promises was recorded in English as she wrote the music for lyrics taken from the famous works of American and British poets. Still well worth checking out (see the You Tube promo here) but there's nothing more lovely to listen to than songs in French. See the sidebar for her Tout Le Monde video.

The shot used for the cover of No Promises:

  

Happy Accessorising

I have this pair of earrings that I bought about seven years ago which became known as 'My Happy Earrings'. They're a vertical style consisting of pairs of transparent and opaque cellophane circles tinted in orange and hot and pale pink. They prompted spontaneous reactions whenever I wore them. All kinds of people - restaurant servers, salespeople, friends, and once even a stranger on the street - would light up when they saw them, and say with a great big smile what 'wonderful' earrings they were. That's how they became known as My Happy Earrings. I mentioned this to one of the gushing servers and she exclaimed 'They make ME happy, too!!'

Okay, so you're probably thinking that the place I'm from (I was living in Toronto at the time) had a unique, localised, atmospheric composition of nitrogen, oxygen and THC fumes. There are pockets of the city where this may be the case but it would not be the explanation for my inadvertent spreading of joy through earlobe ornaments. Rather, it's just the simple fact that certain colours and shapes, and more significantly the combination of the two, can affect happy feelings in people.

Which brings us to the work of Fred Butler, a London prop stylist and bespoke accessories designer of enormous talent (her website is utterly joyful, you would have to have a heart of stone or lost childhood memories not to smile upon loading the entry page). Style Bubble featured her new accessories collection, a striking spectrum of bright and bold colour mixed with black and white (a favourite treatment of hers), and at first glance the photos of the pieces created an overload of the Happy Earrings effect. There is even a shoulder/arm adornment that uses the same cellophane circles:

 

Maybe you're unable to envision yourself walking down the street in such a contraption but upon seeing it coming your way, wouldn't you at least grin? Surely you would. (I'm not speaking generally, there are enough sourpusses out there who would stare through their beady little eyes until they walked into a telephone pole. It's you, the fabulously amenable, that count here).

These wonderfully crafted pieces of joy are in brilliant harmony with my desire to see more colour in the world. Thank you, Fred Butler. You are one marvellous tomato.

   

Photos from Style Bubble

'Brains' From Thunderbirds Gets Down to Snap for Drench Water

There's a brilliant TV commercial running here in the UK for Drench Spring Water featuring Brains from Thunderbirds grooving to Snap's Rhythm is a Dancer. I thought that was entertaining until I came across this re-edited version set to Soul Assassin's Puppet Master (that's Dr. Dre and Cypress Hill's B Real).

It's hilarious but unlike the commercial, this clip has some naughty words so best keep the kiddies away or close your browser now and pray for my soul for posting such a thing. Brains is representin' in this version:

Just More of the Same Pointless Banter About Dead Roosters

I'd like to give mad props to William at Dead Rooster and Kevin at Pointless Banter for their blog mentions on CNN (see the previous post for the clip). I'm a new fan of their sites thanks to the plug, and if you can read sorta good and you like to laugh, have a go at 'em. (Look William - 10 words in the title!)

I don't have a picture of William or Kevin, so I looked for one of two funny guys. And I found it.

CNN Covers Bloggers Unite for Human Rights

CNN ran a story during their American Morning segment on Thursday about Bloggers Unite for Human Rights, a global BlogCatalog event supported by Amnesty International. On May 15th bloggers gave up posting about their usual topics to highlight human rights issues. Yours Truly abstained from the daily fashion musings in favour of creating awareness of the Canadian government's troubling stance on the ongoing and largely shocking plights of Canada's Indigenous people. It featured a compelling article written by Dr. Kyle Grayson which you can read here.

The initiative appears to have resulted in millions of submissions on a vast array of human rights topics - I'd call that a roaring success. Well done, bloggers!

Bienvenue Vanessa Paradis, So Long Kirsten Dunst

 

According to Women's Wear Daily, Vanessa Paradis is the new face of Miu Miu (YES!), replacing Kirsten Dunst. Vanessa will appear in the brand's upcoming fall campaign. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott will be back to photograph the ads.

After having to endure Lindsay Lohan's mug in my favourite mags (never mind that Jessica Simpson was rumoured to have been the original, shocking choice for that campaign so we were screwed either way), I loudly applaud Miu Miu's return to collaborating with the innately and enduringly stylish, not to mention actually talented (does that matter any more?).

Vanessa has many times been the face of Chanel beginning at age 18 and more interestingly, was Calvin Klein's first choice for the 1992 campaign that made Kate Moss famous. Vanessa turned it down, and who knows if the name Kate Moss would mean anything to us today, had she not. She even got Johnny Depp in the end after Kate blew it. (Rumour has it she's still not over losing him. Ouch. I'm sorry but if she thinks hoovering lines with Pete Doherty, in her thirties, with a young daughter at home is time well spent, she never deserved him in the first place. There, I said it and I'll never mention it again).

Can't wait to see the new photos, I can read now my magazines without having to peer cautiously at the next page through my fingers.

Vanessa with good friend and occasional employer Karl Lagerfeld, creative director of Chanel (any opportunity to include a photo of Karl Lagerfeld should be eagerly seized upon):

Bloggers Unite For Human Rights: 'Is This Peace, Order and Good Government?'

Let's take a break for a moment from our day, our conveniences and our luxuries to remind and enlighten ourselves as to the tenous state of human rights around the world.

May 15th is the day that Bloggers Unite for Human Rights with BlogCatalog and the support of Amnesty International, by highlighting human rights issues on their respective websites.

I chose to participate by helping to uncover - and in the process learn about - the issues and challenges concerning Canada's indigenous people, ones that the majority of Canadians are unaware of due to them being hidden and largely ignored by the government.

Why this topic above others? I'm a Canadian living in the UK, and a recent phone conversation with my brother left me extremely upset. As a pilot based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, he flew to various northern indigenous reservations on a daily basis. One day he and a fellow pilot got out of the plane and took a walk around, having landed in Pikangikum, which has some of the worst living conditions in the world (yes, it's hard to believe but true). They witnessed the shocking misery that is the lives of these people, absolutely unthinkable as occurring in Canada.

Read on and you will find a link to a website that describes these conditions, as well as other facts that need to be, at the very least acknowledged, by as many people as possible.

I hope that after reading this post you will help create awareness by sharing this link whenever and wherever you can. It will make a difference. Thank you for giving your time to this.

The following article has been generously contributed by Dr. Kyle Grayson, a Canadian lecturer in International Politics at Newcastle University, UK. A major theme in Dr. Grayson's work is to expose the ways in which liberal democracies attempt to hide systematic human rights abuses as 'exceptions to the rule':

Read Is This Peace, Order and Good Government?

Fractal Yes, But Practical?

This cool cube of interlocking drawers from New York's Takeshi Miyakawa Design definitely gets the 'oohs and ahhs' at first glance. Unfortunately, to utilise Fractal 23 it to its full capacity you need access from all sides. Space saving and space wasting all-in-one. The idea could suit an island, or a table perhaps (if it didn't have holes in the top? Or am I being daft?).

Seeing the drawers pulled out reminded me of Salvador Dali's repetitive theme using corporal drawers (now that's efficiency):

The Burning Giraffe, 1937                                             Venus de Milo with Drawers, 1936

 

  The City of Drawers. Study for The Anthropomorphic Cabinet, 1936

Fractal 23 from Boing Boing

 

Cherryfeld

A reader asked in the comments of a previous post, 'Did Karl Lagerfeld influence Don Cherry or was it the other way around?' Every time I see a photo of Lagerfeld I'm reminded of the colourful, amusing, wince-inducing CBC hockey commentator. They must be the only two people on the planet who wear collar styles such as these. Cherry has to be on his 50th tailor by now, I hear spontaneous retinal detachment claimed the other 49.

My guess is Lagerfeld wears those rigid, earlobe-grazing collars to hide neck waddle but Don Cherry, he's just mad. He's ensured, through his wardrobe, that he's the most interesting thing about hockey. Funny that, Karl is the most interesting thing about the fashion world. Never underestimate the power of eccentric personal style: Lagerfeld's ever-present white ponytail, the dark sunglasses at night, the racing gloves, and Cherry's capacity, through colossal (and intentional?) bad taste in suits, to make Herb Tarlek look like Tom Ford. Truly, forces to be reckoned with. Respect.

Hell No! House of Dereon Deserves a 'Time Out'

This disturbing advertisement is brought to you by the classy ladies of House of Deréon (that's Tina and Béyonce Knowles and possibly an ex-stripper as creative director).

Deréon's (better known as 'Derriére') girls' range of pre-school pimpette costumes are now available online and in abandoned suburban strip malls near you. I'm going to have a nightmare tonight about getting cornered in a dark alley by a gang of inappropriately-attired 6 year-old street toughs who all at once kick me repeatedly in the shins before strangling me with their hot pink feather boas.

Look at the little blonde girl in the top left photo - how young is she? Baby chub-cheeks really complement red lipstick. She looks two years old, I bet she's wearing Huggies Pull-Ups under her black denim thong.

And check out the shoes on 'Baby Bloods' in the main photo, what the heck is that about? Skyscraper heels will only slow you down when defending your turf against the Crips.

I first saw this on dlisted (who linked to my Carla Bruni post, thank you Michael K) and didn't want to dirty up my pretty site with the photo (although my previous post on Larry King already took care of that), but I just had to express my outrage - as a mother, as a woman, as a person who can see. How wrong is it to put these types of images of young children out there?? This is for you, too, Bratz people!!   

He's Beautiful and He Has That Bad Boy Attitude

I just had to share this sexy and adorable photo of Larry King. I saw it on Candy Kirby and found myself returning to it whenever I felt like laughing out loud, it just keeps on giving. I'm going to print it, make a dozen copies and post it all around my house during prime PMSing as a reminder of how everyone else sees me.

As my other half said, "He looks like a frog taking a crunch." Agreed.

Agyness Deyn - What is it About Her?

By now anyone reading this has surely heard of cropped n' bleached Brit model Agyness Deyn. For quite some time now she's been dubbed 'model of the moment', yet it seems for many it's a moment that is dragging on a bit too long.

Since emerging as 'the next great supermodel' two years ago scores of newspaper columnists, fashion critics and fashion followers have engaged in debate about whether the 25 year-old northern poser deserves the title. Some love her punky personal style and attitude that sets her apart, and the rest mostly share The Guardian's Hadley Freeman's assessment that 'she's perfectly pretty but the excitement does seem disproportionate.' (How polite.)

This is the third time I've attempted to post about Agyness Deyn, I quit after struggling to find something to say. However, after reading Freeman's assertion on her popularity (about the hundredth in a year) I was prompted to comment about why she may have achieved her designation as 'hot topic.'

To start, there haven't been many stand-out models since the Supermodel era. We're still far more interested in what they're doing fifteen years on than we are in the names of the current catwalk regulars. We came to know them as personalities and now models are back to doing what they're paid to do - pose and walk. Contributing to their anonymity is the ever-increasing number of magazine covers going to Hollywood celebrities, who are also snapping up many of the high profile campaigns contracts with the major fashion houses.

So what's the problem? I think we're bored. I know I'd much rather see the latest young muse fronting my copy of Vogue than a grossly overexposed Jennifer Aniston or Lindsay Lohan. Granted, people are buying them or we'd be witnessing a return to more anonymous covers, but I think we also want a bit of style with our pap, wasn't that the point? When did Eva Longhoria become synonymous with fashion???

Maybe we're desperate for a fashion personality, we miss the Supermodels. So step up Laura Hollins aka Agyness Deyn with your suspenders, stovepipe trousers and ever-present trilby. Give us that big, genuine, 'I'm having the time of my life' smile we haven't seen since Cindy and Claudia wore big, bouncy hair. When Linda Evangelista retired, her hair embarked on a new career on Aggy's head, like Linda she retains all her photographic potency whether her crop be platinum, chestnut or flame.

That may it be it right there. Linda's career exploded when she cut her hair short, the same for Nadja Auermann. Even that bald model from Montreal was a big deal for some time (but not so big that I can remember her name. She's now a stockbroker on Wall Street so I'm sure she doesn't mind). Maybe we're just bored with our hair and need to get excited about new and brave options. This is fashion after all, does it really have to be more complicated than that?

Costume Institute Gala: Superheroes and Super Duds

The theme for Monday night's Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala was one for indulging in childhood reverie. However, Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy saw fashion and Hollywood's top figures mixing on the red carpet, displaying both extremes of the style spectrum and varying participation in the theme. Some had fun and played along but most simply appeared dressed in fabulous gowns, not all that different from any other prestigious red carpet event. (Why be so timid of costume, it's right there in the name!)

Then there were The Others. Whatever is the opposite of fabulous, they were it. Shockingly, many of the offenders were the designers themselves. And there were some who deserved their own category for their erm, interesting looks.

So, starting with some of the best frocks of the night we have a super-svelt Christina Ricci (top left) doing superhero to perfection, courtesy of Givenchy Haute Couture's fresh and lovely take on Wonder Woman's evil-fighting gear. Now on to the rest, up, up and away:

Anna Wintour in Chanel Haute Couture (what else?) channeling the X-Men's character Storm, brilliantly capturing the spirit of the event. (Her hair is always as smooth as glass. She's not human and her hair stylist can't be either.)

Anna's Wintour's daughter Bee Schaffer in Nina Ricci

Daphne Guinness and L'Wren Scott, in L'Wren Scott (I just love L'Wren's skin-tight black sequins on her 6'3" frame, she's today's Wonder Woman.)

Raquel Zimmerman in Thakoon Panichgul, with the designer

Now for the worst (assuming, I think correctly, that these are not just unflattering angles). We have Donna Karan in her own design (left). Her face says it all. And Vera Wang also in her own design. With that sagging saddlebag of fabric this dress truly does wang.

 

We know what the real crime here is but Melania Trump's Vera Wang flouro-magenta nightmare would even be too much for Barbie, it's total WAG territory. Karen Elson had to get Jack White (in Marc Jacobs) home before the sun came up:

And lastly, the solo categories:

Dress mostly likely to do it for Axl Rose: Stephanie Seymour (no designer credit given, hmmm...)

Most literal interpretation of the Superhero theme: Max Azria (bless)

Coolest: Lou Doillon in Marni (because she just is)

Real-life Superhero (if TV is considered 'real life'): Lynda Carter/Wonder Woman in Carolina Herrera, deflecting imaginary bullets with her golden cuffs of fury (I bet her hair would have done an equally good job):

The No one should be allowed to look like this in a dress category: Tom Brady (in Leonardo Dicaprio's hair) with Gisele Bunchen in Atelier Versace (like it matters who did the dress)

And finally, Most Karl Lagerfeld: Karl Lagerfeld

The Lovely Strokes Part 2: Price Tags Explained

Okay, I found a bit more about what goes into these Dolce & Gabbana hand painted dresses I posted on earlier. I'd quoted a price tag of a few thousand pounds. Well, that was for the lower end of the range. The flouncy tulle-under-skirted gowns are just a wee bit more pricey. Try £19,260 for the likes of the one to the left (and double that for dollars).

How can that be? As reported by Grazia (my favourite UK fashion and news glossy), as a foundation we have Dolce & Gabbana's highly sought after top-notch curve-cutting skills coupled with an artful mastery of corsetry so impressive they've monopolised the genre.  These show-stopping dresses are created like works of art. Fabrics are stretched and hand painted then draped around that famous corset base and made into dresses.

Finally, the gowns are limited edition (the two words that will send a price skyrocketing) and every piece is labelled, like a collectable print. The style shown here is from an edition of 10. So again I ask, well worth the price then, ya?

Somehow a few thousand quid for the simpler versions seem like a bargain now. So there's your justification for you to go out and get one.

Indecent Proposal?

Prince William wouldn't, but Harry DEFINITELY would. Kate needn't worry but Chelsy, luv, your odds are better with Harry in Afghanistan.

Prince William took his father's hair for a test drive at a recent charity event in London. At least Carol Vorderman seemed to approve.

Source

The Lovely Strokes

One of the hottest runway trends this season is hand painting - dresses, tops, T shirts, jackets, scarves - anything that can be embellished with a few strokes of the brush.

Many fashion houses have shown versions of the freehand technique for 2008 (Miu Miu, Prada, Balenciaga, Badgley Mischka, Moschino) yet surprisingly, my favourite look is from Dolce & Gabbana (I just don't relate to the D&G woman, but I may have to reconsider, at least for this season). The duo presented the most beautiful execution of the hand painting trend, combining it with floral motifs and transparent fabrics, two other big elements this season, to create their dresses for their Spring 08 RTW collection. Naturally you pay for such a dreamy piece of wearable art, I've seen price tags well over £2,000 (double that for Can/U.S. dollars) and that's if you can find one for sale, they're selling out fast.

At least the dresses can be considered one-offs, painted freehand by young artists let loose on bolts of silk organza. And this is a trend that transcends trends, you'd never look back and ask 'What was I thinking?'. There's a reason if you review past collections you'll find a handful of labels each season quietly adding painted touches to their designs. Well worth the couple thousand quid, then, ya?

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Highlights of Hyères

The Festival International de Mode et de Photographie à Hyères has now wrapped up its public program (including fashion shows and awards ceremony) after what appears to have been a mind-blowing event. If you're not familiar, it was established in Hyères (in the south of France) 22 years ago to unveil 10 young fashion designers and 10 young photographers from all over the world, under the patronage of an international jury. I'm going to look into the new talent when I get the time to give it my full attention and hopefully I'll see a more varied approach than the draped black fabric and stark (though beautiful) images caught in a few quick glances.

One of the best parts of the festival is the exhibition which showcases a selection of the world's most fascinating photographers and their works. The Sartorialist was one, who as you may know is the man behind the #1 most influential fashion blog of the same name, snapping street fashion as he finds it. The results are often times stunning portraits of his random subjects.  I've just checked his blog and naturally it features some shots taken within the last few days in Hyères (see below). Simply gorgeous, gives you even more reason to wish you'd been. No need to fret, however! The exhibition runs until June 1, so if you're going to be in France between now and then you'd be mad not to go, and it's free.

 

For me, the exhibition draw would be the works of Melvin Sokolsky, photographer for Harper's Bazaar in the 1960s who created fashion classics with his Bubble and Flying series. One look and you can see why he's known for his portrayal of a light and playful world of enchantment, as illustrated in the first photo shown above, from the Chairs series, 1963. I don't mean to ruin what was almost a proper post, but I can't help but be reminded of Lily Tomlin's Sesame Street guest character Edith Anne who sat in that enormous rocking chair, fiddling with her feet while describing in that snot-nosed kid voice a disgusting sandwich made of peanut butter, salami, raisins, pickles, mustard, tuna... you get the point. Oh, what a beautiful post this could have been.

To the rescue, more of the astounding Melvin Sokolsky (photos from Style Bubble, photographed on exhibit in Hyères):

Cover of Donna magazine, 1964 (What do we have now? Airbrushed and Photoshopped actresses. Sigh.)

Bubble series. On The Seine, Paris with Simone d'Aillencourt, 1963

Simone d'Aillencourt on a labryinth, 1961