Vintage Fashion – Page 10

theprimgirl / December 11, 2012

My View of Valentino

London’s Somerset House in December; positively idyllic. Beautiful chilled crisp sunshine, perfect views, ice rink full of skaters, warm tea in my tummy and a fashion exhibition too. Oh my. I love an extravagant evening gown or two and with Valentino being known for amazing dresses, I got to the exhibition ‘Valentino- Master of Couture’ as soon as my little feet could carry me there. It had only been open a few days when I went so I was expecting long queues, as were the people at Somerset House it would seem. Roped off queuing lanes were laid out ready for the demand, but alas, those lanes were empty and the exhibition was surprisingly very quiet.

Is Valentino one of the most sumptuous, glamourous, fantastical and talented dress designers of modern times? Absolutely.

Is this slightly cramped, strange and small exhibition a bit of a let down? For me, unfortunately yes.

The exhibition has been curated by Alistair O’Neill for Somerset House with Patrick Kinmonth and Antonio Monfreda and is split into 3 main sections. Firstly we have ‘Valentino’ where we see personal photos of the designer himself and unseen intimate letters from the many women he dressed. The way this was styled was great, glass boxes atop of raised chairs mounted on the walls, a catwalk theme from the offset. This section was done really nicely, great unseen and unknown information, I love to get a basic insight into the subject of an exhibition.

The next and main part of the exhibition was ‘The Catwalk’. The concept of this is great, we, the viewer walk down the catwalk and the mannequins are the audience, seated and standing among chairs. To demonstrate the way couture collections are traditionally showcased to press and buyers, each mannequin had a number on their wrist, which we could match up with the list in our booklet to read about the dress. So, the concept is a good one, but sadly, for me, it didn’t work well in its realization. The lighting was really dark, I know that with clothing the lighting needs to be sensitive, but the overall feeling was of dim light making it hard to see the dresses in detail. The mannequins were awful, they were the most garish shades of terracotta, lime, parma violet and mustard. This was done to identify the era of each outfit, but my goodness, the colour choices made them look like characters from Jim Henson’s The Muppets and clashed horribly with the dainty beauty of each dress. The mannequins also had really bad and dated wigs, in all honesty I felt like I was in a dark deserted 1970’s department store. It felt far from high glamour. The long corridor shape that had been built to form the catwalk space seemed to ignore any of the gorgeousness of the location we were actually in. I would have much preferred to see these amazing dresses, these stunning works of art, in a bright, clear, open space, with room to walk around each outfit. The dresses here, had no room to breathe, the mannequins were stood and sat really close to each other. I fully understand that in order to show, say, the back detail of a dress, you need to turn the back towards the viewer, but as a result we only saw certain parts of the dresses, I was left needing a little more.

Then we had a behind the scenes look at the work of Valentino’s Ateliers. This was most probably the part that was best executed. Clear, bright and visually amazing. We got to see up close detail of couture techniques and watch short videos of the incredible work that goes into each aspect of a dress. In a glass case at the end of the exhibition was a stunning light pink organza cape made up of discs and discs of fabric, incredible. This was the one item I felt I could get a proper look at.

That was it. Although there were around 140 dresses on display, this exhibition felt very short and brief. At £12.50 each it’s not cheap either and I genuinely left feeling disappointed. The dresses are unequivocally awesome. I was mesmerized by their beauty, but it all felt cramped, dark, dated and kinda creepy with those strange mannequins. I peeped into what I assumed may be more of the exhibition to find it was a small gift shop to signal the end of the show. The fact that pretty much the only thing on sale at the shop was an awful cow print canvas shopper bag priced at £350, gave a final blow of disappointment. £350!! Just because Valentino put his label on the inside? Surely this devalues the whole notion of paying for bespoke, unique, couture pieces. These shopper bags, cheaply made, mass produced and covered in a dated animal print design insulted me as a Valentino fan. Having just paid to look at his stunning creations, to peek into a glamorous world, to witness the talent that goes into his exquisite gowns, to realize why they cost the earth…for it then to be suggested that I may like to pay an extortionate amount for a canvas bag that required no skill or expense to produce left me gobsmacked. The entire message of the show is that when you pay a high price you get superior skill and design. The bags in the shop completely debased that idea. I wouldn’t discourage any fashion lover from going to this exhibition, it’s a great chance to look at amazing dresses, and it’s a great retrospective on Valentino’s long career, but overall, it had the atmosphere of a dated cruise ship, and I don’t feel the dresses were given the exposure they demanded, which is a real shame.

The exhibition runs until March 3rd 2013

For more information visit http://www.somersethouse.org.uk

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theprimgirl / November 26, 2012

Hooray for Hollywood Costume

Most people who like fashion and galleries, are probably aware of the current exhibition at London’s V&A; Hollywood Costume. Billed as a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity to see over 100 of the most iconic costumes in the history of film-making’, my Mother and I arrived with pretty high expectations. And by heck, it certainly didn’t disappoint, this exhibition is nothing short of epic. We arrived in Kensington, had a long lazy coffee and mooched over to the V&A. My goodness it was busy, my lovely Mama is a member of the V&A which is amazing value and gets you into the exhibitions free and ahead of the queues, phew! It was bustling! I knew the exhibition had three main rooms but I had no idea how huge this show was. All three rooms were grand in size and both the curation and the styling was beyond superb. Every costume was given room to breathe, they were not behind glass which was great to see, but the security was understandably hot, no photos and no touching! The lighting was perfection, pretty dark with just the outfits given the spotlights. The information on each movie, character, designer, director and actor was really thorough and the time it took to go through the whole exhibition made us feel, at the end, as if we had been on a magical movie journey. We went into the V&A in crisp autumn daylight, and came out into the dark of the evening. Wow. We were totally absorbed and were completely unaware of time, exactly like that wonderful feeling you get after being in the movie theatre, you come back outside to real life, having just spent time in another world, gorgeous.

The amount, the variety and the provenance of all the costumes on display was literally awesome. Seeing a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, or Vivien Leigh on it’s own would be a great delight, but this exhibition houses pretty much every iconic outfit you could think of. From the beginning of movie history, up to the most recent Hollywood blockbuster, this has everything. It’s great for girls, guys, kids and older people, every single person who visits will undoubtedly see a costume that they have always loved.

One of the main draws of this show was the legendary costume from The Wizard of OZ, most especially the ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the film. This was the first time the shoes had ever been on display outside of the USA. Exhibition curator Deborah Nadoolman took 5 years to secure the loan of the shoes from the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington. Even then, they were only loaned for a very limited time, so that they could be back in their original home in time for Thanksgiving. The Wizard of Oz is shown every year in the USA as a Thanksgiving tradition. My Mother and I saw the shoes on their last day at the V&A, yay! At the very end of the gigantic exhibition, there they were, in a small glass case all on their own. Oh my, how we gazed upon them. Not as bright and vivid as they appear in the film, the deep red shoes made my heart skip a beat, so much history and value right there in a little pair of beaten up shoes. The shoes in the movie were originally going to be silver, but got changed to red at the last moment so they would be a bolder contrast to the yellow brick road. The ones we saw have since been replaced with replica shoes-made by the same company who made the originals-for the remainder of the exhibition.

With so very many amazing costumes on display and without wanting to spoil the fun for those who are yet to visit, it’s hard to choose which ones delighted me the most, but here is my pick of the exhibition.

Below is the green velvet dress that Vivian Leigh wore in ‘Gone with the Wind’, 1939.

Tippi Hedren’s suit from Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’, 1963.

My absolute favourite dress in the show, Joan Crawford’s rich red beaded gown from ‘The Bride Wore Red’, 1937.

I was pretty much mostly loving the 1930’s looks, both the original and this silk green modern one from ‘Atonement’, 2007, worn by Kiera Knightly.

Similar to thr red Joan Crawford gown, also designed by Hollywood costumier Adrian, this silver caped and beaded 1930’s dress was another one I fell in love with. From the movie, ‘My Man Godfrey’, 1936, worn by Carole Lombard.

And of course, the classic, simple, and most iconic movie outfit worn by Judy Garland in ‘The Wizard of Oz’, 1939.

Go see this exhibition, it is gob smackingly beautiful, dreamy, nostalgic, stunning, exciting, glamorous and wonderful. It is on until 27th January 2013.

For more information visit www.vam.ac.uk/hollywoodcostume

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theprimgirl / October 30, 2012

Forever Chanel

‘There are clothes which keep rejuvenating themselves instead of getting worn out’

Roberto Juarroz

As a fashion loving gal, I couldn’t not go to see the new Chanel exhibition that has been on this month at The Saatchi Gallery. Classic and timeless, this exhibition is as chic and iconic as the brand itself. Karl Lagerfeld took portraits, lots of portraits, of actors, musicians, models and fashion icons, each wearing the legendary little black Chanel jacket in a way they chose. Stunning. Mostly black and white, with a few colour images towards the end, the simplicity of this exhibit is perfect. For me, it was lacking the inclusion of a certain Kate Moss, but in a way it was kinda refreshing to see a fashion event that omitted her, just this once. Here is my selection of the shots, each of these portraits show astounding beauty.

Anna Wintour, Editor of US Vogue
Raphael Personnaz, Actor
China Chow, Art Connoisseur and Fashion Muse
Milla Jovovich, Actress and Model
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Actress and Singer
Vanessa Paradis, Actress and Singer
Freja Beha, Model
Leigh Lezark, DJ
Aymeline Valade, Model
Virginie Viard, Chanel Studio Director
Mariacarla Boscono, Model

The Little Black Jacket was at the Saatchi Gallery, London, until October 28th 2012

For more details visit thelittleblackjacket.chanel.com and www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk

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theprimgirl / October 15, 2012

Shoop-Shoop Shooooes.

Goodness me, shoes are just glorious, what girl doesn’t love them? Like most, I have a pretty sizable collection of shoes. Some I wear to death, others mostly sit there to be admired and slipped on once in a while. I love both vintage and modern shoes, I love sexy high heels, I adore snakeskin and good old leathers, I love glitter and bow details……I also loooove boots, mostly brown boots and 80’s kitten heel ankle boots. With both my shoes and boots I like them to look lived-in and well-loved, I like to look like I walked a few blocks in them, don’t know why but I don’t like the look of brand new shoes, I want my shoes to look as if I have had good times in them. My bedroom is pretty littered with footwear, they are as much ornamental as they are wearable and as with all my vintage pieces, I like to wonder about where the shoes have been worn, who by and how much dancing have they done.

A few of my most favorite pairs of shoes are; my 1920’s silver leather shoes, so flapper, I imagine these danced the Charleston a few times! A great pair for all sorts of outfits that require a feminine and pretty neutral shoe, very dainty and girly, pretty comfortable too.

Another amazing pair are my 1940’s black suede shoes, I call these my ‘Cage’ shoes as they make it look like your feet are in little ornate cages, I love how the foot is pretty much fully on show at the same time as being covered, part of why I love shoes is that ultimately, I think women’s feet look so sexy in them and this pair of shoesies are a great example. These are so classically 1940’s and in stunning condition, you don’t see a lot of shoes like this, a great statement pair worn with a plain dress.

These 1980’s pink and white leather heels are just ace. So definitive of their era and pretty unusual too, great with skinny jeans and a blazer.

These 1980’s black suede and diamante bow slingbacks literally make my heart jump, sooo cute with their over sized bow and so feminine with their open sides and slingbacks…perfect with a black dress.

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theprimgirl / October 15, 2012

The Fashion Year. 1983.

James’ Dad has a good habit of finding great old fashion books for me, and for my most recent Birthday he didn’t disappoint. I simply love old books on fashion. They are so perfectly representative of a time and movement, and this one on the fashion of 1983 is just ace. I have always really appreciated 80’s fashion, I like the fact that people either love or hate it, I like the eccentricity of it and to be honest, I think it’s a damn sexy look, it’s also really refreshing against the current overload of feminine ‘vintage’ 40’s and 50’s looks. ‘The Fashion Year’ was published in 1983 and is;

All the glamour and romance of one whole year in the International World of Fashion……A panorama of the Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter collections from the Fashion capitals of the World-Paris, London, New York and Milan……interviews with the year’s most exciting and innovative Designers-Miyake, Lagerfeld, Armarni and Alaia…..

The book has loads of content; photos and writing, it looks kinda dated but also still really current, the big Designers are still all around today- Giorgio Armarni. Calvin Klein, Vivienne Westwood, Halston, Oscar De La Renta, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Missoni, Versace, Thierry Mugler, Sonia Rykiel, Gaultier, Kenzo……the book looks at dresses, hats, lace, sweats and swimwear as well as Models of the era and fashion icons such as Princess Diana. Original Fashion books reinstate how classic looks are timeless as well as how cyclical all fashion trends are….if you leave any look long enough, good or ‘bad’, it will ultimately be beck on trend again. It’s an amazing read and the pictures are just gorgeous, a great little original book!