A NIGHT WITH McQUEEN

The first time I that I understood the power and significance of clothes began with Alexander McQueens AW/2008 collection - The Girl who lived in the tree. The collection was romantically dark - only McQueen could balance the juxtaposition with success - and magical and made me understand the power that our sartorial choices have in influencing our identities. 

The fascination with the late artistic genius seems to have been experienced more instantly since his death in 2010 as his talents has been celebrated over and over again, with the release of Clair Wilcox's coffee table book - Alexander McQueen -, the 2011 Met ball, and the current exhibition “Savage Beauty at London's Victoria and Albert museum. Ironically it is the AW/2008 collection which informs the premise for the latest celebration of the designer's talents in John Caird’s play, “McQueen”.

The play is set over one night and focuses on a bizarre encounter between Dahlia - a young girl who breaks into the designers home to steal a dress - and McQueen who together, embark on a whirlwind journey of reality and fantasy and light and darkness. 

Whilst the production does celebrate the flamboyant artistry of McQueens fashion taste and the glittering excess of glamour drink and drugs of the fashion world, I do think that it does challenge those who have an anti-fashion disposition and forces them to think about the incredible ingenuity of McQueen and the deep and dark consequence of his immeasurable talents.None more is this felt in the scene which features the haunting imagination of the late Isabella Blow, who appears in McQueen’s own mind to confirm his own fears about “how much time he has left”

Stephen Wright, who plays the title role (- and shares and uncanny resemblance to the designer,) explores McQueen’s persona in such depth that you almost feel like you know what it was like to be Lee McQueen. You understand the emotional cycle of his depression, manic happiness, and his overwhelming need to belong and can imagine the sensation of being consumed by his own awe and magnetism. 

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*The production is at the St James Theatre until the 27th June 2015. 

#BALMAINATION #H&M

H&M’S LATEST GUEST DESIGNER HAS BEEN REVEALED. 

DURING LAST NIGHTS FESTIVITIES AT THE BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS IN LAS VEGAS, OLIVIER ROUSTEING REVEALED THAT HE WOULD BE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SWEDISH BRAND TO LAUNCH A CAPSULE COLLECTION LATER THIS YEAR. 

THE COLLECTION IS SET TO MAINTAIN BALMAIN’S COOL DNA, BUT WILL OFFER PIECES AT A REMARKABLY LOWER PRICE POINT, MAKING THE BRAND MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE WIDER CONSUMER MARKET. OF THE COLLABORATION, THE DESIGNER SAID IT WAS A “MOVE TO BRINGING EVERYONE INTO THE WORLD OF BALMAIN, GETTING A PIECE OF THE DREAM AND CREATING A GLOBAL #HMBALMAINATION”

FURTHER DETAILS ON THE COLLECTION WILL BE REVELAVED CLOSER TO THE LAUNCH DATE OF NOVEMBER 5TH 2015.

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MET GALA COUTURE

Alex Chung in Erdem Photo | Courtesy of Into The Gloss

YESTERDAY NIGHT NEW YORK CITY PLAYED HOST TO ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAVAGANT AND GLITTERING MET BALL EVER ATTEMPTED. FASHION DARLINGS WERE DRAPED IN SHADES OF GLITTERING NUDES, ROYAL PURPLES, AND BLOOD REDS, ACCESSORISED WITH ORNATE HEADPIECES AND BOLD JEWELS.

Kim Kardashian in Roberto Cavalli | Photo Courtesy of Vogue 

THE MOST ENCHANTING LOOKS OF THE NIGHT CAME FROM THE LIKES OF ALEXA CHUNG WHO WAS DRESSED BY BRITISH LABEL ERDEM, KIM KARDASHIAN AND BEYONCE WHO DARED TO BARE THEIR CURVES IN BARLEY THERE GOWNS BY CAVALLI AND GIVENCHY. DAKOTA JOHNSON ALSO DISPLAYED HER PLAYFUL SIDE IN A METALLIC MINI DRESS BY CHANEL. 

Dakota Johnson in Chanel | Photo Courtesy of Vogue

Beyonce in Givenchy | Photo Courtesy of Vogue

BEE SHAFFER ALSO WOWED IN A SPECTACULAR CREATION BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN AND FOR DOLCE AND GABBANA MODEL KAREN ELSON MARKED HER DRAMATIC ENSEMBLE WITH A GOLD HEADPIECE, WHICH LENT ITS SELF TO THE RICHNESS AND DRAMA OF ORIENTAL DRESS. 

Bee Shaffer in Alexander McQueen | Photo Courtesy of Vogue 

Karen Elson in Dolce and Gabbana | Photo Courtesy of Vogue 

WHAT WAS CAPTIVATING TO ME ABOUT THESE PIECES IS THAT THEY BORROWED ELEMENTS OF EASTERN CULTURE AND MADE TASTEFUL COUTURE THAT REPRESENTS A CELEBRATION OF THE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EAST AND WEST.  

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CHINOISERIE & COUTURE

PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEVEN MEISEL, VOGUE

THE FAR EAST HAS EXUDED AN OVERWHELMING SENSE OF EXOTICISM AND BEAUTY TO CENTURIES TO THE WEST FOR MANY CENTURIES AND WITH LUXURY BRANDS OPENING THEMSELVES TO THE CHINESE MARKET RECENTLY, THIS YEARS MET GALA THEME IS APTLY TITLED. 

THE EXHIBITION, (WHICH OPENS TO THE PUBLIC ON MAY 7th 2015) IS TITLED "CHINA - THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS" AND LOOKS TO CELEBRATE THE INFLUENCE OF EASTERN ART AND CULTURE ON WESTERN FASHION THROUGH SHOWCASING  A JUXTAPOSITION OF DELICATE ARTWORK, PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM AND STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL FASHION PIECES.

THE EXHIBIT, WHICH HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY VOGUE'S ANNA WINTOUR AS THE 'BIGGEST SHOW WE HAVE EVER DONE' WILL SHOWCASE OVER 140 COUTURE AND READY TO WEAR PIECES FROM DESIGNERS SUCH AS, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, ROBERTO CAVALLI AND CHRISTIAN DIOR. HIGHLIGHTING THE LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WESTERN FASHION AND ORIENTALISM. CURATOR ANDREW BOLTON SAID OF THE FEATURED DESIGNERS, THAT THEIR DESIGNS ARE 'INFUSED AT EVERY TURN WITH ROMANCE, NOSTALGIA, AND MAKE-BELIEVE'. 

A BOOK CHINA: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, BY ANDREW BOLTON WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FOR $45.00 AND WILL REFLECT THE PIECES FROM THE EXHIBITION. 

CHRISTIAN DIOR

ROBERTO CAVALLI

I WAT WITH HUGHE ANTICIPATION TO SEE THE FASHION WORLDS TAKE ON THIS YEAR'S VASTLY INTERESTING THEME TONIGHT.  

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