Tastemakers!

Ive always worked visually. I could read a book and only 20% of what i read i will actually process but if i watch something or begin to initially research with visual context i digest the information and later process it much easier. Hence why i have made a shed load of mood boards focusing on key designers from various decades to help with my fashion history knowledge! 

McQueen you Dream!

Savage Beauty

When it was announced that tickets for 'Savage Beauty' the long awaited exhibition that was to showcase collections from the late great Alexander McQueen, had gone live, whatsapp messages were flying everywhere and we pounced online to make sure we secured tickets for the opening week! Having a midweek break with Wednesdays off from lectures we took full advantage to book for the 18th March which was the day after what would have been Lee McQueens 47th birthday! I feel so thankful to have visited on the opening week, although it was busy the atmosphere was ridiculous and this was even before we entered the exhibition.

A portrait of Lee Alexander McQueen opened the exhibition which was created by his brother Gary McQueen. As an opening this gave me absolute goosebumps and nearly brought me to tears after gazing at the propelling portrait that transcends from a skull, a close association with the brand McQueen, to a portrait of lee the designer himself. I reminded myself of the crazy talent that lies behind the name Alexander McQueen when i recently revisited Lee's work watching 'McQueen & I'; a documentary of his creations and life. 

''I'm a romantic schizophrenic''

McQueen successfully created Powerful feelings and emotions through catwalk resulting in a theatrical experience and not just any fashion show. Dark imaginings, merge wonder and terror, incredulity and revulsion, the erotic and untamed. McQueen was above all driven by his fascination with the beauty and savagery of the natural world. 'Highland Rape' the collection that 'branded' McQueen as a British 'hooligan' opened the exhibition in an industrial like warehouse environment that was a palette of grey. In regards to concept this is one of my favourite collections from McQueen. It was obscene but so honest, and the raw way in which it was displayed alongside his MA work from Central Saint Martens was a good consistency. This collection is also where the infamous 'bumster' trousers were introduced to the fashion world.

           ''I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress.''

The appropriately named exhibition 'Savage beauty' revealed McQueens Savage and complex immagination combined with gothic romanticism. Often basing his work on dark subjects you could evidently see how McQueen drew inspiration from the Jack the Ripper Murders - 1888, the structure in which he cut and tailored his elaborat jackets were similar to fashions from the 19th century. Romantically gothic collections that exploit a paradox of relationships. Oscillating between life and death happiness and sadness, good and evil. Bird feathers making up entire dresses or enhancing already flamboyant shoulder structures, McQueen admitted the vulgar and grotesque content from directors Alfred Hitchcock's film, 'The birds' was the inspiration behind some pieces within the Gothic romanticism collection that was displayed in front of gold ornate mirrors in a very dark room, with only  various highlights on the garments.

                              ''I want to be the purveyor of a certain silhouette or a way of cutting so that when I'm dead and gone people will know that the twenty first century was started by Alexander McQueen.'' 

I took odd notes whilst exploring the exhibition, but this is a literal piece i wrote. - I literally feel like i've stepped into a fairy jewellery box. I don't know where to look its unbelievable and here I am gazing into my phone writing my initial reaction!!  You can watch as many catwalk shows for many hours, but you can never appreciate a real McQueen garment until you see it; combining the garment as well as my memory of watching the shows has created an emotional intensity of McQueens true talent for me.

McQueens catwalk presentations often play between victim and aggressor. Cabinet of curiosities displayed McQueens work created with Headdress designer Phillip Treacy and Jeweller Shaun Lee. Positioned in the centre was the legendary piece of art that was the white tube dress from his SS99 collection where in which two robots, that took two weeks of choreographing, spray-painted the dress worn by model Shalom Harlow. Some say the piece had very strong aggressive sexual references. McQueen himself explained that ''The Finale of this collection was inspired by an installation by artist Rebecca Horn of two shotguns firing blood-red paint at each other.''  

               "Fashion can be really racist, looking at the clothes of other cultures as costumes, that's mundane and it's an old hat. Let's break down some barriers."

                         

Romantic Naturalising Collection. "I use flowers because they die. My mood was dark and romantic at the time."

Plantos Atlantis was the final collection displayed by McQueen. He was worked with Nick Knight and SHOWstudio before he died to create the fashion film entailed 'Plantos Atlantis' before he died. Words to describe the collection would be Futuristic and holographic. The inspiration- an ice cap would melt meaning waters would rise on earth and humanity would go back to from whence it came. Inspired by Charles Darwin, on the origin of species, you can begin to make sense of the narrative from McQueen on adaptation of mankind. In the projected fashion film you can understand how McQueens work was moving forward with the digital age and how he was using his imagination combined this with developing technology to his advantage! It was said to be considered as one of McQueens greatest achievements.

I'm already planning to see the exhibition again in June around my birthday i honestly enjoyed it that much, so if you haven't already booked i highly recommend it; or i might book all tickets! Hands down the best exhibition i have ever been to! As you can see absolutely beaming… Tourist geek of the day!

With Love, DOAFSDO, x

Forever making moodboards..

Chanel Who?

It was all about Valentino today! Ben Stiler and Owen Wilson, stars from the fashion based comedy film entitled 'Zoolander' made an appearance down the catwalk today to close the Valentino show and struck the signature 'Zoolander' pose. Genius. In terms of publicity stunts they've played it too safe, for too long! Valentino are recognised for the beautiful couture dresses. But in juxtaposition this stunt is something that will spread brand awareness in an alternative way then exposing just the dresses!

The collection was a mono mix of the Valentino signature red, with a classic black and white to make up the colour palette. Sheer mesh was used to make entire dresses which were flamboyantly structured through the use of layering of the fabric. Big big fan. Bearing in mind the show was on the same day at the Chanel show as part of Paris Fashion Week, it was about time someone did something about Chanel being the talk of the town after Karl Lagerfelds last two shows being mentioned EVERYWHERE. One involving a feminist protest with models charting and holding slogan signs down the catwalk. Valentino had to pull something out of the bag to become most mentioned of the day and i think they succeeded! Oh and Chanel's set design involved a relaxed bar set up… as you might not have heard? 

What do you think, Tacky or Tactful? With Love, DOAFSDO, x

Raw Print

On of my course lectures Matt Gill who is really enthusiastic about layout and magazines organises a monthly event call 'Raw Print' this event is held in 'The Lacehouse' which is a really cool and chilled location for guest speakers, set out with sofas and chairs its a really nice relaxed environment and made for an enjoyable night.

This weeks first guest speakers were from a magazine called 'The Recorder', now the recorder already had a built fan base and heritage behind the magazine as it dates back from the early 1900s. Emma and Luke wanted to relaunch 'The Recorder' and give the publication a revamp which is owned by monotype. In order to not offend they explained that had many hours and back and forwarding of various messages and feedback due to Emma being based in London and Luke in Birmingham so it was really interesting to hear an insight into the struggle, of this working relationship working. I know i always considering collaboration and publications to be created and worked on within a studio and this proves that isn't always the case! Emma received some really negative feedback from an influence in the industry that she really aspired to; this was reassuring for me as it proved to me that even within a successful magazine publishing within an area of art- not everyone is going to like your work. And that actually thats okay. Because if we all liked the same things the world would be a very boring place!

'Hot Rum Cow' was the next magazine in which i had an insight into; a publish cation I've never heard of that is based on 'enthusiastic amateur drinkers' run by a group of creatives that work within the same agency, Hot Rum Cow has been sold all over the world now and issues have been shipped to Cali and Australia, a magazine with a really interesting and unusual concept matter. With quite a lot of insight revealed into the business side of the magazine, i would have liked to have seen some more layouts on how subjects and stories were tackled and presented within the magazine. But hey, good marketing skills, i suppose i will have to purchase a copy and build an opinion myself!

Having independently focused magazine store in Nottingham 'Ideas on Paper' is always helpful - to pop in and pick up a different editorial that we might not necessarily be able to get our hands on in your average Waterstones or WHSmiths. 

I will look forward to the next Raw Print Event!

Winter is Coming!

Can we firstly take a second to appreciate the constant access i have to WGSN meaning i could get my eyes and hands on these images within hours of this collection being shown in Milan during Paris Fashion week! - amazing. 

Ive been super excited to see the next collection from Arora after falling in love with the futuristic metallics in his last show and basing my trend work on this collection. This time around for his Autumn Winter 2015 collection he hasn't failed thats for sure! Arora has cleverly combined many darker tones with his statement and recognisable embellishment work; Manish Arora is a prime example of how a winter collection doesn't need to be gloomy and minimalistic. As always the attention to detail is so defined, one aspect that stand out for me are the graphic imprints of flowers and wolves faces combined and printed onto the front of sweatshirts and on skirts. I love the collection and how Arora through the use of layering proves you can create a collection that keeps you warm but yet you can still sparkle on the outside! 

For his Fall collection, Manish Arora wants people to know that “winter is coming”: The top that opened his show signaled those three words, banner-style, beneath a computer-generated owl. Of course, Game of Thrones aficionados will immediately point out that he’s nodding to the title of the show’s debut episode. And as source material, the fictional medieval land where the program takes place presented Arora with an excuse to explore darker, decadent territory. But because glitter, fuchsia hearts, Moon Boots, and baby backpacks are essentially his four elements, the outcome proved more space-age clan girl than an homage to Queen Cersei. - arabia.style.com

LOVE LOVE LOVE

I think Manish Arora met me in another life and documented all my favourites things and created this combination in regards to our conversation! (minus the head piece, gold braid combination!) These backpacks are incredible and i though the bags from the SS15 were impeccable. Pink & Gold Glitter is a reoccurring signature palette that is obvious from within all Arora's collections- this skull sweater is crazy - very credible embellishment which glitters for itself, then he adds an orange fluffy turtle neck to accessorise an accessorised sweater. Completly Necessary! 

I believe this furry little number could be pulled off at a day at Uni and tottery off to the library; in reality if i could afford this bag i probably wouldn't have to be at uni! I will one day own a Manish piece, thats one to feed me ambition and inspire! One day…

Finally, back to his roots of India. Manish adds the most beautiful embellishment of gold beads onto this vibrant orange and hot pink and define the layering and lines with blakc trims. Im so intrigued by the leg harness and whether this is worn as legging or attached to the shoe!? It wasn't obvious in the show, but leg accessories is this something too look out for? Also a big fan of how the Sari hand over her one side covering most of the right side of her torso, but then the left side is really define by a tight fitted black embellished sleeve. The trainers and moon boots are not for me at the moment but everything else.. PLEASE send one my way!

Im not sorry for the picture overload, there were too many beautiful pieces to select! What are your thoughts on the collection?

With Love, DOAFSDO x