22.07.2011- Fashion in Motion: Yohji Yamamoto

At the start of the month, my best friend Sarah and I went along to the Yohji Yamamoto Fashion in Motion event at the Victoria and Albert museum. We'd been to the Kenzo show last November, and were very excited to see the work of another designer up close against the backdrop of the museum's breathtaking Raphael Gallery. Celebrating the retrospective of Yamamoto's work which had been housed in the museum until only a few weeks ago, the show had an entirely different aesthetic to the Kenzo presentation and featured a selection of both menswear and womenswear. Most endearingly of all, however, the looks were modelled by real life couples from London, mirroring the approach Yamamoto took to casting his Spring/Summer 1999 menswear show, where the models were handpicked from the streets of Paris. The designs featured in the presentation showcased Yamamoto's famous approach to cutting womenswear; loose, flowing fabrics and shapes were utilised to create a distinctly androgynous feel. The menswear featured was also quite unconventional, with suits in a riot of colours and longer lines used to play with proportion.

I really enjoyed this event, and loved the fact that the models were real couples. I'm now on a mission to track down a t-shirt with the slogan 'I am a deeply superficial person' on!

Have you ever been to a Fashion in Motion event? And are you a fan of Yohji Yamamoto's work?

(Image credit: Sarah Farrell, please do not reproduce without permission. Images edited using Picnik.)

14.11.2010- Night at the museum

Last Friday, my best friend Sarah and I were lucky enough to attend the Kenzo Fashion in Motion Event which took place at the Victoria and Albert Museum as a celebration of the 40th birthday of the label. Tickets for the event were free, and as you can probably imagine, very much in demand. My frantic phone calling a few weeks ago paid off however, as we were both seated in the front row (how very exclusive!) For the event, creative director of Kenzo Antonio Marras presented a beautiful array of designs inspired by the Japanese heritage of the label (founded by Kenzo Takada in the 1970s) and the vivid culture of Marras' native Sardinia. I particularly loved the prints and the vibrant colours that were on display, as the designs presented really encapsulated the heritage of the brand, as well as demonstrating a unique fusion of cultures through fashion. The Raphael Gallery, where the event was staged, was also the perfect location for the show, as the designs really came to life against such a vast backdrop.

Sarah and I before the show.

Front row seats!

The Raphael Gallery.

The show begins...

The Japanese influence shines through in the Geisha-inspired footwear.

This outfit was so elaborately embellished, it was stunning in the flesh.

The finale.

The museum at night, doesn't it look lovely?

All in all, it was a fantastic evening; a great opportunity to see some truly visionary designs up close, and the ambience of the museum at night is brilliant. If you ever get the chance to go to one of these events, I'd really recommend it.

(Image and video credit: Sarah Farrell, please do not reproduce without permission.)

13.09.2010- Russian Dolls

The October issue of British Vogue celebrates the launch of the Victoria and Albert Museum's forthcoming exhibition on Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes with this sumptuous editorial featuring Karlie Kloss, styled by Kate Phelan and photographed by Tim Walker. Kloss models stunning couture pieces by, amongst others, Givenchy, Dior and Alexander McQueen as the revolutionary aesthetic of the Ballet Russes is recreated on camera:

I always love the drama and spectacle of the couture presentations, so to see such beautiful designs brought to life on the page like this in the context of a theatrical feature is really lovely. Today the V&A revealed that the centrepiece of the Diaghilev exhibition will be the biggest Picasso in the world which was designed as a backdrop for the Ballet Russes production of Le Train Bleu in 1924, and which stands at a mammoth 11.7 metres tall. Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballet Russes opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington on September 25th.

What do you think of the Vogue editorial? Has it inspired you to visit the exhibition?

(Image credit: NOIR FACADE.)

29.08.2010- Golden touch...

The Victoria and Albert Museum's major exhibition for the autumn, Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballet Russes, showcases the work and imagination of artistic director Serge Diaghilev and the genesis of the radical Ballet Russes. Diaghilev's work with the company transformed the face of early 20th century culture through collaboration with artists including Coco Chanel, Igor Stravinsky, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, in the development of an aesthetic which married art, music and dance to create a spectacular brand of total theatre. Diaghilev's vision combined with Vaslav Nijinsky's bold choreography of an original ballet repertoire (including Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring) saw the Ballet Russes become one of the most influential theatre companies of the twentieth century, and their legacy still influences a panoply of contemporary culture. The exhibition, which opens at the V&A South Kensington on the 25th September and runs until the 9th January 2011, features over three hundred objects, including original costumes, set designs and props, all of which tell the story of a ballet company and visionary who together transformed the face of modern dance, fashion and art.

In celebration of the launch of the exhibition, the V&A shop have also launched a special range of tie-in merchandise, including this gorgeous scarf designed by Erdem, featuring the original costume designs of Léon Bakst for the Ballet Russes:

At £185, it is rather pricey, but it is certainly a beautiful keepsake of the exhibition. On the other hand, these gorgeous prints are a bit more within my price range, and will look great in hanging up in my room. I can't wait to get down to the V&A when the exhibition opens, it looks as though it's going to be unmissable (and invaluable for my dissertation research!)

To find out more about the exhibition, visit www.vam.ac.uk.

What do you think? Will you be paying a visit? Or perhaps splashing out on the Erdem scarf?

(Image credit: V&A Theatre and Performance Collections and V&A Shop.)

10.06.2010- We try to be like Grace Kelly...

Last Friday my bestie and I popped along to the Victoria and Albert Museum to check out their Grace Kelly: Style Icon exhibition. I'd been looking forward to visiting ever since I found out about it, and was not disappointed. Featuring gowns, accessories and personal items (including the Oscar she won in 1955), the exhibition encapsulated everything that was so remarkable about Grace; the timeless pieces that feature demonstrate her commitment to subtle style, and the accompanying photographs tell the story of a woman who was simultaneously actress, princess and style icon. Although we weren't supposed to take photos, I managed to sneak a few to share with you:

The iconic Hermes Kelly bag, named after Grace. Cue a massive does of bag lust!

These photos really don't do the clothes justice, they are simply exquisite in real life, particularly the intricate embroidery on the gowns. Also there are many more beautiful items which I didn't take any snaps of, including the dress that Grace wore in High Society:

I plan on going back at least once more before the exhibition finishes at the end of September, and can't recommend it highly enough. If you're in London or plan on visiting over the next few months, then definitely plan a trip to the V&A. 

Here are some Grace Kelly inspired looks to help us mere mortals channel some of her style:

Peach Lace Shift Dress, £120, ROKIT

Cutwork Lace Blouse, £20,ROKIT

 Seagreen Pleated Skirt, £15,ROKIT

Marc Jacobs Striped Silk Blend Lame Dress, £391.60, The Outnet

Linda Farrow Luxe Sunglasses, Net-a-Porter

Matthew Williamson Ombre Print Scarf, Net-a-Porter

A girl can dream!

(Image credit: flickr, ROKIT, The Outnet, Net-a-Porter and Sarah Farrell, please do not reproduce without permission.)