I've seen quite a few Grace Kelly movies. Rear Window, High Society, Mogambo, To Catch a Thief, Dial M for Murder... classic films which propelled Kelly to renowned movie star status. In all of these films, and others which I didn't mention, one thing always stands out whenever Kelly is on screen - her immaculate style. Yes, you can say it's the work of her amazing stylist, but you also need charisma, elegance and beauty to wear such lovely costumes with style, and Grace Kelly was one of the most stylish women that ever lived.
Her blue, Grecian dress in To Catch a Thief, will go down in fashion film history as being one of the most famous and breathtaking dresses ever. With her blonde hair swept up upon her head, and a deep bronzed tan, Kelly looks like a goddess in that dress which cascades along the floor in layers of sweeping chiffon. The other strapless white dress she wears in the movie is equally as beautiful - photos of all the dresses mentioned are in this blog post.
Grace Kelly was considered the most beautiful woman in the world at one point, sorry Liz Taylor, and that certainly helps when it comes to fashion. Her role as Lisa Fremont in Rear Window saw Kelly wear some of the most gorgeous outfits ever. She plays Lisa, a glamorous fashion writer for Harpers Bazaar in the film, and has a wardrobe to match her stylish role, in the form of Dior silk skirts, netted box hats, slender pencil dresses and easy Capri pants that show off her slender frame. Some say that Grace wasn't a particularly good actress, and that her performances were wooden, lacked any sense of drama and was just a pretty face on screen. I disagree with that completely, as Kelly has starred in some of the most well known and recognized films of all time with her acting in them believable and authentic.
High Society is also another classic. Starring alongside Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, Grace dazzled as rich socialite Tracy Lord in this fun musical. Her wardrobe is a little more casual in this film compared to Rear Window, but she looks equally as glamorous. Kelly started off as a model in her teenage years, and so she has a certain elegance and poise which set her apart from other leading actresses at the time. In Mogambo, the romantic comedy set in Africa, compared to her co star Ava Gardner, anyone can see that Grace Kelly carries off any outfit amazingly well. Even when wearing dusty cargo pants and a simple white shirt, she does it with such style that it makes one want to dress just like her. She is a fashion icon, and these beautiful photos prove it...
Can we please all take a moment to bow to Jennifer Lopez. With 10 outfit changes, a brilliant opening performance and a successful stint hosting this years American Music Awards, JLo was no doubt the star of the show. She walked the red carpet in a beautiful turqiouse Versace dress, and followed the rest of the night in a variety of stunning gowns, which included a starry Zuhair Murad number, a nude Balmain midi and a Dsquared hand sewn jumpsuit. And with a body like Jlo's, why wouldn't you want to show it off. Every look was breathtaking (with plenty of clevage on display) with my personal favourite being her Versace look. Fabulous!
Other best dressed of the night was no doubt Gigi Hadid in a Grecian white dress and her best friend, fellow model Kendall Jenner who strolled down the red carpet with younger sister Kylie. Both sisters looked amazing in black outfits, with Kenny sweeping her locks up into a messy bun. Ciara also opted for a revealing black lace dress, while Selena Gomez who performed at the awards ceremony, looked ravishing in a metallic red midi dress with a daring split. Zendaya was cute in pastel pink, Justin Beiber and the ID boys were cool and dapper, while Nicki Minaj looked sophisticated in a nude, crystal dress.
I really loved Gwen Stefani's sheer black dress by designer Yousef Al-Jasmi, but wasn't too keen on Demi Lovato's 1920s look. The pattern on the dress just wasn't doing it for me, and her hair and make up looked a bit all over the place. But apart from Demi, this years AMAs were a fashion festival of fun.
American Music Awards 2015 Winners List
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
One Direction
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Sam Hunt
SONG OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift, Blank Space
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Skrillex & Diplo Featuring Justin Bieber, Where Are Ü Now
From Disney princesses to Lady Penelope’s bright pink Rolls
Royce, Victoria’s Secret to the iconic Pink Panther. It’s fair to say that plenty
springs to mind when you ‘think pink,’ as Diana Vreeland once famously put it. In
terms of fashion however, as soon as pink is added to the equation most people
at once jump to the ultimate ‘dumb blonde’ stereotype, envisioning a dippy Elle
Woods in ‘Legally Blonde.’
But for spring/summer 2016, gone is the Moschino Barbie girl
Jeremy Scott brought to life last year, as designers introduced a fresh outlook
on the colour, which felt and looked a lot more sophisticated, powerful and
refined.
Pink first popped up across the pond at New York Fashion
Week, with Diane von Furstenberg, Herve Leger and Carolina Herrera all
featuring striking yet delicate pinks in their collections. “This is my rose
period,” Herrera told WWD after her show. “Fashion should be optimistic.” And
there is no denying her sweeping chiffons, ruffled blouses and elegant midi
skirts in tea rose, carnation and baby pink were enough to make anyone
blissfully cheerful. JW Anderson, Emilia Wickstead and Roksanda Illinic followed
suit in London. Meanwhile Fendi, who opened their show with Edie Campbell
wearing a crimson playsuit, and Giorgio Armani led the way in Milan. Gucci’s Allesandro
Michele played on pinks feminine connotations by featuring pastel shades on masculine
70s suits as did Roberto Cavalli, who included beautiful tie-dye waistcoats with
splashes of magenta and coral in their collection.
Even Karl Lagerfeld, who once warned, “think pink, but don’t
wear it,” seemed to do a U-turn on the colour, and sent out a stunning Chanel
collection bursting with floral embroidery, classic tweed jackets and layered
tunic and trouser combos – all in the sweetest shades of pink. “It’s interesting
given the political and sociological contractions of pink, that designers
embrace this colour again and again,” contemplates Emily Sheffield, deputy
editor at British Vogue. It just proves there is something about pink which
keeps fashion constantly coming back for more, despite its controversial
undertones.
Pink, which derived from a lighter tint of red, has been on
quite a journey, with its romantic and seductive shades hugely popular in the
royal courts of 18th century Europe. But it was during the 1900s
that pink really rose to prominence. Elsa Schiaparelli popularised the colour
during the 1930s when she accidently mixed white with the strong hue of magenta
and voila - her iconic ‘shocking pink’ was born. Since then, pink has featured
throughout popular culture. From Marilyn Monroe’s strapless, fuchsia dress in
‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,’ and the famous hot pink Playboy bunny logo. To Gwyneth
Paltrow’s amaranth Ralph Lauren gown at the 1999 Academy Awards, which caused
quite a stir at the time, compared to her fellow nominees
who chose more subdued dresses for the occasion. One particularly scathing
fashion critic labelled Paltrow a, “Barbie doll wrapped in a satin ribbon,” -
all because she wore pink.
And this of course brings in the feminist issue. Should
girls, already stereotyped as the weaker sex in society, wear such a delicate,
feminine colour as pink? “Only if it suits them. I’m a huge fan - but then it
suits me,” says Polly Vernon, Grazia columnist and author of ‘Hot Feminist’. And Polly’s not alone. Amal
Clooney and Victoria Beckham are two respected, powerful women who regularly
don smart, shift dresses in varying shades of pink, whereas multi award winning
singer Rihanna, first shocked and then captivated the world with her huge Giambattista
Valli couture dress at the 2015 Grammys, silencing her red carpet critics with
her bravery to wear such a bold pink with style and elegance. Indeed it’s ironic to think that a hundred years ago, dark pink
was a popular colour for new born baby boys as it represented power and
strength. While blue, seen as a softer and more calming colour, was chosen for
girls. Yet over time, and with the help of Barbie, gender norms have categorized
all things pink solely for girls.
However, for 2016, this new wave of pink is not girly, or in
any way submissive. Schiaparelli’s shocking pink is not on the agenda, but do
invest in crisp corals, creamy cherry blossoms and pastel peony pieces, which will
stand out against darker shades in your wardrobe.If you’re feeling particularly daring, opt
for a double breasted puce pink suit a la Gucci or for a more general take on
the trend follow Monique Lhillier’s example and try a pair of patent, cerise
sandals. Pink has re-claimed its power for next season, in all 50 shades of the
colour. In the words of outspoken feminist and fashion enthusiast, Miley Cyrus,
“pink isn’t just a colour. It’s an attitude.”
We were all deeply shocked by the awful news last Friday. Bombs and
suicide gunmen in Paris, an explosion in Lebanon and various other
terrorist attacks in Baghdad, Afghanistan and Syria which have left
hundreds dead. It was unexpected, upsetting and frightening, not only
for those living in bomb hit areas but for the rest of the world too who
rallied together to support these countries at this difficult time.
But
for us, as westerners, the real shock was Paris, a city which is just
across the channel from us with innocent people who had done nothing to
receive such horrific actions. This is the second time this year that
Paris has been targeted, first with the Charlie Hebdo shooting in
January and now these absurd, horrible attacks which left 129 dead at an
international football match, a concert hall and in a a busy cafe. Nobody could have expected such a disaster to hit Paris on that Friday evening, which just so happened to be the unlucky Friday 13th, and the terrible impact it would have on all of us.
I don't want to dwell on the political inclinations or wade into the
ongoing debate of what governments are going to now do to stop IS, but I
just felt that it was right to share my sympathies on theFASHIONbox, in
tribute to those who were wrongly and tragically murdered. Paris is one
of my favourite cities in the world, and one which is iconic for its
priceless art, delicious cuisine, rich history, beautiful architecture
and of course, its fashion.
I have found this stunning and rather powerful photo-shoot from Christian Dior fall 2013 which I felt represented the mood at this sad and mournful
time. The beautiful photography by Willy Vandeperre featuring supermodels Daria Strokous, Marie Piovesan, Anastasia Ivanovaand Iselin Steiro sets the scene of Paris wonderfully, as a city which holds such charming elegance and grace. The photo-shoot, titled "Opera" is staged in a Paris opera house, and shows the intricate architecture as well as the rich, opulent culture Paris embodies. The clothes are amazing, all designed by Raf Simmons while he was at Dior, and shows us once again why Paris and France are such leaders when it comes to fashion and style.
Last week, I went to the Chanel exhibition, Madmoiselle Prive at the Saatchi Gallery in Sloane Square. The exhibition, which was in London for only three weeks, was a clever and modern twist on Chanel, an old fashion house which symbolizes classic style and effortless glamour. I went on the final day, a fogging Sunday morning, which I spent for almost an hour queuing to get into the gallery (it was a very slow craw but serves me right going on the final day). But there was plenty to see along the way, such as the beautiful Chanel botanical garden full of flowers and lavish plants, and the chance to download the free Madmoiselle Prive app, which you used around the first floor of the exhibition.
Once inside, you followed the life of Gabrielle Coco Chanel, starting off with her first hat shop in Paris which progressed through to womens' clothing, perfumes and jewellery. A replica mirrored staircase was built inside, as were lots of interactive doors which you could unlock through the app on your phone. It was all very technical. As I walked around, there were plenty of photo opportunities with lavish furnishings, curtains of delicate fabric hanging from the ceiling and beautiful fine jewellery. The whole exhibition focused on Chanel high jewellery, particularly the "Bijoux de Diamants" collection created in 1932 and of course, the classic Chanel N°5 perfume. It was nice to read the history and inspirations behind some of Coco's most famous icons, such as the double C logo which was inspired from her difficult childhood spent at an orphanage.
There was a lovely garden and a homage to her famous perfume scents, in a modern perfumery complete with quotes along the walls. But the read treat was the final large room on the second floor. Here was the real Haute Couture and fine jewellery, complete with lots and lots of security - completely understandable seeing as these diamonds, rubies and emeralds are decades and decades of years old. It was displayed with lots of lights, eerily lighting up the clothes on show as well as stunning black and white photographs by Karl Lagerfeld of all his many muses, which included Keira Knightley, Vanessa Paradis and Lily Collins. An entertaining short film showing Coco Chanel come and visit the future of her fashion house and have an imaginary conversation with Lagerfeld himself. Overall, it wasn't the best exhibition I've seen as I felt that Chanel could have done so much more with the heritage of their fashion house. I get that Lagerfeld wanted people to see how cool and modern he has made Chanel, but the main appeal of this fashion heavyweight is its timeless look and this exhibition focused more on the future rather than on the rich past. At times, I was a little bored and disappointed, but then I was comparing it to the fantastic Louis Vuitton Series 3 exhibition I went to a couple of weeks ago which I loved and suited my personal tastes more. Even so, it was worth the visit and the free goody bag was a nice touch too!
After 14 years and numerous beautiful collections, it was revealed last week that designer Alber Elbaz was leaving fashion house Lanvin. It was indeed a short, sharp shock which came out of the blue, with no one even suspecting that all was not as it seemed at Lanvin and that Elbaz would very soon be out of the job. I couldn't quite believe it when I heard the news as Alber has taken on his role as Lanvin's creative director with so much love, passion and success that it made no sense in my mind why such a talented man would step away from his spotlight.
In a statement issued by the designer, Alber explained his reasons for leaving which was the choice of Lanvin's majority shareholder, not his own.“At this time of my departure from Lanvin on the decision of the
company’s majority shareholder. I wish to express my
gratitude and warm thoughts to all those who have worked with me
passionately on the revival of Lanvin over the last 14 years . . . together, we have met the creative
challenge presented by Lanvin and have restored its radiance and have
returned it to its rightful position among France’s absolute luxury
houses.” What will he do next? That's up to him to decide, eve though some tipped him to take over from Raf Simmons at Dior. Yet, Elbaz has said that he wants to step away from the fast pace fashion is moving these days, so a move to Dior looks very unlikely.
I have a few favourite designers, but I can safely say that Lanvin was the first - even before my love for Dolce and Gabbana blossomed. It was the spring/summer 2010 collection which first drew me to Alber and Lanvin, after seeing a few catwalk looks in the newspaper. As an eager 13 year old, who did not know much about fashion, these beautiful prom dresses in sweeping chiffon and taffeta took my breath away and to this day, that show remains one of favourites of all time. From the gorgeous jewel colours in fuchsia pink, burnt orange and emerald green to the line up of supermodels including Freja Beha-Erichson, Ginta Lapina, Natasha Poly, Lily Donaldson, Magdelena Frackowiak, Sasha Pivovarova and Karlie Kloss, this show embodied everything which was wonderful about Alber's design talents. I still love the chunky statement necklaces, the a-symmetric ruffles, the draping of the peplum skirts and Brigitte Bardot hair styles created by the one and only Guido from that spring 2010 collection, and it's safe to say that from that day on Lanvin was a definite highlight of Paris Fashion Week for me.
Over the years, Alber Elbaz has brought a sense of cheeky fun to fashion, not only through his smile and wave at the end of his shows but also through his love of fashion illustrations, clever ad campaigns, high end glamour as seen on the red carpet and who could forget that beautiful Lanvin x H&M collection, which was a huge success. He knows his customers, and has made Lanvin completely his own through his love of silk, sweeping dresses, cute jewel encrusted mini dresses, chic black suits, elegant hats (as seen last season) and love of all things feminine and pretty. I am really at a loss to think of who can replace such an extraordinary man who knows the rich history and DNA of Lanvin so well. But whoever it is, they have a pretty large pair of shoes to fill.
Of course, this story has been huge fashion news with Raf Simmons
departure of Christian Dior the week before taking centre stage, and has
sparked wide debate that taking control of a fashion house in the 21st
century is more of a curse than a blessing. I read a fantastic article
in the Evening Standard by fashion editor Karen Dacre on Thursday which
summed this pressure and constant need to perform perfectly, with her
analysis of designers such as Raf, Alber Elbaz, Alexander Wang and John
Galliano who all struggled to keep up with the demanding schedule of the
increasing number of collections per year. It's fair to say that
becoming a creative director of a fashion brand now is not just about
designing clothes. You literally become the 'brand,' taking on the role
of promoting the label, a social media manager, designer, motivator, an
artist with an acute business mind and a whole lot more. We could see
clearly in the fashion documentary 'Dior and I' how under pressure Raf
Simmons was, literally having to escape to the roof on the day of his fist Dior
haute couture collection. And lets not forget the fate of his predecessor
Galliano, a man who started off designing 2 collections a year for Dior
which by the time his stint ended had increased to a jaw dropping 12. It's not a pretty job, trust me.
Saying that I don't think Raf was right for Dior - and I said that from the first day the news broke that he would be the new creative director of the house. He did deliver some nice collections, but a heritage fashion house such as Christian Dior needs a big personality and someone with a very thick skin and a no nonsense attitude to run such a huge empire. Personally, I think LVMH should replace Raf with someone in house, who knows the brand like the back of their hand and has a deep passion for success (and pressure) which doesn't faze them in any way. And as for Alber's replacement... I am waiting with baited breath, with still hope that this nightmare would have all been a dream and he continues to stay at his brand.
Take a look at my favourite Lanvin collection by Alber Elbaz, from spring/summer 2010...
Are women over the age of 50 forgotten in fashion?
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ‘beautiful
young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of
art.’ One could argue that Eleanor herself was one of those ‘beautiful old people’ she spoke about so
tenderly; an older lady who grew more beautiful with age. Jump forward to the
21st century, and women over the age of 50 seem to be culturally
invisible when it comes to fashion.From magazine front covers and fashion
trends to advertising campaigns and the high street, rarely do older women
appear in mainstream fashion. So, are women over the age of 50 past their
sell-by date?
There is of course the ridiculous notion that women over 50 spend
their lives like a Real Housewife of
Beverly Hills, keeping themselves busy running pointless errands - hardly
women interested in fashion. Fashion
designer Donatella Versace is in agreement when it comes to her typical older
customers, “You
think old people - ladies who stay at home all day and drink tea. It’s not at
all like this.” And she is right. According to a recent study by The Daily Mirror, the over 50s
market spend a staggering £6.7 billion a year on womenswear, and are now the
fastest growing fashion sector in the country. Yet they are practically ignored
when it comes to the great British high street.
For example, very rarely do you find an older women shopping for a
pair of jeans in stores such as H&M, Topshop and Urban Outfitters. These
shops cater to a much younger, stylish customer and targeting an older category
would just spoil their image. Marks and Spencer is one of the few major high
street stores which champions the older women, not only
with their clothes but also through their savvy TV commercials and stylish ad
campaigns, usually featuring Twiggy, aimed at women of any ages.
Yet, fashion did not always exclude mature women. For the first
half of the 20th century, older woman were considered the most
fashionable set in society. It was ladies, aged 40 and over who brought Haute Couture from the finest fashion
houses, and never left their homes without a matching hat and gloves. Society
women such as Marella Agnelli and Jackie Onassis were the style icons of their
day - their age not even a consideration in terms of fashion. However, much has
changed since the glory days of couture,
with current fashion houses such as Elie Saab and Giambattista Valli, aiming
their collections at a significantly younger customer. Even the traditional customers of couture have been dropped in favour of
a younger woman.
The invisibility of women over 50 doesn’t only apply to fashion,
but other aspects of our culture too. For example the never ending quest of
Hollywood actresses to discover the sacred fountain of youth. Influential
women, with huge media followings such as Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Cher and
Madonna, who can you believe is almost 60, have all gone to extreme lengths,
involving extensive Botox and cosmetic surgery, to literally 'turn back time' and look like their 20 year old
selves again. But is there really anything to be ashamed of in growing old
gracefully?
The elegant ladies who
featured in the heart warming 2014 fashion documentary, ‘Advanced Style’ certainly don’t think so. Iris Apfel, 94, Jacquie Murdock aged 85 and Joyce Carpati, 83, were just
some of the colourful characters from the successful documentary, which proved
that you can still look and feel quintessentially stylish and beautiful at any
age -without the ‘help’ of a cosmetic
surgeon.
Even Instagram, a social media platform normally associated with
the selfie mad younger generation, has a number of older users who have made
quite a name for themselves through their street style posts. Dorrie Jacobson,
who runs the @SeniorStyleBible has amassed a huge following with her quirky
sense of fashion as has Judith, who posts images of her impressive wardrobe on
her page @StyleCrone. It comes as an afterthought that both of these women are
in their 70s. There are also plenty of strong women working in the fashion
industry now. Editors such as Anna Wintour and Carine Roitfeld are both in their
60s and yet have such a formidable voice in society, while entrepreneurs like
Natalie Massenet, 50, show no signs of slowing down.
Nevertheless, psychologist Dr Lauren Rosewarne discovered in a
study at the University of Melbourne, that less than 4% of women on advertising
billboards are aged over 30.A shocking statistic which is not that difficult to
disbelieve.It seems farcical that in 1992, Isabella Rossellini, who had just
turned 40, was dropped by Lancome for being ‘too old,’ when today actresses
Helen Mirren,70, and Andie MacDowell,57, are celebrated L’Oreal ambassadors,
regardless of their age.
Yet this year, the charming older women was celebrated rather than
squandered amongst designers. Celine
featured the 80 year old writer Joan Didion for their spring/summer 2015
campaign, sending out a strong message that beauty is indeed eternal. Dolce and Gabbana featured a group of
beautiful grandmothers in their summer campaign while legendary folk singer
Joni Mitchell, 71, was the striking face of Saint
Laurent Paris. A couple of years ago it would have been out of the question to make model Monica Bellucci a 'Bond Girl' at the grand old age of 51. But now it has been embraced as something totally new and inspiring for the James Bond film franchise.
Perhaps, the fashion industry is finally setting out to challenge
that awkward ‘grey area’ that has until now been an ignored and cleverly avoided
issue. Let me know your views.
