A Troubled Star: Marilyn Monroe

I have just finished reading a wonderful book about Marilyn Monroe: In the Movies. Packed full of great photos and quotes as well as information on the block buster movies she starred in, details of her private life and failed marriages are also mentioned. Away, from the glitz and the glamour, Marilyn was a very sensitive and child like creature who reacted terribly to criticism and could rarely trust many of the domineering men in her ruthless industry. After suffering through a troubled childhood (she was adopted) Norma Jean Baker as she was born, grew up into a woman who craved the limelight yet was terrified of the exposure and exploitation she received. This may have has something to do with the fact both her parents were absent throughout her childhood, with Marilyn later claiming she dreamt that the king of Hollywood, Clark Gable was her real father.

After the success of her first few movies, Monroe dyed her hair platinum blonde, had cosmetic surgery applied to her teeth and had her hairline scraped back further to reveal more of her forehead. This wavy, blonde hair would later be her trademark feature, copied nowadays by numerous celebrities including Rita Ora, Paris Hilton and Beyonce. The movies she starred in throughout the 1950's where a huge success with, 'The Prince and the Showgirl,' 'Gentleman Prefer Blondes,' 'The Seven Year Itch' and 'Some Like it Hot', being the most famous. However, according to my book and research, Marilyn was a problematic star for directors, fellow actors and producers alike, as she regularly turned up late for shooting, had difficulty reading her lines and phoned in sick for weeks on end. When she was on set, she would have to be coaxed out of her dressing room and then once filming began, Marilyn would demand that scenes be shot over and over again until she was personally happy with them, which infuriated directors and actors, including Robert Mitchem and Dean Martin who stormed off the set of 'Something’s Got to Give' in 1962, and out of the motion picture. Marilyn was also unhappy with Fox Productions who she was signed to under contract, as she was forced to star in movies she felt did not suit her and had no freedom over her professional career. For example, ‘There’s no Business like Show Business’ was a huge success, yet Monroe was not a singer or dancer and hated every moment of shooting that movie, yet audiences were never to know that.

Marilyn also dealt with two marriage break downs in the public eye and a saddening miscarriage which left her suffering from depression. Her marriage to Joe DiMaggio was short lived and apparently abusive, after he grew increasingly jealous of the attention his wife received by millions of men across the world. Her second husband, the playwright Arthur Miller was more stable and secure, yet after Monroe had an affair with the French actor Yves Montand in 1960, the marriage was badly damaged. During this time, the troubled yet beautiful star battled with anxiety, drug addiction and depression which caused her to sign into a clinic for three weeks.

Eventually, on August 5th, 1962, Monroe was found dead in her house after taking a subscription overdose of drugs. The mystery and uncertainty over her death has never properly been cleared up, with many conspiracy theories arising that she committed suicide and that the US President JFK ordered her death after their high profile affair. That day, a great actress was lost and Hollywood mourned her death deeply. What is amazing is that even though her film career spanned just over a decade, Monroe is the most recognized woman in the world and the iconic images of her are still very much relevant in today’s society. Let’s face it, everyone knows who Marilyn Monroe is... she is an everlasting part of cinematography. Her womanly curves, unusual for Hollywood at the time, beautiful face and delicate nature captivates audiences worldwide to this day and her movies are still admired and enjoyed more than ever.

There is no denying that I am a huge Marilyn fan, and find her life and death most fascinating and intriguing. Behind those big eyes and smiling mouth, there was a child trapped in a woman’s body who was unable to cope with her celebrity and found the negative effects of the press too much to handle. People only hear about the glamour of Monroe, from her sexy dresses to the bright red lipstick. Yet, the woman behind the facade was innocent and loving; a woman, who was in need of help, yet was denied the healing and mentoring she so desperately desired. Nevertheless, she is an icon, and this book proves what a fantastic actress she was, never to be forgotten...

Fendi Factfile

Natasha Poly modelling the s/s 2012 collection

Founded by: Adele Casagrande
Date founded: 1925 (Rome)
Current designers: Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Fendi
Best selling: the Baguette Bag
Best collection to date: s/s 2012
Website: www.fendi.com/

Fendi is one of the most loved and respected fashion houses in the world, evolving around Italian family values and passionate women. With a host of celebrity fans, including Cara Delevingne, Paris Hilton and Anna Dello Russo, Fendi always deliver fantastic collections every season, with so many exquisite pieces we just can't wait to own. And with the help of the man himself, Karl Lagerfeld, this fashion house is staying firmly on the Milanese catwalk radar.

Founded in 1925 by Edoardo and Adele Fendi as a fur and leather shop, nobody knew how great this small business would become. Now, Fendi is a firm fixture at Milan Fashion Week, has expanded into menswear, kids wear, eye wear and even does a successful line of perfumes, particularly Fan di Fendi which launched in 2010. Sarah Jessica Parker even carried around her little Baguette Bag while playing Carrie Bradshaw on the set of Sex and the City. Whereas Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, Kelly Rowland and Rihanna are also huge fans of Fendi handbags, and who can blame them? Neat and compact the Baguette Bag is a style staple fit for any womans wardrobe, even if it will set you back a couple of grand!

So, who is the ideal Fendi woman? Well, she is defiantly someone very chic and cool, with a love for fur and quirky pieces. Eg. The cute Lagerfeld bag shown in last seasons show! With geometric patterns, beautifully tailored jackets and fantastic cocktail dresses, Fendi suits the everyday stylish, working woman - not the A Lister stalking the red carpet. From the sunglasses to the knee high boots and of course the iconic Fendi logo, this brand is instantly recognisable with a certain swagger that only they can muster up. As for colours, classic is best. Tan, brown, cream and black are all hot Fendi colours as well as occasional bright bursts of vibrancy as seen in the spring summer 2014 campaign, featuring Cara Delevingne and Saskia de Brew. Loud and proud however is not Fendi's moto; more subtle and chic.

On a more personal level, the first Fendi experience I had was in Harrods when shopping with my sister. While browsing the international designer collections, we happened upon the most amazing Fendi fur coat, which has to be the most soft and luxurious coat I've ever had the privilege to touch!! Covered head to toe in black and white fur, it reminded me of Cruella DeVille, but in a good way! From then on, Fendi has been a form favourite of mine. As we loudly exclaimed our pleasure at this amazing masterpiece, we glanced at the price... £56,000!!!!!

Dolce & Gabbana: Alta Moda

La Dolce Vita. Crystal clear blue waters, deckchairs dotted along the sand and a swarm of hot fashionistas sitting front row. This was the amazing backdrop to the latest Dolce and Gabbana Alta Moda collection shown in none other than Capri. As 250 guests, which included a European Princess and several rich aristocrats, descended upon the island on little boats, the Dolce and Gabbana experience truly started. As for the collection, which starts at $41,000, it was a never ending fairy tale of beautiful ornate clothes. Embroidered hoods, huge ballgowns and studded gladiator sandals, every single piece was exquisite and amazing! It is such a shame that the show is not recorded live for all audiences, but this kind of couture is strictly for the fashion elite. O, how we do like to be beside the seaside...

Haute Couture 2015 Week Round-up

From Victor & Rolf to Chanel, Versace to Elie Saab - the Haute Couture 2015 Paris collections were full of wonderful fairytale moments. With A-list celebrities such as Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson and Jennifer Lopez sitting front row at various collections, designers offered us some amazing moments (Conchita at Gaultier!) with rather hefty price tags.

Versace opened the week in style. Crimson ball gowns, daring corsets and plunging necklines added a little Italian glamour to the normally chic Paris catwalks, with Donatella doing what she does best: va va voom. There were some lovely wearable pieces in the collection, such as the simple yet stylish ensemble that JLo wore to the show. Another Italian designer, Giorgio Armani gave us a spell binding show too. Armani, the king of minamilst chic, went for classy elegance with masculine tailoring and plenty of fiery red colours which set the runway on fire. In fact, I think that this collection was one of the best Armani Prive shows I have ever seen, with all models styled to perfection, with the amazing colours complementing each other beautifully. Large shearling coats, spotty prints and swinging prom dresses look likely to be a firm fixture in customers wardrobes, according to Armani.

Elie Saab, as always, took us away on a fairytale story into the fashion unknown. You can't help but be drawn into any Saab show, as the gowns are absolutely to die for, with crystals, sequins and sheer fabrics tailored to the highest quality. Valentino was also divine, with Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paulo Piccollo inspired by the ancient Greek silhouettes of another lifetime. Column dresses and soft pastel colours took centre stage, as they did at Vionnet and Dior too. Raf Simmons at Dior went for classic 1950's style, with yet again another great collection, just right for the prestige Dior customer.

And who could forget Chanel? With subtle hints of Victoriana and Charles Dickens, this collection was beautiful yet strong with Lagerfeld giving us permission to basically wear strappy sandals with any couture dress for next year. The usually oranate and OTT Chanel catwalk was for once, quite boring with all attention based around the clothes, which I have to admit was a nice change. Ulyana Sergeenko was a surprise collection, with the newly emerged Russian designer giving us a grown up, defined couture collection. Rita Hayworth could have slipped into any of these dresses, with strong references to the 1940's and Hollywood glamour. Models shimmered down the catwalk in metallic fabrics, fur stoles and silk gowns as particular attention was paid to the female waist and ways to flatter it. This woman, is most definatly one to watch.

However, my favoutire collection of the week has to go to Giambattista Valli. If I had to describe this show in 3 words I would simply say: Beautiful, delicate and feminine. Every look was a feast for the eyes, with floral gowns, striped suits and 50's skirts making quite a point on the catwalk. All models wore rounded sunglasses with cotton scarfs tied around the head which looked chic and flattered the overall ambiance of the show sublimely. The violet colours stood out against the dramatic black key hole gowns, which mirrored a classy Cruella deVille while the fur coats looked cosy and very fashionable. It was the last couple of dresses of the collection which literally stole the show. Huge puffball skirts billowed out in dip dye colours of lemon, pink and turquoise green while tops were centred around the classic white shirt. I'm not entirely sure where you would wear gowns like this, except maybe the red carpet, however nobody can deny how jaw-dropping they were.

Overall, the Haute Couture 2015 catwalk shows were fantastic. My only complaint? They should go on forever...

Haute Couture Week Latest

Christian Dior Couture

 

Raf Simmons presented the fashion pack with a spell binding show, full of pastel colours and feminine pleated skirts. It was evident that Christian Dior's iconic 'new look' was at the forefront of the collection, with many cinched in waists and flowing skirts, straight from the 1950's. Yes, you could just imagine Grace Kelly waltzing into a ballroom while wearing one of these dresses, as they were fit for a princess! The collection started with lots of white pieces then moved into more masculine tailoring with trouser suits and cigarette pants taking charge, perhaps showing the contrast between masculine and feminine modes of dress. Nevertheless, this was a dazzling show, full of sparkle and wonder which is what couture is all about really.

Giambattista Valli Couture

This has to be my favoutire show so far at this current couture fashion week. As I scrolled down my iPhone going through the Valli runway looks, I was mentally transported to another world, as this collection embodied a beautiful fairytale story. Flowers were stictched onto delicate cocktail dresses, floral prints adorned floor length gowns while the striped motif which ran thorughout the collection was a stunning alternative to girly dressing. A simple shirt, was the inspiration for this show, with all models wearing white cloth around their heads, stylish sunglasses and an air of elegance and beauty. All the colours seemed to role effortlessly together, especially towards the end when four feathered ballgowns floated down the catwalk, with a dip-dye quality which I personally have never seen before. The mixing of old and new, light and dark, masculine and feminine was particularly fantastic, and I could literally snap up this whole collection quite easily if I was a multi millionaire! Simply divine...

 Chanel Couture

 Charles Dickens. That was apparently the inspiration for this Chanel Couture show, with subtle references to the famous Artful Dodger and Victorian London. Karl Lagerfeld kept things rather simple for this collection (there were no supermarkets present!) Yet, the clothes spoke for themselves, with high necklines, tweed ensembles and pure white silk dresses. Kendall Jenner once again walked for Chanel, spreading the Kardashian's power further into the luxury fashion world, while all models wore delicate sandals, side satchels and wonderful detailed dresses. I have to admit, this was not one of my favourite Chanel Couture collections, as it just didn't have that surprise and beauty which past shows have held. However, Lagerfeld it still on top of his game, as he walked out a pregnant model at the end of the show! Lets face it, nobody does couture like Chanel...

Atelier Versace

Versace kicked off Couture Fashion Week in a dark yet elegant style, with Donatella paying reference to the beautiful ball gowns of the 1950's. Models graced the catwalk in subdued blues, violets and blacks with sleek hair and make up to add extra glamour. As always with Versace, this was couture done the sexy, Italian way with daring corsets, skintight bodices and revealing skirts - just right for stars like Jennifer Lopez, who was sitting on the front row. I loved the monochrome looks with fur detailing, which had a kind of Cruella deVille feel about them, in a good way though! Dramatic, hot and stunning, Versace certainly delivered an electrifying show!

Victoria Beckham: A Woman on a Mission

Who could imagine Victoria Beckham strolling around the countryside in a pair of green Wellington boots and a wheelbarrow? Well, for the August issue of British Vogue, she does just that photographed by the famous Patrick Demarchiler. This more natural, relaxed take on the always serious Victoria is defiantly something new for Vogue, as a reporter was given privileged access to shadow the fashion designer for a whole week, which you can read about in the magazine. With two collector covers and beautiful photographs, this is a Vogue you really don't want to miss.

As for the cover star herself... Victoria Beckham is a fashion icon, as well as the other half of David! As she turned 40 in April this year, it's plain to see just how much this woman has accomplished starting with her career with the spice girls. Mother, singer (not one of the best I have to say!), designer, celebrity, wife and buisness woman, is there anything this lady cannot do. Her first flagship store is due to open in Mayfair later this year which is very exciting and her career in fashion is reaching new heights every single day! Victoria's on a mission, and it looks like there is no stopping this woman...