Red Carpet Style: Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is one of Hollywood's biggest stars and one of fashion's most famous faces. The face of J'adore Dior perfume since 2004, she is instantly recognisable the world over from the iconic adverts, yet Theron is also an Oscar winner, a keen charity worker, a mother of two and of course, very stylish when it comes to her fashion sense. She has recently been pulling out all the stops on the red carpet for the Fast and Furious 8 premieres in which she stars opposite Vin Diesel, but then again Charlize rarely gets in wrong in the fashion stakes.

Born in 1975 and raised in South Africa, Theron had early hopes of becoming a model moving to Italy when she was just 16 to pursue her dream, later switching to ballet which saw her move to New York to study full time. After a knee injury forced her to stop dancing, Charlize jumped on a plane to LA to find a job in Hollywood - as you do. Luckily for her it wasn't too difficult. Some of her early films included 'The Devil's Advocate,' 'Mighty Joe Young' and 'The Cider House Rules.' But it wasn't until 2003 and her steller performance in 'Monster' that people really began to take note of Theron. She would go on to win the Best Actress Oscar at the Academy Awards for her role (the first South African ever to do so) as well as a Golden Globe and Screen Actor's Guild Award. It was during this time that Charlize landed her million dollar endorsement deal with Christian Dior, whom she is still brand ambassador to all these years later.

More recently we have seen Charlize in a string of big box office movies, such as 'Snow White and the Huntsman,' 'Mad Max: Fury Road' and 'Prometheus.' Outside of her busy role as a Hollywood icon, Theron is mother to two adopted children. Personally, I think Charlize Theron is one of the best dressed stars. Yes, I know she has a very good stylist and has all the Dior gowns in the world to choose from, but she carries everything with such grace and elegance (thanks mainly due to her model frame) that many celebrities just can't muster these days. Whether it be at the Oscars, BAFTA's or at Cannes, Theron favours sweeping gowns which highlight her endless legs and golden tan. Who can forget that sparkly Gucci dress she wore to collect her Oscar in 2004? Or that red Dior gown in 2016, complete with wavy old Hollywood glamour hair? She just always seems it get it right when it comes to fashion, which is not easy considering her choice of outfits. Bold colours (I'm talking canary yellow and teal here), thigh high splits, metallic mini dresses... these looks read as a fashion disaster but not for Theron.

Prints seem to be a no go for Charlize. Instead, simple colours rule the roost with her hair often coifed to the side or slicked back. Everything is just very classy and sophisticated when it comes to her red carpet style, similar to fellow Dior ambassador's Natalie Portman and Jennifer Lawrence. I loved the pale pink gown she wore to the Golden Globes in 2012, which she paired with a matching hairband and clutch bag. There's just too many great red carpet moments to choose from when it comes to this 41 year old actress, but I have managed to pick a few favourites which you can see below. See if you can decide on a favourite - trust me, it's not easy!

Couture comes to Chatsworth

Chatsworth House in Derbyshire has housed some of the most fashionable women English society has ever laid eyes upon. And now for the first time in the stately home’s history, Chatsworth, home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, is staging its largest ever exhibition celebrating some of those stylish ladies, in ‘House Style: Five Centuries Of Fashion At Chatsworth.’

Curated by couture enthusiast and editor at large of American Vogue, Hamish Bowles, the exhibition brings together a variety of special Haute Couture pieces as well as clothes treasured by the Cavendish family who have lived at Chatsworth for generations. Gowns by Jean-Phillipe Worth, Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen feature inside while Gucci and Vetements make a surprise appearance too. Gucci shot their Cruise 2017 collection in the gardens of Chatsworth and are also the main sponsors of the exhibition which charts the outfits of the famous women who have swept through the house’s halls - the most famous being Georgiana the 5^th Duchess of Devonshire. Described as the “Empress of Fashion,” Georgiana was a national style icon and socialite during the eighteenth century. And a fun fact for you, she was also the great-great-great-great-aunt of Princess Diana, another woman known for her immaculate sense of style. 

As well as Georgiana, model Stella Tennant, granddaughter of Andrew Cavendish the 11th Duke of Devonshire, Adele Astaire, sister to Fred, and the notorious Mitford sisters are just a few other famous names whos clothes are featured in the exhibition. For those of you who were wondering, the six Mitfords sisters were the Kardashians of their day. The siblings were the cause of widespread controversy through their dalliances with Adolf Hitler, politician Oswald Mosley and Esmond Romilly, Winston Churchill's nephew. Nobody could have accused them of being boring.

“Chatsworth is a real treasure house and the characters of generations of Cavendish family members who have peopled its rooms and gardens and landscapes is revealed as vividly through their choice of clothing and adornments, as through the canvases and lenses of the great artists and photographers who have memorialised them through the centuries,” Hamish Bowles told Vogue regarding the exhibition. Fashion, art, history… what’s not to love?

House Style: Five Centuries Of Fashion At Chatsworth is open until the 22^nd October, 2017.

Here Come the 'VOGUE' Boys

So, I take a holiday and what happens? All is a change at Vogue... across the world. Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz was fired from Vogue Arabia after less than 12 months and replaced with Manuel Arnaut, former editor of GQ Portugal. Shocking and a little harsh. And of course the BIG news, Edward Enninful was named as the new editor in chief of British Vogue, when Alexandra Shulman leaves in a few months. That means that men are now at the helm of three international issues of Vogue (British, Italia and Arabia) with lots of exciting new prospects to come. Even though Vogue is womens fashion magazine, having a male boss instead of a female one is always a bold but brave move and I really think this is a very exciting time for the world famous magazine brand.

I was surprised to hear about Enninful's appointment at British Vogue. But really there is no one with more experience than Enninful. His work as fashion director at i-D when he was only 18 years old was magnificent, and really quite unheard of for someone so young. His shoots for W Magazine are just as captivating, especially those with Rihanna, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. He is not just a stylist, he understands what it takes to run a magazine and inject beauty, controversy and fantasy into editorials. And lets face it, British Vogue is in desperate need of a lift at the moment. As someone who has read the fashion Bible for years as well as interned there, I think that the magazine needs a new sense of direction, more excitement, more swagger. That may not be very British, but there is something missing at the moment which casts the magazine aside compared to its heavyweight competitors American Vogue, Vogue Paris and Vogue Italia. I can't wait to see what Enninful does at British Vogue and I have no doubt it will be a very interesting dynamic. One things for sure, he's not lacking in fashion industry contacts. 

I used various images from the 2012 W Magazine shoot 'Good Kate, Bad Kate' with Kate Moss and styled by Enninful for my dissertation. The images were just so intriguing and visually beautiful that I couldn't help but dissect their hidden meanings. But there are so many extraordinary shoots Enninful has worked on. See a few of my favourites below - I would have loved to add more but then we would be here forever. 
 

W Magazine March 2012, styled by Edward Enninful and featuring Kate Moss.

Vogue Italia, 2005, Couture shot by Steven Meisel and styled by Enninful.

Rihanna, Naomi Campbell and Iman for W Magazine

Prada Iconoclasts, styled by Edward Enninful.

Rihanna for W Magazine, September 2016.

W Magazine February 2014.

i-D magazine, styled by Enninful.

Feel the Heat with Chanel Cruise 2017

Seeing as I am going on holiday next week (to sunny Spain) I am very much in the holiday spirit at the moment. There's no ad campaign that will get you in the mood for summer than the Chanel Cruise 2017 season, inspired by Havana. Even though it was released a little while ago, I have only just fully discovered how atmospheric it is. The colours, the scenery, the styling, everything is just so beautiful. Shot by Karl Lagerfeld himself, the campaign features Mica Arganaraz in day time looks strolling along the beach or alongside a traditional doorway and Stella Tennant in stunning evening looks in dramatic monochrome. The whole shoot is breathtaking and extremely youthful for Chanel, which makes a nice change. See the ad campaign in all its glory below and feel the summer spirit of 2017.

See the Chanel Cruise 2016/17 show below (it's not one to be missed!)

A Moan a Day Keeps Stress Away

Why is life so complicated? Nothing is ever easy. When I was younger my biggest problems were making sure I had the latest Nintendo DS, the one that all my friends had, or not being able to go to my friends party because I was on holiday. Can you imagine the drama? Now, just over a decade later I am weeks away from finishing my BA Hons Fashion Journalism degree and finding a job once I graduate while juggling my current part time job in London. On top of that, I have very unwisely booked 3 holidays within 2 months of each other not figuring that I need this valuable time to organise my life, literally. So yes life is stressful but I am indeed guilty of adding to that stress myself. I keep telling myself things could be worse (and yes they could be really, truly awful) but I suppose I am just having a moan. Brits apparently moan on average 7 times a day, so here goes.

Let me tell you about my third year at university. First of all it has flown by, and I mean really sped along terrifyingly fast. After the dissertation (hell on earth), needless presentations, planning upon planning upon planning for my FMP - final major project - I haven't really had a chance to enjoy my third and final year in education. I'm not planning on doing a masters after this, you've got to be joking. Our FMP, the big final project which has loomed hauntingly on the horizon for two years is upon me. We, my fellow classmates and I, must create a magazine, each. What a lot of fun you must be thinking. How creative, clever and... EASY. You have no idea how stressful, time consuming, frustrating and just difficult this project is. From start to finish it has been a headache because when you create a print magazine on your own, with no support and no team, there is a lot of work to do. You must create the content, written and imagery, organise the photo-shoots, commission illustrators and contributors, choose advertising, pay for images, organise the printing costs, design the layout... the list is endless. As I write this I am waiting for InDesign to finish downloading on my laptop. 

There is a lot to do basically. And it's an expensive process. As well as spending £9000 a year on uni fees you also have to fund the magazine yourself. A friend of mine spent £200 on one shoot. Yes, one photo shoot. I'm not planning on selling my magazine to other retailers and have no intention of making an issue 2 of the publication (I'd rather slit my wrists) so this magazine will serve as a nice portfolio to take to future job interviews. And of course it's something to show my grandchildren when I'm 80 and past it all, struggling to remember why I was so stressed making it. 

We all have stress in our lives. Things are tough, and in London more so. But when this magazine project is over in just over a month, I will shake off that stress, live life and smile at my graduation knowing that all my hard work paid off. 

PS. When inDesign finished loading on my Mac, I picked up my laptop while holding a cup of coffee in the other hand. Because of my awkward grip I held it in while trying not to spill my drink, I accidentally pulled the screen back and now it won't work :) Peace out.

Waiting to go on holiday like...

Vogue Japan: If I were a Rich Girl

The month of March wouldn't be complete if I didn't fan girl over a Giampaulo Sgura shoot. The photographer, and regular Vogue Japan contributor, is in my humble opinion one of the most talented photographers working in fashion industry right now. His stunning editorials which are often styled by another hero of mine Anna Dello Russo, are captivating, enchanting, beautiful and never fail to portray a sumptuous narrative. 

I came across this particular shoot titled 'All the Rich Girls can Have' by chance while scrolling through Pinterest. This editorial is a few years old from the October 2012 issue of Vogue Japan, styled by Dello Russo and starring Dutch model Ymre Stiekema as a very glamorous Marie Antoinette. The looks are incredible, with pieces by Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Dolce and Gabbana, Balmain and Alberta Ferreti to name just a few, while the huge candy floss wigs placed on Ymre's head recall the decadent regency style of late1700s. I love the elaborate settings in no other than the Palace of Versailles, stylish angles and fun, lady like feel of the whole shoot which Sgura captures beautifully. Take a look at the stunning photographs below and be transported back in time to a period of wealth, prosperity and of course, rich girls...

She Wears the Trousers

It may surprise you that actress Katharine Hepburn won a staggering four Academy Awards during her Hollywood career - more than even the great Meryl Streep. Hepburn was nominated 12 times overall for the acclaimed Oscars, but it was her acting roles in 'Morning Glory,' Guess who's Coming to Dinner,' 'The Lion in Winter' and 'On Golden Pond' which won her the jackpot, four times. It's a great trivia fact just because it's so unexpected. Katharine Hepburn was one of the great Hollywood actresses in the 1940s and 50s with a career which spanned right up to the 80s and beyond, giving her a huge 60 year time span in the movie business. She made her last screen appearance in 1994, and passed away in 2003 aged 96. If you don't know an awful lot about Hepburn (and often confuse her with Audrey) then keep reading - she was quite a character and most importantly - extremely stylish creating a look for herself unlike any other actress at the time.

With Cary Grant on set.

Katharine Houghton Hepburn was born on the 12th May 1907 to wealthy parents in Connecticut. A tomboy as child, Hepburn grew up with her six siblings with a particular penchant for golf, before deciding that acting was what she wanted to do during her college years. In 1921, Hepburn came home to find her brother had hung himself and died - an incident which deeply effected the budding actress and made her extremely suspicious and shy of just about everybody, even her friends. After this traumatic experience, she went into theatre productions, often getting fired from plays, and it wasn't until she was 25 in 1932 that Hollywood picked her up to star in 'A Bill of Divorcement' with John Barrymore. After the success of that movie, Hepburn went on to film 'Morning Glory' and a personal favourite of hers 'Little Women' where she played Jo March. The 1930s weren't great for Hepburn. She made a lot of movies which failed at the box office and she soon fell out of favour with Hollywood bosses.

But, in 1939, Hepburn made one of her most famous films 'The Philadelphia Story' which was a massive success. From then on the reviews were positive, with movies such as 'Bringing up Baby,' 'The African Queen' with Humphrey Bogart and 'Woman of the Year' all cementing Hepburn's acting legacy. I could go on to list all of Katharine's movies but there really are so many of them it would bore you silly. But what I liked about Hepburn was that she was so different from other Hollywood actresses. She was immensely private, and only ever married once at the start of her career aged 21, even though her 26 year affair with Spencer Tracey was widely publicised. She had no children too. But her style is something to celebrate.

Hepburn loved her trousers, favouring high cut styles with silky blouses. In a time when women were expected to dress like women and men expected to dress like men, Katharine broke all the rules and was considered a style icon by many for her unconventional sense of fashion. Her tomboy style, flat shoes, messy hair and love of tailoring was indeed inspiring and very different. Of course, it helped that she was tall and could carry off these long, lean lines. But she was glamorous too, with her wavy brown hair and evening dresses which many women copied after seeing her style on screen. She was different and people like different - a little like Lady Gaga's appeal today.

Katharine Hepburn isn't one of my favourite actresses of the Golden Age of Hollywood, but I have to acknowledge her incredible sense of style. And seeing that it was International Women's Day this past Wednesday, why not celebrate Hepburn as an early female movie legend - doing whatever she wanted (often demanding a lot of money for her movie parts) and sticking to her rules in an industry which was, and still is, run by men. She is an inspiration to women all over the world and her four Oscars are something which just can't be ignored - stylish and talented rolled into one.