Where Art and Fashion Collaborate

I was looking around Elle.com's "Need to Know Designers" section again and came upon this marvel: Elsa Schiaparelli.  A designer with no formal training, she transformed the way designers look at fashion between the two World Wars.  She was born and raised in Italy, but it wasn't until she moved to Paris with her daughter that her fashion career began.

She began her career with a determination to bring American-style sportswear to Europe's attention.  She designed simple, practical separates that suited the working woman, and soon she became famous for her sweaters that featured trompe l'oeil patterns.  Her designs attracted women like Greta Garbo, Katherine Hepburn, and Joan Crawford.

Although her earlier work is beautiful, I really enjoy her later, more avant-garde designs.  Schiaparelli designed in the age of Surrealism, and was inspired by artist friends, Man Ray, Salvator Dali, and Picasso to name a few.  Her elegant gowns and accessories were shocking at the time, much like Surrealist Art was.  One of her most famous pieces was the Lobster Dress, which featured a Dali lobster painted on the skirt.  I would assume that it was inspired by Dali's Lobster Phone. She was truly an artist at heart!

Lobster Dress

Dali's Lobster Phone

 

It's All About the Dress

It will be a warm, sunny day by the water.  Just a light breeze.  Some classy music will be playing in the background, something like Frank Sinatra or Harry Connick, Jr.  The tables will be white, the flowers yellow, and the ribbons a dark red.  The people will be drinking champagne and talking about how beautiful, and happy, she looks. 

Every girl dreams about her wedding day; not because of the special moment where you vow your love for one another, but because it is the one day in her entire life that is all about her!  At least, that's how I see it.... I get to pick out the location, the food, the tablecloths, the music, and, the best part, the dress.  It really is all about the dress.

After hearing about the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Elle.com decided to put up the pictures of its favorite brides, although it seems more likely that they were pictures of its favorite wedding dresses rather than brides, which is fine with me!  Personally, I love a classy, simple white dress, featured on the likes of Renee Zellweger, Mia Farrow, Jackie Kennedy, and Audrey Hepburn.

Renee Zellweger

Audrey Hepburn

Jackie Kennedy

Mia Farrow

 Not too much lace, never too many bows; simple hair and makeup; a small bouquet and a smile. Perfect.

Flowers in Winter

I found out recently that SHOWstudio, a shop in London featuring rare fashion artifacts from iconic fashion shows and catwalks, is currently presenting an exhibition called "Florist," dedicated to still life florals in the dead of winter and reinventing our view of flowers as art, fashion, and artifact.  It opened on November 10th and closes on January 13th, and I will be attending this weekend! 

Artists, fashion designers, models,  and musicians alike, including Dame Vivienne Westwood and Yohji Yamamoto, have created their own floral creations to contribute to the exhibition to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of SHOWstudio.com.  Floral artifacts, including garments, headpieces, and objets d'arts, will be featured in the exhibition.  I'm so excited to go check this out! 

I really love florals, who doesn't?  So it will be fun to see what these artists have come up with for the exhibition, as well as the vintage artifacts that will be presented.  If you're interested in vintage fashion and you are in London, go check out the Fashion Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  It is amazing, and it's so fun to wander through looking at all the styles of the past.  They have vintage Chanel, Ferragamo, Versace, and many more!  It's such a great gallery that I wish it was bigger!

There is also a fun market on Piccadilly Street called St. James' Market, just a five-minute walk from Piccadilly Circus!  I found some vintage watches, telescopes, and even African Masks!  Just some fun vintage things that may be fun to have on display in your apartment! It's definitely what I was thinking about when I was meandering through the courtyard browsing around the different vendors. 

Vintage

Vintage by ESP3726 featuring army shoes

Some of my favorite vintage items

Welcome to Polyvore!

Welcome to Polyvore! by ESP3726 featuring ray ban sunglasses

The red coat gives a pop of color, and I love the masculine trends going on right now, hence the briefcase purse.

One of the Few that I Like

There are very few celebrities turned models that I actually like.  One of the big reasons I love Italian Vogue over US Vogue is because they feature models on their covers rather than celebrities.  However, there is one celebrity turned model that I actually do like: Emma Watson.  She has that kind of natural, slightly awkward beauty that I really love to see in models, and she is really starting to come into her own in the fashion world.  Watson has been the face of Burberry and graced the covers of magazines such as Elle, Teen Vogue, and Marie Claire.  She has even started her own eco-friendly line, People Tree.

According to E!, Watson was recently approached by none other than Alberta Ferretti, wondering if she would be interested in working on an eco-friendly line for the Italian label.

As most of you probably know, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows premiered in London last week, and Emma Watson was looking fantastic with her new, very chic haircut and stylish little black dress.

At the Harry Potter premiere

Burberry

From Italian Vogue

It's Christmas Time in London!

As in London they don't celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas decorations are already up.  And as a big fan of the Christmas Season, I am embracing it!  From Christmas music to Christmas movies, I am celebrating early this year!  And the one thing I cannot wait to see: not the lights on Regent Street or the lights on Oxford Street, but John Galliano's Christmas Tree that will be displayed at Claridge's, a 5-star hotel in London.  Now, this isn't your ordinary Christmas Tree.  Just take a look at the tree he designed last year:

A frozen tropical tree

  Galliano's design for this year features an underwater theme, complete with coral, seahorses, jellyfish, and many other sea creatures.  He has such an unique eye, and I can't wait to see the final piece!  It will be unveiled on November 25, meaning that I will be taking my parents to see it since they will be here for Thanksgiving, whether they like it or not! 

The sketch for this year's tree

Some other events I plan to attend:

• The Rene Gruau exhibition at Somerset House, a celebration of the renowned illustrator, who created some of the most iconic fashion images of the 20th century; started November 10
• A talk by Albert Watson, Vogue photographer, on his several-decades-long career secrets at the Victoria and Albert Museum on November 23
• The Vintage Watson Opening at Hamilton's Gallery, a showcase of his most famous work, on November 26