FMP work

This week I have been inspired by Blake Lively.....

I really like the way Blake styled herself for her husbands movie premiere this week, she wore a Marios Schwab maroon mini dress, paired with a Burberry coat and Bottega Veneta shoes. I especially like the shoulder collar detail on the coat, it's a nice way to switch up a classic style.....

This week I have been inspired by Blake lively....

Blake lively is the modern Hollywood style icon, her style is so trend aware and completely original that she has become the muse of many famous designers. What I like so much about her style is that its always almost perfect but not quite, it always looks a little unfinished, which creates an effortless easy breezy kind of look. She is famed for her trademark dishevelled blonde hair which has become a style staple all on its own, but perhaps the thing I love the most about Blake Lively's style is that it's completely her own, she doesn't hire a stylist and always puts together her red carpet looks by herself, which in modern day Hollywood is a very rare thing to find....

This week I have been inspired by Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn is one of the biggest style icons in history, and arguably her greatest fashion moment was when she donned the all black Givenchy dress in the opening scenes of breakfast at tiffany's. I like this look because it's so effortlessly stylish, classic and timeless, the simplicity in the look is what makes it so key, this is one of the greatest fashion moments in history and paved the way for the one key item that every woman has in her wardrobe, the little black dress....

This week I have been Inspired by the oscars....

This week was the oscars so i have picked out some of my favourite red carpet looks from the event, my best dressed of the night was Amy Adams in Oscar De La Renta, the pastel colour works really well on her skin and the rufelled layered texture of the bottom adds a stylish quirk to the classic fairytale shape....

Charlese Theron in Dior Couture looked great, the look is very minimalistic, with simple hair and pure white, the only attention grabbing part of the dress is the peplum waist detail which was encrested in simple beading to add a bit of shine....

Salma Hayek was another star that stood out for me in Alexander McQueen, all of your attention instantly goes towards the gold embelleshed collar detail, which gives a unique edge to the look, i like this so much because its a bit more of a bold statement choice than your usual fantasy girly oscar gown....

Kerry Washington looked perfect for the oscars in a coral Mui Mui gown with a nude tulle bustier embelleshed with pailettes and crystals, the colour on this dress works really well because its not a completely attention grabbing choice which is perfect for someone who is not actually nominated, but still attending to suppourt their movie....

Special recognition goes to Jennifer lawrence who whore a Calvin Klein silver dress to the vanity fair oscars after party, this would have been my best dressed of the night if she had worn it to the actual ceremony. I feel this is a much better choice than the Dior Couture gown she wore to the awards, its more young fresh and definately the type of dress to wear when your centre stage and accepting the best actress award at the oscars....

This week i have been inspired by the grammys....

When i watched the Grammys this year barely anybody stood out to me on the red carpet, im surprised by how little it excited me this year and the main reason is because everybody played it safe, but two stars that did stand out for me were Rihanna and Kelly Rowland.

Firstly Rihanna in her custom made Azzadine Alaia gown, usually i'm not a fan of red on the red carpet but this time it genuinely worked, the colour is stunning and the sheer panels work really well showing decent amount of skin but in a subtle way, this is by far one of my favourite red carpet looks by rihanna because its an uncharacteristicly classy choice....

The reason I like the Geoges Chakra Gown worn by Kelly Rowland is the complete opposite to the reason i like the Rihanna look so much, its such a bold statement to make, the skin on show is so daring and so unexpected that it makes this dress my complete best dressed of the night, the way the sheer panels are cut create a unique edgy almost print like quality to the dress which makes it look just as much like a piece of art than a fashion statement. The black fabric was a perfect choice because any other colour would have completely overpowered the dress. I personally feel that this was the perfect way for someone who is usually seen as a side act to Beyonce to finally get some of the attention for once.....

 

This week I have been inspired by the Godfather

The Godfather is one of my favourite films of all time, the 1920's taylored style worn by Marlon Brando and Al Paccino in the film is so classic. Im really considering at as a theme for my final major fashion project in March. The only downside is how difficult it would be to create a tailored look, because of how intricate and precise you have to be to create a suit....

Contextual Influences

This week I was introduced to the work of Robert Mapplethorpe through this image, i really find this a strange image to look at because at first glance it just looks like your everyday fashion image, until you look closer and realise how hench and manly the model is posing, she looks like shes ready to get in a boxing ring, its not very flattering....

 

I was also shown this image by Richard Billingham, my teacher told me that the story behind the picture is that it was taken by a lower class student wo was studying at a high end university, and he was told to photograph his family, so he ended up with this picture which really shocked his peers and teachers, because their not used to seeing people living in these conditions. Well coming from someone who hasn't come from a well off background I can honestly say im not used to seeing people living in these conditions, this picture is completely revolting! The fact that anybody lives in these conditions is a complete joke, it has nothing to do with class or money in my oppinion, its just a matter of personal hygiene....

I really like this image by Annie leibovits, it was created for a "Once Upon A Time" photo spread in vogue, i really like the fantasy element in the image feel like it really tells a story through just one shot. The work of Annie Leibovits really inspires me, she is one of my favourite photographers, the images she creates are just breathtaking....

Ellen Von Unworth is one of my favourite fashion photographers, she is known for her way of creating images that celebrate women and sensuality. I love the way she makes women look effortlessly attractive, she often photographs them in simple settings but creates something that is so full of glamour and style....

Looking through the portfolio of Mario Testino it would be hard not to find your favourite famous face somewhere, he is one of the most celebrated fashion photogrophers in history, known for creating images that are stylish, slick and sexy all rolled into one. My personal favourite image of his is the image of Giselle that i have attatched, it is complete perfection, it has just the right amount of style, edgyness and subtilty for a fashion shot....

This week I have been inspired by Destiny's Child

 

 

 

 

 

This week was i watched the superbowl halftime show, i was really inspired by the leather designs worn by beyonce and destiny's child, in particular i really like the leather and lace garment worn by beyonce that was created by designer Rubin Singer. I really like the edgyness of the design, the combination of the leather and intricate lace cut outs is really stunning....

Top Five Designers Spring/Summer 2013

I really like Hedi Slimane's first womenswear collection for Saint lauren, i feel like he is really breathing new life into the label. With a new designer and new name comes a new look! the ss 13 collection is one of the best collections to come from the brand in a long time. The constant contrast in masculine and feminine styles are key to this collection, featuring skinny fit trouser suits and poetic style blouses complementing each other perfectly, with effortlessly stylish headwear to top it all off....

For me, there arent many designers that come before Valentino, his couture shows are always stunning, his ss 13 collection certainly didnt dissapoint. the show notes describe it as ‘the diaphanous albedo of a dream fades away, leaving behind a strong sense of wonder and breathtaking beauty.’ and i cant think of a better summary, the collection really is breathtaking, the softness and delicacey of the fabrics and the elegant lines in the tailored day wear created by piping are just a few of the wonders that stand out for me in this collection....

The Lanvin look for ss 13 is strong, structered and slick, its a bit of a departure from the usual, but i have to say that i love it, the brand has decided to forget about  ruffled dresses in favour of a more dark aggressive tone, the srtuctured shoulders on suit jackets and plunging necklines created a refreshingly fierce vibe for the brand that i hadnt previously pictured when i think of Lanvin, my favourite part of the collection had to be the accessories, the dramatic chokers that were paired with the satin dresses really finished the look off well....

Raf simmons first collection for Dior was probably the most anticipated show of french fashion week this season, and it really didnt dissapoint. It feels like a recreation of the vintage Dior woman in a more modern light, featuring blazer dresses, and floral 50s style skirts which are among my favourite pieces in the collection. My interest in the Dior brand as a whole has been highly rejuvinated and im very intrigued to see whats in store for the label in the future....

The Chanel show is always a highlight of fashion week for me, and this season was no different. Particularly standing out was the swimwear show, featuring the controversial "it bag" of the moment showcasing an abnormally sized hula hoop shape and classic cross stitched chanel padding. the bag itself I think is actually quite stunning and perfect for a beach getaway somewhere but quite a few critics seem to feel differently. one other chanel moment that stood out for me had to be the use of denim in the ready to wear shows, a paricular favourite of mine being the strapless denim dress modelled by Cara Delevingne....