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Paris
Alexander McQueen Retrospective Part 6: Spring 2004
In tribute to Lee Alexander McQueen, I have been posting a retrospective of past collections, from a SwingFashionista perspective. The best of Alexander McQueen for retro-loving folk. May he rest in peace. In part 6, my top picks from the Spring 2004 ready-to-wear show. This show was quite the spectacle:
The show – staged in the Salle Wagram, a nineteenth-century Parisian dance hall – was an exuberantly hilarious reenactment of Sydney Pollack’s Depression-era film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Choreographed by Michael Clark over two weeks of intensive rehearsals in London, the narrative involved dancers, models, and audience in a visceral celebration of exquisitely glamorous clothes.
Tagged: 2004, Alexander McQueen, catwalk, collection, costume, dance, fashion, Paris, show, spring, sydney pollack, they shoot horses don't they
Christian Dior Spring 2010 Haute Couture
From Fashion Wired Daily:
“Tally ho Dior!
Equestrian chic was the big news in Christian Dior’s spring haute couture show Monday afternoon, Jan. 25, in Paris, where the house’s couturier John Galliano looked to find ladies who hunted, rather than lunched.
Specifically, Galliano referenced the late 19th century women who inspired Charles James, the neo-classical American designer whose more extravagant shapes also inspired Monsieur Christian Dior himself when he developed the 1947 New Look show, one of the most influential collections ever made.”
Here are some of my favorites:
[Photos: Catwalking.com/Wireimage]
Tagged: Christian Dior, equestrian, Haute Couture Collections, Paris, Spring 2010
Caron Paris Powder Puffs
Caron Paris produces gorgeous old-fashioned powder puffs with real swan down. Aren’t they divine? The photo directly below is from Dita Von Teese’s dressing table, as Caron Paris created a powder puff in crimson red in honor of Dita and her show “Lazy” at the Crazy Horse Paris this year. The puff is now known as the “Dita”.
Tagged: Caron, Dita Von Teese, Paris, powder, puff
Luisa Beccaria Spring 2010: Top Picks
For the most part, the majority of the pieces in the collection were fairly shapeless, which is a turnoff for me, but these four looks combined the Luisa Beccaria signature wallpaper florals and pretty pastels, with a feminine 1940s-50s shape, so I might imagine wearing them.
Tagged: blue, floral, Luisa Beccaria, Paris, pastel, pink, Ready to Wear, RTW, Spring 2010
Steven Meisel for Vogue September 2007, Grace Coddington, and the new Vogue documentary The September Issue
This beautiful shoot entitled Paris Je T’aime from the 2007 Vogue September issue was photographed by Steven Meisel, and styled by Grace Coddington. The models are Coco Rocha, Guinevere Van Seenus, Caroline Trentini, Sasha Pivovarova, Gemma Ward and Agyness Deyn.
Grace Coddington is in fact Vogue’s Creative Director, and is in charge of most of the fashion shoots. If you’re interested in her (and the almighty Anna Wintour) and Vogue in general, then you might want to check out the new documentary, The September Issue:
I haven’t seen it yet, but reviews are good, and it sounds like Grace Coddington is as much the star as Anna Wintour herself. In the New York Times, the director R.J. Cutler said, “[Anna] is cool, [Grace] is warm and languid,” he said. “Anna is all about ‘next,’ and Grace is most interested in a historical perspective on art and fashion.” Sounds like our kind of lady!
Here’s a fun article on the subject over at Gawker: How Grace Coddington Stole The September Issue From Anna Wintour
Drop a comment if you’ve seen the documentary!
Categories: In MagazinesTagged: 1920s, 1930s, Anna Wintour, cafe, fashion, film, flapper, France, French, Gemma Ward, Grace Coddington, Paris, Steve Meisel, The September Issue, thirties, twenties, vogue