Smoke Screen

(tfs)

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Dare to Dream

When news broke of Kate and William's wedding, I, like every other blogger on the planet, compiled a list of what dress she should wear for the big day.  My list included Elie Saab and Marchesa  as safe choices, because, lets face it, Kate Middleton is no style icon no matter how hard the press may push it.  I also included Erdem, as it was likely that she would choose a British desinger. 

Also in my list, I included a dress from the Spring Summer collection of Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton's debut.  Underneath, I wrote: "unlikely but I can dream right?"

Well.

Front page of the Sunday Times this morning was the story that Sarah Burton is designing Kate's wedding dress.  The Sunday Times is no The Sun, or Daily Mail, the newspaper actually researches their articles so I'm not taking this as rumour.  I'm taking this as fact.

Our future Queen will get married in McQueen.

Sarah Burton actually designed Camilla Parker-Bowles daughter-in-laws' dress in 2005, so why Burton's name was not mentioned more is completely beyond me.  It's pretty much a "doh" moment isn't it?  Word from McQueen camp is staunch denial but they cannot comment until the Palace does and the big dress will not be revealed until the big day.

McQueen's show is on Tuesday so expect more denials and "no comments" from Burton and her team. 

As for the dress, it's very unlikely it'll be quite so avant-garde as McQueen.  Obviously it will be white, probably quite traditional so as not to cause a big fuss but I imagine it'll have lovely details, maybe embroidery, an interesting cut perhaps? We will have to speculate for now until the end of April.  This wedding suddenly got more interesting.

The Week Ahead

(tfs/fakingfashion/modelcouture)

Californian Casual

(tfs)



Fashion's Best Defence

Well, what a week for fashion it's been.  Milan showcased strong collections oozing the sex and glamour it's known for and now we turn to Paris where the heavyweights of fashionprovide us with an inspiring finale.  Paris was also the scene of another big fashion moment, with the implosion of John Galliano's tenure at Dior.  Allegedly intoxicated, Galliano hurled racial and anti-semitic abuse at a Jewish woman and her Asian boyfriend. 

Over the last few days Galliano's week has gone from bad to worse, with an arrest, additional charges levelled against him because of his racist behaviour and an incriminating video that chillingly depicts Galliano declare his love for Hitler.

Unsurprisingly, Galliano has since been fired from Dior, he has made a public apology and announced he is going to rehab, although what for is at the moment unclear.  Additionally, Natalie Portman, currently being lavished in positive press due to her recent personal announcements and Oscar win, has announced she is severing all ties with Galliano - although not Dior itself which suggests she plans to continue as it's face. 

Currently Lagerfeld, Armani, Menkes and Sozzani are the only high profile members of the industry to speak out, yet stunningly, their defences are not "defences" but range from excuses to whispers of conspiracy. 

What seems to be the most shocking in this whole situation is not a talented designer's demise, it is the reluctance of the fashion industry to condemn it.

Menkes, while she does condemn his behaviour, laments the use of video-phones and the high pressure placed on Galliano -as if that was an excuse for his deporable behaviour.  Armani follows a similar vein, again citing pressure as a reason for his comments and saying "I am also very sorry that they videotaped him without him knowing", blaming modern technology and the instantly accessible nature of modern news for Galliano's mistakes. 

But it's not just with Galliano where the fashion industry has fallen silent.  A year ago claims against Terry Richardson branded him a sexual predator with numerous models approaching the Jezebel website with claims against his inappropriate behaviour.  Richardson was also publicly confronted by Rie Rasmussen, a Danish model who claimed the controversial photographer abused his position of power to harrass women. 

Constantly featured in high fashion magazines such as Vogue and it's counterparts and fixated on fetishistic photoshoots where models suck on lollipops and other phallic imagery, it's not hard to imagine these claims as true.  Yet nothing ever came of the allegations and Richardson continues to work.  As, no doubt, will Galliano in a year's time after a healthy time away from the industry and a chance to form a PR strategy.

Fashion is a billion dollar industry, one that holds incredible clout.  Yes, at the end of the day it is just clothes but with figures like Anna Wintour, Kate Moss and Marc Jacobs becoming household names, it is shameful that the industry does not speak out about these incidents.  Celebrated and profitable these Galliano might be, one cannot excuse racist behaviour. 

The fashion industry should own up and speak out, if not for being the decent thing to do, then at risk of being accused of holding such deplorable beliefs as well.

(googleimages)

What's your reaction to Galliano's comments and firing?  Are any of you shocked by the industry's silence, or do you disagree?

Hail Mary

 

Last season, Mary Katrantzou wowed the audience of her London Fashion Week show with her intricate prints and strong silhouettes.  While other designers concentrated on a minimal look with little print and colour, Katrantzou was a true patron of London Fashion Week's individuality and creativeness.  Critics of LFW argue that the collections are not as wearable, or more importantly, saleable than it's New York, Milan and Paris counterparts.  Katrantzou takes unwearable and unsaleable clothes to it's limit, using extradionary and at times garish print on lampshade skirts and structured tops.  Yet, somehow, it works. 

This season she softened those strong lampshade skirts into more wearable shapes, teamed midi-length dresses with eye-popping colour, high necked tops (a big trend this season) with surrealist and dada prints.  Last season Katrantzou offered us the view from her window, this season she concentrated on the antiques and collectibles in her room, porcelain tea pots, ethnic tapestries and Chinese bowls.  Styled together it was a myriad of print that pushed its limit, showing an excess with jarring images and shapes in one look.

Yet deconstructed Katrantzou's work is not just one for the collectors, editorials and the Anna Dello Russo's of this world.  Printed cardigans, skirts, trousers and shoes are bold enough to be teamed with plainer clothes for the more apprehensive customer, while a beautiful long-sleeved knee length dress in soft purple flower prints will appeal to the Erdem lover. 

But the highlight of the collection were the short dresses in playful shapes with skirts that jutted out from the hip and tight bodices.  Adorned with a myriad of print they were Katrantzou's show pieces, the ones the critics will be talking about for the next year.  Last season I did not think anything could be as exciting as what she produced, yet Katrantzou has simultaneously made her work more wearable and more thrilling in a single collection.  I cannot wait to see what she does next.

(style.com)