why don't you be the artist

Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion.

So a group of us visited the Barbican last friday as part of our course, we went to see an exhibition that is basically the first exhibition in Europe to meticulously survey avant-garde Japanese fashion; back from the 1980's up until today.

Some exhibitions can be tedious in the sense that walking around them takes alot of mental affort and after twenty minutes looking at clothing it can feel like twenty hours.

This however was nothing like that sort of experience; the general ambience was quite calming on the bottom floor, cream draped linen hung from the ceiling so that when walking around you couldn’t quite see the manikins until you walked through the curtains.

The lighting was generally quite dim to compliment the calming music and give and overall sense of serenity, it made looking at the clothing a lot easier as i felt more inclined to pay attention without feeling like it was taking a lot of effort.

Upstairs had a slightly different feel to it, instead of the cream curtain there were separate sections and the clothing was alot more upbeat and modern with the use of mirrors and projected videos echoing the modern feel.

Curated by the well renowned Japanese fashion historian Akiko Fukai , Director of the Kyoto Costume Institute, the display explores the ‘unique sensibility of Japanese design, and its sense of beauty embodied in clothing’.
It features iconic designers such as Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, who have been celebrated for their redefining designs and together will the ‘acclaimed’ Jun Takahashi and the ‘new generation of radical designers’ Tao Kurihara, Akira Naka and Mint Designs the mix made for interesting viewing.

The exhibition has now ended, but if you fancy looking at some photographs or a video from it check out the website by pasting this address into your tool bar.

http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=10771

book nerd.

I have always been a bit of an addict when it comes to books, spot the girl sat on her own in a coffee shop (drinking tea i might add) and that would be me, to some it’s a sad and stereotypical fate, but for a book loving teenager being sat on my own for a few hours hidden away was a perfect way to just chill out.

Getting ‘lost’ in a good book has been in fact lost in my list of things to do recently, but over Christmas I got back into it and now at the moment I have 2 books on my reading list.

The first is by one of my favourite authors, Philappa Gregory, I have always been a big fan of hers and of history (especially the tudor period) and have many of her books based on the tudor court.
So i chose a new book of hers which focused on a more modern plot based in rural England, a seemingly simple story about a mother and her daughter in laws' relationship develops into a complex thriller which i have found hard to put down. I didn't realize until i was searching for an image of the novel but it was actually made into a dramatisaion by ITV last year!

The second is the novel that recently was made into a film with Julia Roberts, written by Elizabeth Gilbert; the title Eat Pray Love’ conveys a sense of a spiritual journey and that’s exactly what the story has been described as.

I’m looking forward to reading it after I have finished ‘The Little House’, Gilbert has had great reviews from high fashion magazine Elle who commented that was a ‘a word of mouth bestseller’ and the guardian described it as ‘utterly of the moment’.

Happy *belated* New Year...

After a very lap hazard beginning to the new year I am finally sorting ‘life out’ and getting up together with the more important things such as, blogging, reading, socialising and updating ones wardrobe.

University of course has begun again and I am already feeling behind with everything, but oh well this week is going to be a productive week in the sense that I have purchased new accessories and clothing to go with my ‘2011 self’ which roughly translated means: it’s the new year and there are sales so what other reason is there to splurge the loan?

Anyway this is my first blog of 2011 and I have already broken my new years resolution of be better with money, I have come to terms with the fact that I am lame with money, I put want WAY before need therefore if there is an item of clothing that I must have I will buy that and then think about how to get money for the lesser important things such as food.

So for my first post of 2011 I thought I would do a list of things I have bought, want, etc..

New Purchases:

Topshop Brown Satchel £36

Primark Brown Brogue style shoes £6

New Look Cream Patterned Shirt £18

Things I want to Buy:

Urban Outfitters Swallow Hand Ring £8

Pins and Needles Dress, (Urban Outfitters) £48

H&M 'Urban Vibes' Jumpsuit £24.99

Super Sixties..

Since having my fringe cut in i have loved the idea of mirroring a sixties style...

It's apparant that this is not an original trend to follow; it has been reproduced over and over so many times through designers collections and magazine editorial photoshoots and i don't think this is at bad thing at all, i know sometimes it can get a bit repetitve when trends and eras are repeated in fashion but this is one style that will never fade..

Edie, Twiggy, Julie, Brigitte, Mary... all of these women had one thing in common, they were icons of their time:

Edie Sedgwick was a troubled innocent soul.

Twiggy was the first prominent teenage model.

Julie Christie an icon on the stage.

Brigitte Bardot was arguably the most famous sex-kitten of all time.

Mary Quant is best-known as the creator of the miniskirt

From 'magic school' to 'magical'..

Like everyone in society today i have been gobsmacked by the whirlwind change of Emma Watson, it seems only yesterday i was watching her thirteen year old self at the premiere of a Harry Potter film; a picture of pure innocence and naivety when it came to fashion.
Now cutting off her long hair seems to have liberated her and she looks aboslutely fantastic, pulling of a Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick mix of sex appeal and vulnerability.
The look is not easy but she successfully pulls this off combining it with her own twist on the iconic style.

The photographs below are from the December issue of Vogue (UK).

been lacking in motivation recently..

SO i have been terrible recently in keeping up to date with everything, blog, news, fashion, etc.. so i have decided to buck up my ideas and stay up to date.......

I've been looking at Vogue.co.uk daily and spotting the new trends this is definitely one of my favourites, i love the Shearling Jackets- wearing it over a flowery dress or something quite feminine makes the whole outfit look a little bit more grungy.

With the fur oversized collars and echoing a fighter plane pilot look (think Top Gun but for women) the Aviator theme has been seen all over catwalks for the Autumn/Winter 2010 collections.

I'm defnitely going to be buying into this trend even if i can't quite afford the jacket below by Burberry Prorsum...

Been looking at...

Been Listening to..

Eliza Doolittle,

Ellie Goulding,

John Mayer,

Florence and the Machine,

Jose Gonzalez,

Marina and the Diamonds,

Been dreaming of....

Ever since i read a book about Paris on holiday a few weeks ago i have been literally wanting to go back and visit Paris, obviously its one of the most beautiful cities in the world (standard) but its the little alley ways and back street cafes that i really want to visit..

i picture myself sitting in a coffee shop (with a cup of tea im afraid i have never been a big coffee drinker) reading a book and possibly wearing a beret? or is that too far a french dream? ha i dont know but i want to go....

"Kate represents the ultimate kind of woman - an icon of our times," Mario Testino.

So.. i havent manged to update my blog in a while as have had the crazy process of moving house and setting up interent, bils etc! It has been a bit manic but finally we are settled in and have fully functioning internet!

Anyway i was looking through August's issue of VOGUE this week and noticed that some of the stunning photographs taken by legendary photographer Mario Testino have been published on the coveted pages and my they are amazing. Kate Moss of course is one of the most iconic supermodels of all time it doesnt even need to be said outloud we all know it, but in these photos you see a vulnerability and more human side to her.

The photos catch her smoking cigerettes, lying naked, applying eyeliner whilst crouching on the floor, etc..simple static poses that capture the real essence of a human being whilst showing how beautiful Moss truely is behind all of the glamour.

I urge you to buy a copy of August's Vogue or try and get along to the exhibition in London showing the photographs by Testino, they truly are a masterpiece...
Here are a couple: