Tribute to Alexander Lee McQueen

Yesterday fashion royalty took a break from London Fashion Week and paid their last respects to the late Alexander McQueen.

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From top: Daphne Guinness (heiress and long time muse of McQueen), Anna Wintour (Editor of American Vogue), Naomi Campbell (model), Sarah Jessica Parker (actress), Kate Moss (model), Stella McCartney (designer) and finally the genius himself, sporting a Tee with the slogan 'We love you Kate', revealed not long after Moss' involvement with cocaine.

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All of them are sporting McQueen's label some way or another, Guinness being brave and embracing his outrageous shoe design (which she did take a topple in!), Wintour wearing a coat from the first collection by Sarah Burton for McQueen, and Kate Moss being cheeky by pairing a McQueen dress, YSL blazer and Louboutin heels, a combination which would be viewed a crime by McQueen as he prefered his label to be worn 'purely' (in other words, head to toe McQueen).

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PS. Anybody interested, but unable to attend the Burburry Prorsum s/s11 show can watch it live at http://www.stylescrapbook.com/, starting 4pm London time.

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PSS. What do you think of my new layout? I felt it was time to give this blog a bit of a makeover :)

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Back to Black

I am ashamed to say it's been...well, a while since I last blogged. Which is pretty ironic, considering we've all just had the summer hols...

You will have noticed the above pictures are all of Kate Moss (some with Johnny Depp). I blame this on the fact I am currently reading 'Inside the World's Most Famous Wardrobe: Kate Moss Style' by Angela Buttolph. It's an indepth study of Kate's style development over the years. Incredibly interesting and filled with some brilliant pictures (some shown above). If there's one thing I've learnt from it, you either have style or you don't. Simple as. And clearly Kate Moss has.

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Picture 1: On the catwalk at the John Galliano s/s 1990 show

Picture 2: Launch of Kate autobipgraphy, London, Sept. 1995

Picture 3: Cannes Film Festival 1998

Picture 4: Another Magazine party, New York, 2003

Picture 5: At the National Portrait Gallery in London for the 'Mario Testino Portraits' show, 2002

Picture 6: Premiere of Ed Wood, New York, 1994 (my favourite of this posts. Love the dress, don't you think it just screams flapper girl (1920s)?!)

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I'm sure you've noticed too that Kate loves her LBDs. And what girl doesn't? A Little Black Dress is a wardrobe essential! Love the cut out kneck line of picture 2. One of Kate's many spins on the LBD. Funnily enough, over the summer I seem to have gathered an increasing amount of black clothing, but what I love about black is it's just so versatile!

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Chirstian Dior Fall 2010 Couture

Above: Love this look!

Above: my dream prom dress

Wow! I am totally blown away by this show!! It's absoulutely stunning! John Galliano proves just how inspiring nature can be with this petal inspired collection. It's brimming with exploding imagination and has been met with roaring success.

So what is it that makes this particular show so exciting? Is it the vibrant and exciting colours, which even the backdrop consists of? Or is it the bold blend of materials? The mesh combined with feathers, sequins combined with ruffles, wool and satin, the list is endless. What else? Perhaps Stephen Jones wacky flourists wrap headgear? Or possibly the bold lips and eyes versus the vampire pale complexions?

Whatever the reason, these features combine to create a show that really catches the eye and screams for the well deserved attention. Jessica Alba, who was fortunate enough to be a front rough member smiled "I want to be every flower in Galliano's garden". I couldn't agree more.

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Pat McGrath for Dior

One of the most renowned names in the fashion world is Pat McGrath. She has to be one of the most influential and experienced make-up artist of today. The above pictures are some of the beautiful looks she created for Dior Haute Couture. The above seems to have been inspired by the '30s, with velvet red lips, lucious blonde waves and butterfly eyes. Loving the dainty pastel against the thickly coated lashes.

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McGrath's Numbers;

Each show season she uses:

-42 make-up artists (on her team)

-12 hotel rooms

-55 bags of make-up

-20 bags of reference books and images

-822 pairs of false eyelashes

-42 different eyeliner pencils

-56 bottles of foundation

-18 types of facial and body moisturizer

-21 packages of 100-count make-up wipes

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A lot or what?! Nowadays she alternates her time between shows, editorials and fashion shoots as well as serving as Global Creative/Design Director for Procter & Gamble Beauty (one of the world's largest beauty companies: it owns Cover Girl and Max Factor).

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And what is is that makes McGrath stand out? "I like to use unexpected elements, like metallic accents, to create unigue looks" she says.
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Bricks of Life

A Ray-Ban advert

Clemence Poesy (the girl who plays Fleur in Harry Potter) for French Vogue

Rumi from Fashiontoast

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I was planning on a different post involving more pictures considering I haven't blogged in a few days, but my internet is frustratingly slow, so I resorted to this. For some unthinkable reason, I find brick walls fascinating. It's a perk if brick walls are used as a backdrop for photo shoots. No matter how simple the outfit, the bricked backdrop always brings it to life.
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Fashion (illustration)

Don't you just love the simplicity of these illustrations? They consist purely of line, which varies in width, with a dash of colour here and there. Genius, isn't it? The artist is Garance Dore of www.garancedore.fr/en So simple, yet so effective.

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Collectively

I collected these three photos quite a while ago, and ever since they've been sitting abandoned in a folder. I was sorting through all my pictures, trying to be ruthless, when I discovered these again. The outfits are so chic - look at the tailoring, it's genius-ly slick. And the bold glasses in the top picture; they remind me of a slimmer version of Yves Saint Laurent's. The skirt suit int the second picture reminds me of an adaption of Chanel's classic blazers, with a puff sleeved twist.

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"Fashion is more usually a gentle progression of revisited ideas" - Bruce Oldfield

Black & White

Shot by Peter Lindenbergh

[love this image; the dress, the pose, the elegance]

Classic 'Vogue Pose' demonstrated by Madonna

Vogue 1992

[so effortlessly cool]

Sasha Pivovarova

Mischa Barton

Haven't the faintest idea, but love the statement earrings!

Lindsey Lohan (apparently)

Kasisa Struss

Coco Rocha

Catherine McNeil (above and below)

And finally, the king of cool, Karl Lagerfeld

[LOL]

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You may wonder what any of these shots have in common. The post title kind of gives it away though. For some reason, black and white photo portray so much more for me. I love colour of course, but the lack of it is so much more intriguing, and it forces you to look beyond and into the picture as opposed to having the answer shoved in your face. I guess I find black and white photos more mysterious, they are just more elegant in a modestly subtle way.

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Holidays!

The holidays are finally here!!! How I have been craving them. The top photo is quite fitting because Sonia Rykeil always sends models down the runway laughing and smiling (which is what I currently feel like doing). The second photo is a snap from a beautiful shoot by Velvet Magazine [Photographer: Marcus Ohlsson, Model: Lonneke Engel, Stylist: Laura Bianch]. This picture reminds me of vintage swimwear, with the backless swimsuit and black and white format. Very effective, how I would love to be Engel in that shot!

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