Wednesday 27 July 2011

Rainbow Club

Rummaging through my dressing room the other day, I came across an old discarded Benetton tye-dye rainbow-printed bikini I had bought ages ago (I think Oliviero Toscani was still shooting Benetton campaigns back then) and I came to a conclusion: rainbows are back in fashion! Rocking my new favourite bikini and seeing life through a new prism, I've come to realize rainbows are everywhere lately, mainly in Christopher Kane's ab fab cruise 2012 collection.

But rainbows have been a recurrent inspiration subject in fashion for a long time; I can think of the incredible, timeless Carmen Miranda wedges by Salvatore Ferragamo, designed back in 1936 but still super hot and covetable.
Or Alexander McQueen's milefeuille siren dresses. Breathtaking, n'est-ce pas?

Rainbows also make me think of Edie Sedgwick's post-60's style, when she went from minimal black-and-white to psychedelic multicolour with a fantastic long rainbow dress she wore in the last few scenes of Ciao! Manhattan, when she gets her electroshock therapy (I could not find any images of the dress, but you should watch the movie, it's quite something).
Here are some of the other rainbows I've seen around lately:

You can get great rainbow nails and rainbow hair at Wah Nails and Bleach London respectively for a really fashion forward look,

or Comme des Garçons perfume for a rainbow scent!

Or even rainbow decals for your keyboards (available at design-milk.com).



Now it's time to pump up the colour; will you be wearing the rainbow look this summer?

Thursday 21 July 2011

I Want Candy





Now that I'm almost on holiday all I can think of is delicious Spanish food! And that's one of the reasons why I was so happy to see these short films about Ferrán Adriá's restaurant El Bulli in Nowness (absolutely essential culture & style website by the way). To me, Adriá is one of the best universal Spanish symbols; I think all the people from my country are really proud of him: he is smart, he is positive-thinking and he is creative. Many people think all he does is nouvelle cuisine, but he goes so far beyond that! His incredible, 47-course molecular menu often reminds me of Salvador Dalí's latest paintings (in which he divided everything into molecules). Like Dalí's (rather edible) art, Adriá's cuisine is surprising and surreal. It needs to be tried!
Although none of us will be going to El Bulli in the next couple of years. The Catalan restaurant is closing its doors for research (I guess Ferrán Adriá doesn't want to be one of those arrogant luxury chefs who still use the same recipes as in 1984) and it will open only when some interesting results are reached. It's all about artfulness, finesse and excellence for Ferrán- if only all the other industries in Spain were like that- and El Bulli's food is definitely a universal language, a celebration of taste and life.

Friday 8 July 2011

Couture Aesthetics

I'm rather excited about this last Couture fashion week: it has had unexpected highs (Giambattista Valli's first collection) and lows (Dior's trademark without Galliano seems to be somewhat lost), new collections by long-established industry members (I'm talking Azzedine Alaïa) and... lots of XIXth century references. And not the obvious crinoline-cum-corset ones!
Most designers seem to have reflected, one way or another, upon the Aesthetic movement that started in Britain in the 1860's and its femininity ideal. Dark, mysterious and primal yet languid and pure creatures were the main characters of Rossetti, Draper or Whistler's paintings- and of this season's catwalks. I mean... all that dramatic velvet!


Valentino


Alaïa

The Crystal Ball, John William Waterhouse

Alexis Mabille

Chivalry, Francis Bernard Dicksee

Jean-Paul Gaultier

It's all about preraphaelism and a mythologic and slightly medieval-tasting version of the XIXth century with a dark, romantic mood...


James McNeil Whistler


Chanel


Alaïa

Jean-Paul Gaultier

And about the sultry sexuality in Aubrey Beardsley's fabulous drawings.



Alaïa


Valentino


Alexis Mabille

Lots of nature-provided drama...


Mourning for Icarus, Herbert James Draper


Giambattista Valli

And of course the utopic virginal femininity of the heroines of aestheticism.


A Sea Spell, Dante Gabriel Rossetti



Valentino


The Little White Girl, James McNeil Whistler


Givenchy


Valentino

So much drama, theatricality and strangeness... I die!


Ophelia, Millais


Valentino

Tuesday 5 July 2011

Tell me where you go on holiday Vol. 2

The streets of Paris are starting to look all summery: people on terraces, kids who have finished school and more tourists than usual look relaxed and all holiday-ish. So as I finish all my work for various September issues and I get ready for my own holiday (as far away from Paris as possible), I thought I'd bring you another hair & make-up guide for your summer trips. Last year's guide was one of my blog's most read subjects ever (see here), so I've done the same with new exotic places and chic styles.

1. Antibes


The most elegant spot in the Côte d'Azur has more chic people and less tacky Ferraris than average. A Chanel look is mandatory: very neat make-up (why not try smoky black eyes to add some drama to the prim and proper French look) and a tight low ponytail suit most faces. Add a stone brooch to conceal the elastic band on the ponytail and extra long fringed earrings for a touch of ad lib.

2. Shanghai



A city holiday is the perfect occasion to be sophisticated when it comes to clothes and make-up. A walk along Shanghai's Bund district allows some 1930's darkly elegant elements. Vuitton's metallic eyes and burgundy luscious lips are perfect, and a twisted chignon covering one eye will give you the perfect femme fatale look.

3. Klaipeda



A little charming coastal city in Lithuania screams for some Baltic chic. A natural look, with not much makeup; loose, lean hair and some lipgloss can be completed with a gingham headscarf, as seen at D&G.

4. Istanbul



A grown-up ladylike style is the way to go when vacationing on this metropolis. To keep fresh, try a twisted chignon (just part a ponytail in two and twist both parts together with lots of hairspray). And to keep fabulous, go for ruby-red lipstick, Terracotta skin and golden earthy eyeshadow. As seen in Gucci.

5. New Orleans



Be a perfect Southern belle combining light chiffon dresses (aren't the Proenza Schouler ones just dreamy?) with a romantic and slightly chaotic hairstyle: use just hairpins to fix some backcombed locks on one side of your head. That, combined with a delicate touch of rosy lipstick, blusher and well-defined eyebrows will turn you into a Tennessee Williams heroine.

6. Kenya



A summer in the savanna is no excuse to stop being stylish; although, of course, you have to tone it down as much as you can. Natural hair with just a touch of wet effect and no makeup will do the trick. After all, you're going to be watching animals all day long, aren't you? If you still would like to pretty up for the giraffes, I recommend just a little orange blusher or some Terracotta (yes, Guerlain's Terracotta is the answer to everything during the summer months). Bottega Veneta's style gives you all the clues.

7. Granada



An exotic spot in Andalusia is full of magic and Spanish passion. So is Hermès's look (again, lots of Terracotta skin and Terracotta lips). All the fire and the charm is in the eyes here. Combined with hoop earrings and a Flamenco hat the look is impressive. And combined with a braid mixed with an Hermès Carré (just wrap the carré around your head and use the extra fabric with one of the locks to make an uneven braid) it is simply irresistible.

8. Waikiki



Hawaii is the spot for some 1940's pin-up reminiscence. Dior's sailing girl look is fantastic. Lots of matte red lipstick, a touch of bright colour in the eyes and 40's waves, topped with cat sunglasses and a tilted sailor hat... And everyone will go nuts about you.

9. Montevideo



It's all about an apparently strict ballerina chignon (as seen at Chloé) if you are holidaying in Uruguay's capital. A minimal look fit for culture, tango and seduction.

10. Kyoto



If you just feel like a zen holiday enjoying the wonders of total calm and Japan's excellent food, then your perfect spot should be Kyoto. But even if you are there for a spiritual break, you can be all Kawaii in Cacharel mixing a low key ponytail and pale pink lips with hot colour block sunglasses.

10. Bergen



A holiday in the Norwegian Fjords calls for some Scandinavian understated drama. Céline provides the answer with a pale complexion, barely marked eyes and a lovely backcombed low ponytail. Dare it!