Valentino: Master of Couture

"I know what women want. They want to be beautiful."

                                     -Valentino Garavani

 

Master couturier and Italian designer Valentino Garavani will be honored at an exhibition opening this November at Somerset House in London. The display will feature over 130 of Valentino's most exquisite creations including designs worn by fashion icons such as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Grace Kelly, and Julia Roberts. The exhibit will celebrate 50 monumental years of Valentino's design career that began in the late 1950s, and give visitors a glimpse into Valentino's life. 

"Each of these designs has a beautiful story," Valentino said of the dresses to be displayed. "The atelier crafted each so diligently by hand, taking hours, sometimes days to complete. The details are incredibly intricate. Though outside the runway shows and events, the dresses have rarely been seen. To be able to showcase these designs at Somerset House, where they can be seen in great detail by the public, is very unique."

Valentino is best known for using his signature color red, but that was not always so. In 1968, he debuted one his most memorable collections - the "White Collection." According to the Milwaukee Journal on January 15, 1968, "Jacqueline Kennedy's favorite Roman designer concentrated on white in the preview of his collection for international store buyers and press. What was not white could be beige, black or navy -- adding up to the dictum 'no color.'" The much-talked-about "White Collection" was also the beginning of Valentino's trademark "V" that he began strategically incorporating into his garments. Accompanying white shoes and stockings, the Milwaukee Journal also reported that the show began with a "series of short white coats worn with matching hats shaped like inflated berets." It was this very collection that included the dress Jacqueline chose to wear for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis, which will be on display at Somerset House in a few months.  

I purchased a canvas-like, printed Valentino fabric with a slight stretch from Mood this summer. I transformed it into a pair of shorts and sewed in belt loops. If you squint, you might be able to see "Valentino Jeans" written within the print. Valentino may have passed the torch of his fashion empire onto someone else, but his majestic designs will not be forgotten. 

MADE IN KANSAS

Prada's Nostalgic Bodysuits

“It's all about wanting to go forward but still having to deal with nostalgia.”
                                                          -Miuccia Prada

One of this season's crowd favorites (in the fashion world, that is) was the swimwear seen in Prada's spring/summer 2012 Real Fantasies collection. Retro-inspired and embellished with colorful, embroidered flowers and sparkling jewels, theses swimsuits have attracted much deserved attention. According to Prada's website, Real Fantasies is a collection that "explores the nostalgia of hot rodding, golfing, picnicking, the space race, and other wholesome past times."

It's arguable that these suits may not yield much swim time, but they are every stylist's dream when it comes to magazine cover shoots. They have graced the covers of Vogue Paris, Elle China, and the British editions of Harper's Bazaar and GQ, to name a few. Victoria Beckham, who modeled the coveted bodysuits for more than one magazine, is also a fan of Miuccia Prada's work. "Everything she does is genius. I've never met her, but everything she does - not just the hair, the make-up, the shows - everything about the brand impresses me, " said Beckham. This isn't the first time Milan-born Miuccia Prada has stunned the fashion industry. She has been designing masterpieces for decades, and for the fashion industry's sake, let's hope she continues for many more years.

I wanted to make a playsuit (think Charlie's Angels' jumpsuits, but a shorts version) based on Prada's bodysuit designs. I chose two Marc Jacobs printed fabrics that complemented each other. Constructing it was similar to a jigsaw puzzle, as I was creating it from scratch with no form with legs to work with. Every proportion had to be perfect for the right fit. I added belt loops and sewed an invisible zipper up the back. It's my greatest construction feat to date (other than possibly my 40s pinup swimsuit)!

MADE IN KANSAS

Paris Haute Couture

"Paris is always a good idea."
                     -Audrey Hepburn

The Paris haute couture shows for fall 2012 are now finis. Versace was the first among other high-fashion French and Italian designers to dazzle the world with their couture designs this week. As usual, Versace's designs were edgy and full of personality. Two of my favorites were Giambattista Valli and Christian Dior. It was evident that Valli's collection was inspired by nature with its colorful hues, feminine florals, and myriad of textures. The Italian designer has a magical way of creating volume.

Previously designing for Jil Sander, Raf Simons debuted his first haute couture collection for Christian Dior. Many fashion enthusiasts excitedly waited to see what Simons would send down the runway on Monday, and it was quite a success. He managed to create modern silhouettes that were tailored to perfection. Words cannot do the complexity of these haute couture designs justice, so here are a few photos from Paris:

Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall 2012

                                                           

Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall 2012

This week I made a summer dress perfect for every day wear. I chose a rayon woven reversible fabric. Once I received it in the mail, I was disappointed at first because the fabric looked very different than the online photo. One side was silver, which I could have used to concoct a futuristic space suit with, and the other side was blue. I ended up using the blue side and was happy with the final result!

MADE IN KANSAS

Summer Ads Embrace Retro Charm

"I wear my sort of clothes to save me the trouble of deciding which clothes to wear."
                                -Katharine Hepburn

The heat of summer arrived several weeks ago (at least in Kansas), but today it's official. Summer begins at exactly 7:09 p.m. (EDT). Although the season has just arrived, fashion houses began working on their summer ad campaigns months ago. It's appropriate that designers have chosen to market their colorful clothing in retro-themed ads, given that so many beloved styles from the past have returned to the runway this year. From Prada's gas station ads featuring 50s-style automobiles to Louis Vuitton's ice cream parlor campaign complete with treats, these charming ads seen on billboards and the glossy pages of magazines are sure to gain attention and boost sales.

French brand, Paule Ka, has also embraced the retro-inspired marketing this summer by creating  ads with a 60s vibe. Photographer Venetia Scott came up with the vintage campaign telling the story of a woman vacationing in Acapulco (supposedly THE place to be for a 1960s jetsetter). Fittingly, the hotel pictured in these ads was also the backdrop for the 1963 film "Fun in Acapulco" starring Elvis Presley.

When it comes to summer attire, it's always best to stay cool and comfortable. I recently made a sleeveless top out of an extravagant Marc Jacobs embroidered silk satin twill with a floral pattern. I cut a soft and feminine neckline and lined it with white poplin. I paired the top with high-waisted black shorts I made out of a cotton twill by Theory. The high waist gives them a 40s feel. Perfect for a retro summer!

MADE IN KANSAS

From Wine Country to the Runway

"I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has ever taken from me."
                                      -Winston Churchill

The term "wino" may take on a whole new meaning (in the fashion world, that is) if a group of scientists from The University of Western Australia has anything to do with it. The researchers in white lab coats have been working on creating eco-friendly, stitch-less garments made solely out of wine through a biological fermentation process. 

The futuristic fashion fabric has been dubbed "Micro'be'" because it is made with living microbes (tiny organisms). The microbes form a skin on top of the wine (think wine scum), which is then layered onto a dress mold to dry. Creators Gary Cass and Donna Franklin acknowledge their wine garments haven't reached the height of perfection yet due to the lack of flexibility, pungent alcohol smell, and brittle consistency when dry. Regardless of its shortfalls, Cass and Franklin are optimistic this innovative, seamless fabric will succeed and one day become a staple in every fashionista's wardrobe (possibly the future LWD - Little Wine Dress?). I'm curious though . . . would you store a LWD in your closet or the wine cellar?

I may not have a lab to concoct a fabric out of a merlot or a chianti, but I did purchase the finest silk from Mood to make a gathered skirt. Silk is a tricky textile to work with (although I imagine easier than wine) because it it so fragile. I've worked with it a few times now and am finally getting the hang of it. I paired the skirt with a black top I made out of a high-quality matte jersey. This look may not be bio-degradable, but at least I won't smell like a bar while wearing it.

MADE IN KANSAS

Hats Off to Mr. Depp

"I don't pretend to be captain weird. I just do what I do."

                                               -Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp was honored with the Fashion Icon Award tonight at the CFDA Fashion Awards. Previously awarded to women with a distinct personal style such as Lady Gaga, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kate Moss, Depp was the first male to be recognized. The awards were held at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and marked the 50th anniversary of the CFDA. This is the first year that the ceremony will be digitally broadcast to the public on Style.com (tomorrow at 12 PM EST).

Depp’s unique style is an effortless juxtaposition of the disheveled, like a well-worn waistcoat, with the impeccably designed. An example of the latter is the headwear he sports on screen and in real life, created by master hatter Graham Thompson of Chicago’s Optimo Hats. Thompson has provided custom-made, hand-crafted hats for many movies, including Cinderella Man and J. Edgar, and outfitted Depp for this iconic Public Enemies film poster. Such hats are a staple of Depp’s everyday wardrobe too, and his stylishly raked brims prove that while fedoras are no longer commonplace accessories, they can still be difference makers when worn with confidence and flair. When asked by James Lipton on Inside the Actor's Studio about his attraction to funny hats, Depp responded, "I don't know, maybe I just read too much Dr. Seuss as a kid."

It can't be a coincidence that hats are incorporated into so many of Depp's movie roles: Willy Wonka's garish purple stovepipe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the straw fedora that perfectly fit Hunter S. Thompson's Cuba in The Rum Diary, and most memorably, Captain Jack Sparrow's battered black tricorne. While the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has lost its steam, let's hope that Depp continues his unique and whimsical fashion choices long into the future. As Optimo Hat’s tagline states, “Life’s better in a great hat.”

Not remotely related to Johnny Depp's hat collection, the warm Kansas weather has motivated me to make shorts. Having never made a pair before, I first had to figure out how to cut each fabric piece. I used ordinary tissue paper (still haven't managed to buy proper pattern paper) to make my own pattern and kept tweaking it until it yielded the perfect fit. Using my pattern, I made these plaid shorts in just under an hour. They are high-waisted and zip up the side. I'd like to imagine Johnny would be proud. 

MADE IN KANSAS