Belle de Jour

Recently I watched the film Belle de Jour (1967) starring Catherine Deneuve.  From reading books and magazines and from pop culture references, Catherine Deneuve had always been a mysterious figure.  Now I know why Yves Saint Laurent chose her to be his muse and part of his inner circle.  She is simply stunning.
All the outfits that Catherine Deneuve wore in the film were all designed by Yves Saint Laurent.  My personal favourite is the the knee length, double breasted, black latex coat in the scene where Belle de Jour aka Severine and her husband are walking down a Parisian street.
The connection between Deneuve and YSL began in 1966, when Deneuve attended the opening of the first Rive Gauche store on the Rue de Tournon in Paris.  From then on, Saint Laurent designed clothes for other films starring Deneuve was in including The Hunger and La Chamade.
Her most recent ties with the brand were when in 1992 she became a model for the YSL skincare line.
I think that Catherine Deneuve is seriously underrated in today's world.  We all know of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, these huge names that will live on for generations.  As well as movie stars, these were fashion icons i.e. Audrey Hepburn's name is synonomous with Givenchy.  But I believe that Catherine Deneuve's name should be up there with the best of them as both actress and fashion legend.

Versus S/S 11

From what I have seen from Milan Fashion Week, the best show has to be by far the Versus catwalk. 

Held in the Teatro Versace, designer at Versus, Christopher Kane really put on a show that was memorable, exciting and most of all playful...literally.

Laid out to resemble a playground, real grass and all, it mimicked the clothes that appeared down the runway.

The first looks were all tartan, yellow, orange and black connotating a little school girl look.  Like every class, there is always the bad girl, the weird girl, the innocent girl and the one who has the odd, different sense of fashion and this show was no different.  For example the "bad girl" look was the model who strutted down the runway with a long sleeved, tartan top complete with a black leather almost body warmer style jacket.  To match this was one of the shortest skirts in the show.

Florals were slowly introduced, combining with the tartan to create something that is not normally associated with each other but seemed here to work perfectly together.  Looks then moved away from tartan all together, and what came next were vertically striped, tightly fitted pencil skirts and colourful patchwork style dresses. 

Kane has definetely expreimented with this collection, using different fabrics, colours and patterns and meshing them all within the same outfit.  It offers new ideas into how we can think that two things couldn't possibly go together, but when tested, it's simply genius.

My New Love.

I love love love next season's Prada sunglasses.  Oversized, colourful and almost futuristic, these sunglasses are not for the classic Italien women walking about the streets of Milan.  These are one's for a woman who pushes fashion forwards, who celebrates something new and is not afraid to look different to the norm. 

You can just about describe them as day to day fashionable goggles.  Why has no one thought about this idea before?  Swimwear accessories as everyday accessories.  Genius!  With Prada being one of the most coveted brands in fashion, this new collection for S/S 11 is bound to get the more advanced fashion press talking...and me drooling.  My absolute favourite pairs are the more ornate, theatrical pairs which resemble butterflies from the front.

Being a glasses wearer, I just hope I can get some prescription lenses for these.  Here's hoping.

Shoes. Marriage Savers?

Legendary shoe designer Manolo Blahnik recently stated that his shoes have saved marriages from crumbling apart.  Is this just a blunt, arrogant statement to boost sales or could there actually be some logic to it?

"The male reaction to heels is half normal and half perversion, but some men tell me I've saved their marriage," he says. "The first thing men look at are a woman's legs, and there is nothing more flattering than high heels."

Now this is very true indeed.  I have never looked at myself in a mirror wearing a gorgeous pair of heels (though unfortunately I have not been graced with the expenses to purchase a pair of Blahnik's) and thought to myself, I look awful in these.  Heels are life saviours.  Even if a man tells you he loves you in pj's, no makeup and scruffy shoes, he will always have a secret fetish for his girl in a pair of killer heels. 
So ladies, the moral of this story, if your marriage is in trouble or just if your boyfriend is in a mard that day, throw on a pair of fabulous shoes and within an instant, everything little problem will be gone.

Picture - The infamous blue pumps featured in the first Sex and the City film in 2008.

Naomi Campbell

I am not a fan of Naomi Campbell.  Miss Campbell's mother said at a party, that her infamous daughter hosted for her own celebration of 25 years in the fashion industry, that she was proud of the things Naomi had achieved, "dispite her many mishaps..."  What in the name of fashion is that supposed to mean?
Yes charity work is an admirable thing. Yes Naomi is one of only a few black supermodels to become a household name. But the fact of the matter is, that Naomi Campbell is a spolit brat.  Throwing phones at assistants, diva attitudes, community service - does this not scream attention seeking and demanding?  I always believe that fame and money can directly to someone's head.  Or in Campbell's case, into her wrist.  Mobile phone throwing must be the new "in" thing. Although to her credit, that was sooo last year.
Now this is not a hate blog. I am meerly commenting on what the media has given me.  Maybe she is a sweet, shy, retitring old bird who just wants her privacy and to be draped in comfortable, cheap tracksuits.  But somehow, I think that diamonds and pearls might suit her better.  Call me crazy.

Trends : For or Against?

"Fashion invites the sense of being in fashion." Malcom Barnard, Fashion Academic.

Being in fashion?  Punks, goths, chavs, hippies or even your day to day person with no links or desires to be part of any fashion crowd.  When a trend is set by a designer or a new item of clothing is the must have for the next few weeks, is it fashionable to go with the flow or even more fashionable to work against it?
I remember the time when as a 14 year old girl, the poncho was the craze, every girl had one.  Long, short, chunky, tassled and in whatever colour.  My best friend Megan had a green and brown one resulting in her nickname of the moment, Shrek.  It was funny back then.
But now, 4 years on, as an 18 year old studying Fashion Journalism, is it crucial that I am following what designers tell me?  Me, I think I do my own thing.  Wear what I like, when I like it.  However and this is the big HOWEVER....where we shop is so dependant on trends.  This autumn/winter the new colour to be seen in is camel.  A few weeks down the line, I know that I will be buying something in this season's colour.
So Mr Barnard, I will not actually disagree with you.  Fashion does in fact invite the sense of being in fashion.  Whether you think you accept this invitation is a matter of you own opinion.