Alexander McQueen Spray Paint Dress (1999)

For me, as an aspiring designer, Alexander McQueen's innovation and creative instincts are one of my main sources of inspiration. His Spring/Summer 1999 Catwalk show was my favourite ever as the Spray Painted Dress finale is the most classically beautiful, yet forward-looking, piece of art I think I've ever seen. The balletic movements and the classical piano music created an atmosphere of serenity and classicism which was contrasted with the forward-looking technological aspects to create a masterpiece. The overall aesthetic of the finale was stunning and it produced a dress which is a piece of art in itself. Even 13 years on, I don't think any other catwalk shows, either of McQueen's or of any other designer's, have come close to the beauty and drama created in the finale of this show and it should be remembered as a defining moment in fashion history.

Best of British

With the whole country going Jubilee crazy this week, the fashion world has quickly caught on. Online retailers such as ASOS and Boohoo.com have front-page features with Best of British fashion trends. But will you be wearing the Union Jack with pride this weekend? I am going to look at a handful of current British fashion designers that make me proud to be British. There are so many designers that I feel show Britain at its best, notably Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, John Galliano and Julien MacDonald, but I have chosen my four, personal favourites: Alexander McQueen, Christopher Bailey, Phillip Treacy and Marchesa.

An obvious starting point for a top British designer is the late Alexander McQueen. His dark and often disturbed collections display creativity and innovation at its finest. Originally from the East End of London, McQueen studied at Central Saint Martins and his first collection in 1992 - 'Jack The Ripper' - took the fashion world by storm. He continually pushed the boundaries of Catwalk shows, a favourite of mine being the Spring/Summer 1999 'No.13' show in which a plain white dress was sprayed with glow in the dark paint. (picture below). McQueen's innovative ideas and the beautiful execution of his designs make him a favourite British designer.



The next British designer who I feel epitomises British fashion is Christopher Bailey. The Yorkshire-born designer is the creative director of Burberry and his clean lines and simple designs create cohesive collections that are very wearable for the British public. The classic trench-coat is also a must have in every wardrobe and is a display of Burberry heritage at its best. Bailey is definately a designer who has taken the demands of the British public into consideration whilst designing and this makes him one of Britain's best.

I think when considering the best British designers, Philip Treacy is a key contender, simply because no-one makes such beautiful and creative head-wear. Treacy's hat designs have re-defined modern millinery and the orchids, feathers, ships and Andy-Warhol inspired designs have all featured on his hats. He began making hats for Chanel and then went on to collaborate with some of the world's finest artists and designers, including Alexander McQueen. His hats have recently been worn at the Royal Wedding and show off the best of British creativity and craftsmanship.



My favourite British fashion house is Marchesa. The beautiful designs of Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig are absolutely breathtaking and the combinations of the simple, minimalistic drapery and the structural organza create theatrical dresses which are extremely popular on the red carpet. The range of fabrics, colours and textures in each collection make every dress different, yet the collections still work cohesively as a whole. In my opinion, Marchesa is the British fashion house that makes me most proud to be British.

Is Fashion Art?

In a recent interview, Karl Lagerfeld continued the ongoing debate as to whether Fashion is Art. He felt that any designers who consider themselves artists are 'second rate'. This arguement has divided the fashion industry and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Miuccia Prada and Coco Chanel also believed that fashion is not art.
I, however, feel that fashion IS art. Art is an expression of creativity and manifests itself in many forms, not all of these through the traditional architecture, sculpture and painting mediums. It amazes me how can people such as Damien Hurst and Tracey Emin be called 'artists' if fashion designers are not.

Fashion is a way of sculpting the human body and producing designs to show beauty, emotion and personality. Examples such as YSL's Mondrian dress, show the ease at which a work of 'art' can be translated into a fashion design and can be used to sculpt the human form. The influence of paintings on fashion is repeatedly showing up on the catwalk - a recent example is Rodate's collection inspired by Van Gogh's 'Starry Night'. This influence of art on fashion is similar to the influence of art on art. No 'artists' come up with completely new concepts without being influenced by art of the past and the same can be said for fashion.

Admittedly fashion on the highstreet is not as much an art form as High Fashion as it is more concerned with the neccessities of the public, rather than the aesthetic quality of the clothes, but High-Fashion designers such as Alexander Mcqueen did not create clothes to be worn, he created clothes to amaze, shock and sculpt beauty using the human figure.

Some designers who agree that fashion is art are: Schiaparelli, Paul Poiret and John Varvatos.

This debate will continue to be argued for years to come, however my opinion is: anyone who uses their creative ability and imagination to create beauty in any form is an artist. Fashion is not a Fine Art, and will never fall under that category, however it is an art form which is influenced by, and influences, other art forms, and designers should be recognised as artists, just as sculptors and painters are.

The full article about Karl Lagerfeld's comments and other designers point of view is available here: http://artinfo.com/news/story/805583/is-fashion-art-karl-lagerfeld-puts-the-debate-back-into-the-spotlight-by-dismissing-the-notion?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed:+artinfo-all+(All+Content+|+ARTINFO)

YSL's Mondrian Dress:

Alexander Mcqueen:

Rodarte:

Bill + Mar

Bill + Mar is the label everyone wants to be seen in! Recently worn by Jessie J on Channel 4's Comedy Gala, Bill + Mar's designs have also been seen recently on celebrities such as Kimberly Walsh and Keri Hilson. The Spring/Summer 2012 collection features floral prints, sheer shirts, lace shorts and I love every single piece! I'm especially loving the matching shirt and shorts looks and below are two of my favourite combinations. The collection is available from www.billandmarshop.co.uk or selected pieced are available from www.spoiledbrat.co.uk

This white lace shirt and shorts combo is beautiful and the details, like the sheer lace side panels on the shorts, add an especially summery feel to the look. (Shirt - £59, Shorts - £40)




The Electric Floral/White Shirt Dress and Shorts outfit below was seen on Jessie J for her recent television performance. The summery print is a must-have this summer and the overall look with the shirt and matching shorts simple and classy. (Shirt - £130, Shorts - £40)

Key Trend: The WOW Wedges

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Vera Wang Spring 2012

This collection is a personal favourite of mine - the minimalistic beginning of the collection, with just the textures and shapes carrying the designs, is absolutely beautiful and shows off Vera Wang's attention to detail and sculptural qualities. The way she weaves in the first glimse of pattern through a wasitband is so clever and then the prints and colours get bolder and brighter as the collection moves on. The abstract, almost marble, prints are breathtaking and the combinations of the charcoal colours interspersed with the bright and pastel blues, pinks and yellows creates a beautiful, cohesive collection. Watch the full catwalk show here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhm4MFfhma4

Portfolio

I have uploaded some pictures of some of my recent work under the 'Portfolio' tab. All this work is my own and has been done either for A Level Art or as my own personal projects. If you want to know more about the work please tweet me @xsarahxcx - i'd love to know people's opinions on it :)

LEAVE THE BOY ALONE

Boy London is the new face of casual wear. Popular with celebrities such as Rhianna and Jessie J, the 'Leave the Boy Alone' slogan is definately one to be seen in! The relaxed and simple vests, jumpers and t-shirts are plain white or black with the slogan or logo. It is sold at Selfridges but selling out fast due to all the recent publicity so go and grab it quickly!

Nikita Karizma

I'm loving recent London College of Fashion graduate, Nikita Karizma! Her 'punk meets a socialite' designs have already been worn on The X Factor by winners, Little Mix, and finalist, Amelia Lily. The edgy, armoured designs are exploring the human condition and the videos to accompany the collections are beautiful and reflect the message behind the collections perfectly. I can't wait to see what Nikita does next and am especially looking forward to the new collection which is imspired by the London Riots - a theme I used as inspiration for a series of designs I recently produced.

Check out more of her designs here: http://www.nikitakarizma.com/

Fashion in Music - Jessie J (Domino)

Jessie J is known for her quirky, daring, push-the-boundaries outfits, so was the fashion in her new video - Domino- in keeping with the rest of her outfits?

The first outfit Jessie wears is a black Mark Fast dress. The texture of the tassles added energy to the dress and worked well in emphasising her movements, as did the batwing nature of the dress. The combination of the sheer and the opaque black created a dynamic, yet sophisticated, look which was complimented by her accessories. The contrast of the block colour against the moving, patterned background meant that, although the background was visually impressive, you focus on Jessie singing. 

Jessie then wears a black and white patterned jumpsuit with pink details on it. The way in which the jumpsuit and the background blend together creates an amazing effect and the jumpsuit is in keeping with Jessie J's usual style. Pairing it with hi-tops, a key trend right now, adds a casual, personal twist to the outfit. She is then seen wearing an Aztec-patterned embellished jacket and a jewelled mask. The effect created when these embellishments are next to a zebra print chair and bright pink wall is aesthetically excellent. The combination of colours and textures is absolutely beautiful and this is probably one of my favourite scenes in the video.

The next outfit is a studded cap, a leopard print bra, a black bomber (possibly Topshop?) and black cycling shorts with yellow spots. This outfit is quirky and the bomber jacket is a key trend right now. Although not my favourite outfit of the video, Jessie rocks this outfit and, again, the combination of textures and prints is very visually pleasing. Next is my favourite outfit - a Boy London cropped tshirt, denim high-waisted shorts, House of Holland for Pretty Polly tights and a multi-coloured turban. This outfit is well put together and, I think, is a style that viewers can relate to and copy in their own style. The slogan tshirt, shorts and tights combo could easily be replicated with many of these items in shops at the moment. The turban adds colour and quirkiness to the outfit and pulls it all together. 

She then wears a Jeremy Scott pink suit with white details on it. Personally, i think this outfit slightly resembles pyjamas but the pattern works well with the background and is in keeping with the rest of the video. Next is a patterned cropped jacket and patterned shorts combination which are a such a perfect clash in patterns that they look extremely good together!

Jessie then wears a Versace for H&M quilted jacket in blue leopard print. I absolutely love this jacket! The leopard print in blue and green with the gold chains and the blue seascape is gorgeous and the fact that it is paired with simple black shorts and a black bra means that the full focus can be on the jacket. 

So...I think that this video captures Jessie's quirky, individual style and the running style of pattern clashes throughout the video works extremely well. All of the outfits have different elements to them that add a quality to the scene and the video and none of them look tacky. I think the video has immaculate styling and the fact that they hit so many key trends (eg. Hi-Tops, bomber jacket, quilted jacket etc.) shows that the video is current yet has it's own individual style.