Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Stereograms and fuzzy eyes

I spent most of the 90's boz-eyed trying to crack these things. So when i spotted them on a recent trip to the Museum of Childhood, i was sent on a fuzzy eyed, nostalgia trip! i love how this first one looks like a Mary Katrantzou print! See if you can still do it...

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Faberge Big Egg Hunt

I'm having a lot of fun with this. Simple pleasures, hey?! How many have you spotted so far? Not sure i'm going to get round to finding all 200, but i'm certainly having fun trying!
There are designs from the likes of Polly Morgan, Sir Peter Blake, Mary Katrantzou, Tommy Hillfiger... can you guess who did what?

More importantly, do you have a favourite?

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Marilyn Exhibition @ Getty Images Gallery

Getty Images Gallery have out done themselves with their latest exhibition, Marilyn, which commemorates 50 years since the icons untimely death in 1962. Featuring a stunning collection of photographs, as well as some of Marilyn's iconic film costumes and dresses, this exhibition is a must see. 

We all know that this woman was more than her fair share of photogenic, so of course, lingering over each image is a dream. But it's the dresses that seem to get the most attention, hence all the smudgy nose prints on the glass! What I loved most, was how worn they looked, with sequins missing around seams, patched up holes and general wear and tear - these dresses look like they hold some good stories! Their fragility only seems to emphasise how real they are, making you catch your breathe as you come to terms with the realisation that Marilyn Monroe was actually in them at one point! Very surreal. One thing i will say, is that yes, the dresses are nice, but my God, it was the way that woman wore them, that made them so special.

Make sure you pop your head into this little gallery, for a glimpse into old-school Hollywood glamour.
Costume for There's No Business Like Showbusiness, 1954
A costume worn by Marilyn for a feature in Life magazine in 1958, with photographer Richard Avedon.
A dress from The Prince and the Showgirl, 1957. Made from white silk and chiffon, with delicate beaded embellishment. After watching My Week with Marilyn, with Michelle Williams this week, seeing this dress was even more special.
The famous dance scene from the film, re-created in My Week with Marilyn, by the awesome Michelle Williams - uncanny.
One of the most iconic -  THE dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, 1956.
Another costume from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but the scene was cut in editing...
Costume worn in the 1956 film Bustop.

Dress worn to the premiere of The Rose Tattoo, 1955, in the company of the dashing Marlo Brando.
Probably my favourite...a dress from Some like it Hot, 1959, designed by legendary Hollywood costume designer Orry - Kelly (who incidentally won an Oscar for best costume for this film). The dress was considered very risque for the time, due to the sheer panelling. Apparently, it was so tight, that Marilyn had to be lifted onto the piano for the number, I'm through with love. Man, she looks hot in this dress!
It is so nice to see this dress in colour and i never realised how gorgeous the back was...
Exhibition ends May 19th

Friday, March 16, 2012

Contemporary Printmaking @ the Store Street Gallery

There are so many fab exhibitions on around town at the moment, that i've decided to dedicate this week to seeing as many of them as possible! First on the list is Contemporary Printmaking. Run by Orion Contemporary, the exhibition is a celebration of the art of print making and showcases some AMAZING work, by the likes of Lisa Denyer, Alexander Gough, Damien Hirst, David Hockney, Max Lowry, Dénes Maróti, Will Martyr, Andy Warhol and Giulia Zaniol - not a bad roll call, eh?! It ends this Sunday so don't dawdle! Here are some of my  favourites to give you a taster...
Giulia Zaniol, Parliament from the Angels of London series 
Giulia Zaniol, Royal Palace of Whitehall 
Andy Warhol, Queen Elizabeth II, 1985

@  Store Street Gallery, 32 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

London Fashion Week Colour Trends - Purple Reign

The beginning of London Fashion Week saw smatterings of Purple here and there. But once Christopher Kane took the colour and worked it into yet another of his amazing collections, you knew it was going to stick.
Purple shades @ LFW
And then, as if to cement things, Prada rocked the colour in Milan. Muiccia took the shades Lilac, Violet and Royal Purple, embedding them in strong geometric patterns and encrusted embellishment. And as we all know...what Miuccia says, goes!
Then to Paris, where Mr. Lagerfeld literally took inspiration from Amethysts by creating a setting of giant stalagmite crystals...
Following suit in both Milan and Paris.