ONE TO WATCH: BETH JEANS HOUGHTON...

(Image source: http://www.myspace.com/bethjeanshoughton)

Beth Jeans Houghton is more than just another aspiring pop star; she is a nineteen year old acoustic songstress, whose guitar skills are self taught and whose alternative stage-attire is self made. The teen-folkie has been previously described by major music magazine, Mojo to have “a considerable talent, with a remarkable voice and rare star quality.” Mpdclick notes Beth Jeans Houghton to be at the forefront of a new sub genre of music labelled neo-folk, a key influence with many more to follow.

Her music is created with a combination of impeccable guitar work and smooth melodies which is in-fitting with Beth’s own beatific voice. Neo-folk is becoming an ever more popular style of music in recent years, demonstrated by the likes of Fleet Foxes, Bat for Lashes and Bon Iver, who Beth recently supported on tour. Houghton brings an original glam edge to her own form of folk, drawing in various different styles and influences such as the psychedelic sounds in ‘Sweet Tooth Bird,’ which is expected to feature on her up and coming debut album. Beth has been quoted to say “I plan to dip my toes into many genres before I quit this mortal coil.”

Her most recent festival appearance was at Wireless, at London’s Hyde Park earlier this month, where she was seen sporting a military style hat and a black and metallic gold bandeau top, surrounded by her equally cool backing band titled, The Hooves of Destiny. Catch her this summer at a selection of approaching UK gigs and festivals.

(This is part of a feature I wrote for mpdclick.com)

COCO BEFORE CHANEL...

"They share the same history, sensibility-and shoe size! Audrey Tautou's latest role as legendary designer Coco Chanel is a perfect fit..." (VOGUE, Aug 2009.)

This is one film that I have been dying to see, ever since I heard of it in the making last year! If you are as keen as me you will still have to wait a couple weeks though, (release date is 31st July) however in the mean time I recommend buying/ renting 'Lagerfeld Confidential' to explore the life of Chanel's most current creative director and head designer, Karl Lagerfeld as well as to see how the french fashion house works in the 21st century. Also pick up this months issue of Vogue (aug 2009) to read the films review and interview with Audrey Tautou, who plays Chanel in the movie...

(my review of the film to come...)

'SURFER BUTT'...

I have just purchased a print of Mario Testino's 'Surfer Butt', a portrait of Kate Moss and one of my favourites of his work... It will shortly be hanging up in my newly decorated room! :)

One of Testino’s renowned photographic styles is his profound portraiture. His impressive list of iconic subjects to date has included ‘everyone who is anyone’; actresses, models, musicians and even royalty, some of which he has collaborated with on more than one occasion.

This, probably one of Testino’s most famous portraits, was taken in Los Angeles for Harpers Bazaar in 1996. It unsurprisingly presents a young Kate Moss, the same year she won Vogue’s ‘Model of the Year’ award, a grounds for her becoming hugely influential in the fashion world as well as a stylishly, iconic subject for Testino’s photography. Perhaps this is the main reason Moss appears to be the focal point of the image; positioned centrally leaning gracefully yet effortlessly on a four-wheel-drive truck and prominently lit, which causes her white top to almost gleam.

As you look attentively at her innocent looking face, the eyes can not help but go unnoticed; you automatically follow her sight trail and observe the aimed area, eventually realising the not-so-innocent Kate’s cheeky glimpse at the car’s wing mirror, which presumably presents her with a reflection of the background to the image; an undressing surfer’s bare behind! This feature of the photograph is the motive behind the legendary naming of the piece, quite simply, ‘Surfer Butt’.

Subtle detailing is what makes this photograph so intriguing; just one quick glance and you miss all the small, but certainly not by any means unimportant details, which together create a suggestive narrative to the picture. For example; a carefully positioned surf board or a pair of bikini bottoms that are so casually slung over the car’s door both indicate the sunny L.A setting. A closer look at the car’s mirror and you spot another reflection that is depicted, creating an almost ‘mini photograph’ within itself.

Semi-nude males and a hint of nipple showing through Moss’ sheer top, provokes a rather ‘raunchy’ theme and generates plenty of sex appeal. However, Testino has cleverly avoided this theme from appearing trashy or vulgar by slyly romanticising the over all image through the use of his artistic black and white shot...

A BAG WITH A PAST...

On a recent trip to Dover Street Market, Rei Kawakubo’s answer for an interesting store concept, I discovered amongst the glorious array of designer vintage, a small, dainty handbag, placed unaccompanied on a single shelf. This, a most appropriate setting for the accessory, for it retained aspects of both vintage and high-end designer fashion; Designed by Ilaria Venturini Fendi (granddaughter of the top fashion-house’s founder, Adele Fendi) the bag was created out of recycled fabrics from an assortment of various vintage pieces of furniture.

‘Carmina Campus’, literally translated ‘Chants of the Field’ from Latin, was set up by Ilaria in 2006 using both her creativity and eco-minded self to influence and educate the fashion world about the necessity for conserving the environment as well as the need for remaining stylish.

When glimpsing sight of this twee, modest object, that is so delicately positioned on the shelving display, an almost nostalgic sentiment is emitted; a wonder, a speculation, or perhaps a prediction of where and when the various strips of fabric of which it is constructed with began their lives. However, a serious buyer does not have to just guess their bag’s past, as every item in the collection has an identifiable code and photograph, which is kept on file by the company, detailing the original forms of the fabrics used and even how long the bag took to design and manufacture. It is this charming little feature that causes a Carmina Campus accessory to be most desirable.

The idea of a recycled piece may be off-putting for some, suggesting connotations of an unwanted second hand item. However, to me, it outshines the majority of other high-end designer bags and accessories, simply due to the element of rarity which is possesses; because each item in the Carmina Campus collection reuses old, yet good-conditioned fabrics, from various different sources, each bag is completely unique and an entire one off.

This particular bag was created using an ensemble of floral prints, embroidery and delicate trimmings, which through appearance are reflective of the old fashioned era they originally came from and remind me specifically of a ‘Mary Poppins’ style carpet bag I own, which was passed down to me by my grandmother. However, I should mention, when styling a complete outfit around this statement bag, it is probably advisable to not over do the ‘granny chic’ look by teaming it with a floral dress, pearl jewellery and big knit cardigan!

Find out more at http://www.carminacampus.org/

UNDERCOVER...

Today I visited the Fashion and Textiles Museum to view their exhibition on the history of underwear; 'Undercover'.

It was fabulous, with an in depth look at how underwear has evolved through the ages, in all different areas; from corsetry to the supportive sports bra...

...I highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you study lingerie or swimwear design at university!

For more information visit the FTM wesbite: http://www.ftmlondon.org/exhibitions/

THE BEST FEST...

I have just got back from Glastonbury Festival, covered in mud, extremely tired and most certainly in need for a nice long bath!

It was all worth it though; the line up certainly didn't dissapoint and I had a most brilliant time listening / watching / dancing to some amazing bands, singers and DJs!

(Blur: A major highlight of the whole festival, especially this emotional moment for lead singer, Damon...)

(My 2 favourite festival stage outfits: Both Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes) and Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) wore colourful, eccentric playsuits over leggings aswell as brightly coloured eye make up & face paint...)

BACK TO THE 80's...

Last season we saw an 80’s influence on the reoccurring legging trend with the introduction of printed patterns and colourful designs, now it seems 80's style is taking over other areas of fashion...

The 'skinheads' of the 1980’s were a major sub cultural style tribe, quite obviously infamous for their skinheads but also their attire, most notably; extreme acid-wash denim, and clumpy Dr. marten boots. This look was seen on our movie screens a couple years ago with the release of Shane Meadows' ‘This is England’, but now it is too being seen on the catwalk:

For the autumn/winter season high street shops (Topshop, River Island and Schuh to name a few) have began to bring out their own version of the original 80's Dr. martens boot:

GRAPHIC GEOMETRIC...

Take a brief look around you; Shapes, lines, patterns, they are everywhere from the architectural design of a building to the structure and silhouette of a tailored suit. And now they can even be seen swanning up and down the catwalks, in the form of graphic geometric prints on a variety of dresses, t-shirts and swimwear, to name a few.

As an artistic industry, it is no wonder fashion exposes a close link with other ‘arts’ and draws inspiration from them; in this case being the postmodern art movement of ‘futurism’, where artists such as Balla and Malevich used a clever composition of repeated line and shape creating bold geometric patterns. This same stylistic approach to patterning can be detected within Alexander McQueen’s spring / summer ’09 collection, where his repetition of diamond and triangular shaped outlines and crafty placing of colour and shading created an almost three dimensional appearance, reminiscent of a dazzling gem.

(Alexander McQueen s/s '09 collection)

However this slant of kaleidoscopic, geometric patterns is nothing new to fashion house, Pucci, who is renowned for it. As his last show as creative director for the brand, Matthew Williamson certainly didn’t disappoint and delivered the classic ‘Pucci print’ in a mass of bold pinks, oranges and blues, which contrastingly sat so perfectly against the dark skin of model, Jourdan Dunn.

(Pucci s/s '09 collection - model: Jourdan Dunn)

This seasonal trend has continued to develop and has already trickled down to the shop floors of the high street. Topshop’s take is a little 80’s with a lot of colourful zig-zagging lines on leggings and daring graphics printed on over sized t-shirts in an array of psychedelic colours. Whilst, brands such as Karen Millen and Dorothy Perkins have kept things simple but sweet, adapting the geometric trend using recurring circular patterns in shades of black and white.

(Topshop's 'Geometric Print' leggings)

Pucci’s answer to Matthew Williamson’s successor, Peter Dundas, states that he will carry on this trend into next season, as it is essentially the heritage of the brand. Plus, perhaps a striking pattern and bright colour is what fashion needs right now, avoiding the ‘recession doom and gloom’ that has clouded us all for far too long now. “It isn’t right for Pucci to do a low key collection in these times” Dundas proclaims, “In fact I think we have an advantage right now, because when times are tough, you want some sunshine, no?”

CHECK IT OUT...

-Make sure you take a trip to the Tate Modern in London’s Bankside and visit the ‘futurism’ exhibition (beginning in June I believe) to familiarise yourself with the ‘original geometric trend’.
www.tate.org.uk/modern

-Graphic designer turned musician, M.I.A’s ‘Kala’ album art work (designed by herself) resembles the spring / summer trend with its bold use of colour and repetitive patterns.
Buy here: http://shop.miauk.com

-Barcelona’s most fabulous piece of modern architecture, the Flower Market’s, outer exterior is compiled of various multi coloured stripes, bearing different directions to create interesting geometric patterns, decorating the side of the building.
Antigua de Valencia, número 1, Barcelona.

FROM FASHION AND BACK...

The other day I visited the exhibition on Hussein Chalayan at the Design Museum, London. It showcased his most memorable pieces from his swarovski crystal laser dress to his most recent collection 'Inertia' inspired by the concept of speed...

MY NEW LEGGINGS...

I am becoming quite obsessed with graphic print leggings at the moment... beginning to build up quite a collection now! I recently saw these in Topshop and thought they were amazing!

But for someone who has a particular insecurity surrounding her legs, an ownership of over 20 pairs of leggings, a garment which is renowned for its body-shape-revealing-tightness, may seem slightly bizarre. My fanatical collection of the twenty-something pairs consist of both vintage and brand new as well as the weird and the wonderful. A splash of colour, a bold print or possibly an unusually shiny fabric most definitely attracts interest to an area where attention is most unwanted. Well, in my case anyway.

This rather contradictory way of dressing is reminiscent of how stereotypically some people, who expose themselves as loud, bubbly and confident are actually secretly very timid, self conscious and insecure, who are just simply trying to cover that all up and ‘act the part’. But could a fashion garment be used in the same way… as a concealed defence mechanism?

As a child, growing up in the 90’s, leggings were often a key piece in day to day wear; just as they are now. Memories of my leggings back then are rather vague, although I can vividly remember my mothers. My favourite, a nautical inspired pair; bold blue jersey with large red and gold coloured prints of anchors, ship wheels and ropes, which gradually descended down her leg, a style which I would long to own and wear during today’s fashion. Perhaps I have never fully unleashed this particular garment from what I perceive as my own personal style, in a desperate attempt to seize these treasured childhood memories. But is it really possible that someone can successfully and fashionably relive, at age twenty, their same style and fashions that they displayed between the ages of 5 and 10?