Wolf Whistle

Barbie's Birthday #2: Karl's Gift!

To celebrate the big 5-0, Karl Lagerfeld (perhaps you've heard of him?) shot some pictures of Barbie with model Baptiste Giabiconi as Ken. The shoot is being displayed in French store Colette from today until March 28th. One silkscreen print on plastic only per picture will be available for sale.

I happen to like creepy/cute (remember the Mommie Dearest shoot for Numero?) but the posing of a real life model with a life size Barbie is a bit weird. Especially the cuddling shot above! Oh dear. (I couldn't bring myself to post the wedding picture, eek...)

And my favourite! Baptiste as Ken as Karl. My mind is reeling.

There's also lots of Barbie related products and paraphernalia for sale, but I think most of it is pretty naff. Except this tee by Married To The Mob...

...and, my favourite: this hairbrush by Bless. Amazing.


Happy Birthday, Barbie!

Happy 50th Birthday...

...to one of the greatest style icons of our time: Barbara Millicent Roberts.

Barbie was first introduced in her famous black and white swimsuit in 1959 and is still the best selling toy in the world, according to the market research company NDP Group. The first Barbie had a ponytail and came with a stand, sunglasses and black open toe shoes. She made her debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9th, 1959 - hence her birthday!

Researching this post I got far too excited about the clothes that Barbie has worn. (Yeah, alright. Excited and jealous.)

I love this special edition re-creation of the original 1959 fashion Gay Parisienne polka dot dress in one of my biggest obsession colours, navy blue. Accessories include a faux pearl necklace, golden velvety clutch, veiled headband hat, navy open-toe shoes and that faux fur stole, of course. Amazing.

Loving these 80s New Romantic Barbies. Check those thigh high boots and rounded shoulders. Very now, no?

Southern Belle Barbie: too pretty!
 


 

And for those up-coming nupitals to Ken, Bridal Barbie in Vera Wang! Chantilly lace and origami-pleated organza, direct from the Vera Wang Luxe 2008 Bridal Collection. Seriously, this is one spoilt doll.

But my favourite is definitely this beautiful blue Zac Posen creation.

From the press release: "Barbie® doll wears a sweeping, belted violet blue gown of pleated china silk with a golden armband. Ken® doll is outfitted as the quintessential designer, wearing jeans, a pintucked tuxedo shirt, and shantung silk jacket. The studio “set” is crammed with bolts of fabric, sewing notions, bulletin board with pinned inspiration and the final must-have accessory: Zac’s own best friend, his black dog Tina."

The attention to detail is astonishing. And insane, a little.

Although her look today is instantly recognisable, Barbie's appearance has been tweaked many times over the 50 years. In 1971 the doll's eyes were adjusted to look forwards rather than the demure sideways glance of the original model. In 1997 Barbie's body mold was redesigned from her previous 36-18-33 (ouch) and given a wider waist, with  company Mattel saying that this would make the doll better suited to contemporary fashion designs.

And although this was a photoshop rather than a real doll, I love the slightly more accurate representation of how Barbie should be looking by now. Still beautiful!

How do you feel about Barbie? Do her ridiculously implausible measurements give the wrong ideas to impressionable children? Or do you see her as a harmless bit of fashion fun? Let me know what you think. (Also let me know if you can recreate that Zac Posen dress for me for cheap, seriously!)

London College of Fashion Exhibitions

Right now at London College of Fashion there are some amazing exhibitions. Down at Bond Street campus, there's a mixed bag in the current exhibition including butterflies exploding from books, cardboard artworks reminding us to recycle and a rather scary shelf of memorial candles to dead dictators and serial killers.

In amongst, though - and more relevant to this blog - are two beautiful pieces on recycling. Nadine Richards from the BA Footwear Design course created a recycled and sustainable pair of shoes. (Click for larger!)

The shoes are made from vegetarian tanned leather, fold down collars and laces made from a 70s vintage scarf. The heels and soles are taken from an unwanted pair of shoes.

Not only do I love the idea, but I love the finished outcome. I would definitely wear these.


Julia Roebuck from BA Textile Design created a dress made of three pairs of trousers donated to Oxfam. She says its "A comment on the increase of value and fast fashion culture that has evolved, allowing garments to become disposable."

Very All Saints, no?

 

There's a dress that releases scent at the John Princes Street campus and a gorgeous couture exhibition upstairs. Pictures of both to come shortly!

Precarious: L'Officiel Singapore Say What We're Thinking

L'Officiel Singapore have published this very tongue-in-cheek editorial called Balancing Act.
(I think this might be aimed at you, Miuccia...)







Love the shoot, but gosh... what an awful tattoo.





Scans from Pedestrian. I love you guys!

Obsession! Bargains! Vanity!

This was supposed to be an outfit post because I have a camera now!/there was no-one in the loos at uni so I could do a sneaky full length shot/I'm wearing my amazing/insane 80s dress and I wanted to show you guys. Seriously, it's worth seeing: diamonte, batwing sleeves, d-rings, over-sized silver buttons, slit skirt... It's about ten dresses in one and it was a magical 99p on Ebay.

But my cameras batteries decided to die just as I tried to take a picture, so you just get this rubbish phone camera shot of me and my token screw-face and my £2 Topshop PVC bow that I. Cannot. Stop. Wearing. It's a brooch really so I have to make a little ponytail and push the brooch through the elastic, but that way it sticks up from my head like Minnie Mouse. Win!

Also unseen in this outfit: 50p black leather patchwork bumbag, £1 purple tights and £5 brogues. Whole outfit for under a tenner! I'm such a bargain master that I even I impress myself.

I deliberately frizzed my hair. And that's the light - even my under eye-bags aren't that terrible. (Right, justification over!)

P.S. If anyone wants to be my outfit photographer, let me know...

 

Let's Swish!

Got a very nice email from a lady called Helen asking if I'd be interested in writing about her free Swishing event at Old Spitalfield's Market, this coming Saturday March 7th. And you know what? I would!

The Swishing events are basically giant swap shops, where you can bring from 1-5 items to trade for something new. I've still got a bin liner full of goodies that I didn't sell when I did a vintage fair before Christmas so I'm planning to swap what doesn't suit me for something that does, hopefully!

Click for bigger!

How it works is this:

12noon - 2pm Clothes drop off:

        Bring your clothes, shoes or accessories to the swishing area and drop them             off, you will receive a stamp for each item (minimum 1, maximum 5)

2.30pm Browsing time:

Take time to browse the goodies on display - look, but no touching until the Swish begins

3.00pm Swishing officially opens:

There will be a brief introduction to the Swish and it will then be declared open for you to start swishing.

The Rules

Bring at least 1 good quality item of clothing, shoes or accessories that you no longer wear but would be proud to pass onto a fellow Swisher - no rags please!

You can bring up to 5 items, you will recieve a stamp for each, so feel free to take as many items as you brought along.

You will have time to browse the rails and look at the fantastic free goodies on display - but remember, you cannot claim these items until the swish is officially open!

Once declared open, swish to your hearts content! Remember, be kind to your fellow Swishers...no scratching, spitting or biting!

I have the feeling that girls who see something they really love in the browsing time will end up loitering around in order to pounce when it's time to swap. I love this idea, especially as its free.

See you on Saturday!

London Fashion Week: Wolf Whistle Top Three

It took me a while to decide this, because I got so excited by lots of what I saw at London Fashion Week. But finally! A little belatedly! Wolf Whistle's Top Three for Autumn/Winter 09.

3. Nathan Jenden
(View full collection here.)

I don't know how much of Nathan Jenden was actually newnewnew but I really, utterly don't care. Yeah, it was 80s inspired like everything else so far has been, but I was still in love with every look. Tailored suiting with bondage straps (re-evaluating my vendetta against trousers as we speak... errr, type), fierce colour block pencil skirts, exposed over-sized zips, sheer panels, pleating (oh gosh, such pleating!), origiami folds: it was basically a list of things I like to look at. Yes, there was rather a lot of black, but it was a focused and well thought-out black. And it was sexxxy!

As much as I love fashion, I'm no-ones ideal customer because I'm a broke student. But if I had money, there would definitely be a few things from Nathan Jenden working their way to me. It's not a perfect collection but I want to wear it. And isn't that the point, ultimately?

 

2. Erdem
(View full collection here.)

In a season full of sexy bandage dresses and sly (and not-so-sly) winks to the 80s, it was refreshing to see a collection that defined femininity in a different way. A little girl's empire waist silhouette paired with a grown womens idea of decoration meant the dresses were cutesy without being sickening and adult without being too serious. 

Love black lace over red duchesse satin, love tiny flowers hand-embroidered, love sharp shoulders and billowing skirts. It's just so beautiful!

1. Christopher Kane
(View full collection here.)

Part and parcel of being in a recession means that some designers will automatically look towards a new austerity, whilst others will get louder and brighter to compensate. Christopher Kane started out in a neon glow of bandage dresses and has now toned it right right down, to sheer and neutrals and just flashes of sparkle, but it's still something amazing. It doesn't feel another attempt to make sense of the times but rather a worthy progression of his talents.

Sheers tamed, ruffles to flatter and a new take on the motorcycle jacket made being Kane's "twisted sister" a very attractive prospect indeed.

 

This collection for me was a grower, in the same way that an album you're not sure about slowly turns into one of your all time favourites. At first I thought it was lovely,but not supersonic, until I found myself going back to look at that appliqued organza ribbon dress again, and then re-scrolling through the whole collection. He is right at the top of my "Can't Wait For" list every season.

 

 

Highly commended (i.e. Spent ages deliberating which to include or not!):

Basso & Brooke



Holly Fulton



Louise Goldin

Milan next!

Loulou Loves DavidDavid for LFW

I love Twitter. I know people are constantly writing everywhere about how much they love it in magazines and newspapers and err, on their Twitters, but I don't care. I agree! Especially when  I get to read about Stephen Fry being stuck in a life or getting crafty gives me sneak previews of the knickers of my dreams. Geometric brights + sheer ruffles = win!

The gorgeous Loulou of Loulou Loves You Lingerie collaborated with designer DavidDavid to create Loulou loves DavidDavid (see what they did there? Best name ever...) and posted it on her Twitter. Genius!

 
This promo shot for the collection is gorgeous. Can't wait to see the rest of the lookbook!



Go to Loulou's blog Sailorette for more news about the collaboration.