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!

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!

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!

By The Grace of Light (& Romance): Selfridges Window Displays

Although Valentines Day has been and gone, I'm still in the mood for romance. (Who am I kidding? I am always in the mood for a little romance!) Something that's making me feel romantic at the moment is the gorgeous window displays in Selfridges, which is just over the road from my uni - dangerous, huh? 

 

Sorry these pictures aren't the worlds most amazing, but hopefully you get the idea! it's surprsingly tricky to take photos through a window, espcially when you and your camera are just getting to know each other. I actually love the reflection of the building behind, though. (It reminds me to look up. There are some beautiful buildings in the center of London, if you just tilt your head back.)

 

The ladies are draped in gorgeous Grecian dresses: pleats, ruffles, folds, gathering - you name it, it's there. The windows have a loosely warrior-ish theme, with these charming men complete with chain mail and um, light sabres? Well, creative license!

   

And this time last year, Selfridges were getting massively romantic. I wasn't writing Wolf Whistle then, but I couldn't resist taking these pictures of 2008's Valentines Day displays with my ancient camera phone.

 

White and neutrals definitely seems to be a theme for Selfridges at this time of year. I loved the gorgeous paper curlicues and circles surrounding the mannequins. It was all so dreamy and other-world-ish in quite the most delicate and charming way.

 

 

In fact, this was maybe my favourite window display of the whole year last year. I kept sneaking back to look at it!

   

Viktor & Rolf: Always Unique

Picture of Viktor & Rolf courtesy of Dexigner.

Yesterday's announcement on WWD reported to all of us eagerly awaiting Paris fashion week that our favourite showmen, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren won't be presenting a traditional runway display, but will instead be launching their Spring/Summer 2009 collection in an online showcase on their website.

This won't be the first time that V&R haven't shown via a runway: for one of their earliest collections, they staged an underground demonstration with models waving protests banners outside Paris Fashion Week. And even as late as last year the models wore scrawled make-up saying NO over their faces and outfits with the words 'Dream On' emblazoned over them for Autumn/Winter 2008/09. This anti-fashion-week suits them perfectly, even if it is ostensibly because of their transitioning to new ownership. 

This reminded me that I still hadn't posted the pictures I took when me and R went to see the Viktor & Rolf retrospective at the Barbican a couple of weeks ago. It was horribly illegal for me to take these - R kept a watch out for the pacing guards and provided a body shield while I furtively took them on my admittedly rubbish camera phone.

A giant dolls house was the centerpiece of the whole exhibition, stretching right up to the roof and complete with dolls in miniature versions of all the full-size garments on display. It was really breathtaking and happily, the Barbican even provided opera glasses to peer more closely. 

R and I both really enjoyed the show. I got completely over-excited and ran around from outfit to outfit, lingering long and gushing over getting to see my favourites up close: the either way up dresses, the harlequin patterned mushroom cloud outfits, the ribbon dresses for Flowerbomb, the bed dress (see below), the collection for Tilda Swinton, the gold collection... I could gush on, but I'll spare you!

Of all the things I loved, though, this may have been my very favourite: a multi-layered arm piece. Although, to be honest, "multi" doesn't do it credit. There were hundreds of layers of hessian and it was beautiful. I started instantly dreaming about making myself something, albeit on a smaller scale...

It's only on until September 21st, so go now if you're going. Do! My rubbish pictures cannot compare and it was really rather fabulous.

P.S. I'll buy a real camera soon, promise...