Barcelona fashion

While on holiday in Barcelona with my mum we stumbled upon a brilliant fashion photography exhibition 'Outumuro Looks: Twenty years photographing fashion 1990-2010'. It was a collection of 200 images from the Galician fashion photographer Manueal Outumuro's glamorous collection.

Outumuro has worked with the world's most infamous models and for the most prestigious brands and clients shooting for glossy magazines and campaigns. His work was divided into six different areas: Surroundings, Portraits, Black and White, Sequences, Poses and Attitudes and Celebrities. I just took a few sneaky shots on my mobile camera so apologies for the dodgy yellow hue.

1. SURROUNDINGS
'The locations used for the photographs, together with the treatment of light and the poses of the models, are defining features of the photographer's style. Grand natural spaces, chaotic urban spaces and spectacular architectures are occupied by still or moving figures that merge with their surroundings.'

2. PORTRAITS

'Moody close-ups of pensive personalities, evocations of the portraits of Renaissance painting and the early works of the pioneers of photography, these pictures focus attention on the clothes and accessories that complement faces accentuated by make-up and expression.'

3. BLACK AND WHITE

'The abstraction of two-dimensional bodies clothed in black and white against a background devoid of colour. The volumes are flattened, the greys are contrasted and the lines are sharpened. Everything takes on a geometric clarity that takes us back to the photographer's early years as a graphic designer.'

4. SEQUENCES

'In the photographs in this section Manuel Outumuro conjures up the cinema, which has so often inspired him in his work. The exhibition also includes a short film created especially for this room by Isabel Cioxet, a compilation of excerpts from some of the photographer's favourite films.'

5. POSES AND ATTITUDES

'The model photographed as focus of attraction. The gestures and movements place a new emphasis on the clothes and their relationship to the body. We share this room with timeless personages who come and go, their indolent attitudes and sophisticated poses baring the soul of fashion.'

6. CELEBRITIES

'In this room we appreciate the magnetism that fashion exercises in great actresses, top models and other famous people. Outstanding personalities from a variety of fields disport themselves with joyful spontaneity in the latest creations from the most celebrated designers.'

The gentlewoman

Like an albatross about my neck I feel perpetually guilty for not tending to the needs of my blog. Though the word backlog when chopped into is virtually an anagram for blog... so perhaps I'll just febreeze through the rotting animal stench of my absence and like a mother bird to her young regurgitate her findings. Ouf I feel a bit sick after all that! These scans of the first issue of The Gentlewoman, from the creators of the style bible Fantastic Man, will help dispel any queasy stomachs.

Apologies for the lack of photo order but blogger is playing up so in no chronological sequence is; the front cover featuring Phoebe Philo, the head designer of French fashion label Celine, Sarah Perez the chief winemaker behind Mas Martinet and Venus Vineyards in northeast Spain, Princess Julia the 80s iconic DJ, a series of updos titled 'Knots' created by the expertise of Peter Gray a renowned celebrity hair stylist and a page from the photshoot 'Tall 'n Small' featuring Marta and Sofia and photographed by Daniel Riera with styling by Jodie Barnes.

Love me love my lookbook

You don't have to be a model commissioned for a shoot to pout moodily in front of the camera and to have tons of people pouring over your image. Whether you think it the height of self obsessed vanity or the democracy of the Internet allowing creatives all around the world to show the fashion elite how to work a new trend, lookbook.nu is raking in the fashion crowd.

The site works by being one long image roll of looks updated by members from which other members can 'hype' thus after many hypes the lookbooker can become reigning style icon of the day/week/all time. Current queen of the lady lookbookers with 8046 fans is all time favourite 17 year old Frida J from Kungalv in Sweden. She's a leggy blonde with a flawlessly edgy cool take on style, is the spitting image of Sienna Miller and regularly rakes in over 6000 comments per look posted. Jealous moi?!

The link from lookbook to her blog explains the inspiration behind her looks, though often it is random diary style entries with endearing Swenglish translations such as this post:

Today I have, exept of a pretty tough trip to school, shopping a bit & bought new running shoes. It’s sick that my most expensive shoes ever are a couple that I run around and clay down in the woods! I also bought this year’s first strawberry, I will ruin myself if I keep buying strawberrys at the lunchbreak (which I certainly will …). Now I will watch some TV. The Mentalist / desperate housewifes & Cougar town is the thing tonight! xx

Love the idea of accessorising with fruit, matching handbags to shoes is so old hat in Sweden!

All images courtesy of lookbook.nu

tasty website treats

I've been scouting the web for new online fashion as I'm a little tired with asos and net-a-porter being the only destination. I came across these exquisite sites, which though mostly based in the US do offer reasonable shipping prices.

pixiemarket.com

This website is definitely for the fashion forward from the Isabella Blow mad gene pool way of thinking with adventurous fashion. These $99 cycling shorts (a daring look that halo-polishing-never-put-a-brogued-foot-wrong Alexa Chung tried recently and was slammed for in magazines) is one of the websites best sellers. Though when teamed with this asymmetrical flying jacket, you can see it working well.

shopnastygal.com

I like the name, I like the vintage selection, I like the blog and I love the lookbook. Nothing gets me hankering for some one off online pieces then some brilliant photography. Very Vice magazine in style but with that all American sugar coating that makes it less nastygal and more tastygal. dribble dribble!

lavintage.com

Lavintage does what it says on the tin and more. They have a creative plus size range which for once doesn't list the benefits of a wrap dress and seems to take its inspiration from the school of Beth Ditto, think loud patterns and a shed load of sequins.

needsupply.com

The company started in 1996 selling some old Levi jeans and have since been named by Nylon magazine as one of the 100 best stores in the world in which to buy denim. They now do men and womens wear, accessories, outerwear and its not limited to denim, though the casual vibe is reflected in their choice of sexy cool American Apparel style models. This crinkle tiered dress is $128.

Dotty about my potty

Tim Burton makes a 3D movie about it with Johnny Depp, Gaga carries hers everywhere with her and I have recently fallen head over heels for one. I'm talking about a fascination with drinking tea and all it's accompaniments and my obsession with my new tea pot. It's blue with white polka dots and pours like a dream.

Us Brits are a nation of tea drinkers and according to my new favourite website http://www.tea.co.uk/ we drink 165,000,000 cups a day, that's a lot of brewing. Having perused the site I learned that it wasn't until the 1840s that drinking tea became popular with the Duchess of Bedfordshire starting the craze by reviving herself from that sinking feeling one gets in the afternoon with a cuppa. She began inviting her friends over for a chinwag, a sarnie and a brew and suddenly all of England was mad for tea parties!

These are just a few tea party accessories which I found on ebay and modcloth.com.

Lately this quintessential tradition has had a surge of interest with the blue rinse brigade having to fight over their usual table with trendy youths! It seems nostalgia for our tea drinking culture has been invigorated and the reflection in fashion is apparent. Although the tea dress hasn't been spotted on the catwalk since spring 2009 it is forever in fashion as it is so flattering to all shapes and sizes. Cut on the bias to cling and swish and decorated in floral, dotty or bright patterns it is perfect for the current Alice in Wonderland fever.

TK-Maxx £14.99


Fever Cezanne side lace dress £74.99

Boohoo.com floral tea dress in poweder blue £20

A/W 2010 Catwalk trends

Flying jackets
Adam, mulberry


Pagan hippie
Anna Sui- the collection doesn’t look musty or as if it hums of incense, it looks fresh, natural and combined with biker boots and flying caps it takes on a gritty edge.

Long skirts
Aquascutum- Michael herz has managed to update that stale and long forgotten garment the long skirt. By bringing it back into the limelight and teaming it with crisp white shirts and tough leather jackets we are reminded of it’s virtues, cut on the bias it flatters a curvy figure and it is as narrow in silhouette as a skinny jean. Impossible to ride bikes or play hopscotch in.

Leather
Christopher Kane- he challenges this season with leather, patent leather and kitsch floral embroidery and lots of lace.

Floral
Erdem- it’s staple signature is feminine, lustrous floral designs and yet I am always struck by how fresh they look. I particularly like this cap sleeved bell skirted dress which updates the swallow from 1950s rockabilly symbol to nature’s songbird. Matched with woodland style tan hiking boots the outfit takes on a modern twist. Also another long gown, with gem like colours and just very breathtaking.

Sportswear luxe
Lacoste- no one does cheerful, bright sportswear better then Lacoste and this collection didn’t disappoint. Although the collection began very sombre in neutral tones and structured tailored garments, it was soon uplifted by vibrant colour blocking sporty pieces. I particularly liked the capes and this simplistic jacket with it’s high collar.

Futuristic
Louise Goldin- officially crowned the Queen of knitwear she proved her status again by producing a fashion forward, in fact light years ahead, collection with inspirations sited as being star trek and Pierre Cardin. Her show was full of angular, boxy and architecturally interesting dresses that wouldn’t look out of place on Lady Gaga or Rhianna.

Mr Darcy meets Sex and the City

They are both renowned for playing characters who are fit to bursting with red hot passion. One is perhaps more fond of getting about it in a more reserved manner asking for the honour of a hand before getting down to business, whereas the other has a more direct approach such as serving sushi on her naked body for Valentines. However both actors Matthew Macfadyen and Kim Cattrall leave their infamous past characters behind taking only the raw passion with them as they embark on an explosive production of Noel Coward's Private Lives.

I was fortunate enough to see this fast selling out play, directed by five time Olivier award winner Richard Eyre, at the Bath Royal Theatre before it's impending debut in the west end. Noel Coward's classic comedy of manners depicts the tale of a glamorous couple who were previously entangled together in a dramatic love/hate marriage from which they divorced. As fate would have it they meet again on the eve of their respective second honeymoons over the wall of their adjacent balconies and as rekindled sparks fly they impetuously elope to Paris. However in the heat of the moment sparks, insults and even goldfish fly across the set as the couple fall back into their tempestuous pattern of fierce amusing arguments and ironic tender reconciliations.

As soon as Kim Cattrall stepped out as Amanda I was half expecting a Samantha Jone's style repertoire with heavy innuendos, arched eyebrows and flirtatious feline smiles. Yet she gave so much more and played Amanda with more sensitivity and class and delivered her put downs with such dryness and acidity that she often got the loudest laughs. Cattrall's elegance and beauty in stunning floor length 1930's gowns was something to be marvelled at and it was completely believable that she should entice her former husband back into a headlong romantic adventure.

Matthew Macfayden who played Elyot, Amanda's ex husband did a humorous portrayal of a man worn out by the trials of a passionate and a high maintenance woman full of dry, cynical Oscar wilde-esque quips only to completely loose it for the same woman again.

Although the small cast was exceptional and Macfayden delivered some particularly throwaway cutting remarks throughout the play, it was Cattrall who enthralled her audience and dazzled them with her looks, charm, expressiveness and absolute comic value. Just a minor celeb crush developing here!