Designer Spotlight: Lulu Guinness

Fashion and art have always shared a common bond. With an almost symbiotic relationship, the connection between the two is stronger than ever before and the lines becoming increasingly blurred. This connection is fortified by ever-popular collaborations with artists lending their creativity and style onto an unsuspecting fashion world. 

One fashion designer who is a clear advocate of art is Lulu Guinness OBE. There is a reason why her unique and glamorous Collectible bags are described as “tomorrow’s treasures”. Living by her motto Dare to be Different, Lulu’s strong personal style and original vision has played a huge part in her success. Her most recent project with street artist Joseph Steele and creative art agency Beautiful Crime sees the fusion of fashion and art in a very explosive way.

Glass caught up with Lulu Guinness to discuss her views on fashion, art and her new project.

The Lulu Guinness Paint Project with Beautiful Crime artist Joseph Steele launches on July 11 with an interesting live event – talk us through the concept of the project and what we can expect.

I previously worked with Beautiful Crime artist Fin DAC for the launch of my limited edition Eye clutch bag, so when I heard about a new artist they were working with – Joseph Steele and his conceptual approach to using paint and explosives – I approached them again to see how we could make works of art out of Lulu Guinness bags. 

The concept has been to create beautiful bags which look just as great framed on a wall as they do on the arm of a glamorous girl on the red carpet. Working with Joe has allowed us to do just that, with his innovative and experimental techniques which are unique to him. I’ve not come across anyone who can use paint in such an impactful way, not since Anish Kapoor. He’s not afraid to push the boundaries.

What inspired you to turn bags into artworks?

Art is everything to me. It’s all I think about. All of my collections draw on art for inspiration in one way or another so it was a bit of a no-brainer really! It was only a matter of time before the two fused together. I like a challenge, and exploring new techniques, so Joe and I made the perfect partners in crime. 

Do you feel your handbags an equal balance between fashion and art? If so, how?

I think in this case they are pretty equal, yes. I believe what Joe and I have created are works of art in their own right. This line of 180-limited edition bags are the first ever of their kind, in that no two bags are the same. We’re both very proud of what we’ve achieved and hope everyone else likes them as much as we do.

You have done many brand collaborations throughout your career. What are the challenges of working with other creatives?

I love working with other like-minded people so I see it as more of a pleasure than a challenge. Working with other creatives is an excellent way to learn and grow as the best ideas, more often than not, come to fruition after brainstorming with other people.

Images: Lulu Guinness

Each unique bag will signed and numbered by Lulu Guinness and Joseph Steele, and will be available here from July 12.

www.luluguinness.com

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I regularly contribute.

Paris Fashion Week: Acne Studios AW 13

Avant-garde and urban contemporary designs have always been at the forefront of Acne Studios, and this season is no different. After showing in London for a number of seasons, Acne decamped to Paris this time creating a collection that takes apart fashion as we know it and celebrating its rich history.

Jonny Johansson embarked on a tripartite collaboration together with Musée Galliera, Paris’ fashion museum, and Katerina Jebb, whose speciality lies in innovative photographic techniques creating photomontages. Enamoured with the insides of the antique clothing, Jebb scanned these to be used as prints for collection, lending it an abstract air. 

There was a focus on tailored and deconstructed silhouettes, paired with flowing layers. Suit jackets were accented with metallic leather patches, trousers were baggy with exaggerated turn-ups and outerwear came in the season’s favourite oversized proportions. Though brutal and harsh in shape, the colour palette softened the looks with coral tones and cerulean blue.

There was certainly a great deal going on in the collection and may appear lacking in focus at some points, but that was the point – to be experimental and brutal with it – which was met with a thunder of applause.

Images: Style.com

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I regularly contribute.

Paris Fashion Week: Balmain AW13

Olivier Rousteing revelled in the spirit of couturiers like Paul Poiret, Christian Lacroix and of coursePierre Balmain, all of whom took Paris by storm in the late 70s. Even if you put them all together, the result still wouldn’t match the exuberance of the young designer’s collection. 

Rousteing is renowned for his love of extreme silhouettes, and this season he embraces it even further to unfathomable limits. Sharp and defined shoulders lead to even more defined waists before flaring out yet again into billowing harem trousers and draped miniskirts – the perfect balance and complement to the hourglass figure. 

Embellishments were heavy in detail – quilted leather was encrusted with jewels, while strips of leather were woven into an enlarged check resembling tweed. Some of the tailoring leaned a bit too much on the stiff side, though this was balanced with draped silk charmeuse miniskirts and fuzzy angora knits. The collection may seem over-the-top and a bit too bling-bling, but if anyone can make it work, it’s Rousteing.

Images: Style.com

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I regularly contribute.

Miu Miu Women’s Tales #5: The Door

Miu Miu continue their love affair with self-expression through film with their fifth episode entitled The Door by Ava DuVernay, which was unveiled today on their website. The short film is about sisterhood – a celebration of the transformative power of female bonds – and is a symbolic story of life change. 

The Door follows The Powder Room, by Zoe Cassavetes; Muta, by Lucrecia Martel; The Woman Dress, by Giada Colagrande and It’s Getting Late, by Massy Tadjedin in The Miu Miu Women’s Tales series. Each short film combines credible filmmaking themes and strong feminine points of view with fashion directed by and starring the fairer sex – quite arguably so. 

Inspired by the strength and vulnerability of Miu Miu’s designs, director DuVernay decided on a story about a woman who is at a vulnerable time in her life who leans on the strength of friendship. Using clothing as a symbol of renewal, each change of costume charts the heroine’s emergence from a chrysalis of sadness. 

All five films from the project can be viewed on a dedicated area of the Miu Miu site, alongside exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. 

Miu Miu's fifth and latest tale can be viewed here.

Image by Brigitte Lacombe for Miu Miu

My piece above is taken from www.theglassmagazine.com where I contribute regularly.

Valentino: Master of Couture

How very apt, I think to myself. The name given to Valentino’s current exhibition at Somerset House, that is - a conclusion I reach after leaving the final set of doors. 

Here is a man who personifies la dolce vita, creating works of art in the form of elegant dresses for glamorous women, from Jackie Kennedy to Audrey Hepburn. Offering a rare glimpse into the inner sanctum of Valentino’s world, the exhibition is staged in three parts. The first room delves into Valentino’s private life, showcasing previously unseen personal photographs, couture invitations, sketches and words of thanks from the industry’s most feared and admired - who knew Anna Wintour would have such enormous bubble-esque handwriting. 

The centrepiece of the show sees the transformation of the long Embankment Gallery into a catwalk of Valentino’s 138 hand-crafted creations. In a clever reversal of roles, the “audience” is in fact made up of mannequins dressed in the priceless couture we have all flocked to see, and it is we, the viewers, who are on the runway. While the dresses are not placed in the centre of attention literally, our attention on them remains quite so - their positioning on the side of the catwalk does not distract us from their beauty and diversity.

The third and final part of the show takes us behind the seams at the atelier through a series of specially made films, showing the painstaking artistry of the couture techniques that go into making a Valentino gown, some of which are unique to Valentino - awe-inspiring indeed.

Valentino and his dresses 

Photo by Peter Macdiarmid

A/W 2002, 2003  HC romantic Valentino Red taffeta evening gown © Valentino Garavani

Photo by Virtual Museum

Valentino dress from S/S 1969, 2000 

Photo by Ruven Affanador

Wedding dress of Princess Marie-Chantal © Valentino Garavani

Photo by Peter Macdiarmid

Catwalk of dresses © Valentino Garavani

Photo by Peter Macdiarmid

Running until 3rd March 2013 at Somerset House 

Admission: ￡12.50, Concessions ￡9

www.somersethouse.org.uk    

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I contribute regularly.

Blogs and Zines - Spoilt for choice.

When you're in need of some fashion/cultural/lifestyle inspiration, you needn't look far these days. Whether it be on the shelf of a newsagents or a click of a mouse away, you're guaranteed to find something that will fulfil your needs.

Magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, to name a few, are like a nation's favourite dish - though on a global level. Some of the more recent blogs and zines could be compared to new culinary delights - they look good on the outside but will it give you food poisoning? Okay so maybe that's a bit extreme as a comparison (forgive the food analogy, I'm starving!) But that's how new classics begin. It's an outlet for creative individuals and in time could become our daily bread, to the hope of their founders! 

My daily bread never really changes, only grows I suppose. Here are a few of my current ones, both print and e-based:

Glass Magazine, Trendland, HUH  and Frankie are great all-rounders for fashion/photography/music/art/design/stuff and more. HUH even has a shop in Dalston.

Hunger is a new fashion biannual magazine from the makers of Dazed & Confused and AnOther, expecting some good stuff! For each issue they release both a male and female cover - take your pick! 

As for Rodeo, it's all in Swedish, but it looks promising! 

So, what's your daily bread?