I am unsure of who took this photo- but it is gorgeous!

Waka- Waka

Oh Africa...

Bourdin on a genius

Guy Bourdin is the creative master of voyeurism as beauty. His photographs depict women in an emancipating yet dangerous light, lacquered in glossy colour. Now French Department Store Le Bon Marche Rive Gauche are paying homage to the great Bourdin through his work in film. The shorts show how Bourdin used film to develop his ideas for his beautiful photography...

Love film...

This isn't the first time a fashion designer has teamed up with a director, but French director Samuel Benchetrit has recently collaborated with designer Yves Saint Laurent to create a uniquely refreshing and beautiful film to showcase YSL S/S 2010 Menswear collection. After Chanel's stunning imagery created with Kidman and Tatou and Prada's surreal shorts, Benchetrit's monochrome 8 minutes is beautiful and charming whilst making a bold statement.
Benchetrit's own 11 year old son plays the part of a young but unintentionally stylish school boy who finds a key to a clearly occupied hotel-room. With the room's guest out, he tries on the (adult -sized) shirts, suits, hat and sunglasses ( YSL Menswear) that are scattered around the room. As he reads the guest's letters, literature (Musset) and answers his phone, the boy paves an evening to the unsuspecting man (Johnny) to return to. Each moment the boy plays out highlights the meanings behind the collection, whilst an underlying story between Johnny and his lover weave in and out of the main story following our protagonist.
The short is funny, intelligent, charming and slow paced, set to both classical and dramatic, staccato music, juxtaposed with long silences. With nods to YSL inspirations for the new collection, poetic language and stunning location, the film short highlights YSL collection in a perfectly crafted light.
Benchetrit is becoming increasingly popular and well respected in the film industry and with no wonder...

Dolce and Gabbana's Tribute to the Opera

At Milan Fashion Week recently Domenico and Stefano using Venice's Gran Teatro La Fenice as their inspiration showcased their new collection of A/W beautiful dresses.

Next to the red carpeted catwalk hung La Traviata Opera posters, which are also seen lacing the fronts of white T-shirts worn with structured mini skirts.

The inspiration came from 13 operas including La Traviata and Norma and Tristano E Isolto. Even Maria Callas graced a T-shirt in black and white. Despite the dresses seeming as though made from oil paintings and tapestries they appear wearable.

Models power strutted down the runway in black platforms, structured jackets and mini's made from embellished fabrics.Ethereal white skirts were laced with huge girly bows, and dark, ruffle mini- dresses were juxtaposed against high waisted miltary trousers slung with bull-fighter tassle belts and simple, yet stunning T-shirts. Short structured dresses made from fabric that not even Henry VIII would turn down, and pipe line trousers with gold military stripes.

To conclude the show a dress for each of the inspired operas, with printed corsets and floral , billowing skirts came down the runway, representing the great homage paid.