217 by Anita Sheth

217 ISSUE ONE

A word from the editor Welcome to 217 - a publication for the originators, innovators and trend setters which focuses on culture, fashion and beauty. In the debut issue we delve into the world of the Art Eccentrics; finding considered craziness in catwalk trends, exploring Yayoi Kusamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest exhibition in the UK and the history of Surrealism. 217â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first instalment would not be complete without an interview with street style photography maven, Paul Hartnett who exclusively reveals his own tricks of the trade. Introducing a magazine for the visionaries of 2012.

EDITOR IN CHIEF ANITA SHETH

contents MODERN MANDARIN

SEEING SPOTS 12 MAD AS A HATTER

LADY DANGER 16 FULTON’S FLAIR 20 RAINBOW CONNECTION 26 THE STYLE STALKER

SENSE AND SURREALISM

GENERATION HD 48 ARCH MADNESS 50

CHRISTOPHER KANE

STELLA McCARTNEY

YVES SAINT LAURENT

HERMÈS

3.1 PHILLIP LIM

GIORGIO ARMANI

JENNY PACKHAM

modern mandarin

Orange has a tumultuous relationship with the fashion industry, often shied away from because of it’s ‘look at me’ or garish qualities, but this season it would seem the designers have truly embraced the vivacious colour and made it’s presence felt at countless shows. Nanette Lepore utilised orange for her neon-centric collection, pieces included bright orange slip dresses under ice blue, lace overlay dresses which worked the two complimentary colours to their full potential. An orange, roll neck top peeped out from a rose pink, skirt suit and the colour was stitched in panels on dresses and piped through zips and details. Mark Fast showcased a modern take on the flapper dress with his signature knits in tangerine, embellished with beads of gold and pink. Eveningwear at Jenny Packham came in swathes of delicate chiffon in an apricot palette; the asymmetric gowns were embroidered with lace inserts, studs and draped effortlessly from the models. Unsurprisingly, Hermes featured a completely orange section to their show, presenting mandarin collared, loose shirts and work dresses, pleated slips and blazers all in the signature colour for the house which was used in shades ranging from burnt orange to amber to pumpkin. A popular colour in the 1960s, orange has become synonymous with the era of innovative and experimental fashion whilst a burnt orange shade teamed with brown is infamous as a 1970s classic colour scheme. Fortunately the look this season is much more modern; orange is being teamed with complimentary colours and used for accessories and highlights. At Marc by Marc Jacobs, buttons on shirts, trimmed edging on jackets and holdalls, shoppers and clutches came in an assortment of orange tones and the trend continued at Roksanda Ilincic with tangerine, rope belts, knitted hats and court shoes. Makeup also got a vitamin C shot this season; makeup artist, Tom Pecheux reinvented the cat eye backstage at Marni with a flushed orange flick and eyelids were coated in a wash of a pigmented shade of tangerine at Richard Chai. The colour is certainly easier to wear through cosmetics as proved by the vivid, orange lipstick which was a focal point at Mary Katrantzou. Pantone, the globally recognised company for colour consultancy, named 17-1463 Tangerine Tango as their colour of the year 2012. This only serves as further proof that orange is on the up, as it infiltrates interiors, art and design. Choose orange cushions to add a modern twist to furniture or orange cooking utensils to add a fresh citrus element to the kitchen area. Colour analyst, Annie Bucknill, describes orange as an “energetic colour” and goes on to say, “it is a colour that really does stand out on its own”, so invest in some freshly squeezed, orange pieces to complete your wardrobe this summer.

MARC BY MARC JACOBS MARC BY MARC JACOBS

The standout colour for Spring/Summer has to be a gloriously, vibrant orange. The colour was seen in looks ranging from complete head to toe outfits to accessories to make up, brightening up the runways at every fashion capital.

ACNE

Runway images courtesy of style.com. Product images courtesy of Net-A-Porter and Matches Fashion

Yayoi Kusama image courtesy of H Blogs F Blogspot. Exhibition room image courtesy of Lucy Dawkins, Tate Photography.

Seeing spots

INFINITY MIRROED ROOM

This is the largest display of Kusama’s work to ever be shown in England, featuring everything from sculptures to paintings to installations. Having battled against stereotypes such as being a woman in the male dominated art world to living as an Asian woman in New York, Kusama now resides in Japan after voluntarily admitting herself to a mental institution in 1977. Credited with being influential to movements such as pop art, minimalism and performance art, Kusama works obsessively to produce pieces. The exhibition focuses on the first moments when Kusama worked in certain techniques, providing a collection which displays a time when the artist was truly focusing all her creative energies into producing pieces in particular disciplines.

YAYOI KUSAMA

OBSESSIVE, HALLUCINOGENIC AND VIBRANTLY COLOURED - YAYOI KUSAMA IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ARTISTS TO COME OUT OF JAPAN; THE TATE MODERN IS HOLDING A RETROSPECTIVE OF KUSAMA’S WORK UNTIL JUNE 5TH 2012. 12

The exhibition is divided into 14 rooms each dedicated to a separate period of Kusama’s work. The chronological ordering of pieces allows viewers to see the development of Kusama’s compulsive personality and mind set as she flourished as an artist over the last eight decades. The early paintings show Kusama working in a Nihonga style; the typical Japanese style of working sees artists using traditional Japanese materials, artistic conventions and techniques. As Kusama grew bored with these long-established styles she broke out and started to experiment with European and American methods of producing art. As the exhibition moves on to Kusama’s earlier work on paper it becomes clear to see her exploration of colour and form. Working in assortment of media such as pastel, watercolour and gouache, her pieces were produced in their hundreds, all carefully detailed with what would become signature to this artist; dots, eyes, networks and tadpole-like shapes. Kusama began to produce work on a much larger scale in the 1950s when she first established links with America before eventually moving to New York in 1957. ‘The Infinity

Net’ paintings are vast canvases covered with endless arcs of paint which form patterns, the relentless qualities of these pieces continue to echo Kusama’s fanatical mind. Kusama first production of sculptures resulted in the Accumulation series – everyday objects such as shoes, furniture and clothing are laid out and encrusted with phallic shaped, fabric pieces, suggesting Kusama’s anxieties of sex portrayed in a surreal form. ‘Aggregation: One Thousand Boats Show’ presents Kusama’s first room installation, this was first installed in 1963 and installation has become a practice of which she has returned to many times and is now well known for. The installation features a boat covered completely in white fabric phalli, the walls are papered with a repetitive print of the boat as seen from above, documenting Kusama’s Pop Art influence and preceding Andy Warhol’s, Cow Wallpaper by three years. The most spectacular of rooms are undoubtedly, ‘I’m Here but Nothing’ and the ‘Infinity Mirrored Room – Filled with the Brilliance of Life.’ The first was built by Kusama in the late 1990s; this marked her return to installation after 30 years. A darkened room in a domestic setting is covered entirely with fluorescent polka dots; Kusama has continually used polka dots as a visual expression of her own hallucinogenic thoughts, in which the world is being over taken with repeated patterns. The Infinity Mirrored Room is Kusama’s biggest installation of this sort to date and has been specifically created to close this exhibition. Viewers walk down a path in the room, surrounded by mirrored images of themselves and of the ever changing colour, polka dot light display. This room suspends the public in a space which is completely psychedelic, intoxicating and extraordinary, and allows them to delve into Kusama’s obsession with the notion and depiction of infinite space. The Tate Modern have ensured this exhibition will be greatly loved by old and new fans of Kusama’s outstanding work. 13

Mad as a Hatter

Celebrities can pay thousands to employ stylists who ensure they are dressed simply enough to be featured on best dressed lists and not shock the public. However, give a thought to the women who end up on the worst dressed lists… almost certainly they will belong to the tribe of fashionistas so great that they should not be on a list at all. Unafraid to wear every colour of the rainbow in one outfit and often topping it off with a fabulously, outrageous piece of millinery, hosiery or pair of shoes, these women embrace maximalism and turn heads wherever they go. Pioneered by 20th century socialites, the women of past decades played with fashion boundaries and in turn created new ones of their own. Oil Standard Heiress, Millicent Rogers was known for her unabashed opulence, regularly taking out a 24 carat gold toothpick at society dinners and her close relationship with arguably America’s first couturier, Charles James. Famous for his sculpted ball gowns and lavish tailoring, the 1920s debutant, Rogers was reported to buy up to a dozen of James’ 14

four figure priced blouses in one purchase. Isabel Eberstadt, a prominent figure of the 1960s New York social scene, is another name synonymous with the revolutionary fashion eccentrics. Modelling for major fashion magazines and appearing in Andy Warhol’s film, ‘The Thirteen Most Beautiful Women’, Eberstadt embraced emerging couturiers such as Andre Courrges and exuded downtown chicness. At Giles, the overly indulged, high society eccentrics were a prominent inspiration for Autumn/Winter 2012. The designer envisioned society women running from a burning down, country home. Ball gowns in burned chiffon and sheath dresses in ice white with laser cut detail topped with menacing black and duck egg blue plumed masks created by Stephen Jones made for a decadent disaster scene. Miuccia Prada can always be counted on to zig while the rest of the fashion industry zags. Presenting a collection full of 1970s inspired pant suits for Miu Miu; the garments were cut in boxy shapes and came in a range of jewel toned colours. Especially apt for this style were

the matching printed suits, patterned with everything from circular shapes to stripes to overcrowded florals. From fortune to fusion, eccentricity can be conveyed through clashing colours, trends, prints and patterns. It is often a case of anything goes, and too much is not a thought for these innovative mavens. At Meadham Kirchhoff, the design duo threw everything and more into their designs to form a collection of considered craziness for Autumn/Winter 2012. Tinsel dresses of gold and silver shimmered on the runway as models threw glitter in the air, sumptuous furs in an array of colour and prints, referenced back to the socialite feel of this trend and rainbow, sequinned bustiers and suits dazzled the audience. Louise Gray printed hyper graphic patterns on jumpers layered with dresses in an array of colour palettes, from eye-searing orange and pink to monochrome. Models were styled with faux hawks or hair-raising head pieces, emphasising Gray’s punk inspiration from icons such as Cyndi Lauper and Debbie Harry.

At the forefront of the fashion industry, it would only make sense for the fashion editors to be involved with this bizarre crowd. Anna Dello Russo, editor-atlarge and creative consultant for Vogue Nippon, is one of the most photographed editors at Fashion Week. Renowned for wearing head-to-toe looks straight from the catwalk, she unashamedly wears eveningwear as daywear and is rumoured to own over 4000 pairs of shoes, Dello Russo is a prime example of eccentricity at it’s best. Potentially making up to five outfit changes a day, Dello Russo has most recently been seen in a baby blue, beanie hat with a veil attached at Jil Sander and an extravagant, white feather cape from YSL at Marc Jacobs. Infamous for wearing embellished, mini dresses and of course, the renowned cherry headpiece of which she continuously reinvents every season. Marc Jacobs took his cue from legendary eccentrics Anna Piaggi and contributor to Vogue, Lynn Yaeger for his Autumn/ Winter 2012 show. Distinguished by her blue curls, multi-coloured canes and never

ending collection of hats, Italian fashion writer Piaggi’s influence could certainly be seen on the Jacobs’ catwalk. No model was left without an oversized hat, fabrics and shapes were mashed together, with prominent layering of capes, coats, dresses and trousers. Rhinestone embellished, buckle shoes, ankle socks and masses of fur continued to add to this captivating, fashion fantasy. Favourites of the front row work this trend to their advantage, ensuring they are the ones with the most press coverage during Fashion Weeks. Heiress and designer, Daphne Guinness is a front row regular, hard to miss with her ebony and ivory hair, armour-like clothing and unfathomably high heels. Guinness sits alongside other current wearers of the look such as Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga, both of whom ensure their looks are chaotic, colourful and crazy. Silver haired business women and fashion icon, Iris Apfel is another devotee of the look. Unmistakable in her oversized, black framed, circular glasses, Apfel has found most fame on the fashion scene at the age

ANNA PIAGGI

MARC JACOBS

LOUISE GRAY

MEADHAM KIRCHHOFF

ANNA DELLO RUSSO

MIU MIU

W E L C O M E TO T H E W O N D E R F U L LY, W E I R D W O R L D O F T H E FA S H I O N E C C E N T R I C S .

of 90, proving this look is really not about age but about having the courage to wear anything and not religiously follow trends. A look definitely not for the faint hearted, this trend is about creating an atmosphere with clothes. Read the rules of fashion then tear them up and make your own, whether it be accessorising with reams of costume jewellery or clashing every patterned piece you own, create a spectacle and commit fully to this outrageously brilliant trend. As Anna Dello Russo said at her recent talk at the Victoria and Albert Museum in association with Peroni Collaborazioni, when people look at her in the streets and smile she thinks, “That’s fine”. The reaction to these women can be shocking, but when they are pulling off these madly sublime looks with such aplomb, admiration can only be necessary.

Miu Miu courtesy of Perry Koko Blogspot. Anna Dello Russo courtesy of Lee Oliveira. Meadham Kirchhoff runway image courtesy of ChichShock Blogspot. Louise Gray runway image courtesy of Style Archives. Marc Jacobs runway image courtesy of Jewelista. Anna Piaggi courtesy of iVid.

lady danger

A PAINTED POUT IN A STUNNING RED IS ARGUABLY THE MOST ICONIC BEAUTY LOOK IN HISTORY. RECOGNISED AROUND THE WORLD AS A CAPTIVATING SYMBOL OF POWER AND SEXUALITY, IT IS UNSURPRISING THAT A STROKE OF RED LIPSTICK HAS BECOME ONE OF FASHION’S MOST LOVED OBSESSIONS. For thousands of years ladies have been finding a way to tint their lips; even BC, Ancient Egyptians were using red dye extracts from seaweed, bromine and iodine to create a red dye, which was of course highly poisonous, but this did not discourage them from wanting to achieve a redden lip. Cleopatra, who still is one of the beauty industry’s most idolised women today, would engineer a special formula of crushed carmine beetles and ants to create 16

her own red lip stain. During the 19th century, the use of red lipstick became associated with prostitution and promiscuous women. In the 1890s, companies began creating lipstick (as Cleopatra had done before them) using the carmine dye from the Cochineal insect mixed with a wax base to give it a more natural texture. However the application of rouge continued to be discouraged until the 1920s, when women were wearing their flapper dresses and avant-garde red coloured lips. The rise of the black and white silent movies popularised a darken lip stain, when it was important for women’s lips to be visible to exude expression on film. The push-up lipstick tube as we know it today was first patented in 1923, however it was not until the 1930s and 1940s when lipstick really found itself at the forefront of the fashion and beauty industry. The

Guy Bourdin image courtesy of Patternity. Marilyn Monroe image courtesy of The Art of Beauty Blog. Rick Owens image courtesy of style.com

GUY BOURDIN

Hollywood movie actresses embodied everything the women of the day wanted to be, advertisers played on this and brands such as Max Factor promised women they could achieve the look of their Hollywood inspiration just with the slick of a fabulous lip colour. In a time of rationing and depression, lipstick became a huge source of morale boosting in World War II. Although packaged in plastic rather than metal tubes, women found a tiny bit of luxury in lipstick. During the war effort, women took the place of men within the workplace; they took with them their cosmetics and used red lipstick as a signifier of strength and femininity. Red lipstick cannot be discussed without mentioning one of the most renowned ambassadors of the look, Marilyn Monroe. Makeup artist, Rebecca Richards says of the infamous beauty trait, “Red lips have always been a staple beauty favourite with

MARILYN MONROE

fashion pin ups & Hollywood actresses alike. It’s popularity and wearability has made it a timeless classic that will never go out of fashion. An instant statement, red lips are attention grabbing, bringing a touch of glamour to anyone who wears it.” MAC will be creating a limited edition makeup collection in honour of the 50th anniversary of Monroe’s untimely death. The Hollywood screen star teamed her platinum blonde hair with the brightest pillar box red lips, so there are sure to be a vibrant array of red lipsticks in the collection released in August. Guy Bourdin revolutionised fashion photography in the 1970s with his exclusive editorial work for French Vogue and advertorial shots for Charles Jourdan. The colour red featured heavily in his work and Bourdin had an almost fetishist fascination with red haired and pale skinned models. Fashion historian and curator, Alistair

O’Neill explains, “Guy Bourdin often used red for biographical reasons- his mother was reported to have had red hair.” Bourdin was abandoned by his mother at an early age, so it could be suggested he was using violent, surrealist and highly sexualised imagery to express his childhood anguish. The colour has formed it’s own international language but red has different connotations for male and female wearers. Colour Consultant, Annie Bucknill clarifies that for her more timid male clients she will suggest they wear a red tie to exude authoritativeness within the work place, however she says for women the colour is regarded as a, “no mess colour, because you wear it and you want to be seen”, as well as describing red as a “very sexual” colour on the lips. The fashion world has a huge fixation on women’s lips and it is unsurprising that some of the women named most beautiful today have voluptuous, bee stung pouts such as Lindsey Wixon, Rosie

RICK OWENS, SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Huntington-Whitely and Angelina Jolie. This Spring/Summer we saw a red lipstick revival; at Temperley London, Alice Temperley channelled a Grace Kelly-esque vibe with a glossy, scarlet look and similarly at Yves Saint Laurent, lips became the jewel of the face as a glistening, ruby red was applied. Rick Owens opted for a matte, raspberry lipstick with bleached out eyebrows, ensuring all attention was focused on the Cupid’s bow. The colour of kiss, breath and bite, it would seem our love affair with red is certainly not going to end soon.

fulton’s flair A H I G H E N E R G Y A E S T H E T I C W H I C H E X P E R T LY F U S E S C O U T U R E T E C H N I Q U E S W I T H M O D E R N M AT E R I A L S A N D P R I N T S H A S B E C O M E T H E S I G N AT U R E D E S I G N S T Y L E F R O M S C O T T I S H D E S I G N E R , H O L LY F U LT O N .

JEWELLERY PIECES

Holly Fulton is well on the way to establishing herself as one of London’s most exciting and innovative designers and her pieces are unmistakable with their geometric and brightly coloured prints. Fulton is always one for the more is more approach, never leaving a garment to standalone without one of her specially created accessories and as a self-confessed lover of all things bad taste, Fulton is not afraid to push the boundaries of fashion. Over the past four years, Fulton has honed her signature aesthetic and made sure she is one to watch in the fashion industry, she will undoubtedly continue to succeed in the coming years.

Portrait and runway images courtesy of hollyfulton.com. Product images courtesy of Bernadelli Stores, C Babette Blogspot and bydanie.nl

What sets Fulton apart from other designers

A/W 13

the show which thrust Fulton into the limelight. With Victoria Beckham seated front row, Fulton wowed the fashion press as she presented a collection zinging with a fantastic use of colour, print and embellishment. The collection took inspiration from the work of Edward Paolozzi, a Scottish artist of Italian descent who is credited with being one of the first major players in the pop art movement. His pieces incorporate geometric shapes and bright colours which could clearly been seen as influences in Fulton’s presentation as garments such as a shift dress printed with square, building like shapes in block orange and blue tones and a repeat pattern, yellow and black, straight-cut skirt were seen on the runway. Another major inspiration for the collection was Fulton’s love of New York – she seamlessly incorporated art and architecture to create a standout collection.

A/W 09

Fulton’s second show with Fashion East for Spring/Summer 2010 was arguably

patterned leather for shift dresses which added Fulton’s signature edge to her work.

HOLLY FULTON

A/W 13

Having studied at Edinburgh College of Art and then continuing onto an MA at the Royal College of Art, Fulton launched her eponymous label in 2009. Now sponsored by NEWGEN, Fulton was first taken under the wing of Lulu Kennedy and her team at Fashion East. Fulton showed her Autumn/ Winter 2009 and Spring/Summer 2010 collections with the help of the organisation. Autumn/Winter 2009 saw a 13 look debut collection which set the tone for what was soon to become Fulton’s signature design components. Pieces in tangerine, black

and yellow ochre were embellished with laser-cut, Perspex geometric shapes to form deco patterns. Discs in an array of blue tones formed modern flapper-esque dresses whilst some garments could almost be robotic with their bejewelled, square prints. A fusion of extremely modern and historical references made for a tentative first show which promised great things to come from this talented designer. For some of Fulton’s more embellished pieces the design process is lengthy; she will cut the garment first before hand-drawing the pattern the Perspex pieces will take onto the garment. The pattern is then scanned and colour coded before being sent to be laser cut, once Fulton receives the Perspex pieces she sews on each one by hand. However the process is certainly worth it judging by the innovative garments she produces.

Since 2009 Fulton has been producing diffusion pieces for ASOS as part of the ASOS Hub line, which takes new and innovative designers and launches their designs at a mass market price point. NEWGEN has also given Fulton a high street platform; she has this year designed one of the popular T-shirts from the Topshop collection which celebrates 10 years of the high street brand being the official sponsor to NEWGEN. For Autumn/ Winter 2012, Fulton experimented with a limited colour palette of eye-catching raspberry and an amazingly bright teal mixed with monochrome black and grey elements. Inspired by Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens and pop artist Peter Max, Fulton’s signature linear patterns seemed softened as they were printed on silk pencil skirts, sheath dresses and blazers embellished with flurries of butterflies. Intarsia knits added an accessible and wearable element to the collection, although Fulton continued to manipulate innovative materials such as

S/S 10

Holly Fulton takes art deco inspirations, bright colours and 1960s shapes to create stunning graphic, prints and exciting pieces on the runway. Fulton has seen critical acclaim over the first few years of her career and was announced the winner of the Scottish Designer of the Year Award over two consecutive years and picked up the Next Young Designer Award at the Elle Style Awards in 2010.

is her fantastic jewellery designs which complete and complement every collection. Having previously worked at Lanvin, Fulton has discussed in numerous interviews Alber Elbaz’s fascination with the jewellery she would wear to work which eventually lead to her designing accessories for the legendary brand. Fulton was awarded the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award for Accessories in 2009; she is now partnered with Swarovski who provide the crystal jewels for Fulton’s bold and graphic accessories line. The designer explains that working with Swarovski has never capped her creativity, telling Dazed Digital, “I love using the Crystallised-Swarovski elements and it’s no compromise on my design as they just fit in perfectly with my ethos and love of geometry and colour.” Fulton’s jewellery pieces certainly add an extra element of cohesion to her collections; it would seem she is not solely focused on the garment but on the overall look and feel of an outfit.

rainbow connection FIND FANTASTICALLY, VIBRANT COLOURS IN HUES OF POPPING PINKS,THE B R I G H TE S T B L U E S A N D S UNS E T TO NE S TO CAPTURE THE MOST DYNAMIC SPIRITS OF THIS SEASON’S COSMETICS .

credits PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAT LINTON MAKE UP BY ANITA SHETH MODEL, DAYANA AT LENI’S MODEL MANAGEMENT LOOK ONE MAC FACE AND BODY FOUNDATION IN N1 MAC STUDIO SCULPT CONCEALER IN NW15 MAC STUDIO CAREBLEND PRESSED POWDER IN LIGHT MAC LIPSTICK IN IMPASSIONED MAC EYESHADOW IN CHROME YELLOW MAC FALSE LASH EXTREME BLACK MASCARA MAC 12 LASH MAC IMPECCABLE BROW PENCIL IN BLONDE LOOK TWO MAC FACE AND BODY FOUNDATION IN N1 MAC STUDIO SCULPT CONCEALER IN NW15 MAC STUDIO CAREBLEND PRESSED POWDER IN LIGHT MAC FALSE LASH EXTREME BLACK MASCARA MAC IMPECCABLE BROW PENCIL IN BLONDE MAC EYE SHADOW IN LUCKY GREEN MAC EYE SHADOW IN BITTER MAC EYE SHADOW IN GORGEOUS GOLD MAC PEARL GLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER IN PETROL BLUE MAC LIPSTICK IN MORANGE MAC POWDER BLUSH IN PEACHES LOOK THREE MAC FACE AND BODY FOUNDATION IN N1 MAC STUDIO SCULPT CONCEALER IN NW15 MAC STUDIO CAREBLEND PRESSED POWDER IN LIGHT MAC FALSE LASH EXTREME BLACK MASCARA MAC EYESHADOW IN SWISH MAC EYESHADOW IN VIBRANT GRAPE MAC EYESHADOW IN SATELLITE DREAMS MAC POWERPOINT EYE PENCIL IN PERMAPLUM MAC POWDER BLUSH IN SUBTLE BREEZE MAC IMPECCABLE BROW PENCIL IN BLONDE MAC LIPSTICK IN GIRL ABOUT TOWN LOOK FOUR MAC FACE AND BODY FOUNDATION IN N1 MAC STUDIO SCULPT CONCEALER IN NW15 MAC STUDIO CAREBLEND PRESSED POWDER IN LIGHT MAC FALSE LASH EXTREME BLACK MASCARA MAC IMPECCABLE BROW PENCIL IN BLONDE MAC LIPSTICK IN CRÈME DE NUDE MAC PIGMENT IN GOLDEN LEMON MAC EYE SHADOW IN PASSIONATE MAC EYE SHADOW IN FREE TO BE MAC EYE SHADOW IN AMBER LIGHTS MAC EYE SHADOW IN CRANBERRY LOOK FIVE MAC FACE AND BODY FOUNDATION IN N1 MAC STUDIO SCULPT CONCEALER IN NW15 MAC STUDIO CAREBLEND PRESSED POWDER IN LIGHT MAC EYESHADOW IN ELECTRIC EEL MAC EYESHADOW IN CHROME YELLOW MAC FALSE LASH EXTREME BLACK MASCARA MAC IMPECCABLE BROW PENCIL IN BLONDE MAC POWDER BLUSH IN MELBA MAC LIPSTICK IN PLINK! MAC 1 LASH LOOK SIX MAC FACE AND BODY FOUNDATION IN N1 MAC STUDIO SCULPT CONCEALER IN NW15 MAC STUDIO CAREBLEND PRESSED POWDER IN LIGHT MAC FALSE LASH EXTREME BLACK MASCARA MAC IMPECCABLE BROW PENCIL IN BLONDE MAC PIGMENT IN MAGENTA MADNESS MAC LIPSTICK IN BLAST O BLUE MAC 6 LASH

the style stalker “I’M NOT A FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER, I’M A VISUAL RECORDER.” S TAT E S PA U L H A RT N E T T, T H E M A N W I D E LY C R E D I T E D A S T H E I N V E N TO R O F S T R E E T S T Y L E P H O TO G R A P H Y. TIN TYPE PHOTOGRAPHY, 1880s

Paul Harnett has contributed to major fashion publications such as Dazed and Confused, i-D and Time Out, Hartnett began taking straight up style photographs of punks in 1976 and has continued to document fashion history to this day. Growing up in the early 1960s, what struck Hartnett as a young boy were the pop stars he was seeing on television shows and the posters he would find in copies of his sister’s Jackie magazines. Top of the Pops were featuring musicians such as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Sandie Shaw and Dusty Springfield, so seeing these icons on screen it was hardly a surprise Harnett became fascinated with style. Describing in meticulous detail the outfits worn by The Beatles, Hartnett divulges his interest in elements such as a peter pan collar, a pointed shoe or a collarless jacket and adds, “what was really important about these pop stars was the way they looked.” Not only interested in the media surrounding him, Hartnett was reading reference books on moths, butterflies and deep sea fishes. He particularly liked the way the animals were photographed and presented in, “incredibly clean, crisp, clinical ways” which focused solely on the detail of a wing pattern or a scale. Hartnett also discusses his awareness of other photographers such 36

as Weegee and Brassai, who recorded the streets four decades before him. In 1935 freelance photographer, Arthur Fellig earned the nickname Weegee due to his uncanny ability to be first at the scene of the crime, which prompted comparisons to a psychic’s Ouija board. Weegee was the only civilian allowed a police radio in his car which enabled him to take some of the most dramatic photographs after major incidents. Brassai began photographing scenes from the nights of Paris in the early 1930s, working with a straightforward vision; he unflinchingly shot the grittier side of Paris – the madams, the prostitutes and the glassy eyed, party goers. With these influences behind his work, Hartnett explains, “I think we can learn a lot through the way that criminals are photographed, that clear light, that sharp focus.” and it is evident from his photographs that he still follows this approach today. When questioned on his accreditation as the inventor of street style photography, Harnett is quick to discourage the thought, “it is terrible when people refer to me as ‘the original’” he says, “people don’t know enough about social history, people don’t know enough about fashion history, people don’t know enough about the history of photography.” Hartnett owns one of the largest, private archives of street style

photographs in the country and is well versed in the subject of photographic history. The travelling, tin type photographers of the 1880s and 1890s are the ones Hartnett credits with the earliest forms of street style pictures, “these are the people who make me cry”, he exclaims while discussing their work. The tintype process was essentially the initial developments of an instant photo — tintype cameras held a stack of unprocessed, iron plates, once the plate was exposed it was dropped into a strong chemical solution of developer and fixer, the strength of the mix was designed to produce an image in less than a minute. The process was cheap and fast which made it popular with travelling beach and street photographers who would capture family days out. Hartnett cites his obsession with vintage photographs as a, “$40 dollar addiction” and jokes that he had to tear himself off eBay after his bank statements started reading, “PayPal, PayPal, PayPal”. Although Hartnett no longer buys from eBay, he still visits photographic fairs and advertises in photography magazines on the hunt for portrait photographs, family albums and photo booth pictures, “it’s scary” he laughs. Hartnett continues to insist he was not the first to take street style photographs, “people never talk about work that was in

music publications such as Melody Maker and NME.” He explains, “before The Face and i-D came along, we looked at work of photographers such as Barry Plummer”. Plummer was the photographer for Melody Maker from 1975 and documented the punk movement, photographing icons such as Joe Strummer of The Clash and Siouxsie Sioux in a, “very clinical, scene of the crime kind of way”, much like Hartnett was doing with his camera a year later. Recording the punk rock movement as an 18 year old, Hartnett describes how he was, “documenting my friends… I just wanted to see how they looked, to document that great hair cut or that great makeup or how they looked from head to toe. I wanted to photograph in a way that was kind of like the books with butterflies, fish and moths.” As Hartnett has seen and photographed some of the most innovative fashion movements over the past 30 years it would be understandable if he was bored by the fashion world today. The influx of fashion blogs and the hundreds of magazines and advertisements which we are exposed to everyday have led, to what Hartnett describes as, “a monoculture”. Hartnett says those who are fashion fixated will be looking at, “the same kind of visual information so much of the time, so it is difficult to find people who are

‘TWO OFFENDERS IN THE PADDY WAGON’, WEEGEE 1930s

“I MEAN LOTS OF PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE SOME SORT OF HEEL FUCKING, FOOT FETISHIST WHEREAS ACTUALLY YOU ARE JUST DOCUMENTING SOCIAL HISTORY.” working original looks because people are so conditioned and people follow the pack.” When out style stalking, Hartnett is constantly on the search for people who break the rules of style tribes and most importantly, “people who are a bit bonkers”. Hartnett upholds the same methods of photography as he has done since 1976; he wants to see, “the stitch, the shape of the collar, the positioning of that piercing or the colour of the ink on that tattoo.” What excites Hartnett today are his current projects working with Oi! Bands and skinheads of which he has been

photographing for the past 18 months. “I often think that what you are working on at the moment kind of reflects where your interest is at,” reveals Hartnett as he expertly defines his favourite skinhead looks, “the more tailored side of skinheads - I like to see very fitted crombies, two tone suits, mohair suits, very crisp, very clean, very structured.” The photographer travels the country looking for style originators at events and festivals and declares, “the people who are experimental are often on the edge of society. They are the exciting groups to look at in terms of innovation.” Leaving London 14 years ago to move to Haworth, west Yorkshire has also given Hartnett a different perspective of the United Kingdom and regional styles compared to the often ‘London-centric’ fashion coverage in magazines and blogs. Hartnett maintains the notion that, “when you live in London, you tend to think ‘oh I might go to Brick Lane, Hoxton, or I might go to Notting Hill.’ You don’t tend to travel so much when you live there. You stick to the London regions.” As an example, Hartnett takes the event, Rebellion Punk Festival which is held in Blackpool every August. The street style enthusiast laughs, “it’s a just such a great event in terms of documenting young punks, and even granny and granddad punks” but while he 37

POLAROID BY PAUL HARTNETT

sees many people travelling from Wales, Sheffield and Scotland to the event, he is unlikely to see people coming up from London, “because it’s Blackpool, and so lots of people have a particular perspective of what Blackpool might be like.”

LEIGH BOWERY BY PAUL HARTNETT

PAUL HARTNETT STREET STYLE

Although Hartnett lives away from London now, it goes without saying that he is a regular at London Fashion Week. The photographer is known to be one of the first at Somerset House and arrives promptly at 8am with his student assistants, ready to search for, “the unexpected, because the most seductive thing is always the surprise.” Hartnett says he is often taken aback by the “fashion drones” and street style bloggers who do not arrive on the Somerset House cobbles until late in the afternoon, will shoot for a couple of hours and then leave perfectly happy. This may be what sets Harnett apart from the people who get caught up in the “fashion week circus”. He says matter-of-factly that he is, “not interested in creating fabulously, atmospheric, stylish pictures,” but wants to show, “pictures that have no atmosphere, no stylish content but are stripped down, stripped down and stripped down once

“I PREFER TO CATCH MY BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS AS THEY ARE FLYING.” again. To just show these people as basic, functioning human beings, who have dressed themselves and accessorised themselves and painted themselves a certain way.” The method behind Hartnett’s work is also different from that of the typical street style blogger, or as Hartnett drawls the, “dirty, dirty bloggers”. Believing, “a lot of people are sloppy, a lot of people are lazy and a lot of people don’t know what they are looking for” Hartnett endeavours to create pictures which are led by content rather than by the stylised, blogging imagery which is regularly seen today. Hartnett explains that when he takes a picture, it is not about glamorising or sexualising people, he wants to record and pass on material to the future. To do this, Hartnett clarifies he must not be afraid to get down on his knees and put his camera almost on the floor so he is able to capture the perfect angle, structure and stitch of a 38

shoe. Hartnett imagines some street style photographers find it “demeaning” to move the camera to the floor and to get on their knees, other people he laughs, “think you are some sort of heel fucking, foot fetishist, whereas actually you are just documenting social history.” Posed straight ups are also a regular part of street style photography and although Hartnett says he sometimes applies, “street style with a tweak” (a phrase he coined himself) to his photographs, which includes asking someone to set down a carrier bag or to throw away a coffee cup, he will never go in and adjust the subject because then he has, “contaminated the evidence”. Hartnett exclusively reveals he has been documenting straight ups in a number of ways which he has, “kept very quiet about and never actually talked to anyone about” which differ from the traditional angle of street photography which sees the camera

aimed at eye level or lower down. The photographer exposes the two methods he has been employing when shooting straight ups – firstly, Hartnett describes how he will ask the subject to “look away, over my head and I will be slightly below”, this still captures the details of the clothes but provides a different angle and pace to the pictures. Secondly, Hartnett tells of a, “little, white stool”, which he will stand on from a distance and shoot the person from a slightly downwards angle. Hartnett explains that if someone is looking slightly up it is much more flattering although this, he laughs, “can end up making people’s heads look big.” Distortion of a picture is only applicable in some of Hartnett’s photography where he is trying to reveal an inner life of the person he is photographing, “sometimes I deliberately distort people because I am trying to show the psychology and psychological condition of the subject,” he elaborates.

As straight up photography continues to be featured in hundreds of magazines and blogs, Hartnett seems to slightly despair at the sheer volume of coverage this type of photography now receives. “I see so many people going, ‘click, click, click’, but at the end of the day, where is the value of the images that have been produced in a way that is just so standard”, and his advice to photographers is, “it helps to have a focus and to know what you want”. There are many complexities which surround the documentation of social and fashion history and Hartnett knowledgably tells how he has spent his life learning to approach, build a rapport and thank a subject - a practice which many fashion bloggers, he says are, “totally unaware of.” The intricacies surrounding the photography of fashion can be seen through the reams of pages of street style moments - describing the thorough process behind his work Hartnett says, “when you see a double page spread

of my work … people don’t realise the sheer amount of hours put into catching those butterflies and moths and laying them out for visual reading.” Hartnett’s photography is sometimes disturbingly real; when people look back on his work he wants them not to just, “see the 80s” but to, “really see the 80s.” Hartnett firmly believes street style photography will have a place in the future of fashion coverage as he elaborates, “People will always want to look at people and recording what people are looking like will always be of interest.” Having shot his street style photographs firstly on a Kodak Instamatic camera and then on a Nikon camera using film, he is highly in tune to the idea of choosing the moment to take a picture carefully rather than the slapdash approach that can be seen by photographers shooting endless material on digital cameras. Hartnett will always be

on the lookout for people, “who are aware of changes, aware of availability and aware of new developments” and he says even now he will shoot like he did when he was using film, “always bearing in mind that each photograph is a magical moment.”

Tin Type courtesy of Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. ‘Two offenders in the paddy wagon’, Weegee courtesy of American Suburb X. Polaroids and street style courtesy of Paul Hartnett.

Sense and surrealism “Perhaps the imagination is on the verge of recovering its rights.” wrote the poet, André Breton in the Surrealist Manifesto in 1924, and it would seem these words are still ringing true today. Fashion is one of the greatest industries in which it is possible to explore every notion of the wildest of fantasies. From innovative designs to brand new fabrics and techniques, fashion questions what is real and what is not, makes the unachievable, achievable and tantalises the minds of all who follow it’s ever changing form. One of the biggest trends for Autumn/Winter 2012 is Surrealism; a trend which embodies the harmonious elements between art and garment design, which pushes boundaries and explores dreamlike worlds. Founded in Paris during the early 1920s, a small group of writers and artists began the Surrealist Movement. Following on from the Dadaists and intrigued by the discoveries of Sigmund Freud and his hypotheses surrounding dreams and the unconscious and conscious minds, the mavens of the movement hoped their creations could open up the minds of the public and encourage them to question their own thoughts and repressed imaginations. Although the movement was firstly literary focused, artists such as Man Ray and Max Ernst began to work in a Surrealist manner, striving to remove conscious thought from their working process in order to create freeform art. Techniques in Surrealist work ensured the paintings always held an element of surprise; juxtaposing the real world or day to day objects with dreamscapes. Surrealism would take commonplace objects and strip them of their natural or expected environment and by placing them on a disassociated background would try to expose the psychological truth behind the object. It could be said that Surrealist artwork made for uncomfortable viewing, often highly eroticised images were used and the unnatural and abstract components of images, sometimes with disproportionate shapes and exaggerated colours, probed the minds of viewers like no art movement had done before. Salvador Dali is perhaps the best know artist to come out of the Surrealist movement. One of his most famous works, ‘The Persistence of Memory’ from 1931, explores the Catalan artist’s obsession with avant-garde art. Hallucinogenic and 42

and designer, Schiaparelli and Dali went on to create some of Schiaparelli’s most noteworthy designs. The ‘Desk Suit’, designed in 1936 is a wonderful example of the links between surrealist art, fashion and thinking. Dali’s ‘Venus De Milo with Drawers’ (1936) clay sculpture and his painting ‘The City of Drawers: Study for Anthropomorphic Cabinet’ (1936) provided the inspiration for Schiaparelli’s design. Dali was well known for using drawers in his work, he believed the drawers were used to disguise the mysteries of humankind and Freud’s theory suggests that hollow spaces, such as drawers, are characteristics of the female genitals, which would lead us to believe Dali’s drawers signified the opening of a woman’s body. Whilst Dali and Schiaparelli both employed the skills of displacement i.e. a chest of drawers on a woman’s torso, Schiaparelli’s suit was portraying a different issue to Dali’s work. The black, woollen

SALVADOR DALI, 1936 THE FACE OF MAE WEST bizarre, the painting depicts the passing of time and the fixation mortals have with it. The melting clock faces which drape lazily over a tree branch and wooden block could be representative of the flexibility of time, whilst the ants swarming over a pocket watch suggest time being eaten away. Dali’s relationship with popular culture became apparent after he became enamoured by the Hollywood movie icon, Mae West. Her sex symbol status led Dali to create ‘The Face of Mae West (Useable as a Surrealist Apartment)’ in 1934, where he deconstructed West’s facial features to form a surreal room – her nose became a grand fire place, her eyes were framed canvases and her lips, which would become the most famous section, a sofa. In 1936, British poet and Surrealist collector, Edward James approached Dali to produce a real version of the Lips Sofa, which has now become one of the 20th century’s most iconic and sensuous pieces of furniture. Only five were produced but the piece is still serving as inspiration to the fashion industry today. Jewellery designer, Solange Azagury-Partridge creates enamel lip rings, cufflinks and pendants in an array of vibrant, rainbow colours which are undoubtedly similar to Dali’s work. Moschino Cheap and Chic’s makeup inspired collection for Autumn/ Winter 2012 also featured Surrealist

coat was constructed of pockets sewn to resemble drawers and leather buttons to represent drawer handles. However, some of the pockets were optical illusions which only the wearer knew, this allowed women to have the power to reveal and conceal whatever they wanted to the public. Other notable designs within their collaboration include the ‘Lobster Dress’ (1937) which was made famous after being worn by Wallis Simpson in a photograph taken by Cecil Beaton. As well as the black felt, ladies pump which featured a Schiaparelli signature, shocking pink heel ‘Shoe Hat’ (1937) and the highlight of Schiaparelli’s 1938 ‘Circus’ collection, the ‘Skeleton’ dress which featured protruding, padded ribs and spine sewn into the dress. The impact of Surrealism was felt at many of the Autumn/Winter 2012 shows. At Lanvin, Alber Elbaz celebrated his tenth

ELSA SCHIAPARELLI, THE ‘DESK SUIT’ elements. Repetitive, eye print graphics in powder blue, orange and rose pink covered beige, ruched dresses and grey scale and repeated faces with coloured lips adorned a cream, silk shift dress with a Dali-esque, sequin embellished, moustache. This May, the Costume Institute exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art will be exploring the affinity between Italian designers, Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada. Entitled ‘Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations’, the exhibition has devised conversations between the two women to shed new light on their work. Schiaparelli and Prada are both well known for their innovative designs; utilising shape, fabric and embellishment to create garments that were entirely new as well as being inspired by the Surrealists. One of the most famous collaborations between Surrealist art and fashion design has to be that of Schiaparelli and Dali. Schiaparelli changed the face of fashion in the 1930s and her influence is still felt today. Famous for her love of ‘shocking pink’ and the first to use rayon jersey, cellophane and visible zippers in couture as well as whimsically shaped buttons and trompe l’oeil, Schiaparelli was a devotee of Surrealism’s place within fashion design. Pioneering collaborations between artist

SALVADOR DALI, 1936 THE ANTHROPOMORPHIC CABINET

The Anthropomorphic Cabinet and The Face of Mae West courtesy of All Art. The Desk Suit courtesy of 109 Blogspot. Wallis Simpson by Cecil Beaton courtesy of 4B Blogspot.

SCHIAPARELLI ‘LOBSTER DRESS’ WALLIS SIMPSON BY CECIL BEATON, 1937 43

Pandemonia, the seven foot walking, talking piece of art created by an anonymous London artist continues to cause a stir at Fashion Week with her plastic, glossy blonde hair and blow-up dog, Snowy. A representation of the 21st century and the glamorisation of the celebrity, Pandemonia often leaves the paparazzi fighting for pictures of her while the real celebrities pass by unnoticed. André Breton defined Surrealism as a movement which is, “intended to express, either verbally or in writing, the true function of thought.” and in today’s hyper society, fashion designers continue to question the deepest meanings and beliefs within their work.

In the 1930s, Surrealist fashion was created to shock viewers whilst redefining the standards of beauty. Today, Japanese designers are by far the most practiced in this field as they deconstruct garments, experiment with shape and size and explore the possibilities laid out in fashion. The displacement of objects against backgrounds was most noticeable in Surrealist art and at the Autumn/Winter 2012 shows there was a distinct question mark over the definition of a catwalk show. Rei Kawakubo at Comme des Garçons could only be expected to query what is going on in fashion at the moment. The clothes were outsized and tapered into shape, much like a paper doll cut out, in the brightest of colour palettes and loud floral, polka dot and leopard prints, the runway remained eerily silent only punctuated by the rhythmic stomping of the model’s clog clad feet. At Issey Miyake, Yoshiyuki Miyame presented his second womenswear collection for the brand by opening the show with an introduction to a new technique, steam-stretch. Squares of fabric hung loose on the runway and were then steamed into shape and the models were dressed, all in full view of the audience. As technology continues to develop, Kawakubo and Miyame proved themselves to be forerunners in the next generation of catwalk shows.

COMME DES GARÇONS

PANDEMONIA

RODARTE

SISTER BY SIBLING

Debuting at London Fashion Week this season, collaborative brand Sister by Sibling presented a neon bright collection with otherworldly balaclavas encrusted with shimmering sequins covering the whole of the face and adorned with pompoms and dip-dye fur. At the Central St Martins show, winner of the L’Oreal Professionnel Creative Award, Luke Brooks presented beautifully crafted garments with head pieces of stuffed fabric which formed words such as ‘why?’ and ‘God’, hovering like thought bubbles above the model’s heads.

LANVIN

Runway images courtesy of style.com. Pandemonia image courtesy of Pandemonia Blogspot.

anniversary with the brand by producing a line of jewel toned garments with asymmetric collars and ruffled peplums, playing with the proportion of dress. Underlining the Surrealist tone was the jewellery; pieces included a glittering, black eye suspended from a heavy chain, glossy red, enamelled lips placed on belts and necklaces and jet black, enamel hand brooches complete with crimson painted nails, winding their way round the model’s waists or perched on their chests. Phantom hands also made an appearance at Diane Von Furstenberg and Rodarte, wrapping round the torso in black shadows and printed onto ethereal, chiffon dresses of ice blue and earth colours respectively.

Images courtesy of Smashbox, Dior, Make Up Forever, Revlon, Givenchy

generation ADVANCING TECHNOLOGIES HAVE ALLOWED FOR HIGH DEFINITION FILMING AND PHOTOGRAPHY TO BE AT OUR FINGERTIPS TODAY BUT WHILE SEEING FLORA, FAUNA AND LANDSCAPES IN HD IS BREATHTAKING, SOMETIMES THE SHARPEST DETAILS OF A HUMAN FACE IS NOT. MAKEUP BRANDS ARE NOW RESPONDING TO THE HD WORLD WE LIVE IN BY DEVELOPING PRODUCTS WHICH AIM TO SHOW A FACE IN IT’S BEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL HD LIGHT. In December 2009, the United Kingdom became the first European country to offer HD channels free of charge through a digital Freeview box, which would allow for four HD channels to be accessed by the public. Since then HD television has rolled out across the country and as of this year 94% of households have a digital television. There has also been a 42% rise in households upgrading to HD channels according to television watchdog, Ofcom. HD television is shaper, clearer and more focused as it is transmitted at 2,073,600 pixels, which is about five times the amount of pixels than a standard television transmission. HD has becomes a typical expectation across the country due to the lowering price of HDTVs, handheld flip cameras being readily available with HD filming and the release of the iPhone 4s in October 2011 which sold over four million units on its first weekend of sale. All these products allow for anyone to film in or watch HD at any time. What this means for the public is that they are never far away from being documented in HD and as HD is essentially the same quality as viewing someone with the naked human eye, it unfortunately leads to every blemish, pock mark or discolouration being entirely visible on camera. Makeup brands have recognised the consumer desire for HD products which were once only available to makeup artists working on television programmes. Makeup artist, Rebecca Richards who has previously worked on broadcasts of The BRIT Awards 2011, This Morning and Sky News explains, “Lots of makeup brands have brought out their own HD makeup in 48

HD MAKEUP PRODUCTS

particular with focus on primers to prepare the skin prior to makeup application, as well as foundation ranges and powders.” With foundation, the difference between a regular and a HD formula is the light reflecting and scattering particles produced with ingredients such as quartz, silicone, mica or crystal. These mineral particles sit on top of the skin and defuse the light which creates a flawless finish for the camera. HD powders are extremely fine pressed so that detection of them on film is unlikely and they often have matte agents to reduce shine on the skin. On a HD camera makeup that is applied with a heavy hand can be seen settling into the tiniest of wrinkles and scars or a badly matched foundation colour is entirely visible. To counteract this, Richards emphasises that HD formulations must be, “precise and well blended” to ensure a perfect look. Generation HD has also had an effect on the teaching of makeup. Glauca Rossi, a makeup artist who has worked with legendary photographers such as Norman Parkinson and Lord Snowdon as well as having her work featured in prestigious fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, opened her own makeup academy in 1989. Rossi elaborates on the teaching of HD makeup and says, “as some of our students will work in TV as well as photography, we do now teach the difference between HD and normal foundation/powder”. Rossi does mention that the application between HD and regular products is fairly similar, she

advises any users of the products that, “HD is best applied with a brush.” The continuing rise of social networking means a picture may be up on Twitter or Facebook with no editing within minutes of it being taken. The French cosmetics company, Makeup Forever caused a stir in 2011 as they were the first brand to release completely un-retouched beauty campaigns. The adverts featured a model taking a photo of herself with her own camera and looking flawless after using Makeup Forever’s High Definition Foundation. The HD Foundation comes in a vast range of shades and promises to be, “invisible on HD cameras and to the naked eye”. The product is one of the HD foundations which is most highly recommended by makeup artists around the world. Richards and Rossi both recommend Christian Dior’s ‘Capture Totale’ HD Foundation Serum which has a combination of anti-ageing and HD pigments to produce a radiant complexion. Other brands that are responding to the HD advancements include Givenchy with their ‘Photo Perfexion’ Fluid Foundation and Revlon’s ‘PhotoReady’ line. The ‘PhotoReady’ line includes foundation, primer and in May 2012 a release of crème blushers and a bronzer palette which claims to neutralise the white flash of a photograph. So with the breadth of products available today, it seems we are truly are ready to welcome the High Definition era to our makeup bags. 49

Arch Madness

CHANEL, AUTUMN/WINTER 2013

Chanel image courtesy of makeup-lifestyle.com. Marlene Dietrich image courtesy of David Paris Blogspot. Altuzarra image courtesy of style.com

ALTUZARRA, SPRING/SUMMER 2012

MARLENE DIETRICH

WHETHER THEY ARE BRUSHED UP, BARELY THERE OR BEJEWELLED, THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY OBSESSED WITH EYEBROWS. We have seen a significant rise in so called, ‘brow culture’ over the past decade and makeup artists have responded to this by sending progressively extreme brow looks down the runway. The most noteworthy being Chanel’s Autumn/ Winter 2012 crystallised brows which were conceived by makeup artist, Peter Phillips. Phillips embellished strips of fabric with glittering sequins which were then glued onto the model’s own eyebrows to create an extreme graphic brow which perfectly complemented Lagerfeld’s mineral inspired show. However, taking a step back in history will only reveal that the taming of eyebrows has been an age old practice. The Egyptians were arguably the first generation to embrace a bold brow, mixing carbon, black oxide and other substances to form a dark, linear brow which is so often associated with the culture. It would seem Phillips’ embellishing of eyebrows is not a modern technique either; the Ancient Greeks would often apply fake eyebrows made of ox hair and during the 18th century eyebrows were 50

pencilled in or pieces of mouse fur were applied to give extra definition. Whilst this may not be as glamorous as the sequinned Chanel brows it certainly proves eyebrows have been playing on the mind of women for centuries. Throughout the 20th century eyebrows have gone on a lengthy journey, as the standards of beauty are constantly redefined so is the desired shape of an eyebrow. In a society where nonverbal communication is key, these seemingly useless patches of hair actually prove themselves to be an excellent tool of expression reflecting anger, surprise or disproval. Greta Garbo used her thinly tweezed eyebrows to express emotions in her acclaimed silent movies in the early part of the 1920s. During the 1930s the look ranged from screen icon Marlene Dietrich’s curved, thin eyebrows high on the face to maven of the mono-brow, the infamous Frieda Khalo. Audrey Hepburn’s enviable, full arches were the talk of the industry in the 1950s, but come the 1970s the hairline went thin again when the ‘tadpole’

shape was made famous by the Studio 54 clubbers. Today, eyebrows can simply be associated with an area of the country – take the Liverpool original ‘Scouse brow’, an unnaturally dark and stencilled on brow favoured by the ladies in the north. After two seasons when bleached out brows were en vogue, it seems Spring/Summer 2012 is reverting back to a Brooke Shieldsesque, full, 1990s brow. At Jil Sander and Burberry, eyebrows were brushed up and filled in to give them extra definition whilst at Altuzarra makeup artist, Tom Pecheux decided on jet black, graphic brows to provide a dramatic look to the face. Poster girls for faultless arches include models, Cara Delevingne and Arizona Muse who both emulate the trend to perfection. Makeup artist, Rebecca Richards explains, “Eyebrows frame the face and can lift and open the eye making you look younger and fresher” so whether plucked, threaded or waxed eyebrows are once again at the top of the beauty agenda this season.