Tape
Bringing fashion and film together.
Letter from the editor
From the elegance and beauty of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot, to the sexy, sophistication of Sarah Jessica Parker in the hit noughties TV show Sex and the City, these are just a few of the leading actresses who gave also become fashion icons. As American fashion designer Anne Klein once said, “Clothes aren’t going to change the world. The women who wear them will” and so, in this, the first issue of Tape magazine, what better to talk about than significant style/film icons from the past 100 years who have massively changed the way many people see fashion and how they use it themselves. In the early years of film, actors and actresses became monumental fashion influences, utilising fashion designers such as Yves Saint Laurent to dress actresses such as Catherine Deneuve in the film Belle De Jour in 1967. As the relationship between fashion and film grew, leading designers used film premiers in order to shine a spotlight on their brands and make a connection with the names of big film stars travelling the red carpet – Actress Emma Stone could be seen wearing Givenchy Haute Couture at the 2017 Oscars and Sarah Jessica Parker stunned everyone, wearing Vera Wang to the 2017 Golden Globe Awards. In this issue, we explore not only how the way you and I wear clothes have been heavily influenced by film, but also how even today we can still see influences of the past in the most recent catwalk collections. Miucca Prada’s Miu Miu SS17 ready-to-wear collection had many influences of fashion from the past, showing us abstract prints from the 60’s and pinup girls in swimwear from the 50’s, completely reinventing the iconic decades and owning them. When it comes to menswear, this special relationship is also just as potent: films like ‘This is England’ and ‘Quadrophenia,’ were both heavily influenced by the mods and rockers era during the 1960’s and 70’s. The rocker fashion was majorly influenced by Marlon Brando in the film ‘The Wild One,’ as well as James Dean due to their dangerous ‘bad-boy’ looks. This issue takes a peek at the modern collections inspired by the fashion through history and also gives an insight into what fashion was like in some of my favourite films of the past. Put your glad rags on and let’s walk the red-carpet time-line through fashion and film together!
Frances Lowe x
This decade was just the beginning of abolishing corsets that forced women’s bodies to have a small waist. With the help of Paul Poiret’s designs followed the body instead. The first world war also took place in this decade and many male designers shut shop as they were called to war. Films during this decade were mostly silent, meaning costume was very important.
1910
‘The Roaring Twenties’ - Flapper girls, bob cuts and of course Coco Chanel! The 1920’s was an exciting decade full of fashion and parties. With the help of Chanel, women were wearing less restricting dresses, banishing them for more comfortable garments such as shorts or trousers.
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1930
In a time of The Great Depression, this was the golden era for Hollywood, entering a whole new world of exploration in technology and on-screen film. Fashion in the 30’s was lead by the surrealist art movement, blurring the lines between art and fashion just as Elsa Schiaperelli did.
Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion For Balenciaga’s 100th anniversary, The Victoria and Albert Museum celebrates by showing off some of the Spanish designers best designs.
How could I take a trip to the capital city without checking out the wonderful and much talked about Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion exhibition that is currently taking place at the Victoria and Albert Museum? I couldn’t and neither should you. The reason for this is that the entire of the bottom floor is dedicated to the Spanish designer Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972) and an archive of videos and clothing. But what I found most interesting and impressive were the X-Ray photos of his work that are beautifully displayed behind the glass alongside the original dress; animating and bringing the dresses to life. Beneath the dresses we can see the hooping, boning and dress weights that prove couture construction was not as simple as it may seem from the outside. A video on the X-Ray images and how they were photographed has been linked below. Balenciaga’s influence is undisputed. And it’s easy to see why. Downstairs, you
can see how his Sack dress, Silk Taffeta evening dress and evening cape and gown had such an effect on other designers such as Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons. And it’s not just the look of his clothes that was so influential. Videos are played alongside garments, demonstrating the complex process of how Balenciaga would often create the top part of his dresses using only one piece of material, requiring little stitching or hemming on the garment. The redifining of the silhouette is particularly inspiring when it comes to femininity as distorting the figure using these garments, such as the sack dress, completely goes against what is seen as being ‘normal’ for how a woman’s figure should look. Feminism is much talked about in today’s society and to be able to express it through these unique and beautiful designs, in a time where feminism was still becoming recognised, is truly amazing.
Once again, I would strongly suggest that you go and visit this fantastic and inspiring exhibition if you have any interest in fashion, the designer himself, or even the way that fashion can be used to change the shape of the body. It is definitely a must see if you find yourself in London this season. You can find the Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum up until the 18th of February 2018.
“With Balenciaga the most beautiful things that were produced were the things that were the most simple and sublime� - Gareth Pugh
My thoughts on...
1940
Just as The Great Depression was coming to an end, the 2nd World War broke out, meaning most designers had to shut shops. But this didn’t stop women working, infact this was an empowerng time for women. The fashion world was full of ‘made do and mend’ clothes that women had made themselves from old garments into utility clothing. Men’s fashion was heavily influenced by the uniform of a soldier who had to wear tailed suits.
1950
As World War 2 comes to an end, Hollywood’s second golden era arises and Christian Dior’s never seen before ‘New Look’ made a refreshing change to fashion. The corseted waist and full skirt was the trend of the decade. Marilyn Monroe was the face of Hollywood fashion and Marlon Brando’s ‘bad boy’ look meant all men wore leather jackets too.
1960
60’s fashion was all about art movement and the space age. Mary Quant introduced the shortest skirt to date - The Mini - allowing women to explore their sexuality.
1970
Hippies, Mods, glam and rock, just a few of the fashion trends that were floating around in thus decade. Yves Saint Laurent’s ‘Le Smokin’ tuxedo meant second wave feminism was at an all time high. Fashion in this time was filled with crazy patterns, flared trousers and ankle length maxi-dresses.
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The age of power dressing is here, along with the first MTV music video to be broadcasted, giving designers chance to collaborate. Feminism continues to grow with Comme Des Garcons figure distortion. The most popular trends included bold and bright colours along with blazers with shoulderpads, topped off with permed hair.
MiuccaPrada
Her contrasting brands show two sides to this iconic designer, but what is it about Miucca Prada that makes her so radical?
Personality can be exposed through style and wardrobe content and no matter how bright or eccentric it may be the outcome is always beautiful. At least this is the case for Italian fashion designer Miucca Prada. Her fearlessness within the fashion industry is what she is well-known for and her ability of being able to continuously come up with new and‘ ahead of the times’ ideas for her business is legendary. Born in Italy, Miucca Prada didn’t expect to find herself in the fashion industry. After she’d attended the University of Milan, where she earned herself a Doctorate in Political Science and was a passionate and enthusiastic feminist, she decided to train as a mime, ending up in Milan’s Piccolo Teatro. However, she was the unlikely heir of her family’s luxury leather goods business where they manufactured handmade suitcases and handbags for Milan’s elite consumers. It wasn’t long before she began working for the company and soon after she decided to update the oldfashioned collections by redesigning them with her own unique and original
designs. She started with lightweight backpacks and handbags, all made of nylon and with simple labels. In 1985 they became a massive hit. What was so unusual about Prada’s simple
backpacks was that they were completely different and minimalist, compared to the Judith Leiber jewelled clutch bags of the Power Dressing ‘80s. To say that she had no history or proper
training in designing clothes or using a sewing machine, consumers loved her first ready-to-wear womenswear collection (‘Uniforms for the slightly disenfranchised’) that she showcased in 19 and with the help of her husband, Patrizio Bertelli. It wasn’t long before the business grew into a fashion powerhouse. In 1992, the introduction of her quintessential, subsidiary label, Miu Miu - so named after the family nickname - was made, giving the consumers even more taste of Miuccia Prada’s own personal style
and personality. Vogue Paris said, ‘Miu Miu was established as more colourful and avant-garde than its sister brand. The image set by the brand, very feminine, anti-conformist and even rebellious at times, quickly gained a large following of women who were weary of suits and dark colours.’
When Prada was at its most minimalistic, Miu Miu went against that with its more complex designs and brighter colours. In both collections we get to see both side of Miuccia Prada’s radical vision. WWWThe rebelliousness of Miucca Prada is what makes her brand and designs so profound, and the fact that she refuses to live up to expectations, likes to break rules and go against what the industry expects of her is why she is such a powerful and influential designer. In the words of Miucca Prada, ‘ I always wanted to be different. I always wanted to be first.’
Plain and pure, the 90’s was a complete fashion detox with it’s new minimalistic approach. Designers such as Miucca Prada and Calvin Klein were the radical designers of this decade.
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‘Big girls need
big diamonds’
- Elizabeth Taylor
‘I like my money right where I can see it...
... Hanging in my closet! ‘ - Carrie Bradshaw
2000 The age of the young gave us social media and e-commerce, girl power was continuing to rise and ‘handbag wars’ was a real thing, making fashion more inclusive for everyone. It was time for the luxury brand takeover!
As the world continues to develop and become more diverse, so does fashion. Trends from the past are forever cycling back around, influencing designers to bring past trends into new collections. New designers are heard of everyday and the catwalk is becoming more Inclusive.
2010
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References Alice Mackrell. (2014) The Fashion Book, Phaidon Press Christopher Laverty. (2016) Fashion in Film, Laurence King DK. (2012) Fashion The Ultimate Body of Fashion and Style, DK Stefanella Sposito. (2016) Fashion: The Ultimate History of Costume, Promopress Editions Bibby Sowray, Vpgue. (2012) http://www.vogue.co.uk/ article/miuccia-prada Business of Fashion. (2017) https://www. businessoffashion.com/ community/people/miucciaprada Victoria and Albert Museum. (2017) https://www.vam.ac.uk/ articles/x-raying-balenciaga
‘Life is a party. Dress like it.’ -Audrey Hepburn-
Frances Lowe
@francesfashionmac