Mademoiselle C

Carine Roitfeld is such a genius in the fashion industry. For many years she was editor of Paris Vogue during which time she wowed the often hard-to-please fashion world with her portfolio of work. She is know for her arresting images and content; her portrayal of women as strong, powerful and sexual have confronted the more conservative consumer and delighted the modern women of the world. Roitfeld has never shied from controversial content and is unwavering of her view. Currently, she edits her own magazine C.R. Fashionbook as well as holding the unique position of Global Editor of Harpers Bazaar (an unprecedented position).
There is little question why she is muse to the likes of Tom Ford and Karl Lagerfeld. She lives as she works and exudes magnetism. To see her in the recent documentary Mademoiselle C there is little reason why she is at the pinnacle of her profession. Roitfeld could easily have worked with the masterful Helmut Newton to create stunningly realised images.
To see her in Mademoiselle C is to witness her humour, sex appeal, warmth creativity and emotional willingness. She has none of the Wintour ice-queen about her; she mothers the model, humours the designers and luxuriates in time with her family.
It seems that nothing is off-limits for the camera's, Roitfeld is close to tears as she talks about her grandmother, mother and becoming a grandmother for the first time. The camera sits in on budget meetings and follows her when it seems things will surely fall apart.
If you are familiar with her book Irreverent then you know the Roitfeld style and not much has changed since then. She is still a woman who dresses from the knickers out and emphasises the importance of lingerie.
What does stand out in the documentary is how much admiration she garners from those around her, many of whom are prepared to commit it to camera. Anna della Russo is more than willing to offer her admiration to Roitfeld who accepts it kindly and humbly. If you want some insight into this woman, you must see the film.

French Films

Before there was Amelie is all her rose-coloured glory there was two wonderful french films by the same film makers. Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children. Jean-Pierre Jeunet has an incredible eye for detail and delights in the worlds he constructs (while they may give some viewers nightmares). He can only be liken to Wes Anderson in terms of his utter commitment to creating a whole, filmic world; with a 360 degree scope of vision.

Delicatessen is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which there is short supply of meat and yet, the owner of an apartment building is able to invite his tenants for lavish dinners. So, just what is the meat they are eating? And why are people going missing?

The City of Lost Children has an equally dark outlook, with a disembodied brain requiring the nightmares of children to keep it alive. As children go missing a gentle giant (Ron Perlman) takes care of a group of street urchins who are at risk from the brain and his mad brother.
While these films sound ghoulish they have a surprising amount of charm and sentimentality to them; they show where Jeunet has been before he alighted on Amelie.
If you are interested, both films are showing at the Astor Theatre in Melbourne on 15th May

Loving Jewellery

As the weather begins to cool and our wardrobes transition from the lights and brights of summer into the more subdued winter colours more and more we reach for jewellery to brighten our outfits.
If you are like me and treat summer as an opportunity to bedeck yourself in arm fulls of bangles, lots of rings and necklaces and even an anklet or two this is a great time of year for you.
As far as jewellery goes, the bigger the better, especially if you are tall and can pull off chunky jewels.
Summer tends to have a distinctly ethnic feel in jewellery with bold, bright colours and lavish embellishment including metals and fabrics. As the transition into winter occurs jewels take on a more serious tone. Now is the time for serious gems. Semi precious and precious stones all look wonderful in winter. Diamonds, turquoise and pearls adoring a simple black outfit are always so good together.
Just the other day I wore black jeans and black shirt with a long rope of (fake) pearls and immediately my outfit was pulled together and complete.
Have a look at some of the must haves below and throw on those jewels. There is no reason for a dark outfit not to provide a wonderful backdrop for gorgeous bright splashes of colour. Bright resin bangles will look great with silver jewellery and big chunks of semi-precious stones will add pops of colour to winters navy's and black's.

VAMFF - Highlights

What a whirlwind VAMFF was this year. The offerings were diverse and stimulating. Suddenly, can't wait for winter!

All images are thanks to the very talented Lucas Dawson www.lucasdawson.com.au

 

Focus on Mario Testino

Mario Testino is big, brash and bold; and that's just his photography. This Peruvian photographer creates some of the boldest images seen on the pages of good magazines. He pumps up the colour so that it is in your face and saturates the lens with colour. His images are closely contrived and keenly observed by the artist and his audience. The people he selects for his images are often as telling as the images themselves.
His publications are grand and luxurious just as his work is intended to be and realised every single time.
As a photographer he confronts his subject boldly and they equally stare down the lens at the viewer who, in turn, cannot take their eyes off these compelling images.
His body of work is very impressive.

Focus on Tim Walker

The photographer, Tim Walker must surly be a man trapped in a child's body. His sense of proportion indicates his view of the world and the scale is stunning and slightly grotesque at times.
If you don't know his work he has produced many beautiful images for Vogue over the years, in all it various editions. He is also responsible for many campaigns for Mulberry and Georg Jensen. His work has that typical British irreverence and whimsy.
Take a look; his images speak for themselves.

Penguins need Jumpers

When penguins are affected by oil spills or unclean fishing practises their feather get covered in poisonous gunk. When they try to remove this dirt, they swallow it and poison themselves. For this reason penguins need woollen jumpers to wear, they act as a barrier to them and prevent them from poisoning themselves.
Wool was the earliest fabric used for human swimwear so, why not for penguins too.
If you can knit please, help these little cuties out by using the link below to make a jumper for a penguin. I challenge the more talented knitters to turn these penguins into stylish fashionistas.

http://penguinfoundation.org.au/assets/Wildlife-rehabilitation/Little-penguin-knitted-jumpers-pattern-2012.pdf