Déjà Vu: Ophelia

Shakespeare’s Ophelia:

O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!

The courtier’s, scholar’s, soldier’s, eye, tongue, sword,

Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state,

The glass of fashion and the mould of form,

Th’ observ’d of all observers- quite, quite down!

And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,

That suck’d the honey of his music vows,

Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,

Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;

That unmatch’d form and feature of blown youth

Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me

T’ have seen what I have seen, see what I see!

-Hamlet, Act III, Scene I

Waterhouse’s Ophelia:

Ophelia by John William Waterhouse, 1889.

Vogue’s Ophelia:

Rooney Mara in Vogue, November 2011, photographed by Mert and Marcus.

Ophelia, through the brush of Sir John Everett Millais:

I must go and look at this 1852 version of Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais at the Tate Britain, on each London visit.

Ophelia, through the lens of Mert and Marcus:

Mert and Marcus take Mara on a Pre-Raphaelite journey.

Inspiration never fades…

Image sources: Wikipedia, Vogue.com.

Ferry Good Art

I’ve written many a post in the past about the connection between fashion and music. There’s a reason for that. The two, for me, are forever tied together.

There’s a reason for that, too. It was through the looks of bands like Roxy Music, The Jam, The Cure, David Bowie, Japan, Duran Duran, Blondie, The Specials, Sade and countless others (I could go on for days with this list…), that my visual vocabulary (along with my musical education, of course) was formed.

These were and are, not just singers and musicians, but to me, artists working with many different mediums. They went beyond composing and arranging notes and words into music and performing them on stage.  They were also staging their image, working on compositions of record sleeves (which at the time, were a huge part of your experience while the record was played for the first time), arranging models for photographs and setting the stage for the scene they invited you into with their music videos.

It was through these mini films of the ’80s, that I learned about far-off places (how can anyone forget the children of Sri Lanka laughing with Simon and JT?). It was through their clothes that I heard designer and stylist names for the first time – Antony Price, for one. It was because of album covers and limited edition record sleeves that I was schooled in pop art and fetish fashion photography during the same week. The inspiration from those 12″ singles lasted well beyond a dozen years and singled out my love of visual culture.

Bryan Ferry and Karl Stoecker - For Your Pleasure, 1973 - an image so far ahead of its time.

These musicians became my art teachers, in many ways.

So to me, it was fitting to find out that Mr. Ferry is featured in a solo art show at LA’s Michael Kohn Gallery.

The show displays some of the final artwork created for Roxy albums between 1972 and 1983, along with Ferry’s solo album visuals. What’s better, is that it also presents the process of getting there and what was left behind, with studies and alternate versions of artwork and photography.

Bryan Ferry and Neil Kirk - Manifesto, 1979.

Ferry, who was schooled in art, has always made it an integral part of his business – the business of creating. Well before branding buzzwords, this gentleman curated the experience he wanted you to have, the emotion that he wanted his music and his images to create for you. He may not always have done it with a brushstroke, or hung it on an actual wall (until now), but he gave you a visual feast to dive into, from the very beginning of his career. He did it most recently, with the dreamy and  layered journey that is Olympia, by mixing Moss with Manet.

One Night, by Bryan Ferry and Adam Whitehead featuring Kate Moss, 2010.

Like any good artist worth his salt and pepper (suits him, no?), he has had a mass of muses. (Mrs. Hince returned the favour by having him perform at her wedding, this summer.) Olympia, also features a cover of Tim Buckley’s Song to the Siren. His original Siren was of course, Jerry Hall. (Note the electric blue nails on Ms. Hall, below. In 1975. Also, there seems to be a cheekbone déjà vu going on in these four images.)

Bryan Ferry and Graham Hughes featuring Jerry Hall on Siren, 1975.

It’s different from marketing music today, I think. Having grown up with his words and images for a good part of my life, I think his intent has been, not necessarily to market to us, but to communicate with us, to provoke, to seduce, to complement his music. I really think it comes from a place of art, first, before commerce.

Definitions aside, there’s no denying the visual impact his work has had. And isn’t that where art starts?

I wish I could get to LA before next week to see the show, which runs until November 5th. Happily, though, I will get to see Mr. Ferry in the farewell leg of his Olympia tour, later this year.

Images courtesy of Michael Kohn Gallery. 

Clouded

The Fall campaigns are hitting my consciousness, despite the sultry August heat.

It’s at this time of year – when the Fall looks we saw months ago actually begin to relate to our own fashion reality. You start to think about how that shade of green would look with your charcoal pants from last season, how the width of the new pants (which are really the old pants you loved) will work with your vintage cashmere cropped sweater…

As you sit amongst air conditioning and feed yourself frozen treats (my current obsession is freezing everything in sight), you can imagine wearing cozy things. You can imagine the surreality of Fall fashion – that far-fetched season only a chilled breeze or two away, really.

Never a brand to shy from the surreal, the FW11 campaign from Alexander McQueen, shot by David Sims plays on Magritte’s clouds, darkens them ever so and then adds the light of Sarah Burton’s designs for the season to illuminate just whom we might want to be in a few weeks time.

Raquel Zimmermann shouldered the tough conditions for the shoot. Note the rock solid heels.

A ray of sun amongst the rainbow clouds.

Little goth riding hood.

Sea of clouds. See clearly.

Looking in. From within.

I told you, all bets were off come August. I’ve started to fall…

Images courtesy of Alexander McQueen.

On Watch

Came across this editorial for watches and fell in love with the images.

Alina, photographed by Charles Guo for Numéro China.

These two were my favourite. You can see the others on Fashion Gone Rogue.

Déjà Vu: Sing Blue Silver

I came across the best photo of Renée Zellweger I have ever seen…

Renée Zellweger photographed by Alexi Lubomirski for Harper's Bazaar UK November 2010 issue.

…and it reminded me of Duran Duran’s video for The Chauffeur…

A still from The Chauffeur vid, eloquently photographed by Ian Emes.

…which of course, was inspired by the photographs of Helmut Newton.

Catherine Deneuve photographed by Helmut Newton.

Sometimes inspiration comes full circle.

Zellweger photo courtesy of MagXone, Chauffeur image courtesy of sssour, Newton image courtesy of Obvious Mag.

Steichen Snapped More Than Stars

Edward Steichen wasn’t as black and white as one would think.

He just took those kinds of photographs.

Actress Joan Crawford in a dress by Schiaparelli, 1932 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1932 Condé Nast Publications

Well, that was the medium, anyway – black and white photography – but his subjects, the artist and his inspiration were dense layers of greys.

I’ve been meaning to write about him for ages, having attended a first-ever joint launch by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) for two photo exhibits that have been giving Torontonians a glimpse of celebrity in recent months.

The first is an exhibit of Steichen’s photos, entitled Edward Steichen: In High Fashion, the Condé Nast Years, 1923-37 at the Gehry-fied AGO.

Princess Nathalie Paley wearing sandals by Shoecraft, 1934 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1934 Condé Nast Publications

On George Baher’s yacht: June Cox wearing unidentified fashion; E. Vogt wearing fashion by Chanel and a hat by Reboux; Lee Miller wearing a dress by Mae and Hattie Green and a scarf by Chanel; Hanna-Lee Sherman wearing unidentified fashion, 1928 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1928 Condé Nast Publications

The second is Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913-2008 at the ROM, which I will feature in an upcoming post.

The Steichen ex was put on by a few great Museum minds – the Foundation for Exhibition Photography in Minneapolis and the Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne, France collaborated with the AGO.

The international flavour was fitting for Steichen’s worldly photographs of other-worldly subjects. His photos are credited as the birth of modern 20th century portraiture as we know it and they still resonate today.

Poet William Butler Yeats, 1932 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1932 Condé Nast Publications

I had the opportunity to chat with William Ewing, Director of the Musée de l’Elysée, who provided a wealth of information about Steichen off the top of his head, while strolling through the exhibit with me…

Steichen was the most famous, most reproduced, highest paid photographer of the 20th Centry, but he didn’t start off that way.

He was a real Renaissance man – a writer and educator, an industrial designer, a glassware artist and he also worked at the photo department at the Museum of Modern Art.  While there, he worked on a photo exhibit called The Family of Man, which is still on display in Europe today.

However, Steichen’s first love was painting, so he gave up photography altogether.

Ultimately, it wasn’t in the cards for him. Frustrated that he wasn’t as good as Renoir, Cezanne and Picasso – the reigning painters at the time – he burned his paintings.

He was actually the first person to bring the works of Picasso, Matisse, Renoir and other painters to New York.

While in New York, he read an article in Vanity Fair that called him the greatest living portrait photographer (quite the dilemma since he had originally given up photography for painting).

So he called the magazine and was offered the role of Chief Photographer for Vogue and Vanity Fair.

The rest is photographic history.

Actress Pola Negri, 1925 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1925 Condé Nast Publications

The renowned ballroom dancing team Antonio de Marco and Renée de Marco, 1935 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1935 Condé Nast Publications

He snapped the couture collections of every major designer of the time; he shot actors, musicians, writers, artists, dancers and politicians.

Actor Adolphe Menjou, 1925 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1927 Condé Nast Publications

Actress Joan Bennett, 1928 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1928 Condé Nast Publications

Actor Gary Cooper, 1930 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Matthieu Humery Collection/Philippe Machecourt © 1930 Condé Nast Publications

His photos were always inventive; the light was always controlled, as any of the 212 prints in the ex will attest.

There was always a story behind the artistry.

Steichen invited you in to listen to it, with your eyes.

Self-portrait with photographic paraphernalia, New York, 1929 Gelatin silver print Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York © 1929 Condé Nast Publications

The exhibit runs through January 3, 2010 – not to be missed by photo or fashion lovers.

All photos © Condé Nast Publications, courtesy of the AGO.

Karl’s Calendar for Marie Claire Italia is Caldo!

Uncle Karl is a busy man. Designing what is likely now 400 lines of clothing per year (maybe I’m exaggerating a smidge), collaborating with architects and other cultural icons, launching Chanel in different markets, making short films, obsessing over male models and photographing campaigns, you have to wonder how he does it all.

One of his latest projects for Marie Claire Italia combines a couple of those vocations.

He recently photographed male model and current muse Baptiste Giabiconi and actress Anna Mouglalis (saw her portrayal of Mademoiselle Chanel in Coco and Igor at TIFF and didn’t think she made a great Coco, but I guess Karl disagrees with me).

There is a male and female version for each month. Here’s a preview.

Starting the year off with a little frou.

While Anna's kick-off is HOT, Baptiste plays it cool for Jan.

July - a steamy month.

...like I was saying...July...a steamy month

Uncle Karl always did have a great sense of humour. The September Baptiste shot.

Calling Sophia Loren...

Ready for the New Year in style. The December shot.

It's been a glamourous year...celebrate it!

All photos by Karl Lagerfeld for Marie Claire Italia.

Baptiste was also calling on Bryan Ferry for this shoot with Jerry Hall for Chanel.

Colour Conundrum? Problem Sølved.

If the approaching Winter seems grey and 5 PM indicates darkness, add a little colour to your day.

Dream weaver/photographer Sølve Sundsbø has the perfect potion for your lacking notion.

His photos of Karen Elson are rich with glorious garnets, further jewelled in jades and turquoise and impossible to ignore, full-on fuchsias.

Next thing you know, your faded world’s a thing of the past.

Things are vivid, at last.

Starting with a hint of colour, but a dash of drama. Photo by Sølve Sundsbø.

Karen Elson, as netted by Sølve Sundsbø.

You need not be jaded, my dears. Photo by Sølve Sundsbø.

Garnet girl. Photo by Sølve Sundsbø.

Ethereal colour. Photo by Sølve Sundsbø.

Brilliant - in multiple dimensions. Photo by Sølve Sundsbø.

Photo source.