Thursday 19 January 2012

Prada Parade

Garrett Hedlund, Emile Hirsch, Adrien Brody, Tim Roth, and Jamie Bell


Everyone needs a little pick-me-up at this point in the week and I'd be lying if I said this didn't make me slightly gooey.  Men's fashion can pass me by, but occasionally something comes along which gets me excited and the Prada Autumn/ Winter Show was one of those moments.  It described by Count..sorry, Gary Oldman as "two-minute theatre - a short blast of performance."

One of the many things I love about this (as a Victorian specialist) is that these clothes wouldn't have looked out of place a hundred years ago.  And it wasn't just the clothes that were of a certain vintage. Adrien Brody, Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and Willem Dafoe were among the actors cast by the company to stalk charismatically across an enormous, scarlet shagpile carpet in sober suits and double-breasted, high-revered overcoats - borderline frock-coats - that would not have been out of place circa 1890.

Gary Oldman reckoned his outfit - dominating magisterial black overcoat with insignia at the chest - was "a little bit count Dracula".  Adrien Brody's coat was a richly patterned scarlet number, with a two-toned furry collar. In it, he said, he acted the role of "an evil ruler - a dictator. I felt like there was a bit of 'off with your head about him'." He din't even crack a smile at the end unlike William Defoe who had looked quite scary until then and Garrett Hedlunch (Achilles/Brad Pitt's nephew who gets killed in Troy!!) who was clearly enjoying himself the entire time.  Jamie Bell - who confessed that (not quite) rubbing shoulders with professional models made him realise quite how short he is - bless him!


Across the geometrical scarlet shagpile strode models (real ones at first) wearing expressions that were variously shifty, haughty or sly in trench coats, grey suits, shoes with galoshes-style rubber attachments and shirts from which sprouted up-to-the-chin polo necks. It was a tailoring show, although I did feel a bit sorry for the two chaps who appeared to be in tennis shorts with an overcoat..always a tricky look for the Modern man.

It was also, said Prada afterwards, "about elegance and powerful dressing. I was working on man power. So this was a palazzo of power... we started with this idea of a mis-en-scene of the people in the palace. Spies, any kind of people who are living in the palace of power." And before you conclude that Prada is advocating dictator-dress next winter (which I'm on board with by the way), she added: "Also for me it was a parody of man power. It was not ironic - it was nasty."

These chaps can walk over my carpet any day





Tuesday 17 January 2012

Driving a Wedge

Miranda Kerr and Julianne Moore in the Marant Beekket high-tops




Do you ever have those moments when you feel you've lost the plot ever so slightly? That is the feeling I get when I start thinking about wedge trainers.  Are they fugly or are they fine? How often would I actually wear them? Then what on earth would I wear them with?  I saw a very chic lady wearing the Isabel Marant ones at Paris Art Fair last September..OF COURSE it was in Paris and she was wearing them with skinny jeans and a fitted coat and look effortless and...well.. Parisian...but could I carry them off? (If anyone would like to donate a pair of Marant trainers to me so I can try this out, then do please email.)


Thanks to Marant, the hi-top is back. And this time it's got a wedge.  The high street has jumped head first into the act and the 'ultimate sports luxe shoe' is set to continue in popularity.  The reason I think it's popular is because it appeals to lazy people like me who find proper heels too much of a trial.  I've already embraced the high-top and am a fan of the wedge..so why not the wedge trainer?  Elle tells us that the wedge trainer is "perfect for adding edge to a pair of skinnies or a leather skirt teamed with opaque's right now, they'll be just as covetable with a denim mini-dress come Spring."  Well Elle, I think this is true if you have legs like Bambi for for mere mortals you might end up looking like the lesser known eighth dwarf, Stumpy.  Anything that cuts you off at the ankle can be dangerous. Apparently my black Yarra desert boots can fall into the wedge-trainer category and I've banged on ALOT about how wonderful they are but to me..they ain't trainers.


Here is a selection I've pulled...thoughts?x


Navy leather and rubber from Topshop
Nude leather from See by Chloe
Tan suede from Aldo..I'm kind of leaning towards these..if any
Navy suede from Ash

And finally, a selection from Isabel Marant..I can't deny that I do have a penchant for the black ones. Donations welcome.