Behind The Scenes At Dior Couture Autumn/Winter 2014
Raf Simons’ Dior Couture show is proving to be a massive hit on social media. The Marie Antoinette pannier dresses and embroidered coats are particularly lusted after.
But the feeling in the tent, which was erected at the Rodin Museum in Paris and filled with white orchids and celebrities in equal measure, was apparently relief.
Raf Simons, who was a shock appointment after John Galliano so spectacularly engulfed himself in scandal, has finally found his ‘voice’ as a Dior designer, the whispers went. And the critics agreed: the collection, which included fabulous coat-dresses and some very red-carpet-friendly sweeping gowns, was hailed by critic Suzy Menkes as ‘an Alleluia moment.’
There were a few misses, obviously. It’s not a couture show without a risk or two, and the embroidered evening jumpsuits apparently inspired by ski pants, complete with useless zippers, raised a few eyebrows.
According to Simons, it was all part of his experimentation. “I never thought I would be looking at history from the 18th century – Marie Antoinette – as an astronaut from 2000!” he said. “But I don’t see this as one collection. It is eight different passages with one aesthetic language.”
But overall we suspect that Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron and Marion Cotillard, all of whom are contractually obligated to wear Dior on the red carpet, looked at the classic lines and breathed a sigh of relief.
Lawrence was so elated by the whole thing that she face-palmed Emma Watson in front of the press pit. Watson, surprisingly, didn’t kill her for disarranging her immaculate make-up.
Theron showed up with boyfriend Sean Penn in a gold mini dress that showed off her long legs, although commentators wondered if the zip on the back were broken: the open back was both very low and very wide.
On the catwalk, the buzz surrounded Aussie model Grace Simmons, who’s rocketed from winning the Girlfriend Model Search in 2012 to high fashion. She was picked exclusively for the show, and debuted in the ‘coats’ segment, wearing pink trousers and a sweeping blue coat.
What were your favourite parts of the show?
Images: Dior Couture A/W 2014.
Twitter Might Be Your Next Favourite E-Boutique
Ever seen a tweet that mentioned a fashion item you just had to have – but couldn’t track it down?
It looks like Twitter’s about to make that dream come true.
Eagle-eyed observers noted a ‘Buy Now’ button beside tweets related to an online boutique, Fancy, which took them to a check-out page.
The button’s now gone, but it seems that the secret’s out: Twitter is testing the waters for being a direct player in the e-commerce world.
Social media is huge in fashion. Tom Ford has said that Instagram is now the home of major fashion inspiration instead of magazines, and the big models, such as Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn, can have millions of followers.
But Twitter hasn’t played such a role in the money-making side – until now.
So which major fashion sites will Twitter be linking to – or will it start up a Tweet boutique all of its own, to sell products?
We’re guessing Net-a-Porter is all net-a-twitter (sorry) about being a partner, but suspect competition will be tough. Very few labels are sold exclusively on their own websites – many are stocked in several e-boutiques like Matches and The Outnet, and it will be interesting to see if one online retailer nabs the right to be linked via Twitter to exclusive brands.
It’s good news for small brands with minimum exposure as a way to get publicity and sell things at the same time.
Will you be on the look out for Twitter buys?
Image: ‘Tweet’ necklace.
Battle Of The Swimsuit Campaigns: Seafolly Vs Jets
It may not feel much like summer at the moment, but it’s prime time for swimsuit campaigns to debut – and two have dropped in the same week.
Both Seafolly and Jets By Jessika Allen have debuted their new campaigns, complete with new model faces and splashy sets.
So which one is ahead on points?
Seafolly have gone high-fashion for their new face, selecting American model Martha Hunt. She may not be a household name, but she’s certainly got couture chops – she’s walked in shows for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Armani and all the luminaries.
Jets have decided to keep things closer to home: they’re being fronted by Australian models Hannah Saul, who’s most famous for her fitness modelling and blogging, and Jayde Heiser.
They’ve picked equally gorgeous locations: Jets’s campaign stars modern sculpture beside a minimalist pool, while Seafolly’s has Hunt frolicking on Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays, the whitest beach in the world.
As for the swimsuits, we only have two images to go on – but it looks as if Seafolly is for women wanting a vintage, feminine edge, while Jets is going for a modern, streamlined look.
Which one do you think wins the campaign prize?
Image: Seafolly (above) and Jets (right) campaigns for summer 2014.
Rebecca Judd To Host Perth Tribute To Ruth Tarvydas
After the tragic death of Perth designer Ruth Tarvydas in May, one of the women who wore her designs will be hosting a tribute event to her life.
And it will be held at Perth Fashion Week in September, where she first made a splash.
Rebecca Judd, who famously wore a Tarvydas dress to the Brownlow Awards in 2004, making the front page of the papers the next day, was one of the designer’s first high-profile clients, and will be the host of the bash to honour her legacy.
Judd took to Twitter after the designer’s death, linking to a picture of the plunging red number and adding, “You changed my life with your red dress Ruth. RIP beautiful lady x’.
Tarvydas was a mainstay of the Australian fashion scene, one of the first to export her designs overseas and famous for her flamboyant personal style. She committed suicide in May, reportedly facing over $1million in debt.
“We all miss Ruth terribly,” Judd said. “It will be great to celebrate her vibrant life with an incredible show dedicated to her.”
The exact form of the event is still under wraps, but it seems it will be a tribute to the long career and influence of Tarvydas, whose signature style included a pilot hat.
Image: Ruth Tarvydas in her apartment.