Illamasqua's Born Again Film: Watch It Again

[All images taken as stills by me from the Born Again short film, available here]. The make-up brand Illamasqua has struck gold with this piece of inventive marketing for the Born Again collection. Featuring the BAFTA-winning actress Vicky McClure (who was tear-jerkingly good as Lol in the film This Is England and its follow-up television series, This Is England '86) was a stroke of genius as she is not only a highly talented performer but she also suits the striking plum tones of this look. McClure stars as an unnamed woman, in an unnamed location, who must go on a life-changing journey - and one that requires serious eye make-up.

Stopping at a cafe, our heroine's androgynous and fierce style stands out against the dull decor around her and the anonymous landscape outside. We don't know the purpose for her trip, but we feel involved.

Close-ups not only offer intimacy with the viewer: they also help to showcase the collection in detail. The accent of pinky-red eyeshadow (Liquid Metal in Resolute, £17.50 and Powder Eyeshadow in Daemon, £15.50) really stands out as it frames her lashes, whilst her immaculate brows are sharp and carefully filled. This is a woman whose cosmetics truly enhance her personality, instead of masking it.

I won't give away the plot, but the closing moments feature a more stripped-back look for McClure, where her character has become vulnerable as she is 'Born Again'. This forms quite a contrast to the structured image she has presented to us before.

Illamasqua has produced a great short film here - it draws you in and makes you think. I really enjoyed the unedited version as it was powerful and interesting to see the development of this unnamed woman. I love the art direction involved and the lengths the brand has gone to achieve something so individual and so far removed from the basic selling tactics of most cosmetics companies - product, by-line, consumer survey stating that 98% of women found their wrinkles had disappeared, etc, etc.

Another genius move by Illamasqua is the Facebook competition in conjunction with the Born Again collection, which is called Social Sacrifice. The winner will surrender their Facebook photos to Illamasqua, who will delete them all (though they will be saved on a disc in case you desperately need them back) and slowly build up a new image for you with photoshoots and looks directed by the brand. You will also attend the launch of their first perfume, a show at London Fashion Week, and the set of Vicky McClure's latest film set. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and something that is going to make one woman very happy indeed (no, I don't automatically mean me, though I have entered!). I love the idea of rehashing your social media presence via photography and make-up, and I think this is a great way to really get people examining how they present themselves.

For more information on the collection, please see the Illamasqua website.

Spiders and Leopards, Oh My: Charlotte Olympia

[Images taken from the Charlotte Olympia website and collaged by me].

The shoe designs of Charlotte Olympia Dellal (yup, of the famous Dellal clan) are worn by celebs a-plenty and famed for their seductive glamour. We're not talking casual slip-ons for the supermarket here, we're talking shoes to get revenge in; shoes to get empowered in; shoes to release the inner womanly side that you may have been too afraid to confront - I'm talking to the girls who live in trousers, t-shirts and blazers.

As you can see from the image above, my leopard print addiction has reared its not-so-ugly head yet again with these lace-up heels (called Alice Siamese, £655). I love how the shape is very Victorian and reminiscent of the schoolmistress look, yet the pattern takes it somewhere completely different, far away from any kind of prim and proper affair. Other shoes for this season include the luxurious green Carmen wedge (£615) and the quirky Cindy Piano (£650). Additionally there's a pair called Polly (£665), which weren't named after me, but are leopard with a red platform, a.k.a my favourite pattern and colour: I pretty much had palpitations when I saw them. Definitely ones for the ever-increasing mental wish list.

I was also keen to see what Charlotte Olympia has to offer the less financially blessed customer, and this turned out to be a well-served demographic with the brand's accessories. Taking the spider's web as inspiration, these tights (£33, also in black, blue and yellow) are certainly bound to get you noticed, whilst the stud earrings (£75) would be timeless due to their simple linear structure and angular form.

If you want to see top notch footwear design and get some ideas for kick-ass heels, I'd urge you to check out Charlotte Olympia. You won't regret it.

www.charlotteolympia.com

To explain next week's absence...

[One of my vintage photography negatives, of children at the beach.]

I am going on holiday to the middle of nowhere for a week, so I expect blogging to be somewhat difficult. Normal service will resume from 13th August! I hope to catch up with you all then.

Polly x

Masters of Style (Somerset House) Part 2: Visual Merchandising

[All images taken as photos from the original Masters of Style brochure, and reproduced for illustrative purposes. This image: Salvatore Ferragamo, SS/1980, photographed by Stefano Biliotti].
I love this image because it taps into the voyeurism aspect of fashion: we like to look good and we like to watch others looking good. When we see a covetable item, we can't take our eyes off it. For me, this image was also reminiscent of the wartime figure of Kilroy peering over a wall (see the link here if you don't know what I'm talking about), only this is the fashion equivalent. It's an excellently subtle way to present a brand.

[Salvatore Ferragamo, SS/1982, courtesy of the brand's Museum]. This is really striking as an image because it uses hardly any colour and yet looks incredibly modern. The sleek look would appeal to the male businessman market being targeted here.

[Salvatore Ferragamo, AW/1992-3, photographed by Sergio Merli]. Again, a simplistic image which really works. Presenting the bags as a series, being interconnected by the chain handles, there is a sense of unity between them which would probably encourage rich shoppers to buy one in every colour.

[Missoni illustration, AW/1970-1, by Brunetta]. The pen and ink work here is light-hearted but effective: it leads your eye around the advert and makes you really look at the patterns of Missoni, rather than just the bold colours they are famous for.

[Miuccia Prada, SS/1989, by Albert Watson.]
The ankle is one of those strange parts of the body that was highly erogenous in the Victorian era. It's not something we tend to focus on in flat footwear, either - it's the domain of strappy stilettos and wedge heels. But there's something really personal about this portrait, and something a lot more arresting than a full body shot. We see the intimacy of arranging tights (which all girls know can be a bloody nightmare, but looks almost graceful here) and we see well loved brogues. Good work, Prada.

[Missoni family photo].
This was one of my favourites from the exhibition - it's like the family portrait from hell, until you realise that this isn't some weird clan from Bognor Regis - it's the privileged Missoni dynasty in their knitwear, and it costs a darn sight more than a few trips to the charity shop to look like this. Top marks for effort, and for keeping this one in the family archives. Although it's cheesy, it's also very sweet.

[Prada, AW/1993-4, photographed by Peter Lindbergh].

After adventuring in your new Prada boots, why not cool off in the nearest river, a la Christy Turlington? I joke. This image is, like Albert Watson's earlier effort, evocative of what designer footwear should be about: more than just cocktails and going to restaurants, which C-list celebs might have you believe. It's about quality design that lasts and can work with anything. It's about craftsmanship and giving yourself a treat that will treat you back. I'm converted - are you?

Fashion Week Plea: Let's keep it diverse

I'm really excited to see what the catwalks of next month will bring us for SS/12. However, I'm also worried that they will not offer the viewer a wide enough look at modelling talent today. So many non-white models are overlooked once the booker has reached their 'ethnic quota' for a show (which is usually a grand total of two or three), with Paris and Milan being particularly slow on the uptake regarding the supposedly racially equal society we live in.

Equally, we've spent years staring at models that fit the 'waif chic' bill - boyish, no curves, borderline eating disorder, concave facial features. I would love to see more women who at least have their BMI in the 'healthy' range and don't have a protruding ribcage. Time and time again we are given the results of surveys in the media which prove that the average woman is a size 14-16 and that the average man does not find a size 0 attractive, yet the fashion industry disregards this and works on miniscule sample sizes. I know that fashion designers might find skinny girls to be their 'ideal', but it's unattainable to most of us, and that includes the customers. We did not have the same problem with the early supermodels, who were thin but not unhealthy. So why can't we go back to those days?

I would love to see a more honest portrayal of women on the catwalk, and a celebration of the beauty which surrounds us.

Hayley Morley on the catwalk for Mark Fast in 2010 [from 2Medusa]. Fast's adoption of the more buxom female form horrified many fashion purists but delighted campaigners for more representative models. The knitwear that Fast makes is clever, intricate and desirable, and it clings to curves in an elegant way.

The it-girl for 'plus size' models, Crystal Renn (who is actually a former anorexic) - I hate that term, 'plus size' because it insinuates that size 12 women should need their own special department. Obviously in modelling, things are different, but now society has taken on this terminology and made those over a size 8 feel 'plus size'. Crystal Renn has seen both sides of the spectrum but looks far better with meat on her bones. [Image from Fashion Gone Rogue].

Here's Renn again [from SkinnyvsCurvy], looking voluptuous for a shoot by Harper's Bazaar Australia. If you saw this woman on a beach, would you honestly think she was overweight? Probably not. Renn is one of the few to be accepted by the fashion world, yet many of her editorial shoots seem to fall into the category of tokenism. I hope she stays in modelling and continues to forge a great career.

This month sees size 14 Robin Lawley gracing a feature in Vogue Australia. She oozes femininity and she suits these clothes - why can't we see more like this, instead of watching a woman wearing low-slung trousers that fall off her non-existent hips?

Here's Hayley Morley again, strutting her stuff [taken from the Guardian Online].

The model Nyasha brings the latest issue of Love magazine to life. Black models rarely feature on the cover of Western publications, which is frustrating for consumers who want diversity. Publishing executives claim that white models sell more copies, which was grossly proved wrong when Vogue Italia released its Black Issue, the only edition in history to be reprinted due to excessive demand.

The latest Estee Lauder campaign is an example of good advertising practice and a more accurate portrayal of make-up consumers and their different ethnic origins. The three women, Joan Smalls, Constance Jablonski and Liu Wen, all look beautiful. [Image from Fashion Gone Rogue].

Chanel Iman in an advert for DKNY's Be Delicious perfume. The model herself has called for greater racial diversity in fashion. [Taken from Fashion Gone Rogue].

Lakshmi Menon is one of the few models who has crossed over from India to mainstream fashion, and she is seen here in a photoshoot for Dazed and Confused magazine. Although Mumbai's Fashion Week is growing ever popular and Vogue India is well established, India is still largely ignored in terms of modelling talent on Western catwalks. [Image from Fashion Gone Rogue].

The beautiful Jourdan Dunn, one of Britain's best young models who is also a mother to a young son. She was discovered whilst shopping in Primark, before rising to international fame. Women such as Dunn should be hailed as inspirational to young Brits, but she is one of a small minority in a sea of identikit white models and is often overlooked. I really think she could be the next Naomi Campbell (but without the phone-throwing). [Image taken from Fashion Gone Rogue, originally featured in Vogue Paris, August 2011].

ID Magazine shows us how it should be done, with this cover for the Pre-Fall Issue, 2009. L-R: Chanel Iman, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn, Arlenis Sosa [Image via The Flaunt Files].

I wrote extensively about the racial inequality of fashion magazines as part of my Postgraduate course at the London College of Fashion, and it's something I am continually aware of with every magazine that I buy. I really hope that we begin to see some positive change in the fashion industry from now on.

Work Wear Overhaul

Is your work dress code one of those horrific 'smart-casual' categories, leaving you somewhere between jeans and a trouser suit? This jumper dress, from Stella McCartney at Net-a-Porter, is a great example of how to avoid flashing flesh whilst also not looking too uptight. It injects colour without blinding anyone sharing office space with you (take note, lovers of neon). The high street should have something similar next season, so keep an eye out.

If you feel too frumpy in trousers but you need something smart, this Primark dress (from the Autumn/Winter collection, as seen at Look Magazine Online) is the perfect solution. You can pick up a slip to wear underneath it, then add brogues or sandals depending on what the weather is doing at the time. The mid-length of this dress means that it's appropriate for work, but just keep the cleavage area covered. The shape of this piece is similar to Miu Miu's SS/11 collection, showing how the British high street is really listening to designers but hopefully moving away from producing carbon catwalk copies.

For classic shapes in neutral colours, see these three pieces from Vivienne Westwood online [collaged by me]. With a simple pin-tuck, the pinstripe pencil skirt is more flattering and forgiving on the hips - great if you're not exactly boyish in figure. The Dryad dress is an example of how to do work function chic - still looking smart, but with a more relaxed and summery vibe in white. Lastly, the striped shirt with tie-print detail shows how you can have fun with your 9-5 wardrobe. On the high street, look for skinny ties or shirts with piping detail and contrasting cuffs.

Is your workplace full of creative types and fashion-led outfits? Take a tip from Alexander Wang [also at Net-a-Porter], where you'll find the edgiest sunglasses for popping out of the office on a coffee run, the sensible black maxi skirt that spirals into ribbons, and the sheer shirt with leather edges. For similar products, check out River Island, Urban Outfitters and Topshop. Similar shirts are widely available in the sales at the moment, if you're willing to add your own panels.

AW/11-12 inspiration: After the clock strikes 12

[Please click to enlarge. Images taken from Vogue UK and Style.com, then collaged by me].

One major trend for Autumn/Winter, which also came around last year, is the dominatrix. It's fairly standard stuff (think sex shops and Goth clothes mixed with a bit of punk), filtered down to wearable pieces in leather, PVC and plenty of straps. I really enjoy this trend as it's so shocking to middle England - even wearing my faux leather leggings down the high street gets me a few suspicious glances, as I live in what has been nominated one of the most Conservative-leaning towns in Britain.

Yet I didn't want to represent it in the standard way on my blog, because I believe it can be tied in with some of the more feminine pieces in white lace and nude to make a slightly more exciting outfit which doesn't have to bare all. There is something much more fun about mixing up the innocent (think Alice in Wonderland, tea parties or ballet) with the overtly naughty, which is why I created this mood board.

The collection for next season by the House of Worth was particularly interesting here - it combines bondage-esque detail with the kind of ruffles and bows that take you straight back to the Elizabethan era, via Georgian times. Excess is key, and yet each piece stands alone as a statement that could easily be paired with the more simplistic items in the modern woman's wardrobe, such as a mannish shirt or a pair of black fishnet tights. Equally, the designs of Charlie Le Mindu were a great contrast to the starkness of leather, and a dramatic headpiece (maybe not as extravagant as the white bird) would really add to the starkness of this look.

Where to get pieces like these on the high street:

1. Topshop - doing a lot of leather for AW.
2. Fancy dress shops - it's easy to pick up Goth outfits or some long black gloves.
3. Zara - for the more grown-up translation.