designers
Coco Chanel, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, and more—explore who has influenced the world of fashion the most, and who might be the next big name.
The extraordinary handbags that are both fashion and art
Bags are unique as fashion accessories. They are not required to enclose a part of the body, which has allowed freedom and inventiveness over the centuries, resulting in creations which are not mere fashion items, but works of art. This phenomenon has reached its logical conclusion in recent years, as brands collaborate with fine artists such as Tracey Emin and Marc Quinn to produce bags that would not look out of place in a gallery, which is indeed where they can be seen in the V&A's new exhibition, Bags: Inside Out. But it is not only their aesthetic appeal that can be compared to art. Classic creations by brands like Hermès, Chanel and Dior are increasingly being appreciated for their investment potential.
By Cindy Dory3 years ago in Styled
The French icon who revolutionised women's clothes
In fashion folklore, Gabrielle Chanel is famously credited as the designer who popularised trousers, making them a key piece in women's wardrobes, and also for helping to liberate women from the tyranny of the corset. Instead of caging them in stuffy, superfluous designs, her clothes prioritised freedom of movement, mobility and comfort. She broke down sartorial codes by borrowing elements of men's fashion, such as pockets and tweed, and erased waistlines and bustlines to create androgynous silhouettes. Like any good trailblazer, Chanel's defiance of societal and gender norms early in her career befuddled some, and inspired others.
By Alessandro Algardi3 years ago in Styled
How African fashion has conquered film
It's hard to overstate Ruth E Carter's achievement in costume design on Black Panther, even now, three years after the film's release. She did, after all, win an Oscar for it. Not only did a massive movie franchise like Marvel finally put a leading black superhero on screen, but he was regally dressed too. As many pundits noted, the film marked a defining moment for black America. But it was a moment that also reverberated throughout the world, not least on the African continent itself, where the Basotho blankets and Ndebele neck-rings were instantly recognised for the items of rich heritage they are. It was a moment of pride that for so long had been denied to Africans portrayed on screen in Hollywood productions.
By Mao Jiao Li3 years ago in Styled
Tartan: The misunderstood icon of 'Scottishness'
More resonances cling to tartan than perhaps any other fabric. It's a stirring visual expression of both history and geography, as well as innovative design and self-expression. "There are many ways in which you can make a tartan distinctive and imbue it with personal or collective meaning," says Rosie Waine, William Grant Foundation research fellow at National Museums Scotland. "Throughout its history, tartan has been used to express political viewpoints, as well as familial, regional and national identities. It has been viewed as tame and conservative by some; bold, brilliant and radical by others."
By Cindy Dory3 years ago in Styled
The anti-minimalist trend that celebrates mess
"I've always been fascinated by all types of objects: toys, illustrated books, postcards, porcelain," says Spanish artist Juanjo Fuentes, who is telling BBC Culture about his fantastical home in the historic centre of Malaga, in which almost every surface is covered by a joyous array of baubles and curios. "I get things from flea markets and I've always been the one keeping the family objects. And I'm very lucky because my friends offer me the objects that belonged to their relatives – they are more minimalist than I am," he laughs.
By Many A-Sun3 years ago in Styled
The worst fashion disasters in fiction
Parties are often ripe territory for failure. Amid the dancing and the talking and the new encounters, there can lie within you a great, dark pool of apprehension about all the possible ways in which the evening could go wrong. You could arrive at an incorrect time and not know what to say or where to place yourself. You could drink too much. You could say too little. Perhaps you are the kind of person who falls silent and retreats inwards at such events, watching everyone else laugh and glide around with an ease you desperately envy. You may realise at some point, or try not to realise, that you are at the bottom of the social pecking order, your presence yielding more pity than pleasure. You might even have made everything worse by turning up wearing the wrong kind of dress, all hope for a night of fairytale glamour dashed the minute you entered the room and noted the dissonance between your outfit and everyone else's.
By Sue Torres3 years ago in Styled
What your sneakers say about you
Boxfresh or battle-scuffed; on the court, the catwalk, or at the club or corner store – sneakers (or trainers, or sports shoes, or whatever you might call them) seem to enlace every form, function and fantasy – across sport, fashion, art, movies and music. Over several decades, sneakers have sealed their status as a pop-culture currency. In 1986, New York hip hop legends Run DMC created a ground-breaking anthem (and $1.6million brand endorsement deal) with their hit track My Adidas – and globally, sneaker statements and serenades have continued hard and fast since then, whether it's Dr Dre displaying his pristine stash of Nike Air Force 1s, or Lil Nas X's recent controversial/collectible "Satan Shoes". London's Design Museum has also dedicated its latest exhibition, Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street, to the footwear phenomenon.
By Copperchaleu3 years ago in Styled
The Nordic look that defined freedom and joy
Marimekko, the Finnish brand famed for its fabrics printed with splashy, outsized motifs, arose just as Finland was regaining its autonomy and forging a new national identity in the postwar years. It clearly expressed optimism but a little-known fact about the label is its bohemian pedigree. Starting out as a textile brand that soon morphed into a globally successful fashion and home-furnishing label, its fan base numbered artists and fashion icons who represented progressive values, from the glamorous Jackie Kennedy, who snapped up seven Marimekko dresses, to artist Georgia O’Keeffe.
By Alessandro Algardi3 years ago in Styled
