Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore show @ Somerset House.
I went to this on Thursday and I'm so glad I caught this show (which
ends on 2nd March) as I am forever missing exhibitions and shows saying I must
go, I will go.... oh dammit it's gone!
Assiting in the curating the show was one of her closest friends and
fashion muse extraordinaire in her own right, Daphne Guinness, who bought the collection
and loaned it for this exhibition. This wonderful collection of Isabella’s clothing
and those oh so famous hats she used to wear, all housed in one spot, was a joy
to see. It started from childhood and a small history on her background through
her career as a stylist working with so many respected photographers and
designers through to her untimely death where you can see the amazing tribute
show by Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy.
There were not so many other personal belonging; a few letters, a
lipstick kiss on a napkin, her rolodex address book. It was all about her style
and it gave a true feeling that fashion was her life and passion. There was no
real focus about her death and was more of a celebration (which I was happy
about). It was strange walking around recognising certain hats that I have seen
her wearing in magazines. It was so very tempting to touch some of the things
there, especially as the vast majority were garments designed by McQueen (who
Isabella famously bought his entire graduate collection paying him £100 a month,
receiving 1 garment at a time) and 99.9% of the hats were made by Treacy.
In her description of McQueens ‘Dante’ A/W 1996 collection, Isabella
described him as ‘...[taking] ideas from the past and sabotages them with his
cut to make them thoroughly new and in the context of today. It is the complexity and severity of his
approach to cut that makes him so modern.’
I think was a reflection in the way she dressed herself. Back to a time
when women wore hats and gloves and would always be suitably dressed for an occasion.
There is a sense of freedom and restriction her his work and the way she wore
her clothes. McQueen once said that he wanted ‘people to be afraid of the women’
he dressed. Isabella was often misunderstood within the media, often described
as bizzaire. I personally cannot stand descriptions like this. It’s not usual
so its bizzaire? Which gives a feeling that something is not right. Can it not
just be different?
The meticulous detail that went into each outfit and the references to
art and history are very obvious throughout. I think this was one of my favourite
outfits, taking inspiration from the matadors of Spain and the horns of bull.
I thought the exhibition was a great tribute to the style and the life
of Isabella Blow and a missed character within the fashion world as she bought
excitement to what can be very homogenised at times. Extremely inspirational
and I recommend you taking a sketchbook as there is too much to remember.
Click here for more details on visiting info
Below is the Isabella Blow tribute show entitled 'La Dame Bleue'
-JV-
All photos belong to Jade Velveteese unless otherwise stated
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