Fashion/art review: The Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945-2014 (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, SW7)

Fashion/art review: The Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945-2014
5 April – 27 July 2014
Victoria and Albert Museum – map
Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
Viewing date: Friday 6 June 2014
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

For those who would like to learn about how Italian fashion evolved after World War II, then this is a great exhibition and you will learn a lot. Italy was destroyed and poor after the ravages of World War II, one of their attempts to restore their country and their economy was through glamorising, marketing and exporting their ingenious designs and high quality goods (including clothing of fine cloth, innovative styles and also various leather pieces) to the world – imparticular, the American high society, celebrities and Hollywood. Italy was a little successful with this economically but even more successful at deriving a strong reputation for fine outfits and accessories.

This exhibition looks at a range of designers, trends and the history of Italy’s fashion industry after World War II. It also explains the “Made in Italy” national campaign to promote their fashions. Italy had very little money but a lot of clothes and accessory-making skills. They had to do “a lot with a little”.  This exhibition does a good job of conveying how Italy struggled and had some economic success, but also how some designers are now world famous celebrities in their own right – Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace are all on display.

I am glad that I came to the exhibition as I have learned I prefer mainly French, UK and American designers. However I do like some of the modern Italian fashion designers/houses. My favourite highlights were (in this order):

• everything by famous 1950s-60s designer Emilio Pucci (1914-92), who is known for his abstract geometric patterns on clothes (Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, Sophia Lauren were fans)
• a pair of red, yellow, black flame detail stiletto high heels by Prada (2012)
• a silver, metal handbag by Versace (2207)
• a stunning pair of diamante-studded stiletto boots by Dolce & Gabbana (2001)
• a beautiful hand-painted 1950s-looking flowered dress by Dolce & Gabbana
• a pair of silver, glitter, lace-up boots by Miu Miu (2005)

 

Worth going if you like learning about fashion or are a big fan of Italian fashion. I could have lived without going but that is just because I am not a huge fan of Italian fashion from the 1940s until when Pucci starts designing. I loved the Pucci pieces and the last room with 21st century pieces, but these were only two parts of the exhibition – not the majority of it.

This exhibition is still excellent and gets 5 stars because it is has good, representative pieces on display, is a good size and has excellent information about its subject.

Further information:
Victoria and Albert Museum (official site)
Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 (2014) review (The London Reviewer)

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Fashion/art review: Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, SW7)

Fashion/art review: Wedding Dresses 1775-2014
3 May 2014 – 15 March 2015
Victoria and Albert Museum – map
Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
Viewing date: Friday 6 June 2014
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

For hundreds of years now, British (and American) weddings – and the dresses that women have worn to them – have become more and more extravagant and are now a culture, and for some an obsession, unto themselves. Weddings in both of these cultures tend to cost thousands, hundred of thousands, and even millions. I

In this exhibition, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has embraced the fun and lavish detail, the beauty and elegance of a well-made wedding dress. If you love, heavy silk, and sometimes organza, tulle or satin dresses, and your pieces in ivories and champagnes, with pearls, velvet, lace and more, then you will love this exhibition – especially for girly girls and historians.

Just like the name of the exhibition states, it takes a chronological look at how wedding dresses transformed and what the trends were from (mainly in Britain) from 1775 to the present. Most of the dresses are beautiful if you love a big, detailed dress, in silk, and with a train and intricate detail. Some of the creations are also shockingly tacky! Both the beautiful and the bawdy make a grand mix and it’s intriguing to learn the things that “high society” has embraced since 1775.

Besides the lovely and breathtaking Victorian and Edwardian silk creations that you will see on display, there is also British fashion model Kate Moss‘ John Galliano dress from 2011 that took 701 hours to make and had 2800 pearl beads on it and 270,000 sequins, Jenny Packham‘s high waisted, chiffon Rapunzel dress with many Swarovski crystals on the bodice, and both numberous Vera Wang creations and also a strapless, laced-bodice silk dress by Catherine Rayner that both captured the 1990s.

This exhibition is the perfect size and easy to understand and navigate around. A fun outing worth your time and money.

Further information:
Victoria and Albert Museum (official site)
Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2014, review (The London Reviewer)

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Fashion review: Anna Karenina film (2012 – starring Keira Knightley) costumes review at Ham House 2013

Fashion review: Anna Karenina film (2012 – starring Keira Knightley) costumes exhibition
26 January to 4 April 2013
Long Gallery, Ham House, Ham Street, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7RS
Ham House – map
Overall rating: *** (out of 5)
Setting of exhibition: ***** (out of 5)
Costumes themselves: **** (out of 5) – very beautiful. (Tip off: one of Anna’s/Keira’s silk and Tafetta fairytale princess-type dresses is on display too!)
How costumes are displayed & information about event/each item on display: **1/2 (out of 5)
Review by: Alexa Williamson

A mixed bag, but overall the exhibition is enticingly historic, unique and beautiful! So, here we have about 10 of the costumes from the film Anna Karenina (2012), which starred British actors Keira Knightley (Anna Karenin- and also interesting to note that Keira once lived in Teddington, which is a few miles from Ham House), Jude Law (Alexis Karenin) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Count Vronsky) as the main characters from this book by Russian author Leo Tolstoy. The story is about Russian upper and middle class people who have a little bit of money and dignity to begin with, but then lose it all as the story progresses. Anna also goes mad as she is torn between her strict and emotionless husband and the gutless playboy Count Vronsky. This is a painful story of Anna losing everything, but because of the period, if you like 19th century ball and opera gowns, and jackets and chap trousers and military uniforms for men, then you will love the costumes in the film.

Jacqueline Durran is a clever and wonderful costume designer. She is not that well known unless you work in the (British and Hollywood) film industry and know her work through her films. She won an award for the costumes in the film Vera Drake (2004 – written and directed by Mike Leigh), but this is not a film that instantly comes to mind. It was a success right when it was released but is not that often recounted in general daily conversation.

Durran does quite a few vintage films and the costumes from Anna Karenina are a lot of fun. With Knightley’s dresses on display as well as  a few others, including also a corset and the heavy suits worn by the men, you get a sense of how she thought about things when preparing the ‘wearables’ for the film – and also how tiny cast was. From the mannequins, Knightley and Taylor-Johnson both looked to be about 5′ 4″. The costumes are highly detailed and made from beautiful fabrics. They are cut fairly sharply, particularly for the women and are lovely affairs, which one would picture being worn at London’s Royal Opera House during Queen Victoria’s time. They are also, generally on a par with Gone with the Wind (1939), but have been slightly less elaborate than say Funny Girl (1968) starring Barbra Streisand. (Yes, it is a different era, but  it was still a period piece with a very girly feel – like this film).

Besides being surrounded by the beautiful costumes when you visit this exhibition, Ham House is a perfect place to host the exhibition. Ironically, scenes from the film were also shot here so not only does it seem like an enchanting, regal and historic place for them to be seen, they are linked to the house through the filming here.

This exhibition is fun and complements the long gallery, which they are seen in, very well. After reading and absorbing the great historical information at both the National Portrait Gallery’s Man Ray exhibition (7 February to 27 May 2013) and also the Hollywood Costume exhibition (20 October 2012 to 13 January 2013) at the Victoria and Albert Museum, I wish the information here had been more like both of those as they were concise but also very informative. The information that goes with the show here is short but doesn’t actually say that much. Anna Karenina costumes ends one day after this is written, but if you do get a chance or if they ever invent time machines, then it is worth visiting!

Further information:
Anna Karenina the film (2012) (IMDB)
Anna Karenina film 2012 – review (The London Reviewer)
Leo Tolstoy author of Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina the novel (Wikipedia)
Ham House (National Trust – official site)
Ham House (Wikipedia)

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Art/photography/fashion review: Tim Walker: Story Teller (Somerset House, London, WC2)

Art/photography/fashion review: Tim Walker: Story Teller
18 October 2012 – 27 January 2013
Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
Somerset House – map
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

Imagine if Lewis Carroll‘s Alice in Wonderland was real and for a couple of hours, you were Alice and could enter Wonderland and be surrounded by magical scenery and sights – from old English manors to pictures of beautiful people in extraordinary costumes and huge doll house type toys like oversized swans and bumblebees and airplanes. And, there is also lots of dreamy and inspirational writing along with all the visual things you are taking in…

Well, that is what it is like when you visit Somerset House, right now, for the exhibition Tim Walker: Story Teller. It is like you are stepping into the world of Alice in Wonderland (if that were possible) or maybe even a period piece from the Royal Opera House or a Tim Burton film (such as Beetlejuice, The Corpse Bride or Edward Scissorhands – and ironically, when you visit Tim Walker’s website, you will see that he has photographed Tim Burton and his wife, Helen Bonham Carter).

So who is Tim Walker and what’s he and this wonderful exhibition about? Walker is a photographer from London who has been taking stunning and imaginative photographs, mainly for fashion and portraiture, for over two decades, having graduated from in 1994 – and has been both a freelance photographer as well as a regular photographer for Vogue and other well-known publications. Walker now has a book out of his work, which is also entitled Tim Walker: Story Teller that incorporates the work on display here.

This exhibition is stunning and a lot of fun as Walker and Somerset House have tried to bring you into his world.

This is a world of (but not limited to):

• old stately homes and parks like Eglingham Hall and Howick Hall in Northumberland, Glemham Hall in Suffolk and Shotover Park, Oxfordshire and Stoke Park Pavilions, Northamptonshire

• beautiful models such as Stella Tennant and Lily Cole dressed in period costumes with lots of tulle and tafetta

• work by exciting and beautiful designers such as Roberto Cavalli, Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood and Givenchy

• portraiture of various people we have known well in the 20th and 21st centuries including Michael Palin, Anthony Hopkins, John Cleese, Ian McKellen, Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton

Walker and Somerset House do this through the works on display as well as through the words to go with it and the props and scenery that were used in the shoots – from (as mentioned above) huge pieces of airplanes or oversized creatures like swans and bumblebees to gigantic dolls.

Words from the exhibition:
“The Wilder Shores: To its earliest audience, the most magical aspect of photography was its ability to open windows onto the world:
distant landscapes, undiscovered people, savage fauna and exotic flora till then had been as remote as the stars.
A far-flung location enhances for Walker an already pre-conceived narrative: everything is contrived, nothing is real.
You try to make your own real moments. And then you go home and make sense of it all.”

Set in the lovely period building of Somerset House, with the works displayed on simple white walls and in a venue with nice wooden floors and good lighting, Tim Walker: Story Teller is a great journey into another, visual, world. While the photos seem very much like they are from another time period, the decor of Somerset House is very grounding and even though you have views of the countryside and things outside of London, you know you are still in London. And, at the same time, you also learn about the work, personality and life of an intelligent and exciting photographer as you step outside of your every day life and see things that can only be captured when one has time to develop the imagination into a physical form. A lovely – and sometimes macabre – real-life fantasy and journey, which due to its noir edge, is perfectly suited for the autumn and winter.

Further information:
Tim Walker: Story Teller (Somerset House official site)
Tim Walker (official site)
Somerset House (official site)

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Fashion/art and design review: Japanese Street Style: Lolita fashion (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)

Fashion/art and design review: Japanese Street Style: Lolita fashion
Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
Victoria & Albert Museum – map
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

Nutshell review: Britain’s gothic fashion movement has been around since the early 1980s, having evolved out of the punk music scene and since then has also floated across to Japan! For those who love alternative fashion, this tiny installation is well known and has been given a lot of good word of mouth. Small and informative, it is a great few exhibition windows worth checking out as the information is easily digestible and memorable, the different trends in this Japanese fashion movement are explained and there are some great clothing and costume examples on display.

As the V & A puts it, “Lolita fashion emerged during the 1990s as a radical form of street style born out of the Japanese taste for Hello Kitty cuteness. Whether dressed in pink, powder blue, red, white or black, Lolitas are immediately recognisable by their doll-like make-up, frilly skirts, fanciful headgear, ribbons and lace.

Although the term ‘Lolita’ has sexual connotations in Western culture due to the book of the same name by Vladimir Nabokov, in Japanese culture it refers to ‘cuteness’, ‘elegance’ and ‘modesty’ and has little to do with allure. It is more akin to a kind of aggressive femininity, is meant to be confrontational, and is often a reaction to the overtly sexualised representation of women in Japanese culture.

A striking feature of Lolita fashion is the extent to which it is influenced by British culture: Alice in Wonderland, Glam Rock, the New Romantics, Gothic, Punk and Vivienne Westwood. Although the attitude and aggression of Punk and Gothic have no place in the world of the Lolita, the movement represents a similarly powerful rebellion against the conventions of contemporary society.”

Although there is more to be learned than what is mentioned here, this is a good introduction to this Japanese fashion sense and the different types of Lolita on show including gothic, sweet, punk and traditional Japanese. Admittedly, my favourite is the traditional Japanese lolita – and its kimonos on display.

Besides showing a popular, contemporary fashion trend, this is also a good exhibit if you are looking for fashion inspiration as you can actually purchase a lot of this type of fashion either in London’s Camden Markets, or online, quite inexpensively (and no, I am not referring to traditional goth gear which is almost exactly the same in some bits. I am referring to, literally, the Japanese version of gothic clothing).

Impressive – as the V & A has recognised and embraced a growing and alternative culture trend instead passing it over because it is not an established “label”.

Further information:
Japanese Street Style: Lolita fashion (Victoria and Albert – official site)
Victoria and Albert Museum (official site)

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Fashion/art and design review: Hollywood Costume (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, SW7)

Fashion/art & design review: Hollywood Costume
20 October 2012 – 13 January 2013
Victoria & Albert Museum
20 Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
Victoria & Albert Museum – map
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

So, how does one start a review of one of the quirkiest, most exciting and beautiful shows this year? How about, simply, with “wow”! A lot of arresting exhibitions have come to London this year – from the dramatic works of Edvard Munch (Tate Modern) to the current, passionate statement of 19th century British art, Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde over at Tate Britain, to Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950 (also on at the V & A), to The Wild, The Beautiful and The Damned (which was at Hampton Court Palace until 30 September) and even the exciting Tim Walker: Story Teller fashion photography exhibition currently on at Somerset House.

However, after going and seeing the huge, the elegant, the bold, proud and exciting extravaganza that is Hollywood Costume, the Victoria & Albert Museum proves that they are probably the London leader when it comes to creating innovative exhibitions and displays. With over 100 memorable film costumes on display, wild spotlighting and unique music, being at the Hollywood Costume exhibition is like going to a film premier! And thanks to the well-written information, film segments and actors’ images also on display with the costumes, it is like the people who wore the costume are almost there with you too!

Hollywood Costume is a huge and glamourous exhibition that is more fun and exquisite (the detail on the costumes is amazing!) than you can imagine until you get there. If there were actually people in the costumes you would say “everyone who is anyone is here”. How the V & A was able to choose and get all of the wonderful history, character and colour into a reasonably sized space, and make each costume and display attention-holding and sparklingly wonderful, should truly win an award.

The exhibition does many things but three of the main things it does are to a) bring in to your present some of the most famous costumes that were ever worn on a film screen, b) give you information about each piece, its wearer, designer, history of creation (and post-creation history) and film that it was in, c) help you learn what it is like to design costumes, introduce themes about older film costuming techniques versus modern techniques and d) interweave opinions from actors on what it was like to work with various designers (as well as quotations from designers on what it is like work with various actors, filmmakers and the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind their costuming for a certain film or star).

There are so many stunning pieces on display in this exhibition that every room is a treat and you don’t want the exhibition to end. Everything on view is “famous”. You will find (and at the moment I am jumping in and out of famous films and time periods): Marilyn Monroe‘s tiny, simple and delicate ivory rayon crepe dress by Travilla (1955) for The Seven Year Itch; Judy Garland‘s 1939 simple blue and white checked cotton Dorothy dress from The Wizard of Oz, by Adrian (and her ruby slippers which are larger and simpler than I would expected); various dresses worn by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (including a gorgeous scarlet velvet evening gown by Walter Plunkett, 1939); Indiana Jones archetype outfit with leather jacket, hat and more; clothes worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger for The Terminator 3 (Rise of the Machines); Darth Vader’s black suit and mask from Star Wars; a modern Batman costume from The Dark Knight rises designed by Linda Hemming for Christian Bale; numerous Elizabethan and French court dresses; Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Keanu Reeve’s simple black outfit and long black jacket from The Matrix; Charlie Chaplin’s the little tramp outfit from the film The Circus; John Travolta’s famous white suit from Saturday Night Fever (by Patrizia Von Brandenstein, 1977); costumes from the 2012 production of Anna Karenina starring Keira Knightley; Helena Bonham Carter’s Lucy Honeychurch dress from the 1985 Merchant Ivory film Room with a View; Hedy Lamarr’s amazing 1949 peacock feather outfit from the film Samson and Delilah; Audrey Hepburn (Eliza Dolittle) and Rex Harrison (Henry Higgins)’s costumes by Cecil Beaton for the 1964 version of My Fair Lady; Barbara Streisand’s gorgeous purple chiffon flower and beaded dress, by Irene Sharaff, for the 1968 movie Funny Girl (in which Streisand played Fanny Brice); John Belushi and Dan Akcroyd’s simple but cool and effective black suits and hats from the 1980 film The Blues Brothers; Harry Potter school uniforms and much more.

The exhibition is indeed an A-list outing and worth the time, money and effort to go! Once you get there you are whisked in to an amazing world of colour and beauty and the exhibition can do all of the talking needed to explain itself more than these words!

This is a one-off  chance to see so many beautiful costumes, which are usually in private collections (or elsewhere) all around the globe – so if you love fashion, art, modern and unique exhibitions and being surrounded by glamour don’t miss it! And, maybe, it’s also a quick and easy way to “almost” be on a movie set – ah, the vibe, flutter and ingenuity of this exhibit are, indeed, matchless!

Further information:
Hollywood Costume (Victoria and Albert Museum official site)
Victoria and Albert Museum (Official site)

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Fashion review: Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950 (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England)

Fashion review: Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950
From 19 May 2012 to 6 January 2013
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
Victoria and Albert Museum map
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

Glamour, elegance and beauty. Bringing together the work of 56 designers, this is an exhibit with a wow factor of 11 on a scale of 1 to 10. If you are looking to see some of the most famous dresses of the 20th century (and beyond) by various British designers, then look no further.

After seeing posters for this on the Tube, I was very excited to go and see it. And fortunately, the posters are only a small and beautiful teaser for a stunning collection of British ballgowns.

Housed within purpose built rooms (created for this exhibition), this is a beautiful show of various famous dresses, that have been created since 1950. Some of the designers on show include: Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Catherine Walker, Bruce Oldfield, Matthew Williamson and Vivienne Westwood.

The dresses on show are all elegant. Some have been made for “Royal” occassions, but when they haven’t, there have been many for either “red carpet” events (which tend to be film premieres or charity events). The host of dresses are all dreamy and beautiful in a myriad of colours, patterns, and fabrics – the fabrics including silk, satin, taffetta, organza, tulle, velvet and more.

Some of my favourite dresses, and also those that have been very famous to the point where someone can say, “Remember that?” and you reply, “Oh yes, of course”… include…

1989 – Catherine Walker’s white pearled, white silk dress for Princess Diana on her official visit to Hong Kong.

1999 – Elizabeth Emanuel’s (also the fashion designer who created Princess Diana’s wedding dress – for her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981) lavishly flowered ball gown for Elizabeth Hurley, which was worn by her in 1999 for an Estee Lauder perfume advert.

plus the following were just truly memorable and captivating…

Vivienne Westwood’s 1994 white satin and tulle dress for Lady Bianca Job-Tyrone for Queen Charlotte’s birthday – inspired by 18th century rococo designs.

Victor Edelstein’s 1986 black and red silk dress for Anne Heseltine. It is indeed very 1980s as it is a big, flouncy, piece, but the big black and red bow on the back of the dress is great!

Other designers’ work that I found inspiring were Cindy Beadman, Tomas Starzewski, Nicholas Oakwell, Marchesa (a very memorable tafetta dress!), Felicity Brown, Stella McCartney, Anouska Hempel, Victor Steibel and Norman Hartnell.

Besides all of the georgeous gowns, the layout of the exhibit is also very pretty. The pseudo-chandeliers and other accoutrements and design, done in white, are great – and, there are also old fashion film reels that one can sit down and watch.

The V & A thought out this exhibit very well. It is truly beautiful to behold and as one steps in and out of the exhibit, they also get to see some amazing 17th-19th century fashions as well.

This is a lovely afternoon or evening outing not only to see some lovely pieces of fashion as art, but also to experience and learn about where these beautiful dresses were worn and why.

Further information:
Victoria and Albert Museum (official site)

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London area/shopping review: Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y

Shopping review: Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y
Map to Jermyn Street
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: **** (out of 5)

For those who love the quaint things in and about London, then look no further. Jermyn Street is an adorable street with many hat, travel and clothes shops. This is a street of panama hats, antiques, art, travel accessories and unique clothing. You can also find old-fashioned apothecaries and barbers, shoe shops and books. It is also right behind Fortnum and Mason and some interesting, dark books shops (which makes it feel like you are stepping out of one of the Harry Potter films). Jermyn Street is in between Piccadilly Circus and Green Park tubes and backs on to some interesting green squares. It is a lovely, quiet place right in the heart of an over-developed centre. Have fun and enjoy the age and character (before it possibly, also, gets modernised).

Interesting information about the history of the area and its current services and shops, from JermynStreet.net:

“Historically, from 1664, Jermyn Streetʼs shops outfitted the aristocracy at The Court of St Jamesʼs with bespoke shirt makers; tailors; boot makers; hatters: everything for the elegant gentleman. That tradition continues today with Jermyn Street known throughout the world for its shirt makers offering a wide range to suit every age and taste. Now ladies can also find exquisite clothing in many shops and, of course, there are numerous other shops punctuating the street selling jewellery; cigars; fine wine and food, especially cheese; perfume; fine art; objets dʼart and tapestries. As well as outfitters, hatters and boot makers: in fact everything one would expect of the street synonymous with British style, luxury and service.”

Further information:
Jerymn Street (Jermyn Street.net)

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Boutique review: Mela Mela Vintage (Teddington, Middlesex, England)

Boutique review: Mela Mela Vintage
74 High Street, Teddington, TW11 8HG
Map to Mela Mela Vintage (click here)
020 8973 0808
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

With lovely displays, excellent quality clothing, accessories, jewellery and more, which is all organised and easy to look around – and even better, is extremely fairly priced… there is a lot of positive things to say about this shop. So where do we start? Mela Mela Vintage is a beautiful shop that, even on a sunny, warm day, entices one in to look around and shop as the clothes and other items on display are all put out in an orderly fashion within a light, airy and positive space that allows you to see exactly what you are looking at and for (ie things are not jam-packed to the point where you can’t look at something properly). Plus, after a good browse, the prices are also very reasonable, so if you want a lovely piece of clothing, jewellery, pocketbook or more, you are likely to find it.

According to the manager, fashions range from the 1920s through the 1980s – and they have ladies bathing suits, hats, jewellery, wedding dresses and other lovely vintage pieces. The shop is very tasteful and some of the names that come to mind when looking at the clothing include Jackie Onassis and Audrey Hepburn. You can also find vintage pieces by the likes of Christian Dior at under £200. Cotton summer print dresses, also for example, range in price from £65-150, diamante jewellery can come in around the £20 and shoes and pocketbooks also aren’t too too expensive.

There is a lot to see and shop for here, which is great if you are looking for something vintage to wear casually, on a night out, to a special occasion or more. Plus, the staff are relaxed, knowledgeable and positive although they also give you your space to shop.

Much worth a visit if you want to shop vintage!

Further information:
Mela Mela Vintage (Official site)

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Fashion feature: Looking good – Hobbs Limited Edition collection, Winter 2008

Fashion feature: Looking good – Hobbs Limited Edition collection, Winter 2008
By: Alexa Williamson

For fans of Hobbs, I can say that their limited edition collection for Winter, 2008 is fab. Much of it is black with smatterings of ‘peasant’ and 1930s-40s style.

Creative director Sandy Verdon impresses by carrying on a tradition started by Marian Anselm with classic British designs at reasonable prices that include figure hugging suits and cocktail dresses.

Now, having seen the collection up close, after first being intrigued by it from a postal brochure, I can say that the clothes are good quality and range from silk dresses and tops to woolen suits and even some beautiful velvet pieces. The tailoring on all pieces is excellent and the clothes, thankfully, won’t fall apart easily (unlike some ‘high quality’ labels I’ve come across before, but will remain nameless.)

This collection has hints of country elegance for the city, with some of its floral pieces, romantic leanings with the peasant jackets and long velvet coat and some ultra-sophistication for the office in the form of pinstripe trouser suits. Plus, footwear matches well – whether it’s the tall riding style boots or various high heels.

I viewed all clothes at the Hobbs shop on Long Acre – in between Covent Garden and Leicester Square. Not only was the selection of the Limited Edition collection excellent, but so was the service in showing me the collection. I give sales associate Karen my highest regards. She was helpful, patient and professional.

Most items cost around the £250 mark. However, their timeless yet unique style is beautiful, the pieces are quite irresistible.

Further information:
Hobbs (official site)

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