Foil and Flounces: In Memoriam of Miller

The Dynasty Cast

The name may bear no significance to you but anyone familiar with Joan Collins, Dynasty or gold lamé shoulder pads has already been introduced to Nolan Miller’s legacy.

After battling with lung cancer for several years, the costume designer died this week at the age of seventy-nine but his contribution to fashion history will be chronicled for many years to come. Miller was the mind behind some 3, 000 outfits for the hit American TV series, Dynasty, which ran for almost a decade and made power dressing, head-to-toe sequins and Christmas decoration sized jewellery synonymous with the 80’s.

Joan Collins and Linda Evans in Miller originals.

 With a weekly wardrobe budget of $35, 000, Miller never wanted to see the characters “wearing the same outfit twice” and would spend the entire week designing and producing fresh garments for every episode. Whilst we may shudder now at the thought of being swamped in gigantuous shoulder pads and full-length metallics like some glamorous turkey wrapped in foil, the look quickly became popular across America. 

Miller was nominated six times for an Emmy Award throughout his time on the show, winning in 1984 but he was also one of the few costume designers to be successful outside of Hollywood.  The creations inspired a Dynasty-branded collection and Miller remained a private couturier to the likes of Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor.

Besides kitting out Joan Collins and Linda Evans in preparation for their numerous catfights (I wonder how he felt about the mud slinging and lily pond brawl), Nolan Miller designed costumes for over forty movies and other series including The Addams Family, Gilligan’s Island, The Love Boat, Hart to Hart and Charlie’s Angels.

That’s hardly a bad run for a man who began his working life selling flowers rather than frocks to his idles. It was in a Beverly Hills florist that Aaron Miller, Dynasty’s producer, first discovered the recent Chouinard Art Institute graduate and a successful, rhinestone adorned partnership began.

Joan Collins looking slightly more demure than usual...

...and finding the roots of sustainable fashion in the form of those powerful wind-turbine shoulders.

Executive producer Douglas S. Cramer maintained, “it was Nolan’s real vision of not just the clothes, but of the surroundings and milieu that were so important for Aaron.” For years the designer even lived with Spelling, before having a disagreement with Spelling’s wife, apparently over a dress (perhaps she was more of a minimalist dresser).

Because a fur trim just isn't enough; Miller added exoticism and glamour to the 80's.

Whether you have a guilty weakness for hefty gilt earrings or the thought of polyester satin just has you waking up in cold sweats, you cannot deny Miller’s designs epitomised 80's power-dressing and those references are constantly being revived in contemporary collections today.

It’s easy to forget the stars working behind the scenes but Miller successfully dedicated his life to dressing strong women in equally strong pieces and made his mark on one of the most iconic eras in fashion. 

xx

Fashion's Future Stars at Graduate Fashion Week

No rest for the wicked as they say and having just returned to the delights of some very British weather (I'd created the drowned-rat-jetsetter look before even leaving Gatwick), I'm already getting excited about Graduate Fashion Week, starting on the 10th June.

Vogue.com has released a preview of the talent we can look forward to and who will be judging the young designers for that prestigious £20, 000 George Gold Award. This year's panel includes the likes of Daphne Guinness, Christopher Bailey and Suzy Menkes.

Rory Longdon and his winning collection

Rory Longdon's elegant armour won him the award last year. Now he has taken that love for knitwear experimentation from Nottingham Trent University to the Maxmara group in Italy and already been interviewed for the assistant knitwear designer position at McQ Alexander McQueen!

The next generation from across a range of universities nationwide will be just as eager to prove their potential and it'll be great to see the new ideas that they bring to the forefront over the coming week. I already love the modernism in Northumbria University graduate Emily Edge's menswear collection and the intricacy involved in Deimante Meilune's tailoring (Colchester School of Art). 

Emily Edge applies colour and print for a contemporary take on classic menswear design.

Deimante Meilune's detailed and structured designs.

Claire Barrow's customised leather jackets have already been seen on the likes of Rihanna and Jessie J.

Exhibition tickets can still be bought for just £8 (with a £2.50 booking fee) but if you can't make the event, never fear, I'll be on stand-by with a few write-ups about the shows and who to watch out for in the future.

In the meantime, I'll just be learning how to use my camera (models still refuse to stand still for me on the catwalk) and preparing my feet for the fashion work-out in heels.

The first ticket has arrived!

Of course, it's all worth it-such creativity makes you proud to be British...cold and damp with the potential to evolve an umbrella as an additional limb perhaps but still British!

xx

Not Quite Cannes

Loreen, the 2012 Eurovision winner for Sweden. 

So Eurovision has been and gone and, once again, the UK didn’t exactly win-it appears love may set you free Humperdinckers but it won't help you win an international song contest.

Still, I for one haven’t got the Hump (though I do have an entire list of Humperdinck wisecracks) because I was equally entertained by this year’s outfit choices. If it wasn’t Lithuania accessorising with crystal blindfolds-useful for a snazzy pre-performance snooze-then it was the Albanian-rope-bun-verging-on-snake-basket look.

Lithuania's Donny Montell taking a quick nap-perhaps the best dressed male of the night though.

Evil stepmother alert! Plus, I think she may have charmed the snake out of the basket.

There was the weird...

Like scary, dancing bats...

...and an example of  when costumes definitely shouldn't be used as part of the act.

...the wonderful...

Can I keep one? Not exactly the most flattering of styles but fantastic to see some traditional dress.

...and the just plain worrying.

Futuristic trend? Yawn.
Unless of course they are actually going somewhere far, far away...please.

The moment we finally found out their hair isn't "gravity defying"-it really is just endless cans of spray.

Plus, I'm pretty sure a few of the looks weren't quite original!

Nina Zilli, Italy's answer to Amy Winehouse wrapped in foil.

Modern Maltese Buddy Holly anyone?
 

Oh little floaty strips of material waving in your backing dancers' faces? So Turkey from Eurovision 2003!

Full-length fringing couldn't disguise the fact Ukrainian Gaitana clearly stole her headpiece from Lana Del Rey's collection either.
The song title 'Be My Guest' was clearly taken from that Beauty and the Beast classic as well (the teapot sang it better by the way!)

For best dressed though, silver place went to the girls prancing about for Moldova. The silhouettes reminded me of Katrantzou's bowl dress and the patterns could brighten anyone's day. Unfortunately, the dresses were just ruined by a few dodgy dance moves.

In gold place was the hosting country's entry. Sabina Babayeva, for Azerbaijan, looked amazing in her full length gown; like a feathered goddess. The dress was what fairytales are made of and even more spectacular once the coloured lighting hit the material. It almost looked like she was on fire but I really don't think I could have put her out!

One of those moments that convinces me I'm in the right business.

(all pictures courtesy of the Eurovision photographers)

xx

Bring On the Men

Whilst the country goes bunting crazy, stocks up on anything red, white or blue and is forced to watch athletes advertising everything from nappies to make-up (I only hope Keri-Anne Payne's Max Factor mascara is waterproof), I've been busy thinking about men. Really well dressed men.

Oliver Spencer A/W 12

Every so often my mind wanders onto how I'll commute to work when London is over-run by tourists but generally it is more appealing to contemplate the capital's first menswear fashion (mini)week than the horror of possibly having to re-learn to ride a bike.

From Saville Row tailoring to contemporary innovation, the UK's menswear designers deserve as much recognition for their contributions to the industry. Last season, I covered menswear day and was pleasantly surprised to find both the quality and creativity of London's designers didn't stop at peplums and pussybow blouses!

The BFC's recent announcement on the talented designers who will be sponsored by NEWGEN MEN for the S/S 13 season has only distracted me further. It was fantastic to find out Martine Rose's luxury streetwear looks and Christopher Raeburn with his utilitarian chic have won the presentation sponsorships.

Christopher Raeburn A/W 12
The designer is known for re-appropriating military fabrics with a modern twist

Not a brilliant picture but yes, the installation was exactly like a junior school cloakroom

However, my day was truly made on learning Sibling has gained the catwalk sponsorship...

Sibling A/W 2012 Installation

On a typically rainy last day of LFW, the label brightened fashion-goers' moods with its fluorescent animal print knits and pom pom beanies. Possibly not the manliest of styles (the model looking like Scandinavian Tigger is just plain cute) but you really have to admire the sense of humour.

Hope they have their catwalk pose ready!

Anyway, in celebration of our home-grown talent and in dedication to the male readers who have asked me for advice before, here are a few of the other menswear designers who featured in the A/W 2012 installations. As always, I apologise for my poor photography skills.

William Richard Green's models taking a break

Kit Neale added an urban edge to floral print

T. Lipop's intrepid explorers were kitted out in practical pieces cut too well for any Arctic expedition

Minimalism and fabric manipulation made an effective partnership at Christopher O'Brien

Why do I only get lonely old ladies wanting a chat at my bus stop?

Dr. Noki's superhero inspired designs-to be admired rather than adopted...please

The diverse styles and expertise in menswear will be demonstrated next month, June 15-17th. In a society that promotes feminism and the empowerment of women, it is about time menswear designers are given their time to shine!

Of course, should you be one of my male readers that takes more interest in football than footwear, the final image might be more appealing (unless you support Bayern Munich). To any fashion followers, I truly apologise for bringing down the tone of this post but fashion is self-expression right? 

I apologise for the model

xx

This is What Happens When I don't Talk About Fashion!

Today I woke up to the sweet sound of birds singing at my window. Sunlight streamed into the room; a gently glistening river, bathing every surface in its soft glow and warming me head-to-toe. The moment was poetic, it was beautiful and it was too bloody short!

Unfortunately, it turns out even semi-conscious senses are not to be trusted and the soft light quickly turned into a blinding glare from my laptop screen.  The only birds present were the twittering idiots I’d downloaded as a temporary alarm and any warmth was actually that type of throbbing heat as a result of a stiletto to the foot. You know the kind of pain you only feel the morning after leaving the dancefloor (though I did check at the time and no, that girl’s shoes were in no way worth it!)

Such is the culmination of a week that when I wanted to restart my blog with the idea of a smile a day, there has been very little to leave me grinning like a Cheshire cat on crack. Now, I can sense you’re already beginning to write this post off as one massive rant of the grumpy old woman variety but, whilst I have turned twenty-one since my last entry, in a bid to find the silver lining in every situation, I promise there will be a few bright points in between the tirade.

So Monday set the ball rolling with my iPhone being stolen and, rather pitifully, it turns out that was half my life. That little gadget, was my music device, organiser, notepad, social networking on the move, even my ruddy alarm clock! As a result, I have rung O2 customer services enough to have their number on speed-dial and possibly get an invitation to their Christmas party.

After finding out the phone wasn't even insured I could have cried. Instead, I laughed...if a little hysterically. For now I would like to introduce you to my temporary (dear god, it better be) replacement, offered by my dad on the basis that “at least nobody else will want it either”.

Its ability to look like a glorified calculator really is just a clever disguise-it can’t even perform that function. It can however wake you up every morning and destroy your soul little-by-little with ‘Yankee Doodle’ as the one and only alarm setting (the man got it free with coupons out of a newspaper; should I really expect anything more?!)

And, if you weren’t already convinced of my dad’s complete technological illiteracy, this is just a snippet of the contacts he has in his address book.

I haven't deleted them just in case they do turn out to be his secret friends. 

Anyway, continuing the saga, there have been wild-goose trips back to my parents’ where I thought I would have to break into my own house. Not to mention more interaction with the police than yobs on a Saturday night in Croydon. Including, in an unrelated incident, the surreal situation of them knocking on my bedroom door at 3am and, after explaining their presence, complimenting me on my cow slippers and asking where they could buy a pair! 

Since it is by no means the first time these babies have been commented upon, I was going to provide a link for you to rush online and buy your own. However, it seems I have uncovered an underground bovine footwear trend (and possibly started it) as they've sold out everywhere...

I'm afraid these are not my own ankles

So, anyway, is there a happy ending to this marathon moan? Well, I was ready to pack it all in and chuck myself (ok maybe a little too far), the toy phone under a bus when I remembered I had actually booked a ticket to hear Zandra Rhodes speak at the V&A. Of course I’ll do a separate post dedicated to the wonders of this woman but if anything is going to make a fashion nerd smile then it’s meeting one of the most iconic textile designers of the sixties and seventies style revolution. Suffice to say the week quickly took a turn around...

...and the moral of the story? If you can't see the silver-lining, your friends will find it for you! To round off the week, a good friend took me to a comedy show at the Udderbelly and I found myself cackling away (turns out I need a new laugh) to the talents of Tim Key and Tom Basden. I had been doing pretty well to avoid the laughter lines of old age until then but I'm a sucker for ludicrously random humour like this...

I also highly recommend Sort of a Love Song and, for fans of the show, the Neighbours song.

It was atop a plastic, purple bull that I finally realised...other people have possibly had worse weeks. I mean taking into account quite a few individuals have existed since the dawn of time, it's actually quite a strong probability. 

So yes people this has been one of those sickening, self-realisation posts; more for my own benefit than for anyone else's. It is also Silver-Linings's gateway back into the blogosphere though and my fresh start.

Tomorrow's post will return to fashion, be about four times as short and contain no rants...or cows. 

xx

The Looking Like Your Christmas Tree Trend

Worn with the ultimate style!

As I admire the work-of-art that is our Christmas tree, I am led to a burning question; who ever thought it would be a good idea to dress in the same way? The Christmas jumper, emblazoned with snowmen, Santas or generic winter scene has been an object of festive humour for decades but in Winter 2011 it is both at the height of fashion and at its very fugliest.

Alongside gold, frankinscense and myrrh, some would have you believe Jesus received the first hand-knitted sweater courtesy of the three shepherds; they had enough wool after-all! However, its position on the Loud Scale from 1 to ‘you-literally-cannot-fit-another-felt-bauble-on-there’ is unmentioned in the scriptures. It is easier to track its rise to gaudy fame from the 1960s, alongside the general fashion revolution and commercialisation of Christmas.

Millions could suddenly watch their favourite television stars donning an ornate sweater for the Christmas special via this new technological form of mass-communication and then, of course, the eighties arrived. The decade for gaudy, loud and unforgiving fashion embraced the jumper and took home-made knits to a whole new level. It is at this point that we should probably thank Bill Cosby for the inspiration his spellbinding-or just plain blinding-array of sweaters gave throughout the running of his own television show until 1992. In fact, if you’re currently looking for inspiration, here is his portfolio- http://www.thecosbysweaterproject.com/

 Possibly in delayed mourning to the daring fashion decade, the early noughties saw the massive rise of the Ugly Sweater Party. Vancouverites, Jordan Birch, Chris Boyd, and Scott Lindsay, have quite willingly put their name to the creation of this event after holding their initial celebrations back in 2001. Eggnog flows, carols are sung and the ugliest jumpers known to mankind are awarded for their utter repulsiveness. The trend is so compelling that the trio have even produced their own book on the etiquette of hosting or attending such an event. 

The amount of people who turned up to the Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party in Vancouver

To be the ‘Belle of the Ball’ though, requires the most repulsive sweater in existence and sites are popping up all over to meet demand. Ugly jumper entrepreneur, Nancy Schloetel, told ABC News that she can actually sell her sweaters for more by ‘uglifying’ them; customised pieces have included battery-operated lights and even a sewn-on Nativity scene!

Now tell me, have British bloggers seen the recent BBC advert with all our familiar faces sporting novelty Christmas jumpers? That was quite a large order for David and Judy Fitchie but apparently, “the demand is certainly there”. Ever more so this year as fashion has celebrated any kind of motifed jumper along with the traditional winter Fair-Isle designs seen on the runways. 

It began with Balenciaga’s German shepherd top and now stars like Kelly Rowland, Justin Bieber, Fearne Cotton, Selma Blair and Matt Damon have all been spotted working Christmas kitsch.

Kay Barron, senior fashion news and features editor at Grazia (a trusty trend source, one may claim) says, "loads of the girls in the office are wearing them...we've had snowflakes, Fair Isles and even a Rudolph". At GQ magazine, associate editor Robert Johnston admits: "I've always secretly loved them. I was at a party last week and no less than three other men were wearing them." 

Topshop are selling a similar design at the moment (Colin Firth not included)

In Britain, our current economic climate is being blamed for the extra stardom that the festive sweater is having. Uncertainty about the financial future can be masked for a few days with massive, reindeer-emblazoned jumpers it seems.

So there you have it; Christmas is on the verge of arrival and faster than you can dibs the last mince-pie, it will be over but resurrect that novelty knit with pride tomorrow. They’re fun, great conversation-starters and, who knows, people may leave presents at your feet by accident!

Merry Christmas everyone!

xx