Gladiators READY

If you haven’t been watching Spartacus blood and sand yet you’ve been a fool. It is a seriously sexed up historically accurate telling of the story of Spartacus- the king of slaves. A visual feast for the eyes with blood splattering special effects, epic landscapes and extreme sexual scenes you’ll wonder how it is allowed on screen at all. Originally airing on the Starz network in the US it is set to air in the UK May 25th on Bravo. Spartacus has generated a lot of negative press attention due to its scenes of graphic violence and sexual scenes. Full frontal nudity by men and women, group orgy scenes, gay sex scenes and more than a few lesbian moments are all permitted. (Best not to watch it with your parents).

I have watched the entire first series online about a month ago now and I was absolutely hooked from start to finish. There is a definite “300” “Sin City” feel to the graphics but it is not overpowering. The abundance of hard core violence (and the plethora of breasts no doubt) mean it's primary market is men. One particularly brutal scene shows a gladiator in training cutting off the face of his opponent and wearing it as a mask (see above). This is not for the faint hearted.

Bosoms and brutes aside an element of the show that will appeal to the fashionably aware are the magnificent costumes. The shows costume designer Barbara Darragh (Bridge To Terabithia, River Queen, The Frighteners ) creates the most sumptuous dresses intricately adorned with gold thread and meticulously accessorised with fabulous jewels. The ladies outfits are crafted from the finest Indian silks in a rainbow of colours. The traditional stola is not to be found here but rather a more colourful, decadent design always meticulously colour coordinated.

From pastel pinks and blues to jewel tones of ruby reds and emerald green the dresses are quite magnificent to behold especially in HD. Accessories play a vital role for the women of high society. Every outfit is laden with jewels to match the wearers dress. Earrings, necklaces, rings, bangles, bracelets and belts are all worn together, adding to the women’s stature and opulence. The costumes are so beautiful and the women look so regal that you start to wonder why we don’t accessorize like them now?

The colour co ordination in each episode was another element that stood out. Sapphires for a sky blue dress, rubies for a rouge madame and always always gold in some form. It is rare these days to see such dedication to a colour palette. Often we wear a contrasting colour so we don’t look too “done”. But once in a while the effect can look quite striking.

If all this Grecian glamour is too much for you mere mortals then fret not. As with all major tv show styles, the public often take one universal element and introduce it into their wardrobes. A smokey eye for the Skins look, beachy waves for that O.C obsession and as many designer jeans as your bank account could manage to mimic those Desperate Housewives. I predict after Spartacus airs this summer it will be all about the hair.

Ribbons and beads and curls galore. I can see music buffs braiding coloured ribbons into their chilled out coifs at festivals all over the world. Granted they’re not going to have access to hot curlers but accessorising with brightly coloured ribbons and beads seems very carefree and chilled out-look to Diane von Furstenberg for inspiration.

A summer wedding would be another fantastic place to show off a Roman do. By matching your dress to the ribbons you use and maybe sewing in a pearl or two you can achieve a completely unique and regal look. Serena Van der Woodsens hair looks terribly Spartacus like here.

Add interest to your updo by pinning sections back in curls leaving some tendrils free around your face. An every flattering side pony gets a grown up twist perfect for a date night.

The Italians are often lauded for their attention getting and at times gaudy styles (Dolce and Gabbana ads featuring Madonna spring to mind) but perhaps we should have been taking their style advice instead of the French? Chanel said to take one thing off before you leave the house, the Romans say put one thing on and make sure it matches.

See if you aren’t seduced by the Italian styles after you watch Spartacus- and remember “When in Rome....” you might surprise yourself with elegant results.



Background story of Spartacus Blood and Sand as outlined on bravotv.co.uk

Betrayed by the Romans, forced into slavery and reborn as a gladiator, Spartacus (played by rugged UK-born actor Andy Whitfield) is a rebellious soldier in the Roman Auxiliary who is taken prisoner and torn away from the woman he loves. Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”) is cast as Lucretia, who along with her husband Batiatus played by British actor John Hannah (“The Mummy,” “Rebus,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral”), own the slave Spartacus and the gladiator camp. The former soldier is then condemned to the ways of the arena fighter – under the brutal hand of trainer Doctore, played by Peter Mensah (“The 300,” “Avatar”) – where blood and death are primetime entertainment, and treachery, corruption and sexual allure will test him to the limit.

Cost, worth and sex

As a fashion student we are encouraged to visit certain places in London. Museums, theatres, restaurants and even department stores. We have to immerse ourselves in the culture we are claiming to know so well that we can write convincingly about it. It is very difficult to profess to know about the v&a when you don’t know where it is let alone seen the latest exhibit. The same is to be said for designer clothes. The age old debate in fashion of cost versus worth is a constant in the hearts and minds of us mere consumers. It wasn’t until I went to Dover street market and saw a body con Alaia dress up close that it finally clicked for me. It was so thick and structured it felt like a piece of armour. It was heavy and majestic and it literally quietened my cynical mind. The craftsmanship was so evident every stitch promised to live up to its hefty price tag. There was no comparison to a highstreet knock off-this was the real deal, the reason people all over the world from all walks of life pay crazy amounts of money for one item of clothing. Worth.

Our greed for branded items is indicative to our 21st century way of thinking- high cost means high worth. A friend recently got a Mulberry bag for her birthday-retail cost close to £700, to her it is priceless. Some may scoff and see it as a ridiculous expense; others view it as an investment. How curious. The debate between cost and worth exists for everyone whether it’s your Dad wondering whether to invest in a mac, your Mum questioning buying a motorised golf bag or your little brother scrimping his pennies together to buy an xbox. Without questioning craftsmanship or quality we see a higher number on the price tag and are reassured. On the highstreet a funny polar opposite occurs. When you shop in Reiss and see a dress for £120 I think about it. When I see a similar dress in Oasis for £40 you buy it, immediately. This could be the student mindset but surely when you think about it the silk, lined, dip dyed dress in Reiss surely is worth the extra money than the flimsy Oasis replica no?

It was also in Dover Street Market that I saw Lanvin and Erdem up close. The difference in seeing the clothes online and holding them in your hands is staggering. I was silenced by their spectacular feel and construction and surprisingly weight. Most of the items were heavy on the hanger, especially the Erdem dresses, not so heavy you would buckle under the weight of them of course. I doubt his vision is women all over the globe plummeting into a floral heap as soon as they zip up. I mean heavy in comparison to a high street item. You can feel how much work has gone into each piece and when you see them up close they are so beautiful your mind starts rationalising the cost. “I can live off beans for the rest of the month. Doesn’t my sister owe me money? I can cancel my gym membership- if I’m not eating I won’t get fat anyway. If I don’t go out for three months I will lose more weight and not spend money on drinks and be so bored I’ll have to do all those assignments. Oh my god this dress is going to make me skinny and get me an A-SOLD!

If you’re not a designer obsessive who quite literally funds their habit with a borderline beans disorder your reason for thinking could be far more primitive. Base human nature means that men and women will always want flash, branded items. And why so, you ponder? Sex.

Scott Galloway, an NYU professor who studies luxury marketing explains. “As long as men feel the need to spread their DNA to the four corners of the earth, they’re going to but Porsches” he says. We are but players in a mating game called life. Louboutins’ and Rolexes are our props and the price tags pale in insignificance to reeling a worthy partner in. A primal thought for most, but next time you buy the higher priced item ask yourself-what is this worth to me?

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Crystallised optimism

One of the most fascinating aspects of fashion for me is the creative process designers go through. How can they constantly turn over fresh ideas whilst staying true to their ateliers heritage? If I told you that Perspex heels, beach scapes, frayed hems and crystal drop tops were all seamlessly woven into one collection you would be forgiven for thinking I was mingling at a strippers' beach soiree. These components do in fact emerge from Miucciu Prada’s endlessly fascinating design psyche. First shown in September 2009 in Milan (I also find it fascinating how much time elapses from showing to selling) her pieces are trickling into the high street and conjuring images of fun in the sun for her weary fashion troops.

The collection was an iridescent burst of beach babes and glistening girls. There was a distinct element of youth as if Mrs Prada’s younger sister had come out to play. Her hair in playful bunches mussed up by licks of seaside breeze. Playing dress up in her mother’s clothes she coyly blurs the lines of innocent little girl to alluring young lady. She is adorned in sparkle to attract a mate-the most primitive mating ritual known to little girls. Jewels to make the boys drool.

The athletic pants in beach print (which is in fact a man made beach in Japan see end of post) keep the innocence alive as the glossy pouts pucker up for some summer loving. Perspex glasses in a rainbow of colours could have been purchased along the boardwalk for the cost of a pink lemonade. Her shoes however look decidedly more pricey.

Somewhere between the little girls jelly sandal and the heels of a stripper these shoes were fashioned . Dripping in crystals yet velcroed like diving shoes. Prada’s attention to her theme is quite unrivalled. Imagine how fabulous you would feel slipping your feet into real life Cinderella glass slippers? And then discovering you could actually dance well past twelve? Their forgiving square heel and sporty fastenings ensure you will be the last belle to leave the ball. Magnifique!

The bags too are a bambinos dream. One can imagine them being coveted by a younger sister for years-her vowing to take better care of it than her sister ever did. She was more deserving; she would carry it every day. Store it carefully and keep it out of harm’s way. How indignant fashion can make the young. How powerfully a jewelled item can ignite passion in women of all ages. Provoking lust from the first glance of gilded grandeur.

When asked about the uplifting collection Mrs Prada’s outlook was as sunny as her beachscapes, "When things are bad, you have to come out from that. Optimism," she declared, "is a choice." And who would dare to be anything but optimistic when living out the Prada dream of a seaside romp in cascades of crystals. A postcard of fashion cheer,

Wish you were here xxx

Fashion. Free. For All.

Something happened when the recession hit. People got savvy. Marketers, producers, editors and shoppers alike. The fashion industry exploded with the help of new media and became the new ‘in’ industry. In a sense fashion became fashionable. Never before has the industry been so in demand by the public. It’s early adaptation of new media meant that every aspect of the fashion world was shared. Films like “The devil wears Prada”,shows like “The City” and blogs in abundance have propelled the fashion world to the forefront of everyone’s minds. And now it is the consumer who wields the power.

The democratisation of fashion has made everyone an expert. Bloggers such as BryanBoy and Tavi are becoming more influential than editors. Much has been written about the new upstarts upstaging the old guards of the industry. Whispers of mutiny in Milan and corruption in New York set the fashion press a buzz this past show season. And who can blame them? If one were an industry veteran with thirty years experience and one is seated behind a teenage twitterer at a Chanel show one would be terribly incensed.

What you can’t be mad at is the voracious appetite for fashion the masses now have. Bloggers are quenching the publics thirst for everything in vogue. PR maestro and all around power player Kelly Cutrone offers her two cents on the shift in power “The thing that’s exciting right now is that the keepers of the gate are being knocked over the head with the new social media, and their opinion is less important”. Consumer demands means bloggers who operate in real time will always have the edge over journalists and editors whose considered opinions will be voiced in print later. New Media + Globalisation = the consumer is in control.

Nowhere is the consumer power wielded with such desirable results than in the online stores. The new supermarkets of style offer every conceivable look your heart desires all year round. In these shopper led havens there are no seasons. No over riding trends. And definitely no rules for shopping. Gone are the days of procuring for a cold or hot spell. Online the shopper can buy bikinis in November, ski pants in July and straw boaters in January. This demand for seasonless dressing is a direct result of our increasingly global lifestyles in which we travel casually and sometimes frenetically. We need a retailer who can provide for our needs all year round.

The ever media savvy Diane Von Furstenberg has recognised her customers needs and has adapted. For SpringSummer’10 she showed a collection inclusive of wide leg trousers, capris and harem pants alongside miniskirts, baggy jumpsuits and knee length dresses. No wonder she agreed to be on the City- she’s a marketing goddess.

D&G have also adapted to the new consumer. For the past four seasons they have reinvented their sister line to coerce the global market. Satisfying shoppers is now more important to designers than fulfilling their own aesthetic agenda. Last seasons velvet ladylike luxe is transformed into the wild west woman of SS’10 to satisfy the new stylised market. Fast trends for the fast consumer.

Could it be that fashion is the only industry where the consumer wins the war on the recession? The ones spending the money wield the power. We are proclaiming trends rather than following them. Commanding the previously secret world of industry and electing new creative forces to the forefront of the fash pack (in exchange for behind the scenes tweets of course). Fashion is finally firmly in the shoppers hands. Praise your gods, and pray it lasts.

Power Bitch

In the true spirit of research (or procrastination) I am an avid follower of The City and The Hills. Never am I happier then when MTV shows a marathon of episodes. I love studying the girls clothes, obvious plastic surgery and inability have a conversation composed of more than 5 sentences.

My favourite character has always been uber business woman and self confessed “power bitch” Kelly Cutrone. Maybe it’s because she says what’s on her mind, or her unwashed vampire like presence or her cutting one liners,

“The truth doesn’t always come like a shiny bluebird on your shoulder....the truth hurts”

“You may wanna kiss her on the cheek, but put a gun to her back to make sure she stands up straight.”

So imagine my delight when I discovered Ms Cutrone now has her own show aptly entitled “Kell on earth” on the Bravo USA. I jus watched the first episode and I’m hooked. The series follows her PR firm Peoples Revolution set in New York. I was terribly vexed after watching one episode. The stress on her poor interns is monumental. Her assistant Andrew is set to be a star-he reminds me of a gothic Christian Siriano from Project Runway.

Please bear my burden of procrastination and watch the show on the following link.


Kell on Earth

I will leave you with a brand spanking new Kelly quote

“We’re all hookers”

Enjoy.

My name's Miss M, and I'm a makeupaholic

Money burns a hole in every fashionable girl’s pocket. In fact the fashionable student is much akin to the alcoholics of the world, no money for food but always cash for a bottle of vodski. My brown bag used to be a Topshop one. Disguising a few accessories I would convince myself I was not spending money. Well my poison of choice over the past few weeks has been makeup and it seems I’m not alone. There’s something stirring in the waters this spring that sees make up come to the forefront of every ladies look.

We have been stuck in a bronzed and beautiful J.LO look for a near decade now. We shunned it for a smoky Kate Moss eye for a while and a bright red lip on VERY fancy occasions. Not anymore. The tides are turning and a full face of make up in all manner of hues is crashing over us in 2010.
Blame it on the makeup heavy stars like Katy Perry, Rhianna or the stage goddesses GaGa and Florence for injecting some theatricality to the muted masks we have worn for so long. Recessionistas are realising that make up is an affordable way to update your look. A splash of colour on your lips or eyes can dramatically change a ladies face when they usually wear browns and taupe.

I know what you're drinking, makeup isn’t exactly groundbreaking blogging. We are all aware of the lipstick effect in times of financial crisis but what I’m talking about is the new hold make up now has on us. Ever since Girls Aloud launched their eyelash range I am struggling to find a girl who doesn’t use them as part of her nights out. This new staple of lashes were brought even more into the limelight because at the time the X Factor had just recruited one of the bands members and Cheryl mania had taken hold. Not since Britney Spears wore silver eyeliner in her “Oops I did it again” video did a fashion idol ignite such a fire in makeup lovers across the globe.

For many girls the made up face is becoming more important than the outfit. I recently bought a bright plum Armani lipstick and have since been pairing it with outfits rather than picking clothes first. It has become perfectly acceptable to wear a full face of makeup every day. I regularly spot women on the tube with fake lashes and blush on their way to work. I also spy women shopping in m&s with pastel nails and bright pink lips. French tips, matte nude lips and lashings of bronzer are on the outs. Women are allowing themselves to experiment with colours and styles of make up more and more.

It’s not surprising that women are looking for a more statement look these days. There is such an emphasis on the individual that in actual fact we are all ending up looking the same. Blame the high street if you will but the point is that with a celebration of individuality (Lady GaGa, La Roux, Dita Von Teese) we are more likely to copy them than create our own individual look when it comes to clothing and accessories. Make up gives you free reign to create your own persona without labels and price tags. And of course you never have to show your brown bag and admit you’re an addict.