Haute Hoods

I was having a look at the recent Haute Couture shows from Paris when I saw the Atelier Versace show and all of their Haute Hood glory. Fashion's past always inspires it's future and I have to say I personally ADORE this look.

The collection was said to be inspired by style and culture icon Grace Jones and her haute hoods from the 1980's

 FASHION HISTORY: The look of the hood can be seen in cloaks (outerwear), a version of a cape as far back as the 1500's, "This cloak is of ancient origin, dating back to the Arab world of the early centuries AD, where it took the form of the haik or hayk. It was imported into Spain by the Moors and was seen and illustrated by Christoph Weiditz in Granada in 1529, also in Flanders in 1532"source

The chic haute hood however made it's way into mainstream 'Fashion' pre-Halston of the 1970's . You could see this look popular in the 1930's.

1930's patterns

Deanna Durbin, 1930's

Claudette looks fabulous while filming The Palm Beach Story in 1942

Lucille Ball

Jean Shrimpton in a lace dress with hood 
by Nettie Vogues, photo by David Bailey for Vogue UK 1965

Grace Jones in Halston 1970's

Bianca Jagger

Priscilla Presley and Elvis

and  in the 1980's Azzedine Alaia. 

Alaia "mermaid'' evening dress in green acetate knit with hood, spiral zipper set in curved seam and fishtail hem from the Winter 1986 collection

Grace Jones in Alaia

The hooded look has been seen on amazing performers like P!nk on stage at the Grammy's 

and Kylie Minogue in her video for "Can't Get You Out Of My Head"

And of course most recently Lady GaGa

GaGa pictured with Donatella Versace in Paris

Would you get HAUTE with a HOOD?

Shop Evolution Vintage

Vintage hand made hooded dress ~ $90

Vintage 1970's 2 piece dress set --> Hooded Jacket $75

Sold 

aMUSEing

Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy

I was looking at a series of images today from W Magazine about fashion designers and their muses. The concept of "muses" originated in Greek Mythology and were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths.(Wiki)

For this application a muse is defined as, a woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist (1) Fashion designers throughout history have all had muses at one time or another.

In the W piece it was greats like Yoko Ono  (For Proenza Schouler) 

Photo: W Magazine

and not so great's like MIA (for Donatella Versace)

Photo: W Magazine

When thinking of the ultimate fashion designers muse I think of Audrey Hepburn and the french designer Hubert de Givenchy. Their relationship was legendary and produced some of the most beautiful and iconic dresses of all time.

Iconic: Givenchy "Breakfast at Tiffany's" LBD - 1961

They met in 1953 on the set of Audrey's film "Sabrina" and they remained friends until her death in 1993. Givenchy told the WSJ, "She was wonderful. She was someone unique. She was real. She could do everything"

Hepburn said (as read in Vogue) "His are the only clothes in which I am myself. He is far more than a couturier, he is a creator of personality," 

1984

Do you have a muse? 

If you were a designer/artist who would your muse be?

Vintage Givenchy via Evolution Vintage

Shop: Era: 1980's $600

Gianni Versace ~ Fashion ICON

December 2 would have marked the 64th birthday for the Italian born fashion designer Gianni Versace. Since he was violently and senselessly taken from us in 1997 the fashion world has never been the same. I chose to start my tribute series on the day he was born in honor of the amazingly creative life he shared with all of us.

To me there is no possible way to sum up Gianni Versace in one blog or an article. He has been my favourite designer since I was a little girl secretly thumbing through my older sisters VOGUE collection and taping Fashion Television segments onto VHS. Imagine my wonderment at the age of 9 and 10 at the colorful images presented in the ad campaigns, the over the top, star studded runway shows packed with the most beautiful faces in the world. Then there is the clothes themselves.




Words alone can not convey the impact the world of Gainni Versace has had on me creatively. He was my very first "Hero" or "Icon". Looking back I'm sure my parents and friends found it odd for a 10 year old girl to idolize a fashion designer but he was my version of a superhero. My love affair with fashion can be attributed to Gianni Versace. I wish I had the opportunity to meet him in person but I will do my best in this blog seires in the coming weeks to take you on a journey that started 64years ago today in a small town in Reggio, Calabria, Italy in 1946 all the way to the steps of his Miami mansion in 1997.




We will take a look at each creative facet and season of his career, his family & personal life as well as the man himself.


With Younger sister Donatella and older brother Santo


He pushed boundaries.

He loved beauty.

He designed dreams.

Enjoy the colourful ride.


LisaG
XO