Rachel Chilton: November 2012

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Little Black Dress...

Being given the Brief to a Little Black Dress project was for me the best project yet! Anybody that knows me will know of my love for black clothing - and in particular my love for LBDs. So being able to study the history and developments of The Little Black Dress was going to be really interesting; and then continuing this knowledge onto a design project and then ultimately a skills for making module was even better!

So starting with a bit of historical research; I looked at the growth and development of both Haute Couture and Pret-a-Porter (or Ready to Wear) which have both shaped the way the fashion industry is today. I also researched the history of the Little Black Dress itself; which of course came from the wonderful iconic designer that is Coco Chanel. Since its first designs and showcase from Coco Chanel; the Little Black Dress has gone through many developments and changes, the silhouettes have changed, the details, the style, the acceptance of it being a staple in every women’s wardrobe...

Here is just a small sample of some of the most memorable Little Black Dresses throughout history:

1949 - Dior

Two years after Dior introduced his New Look, skirts began to narrow; hinting at the lean sheaths to come.

1951 - Dior

This sleek sheath, again by Dior, was a shape that dominated the 50's.

1959 - Chanel

Mademoiselle Chanel, the celebrated couturier herself, puts the finishing touches on a late-’50s design.

1961 - Givenchy

Audrey Hepburn in what might be filmdom’s most famous LBD, designed by Hubert de Givenchy for Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

1994 - Princess Diana

Princess Diana raised eyebrows with this stunning LBD—her so-called revenge dress—but not for the first time. The low-cut black gown she’d worn in her public debut as Prince Charles’ fiancée verged on the scandalous for its serious décolletage.

There are so many iconic Little Black Dresses from the past that I simply couldn't post them all; so that was just a small select few and just to end this post nicely...

Here are a couple more images of Mademoiselle Coco Chanel =)

Chanel

with Timeless combination of LBD & Pearls.

Coco Chanel working on a Little Black Dress

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Children in Need 2012: Designer Pudsey Bears...

Every year for as long as I can remember I have tuned in to watch the annual Children in Need appeal and as a child grew fond of that cute cuddly yellow bear with his distinctive eye patch... I'm talking about Pudsey of course!

And with my ever growing fondness of fashion; the news that there was a range of designer Pudsey bears created totally amazed me.

The collection including bears designed by the likes of Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Burberry, etc. was curated by Love Magazine editor Katie Grand and features many favourite high end designers each creating a 24-inch Designer Pudsey Bear which will all be up for auction on Thursday 15th November at Christie's; with all proceeds going to the much celebrated children’s charity.

The bears have all been showcased exclusively in Selfridges, London and Manchester from October 24th and will continue to be on show until 14th November before being auctioned.

"I was honoured to curate this fantastic collection, and have had such fun working with the designers on all of their amazing designs,"

"BBC Children In Need is an incredibly worthwhile cause, and one which myself and all of the designers involved in the collection are privileged to support." - Katie Grand.

My personal favorites are Burberry complete with its iconic trench coat, Mulberry with its cute little bag and branded foot, Tom Ford dressed in miniature version of his collection, Missoni with its bright distinctive zig-zag patterns, Paul Smith with his little suit and tie, I really could go on and on...