The Spiegeltent Experience

The Famous Spiegeltent

 In February we were lucky enough to see "The Freak and the Showgirl", a Perth Fringe Festival offering, in the world famous Spiegeltent.

The Spiegeltent is a European Mirror Tent - the ultimate cabaret and music salon.

Historically the tents were hand-sewn pavilions used as traveling dance halls, bars and entertainment salons since they were created in the early 20th century. There are only a hand-full of these unique and legendary ‘tents of mirrors’ left in the world today. Built of wood, mirrors, canvas, leaded glass and detailed in velvet and brocade, each has its own personality and style.

                                                                   Pre Show Burlesque Entertainers

We were fortunate to have the most beautiful of the last remaining Belgian Spiegeltents in Perth. This tent, was built in 1920 by master craftsmen Oscar Mols Dom and Loius Goor.

I hope you enjoy these snaps from the evening.

                                                               Below : The Challenger Girls

                                                    Below :  Chris Georgie, Simone Hall and James Lund

                                                                     Below : Inside the Spiegeltent

Haute on High

What a find!

Interview with Designer Elsa Lloyd

"Haute on High", 15 High Street, Fremantle

On another beautiful sunny day in Freo I discovered a great new shop selling original designs, "Haute on High", just up from the Round House on High Street.  What a find!  I got chatting to the owner, Elsa Lloyd and found out the shop is specialising in “Couture by Elsa Lloyd” and “Ready to wear designed by her daughter Bernice Sara” as well as selling a selection of additional local and imported labels.

It was so refreshingly different I wanted to know more. Fortunately Elsa agreed to answer a few questions about her new venture and experiences. I hope you enjoy the interview and make sure you visit "Haute on High" especially if you are after a unique Couture Ball Gown.

Thanks Very Much Elsa.

When did you open the door?

'Haute on High' opened its doors on Wednesday 9th February 2011.  I searched many areas before settling to this area of Perth.  Once I decided to accept this location, many doors of opportunity opened. 

Did you study fashion design?  Well, that’s short and sweet, no! I'm self taught.

I raised 3 daughters and made our clothes.  When the girls were in high school I designed and made their party dresses and ball gowns. Their friends then asked me to design gowns and party dresses, and eventually I was asked to design for weddings which lead to requests to have my own label.  Asked often enough, you begin to think it may be something, so I then registered 'Elsa Couture'.

I had not decided to become involved in fashion as a younger person.  It simply evolved raising my family. But I had a love of 'others' creativity, whether it be a dress or a piece of furniture or a sand castle.  I loved beautiful fabrics whether it be for clothing or furnishings and spent many hours looking at fabrics.

What Challenges have you endured setting up “Haute on High”?

The greatest challenge becoming involved in starting a label is the finances required to start producing designs and the time it takes to correctly produce patterns and finding suitable manufacturers.  

Inspiration is an ongoing part of my life.  I eat, sleep designing.  I sometimes pull over when driving and sketch what is in my mind and the same when going to sleep.  Pencil and paper beside the bed, is the only way I can clear the mind to go to sleep.

Some of my designs are a 'one of' item.  I travelled to several countries overseas and purchased fabric pieces which I produce into a single garment.   Some of my designs are now manufactured in Asia as I found it impossible to produce the more involved pieces in Australia.  I personally design and make the first sample and pattern and send it to the manufacturers.  They copy the garment but sometimes it needs adjusting and sometimes remaking.  It goes back and forth until corrected

We do you see yourself in 5 years time? I hope to have grown to a reputable boutique and have stores on the east coast of Australia.

How do you balance Family and work? Family and work life is moulded into one at the moment.  Work does not end at closing of the boutique.  I look forward to personal time in the future.

The End

Our Very Own Fashion Dolls

As part of our studies we researched  the "Theatre De La Mode" and also "How Film and Fashion go Hand in Hand'. We then had great fun combining the two to create our own fashion dolls. As a great fan of the 50's and 60's fashion I created an evening dress  of dupion silk based on the Mad Men Series, the grey wool suit from the same era was designed by Sue Gadsby.  

The History of Paper Dolls

Life-size dolls were used by French couture Houses until the later part of the 18th Century when they were replaced by "Pandoras". these were smaller models that often ended up in nurseries when their outfits were outdated. However it was the English who created the English Doll in 1790.

This Doll was 8 inches tall and made from card of thick paper, each fashion doll had 6 outfits with corsets, underclothes and headwear plus an envelope for storage.

             

                                                         19th Century paper doll

They became very popular and frequently appeared in ladies, journals as a more dynamic alternative to fashion plates.

The first paper doll specifically aimed at children was "Little Fanny", created in 1810 by S&J Fuller of London.

Tabs were used from 1828 to attach clothing, then in 1894 figures were melded into backgrounds and outfits were changed by threading the tabs through slits at the shoulders. In 1907 "tabard" style costumes were introduced, providing a front and back views. The "Magic Stay-on Doll" was launched in 1963 and used static electricity to keep the outfits on but the tabs prevailed.

Paper dolls were rapidly gaining popularity and in 1951 McCall's magazine introduced the fashion forward Betsy McCall who was perfect to promote their dress patterns. She became so popular that she was also made in 3D plastic form with a new series of doll sized patterns.

Over the years many celebrity dolls appeared, from Marie Antoinette, The Pope to Marilyn Monroe. and Elizabeth Taylor.

200 years on and paper dolls still enjoy huge popularity. Not limited to paper, magnetic dolls adorn fridges and websites present dolls with drag and drop outfits. 

How Film and Fashion go Hand in Hand

Film and Fashion are so very closely linked that we almost don’t notice their trendy sway. Movies have contributed to major trends and standards in hair, makeup and clothes since they began. So here are our personal favorite Top Fashion Moments in Film.

Sex in the City has indeed made Manolo Blahnik shoes a household name but Blahnik opened his first shop in 1973. Woman drool over the expensive and exquisitely designed shoes as worn by Carrie and the girls in Sex in the City

Designers like Sass and Bide have even features in Sex in the City. This propelled their brand internationally.

                                                                       

Desperately Seeking Susan: This 1985 Hit starring Madonna created a trend with many look alikes appearing on the streets.

She wore black dresses paired with leggings to men’s pants with exposed lacy bras to rolled-down rhinestone boots. She also wore chains with dangling crosses (which had the churches horrified), , beads and of course bleached blond permed hair.

                                                  

Saturday Night Fever the 1977 hit sensation starring John Travolta.

John Travolta’s blow-dryed hair, tight, shiny polyester pants and that famous white suit. He gave men the courage to dress flamboyantly during the disco era. Men wanted to look and dress like him.

                                 

God Created Woman (1957) Bridgett Bardot was a style innovator (two of her most famous imitators are supermodel Claudia Schiffer and Pamela Anderson). In God created woman Brigitte sported long, unkept hair during an era of perfectly coiffed hair. She also wore a very tight skirt (girdle free) for her bongo gyrations, making woman and mens mouth drop. It was actually BB, who caused the demand for the two piece swimsuit. Swimwear manufacturers began to market bikinis because of the film’s popularity.

Pretty amazing because bikinis were banned 6 years earlier for the Miss World Contest.

                

The Wild One 1954 (Marlon Brando)

Marlon Brando invades a small town with his biker gang “Black Rebels Motorcycle Club” His iconic look of cuffed jeans, leather cap and tough black motorcycle jacket created the new cool look. This look, along with the fame of Elvis,  had a huge influence on fashion trends around the world, and is a continuous timeless trend even today.

                                 

Mad Men Television Series

Mad Men is set in the 1960’s on Madison Avenue, New York. It has received critical acclaim, particularly  for its historical authenticity and visual style. It has influenced designer such as Marc Jacobs (creative director for Louis Vuitton) with corsets, cleavage and cocktails. We are talking full skirts 50’s style, sweetheart necklines and cat’s eye sunglasses. We are even seeing a change in models on the catwalk, steeering away from the Waif look to a more volumptuous look of Joan Holloway. Arguably this series has caused a Bubble Up effect.

                            

Theatre de la Mode

228 mannequins made at the end of the second world war and dressed by Parisian Couturiers, this was the world of Theatre de la Mode.

                                                                                Maryhill Museum of Art

The Germans retreated from Paris in 1944 and the new government was keen to promote the artistry and vigour of the surviving fashion industry and support the country's reconstruction. And so the concept of an exhibition of dolls dressed by couture houses in sets designed by French artists was launched.

Maryhill Museum of Art

They stood 27 inches high, bird cage bodies, white mask-like faces with beautifully coiffured hair.

The clothes were perfect miniatures of original designs and specialist manufacturers suppliers small scale hand worked lace, silk flowers, buttons, hats, shoes, gloves and bags.

Meanwhile, artists were busy creating elaborate backdrops such as theatres, grottos and war torn buildings.

The exhibition opened on 27 March 1945 and Paris was delighted, the dolls went on to tour London, Stockholm, Vienna and the USA. Then despite the success the figures were forgotten until some were found in a small museum in Washington. They were bought back to Paris, restored and exhibited again in 1990 at the Musee de la Mode.

FROM FASHION PLATES TO MAGAZINES of TODAY

Costume and fashion plates came long before fashion magazines as we know them today.

Below are some facts on the history of plates and magazines which i hope you enjoy.

·         Costume plates, showing how a costume was worn in the past, were first made in 1494 showing the National and Regional dress of Vienna.

Early Fashion Plate from 1494 

F

·         Fashion  plates reached their peak in the 19th century when they were hand coloured engravings showing possible future fashions of the time.

·         Early Magazines containing fashion plates included the following:

·         Cabinet des Modes-1785

·         Journal de la Mode et du Gout-1790

·         La Belle Assemblee-1806

·         The Lady's Magazine-1770

·         Two of the most important Victorian British magazines were Mrs Beeton's and The Queen.

Fashion Plate from 1787- love the bustle

·         The Queen, The Ladies Newspaper, 1861 was the longest running English magazine until 1968 when it was bought out by Harpers Bazaar.

·         The name was changed to "Harpers & Queen" until March 2006 when "Queen was dropped as it was thought to be too Debutante in a modern world. It was changed to "Harpers Bazaar" and became Vogue's strongest challenger.

·     

















    Vogue was first published in 1892. In 1973 it became a monthly publication and underwent extensive editorial and stylistic changes to respond to changes in lifestyles.




1911918 vintage Vogue magazine

·          Vogue is now published in 18 Countries around the world.

ZINE,ZINE,ZINES

WHAT'S  A ZINE

I have only recently heard about Zines and love the concept of these unique and sometimes quirky but always interesting publications. I have noted below a few interesting facts about these little treasurers.

·         A  Zine is usually a self-published, limited circulation magazine.

·         It generally contains original images and texts of minority interest.

·         It is an abbreviation of "magazine" or "fanzine".

·         The word "zine" was widely used in the early 1970' but its exact origins uncertain.

·         The significant majority are produced in editions of less than 100 and profit is not the primary intent.

·         Popular zines include:

         ·         Giant Robot

         ·         Dazed & Confused

         ·         Bust

         ·         Bitch (magazine) and

         ·         Maximum RocknRoll

Barnard Library's Zine Collection, NY, USA

GOING GREEN

ENVIROMENTALLY CONSCIENCE DESIGNERS

DEBORAH LINDQUIST

It’s not always easy being green. but environmentally  conscience designers are having an increasingly important role in today's fashion scene. We have been researching designers with an eco edge and loved the work of Los Angeles Designer, Deborah Lindquist.


Deborah creates exquisite apparel out of a mix of “reincarnated” and new Earth-friendly fabrics. Lindquist's mission is to create breathtaking eco friendly design that will deliver style and status to her clients while using the finest quality fabrics.


For her latest collection “Rocker girl meets the Gypsy” she has used recycled, pre-loved materials vintage such as cashmere, wool, leather, beaded wool, and vintage buttons. She has also included eco fabrics for e.g. hemp blends, organic wool, peace silk, micro modal blends, organic cotton, and alpaca.
Deborah is now one of the most recognised eco-designers in the world, and has Sharon Stone, Jessica Alba, Christina Aguilera, Rhianna and many more celebs as current clients.

TOP TEN TRENDS

 

We have recently seen the influences of the '50s and '60s return strongly to the catwalk and the street ,you will now see certain elements of the '70s reappearing. There are two key themes: '70s sophisticated glamour and '70s bohemian, some of these can be clearly seen below:

1.       Bold Stripes- think wide liquorice allsorts in bold colours but also Dominant  Stripes with a nautical feel, wide or narrow in navy & white or black& white.

2.       Wide Leg Pants,  everyone keen to see options for women that simply aren't skinny so look out for wide leg pants and the 70's influenced  Bell Bottoms or Flares.

 

Wide leg palazzo pants by John Patrick SS11

3.       Petal Power- overblown blooms and hothouse prints are hitting the runways and the streets.

4.       Vivid Prints -fashion and art collide with head- to-toe prints in bold, vibrant prints and colours.

5.       Drop that hem to well below the knee, another 70's influenced trend-the "midi" but also look out for the Sheer Maxi.

6.       Crochet and Macramé another 70's fashion re-rise. Not the homemade craft feel but all about intricacy with a luxury edge.

Crochet Maxi Dress at Emilio Pucci SS11

7.       Lace, not totally new this season but this time with a more classic look using antique lace rather than all-over stretch lace.

Olivia Palermo in Tiered Lace Dress, photo by Stockholm Street Style

8.       Woven Effects and raffia are a major accent for the season on both clothes and accessories.

9.       Berry Colours being put together in bold blocks.

10.   Oversized Clutch Bags in bold materials and strong colours.