DRESS REVIEW

From the 84th Academy Awards, february 26 at The Kodak Teater in Hollywood.

My favourite dress was not worn by a nominee, but nevertheless fabulous and outstanding. It was the dress of George Clooney´s girlfriend, actress, wrestler and model, Stacy Keibler, who wore an intricate draped dress from Marchesa.

Mila Jovovich also looked stunning in a white one-shoulder draped sequin-dress from Elie Saab.

I prefer Oscar-winner, Octavia Spencer´s beautiful sequined dress from Tadashi Shoji rather than Jennifer Lopez´s version. It doesn´t need to be bare to be sexy. This cut suits her very well.

Camron Diaz looked fabulous in a dress with asymetric flounces and sequins from Gucci Couture.

Giuliana Ransic looked nice in what I first assumed was a Marchesa dress; but actually it is from Tony Ward.

Kristen Wiig looked nice in this fitted dress from J. Mendel with layers of tulle, even though it was a neutral colour.

Emma Stone looked effortless elegant in her red chiffon dress from Giambattista Valli.

Last but not least, Penelope Cruz looked quite stunning in this dress of layers- and draped chiffon. Real Hollywood Glamour style from Armani.

Do you agree ? If not, tell me who your favourit were.

Photos: from ABC.

INFLUENCES – FASHION, THEATER & MUSIC SHOWS!

By contributor, Malene Redder Ruby

I have always been attracted to the spectacular and dramatic ways of costuming. Whatever performance you are making, you better make sure that you will be remembered or else, do not make the show. There are plenty of ways to be remembered.
As a Costume designer I have always, ever since I was a little girl, been noticing the dresses and the costumes of the musicians, the actors and the models at the runways. Especially the ones that were spectacular!
I love to look at fashion shows, I adore going to the cinema looking at history or adventure movies. I am a “theaterholic”  for attending cabarets and musicals, and like many others, I just love watching great award shows and the red carpet events!

In February 2010 I watched the Danish song contest “Melody Grand Prix”. Two years later, I only remember one of the competitors Kaya Brüel, and she didn’t even win! However, she wore the most spectacular dress, probably ever worn in that Danish song contest.
The dress was made of 92 metres fabric, thousands of Swarovski stones, and during the song she was lifted up 3 metres from the ground, so her dress suddenly became one big installation at the stage. The dress was designed by Grith Rahbek and she was inspired by the great Christian Dior in making this dress. 

I do not know if Grith Rahbek was inspired by exactly this dress from Christian Dior’s New Look Collection from 1947, but she might have been.

Kaya Brüel, Melodi Grand Prix 2010. Photos: Wouter van Vliet/EBU

In March 2011 I went to the Copenhagen Puppet Festival and saw many different puppet shows, which was a great experience for me, and an eye-opening introduction to a new world of theater.
I mainly remember one of the plays. We were all waiting outside freezing in a dark backyard in Copenhagen. When the doors were opened, we went inside to the sight of a very tall and sad white bride, who was playing the ukulele.

We had to descend some stairs before we could be seated in the dark rough cellar. I guess the bride was about 4 meters tall and she was very beautiful. When we were all seated, some of the skirt was folded to the side as a theater curtain, and the play of evolution and love took place inside of her dress between her legs. It was a fabulous play and the puppeteer is extremely talented.

The puppeteer has afterwards told me that she was inspired by the stilt walking buskers from the big cities.

Photos from www.stilt-walkers.co.za and Flemming Mieritz at www.phosee.dk

“Lilith” by Astrid Kjær Jensen. Photos by Thomas Puschmann, 2011.

The 1^st of October 2011 the Dutch designer-duo Viktor & Rolf launched their summer 2012 collection, by making the models enter the catwalk through the 4-5 meter tall tulle skirt of the two performing French singers The Brigittes. Viktor & Rolf love making dramatic and spectacular runway shows, and you expect to get entertained when you see their shows.

I think this tall gown installation was a beautiful way to surprise the audience and to make sure that all the busy runway editors would remember this show. I would have loved to see the show live!

I don’t know what inspired Viktor & Rolf to make their tall entrance gown, but the picture below might have inspired them.

Models on Stilts Present "High Fashion" on the Famous "Jungfernstieg" Boulevard in Hamburg, Germany, from www.allposters.dk

Photos from www.glamourmagazine.co.uk and www.shoewawa.com 

Was Astrid Kjær also inspired by the dress of Kaya Brüel when she developed her play “Lilith”? Was Viktor & Rolf inspired by Astrid Kjær when they designed the catwalk entrance for their prêt-à-porter show SS 2012? They might have been, I don’t think so, but I do not know it!

We are all influenced by the contemporary trends and sometimes two designers come up with almost identical ideas at exactly the same time without knowing each other. All people have a certain amount of needs and a certain kind of needs, therefore many get the same ideas. But the way of bringing the idea to life can be very various.
I am sure that Kaya Brüel, Astrid Kjær and Viktor & Rolf all had different thoughts and visions for making these tall gowns. The look of the dresses is also very different though they resemble a lot. I adored all of the three gowns because they are spectacular, dramatic and taking the way of stage dressing to another level! Thanks to all of you!

Written by Malene from RedderRuby Costume Design

“Lilith” by Astrid Kjær Jensen. Photo by Thomas Puschmann, 2011.

The dress of Kaya Brüel, 2010.

Viktor & Rolf entering the runway show SS-2012.

ON CURATING

Part of Haute Couture Exhibition by Erik Mortensen/The House of Balmain, 

1989 at The Museum of Modern Art, Kunsten i Ålborg, Denmark

Curating is often what makes something stand out.

A curator used to be someone who works in the art world, selecting art-works and arranging exhibitions.
Since then, fashion has become an extensive subject for exhibitions, fashion editors have made their entrance into that world.

But when you think about it, it is already part of stylists, fashion- and interior designers and editors work.
Because they are able to put cohesive collections together, make homes look stylish, make somebody look their best or put an inviting magazine together by selecting the right stuff, in a way that it gets noticed.

The curators choice is basically about personal taste.
When you work in a creative field you have to be very conscious about style and have the ability to select the right things, put them into a context and present it appealing.
Of course it takes experience and serious effort to do that. . . You have to be talented, conscious of style, to know about trends and what is going on, to present your work for the right people, to get noticed.

If you are conscious, you may have noticed the way I work for instance.
The lay-out, the subjects I choose to write about and the pictures I choose to display here on my blog, are picked carefully and tells you something about what I like and who I am.

But does it all matter? Are you conscious about style and do you care? How does it affect your life ? I would like to know. Feel free to leave a comment!

THE AMBASSADOR OF QUALITY FABRICS

Tonight I had the pleasure to attend a speak by Ulrik Hvidberg from the fabric store I.W. Hvidberg, founded 1780 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The event took place at my old school here in Odense and the subject was of course quality. Because the quality of the fabric means everything for the final product. The message was: "Don´t compromise", it al-ways pays of to use the very best quality.

Ulrik talked about his approach, the origins and displayed quite a few samples from his stock for us to get tempted.
Besides it was nice to meet and talk to fellow colleagues too. I definitely have to pay the store a visit soon.

You can check out the store if you explore a little !

WEAR VELVET!

Model: Ann-charlott

Photo: John Frantsen

Velvet is having a renaissance these days, but in my opinion it has always looked fabulous.
This rich crushed velvet dress with a waterfall in the front still looks the part, if you dare to stand out in a crowd.

Maybe you recognize the model, who has been a contributer on My Fashion Moment.

Apart from that I have been working on a big pile of unfinished and new stuff at the same time. . . If you wonder about my absence here. I will post it along the way. Have a nice day out there.