Hello, My Name Is Paul Smith

If you're visiting London between now and March be sure to stop by the Design Museum to check out the new Paul Smith exhibition. The massive exhibition finally opened last week and is already receiving rave reviews. Curated by Donna Loveday, the museum is hoping that the exhibit will rival its previous (and record breaking) Louboutin exhibition for popularity. 

It is said to give an immersive insight in to the world of all things Paul Smith, Loveday stated that it has been curated to appeal to a wide audience and is confident it will be a success, especially with Paul Smiths stellar reputation however they're promising that even new fans will find out something they don't know about the menswear designer.

You'll have to opportunity to delve in to all things Paul Smith as you take a journey through every chapter of Smith's lengthy career starting at his very first store. A tiny 3 x 3 metre boutique first opened in Nottingham in 1970, well a recreation obviously. Then you can take a look in to the makeshift dupe of the designers office and all the wonderful things you'd find in their, collected over the years from his many travels around the globe. 

Paul Smith and Donna Loveday worked very closely to create the showcase to take you inside the mind of one of Britain's most famous designers. So whether you're a Paul Smith fan or not, if you're looking to be inspired or just fancy a nice day out, get yourself to the Design Museum!

Bailey's Stardust: Must See Exhibition

When you think of 1960's fashion photography, theres going to be one name that pops in to your head. David Bailey was one of the biggest photographers of the time and is still considered an inspiration today. Starting from the 6th February 2014 The National Portrait Gallery will be home to over 250 pieces of Bailey's best work in an exhibition celebrating the legendary photographer. 
I don't think you need me to tell you that this will be a definite must see, Baileys portraits of icons such as Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy have become a definitive part of the 60's. Baileys work is classic and instantly recognisable and even though produced over 30 years ago would no doubt fit in the pages of Vogue magazine today just as well as they did in the 60's. 
Whether you're interested in fashion or photography its a definite must see!

Remembering Antonio Lopez, The King Of Illustration

Antonio Lopez was one of the most influential fashion illustrators of our time, nicknamed the ‘King of Fashion Illustration’ Lopez was a massive influence in the 1960’s.  To celebrate his life and work an exhibition is being held at Roland Mourets Townhouse from September 14th to October 20th. 
Whether you’re a fan of Lopez’s work or just an art lover it’s a definite must see. Lopez’s work has featured in the pages of Vogue, Elle, Harpers Bazaar and even the New York Times. The exhibition marks what would have been the artists 70^th birthday and will also include an auction of some of Lopez’s most famous pieces along with some of his unseen work, exciting! 

Lopez’s legacy lives one as American make up manufacturer MAC are to release a limited edition collection inspired by some of his finest works. His graphic and bold use of colour goes hand in hand with make up. The collection will be launched around a similar time to the exhibition, definitely one to check out!

The Glamour Of Bellville Sassoon, A Retrospective

Dressing Princess Diana is a pretty big deal and Bellville Sassoon did just that. The Fashion and Textile Museum are playing host to some of Bellville Sassoons most iconic works spanning six decades. 
Bellville Sassoon was once one of Britains most iconic labels, worn by Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. Moreover Sassoon is one of the only labels to of designed for every member of the royal family (minus the Queen). David Sassoon started the house with Belinda Sassoon, David retired after 55 years last year which meant it was the perfect time to hold a retrospective for the label. 
We were fortunate enough to have a talk from David at university last year which gave a great insight to the label and from that I can tell you this a must see for fans of fashion!The exhibit will run from the 20th September to 11th January 2014 so if you’re not down South you’ve got plenty of time to get down there and take a glimpse at some of Bellville Sassoon's best works. Tickets range from £8-£5, you’ll find the Fashion and Textile Museum on 83 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3XF. 

Robert Mapplethorpe Fashion Show

Robert Mapplethorpe, the late, great photographer, will always be remembered for his black and white portrait photography and his provocative subject matter. He was known as the man with fresh ideas, his art was subversive and shocking and challenged the ideologies of his generation and opened minds. 
Robert also contributed to fashion, both editorially and socially. Fittingly the Alison Jacques Gallery in London is celebrating Robert and his work with an exhibition, Robert Mapplethorpe: Fashion Show, which will run until October 5^th. 
Along with the exhibition, a new paperback version of Mapplethorpe Polaroid’s will be released. 
German GQ recently paid homage to the photographer with a Mapplethorpe inspired photo-shoot featuring actor (and heartthrob) James Franco. It turns out; Franco has been cast to pay Mapplethorpe in a movie about the iconic photographer. It’s a clever way to introduce Mapplethorpe’s work to those who haven’t heard of him before. Roberts work was considered exploitive, so is his work relevant today? We live in such a politically correct society were unlikely to see work like Mapplethorpe’s on the pages of magazines such as Vogue anymore. Moreover it seems recently pretty much anything gets complaints. Some of his tamer fashion imagery is still inspiring to photography today moreover I like black a white imagery. Just like the James Franco photo-shoot, Mapplethorpe can still be an inspiration to photographers today, within reason.

BLUMENFELD COMES TO SOMERSET HOUSE

Yesterday afternoon I visited the latest exhibition to inhabit Somerset House's East Wing. 'Blumenfeld Studio: New York 1941-1960' takes a look at the work of esteemed photographer Erwin Blumenfeld. Blumenfeld is one of the most influential fashion photographers of our time, his flawless photographs adorned the pages of Vogue and Harpers Bazaar throughout the 40's and 50's. What made Blumenfeld stand out so much more than your average photographer was his skill and originality, he used various effects using collaging, mirrors and lights etc to create visually stunning pieces of work. What amazed me was how such imaginative images could of been created centuries ago, when there were no means of photoshop or editing software, this just show how talented Blumenfeld was. If you looked close enough you could see that he used no retouching whatsoever, classic beauty Grace Kelly's arm hair was still there and you could see the texture of her skin, yet it was still flawless.
From my point of view, being an avid lover of fashion magazines, it was also interesting to see Vogues covers from years ago and how much they have changed. The exhibition really focuses on vintage photography and shows that it doesn't have to be boring with a model stiff in the centre, Blumenfeld was ahead of the times with his imaginative imagery. The photos I really liked were the ones with the cigarettes, there was one and the model was wearing a flower bracelet and it showed how different smoking was portrayed in those days and was a really beautiful shot. 
The exhibition may seem a little boring to some as there isn't much interactivity and the images are quite small, it is the complete opposite to the Tim Walker Storyteller exhibition which vacated Somerset House a few months ago, but that shows how much photography has changed nowadays, and will be sure to capture the imagination of those who are interested in the art of photography. In fact I feel Blumenfeld may have been the Walker of his day. His photos, like Walkers, are incredibly surreal, magical and precious that it keeps you guessing how it was created. 
I really advise any budding photographers, fashion photographers or lovers of fashion to visit, as its so interesting to see his tricks up close, moreover theres a video playing for you get a deeper insight in to Blumenfeld and his work. You're not permitted to take photos (always a bummer) but I've found some images of Blumnfeld work which I really liked and posted below for you. 
The exhibit runs  till the 1 September so you've got plenty of time to visit especially if you're planning a visit to London over the summer, moreover it's free which is always a bonus particularly for students like me! So get yourselves down there. 

HÈRMES FESTIVAL DES METIERS AT THE SAATCHI

Just a few months ago, the Saatchi played host to one of the biggest French fashion houses of all time, Chanel.The Little Black Jacket exhibition was a huge success, so the question thats arisen now is; is this the start of a fashion takeover at the Saatchi? 

They have now partnered with another prestigious French house, Hèrmes. Renowned for their beautiful leather bags and silk scarves, the latest exhibition looks at the craftsmanship behind their products. 

I hadn't read much about the exhibit and only heard about it the day before so I went in with a completely open mind. All I can say is I wasn't  disappointed. I find some exhibitions quite tedious, some bore me to sleep if I'm honest and I can whizz round them within half an hour. Do not expect this here. 

Hèrmes have got some of their most skilled craftsmen together to show you, the public, exactly how they make their luxury items and it really is so interesting. From tie making to creating the iconic Birkin everything you needed to know about Hèrmes accessories is here. 

It was incredible to see the skill and patience that goes in to creating their most well known pieces. The Birkin, for example, takes 25 hours to create and each bag is created by just one person. They said that from a line up they can pick out who made which bag!

There was also a woman creating a Hèrmes diamond encrusted bracelet and another pulling thread from the infamous scarves to create different textures, the detail and precision was incredible One part that really amazed me was the woman who created the drawings for the silk printed scarves, being extremely unskilled in drawing myself, things like this never cease to amaze me. The patience and attention to detail was awe inspiring. They said it takes 600 - 800 hours to draw out a simple pattern and about 1200 hours for a detailed pattern such as the Indian lady seen in the photos. To have that much patience and skill really emphasises how much effort is put in to these products, it is so refreshing to know that luxury does still exist, it seems you really are getting your moneys worth with Hèrmes products and they have proved this in magnificent style. 

The tables were laid out as they would be in the work shop, it was beautifully authentic and the use of French craftsmen shows how important heritage is to the brand. 

So much thought was put in to the exhibit from the carpet to the ceiling. It was so different from the Chanel exhibition, and I feel a lot more exciting. I have never been to an exhibition like this before, it was so exciting and I hope more fashion houses plan to host exhibits like this in the future.

Being a student I found it great that the exhibit is completely free (yep, you heard correctly!) so I suggest you get down there asap. It finishes on the 26th May so hurry as you do not want to miss this!