SOUL TO SOLE WITH CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

The lovely Mr Louboutin (image from afanovafashion.com)

Earlier in the Spring I interviewed Christian Louboutin for Ponystep, a brilliant and fun style magazine with an irreverent and camp yet informed tone of voice. It is not a cheap purchase; £12 is a LOT to pay for a magazine - and we all do the work for Richard Mortimer, its founder and editor-in-chief (he also created BoomBox), for free because we know he can only just about afford to eat himself. As more people discover the magazine - and they are, in droves - he'll gain the ability to bring the price down.

Personally, I love how Ponystep documents the creative class together with pop and club culture in a big crazy soup of glossy pages. Its not everyday you see One Direction a shiny page away from a gay fetish-obsessed architect and trangender porn stars. But then, as a woman who spent most of her 20s hanging out in gay clubs, I appreciate a bit of diversity.

Which brings me onto Christian Louboutin, a designer and man I have a huge respect for, mainly because, after celebrating 20 years in business, and a massively successful one at that, he is still independent and has never sold out to the big boys for cash. Mr Louboutin has personal and creative integrity and is not afraid to stand up for himself, a David in a world of Goliaths.

The amazing "Pigalle Flat" £635 from Christian Louboutin

He gave a startlingly honest interview, to the point that he called me afterwards and asked me not to put some stuff in which was too personal and emotionally raw (I had tears in my eyes a few times), and if you don't know, he is also in the middle of a trademark case with PPR, the conglomerate which owns Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga. An Yves Saint Laurent shoe design incorporated a red sole into its design, something he rightly took huge exception to - if you know a Louby shoe, you also know they famously have pillar-box red soles.

Piou Piou £495 from Christian Louboutin 

The case is still ongoing. But one thing he said that didn't make it into the final edit has stayed with me, and it should be the way all designers operate... "You know I respect people. Sometimes you are designing things and you look closely and you think it looks too much like something of a certain designer. If I see that in my work then I immediately erase it, so it’s not even talking about logos or signatures of different brands. I would never approach that type of thing, never. Also, your work is about creating. You have to have your brain functioning rather than just copying, you know? You can’t be in both fields, you have to decide."

Loubi Zeppa £625 from Christian Louboutin

If you haven't already seen it, his exhibition currently at the design museum is wonderful and gloriously risque as well as being highly educational. If you ever wondered how a designer shoe is made, you can see it at the Design Museum. Now time to enjoy the interview....

How cute was Christian when he was younger?

BELLA FREUD'S SEXY FASHION FILM (avec Susie Bick, Abbey Lee, Nick Cave) OH MY!

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

There's fashion film, and there's Fashion Film. Most fashion films are essentially a moving image fashion shoot. A lot feel quite amateur to the eye, or akin to a dreamy perfume advert. But we have to accept this form of fashion media is still in its infancy. The best kind of fashion film jolts you into a deeper appreciation of the clothes than can be gained from a still shoot. The recent Lanvin campaign by Steven Meisel managed to work both ways. Also noteworthy is the excellent work created by Mr Porter over the summer. I loved the Amsterdam Cyclists one, as it was so direct in its fashion message while being totally honest.

Now, onto Bella Freud, perhaps British Fashion's ultimate hipster. I'm a long-term fan of Bella's ouevre and ethos, and I have always absolutely adored her totally original jumpers. They are quite possibly the best jumpers in the world. Even more appropriate now as jumpers are wildly fashionable for Fall/Autumn. I've been wanting a Ginsberg is God one for years, but they were rare pieces in their heyday, and eventually Bella took them out of production so I forgot about them until last week when a little bird told me there are some available from Bella's archive.


from Bella Freud.co.uk



When I heard Bella was making a short film to showcase her Fall/Autumn range starring the delectable Susie Bick with current supermodel Abbey Lee Kershaw accompanied by Nick Cave music, I was suitably intrigued. I didn't make the premier party last week as I had to attend a business dinner with the wife, but needless to say Kate Moss-Hince was there to watch it with the London party crowd and it looked like a fun night.

It took a wee while, but at last I have the short film, Submission, here on the blog for your viewing pleasure. The film is the result of a collaboration between Freud and BAFTA award winning film maker Martina Amati, and I can see what the fuss was about. Gorgeous girls grappling each other to the floor as they practise Brazilian Jiu Jitsu  in a knitwear range named "Fetish" created by Bella in collaboration with her best friend Christian Louboutin. Really, what more could you ask for?

Submission from ama on Vimeo.

Here's the crib sheet: ‘Submission’ is set in the world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu where you learn to use your opponent’s strength to vanquish them. The unlikely winner engages us in her internal dialogue, remembering the moment in her childhood when she discovered how she wanted clothes to serve her as a protective armour. ‘Submission’ is a portrait of a group of unique women rolling on the mat in exclusive costumes. Here's an edited selection of the Fetish range, Christian Louboutin's  drawings translate really beautifully onto the knits.

Pink boot mini dress jumper £350

Fetish mini dress jumper £260

"Spike" jumper £240

Yellow leotard, £400, made to order

Love this one from the "Bowie" collection, £238, part of the SS11 range, and available at http://www.bellafreud.co.uk/

ENJOY THE FILM!

Tell me what you think of it...  

THE TRENDS A/W 2011 - FETISH

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Part of what I've been up to since returning from the shows is deciding on the trends for Autumn/Winter. As regular readers know trend-hunting is a geeky hobby of mine as well as being proper work. Making educated guesses is fun -and after viewing hundreds of shows, visiting dozens of showrooms and taking in every fashion retailer press day in Britain I reckon I've got it sussed. I will share my predictions on the way we will wear next season over the next week. There is something for everyone, and I mean everyone!

1. MEET THE FETISHISTA

Gaga smoking for Mugler by Nicola Formichetti

Visible underwear, lots of shiny stuff and boob handling at Mugler by Nicola Formichetti

Marc Jacobs

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci is decidedly pervy.  Yes, an outfit comprising a cat-woman riding hat, Bettie Page bra and thigh revealing sheer netting over thigh socks CAN be feted as fashion.  

Ferragamo takes the simple Helmut Newton photography approach to the fetish trend, using a chignon, smear of red lipstick and judicious leather slicing to full dominatrix effect.

How to fetishize the fetish of Louis Vuitton at Louis Vuitton

Its dirty, its leathery, and it plays peek-a-boo with thighs and torsos, and ooo there was a lot of it about at the shows. Marc Jacobs topped and tailed the Autumn/Winter 2011 show season with fetishistic displays using Latex and strictly tailored ponyskin at his Marc Jacobs collection, and The Night Porter style peaked military caps, handcuff bangles and severe sheer at Vuitton.

The nearest most fashion lovers get to kinkiness is leather trousers. So it remains to be seen if they will take to Latex pencil skirts, rubber knee high boots, corset belts and control underwear as outerwear. 

Personally I liked Lena at Les Chiffoniers stretch leather dress with peekaboo net underskirt.

TOMORROW:  MOD GIRL