The Dolce & Gabbana Factor .. A philosophical view ..

One of my favorite designers that I have been obsessed about throughout my life has been and always been .. Dolce & Gabbana
                                
Since I was a child I was mesmerized and enchanted by the advertisements and the chic way they portrayed an " Italian Woman" ... the epitome and the definition of what Italians may describe " belle donne" or " bella figura" ... but I am happy to say as I grew older there is much more then what meets the eye to this particular brand.. It is much more then corsets, body hugging dresses, black ties and sharp suits ..This Brand is far much more then that..

 

 Before I can describe philosophically the style of Dolce & Gabbana ..

 One must understand the concept of what it means to be Italian ..  The history, the daily life, the geography, nature of the people... because these fundamental concepts make up Italy as a Nation as a Whole and is the prime fundamental idea of the Brand .. " Dolce & Gabbana "...  Italian culture has to do with their identity.. Who they are , each city state is unique , the people in the North and the South .. each have their own dialect, food , belief system and their own history. Dolce and Gabbana has unified Italy through their designs as well as their advertisements.
   In the 90s Dolce & Gabbana incompassed what it meant to be an Italian Woman , from the South of Italy. Using Monica Bellucci in their fragrance adverts, as a sensual beautiful woman looking for love from afar . The respect of observing but not touching or conquering. Today is 2013, This brand has an entirely different focus .. The focus is Family. 
           

 

 

 

  Family is very important to Italians. Sitting down to dinner on Sunday with the entire family sharing food laughter and love. Since the 1950's after ww2, the aspect of family changed in Italy. Young adults are moving to other cities for education and starting their life. They are no longer tied to their familial roots but trying to make their new family. Dolce and Gabbana through their advertisements and their new movement , insinuates that we must return to the old appreciation of family and keeping the family close.  Through our roots, we can appreciate heritage. Italian Heritage is all about food, fashion and beautiful cars. Wealth and Luxury.. the epitome of Dolce & Gabbana

 

 

 

McQueen & Halloween

When all great stories and lives have come to an end .. the most haunting of all fashion stories ..  has to be the sad way in which one of the greatest designers of all time.. had left us ...suddenly...
 There is a lot of controversy about his death..  Only 40 years old , at the highest peak of his career was found dead at his luxury apartment in Mayfair. Many sources have said that he had hanged himself. Which was a shock to many since his fashion show for his McQ line was to be shown in New York that very week . Few surprising elements have foreshown such a talented man could have indeed taken his death ...  it is also known that his beloved mother , Joyce had also killed herself 3 years ago that very day.

Other designers have said that McQueen was also battling depression all his life and is evident though his collections. 
Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld says,  "I found his work very interesting and never banal.  There was always some attraction to death, his designs were sometimes dehumanized.  Who knows, perhaps after flirting with death too often, death attracts you." 

 I see this very relevant in  Mcqueen's 2006  fashion show where Kate Moss has appeared by Hologram as a ghost or an apparition in the finale .. Very scarrrrryyyyyyy ...

I personally always found Alexander McQueen's work and fashion shows a slight bit scary ... which makes this a perfect time to discuss some of his greatest works and pieces of all time ..

As you see , most of his collection do have a haunted dehumanized sort of feel. He as made something which is scary .. pretty or modern ...


Here is Alexander McQueens Back stage for his very last show before his death :

Up-close and Personal from the show :

                                      

To Catch a Thief : Grace Kelly

                                            

 

Since it is about to be Halloween and Edith Head's Birthday has just passed .. I thought how marvelous it would be to mix the 2 together. Since she did work some time for Paramount and did many Alfred Hitchcock pictures .. I think it is just what this blog needed this week ...

Since my boyfriend and I are not fond of scary movies  .. having sensitive constitutions and all .. we tried to keep this Halloween a bit on the mellow side .. There are much more scarier films that Alfred Hitchcock has made such as.. lets say.. "Psycho"  .. but we decided to go for " To Catch a Thief " instead..

 Its a romantic thriller .. key word here is Thriller :)  that is set in the beautiful French Riviera , Monaco .. John Robie played by Cary Grant is a well known but retired jewel thief who is believed to be a part of a series a robberies that closely resembles his particular style .. police comes to arrest him but luckily he escapes and tries to uncover who the real burglar is .. He immediately seeks help from his old friends during the days of the French resistance .. They were ex cons who by working as patriots let them be on parole .. Grace Kelly Comes in to the story of portraying a heiress who in particular as Jewels worth stealing .. Can we smell a beautiful love affair waiting to happen?


If those of you who are reading my blog haven't watched this film .. I do not want to give anything away ..
 but if I haven't tempted you .. perhaps some of these pictures might ..

 

 

Here are several of Edith Head's design sketches for the film:

For any inquires to purchase these sketches click here

 

 

Maybe a little trailer wont hurt either ..

            

Hope you enjoy guys
Xo Xo  Camille Du Jour



 

Remembering Edith Head

 



                 Edith Head....

As I was logging on Google. com .. I realized that it was Edith Head's birthday due to the large commemoration on the site. I find this ironic due to the fact that I passed by several books in my library and was tempted to read them .  I can not possibly say how much I admire this legendary lady . With no art, design or costume design experience , this bright lady was hired at Paramount Pictures as a design artist and a very well known Stylist.  We can say that she was the " Rachel Zoe" of that particular time maybe even larger.  She usually consulted with many leading female ladies such as Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Natalie Wood, Bette Davis, Sophia Loren , Grace Kelly and so many more ..Lets take a look at some of the films and ladies  in which she  has styled:
To buy any of these one of kind sketches please click here

 Audrey Hepburn " Sabrina"

 

 

Audrey Hepburn "Breakfast at Tiffanies"

 

 

Audrey Hepburn "Roman Holiday"

Grace Kelly " Rear Window"

 

 

Audrey Hepburn in Edith Head

 

 

 

Edith Head with her Design Sketches

 

Edith with Elizabeth Taylor's one of a kind dress

 

Edith with Elizabeth

 

 Happy Birthday Edith Head, we will miss you always RIP

 

xoxo Camille Du Jour

 

 

 

Christian Dior : 2013

 Today , I am going to go back to some of my favorite looks from Christian Dior 2013 Spring and Fall collections. . I think it is important because there has been a lot of change to Christian Dior's " look" for the past several years. Due to the fact that Galliano left.

Forexample, lets start with 2013 Spring .. Dior at this point in time has elected Raf Simons to be the designer for the collection of the season. My overall view is that in the beginning of the collection there is a bit of masculine elegance. What I mean by masculine elegance is that there is an overall sleek quality towards the suits and the lines presented in the garment itself. There is also hints of the femininity within the overall look by adding scarves.  Even though Raff does add in the old Dior elements at the end of the show with the " ball Gowns" .... I feel there are some reminiscence of  Grace Kelley Rear Window .. He modernizes the old Dior "Ball Gowns" by adding metallic sheer fabrics on top of the flair of the skirt. But before the Evening wear , there is a minimalistic metallic trend of mini dresses in which are leg bearing.  Raf Simmons Pops a lot of shape and contouring to a lot of his designs . For example a jacket that can be used as a vest/ dress/ jacket .. A mini dress that can be used with shorts .

Observe for yourself ...some of my favorite looks for 2013 Spring Dior

For Fall 2013 :  Raf Simons designs a new look for Dior, there is this new ultra-cool look of feminine/ masculine appeal.  It was a NEw Dior with a touch of Alexander McQueen feel to it , I believe to the use of checkers /  black and whites.  Every look was absolutely wearable and it was this new start for Raf Simons to show what he believed the look for Dior should be through his vision and his eyes. Also no Dior Fashion Show is a Dior Fashion Show without Evening Wear and Raf Simons made the Dior evening gown come alive with its vintage blue-ish pink with a new modern twist. I admire that he used a trapeze sort of top with a floral patterned skirt .. OR asymmetrical drape that was over a suited pants.. I admired Raf Simons for giving this sort of empowering look to a woman. Glamour can be masculine. Sleek can be Feminine in Raf Simon's vision.