David Bowie Is: Living curiosity and fashion legend

Peter Frankopan, a Historian at Oxford University, writing for Huffpost Culture, compares Bowie to a living saint: “I'll be packing off my students to see it - if they can get tickets, that is,” he says, “as it is the perfect example for anyone wanting to understand medieval religion. The record-breaking crowds that will flock to see the show will be like pilgrims visiting a shrine of an important saint: here is the outfit Bowie wore when he sang Starman on Top of the Pops; there are the lyrics, written in his own hand, for Rebel Rebel. There is the printed itinerary of the train journey across the eastern US, with stop-offs to the end of the line before the rest of the trip was by car and van. They are like relics belonging to a holy man, objects to be admired.”

You have to be pretty saintly to stand in a queue for an hour to see an exhibition  - and that was just on the preview day.  But it’s well worth it to see the costumes alone – many of them designed or co-designed by Bowie himself.

The fashion legend and living curiosity that is David Bowie started out as plain old David Jones in London’s Brixton. He passed his 11+ but, instead of going to grammar school, attended Bromley Technical High School, where he specialized in music and art. He says that if he hadn’t become a singer, he would like to have been a writer. The V and A’s Bowie Is exhibition (in partnership with Gucci) is a testament to Bowie’s skill as a multi-disciplinarian - as a lyricist, musician, artist and fashion designer. Above all, it illustrates the extent of Bowie’s impact on style and culture – an influence spanning over five decades.

Many of Bowie’s 1970s costumes were inspired by the space travel that captured the popular imagination of the day – from Willy Brown’s late 1970s jumpsuit with le Corbusier-inspired line drawings that Bowie wore as Major Tom to the quilted two piece suit he performed Starman in (above), and set designer Mark Ravitz’s avant garde outfit for the Man Who Sold the World.

But the inspiration for Bowie’s dress came from a multitude of other sources too – including the film A Clockwork Orange, the glam rock genre, edgy Weimar Republic cabaret, Japanese kabuki, German expressionist films and Hindu style bindis (like the colourful third eye on the cover of Aladdin Sane).  

Standout items include a replica of the Ziggy Stardust bodysuit designed by Bowie and Freddie Burretti, and an appliqued satin cloak and platform boots by Kansai Yamamoto – not forgetting Yamamoto’s extraordinary Tokyo bodysuit at the show's entrance (above top). Yamamoto famously declared that his clothing suited Bowie because his designs could be worn by either sex. Curiously, the Japanese words on Yamomoto’s cloak spell out David Bowie, but translate as, ‘one who spits out his words in a fiery manner.’

Other famous costumiers include Thierry Mugler, and Natasha Korniloff - responsible for Bowie’s curious 1973 cobweb costume with fake hands. The cobweb costume originally had a third hand, which grasped at the crotch, but this was censored for an appearance on television - and gold leggings were added to preserve decency. Korniloff also created Bowie’s naval look (1978) and his famous Pierrot style costume (1980).

The late Ola Hudson, mother of Guns N Roses' Slash, was another regular contributor to what is now Bowie’s fashion archive (and reputedly his lover too). Alison Chitty’s design for Screaming Lord Byron (1984), Freddie Buretti’s Ice Blue Suit (below) for Life on Mars (1972) and Ravitz’s ‘skirt suit and poodle’ for an appearance by Bowie on Saturday Night Live are among the unique outfits. There’s a fab black suit with a frilled shirt by Georgio Armani from the 1990 Sound and Vision tour, a blue silk suit by Hedi Slimane – and accessories include a single dangly earring by Vivienne Westwood.

A wardrobe mood board (from 2003?) list Bowie’s school-boyishly svelte measurements: chest 34.5 inches, waist 26.5 inches and neck size 14. Being so trim may well have contributed to Bowie’s longevity as a performer and fashion icon.

From the mid ‘90s, Alexander McQueen was a significant contributor to the Bowie wardrobe too. It’s a shame you can’t see some of the fabrics more clearly, as parts of the exhibition space are presented like a dimly lit music venue, but McQueen’s designs include a number of frock coats, brocade jackets, a tyre-print suit and a Bowie’s famous Union Jack coat for the Earthling album cover (co-designed with Bowie in 1997).

Finally, ShopCurious has some tips for visiting the show: Leave longer than you anticipate for a visit to this exhibition – especially if your car is parked on a meter. The headphones supplied to all visitors take a little getting used to – if you find yourself stuck with Gilbert and George, just press the magnifying glass symbol (seemed to work for me, anyway). Oh, and be prepared to queue.

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Head On at the London College of Fashion

The exhibition space at the London College of Fashion is somewhat limited in size, yet one room and adjacent cabinets are certainly used to maximise impact in the new millinery show: Head On.

"While contemporary society no longer dictates the daily use of hats, the appetite for millinery on the catwalk, in editorial and even on the high street, continues to flourish," says the preamble. Focusing on decorative millinery, the exhibition features mannequins styled to incorporate headwear as part of a total look. 

Dress by AF Vandervorst, hat by Stephen Jones

Dress by Giles Deacon, millinery by Stephen Jones

You would probably get very odd looks if you wore any of these outfits - and the curious headwear doesn't look to be very practical. However, ShopCurious drew attention to the emerging trend of promoting fashion as art some years ago.

Dress by Gareth Pugh, headwear by Philip Treacy

Dress by Yiqing, headpiece by Paul Stafford

The show runs until 23rd March, so do pop in to see the display if you are in the Oxford Street area. 

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Ordinary icons? Stories of modern design

What started as a Boiler House Project in the basement of the V and A, organized by Design Museum founders Stephen Bayley and Terence Conran in the mid 1980s, was originally conceived as a pioneering ‘pop up’ museum.  But London’s Design Museum has ended up storing several thousand items, which will become a permanent display when the Design Museum’s new Kensington premises open in 2015. The entire top floor will be dedicated to icons of 20^th century design in a free-entry exhibition.  Meantime, from tomorrow, a snapshot of the permanent collection that will be on show can be seen at the current Shad Thames location. 150 items from the Design Museum’s collection feature in the exhibition: Extraordinary Stories About Ordinary Things.

We mentioned the trend towards ‘immortalization through fashion’ in a previous Curious Trends post - and, for lovers of fashion, this show includes a sample of some of the 400 pieces donated by Design Museum trustee, Jill Ritblat. Her generous gift contains items by many of the world’s leading designers, including Karl Lagerfeld, Issey Miyake, Ungaro, Belville Sassoon and Vivienne Westwood, spanning a period from the 1970s to the end of the 1990s.

The exhibiton showcases an eclectic mix of artefacts, but the fashion pieces on loan for this show - including a Victor Edelstein satin brocade dress and a Jet Set of St Moritz ski suit - are fairly middle of the road in terms of style.

These aren’t necessarily the sort of designs that would have inspired or transformed the habits of a generation, unlike the original iMac, the red telephone box and the Bic biro, which are also featured.

At a press briefing, Design Museum Director, Deyan Sudjic, was at pains to point out that fashion isn’t just frivolous – it’s functional, and a contributing part of the economy too.  “Design is not the same as art,” he also said. So where does art stop and design begin… or vice versa. And what exactly is ‘design art’? I’m curious to know.

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PS  Why not add to your own fashion collection with this curiously classic designer vintage Belville Sassoon dress from ShopCurious...

Tsunami of style

Life size weeping cherry blossom trees were the magical backdrop for Nicholas Oakwell’s fourth collection.  Branches dripped down over the catwalk, causing towering models to wave petals out of their way.

Couture is all about attention to detail – and this show was no exception. Opulent shagreen, (shark or ray skin) used to trim the accessories and clothing even adorned the reverse side of the sumptuous invitation to the show at Claridge's. 

And Roja Dove created a deliciate lilac based perfume ”with an unexpected kick” especially for the occasion.

The ‘kick’ was due to the inspiration for Oakwell’s Spring/Summer 2013 show  - Hokusai’s 19^th century woodblock illustration, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. Japanese art and culture generally portrays a harmonious and balanced image of the nation’s society, showing calm and serene landscapes of flat water and iconic mountains, tranquility gardens and the fragility of nature in the form of cranes and wisteria. But there is the constant reminder of the destructive forces of nature.

The show began with ruffled, fringed and beaded designs, reflecting the foaming waves of a tsunami. The ensuing serenity was embodied in outfits of neutral tones, with the lean silhouettes of 1970s inspired kimono sleeved trouser and catsuits. The regrowth of flora and fauna following the wave were represented by handbeaded and embroidered wisteria, honeysuckle, weeping willow and birds – not forgetting Oakwell’s trademark feather and seqin embellishment. Traditional Japanese hexagon woodblock prints were also intricately woven into the handcrafted designs.

Like ShopCurious, Nicholas Oakwell Couture prides itself on supporting British craftsmanship and “working with the finest artisans around the British Isles.”

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New dandy style - fashion for gentlemen

London Collections: Men should have its name changed to Gentlemen's Fashion Week, if yesterday’s Savile Row showcase at Spencer House is anything to go by. The event was an elegant display of all things uniquely British and beautifully made – interiors, furniture, art and afternoon tea, as well as men’s tailoring, hats, shoes and accessories.

The presentation, sponsored by The Woolmark Company, was a reminder of the fact that London is still the world capital of masculine style – as it has been for over two centuries – certainly way before Downton Abbey (the television series at least).

A mix of models and ‘London men’ were dressed by Savile Row Tailors, from Ede and Ravenscroft (established in 1689) to Richard Anderson (opened in 2001). The outfits were styled by Jo Levin of GQ Magazine, with accessories from the likes of James Lock and Co, John Lobb Ltd and Holland and Holland.

A delicious tea of sandwiches, mini-cakes and cocktail curiosities was served, washed down with Nyetimber English champagne and King’s Ginger from Berry Bros and Rudd – or a nice strong cuppa.

Spencer House, described as London’s “most magnificent 18th century private Palace,” belongs to the Trustees of the Spencer family and is open to the public on Sundays. You can also hire the venue for private events. I can confirm that it is even more spectacular when lit up by candelabra for a dinner, plus you get a private tour of the house and a box of Spencer House chocolates when you leave. Even the loos are curiously splendid!

Anyway, getting back to fashion… Shopcurious noticed that some of the male guests, like Masahiro Murase (below), wearing Celine, had their own arty and original interpretations of gentlemanly dress.

But British dandy style doesn't have to be traditional...

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Arty objects of death

It’s not what you’re thinking… This giant chandelier called In the Eyes of Others was created by John Carey in 2009. The mixed media piece is made from plaster, steel, wire, cardboard boxes and newspaper – with not a bone in sight.

The Argentinian collective Mondongo is named after the word for traditional Argentinian tripe stew. Their curious collages combine everyday objects to create three dimensional artworks. This 2011 work called Calavera is made from Plasticine on board. 

Neo classical architecture has been chosen to represent the economic and cultural dominance of Europe and the USA over Argentina’s villa miseria or shanty towns.

These works are some of the more recent of 300 items from the collection of Richard Harris, currently on show at the Wellcome Collection’s Death: A Self-Portrait. Read more about this curiously fascinating exhibition in ShopCurious’s latest Curious Trends post – and have your say in our discussion on objects of death at The Dabbler. 

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