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.

Will you?

Halloween curiosities in San Francisco

I’ve never seen so many skeletons and so much spooky stuff as on my recent visit to San Francisco. The lengths people have gone to in decorating their homes and shops for Halloween is most impressive, let alone some of the outfits I saw  - like this frightening fellow at Fisherman’s Wharf (above).

Cobwebs and coffins are in abundance, along with spiders and other creepy crawlies. Mendel’s Far Out Fabrics and Art Supplies shop encourages visitors to make their own costumes – with some curious examples on show (below).

ShopCurious might have expected to see skulls and bones in the window of Haight Street curiosity shop, Loved to Death...

... but not inside Sausalito pilot houses.

By the way, Sonoma’s Sebastiani Theatre is showing a Witchy Poo Halloween Extraganza this weekend, which promises to be curiously camp as well as creepy.  If you’re in the area, do check it out.

Will you?

PS For a tourist trip that will seriously spook you out: ShopCurious visits Alcatraz in our latest post at The Dabbler.

Supersize staging for Superstar...

The thought of spending Saturday night at London’s O2 Arena seeing a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at London’s O2 Arena didn’t exactly fill me with joy. But I was pleasantly surprised by the updated version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s world famous ‘70s musical. The grungy costumes weren’t particularly noteworthy, but the reworking of the show is inspired, set as it is in modern day Britain at the time of the riots – and featuring graffiti-daubed flyovers, CCTV cameras and what look to be the steps of St Paul’s.

The original music was belted out at a decibel level high enough to force our host to wear earplugs. The only respite was when Mel C (as Mary Magdalene) sang I Don’t Know How To Love Him. Tim Minchin, as Judas Iscariot, has a monumental stage presence and Ben Forster plays JC like a seasoned pro - though Alex Hanson, as Pontius Pilate, has the gravitas of someone in rather a different league. In any case, it was Chris Moyles, as gaudily dressed game show host King Herod, whose character, singing voice and red suit stole the show.

At the time of writing there are still tickets available for Wembley Arena on Wednesday 17^th October, plus the production is also touring the UK. If you don’t get a chance to catch it, see ShopCurious’s video of the show’s final moments here:

Will you?

The London buzz...

I’ve been such a busy bee with work this week, though I managed to fit in a few fun things. The other day I went to see a curiously named musical comedy at the Donmar Warehouse. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was originally produced on Broadway. It involves audience participation and is hilariously funny, as well as being rather odd. The characters are decidedly quirky in a way that forces you to consider your own eccentricities.

The costumes in the show are retro American preppy style and reflect the uniqueness of each of the performers. Individuality is something ShopCurious will be looking out for today at London Fashion Week. Is London still buzzing with creativity?

I’m curious to find out if, in this economic environment, London fashions have become more conventional and commercial, and less cutting-edge.

Are you?

Retro showbiz style

Talking of drugs, this has to be the most stylish 'no smoking' sign I’ve ever seen, as photographed at the amazing Sands Films studio in London’s Rotherhithe – a hidden gem of a place that’s full of quirky curiosities and old fashioned charm.

Though Harry Potter (and associated film studios) have been in the news recently, you may not have heard of Sands, which incidentally, makes the costumes for the Tales of Beatrix Potter ballet productions (see below). The incredible thing about Sands is that they’re well and truly entrenched in the past in terms of their approach and methodology, yet they still produce top-rated films.



Anyone who appreciates or collects vintage clothing simply has to visit the huge period costume hire department. There are also all manner of accessories, including hats, umbrellas, masks, gloves, fans and corsets. And there's an extraordinary photographic library. Anyway, you can read more about Sands Films (and see more fabulous photos) in today’s Curious Trends article.











Staying with the showbiz theme, we’ve a rather nice book of old movie star photos at ShopCurious. Film star portraits of the fifties includes glamorous photographs of Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Gregory Peck, Marlene Dietrich, Doris Day, Elizabeth Taylor and many others. Might serve as a suitably starry Christmas gift for one of your parents, perhaps? Or maybe you have your own collection of movie star memorabilia?








Finally, more showbiz style over at The Dabbler, where the English rugby team is given a curiously French fashion make-over. Do check out their new outfits and let me know what you think.

Will you?

Fashion's golden age of theatrical excess

In recent decades we’ve experienced a resurgence of arty excess in the fashion world, and can probably all admit to the occasional theatrical indulgence when it comes to dressing up for an evening out. I hope, amidst everything you’re up of a day or an evening, you get a chance to visit the ‘Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes’ exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Living the crazy life us Londoners do, I barely had time to whiz around the rooms – and this exhibition seems larger than most, with an awful lot to see. I’m not going to talk about the collections here, as they’ve been widely reviewed elsewhere - and there’s plenty of background information on the V and A’s own website. But I’d just like to point out a few things I noticed:



Firstly, the curator of the exhibition, Jane Pritchard seems to use the word ‘curious’ an awful lot. Perhaps she picked this up from Serge Diaghilev (variously known as a charlatan, devil, director, dictator, sorcerer, charmer and impresario) who believed himself to be much like the King of Spain,“I do nothing, but I’m indispensable, curious and elusive.”

Secondly, never mind the dancers, the creativity behind the scenes is responsible for the bulk of what’s on show here. Take the extraordinarily large and stunning backcloth for the 1926 production of the Firebird, for instance, which is said to be the largest single object currently on display at the V and A.



 


Thirdly, what this event showcases best is an amazing collection of costumes and illustrations for costume, advertising and set design by a whole host of world renowned artists and designers - including Matisse, Picasso, Bakst, Cocteau, Berard, Miro, Braque, Dali, de Chirico and even Chanel.

And, if that hasn’t whetted your appetite, here are few of the arty pieces currently on offer at ShopCurious, which bear more than a passing resemblance to some of the musuem's unique exhibits:

The collectable vintage silk kaftan coat above reminds me of the trousers worn by the Polovtsian Warriors in Prince Igor, as well as the costume worn by the Chief.




This embroidered Chinese silk dressing gown is vaguely reminiscent of Pablo Picasso’s costume for the Chinese Conjuror from Parade, which is apparently the most expensive costume ever purchased by the museum. There's also a costume for a Mandarin, that looks a little like another of our jackets.

I adore the stunningly simple, but very arty design by de Chirico (shown at the top of this post), which is slightly similar in style to our hand painted, swishy-skirted number. Of course, there are plenty of jewel embellished ballet tights too, just like the fancy pairs you’ll find on our website. And we haven’t even got on to the jewellery and headwear yet, but I’ll have to leave those for later…




It's possible to lose yourself in ballet's fantasy world at this exhibition, but don't get too carried away - I have a feeling that fashion’s golden age of excess may soon be coming to an end...

Do you?

Earth, wind, fire and water (part II)

After my amazing trip down the river to reach the O2 Arena (see previous post), I didn’t think things could get much better. But I’d never experienced Earth, Wind and Fire live before.  I don’t really know too much about the band, except that they’re awesome musicians –  Daryl Easlea rightly describes their first album, That’s the Way of the World, as a ‘spiritual soul masterpiece’.

Oh, and they wear fabulous ‘70s style disco costumes. Or at least they used to. I found a few pictures of the group from the late 1970s and early ‘80s, when their look was a sort of tribal fusion – mixing funky African and American Indian influences with the Elvis-style flare-legged jumpsuit look (we’ve some similar vintage flares at ShopCurious).

Then I stumbled upon a breakfast television interview with members of the band, where they’re looking decidedly conventional. In fact, Ralph Johnson is actually wearing a suit!

I also recall a very curious piece of information relating to the band… When I was at university, one of my fellow students visited her doctor complaining of feeling depressed. He didn’t prescribe any drugs, but suggested that she should listen to as much of Earth, Wind and Fire's music as possible.

You may not be as devoted a groupie fan as I am, but I thought the concert was awesome. Here are some clips. The first video is of supporting band, The Brand New Heavies, who were pretty damned good too. After a while, my hands got a little shaky from holding the camera above my head for so long. But it’s worth persisting with the second clip to hear Philip Bailey and a curiously cool sax solo.

Anyway, if you were feeling a bit down, I hope you’re now a little more uplifted?

Are you?

Quite contrary: Curious gardens and bustles

Bustles are curiously unique fashion features. You don’t see many these days, except at weddings, or occasionally as costumes in Victorian and Edwardian period dramas, or gothic horror films. However, the other day I was driving down the North End Road in London’s Fulham, when I spotted a young woman, with a pushchair, wearing a full length skirt with a large bustle. The immediate thought that came to mind was that she must be a fashion designer, or perhaps this is a curious new trend?










Bustles have appeared on catwalks over the past couple of decades – notably from the likes of Vivienne Westwood – but unless worn for a grand occasion, or by those with a penchant for neo-Victorian Steampunk style, they’ve been seen as little more than an avant garde stylistic diversion. Recently, more mainstream, toned down versions of the bustle have been popular sellers at outlets like All Saints and online, at ASOS.



They’re probably not so great for gardening in, but I wonder if we’ll start seeing the full length, Victorian style bustle skirt walking down the high street soon...

Do you?

Preserving fashion forever

On the eve of the Grace Kelly exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, I thought it might be nice to take a look behind the scenes. It’s amazing that so many of the style icon’s clothes and accessories are still in such fabulous condition. A few, including the 1955 Oleg Cassini designed dress shown on the exhibition poster and book cover (see right), are no longer in existence. However, Jenny Lister, the exhibition’s curator, was given a choice from around 300 stunning dresses, largely because Princess Grace’s clothes were so well cared for and looked after at the Palace of Monaco.








In the interests of gleaning some hot tips on how to keep the ShopCurious stock in pristine condition, I was especially curious to know where and how the V and A’s highly prized antique costumes and vintage clothing are preserved for posterity. Rather like a big hotel, department store or hospital, a large part of any museum will never be seen by the general public. If you ever get the opportunity, it’s fascinating to explore the enormous back rooms, where so many of a museum's treasures are housed and maintained.



Getting into the costume stores at the V and A is rather like entering Fort Knox. Apart from the security procedures, there are also strict rules about how one should dress and what can be taken inside the temperature controlled rooms. Opportunities to handle the garments are restricted to key personnel, who must wear latex gloves at all times.






In the past, fashion has been kept at the museum mainly as a record of dress style through the ages. Historically, collecting art and antiques has been a predominantly male pastime - anything to do with vintage clothing was considered somewhat lightweight in comparison. In the 1950s and ‘60s, movie costumes weren’t thought to be that valuable and were often recycled, or purchased by stars, such as Grace Kelly, after filming was over. It’s only in recent decades that items of vintage clothing have become valuable collectors’ items in their own right – and film studios are scrambling to buy back the costumes they created decades ago.






For fashion pieces to be collectable, it’s essential they’re in the best possible, ideally mint, condition. The problem is that most fabrics are perishable and affected by wear and tear over the years – as well as being prone to attack by moths and beetles. For these reasons, all of the V and A fashion department’s items are kept in purpose built fridges, each numbered and marked up with details of their precious contents.


However, some garments, like this 1960s Mondrian inspired PVC dress by Stephen Willats, are probably less appealing to pests than others.

All potential exhibits are catalogued, (some more scientifically than others), for quick and easy retrieval, when necessary. Here you will find everything from Vionnet to Vivienne Westwood:

There are rare Fortuny dresses, beautifully made and embellished clothing and accessories from the likes of Schiaparelli, Dior and Balenciaga, curious retro creations by designers such as Mary Quant and Mr Fish - and extravagant celebrity gowns, like the Elizabethan sleeved, Liberty print Bill Gibb dress worn by Sandie Shaw (see below).


































Upon death, most people’s old clothes are taken to charity shops, sold at auction or distributed amongst family members to be worn, or kept as heirlooms for future generations.





It’s great if clothing can be recycled and given new life in this way, but if you want your cherished vintage collection to be well looked after when you die, you might consider leaving it to the Victoria and Albert Museum.










I can’t guarantee you’ll be immortalized like Grace Kelly, but at least you’ll know your clothes will far outlive you.

Will you?

The (curiously hot) dance of love

I’m saddened by the media’s absurd obsession with weight. I know there’s a growing problem of obesity in the 'developed' world, but there also seem to be a lot more people with eating disorders, or just plain unhappy with their size and shape. Having been through the whole dieting thing - transforming myself, within the space of a few years, from a painfully plump teenager to a bag of bones, I can confirm that being unnaturally thin didn’t make me any happier... In fact, controlling my eating habits made for an anti-social, miserable way of life.

I subsequently discovered a much more enjoyable way of maintaining a realistic and healthy weight: exercise. Always one to try something new, I’ve experimented with all manner of work-out classes – from Jane Fonda style high impact aerobics, to gymnastique aquatique, Bikram yoga and pole dancing (after which my legs were black and blue with bruises).






In the course of my love affair with energetic pursuits, I’ve shadow-boxed with WBA World Heavyweight Champion, David Haye, and qualified as a Body Attack aerobics instructor. A few years ago, I even joined The London School of Samba, dancing maniacally for seven hours non-stop at the Notting Hill Carnival, dressed as a giant butterfly.






The best thing about dancing is that it’s a really fun way to burn calories. The other day, my curiosity aroused by some of the strangest promotional material I’ve ever seen, (see left and below), I simply had to try out the latest craze at my local gym. The new Zumba class is a mixture of various types of dance - including salsa, samba, meringue, calypso and jive.







I’m used to jumping around, but this proved to be a much hotter form of exercise than I’d anticipated, though a lot more entertaining too – in fact, most participants found themselves grinning from ear to ear throughout the class. It’s great exercise for the waist (a tricky area to shapen up, that often gets overlooked in the gym), and is totally exhausting. I can guarantee you’ll ache all over the following day.






By the way, if your partner loves to dance, how about these curiously kitsch retro pictures of exotic dancers in harem pants from ShopCurious, as an unusual gift for Valentine’s Day? They remind me a little of the Ballets Russes costumes – like the ones designed by Leon Bakst for Michel Fokine's Schéhérazade.








This illustration, by Georges Barbier in1913 (from the V&A London), shows a member of a harem being caressed by a black slave. In the early 19th century, fashion was still heavily influenced by lavish theatrical productions, often based on Russian folklore/Oriental themes. These occasions were an opportunity to see scantily dressed women on stage, at a time when the difference between chorus girls and ballet dancers wasn’t very well defined.

Which reminds me of another enjoyably heated activity I’ve tactfully avoided mentioning …

I’m curious to know what you’re thinking of.

Are you?