ciné(screen): party girl

Cyd Charisse as Vicki Gaye in Party Girl

Party Girl is a 1958 film noir directed by Nicholas Ray, starring Robert Taylor and Cyd Charisse. Last week I watched this movie and caught a glimpse of the red dress above - immediately thought about Hilary Swank's Guy Laroche dress she wore to the 2005 Oscars. I loved that dress so much. In fact, I wanted to base my wedding dress on it, but that's another story.

ciné(screen): savile row

The bespoke spell. That is the underlying theme of this three part documentary. Savile Row chronicles the present day state of the famed Mayfair street,

Its craftsmen and women are aging — the average tailor on the Row is 55 — and international merchandisers are entering the marketplace.  Documentarian Ian Denyer explores Savile Row’s illustrious tradition and how it is adjusting to the challenges of the 21st century.

During the three episodes, viewers see tailors' reactions as retailer Abercrombie & Fitch opens an outlet on the Row, the tailors' efforts to promote the Row tradition to customers abroad and fledgling apprentice tailors compete for the profession’s top award. As I watched, it was easy to be sentimental about an era, in some cases even more so than some of the tailors. For example, we accompany one digging around in a basement, going through the records of every single customer that has ever walked through its doors - figuratively. He is looking for the records of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie de Montijo, which have been misplaced; recorded either under 'M' for Montijo or 'E' for Empress - even though 'E' doesn't make sense, since there "has been so many of them." The correct book is finally found in an dusty old cupboard with a radiator, chair and other retired equipment blocking the sticky doors.

I guess it is hard to get worked up about every single famous client when there have been so many, but there is something about having those records in a boiler room and not in some climate-controlled display cabinet. I am still waiting for someone to put on white gloves before flipping through the pages. The Row has such a rich tradition of tailoring that hasn't changed that much since the 1800s. However, as a 'brand' Savile Row has failed to keep up with the times and there is its catch-22. The introductory question:

      "Can the tailors get brand savvy without selling their souls?"      

from thestylemusings.com

photo cred: sundance channel

ciné(screen): ralph rucci - a designer and his house

Ralph Rucci: A Designer and His House documents the creation of Rucci's Spring 2008 ready-to-wear and Fall 2008 couture lines "delivering glimpses of Rucci's work ethic while capturing the generous, deeply collaborative creative process between the designer and his trusted team." For those unfamiliar with Rucci, he has been designing for over 25 years and launched Chado Ralph Rucci in 1994. In 2002, he was invited to show his collection in Paris by the French Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture — the first American to receive such an invitation since Mainbocher in the 1930s. Chado Ralph Rucci garments are known for the precision of their construction, their sculptural look, and the innovative use of fabrics.

I love watching "behind-the-scenes" documentaries of veteran designers. There is always this sense of calmness and urgency, which is hard to attain. As much as I love Project Runway, I can't help but get caught up in their anxieties. It is refreshing to watch someone who is established and still humble regarding their work. For example, there is point in the film when he is describing why his label is called Chado Ralph Rucci and not just Ralph Rucci. His reasoning is that if it just read his name, then it would not accurately reflect all the work that went into the creation of a garment — a whole group of people would be left out since it's not just him responsible for the final collection.

One of my favorite scenes is when he is shows the viewer one of his weightless dresses made of lace, tulle and chiffon all covered with ostrich and vulture feathers. He pauses a moment after saying "vulture," calls one of his assistants over to make sure that they are not using the word vulture on the carnet, which are customs documents, and then kind of trails off to why not. Kind of sketchy but I love him so I will not judge plus a designer who is thinking about customs procedures? I'm all over that. Right after, he is so tickled to mention that there are women who actually buy these dresses. Real women, well as "real" as you can be with a collection of couture garments. He says its fascinating because people are writing checks for them to go to private homes instead of red carpets and he is genuinely proud of that.

from thestylemusings.com

photo cred: bryan bedder/getty images

société(haps): coco after dark

Coco Before Chanel chronicles the life of Coco Chanel from her early years at the orphanage and at the cabaret where she worked as a singer, to Chanel’s volatile romances and success as a designer. The film also weaves in the origins of her different signature looks --  peter pan collars,  jersey fabrics and mens' shirts. Audrey Tautou gives a powerful performance as Chanel and reminds us that there was actually a very real person, with her own faults and triumphs behind the brand that we know today.

I went to a screening of Coco Before Chanel hosted by Blvd., which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. The night was even more enjoyable with food, cocktails, music and a trunk show of vintage Chanel. On a personal note, I was featured in the Street Chic Vlog, which documented all the fashionistas in attendance and their Chanel addictions. Watch below,

from thestylemusings.com

ciné(screen): miss pettigrew lives for a day

I am slowly discovering why people just elope or go to the courthouse. In a moment of de-stressing, I decided to watch a movie and that movie was Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. It was actually a really cute movie and I even got a little inspiration. Plus halfway through I realized that Ned from Pushing Daisies,  was one of Miss. Lafosse's suitors. Love that show. Anywho, the movie takes place in 1939 right before the start of WWII. With most movies during this time frame, they are a little dark just because of this moment in history; this one however was bright, colorful, and the sets were amazing. I found myself focusing in a the random clock in the background or the detailing etched into a door. Sarah Greenwood is the production designer responsible for stuffing so much glamour onto one screen. It is no surprise that she also worked as production designer for Atonement, Pride & Prejudice and the upcoming Sherlock Holmes - which comes out this Christmas.

from thestylemusings.com

ciné(screen): inglourious basterds

After seeing Inglourious Basterds with my fiancé, he told me that he could tell I really liked it because it actually kept my attention throughout. You see, usually when we go to a movie I start squirming at about the hour and a half marker. It is really hard to keep my attention for an extended amount of time, so if I can sit still for almost two hours, we are good. Other than the overall plot and acting - which were amazing - I loved the costumes. I am particularly drawn to historical pieces and this one was not the exception. I got tickled when I saw Julie Dreyfus in the scene with that tiger on her head. It is so ridiculous, yet it works for some insane reason.

However, I want Mélanie Laurent's entire wardrobe. For most of the movie, she had on very masculine outfits that really stood out from the rest of the women, but that is what I liked about it. But then when she switched it up to bombshell, she pulled that off too. In all, she made me want to buy a ticket to Paris, find a cafe to hole up in with my book and red wine.

And not to be left out from the trio of women, Diane Kruger played a German movie star and most definitely dressed the part, which unfortunately was part of her downfall.

from thestylemusings.com

photo cred: imdb

ciné(screen): the september issue

The September Issue, the documentary from director R.J. Cutler about the making of Vogue's 2008 September issue, opens today in New York. It is aptly named and follows the September issue because it heralds in fall for the fashion masses and it is the thickest, most fashion-y issue of the year. This rule applies for other September issues of fashion magazines, but Vogue just happens to be renowned for breaking the backs of mailmen worldwide.


If you're not in NYC, it will debut in selected cities on September 11 just in time for Fashion Week. If you are still unlucky, A&E has the television rights so hold out for it to make an appearance on the small screen. Fingers crossed. Until then check out the trailer.

NYC Theaters
AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13: 1998 Broadway
City Cinemas 1,2,3: 1001 3rd Avenue
AMC Empire 25: 234 West 42nd Street
CLEARVIEW Chelsea 9: 260 West 23rd Street
Landmark's Sunshine Cinema: 143 East Houston Street

from thestylemusings.com

ciné(screen): alice in wonderland

oh dear. I've meaning to post these and found them as I was cleaning my folder. They are from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland to be released next year. I am so excited to see this movie.

from thestylemusings.com

photo cred: walt disney pictures

ciné(screen): star trek

I saw star trek yesterday. It was amazing. And, I think I have a crush on Spock. Like I am ready to join the Starfleet Academy right now kind of crush. Is that weird?

from thestylemusings.com

ciné(screen): coco chanel

Lifetime debut the Coco Chanel movie last Saturday, which is about the 'rags-to-riches'life of Chanel. If you missed it, it is available on iTunes (plus, that way it is only a little over two hours sans commercials).

The film opens in 1954, the year that Chanel staged her comeback into fashion after a self-imposed exile. It is both sad and shocking to see the reaction of her audience. I love historical pieces, but they are always bittersweet. You already know how it is going to end and if the producers stay true to the story, there are always moments where you truly wish you could change history.


The film jumps back and forth to her present and past. I enjoyed seeing the details of her life play out, that are usually only a sentence in a written bio. You see the interaction between Chanel and rival designer Paul Poiret, her love affairs, her overall strong will and sadly her disappointments. Even though Shirley MacLaine gets top billing, I felt that Barbora Bobulova did an amazing job too, playing a young Coco. Definitely worth a watch.

from thestylemusings.com

photo cred: lifetime

ciné(screen): gaslight

As you know I love old movies. I love the history and more importantly the costumes. The only thing that usually bothers me are the dynamics between men and woman....erg, I get so frustrated when the men boss the women around. Their word is final and that is it. Never I healthy compromise.

With that said, I watched Gaslight (1944) tonight starring Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotten and a very young (19) Angela Lansbury (yes, Murder, She Wrote) as a very flirty maid. The movie is about how newlywed Bergman thinks she is going crazy after moving back into her murdered aunt's house. Her husband, Boyer, is actually behind her "insanity" and everytime I watch it,  I just wanted her to stand up for herself.

Gaslight was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress for Ingrid Bergman (win), Best Actor for Boyer (so should of won, based on his facial expressions alone), and Best Supporting Actress for Angela Lansbury.

"Gaslighting" is actually a form of psychological abuse and basically means that a person drives you crazy by denying what is obviously logical or always putting the blame on you. Interesting, right?

from thestylemusings.com

photo cred: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc

ciné(screen): fashion week sundance style

qui êtes-vous, polly maggoo?

Set your DVRs....This week is a going to be a huge fashion week....on the Sundance Channel. To correspond with Fashion Week, Sundance has a fashion lineup that is sure to turn you into a couch potato.


HOUSE OF BOATENG
Savile Row tailor and British design sensation Ozwald Boateng revolutionized the perception of menswear in Europe with his unique blend of traditional elegance and cutting-edge modernity. Now he's set his sights across the Atlantic. House of Boateng follows the fashion legend in an eight-episode documentary series as he launches his Bespoke Couture line in America. Go behind the scenes for the high-stakes launch of a high-end fashion brand that's anything but a sure thing.

WHO ARE YOU POLLY MAGGOO?
Influential expatriate American photographer William Klein worked for Vogue magazine from 1955 to 1965. When he made his debut feature film in 1966, he served up a caustic satire of worlds he knew intimately: high fashion and the media. Dorothy McGowan plays the titular Polly Maggoo, the latest supermodel of the Twiggy era, who is the subject of a TV documentary by a French journalist (Jean Rochefort). Cult actress Grayson Hall (“Dark Shadows”) costars as an American publisher, a character rumored to be closely based on Diana Vreeland.

*SIGNE CHANEL
Filmmaker Loïc Prigent’s fascinating, witty and infectiously joyous look within a leading fashion house focuses on the evolution of Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2004-2005 collection. From Karl Lagerfeld’s initial sketches and their first interpretation by veteran seamstresses to the climactic show as the models strut the catwalk, Signé Chanel presents a loving depiction of an enclosed, esoteric world.

MARC JACOBS & LOUIS VUITTON
Bringing the same intimate insight into the fashion world as his previous acclaimed documentary series SIGNE CHANEL, filmmaker Loïc Prigent focus on Marc Jacobs, called the most influential designer of his generation. This witty portrait follows Jacobs as he balances roles as artistic director of venerable French house Louis Vuitton and his own eponymous American line, in meetings, preparing collections and at high-profile shows. With Naomi Campbell, Sophia Coppola and Uma Thurman. "Artfully told with humor and panache" -- Vogue.

SEAMLESS
Overshadowed by the glamour and hype is the sobering fact that making it in the fashion industry is incredibly difficult. Concerned as to where the next generation of visionary designers will come from, a group of industry insiders established a mentoring prize competition for young designers. Filmmaker Douglas Keeve (UNZIPPED) follows four of the most promising finalists, who range from the shy daughter of dry-cleaner to a charming couple who sold their work to a major retailer while they were still in school.

**KARL LAGERFELD IS NEVER HAPPY ANYWAY
Designer Karl Lagerfeld, the man who defined high fashion at Chanel, Chloé and Fendi during the 1980s and 1990s, continues to be a major influence on international taste and style. Known for his bold and witty creations, Lagerfeld mixes the chic and the sensual to produce clothing with “intellectual sexiness.” German documentary filmmaker Gero von Boehm’s career profile and lively interviews present a creative snapshot, capturing of one of the last kings of the fashion world working tirelessly at what he loves.

YVES ST. LAURENT: 5 AVENUE MARCEAU 75116 PARIS
In this companion piece to his biographical profile YVES ST. LAURENT: TIME REGAINED, filmmaker David Teboul peers behind the doors of one of the world's leading fashion houses. As he prepared his last women's collection in 2001, St. Laurent allowed cameras to observe the evolution of his vision for the first time. During roughly eight weeks, St. Laurent's simple black-and-white drawings are transformed through many iterations into glorious, colorful reality. A rare and revealingly intimate glimpse of the creative process in action.

***UNFOLDING FLORENCE
While Australian filmmaker Gillian Armstrong is celebrated for dramatic features such as MY BRILLIANT CAREER and OSCAR AND LUCINDA, she has also concurrently created a notable body of documentary films. Here she delves into the fascinating enigma of flamboyant designer Florence Broadhurst, renowned for her colorful and inventive wallpaper patterns, who was found murdered in 1977. What Armstrong reveals in this innovative and spirited life examination is the story of a mysterious woman of many faces who was endlessly reinventing herself.


I am most excited to see Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton because it is the only one that I haven't seen, but heard a lot about. Let me know if you happen to catch any of these!

from thestylemusings.com

For the complete schedule, click here or here.
*Click here to see my post about Signe Chanel.
**Click here to see my post about Karl Lagerfeld is Never Happy Anyway
***Click here to see my post about Unfolding Florence

design(mode): best film costume of all time

[1] Knightley's green dress from the movie Atonement, designed by Jacqueline Durran

Sky Movies and InStyle magazine conducted a survey for the "Best Film Costume Of All Time" and Keira Knightley's green dress from the movie Atonement won.  I agree that it is a pretty great dress, and it has become 'that green dress,' but I am very hard pressed to commit to the OF ALL TIME part. It is the most recent on the list, plus I am curious as to if the people surveyed were given a list of options or asked to name their favorite? What people? Film companies involved? Why am I so naturally sceptical of everything?

Sky Movies director Ian Lewis said: "There's no doubt that Keira Knightley's dress in Atonement created a massive stir this year, so it will be interesting to see whether it attains this iconic status in years to come." Very interesting. Here's the rest of the list with pictures and a bit about how the green dress became the green dress.

[2] Marilyn Monroe's white dress in The Seven Year Itch

[3] Audrey Hepburn's black Givenchy dress in Breakfast At Tiffany's

[4] Olivia Newton-John's skin-tight pants in Grease

[5] Kate Winslet's blue gown from Titanic

[6] Diane Keaton's tie and waistcoat in Annie Hall

[7] Nicole Kidman's corset in Moulin Rouge

[8] Liza Minnelli's fishnets and bowler hat in Cabaret

[9] Cate Blanchett's gown in Elizabeth: The Golden Age

[10] Vivien Leigh's costumes in Gone With The Wind

Here's an excerpt from the New York Post about the origin of the green dress:

The film's costume designer, Jacqueline Durran - who designed the dress after studying documentary and fashion photography from the 1930s - and Ivana Primorac, the film's hair and make-up artist, say that director Joe Wright dictated everything about the costume: the color, the cut, the silhouette, the amount of movement it should have.


“Joe said the dress had to be green," says Durran, though, she adds, “we really didn't know why."


To attain the deeply saturated emerald hue Wright envisioned, Durran sourced three different sheer fabrics, all varying shades of green, then layered them, creating a color she otherwise could not find. Wright had the improvised swatch sent to a dye specialist, who, Durran says, “created the perfect green."


“Joe is very, very particular; he has a lot of style and a good eye," says Primorac. “He knows more about fabric than anyone I've ever met."


As for the rest of the costume (which looks deceptively minimal but is composed of tiny, artful details): The dress is backless, Durran says, “because Joe knew he wanted to shoot Keira from behind, so the drama in the dress had to come from the back." The tiny, laser-cut perforations in the bodice were about “taking away, rather than adding on," she says, to serve the period's minimalism. To create the fluidity of movement Wright required, Durran created a bias-cut bodice and a straight-cut skirt, then improvised a wrap around the waist. “Just a design element, a nice detail," she says.


The result is a costume that is aspirational, both aesthetically and emotionally. It's the way a young girl, who is not yet as sophisticated and worldly as she wishes to be, would want to look in 1939 as well as in 2007. (Wright also directed Knightley's TV ads for Chanel Mademoiselle, which share the exact same visual language as this 20-minute stretch in “Atonement.")


“We wanted the look to be authentic, but to have a freshness, to appeal to the modern eye," says Durran. “I'm very pleased if it's striking a chord. That's what we were trying to do with that dress."

from thestylemusings.com

ciné(screen): unfolding florence

"Unfolding Florence: The Many Lives of Florence Broadhurst" is a docu-drama based on the life of Florence Broadhurst. I would describe Broadhurst as the Australian CoCo Chanel in the sense that she kept re-inventing herself to stay on top. She made up her own storied background, which included her being British, a close friend of the Queen Mother and a memeber of a wealthy cattle family from Queensland.



The film goes from her birth to her murder in 1977, reading from her personal letters and with interviews from family, friends and others who knew and worked with her. She was this amazing, feisty, determined, sometimes unethical woman who toured the world in the 1920s singing, then opened her own boutique in London in 30s,  became a painter in the 50s and a wallpaper designer & socialite in the 60s. Overall, the film has a dark comedy feel and disbelief of what this woman thought she could (and did) get away with.

Even though I would probably be a little scared if I had to cross her path, I was drawn into how she was so whimsical about life. A couple of her quotes:

“Women always thrive when thrown up on their own resources”

“Dull colors make me a dull person”

“I’d always been told that I was born before my time. Oh, surely to God the times can just catch up.”

Today her designs are making a revival through Signature Prints and fashion designer Akira Isogawa.

from thestylemusings.com

photo cred: abc.net.au

ciné(screen): signé chanel

Signé Chanel is a five-part series by filmmaker Loïc Prigent, documenting the evolution of Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2004-2005 collection. It is kind of a slow watch, but if you are truly interested with the history and behind the scenes stories of a chanel haute collection = brilliant. Surprisingly, there is not a lot of Karl (just enough). The series focuses more on the seamstresses that actually make the clothing, by hand of course - all having this subtle french humour and calm. I caught it on Sundance, but a wonderful person has loaded all the episodes on You Tube for you to enjoy at your own leisure. Also, if you want to check out the french site, click here.

from thestylemusings.com

photo cred: arte video

ciné(screen): the awful truth

The Awful Truth is a 1937 screwball comedy starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. Dunne and Grant play a soon-to-be-divorced couple, who jealously take turns trying to ruin either others chance of finding another partner. The above picture is a still of when Dunne makes her first appearance in the film. The dress is a beautiful sparkling floor length gown, unfortunately I cannot tell what color it is though since it is a B&W movie...


She walks in with her French voice teacher after having car troubles and spending the night out with him. If I gave my boyfriend that excuse, in that dress he would look at me like that too....

If you are a Cary Grant fan, this movie is the first to show his comedic persona that he is known for. Dunne has some other pretty interesting ensembles...watch out for very interesting feather hat - Isabella Blow style.

from thestylemusings.com

ciné(screen): karl lagerfeld is never happy anyway

Made in 2000 and a little less than an hour long, Karl Lagerfeld is Never Happy Anyway is a documentary directed by German filmmaker Gero von Boehm. The film is a behind-the-scenes view of Lagerfeld's life during fittings, sketching and his overall perspective of life and society - expressed during  interviews with Lagerfeld chopped in throughout.

It is by no means a mega insider's view or gossip riddled; plus, with most of the dialogue in German (there are subtitles) you do have to pay attention. I appreciated that during the fittings the focus was not so much of the critiquing of the models, but the work that is going on to create the show. At the fittings,  I loved how there are three or more different languages spoken on top of each other at any given time and then there is André Leon Talley weaving from English to French back to English and so on without missing a beat.

Karl Lagerfeld is a man of extremes and excess but certainly has an interesting drive,

    "Why do I have this drive?  
    Because the good moments scare me even more, than the bad ones do.  
  You can fight your way out of the bad ones.
    But fighting is not enough to hold on to the good ones...
     Reminds me of Marcuse – He said that happiness and a comfortable life are indecent."  
    -Karl Lagerfeld     

from thestylemusings.com