Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 - V&A Exhibition (London)

 

What started out as a short blog hiatus, somehow managed to turn into a very long break. All of which I blame on work, other commitments and the fact that fashion in the last few months has left me slightly uninspired. But having dragged my friend T to the V&A Ballgowns exhibition last week, I thought it would be a nice way to revive Haute World for a bit (though bear with me - updates may still be somewhat sporadic).

Having first perused the reopened fashion galleries, which I'd highly recommend - especially considering it's free - T and I began our cultural journey on the ground floor of the exhibit. Split into two parts, this area showcased the ballgowns since 1950, while the upper level featured the more contemporary dresses. Throughout the visit, various dresses from the exhibit could be seen projected on the ceiling of the dome above.

Not surprisingly, the most striking gowns were the ones from past eras - back when formal attire was only the norm for private events and handmade for a particular client. Wearers ranged from royalty to debutantes with every outfit immaculately made and beautiful to behold. Through time, private functions evolved to the more public charity balls - and in recent years: red-carpet events.

Ballgowns since 1950

Top: Mary Donan, Yuki, Matthew Williamson and Belville Sassoon, left: Victor Edelstein, Bruce Oldfield (made for Bianca Jagger) and Murray Arbeid worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, right: Hardy Amies.

Designed for the ball: David Emanuel, Worth of London, Norman Hartnell

Rayne Shoes. Gowns and accessories by Dior

Radical Robes 1990-2012, including gowns by Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and, Zandra Rhodes

Left: Alexander McQueen dress from his last collection. Right: 'Elvis Dress' by Catherin Walker created for Diane, Princess of Wales

The biggest contrast, once you reached the upper level was that despite the beauty of the dresses, grouped together in three clusters, there seemed to be a personal touch missing. As everyone knows, these days evening dresses are worn on the red carpet for a mere few hours, chosen by a stylist and lent to a celebrity, who's body shape was never the intended target of the designer. Unlike the lower level, which featured gowns that were actually purchased by their wearers and lovingly stored for future generations, it seems an awful shame that most gowns these days are passed from one celeb to another before ending back in a designer's showroom. 

Contemporary Ballgowns

Overview of one of the upper level displays. Right: Alexander McQueen feathered gown as worn by Daphne Guinness.

Left: Craig Lawrence, Christopher Kane, Ralph & Russo (as worn by Beyonce). Right: Vivienne Westwood.

Craig Lawrence, Jenny Packham (as worn by Sandra Bullock) and Gareth Pugh's metallic gown made of leather.

Giles Deacon, Nicholas Oakwell

Amanda Wakely, Holly Fulton

Roksanda Illincic

Left: Marchesa. Right: Mark Fast, John Galliano, Felicity Brown

Erdem, Mary Katrantzou

Nevertheless, the exhibition made a good point of showing that even contemporary British fashion houses like Alexander McQueen or Vivienne Westwood have successfully bridged the gap between the red carpet and traditional royal functions. With Britain being a focus of pretty much everything these days, this exhibition is definitely worth a visit and will thankfully be open for quite a while longer. If you're in London around this time, I'd definitley urge you to check it out - especially considering the images I took don't really do the gowns much justice...

Additional images shown above are the copyright of the V&A,  Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Wild Swans (London, UK)

First off, apologies for the long hiatus from Haute World. A combination of my recent trip to Chicago and NYC, as well as a new day job have kept me from posting as frequently as I would have liked and I'm afraid future updates will most likely be sporadic as well. If you do want to catch up with my travels and window shopping adventures, I would suggest also following me on Twitter and/or Instagram, where I still plan to post more regular updates on anything interesting I may find.

One treasure I still really want to share with you all is a boutique I visited right before I left for the States. Thanks to the lovely Dena who organized the event, a few of us got a chance to browse the beautiful Wild Swans (located in Islington) one evening, while sipping champagne and munching some very decadent cupcakes. Founded by Caroline van Luthje, who opened the first Wild Swans store in Chiswick five years ago, the aim was to give shoppers the opportunity to source some of the best Scandinavian brands - something she had missed since moving from her native Denmark to the British capital.

The boutique reflects the calm softness Scandinavian fashion is usually associated with and everything you find here will have been carefully handpicked and lovingly displayed. Brands stocked range from the more famous offerings such as By Malene Birger and Jofama to more independent designers, including Hanne Bloch and Rabens Saloner. As winter is approaching, the racks were appropriately filled with comfy soft knits and leather jackets. Like most of the girls present, I fell in love with a very flattering pair of leather leggings and a few delicate blouses. Just as tempting: the suede ankle boots, chunky scarves and contemporary jewelry from labels such as Bjorg.

As the images will hopefully convey, you'll immediately feel right at home once you enter the boutique space. Being a bit of a fan of unique decor, I appreciated the glass jewelry case, vintage suitcases and storage cabinets to name a few. And if that's not enough - the spacious changing rooms and friendly staff are sure to make you feel like you never want to leave.

Any Londoners or future visitors should definitely drop by, especially if you're looking for a more unique investment piece, rather than yet another throwaway item from the high street. Pricing is fair for what you get and if you're lucky (or time it right), you'll be able to snag something during a sale. If you're not in London - the good news is that a large majority of the items can be purchased via the Wild Swans online store, so head on over if you need to stock up on your winter wardrobe.

All images taken by Dena and yours truly.

Address: 54 Cross St, London N1 2BA
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:00-19:00, Sun: 12:00-17:00
Wild Swans Homepage & Online-Shop

Rakel Hafberg (Reykjavik, Iceland)

A few months ago during my Reykjavik trip, I came across a store window that displayed some of the most intriguing exotic leather accessories. I couldn't quite figure out what I was looking at - it definitely wasn't crocodile, ostrich or snakeskin. And the pattern of the material was rather unique as well. Would you be able to guess what the collars and cuffs (below) are made of?

A selection from the current lookbook (source: Rakel Hafberg).

Upon entering the boutique and on closer inspection, I had a sneaking suspicion, which was confirmed by the helpful shop owner who turned out to be the actual designer, Rakel Hafberg: Most of the bags and jewelry are in fact made of chicken leather. And if you thought the cuffs, collars, belts and capes had a unique shape, that's because these items in particular are actually made from the skin of chicken feet. Rakel explained that the idea actually came from her husband, and while she wasn't initially sure about using this particular leather, it seemed like a good option considering chicken skin ends up as discarded waste material. After experimenting with the production, she was pleased enough to use the chicken leather as the main material for most of her accessories, which also include beautiful tote bags.

Bags, jewelry and headpieces - all made of chicken leather.

Intricate collars and chokers made of chicken feet leather.

Most people (including myself) may have considered chicken skin a wonderful thing when served crispy along with its meat on a dinner plate - but the idea of toting it around as an accessory may sound a little creepy. Rakel herself admitted to me that chicken feet leather in particular might not appeal to most... initially. I for one never thought it would be something I'd want to wrap around my neck. Yet surprisingly the pieces bear only a mild resemblance to the original source and everything is beautifully crafted. The bags look like regular exotic skin material with a soft and supple finishing that features a striking design of diagonal panels. Best of all, being deemed as waste, chicken leather is a lot more sustainable than other materials out there.

An entire shelf filled with pieces made of chicken feet leather.

For the squeamish, there's also a range of hairbands made of feathers.

More accessories, along with colorful paintings which are available for sale.

If chicken leather still doesn't strike your fancy, there's plenty more to choose from. Rakel's boutique is a treasure trove of other gems that includes clothing and a large range of other jewelry items. With a colorful backdrop provided by the floral wallpaper, most pieces are either displayed along the walls like pieces of art (along with actual paintings that are for sale) or neatly arranged on shelves. Other favorites included laser-cut butterfly necklaces and beaded baubles made of hand painted tagua nuts. While chicken leather could once again be found on hairbands, there were also a few feathered varieties to choose from.

Some of the clothing on display.

Overview of the quaint boutique and the changing room.

More 'traditional' jewelry made of tagua nuts and laser-cut leather.

I have to admit that I was so distracted by the wonders of chicken leather, I hardly paid attention to the clothing. I remembered seeing a few silk tops and gorgeous slouchy jackets, all of which complemented the statement accessories perfectly. Because Rakel herself oversees the small boutique, you do get a sense that everything is handpicked and individual. The setting is intimate and immediately welcoming. If you ever find yourself in Reykjavik, definitely drop by if you get the chance. A select range can also be purchased online and for any other info, you can always check out Rakel Hafberg's Facebook page or send her an email.

More cuffs, chokers and belts - some also made with fur.

Cute chicken leather clutches and more beaded jewelry.

Another look at some of the items on display, including more handbags and simple slouchy clothes.

Address: Laugavegur 37, 101 Reykjavik

Opening Hrs: Mon-Fri: 10:00-18:00, Sat: 11:00-16:00

Rakel Hafberg Homepage & Online-Shop

The Kooples (Paris, France)

If you've visited Paris in the last few years - or London in more recent months - chances are you'll have seen quite a few boutiques belonging to The Kooples. And even if you missed them, you've probably seen the fairly prominent ad campaign featuring real life couples, posing in very chic clothes. The Kooples (a spin on how 'couples' is pronounced in French), is a bit of a phenomenon that started in Paris and is currently sweeping the UK. The label was founded by the Elisha brothers (Alexander, Laurent and Raphael), who are also responsible for the successful Comptoir des Cotonniers - a brand known for highlighting a different relationship: their ads feature real life mothers and daughters.

Real life couples posing for the FW10 campaign.

The current SS11 ad campaign.

The Kooples concept is based on the idea that people in relationships frequently borrow each other's clothes. And since it's usually the women who steal their boyfriends' shirts, blazers or accessories, it's not surprising that the majority of the collection is slightly more masculine and androgynous than girly. While I was initially told that the clothes were 'unisex', there are two distinct collections for men and women which are meant to complement each other. The line focuses on perfectly tailored clothes with a rock vibe. Most of the buttons, embroidery or jewelry feature the signature skull logo, which give classic blazers and military coats a bit of an edge.

Overview of a typical boutique (top). His & hers blazers featuring a skull emblem (bottom).

Items on display range from basic to feminine and lacy.

The first time I entered one of the Parisian boutiques, I was instantly addicted. I'll start off by mentioning that the prices aren't the lowest, but the quality and tailoring of the garments are superior to what you'll find in most high street stores. The monochromatic color scheme of the shops is identical in each location, and decor is kept to a minimum. The only notable elements are the campaign posters on the walls and a classic couch near the changing rooms. The staff is generally quite knowledgeable and if you end up in one of the new London flagships, you'll note that most of them are French as well.

The signature skull logo on a cardigan (left), and on bow ties & cuff links (right).

Some of the best pieces include blazers, such as the velvet version (left) or the light summer one (right).

It's worth mentioning that the accessories and shoes are just as coveted. Usually adorned with mini skulls, they're a good alternative if you're not in the market for another blazer. Delicate lace and silks are often used for dresses, skirts and shorts, and provide a more feminine style if you're worried about looking too much like your other half. This is probably the kind of label hipsters will flock to, but thankfully the selection is versatile enough to be combined with anything you might already have in your closet.

Another look for the gents (left).

Shorts, shorts and more shorts.

If you're in the UK and Ireland, the good news is that The Kooples are rapidly expanding, but I'm guessing that other countries will follow soon. In Paris, there are several boutiques in every arrondissement, so you'll be spoiled for choice. If you're in France or Great Britain though, you can always take advantage of the very tempting online store - filled with items that are very hard to resist.

Changing rooms (left) and a skull buckle belt (right).

More beautiful lace.

Address: various locations throughout France, UK & Ireland.
Opening Hrs: Mon: 11:00-19:00, Tue-Fri: 10:30-19:30, Sat: 10:30-20:00
The Kooples Homepage France / Great Britain