John Galliano channelled the Three Musketeers and Cavalier fashions (1660s) for his recent Spring 2009 couture collection for Dior. The result, works of art fit for the runway.
Garden of Love, Rubens
Dior's 1940s New Look merges with the Cavalier fashions of the late 1600s in this Spring 2009 design.
The ancient beauty of the Greek goddess Nike blends with the rock & roll edge of Elvis' gold lame suit in the newest trend exemplified by supermodel Kate Moss at the Met Gala, as documented by the Style File Blog. The suit Elvis made famous was made by western wear designers Nudie and Manuel.
The stage is set for gold lame to take over summer fashions and resort collections. Gold lame has never disappeared from the radar. Frontman Brandon Flowers of The Killers channelled The King of rock & roll in his remake of the famous gold suit. Manuel, who worked on the original with Nudie, made the suit for Flowers to wear at Glastonbury in 2007.
A compilation of historical images from the late 1800s Edwardian era and modern fashions I found to be reminiscent of the time. It's so romantic and whimsical...
Finding Monet's irises in the fabric of Chloe's Fall 2008 dress.
Finding inspiration in the late 1800s Coca Cola ad for Chanel's Spring 2008 design.
Monet's lily pads seem to have found their way into the shoulder pads of Galliano's design.
The ruffling skirt from the Fall 2006 collection of Chloe suggests the dancing skirts from the Moulin Rouge in the Toulouse-Lautrec painting.
I absolutely love the bustle silhouette from the Victorian era. Though it was from the late 1800s, it still inspires modern designers like Ralph Lauren and Alexander McQueen. I found the runway images from Style.com--it's a great site to see all the shows.
Artist Yinka Shonibare has such fascinating work. His beautiful designs play on African fabrics and the colonization of Africa that took place during England's Victorian era. The gowns and installations play with the idea of identity in such a way you can't help but get drawn into the narratives and question first impressions.
Notice the Chanel emblems on the dress to the far left.
You can learn more about the artist and explore more of his work on Artsy.net.
Miss Dior Cherie: This is a great video for the sweetness of summer. Directed by the talented Sofia Coppola, the ad reminds me of her work in Marie Antoinette. Similar color palette, light and whimsy.
Watching the video makes me want to go to Paris! But at least I can dream...