Featuring

Donatella Versace has agreed. Next season H & M stores will be conquered by the iconic medusa for a collection that seems nothing short of gorgeous. Leather + Versace landmarks + menswear + affordable prices sound to me like a match made in heaven.

Donatella Versace @ Versace s/s 2012 wearing a studded leather dress from Versace for H&M collection

But let's now look at the past to see who's done it before...

Who in the world could have it all started? Well, none other than Karl Lagerfeld himself, in November 2004.

"If you are cheap, nothing helps"

a t-shirt from the collection

Then, in November 2005, it was Stella McCartney's turn

Wonderful Guy Bourdin inspired commercial.

November 2006: Viktor & Rolf , a wedding dress and some delirium...

 

November 2007: Roberto Cavalli

November 2008: Comme des Garçons

Matthew Williamson for spring/summer 2009

Bags and shoes by Jimmy Choo in November 2009

Sonia Rykiel- December 2009

Fall 2010: Alber Elbaz for Lanvin

Gaulterrible!

The Montreal Museum of Fine arts celebrates, from June, 17th to October, 2 2011 the creative genius that is Jean Paul Gaultier. Featuring almost 140 ensembles mainly taken from his couture shows, it depicts his wild and rebellious spirit, his will to subverse the image of fashion, erasing the concepts of ugly and beautiful, man or woman, fat or skinny. Once Andy Warhol said: "I think the way people dress today is a form of artistic expression. Saint Laurent, for instance, has made great art. Art lies in the way the whole outfit is put together. Take Jean Paul Gaultier. What he does is really art".
The exhibition is considered by Gaultier as a "creation on his own rather than a retrospective". It features sketches, never before seen video footage, stage costumes and just anything to enter the world of fashion' s favourite "enfant terrible"

For further infos visit here

The now infamous "cone bra" wore by Madonna during her Blonde Ambition Tour (1990)

Beth Ditto opened Spring Summer rtw 2011

spring summer 2001 couture

A Leigh Bowery inspired look from a/w 1991-1992

spring summer 2005 couture

Couture spring summer 2010

couture fall 2010

couture spring 2009

Couture spring 2007 (one of my personal favourites!)

Couture spring 2007

Couture spring 2007

Couture spring 2007

The talented Mr. Pearl

Are women (or men as well) that still these days are wearing corsets? Apparently the answer is yes.
Whether it's pure fashion hedonism, BSDM practices, Victorian nostalgia, the vivid interest in the arts of Burlesque many people are now interested in this ancient piece of couture.
Mr. Pearl has made corsets his life: Mark Pullin, born in South Africa, opens his activity in London in 1994.
The legend wants Mr. Pearl walking in a leather medical corset around London; Pete Burns sees it and asks if he made it himself. Mr. Pearl replies yes and agrees to make one for Pete. Even though he didn't know anything about corsetry!
He works only on demand for fashion designer and high profile clients, including John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, Lacroix, Mugler and others.
Dita Von Teese, the mistress of the reborn Burlesque, is an aficionada of his works.
Oh, did I mention?He is a "tightlacer": he wears a tightly-laced corset to achieve extreme modifications to the figure and posture.

Mr. Pearl

Mr. Pearl among his creations

Would you like to wear a corset now? I certainly do.

Thierry Mugler SS 1997 "les Insectes"; corset by Mr. Pearl

Thierry Mugler SS 1997 "les Insectes"; corset by Mr. Pearl

Thierry Mugler SS 1997 "les Insectes"; corset by Mr. Pearl

Thierry Mugler SS 1997 "les Insectes"; corset by Mr. Pearl

Thierry Mugler SS 1997 "les Insectes"; corset by Mr. Pearl

Thierry Mugler SS 1997 "les Insectes"; corset by Mr. Pearl

Christian Lacroix SS 1996; corset by Mr. Pearl

Victoria Beckham in Vera Wang, corset by Mr. Pearl

Dita Von Teese for Gaultier Couture fall 2010, corset by Mr. Pearl

Dita Von Teese wearing a Mr. Pearl corset

Dita Von Teese in Vivienne Westwood, corset by Mr. Pearl and Stephen Jones hat

Dita Von Teese in Vivienne Westwood, corset by Mr. Pearl and Stephen Jones hat

He wanted -what's the word for it?- immortality

"Naked man back" by Lucien Freud

The man pictured in this gorgeous painting is Leigh Bowery.
I would describe him as a walking work of art and he still inspires many contemporary artists and fashion designers (go watch Alexander McQueen fall 09, and you'll know what I mean). I wanted to know more about him and I discovered the documentary I'm going to share with you guys, to better understand him. To remember that he might have been considered as a fool, a perv, as a true freak (just like many other artists) but he really was the 20th century new take on Oscar Wilde's principles. Art for art's sake.
Enjoy.

Left: Leigh Bowery  Right: Lucien Freud