“Every picture starts off naked,” Coddington explains. “The model is naked, the hair is undone, the set is naked, and this is the starting point of the creative process.” Available on auction site Paddle8.

Steven Meisel// Mario Testino// Annie Leibowitz// Vik Muniz// Edward Weston// Bert Stern

http://paddle8.com/auctions/noclothes

Michelle Oka Doner Candelabra- I had admired this Amercian artist’s work in various magazines over the years, but first really fell in love with it when I saw it in person at Miami airport. There, in one of the largest artworks in the world, Oka Doner has inlaid the terrazzo floors throughout the terminal with over 9000 mother-of-pearl fossil like shapes. Walking through it feels like you’re treading on the ocean bed. Whilst that might not be something to take home, however, her naturalist sculptures are, and I dream of setting my table one day with her candelabra as my centrepiece. Called Burning Bush, is has an incredible energy and life to it. She is just so, so talented.

http://www.micheleokadoner.com/IO1.html

Mastercraft Table Bases - I’m a huge fan of Mastercraft, the American made mid century furniture. They did a lot of chinoiserie in brass that’s incredibly elegant and works really well at home, and I’m really hankering after their triangular brass table pedestals. I love that they’re really rather glamorous in a Hollywood Regency kind of way, but they also have an earthiness about them. It kind of grounds them, but also elevates them at the same time.

http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/tables/dining-room-sets/mastercraft-double-pedestal-brass-glass-dining-table/id-f_868461/

Les Lalanne Hippopotamus Bar – I came across this at the Ben Brown gallery, and was totally blown away by it. The late Francois-Xavier Lalanne only made 8 of his hippo shaped bars apparently, and whilst they are totally sculptural and beautiful works of art, there’s a whimsy and fantasy to them, too. They don’t take themselves too seriously. Plus, with one of these in your home, you really wouldn’t need anything else to make a statement. They cost a fortune, so we might be sitting on cardboard boxes if I bought one, but my decorating work would most definitely be done!

http://www.benbrownfinearts.com/exhibitions/72/

Madeline Weinrib limited edition Cushions - One of my very favourite gift shops in the world is the one in the Neue Gallerie, New York. There, amongst all sorts of beautiful things, you can find these great limited edition pillows from Madeline Weinrib in velvet ikat that are simply stunning. I love them because there is something very warm, welcoming and personal about them. Handwoven in Uzbekistan, their colours are amazing, plus they have this lovely sense of craft that’s found in everything she does.

http://shop.neuegalerie.org/collections/designer-madeline-weinrib/products/madeline-weinrib-velvet-ikat-cushions

Vintage Design Books – I’m always on the hunt for lovely vintage design and interiors books, often helped along by the brilliant website Abebooks.com. They will help you track down out of print books, assist you in building a library and generally help you work up a collection of beautiful tomes that speaks to the subjects you love. I’m obsessed with art, photography and design books, and was particularly pleased with a first edition of Slim Aarons’ A Wonderful Time that I found. Currently, I’m collecting all the David Hicks books from the 1970s.

www.abebooks.com

The fashion icon that is Grace Kelly is currently the subject of a brand new exhibit in her home state of Philadelphia at the Michener Art Museum. In ‘From Philadelphia to Monaco, Grace Kelly: Beyond the Icon,’ an extremely personal look at the actress turned Princess is given. Using personal letters, notes from her husband Prince Rainer, pieces from her wardrobe, personal photographs, home movies and much much more each bit of the installation only serves to enhance the woman’s extraordinary elegance, every bit as much of an icon behind the scenes as well as in front of the camera, it would seem. For details of the exhibition which will head back to Monaco indefinitely after this stop, head to the Michener Museum here.

Meanwhile, in Paris, it’s the designer’s favourite designer that is being given the star treatment in a retrospective of his creations that more than holds it’s own against the Matisse murals it is displayed in front of at the Palais Galleria in the Musée de la Mode. Azzedine Alaia, a designer known for his sculptural, body hugging shapes and innovative use of fabrics and cut, has been the sort of fashion favourite that transcends trend and time for decades now. This exhibition makes it extremely easy to understand why. The Exhibition runs through January – find out how to see it here http://parismusees.paris.fr/en/exhibition/alaia

And finally, in London, the Victoria and Albert Museum have dedicated their winter exhibition to the eternal beauty of Pearls. Using Elizabeth Taylor’s pearl earrings, George III’s pearl and enamel buttons, the pearl drop earring Charles I wore as he headed to the executioner’s block, Marilyn Monroe’s simple strand given to her by Joe DiMaggio,  tiaras, brooches, Mikimoto’s modern designs and more the exhibition not only demystifies the jewel of the sea’s origins but also shows it in it’s most splendid glory. A must for jewellery lovers, it’s on show until late January. http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-pearls/

Pictures from:

http://www.michenermuseum.org/exhibition/from-philadelphia-to-monaco-grace-kelly-beyond-the-icon

http://parismusees.paris.fr/en/exhibition/alaia

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-pearls/

If you could reinvent your life, what would your dream job be? We just came across one that runs a pretty close race in our book – that of an Art Curator on movies. This little known career is responsible for all the art you see in movies, helping tell the story of films in a subtle way that an audience might find imperceptible but packs no less of a punch. Leading the pack of art curators in film is Fanny Pereire, a friend of KOTUR and pretty much the best in the business. Here, she took some time out to explain to us what she does.

How would you describe what you do?

I basically curate the art for movies, choosing and arranging the use of art on movie sets. I’m as influential as the costume designer choosing the clothes or the hair and make up artist completing the look, or the set decorator choosing the desk. We’re the icing on the cake. I’ve worked on Wall Street 2, Changing Lanes with Samuel L Jackson and Ben Affleck, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Inside Luellen Davis (the next movie by the Cohen brothers) and right now I’m working on Nick Cassavetes’s new romantic comedy The Other Woman. I’ve been doing this for around 15 years.

What does your job involve?

It involves choosing all the art works that go on set. I find things that help to tell the story.  Then I also have to negotiate the copyrights to the images of all the art works, and either oversee the making of copies or the actual borrowing of the piece. Sometimes, the artist might make his own copy for the film, too. Once the pieces have arrive, I make sure they’re hung and displayed properly. And then, at the end, I have to oversee all the returns – of either originals or copies.

How do you use the art to tell the story?

Well, it can help explain what’s happening in a scene, or the art can be used to tell you about the character and what’s happening in his or her life.  For example, in Wall Street 2, I used lots of Richard Prince cowboy images, to show that the character was a financial cowboy. It’s like art as a metaphor in movies. In Changing lanes, I used an Alex Katz piece of a man walking on the beach in a character’s office when, at the time, he was debating whether or not he was going to leave his fast track life in New York. The image is right there throughout that scene – it says something and it can be very influential, it feeds the viewer information without them realizing it. In Confessions of Shopaholic, I had a portrait of Napoleon hanging behind the Media Empire CEO character. That told you a lot about who the person was sitting in front of it. The art gives all sorts of unspoken information. In The Other Woman, Cassavates’ film, Cameron Diaz’s character’s loft is all monochromatic because she’s this tough lawyer. I used lots of black and white photographs to show that she’s not a colorful character. Whereas Leslie Mann’s house in the same movie is much more joyful. It all depends on what we’re trying to say.

Do you always use the original art works?

Actually two thirds of the art I use is copies. I try not to have the real thing on set, whether it’s priceless or not. There are at least 150 people on a movie set, plus cameras and cables and all sorts, so why jeopardize an art work?  And often, when the shoot is over, I need to give proof that I’ve destroyed any copies we’ve made. That part can be sad but fun. If it’s a canvas, I cut them and have someone take a picture of me doing it and then send the cut pieces back to the artists.  We had built a replica Anthony Gormley structure for Changing Lanes, and I figured the best way to show that was destroyed was to send a little video. So we filmed ourselves dropping it from a crane!

What do you love most about your job?

It tells a story. And every job is different – every film is a new story. And once it’s done, we’re off, onto the next one.

Image: Fanny Pereire shot for the New York Times as seen here  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/fashion/30wall.html?_r=1&

The Film: Jobs

Complete with the tagline, ‘Some see what’s possible, others change what’s possible,’ Jobs is billed as the inspirational movie of the summer. Charting Steve Jobs progression from College dropout to billionaire via a few bumps along the way and starring Ashton Kutcher, the fascinating man behind one of the world’s most famous brands is brought to life.

Jobs is in theaters August 16th

The Exhibition: American Modern: Hopper to O’Keeffe, MOMA

Drawing on what the New Yorker refers to as it’s ‘peerless’ collection of modern American Art, Moma’s latest exhibition focuses on some of America’s most influential artists found working between 1915 and 1950. Covering Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Charles Sheeler, Alfred Stieglitz and Andrew Wyeth among others, the exhibition brings together both renowned and little known paintings, photography, prints, drawings and sculptures in an exhibition that shows the best of American art from a pivotal period in history.

American Modern: Hopper to O’Keeffe, The Museum of Modern Art, August 17–January 26, 2014; moma.org

The Book: The White Queen, Philippa Gregory

Get swept away from your sunlounger and into the drama and intrigue of 15th century and England’s War of the Roses in Gregory’s latest historical novel. Telling the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the secret, beautiful and ambitious new wife of Edward IV, it explores the famous mystery of the two young princes kept in the Tower of London. Corset heaving drama, indeed.

The White Queen is available here: http://amzn.to/16cPo3v

The Inspiration: CZ Guest, American Style Icon by Susanna Salk

Published earlier this year, this compendium of images featuring the style icon CZ Guest proves a masterclass in understated chic. Known for her love of country living as much as her life as one of America’s most swan like socialites, Guest was and is a true style icon. Famed for her pared back look, her approach to dressing was unstingtingly precise and chic. As she once put it, “I like the classic look. Keep it simple. There’s only so much you can wear.”

CZ Guest, American Style Icon is available here http://amzn.to/18w8gLb

The Destination: Formentera

As the party crowd look for their must visit summer spot, there’s usually only one island on everyone’s minds come August: Ibiza. But the chic set, well they head nearby to the tiny island of Formentera just a 30 minute ferry ride away, an oasis of calm within reach of the party island, it’s a favourite with the likes of Kate Moss and Consuelo Castiglioni, the Marni designer who has a house there.  Tiny (just 19 km long,) blessed with whiter than white beaches, a clear turquoise sea and an extremely dramatic cliff dotted coastline, it’s famous for it’s tiny fincas, laid back approach and barefoot approach to luxury. The fashion set like to stay at luxury eco resort Es Ram (esramresort.com) a B&B and group of villas known for their whitewashed walls and impeccable service. The sceney lunch spot is Juan y Andrea, a beachfront restaurant known for it’s delicious fish (and people watching opportunities,) whilst El Tiburon is a more laid back option with stunning views. Come evening? It’s all about dinner under the twinkly canopy of restaurant Can Carlos (cancarlos.com) and a stroll around Es Pujols and it’s waterfront bars. That, or hopping on a ferry to the bright lights and big clubs of next door neighbour Ibiza.

And the guilty treat…: The Duffin

You’ve heard of the Cronut – but now comes the Duffin. Well, across Kotur’s desk it does. A donut/ muffin cross (that comes with or without jam, however takes your fancy,) this baked take on the donut is as delicious as it is DIY friendly.

Find the Recipe here: http://bit.ly/wJIdAg

James Turrell is on at the Guggenheim Museum until September 25th 2013

All pictures from the Guggenheim Museum

http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/on-view/james-turrell

The show is quite the spectacle. Aldridge’s arresting images are on the one hand extremely glamorous, depicting uber women in saturated colours, on the other, however, they are often disturbing. As Somerset House itself puts it, “His work is filled with glamorous, beautiful women from dazed housewives and decadent beauties to sunbathing sexpots and ecstatic Virgins. Luscious colours dazzle from every image – blood red ketchup splashes against a black and white floor; a mouth drips with gold; egg yolk oozes across a plate.  But the technicolour dream world of seemingly perfect women with blank expressions belies a deeper sense of disturbance and neurosis.  Look more closely and there is silent screaming, a head pushed down on a bed, a face covered in polythene, a woman pushing an empty swing.”

Known for his shoots in the likes of Vogue and the New York Times, this iconic celebrated photographer offers an artists’ take on the fashion. His goddesses also make quite the stunning show.

All pictures from Miles Aldridge I only Want you to Love me, published by Rizzoli available here http://www.amazon.com/dp/0847840360

Exhibition is on at Somerset House from now until 29th September http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/miles-aldridge-i-only-want-you-to-love-me