‘As a child, my attention was always drawn by those women who didn’t look like everyone else’ – Jean Paul Gaultier

‘It’s beautiful to be what you are’ – Jean Paul Gaultier

Photo Courtesy of Pierre et Gilles, Dominique Maître

Saint Laurent, a feature film by Bertrand Bonello just out now, is a sumptuous telling of the story of Yves that delves into the stories and extravagances of both the times and his life in the 1970’s. Charting his tale leading up to the unveiling of his Ballet Russes collection of 1976, it is dripping with fabulously dressed women, disco thumping nightclubs and stories of the designer’s excesses. Nominated for several European film awards, Vogue has labeled it as one to watch. If only for an action shot of how wonderful that bohemian aesthetic can look in motion, it’s one we will certainly be viewing in the KOTUR design room.

Dior and I is an altogether different proposition. A documentary made by Frédéric Tcheng (also of Vreeland’s The Eye has to Travel,) it covers Raf Simons’ first 8 weeks in his job as Creative Director of Dior. That those were 8 weeks during which the Belgian designer had to conceive of and stage his first ever couture show makes it riveting.  The film is full of emotion and heavy with pressure. There is the pressure on Raf to produce the collection of a lifetime in a quarter of the time normally accorded, the pressure on the company to stage the show (inspired by Jeff Koons’ Puppy, Raf required them to deck out a Paris mansion in over 1 million flowers covering every conceivable wall for the occasion,) and the pressure on the Atelier to bring his creations to life, working late into the final night before lift off, hand beading and tweaking, tears in their eyes as they see their designs become real.

In the film, Raf reveals his inspirations for this critically acclaimed collection. He turns to the archives of Monsieur Dior himself for the shapes, and then to American artist Sterling Ruby’s abstract canvases for pattern – a concept that proves almost, but not quite, impossible for his fabric team to make real.  This use of art in fashion, be it for his Koons inspired stage set or Ruby inspired dresses gives a first class lesson on how the lines of creativity can be blurred. As designers who frequently take inspiration from our favorite artists (Koons included) it was fascinating for us at KOTUR to watch his collection evolve – from, quite literally, a picture to a piece of Couture.

Dior and I is a wonderful reminder that, sometimes, fashion tells a much more personal story than one thinks. As the director told Style.com “Making this film reminded me that there are hundreds of people who actually care deeply about how they make it…It’s not just an image, it’s not just about a dress on the red carpet. There’s a whole story behind it, and it’s a human story.”

Photo Courtesy of http://www.diorandimovie.com and http://www.thefashionisto.com/

Chanel HQ has kept their founder’s apartment exactly as it was when she died in 1971 – save for a couple of key additions: a silk chaise she was famously photographed in by Horst, and a simple, leather covered chair that she conducted her fittings from. Every morning, she would depart from the Ritz for the short walk ‘home,’ leaving just enough time for the door porter at the hotel to call ahead to the store, giving them notice to spritz Rue Cambon’s famous mirror panelled spiral staircase with Chanel No 5 before the boss arrived. Her private rooms were a mixture of Oriental and French chic – full of modern artifacts and vintage chinese screens, ahead of their time touches and 18th century antiques. Stylish to a T, like the lady herself.

Incredibly valuable Chinese screens adorn the walls of the living and dining areas, hiding the doors she was said not to like. Many featured camellias, Coco’s favourite flower that she made a Chanel motif.  In the main living room, a custom made sofa in suede was an extremely modern addition to a 1930′s apartment. On it, Mademoiselle Chanel scattered quilted suede cushions – a precursor of her iconic quilted bags to come in 1955. Dripping in crystals, the room is also reflective of her superstitious spirit. Coco was convinced of crystal’s healing powers – hence the crystal balls she collected and specially commissioned crystal Chandelier featuring arms made out of her signature Number 5s (legend has it, it was a fortune teller who told her it was to be her lucky number.) She also collected lions, in deference to her Leo starsign, littering the apartment with gold statuettes featuring the big cats.

Mademoiselle’s apartment was designed as part of the store – private, for sure, but positioned so she knew what was always going on. The signature sweeping spiral staircase stretching above and below allowed for her to stand out of sight and still view customers reactions to her collections down below, the mirrored walls gave an art deco elegance to the atelier that almost can’t be beaten. It was Chanel herself who said “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” As it turns out, it was a motto she literally lived by.

Where others such as Picasso supposedly failed in getting Chanel to sit for them, Pike, a Californian artist, succeeded, painting the designer in her studio in a series of portraits between 1967 and 1971. The two ladies met whilst Pike was spending time in Paris in the 1960s and formed a friendship, corresponding regularly. Pike was known to wear Chanel when she wasn’t working, too – surely a perk of the job. The resulting images are not only beautiful but give a window into who the woman was - in that way that only portraiture can, they present Chanel as less of a personality, more of a person. We can’t wait to see it.

Coco Chanel: a New Portrait by Marion Pike Paris 1967-71 is at the Fashion Space Gallery, London 05 September 2013 – 16 November 2013

http://www.fashionspacegallery.com

Today, that role involves being involved in everything from worldwide advertising campaigns to global public relations, strategic partnerships to personal shopping, visual merchandising to customer service, creative and editorial, as well as taking responsibility of buying, finance, operations, IT, mobile and publishing. Long a friend of Kotur, she is also highly amusing, extremely focused and – just as you would expect – always completely, impeccably dressed. Here she answers Kotur’s Muse questions.

Kotur Muse Questionnaire

KOTUR: What’s in your make-up bag?

Alison Loehnis: Le Metier De Beautè’s Precision Liquid Eyeliner because it has true staying power, Kevyn Aucoin’s The Eye Pencil Primatif, Chantecaille’s Faux Cils Longest Lash Mascara for super long, natural looking lashes and By Terry Touché Veloutee Highlighting Concealer Brush and By Terry Light-Expert Perfecting Foundation Brush (the ultimate concealer and foundation)

K: Do you have a favorite purse or bag?

A: My Kotur Breen matte and glossed-snake box clutch

K: Name your desert island essentials?

A: Family, good food, a great book and a great place to swim.

K: Do you have a beauty secret?

A: Not particularly. I am always open to trying new products as I love discovering new things. I always stick to the same scent though, Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle

K: How would your female friends describe your style?

A: A variation on several themes

K: What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

A: A Saint Laurent biker jacket

K: Is there anything in your wardrobe you should get rid of but can’t?

A: I’m great at getting rid of things although I am sentimental so I will hang onto things that have meaning, or keep them for my daughter. They have to have a particular personal value attached to them, but I don’t become fetishistic about it.

K: What do you never leave home without?

A: Perfume and black eyeliner

K: Hot date night with your husband, what do you wear?

A: Depends on what we are doing – always in heels though

K: When home alone, what do you wear?

A: I always opt for comfort – so a great fleece, or cashmere sweater and leggings

K: What do you wear to bed?

A: Men’s pyjamas

K: You’re the fashion police for a day, what do you ban?

A: Shoes that women can’t walk in

K: How old is too old for a mini?

A: You’re never too old for a mini if you have great legs

K: Have you ever worn anything you are now embarrassed by?

A: I would like to fast forward through the 1980′s!

K: Have you ever worn anything you now regret?

A: Possibly some Levi’s I wore at university that had patch work all over them which at the time I thought was really cool. I also remember a sweatshirt with a with a detachable shoulder pad.

K: How high is too high a heel?

A: Anything you can’t walk in

K: How old is too old for jeans?

A: No such thing

K: If you could live in any other time for its fashion, what would you choose?

A: The 1920’s, I love a drop waist

K: What is your most recent purchase?

A: A pair of Valentino leather studded shoes with a sparkle

K: What quality do you most admire in a person?

A: Loyalty, honesty and kindness

K: Can you judge a book by its cover?

A: You shouldn’t but sometimes it’s tempting

K: What’s your greatest extravagance?

A: Clothes

K: What are your guilty pleasures?

A: I’m not telling you

K: Do you have a cheap thrill?

A: I love a good old mini-series

K: What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

A: Treat other as you would like to be treated yourself

K: What’s your idea of a great holiday?

A: Surrounded by the people I love, with lots of sunshine and limited physical activities

K: What are you most proud of?

A: My family

K: What’s your pure bliss?

A: Unfettered time

K: What would you eat for your last supper?

A: Sushi

K: If you could meet someone from history who would it be?

A: Cleopatra

K: Yes or no to a nip and a tuck?

A: Thoroughly subjective – will have to see

K: What part of your body would you like to change?

A: I’m pretty happy in my own skin

K: What would you like to achieve before you die?

A: As much happiness as possible

K: How would you like to be remembered?

A: Funny, kind and great company

Thank you Alison Loehnis!

Exploring famous LBDs from across the ages – taking in YSL Couture, Chanel, Balenciaga and classic LBD moments, too (for whom is Audrey Hepburn in her LB Givenchy, eating her breakfast at Tiffany’s, not completely iconic,) the book comes off the back of an exhibition Andre curated at Savannah College of Design’s SCAD Museum of Art. It’s a celebration of timelessness, a tome in praise of studied chic, a book on a the essence of style written by a man who is himself a bastion of true style. And a must for the shelf.

Little Black Dress by Andre Leon Talley is published by Rizzoli, available on amazon.com

All images from Andre Leon Talley: Little Black Dress

So it’s with huge excitement that we’ve seen we can apply that eagle eye of hers to homewares now, too. To raise funds for Aid for Aids, Candy has created an edited selection of truly individual, statement making and utterly stylish furniture, art and artefacts from Vintage and Modern (another one of our style crushes.) Be it a Kate Moss print, a pair of Jansen armchairs or a late 19th Century French birdcage, hers is a unique and super stylish pick of unexpected pieces that would ooze cool in any home. One would simply expect nothing less.

Shop Candy Pratts Price for Vintage and Modern here http://designintell.vandm.com/2013/01/candy-pratts-price/

All images from Vintage and Modern.

For the ultimate in pastel blocking (thank you, Kerry Washington, for your lesson in how, ably given at the NAACP Awards last week,) our Espey’s now come in a rainbow of pastels guaranteed to give an instant breath of fresh air to any evening look. Lilacs, pale pinks and sea greens are already proving hits on the red carpet – any minute now, they can take a star turn in your wardrobes too.

Sequinned JB Renna Bonets and Marguerite Espeys inspired by old fashioned lady’s swimming caps give a brilliant retro take on evening clutches, with our feathered Fino already proving a firm favorite (thank you, Dakota Fanning,) when it comes to making a statement.

Fans of the neon trend need look no further than our new Margos. Lace and neon brocades give a modern spin on this Kotur classic and a perfect pop of colour for any LBD. From our Cyber Garden grows an Aquaglobe – the latest addition to our perspex family, and a guaranteed talking point. And, for those who prefer things a little more natural, the Savage Garden’s raffia and snakeskin numbers, plus our Morleys in wonderful West African Batik prints should prove perfect for working the au naturel look so prevalent right now.

These are bags designed to lift both the spirits and your wardrobes. Please click through our gallery of images to see the highlights of what’s coming up this season.

Click through our gallery to see images of the party and dinner at the White Cube gallery.