Arts + travel

Palais Galliera Celebrates Iconic Designer

1st January 2014 After a long period of renovation, the sumptuous Palais Galliera has re-opened in Paris with a gala retrospective of Azzedine Alaïa’s timeless designs. For decades, the Tunisian creator has been a dramatic influence on fashion. Alaïa cuts straight to the essence of each garment – the shapes he constructs are bold and creative statements in their own right, without need for further adornment.

The exhibition features over seventy garments – clothes that are sensual, sublime and superbly sleek. Unlike most designers, Alaïa travels little, except within his own fertile imagination and visualization. When Alaïa arrived in Paris in the 1960’s, he had the good fortune to meet two Parisian legends – the actress Arletty and the designer and author Lousie de Vilmorin. These elegant women, along with Greta Garbo, and in later years, models Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Yasmin Le Bon inspired him to make ‘garments that last’. He also likes to say: “I make clothes, women make fashion”. A Must See Exhibition!

Until January 26th www.palaisgalliera.paris.fr JG

Somerset House Celebrates British Fashion Patron

1st December 2013 Elegant Somerset House in London is the venue for a major fashion exhibition celebrating the extraordinary life and wardrobe of Isabella Blow – the late British fashion icon and muse. On show are over one hundred items from her incredibly rich fashion collection, one of the most important private collections of late 20th Century/early 21st Century British fashion design, and now owned by another style icon, Daphne Guinness. This includes garments from the designer talents Isabella discovered and launched, including Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy, Hussein Chalayan and Julien Macdonald amongst others.

Blow was born in 1950’s post-war Britian, with a family history that can be traced back to the 14th Century. Highlights of the exhibition include family photographs and the sculpture entitled “Isabella Blow” by Tim Noble and Sue Webster. At the graduate shows from Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, she discovered Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy. Isabella had an amazing eye for spotting talent, and then wore the designer’s clothes everywhere to showcase their creativity. Her collection included designs by McQueen, Fendi, Dior, Prada, Viktor and Rolf, John Galliano for Dior, Manolo Blahnik and Marni, plus wonderful hats from Treacy – all on display at the exhibition.

Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! is a fitting tribute to a woman who loved fashion and did so much to promote British designers. Until 2 March 2014. www.somersethouse.org.uk JG

Photo: Isabella Blow and Philip Treacy 2003 by Donald McPherson

A new spectacles edition from Norway, written by Bjørn L.G. Braathen

23rd November 2013 Norwegian author, eyewear enthusiast and photographer, Bjørn L.G. Braathen has been interested in spectacles since he was 15, and worked with eyewear in the late 70s, selling original designs from the 1940s and 50s. His new book released last month, “Spectacles – from need to finery” is published by Orage (Norway) and charts a personal journey and interest in vintage eyewear; the book also highlights two exhibitions by the author, one of which is taking place in Norway to accompany the release of the book. It features an essay by psychologist, Reidar Hjermann on why people like to see and be seen in glasses.

Braathen commented, “I have seen and collected many spectacles over the years. I used to be a barrister but I have always been interested in design and particularly eyewear. My book is the result of my studies and the two exhibitions, in Rome, previously, and now Norway, that display my collection with photos of the same glasses on many people; the aim is to give an insight into how people influence spectacles and how spectacles influence people.”

The illustrations in the book include Braathen’s own series of portraits as well as interesting pictures of vintage glasses, including early goggles, examples of antique spectacles, early advertising campaign imagery, and a colourful array of spectacles cases. The book is written in Norwegian with an English translation.

Spectacles, from need to refinery is now available at Bentleys in Walton Street, London – [email protected] and online at www.tanum.no/forfattere/Braathen,%20Bjørn%20L.%20G CN