Solid Gold: Golden Age of Couture at the V&A

You’ve got to hand it to Christian Dior when he declared that the 1950s was the “golden age” in fashion. Self-promotion aside, he was right on the money, and deservedly so. The launch of Dior’s New Look in 1947 marked a turning point in fashion history, and it’s never been the same since, as you’ll find at the V&A’s sumptuous exhibition, The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957.


This exhibition is truly gold, so good in fact (and being a retro girl myself), I went twice - and it’s not exactly cheap at £9 per adult! But I fell in love with the opulent gowns and extraordinary dressmaking skills, such as the embroidered tiny velvet bird nests with clusters of pearl “eggs” on Christian Dior’s ‘Bosophore’ silk velvet evening dress. The Parisian couture houses employed hundreds of seamstresses in the ‘50s who spent god-only-knows-how-many-hours hand-embroidering gowns in exquisite detail.

'Les Muguets' (Lily of the Valley) evening dress by Hubert de Givenchy. Paris 1955.

Zémire' evening ensemble, Christian Dior (1905-57) Paris, 1954-5 autumn/winter.

And while my mum got misty-eyed, I stared in awe at the utterly beautiful ball gowns worn by Margot Fonteyn. She had the tiniest waist! And the display of 1950s corsetry was a tribute to their incredible design and construction. They are like little works of art in themselves!

Dress and petticoat, Pierre Balmain, Paris.

Other highlights include the 1950s Balmain silk organza evening dress with ostrich feathers, sequins and rhinestones. Totally and wickedly decadent. No wonder the New Look caused outrage from still-on-rations Britain (and can you believe that the Queen and Princess Margaret chose to view the new collections in secret?).

I also adored the Miss Virginia Lachasse couture doll, who had her own complete wardrobe which included tiny nylon stockings, toiletries, corsets and a cigarette holder. Miss Virginia Lachasse was one of a collection of touring dolls in England which raised money for the Greater London Fund for the Blind.


And I particularly loved Dior’s fragrance “glorifier”, a mini set complete with stage and mirrors, which started the trend for displaying and marketing perfume bottles in department stores. Pretty interesting considering how fragrance is such big business now (and a major money-spinner) for the top designer houses.

The exhibition’s museum shop is also well worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for Christmas gifts for sartorially-minded friends. Better still it’s available online. Here are my top picks:

The Golden Age of Couture Hardback £35; £24.99 paperback, exclusive to the V&A Shop.
This book showcases the sumptuous gowns from the exhibition, as well as the dramatic work by fashion photographers such as Cecil Beaton.

Unicorn brooch, £20.
Inspired by the pieces in the exhibition, this sparkly brooch is exclusive to the V&A and features Swarvoski crystals.

Shoe charm bracelet with seven charms, £75.
Made with gold enamel and Swarvoski crystlas, the charms are inspired by the shoes from the ‘40s and ‘50s in the V&A’s collections. Individual shoe charms are £10 each - the perfect Kris Kringle.

Woman with Parakeets Mug, £10.
This delightful image is from one of three drawings by Lee Miller (circa 1930).

Thread Spool Brooch, £32.
Gorgeous and fun brooch featuring stirling silver fittings by German jewellery designer Ina Seifart.

Dress Up Paper Doll, £4.50.
Perfect for little (and big) girls, the cut-out clothes are based on couture garments featured in the exhibition.

The Little Dictionary of Fashion: A Guide to Dress Sense for Every Woman by Christian Dior, £9.99.
Words of fashion wisdom and style secrets from the man himself, Christian Dior.

Fashion History Tape Measure, £15.
Nifty (and fun) way to learn the history of fashion.

All items are available to buy here.

The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957
22 September 2007 – 6 January 2008
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL

Nearest tube: South Kensington

Love birdies

I'm back home in London after spending three glorious weeks in Sydney for the nuptials of a very special couple. Couldn't resist showing some pics of another couple of love birds in NSW's Hunter Valley ... aaah.



More London shop reviews (and Christmas previews) coming very soon!

What to take home: Keep calm and carry on

Keep Calm and Carry On poster, £10, V&A Museum.

Take home the classic British sentiment of retaining a stiff upper lip at all times with this World War II reproduction from the V&A Museum shop (incidentally, one of my favourite London shopping destinations).

The V&A Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7
Tel: 020 7942 2000

Nearest tube: South Kensington

Street style: Claire on Broadway Market

A wee birdy told me that Claire, 22, wears a scarf from Zara, t-shirt from Cos, leggings from Topshop, vintage boots and Marc Jacobs bag.

London shopping: Beyond the Valley

Had your fill of high-street goodness at Oxford Circus’ Topshop? Want something cool and edgy to add to your ensemble? Then run, don’t walk, to Beyond the Valley, just a hop, skip and a jump away over on Newburgh Street, just behind Carnaby Street. This beyond-hip store is a London shopping highlight, with an energetic fusion of fashion, homewares, accessories, jewellery, books, zines and art. With a gallery space in one of the front rooms, the store holds regular exhibitions that showcase the work of young and upcoming designers and artists. In fact, the owners of Beyond the Valley are all Central St Martins graduates themselves, so they’re in a good position to foster and nurture new talent.

From the recent Fabrications exhibition.

The store features loads of fun and innovative wares, which come together in a dazzling display that gives you a massive shot of inspiration and product-lust. The Autumn/Winter fashion line-up includes Icelandic funky knitwear label Mundi Designs, as well as other indie labels including Makin Jan Mar, Starstyling, Vita Vass, Celia Sorenson and Alexandra Groover. Beyond the Valley regulars Yuko Yoshitake and Australian label Life with Bird are a welcome inclusion to the range, as well as their own house label which combines edgy and affordability, with prices starting at £35.


For those with a love for quirky-‘n’-cool jewellery, there’s Miss Bibi’s covetable (but pricey) tiny gold stiletto earrings (£208), chandelier necklace (£188) and ornate gold frame brooch (£144). At the other end of the price scale, there’s a delightful glazed porcelain thunder cloud brooch from Me Me Me for £28. Don’t miss Zoe Morgan’s playful perspex jewellery and Bow Belle’s adorable bow brooch and necklace.





But there are other surprises in stores, such as Lucy May Schofield's endearing notelet range, which includes old-school typewritten notes that take flirting and courtship to a whole new level. These tiny bound perforated notes feature phrases that are simple and sweet, without the Hallmark sap, such as “You make me handsomely happy”. Pop it in your partner’s lunchbox for a little extra non-SMS, non-Facebook sweetness. And flirt with ease with notes from the “Pulling” series, with phrases such as “I like your smile”. Genius.


Best buys include Beyond the Valley’s gorgeous laser-cut mirrors, including a unicorn (from £45) and magpie (from £28). The recycled leather slippers in beige and grey from Unu are also a good buy at £24. I’m also loving the excellent range of printed packaging tapes, with prices starting at £6 (brilliant on brown paper parcels!). Equally impressive is their line-up of original wallpapers, such as a gorgeous handprinted swallow paper for £140. And make sure you check out Matt Smith’s playful and elegant porcelain range, such as the rutting stag dishes (two for £25) and the deer cup and saucer for £50.





And I’ve got a big soft spot for this black cat tea cosy for £50:


Beyond the Valley
www.beyondthevalley.com



2 Newburgh Street
London W1
+44(0)207 4377338
info@beyondthevalley.com

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Nearest tube: Oxford Circus

Opening hours:
Monday – Saturday 11.30am- 6.30pm
Sunday 12.30pm – 5pm

For more shops in W1, click here.

Glasgow street style: Jen at National Pop League

A wee birdy told me that Jen, 22, is wearing a vintage dress she bought on Ebay.

What to take home: Penhaligon's Bluebell Bath Oil

Penhaligons Bluebell Bath Oil 200ml, £35.

An oldie but a goodie. And heading into a dreary old October in London, this “essence of Spring” will do well to remind me of walking in the Devon countryside in April and stumbling upon a heavenly carpet of bluebells.

In Ruby Country, Devon. April, 2007.

The Bluebell bath oil is Penhaligon’s number one cult beauty product. For the ultimate bluebell experience, layer with the delicate floral eau de toilette. I love the old-fashioned glass bottle and matching wee ribbon.

Penhaligon's Bluebell Eau de Toilette Spray 50ml, £50.

Penhaligon’s has been around since 1891, and in this time it has earned itself a couple of royal warrants. One of its oldest fragrances is the citrus-y Blenheim Bouquet for blokes – apparently Winston Churchill was a fan.

Penhaligon’s Blenheim Eau de Toilette Spray, 50ml, £45.

For Penhaligon’s store locations, click here

Penhaligon's London stores:

Covent Garden
41 Wellington Street
London WC2

125 Regent Street
London W1

132 Kings Road
London SW3

16 Burlington Arcade
London W1

20A Brook Street
London W1

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Street style: Lauren on Broadway Market

A wee birdy told me that Lauren, 24, wears top from H&M, skirt from Recyclo in Bristol, shoes from Office, bag from Warehouse, necklace from Accessorize and sunglasses from H&M.

What to take home: Paddington Bear

There's been a steady stream of visitors to my part of the world recently, and it's got me thinking about the perfect London souvenir.

Now, there's much debate about what makes the perfect souvenir. Of course, the issue is entirely subjective and whether you're after a whimsical snow-dome London Eye fridge magnet or a quality, locally-produced woollen scarf from a remote island in the outer Hebrides is mostly a matter of taste (and budget). And it's not really a debate I wish to enter (although I have been known to indulge in both types of souvenirs, which I think is all the more fun).

So over the course of this blog, I'm going to start posting about some stuff that takes my fancy. I'd like to think that all of them are locally-produced, using locally-sourced raw materials, but sometimes your eye catches stuff that's, well, not. It's a sorry sign of the world that even the most classic, traditional products from a destination aren't as "local" or "authentic" as you'd like them to be. (But hopefully, I'll find some products that tick both boxes!). And you just might spot the odd tea-towel.

Anyway, without further ado, step away from that high-street souvenir tat stall, and put down that khaki vinyl Harrods shoppper ... here's what to take home.

#1 Paddington Bear
I've seen quite few knock-offs of this lovely little marmalade-eating fellow, but you really can't beat the charm of the authentic version (ahem, official licensed product) from London's premier toy store, Hamleys.

Traditional Paddington Bear, £44.99, Hamleys.

Isn't he just the smartest wee chap in his duffle coat and shiny red wellies? I know, you can buy versions of (arguably) London's most famous resident all over the world now, but Hamleys do have an impressive line-up of Paddingtons, starting at £5.99 for a keychain or a clip-on. Alternatively, head to Paddington kiosk at Paddington station in London for more bear fun.

I love this Paddington's furry face and standing at a stately 46cm tall, he's just the thing for a nursery bookshelf.

Hamleys
www.hamleys.co.uk
188-96 Regent Street
London W1
Tel: 0870 333 2455

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Nearest Tube:
Piccadilly Circus
Oxford Circus

Opening hours:
Monday-Friday 10am-8pm
Saturday 9am-8pm
Sunday 12noon-6pm

p.s. Want to know more about Paddington and his wonderful creator, Michael Bond? Check this out.

Street style: Kanako in Covent Garden

A wee birdy told me that Kanako, 26, wears navy coat from Urban Outfitters, beret from Accessorize, dress from Viva You in Japan, bag by Pigra and shoes from Office.