DESIGN IDEAS

These are just a few of my designs for my 80s inspired outfit, i already kind of knew what i wanted for my final piece. I thought i would make a version of a suit from the trend of 'powerdressing' as it was probably the most iconic of the decade. 

These are some of my development ideas for the suit. I have been looking at whether i want the same fabric from the blazer to match the pant or have my model wearing stone-washed denim or even leather. 

Check out my Pinterest for my inspiration. 

JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER

(Jean-Paul Gaultier and Madonna)

Jean-Paul Gaultier is a French haute couture and Pret-a-Porter fashion designer. Gaultier rejected the normal aesthetic and earned himself the name "the bad boy of fashion", he was the first to organise random castings and celebrate upside-down dress. In keeping with his spirit of challenging traditional fashion for both men and women, androgyny began to appear as a recurring theme throughout his collections in the 1980s.

(Regine Chopinot commissioned Jean Paul Gaultier to create the costumes for the 1985 ballet "Le Défilé" and then choreographed around them)

Gaultier never received formal training to be a designer, instead he sent sketches to famous couture stylists from an early age. In 1970 he was hired to as Pierre Cardin's assistant after being impressed by his talent. Gaultier's first individual collection was released in 1976 under his own couture house, success was not immediate but his unusual taste and style was noticed. In 1978 after his 'Grease' collection Jean-Paul Gaultier was ready to throw in towel from lack of finance. However the head of The Bus Stop boutique in paris, Dominique Emschwiller, and Yoshio Nakamoto from Kashiyama, commissioned him to create a clothing line. This was a success and Gaultier officially launched Jean Paul Gaultier SA three years later.

(Jean-Paul Gaultier at Paris Fashion Week A/W 11/12)

Jean-Paul Gaultier created a media splash in 1984 when he created men's skirts for his 'God Created Man' collection. Androgyny became a recurring theme in his work. Although most people found his designs decadent at the time, fashion editors Melka Tréanton of Elle, Claude Brouet and Catherine Lardeur of French Marie Claire, immediately noticed his mastery of tailoring and were seduced by his creativity.



In 1988 Gaultier released a dance song titled "How To Do That" featuring many of his fashion pieces.

(Madonna performing on her Blond Ambition tour)

(Madonna wearing Jean-Paul Gaultier on her Blond Ambition Tour, 1990)

Gaultier is well know for the costumes he had designed and produced for Madonna, especially her infamous cone bra for her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour, as well as the wardrobe for her 2006 Confessions Tour.  

(Velvet D'Amour modelling for Jean-Paul Gaultier)

Gaultier has caused shock by using unconventional models for his exhibitions, including full-figured women, older men, heavily pierced and tattooed models and switching the gender roles in his shows. This has earned him both criticism and popularity.

 (Mylène Farmer wearing Jean-Paul Gaultier, 2011)

(Mylène Farmer's costume by Gaultier for her 2009 tour)

Gaultier has also designed costumes for Marilyn Manson, including the outfits for Manson's 'Golden Age of Grotesque' album. The costumes he designed for singer Mylène Farmer has gained mcuh attention. He has designed costume's for Kylie Minogue's Kyliex2008 tour, as well as Hong Kong singer Leslie Cheung.

(A/W 12/13 collection) 

(Jean-Paul Gaultier's Red Satin Cage dress)

(A/W 09/10 Haute couture collection)

(S/S 11 Collection Haute Couture)

Gaultier uses similar silhouettes in his work, accentuating the female's hips and bust. He is renowned for his corset aesthetic and cut-out work. Resembling fetish wear, Jean-Paul Gaultier is an extremely creative designer who pushes boundaries and is one of my favourite designers. 

WEEK IN PHOTOS

I'm 20!, Presents, Gifts from Dylan, Pumpkin, Adventure time by Dylan, I won vintage goodies!, Krispy Kreme, I have watched Sleepover 4 times today while Dylan was off out Skateboarding, Designing outfits, Pancake day!, Froth and Fodder, Me and Dylan, Snow day, He's so romantic, A trip to Leeds Museum, Dylan thinks he's hilarious, Animal skulls, Primos gourmet hotdogs, Valentines Day meal, Ice Skating at Millennium Square, Ribshakk platter. 

 

KANSAI YAMAMOTO

(Kansai Yamamoto fitting David Bowie's Space Samurai suit)

Kansai Yamamoto is one of the leaders in Japanese Contemporary fashion, he was particularly popular during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1971 he started his own company, Yamamoto Kansai Ltd, in Toyko, and was the first Japanese fashion designer to hold a collection show in London, as well as debuting in the USA at Hess's Department store in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which was renowned at the time for many avant-garde collections.  His London debut brought him an international spotlight and long friendships with artists like Sir, Elton John, David Bowie and Stevie Wonder. 

(Vietnamese children wearing Yamamoto-designed turtle outfits for a reenactment of the Vietnamese Hoan Kiem lake turtle folktale)

He is known for his avant-guarde fashion designs, winning overwhelming popularity among the trend sensitive population around the world. Kansai launched "Boutique Kansai" in major cities around the world including Paris, Milan, New York, Madrid and London. 

(David Bowie wearing 'Rites of Spring' costume 1973)

"He has an unusual face, don't you think?  He's neither man nor woman.  If you see what I mean; which suited me as a designer because most of my clothes are for either sex.  I love his music and obviously that has influenced my designs but most of all there's this aura of fantasy that surrounds him. He has flair." - Kansai Yamamoto (June 1973)

"Now of course he's an international designer, but he was very experimental at that time - his stuff was way off the board.   So the very first things were influenced by him, and then I got to know him, and he made all the stuff you really know - the suits, the pull-apart stuff, all those things.   He said, "Oh, this band are weird - tee-hee-hee - they wear my clothes" - Bowie (1987)

(David Bowie wearing knitted body suit) 

Bowie purchased the "Woodlands Animal Costume" form Kansai's London boutique to wear for his Rainbow Concert in August 1972. After viewing one of Yamamoto's rock-fashion shows Bowie reportedly loved the costumes which were a combination of sci-fi and classical Kabuki theatre. Bowie and Kansai later met in New York where he gifted Bowie two costumes for his second US tour. Kansai Yamamoto was then commissioned to create nine more costumes based on Japanese Noh dramas. These were the flamboyant androgynous Ziggy Stardust costumes Bowie's wore on his third US tour in 1973. 

(Caroline Coon modelling Yamamoto's famous Cape with matching Wool Jumpsuit, from 1971) 

(Kansai Yamamoto Intarsia Sweater and printed tunic)

Yamamoto uses heavy graphic imagery in his work and bright colours, taking inspiration from traditional Japanese fashion to create something new and modern. 

(Yamamoto by Clive Arrowsmith)

(Julie Roche modelling Kansai Yamamoto)

 (Yamamoto Platforms)

Kansai Yamamoto continues to put on spectacular shows including "Hello! Russia", "Hello! Vietnam", "Hello! India" and "Hello! Japan", drawing in crowds of over 120,000 per event. He continues to be involved in various activities in a variety of fields. Winning any awards including "Fashion editors club award", "Jury's Special award - The 7th Japan Event award", Overseas advisor to "Russia International Human Aid Foundation", "International Cultural Award - The 21st Native Wardrobe Culture Distinguished Services", "the 3rd Ku/Kan award" among many others. 

WEEK IN PHOTOS

Fisheye looks awful, Early Birthday meal at the Indian, Dylan and Bethany, Yummy Coffee, She'll kill me if she sees i've put this on, Huge Pupils, Finally eating chocolate santa, Dylan trying on a Bomber jacket, Unfortunate hairdresser name, Petshop visit, Yum, Millies, And another one, My beautiful, Egg Custard, Pumpkin is actually sat on my knee this is a first, Driving this morning ): , Mother, Celebrating my Birthday a day early because i'm going back to Leeds tomorrow.

KAHN & BELL

(Kahn & Bell by Paul Edmond)

Kahn & Bell was a fashion label and boutique founded by Jane Kahn and Patti Bell in 1976. Located on Hurst Street, Birmingham, England. Their clothing depicted the New Romantic style, it was elaborate and theatrical. They brought together a wide range of influences, including African, Egyptian and Far Eastern art, and combined them with elements of futurism, fantasy and Fetish. Kahn & Bell designed clothes for some of the most popular bands during the 80's including Duran Duran and Shock.

(Shock wearing Kahn & Bell)

"Patti and Jane were the queen and princess of the Birmingham New Romantic scene as fashion designers.  They were the kingpins.  They had their shop Kahn & Bell in Hurst Street.  Patti was the Vivienne Westwood of Birmingham with Jane as Zandra Rhodes.  Jane was perhaps slinghtly more refined in her fashion design and Patti was the more outrageous one,  the most outgoing."  - Paul Edmonds.

(Adele wearing Kahn & Bell, by Paul Edmond)

 'New Sounds New Styles' was a New Romantic magazine that ran from 1981-1982. The magazine commented that while Kahn & Bell where often one step ahead of the designers from the capital" they often got little recognition, and when "similarities to London designers were spotted in their collections, it was often assumed that Birmingham had copied London".

(Tik and Tok modelling with Vivienne Lynn, wearing Kahn & Bell, by David Bailey for Ritz Newspaper)

"Kahn and Bell had particular impact. Holding court at the Zanzibar, resplendent in leopardskin and padded shoulders, dripping diamonte with leather devils' tails hanging down between their legs, they looked on good nights like Egyptian Queens, like Ancient Babylonians. On not so good nights, they resembled Brassaï's Moma Bijou -"fugitives from Baudelaire's bad dreams", and even then they looked magnificent. For Kahn and Bell and those who followed their lead, identity wasn't something you nailed yourself into in late adolescence. It was a trick of the light, and if you were to avoid burning yourself out (a real risk this, when you sold clothes all day and promoted them all night), then you simply let the flames lick over you and turned the ashes into kohl." - Blueprint, 1988. 

(Kahn & Bell Fashion Roller Show, By Paul Edmond)

"Birmingham's most influential alternative fashion team Kahn & Bell,  puts the finishing touches to roller-skater Jay,  who stole the show at Bact To Front roller fashion show at London club Heaven last month.  Fashion mixes with music and movement.  White leather breatshield and skirt with brass/diamante studs,  coins and bells."  - New Sounds New Styles, October 1981.

(Kahn & Bell, by David Rimmer)

"Things happened differently in Birmingham and was in some measure down to Patti Bell and Jane Kahn.  From the point where they teamed up in the mid-Seventies,  both the outrageous garments on offer at their Hurst Street shop and their flamboyant presence on the small but growing scene kept the freak flag  flying through the day of punk."  -  New Romantics, The Look by Dave Rimmer.

(Kahn & Bell, by Virginia Turbett)

(Kahn & Bell's clothing in New Sounds New Style)

It was argued over the years the Kahn & Bell never reached their full potential as designers living in Birmingham. London is the capital of UK fashion and it it thought that Kahn & Bell missed their window of opportunity by not relocating there, not licensing their brand and not compromising their unique style. 

Kahn and Bell eventually went their separate ways in the 1980s. Kahn was always seen as the more ambitious of the two and relocated to London. She began her own label 'Kahniverous'  and enjoyed a little success alone but was never able to recreate the "look" that Kahn and Bell had previously achieved. Bell continued with her inspired and unusual collections. With clients and customers from all over Europe, South East Asia and Japan.

WEEK IN PHOTOS

80's research, Roti, House-sitting family meal, Cat t-shirt, I sent Sarah and Zoe a photo of Me and Matthew, Making Cocktails, The nicest cocktail i've ever had: Watermelon, Watermelon fishbowl, Spin the Bottle dares, Sammi had to pull off Matthews sock with her teeth, We went on Omegle literally all night, ... , Matthew, Streaking, I don't even know who these people are with Matthew, After 2 years are names are still there, Me and Sammi, Dinner, Chelsea's mum, The cat I made friends with, Sleepy Boy.