Saturday, 30 June 2012
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Visual Merchandising
When I was in my early teens I always used to enjoy using online doll-makers like Elouai.com and Dollzmania.com. I loved being inspired by music and creating a character who I felt encapsulated it. Almost a decade later and nothing has changed. Sometimes the loser in me misses doll-makers, piecing together clothing to create a narrative; an attitude; a persona.
Luckily for me I'm still able to express this when I dress myself. Even though I can play with ways to reinvent myself, I cannot be satisfied. No matter how loved a canvas I am, or how much I adore my wardrobe it will always have it's limits. Recently I even asked for visual merchandising training at work. If I can have a creative input in the company, I will start enjoying work like I did when I first started. But even that has it's limits.
That's when I discovered polyvore.com. Okay, okay, I know I wam so late, just like I was with lookbook.nu. I know it existed but I never imagined it would be so simple. Lookbook.nu is a wonderful sight but I don't have the equipment to be successful on it- or indeed remotely successful.
I've started putting together sets inspired by music. One of my favourite sets is called 'Camomile Tea'. It uses pastel pink and mint green and was inspire by a song by Perfume called 'Communication'- very bouncy and sweet.
This collection was inspired by the song 'Henrietta' by the Fratelli's. I love rockabilly/vintage and try to emulate it quite a lot.
Kelly Brook has a beautiful collection exclusive to New Look that uses a lot of 1950's pin up glamour. That's why I included her as the model
One of the most fun sets to create was based on the main character from Park Chan Wook's 'Sympathy for Lady Vengeance' called Lee Geum Ja.
She's so apathetic and aloof. While I'm at it I suggest you check that out too. Be prepared to cry!
I feel I've segued enough for one day.
Until next time...
Luckily for me I'm still able to express this when I dress myself. Even though I can play with ways to reinvent myself, I cannot be satisfied. No matter how loved a canvas I am, or how much I adore my wardrobe it will always have it's limits. Recently I even asked for visual merchandising training at work. If I can have a creative input in the company, I will start enjoying work like I did when I first started. But even that has it's limits.
That's when I discovered polyvore.com. Okay, okay, I know I wam so late, just like I was with lookbook.nu. I know it existed but I never imagined it would be so simple. Lookbook.nu is a wonderful sight but I don't have the equipment to be successful on it- or indeed remotely successful.
I've started putting together sets inspired by music. One of my favourite sets is called 'Camomile Tea'. It uses pastel pink and mint green and was inspire by a song by Perfume called 'Communication'- very bouncy and sweet.
This collection was inspired by the song 'Henrietta' by the Fratelli's. I love rockabilly/vintage and try to emulate it quite a lot.
Kelly Brook has a beautiful collection exclusive to New Look that uses a lot of 1950's pin up glamour. That's why I included her as the model
One of the most fun sets to create was based on the main character from Park Chan Wook's 'Sympathy for Lady Vengeance' called Lee Geum Ja.
She's so apathetic and aloof. While I'm at it I suggest you check that out too. Be prepared to cry!
I feel I've segued enough for one day.
Until next time...
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Dark Shadows Review: Are you thirsty?
Dark Shadows Review: Are you thirsty?
Dark shadows is the latest offering from the gothic king of epic-weird, who gave us Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare before Christmas and the remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory.
For those of you looking for a whole new kettle of fish from Burton’s usual layout, untried ground from Burton’s usual themes or visuals, the film offers little. It echoes a little of the quaint awkwardness of Edward Scissorhands; with Johnny Depp playing a freakish but lovable outcast trying to make him way with life and love in a modern and unfamiliar world. Despite thematic and stylistic similarities with Burton’s previous themes Dark Shadows, does stand out in some ways as a good film in its own right.
The film focuses on the ill-fated Barnabas Collins (Depp), the son of wealthy fish merchants who shares a few sexual tumbles with attractive servant Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). Angelique falls into an obsessive love with him that he cannot requite. Love knows no fury like a woman scorned, especially when that woman happens to be a witch. The rejected Angelique curses Barnabas with vampirism and locks him in a box buried underground forever...or until 1972 when he’s excavated and he moves back in with his dysfunctional descendents.
Dark Shadows is the vampire film with a difference. No sparkles, no waiflike love interests and no apathetic pouting to speak off. The characters are expectedly strange and unexpectedly well rounded.
Michelle Pfieffer plays Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the matriarch of the new Collins family with dignity while Helena Bonham Carter does well as the sardonic, alcoholic shrink hired to look after the psychologically damaged, adorable young nephew of the household, David (Gulliver McGrath). Chloe Moretz is owed a special mention as well as the bratty, uncouth teenage daughter of Elizabeth who speaks so brazenly and acts so inappropriately you want to slap her, but you can’t help but like her.
One character stands out of a good cast. Eva Green plays Angelique Bouchard with such a skilful mix of femme fatale and homicidal psychopath that it brings the concept of ‘bitch’ to dizzy new heights. For me personally she made the film.
Overall, Dark Shadows is enjoyable, quirky. It’s different in comparison to other films on offer at the moment but doesn’t really stand out too far from the rest Tim Burton’s films. If you saw it without the label, you’d still know to whom it belonged. The film’s tone varies from charming and kitsch to blackly humourous and in this way comes across as a little confused. The plot also runs away with itself a little at the end, but it’s an enjoyable romp though ‘WTF?’ all the same.
The cinematography leaves nothing to be desired. It’s a great looking film; clean, crisp and bright- a pleasure to look at.
If you want to catch a film that makes you laugh, makes you think and makes you want to rethink dating, Dark Shadows is a sound choice for you. With one of the most bizarre love-making scenes in history and a little cameo from Cassie from Skins (Hannah Murray) Dark Shadows is certainly worth a try. Go ahead, have a bite!
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