elegance | HAWTHORNE & HEANEY

2017 sees the 20th anniversary of the tragic death of our beloved Diana, Princess of Wales. To mark the anniversary, BBC Two has made a documentary called ‘Diana: Designing a Princess’ to celebrate the Princesses sense of style and fashion. Hawthorne and Heaney are excited and grateful to say we played a small part in this by embroidering section titles for the documentary.

As one of the most famous women on the planet, this programme traces the evolution of the Princess’s style, ‘from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances’.

To her playing the role of a ‘fairy tale princess’

She captured the hearts of the world and elevated to the ‘glamour, elegance and confidence of her later life’.

Princess Diana Dancing with John Travolta on her visit to America at President Reagan’s White House Gala in 1985.

The BBC2 documentary is presented by Brenda Emmanus, BBC’s Art, Culture and Entertainment correspondent and was produced in collaboration with the Historic Royal Places. Brenda looks at some of Diana’s ‘most celebrated and exquisite dresses’, which have been brought together for a new exhibition at Kensington Palace – open from 24th February 2017 and runs until March 2018.

Brenda then visits the Conservation Studio at Hampton Court Palace as the dresses are prepared for display.

She hears from historians, cultural commentators and the designers who dressed Diana, including Elizabeth Emanuel, Victor Edelstein and David Sassoon. Exhibition curator Eleri Lynn says that Diana, was ‘an excellent silent communicator through her clothes’ and this can be noted in the so called ‘Revenge Dress’ she unveiled on the night Prince Charles admitted adultery.

Diana broke away from the traditional image of royal outfits and created her own image as a modern princess.

This year, the Princess would have turned 56, which seems unimaginable and this exhibition and documentary is a perfect way to understand Diana’s fashion choices and to celebrate Diana.

The documentary is still available to watch on BBC TWO.

References:

Historical Royal Places – http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/visit-us/top-things-to-see-and-do/diana-her-fashion-story/#gs.TxGK4KA

History of Royal Women – http://www.historyofroyalwomen.com/diana-princess-of-wales/diana-princess-waless-fashion-legacy-celebrated-kensington-palace/

The Telegraph – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/02/25/diana-designing-princess-provokes-mixed-emotions-review/

Marie Claire – http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/fashion/princess-diana-s-dresses-the-truth-behind-her-most-famous-fashion-moments-116675

Vanity Fair – http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/09/john-travolta-princess-diana-dance-memory

The word vulgar is used to describe common people, lack of sophistication or good taste and reflects someone making explicit or offensive reference to sex or the body.

The “The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined” exhibition curated by Judith Clark and Adam Phillips displays famous looks from the fashion world dating back from the renaissance to current day fashion. The exhibition definitely gets you questioning about why is vulgar such a sensitive area in fashion and what makes something vulgar?

By looking at the definition of vulgar as being common, it also explores the ideas of fashion being common, has it ever been unique? By trying to be different, your fashion exaggerating then turning into a vulgar taste.

The exhibition includes works from designers such as, John Galliano, Pam Hogg,Vivienne Westwood and Yves Saint Laurent. Some of the looks there, I can understand as being vulgar, over the top, makes you wonder why is that necessary and in a way almost a bit disturbing. What I found difficult about the collection, is what do you actually classify as vulgar?

Surely it’s all down to personal opinion rather, as some things I did find vulgar but other pieces there I found beautiful.

These hair shoes by Alessandro Michele for Gucci were featured in the exhibition. For me, these shoes say vulgar. They are very eccentric, easy to show off with and over all a strange idea to get over.

Hussein Chalayan’s Autumn/Winter 2014 collection, his dresses covered in acrylic nails. The idea of vulgar coming from the concept rather than the look of it.

Pam Hogg SS14, her designs are very unique and different, but most of the time they are revealing and insensitive. Getting a strong reaction from society which I feel the idea of vulgar is all about.

Walter van Beirendonck 2010-11 “Take a Ride” collection.

Whilst with this Christian Dior SS 2003, I think it is very exaggerated but still has elegance and beauty to it, so does that make it vulgar?

Looks from the Viktor&Rolf collection, Van Gogh Girls, were also featured. But is the actual fashion vulgar? Or is it the whole design of the big straw hat and flowers growing off the dress. This to me creates more of an exciting, artistic presentation of the clothes, presented almost like paintings, what they were inspired by.

Whilst in the exhibition there were also pieces, which I found beautiful, elegant and sophisticated. Lace collars, stomachers and looks by Givenchy, Raf Simons, Chloe and Madame Grès, were some of the looks that I didn’t understand why they were there.

The collection is full of interesting pieces of fashion and historic embroidered pieces such as stomachers, dresses and accessories. It’s a really interesting and exciting collection to see with lots of information and film about vulgarity in fashion and the different movements throughout history that affected it.

Images taken from:

http://fashiontribes.typepad.com/fashion/2015/04/bride-of-bigfoot-hairy-slipper-shoe-footwear-things-stomp-into-fall-2015.html

http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/gallery/22125/2/the-vulgar-fashion-redefined

http://the-moustached-king.tumblr.com/page/4

http://showstudio.com/collection/hussein_chalayan_paris_womenswear_a_w_2014/anders_christian_madsen_reports_on_the_chalayan_show

http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/barbican-vulgarity-the-spice-of-fashion-life

Hawthorne & Heaney for Diana: Designing a Princess BBC Documentary

Hawthorne & Heaney Visits The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined Exhibition at the Barbican