BALMAIN AND I BELIEVE I CAN FLY

Can I be in two places at once? Yes, like God I can. Where there is a will there is a way. Paris London Paris and Balmain's show was the business today, and thank goodness for clothes that we are going to wear.  Punk rockers are never out of fashion.  Shorts and jackets torn, covered with paint, and ripped fishnet stockings. Wow, I love this look, trashy blonde that I like to be. Let's hope Madonna gets the job of advertising it, so I won't be the only fool wearing it.

Back in London I went to The Lady, where Boris Johnson's sister Rachel works as editor. She was giving a drinks party in London for the launch of her diary of the first year at the helm.  Journalists turned up in their thousands, including Camilla Long, Nicky Haslam and Lady Antonia Fraser (who are of course upmarket journalists). It was a bit weird really. This magazine has become cult since Rachel took over, although the last time I actually read it was when one found cooks for dinners in days gone by and dreamed of living in castles. Incidentally, I have found the most wonderful site on the internet called Sifex and each day I now go into deep meditation at the thought of owning a little chateau in the Dordogne or Carcassonne.  (I do love to daydream.)

Next, my friend called Mark Macaulay had a launch for his book, 'The House of Slamming Doors'. I love the title - it sounds just like my family.  I felt at home immediately I picked the book up.

Then home, whence sadly my housekeeper of eleven years is leaving, I have worn her out, so she is departing to the Phillipines. But we had fun tonight, sitting on her bed with a copy of The Lady, checking to see if someone else will put up with me that long.

P.S. Bankers will definitely be in deep baby poo, Britain is now a trillian in debt,  that is twenty thousand pounds for every man woman and child in England (excluding immigrants) and the bankers appear to have stolen it.. They will need some good bodyguards soon.  How on earth do we pay this back?.. Oh hells bells I am going out to buy some Balmain shorts but forgive me if I rip my own stockings, Christophe Decamin is on the mark, the future is street fighting and punk rock..

PP.S On another note, as much as I generally hate bankers I love Boris Johnson. Tonight I saw him leave The Lady on his bike, between a bin lorry and a taxi, anyone could have punched him out. He had no protection and he is Mayor of one of the greatest cities in the world.

LOOKING FOR

MILAN: FASHION WEEK

You feel so spoilt at the fashion shows, and it is so easy to  criticise the designers hard work.  I think it is better to try and be positive.  I like to imagine what I would wear out of each collection.    The designers usually have in house public relations which are constantly changing and  it requires hours of nagging and I have sadly not won over Milan just yet.

However I love it, it has lots to offer, the people there, the food, the shopping, Carla Sozzani's shop Corso Como, which has exhibitions too, and two or three amazing little bedrooms to rent.

Christopher Kane is now working for Versus based his show around the playground.  Swings, roundabouts, children, the clothes looked in some cases like wearable clown costumes. Pretty prints, all jumbled together, tight long skirts  and a line short skirts.  He is supported clearly by Donatella.
This winter I have loved his own collection of black shirts with leather collars in lace and chiffon.

Roberto Cavalli  has been around for  40 years working in a different playground. .  His clothes are ritzy, flash and for  a specific type of woman.  Sadly I kill his clothes, but many look ravishing in them.  He knows how to do sexy and over the top clothes very well.  Thank goodness there are so many types of women on the planet,  these shows prove this. The Italian's idea of a beautiful woman is Sophia Lauren with generally big bosoms, long hair, bigs lips lots of sparkle, shine and make up.  In England we are different, we so multi cultured now, we have  many new nationalities influencing us.  They have good weather, we generally have bad, we appreciate Kate Moss, with no make up and no bosoms and long legs.  We are  also a more culturally diverse.
Of course not everybody is into fashion by any means, but different cultures require different things.

Tristan und Isolde- Behind the Scenes

TRISTRAN AND ISOLDE

If this was the last opera I ever saw I would not mind because for me it was the best.  The passionate film of Bill Viola's complimenting the passionate music of Wagners'.  I was in heaven, transfixed for four short hours, wanting to stay forever in this extraordinary environment that Peter Sellers created in the Festival Hall yesterday. The music like a boomerang using the whole space.  The singing excellent.
If  you haven't experienced a passionate love life you may find Viola's film unnecessary even distracting.  I say to you this, go and have the experience and you will totally be in agreement. He plays with time back and forth, playing, and so so sexual, yet with a beauty and innocence that is rare and real. Through the tunnels of stems, leaves, light flashing images, photographs and video altogether.

With images of woods, fire, a plain yet beautiful couple washing their hands, water like a funnel of passion down their spines, naked walking towards you in stark reality, candles burning, flames.   Sometimes like a vogue fashion shoot, then raw real and exploding, ending with the most incredible levitation, leaving the audience gasping and not wanting to leave.

Bill Viola - Ocean Without a Shore - Venice Biennale 2007

Bill Viola - Ocean Without a Shore - Venice Biennale 2007

Bill Viola - Ocean Without a Shore - Venice Biennale 2007

Jessye Norman - A Portrait - Isoldes Liebestod (Wagner)

WISHES

I WISH I COULD FLY

I WISH MY THIRD EYE WOULD

WAKE UP

I WISH I LIKED EXERCISE

I WISH I WAS UNAFRAID OF

HEIGHTS

I WISH I COULD DRIVE LONG 

DISTANCES

I WISH THE OLD PEOPLE 

WERE NOT PUT IN HOMES

BUT  LISTENED TO AS

PART OF OUR SOCIETY

I WISH I HAD BETTER

MUSICAL ABILITY

I WISH COULD PLAY

THE FLUTE

I WISH I COULD

BE AN OPERA SINGER

I WISH YOU COULD

SAIL ROUND THE WORLD

I WISH I COULD

KEEP QUIET WHEN CROSS

I WISH I COULD

SLEEP

I WISH I HAD PATIENCE

I WISH I COULD RIDE

A HORSE WITHOUT

FEAR

I WISH I COULD MARRY

AGAIN

I WISH I HAD THE 

OPPORTUNITY TO

 BE NICE

TO A MAN

I WISH I COULD WALK ROUND

ENGLAND

I WISH I COULD STOP THE

WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST

I WISH I COULD SPEAK 

DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

EASILY

I WISH

PEOPLE  RESPECTED
THE LAND
AND ANIMALS MORE
I WISH THEY WOULD
BECOME VEGETARIAN
OR TRY JUST A LITTLE
BIT
I WISH

1st day of 2008 at rockefeller center

Noble & Webster interview

"CELEBRATE THE LIVING AND MESS THINGS UP A BIT" Tim Noble

With so much talk of death this week, you could be pressurized into the belief that the world only revolves around suicide and depression. Firstly, there were two parties for books about the late Isabella Blow, followed by an interview with Tim Noble and Sue Webster at The National Portrait Gallery about their portrait of their friend which the Gallery coincidently bought. If you did not know the people involved you could think that it was morbid curiosity, almost an obsession not to be forgotten. Isabella was a larger than life character whom we all miss and thank goodness she was far from being a saint.

 Then there was Alexander McQueens Memorial too at St Paul's Cathedral. It was shocking that two people in this fast fashion world, who were friends killed themselves in the space of a couple of years. Life is not that easy in the world of Super Model, Muse and Super Hero.

Anyway back to Tim and Sue who were very interesting tonight. They have a knack of being both provocative and charming which is the core to their success. I loved the way they were described, a sub human species from a consumer age. Fabulous, or was the interviewer describing other people?. Anyway Issie wanted a Portrait and she was serious about it. Made partly from items belonging to her they created an incredible likeness which is now installed in Room 37 at the National Portrait Gallery. They are both definitely loyal, they stick up for what they believe in, and they are incredible friends. This I know. They don't belong to the clan of YBA, they were outsiders and without aid they have produced some truly moving work.

Issie arrived at their Studio wearing a triple decker hat, she left one part of the hat on each floor. She also left her Manola Blahnik shoes. From this, a raven and a robin they made her shadow image portrait.
Tim and Sue came to London with masses of ideas, and from working as assistants with Gilbert and George making frames one summer, they have become world famous aristocrats from the glamourous sewer of life..

Tim told a wonderful story of his Father's menagerie of animals that he collected for his pupils while he was The head of sculpture at Cheltenham including a Golden Eagle worth ten thousand pounds. Tim was brought up in this exotic mess. Sue was the daughter of an electrician and is able to do almost anything. Efficient to the extreme. They work in different ways but in the end come together producing explosive results.  Tim ended the interview on a perfectly charming note   "I don't usually talk about death, lets celebrate the living and mess things up a bit"

The National Portrait Gallery love the piece of theatre and art that Tim and Sue have produced and I do too as always.

OZWALD BOATENG, IF I WERE A MAN THESE ARE THE SUITS I WOULD WEAR

I love Ozwald's suits, forget the rest with exception of Paul Smith who has got very funky in his old age. I love Mr Boateng, he makes men totally delicious. He seems to embrace all shapes and sizes with flare and creativity. Simple shapes well cut with oodles of style. Congratulations my pal.

'Becky Sharp' trailer (1935)

BACK TO ART AND A BIT OF A SPEND, JOANA VASCONCELOS, AT THE HAUNCH OF VENISON, LONDON

I moved yesterday to a downstairs flat. I get quite hysterical and am usually pushed out of the house when moving, yesterday being no exception. Shoved out of the house, I had to do several jobs. One is quite sad: Jasmine de Milo has closed down, due to her wanting to be with her family more. She had a huge sale - beautiful clothes going for next to nothing - and I was lucky enough to pick up a cream coat I had wanted two seasons ago..mmmm Even naughtier, I went to Louis Vuitton. My friend Kim Herzov, editor at large for Harpers Bazaar, was doing a day there, showing off her style and encouraging people to see clothes in a new way. Of course I was completely taken in and left with a cream jacket with cream trim and an amazing pin stripe coat. I can't wait to wear them.. They are bit dressy for Los Angeles but for New York, London and Paris they are ideal.

I was invited to a dinner at the Haunch of Venison's gallery in the old Museum of Mankind to meet Joana Vasconcelos. I am in love with this famous Portuguese artist. Damien Hirst is famous here and she is equally a superstar there. I can understand why. There is an amazing light-in-dark maze, plus many animal ceramics, statues and a piano, covered with crochet intricately and cleverly put together. There is also a fantastic piece with women sitting open legged and men running away. Not all were pretty, and I was upset by one piece about man's relationship to animals, which made me think. Meanwhile, huge chandeliers filled a room in bright red, like toys for grown ups. There is no way you cannot be impressed by her installations - or with those of my good friend Polly Morgan, who had also her chandelier showing here, with birds.

JASPER CONRAN

I like Jasper Conran. I like his clothes. I feel he is not spoken about enough. Timeless clothes are in. Let us be honest we are much more likely to wear similar clothes to the ones he produces. There is no way I am wearing shoes like this. Far too sensible. The clothes would look good on Lady Victoria Rothschild, she is a very chic woman. I am not. I like edgy. Jasper used to be edgy, I have a suit in my cupboard that is incredible, and before Alexander Mcqueen ever did riding habits Jasper did them very well. There is a slot to be filled sadly. Anyway Jasper has kept his sanity I love his shop in Savile Row and the way he actually lives life.He has been a quiet success, a clever man indeed in this fast unforgiving world.

BURBERRY

The problem with big houses is that they get swallowed up with politics and the design becomes the look of the house, not perhaps what the designer or creative director wants, in this case Christopher Bailey. This is a polished house, with polished goods and therefore highly commercial. I have no idea how well it does, but compared to the early days, the change is incredible. This was not its best season, or most interesting, but it will all sell because people want this. That is if they have not listened to Vivienne Westwood, and stopped shopping. Perhaps it should not have looked like every other season, but I suspect it is too big a house to do what you really want to do?, Everybody is so caught up in celebrity giving too much respect to it.
Actually you know the famous are like you and me.. they go to the bathroom, and I don't need to know who wears what. So you know my views, Sarah Jessica Parker looked better in McQueen, but I also have as many Burberry jackets.

My fashion week has not been glamourous. It has been anything but. The thing it has had is oodles of talent in every shape and form - but we will never have Alexandra Shulman of British Vogue holding court at the Ritz. She is a lovely intellectual working woman . A very hard worker indeed. So is Lucy Yeoman's of Harpers Bazaar. And while she gives incredible parties through the year - a few of which I have been invited to - they can't compare with the excesses of Paris. The red carpet is a difficult affair here unless you want a private dinner in some hidden dining room. Personally I like fashion shows hidden away, like Erdem's in a garden, but this is not always possible, the volume of traffic and timings always being so tricky. Quite a few I missed this season because of the traffic, but Somerset House is a convenient, beautiful place. So we are lucky.

Last night I went to Elizabeth Emanuel to see her new show. (A big crush of fans and singer Jimmy Demmers. Lots of people there to welcome her.) But I did not manage to see the show. I had to be at Issa. Then of course, because of going to Elizabeth's, I missed Issa. Still, I caught the Biba party at Homes House - ate their chocolates and saw the dresses - before going to the Jean Loup Sief exhibiton at Hamiltons which I loved. His photographs of nudes are some of the best. Next, Momo's - too early, but I had fun talking to Lara Bohinc, a stunning girl, who does wonderful bags and jewellery. So stunning actually that one was stolen from me from off the back of my bedroom door last year. I then suddenly remembered Detmar Blow's opening at Annabel's for his new book on Isabella, Blow by Blow. He was sitting down to dinner when I arrived. Yikes, one of those days..

Anyway here goes, I like Issa. I like them because they are real clothes for real woman, of course with big boats too, but you feel that you could slip them on, on thin and fat days. She also is able to get celebrities to her shows this time Lilly Allen with a bump.
From Brazil she is one of their major flagships, and very loyal to Great Britain. Thank you.

Elizabeth Emanuel I am so pleased for. After many struggles and huge amount of optimism she is back on form again happy with the girls creating little black dresses for us. I am so sorry I did not see her show. I was there with her. It was a nightmare of a day.

HOLLY FULTON

I like Holly's bright colours and the rich feel to her clothes. The woman who would wear them has a big big yacht and is married to a fat cat, that is for sure. I like Holly's sharp shapes too and the pieces that I have included I would wear if they were black.

ERDEM

Thank goodness for the 1940's school girl look. Girlie and carefully mismatched I actually loved this collection. I did not like anything before. In fact I thought everybody had gone mad when they said they liked Erdem.. Oops sorry social faux pas, but it reminded me of Sunday school dresses. I seemed to be the only one not crazy for the designer. Today I loved him, the clothes matched my mood after the drama of Alexander McQueen's Memorial. Light, and I might even buy the long black dress with white collar.

LET's MAKE THE NEW OUT OF THE OLD?

This morning I went to Todd Lynn's show at Somerset house. His simple wearable lines are a must in any wardrobe. Slim fitting suits with interesting shoulders. I loved the draped shiny metallic pieces. Very effective and imaginative.
As Vivienne Westwood suggested at her show, we should buy fewer and more expensive pieces. The world is in a terrible state and we should be creative with our wardrobes and make do. Vivienne went so far as suggesting we cut a hole in a cushion and use them like that. This is a bit extreme, but I see her point. There is a lot of wastage and a lot of talk on the block about sustainable clothes like Christopher Raeburn is making . Colourful raincoats out of parachutes and old clothing for men and women. With the waste he makes cuddly toy rabbits.


The most exciting thing about London Fashion Week is the new. It is in this area that England excels. There is so much to choose from and some new talent that should not be ignored. David Koma is one man whose designs I wanted to literally walk off with. Waisted, beautifully made, stunning shapes in Blacks, yellows and cream. They look great on everyone. Fannie Schiavoni's jewellery becomes an alluring armour, made out of Swarovski crystals they make the body and shoulder pieces come alive. She is recognised by the British Fashion Council and has admirers from the Scissor Sisters to Lady Gaga. Then there is the establishment, Steven Jones who has been making hats for years and is still cutting edge, as well as the incredible costume jewellery of Erickson and Beamon. There are so many new designers that you could go dizzy with their talent. Of course many will end up in huge houses like Givenchy, but let us hope that a few stay independent and keep the world of fashion alive with new thoughts and exciting catwalk shows. There was hidden away Mark Fast's collection of knitwear which I loved.I was not allowed to take a photograph but I did. Naughty.

P.S. Sarah Burton will now be in my wardrobe.