Beaton By Bailey

FASHION WEEK ROCKS IN LONDON WITH GLAMOUR AND ART, my personal favourites.

I have spent four days in a bubble at London Fashion Week 2016 Spring/Summer.  It has been a case of dashing round and trying to fit everything in. As Fashion Editor for Genlux Magazine  in Los Angeles. There have been so many celebrations this week and not just with the British designers. PRADA has had a refit and looks incredible with new modern lines in pale pink, green and brown. I loved the collection and I loved the look. Then DVF has a whole new look to it. Never having tried on their clothes I slipped on a jumpsuit in black with blue spots and would not take it off. It felt like pyjamas.  Then off to the shows.

Kathy Lette's fabulous shapely legs.

At Jasper Conran's show I was sitting with the witty writer Kathy Lette who said that we should watch out for the new bigger models. However all I noticed was her sexy shredded stockinged legs, which on a normal mortal looked like a ladder, on her the stairway to heaven.


Fashion is a successful growing business in Great Britain, with a 27 billion pound turn over last year and 67 percent of fashion is now being bought on line.

STATISTICS

Women wearing normal clothes are aged 15-death,  from a size 8 - 16 UK, averaging between 115 - 160 pounds and were 5'5" tall, whereas the under aged girl models on the catwalk  wear size O, weighing between 110-130 pounds and were 5'10" - 6'1"aged 15. What suits them, would not suit us. My weight has stayed the same throughout my life and I am roughly the same weight as I was at 16, but most people would not have that will power, and boy do I fit in trips to the Mayr Clinic as you all know who read this column. Despite doctors warnings not to go over a size 14, women seem to be getting larger and larger. They warn that larger women suffer from more cancer, more high blood pressure, breathing problems etc, few listen, yet most love clothes.  For now lets forget all this and go back to the business in hand and some gorgeous ideas for the clothes you may wear in the future.


London's Fashion week is well organised with serious talent, commercial, eccentric,
diverse and colourful. Truly British.

AN AFTERNOON OF FILM WITH ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS

Duggie Fields, Zandra Rhodes and Amanda Eliasch
An Event to present a "Duggie Fields's" film to celebrate the life of designer Zandra Rhodes. Brightly coloured with creative cartoons and music, this lit up the carpark in Brewer Street.
Also showing were films about Zoe Jordan's and Mary Benson's collection and stories.
Sponsored by River Island.

DILARA FINDKOGLU new designer.

I love the new designers, this time the young Turkish girl  Dilara Findkoglu,  who designed wearable goth/romantic erotic rock chick clothes. I wanted everything. The jacket faced with red silk under a beautifully fitted black jacket with badges on it. another with a corset with two red roses placed on the girls bosoms, another girl in a white suit beautifully cut with a sequin patterns on it. A table set for dinner in St Giles Church, beautiful cakes and sumptuous flowers in reds decorated the elaborate feast.  Girls drank from red fluted ornamental cranberry flute glasses while men paid attention to their lips.  A gothic group played their guitars in the back ground. The place was alive with music from Gregorian chants to a metal band dressed in her clothes.  Striking make up they stole the show. Dilara is quietly a true winner. Perhaps it is her  back ground from Los Angeles, Turkey and London, she looks exotic, up to date and multi cultural?

GARETH PUGH

I was over the moon when I saw Gareth Pugh's latest show, inspired from the world of art, took us to another level of design. Red and White stripes, crazy Kabucki make up with masks, golliwog hair in red and black. The models looked like giant puppets in "show girl" clothes.  The Show

ROKSANDA

I loved the easy style of this collection by Roksanda with trousers well cut and narrow in matching and non matching fabrics under long dresses. Some had splits and some did not. In an array of crazy colours from reds, pinks, blacks and yellow the simple shapes fitted like a jig saw. Anybody could wear a simplified version and I wanted the piece here. The Show

Amanda Eliasch, Robert Marinelli, Duggie Fields.

DAVID KOMA

I did not speak to this very charming designer who I was fortunate enough to meet several times.
David's designing has only become more and more wearable. This time showing well cut "A" line mini dresses with slits and with another layer of see organza under it. The soft colours were made all the more attractive by the petticoats. His classic lines with a twist made sure he emphasised the best parts of a woman.
The Show

JASPER CONRAN

Established and wearable clothes that most people will be happy in and actually buy. Of course I prefer his paired down but quirky designs that Jasper used to make, but perhaps I am the only one who would still wear them. Jasper knows very well what people wish to buy and wear. I loved his designs from a  time when everything was sharp,  black and fitted. Most people will like his ecology inspired Kaftans delicately flowing on a hot Summer's night with large leaf patterns, shimmering with tiny sequins. I loved this collection because it was fresh and Summery, my friends would be happy and comfortable wearing them, they would look stunning too. I of course would want to wear his hot pants in black. The Show

SIBLING
All the sherbet colours, yellows, pale greens, violets in knits and see through plastic skirts. Young girls will look cute as can be in knitted suits, long dresses made of wool. A dash of red patent leather, pompoms on the plastic see through handbags. It  made me feel young and full of life. Tiny ankle socks finished the look. I loved the capes and bags. The Show

I loved the plastic cape by Sibling.

An evening highlight was a party at Claridges for the Charity

"MOMENTS OF LIGHT" HOSTED for 150 women BY DE BEERS 

for @TalentedWomen around the world, to help and nurture their talents in undeveloped countries.

Wearing Alexander Mcqueen and Valentino

for Moments of Light sponsored by De Beers

Photographs

We were given a delicious vegetarian dinner especially chosen for us,  in Claridges Ballroom on long tables covered with white flowers. Entertained with a performance by singer Diana Krall. Architect Zaha Hadid was congratulated along with other clever women in the world, photographed by Mary McCartney. Tiny beautiful diamonds were everywhere.

A WALK HOME WITH DUGGIE FIELDS
ALIVE WITH FASHION.
I walked home with Duggie Fields and interior designer Robert Marinelli.  On the way we had tea at Soho House in Covent Garden and then dinner at The Ivy, Chelsea. which is fast becoming the hub of social activity.

HAPPY AS A PIG IN SHIT

When everybody else enjoys a bacon sandwich, even Milliband, goodness me can't our Prime Minister enjoy gammon, pork sausages, giblets and short ribs, also?  Couldn't he taste some little pork scratchings, or a pork chop with a kidney on the side?  Obviously trotters don't do it for him?
The gossip in the new unauthorised biography "Call me Dave"  just teaches every young person that they should be aware that what they do when they are 18, comes out later to haunt them, especially if you are famous and successful. Is it true and does it matter? The Telegraph is suggesting that the sources are questionable.

 I just think it makes our Dave  look a trifle more interesting. Sadly the unfortunate bitter writings of a person who could have been more intelligent, after all it makes Dave the Etonian a bit of a geezer?  Perhaps this is why Lord Ashcroft was not offered the positions he thought he deserved, and now surely  he will never have them?  As for "Dave" he will have to laugh this one off as the jokes will continue until we are bored.

Wasn't a suckling pig good enough for Dave?  I suppose he did it in the days before we knew about swine flu? You know what he has done, he has taken a silk purse and made into a pigs ear.

When he decided to initiate the pig had it been in the oven yet?  Did he take the apple out of his mouth?

Anyway enough of this I am off to Marks and Spencer for a bag of  Percy Pigs.

NECK LIFTS and ISIS

Life is an abyss of political correctness, open your mouth and you fall in.  Men have no idea how to compliment you. Yesterday I am sitting in Uber when the driver tells me I am  incredibly attractive. That he wants to seduce me, and that it's his lucky day. Then looks at me through a misty mirror and says I look incredibly good for 51. He might as well have said I was 80. Just so you all know boys, 51 is somewhere between 50 and death. If you are going to tell lies at least make them attractive.

I immediately dialled my plastic surgeon for latest updates as clearly I need them. Lose skin is out, and I don't give a damn about ageing surgery. As there was no skin showing all being hidden I wondered what was ageing. I think I should show no skin and join ISIS but their idea of a neck lift is a bit radical.

LET's ALL THINK TWICE AND AWAKEN OUR IMAGINATION

As I say good night and goodbye to The Venice Film Festival, I have to say that I loved it, yet I am a little surprised  at the lack of imagination still going on in the casting rooms?.  I was going a little mad when I saw Spotlight one night based in Boston about the Catholic Church and Black Mass the next night, again based in Boston this time about gang leaders and politicians, with yet more killings I felt it was one gun shot too many. It was however good for the 50 plus stars and shows it takes some years to have such a huge fan base.

The once devastatingly handsome Johnny Depp  at 52 turned up bloated and middle aged and as I stared into the mirror I realise time creeps up on us all.  Despite work outs, trips to the dentist and regular exercise, botox and a facelift, time takes its toll, on everyone, even in Hollywood.
Perhaps Tilda Swinton is the only 55 year actress who looks good enough to play in the film, The biggest splash, I thought I saw it three years ago, or is it just that the Director, Luca Guadagnino is the same? I felt despite the film being reasonably good I was in a merry go round to nowhere.   The same clothes, the same writing, the same obvious casting, but hells bells why did Ralph have to play a fool when he is so magnificent serious. In amongst the "sameness" excellence appears like lightening from heaven in the shape of Eddie Redmayne in his sensitive portrayal of Lily in The Danish Girl. I totally understood that the feeling of lace against the skin could set off the turmoil in his life. Excellent casting, good directing from Mr Hooper and an incredible part yet again by this genius actor. I was so moved to tears by the story line, by Desplat's music, Danny Cohen's  rich cinematography, which was so stunning I want to move to Denmark and embark on an entirely new life. The story was  fragile, so close to my truths that I fell asleep in a deep depression, crying at the thought of people in my life maybe having to live stories such as this one. To not be happy in the nude must be one of the worst things imaginable? To not be the gender you wish to be, a living nightmare. On every level I was reminded of the pain and pleasure I have encountered.
The cinema is a closed club where the public is allowed a tiny look at the actors in cages, a money making venture, with little room to make mistakes. The Producers play it safe. There is supposed safety in casting the 53 year old Ralph Fiennes, safety in Tilda Swinton, safety in Johnny Depp and definite ultimate safety in Eddie Redmayne. Lucky Venice is the visual and generous host it is. I feel I am living in perpetual state of deja vu. It is why I love new and exciting theatre and film much more. It is why I made my own, The gun the cake and the butterfly and it is why I like new production companies such as Dark Theatre, which on no budgets but bottles of imagination have seconds that make bigger theatre/film companies look mundane, mainstream and ordinary. They do not need endless scripts, Universal, huge entourages, but just need two words energy and passion.
As for the drama and sadness on our doorstep.
The crisis in the Middle East should have been halted by the simple act of irrigation and modernisation, famine was used to step up hostilities. Actually the healthy young men at Calais right now could be irrigating their land increasing its fertility as I write. The Syrian's have been living in a draught for about 5 years.  In June, July and August, the tempers rise. notice last year it was Israel and Palestine at war?

 Cameron was elected four months ago to put a halt on immigration, and now is made to look incorrect by Germany, who in the last war murdered 5 million Jews whose population needs labour, whereas ours does not. Some intelligence should be considered, Sharia Law and a drunken Saturday night for British girls do not go together? Homosexuality is not allowed and Lily would definitely be strung up and all those that made The Danish Girl. We live and celebrate freedom.  Girls could all  be wearing a burka and stoned to death in the future? I beg all leaders of Great Britain to consider as Enoch Powell did, the effects of allowing people in who have opposite values to ours and who we are at war with into our country. This is not to say we should not help the children but consider that both men and women from Muslim countries believe us to be Kafirs, and we do not agree on women's rights.  When they are here they do not acclimatize.  In Germany perhaps the Muslims should uncover their arms if they want to be accepted in our culture? It will not effect me personally but I can see a potential blood bath. How do we know we have not been fighting them?  The press should be shamed into reporting things correctly and whilst all children are  innocent their parents may or may not be. In the case of the man who had no teeth, it is a tragedy,  he was living in the safety of Turkey whose refugees are given money by Sweden,  and decided to leave the country in a Rubber boat, giving no thought to the consequences that his wife  could not swim and no rubber rings for his children  either. We should have taken every single Yazidi family but we did not. The Christians of the Middle East where are they?. Let's all have compassion and common sense mixed together for a second. We would all love a world where religion did not matter, where traditions and customs intermingled, but people don't change and their are certain countries that are living in the Middle Ages, where capital punishment is the norm.
We are on a runaway train to nowhere with no destination and nobody being able to stop it? England as I knew has gone, farewell. Peter Hitchens says it so well.
The England, I remember and knew exists only in Disney and museums.
We need to help the people here in my opinion. The homeless who cannot help themselves giving them opportunities before people from faraway places. There appears to be no money or kudos for that? Come on?
We Europeans should forgive The Greek debt if they take the refugees?