Fashion Eccentrics Part 1: Inspire, Propel, Rouse and Challenge

Those who have challenged convention and created more than a mark and forged norms of their own. These are the mavericks of fashion that inspire, propel, rouse and challenge from times gone by and the times that prevail.  


Diana Vreeland: Fashion Editor Harper’s Bazaar, Editor-in-Chief Vogue, Special Consultant for Metropolitan Museum of Art

This seminal fashion editor could very well be described as a sobriquet for an original fashion eccentric.  Her well-rounded singular style arising from the pedigree of first-hand experience of the roaring 20’s,  a peculiar work dynamic- the sharp-witted and blunt memos- are the distinguishing attributes that made her the fashionably notorious “high priestess of fashion”. Discovering Laurell Bacall and Eddie Sedgewick, making famous the lips of Mick Jagger, the neck of Cher and scouting Twiggy the ineffaceable model, this model editrix had an eye for all that is contrary to stereotype and will always hold the highest of ranks amongst all time fashion royalty.

Lynn Yaeger: Fashion columnist for The Village Voice, contributor for the New York Times, American Vogue and Style Magazine

Oddity at its best, Lynn Yaeger the renowned fashion reporter and critic, the voice that held the fashion viewpoint for the newspaper Village Voice through her coloumn ‘Elements of Style’ for three decades. The idiosyncrasies manifest just the same in the peculiar dolled up face she wears and in the individualistic plus intelligent character of her writing.

Iris Apfel: Interior Designer, Businesswoman and Fashion icon

Not a fashion personality per se but a fashion icon in all her form and being; outrageous and veritable. The queen of kitsch exudes eccentricity and quirks that account majorly from thrift rather than luxurious labels that galore. The chunky jewellery, slouchy layers of clothes and the flying saucer glasses being a signature, “throwaway chic” as she calls it. The interior designer extraordinaire has received many a laurel for her taste in fashion and very aptly been referred to as Rara Avis for a 2005 exhibition by Metropolitan museum of art; a rare bird indeed. 

Tout Sweet, Tout Sporty

Sports and lady-like have never been so close.

There's something so charming and carefree about spring. Before the starting days of summer we want to hoard on all the goodies that come with this season. Pastel palettes and sorbet colours add much needed freshness. 

Denim has re-emerged with fascinating details and quilted textures perfect for the in-between months. The much coveted sporty silhouettes are roaring on all runways. And we are definitely dotting on the three-dimensional floral sunnies for the really bright days. Metallic shoes, cut-out bikinis, flippy skirts and mono-chromes are all so playfully serious. We were thinking no bling and no fuss while creating our look-board for March 2014.

 Image credits: Style.com, Net-A-Porter

A-la-Couture

While clicking through Haute couture 2014 shows I couldn't pause for a minute. 

Counting every detail - the glass fabrics, elbow pads, shining hoodies, ballerina shapes were all so consuming. Musical notes at Valentino amused my imagination while the sneakers at Chanel brought about an almost radical and time-conforming kick. It's no more about floor lengths and cupcake shapes but rising micro-minis, sporty details, acid palettes and powerful silhouettes. The line-ups were rather appealing be it naked or nearly so. An appropriate mix of sexy and day-time couture made complete sense on the runways. 

Every couture collection exhibited a show and we attempt on bringing to you the spotlight moments. Here's a curation of the top twenty looks of the SS '14 haute couture week. 

  

Images via style.com and vogue.co.uk

A Paean of Sorts

There is context and there is reference; constituents that are ala carte for when we talk about veteran fashion journalist Tim Blanks. And there is this very enlightening perspective, always, and lots of it. An influence ever so gripping that it has me fixated every time I read a piece by this very orderly eccentric. 

Here I take a moment and talk about one amongst few of the profound sources of inspiration of mine - Tim Blanks the fashion journalist, style.com editor and the very ingenious fashion critic.

In my previous post I talk about monotony and banality and the need for some remedial measures for the same. Every review written by Mr. Blanks on style.com does exactly that for me and every single time. The latest one I started reading prompting this declaration of admiration and rousing impact, just two lines into the text, being a case in point.

An inclination towards the punk of 80’s, the underground club culture of the 90’s and the vast repository of fashion intel that comes from plentiful of years of fashion files; the very interesting reviews manifest content, flavour and depth all at the same time. You may find a collection review written in the most thorough manner with a rarest mention the clothes. There would be a talk of origin, inspiration, references and outcomes, all giving a better understanding of the collection as many won’t be able to with individual dissection of each of the looks. Many a collections made interesting because of how they’ve been worded by him.

In the vast pool of influences, some are momentary distractions, some leave an instantaneous impact and some are indelibly etched. 

A stalwart and an impelling force for many, this creative’s work has from day one has been a formative influence precisely the rationale behind this testimonial. 

Images via forthosewhonotice.com, sstonefoxstyle.blogspot.in

The Banality of Avoiding Banality

For months now the perfect or even the not so perfect idea hasn't dawned upon me- the fashion writer self of mine that is- but what happened just now and I emphasize on the ‘just now bit’ was an idea stemming out of a term included in a particular article headline that I just came across, on of my favourite go to websites, i.e. the word banal.

All this while four months to be precise whenever I have tried to stir up some conception of a fashionable idea all I had in my sub-conscious was this feeling of jadedness. A mere 3 years in the industry and that too on the periphery but working in a research based profile might be accredited for the same. All the fashion blogs, one website after another, the fashion weeks and the critics, the instagrams and the tweets, marketing campaigns and the models, collaborations and promotions all originating from the need of a left-field and parallel ideology; something different and leading up to strategic attempts to seem like exactly the opposite of that- an accidental discovery or an inadvertent bulls eye.

As interesting as all of it is, like all creative things there comes a point of what next? That’s where banality strikes. The creative wayward mind that tries to escape monotony through the oddball channels of fashion ends up being perplexed because of reiterating attempts to do so and being caught up in a monotony of its own making. The process of breaking monotony ends up being a vapid cycle of its own.

The cardinal entities that constitute a concept, a business or and industry would always be there with varying amounts of changes, seamless and at times radical always prevalent. These transitions off-late have been extreme, unprecedented and instant owing to the fact that we have come into an age that calls for and inspires in you a need for the aforementioned different and unique. This when fueled by the technology and social media explosion of the recent times has at some levels made it a wee bit more complex and imperceptible and needing dwelling upon from time to time. This is perhaps the reason behind the recent evaluation of the role of fashion bloggers in the scene or the mere idea behind this particular piece.   

A window that opens from time to time for a creative individual to introspect or requiring a jolt to the mind is what I would attribute this state of banality to!!?? The next new ‘thing to beat’ would come soon inciting a whole new chapter of excitement and the best would sustain from time to time. 

Wear a 'hoody' to a cocktail party

An itch in my head makes me want to change the way an Indian girl dresses, be it her wedding or any other cocktail soiree that she is invited to. Every lass wants to look like her own version of celebrity and the Atelier Versace Haute Couture collection this year has been created just to achieve that. Stellar silhouettes, Glamorous drapes, icy fabrics, appropriately sheer and shaped fittingly the collection was breathtaking. 

Wearing cut-outs and a hoody is the vision I'd like to share with the usual conservative dressers. It's all about wanting to stand out in the crowd and why not?

 It was all about pitching the power goddess at Atelier Versace. Fierce and bold, the hoods and the crystals created a mesmerizing mix on the runway. Jackets were structured and the silhouettes were draped to perfection making the line-up drastically sexy. One in particular strutted down the runway like liquid glass creating a mind enhancing illusion. What fascinates me the most is wearing a body-con accentuating every bit of your curves because cocktails are not only reserved for A-lines and full shapes anymore.   

We all want to make a statement and Donatella Versace's couture creations this year are a complete way of declaring severe style. Forget the Indian Heirlooms or heritage jewelry pieces swagger your cocktail wearing one of these babies and no amount of frosting (jewelry) will do justice. 

The flash and bang of these slinky corseted waist numbers in acid green, orange, and purple, make it a worthwhile to be 'the' cocktail goddess. Strutting with the geometric back cut-outs and the bold body-con silhouette is not to be reserved for international events. I say again 'be the first to bring this down to reality and make your cocktail party a dream come true'.

Images via Style.com