Mat Maitland

Oh no, not again. Yes, I’m afraid so. I know I said in my previous post that I would not return to subjects already introduced on the blog but Mat Maitland’s 10 page story for l’Officiel Paris December/January issue persuaded me to ignore my own restrictions. If someone had asked me last month what I thought of l’Officiel, I’d have said that it’s aesthetic did not manage to steer away from the predictable and merely repeated well-established fashion ideas. But this issue, with the support of a new Art Director, did not make me yawn, sigh or even drift into thinking about how much more enjoyable other fashion publications are. It is clear that it marks a turning point in the history of the magazine and it is being shaped, shifted and moulded into a startlingly good addition to the fashion world with the capacity to express the spirit of an age. L’Officiel now seems to embrace novelty and quality control. The outcome of this self-revision is stunning and will certainly surprise its loyal readers with its subtle game of unexpected twists and challenges to its previous more traditional ideas. This is highlighted by the breathtaking collaboration between the magazine and Mat Maitland, an outstanding collage artist. His contemporary surrealist derived images combined with carefully selected shoes and bags from the 2010 collections are instantly recognisable and memorable. His interpretative individuality is full of enthralling pop complexities referring to fashion, old 80s and 90s magazines, music, paintings and films. The rich textures of the multi-layered compositions consisting of disembodied body parts or animals, pianos, clouds, brightly coloured elements, Chanel, Dior, and Miu Miu among other luxury brands form a series of enchanting and magnetic images. In recognition of his keen interest and exploitation of popular culture, I’d call him a Pop artist (although there is something that distances him from the classical meaning of the term). Regardless of the label, his images are simply beautiful and dreamlike collages dominated by his passion for commercial, popular and fine arts.

Scans from l’Officiel Paris December/January issue

Wendy Bevan

I always imagine Wendy Bevan to be a beautiful woman with a spirited personality. As a photographer and participator in the thick of London avant-garde life, her diaries would be full of interesting details and surrealist stories. Her printed work always gives a vivid sense of what Bevan’s sensuous, dark, chimerical and exotic life might be. The effect is compelling. Her themes are often dreamlike women depicted like quietly magnificent paintings imbued with a sense of gently haunting magic. The atmospheric colours and photographic techniques of her fashion stories are growing to be more pronounced, scenes transfigured by a richly poetical imagination and a quirky humour. Her visions can sometimes be tough but they’re always filled with a certain tenderness and intriguing melancholy for times past. I know I’ve talked about Wendy Bevan recently. I normally try to bring the fresh intensities of first lust to this blog but I think I’m becoming a devoted fan. I’ve looked at her past shoots for Pop, Grey, Muse, Italian Marie-Claire, Lula, the Financial Times and Vogue Russia: it feels like she constantly raises the senses with her stimulating fashion images, revealing a touching vulnerability and the occasional hint of ordinariness that comes as a surprise. At first glance, there is always the inevitable celebration of nostalgia and eccentricity but look closer and you’ll discover a seamless kaleidoscope of ideas based on the fusion of classical photographic compositions, colours and a contemporary subtle sensuality reminiscent of Paolo Roversi.
Apart from looking at fashion photography, I’ve also been confronting my passion for Japanese food head on. Last Saturday, I was treated to dinner at Umu, a Kyoto style Michelin star restaurant in Mayfair. The food was ridiculously delicious (apart from my prawn tempura, the batter was a little too thick) and the flavours wonderful. Had it not been for the prices, I would have indulged in more dishes until the table was no longer visible! Crazy excesses… I hope to renew the experience soon but in the meantime my local, Jin Kichi, will have to do.

All pictures courtesy of Wendy Bevan

Winter warmers

London is not short of sample sales this week and under normal circumstances there is precious little chance of me going to any of them. My office is located in North London and unfortunately a lunch break does not give me enough time to secure good bargains. Another problem, I suppose, is that I always know precisely what I’m looking for and these selected items never seem to be up for grabs! I used to have an unquestioning readiness to spend money on useless dresses or shoes simply because I could get them all for a significantly reduced price but I’m entirely happy with my more mature approach: no sample sales unless they’re truly too good to ignore (usually in Paris) and I’m guaranteed entry before the general public. The result of my restricting demands is that I hardly ever get to these sales (although this is by no means a problem since I never find anything anyway). But sometimes an unforeseen day off combined with a sister intent on conquering the world of fashion results in several pairs of fingerless Christopher Kane's gray and black leopard-print cashmere gloves. One for me and the other a Christmas present for a very special friend.
I’ve also recently discovered a Dutch based jewelry online shop selling delightful pieces at affordable prices. Fashionology offers a small selection of on trend products, essentially Pamela Love inspired with gothic and punk accents. I followed my instincts and ordered the necklace, ring and bracelets pictured here (along with the Christopher Kane gloves). The package took less than a week to arrive and the quality of the jewelry has exceeded my expectations! The claw ring in particular is everything I wanted. Feminine and mystical.

Jewelry pictures courtesy of fashionology and collage is mine

Edouard Plongeon

Of all the many incidental pleasures I find in fashion, one of the most enjoyable has been the Edouard Plongeon shoot in this month’s Jalouse. I’ve been trying to think of adjectives that encapsulate the essence of this photographer’s work and the word “magical” keeps emerging to describe his mesmerising images. I’ve been following his career closely for a long time and I admit that his spell is working on me. His photos are always a unique mastery of contrasts in modernity and a certain seventies melancholy. The colour coding is always wonderful and intriguing, suggestive of feminine mystique and romantic movements. There’s something very powerful about his work and new ideas. I truly believe that he is part of a new generation of fashion photographers who will soon experience glory days (among them Cécile Bortoletti). I have a deep interest in the trio mentioned here and will probably write small introductions to their work in the next few weeks. They’re close to my heart. I find them utterly beguiling and have long admired their photographic skills and imaginations.
Edouard Plongeon shot three stories in Tangiers for the November issue of Jalouse and they’re all incredibly inspiring and remarkable. A formidable body of wonderful images. I loved it so much that I quickly asked my newsagent to order me a second copy to give a very special friend who lives in Morocco.

All photos courtesy of Edouard Plongeon