What is our fascination with Lizzie Borden? Is it that she possibly got away with the grisly murders of her father and step mother back in 1892? Oh yes, most definitely a major reason, and its this mystery that keeps fascinating new generations everyday.
We may never know, but that’s the beauty in a good mystery! The spaces between not solidified can be filled with many possibilities, and that’s what the new film “Lizzie” starring Kristen Stewart and Chloë Sevigny seems to explore.
If you know us well, and I hope you do, you know that Chloë Sevigny is just one of those people on the top tiers of everything. Goddess of style, art, a muse to many, and obviously one of the coolest women of all time…so needless to say, we are psyched for this film!
Check out the trailer, and you will see why!
Spicy stuff! Looks like a real nail biter, and the period details are absolutely on-point! Have a little bit of a feel where they are going with the story, but excited to see it play out in real life!
Glad to see Kristen Stewart staying dedicated to unique artful films since her return to the screen.
Two modern muses! SIDENOTE: Can huge Edwardian sleeves just take over the scene, already!!! Can’t wait for more inspiration to come…
Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti ( 17 January 1933 – 3 May 1987) better known as Dalida (داليدا)
+Before Beyonce there was Dalida.+
This exotic beauty of Italian descent and born in Cairo, Egypt rose to international fame throughout the 1960s and all the way to her suicide in the 1980s. A suicide over a broken heart only days after appearing in television interviews perfectly normal…love was her worst enemy in life.
She sold upwards of 140 million albums; Beyonce has sold 17 million solo, and 17 million with Destiny’s Child which really puts it into perspective (although, our girl Rihanna has sold upwards of 230 million records, so . . . ).
Special thanks to +THE ULTIMATE FASHION HISTORY+ Channel and its fabulous curator Amanda Halley for introducing us to this dazzling Diva. I’m sure we will focus on her again in future posts! The more you dive into her memory, the more incredible she becomes.
There was actually a biopic released in 2017 about her which we are dying to see! Check out the trailer here.
This is a wonderful disco extravaganza from 1979-1980 (?) entitled “GIGI IN PARADISCO”. It’s a total odyssey of 1970s crazy euro party glamour!
Let us know what you think in +COMMENTS+ below…
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
Helmut Berger is what I consider a perfect artist – very serious in his craft, intelligent in his thoughts, without any time or patience for “bullshit” or empty phrases that litter many people’s everyday lives, conversations and relationships.
Helmut Berger doesn’t give a fuck what you think about him.
A icon of beauty, sex, and hedonism – the actor experienced great attention through the late 60s and 1970s for his work in film, most particularly with iconic Italian film maker Luchino Visconti whom took Berger under his wing as a muse in art and love.
How couldn’t he? When Visconti first cast the young and rebellious Austrian actor in his film Le Streghe (The Witches) in 1967, it was clear this was a rare star coming closer into orbit, and soon he was doing one iconic role after another playing Martin Von Essenback in The Damned (dressing in Dietrich drag in one of the film’s pivotal moments), King Ludwig II of Bavaria (earning him a David Di Donatello Award for Best Actor), and the title role in the flashy mod remake of Oscar Wilde’s classic – Dorian Gray.
He was also the first man to ever grace the cover of VOGUE alongside girlfriend Marisa Berenson – not surprising considering his classic beauty.
Those smouldering eyes, that golden blonde hair, his brooding masculinity mixed with a distinct dandy elegance – its a combination we don’t see in celebrities today.
On screen and off screen, Helmut Berger is definitely an idol of style we need to praise! So, here’s a classic {STYLE IDOL} collection of wicked photos of this bad ass legend of cinema to muse over and inspire your personal sense of style!
Helmut Berger
Yes, I am tainted by the beautiful things in life. But to all those who only want to see me as an agent provocateur and an eccentric I can only say: With every day of my life the number of people I don’t give a damn about grows and grows.
-Helmut Berger
As portrayed in the intensely provocative documentary by Andreas Horvath, Helmut Berger is a rebel without a cause – full of spunk, a lust for life, and a certain je na sais quois that really make a star ignite.
Not many people have the balls to to live as loud as this guy, so major props to him for that; and despite his seemingly reckless antics, we can’t deny the beautiful tapestry of work this man has created with his art and contributions to the legacy of cinema and of course, classic bad ass style!
For the most part, off duty, he’s a very classic jeans and oxford shirt kind of guy, but I love the extravagance and opulence he is able to pull of in many of his film roles, that I believe many other actors would have had a hard time making believable.
Tres chic and a bit of a rebel- Helmut Berger should definitely be at the top of your list for all-time style icons if you are into that kind of thing. We started this blog to help promote the beauty of the {past}, so hopefully we’ll be seeing a little more Helmut Berger realness in the near {future}.
What frightens you, what you see or what you don’t?
-Helmut Berger in Salon Kitty
Hope this was a good one for you! We love compiling these {STYLE IDOLS & DIVINITIES} for you guys, so let us know what you thought in the comments below!
Also, let us know if you have some interesting ideas!
So, as you may or may not know, in the past two years we have evolved our purveyance of time traveled vintage clothing to creating one of a kind handmade fashions inspired by the {past} to influx the {present} and change the {future} of style.
It really made sense in our mind to make this shift, and has led to some incredible opportunities. While we are making new clothes, many of our materials are still vintage, which makes these pieces all the more special, and perfectly in tuned to our philosophy.
We often say we didn’t choose fashion as a destiny, but it truly chose us!
Which leads us to this video, which is a super wicked behind the scenes glimpse of a vintage inspired photo shoot we had the opportunity of collaborating on with Style Group!
We had the honour of working with photographer Derrick Vanderkolk who helped us transform his Cotton Factory studio into a timeless jetset rock n roll pad, and with the help of Nate Belgrave we have this memorable behind the scenes glimpse of a truly amazing day.
The undeniable Nicole Buston truly gave us some magical moments which we will be sharing on the site, so stay tuned! And of course, we couldn’t do it without the help of our makeup artist extraordinaire Janet Granados.
When people ask us how we’ve been, and we say “Just keeping on, keeping on…” – this is what we mean!
We were given a piece of advise once from the Canadian mentalist Chris Mysterion back in our humble beginnings, who said: “When it comes to being in a creative field, you never dodge at an opportunity to collaborate, to do things, to create”, and we’ve held this mantra close to our heart and mind ever since.
Seems to be working out.
Rewatching these moments makes us know that we are definitely on the right track!
Based on the French comic series first published in 1967 and reappearing again in 2010, Valérian and Laureline; the trailer is full of astounding moments that dazzle the eyes (that PALETTE, though?!) and are all the more amplified by the surge of emotions provided by the addition of the very first original recording by the Beatles to ever appear in a movie trailer!
Sounds like a big feat, but apparently all it took was for Luc Besson to ask Paul McCartney himself.
“I just asked! We reached out to Paul McCartney, and he asked, ‘What is the film?’ and then he said yes! I never met him – I wish I could, to thank him. From what I heard, he’s seen a couple of my films…There is a vibe that I think, from what I heard, made him say, ‘For this one, because it’s at least new and fresh.’ So I think that he likes that. He likes to be part of something new.” {source}
While the French director certainly isn’t a stranger to the genre of science fiction, count on today’s advances in technology breaking the walls down for true aesthetic mastery, much the same way he did years ago with the stellar 90s masterpiece “THE FIFTH ELEMENT“!
According to most conspiracy websites, the Queen of Witches herself: RI RI , GOOD GIRL GONE BAD , MISS SUNSHINE . . . RIHANNA where you at?
Well, if you’re asking yourself that question, here’s the second teaser to drop this week to get another look!
Alright, if you haven’t spotted it yet, lets post our own little teaser below, just because . . .
+SORRY NOT SORRY+
Only Luc Besson could pull of making this film, and we can’t wait for it to land in theatres July 21!
We were super inspired, as always, by the style and look of this film – most particularly that super rad vintage Hawaiian graphic shirt that Dean DaHaan sports in the film! Are we not always saying that a wicked wild graphic shirt is absolutely timelessly cool?!
*one nomination for David Lynch in the category of Best Director (should have been many more).
Presenting the award is none other than style divinity Lauren Bacall in all her sultry, sophisticated glory….MAN! THEY DON’T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO!
What began as the most innocent unassuming presentation turned into full-on 80s fashion MADNESS!!!
Basically, the jist was that the costumes of films have always and will always directly influence fashion so with the help of legendary costume designer Theoni V. Aldredge ( 1974’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ ) who used the year’s nominees (“The Mission”, “Otello”, “Peggy Sue Got Married”, “Pirates”, and that year’s winner “A Room With a View”) as inspiration for contemporary fashions a la 1987 through the eyes of one magnificently creative and visionary mind.
They just couldn’t help themselves, and be prepared to be dazzled by some super enthusiastic dancers and some really exciting fashion that probably never actually made it to the streets, but at least opens the eye to the possibilities of inspiration.
In a not very surprising instance of history repeating itself, Jenny Beaven, the winner of the Oscar that year for James Ivory’s stunning, classic film “A Room With a View” (starring young and fresh faces Helena Bonham Carter and Denholm Elliot), is nominated again this year for George Miller’s visionary epic “Mad Max: Fury Road” and is primed to taking home the Golden Boy once again!
What is so fantastic about Jenny Beaven’s contribution to “Mad Max: Fury Road”, personally, is that it is such a different kind of project than her past films which have garnered nominations such as “Gosford Park“, “The King’s Speech“, and “Howards End“, which makes it so cool to see her creating such raw and original and truly contemporary visions for this latest masterwork, and getting much deserved recognition for it.
If you haven’t seen “Mad Max: Fury Road” do so. It is a magnificently conjured film by true veterans of the craft. To be honest, I had my doubts about it, as I am getting so tired of these Hollywood remakes, but with the original director at the helm it truly is a treat to see what could be done with a story like Mad Max if given the treatment it deserves.
And if you wonder how possibly could we see the tattered and extreme costumes of “Fury Road” translate to today’s fashion scene. Look no further than say Kanye West’s label “Yeezy” and his latest collection SEASON 3 . . .apparently dystopia is tres chic these days, and that’s just a single example. Go figure!
We hope to delve a bit more into the Costume Design category in the coming week, so stay tuned!
And don’t forget to watch on the big night (Feb. 28) to see history in the making!
How rich it is to find the threads of our {past}, {present}, and {future}
If you’re looking for horror, sex, and a little intrigue look no further than this incredible cult classic from 1964: Hiroshi Teshigahara’s “Woman in the Dunes”. This art house film that could would garner Teshigahara an Academy Award nomination for Best Director in 1967 (he was beat by Robert Wise for “The Sound of Music”).
It’s a strange story, one first told by Japanese author Kôbô Abe (who also wrote the film’s screenplay) in the hugely successful novel by the same name. This is 1960s cinema at its finest and absolutely darkest. It’s also the kind of film that you wish was made now; a film that is provocative, lingering, sexy, intellectual, and above-all screams style!
So if you enjoy films with a core, and our thirst for the strange you’ll definitely appreciate this one. There’s little blood, and definitely no ghosts, but there’s definitely something creepy that lurks with you long after the movie has ended. Trust us on this one and grab a copy from Amazon today!
“The most frightening thing in the world is to discover the abnormal in that which is closest to us.”
Perhaps its the fashion photographer protagonist . . . or maybe the sexy 1970s set decor; most definitely attribute the funky score by Piero Umiliani (you know him – “Mah Nà Mah Nà”), as well as the brilliant presence of film legend, Carroll Baker (“The Watcher in the Woods“, “Babydoll“), and those quirky illustrations that appear, throughout the film – “Baba Yaga” is a bit of a shit show, but a wonderfully unique and stylish one, at that.
Carroll Baker (BABY DOLL, THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS) is the titular stranger who is all sexed up with hunger for some female flesh. Baba Yaga sets her sights on fashion photographer Valentina Rosselli (Isabelle De Funes) after a chance encounter and soon pays a visit to her humble abode to deliver a doll dressed in some S&M gear for “protection”. After the visit, Valentina’s life is turned upside down; she is suddenly surrounded by death, hallucinations, Nazis (?), and more naked women than a Las Vegas casino. Of the four I prefer the naked women… just sayin’.
It’s these bizarre, unusual, and unexpected (perhaps, even absurd) elements that make a cult classic like this one to remember! You can totally read this film (even just the trailer) for clues on seventies style, and how timeless one can really make it. Love the stripes, the furs, the bobs, the rings . . . love it all! Even the menswear is pretty sublime.
Did I mention there’s witches? You probably gathered, by now. After all – “Baba Yaga” literally translates to Devil Witch! So, sit back and enjoy the sumptuous feast of the best vintage, stylish,erotic, exploitation, sleaze in three and half minutes you’re bound to find on the internet!
Enjoy the pictures, too.
They really capture the little moments that make this one worth remembering.
It’s as if they tapped into our brains with this one!
“Riot Club” is the latest film from British director Lone Scherfig who last brought us a vintage style feast in 2009’s “An Education”.
The film is a fictionalized vision based on the salacious modus operandi of the notorious Bullingdon Club, who came to the forefront of the media’s gaze in the 1980s as they trashed their way through some of England’s finest establishments. The most shocking aspect of their antics was that the band of bad asses were actually some of British society’s finest bred.
(1) the Hon. Edward Sebastian Grigg [the BBC Pension Trust sub-contractor and former SCREAM snuff-film director for Goldman Sachs], the heir to Baron Altrincham of Tormarton and current chairman of Credit Suisse (UK)
(2) David Cameron
(3) Ralph Perry Robinson, a former child actor, designer, furniture-maker
(4) Ewen Fergusson, son of the British ambassador to France, Sir Ewen Fergusson and now at City law firm Herbert Smith
(5) Matthew Benson, the heir to the Earldom of Wemyss and March
(6) Sebastian James, the son of Lord Northbourne, a major landowner in Kent
(7) Jonathan Ford, the-then president of the club, a banker with Morgan Grenfell
(8) Boris Johnson, the-then president of the Oxford Union, now Lord Mayor of London
9) Harry Eastwood, the investment fund consultant
Based on the play Posh by Laura Wade, the film delves into the manic musings of the centuries old club which resided within the historic confines of Oxford University, and the psychology of privilege that prevailed in the minds of the club’s most esteemed members.
Many members of the Bullingdon Club would go on to become some of England’s most powerful and influential politicians and businessmen including Prime Minister David Cameron, British ambassador to France Sir Ewen Fergusson, Jonathan Ford and Boris Johnson. Some of the club’s legendary members included King Edward VII, King Edward VIII, Cecil Rhodes, Nathaniel Rothschild, and Gottfried von Bismarck!
Gottfried von Bismarck from the House of Bismarck – known for his righteous parties and supreme style wisdom.
Days of Being Wild with Nathaniel Rothschild & Friends . . .
7. Nat Rothschild
Makes you think . . .
Needless to say, after watching the trailer for the film, we are psyched as ever to see the story of the Buller boys come to life! We love to see that secret society style truly is making its way to the forefront!
After all, everyday in life we encounter secret societies. Whether they be clubs or members only parties, or just the secret conversations with have with our friends and family – they are all the same. It’s that bond that keeps us all together in the end, and no matter how hard we try, we cannot escape wanting to feel like we belong to something exclusively ours.
This is the truth.
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Bullingdon Club, 2013.
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Can’t wait!
“I don’t think an evening would have ended without a restaurant being trashed and being paid for in full, very often in cash. […] A night in the cells would be regarded as being par for a Buller man and so would debagging anyone who really attracted the irritation of the Buller men.”
Andrew Grimson, biographer of Boris Johnson on the Bullingdon Club in the 1980s
Maleficent has always been a character that has captured our imagination. Since childhood, the prima donna of Disney villains seemed to strike a creepy chord in a way that no other cartoon evil could.
It could have been her sultry voice provided by the insatiably listenable Eleanor Audley (check her out in all her non-animated glory below), or perhaps it’s the sheer imagery of that everlastingly long black cloak with those crazy twisted ram horns that make her the epitome of devilish delight to our child-like eyes.
Whatever it may be, there’s no denying the staying power of she. It’s been 55 years since Disney first released its vivid version of Sleeping Beauty based off of Charles Perrault’s La Belle Au Bois Dormant, and the Grimms Brothers’ Little Briar Rose, and in the spirit of regeneration the {past} has made its way to the {present} yet again in a epic retelling of the story as seen through the eyes of the maniacal maven herself. . .
It’s a name that will be on everybody’s lips in a few short months with an early release in France & Italy on the 28th of May, and the rest of the world, including the US on the 30th. It’s months away, but we can’t stop drooling over the new trailers which are feast for the senses in themselves, showcasing Elle Fanning’s angelic beauty as the Princess Aurora, and the Queen herself, Angelina Jolie taking the screen as the iconic villainess.
It’s bound to be a huge hit, and much praise shall be given to the cast and crew for creating this movie magic marvel. . . there’s no doubting it. Plus, how can you go wrong with Angelina Jolie leading the whole thing?
What strikes me most is that the film being told through the point of view of Maleficent will no doubt shed some light on why she decided to become so damn mean. I think I kind of get it – I mean, she was totally shafted from attending Aurora’s birthday party. That IS pretty rude, don’t you think? I guess we will just have to wait for all the insight . . .
In the meantime, you will find us getting drunk on another amalgamation of the {past}, {present}, and {future} with Lana Del Rey’s sweeping take on 1959’s Sleeping Beauty’s original love theme “Once Upon a Dream” based off a theme from Tchaikovsky’s 1890 ballet. With the cooing of her Monroe-esque voice, there was no one more perfect to elevate this classic to a place that resonates today, and beyond . . .
Listen to it below!
Don’t you love that feeling? Of having dreamt the moment before it happens . . .
I get that feeling a lot these days.
I guess that’s what you get for having that Eye of Faith.
Love predicting the {future}. Love keeping you posted.
