REVIEW | THE LIGHT PRINCESS

Tori Amos has joined the league of well known musicians flirting with the musical industry, I went down as an uninformed spectator to see “The Light Princess”, Tori Amos' debutante musical for the National Theatre. All I had to go on was the poster, posturing as front cover to Florence and the Machine’s fantastically lofty album “Lungs”. 

Expectations rising... 
Tori Amos be careful handling that camembert, you are just two hops away from the levels of cheesiness Bono often produces from his fromage factory. Even though the show cracked open with a safe number of “Everything is Changing”, with a bunch of Adam Ant’s Prince Charmings stomping furiously, this was not enough to distract me from the fact that I had ended up at a pantomime in early October! I have been duped Sir! Front stage acting, character stereotypes to put Little Britain to shame. During “Once upon a time” there was a carefree floating gravity defying princess who was unable to cry and on the other hand there a solemn prince who was rather into weeping, both are orphans and their kingdoms are at war with each other. Couldn’t be any further apart huh? The script is on par with predictability ofthe love mess that is a standard Jilly Cooper romp com. One tune that escaped the constant repetition of easy vocal ascending and descending was saved by Clive Rowe’s solo “Girls”, that was intoxicatingly amazing. No longer was I listening to a love child of Wicked and Hair who tried out opera, but an individual ballad of rich under tones that would have made Sam Gaillard proud. 

The background heroes that brought the musical out of the ruins were Steven Hoggett, Neil Bettles and Paul Rubin, head choreography/aerial movement. Considering that the lead lady floats throughout the whole show you would need a dream team of gravity wizards to make it continuously believable. The costume and set designers were heavily influenced by Terry Pratchett Disc world book covers, so yes, I was pretty won over by that aswell. Please do check out the original twisted 18th Century Scottish fairy tale of the Light Princess here.

Review by India Harris

THE PRE_RAPHAELITES | AW12 STYLE INSPIRATION

Swirling robes, long silk gowns, flowing hair, jeweled tones, sparkling jewels, chiffon shawls and velvet capes... who doesn’t love Pre Raphaelite style? Romantic, rebellious, bold and exotic: yet possessing a strong sense of heritage, the bohemian Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic never goes out of fashion,  so what better starting point for style inspiration this season.

The Pre-Raphaelites (Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, PRB) were a Victorian-era (1848 - late 19th Century) group of English artists which later grew to include poets and writers. This month, the Tate has an exhibition, Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant Garde, which celebrates exhibition the magic and vision of this movement. Led by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) drew inspiration from the Renaissance, rebelling against the art establishment of the mid-nineteenth century.

The porcelain faced, dreamy eyed, golden haired beauties; draped in sumptuous fabrics, were the supermodels of their day and their beauty remains unmatched and inspiring. Today’s fashion and media still celebrates romantic traditional British English rose beauty - ivory skin, rosebud lips and cascading hair. Karen Elson, with her fiery tresses and penchant for Victoriana, often looks like Lady Lilith if she stepped out of the Rosetti painting. Lily Cole’s another doll featured flaxen haired beauty who could easily pass for Milais’ Ophelia, whilst Florence Welch’s strong eclectic bohemian style and Rosie Huntington Whiteley’s English beauty make them modern muses like Effie Gray or Jane Morris. The magic of the Pre-Raphaelite beauty is steadfast.

Gucci AW12

As the nights draw in and the winter looms what better time to start thinking about adding some magic to our wardrobes. There’s definitely a historical bohemian feel to this upcoming season with many collections and design elements reminiscent of the Pre-Raphaelite’s bohemian aesthetic. For this Autumn/Winter 2012 designers delivered sumptous colour pallets that include some striking jewelled tones – Paul and Joe offered a particularly delicious assortment.  Burgundy is the go to colour this season as seen at Elie Tahari – to name one of many. Luxurious  fabrics were elegantly draped at Hermes, evoking the velvet gown on 'Fair Rosamund'. Brocade, lace and velvet are go to materials and made a number of appearances in collection, such as Junya Watanabe who really made the most of the luxurious velvet fabric using different colours and techniques. Folksy, paisley and floral patterns added a casual eclectic element, as seen at Hermes where there was a definite eastern reference in the fabrics and hemlines. The addition of lace heats things up a bit during the winter months – thanks Lanvin!

This season we also encounter striking nods to Baroque, ala Dolce and Gabbana and John Galliano – think dramatic, romantic, OTT splendour. Victoriana details are also prominent – Pucci’s dramatic ruffled shirts and statement jewellery should do the trick. Temperley’s collection’s full of inspiration - a bohemian mix of floating chiffon layers of silk, lace and velvet, with a folksy pattern mix that includes embroidery and darker, bolder florals. Temperley’s references to the Pre-Raphaelites is striking, from the swathes of velvet, floaty heavily embroidered silk dresses, detailed embroidery and all topped off with jewels and sequins sparkling like light on water. The use of natural imagery given a darker edge also bloomed at McQueen and Dolce and Gabbana with bold florals that are less feminine and more dramatic on dark sumptuous fabrics, with lace overlays and embossing. Like the paintings there’s also a gothic edge with Gucci’s capes and Rocha’s dark lace - this is dark winter romance. The high street also has some finds with some great prints at Miss Selfridge and River Island nailing ethereal gothic glamour

Mix up those fabrics, scour flee markets, car-boots and dig out some sartorial magic. Why not have fun and be rebellious this winter. Now is a time for experimentation.Whether you pick up some statement earrings, drape yourself in silk, languish in lace or make like a woodland nymph by taking that long dress into winter with some extra layers of brocade, lace, silk…Winter is a time of darkness and that spells romance, exuberance and luxury – why not dress accordingly.

Temperley AW12