Firebird Ash Shoes

Firebird ash shoes - holy..!

These pumps, crafted by Mexican designer Lucita Abarca, caused quite a stir at a recent Sixth Borough fashion show. These crystalline high-heels were grown by Wyrm’s Pass artisans, deep below the Rocky Mountains, using a mixture of firebird ash, waters from the springs at Paradiso, and a variety of secret ingredients, rumored to include Australian fire opals and powdered moonstone. The result of using the firebird ash become immediately recognizable when the heel of the shoe is dragged backward across any dry surface, as it creates an impressive streak of magical fire which can be accurately aimed with a little effort. Ms. Abarca said she wanted a shoe that made a statement, and that statement was “Any bastardo brujo catcalling me on La Plaza de Sangre better be ready to dose his huevos, you know?”  

from Ekaterina and the Firebird,* illustration by Anna & Elena Balbusso

I so much *heart* these shoes. And the statement.

But I can't just leave this here for you all to wonder. This is what could be termed a "Tumblr Tall Tale". There is no Mexican designer named Lucita Abarca (and the name can be roughly translated as "lit shoe" or "shoe of light"). The truth is there truly are so many ingenious inventions and incredible fashion creations out there, this could be a real thing. (Except for perhaps the Firebird ash - I would happily travel the world over to go see a real Firebird!) This wonderfully done GIF doesn't appear to have a "true" source and if you do a little investigating you keep getting sent back to American Wizarding (if you like fantasy storytelling and reference to tales in news, you'll probably enjoy the Tumblr site too - it's wonderfully creative). Despite Vogue-desire being cited as the source, as far as I can tell this is just a wonderful story many of us wish were true. I mean, can you imagine? I immediately think of the possibilities in a flamenco performance, immediately followed by the flammable possibilities in the same flamenco performance! (And if I were still working in ballet I'd be rushing to the Director and asking if we could figure out how to create something like this for a pointe shoes for a new Firebird performance!)

The Firebird illustrated by Luděk Maňásek (FB)

While I couldn't resist posting a Firebird related "product" anyway, it occurred to me that we've never really discussed the tales that circulate the internet via memes and gifs. They're like urban legend wildfire, the way things spread virally these days. I'm not just talking about misconceptions, poor journalism and rumors (which abound and has us constantly checking Snopes.com to see if they're true) but about that heightened-portrayal of reality. It reminds me of Big Fish (the book, though the movie was pretty good up till the end), and the way the father told his son all these slightly left-of-center stories in which it was difficult to tell the real from the unreal.

We do the same all the time with children and it's perpetuated through their own expressions - something we now see vivid evidence of on Tumblr and other teen-driven social media. 

More than ever, fashion sells itself via tales these days - and not just fairy tale fantasy like it used to. Runway shows are now theatrical performances and people are sold the story as much as the look. The look by itself just doesn't grab as much as being able to be part of a story as well. Fashion has always sold an altered reality but these days we see even more effort put into the stories between the seams. The designers and seamsters talk continuously now of what this stitch means, what this "petal" represents etc - something that harks back to traditional folk artisans and the care with which they create things and infuse them with stories.

I think stories that use images like this to grab our attention have made a difference too, like when Katniss "becomes the Mockingjay" in the second Hunger Games movie. I'm talking about the movie specifically because of the visual effects which turn Katniss' false wedding dress into a fiery one, to reveal a dark, winged, Mockingjay dress. The themes of phoenix and hope rising are all over this story and the movie gave us some very strong visuals it's difficult to forget. (You can see a clip from the movie which shows the wonderfully done dress transformation and illustrates the rising rebellion against the system HERE.)

I have to say, I really like seeing this return to Story.

I'll leave you with another Firebird story, also from American Wizarding:

An early morning palm tree fire on Christmas day in Los Angeles 

"Reports are currently coming in from downtown Los Angeles, where a firebird, escaped from a reserve just north of the Mexican city of Tecate, has started its regenerative process within the full sight of Muggle onlookers and authorities. Agents of the Department of Secrecy and Obfuscation (DSO) and the Bureau of Conservation and Magical Resources (CMR) are already on the scene, and spreading the story of a lightning strike and a brittle palm tree. Representatives from both agencies claim that they are empowered by law to practice temporary memory charms on Muggle witnesses to prevent a potential breach of the Statute of Secrecy, and that warrants will later be sought to make the charms permanent. Once the firebird has burned itself out, the agents will collect the remains and repair to a secure facility to allow the creature to regenerate safely before being returned to its normal nesting grounds."  

Report by Donna Maria Garcia, The Antigua Finca Times: February 4, 2015

Source: American Wizarding

* If you like Russian tales or the concept of The Firebird I strongly suggest going and reading the short story this illustration was created for at tor.com. The story is lovely and there are some nice insights in the comments below too. Go have a lovely read HERE.

JC Penney Debuts Cinderella Ad During Oscars

This glass slipper is made of ice... has anyone told THAT story yet?

I told you it would be hard to escape! JC Penney has joined forces with Disney to bring (yet another) line of Cinderella fashion and merchandise and debuted their ad during the Oscar coverage last night.

Not the most creative of ads but it was sweet nonetheless.

Here 'tis:

Fairy tale bonus of the day:

JC Penney also held design contest for ten fashion school graduates to design a gown for that #CinderellaMoment, something which must have felt like spinning magic out of paper and pencils for those designers (complete with the sweat and hard work) and a royal-like party to celebrate the effort:

(Ten) talented graduate students in the Fashion School of Kent State University (had) under two hours to conjure up a glam outfit-inspired by this wondrous Cinderella ballgown-that was straight off the live-action film's set (eta March 2015)---in homage of the store's collaboration with this modern day take on the timeless tale.

You can see photos from the event and the designs HERE.

A Greenhouse of Spring Magic (Courtesy of Chanel S/S 2015)

Apologies for the delay in posting. I am under the weather today, (there may be a delay in tomorrow's too just as an FYI) but thought I'd finish off a draft post to make it a little easier on myself, and show you what Chanel put together for their Spring Haute Couture show in January.

This is such a lovely way to reveal color. Bold in more ways than one...

"Florals for spring. Groundbreaking.” Those four words, famously uttered by The Devil Wears Prada villainess Miranda Priestly, have become something of a mantra in the fashion sphere. Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld, though, who showed Chanel’s spring 2015 couture collection on Tuesday in Paris, to turn spring florals into something not only groundbreaking, but downright futuristic. (Architectural Digest)

First the guests were treated to foggy greenhouse with intriguing paper-cut shapes of over-sized plants, then after being seated inside a gardner came out and "watered" it, starting the animations...

...which culminated with the models walking out as if they were living blooms.

I have to say I was so taken with the visuals that, for me, it was almost a disappointment when the models first walked out!

Strangely, it's been difficult to find much on the creation of such a stunning and much-talked-about centerpiece, the 'mechanical blooming hothouse' but this is from Vogue:

One definition of superb haute couture is that it’s the art of making impossibly difficult things seem as if they just—poof!—happened that way naturally. That’s precisely how Karl Lagerfeld’s spring haute couture was, a pleasingly unforced blooming of Chanel flower ideas set in an artificial hothouse. The Chanel conservatory was planted with mechanical plants which (gasp!) opened up and produced origami flowers before our very eyes, a naively childlike moment of transient entertainment, which, of course took an army of experts to engineer. “I thought of it six months ago, in a flash,” said Lagerfeld, cross-examined after the show. “There are 300 machines here under our feet, one to make each flower work.” It is exactly the same with the ridiculously intense inventive work that goes into every inch of Chanel couture embroidery on the runway, as he pointed out. Karl comes up with the vision—in this case, a fusion of Henri Matisse’s cutouts of leaves and 3-D paper Chinese lanterns—and then the ateliers apply themselves to figuring out how the minutiae of such structures can be faithfully conjured up in fabric.

I thought the gauzy floral skirts were very reminiscent of Terry Gilliam's The Brother's Grimm movie design/direction for some of the fairy tale portions of the movie (can't find any images to clips at the moment to show you what I mean unfortunately). Perhaps that's why I held on to it to show you.

In the meantime it looks like three-dimensional florals displayed on white is something we're going to be seeing a lot. Here's something that looks like it's from the same show but isn't: it's the "wedding dress" worn by Mila Kunis' character in the (reportedly insane) sci-fi-with-shades-of-Snow-White movie, Jupiter Ascending. (Note the red and white.. works for the concept of the character too.)This design, however is by Michael Cinco.

NOT Chanel - this design is by Michael Cinco for the movie Jupiter Ascending

Fashion has forever been connected with magic, fantasy and fairy tales but more and more we see the presentation of these shows be quite theatrical, trying to draw the audience into a story they might want to take home a piece of, for a price. (There's always a price...)

I applaud it, myself. It shows me people need stories - even their clothes, no matter how beautiful, are more relatable and desirable when a story is attached. There's something particularly special about haute couture because the pieces are one-of-a-kind, made to fit only one person (sometimes even sewn on to that person!) but a lot of time an attention goes into the making of each piece, like weaving magic spell. (Which always makes me think of The Three Spinners fairy tale and how great magic cost them.)

I don't normally spend a lot of time thinking about fashion (seriously: fashion beanies? Midriffs are bac?!) but I am completely fascinated by process and theater and all those forms of storytelling so for those who like seeing behind-the-scenes like I do, here's a peek at magic in the making:

There's probably a lot more someone who's much better with fashion could write for you on fashion and fairy tales but for today I'll just leave you with the lovely to have your own thoughts.

Exclusive Cinderella Merchandise Now Available for Pre-Order At Hot Topic

For my fashion conscious readers, Hot Topic has announced a pre-order sale of their new Disney Designer Collection based on the upcoming live action Cinderella movie. At least some of the pieces will be available in stores come February 24th, but like their Maleficent collection, probably not all. (You can look at the pieces in detail and order HERE.)

Though I'm not a fan of what I've seen of the movie to date (apart from Cate Blanchett), I would agree that sometimes the best things to come out of these large productions can be the limited-availability merchandise.

I have to say that lined coat did catch my eye, but what I'd really love is just some of those buttons...

There's a lot of clothing and accessories coming out for this movie, it would seem, so if this is your thing, keep your eyes peeled.

While everything shown here is from Hot Topic, Kohl's will have a line of casual summer dresses for Cinderella too (which might be a little more budget friendly).

You know what I haven't really seen yet, though? Special Cinderella shoes. Maybe they're being saved for an exclusive release later (or will be exclusive to some wedding line somewhere).

Happy hunting fashionistas!

Multimedia Ballet: "Belle Redux: A Tale of Beauty & the Beast" to Premiere Valentine's Weekend

It would seem that 2015 is the year of Beauty and the Beast.

Ballet Austin, known for technical excellence and innovative productions, is about to launch their World Premiere of Belle Redux: A Tale of Beauty & the Beast in time for Valentine's Day weekend.

(Funny thing: when I first saw the image used in the little poster below I could have sworn the rose glowed in a pulse - that it was a gif. It was the pulsing of the rose in connection with the rose "multimedia" that caught my attention in the first place. But I can't find it now...)

"Once upon a time... Escape with Ballet Austin into the mysterious world of a beauty, a beast and a ballet, as Artistic Director Stephen Mills seduces you with a modern take on the timeless story of Beauty and the Beast. Commissioned by the global innovators at 3M, this sleek and sexy new production is an exciting evolution of the fairy tale you remember. 

Fall into a dark and intoxicating world of passion and intrigue, featuring Mills' classically innovative choreography and a haunting new score by renowned, Austin-based composer Graham Reynolds."

The production was commissioned by 3M Innovations with the intent that it will contribute to the evolution of the way in which this tale is told.

The sets for Belle Redux / A Tale of Beauty & the Beast draw inspiration from the film noir genre and Jean Cocteau's ground-breaking film La Belle et la Bête. Sleek and mysterious, Michael B. Raiford's designs give dancers the freedom to move about the space while lending a sense of gravity to Stephen Mills' innovative production.

If you're confused, bear with me - I shall explain, with the help of some quotes from the development notes on the production (words in bold and underlined, are my emphasis):

“Belle Redux / A Tale of Beauty & the Beast is unlike anything I’ve previously brought to the stage, and much of that has to do with the way this work was conceived,” Mills acknowledged. “Four years ago, Joaquin Delegado, who was then running 3M’s Austin businesses, approached me with an idea and a concern. He was worried that young people might grow up in a world where the art of innovation—the act of making something better, more interesting or more useful—would be lost or confused with advancements in technology, which is not the same thing. He wanted Ballet Austin to create an original dance work underscoring the complexity of innovation and how it differs from invention, or creating something from scratch.

It turns out the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale is an excellent case study for innovation with regard to storytelling forms - one which Ballet Austin are seeking to continue the tradition of, as well as develop the evolution of with regard to how the story is told (and therefore received/what impact it will have).

From the press notes:

Belle Redux / A Tale of Beauty & the Beast follows the well-known storyline of the French novel La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) first published by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740 and then abridged and re-released by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont six years later. Over two centuries, this tale of a beautiful young woman, who becomes entrapped and then enamored of a prince-turned-beast, has evolved through various art forms. 

French filmmaker Jean Cocteau advanced Beauty and the Beast storytelling through his groundbreaking movie La Belle et la Bête in 1946. Fifty years later, Cocteau’s film noir inspired American composer Philip Glass to create an operatic score that serves as an alternative soundtrack for the movie. In 1991, Walt Disney Pictures transformed the story into an Academy Award-winning animated motion picture, which Disney then adapted into a Broadway musical four years later. Over the years, Beauty and the Beast has constantly transformed and is now a case study on innovation.

In 2015, Stephen Mills again innovates the Beauty and the Beast story and its presentation by unveiling a 21st century, multi-media experience...

Having seen several stage versions of Beauty and the Beast, including ballet and contemporary dance (none of which were Disney, by the way), I'm reserving judgement on how well the innovation aspect of this production is perceived (though I have little doubt the production itself should get excellent reviews). Although I'm extremely fascinated by the idea of evolving storytelling and wish what they are hoping to do will indeed be as revolutionary as they set out to be, I'd be surprised if it made it's way into the public consciousness the ways the other forms of the story have. Why? Because apart from one fairly straight ballet, everything I've seen was incredibly innovative and, most used multimedia as well. (And most of them had adult leanings rather than catered to family sensibilities.)

What's notable about this production, though, are a few things: one, 3M's involvement (which means advertising and getting the word out), the professional quality of the production not being in question, the call back to Cocteau's visual style with regard to the multimedia elements (see the images in the post) and the costumes being done in the particular dark-fairy-tale-meets-high-couture signature style of world renowned (and greatly missed) fashion designer and legend Alexander McQueen.
                                           

Drawing inspiration from haute couture and the imaginative designs of the late Alexander McQueen, Ballet Austin Artistic Director/Choreographer Stephen Mills and Costumer Designer Michael B. Raiford mix edgy urban looks with fantastical elements for their 21st century take on Beauty & the Beast.

There is an interview with the dancer playing Belle, Michelle Thompson, and though it will mainly interest those who know and love ballet, she gives her insights into how this Belle might be a little different and how the Beast may be different, as well as how they mirror each other. You can find that video HERE.

For those wondering how much/if the story will change, here's a snapshot of the program notes (click to see full size):

If anyone gets a chance to see this, I'd be personally interested in your impressions so please share. And snag me a program, would you?

A Modern Snow White by Vogue Italia & Camilla Akran

Another recent find that I missed when it was fresh in September last year (2013) for Vogue Italia, but worth sharing because it's both classic and modern at the same time and a really beautiful way to dress a Snow White figure. More importantly though, if you take a good look, you'll realize the clothes are telling the story.)

Dress on the left: Gah! *swoon*
In the video below, the one on the right has some really interesting insect & rhino details

Apart from just being pretty to look at, I'm including the behind-the-scenes video to show you a lot of the details you miss in the photos, because ! (I'm sure I could find some room in my wardrobe for a few of these...)

You have to check the details of this dress shown in the video...

I really like that they use a unicorn in the decoration details as well (that would be the dress above, by the way). You don't usually see Snow White with unicorn imagery but it makes a lot of sense with regard to the regal innocence she's supposed to have - whether being seven years old or seventeen.

Seems like a sinister accessory on her lips on the left there... is it a ring?
(But then is sticks to her skin in some shots in the video.)
The whole thing tells quite a dark story, ring, brooch, whatever it is.

Here's the lovely, lovely video (which, with these locations, light and more I would have used to make more of a story, but the whole point of this shoot is for the clothes to tell the story - which in the photos, if you really look at them, they actually do. This is one stylist and photographer (Camilla Akran) combination that I think is very successful in not only showing off the clothes so that they appeal (which is usually the main point of fashion) but in telling a unique version of a well-worn tale, especially in fashion circles. Apparently this is much harder to do than you'd think because I rarely get a sense of story so subtly, just via the clothes and styling.

Take a look at the details:

The only odd thing is that this model doesn't really give off a Snow White feel to me. I don't mean necessarily wide-eyed and innocent but she seems... a little jaded. Perhaps, though, this is Snow White after she's been woken and rushed to marriage. If this is what she's supposed to represent, Queen Snow White, then I'm on board with it.

If you'd like to know which designer made which dress, there are a few different ones in there so I suggest checking the Vogue Italia link HERE for the details.