Fashion & Fairy Tales: Dancing Princesses

We should mention up front: this is less about shoes* than the dresses and the photography.

This fashion shoot is from a few years ago (2012) but we re-discovered it in one of our (many) "potential posts" lists, and with the buzz about The Twelve Dancing Princesses seeming to grow stronger over social media (though we haven't found the reason why... yet), we thought it would be good to show this updated version of many people's favorite fairy tale party girls. (Or are they under the influence of different "enchantments"?)

There's so much to explore in this tale: the three enchanted woods (Silver! Gold! Diamonds!), the nightly draw of all these sisters to underground dancing, the ever-growing pile of ruined shoes (does the King have tailors on retainer? And for how many years?), the unnamed princes (were they human? Were they under enchantment too?), the sort - or sorts - of enchantments at play... It's easy to see how it translates so well to modern party culture, and is thus, perfect fodder for fashion editorials.

This theme was the major portion of the Winter holiday shoot titled "A Fairy Holiday". Anna Palma and Chadwick Tyler, working for fashion retailer FreePeople, did a very interesting interpretation of this, harking back to many of the tale motifs, making for some intriguing photographs (and possibly some writing prompts too).

On the FreePeople blog, Julia reminisced about the tale in such a lovely way, I'm re-posting her summary here:

When I was little, one of my absolute favorite stories was the 12 Dancing Princesses, and it is something that will always bring to mind the holiday season.  The fairytale told the story of 12 beautiful princesses who were drawn from their beds each night by the desire to dance. They would sneak out of their castle and travel through three magical forests, which was always my favorite part of the story. The first forest was shining silver, the second a glowing gold, and the third was the most magical of all, full of shimmering diamonds. The imagery was gorgeous and I dreamed of one day finding these enchanted forests. 

The princesses would reach a lake where they each met a prince who would row them to a castle in the middle of the lake, where they would dance the night away until they wore out their shoes.  Come the morning, the king would find them sleeping in their beds, but with a pile of worn out slippers that were a mystery to him.  He would recruit princes to watch over the princesses and see where they went at night, but the princesses would trick them by bringing them along and at the end of the night, offering them a special drink that would make them fall asleep and forget everything. I always found it to be such an intriguing tale and it has stuck with me ever since. I love that it was the inspiration behind one section of our November catalog!

*Has anyone seen a shoe fashion editorial based on the Worn Out Dancing Shoes? Seems like an editorial waiting to happen.

Annie Leibovitz Inspired by Nordic Sagas, Slavic Folklore & The Snow Queen for Fashion Shoot

Annie Leibovitz is well associated with fairy tale themed shoots, so much so she is the official photographer-on-call for the Disney Theme Park shoots (which are live action interpretations of a scene from the animated movies). While those shoots are often very creative and do bring some surprises, I always find it most interesting when she steps outside the Disney properties and works with folk and fairy tales for fashion (often for Vogue).

Drew Barrymore's Beauty and the Beast shoot wasn't a Disney shoot, and you can see a lot of 'thinking outside the mold' in that one, which is wonderful. Keira Knightly's Wizard of Oz shoot remains striking, as does her Alice fashion photography with super model, Natalia Vodyanova.

This campaign was for a company called Moncler and shot in the stunning Icelandic landscape with two up-and-comers on the model scene, a Mormon brother and sister duo from Utah. For this shoot, touting the stylish warmth of this company's clothing, the Snow Queen makes an appearance. I'm always fascinated by how this character is interpreted when it comes to fashion but I have to say, I expected something a little more land-based (as in using the landscape forms of Iceland) rather than something that reminded me of the White Queen from Narnia (which I like better), still they're nice storytelling photos.

One Spanish website (Totumrevolutum) explains the concept of the shoot by summarizing the fairy tale:

"The Snow Queen" (Snedronningen) is a fantasy novel written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1845, which tells of the struggle between good and evil experienced by two children, Kay and Gerda.

And from a report discussing the shoot, via the Daily Mail:

The stunning images show Lucky and Pyper keeping warm in a range of Moncler's signature quilted outerwear, while navigating the rugged landscapes, from colossal ice formations to wind-sculpted rocks. 

Annie Leibovitz directs Lucky in a frozen woodland as he is captured by the Snow Queen

The Moncler campaign was apparently inspired by 'Nordic sagas and traditional Russian and Slavic folklore' - here Lucky encounters the Snow Queen on his travels.

You can see more photos from the shoot HERE, as well as more behind-the-scenes pics too, which I think are completely worth the click-through, just to see the incredible landscape.

Tale As Old As This Library...

Note: Today's special Beauty & the Beast post is for a lovely girl who adores this fairy tale above all others.

Happy Birthday dear friend!

This library has to be seen to be believed. It really is like stepping into the Beast's library...

And who'd bother going to the ballroom when there's all this space and beautifully Baroque surroundings (not to mention the smell of books)?

In late December of 2014, a creative team, led by the innovative Von Wong, were given a few precious evening hours to shoot some photographs (and a little video) in this amazing place, which houses the largest monastery library hall in the world. Admont Abbey itself dates back to the 1st century (and is still functioning as a working monastery) but the library dates back to the same time period as the first version of Beauty and the Beast, so it's more than appropriate they were paying homage to the fairy tale there.

What's even cooler? This was the first creative photo shoot ever made there. Take a look at some of the gorgeous results!

About this project Von Wong said:

I have always loved photography for the adventures and opportunities that it brings, not the hours I would spend retouching in front of a computer. As a result the desire to search and explore the most exotic locations and make a shoot out of it, has always been a particular passion of mine.

Projects like these are particularly magical because of how they bring people together. From fans (now turned friends) Eva Creel and Nicolas Cormier, American expats and photographers living in Germany willing to embark on a spontaneous roadtrip to drive me across Germany so that I can indulge in my creative shenanigans, to friends of friends like Oliver Schlichtherle, who drove all the way from Switzerland through Austria just to assist in whatever capacity possible… People from all walks of life somehow end up gravitating towards these amazing projects.

And at the end, we not only have fantastic imagery to share with the world… but a story to laugh and remember for the rest out our lives.
Dream big, anything is possible.

You can learn more about the process, the lighting challenges (can you believe it was night tine when they shot everything?) and see a few more behind-the-scenes images on Von Wong's blog HERE.

There's also a great behind-the-scenes video detailing two projects, one in a cave system and this as the other. I've embedded it below for your enjoyment (the cave one - also lovely - is first):

Advertising: Lipstick Queen Promotes Frog Lips

Whimsy and advertising today. Fairy tales are often referenced in make-up but usually it's to do with princesses and in recent years, sexy villains. This new lipstick  - released less than a week ago - is slightly different:

A green lipstick that "uses the natural pH in your lips" to produce a unique shade that suits you.

"Things aren't always what they seem. Sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs before you find your prince!" Poppy King, Lipstick Queen

Get heads turning with Frog Prince, a remarkable emerald green lipstick that transforms into magical rosebud upon contact with the lips. Don't be fooled by the deep green hue of this semi-sheer lipstick - the green reacts with the warmth of your lips turning them an intense, fairy tale rose. No two pairs of lips will look the same as it adapts according to your pH and natural coloring, appearing entirely different yet beautifully flattering on everyone. Vitamin E and Shea Butter keep lips soft, hydrated and deliciously kissable. And just like true love itself, this enchanting shade was made to last. Lips remain their blissful pink all day long from just one lingering, magical Frog Prince kiss.

I'm having flashbacks to the 80's when there were those 'mood lipsticks' that were weird colors (including green) that changed your lips to be some sort of pink color. Trouble is, for me, it always looked like I'd gotten into my mother's lipsticks and used precisely the worst shade possible. Worse? It didn't come off very easily!

Clearly they're having a big campaign push for this particular lipstick and new photos from a sexy photo shoot have been appearing almost every day this week. It started with this one..

And went into this sequence:

Obviously , they're having a lot of fun with it. (But you cannot tell me she looked like a frog before putting this on!)

They also released an 'Ice Queen' lipstick toward the end of last year, which seems popular, though it didn't have a whole photoshoot to go with it. The artwork is nice though.

It’s all about intergalactic gorgeousness with Ice Queen, Lipstick Queen’s shimmering white lipstick flecked with silver and gold. This icy cool shade will tint your lips a sparkling and translucent snowy white, bringing an ethereal beauty to your look, and yet is still transparent enough to allow the natural pink of your lips to shine through. Ice Queen is enhanced with ultra-flattering shimmer particles that catch the light to create an ice cool, sexy look.  You can say goodbye too to dry, chapped lips common during the winter months as Ice Queen is formulated with anti-oxidant Vitamin E and nourishing oils to ensure the lips remain comfortable, soft and super-hydrated!

I have no experience with these and I'm not the sort of person who will pay $25 for a lipstick to start with but if you collect fairy tale novelty, these ones might be "just right" for you.

(Jeepers, I sounds like an ad...)

I have to admit - I do like the look of the box.

You can find Frog Prince HERE and Ice Queen HERE.

"Find the One" (aka When Animated Princesses Look for A Bra They Probably Do It Like This)

Ok, I admit it: I rolled my eyes when I first saw news about this campaign  of a fairy godmother helping animated girls find "the one true bra". I was not, however, expecting a whole musical!

Take a look:

Lingerie brand Triumph's sales division and marketing folks (Northern Europe) had this to say about this, quite involved, campaign. The key word to watch for here is "transform" - and I'll admit, they kind of have a good point:

A fairy godmother helps the girl find the perfect bra ("the one"). Ferguson (Triumph & Sports Illustrated model) is then seen (edit: transformed into a real girl) in a changing room, looking in a mirror at her bra as she whispers, "I found it." 

Eszter Szijarto, the head of brand marketing at Triumph, said: "It is really important for us to find new ways of bringing to life the bra finding journey so that we continue to inspire customers to go for a bra fitting. 

"By transforming our model, Hannah, into a cartoon we are treading new ground and by doing so, we aim to create a compelling visual experience that captures the magical feeling of finding the right bra that transforms your life – ‘the one’." 

"Women easily identify with animated characters, which explains the success of animated fairy tales all over the world. 

"Also, the perfect bra and Prince Charming have a lot in common: almost every woman dreams of finally finding the right one."

There's more information HERE.

I want to note - that's a very nice use of the frog prince motif too. Though we never see him transform, he subconsciously reminds the viewer this is all about transformation, right the way through (though the message might have been slightly clearer had we seen the animated girl actually transform into a real one). 

What do you think? Will this encourage girls and women to not settle on their undergarments but to get the right fit? I think at, the very least, it will do a good job of helping mothers of Frozen fans take their daughters bra shopping with a less self conscious atmosphere. 

(This is turning out to be such an eclectic fairy tale news day!)

Bibbidi Bobbidi Basketball Jerseys

1. THE PLEASURE ISLAND MONSTROS

A Whale of a Team

The man-eating beast lurking around the shores of Pleasure Island has inspired this team’s monstrous stats. Watch out for their end game (and their toothier front, as well)!

Fairy tales and sports: it's one of those combinations I have to weed through daily to find the 'real' fairy tale news, but this time the two have been combined wonderfully by the talented graphic design team at shirts.com.

These guys looked like they had a lot of fun making these! 

4. THE FORBIDDEN MOUNTAIN THORN BUSHES

A Thorny Lineup

You’ve got to watch out for these players! They have infamous elbow jabs and they know how to use them. If they’re behind at the half, they become real fire-breathing hot heads.

15. THE SNUGGLY DUCKLING DREAMERS

Breakin' Femurs

The only team in the league that can somehow play with hook hands. They’ve got big dreams to win the whole thing and nothing is going to stop them except, perhaps, a spontaneous frying pan duel. 

Very clever!

Here's their introduction (and I like their notes about the teams too):

16. THE ARENDELLE ICE HEARTS

It Takes Heart

Beware the frozen heart!

They’ve got icy resolve to win at any cost.

They keep their home games as cold as an eternal winter,

 the cold never bothered their biggest fans, anyway.

It’s that time of year again: the sneakers are squeaking, the balls are bouncing, and you’ve finally spotted your first referee of the season. It can only mean one thing -- March Madness is here! 

While we’re all basketball mad around the office with our brackets all stacked with care, we noticed that we have a year-round-madness that is much more magical than even the hottest NCAA game. We’re speaking, of course, about Disney magic! So, we thought it would be a wonderful idea to take our two passions and mash them up. 

If the Disney universe held its own basketball tournament, these are the jerseys all the fans would be proudly sporting to every game.

I have to say, if these were real products, I'd be pulling out my wallet to order a couple of them right now.

14. THE XIAN LUCKY CRICKETS

Lucky Shot

If your team can deal with the incessant cricket noises throughout the game, we think they’ll have no problem winning the match. Either way, fans love the fireworks show at the end buzzer!

(I like the cricket one because it makes me think of lots of different folktales too, not just the movie source.)

You can go see them all, full size, HERE - and guess which jersey belongs to which team (movie).

Now we just wish they were real.

On "Cinderella" Costume Practicality and Altering Oneself To "Fit"

Sandy Powell - Queen of Cinderella Costumes (siting on a prop from the costume display)

Perhaps things will change after the movie is in theaters and everyone who wanted to see it (or see the Frozen "sequel" before it), have seen it but for now, the strongest impressions of Cinderella are all about the costumes.

Three time Oscar winner, Sandy Powell is the costume designer for this movie and I have to say the sneak peeks and close-ups are indeed stunning (not things I would wear but the craftsmanship is clear).

But it's the teeny waist controversy that's bugging people out a bit. No matter how independent and strong this Cinderella is compared to her (Disney) predecessor, the fact that star, Lily James couldn't comfortably eat solid food while in her corset, shouts far louder to the public that ideal look and measurements are still the deciding factor for what makes an ideal woman.

This, of course, fits well with the theme of the step sisters doing their best to squeeze their foot into the glass slipper, in order that they will become the chosen bride. The Grimm's version is pretty clear on just how far the sisters may have gone, and currently, the new designer "glass" slippers by famous brand designers all show a slim fit shoe in which there was only one design that was under 4 inches (I may be being generous - perhaps none were), not to mention an inbuilt requirement for having feet that are well manicured and bunion, vein and sweat-free.

Oh, and in case you were wondering? Foot surgeries: still popular.

What a colorful society this is! Pity real life isn't so much.

Looks are everything in this film - everything is designed to shine, glow, be full of color or drama and everything is about as perfect as possible. Even the blue dress featured in every Cinderella commercial, was designed to look perfect while Cinderella was running, as well as standing and dancing.

Funny thing is, it turns out that when Lily James had to run she wasn't wearing those Swarovski crystal heels at all, but running shoes. Well that just makes a little too much sense, doesn't it?

If Cinderella lost a shoe because she was desperately loosening her corset and slipping into something more comfortable to run in (or resorting to bare feet) that would actually be quite a statement. Can you imagine? It would change the whole conversation....

I thought I'd share a few other notable pieces of trivia on this shoe and fit business as well:

Powell is very particular when creating designs that the under garments are as close to authentic as possible.
“I want to dispel the myth that corsets are uncomfortable,” Powell says. “Corsets are uncomfortable if they are made badly or if they don’t fit right. If they are made to fit properly, your squeezey bits — like your waist — get pulled in properly and it shouldn’t push on your rib cage. All that it does is that it makes you aware of your posture.” 

It took about 20 minutes to get James into the costume, including lacing up the corset. 

The corset didn’t hurt James, but there was a side effect Powell hadn’t anticipated. Richard Madden, who plays the Prince, noticed during dance scenes with Cinderella that if James ate anything while in the corset she would have some pain. They would have to stop so it could be loosened.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/03/07/4413028_sandy-powell-dresses-cinderella.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

FTNH Interrupt: Hang on a second - how do the phrases "didn't hurt James" and "have some pain" work simultaneously?! Even if you take this as generously as possible how can a corset that "doesn't hurt you" coexist with a corset that makes your body object if you eat?! OK - two cents over, back to it:

...James was able to wear comfortable running shoes because the gown covered her feet completely. She never wore the glass slippers that prove so important to the tale.
Powell designed the slippers based on an 1890s shoe she saw in a museum. The 5-inch heels gave the shoes a modern look that was still suitable for the fairytale. She had casts made of the shoes, which were sent to a company that created the slippers out of cut crystal. 

The shoe is made up of three pieces of crystal fastened together. The shoe was only used as a prop. Scenes that show the slippers were added via computers after the filming was completed.
When asked about the cut crystal shoes, James smiles and says they didn’t fit her feet. She immediately realizes that she’s ruined the fairytale ending and adds, the shoe wouldn’t fit anyone’s foot.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/03/07/4413028_sandy-powell-dresses-cinderella.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Well isn't that ironic?

And I'll just leave this last bit here for your reading pleasure:

Most of her work for “Cinderella” went as Powell planned — except for a small issue with the Fairy Godmother design. Helena Bonham Carter would only play the role if the character had wings. 

Bonham Carter had to put up with a lot for the costume to work. Her dress is filled with lights and batteries to make her shine. That’s why Powell was finally willing to add a small pair of wings to her look. Director Kenneth Branagh says Bonham Carter joked that every day there was a man to turn her on.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/03/07/4413028_sandy-powell-dresses-cinderella.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

This might be the only case in the whole movie where the costume was made to "fit" the person. Even Prince Charming was faced with having his "codpiece" discussed and er, managed (please tell me they didn't CGI him into a Ken doll). Not even the boys were getting away with being 100% come-as-you-are. So in the case of the Fairy Godmother (and Helena Bonham Carter) the costumes had to "fit" the wearer, rather than altering the wearer to fit the costume (what a headache I'm sure, but in principle I say Bravo Helena!).

I'm not sold on the movie yet. I can't see anything particularly revolutionary about it that Ever After didn't already do (and much, much better) but those costumes really do look amazing.

Between those and Cate Blanchett (who apparently reads all sort of fairy tales to her three boys, and not just the boy ones but the girly ones too) I'm thinking I may have to do my fairy tale duty and go see this. Anyone want to go with me? I have a feeling I'm going to want to chat about it after over drinks, no matter how good or bad it is.


(Source: fresnobee)