Valentino Exhibition

I went to Somerset House a few weeks ago to see the Valentino exhibition. The first room is filled with loads of letters to and from Valentino, invites to parties, people writing to thank him for various items of clothing he'd given away... Got the idea he's a pretty nice guy!

I found quite a few of the designs really interesting, especially the ones that connected to my textiles design. For example this design as I'm using a cowl back and I love the fur trim. 

There was this amazing 3D screen showing a flower growing and being covered with all sorts of beautiful designs. One of those things you can watch over and over again and not get bored. 

There were also a lot of his own hand drawn designs which were really interesting because you can see where his thoughts started and then later on see the development into an amazing dress. 

The next part of the exhibition was a long walkway and on either side mannequins dressed in the most beautiful garments. What I found most inspiring were all the different types of thing he does. One set would be really glamourous, sparking ball gown dresses, another manly shaped suits, another crazily printed trousers... I loved this garment because I'm using Damien Hirst in my textiles project, specifically butterflies and I thought this was a really clever idea that I may incorporate in my design. 

Just love the back on this, so elegantly sexy.

There were so many amazing garments that I so badly just wanted to try on. The way he creates such beautiful pieces that are so flattering and intricate inspired me so I'd fully recommend everyone going to see it too! 

The way they differentiated between the years that the garments had been created was by different coloured mannequins relating to different years... very clever.

Next they had a film all about Valentino which was really interesting and had him speaking about his work, showing his great passion. There was also a room full of small cabinets with techniques that Valentino uses and then some had videos on how to create them.

Lastly my favorite part of the whole thing was the wedding dress... 

Couldn't actually believe my eyes when I first laid eyes on it. So detailed with embrodered butterflies all through the train and just wow. 

Damien Hirst exhibition

So my family and I went to the Tate Modern today and the girls of the group decided to go to the Damien Hurst exhibition, which was truly amazing.

This was one of my favorite pieces. It was a mirrored cabinet filled with multi colored pills and looked stunning. Am tempted to make one myself!!

In this room there were over 100 butterflies flying around delicately. They were beautiful and gave me inspiration to use butterfly print on my next texiles product!

Here is a mosiac of real butterflies which was so beautiful, just loved the way it worked and couldn't believe he managed to find so many similar looking butterfly wings!!

Stain-glass window effect

Close up of the mosaic. 

More butterflies!

There was more incredible stuff but I had to sneakily take photos and I couldn't in main rooms but I recommend you going to see it, second best exhibition I've been to this year (after Christian Louboutin of course!)

Christian Louboutin exhibition

With no doubt, the best exhibition I've ever been to or dreamed of.



Dazzling shoes in every direction seemed as if they were calling 'Jessica take me now'.





There was even a hologram of a sparkling shoe turning round and round turning me into a hypnotic state. Then the shoe suddenly sparkles off into Dita-Von-Teese dancing in Louboutin's... just amazing.

There were also rooms explaining how the God of shoes comes up with ideas, where he gets inspiration and how the production of every shoe works. There was a room with a timeline of his life, explaining that interestingly he left college with no qualifications! 

Lastly there was an 'erotic' area which was fascinating as his views on many of his shoes are simply that they should be made for having sex in. Which you'd understand if you saw some of the designs. They hurt my feet even looking at them!

I am very upset that I couldn't take photos but hopefully that will urge you to go to it!
http://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2012/christian-louboutin