The Year That Was

Vogue Italia celebrated their 25th year with their 'Revolution" covers for the July issue

Another year over, and another wave of changes in the fast-paced fashion industry! A year in fashion encompasses many changes that reflect the evolving zeitgeist of society and the business's rapidity, spanning from music, art, film and of course, events. 2013 brought about comebacks from pop culture's fashionable icons, with Lady Gaga channeling a more demure self and bringing her little monsters back to the forefront with her album, ARTPOP, and Beyoncé collaborating with some of fashion's finest for her surprise visual music album, the first of its kind.

Lady Gaga brings a new era to her musical career - ARTPOP

Beyoncé gives us a taste of the future of music albums

Significant milestones in fashion journalism were celebrated this year, including the 25th Anniversary of Vogue Italia, marked by designers such as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace curating the special edition July covers of the magazine, and the 15th Anniversary of Russian Vogue, with influential fashion editors giving their congratulations to the magazine and wishing Editor-in-Chief Victoria Davydova the best. A whole new array of new titles have also been welcomed - Vogue Ukraine, 10 Men Australia, 10 Australia and Elle Australia all releasing their first issues this year.

The first issue of Vogue Ukraine, released in March

10 Men and 10 Magazine's Australian editions were launched during the Spring/Summer season

The fashion industry is notorious for its extravagant events, particularly those during Fashion Week, and besides the fact that it was my first Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia as official media/press, a few stood out in the worldwide fashion scene. The revolutionary Paris Fashion Week show of Rick Owens Spring/Summer 2014 collection broke the norm, using "plus-size" models, or rather dancers, to show off his androgynous designs down the runway, bringing him critical acclaim. The Met Ball for the respective annual fashion exhibition, this year based on the Punk movement - Punk: Chaos to Couture attracted the public eye's attention, especially the bold fashion choices of a few celebrities who attended the event. Finally, the opening of Prada: A New Place for Stories, a literary space in New York City where the designer label's short story competition winners were awarded and where their works will be available for viewing. 

A shot of Vanishing Elephant's Spring/Summer 2013 collection, shot by myself at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia

Anne Hathaway and Valentino Garavani at The Met Ball

Rick Owens' Spring/Summer 2014 collection, modelled by step-dancers in Paris

The fashion film of the year brought about a new perspective of costume design, with the release of Baz Luhrmann's 3D remake of The Great Gatsby. Some of the hype that surrounded the film was created by the news of Prada, Tiffany & Co. and Brooks Brothers contributing costume designs, all presenting a modern interpretation of the greedy and roaring '20s. 

Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan in a promotional editorial for The Great Gatsby in Vogue Australia

Prada's costume designs for The Great Gatsby

The Gatsby Collection by Brook's Brothers

On a final note, some of the world's well-known clothing labels experienced shifts in direction, with Alexander Wang presenting his debut collection for Balenciaga, due to Nicolas Ghesquiére's departure from the historical label, who swiftly came back into the fashion scene this year with his appointment as Creative Director of Louis Vuitton after the shock announcement of Marc Jacobs's retirement from the label at Paris Fashion Week. Notable designers who have also left include Ann Demeulemeester and Jil Sander, both leaving their namesake labels. Unfortunately this year, we also had to say goodbye to the labels Nicole Farhi, Farrell and even Ksubi, all filing for bankruptcy.

Alexander Wang's first collection for Balenciaga proved to be a hit, this crackle jumper being the key piece

Marc Jacobs at his final show for Louis Vuitton

2014 is now here and the cycle of change is already happening... who knows what will change this year! Happy New Year readers!

Jil Sander at her final show of her namesake label

Images courtesy of Swide.com, Lady Gaga, Pierre Debusschere, Cacolyte, Fashion Bomb Daily, Highsnobiety, Design Scene, Esquire, DIY Fashion, Ellies Blog, Vogue Australia and Say I Love Mary

Prada and Tiffany's Great Costumes for Gatsby

The Great Gatsby - the Great American novel and Fashion Film, is one of my favourite stories of all time. The moral of the story resonates deep within all society, making clear that corruption is only fuelled by materialism. More so than a fashion film, The Great Gatsby is a psychological exploration into how much power money and thriving for more has over a person and those around him or her.

Miuccia Prada, is the designer for the much anticipated film's costumes, with a strong focus on the femme fatale that is Daisy Buchanan. Drawing inspiration from the archives of Prada and Miu Miu, her wardrobe for the film does not emphasize the glamour of the roaring twenties, although there are hints of it, but rather the dwindling prosperity of Jay Gatsby and the doomed economic state of the world in the '30s-40s.

Some of Prada's costumes for The Great Gatsby were inspired by the "Chandelier Dress" in Prada's Spring/Summer 2010 collection, according to British Vogue

The suprisingly modern dresses for The Great Gatsby is a pure reflection of Prada's contemporary vision of fashion and how a time period's ethos can be presented in a way that relates to the situation of the world today. The costumes bare resemblance to flapper and party dresses in the '20s but "almost none were meant to be Twenties", as Prada herself states in an interview for Women's Wear Daily. 

Daisy Buchanan's famous crystal headband, designed by Tiffany & Co.

Luxury has exceeded its limit as Tiffany & Co.'s crystal pieces are paired with the costumes. Again, the pieces are seemingly more modern than what you'd expect from a film set in the '20s. The piece that tops off the Gatsby collection is Daisy's crystal headband, featuring a crystal feather - a sign of the wealth she delicately holds. Besides that, Tiffany & Co. has designed cuff links, pendants and earrings for the film (as seen below).

The Zegfeld Collection by Tiffany & Co. for The Great Gatsby

Images courtesy of British Vogue, Backseat Stylers and LollieShopping

The Great Gatsby will premiere worldwide on May 10th