The Secret World of Haute Couture

I randomly caught this documentary on BBC Four last night called The Secret World Of Haute Couture. It essentially boiled down to the film maker travelling to Paris and New York to interview the actual women who buy haute couture on a regular basis in an effort to understand why they would spend £100,000 on an outfit. There were also some sadly brief interviews with the top designers like John Galliano and Karl Lagerfeld.
Although the film maker was slightly patronising in her approach, repeating the fact that the women being interviewed saw the clothes as wearable pieces of art in an attempt to validate her documentary, it was a fascinating look at a shrinking industry. As the advent of mass produced clothes opened up designer fashion lines to an even wider audience, haute couture seems to have a reached a point where the circle of women prepared to buy it keeps shrinking.
There was an important point made in the documentary that a designer's haute couture show is seen as a loss leader, used to publicise the fashion label and promote other lines such as fragrance. Coverage of the haute couture shows create publicity and most people buy a fragrance as a way of tapping into the label's ethos without spending a large amount of money. Essentially, most women could never afford haute couture but it serves to illustrate the creativity and character of a fashion house which in turn informs a decision to buy into a smaller part of that image.
The interviews with the women who buy haute couture were filled with recognisable names such as Bloomingdale or Guinness. A throw back to the time when you needed a personal connection or introduction to even contemplate buying haute couture. What really came across though was that these women loved fashion, they almost worshipped their favourite designers and saw themselves as patrons of the arts. I completely agree with this idea, that fashion in all its creativity and inspiration can be seen as art. The way designers put colours together, clash or complement fabrics and patterns, debate the length of a hemline or cut of a shoulder, its an expression of their thoughts and ideas.
Seriously, I wanted to live in some of the wardrobes that were filmed. Chanel couture suits with the signature boxy jackets, red Valentino dresses, intricately beaded and embroidered Dior dresses.... Heaven! Every dress labelled when it was bought and from which designer, when it was worn and where to. Then when you decide it's time the clothes can be donated to a museum for others to admire. Although I would keep them in my own personal museum because in an imaginary world where I own a wardrobe - actually a ROOM full of couture clothes, I would also have the resources and time to establish my own museum of fashion.

Crazy Heart

In my continuing quest to attempt to see the many many films that were Oscar nominated, I finally saw Crazy Heart. Can I just say that although I was hoping against hope that Colin Firth would sneak it, Jeff Bridges really deserved his best actor Oscar. He completely inhabits his character, 'Bad' Black, an alcoholic country singer who in the twilight of his career is reduced to playing bowling alleys rather than stadiums. Bad Black is interviewed by a young single mother played by Maggie Gyllenhall and they drift into a relationship of sorts.
It's a mature, considered film with no trite Hollywood resolutions. It's almost a downbeat film but I would hesitate to call it depressing. It's realistic but moves gradually towards a hopeful future.
The scene that stayed with me was Bad Blake composing a song on his love interest's bed for the first time in years. She sheds a few tears because everytime she lies down in her bed from that point she'll won't be able to get that song out of her head. It struck me as completely realistic and poignant that she felt wonder at the spontaneous composition combined with sadness that the moment would pass.
The colour palette is warm, veering between the soft blue darkness of bars and the bright yellow sunshine of the highway as Bad Black travels hundreds of miles to get to the next gig. Watching the beautiful American landscape made me want to wear a washed out cotton shirt warmed by the sun with worn blue jeans whilst peering at the horizon through mirrored shades.
The soundtrack is on my wish list, original songs written for the film keep an authentic mood throughout and move from sad reflective to rousing energetic songs depending on the scene.
Overall, I loved the mood I got from Crazy Heart. I now want to base my summer wardrobe around summer dresses, cotton shirts and guitar playing men.
Rx