Inspiration

When I teach personal stylist students at the NHJ Style Academy my main drive is to inspire them to be creative and not be constrained by rules. Particularly rules about colour. There are good reason for rules, like not speeding in busy urban areas, but there are no good rules when it comes to colour.

I had to make a dash to the Royal Academy to catch the 'From Paris: A Taste for Impressionists' exhibition which ends next week on the 23rd of September. I forced my father who can get me in for free to meet up and he was quite obliging despite the fact he'd seen it three times already. Even better he bought me the catalogue of the exhibition so I have a reference to it.

Image: Manet, 'Moss Rose in a Vase' Royal Academy

It is the use of colour, how light is captured and represented that is so inspiring. And it is always around the time of the big fashion weeks that I find myself more drawn to looking at everything around me than the catwalk outputs.

It is easy to be beguiled by collections and so much harder to develop your personal style in relation to inspiration and whim because collections are so definite. The looks, the trends are presented and then edited and bought and available.

As I'm not about to only make my own garments as I once used to do, I am equally dependant on availability in stores and online. But it is important to once in a while reflect and draw upon other sources rather than fashion magazines or blogs to stake stock of what inspires you.

Fasting, strife and colour

Never did I think that fasting would be a fashion statement. Okay actually technically it is more of a bank statement. My bank statement needs to be back in black. Black must be the new bank statement. Red, which is my favourite colour, is so last year. Red got me in the red. It was worth it though, but now I'm on a fashion fast. When I say fashion fast I really mean not buying any items.

Like food, if you have too much of fashion you get greedy, full or sick. I have to confess to being very full bordering on sick. Not that this means I'm berating the fashion industry. Equally I couldn't bear it if fashion and trends didn't keep happening. How could one be for something or against, into it or not. I love the polarisation of views, it is so subjective and therefore individual.
My fashion sickness is born of artistic turmoil. It is the moment when you go all caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly. Unlike real caterpillars, my process is a bit longer and more drawn out. I think I'm on a 5 year cycle! It sort of started in 2007 but didn't really get going until 2008 and now I'm in the part where I really crack it, so I'm hoping that in 2011 or 12 I will emerge butterfly like into a new era of personal style, have regained a better rapport with fashion and pushed a few boundaries.

Yesterday I visited the Van Gogh exhibition at the Royal Academy. Petit Garcon and I traipsed the cold streets of London to meet Papa MDS who is a friend of the Academy and therefore can get me in for free. It was packed. However the exhibition is a journey in one person's artistic endeavours, evidenced by letters, drawings and paintings. One of Van Gogh's most memorable paintings stem from his time at a mental hospital in France, a popular tree. His twists and turns on his painting style are no different to the twist and turns of a fashion designer. He became influenced by many things and his progression from Religious influenced work, to solitary studies of figures, the impact of the Impressionist movement and Japanese art to a dedication to painting of Nature is explained and exhibited clearly.It gives me hope even though his demons got him in the end, (I have none, other than a fear of consigning myself to domesticity, Mumsnet and Johnnie Boden) that artistic endeavour is always for a reason even if it is never recognised or successful. And the tortured soul element is better understood when you see the effort and endeavour put in by Van Gogh to his painting. Before the exhibition I took his work for granted, in the same way I took Alexander McQueen designs for granted.

His subdued and stylish show for a few in Paris yesterday showed a heartfelt artistic understanding. If you get the time go to the Tate Britain or National Gallery to view Medieval portraiture and the referencing of McQueen is there to see in this his last collection. Like Van Gogh he could research, interpret and produce. I love that yellow makes a strong appearance - it is the colour of hope and joy.

image:Style.com

Exhibit inspires design

Miró, Calder, Giacometti, Braque: Aimé Maeght and His Artists is an outstanding exhibition at the Royal Academy until 4 January 2009. This article in The Independent gives more background information but nothing beats seeing it for yourself.

Art was a huge influence on Yves Saint Laurent and his collection was amassed over many years with Pierre Bergé. The influential cubist painting he so loved will be auctioned early next year.

Now if I were a fashion house designer I'd be hot footing it to the Maeght collection exhibit to inspire my next collection and when one does emerge you'll know it was my top tip!