Karl Lagerfeld has brought us KARL and masstige. Masstige is a mixture of mass market and prestige combined and compartmentalised into three parts. IroniK, ArtistiK and aKsessible. Inspired by Karl's silhouette and style the collection was lauched exclusively through Net-a-Porter on 25th january.

By Anthony Boyne

The album that was released in 1980, 'Diana', was not the original mix put forward by the producers Chic’s Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards and they made their disapproval public. Diana's original singing was made closed miced, 'no effects' were used or added and neither Diana or her record company were satisfied with the finished product which led to Motown Records having the album remixed by house engineer Russ Terrana in Los Angeles. 

Amidst the disagreements between producers & Motown, the single 'Upside Down' went to number one in the pop charts and stayed there for a full month. Following that was the dancefloor classic 'I'm Coming Out' which made number five. 

Diana loved the song, it was very fitting with what was going on in her life at the time because she was in the process of leaving Motown & Berry Gordy. But in actuality the song was actually inspired by three drag queens dressed as Diana, that Nile Rogers saw in a New York club and was basically a gay anthem. 

The original, does sound very much like a 'Chic' vehicle that Diana is lending her voice too, the released album brought her vocals upfront and the whole sound remixed and speeded up.

Apparently the songs were written with Aretha Franklin in mind, but I personally don't think it would have suited. The album cover was an end of the photo shoot, with Francesco Scavullo, with Diana in her packed up, going home clothes, an unplanned off the hook shot. The photograph shows Diana's real hair (no wig) and she is wearing just a t –shirt and jeans. The album is a glorious mix of fun, friendship, gayness, blackness, freedom, equality, with great catchy songs, what more do you want from a pop album? 

Matthew Stone

Shala Monroque

Artist: Momus

Title: Circus Maximus

Year: 1986

Label: Él Records  

Personnel: Nick Currie, Neil Martin (emulator 2), Jane Davies (vocals)

Tracklisting: Lucky like St. Sebastian, The lesson of Sodom (according to Lot), John the baptist Jones, King Solomon’s song and mine, Little lord obedience, The day the circus came to town, The rape of Lucretia, Paper wraps rock, Rules of the game of quoits

Glass say…

Once described by Mojo as ‘England’s greatest living artist’, Nick Currie prefers to describe himself as someone who churns out ‘scruffy electronic pop for shy Japanese girls’. An obscenely talented and consistently controversial Scot, Currie’s debut was, however, as far from electronic pop as Lands’ End is from John O’Groats.

Highly literary and beautifully melodic, ‘Circus Maximus’ is a breathtaking mixture of gentle acoustic guitar and varied keyboard embellishments of largely acoustic sounds, thanks to the use of the emulator sampler. Currie’s fragile, melancholic voice is the perfect vehicle to explore the gamut of tragic biblical and historical figures referenced here. Particular highlights include the haunting ‘St. Sebastian’ and chanted chorus of ‘Little Lord Obedience’, alongside much lighter moments such as the folky ‘Quoits’ and ‘The Day the Circus Came to Town’, which introduces an ongoing interest in cabaret (and chanson) stylings.

Considering how timeless and homeless much of Currie’s work is, Momus may well indeed be SCOTLAND’s greatest living artist.

Their Gently Exfoliating Body Polish includes jasmine, tuberose and ylang ylang, and with exfoliating bamboo granulates, not only polishes skin up superbly, but the creamy, floral fragrance makes bath time a real treat, as does the Sumptuous Bath Elixir with a relaxing concoction of frangipani, jasmine and mimosa. 

Ideally we'd enjoy these body treats in this rather fetching cast iron bath from Drummonds.

Gently Exfoliating Body Polish is £19.50, Sumptuous Bath Elixir is £25, available at Jainnisa.com

By Milly Edgerley

Tuesday, 24 January saw the inauguration of Miuccia Prada’s 24 hour museum designed by Milan-based artist Francesco Vezzoli and featuring AMO, Ren Koolhaas’ think tank. This exclusive space opened in Paris and, as the name suggests, closed 24 hours later.

Nestled in the heart of the historic Palais d'Iéna, the museum opened with an invitation-only dinner that saw faces such as Anna Wintour, Audrey Tatou, Diane Kruger, Marianne Faithful and Salma Hayek, amongst many others, in attendance. 

Following dinner the space opened up into a nightclub where guests where entertained by none other than Kate Moss who was DJ for the evening, before the museum’s opening to the public the next day. 

The event itself was uniquely innovative: Koolhaas’ think tank was divided into three sections each inspired by a particular type of museum space: historic, contemporary and forgotten, each instrumental to the sequence of events that take place in different areas of the ground floor of the Palais d'Iéna. Vezzoli’s work was ensconced in a large metal cage with films featuring Sharon Stone and Lady Gaga co-existing with sculptures of his favourite divas creating an atmosphere of this very personal tribute to femininity. 

The squad are made up of celebrity photographer and Cruella DeVille lookalike Louie Banks; screen printer and illustrator Nicholas Saunders; makeup artist and musician Lucy Wearing; fashion prodigy and Central St.Martins student Mimi Wade; acclaimed music blogger Andy Moore; stylist and menswear journalist Stevie Style; Creative Director of 123 Bethnal Green Road Harriet Verney and hairstylist Sami Knight (not to be confused with Sam McKnight, although he did work as her assistant.) 

Last week the Street Squad launched their blog with a party at The Hoxton Pony, which included a dry styling bar, a photobooth and DJ sets from Andy Moore,  Lucy Wearing with Hayley Caine, Louie Banks and Sunday Girl as well as an electrifying live performance from Queen of Hearts. This is one cool crowd we'd happily hang out with (or at least try to...)

tigihaircare.com

Queen of Hearts performing at the Street Squad blog launch

By Milly Edgerley

In his second couture showing for the house, Bill Gaytten’s Dior Couture collection was executed with aplomb. 

The aesthetic of the collection was a clear departure from couture offerings we have previously seen from the house, with a renewed focus on simplicity, modernity and construction that showcased sheer layers that exposed the workmanship of the garments. 

Elsewhere in the collection, elegantly simple dresses bore stitching that hinted towards pattern-making directives drawing attention to the intangibility of couture creativity. 

That is not to say that the collection did not have a coherent vision. Indeed the overall effect was one of old-school, lady-like glamour with a distinctly contemporary twist.

Silhouettes were uncompromisingly feminine with high cinched waists and hints of peplum’s hidden in organza layers, paired with both full and second-skin tight skirts. Accessories added to this retro reference with models sporting evening gloves and shawl-collared jackets. 

However these references were not a literal translation; Sheer fabrics were used throughout to give a modern allure whist black and taupe croc-stamped leather jackets worn with patent or tulle court shoes with Lucite heels hardened the edges of this whimsical collection.

Eveningwear was arguably the stand-out of the show; stunning slim-line chiffon and organza dresses in damson, beige or black with pleated, stand away bodices undulated down the catwalk, whilst a barely-there, lattice print, damson gown showcased Gayttens ability to create couture eveningwear for an entirely modern woman. 

A confident and fresh expression of modern couture. 

Images Courtesy of Style.com

By Milly Edgerley

After an eight year hiatus from couture, Donatella made a welcome comeback with Versace’s Spring Couture collection and with her came a resurgence of the power woman, the glamazon, or as Donatella put it herself “warrior women”.

The collection re-defines femininity, favouring constructed gowns over the more whimsical organza offerings that have been popular for spring/summer.

Silhouettes were moulded to emphasise the female form, with gold metal inserts adding inches to hips and shoulders whilst sheer and lace panelling injected allure into the gowns that favoured a more demure palette.

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An array of thigh-skimming mini-dresses continued the structured feel in an assortment of eye-catching brights that lifted the otherwise fiercely glamorous collection. Amongst the shorter pieces the standout was a bronzed embellished corset-mini that was exquisite in its intricate delicacy.

The shorter pieces showcased the versatility of the collection however it was the silvery siren gowns that really served to exemplify Donatella’s couture credentials.  The overall effect was one of a sinuous sensuality hardened by the angular curves created by Versace’s ingenious engineering.

Standouts of the collection included a green embellished gown with a half-peplum structuring and a fiery gown, anchored at the neck with a half- moon metal insert; both fiercely feminine and unapologetically opulent.

This return to couture makes one thing exceedingly clear: Donatella understands how to design for the contemporary women, whether on the runway, red carpet or on the high street in her Versace for H&M range.