An Ode to Vogue at the NPG

What is it that makes a 16-year-old girl pick up a copy of Vogue? It certainly isn't to check out the latest £340 pair of heels or the prospect planning a stylish 'Capsule Working Wardrobe'. For me, aged 16, Vogue was a little life raft of pure joy and escapism. The sheer weight of its heavy, glossy pages acted as a barrier between myself and the real world of A Level exams, UCAS forms and teenage angst.

I was lucky enough to discover that at my local 6th form college (for reasons unknown but never questioned) there was a corner of the library which housed an endless supply of British Vogues, ordered chronologically and stretching back at least 30 years up to the present day. This was more than enough to keep myself and my best friend occupied. At lunchtimes, and study breaks, when we should have perhaps been practising our French past participles, we would go through the latest editions and analyse each model's outfits, announcing 'yes', 'no', ' or 'What were they thinking?' 

But, most importantly, we would scan the pages for the editorials. The extravagant fairy-tale like stage set-ups. Our favourites were the Tim Walker stories with girls dressed as China plates and doll-like models staring out in saucer-eyed wonder. These were the models of our generations; Lily Cole, Gemma Ward, Jourdan Dunn and Lily Donaldson. Faces which became familiar friends issue after issue. Only a couple of years older than us, their fantastical lives seemed, in our idealistic teenage brains, almost within reach.

What these hours and hours spent pouring over 'The Fashion Bible' did for us I'll never quite understand, but, to us, the spreads seemed as creative as an A Level photography project (although with the financial backing of a certain Conde Nast). They were magical and haphazard and unbelievably out of this world. It wasn't the brands or the prices (which we gasped at on a regular basis) it was the creativity, the putting together of outfits; the 'More Dash than Cash' spreads showing knee high socks with strappy Mary-Jane shoes. The youthful, excitable feel of discovering something that felt like it was made just for you.

Entering the National Portrait Gallery's Vogue 100 earlier this month - the exhibition dedicated to the magazine through the ages as it celebrates its centenary - was like walking into my teenage brain and roaming around for a bit. Seeing the Vogues I had collected so diligently at the age of 17 onwards on display behind glass cases was more than a little surreal. The editions I had cherished and which now line my bookshelves are seen displayed beautifully in chronological order. The cover of Kate Moss (yes there are many) reclining in a gold ball gown for the December 2008 issue and the Cara Delevigne's first solo cover a few years later are copies that seem fixed in time and bring me back to certain points in my life. 

There is something so intimate and emotional about these weighty fashion doorstops that seems more personal than anything I've seen before in a gallery. Of course the photography, created by such masters as Mario Testino, Nick Knight and, my favourite, Tim Walker are works of art in their own right. But, in my mind, the magazine seems to belong in on the bedside tables of teenage girls, to be poured over, cherished and well loved, with pages earmarked for future use and favourite outfits cut out and tacked on pin boards.

So, this is a little 'Ode to Vogue', to say thank you. Thank you for 100 years of fashion, creativity and escapism. And thank you for allowing an awkward 16 year old girl to carry around (in her tatty canvas tote bag) a piece of pure fashion magic.

The Extraordinary World of Tim Walker

Just over a week ago, I experienced my first ever Vogue Festival. I have long been intrigued by the concept since it was launched a few years ago, but had been a bit put off by the price of tickets, which are a little steep..! But, when I heard that this year Tim Walker would be attending, I knew I had to bite the bullet and be there.

I have followed Tim Walker's fashion photography ever since I got my hands on British Vogue. At Sixth Form college, the library had an enormous back catalogue of issues, and I spent many a lunch hour pouring over the fashion stories, always admiring Tim's work above any other. The brilliant colours, doll-like models and fairytale-inspired stories completed held my gaze and inspired me no end. In a world of minimalism and bright studio set ups, here was someone eccentric and extraordinary

Tim's talk was, aptly, held at the Royal Geographical society, where he was well placed to talk about travel and locations within his work. Walking to the lecture theatre, we passed walls lined with maps of far off places as well as dark wooden cases containing all sorts of Victorian travel memorabilia, reminding us of an era of travel not unlike those conjured up in Tim's images. Tim was joined in conversation with stylist Kate Phelan, as well the whole team of creatives that accompany him on location, from the hair and make up artists, to the fashion and photographic assistants. It was lovely to see what a close knit group they have formed over years of working together. Kate described Tim as "an adventurer" and talked about needing "to go with the person that's got that adventurous spirit" when shooting fashion in exotic places.

If you're a committed reader of Vogue, you'll know that Tim's most recent fashion story was shot in Bhutan and features a fiery-haired Karen Elson (see below). Tim described Karen as "a conduit for the fantasy in my head, she becomes the living thing!". It's clear that this really is a team effort with everyone mucking in and coming up with ideas to create the perfect image. Tim emphasised that need for spontaneity and freedom within his images, and although he plans the locations and proportions of images meticulously in his scrapbooks, he made it clear that some of the best photos are those filled with dancing or movement, or when the weather suddenly changes, or a butterfly comes in to shot.

What I loved most about the talk was hearing how down to Earth Tim was about the fashion industry. He admitted that "clothes can sometimes be boring". It's putting clothes into a fantastical location or embedded within a wild, imaginative story that "makes fashion come alive". Despite his reputation as a fashion photographer, it seems that Tim is not at all precious about clothing. This is a man that is all about the image, he thrives on what he calls a 'seeking out of beauty', to find that moment of magic that can only be captured on film.

I'm so glad I went along to this short talk, if only to be re-inspired by fashion imagery in a time were fast-fashion, selfies and the huge momentum of the industry can make it all seem a bit lacklustre. In his images, Tim Walker takes the slow and traditional approach to creating a photograph, using film cameras and natural lighting, and I'm excited to keep following his work and see what he comes up with next.

Erwin Blumenfeld at Somerset House

 

I managed to squeeze in another 'artsy' adventure today! This time it was the Erwin Blumenfeld exhibition at Somerset House in London. Blumenfeld was a Berlin born photographer who emigrated to New York in the 1940s. Whilst forever believing himself to be an outsider to the American lifestyle, his fashion portraits were responsible for creating and embracing the signature look of the New York woman. Polished, glossy and almost too perfect, his covers for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar depict beautiful women as the utmost objects of desire. 

Perhaps Blumenfeld's most famous image is one featured on the cover of Vogue which depicts the disembodied features of a woman's face - it is instantly recognisable. His simple use of colour still seems fresh today and there is always something Surreal and a little bit different about his photos. Accompanying the exhibition were some examples of the magazines in which he was printed as well as a short film which went into more detail about his life and work. This was fascinating - it seems that despite his idolisation of 'perfect' women in his commercial work, his own self-portraits which are distorted and unidentifiable, showing someone deeply concerned with and constantly exploring the idea of his own identity. I highly recommend popping in to see this display if you can. Blumenfeld's photos are so iconic and made a huge impact fashion photography.

The exhibition is free and finishes on 1st September.