Very old piece I found from an LCF course I attended on my gap year

FILM AND FASHION

FABRICATED BY SOPHIE SEYMOUR


Alice in Wonderland

“I’m late. I’m late. For a very important date.
No time to say ‘Hello’.
Goodbye. I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.”

The frantic time schedule of Alice in Wonderland’s famous white rabbit is not the only thing shared by the film and the fashion world. Many designers, including John Galliano for Dior, often carry a statement fairytale theme through their collections. This ranges from one-off couture dresses, to quirky buckles on the seasons latest boots. It appears that it is not uncommon for those at the forefront of fashion to gather inspiration from the Disney films many of us grew up with.   

Vivienne Westwood cast Peaches Geldof as Alice in the reading of her Manifesto: Active Resistance to Propaganda. Annie Leibovitz shot an Alice in Wonderland themed spread for Vogue in 2003, featuring model Natalia Vodianova tumbling down the rabbit hole. In 2007, Vogue also printed Tim Walker using Alice’s favourite phrase for his “Curiouser and Curiouser” shoot with Coco Rocha. The oversized white glove from which, was recently included in his exhibition at The Design Museum. My personal favourite of late, has to be Chanel’s fanciful merry-go-round stage for F/W 2008. We are all going crazy for the little girl in a blue dress, who was dubbed a ‘weed’ by an array of musical flowers. 

Not only is The Telegraph telling me about Antonio Marras for Kenzo opting for an Alice-inspired runway at Paris fashion week for S/S 2009, but the pages of every fashion magazine show a trend for doll-like, young models. Lily Cole and Gemma Ward in particular stand out; sporting porcelain skin, long hair and doe eyes.

As we all know, a typical idea of beauty has often included blonde hair, blue eyes, and immaculate presentation. Whilst not all of us are blessed with the good looks of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, we can all enjoy the colourful creativity that this and similar fairytales provoke. Whether it be a whimsical dress sense, ballerina pumps (as worn by Alice through the entire film), or just the craze for everything to be made smaller and smaller. No “Drink Me” bottle required.