British Rebels at Topshop SS2016

I absolutely love the latest Topshop Unique collection for Spring/Summer 2016. Loved the description by creative director Kate Phelan - “Princess Margaret meets Courtney Love at a debauched garden party. ..She’s raided her mother’s closet for random heirloom pieces: marabou furs, gemstone chandelier earrings and cable-knit cardigans.” Said Phelan: “It’s less about good taste. There was no real formula about how things should be worn together. It’s that Topshop thing, about finding your own style within the collection.” I'm totally seeing Courtney here, especially the feminine tea dresses and nonchalantly draped furs with slashes of red lip.

I also see a dash of 'Desperately Seeking Susan" with satin blazers and touches of lace and a "thrown together' vintage vibe - which also harks back to grunge, along with cardigans and the aforementioned tea dresses. The show notes described “a beautiful British rebel” who is “first past the post at any social engagement”. This English vibe is seamlessly infuses with the grunge look, particularly the cricket style vests, trenches, furs and Wedgewood style prints. Fabulous.

Courtney & Amanda DeCadanet, 1995 & Courtney in fur

Topshop SS16 furs

 

                                                         Courtney                                                         

Topshop SS16

 

Courtney 

 Topshop SS16

Courtney

Topshop SS16

 

Madonna & Rosanna Arquette in Desperately Seeking Susan

 

Topshop SS16

Courtney's influence was also glimpsed at Marc Jacobs, who worked with Francois Nars to create disheveled rock-chick glam. Marc of course is known as for his groundbreaking grunge collection for Perry Ellis in 1992, when he shocked the fashion world with flannel, shrunken cashmere cardies, floral dresses with Doc Martens.

Marc Jacobs SS16

 Topshop SS16

Hedi Slimane & Grunge for Saint Laurent 2013

I love Hedi Slimane (see previous post on Hedi here). So it comes as no surprise that lately I've been admiring some pretty fabulous looks on celebs - courtesy of his first line for Saint Laurent. The coolest girls are always in Hedi Slimane!

  Saint Laurent model Anja Rubik

Sky Ferreira

 Courtney Love

 

 Angelina Jolie

Lady GaGa

 Cara Delevigne

Lou Doillon

 Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

 Rita Ora

Kate in Saint Laurent jacker (& Alessandra Rich dress)

Kate's Saint Laurent looks, 2013

Kate & Salma Hayek front row at Saint Laurent

Salma Hayek

Gwen Stefani highlighted the range for US Vogue January 2012 (above). I also just spotted Zooey Deschanel rocking Hedi for Marie Claire September 2013. More celebs in Saint Laurent are below.  JAmanda Seyfried for ELLE US September 2013.

Jennifer Aniston for Glamour US, September 2013

Amanda Seyfried for ELLE US, August 2013

Salma Hayek for Style US, April 2013

Fall 2013 was inspired by 'California Grunge' and is a throwback to the 90's looks of fishnets, rocked-up baby doll dresses, over-sized wool 'Seattle style' cardies, Patty Smith style shirts, waistcoats & ties , plaid sirts & biker boots. 

The Spring 2013 collection was rock chick slick with sleek Studio 54 style sweeping dresses, sheer fabrics, pussy bows, pencil thin cigarette pants & blazers - very 70s, YSL and his muse Betty Catroux (more on Betty here). 

I'm loving that grunge icons Courtney Love and Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon were enlisted for the latest campaign. Courtney is the perfect poster child for the range. 

Courtney

Kim Gordon

I was a huge Courtney Love fan in the 90's. She has been through many a car crash phase which makes people forget that back in the day she was very cool & influential with a great punk-edged style of her own. She was certainly one of my fashion icons, with her baby doll grunge look and customized tees and dresses. These old Courtney looks are certainly reminiscent of Slimane's latest collection. Pussy bows, sheer blacks, ruffles and bias cut satiny gowns.

"Hedi is a genius," Love said. Yes, but surely there are others living a bit closer to the creative edge? "No offense to MJ [Marc Jacobs] but he never got it right," Courtney said. "This is what it really was. Hedi knows his shit. He got it accurate, and MJ and Anna [Sui] did not.” (From Refinery 29. See more on Marc Jacobs and the birth of 'grunge' here.)

I

I agree with Courtney. I lived the grunge look in the 90's and grunge wasn't just plaid shirts, PJ bottoms, Doc Martens & beanies. There was the disheveled glam side too. 

As well as Courtney, latest Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent campaigns have included wild-eyed waifs model-du-jour Cara Delevingne (above) and singer Sky Ferreira who embody the rebellious rock chick Slimane ethos. 

Cara Delevingne

 Sky Ferreira for Numéro Tokyo

Sky Ferreira for Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent

Update: Saskia de Brauw in Saint Laurent 
graces a grunge cover for Vogue Paris, September 2013