'Vogue 100: A Century of Style' at the National Portrait Gallery

Claudia Schiffer in Paris by Herb Ritts, 1989

©Herb Ritts Foundation/Trunk Archive

I remember the very first issue of Vogue that I bought - it was March 2003. I still remember it clearly, not only because it's my favourite Vogue cover of all time, but because I still have it. And just about every issue since.

If you're wondering what 13 years of Vogue magazine looks like, I can tell you that in a vertical pile they are taller than me at 5'8". I've kept them all these years because each issue brings me joy and (unlike newspapers and gossip magazines that are relevant one day and rubbish the next), I love to look back at old issues for inspiration and a stylish snapshot of a certain time in my life.

Vogue isn't for everyone though. I've lost count of the number of people who have said to me, 'but isn't it 50% advertising?!' Not far off, but they're missing the point. If you love fashion and you love photography, the adverts aren't something that you skip past, they're another source of beauty and inspiration.

So for 13 years that stack of Vogues has lived with me – and moved house with me. (If you want to see a look of pure hatred, try telling a middle-aged removal man on the hottest day of summer that yes, there are 10 more boxes of Vogue to be carried up to your top floor flat with no elevator!)

Recently, however, I've been purging my possessions. I did this dramatically a few years ago when we moved from a reasonably large house to a one bedroom flat (London ain't cheap) and, when I realised that I missed nothing that I got rid of, I decided to get rid of even more. I hate clutter and recently I have been looking at my beloved stack of Vogues and asking myself if they are just clutter too. More importantly, if I keep collecting every issue, where the heck will I put them all?!

Limelight Nights by Helmut Newton, 1973
©The Condé Nast Publications Ltd

Enter the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, an integral part of the magazine's centenary celebrations. British Vogue was founded in 1916 when the war made shipping copies of American Vogue impossible and has remained one of the world's most influential fashion magazines ever since.

This exhibition is the first retrospective of its kind, including more than 280 prints from the Conde Nast archive, in addition to film footage from shoots and original magazines - one from each of the magazine's 100-year history.

The photographs are grouped in rooms by decade and it's fascinating to see trends unfold and be interpreted by the most influential photographers and models of each era - from that iconic first Kate Moss shoot by Corinne Day to the powerful results of David Bailey's enduring relationship with Jean Shrimpton. The cultural and economic shifts of each decade are also reflected in the shoots; the mood visibly changes from wartime austerity to the swinging sixties, to 80s glamour and 90s grunge.

The final '00's' room is where my heart skipped a beat though. There on the walls were the photos from my personal collection of Vogue, and the designers, photographers and models who stole my heart - Tim Walker, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Gemma Ward, Natalia Vodianova and so many more.

Kirsi Pyrhönen in Mongolia by Tim Walker, 2011

 ©Tim Walker

It took us a couple of hours to see everything properly – if you're a Vogue fan this exhibition is well worth seeing. It was more than just an enjoyable morning for me though, it was a reminder of just what an impressive institution Vogue is, and that I'm not completely insane for treasuring my magazines for so many years.

I realised something else important. I had thought I only had two options – throwing all my magazines away, or keeping them and collecting them until the day I die – but I hadn't considered a third. I've decided to keep just ten year's worth and put them pride of place on my living room bookshelf.

If I ever live in a huge house with a library, I'd like nothing more than to amass a full 100-year collection but, in the meantime, my little snapshot of Vogue's impressive 100 year history makes me pretty happy.

Vogue 100: A Century of Style is at the National Portrait Gallery, London, from 11 February until 26 May 2016, sponsored by Leon Max. For more information visit www.npg.org.uk

Trick or Treat! Halloween fashion inspiration

I think by now we all know how much I love Halloween; horror films, pumpkin carving, ridiculously over the top makeup... it's my kind of holiday. However, if your idea of fun doesn't include trawling eBay to put together a DIY costume, or purchasing half a gallon of fake blood, then here is a high-end Halloween fashion fix especially for you.

What happens when one of the most creative fashion photographers of all time joins forces with the king of the macabre? Magic, that's what. The beautiful dark kind of magic that is perfect for this time of year. I'm taking a look back at a 2009 collaboration for US Harper's Bazaar by two of my favourite people – Tim Walker and Tim Burton.

From Gucci, Gaultier and Givenchy, to custom Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen, and even a Rodarte-clad Edward Scissor Hands, the results were beautiful. This is Tim Burton's vision, wrapped in couture and brought to life by the incredible props that are synonymous with Tim Walker's work.

If you are in need of further inspiration, I have put together a selection of high-end Halloween accessories. Even if you aren't one for costumes, you can't tell me those Charlotte Olympia shoes wouldn't brighten up a day at the office! That being said, I am leaving my McQueen safely at home on Saturday night and have put together my costume for under £5. I'm afraid I have learned this lesson the hard way – mixing drinks can be trouble, but mixing alcohol with couture is much worse.


Clockwise from left:
• Spiderweb body by Victoria's Secret
• Harness skull ring £235 by Alexander McQueen
• Lace skull box clutch £1395 by Alexander McQueen
• Kitty flats £365 by Charlotte Olympia
• Victorian jewelled skull ring £265 by Alexander McQueen
• Claw-print zipped pouch £80 by Undercover

You can read more of my ramblings on Tim Walker and why his work is so special here.
All Tim Burton images via Harper's Bazaar © Tim Walker

Tim Walker: Story Teller at Somerset House

With Christmas, flu and all manner of other inconveniences well out of the way, I’m officially back to work, and I’m aware this blog’s balance has tipped heavily in the favour of ‘rock’ in recent months, so I fully intend to give ‘runway’ the space it deserves. First up is the Tim Walker exhibition in the East Wing Galleries at Somerset House, that I promised to review way back in September when I unsuccessfully stalked him at The RPS Awards.

Giant doll kicks Lindsey Wixson Eglingham Hall, Northumberland, 2011 © Tim Walker

In a world where creativity is increasingly computer generated, there is something refreshing, and indeed magical, about the fantasy world that Walker captures using a spectacular array of other-worldly props. From an elegant swan boat to a giant doll with blonde ringlets, he conjures up a dream world where anything is possible, and if a prop looks real, then that is probably because it is.

My obsession with Walker’s work began many years ago whilst writing my university dissertation, an exploration into the relationship between fashion magazines and body image in women. It was more specifically a defence of the fashion magazines that I love so dearly, and an attempt to demonstrate that fashion is such an elaborate myth that it cannot possibly have a negative effect on a woman’s body image unless there is an underlying issue already.

Walker’s work was the perfect example. The beautiful shoots that I would pore over in Vogue often showed little of the clothes, or even the female form, focussing instead on telling a rather stylish yet fantastical story or capturing a beautifully lit scene. I had discovered a true artist and not someone whose primary focus was the hard sell (although there is no denying that the end product was, and still is, always very desirable.)

Tim Walker: Story Teller is a celebration of some of his most memorable work to date. It is an incredible well-curated exhibition, with a selection of prints displayed alongside installations and some of his most iconic props that bring the images to life. Almost as soon as you enter you are greeted by the near life-size Spitfire thats tail can be seen bursting through a door behind which stands an immaculate Lily Donaldson.

Lily Donaldson and Blue Spitfire Glemham Hall, Suffolk, 2009 © Tim Walker

The Blue Spitfire in place at Somerset House

What struck me the most whilst wandering through the gallery is a fact that I already knew but that became clearer than ever when standing face to face with such a beautiful collection – that Walker is the complete package. He is not simply a technically gifted photographer who can take the best possible shot of a given subject, he is a visionary, someone with the ability to conceive an amazing idea in preliminary sketches, turn it into a reality then capture perfectly the original story that he wanted to convey.

If I sound a little obsessed with Tim Walker it’s because I am, and have been ever since his work first jumped out at me from the pages of Vogue. He doesn’t just take a picture, he quite literally creates it, and in the glossy world of fashion his work always stands out thanks to his ability to consistently create something colourful and new. There are only a few weeks left of the exhibition, so if you are interested in either fashion or photography, I recommend you take a trip and see for yourself exactly why, for me, Walker is the most distinctive fashion photographer of his era.

Tim Walker: Story Teller, until 27 January at Somerset House, free admission

www.somersethouse.org.uk

Karlie Kloss and broken Humpty Dumpty Rye, East Sussex, 2010 © Tim Walker

A fabulous installation featuring giant snails used in a shoot

Alexander McQueen with skull and cigarettes Clerkenwell, London, 2009 © Tim Walker

Meeting Brian May at The RPS awards

Last night at The Royal Photographic Society awards, I had a bit of a 'rock' and a 'runway' moment when I shared the room with two living legends; Queen guitarist Brian May and fashion photographer Tim Walker. Also present were Steven Sasson (inventor of the first digital camera), award-winning photographer Joel Meyerowitz, The Hurt Locker cinematographer Barry Ackroyd and many more inspiring characters from the world of photography.

Brian May was receiving the Saxby Award for achievement in the field of 3D imaging;  he is incredibly passionate about stereography and has one of the most extensive collections of stereoscopic images in the world. He also collaborated on A Village Lost and Found, a book about Thomas Richard Williams' stereoscopic cards, and gave new life to the London Stereoscopic Company. The event was sponsored by Macallan and it took a few glasses of their finest before my partner-in-crime Mel plucked up the courage to say hi for us!

Tim Walker, who received an Honorary Fellowship, was lucky enough to escape us however. This was very disappointing as he is one of my all time favourite fashion photographers and I had spent the best part of the day editing an article about him for an upcoming issue of the RPS Journal. Maybe next time...

I'll be posting more about Walker soon, and hopefully some of his stunning photos, as he has an exhibition and book coming out next month which will both be well worth checking out. But in the meantime happy Friday and have a wonderful (hopefully) sunny weekend!